1 1 and 2: The Demon Lord

New York University (NYU), established in 1831, is one of the largest private universities in the United States and the only prestigious institution located in the heart of New York City. The main campus is situated around Washington Square Park, adding a touch of splendor to Manhattan.

April in New York is still a bit cold, but the morning sunshine is already bringing a hint of warmth.

"Bruce Lee? What a strange name."

"Bruce" strolled through the NYU campus with his coffee, just like always. He appeared perfectly normal, but the former student was now just an empty shell. No one could have imagined that the soul inhabiting this body was now entirely different.

Mephisto, a demon lord who had fallen into the abyss, possessed a memory spanning hundreds of thousands of years, some of which were so distant they were hard to recall. However, he had never heard of such a peculiar world where the rulers, "humans," had bodies so frail that they were almost inconceivable, akin to mere ants. Yet, they managed to invent countless strange and powerful weapons.

Some of these weapons were formidable enough that even Mephisto's true form would hesitate to face them.

Speaking of his true form, Mephisto couldn't help but feel frustrated with the weakness of his current human body. It was so fragile that even the slightest movement could potentially tear a muscle. It took him nearly half an hour to become somewhat accustomed to it.

Could it be that he had projected himself into this human body? But that didn't seem right either. He couldn't sense where his true form was, and he had absolutely no memory of how he came to this world.

That's right, the former Bruce no longer existed. The demon lord Mephisto was now Bruce.

The Demon Lord Mephisto, who once ruled the abyss, now finds himself in the fragile form of a human, forced to lie low in this strange world. After all, he doesn't know how many powers exist here that could potentially threaten him.

This body belonged to a Chinese international student studying for a Master's degree in law at New York University. He was part of a one-year crash course in American law, officially titled International Law and Legal Studies, Master's Degree.

Gaining power in this world seemed much easier than he'd imagined, thought Bruce as he squinted at the rising sun overhead.

Low-level demons could only increase their power by devouring other demons, while high-ranking demons had more effective ways to do so, such as absorbing the power of the sun or stars. Unfortunately, the abyss offered limited sources of power, so every high-ranking demon lived for many millennia.

Here, it was entirely different. The sun hung high overhead, constantly emitting light and warmth, and he could clearly feel his body's strength gradually increasing, even though it was still nothing compared to the power he remembered in his true form.

It was almost time for class, and by the time he arrived, a few students had already gathered in front of the Vanderbilt building of the law school, either chatting or reading.

"Good morning, Bruce!" Lisa Marquez, holding a cup of coffee, walked towards Bruce.

This girl, Lisa Marquez, not only had thick golden hair and stunningly beautiful features, but she was also tall and slender, standing almost level with Bruce in her high heels. With her slim waist and curvaceous figure, she was the embodiment of beauty and intelligence.

Today, she wore a brown leather jacket and a tight-fitting thin shirt, paired with skinny jeans and stiletto heels, accentuating her statuesque figure. Her golden hair, shining in the sun, looked incredibly beautiful.

"Good morning, Lisa," Bruce greeted her with a smile, unable to deny the allure of the vision before him, even with his discerning eye.

"Hmm? You seem different today," Lisa observed Bruce with a curious gaze. Usually, he would shy away from her, but today he seemed more at ease.

"Do I? How so?" Bruce resisted the urge to snap her slender neck, his eyelids lowered to conceal his eyes, his muscles tense.

After merging with the memories of his true form, his voice, facial expressions, and demeanor were identical to those of the human "Bruce." Yet this woman had immediately noticed a difference. It was a significant threat, given the unfamiliar surroundings. He had to be cautious. If she harbored suspicions, he'd have no choice but to eliminate her.

Unfortunately, there were too many people around. He had to keep a low profile until his power was restored, so as not to alert this world's ruling class.

"That's right, you seem more alert than usual... more confident, it seems," Lisa blushed, not mentioning how Bruce's eyes today seemed especially deep and captivating, making her heart race.

"I see, it must be because I saw the beautiful Lisa first thing in the morning," Mephisto replied with a smile.

Phew, the Demon Lord Mephisto relaxed his guard slightly. It seemed that she had no suspicions, merely feeling an attraction to this Bruce. What did humans call it? A woman's intuition? It was indeed terrifying.

"Thank you," Lisa said, laughing, completely unaware that she had just faced a threat to her life. What was up with Bruce today? It was like he had suddenly become enlightened, talking so eloquently.

