The room was silent apart from the faint crackling of the fireplace and the soft breathing of sleeping women.

Damian lay at the center of an enormous bed while five naked girls rested peacefully around him beneath tangled sheets. One slept against his chest while another curled beside his arm.

Moonlight filtered through the towering glass windows, casting pale silver across the expensive furniture and marble floors.

Everything was peaceful.

Until—

"Help..."

The voice barely existed. It sounded distant and fading. If felt like someone was whispering from the bottom of a grave.

Damian’s brows suddenly twitched.

At the same instant, violent images exploded into his mind.

A dark forest with wisted trees with the sound of frantic footsteps crashing through mud.

He saw demons sprinting wildly between shadows. Covered in blood and screaming with fear written all over their expressions.

Damian’s eyes snapped open.

His body jerked upright mechanically while the girls beside him stirred slightly in their sleep.

A violent headache struck him instantly.

"Ghh..."

He clutched his forehead tightly and lowered his head while breathing heavily. The vision continued flickering inside his skull like broken lightning.

[Warning: Your devotee is in danger. Save him quickly!]

The crimson system notification appeared before his eyes.

Damian stared at it silently for a brief moment before throwing the blankets aside and stepping off the bed.

The moment his feet touched the floor a sharper wave of pain assaulted him.

"Argh!"

His body staggered violently backward.

The headache intensified until it felt as though invisible claws were tearing through his brain. Damian slammed a hand against the nearby wall to steady himself while his expression twisted in pain.

One of the sleeping girls stirred faintly.

"Mmm... Damian...?"

He ignored her completely.

A warm sensation suddenly slid past his lips. Damian frowned and touched beneath his nose.

Blood.

A thin crimson line stained his fingers. For the first time, genuine surprise flickered across his eyes. Before he could question it, the system responded first.

[You may possess a godly inheritance, but your body remains mortal. It is only natural it suffers whenever it projects capabilities belonging to the divine.] 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Damian’s expression darkened.

"Will this become detrimental to my health in the long run?"

The question carried real concern.

These headaches unsettled him deeply. Not because of the pain itself, but because of what the pain represented.

Somehow it bypassed his stats and made him feel vulnerable.

Every pulse of agony reminded him that beneath all his growing power, he was still human and he could break.

[Does it matter?]

The system’s response came instantly.

[You will become a demigod within five years. You will outgrow the problem before it kills you.]

Damian stood silently for several seconds. Oddly enough, the explanation sounded reasonable.

Eventually, he nodded faintly.

"That makes sense."

He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand before grabbing his trousers from the floor and pulling them on.

The moment he straightened his hair began growing.

Black strands spilled rapidly down his shoulders, past his waist, then continued all the way toward the floor like flowing darkness.

His face was changing.

The muscles beneath his skin twisted unnaturally. Bone shifted. Flesh distorted. His jawline sharpened while his features slowly transformed into another person entirely.

Lin Qui.

By the time the transformation ended, Damian no longer resembled himself.

Without another word, he walked calmly toward the balcony while his impossibly long black hair dragged across the marble floor behind him.

The cold night wind greeted him the moment the balcony doors opened. Far below stretched the glittering city and above him hung a dark endless sky.

RRRIP!

Blood sprayed lightly across the balcony floor as Damian’s back split open violently. Two pairs of massive black wings erupted outward from the wounds.

The wings were neither feathered nor demonic.

The pressure released from his body caused the curtains inside the room to whip violently.

Damian stepped onto the balcony railing.

His crimson eyes gazed silently toward the distant darkness where his devotee awaited rescue.

BOOM!

He vanished into the night sky like a black beam of light.

_______

The forest had fallen into absolute silence.

Jota and the gathered demons stood in a trembling circle beneath the cold moonlight, their breathing ragged and uneven as terror consumed every inch of their bodies.

At the center of their fear floated a massive sphere formed from folded angelic wings.

The enormous wings shimmered faintly with divine radiance, layered tightly around one another like the petals of a celestial flower. Golden light seeped through the gaps between the feathers, illuminating the dark forest in an eerie glow.

And standing atop those folded wings was a man dressed entirely in white.

A long cassock draped over his tall figure, spotless beneath the night sky. His hair was snow white, hanging loosely behind him while his pale eyes lacked any visible pupils, making him appear almost blind.

Yet no one dared mistake him for harmless because in his hand rested an ancient sword engulfed in roaring golden flames.

