Rebirth: I Am The Devil

[Lucifer's POV]

Am I...going to...die?

Again?

Is my existence just a ploy for others' entertainment?

First my 'dear' father and now this system.

Am I...truly destined to be a pawn in someone else's game? A puppet, with strings pulled by unseen hands?

The thought clawed at me as the weight of exhaustion bore down on my shoulders, the oppressive aura of the beasts closing in. My body screamed for rest, my Hellfire reserves dwindling dangerously low. Every breath was a struggle against the suffocating tension that thickened the air. Yet, somewhere deep within me, a spark refused to die out.

"No," I growled, my voice trembling but resolute. "I am not a pawn. Not anymore."

The last of the creatures encircled me, their eyes gleaming with the thrill of victory. They thought they had won. They thought they had broken me.

But they had underestimated my hate... Pure hate.

[Ding! Hellfire Leveled Up!]

[Hellfire (Lvl.02, Exp.0/500): A technique that consists in invoking the infernal flames of the hell itself. The fire of hell were no different from normal fire, but after purifying so many sins and so many sinners, it became the most powerful fire, having even burned the god of fire himself, making him beg Lucifer to put out those flames before he died. To increase the power of the hellfire, you must burn either sins or sinners in it.]

[After reaching Lvl.02, The user's body adapted better to the hellfire, and control over it became slightly more natural, making it possible to purify humans who were very corroded by sin. Humans with few sins cannot be cleansed.]

The notification from the system barely registered as a dull echo in my mind. The exhaustion that had been dragging me down now seemed to fuel something deeper—an unyielding determination, born not from hope, but defiance. If Hellfire itself had evolved, then so would I.

The creatures surrounding me sensed the shift, their primal instincts warning them of danger even before they could comprehend its source. The oppressive air crackled with energy, the temperature rising as the flames within me roared to life once more. These weren't just flames—they were my flames, tempered by hatred, defiance, and the relentless desire to reclaim control.

I spread my arms wide, feeling the surge of Hellfire coursing through my veins like molten lava. The glow from my body painted the cavern walls in a searing crimson hue, the shadows recoiling from the infernal light. The remaining beasts hesitated, their claws twitching as the pulse of my power grew stronger.

"I am Lucifer," I hissed, my voice low but laced with venom. "Not a pawn. Not a puppet. And certainly not your prey."

With a roar, I thrust my hands forward, unleashing a torrent of Hellfire, unlike anything I had conjured before. The flames erupted in a spiralling inferno, their edges sharpened with precision and malice. The air itself seemed to ignite, the oppressive wind consumed and overpowered by the sheer intensity of the flames.

The creatures howled as the inferno engulfed them, their forms writhing and twisting in the searing heat. One by one, their bodies disintegrated into ash, their primal cries drowned out by the roar of the Hellfire. I didn't stop. I couldn't. My anger demanded more.

[Ding! +5 Exp]

[Ding! +5 Exp]

[Ding! +5 Exp]

[Ding! +5 Exp]

[Ding...]

...

...

[Ding! 10 Exp]

...

The notifications were meaningless noise. All I cared about was ensuring that every trace of these beasts was obliterated. The cavern trembled under the onslaught, the obsidian walls scorched and fractured by the relentless flames. The oppressive presence that had once filled the space began to wane, retreating in the face of my unrelenting power.

The inferno raged for what felt like an eternity, consuming everything in its path. When the flames finally subsided, the cavern was left in ruins. The once-slick obsidian walls were charred and cracked, the crimson veins pulsing faintly as if recoiling from the devastation. A deep silence settled over the space, broken only by the distant drip of molten stone cooling in the aftermath.

I stood in the center of the destruction, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. My body ached, the toll of wielding such unrestrained power evident in the way my limbs trembled. My Hellfire reserves were nearly depleted, leaving only a faint warmth simmering beneath my skin.

The system's notifications finally pierced through the haze of my thoughts, the monotone voice devoid of any emotion:

[100/100 Exp]

[You have reached the maximum amount of Exp]

[Would you like to level up?]

"Would I like to level up? Why even bother asking," I wondered what possible reason I might have to not immediately accept.

"Yes," I said, my voice low but resolute.

[Ding! Levelling Up...]

