Fairy Tale: With Sin Of Pride

On the tall, ornate throne, the Blood Demon Bogula sat quietly, dressed in a blood-red noble suit. His demeanor was both regal and menacing.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Footsteps echoed through the vast hall. A figure, as dazzling as the sun, strode forward, each step radiating blinding brilliance. Yet, in stark contrast to his radiant aura, a deathly darkness seemed to shroud him—a darkness more harrowing than the abyss itself.

He bore wings of jet-black light, intricate devil's markings etched across his body, and wielded a golden battle axe that blazed with searing intensity.

Light and dark. Heat and death.

Contradictory forces that merged seamlessly into one terrifyingly perfect entity.

"Opposing a demigod is unwise," Bogula intoned, his deep eyes narrowing.

Despite his composed tone, his transformation was apparent—his skinless form, pulsating crimson muscles, and grotesquely distorted face now marked him as a creature of pure malice.

His back sprouted immense bat wings, and his stench, sharp and metallic, pervaded the air.

Rhodes didn't flinch. His smile was bright, almost disarmingly so. Demigod? He smirked inwardly. So what if you're a demigod? Killing you will be a pleasure.

"If you have no other tricks," he declared, his tone casual yet firm, "then this is where your story ends."

With that, the aura around him surged, an amalgamation of blazing sunlight and oppressive shadow. Dark golden arms of pure magical energy materialized behind him, and he slammed them together with a deafening roar.

Boom!

The throne shattered into oblivion, and with it, Bogula's elegant composure.

But the Blood Demon was not so easily subdued. A burst of thorn-laced demonic energy, thick with the scent of blood, erupted from his palm, forcefully pushing back Rhodes' dark golden arms.

The clash intensified. Bogula's monstrous muscles bulged, and his bat wings spread wide as he hurled himself at Rhodes with reckless abandon. His voice was guttural, brimming with rage. "You destroyed my skin—now yours shall replace it!"

Rhodes raised an eyebrow, his expression almost amused. "Are all demons this fearless, or are you just blind to the gap between us?"

Behind Rhodes, dark golden spears began to form, their tips glowing with a destructive power that combined the energy of the Sun and the abyssal darkness of the Demon God.

Whoosh!

Just as Bogula prepared to strike again, the spears surged forward, crackling with unrelenting force.

The Blood Demon's bravado faltered. With a sharp pivot, he turned and flew toward the palace's exit. "Only a fool fights to the death with someone like you!" he sneered, though his panic was evident.

Rhodes chuckled coldly. "Run? From me?" He raised his hands, his voice steady and commanding. "God's Domain!"

The air warped. The castle around them dissolved, replaced by an endless ocean under a vast, blue sky. The Blood Demon froze, his eyes wide with shock. "An ocean? How…?"

He flapped his wings furiously, trying to escape the watery expanse, but no matter how far he flew, the horizon remained the same.

"Don't waste your energy," Rhodes' voice echoed. He appeared in the distance, walking across the water as though it were solid ground. "This is my domain. Unless you overpower me, you'll never leave."

Bogula snarled, his claws outstretched as he lunged at Rhodes—only to pierce through a watery illusion. Before he could recover, Rhodes' voice came again, tinged with mockery. "Is that all you've got? Pathetic."

The Blood Demon's movements slowed, his strength sapped. This was the power of a God's Domain—a realm shaped entirely by the wielder's will. Here, Rhodes held absolute control.

Raising a hand, Rhodes summoned a brilliant sun that blazed in the sky, illuminating the ocean with golden light. His body expanded, his power reaching its zenith.

"At my peak, even gods would tremble," he proclaimed. "If you can survive this next attack, I'll spare your life."

Bogula could only stare, trembling, as the scorching sun descended upon him.

Boom!

The ocean evaporated under the intense heat, and the Blood Demon was reduced to nothing but ash.

---

The domain dissipated. With Bogula's demise, the demonic curse that had shrouded the castle lifted. For a brief moment, Rhodes glimpsed ethereal souls ascending toward a distant, misty kingdom.

Amid the spectral procession, a figure shrouded in black robes appeared, holding a pair of scales. Each soul was weighed—those lighter than a feather were sent to purgatory; those heavier ascended to the divine realm.

The figure turned, its gaze meeting Rhodes'. A silent acknowledgment passed between them before the figure nodded, vanishing alongside the souls.

As the portal to the underworld closed, a dark light streaked toward Rhodes, embedding itself into his hand.

He examined the mark left behind, his expression thoughtful. "The God of Death, huh?" The mark was a token of gratitude, granting him immunity among the god's followers.

Yet Rhodes cared little for divine favors. If anything, it only deepened his resolve to face gods as equals—or rivals.

---

Outside the castle, Yulia awaited him. "All done?" she asked, though the answer was clear.

Rhodes yawned, stepping into the carriage. "Just a demigod. Nothing worth mentioning."

Yulia stared at him, exasperated. "A demigod, Rhodes. That's not something you brush off like a common thug."

Rhodes smirked. "And yet, here I am."

Shaking her head, Yulia muttered, "Three days left. Let's hope nothing else goes wrong."

---

Two days passed uneventfully.

Ding!

Sign-in successful!

Reward: Ten Commandments (Purity)

Rhodes glanced at the notification and rolled his eyes. "Another useless reward…" He sighed, leaning back as snow began to fall.

"This winter feels… off," Yulia murmured, shivering. A fire mage by nature, she found the cold particularly unpleasant. But more than that, the snowflakes stirred an uneasy memory—a shadow from her past.

Rhodes, oblivious to her discomfort, smirked at the snow. "Unusual or not, we're almost there. Let's see what's there."