Chapter 3 - Volcano

"yo" - Speech

'yo' - thougths

*yo* - Sounds

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(Unknown POV)

My gaze fixated on the battling little demons nearby, their ferocity and power on full display. Despite the small size of the demons, the chaos they brought left me spellbound. The ground trembling beneath their relentless onslaught, their thirst for souls sends shivers down my spine.

Amidst the chaotic fray, I heard a sharp, piercing impact followed by a sickening crunch. Directing my gaze to the source of the sound, I was taken aback.

As approximately 160 meters from me, there, amidst the chaotic fray, stood a striking demon with glistening black skin emanating an otherworldly red glow from its eyes. Two black horns adorned its head, with a mesmerizing hint of purple at their tips. The creature's back displayed sharp spikes running along its spine, extending all the way to its tail, giving it the appearance of a relentless predator. This gremlin-looking entity, standing at a mere 2 feet tall, exuded an aura of tenacity and focus, ready to face whatever came its way. Its arrow-pointed tail twitched with anticipation, poised for action.

A maniacal grin was plastered on the demon's face, revealing rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth, promising a world of pain to anyone who dared to cross its path.

In Its clawed hands, the demon wielded a perfectly sized metal spiked club, perfectly balanced for its diminutive stature. With every swing, the club emitted a haunting screech, sending shivers down the spines of even the bravest souls.

Its hind legs were robust and powerful, granting it agility and speed in combat, and its clawed feet left deep imprints wherever it stepped.

What left me dazed and surprised was not the demon's appearance, what left me stumped was the metal club that it holds.

As I pondered the mysterious origins of the demon's menacing spiked club, my mind raced with questions. How and where did the demon get that fearsome weapon? Did he stumble upon it somewhere, or was it part of him since birth? The idea that he might possess a system similar to mine, or that he had undergone reincarnation like me, sent shivers down my spine.

Determined to understand more about this malevolent creature and the weapon he wielded, I took a moment to collect my thoughts. If the demon had picked up the spiked club somewhere, there could be clues around me.

With a sense of cautious curiosity, I took a stance with my revolver ready, deterring the surrounding demons and scanned the surroundings once more, looking for any signs of other weapons or traces that might indicate a source for the club.

Yet, the eerie landscape remained desolate, with nothing but the black-red sand stretching out as far as the eye could see. There were no hints, no footprints, no signs of any weapon—just the hideous demons that surrounded me.

Left with only two possibilities, my mind raced through the potential origins of the demon's fearsome spiked club. It could either be an innate part of his being, an extension of his very existence since birth, or perhaps it was a manifestation of an extraordinary ability he possessed.

The thought that the demon's weapon could be an inherent aspect of his nature intrigued me. Perhaps he was born with this malevolent power, a natural embodiment of darkness and maleficence. Such a notion was both captivating and unsettling, as it would imply that the demon's cruelty and malevolence were intrinsic to his being, woven into the fabric of his existence.

After taking a moment to reflect, I couldn't help but acknowledge the foolishness of my initial thoughts. Demons, by their very nature, have been traditionally depicted as cruel and malevolent beings. Realizing that I had considered their evil nature as some sort of unique characteristic left me feeling rather embarrassed and foolish.

But the last possibility still sent shivers down my spine, What if that club really did come from a system similar to mine?- It means that there are others out there who also have a system, and I am no special case.

With a deep sigh, I started to focus on my situation again. I opened the system interface and drew some bullets for my revolver.

However, after I loaded the magazine, the situation suddenly changed again.

a sudden tremor came, underground!

This tremor was so strong that I started feeling dizzy standing.

It continued for a while before gradually stopping.

I recovered and found that my surroundings got eerily quit and the chaotic situation calmed down. The demons that were frantically fighting stopped after the tremor.

They suddenly gave simultaneous cries, like a swarm of brain-hungry zombies responding to the call of the undead overlord, and started frantically running towards the volcanic tumult.

Seeing their actions, I quickly followed suit. Although I don't know where or why we are running to, it was clear that it is definitely not a coincidence for this many demons to behave in a similar manner.

Something was going to happen, fortunately, despite my injured left arm, it did not hinder my mobility.

As I followed the little demons, I once again heard 5 sickening crunching sounds in an orderly manner at the front.

'What?, that demon still plan to continue his crazy killing spree?!' I panicked, quickly moving backwards. Afraid that I may get caught.

After a while, my eyes caught sight of the back of the demon.

Still wielding the menacing spiked club, perched at the edges of the dark gullies, he paused briefly and looked back. Then without hesitation, he leaped gracefully from the precipice, descending into the depths below.

And then many demons followed suit, 'are they really flying into the volcano?' I was shocked, but he turned back only to see the army of little demons behind him and could only force himself to run up the mountain.

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Standing at the volcano's summit, an awe-inspiring spectacle unfolded before Kael's eyes.

It was the first time he had ever witnessed the inner workings of a volcano. Gazing downward, he beheld a straight, unfathomably deep pit, with wisps of smoke rising slowly into the air. At the pit's bottom lay a breathtaking display of vivid, fiery hues. A thin layer of solidified magma covered the surface, marked by countless intricate cracks, and through these crevices, the fiery colors oozed like streams of red-hot lightning. The sight was nothing short of magnificent!

With a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, he whispered to himself, "I really am in another world, and what a world it is!"

~Guraraarggh,gragRagggG!~

As Kael stood there, he couldn't resist taking a moment to savor the breathtaking view. From the volcano's summit, he gazed out across the island, captivated by the expanse of crimson sea that stretched before him. The fiery hue of the waters mirrored the intense emotions swirling within him.

Filled with a surge of determination, he knew he couldn't delay any further. Without a second thought, he mustered every ounce of courage within him and took the plunge. With unyielding resolve, he descended rapidly towards the gaping mouth of the volcano.

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AN: Yo my dear readers, Just a quick update on the next chapters – I'll try my best to get them out in the next couple of days. This week and the next are going to be crazy busy, so bear with me, okay? If you're enjoying the story so far, I'd love to hear your honest feedback, Ideas and suggestions.(I'll still be able to response cuz I'm not going to some remote island anw.) Drop a comment, and hey, maybe show this poor author some love by throwing some stones