Demon King1

I entered the tomb. The atmosphere was heavy with age, and the walls appeared as if they were about to fall apart at any moment. And although its weakened look reassured me that this must just be an illusion—designed to scare away those who dared to uncover its mysteries—

"There must be a secret path somewhere." I whispered, surveying the dark cavern.

It wasn't long before I discovered it. Half-buried in the dust of ages at the mouth of the cave was the skeleton of a dragon. Its enormous bones lay across the ground like a monument to some ancient war. I cautiously made my way up to it, tracing the rough edges of its fangs with my fingers.

"This should be it."

I gave the dragon's front tooth a firm tug. A loud rumble went through the room, followed by the creak of stone moving. The ground shifted slightly beneath my feet before showing me a concealed passage down below.

I grinned. "Found you."

I began making my way down the underground steps.

.

"Just when tye hell are these stairs are going to end?" I complained to myself.

I had been walking for what seemed like forever, but the bottom was still out of reach. Every step echoed down the passage, the pressure of silence bearing down on me. But these little struggles were nothing in comparison to the challenges that lay ahead. Wasting time on useless thoughts would not serve me.

"Just keep moving," I grumbled, shaking off the exhaustion.

At last, after an eternity, I reached the end of the stairs. What lay before me was a sight from centuries ago—a dragon. A lifeless dragon.

Its giant fossilized body remained still, a reminder of something long gone. My eyes fell on its wide-open mouth, where something caught my attention—a knife, lodged between its teeth.

"So this is tye resting place of the great dragon Kameron." I breathed.

Kameron was one of the great dragons that battled during the Great War against the Demon King. During the final battle, he gave his life to strengthen the seal imprisoning the Demon King eternally. Even in death, he stayed here, protecting the seal for all eternity.

An odd sensation rose up in my chest. Guilt?

I knew the story well. When my ancestor struck the final blow to seal the Demon King, his human soul alone wasn't enough to hold the seal. That was when Kameron intervened. He willingly gave up his own life to strengthen the binding ritual. Their souls intertwined in that moment, creating an unbreakable link between Kameron and my bloodline.

Although my anscetor lived, Kameron did not.

But his soul wasn't entirely lost. His essence remained with every member of the Draquemort lineage. That bond gave us a part of a dragon's strength, giving our house name The Dragon Knights.

I tightened my fists. "It doesn't matter."

Regardless of how many individuals had sacrificed themselves given their lives for the greater good, it would never change my descision.

I will survive.

No legend, no obligation, and no departed dragon's testament could reverse that.

Suddenly, my necklace started to shine—getting brighter and brighter. There was an eerie hum in the air, and as I looked at the knife lying between Kameron's fangs, I saw it move.

It was heading straight for me.

"Shit—!"

Acting instinctively, I ripped the necklace off my neck and hurled it to the floor. The knife sprang forward, attracted like a magnet, and the instant they met, a fierce glow emanated from both objects.

I covered my eyes as the dazzling light filled the chamber. The energy built up for an instant before dissipating at last, leaving—

A sword.

I moved closer, my breath catching at the sight of it.

The sword of my ancestor.

A sword that had been rumored to be nothing more than legend. Even among my own kin, no one knew that it existed. And yet, here it lay—across from me.

"Hah." I let out a satisfied sigh

No more waiting. I reached out and took hold of the sword. It was lighter than I had expected in my hand, but its rich, deep red color—like it had been crafted from blood itself—was nothing less than chilling.

The ritual ,I need to complete it now, I don't have much of time . The longer I remained here, the more suspicious Jessica would grow.

With no hesitation, I pulled the required elements out of my pack.

"Let's fucking do this."

I took out my notebook, the one on which I had wrote down everything that I could remember about the ritual in the game. This was the crucial part and had to be executed flawlessly.

Opening the page to the right one, I carefully examined the diagram.

Holding my hand steady, I took out a knife and carved a shallow cut across my palm.

"Tch. How many times must I shed my blood for this?" I grumbled through clenched teeth.

Ignoring the burn, I knelt down and started drawing the mana circle—using my own blood. It was the only way.

Exhausted by the time I was done, I leaned back and picked up a health potion, drinking it down in one swift motion before continuing on.

Two more steps.

First, I had to pour mana into the circle and chant the incantation. Piece of cake—except for one problem.

I was an unawakened. I didn't have any mana.

But I had been prepared for that.

Diving into my bag, I yanked out an artificial mana orb—one of ten I had brought along as a precaution. All it needed was a word, and it would start releasing mana into the circle.

I put the orb in the center and picked up my notebook once more, starting to chant.

The incantations were in the old ancient language.

As I spoke the words, the mana orb came to life. The circle throbbed with energy, drawing it in. The more I chanted, the thicker the air grew around me. The room grew darker, a foreboding energy seeping into the room.

Nearly there.

I maintained my voice, forcing through the tension building.

Then—the mana circle broke.

A furious blast of energy ripped through the room. The earth shook. The walls creaked. The very air seemed to be torn asunder.

A rumbling, guttural growl tore through the room.

Then—a voice.

"Finally… After all these years."

A churning vortex of darkness materialized within the circle, writhing and twisting like living tatters of night. Two blazing crimson eyes snapped open from within.

"Kneel."

The impact of his words was crushing. My body responded on pure instincts, sinking to my knees before him.

His presence was stifling—dark, nauseating. I clenched my teeth, fighting back.

He advanced, his face out of the shadows. Inhumanly handsome.

A memory from my previous world arose—a proverb.

"The devil takes the most beautiful form to trap you in his snare."

"Oi, boy." His voice broke my train of thought. "Are you the one who freed me?"

I couldn't respond. The overwhelming pressure of his presence weighed me down.

"I asked you a question, worm."

I breathed in sharply as his pressure disappeared as suddenly.

Huff… Huff…

"Now speak, boy. Are you the one who broke the seal?"

I forced myself to look him in the eye. "Yes… I am."

He tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

"What's your name, human worm?"

Even his questions felt like an interrogation.

"My name is Daemon."

He nodded slowly, his gaze scanning me like a predator measuring prey.

I paused, then repeated myself. "My name is Daemon Draquemort."

His wondering eyes came to an abrupt halt. His face broke into a smile, and his eyes narrowed.

"I recognize that name." His tone was dripping with curiosity. "It's the same name as the human bug that seal me up, isn't it?"

With the ease of a ghost floating on wind, he floated toward me. Then—in a flash—his hand surged ahead, wrapping around my throat.

I was in the air without any effort. His grip was so tight I couldn't even struggle. Not even a space to breathe. No hope of fighting back.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

I fought to stay conscious. His fingers loosened just enough for me to choke out a response.

"Because… the moment you kill me… you'll be trapped in the abyss again."

Even in his lighter grip, I could barely breathe. My vision blurred, but I forced out the last words.

"So I suggest… you fucking put me down… so we can talk… like civilized people."