Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke was in the forest surrounding the temple stairway. He climbed high into a tree and, at the top, drew a bow from his stockpile, one of the disposable ones meant to be destroyed.

[Wooden Bow (Uncommon)]: A simple wooden bow crafted from the wood of a resilient tree.

He fixed his gaze on the Oni Samurai below.

[Samurai Guardian: Lvl 101]

He’s completely still, guard wide open, holding the same stance. I don’t know if that’s good or very bad.

Luke activated [Acid Blood Arrow], then focused on [Mana Infusion], channeling it into the arrow.

I’ll find out soon enough.

He aimed. Mana soaked into the arrowhead until the shaft began to crack. Luke released. As the arrow neared the oni, it detonated. A burst of white light flared, illuminating the forest, followed by a spreading cloud of acid. The bow disintegrated in Luke’s hands.

“Good start,” he muttered.

A moment later, the poisonous cloud was cleaved apart. The oni samurai spun out of it with a deep, thunderous roar, locking eyes in Luke’s exact direction.

“Somewhat good,” Luke said, drawing the throwing knives that floated around him under telekinetic control.

He hurled them as the oni charged. The creature zigzagged at full speed, batting some aside with its sword, deflecting others with precise movements.

Come on, bastard. Chase me.

Luke leapt from the tree.

[Witch’s Thread activated]

He swung through the forest, hurling knives while moving from thread to thread between the trees. Behind him, he heard the oni crashing through branches, its constant growl growing louder the closer it got.

Then it appeared beside him, bounding through the canopy and lunging.

[Demonic Predator Hands activated]

Luke released the thread and flung more knives. The oni tried to deflect them, but this time it was caught off guard by the speed.

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]

Multiple knives slammed into the oni at once. The combined force of his epic Predator skill and [Telekinetic Impulse] struck like a hammer, knocking the oni off balance and hurling it backward.

“You didn’t see that coming, did you? You’re good at reading patterns,” Luke said as he hit the ground and sprinted through the trees.

[Predator’s Mark activated]

Now he could see the oni’s position even through the forest. Luke zigzagged between trunks, throwing knives as he went. He switched to another bow, drew an [Acid Blood Arrow], and fired. The creature was swallowed by another acidic cloud.

Luke stowed the bow and generated more knives. With a furious roar, the oni slashed through the acid and charged straight at him.

Just as it was about to strike, Luke smiled. “Missed.”

[Teleportation Pentagram activated]

Luke vanished an instant before impact and reappeared at a distance. Whistling casually, he gathered several throwing knives and focused once more on [Mana Infusion].

“Let’s see if this combo works.”

He hurled the throwing knives upward, the blades already trembling, swollen with so much mana they were about to crack and detonate, then kept throwing more.

[Telekinetic Impulse activated]

The oni charged through the forest, dodging what it could, but the explosions still caught it, tossing its massive body from one side to the other. The combination of [Demonic Predator Hands], [Demonic Predator Throwing Knife], [Telekinetic Impulse], and [Mana Infusion] proved brutally effective.

Luke watched as the oni was slammed around by the blasts. That armor is definitely breaking.

He drew his kukris as the oni picked up speed, tearing through the forest far faster now. This strategy was done. He could not create enough distance to use the [Teleportation Pentagram] again, and detonations at close range would be just as dangerous to him.

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No more tricks. He tightened his grip on both kukris.

“Round two,” he said as the red outline surged closer.

Luke activated another skill.

[Demonic Blade Dance activated]

With a thunderous roar, the oni leapt at him. The creature twisted through the air, katana flashing, shredding branches and trees alike, hurling blades of compressed wind straight at Luke. He ran, weaving through the destruction erupting around him, eyes locked on the oni. Large sections of the armor were already gone. Heat rolled off the monster. It was furious.

A shadow mimic burst into existence behind Luke as the two clashed. Steel rang against steel. The oni effortlessly deflected his strikes, while Luke was forced to pour mana and stamina into his body through his epic skill just to hold his ground.

He fell back. The mimic attacked and was instantly destroyed. The oni dragged its katana along the ground, carving a roaring trail of wind that ripped through the earth. Luke dove sideways, retreating between the trees, the creature tearing everything apart as it pursued.

