The Heavenly Demon of Terror

As I stepped out of the villa, the cold night air greeted me, crisp and sharp against my skin.

The city stretched before me—a playground of chaos, corruption, and unanswered mysteries.

I exhaled slowly, then muttered—

"System, show me the remaining quests."

A familiar blue screen flickered to life before me.

---

[Available Quests]

1. The Vanishing District – Entire blocks of the city are disappearing overnight. No traces, no survivors. The only clue left behind is a single word carved into the pavement: "Requiem." Investigate before the city itself ceases to exist.

(Reward: +15 Intelligence, +8 Agility, Hidden Ability Unlock)

2. The Demon's Gambit – A powerful entity has infiltrated high society, disguising itself as a human. It feeds on power and corruption, growing stronger by the day. Find it. Expose it. Destroy it.

(Reward: +12 Strength, +10 Charisma, Unique Demon Slayer Weapon)

3. The Rift War – Main Quest – The fabric of reality has been weakened. The dead from your past life are manifesting. Investigate the rift, uncover its source, and eliminate any anomalies before they consume this world.

(Reward: ???)

---

I smirked. "Three choices."

Each one dangerous. Each one a step deeper into the abyss.

I slipped my hands into my coat pockets, weighing my options.

The Vanishing District was concerning—entire parts of the city erased as if they never existed.

The Demon's Gambit intrigued me—a high-level entity playing king in the shadows? That could be fun.

And then there was the Rift War.

The main event. The reason why Victor Cain had returned from the grave.

I sighed, rolling my shoulders. "Looks like I'm going to be busy."

Then, after a moment of thought, I made my choice.

"Activate Quest 2—The Demon's Gambit."

The System hummed.

[Quest Activated.]

[Tracking Target…]

The screen flickered, then displayed a single name—

[Target Identified: Lord Elias Vermillion – High Society Philanthropist, CEO of Vermillion Industries.]

I chuckled. "A demon playing the role of a saint? How original."

The System continued—

[Last Known Location: The Vermillion Grand Gala – Tonight, 10:00 PM.]

I checked my watch. 9:15 PM.

I had forty-five minutes.

I exhaled, tilting my head back to the sky.

A Demon pretending to be human.

A Hunter pretending to be a man.

This should be fun.

I turned on my heel, stepping into the night, my emerald eyes glowing faintly.

The hunt had begun.

The Vermillion Grand Gala was the kind of event where corruption wore a tailored suit and sipped on thousand-dollar wine.

The kind of place where powerful men whispered secrets behind champagne glasses and smiled while shaking hands stained with blood.

And somewhere among them, a real demon lurked.

I arrived exactly at 10:00 PM.

Dressed in a black tailored suit, open collar, no tie—just enough to blend in, yet stand apart.

As I stepped into the grand ballroom, a symphony of classical music played softly, mixing with the murmurs of the elite.

Eyes flickered toward me. Some curious, others wary.

They didn't recognize me, but they sensed something.

Something dangerous.

I smirked. "Good. They should."

Then—I saw him.

The Devil in a Suit

Lord Elias Vermillion.

Standing near the center of the room, surrounded by politicians, CEOs, and socialites.

Tall. Charismatic. A smile that looked warm—but his eyes were cold.

I could see it immediately.

He wasn't human.

Not anymore.

His aura was too perfect, his presence too calculated.

And when he turned his gaze toward me—I felt it.

The heavy weight of something ancient. Something inhuman.

I smirked and walked straight toward him.

The crowd around him parted, as if sensing an approaching storm.

Elias turned to face me fully, his smile never wavering.

"Ah, a new face," he said smoothly. "And who might you be?"

I extended a hand, matching his grin.

"Samuel Gebb. Private Investigator."

For a brief second, I saw something flicker in his expression.

Recognition.

He knew my name.

Interesting.

He took my hand, his grip firm, but testing.

"A detective at my gala?" he mused. "That's rare."

I chuckled. "Trouble tends to follow me. Thought I'd see where it led."

