Chapter 16-SURVIVE
A massive explosion shook the landscape, visible even from miles away. The Red Gate, which had already expanded beyond its limits, quivered violently as if straining to hold back something far beyond its capacity. Then, a colossal hand, the size of a skyscraper, emerged. Thick veins pulsed across its scarred crimson skin, radiating a terrifying demonic aura. But it could extend no further—if it did, the gate would collapse, and the backlash would strike the entity beyond.
The surrounding ruins were utterly devastated. Buildings that once stood tall had crumbled into heaps of rubble. Not a single structure remained intact. The few remaining monsters in the area—those that had survived the earlier battle—now trembled, their primal instincts screaming at them to flee. Their blood carried memories of submission, of kneeling before a higher existence, and the mere sight of this demonic hand reignited that terror.
Yet in the center of it all, amidst the wreckage and death, stood Maximus.
Or rather—he struggled to stand.
His body swayed, vision blurring as sheer exhaustion threatened to pull him under. His MP was pitifully low, and his HP barely clung to half. Every muscle screamed in agony, every breath felt like razor blades slicing through his lungs. His hands trembled as he uncorked yet another mana potion, pouring its contents down his throat. He had lost count of how many he had consumed. It wasn't enough.
His low regeneration skill worked tirelessly in the background, draining MP per second just to keep him from collapsing. But at this rate, he'd burn out completely before his body could recover.
Then—a deep, guttural voice thundered from within the Red Gate, so powerful it seemed to shake the fabric of reality itself.
> "You… filthy… HUMAN! YOU DARE KILL MY SON?!"
The sheer fury contained in those words sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The monsters still lurking bolted on instinct, disappearing into the ruins, unwilling to be anywhere near this wrathful presence.
Maximus gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus. He raised his head, staring up at the monstrous hand, at the darkened sky split apart by the sheer energy pouring from the Red Gate.
> "Fuck… Just my goddamn luck."
His voice came out hoarse, almost a whisper, but the frustration in it was undeniable.
> "First the son nearly kills me, now the father wants revenge. What kind of bullshit is this?"
He forced himself to stay calm, analyzing the situation.
> "I should've guessed. There's no way a monster like that goblin would be alone. And now, this thing…"
His golden eyes flickered, mind racing as he commanded the system to analyze the entity beyond the gate.
A window appeared before him.
---
[Demon Lord Bael'Zyrax Nihil'Thar]
Race: High Abyssal Demon (Nihil'Thar Bloodline)
Origin: Netherrealm—One of the Nine Demon Worlds
Rank: Demon Lord (???)
Title: Ruler of the Black Sun Dominion
Description: A tyrannical demon lord ruling over a vast dominion in the Netherrealm, one of the nine great Demon Worlds. Feared for his unbreakable flesh, abyssal sorcery, and godlike strength, his mere presence warps reality, turning lands into desolate wastelands of eternal fire and darkness. His lineage, the Nihil'Thar Bloodline, is known for its monstrous regeneration and abyssal energy manipulation—a power feared even among demon lords.
---
Maximus stiffened.
> "…A Demon Lord."
A fucking Demon Lord.
The colossal hand twitched—then lurched forward, moving so fast that Maximus couldn't even track it. His instincts screamed—DODGE! But his body… his body couldn't keep up.
Then—everything changed.
A new energy surged through the air. It was ancient, primordial, and for a brief moment, Maximus felt as if he was witnessing the very essence of creation itself.
The origin energy of Blue Star had awakened.
> "Tch. This fucking world's will is interfering?"
The Demon Lord's voice rumbled with disdain, yet there was an underlying hint of wariness.
The invisible force wrapped around the Demon Lord's hand, restraining it, weakening it.
But the monstrous entity merely laughed.
> "Hahahaha! Even if this is only a millionth of my power, you cannot suppress me completely! You have barely awakened, little world!"
Despite the world's resistance, the hand still moved forward—only now, it was slower.
Five seconds.
That was all Maximus had.
His mind exploded into overdrive.
> "CLONE! Four times!"
Four identical copies of himself manifested instantly.
> "Form a barrier! Activate every defense skill we have!"
The clones rushed in front of him, activating every defensive ability at their disposal.
> "Still not enough—Activate Crimson Coat!"
A glowing red barrier enveloped him, boosting defense by 50% for ten seconds.
> "Activate Demonic Will!"
A sudden calm washed over him. His mind sharpened, thoughts accelerating at a terrifying pace.
> Three seconds left.
> "Iron Hide—MAXIMUM DEFENSE!"
The Demon Lord's hand descended.
A cataclysmic impact followed.
The clones shattered instantly, erased from existence before they could even react.
Then—Maximus felt himself flying.
His body smashed through stone after stone, tumbling like a ragdoll until—BOOM. He slammed into the last standing wall, cratering it upon impact.
Blood poured from his mouth. His arms—bent at unnatural angles. Bones—shattered.
A deep, mocking voice echoed.
> "Heh. Pathetic. You're not even worth my time."
The Demon Lord's crimson eyes flickered beyond the gate, filled with disgust as he looked at the corpse of his slain son.
> "I would've ignored his death entirely… if not for my wife."
His voice was laced with pure irritation.
> "That woman would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't bring his body back. Hah. Annoying."
The colossal hand reached down, about to retrieve the corpse—but before it could, the sky split apart.
A golden divine lightning bolt descended—a strike born from the rage of the world itself.
> "Tch. This again?"
The Demon Lord sighed. Then, with a flick of his hand, an ancient, living shield appeared—a grotesque artifact covered in beating, bloodshot eyes.
It fired beams of abyssal energy, colliding with the divine lightning. KABOOM.
A world-shaking explosion followed.
But the lightning did not fade.
The Demon Lord grunted, raising the shield once more.
> CRACK.
The shield shattered.
> "Sigh. One million high-grade crystals… wasted."
He clicked his tongue, but his hand remained intact. His true body—far beyond the gate—was untouched.
"Tch. Not worth my time. I'll deal with this later."
The gate shrink
And maximus situation is unknown..