Interior of a dilapidated building illuminated by dim magical lights.

Out of respect, the duke restrained his urge to cover his nose, as the man in the black robe gave off a foul odor.

-Welcome, Duke Venzariac. We belong to Inquisiderian.

One of the men in robes handed the duke a box containing a potion.

-What is this? -asked the Duke as he opened the box and saw the crystalline, almost iridescent potion.

-Power. With this, you will be able to reach the seventh rank and lead your army across the borders to achieve your revenge. -said the man in the black robe and hood.

-Nothing is free. Tell me, what do you want in return? -asked the duke without hesitation, since he only wanted revenge and did not care who his ally would be as long as they helped him achieve his goal.

"We want to decide on the day you will attack the border with your army," said the man in the black robe as he waved his hand, and the other man in the gray robe handed the duke two swords that emitted a sinister and powerful energy.

"Let me know in time. I will help you," said Duke Venzariac, feeling the power of the swords he had been given.

"You won't have to wait long, a month at most, and if you don't achieve your goal, we will bring you the head of the bastard demon who offended you," "The man in the black robe waved his hands, extinguishing all the lights, after which he and the other two men in gray robes disappeared.

The duke left the ruined building. Outside, it was nighttime and cloudy, and all the buildings around him were collapsing or lying in ruins.

••••

-My lord, are you well? -asked Commander Edgar, a tall man who looked to be about 40 years old. He was wearing a brown tunic that did not hide his robust build. Commander Edgar looked at the duke with his dark brown eyes, waiting for a response.

-Here, this will be useful to you. -said the duke coldly as he handed him one of the swords.

-As you wish, my lord. -said Edgar, then stored the sword in a storage bag he carried on his belt.

The two walked to a simple carriage and drove away from the ruined place.

The driver cracked the whip, and brown horses whinnied and began to move along a shady road until the ghost town in the middle of nowhere was left behind.

••••

The scene around Mart was sinister and solemn.

A demon meditated on the floor, his body covered in blood, the floor around him covered in blood, but the demon meditated with a calm expression.

"I have managed to assimilate the drop of blood from the Demon God," Mart thought as he looked at his blood-covered body, but he felt and was undoubtedly stronger, perhaps a little more than he thought.

"It seems I've been assimilating the drop of blood for over a month," Mart thought as he noticed the students returning from their vacations, who were already moving back into their dorm rooms or walking and murmuring in the hallways.

Mart got up, went to the bathroom, and turned on the shower. The water slid down his body, washing away the blood and dirt.

When Mart came out of the bathroom, dressed in a white bathrobe, he said in his mind:

"Attributes"

Mart Sevec (Stan Miller) Attributes:

Health: 71.9/74.6

Endurance: 73.8/75 5

Demonic Energy: 126.4/129.9

Cursed Energy: 10/10

Intelligence: 164.8

Strength: 73.7

Agility: 73.5

Energy Sensitivity: 68.7

Charm: 72.5

[Demon Lineage: Sevec (Demon Strength: inactive)]

[Demon Deity: Endless Demon Energy (inactive)]

[Vivid Recollection of Seclusion: (5/5)]

[Unknown Skill (Incomplete): (Inactive)]

[Ancient and Malicious Energy (Blocked)]

[ Demonic Rewards: 2]

[Demonic Reward: (Drop of Blood from a Demon God)]

[Demonic Reward: (Regenerative Pill (Demonic Level) x1)]

[System Reward: 2]

[System Reward: Selected Active Trait (1 minute)]

[System Reward: Active Trait of Lust (1 minute)]

"I knew it, everything went up except for that cursed energy," Mart thought as he sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Do I have to increase the points for that attribute too?" Mart asked.

[Demonic system analyzing...]

Mart waited a few minutes until the next system notification appeared.

[The host has reached the third rank in all attributes]

[You have obtained: demonic reward]

[The demonic energy attribute is considered independent of the system]

[Main mission: reach rank 4 in all attributes]

After seeing the mission the system gave him, Mart was calm, as most of his attributes were close to the fourth rank, and his intelligence and demonic energy had already reached the fifth rank.

Mart sat back down on the floor and said in his mind:

System, activate the first vivid recollection of seclusion.

[Activating recollection 1: 1 hour]

••••

Mart remained seated, eyes closed, maintaining a steady breathing rhythm and controlling the speed at which his demonic energy circulated.

Plop!

Mart heard a drop of water fall onto a liquid surface.

The smell around him was similar to that of earth, and the atmosphere was somewhat cold.

Plop!

Mart opened his eyes and saw only darkness in front of him. He looked around and, at the end of the place where he was, he could see a candle that only illuminated what was very close to it; its light did not extend to the rest of the cave.

Plop!

Mart walked over and, when he got close to the candle, he saw a large clay pot with a large number of purple pills that emitted a dark glow. Next to the clay pot, there was a small puddle of water formed by a drop of water falling at intervals from a ceiling that could not be seen due to the darkness.

Plop!

"This is the place described by the author of the book Demonic Hearts," Mart quickly concluded in his mind.

He reached out his hand toward the candle flame and could see that his hand was smaller.

Plop!