He focused.

Now.

At the last possible moment, he released Charlie and Angie from his soul. Charlie emerged mid-stride and drove a punch into the oni so hard it skidded backward.

[Berserker Ashen Flames I activated]

[Vampiric Strength I active]

[-10 Blood Energy]

[Blood Core: 64/100]

Charlie hammered the oni with her fists, activating [Steel Fist] to push her power even further. Luke struck whenever openings appeared, his kukri coated in corrosive force, slashing into the oni like a praying mantis tearing prey apart.

Every blow shattered more of the armor. Angie hurled her spear, piercing the oni’s back whenever she found an angle, then snapped it back into her hand with magnetic pull. The oni never had a second to breathe. Charlie landed a punch straight to its face. The helmet exploded off, spinning away as the creature slammed into a tree.

Angie followed, driving in with her spear crackling under the power of [Lightning Spear]. The oni screamed, twisting to strike her, but Charlie stepped in front of the blow, taking it head-on. With a violent spin, the oni unleashed a blast of wind, throwing both women back, then turned on Luke. It limped. It bled. And it still charged.

As the katana swept in toward Luke’s neck, he smiled and raised a hand toward the oni’s face.

[Shadow Ball activated]

The sphere detonated point-blank.

[Crimson Fang activated]

Luke dashed forward in the same instant, driving his kukri straight into the oni’s chest. The impact crushed what remained of the armor and punched deep into the monster’s hardened flesh.

“So there really is a critical bonus for vital points,” Luke said, watching the light fade from the oni’s eyes.

The oni samurai collapsed backward, dead. Its body crumbled into dust along with its equipment.

[You have slain the Samurai Guardian - Lvl 101]

With a smooth motion, Luke sheathed his kukri and glanced at the cascade of notifications.

**The [Valkyrie] class of Angie has reached Level 48!**

**[Angie has reached Level 28! Stone Angel (Rank F)] (+2 bonus point to all attributes, +5 free point)**

**The [Black Ash Fighter] 2nd Class of Princess Charlie has reached Level 67!**

**Your second class [Witch] has reached Level 37!**

**Your second class [Witch] has reached Level 38!**

**Your class [Demonic Predator] has reached Level 70!**

[You have unlocked a Class Skill]

***

The group began climbing the temple stairs.

“See, Layla? I told you you wouldn’t be in danger,” Luke said.

“Your plan worked, bastard. What level was that thing, anyway?”

“Eighty.”

“Eighty?” she echoed. “It was really strong.”

“It was.”

They reached the temple courtyard. It was empty. At the far end stood a massive double door, engraved with the image of a demonic wraith. From its stomach flowed a thin black thread. As they approached, a deep, resonant voice emanated from the door.

“Among the four weapons I created… which one holds my true treasure?”

Luke drew his kukris, the very weapons that had been reforged through one of the Demon Blacksmith’s four treasures.

“None of them. A blacksmith’s greatest treasure is the knowledge that allowed him to create them,” he said.

Silence followed.

“Correct answer,” the door replied.

The wraith’s eyes flared crimson, and the doors slowly opened.

“Well, I’ll be damned. It actually worked,” Luke muttered.

“That was it? You’re kidding me. That was the answer to the riddle?” Layla said.

“Some demons love riddles,” Luke replied. “And I’ve noticed their answers tend to be simple, yet still challenging.” He remembered the time he had read dozens of profession books, only for the riddle’s answer to be any profession he wanted.

“Then why didn’t you just blow the door up?” Franky asked.

“I’m almost certain that wouldn’t have worked,” Angie said.

Charlie tried to step forward, but her body hit something solid. “Huh? What just happened?”

She reached out, hands probing an invisible barrier. Luke tried as well. His hand passed straight through.

“Only the bearer of one of the four treasures may enter the Chamber of Legacy,” the voice echoed from the open doorway.

“Looks like it’s just me, then,” Luke said, stepping into the darkness.

“You’re just walking in like that?!” Layla shouted.

The door slammed shut the instant he crossed the threshold, sealing Luke inside the temple’s darkness.

Time to claim the legacy of the Demon Blacksmith.