Africa Leveling

*At last, after months of scheming, the perfect opportunity to test my creations in full force.* The intelligence we'd received—courtesy of a little spy nestled in the human kingdom—had been like a gift from the abyss. One of the heroes, the one who's rumored to grow stronger the angrier he becomes, was traveling alone from the dwarf kingdom back to the human kingdom.

Perfect timing. And what a specimen he would make. *Kit Mi Kai,* they call him.

"Prepare yourselves," I mutter to my "children," my voice barely a whisper, echoing through the steel walls of my underground lab as they stir at my command. These creatures—each one a twisted marvel of science and sorcery, with sinewy limbs and razor-sharp claws—awaited their instructions like loyal pets.

"Today is a special day," I continue, gazing over the creatures, each one reflecting the calculated malice I'd instilled in them. "Today, you will serve a great purpose. You will deliver me a hero."

Behind me, one of my clones chuckles. He knows the thrill that lies ahead.

We journey through shadowed paths, reaching the clearing where we've learned the hero's chariot will pass through. I've assured the demon lord that I have everything under control. He'll be watching from afar, awaiting the successful capture of Kit Mi Kai. But truthfully, this endeavor serves my own ambitions. Kit Mi Kai's raw energy—unfiltered, uncontrollable—will fuel my machines in ways that would take decades to replicate otherwise. His anger could be the ultimate power source.

The sound of hooves breaks through the air, and I glance at my creatures, each one silently poised and waiting for the signal. My machines hum to life, gears churning beneath a cloak of twisted metal, as I prepare the first strike.

*This will be beautiful.*

With a deafening crash, the chariot overturns, its wheels spinning helplessly in the dirt. I can barely contain my excitement as I watch from a safe distance, shielded by a line of my clones and creatures who will ensure I remain unharmed. The hero, Kit Mi Kai, emerges from the wreckage, his eyes filled with shock and disorientation as he takes in the sight before him.

But then he freezes, gaze falling upon his companion—his friend's daughter, lifeless on the ground, her hand stretched out as if reaching for him in her last moments.

His expression shifts. Pain, disbelief… and then, anger. Pure, unfiltered anger. His aura crackles to life around him, a blazing crimson that spreads like wildfire, intensifying with each beat of his heart. I feel the power radiating off him, and it's intoxicating.

"Perfect," I whisper, almost to myself. *Let the rage consume you, hero. The angrier you get, the more powerful you become… and the more valuable you are to me.*

As if on cue, I send my creatures forward. They storm the clearing in a coordinated wave, surrounding Kit Mi Kai from every side. He doesn't hesitate, fists blazing as he strikes down the first wave of monsters with ease, his power surging higher with every kill. The crimson aura around him grows denser, a terrifying storm of energy that my children push against, only to be sent hurtling backward.

*Ah, but you'll tire soon enough.* This is a numbers game, and I have all the numbers.

Kit Mi Kai roars, a guttural sound that reverberates through the clearing, shaking the very earth beneath us. I can see the fury in his eyes, the desperation, as he unleashes wave after wave of attacks, each one more powerful than the last. His strength is staggering, but I anticipated this. It's what I was counting on.

From behind my line of creatures, I activate the machine. Gears grind, energy pulses through the metallic frame, and it slowly lifts into the air. My flying machine—a beautiful monstrosity, powered by dark magic and science—hovers above the battlefield, casting a shadow over Kit Mi Kai.

My voice booms out from the machine, amplified through the magic-infused speakers. "Ah, Kit Mi Kai! You're everything they said you'd be… and more. But you see, you can't win here. Not against this."

He glances up, eyes narrowing as he spots me. I smirk, feeling the thrill of his gaze, knowing he has no choice but to face me.

A flicker of energy ignites from my machine, sending a searing beam toward him. He dodges, just barely, the heat of the attack grazing his arm as he rolls to the side. His aura, a blazing crimson, only grows fiercer. With a surge of energy, he leaps toward me, aiming directly for the machine with terrifying precision.

"Now!" I command, and a second wave of my creatures bursts forth, intercepting him mid-air, their claws scraping against his skin as he fights them off. Blood drips from his wounds, but it only seems to make him stronger.

"Is that all you've got?!" He bellows, his voice echoing through the clearing, thick with defiance. "I've faced worse than this!"

I grin, relishing his defiance. "Oh, I'm far from done, hero. But you… you'll soon find yourself quite exhausted."

With a flick of my wrist, I activate the final phase of my plan. The creatures pull back, regrouping as Kit Mi Kai stumbles, catching his breath. And that's when I release it—a giant, hulking monstrosity that lumbers forward, its skin an amalgamation of iron and scales, its eyes glowing with the power of a hundred souls I'd trapped within its core.

The creature—my greatest creation yet—lets out a bone-chilling roar, shaking the ground as it charges toward Kit Mi Kai.

