The Damned Demon

Chapter 742  Surrounded By Death

Esther's eyes widened in surprise, the weight of his bold statement sinking in. Two floors in one day? she thought, her brow furrowing as she tried to make sense of what he had just said.

"Your Majesty," she said, her voice laced with concern as she took a small step forward, her expression serious, "You plan to enter the 6th floor today as well?" She shook her head slightly, disbelief creeping into her tone. "I wouldn't advise you to take these trials one after another without preparation and rest. I know you are different and capable enough to maybe do it... but considering the circumstances—"

Asher cut her off, his voice calm but resolute, "I should be doing this, right?" He met her gaze with a piercing intensity, the weight of his words undeniable, "What's the point of doing this trial after our kingdom is attacked? I have to be strong enough to defend us. Strength is the only ruling factor in this world, Esther, and you know it too. Everyone in this world knows that. And you also know our kingdom can't hold its own against all our enemies out there. As the king, I have to give it my all. Don't worry. If others also completed the 6th floor, I will be fine."

Asher's words struck Esther deeply, her heart swelling with admiration for the young king before her. Despite his youth, his sense of duty, his unyielding resolve, and his fierce love for his people shone through every word, every gesture. She had known him for years, mostly as a useless cripple who had no purpose in life.

But now, seeing him stand before her with such mature conviction, it felt as though this was a different person.

Her cold exterior softened even more, a fleeting smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She bowed her head, her voice steady as she replied, "Very well. As you wish, Your Majesty. I pray you return unscathed."

She gestured towards the dark, iron door at the far end of the room, the next trial awaiting behind it. "Your trial is past that door, Your Majesty."

Asher nodded with a smile, his eyes glowing with gratitude. He started to walk towards the door, but then, in one swift motion, he stopped. Before Esther could even react, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist and pulled her close, his lips pressing firmly against hers in a quick, unexpected kiss.

Esther's eyes widened to their extremes, her heart racing at the suddenness of it all. She was frozen, caught off guard, and for a moment, her mind just went blank. But just as quickly as it began, Asher pulled back, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he winked at her.

"You just looked too beautiful when you said you wanted me to return safely," He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, He gave her one last glance before turning to face the door. Esther stood there, utterly stunned, her lips still tingling from the kiss, her hand instinctively touching her lips in dazed confusion.

Her cheeks flushed, and her mind raced to catch up with what had just happened. But slowly, a soft, rare smile spread across her face. She could feel the warmth in her chest, a quiet joy that she rarely allowed herself to feel. She never expected such a moment with her king, but it was one she would treasure.

Asher walked confidently towards the door, his figure framed by the flickering light, his resolve unshaken. The door creaked open, and Asher stepped through, ready to face whatever lay beyond, while Esther stayed behind, her heart inexplicably lighter than it had been moments before.

And the moment he entered, the door behind him vanished into thin air and his eyes widened upon seeing what was before him. It was a place of death, a realm where the very air seemed to be infused with darkness and cold that clung to his skin, suffocating him with its oppressive weight.

The floor was an endless, icy wasteland—a vast expanse of sharp, jagged ice and frozen wastelands, where the ground cracked underfoot with every step he took. The sky above was a roiling expanse of swirling, dark clouds, casting the entire area in a constant state of twilight. The cold here was not just physical; it seemed to seep into the very soul of anyone who dared to enter, numbing not just the body but the mind.

He could feel the presence of the dead around him—souls trapped in this world, their twisted, broken forms wandering the frozen wasteland, their hollow eyes fixated on him as they moved closer.

The first of these enemies emerged from the ice with a sickening creak, its body unnaturally contorted, the remnants of what had once been a demon now reduced to a lifeless, reanimated husk. Its eyes were dark and vacant, its body covered in dark frost that clung to its skin like a second layer. As it dragged its decayed limbs forward, a low, guttural growl escaped from its throat. *GRAAAR!!*

The creature's twisted form lunged at Asher, its claws extended.

