In the sub dimensional arena, 24 hours have passed, yet the genocidal maniac known as Blake was still as lively as ever.
Despite a few cuts from here and there, he was still standing strong against a literal army of demons. Moreover as inhabitants of Zek'nir, their body evolved to a point where they can battle for extended period of times, giving them more resistance, strength and endurance, therefore giving them better chances to fight the intruder.
However, As time passed, the less confident the Zek'nirians felt about themselves.
"Why is he still alive? Why are you still alive, damnit!" A four-armed devil yelled as he sent dozens of punches towards Blake, which he easily dodged or blocked with a guard.
"I have a lot of dexterity," answered a slightly sweating Blake before he returned the punches, most of them landing towards the chest and head area, ending the frustrated devil's life.
"Hor, let's get out of here, fighting that monster isn't worth it anymore." A creature with crab claws said to another creature with a similar appearance.
"I refuse! We can run in the deepest corners of the arena and wait for the others to exhaust him. This is a huge opportunity, Kor!"
"Hor, you also know that the big players haven't arrived yet, they're safely observing us from outside. One of them will probably get the kill." A sighing crab like demon muttered.
"Uhh f*ck! I know you're right but, *sigh*, alright, let's meet at the pub," said the infuriated Kor as he looked towards the gory scenery far away.
Both demons looked at each other as if knowing what the other was thinking, and both put one of their huge crab claws between each other's throats.
"Oh you guys also have pubs?"
A frightening voice whispered, and a chill ran down their spine. They looked behind them and saw a terrifying grin, a crescent smile directed at the creeped out crab demons. The newcomer then supported both of his bulging arms, painted with his victim's blood on the demons' shoulders, and asked.
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"I wonder what demonic booze tastes like, you guys should invite me one of these days." The lunatic said, coming closer, and talking like they were old acquaintances.
"S-sure why n-not. Does that m-mean you'll let us live?" Kor swallowed his saliva as he tried to make cohesive sentences despite his horror-stricken expression.
The stubborn Hor also looked with fear but also hope at the man in front of him. he said hesitantly, "Yeah like my brother said can you let us live? Or at least let us kill ourselves? You should have already seen some of us ending their own lives right?"
"Yep, you guys have a way to come back to life, right?" Blake answered
"How did you kn-" blurted Kor.
"The way you guys look at me, I see fear, but not the fear of death. I've killed in my old days you know? The expression some make when they know death approaches, when they feel the cold scythe on their necks. Their eyes, they reflect that fear but..."
Old memories resurfaced and made the man reminisced about the past.
"You guys don't have it." The man returned to the present and looked at the crab brothers.
"Yes, you're right, we do come back but at a cost, we have to give some of our essence to Zek'nir. And if we get killed by someone, that person will absorb some of it, which means paying more essence if we are killed."
"That's why killing ourselves is better, as we will only pay Zek'nir, and based on our strength, some will take days or even weeks to naturally recover the lost essence." The scared Kor tried to explain their suicidal tendencies.
'System, you seem to know a lot about this place, can you confirm?' mentally asked Blake as he silently looked at the crab brothers.
[Affirmative]
[The plane gives its inhabitant the opportunity to come back, granting essence thus granting life]
[Living beings ending their natural lifespans give back what they were granted at birth, and Zek'nir redistributes the essence to produce new life]
"A circle of life of sort, huh?"
[Affirmative]
"Excuse me?" Questioned the brothers.
"Nothing, I was talking to my little friend over here." Said Blake as he poked his head a few times.
The crab demons looked at each other, their eyes conversing their feelings.
'Kor, he's definitely nuts. Let's kill ourselves while we still can.'
'You saw how fast he approached us? No you didn't, that's why we should stay still, I say.'
"Well, sorry to interrupt but... my crazy fans found me, so you decide. You kill yourselves or... try to survive against what is coming." A happy, grinning Blake pointed at a group, an enormous flock of hell creatures rapidly approaching towards his position. Unafraid of death but of the 'human' that slayed so many of them. Yet, they keep moving, blinded by greed, and march fueled by the delicacy of souls.
The crab demons once again looked at each other, claws still between their throats, and decided. They glanced at the strange man one last time and thanked him with a nod of their heads.
In a perfect synchronisation, claws tightened, black blood spurted, bodies dropped, and life rapidly leaved the two crab brothers...
Blake looked at the gory scene and thought out loud.
"What strange guys."
[...]
"Alright, break's over. Those demons aren't gonna rip and tear themselves."
Blake savagely looked at the approaching demons, and with unmatched speed in the battlefield, he soared towards the heaven. And with a terrifying momentum fell towards the hellish demons. With his bare hands, he grabbed two heads and as he landed, mercilessly smashed them against the sandy floor.
*BOOOM*
A deflagration provoked by sheer strength alone! Demons were ejected left and right, the aftermath of the explosion turned the surrounding area into a blinding environment. Unholy screams, dismembered limbs and putrid liquid infested the sandy slaughterhouse. A chilling laugh could be heard from time to time as once again, demons learned how to fear.
"Hahahahah!!"
[Demons killed: 2775]
...