From Failure to SS-Rank: The Demon Lords Rebirth

The silence in the throne room was suffocating, broken only by the flickering of distant torches. Morrath, no, Frank, stood among the broken bodies of soldiers who had tried and failed to kill him. Their armor was dented, their weapons scattered, and their blood pooled on the cracked stone floor. His breathing was uneven, his mind still struggling to accept the impossible reality before him.

[Threat neutralized. Remaining forces: Unknown.]

The system's words floated before his eyes, cold and detached. He clenched his clawed hands, his jaw tightening. "Neutralized," he muttered, the word tasting bitter. He couldn't forget the moment the shadows had erupted from him. It hadn't felt like victory. It felt... wrong. Powerful, yes, but alien and terrifying.

"Alright, Morrath," he whispered, testing the name like a jagged edge against his tongue. "What now?" His voice echoed in the vast, empty hall.

The throne room was a ruin of its former self, the grandeur of its past reduced to cracked columns and tattered banners. It was a place where history had died, and Frank could feel its weight pressing down on him. His gaze fell on a shattered mirror. Morrath's crimson eyes stared back at him from the fractured glass, unyielding and fierce.

He turned away, but a faint sound caught his attention—a soft rustling, too deliberate to be the wind. His grip on the rusted sword tightened, the worn hilt digging into his gauntleted fingers. Shadows flickered at the edge of the room, and he braced himself. "Great," he muttered. "What now?"

A new notification appeared in his vision.

[Enemy class: Lesser Demon detected.]

Frank's stomach tightened. He'd fought these creatures in the game countless times, but this wasn't a game anymore. There were no second chances or respawns. This was real.

From the darkness emerged a hunched figure, its gray skin stretched over a wiry frame. Its glowing yellow eyes fixed on him with predatory hunger, and its jagged teeth gleamed in the torchlight. The creature moved erratically, its body twitching with every step as it circled him like a wolf preparing to pounce.

Frank steadied his stance, his body screaming in protest under the weight of the armor. "Alright, you ugly bastard," he growled, trying to sound braver than he felt. "Let's dance."

The demon lunged, claws slashing the air. Frank barely managed to parry, the impact sending painful vibrations through his arms. He stumbled back, sweat pooling beneath his helmet. The demon pressed its attack, moving too fast for him to counter. Frank rolled away as its claws tore into the stone where he had stood moments before.

The system chimed.

[Weapon ineffective. Target requires enhanced damage.]

"Thanks for the tip," Frank snapped, sarcasm masking his rising panic. He sidestepped another strike, his boots scraping against the floor. The demon snarled, its movements becoming more aggressive as it sensed his weakness.

A new message appeared.

[Shadow Veil available. Channel power to enhance physical attacks.]

Frank hesitated, the memory of the shadows flooding his mind. The power had felt uncontrollable, dangerous. But the demon wasn't going to wait for him to decide. It lunged again, and instinct took over. He focused on the notification, letting the dark energy flow through him.

The shadows coiled around his arms, merging with the rusted blade. The weapon pulsed with an ominous glow, its dull edge now alive with a sinister aura. The demon hesitated, its predatory instincts warning it of the sudden shift in power.

Frank didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, his swing fueled by desperation and fury. The blade carved through the demon's torso, the shadows leaving a trail of black mist as the creature collapsed. It let out a final, gurgling snarl before disintegrating into ash.

Frank stood over the remains, his chest heaving. The sword in his hand felt lighter as the dark energy dissipated. Another notification blinked into view.

[Threat eliminated. Progress: 20%.]

He lowered the blade, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Twenty percent," he muttered. "Feels like I just ran a marathon and got paid in loose change."

The silence returned, but it wasn't comforting. It was the kind of silence that reminded him how empty the castle really was. He looked around the ruined throne room, the weight of his new reality pressing down on him again. He needed answers—about this world, about what the system wanted from him, and about what had happened to Morrath.

A faint light caught his attention. It came from the far end of the hall, pulsing like a heartbeat. He approached cautiously, each step echoing in the vast chamber. As he drew closer, he saw a pedestal standing in a circle of broken columns. Atop it rested a glowing orb, its surface swirling with dark shadows and faint light.

[Memory Core detected. Access to previous realm knowledge available.]

Frank hesitated, his armored hand hovering over the orb. He didn't know what to expect, but something told him he couldn't afford to ignore it. He touched the orb, and the world around him blurred. Images and memories flooded his mind.

He saw the castle as it had been: grand and alive, with soldiers bowing before Morrath's throne. He saw Morrath himself, commanding legions, shaping the fate of the land with unyielding power. And then he saw the betrayal—the moment everything fell apart. The sealing of Morrath's strength. The castle's slow decay, mirroring the Demon Lord's own downfall.

Frank stumbled back, clutching his head as the memories subsided. "That's… a lot," he muttered, his voice shaky. But amid the chaos of the visions, one thought burned brighter than the rest: Morrath's fall wasn't the end. It was only the beginning.

The orb's light faded, leaving the hall in shadow once more. Frank straightened, his grip on the sword firm. He wasn't just a man in a strange world. He was Morrath, a name that carried power, fear, and the weight of redemption.

For the first time in years, he felt something stir within him. It wasn't despair—it was determination. Morrath had fallen once, but Frank wouldn't let him stay down.

Steeling himself, he turned toward the castle's exit. It was time to see what lay beyond the ruins of the Demon Lord's domain.