Without hesitation, Asher activated his Hellbringer Form. His body erupted in dark green flames that wreathed around his skeletal frame, giving him an eerie, hellish appearance. His bones, forged from cursed flames, shimmered with an unnatural glow, resembling black diamond and radiating an aura of raw, terrifying power. His entire body became a conduit of darkness, and the world around him seemed to shrink under the sheer magnitude of his presence.

The moment the creature's claws came into contact with him, it disintegrated into ash—its form reduced to nothing as Asher stood unharmed, his form blazing with infernal fire. His Denizen of the Night ability gave him the perfect clarity to see through the chaos.

But this was no ordinary trial, and it wasn't just the creatures that posed a threat. As Asher moved forward, he could feel the temperature dropping rapidly, the icy winds swirling around him, carrying whispers of forgotten souls who had been lost in this hell. Yet all this didn't truly affect him in his Hellbringer form. *Crakkkk!*

But the ground beneath his feet suddenly shifted, and suddenly, large fissures appeared, crackling with dark energy, threatening to swallow him whole and surrounding him in pitch black darkness.

He had learned quickly to adapt. The trial was not simply one of physical endurance; it was a test of his will and his mind.

Another wave of undead creatures, this time faster and more agile, surged forward, their eyes glowing with a haunting light. Asher felt their presence before they even moved, his Denizen of the Night ability giving him insight into their every action despite the blinding darkness.

His Hell Master power let him summon Agonon and Victor's Damned forms from the Dimension of the Damned, pulling them from the void to fight by his side. As he raised his hand, these two emerged from the darkness, attacking the creatures before they could reach him.

The undead screamed as they were consumed by the damned souls, their forms collapsing into the frozen ground. But there was no time to relax.

The environment itself seemed to be fighting against him, the icy ground breaking apart to reveal dark, clawed hands that reached up from the depths, dragging the dead back to the surface.

Asher gritted his teeth and activated Rupture of the Damned, his entire body erupting in a cataclysmic burst of dark energy. The ground trembled, and a massive explosion of dark energy blasted outward, vaporizing everything in its path. The hands and creatures were torn apart in the explosion, their existence wiped from the tower in an instant. The blast caused the very air to distort, the temperature dropping further, the ice cracking around him.

But even as the blast subsided, a dark figure emerged from the shadows—an entity larger than any of the creatures he had faced. This one was a creature born of the very tower, the main boss of the 5th floor. It was a massive figure, its body comprised of dark ice and living shadows, its eyes burning with malevolent intent.

Asher didn't flinch. He utilized the power of the Hellbringer's Havoc, his strength temporarily amplified. *ROAARRRRR!!*

His Rakshasa's Roar rang out, shaking the air and lowering the creature's defenses. His four arms, courtesy of the Rakshasa talent, moved fluidly, casting Shadow Roots to immobilize the creature. The roots of darkness twisted up from the ground, entangling the massive beast, preventing it from moving.

The creature howled in rage as Asher stepped forward, multiple blades of Resentful Slash cutting through the frozen air. The cursed blades cleaved the creature's form, bursting with fiery flames. But the creature fought back, slashing with jagged, icy claws that came close to striking Asher, only to be blocked by the cursed energy that pulsed through his body.

Asher had no time to waste with this thing, so he activated Doomfall's power, increasing his strength and defense by 30%!

"That's enough from you," Asher said with a bored look and with one final strike from his blazing ring blade, the creature collapsed into a pile of ash and ice, its essence consumed by Asher's infernal flames.

Still undeterred, Asher surveyed the battlefield, the cold wind howling around him. His body was unscathed as he transformed back to his original form. The 5th floor was barely a test for him, making him realize after becoming a demon, he had improved a lot when previously he believed there wasn't much more to improve when it came to raw skills and techniques. By living among them, he had learned a lot without him realizing it.

He then suddenly received a message in his head, [ Would you like to receive the rewards now? ]

"Nah. Give it to me after I survive the 6th one. Otherwise, what's the point…" Asher mumbled as he could feel the 6th floor awaiting him. He was determined to speed through these trials and get back.

With a final glance at the destruction he'd left behind, Asher stepped forward into the small portal that opened before him.