The damp ground crunched beneath Kaito's feet as he scanned the desolate surroundings. His gaze swept carefully over the area, searching for more skeletons. Yet, it seemed there were only the three he had already found. Above him, Clara, the tiny pixie, flitted about like a mischievous spark of light, always hovering nearby.

—Why are you still here? —Kaito asked, his tone sharp and wary—. Don’t I scare or disgust you?

Clara halted midair, her small wings beating steadily as she fixed her gaze on him with a playful smirk.

—Scare me? Disgust me? —she echoed mockingly—. Please, I’m not human. I don’t have those shallow customs. I’m just curious. I want to see how far you can go. —She tilted her head with a mischievous glint in her eyes—. Besides, zombie flesh might make an excellent ingredient for my potions.

Kaito let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

—You’re incredibly annoying… but I’m not giving you the satisfaction. —He took another step forward, his voice firm—. Since you’re here, you might as well help me get out of this place.

Clara folded her arms and floated in front of him.

—And why would I do that? —she replied, her tone light but teasing.

—Do you want me to remind you of the trouble you caused me? —Kaito retorted, his brow furrowing.

Clara rolled her eyes, scratching her head in defeat.

—Fine, no need to bring that up again. Honestly, the only way I know to get out of here is the pit. But I doubt that’s helpful to you.

Kaito’s expression tightened as he eyed her skeptically.

—Of course not. —He turned his gaze away—. Either way, I don’t trust you much. I’ll figure it out on my own. You can leave.

Clara put her tiny hands on her hips, leaning toward him.

—You’re such a grump, you know that?

But then, her playful demeanor shattered. Her face went pale, her eyes widening in sheer terror. Her small frame froze midair, trembling as she stared ahead.

—Why…? —she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper—. Why is there a demon in this place?

Kaito’s brow furrowed as he snapped his head toward where Clara was looking.

—A demon? What are you talking about? Where?

Before he could finish, a deep, calm voice cut through the air, carrying a chilling weight.

—Greetings. It is pleasant to meet a user of the Blue Window.

Kaito turned his head slowly toward the source of the voice. There, emerging from the shadows, was a figure. It was more a presence than a being: a black silhouette cloaked in the same impenetrable darkness. Its face was entirely obscured, impossible to discern.

Kaito’s eyes hardened, his body tensing as he said nothing. His instincts screamed that this entity was extraordinarily dangerous.

Suddenly, a translucent window appeared before him:

"Wellc – Level ??? (Demon) (???)Power: ???"

The tense atmosphere lingered as Kaito kept his gaze fixed on Wellc. Though the dark figure showed no immediate signs of hostility, his mere presence demanded caution.

—Wait, there’s no need to be on guard. —Wellc’s voice carried a peculiar tone, almost casual, yet it resonated unnervingly in the air—. I’m not your enemy… Well, I’m not your friend either. What I mean is, I won’t attack you, but I won’t defend you either. Do you understand?

Kaito kept his expression neutral, though his mind raced. The question marks on Wellc’s power status were a clear warning: this being was far beyond his current strength. Opting for caution, he decided to play along.

—Then, what do you want? —he asked carefully—. And how do you know about the Blue Window?

The demon tilted his head slightly, almost as if pleased by Kaito’s response.

—Ah, I’m glad you’re so reasonable. —He crossed his arms beneath his dark cloak—. Most Blue Window users I meet run away immediately, but you seem different. Besides, I can see you’re carrying a strong curse. Not that it’s any of my business; I’m just a merchant. —He paused, his tone carrying a faint hint of amusement—. As for how I know about the Blue Window… let’s just say you’re not the only one who uses it. And I’m not talking about the other three heroes.

Kaito’s brow furrowed slightly, processing the demon’s words. Though intrigued, his main focus was the mention of the curse.

—What do you know about my curse? —he asked directly.

Wellc nodded slightly, as if anticipating the question.

—That’s information I can share. Listen carefully. —He raised a hand, faint purple energy swirling around his fingers—. A hero’s abilities are tied to their actions, intelligence, wisdom, strength… everything about how they lived before coming here. Physical and mental states are crucial.

The demon leaned forward slightly, his tone taking on a weightier edge.

—In your case, though, your mind was a mess when you received your ability. And to top it off… you were dead. —He chuckled darkly—. That’s likely why your body evolved into an undead.

Kaito didn’t want to admit it, but the demon’s explanation made uncomfortable sense.

—How do you know so much about hero abilities? —he asked, his voice steady but curious.

Wellc let out a low, sinister laugh.

—Why wouldn’t I? —he replied, his tone mocking—. Do you think you’re the only heroes summoned to this world? The truth is, every 20 or 30 years, new heroes are called. We demons know plenty about them. —He paused, his voice dropping to a sly whisper—. Though I can’t tell you how we get that information… I’m sure you can guess.

