Bryan walked through mutated trees missing their leaves, taking out the odd beast as he went.
Demon encampment ahead…
He crouched and focused.
Concealment.
His body shimmered briefly before fading, not invisible but faint.
Mana efficient choice for this.
Making his way to the edge of the walls, he watched the demons.
“Tighten up the formation!... a Siege Beast could fit through there.”
“Sir.”
They tightened into a shield wall.
Twenty or so soldiers… unaware.
Bryan climbed the wall and unsheathed his sword.
Physical Enhancement… Blink.
He appeared behind a soldier, slicing his throat.
Dashing through the crowd, stopping near the centre.
Bryan stood with his sword extended, blood dripping from the blade as five demons collapsed clutching their throats.
A demon spoke over the noise and scrambling.
“What the actual fuck?”
Their eyes rested on Bryan, who stood still.
“Surround him now!”
The demons raised their shields and surrounded him, closing in slowly.
As expected, they fell for it… Mirage.
Bryan vanished from the centre as the demons erupted into confusion.
He thrust his sword through the back of the demon captain.
The others scrambled and tried to gather themselves.
He drank a Mana Potion before dashing towards the next, deflecting incoming swings and slicing back at each he passed.
Stopping only when his sword was buried in a demon’s chest, its eyes wide with shock.
All fatal injuries…
The demons collapsed, blood spreading around them as Bryan removed his sword and wiped it before sheathing it.
Level Up
Acceptable.
Bryan moved through the camp collecting Potions, finishing off any demon that still twitched with a dagger.
Good experience and a few Potions… efficient trade for Mana.
Making his way out through the gate and down the road.
He travelled like that for another week, dispatching any demons he came across.
In the distance, a large castle was visible.
The Demon fortress… Hiding my approach would hinder the effect.
Bryan arranged several Potions from his bag into pouches on his belt.
As he got closer, the grounds ahead came into view.
Several Siege Beasts, one unit and a few generals…
More points into Lightning Bolt and Physical Enhancement.
Shield bubble.
Bryan walked calmly towards them as a small volley of arrows flew towards him and bounced off the shield.
The demons eyed him cautiously. The ground shook as a Siege Beast walked towards him.
Needlessly showy…Blink.
It let out a deafening roar before raising the massive hammer. It looked around, unable to see him.
The creature squealed as he drove his sword into its shoulder, forcing it to drop the weapon.
Bryan released his grip on its back spike and landed with barely a sound.
Should make this quick… and project strength.
The Beast tried to lunge at him with its uninjured arm.
As it lunged for him, Bryan dodged back and drove his sword down through its hand into the stone with all his strength.
Bryan calmly walked toward its head, aware of the demons watching. Avoiding the thrashing jaws, he grabbed hold and forced its head still with everything he had.
Barely strong enough for this…
He focused. Both hands glowed brightly.
Lightning Bolt…
Electricity arced from the creature’s head down its spine as its legs convulsed, smoke rising from its head before he let it go, and it slumped to the ground.
Using both hands, he pulled his sword free.
The demons just stared, while another siege beast took a step back.
“Is he a Human hero?”
“No, you feel that energy, it does not feel human”
“He is here to take over the throne, surely”
As Bryan walked, the demons backed away, letting him through, but looking very uneasy.
The show worked, Mana was not wasted.
Making his way through the ranks unchallenged until he hit the main gates, three demon generals waited, weapons drawn.
“The weak may have accepted your challenge”, the middle one said loudly, stepping forward.
“But we are loyal, and they will be punished once you are put down.”
Not surprising… will need to deal with a few.
Physical Enhancement
Bryan darted forward, his sword cleaving through the middle demon’s neck in one clean strike.
He darted again and swung toward the next, but was blocked by a shield.
The two demons defended against his flurry of swings together.
Air Bolt.
Bryan thrust a hand downward as compressed air blasted him over the demons.
He launched several Fire Bolts down before landing.
Standing sword raised, he waited for the smoke to clear.
One demon emerged from the smoke at great speed, clashing with Bryan’s sword.
Their blades clashed repeatedly in rapid bursts, sparks scattering across the stone as the demon’s red aura intensified.
Demon Rage Aura…Short-lived.
Bryan kept up the pressure for several minutes until the demons’ glow began to fade.
With one precise thrust, Bryan drove his sword beneath its ribs. Using his free hand, he shoved the demon off the blade and onto the floor.
Level Up
A few more “elites” in the courtyard…
Bryan panted as he dispelled physical enhancement and chugged two Mana Potions.
Apply only to hands and feet. Physical enhancement.
Bryan forced his fingers into the gaps between the stones and scaled the wall.
Once atop the wall, he concealed himself and looked down into the courtyard.
Demons patrolled the walls while several beasts and heavily armed elites stood ready below.
They must be at war. There are fewer troops than expected.
Bryan raised both hands, aiming at a demon mage on the balcony and the strongest-looking demon below.
