Chapter 42: The Hunt for Power
(Part 2 – Beyond the Prey I Once Knew)
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The remains of the hellhound pack smolder at my feet, their black blood soaking into the cracked earth.
I roll my shoulders, feeling the faint ache in my muscles fade as the last shard works its way through my body.
"Another battle, another step forward." I mutter to myself, my voice low, like a whisper of resolve.
Then I exhale, staring down at my bloodied hands.
This… this doesn't even feel like a challenge anymore.
A year ago, a single hellhound would've torn me apart. Now? They barely entertain me.
I glance toward the distant mountains, their jagged peaks clawing at the infernal sky. That's where the real monsters roam. I know it. I can feel it.
"It's time to stop hiding. I've grown enough to face the true threats."
Right on cue—the ground trembles.
It's faint. Almost nothing.
"Something bigger… finally."
I smirk as the tremor passes through me. Hell, it seems, is finally answering my call.
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The Predator's Instinct
I move swiftly, my body light despite the growing weight of my kills. The deeper I go, the less familiar the creatures become.
The slimes? Gone.
The goblins and imps? Nowhere to be seen.
Instead—I find remains.
Twisted bones. Shredded flesh. The aftermath of battles between demons stronger than anything I've faced before.
Good. I'm heading in the right direction.
Then—a scent reaches me.
Thicker. More putrid than the usual stench of sulfur.
Blood. Fresh.
I follow it.
I've smelled blood like this before…
My instincts—sharpened from a thousand years of survival—scream at me to slow down. To move carefully.
But I ignore them.
I don't just want to survive anymore.
I want to conquer.
The ground shifts beneath me.
I barely manage to step back before something massive slams down where I stood.
A claw.
Thick. Armored. Jagged edges meant to tear through flesh.
It's here.
I look up.
And there it is.
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The First Greater Demon
A towering beast looms before me. Twice my size, maybe more.
Its body is covered in obsidian-black scales, its face resembling a monstrous fusion of reptile and nightmare.
Its glowing yellow eyes lock onto me.
Not just hunger.
Intelligence.
It knows what I am.
It knows I'm a threat.
And—it's afraid.
"He knows… and it excites me." I grin.
The demon growls low, almost in warning.
"Let's see if this one's worth my time."
It lunges.
I move.
The first swipe tears through the air where my head was a second ago.
I counter—slamming my fist into its ribs.
The impact cracks something—but the damn thing doesn't even flinch.
It roars, its tail whipping toward me.
Damn fast.
I duck. Roll beneath it.
Strike upward.
My fist sinks into its exposed gut.
Warm. Wet.
The beast staggers, growling.
This thing's tougher than a hellhound.
Good.
That means it'll last longer.
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The Kill That Changes Everything
The battle is brutal. Fast.
It adapts quickly. So do I.
We trade blows. But I refuse to fall.
I've survived worse.
I've suffered more.
And I refuse to let this be the thing that stops me.
"You're strong, but not enough."
The demon hesitates—just for a breath.
Now.
I drive my foot into its knee.
CRACK.
It stumbles.
I move in for the kill.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
It collapses.
And I finish it.
A long, ragged exhale escapes me as I stand over its corpse.
The scent of blood is overwhelming, but beneath it, I feel something else.
Satisfaction.
It's not enough.
Not yet.
But I'm getting closer.
Closer to something bigger.
Something greater.
"Who's next?" I glance toward the distant peaks.