The hero's aura flares, his crimson energy pushing against the beast as they collide, the force of their clash sending shockwaves through the air. But the beast is relentless, its strength unmatched by any ordinary monster. This is what I'd been working toward—a creation strong enough to rival a hero, to withstand even their most powerful attacks.

And for the first time, I see doubt in Kit Mi Kai's eyes. He's tiring, his energy waning. His aura flickers, fading as the monster's crushing weight bears down on him.

*Just a little longer,* I think, watching as the hero struggles beneath the creature's relentless blows. *Just a little more, and you'll be mine.*

But then, something changes. Kit Mi Kai's eyes blaze with a new determination, his aura reigniting with a force I hadn't anticipated. He lets out a primal scream, his power exploding in a blinding flash as he unleashes his rage upon the creature, tearing through it with a final, devastating blow.

I watch in stunned silence as my masterpiece crumbles, defeated, reduced to nothing more than shattered metal and scorched earth.

Kit Mi Kai stands amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving, his eyes locked onto mine with a fierce, unyielding gaze. And I realize, for the first time, that I may have underestimated him.

he growls, voice low and deadly. "If you come after me again, I will tear you apart with my bare hands."

But before I can savor the thrill of his threat, he slams his hand to the ground. The earth trembles under his touch, cracks splitting the soil and extending outward like veins. I realize too late what's happening. He's summoning something ancient, something I didn't anticipate.

From the fractured ground rise monstrous forms—giant ghouls, towering, skeletal figures cloaked in shadow. Their hollow eyes burn with a relentless hatred, and each movement seems almost burdened, as if the weight of countless souls has bound them in chains.

My creatures react instinctively, rushing toward the ghouls with primal screams, but it's a futile struggle. Kit Mi Kai's summoned ghouls are relentless, wielding their own twisted power, each one capable of tearing apart a dozen of my creations in one strike.

I grit my teeth, watching as his summoned army turns the tide. My beautiful, grotesque children—monstrosities I'd painstakingly crafted in secrecy and in shadow—are obliterated one after another. Their bodies disintegrate beneath the crushing force of the earth-wielding ghouls.

With grim determination, I pull back, glancing over my shoulder at the few creatures that remain. *Adapt. Don't break,* I remind myself, summoning a new strategy.

"Enough!" I shout, voice amplified through my hovering machine. My hand clenches a lever, activating a pulse of dark energy that shakes the ground. A moment of stillness settles over the battlefield. Then, with a guttural roar, my remaining creatures surge forward, reforming, adjusting to the relentless onslaught.

Kit Mi Kai clenches his fist, and the earth shifts again beneath him, this time rising into towering pillars, blocking my path and forming a protective cage around himself. It's a fortress made of stone and will, crafted in seconds.

But I have anticipated this.

"Do you think walls will keep me out?" I sneer, pressing down on another control. My flying machine, now hovering directly above him, unleashes a concentrated blast of dark energy. It strikes the stone walls he's erected, cracking and crumbling them under its force.

Kit Mi Kai is breathing hard now, sweat beading on his brow as he struggles to maintain his protective barrier. His summoned ghouls begin to falter, their forms flickering as his energy wanes. He's exhausted, I can see it, but his determination remains undiminished.

With a defiant yell, he slams both hands to the ground, sending another surge of earth magic through the battlefield. Massive stone fists rise from the earth, smashing into my creatures with unstoppable force. The very ground beneath him becomes a weapon, shifting and warping to his will.

But even this power has its limits.

Kit Mi Kai stumbles, his movements slowing as the weight of his exhaustion drags him down. He's running out of time, his aura flickering like a dying flame.

I seize the opportunity. With a final command, I unleash the last of my creatures upon him, their claws tearing through the remnants of his summoned ghouls. The ground trembles as they surge forward, surrounding him from all sides.

Kit Mi Kai fights with everything he has, his fists slamming into my creatures with raw, unrestrained fury. But he's outnumbered, overpowered, and his strength is fading fast.

Finally, he falls to his knees, gasping for breath, his body battered and bruised. The crimson aura around him flickers, then fades entirely, leaving him vulnerable and defeated.

I descend from my machine, a triumphant smile on my lips as I approach the fallen hero. "You put up quite a fight, Kit Mi Kai," I say, my voice laced with smug satisfaction. "But in the end, even you couldn't stand against the power of science and magic combined."

Kit Mi Kai glares up at me, his eyes blazing with defiance even in his weakened state. "This isn't over," he growls, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll escape… and when I do…"

But I cut him off, raising a hand to silence him. "Oh, I'm counting on it," I say, my smile widening. "After all, where's the fun in a victory that's too easy?"

With a wave of my hand, I signal for my creatures to bind him in chains, their claws digging into his flesh as they restrain him. He struggles, but it's no use. He's captured, and there's nothing he can do to change that.