The Archfiend laughed, its deep voice laced with amusement.
"I'll hold back so you don't die immediately. But if you can't survive even this… you're not worth my time."
The moment those words left its mouth—
BOOM.
The Archfiend vanished.
A split second later—
CRACK.
-5,000 HP
A devastating blow crashed into Zane's ribs. The sickening snap of bone echoed through the battlefield. His body rocketed across the arena like a ragdoll, air forced from his lungs.
Before he could react—
BOOM!
The Archfiend appeared mid-air, driving another brutal strike into his gut.
-5,000 HP
Zane's vision blurred. Blood spilled from his lips. He spiraled higher, barely clinging to consciousness. He hadn't even hit the ground yet—and he was already at death's door.
Above him, the Archfiend grinned, winding up for the finishing blow.
Zane's eyes, once violet, flashed blood-red.
"System—distribute all attribute points! Activate Barrier!"
A shimmering blue shield snapped into existence around him—
SHATTER!
The Archfiend's fist obliterated the barrier instantly. But it bought Zane a fraction of a second—just enough time.
"System, purchase a healing potion!"
A vial materialized in his inventory. He grabbed it and downed it mid-fall.
+10,000 HP restored.
15,000 HP Left.
Before he could breathe, the ground loomed beneath him. The Archfiend was already there—feet planted wide, arms folded. Like a volleyball player preparing for a spike.
Then—
BAM.
A brutal strike to the head.
-10,000 HP
5,000 HP Left.
Zane's body shot skyward again. In the Safe Zones, the audience could only watch in horror as he was tossed around like a lifeless doll.
Yet—through it all—he smiled.
Bloodied. Bruised. Half-dead. Chugging healing potions like water.
Still grinning.
The Archfiend's brow furrowed.
"Still grinning? Let's fix that."
It shot forward, arm cocked back—
Zane moved first.
His hands flicked, sending a cluster of shurikens straight for the Archfiend's eyes.
THUNK.
The blades struck. The Archfiend staggered, momentarily blinded.
Zane twisted mid-air, kicking downward—driving the Archfiend toward the ground. As it fell, he flipped his dagger in his grip, aiming for its heart.
But—
SNAP.
The blade shattered on impact.
Zane clenched his fists and began punching. Again and again.
For the first time since the match began—the Archfiend's HP dropped.
By 1.
Just 1.
A flicker. A moment of weakness.
The Archfiend's wounds healed instantly.
It smirked.
Before Zane could react, a massive hand clamped around his wrist.
BOOM!
He was hurled into a boulder.
-2,000 HP.
3000 HP Left
Zane coughed out blood, forcing himself up. His body trembled from exhaustion, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
The Archfiend let out a low chuckle, eyes gleaming with something new.
Interest.
"You're still alive? After all that?"
It exhaled, shaking its head.
"A human who refuses to die… Heh. Maybe—just maybe—you're worth remembering."
Then, its expression hardened.
"But now—goodbye, Zane."
It vanished.
A blur of motion. A direct kill strike incoming. No more holding back.
Zane gritted his teeth, muscles tensing, hands raising to block the attack—
BEEP!
The world froze.
A blue light engulfed them both. The battlefield vanished.
Zane blinked. His battered body now stood in a separate chamber, dazed and barely conscious.
---
GLOBAL SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT:
[10-Minute Timer Completed.]
[VICTOR—ZANE MERCER]
---
Silence.
Across the Safe Zones. Across the world. Across every city—
Dead silence.
Then—whispers.
"He… won?"
"No way. He must have cheated."
"This is rigged!"
"No way he actually survived that."
The entire world had been convinced of one thing—Zane Mercer was already dead.
And yet, there he stood.
Still breathing.
Still smiling.
They couldn't see his face, but his achievement was undeniable. And more importantly—he had done the impossible.
He had removed 1 HP from an Archfiend.
Something no one had ever accomplished before.
---
Elsewhere…
Across various locations, the other fourteen Archfiends who had watched the battle reacted with mixed emotions.
Some smiled in amusement. Others scowled in frustration.
"For the first time… a human actually managed to put up a fight," one murmured.
Another smirked. "Things won't be boring anymore."
---
Back in the arena, the blue Archfiend—the one Zane had fought—glanced down at him with a smirk.
"Hey, you still alive?"
Bound by the challenge rules, it could no longer attack him. Until 4 AM, it was forced to protect him.
Zane, barely conscious, let out a ragged breath. "Just barely."
The Archfiend chuckled. "You really are different. I want to see how far you'll go… and if you can ever fight me without relying on the challenge system."
Zane let out a weak laugh. "Don't worry. My goal is to beat this game. Your days are numbered."
His vision darkened. His body finally gave in.
As he collapsed, the Archfiend snapped its fingers.
Instantly, Zane's wounds vanished, his body suspended midair as if weightless.
"No fun watching you die this early," the Archfiend muttered.
It leaned back in a floating spiral chair, swirling a drink in one hand.
From the shadows, monsters began spawning in masses—clawing their way toward Zane's unconscious form.
The Archfiend sighed.
Snap.
Without even looking, it erased them from existence.
Zane didn't stir.
The battle was over.
But now, a new problem surfaced—
Recovery Recoil.
A side effect of consuming too many healing potions. His body had hit its limit, and now, healing energy backfired, leaving him in a state of total weakness.
The Archfiend took a slow sip of its drink.
"Let's see how long you last, human—no, Zane."