Raizen woke to the sound of crashing waves and the groaning of the ship beneath him. His body felt heavy, as though he were submerged in a thick fog. The air was colder now, a biting chill that hadn't been there before. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from his mind. His thoughts were muddled, fractured, but one thing was clear: something had changed. The world around him felt... different.
As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the early morning, he noticed the dark shadow that stretched across the deck. His heart skipped a beat.
He was no longer alone.
The figure from the night before — the Devil — stood at the bow of the ship, watching him with cold, glowing eyes.
Raizen could feel the energy pulsating in the air around him, thick and oppressive. The same darkness that had taken hold of him during the pact now seemed to weigh down on his chest, suffocating him. His breathing was shallow, and his skin prickled as though every nerve in his body was alive with energy — dark energy.
"You're awake," the Devil's voice slithered through the air, smooth and mocking. "I trust you feel the changes already?"
Raizen clenched his fists, forcing himself to stand, despite the overwhelming feeling that his body had become a vessel of something ancient and terrifying. His muscles ached, his mind buzzed with strange sensations, and there was a strange weight in his chest, like something was pressing against his ribs.
"What did you do to me?" Raizen growled, his voice rough with anger and confusion.
The Devil chuckled, a low, resonating sound that filled the air like a poison. "What I gave you, Raizen D. Crow, is power. Power to reshape the world in your image. But as with all things of great power, there is a price. You will feel it in your body, in your soul. You carry my mark now, and it will never leave you."
Raizen's hand flew to his chest instinctively, his fingers brushing against his skin. He could feel something there, beneath the surface, something that wasn't there before. Slowly, he peeled away the fabric of his shirt, revealing his chest.
A dark, jagged symbol was etched into his skin — like a brand, seared into his flesh. The mark was glowing faintly, pulsing with an eerie, crimson light. It was the shape of a twisted flame, a sign of the pact he had made. His heart raced as he stared at the mark, understanding the weight of it for the first time.
"This is the Mark of the Damned," the Devil's voice whispered, echoing in Raizen's mind. "It is the mark of your soul's bargain. It binds you to me, to your fate. You will never be free of it, Raizen. Every moment of your life will be shaped by it."
Raizen's fingers clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palm. He could feel the heat of the mark, as though it was alive — as though it was feeding off his emotions. His breath quickened, and the overwhelming urge to scream tore at his throat. But he held it in. He would not show weakness. He had made his choice.
"I will not be a slave to you," Raizen spat, his voice a low growl. "You think you can control me? I'll burn this world down before I let anyone control me."
The Devil's laughter echoed through the air, a sound that sent chills down Raizen's spine.
"Such fire," the Devil mused. "But it's not so simple, Raizen. You will find that this power, this mark, comes with burdens. And those burdens will weigh heavier with each passing day. The world may bend to your will, but it will also break you, piece by piece."
Raizen's eyes narrowed as he stood tall, ignoring the pain that surged through his body. He wasn't afraid. He had never been afraid of anything. He had nothing left to lose.
"If this mark is the price I have to pay, then so be it," Raizen said, his voice unwavering. "I will use it. I will make the world bow to me."
The Devil's eyes gleamed with amusement, as if Raizen's defiance were nothing but a fleeting spark in the vastness of time.
"Very well, Raizen. You are on the path now. But remember this — power is a double-edged sword. It will grant you everything you desire... but it will also take everything from you. The question is not whether you will rise... but whether you can hold on to what's left of yourself when you do."
With a flick of the Devil's fingers, the mark on Raizen's chest flared with a bright, crimson light. A wave of intense heat surged through his body, causing him to stagger back. The pain was unbearable, but it was a pain that felt... familiar. Like a part of him now.
"I will return when the time is right," the Devil's voice echoed in Raizen's mind. "And when I do, I will expect you to be stronger, to be more than you are now."
With that, the figure vanished into the darkness, leaving Raizen alone with the weight of his bargain and the power coursing through his veins.
Raizen stood alone on the deck, the morning sun now creeping over the horizon. The ship rocked gently in the water, its sails unfurled, but the world around him felt... empty.
The Devil's words echoed in his mind, relentless and insistent.
"Power is a double-edged sword."
Raizen didn't care. He was no stranger to pain. He had lived through loss, through suffering. And now, he would wield this power, even if it meant paying the price. Even if it meant sacrificing everything he had left.
The mark on his chest burned hotter, the pain turning into a cold, burning resolve. This was his destiny.
The world would tremble before him. And he would make it his.
End of Chapter 5: The Mark of the Damned