Rock Shot
As he focused, stone compressed repeatedly into two dense spikes before launching toward the demons.
With a thunderous crack, both spikes buried themselves in the stone behind their targets.
Bryan dashed across the wall, cutting down each demon he passed before reaching the corner tower.
Jumping from the wall, Bryan used Air Bolt to soften the landing as the remaining demons aimed their weapons at him.
Should not be many high-ranking ones left.
He had to raise his hand quickly to raise a shield for a barrage of incoming arrows.
Taking a deep breath, he chugged a Mana Potion before raising his sword to defend against incoming swings.
Bryan deflected strike after strike, taking the demons down one at a time, until the last two tried to flee into the castle.
As they pushed the door open to retreat, he dashed towards them to finish them off.
He noticed at the last second and leaned back as a large axe cleaved them apart and cut his cheek as it passed.
Miscalculated that…
Using evade to move back, he wiped his cheek as he readied himself.
A towering demon in black plate stepped into the courtyard, carrying an axe and shield nearly as large as Bryan.
Bryan fired several Fire Bolts, but the demon emerged from the smoke with its shield raised.
It has speed and strength; I’ll adjust.
Using all he might, Bryan rushed forward and swung down toward the demon, its shield raised to meet the blow.
Blink
Bryan appeared behind the demon and thrust toward its back, only for the strike to be caught by the edge of its axe.
They traded blows at brutal speed, neither able to land a decisive hit.
Deflecting a swing, Bryan attempted to punch with his other hand only to be hit in the chest with the hilt of the axe, knocking him back several feet.
Clutching his chest, he took a deep breath before leaping back at the demon with a downward swing.
Will need to use a chunk of Mana…
As the sword clashed against the shield, Bryan pushed down with both arms.
To resist the demon had to use both arms to brace the shield.
Imbue Heat…
As he focused, Bryan’s sword began glowing red with heat, and the air crackled around it.
Pushing with all his strength, the sword started melting through the shield towards the demon’s arms. Its eyes widened before the sword hit the ground, having cut off its arms.
The demon roared, but quickly he had lifted the sword and thrust it through its chest; it collapsed with a thud.
Level Up
Level Up
While he made his way up the stairs, Bryan drank several Mana Potions.
Level One Hundred and Fifty, it will do, but will need high Mana for this.
Standing outside the throne room, he drank another Potion as he stretched.
Pushing the doors open, Bryan calmly walked inside.
Six demons stood near the throne with weapons aimed at the doorway. The Demon Lord’s piercing eyes watched Bryan.
“Coming alone, human hero.” He stroked his chin with one hand, using the other to gesture to the guards, who lowered their weapons.
“You really must think yourself strong to attempt this.”
Generate Oxygen…
The Demon lord edged forward in his chair.
“So, not the talkative type… Well, why don’t you face my guards?”
Layered Shield…
“If you defeat them, you can fight me and prove yourself?” a wicked grin on his face.
“I can feel your Mana building… so you accept?”
Bryan raised his glowing hands.
“No”, Bryan said calmly.
“What do you mean n…” cut off mid-sentence.
Atom split.
The room was engulfed in blinding white light.
As the light dimmed, only shadows remained where the demons stood. Illuminated by the moonlight of the now missing roof and walls.
Level up
Level up
Bryan dropped into the crater; he turned and walked through the red glowing rubble of the castle.
Ash rained down as he dodged debris, reaching where the gate was.
Demons and Siege Beasts stumbled over themselves trying to flee at the sight of him.
A demon missing a leg crawled and cowered as he approached. Bryan stepped over it without a glance and continued toward the forest.
I’m as strong as I should need to be…
After a few weeks, Bryan had passed beyond the corruption and into the normal forest again.
Walking down a dirt road, he pushed open the doors to an inn.
Will get food, drink and rest a bit.
Walking past the other patrons, he sat at the bar and ordered a drink.
“That armour looks impressive. You an adventurer?” asked the man next to him.
“Yes. Though I have not registered yet,” Bryan responded before sipping his drink.
“Name’s Reorn. Nice to meet you,” he said, hand extended.
Bryan shook his hand and gave his name.
They shared a drink while Bryan ate. Once he finished, Reorn spoke again.
“You concerned about the demons?”
Reorn snorted immediately afterwards.
“Actually, that’s a stupid question after what happened at the capital.”
“No. That demon lord is dead, killed him like the others,” Bryan said dryly.
“I don’t know what ‘others’ means, but you don’t just kill something like that.” Reorn burst into laughter.
He shouted to the room, “Hey, guys, we should all buy a drink here for the hero who killed the demon lord alone”
The patrons laughed and joked amongst themselves.
Bryan sighed and stood up. “Is there a city near here?”
After calming down, Reorn replied, “Yeah, east of here. I’m heading there myself once I finish scouting the border.”
Bryan put a gold piece on the bar, thanked Reorn and went up to his room.
Head to the city, register, then decide what comes next.