Chapter 49: The Demon King's Bargain
Everything burned.
The ground itself groaned under the weight of Sar'Leth, the Demon King of Verax Infernum. His presence turned air to flame and flame to ash. His laughter echoed not in sound, but in soul-rending pressure that made even thoughts tremble.
Lian felt it first — a crack in his spirit. Not pain. Not fear. Something deeper: submission.
[Warning – Mental Resistance Below Threshold]
Status Applied: [Terror – All Stats -20%]
Duration: Until you withstand the King's Gaze for 10 seconds**
Lian bit his tongue until blood filled his mouth.
He forced himself to stare up — into Sar'Leth's impossible eyes.
One second… two…
The world blurred. Bones trembled.
Five… seven…
Blood poured from his ears.
Nine…
Ten.
[Terror Resisted]
Status Removed – Stat Penalty Lifted
Title Gained: The One Who Stares Into Fire
Bonus: +10% Resistance to All Tier 5 Auras
Behind him, Elyra was whispering nonsense. Korran was unconscious. Jayce knelt, blade shattered.
And the Demon King finally spoke.
"You bleed well, little worms. You burned well. And you killed my pet. Good. You're worth speaking to."
Lian coughed. "What do you want?"
Sar'Leth leaned down, his head alone the size of a mountain.
"You have a choice, survivors of Earth:
One of you dies by your own hand. In return, the rest walk away. I will even grant a gift.
Fight me. And know this: the moment you do, the battlefield will lock. No escape. No reinforcements. Only death — mine or yours."
The system chimed.
[Choice Registered – World-altering Event Triggered]
Warning: The consequences of your choice will shape future worlds.
If no action is taken in 60 seconds, the system will auto-select Fight.
Lian turned to his team.
Jayce couldn't even stand. Elyra's eye socket was hollow. Korran barely breathed.
He alone could still move freely.
He alone could still fight.
He whispered, "I'll be the one. I'll die."
But Jayce reached out and grabbed his ankle.
"No," he wheezed. "We die fighting. Even if… even if it's hopeless. At least it's our choice."
Elyra muttered through broken teeth, "Let's burn out... like stars."
Lian's fists clenched.
He looked back at Sar'Leth. The timer ticked down.
00:03
00:02
00:01
[Choice Selected – Fight]
Phase One: Culling Fire
Sar'Leth's first swing of his skeletal scythe leveled the terrain.
Mountains cracked. Earth split. Lava geysers erupted.
Jayce used the last of his ice bombs to form a temporary barrier.
Lian, moving faster than ever, activated Shadow Runner's phase.
He shot through the terrain, flanked the King, and struck his ankle.
-321 Damage.
The health bar didn't budge.
Sar'Leth chuckled and unleashed Hell Bloom — a cursed spell that filled the air with razors made of screams.
One slashed Korran's throat. Elyra cast a protective ward, but her mana dropped to 0.
Lian activated his hidden item:
[Emergency Talent – Second Sun]
For 30 seconds, double all stats. Cannot be reactivated for 7 days.
Everything slowed down.
His blade ignited.
He ran up the King's leg.
He leapt — drove his sword into the flaming eye socket.
The Demon King screamed.
For the first time — he screamed.
-13,000 Critical.
Phase Two: The Demon King's True Body
The flames exploded outward.
From within the giant's carcass emerged his true form — human-sized, cloaked in red fire, wings made of bones.
He raised a finger and erased Elyra.
Not killed.
Erased — removed from existence.
Lian froze. His HUD glitched. Her name, her voice, her data — gone.
Jayce lost it. He ran at the King with bare hands.
"YOU TOOK MY JOY, YOU BASTARD!"
Sar'Leth snapped his fingers — Jayce vanished, turned into golden coins… then ash.
Korran, dying anyway, laughed.
"Looks like… it's just us, Lian…"
"No," Lian growled, eyes glowing. "It's just me now."
Final Phase: Burn the Blood
He activated everything.
Shadow Runner Phase
Revenant Blade's final charge
Coin Multiplier Surge
Fate Diver's risky chance
The world glitched.
And for a split second, Lian saw the future.
If he landed this hit, Sar'Leth would die.
If he missed — Lian would die, and Earth's remnants with him.
He screamed — not in fear.
In rage. In defiance.
And stabbed Sar'Leth through the chest.
-1,000,000 Fatal Blow
[Demon King Sar'Leth Slain]
[World Cleared – Verax Infernum]
Survivors: 1
Casualties: 3
Permanent Deaths: Elyra, Jayce, Korran
Coin Reward: +1,000,000
Talent Evolved: Coin Multiplier → Golden Fate Diver
Vehicle Evolved: Shadow Runner → Phantom Sovereign Cycle
Lian stood alone, in the ruins of gods, holding nothing but a burnt sword and a haunted look.
He had survived.
But at what cost?
Chapter End