A surge of energy coursed through me, intense and overwhelming, yet exhilarating. My body felt as though it was being reforged, the Hellfire within me flaring up as my limits expanded. Every muscle tightened and burned, every fiber of my being transforming under the weight of this new power.

[Congratulations! You have levelled up.]

[Level: 01 → 02]

[Attributes Increased: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Stamina]

[New Skill Unlocked: Hell Steps (Lvl. 01): A technique that consists of opening a wormhole to hell and leaving somewhere else in a fraction of a second. The greater the distance, the greater the energy used.]

The world around me shimmered as the Hellfire within me settled, leaving only the faintest trace of warmth beneath my skin. The aftereffects of levelling up reverberated through my body, like waves of power rippling through every cell, reshaping and refining my very essence. My muscles, though fatigued, were now coiled with new strength. My mind, though strained, was sharper, more attuned to the flow of energy and the flicker of power at my fingertips.

Hellfire no longer felt like a force I merely conjured—it was a part of me. A part of my identity. The heat that had once seemed like a curse, something I had to control with careful restraint, was now a reflection of my will. And the more I embraced it, the more it would obey me.

I flexed my hands, feeling the shift within my fingertips. The power, while exhausting, was invigorating. But there was no time for rest. Not when I felt something else—something darker, something far more dangerous—stirring in the depths of the cavern.

That growl, that ominous rumble from before—it wasn't just a beast. It was something more.

I wasn't alone.

The ground beneath me trembled as the shadowed corners of the cavern began to writhe. The oppressive air thickened again, but this time, it wasn't from the remnants of the beasts I'd destroyed. No. This was something greater.

A towering figure emerged from the shadows, its presence suffocating the very life from the cavern. The creature was enormous, even by the standards of the beasts I had faced. It looked like a blend of demon and beast, with enormous, jagged horns curling from its skull, its eyes blazing like twin suns. Its fur was dark as night, interspersed with streaks of fire that seemed to burn from within its flesh.

I stood my ground, my pulse quickening as the creature stepped closer. Its massive claws scraped across the obsidian floor, sending sparks flying. The air crackled with the oppressive aura of raw power, and I could feel its intent. This is dungeon boss.

[Ding! Dungeon Boss detected.]

"Yeah no shit Sherlock~"

The boss—this towering monstrosity—loomed over me, its molten eyes searing through the dim, suffocating air. The heat radiating from it threatened to melt the very stone beneath our feet. It was the embodiment of everything I hated, everything that had been forced upon me. A cruel mockery of power, a beast designed to break those who dared to face it.

But I had already broken once. I wasn't going to let that happen again.

I clenched my fists, feeling the surge of Hellfire that pulsed beneath my skin, begging to be unleashed. The creature grinned, its teeth sharp as daggers, and then, without warning, it lunged. The cavern shook as it charged forward, its massive claws cutting through the air with terrifying speed.

I was faster now, stronger. My instincts kicked in before my mind could catch up. I slammed my foot into the ground and, with a surge of energy, I activated Hell Steps.

In an instant, I was no longer standing in front of the massive demon; I was behind it, my body flickering in and out of sight like a phantom. The demon's enormous claws slashed through the air where I had just been, missing me by mere inches.

My body was still adjusting to the skill, and I could feel the strain of using it, but the surge of exhilaration was enough to push me forward. With the boss momentarily off-balance, I didn't hesitate. I thrust my hands out and unleashed a controlled blast of Hellfire, the flames roaring as they surged forward, faster and sharper than before. The flames burned with such intensity that the air itself screamed in protest.

But the demon was no fool. It twisted its massive body just in time, and the flames only grazed its side, leaving a smouldering wound that quickly began to heal. It let out a guttural roar, one that rattled my bones. The ground trembled beneath its feet as it turned to face me, its massive arms preparing to strike.

I had to think faster. This thing wasn't like the lesser beasts I'd faced before. It was a dungeon boss, and it would take everything I had to bring it down.

I dropped into a low stance, my hands glowing with molten Hellfire, every muscle screaming as I prepared my next move. Hellfire had levelled up, yes—but that didn't mean it would be enough to take this beast down on its own. I needed something more, something beyond just raw power.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, centring myself amidst the chaos. The Hellfire coursed through me like a second heartbeat, a force of nature I could command. But I needed to unleash it in a new way.

"Let's see how you handle this," I muttered, my voice dark and thick with intent.

.

..

...

[To Be Continue]

***

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