He held my gaze, and for the first time, I saw the thin cracks in his disguise.

There was something behind his smile.

Something hungry.

The Game Begins

Elias gestured toward the bar. "Join me for a drink?"

I smirked. "Wouldn't miss it."

As we walked, I could feel the tension shifting.

The room was filled with people, but at this moment—it was just us.

A hunter and a monster, circling each other in the open.

Neither backing down.

Neither looking away.

And both knowing—

Before the night ended, one of us wouldn't leave here alive.

### **The Demon's Gambit – A Dance in Blood**

The night had started with **wine and false pleasantries.**

Now, it was about to end in **blood and fire.**

### **The Unmasking**

Elias Vermillion lifted his **glass of whiskey**, swirling it as he studied me with those **cold, inhuman eyes.**

**"You're not like the others,"** he mused. **"Most men who stand before me tremble. But you… You're different."**

I smirked, taking a slow sip of my own drink. **"Let's just say I've danced with worse monsters."**

Elias chuckled, setting his drink down. **"That's what they all say—right before they die."**

Then, without warning—

**He moved.**

A blur of **inhuman speed**, closing the space between us in an instant.

I barely had time to react before his **fist slammed into my ribs.**

**CRACK!**

Pain **exploded** through my body as I was **sent flying**, crashing through a marble table.

The gala erupted into **screams**, guests scattering like cockroaches as chaos consumed the ballroom.

I groaned, wiping the blood from my lips as I pulled myself up.

Elias stood over me, rolling his shoulders. **"Come on, Samuel. I expected more."**

I smirked through the pain. **"I was just getting comfortable."**

### **The First Round – Speed vs. Strength**

I **shot forward**, closing the distance between us in a heartbeat.

Elias threw a punch—**I dodged, spinning low, delivering a brutal kick to his knee.**

**THUD!**

He barely flinched.

His hand lashed out, **grabbing my throat** before I could escape.

**"Pathetic,"** he sneered, lifting me off the ground.

I grabbed his wrist, **twisting sharply—**

**SNAP!**

His bone **cracked**, but he didn't even scream.

Instead, he just grinned. **"Nice try."**

Then, he **slammed me into the ground.**

**BOOM!**

The marble floor **shattered beneath us**, the force sending a shockwave through the building.

I gasped, blood splattering from my mouth.

**He was strong.**

Stronger than I expected.

Elias stepped back, shaking his hand as his broken wrist twisted itself back into place.

His smirk widened. "Ah, I forgot to mention—pain is temporary for me."

Then his body started to change.

His suit ripped apart as his form expanded.

Black, jagged horns sprouted from his skull.

His arms stretched, his fingers lengthening into razor-sharp claws.

His teeth elongated, forming a jagged, monstrous grin.

"Do you see it now, Samuel?" he growled, his voice layered with something inhuman. "You never stood a chance."

I wiped the blood from my mouth, grinning through the pain.

"You talk too much."

Then I charged.

I unleashed a flurry of brutal strikes, my fists blurring as I targeted his ribs, his throat, his knees—

Every weak spot I knew.

CRACK!

I broke his jaw.

BANG!

I shattered his kneecap.

SLASH!

I grabbed a broken glass shard and drove it into his neck.

For a second—just a second—he staggered.

Then, he laughed.

"That all?"

His clawed hand lashed out, tearing across my chest.

SHRRRIP!

Blood sprayed through the air as deep gashes ripped through my skin.

I gritted my teeth, but before I could recover—

BAM!

His knee slammed into my stomach,making me cough up blood.

He grabbed my arm—and twisted.

SNAP!

A sharp, agonizing pain shot through me as my shoulder dislocated.

I staggered back, barely able to stand.

My vision blurred.

I was losing.

Elias grinned, licking the blood off his claws.

"You're fun," he chuckled. "I almost don't want to kill you yet."

I exhaled shakily, struggling to keep my balance.

But even through the pain, I smirked.

"Then you'll love what happens next."

Because I wasn't done yet.

And if Elias thought I was weak—

He was about to learn just how wrong he was.