The fire danced unnaturally along the blade without consuming it, radiating terrifying holy pressure that caused the demons’ skin to burn despite standing afar.

Corbin slowly tilted his head upward toward the crescent moon then laughed.

"Ahahahahaha!"

The laughter echoed through the forest like the cries of a lunatic. His free hand covered half his face while his body trembled slightly from excitement.

"And here I thought I would have to hunt you all down one after the other," he said between hysterical chuckles. "Who would have thought you would gather willingly at your own funeral?"

None of the demons answered.

Jota’s entire body shook violently as sweat poured down his face. Several younger demons had already collapsed to their knees from fear alone.

Their eyes shifted desperately through the surrounding darkness. More white cassocks were appearing.

Dozens of them.

They emerged silently between the trees from every direction, surrounding the clearing completely. Some carried silver staffs while others held glowing scriptures clutched against their chests.

Towering guardian angels hovered behind them.

Their massive wings spread wide while glowing eyes stared down emotionlessly upon the trapped demons below like divine judges preparing execution.

The pressure suffocating the forest became unbearable. Several demons quietly sobbed. Others stared blankly ahead after surrendering completely to despair.

Death was certain.

"YOU PRAY TO THIS GOD YET HAVE SUCH LITTLE FAITH?"

The voice exploded across the heavens like thunder itself.

"BOY, I LEFT FIVE BITCHES TO BE HERE. YOU BETTER CHEER UP!"

BOOOOOOM!!!

A violent shockwave erupted across the night sky. The pressure alone flattened nearby trees violently outward.

Everyone froze.

Every head snapped upward simultaneously. Above the clearing stood a lone figure suspended high in the air.

Four massive black wings flapped slowly behind him.

His glowing violet eyes illuminated the darkness like twin stars while his absurdly long black hair whipped wildly against the night winds.

He wore nothing above the waist.

Only black jeans covered the lower half of his body while his bare feet hovered calmly in the sky as though gravity no longer applied to him.

The sight was overwhelming.

Transparent barriers began forming throughout the sky. One after another invisible plates spread rapidly outward in every direction like shattered glass sealing the heavens themselves.

The barriers expanded so far none present could even see where the boundaries ended.

[Isolation Skill Activated]

Within the folded shell of angelic wings below, two burning golden eyes slowly opened.

Archangel Gilbert!

His gaze locked onto Damian instantly and hatred flickered inside those ancient eyes.

’He finally shows himself again.’

Gilbert’s cold voice echoed directly into Corbin’s mind.

Corbin’s expression twisted immediately into a vicious frown. All traces of hysterical amusement vanished.

His blind white eyes narrowed coldly while staring upward at Damian floating confidently above them all.

The forest became silent once more. No one dared speak.

Not even the guardian angels.

The sheer pressure radiating from Damian had seized complete control of the battlefield.

Then suddenly Jota broke formation.

The ugly demon burst forward from the trembling crowd before falling heavily onto his knees.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

He slammed his forehead repeatedly against the dirt while tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

"THANK YOU MY LORD!"

His voice cracked loudly through the clearing.

"THANK YOU!"

The surrounding demons stared at him blankly. Then slowly their attention shifted upward toward Damian.

Shock spread visibly across their faces.

This human was the Prince of Lust?

The man who accepted demons rejected by both Heaven and Hell?

He truly came to save them?

Even after learning Heaven itself was involved he still came to save them. At that moment, something inside the demons shattered completely.

Jota had spoken endlessly about Damian. About the kingdom he planned to build one that will accommodate outcasts like them.

Most believed it was impossible. Yet now the proof floated directly above them.

One demon slowly dropped to his knees. Then another and another, until suddenly the entire forest floor was filled with kneeling demons smashing their heads repeatedly against the dirt.

"THANK YOU MY LORD!"

"THANK YOU!"

"THANK YOU MY LORD!"

Their voices boomed together beneath the night sky.

Some cried openly. Others trembled violently from overwhelming relief.

Damian simply stared down at them calmly.

His glowing violet eyes revealed little emotion.

Yet from the corner of his vision messages began appearing rapidly.

[Congratulations, you gained a new devotee.]

[Congratulations, you gained a new devotee.]

[Congratulations, you gained a new devotee.]

[Congratulations, you gained a new devotee.]

The notifications continued endlessly.