Chapter 2: The System Awakens—The Demon King is Me!?

With the power of the wind, Kova swiftly retreated, retreating behind the protective barrier.

Ryuu barely had time to react before a massive Superconducting Orb came crashing toward him—a high-tier magic Explosive Bomb.

"How ironic," Ryuu thought. He had seen this spell before. It was the very same magic that wiped out an entire vampire village.

That memory burned in his mind like a fresh scar.

There was no time to dodge. His blood boiled, and his body underwent another transformation.

His golden pupils gleamed through the darkness, his face now covered with draconic scales—his second Berserk Blood activation.

"Word Spirit: Hellflame!"

A torrent of black fire erupted from Ryuu's body, colliding with the incoming blast.

BOOOOM!

A deafening explosion rocked the entire Sword-Forging Altar.

Magma from the forge below erupted into the sky, sending ash, smoke, and steam in every direction. The shockwave ripped through the battlefield, reducing visibility to almost nothing.

As the dust settled, Haruto scanned the battlefield.

Ryuu was gone.

Haruto clenched his fists. "Damn it! Where's the traitor?!"

The goddess beside him merely smiled. "He fled toward the Demon King's Castle. It seems he's decided to surrender to the enemy."

Haruto gritted his teeth. "And you didn't stop him? How the hell did his power skyrocket like that?!"

The goddess gave a dismissive wave and, with a flick of her hand, restored Kova and Ellie's injuries as if nothing had happened.

"I told you before—I won't interfere unless it involves slaying the Demon King."

Haruto's jaw tightened. "That bastard ran, and now we can't forge the Holy Sword! How the hell am I supposed to defeat the Demon King?!"

The goddess simply smiled. "That's not my concern. If he escaped, you'll just have to hunt him down."

Haruto fell silent.

If he could capture Ryuu, he wouldn't even be asking.

The tension in the group was palpable. No one spoke, but the unspoken truth lingered—their team was no longer united.

---

Meanwhile, Ryuu was running for his life.

The effects of his second Berserk Blood activation were hitting him hard. His body felt sluggish, his strength waning, but he had no choice.

He had to keep moving.

He didn't know if Haruto and the others would come after him, but he couldn't take that chance. The only place he could go now—the only one who could protect him—was the Demon King.

"Heroes who fight for justice? What a joke."

Ryuu had finally seen the truth. Haruto and his so-called party were just selfish scum.

They sacrificed others to protect their own interests.

Fine.

If that was how the world worked, then he'd stop playing by their rules.

"Haruto… this grudge is set in stone. One day, I'll make you regret this."

---

The towering silhouette of Demon King's Castle loomed before him.

Ryuu could feel the immense energy radiating from within.

With ragged breaths, he forced himself up the stone steps and pushed open the massive iron doors—

Only to find nothing.

The halls were empty.

No guards. No monsters. No demonic generals.

The entire castle was silent.

"What the hell…? Didn't Kova say the Demon King's Castle was filled with traps and monsters? Why is it completely abandoned?"

Ryuu stepped cautiously into the vast, empty hall.

At the highest point of the throne room, a massive obsidian throne sat in absolute dominance.

And for some reason, as Ryuu gazed upon it, his heart began to race.

---

"Becoming a Demon King… doesn't seem half bad."

The thought entered his mind unbidden.

Compared to the fate of being a hero's pawn, a Demon Lord's throne was freedom.

He stepped forward.

The moment his hand touched the throne, a strange chill spread through his body.

His exhaustion vanished.

His strength returned.

It was as if the throne itself was responding to him.

As if it had been waiting for him.

And then—

A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have ascended to the Throne of the Demon King! System successfully initialized!"

"The Demon King Evolution System is now at your service!"

Ryuu's eyes widened.

"A system…? Finally!"

He had been summoned by the goddess, but if this world truly followed isekai logic, then he had been waiting for this.

A cheat ability. A golden finger. A system.

"Took you long enough."

---

"System, what's your function?"

"To assist the Host in becoming the Supreme Demon King!"

"That's it?"

Before Ryuu could complain, a floating interface materialized before his eyes.

"Please select a growth system. The system will optimize your evolution path accordingly."

"Growth system? What's that?"

"The Host may choose one of the following paths:

Power System (Pure physical strength)

Magic System (High-tier spellcasting)

Support System (Healing & Buffs)

Racial Bloodline System (Enhances innate abilities)

Scientific System (Technology-based growth)

Pupil System (Eye-based special abilities)

Upon selection, the System Shop will be unlocked."

Ryuu immediately ruled out the Support System.

"A Demon King playing support? No thanks."

The Power and Magic systems were also discarded.

"Power alone is too simple. Magic alone is too fragile."

Racial Bloodline seemed strong, but… it had limits. No matter how high a race's potential, they eventually hit a ceiling.

And the Scientific System? What kind of idiot tried to use technology in a fantasy world?

After careful thought, Ryuu's gaze settled on one option.

"The Pupil System."

Eye-based powers enhanced both body and spirit. And more importantly—they had no limits.

From the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception to Alaya's Vision—some of the strongest abilities in fiction were eye-related.

"System, I choose the Pupil System."

"Ding! The Pupil System has been loaded! System Shop unlocked!"

A vast catalog of powerful abilities filled Ryuu's vision.

The Sharingan, Rinnegan, Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Geass…

There were also countless enhancement items—evolutionary catalysts, energy stones, and even clones.

But then—Ryuu's eyes narrowed.

Everything required Demon King Points.

And his current balance?

Zero.

"...Figures."

He hesitated for a moment before asking, "System, is there some kind of newbie bonus?"

"Ding! Congratulations! You have received the New Demon King Starter Pack! Open now?"

"YES!"

"You have obtained:

1x Summon Ticket (Can summon OR anti-summon a character)

Passive Skill: Unbreakable

Passive Skill: Observation Haki"

Ryuu's eyes gleamed.

Observation Haki was self-explanatory. At higher levels, it could predict the future.

But Unbreakable?

"System, what does this skill do?"

"Unbreakable: The Host is immune to all debuffs and retains absolute clarity of mind at all times."

Ryuu's breath hitched.

That meant—

No mind control.

No illusions.

No berserk side effects.

"Now this… is what I call a true Demon King's power."

A grin slowly crept onto Ryuu's face.

This was just the beginning.

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