The two of them, side by side, continued walking toward the classroom building. Bruce suddenly sensed something rushing at him from behind at high speed. He didn't react outwardly but steadied himself.

"Thud!"

"Ouch!"

"Oh, damn it!"

After a few exclamations and curses, the dust settled, and Bruce was still standing firmly in place, one hand holding a coffee cup, and the other arm wrapped tightly around Lisa's slim waist.

Turning around, they saw Peter Russell sitting on the ground in a very awkward position, clearly having taken a hard fall.

That guy had arrived this morning, only to see Bruce and Lisa laughing and chatting together. Enraged, he had wanted to use his powerful build to shove Bruce aside and make him look foolish, but his usually successful tactics had failed this time. It was like he had run into a steel-reinforced concrete wall and been bounced back, falling hard, his shoulder and arm throbbing with pain.

Lisa was a bit shaken too. Peter hadn't managed to budge Bruce, but he had brushed against her, nearly knocking her down. Bruce had swiftly caught her, so quickly that she had hardly realized it before finding herself in his arms.

Standing still, Bruce looked down coldly at Peter Russell. "Mr. Russell, you should be more careful when walking. It's not good to bump into people."

In the memories of his current body, Bruce knew that Peter had exhibited hostile behavior more than once. And now he dared to collide with Mephisto, the Lord of Hell? If it weren't for wanting to keep a low profile, he would make this maggot regret ever being born.

Peter Russell was a typical hulk, standing almost 190 centimeters tall and weighing over 190 pounds, a massive and muscular figure. It had to be admitted that he had an impressive physique and exuded strength. Moreover, his uncle was a district attorney, with considerable influence in the judicial system.

Peter had lost face in public and was furious. He scrambled to his feet. "You bastard, didn't you see it? It's me who fell down!"

"Oh? I'm not sure about that. After all, we were both facing the other way. It couldn't be that we bumped into you, could it?" Bruce released Lisa, a faint smile playing on his lips, seemingly indifferent. "Maybe you're just too weak and fell down after bumping into someone."

Some people around them who knew them were surprised to hear Bruce speak like this, but they couldn't help but laugh. Seeing the usually arrogant Peter Russell get put in his place was clearly a source of amusement for many.

"Your behavior is so childish, Peter," Lisa Marquez said, having recovered from her shock and now glaring at Peter Russell disapprovingly.

Damn it, that bastard! Lisa's rebuke was one thing, but Bruce, whom he had always looked down upon, dared to mock him too. Peter was about to explode, but he met Bruce's icy gaze and suddenly felt as if the temperature around him had plummeted, chilling him to the bone. He felt exposed and vulnerable, all his bravado draining away. The swear words he had been about to unleash died in his throat, and he could only mutter a feeble warning, "You'd better watch out," before slinking away.

"Are you okay, Lisa?" Bruce asked, unfazed by Peter's feeble threat. He took a sip of his coffee, finding the taste rather unique. In Mephisto's mind, Peter was an insignificant ant, unworthy of his attention.

"How did you do that?" Lisa looked at Bruce, a mix of amazement and excitement in her eyes. Bruce had moved so swiftly that it was hard to describe. Before she had even had time to react, he had not only caught the coffee cup that was about to spill but also wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from falling. "Do you know Chinese kung fu like that Bruce Lee?" she asked, miming some martial arts moves excitedly.

Bruce Lee? Oh, right. Bruce's English name here was Bruce Lee, just like the martial arts superstar from decades ago. Chinese kung fu? That seemed like a good excuse.

Bruce put on a mysterious facade, changing the topic in just a few words, leaving a strong and enigmatic impression on Lisa. Her heart fluttered, and they found themselves getting closer without realizing it.

Once they were inside the classroom, Bruce boldly sat down next to Lisa. On her other side was her roommate, Wendy Quirk, who, noticing their laughter and proximity, looked at them with a twinkle of gossip in her eyes. "Well, well, look who we have here. Hello, Bruce."

"Hello, Wendy," Bruce replied, calm and composed, not the least bit embarrassed.

What a joke! Mephisto, the Lord of Hell, wouldn't flinch under the gaze of an abyssal dragon, let alone this little girl. He couldn't understand the strange and timid thoughts of the previous owner of this body. How could he let such a delicious opportunity slip through his fingers?