The sinister undertone of Wellc’s laugh echoed, but Kaito refused to be intimidated. Still, he couldn’t understand why the demon had approached him specifically.

—Can you tell me how to remove this curse? —he asked, his impatience creeping into his voice.

—So eager. —Wellc shook his head, his tone now almost casual—. You should make better use of that body of yours. After all, a human doesn’t have a zombie’s strength.

Before Kaito could respond, Clara darted forward, her small frame bristling with indignation.

—Strength or not, everyone knows a zombie is an easy monster to kill! Even a couple of goblins could take one down! —she shouted, arms akimbo.

Wellc tilted his head, his voice taking on a mocking edge.

—Or a pixie. —He paused, letting the tension build—. It’s rare to see one so close. I bet you’d taste delightful.

Clara’s face turned pale, and with a sharp gasp, she darted behind Kaito’s neck, peeking out cautiously.

—Relax, I’m joking. —Wellc raised his hands in mock surrender—. Demons don’t enjoy eating spiritual beings, so you’re safe. —A faint smirk tugged at his lips—. But as for your claim, it’s true. Zombies are clumsy and slow. Their only strengths are raw power and defense. Even a group of human children with sticks and stones could defeat one.

Hearing this, Clara puffed out her chest proudly and perched herself on Kaito’s shoulder, crossing her legs and lifting her chin smugly.

Kaito crossed his arms, his expression serious and focused as his gaze locked onto the demon.

—I understand what you’re saying. —His tone was low, almost grim—. It’s not in my best interest to become human again just yet, right?

Wellc’s lips curled into a faint smile, the shadow of his face barely visible beneath his black hood.

—It seems we’re finally on the same page. —He took a step forward, his cloak billowing slightly with the movement—. How about we move on to business?

Suddenly, a translucent window materialized in front of Kaito. Unlike the usual Blue Window, this one glowed with an intense purple hue. Clara, perched on his shoulder, tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and confusion.

—What’s happening? —she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

The list displayed on the screen immediately captured Kaito’s attention:

* Enchanted Iron Dagger: +50 Attack Power. Price: 3 Gold

* Enchanted Steel Sword: +200 Attack Power. Price: 10 Gold

* Bow with Infinite Arrows: +100 Attack Power. Price: 100 Gold

* Black Dragonhide Cloak: +500 Defense Power. Price: Free

* Black Dragonhide Gloves: +200 Defense Power. Price: 10 Gold

* Black Dragonhide Boots: +200 Defense Power. Price: 10 Gold

* Black Dragonhide Belt: +200 Defense Power. Price: 10 Gold

* Black Dragonhide Chestplate: +300 Defense Power. Price: 15 Gold

—Are you interested in any of these items? —Wellc asked, his voice exuding confidence, his eyes glinting from beneath the hood.

Kaito remained silent, his eyes scanning each item on the list. He couldn’t help but be intrigued by the use of a purple window, so different from his own. But what truly caught his interest were the items themselves. Their utility was undeniable, and while their prices were steep, they seemed justified—except for the cloak, whose free price seemed suspicious.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Clara, now comfortably seated on his shoulder, furrowed her brows and pointed at the window.

—This is strange… I’ve never seen anything like that window before. —Her voice carried a sharp note of disbelief—. What kind of business is this?

Kaito momentarily ignored her, his mind racing. If he could acquire these items, they might drastically improve his current state. Yet the lingering question remained: what was the true cost of making a deal with a demon?

Kaito stood with a frown, watching the demon intently. His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he crossed his arms over his chest.

—Tell me something —he asked, his tone laced with doubt—. You know I don’t have any gold right now, right? I just arrived in this world and haven’t had the chance to earn anything. Yet you’re showing me these items.

Wellc let out a short, low laugh, raising a hand as though Kaito’s question was predictable.

—Of course, I know. That’s why I gave you a one-hundred-percent discount on one of them. —The demon gestured casually toward the window—. Consider it a gesture of trust.

Kaito raised an eyebrow, still unsure.

—So I can take the cloak? From what I see, it’s one of the best items. Won’t that be a loss for you? —he asked cautiously.

Wellc made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

—Don’t worry about that. In the demon world, these items are rather basic. —His voice took on a persuasive tone, as if he were discussing something trivial—. Besides, what I’m truly interested in isn’t your gold but the objects you’ve collected.

Kaito tilted his head slightly, puzzled.

—What do you mean?

The demon smiled, pointing to a small button in the corner of the purple window that Kaito hadn’t noticed before.

—See for yourself.

Cautiously, Kaito pressed the button. The window instantly shifted, now displaying a list of the items he had collected:

* 15 Ant Poison Glands: Selling Price 2 Silver

* 3 Bone Dusts: Selling Price 50 Copper

Kaito’s eyes widened slightly as he scanned the information.

—What’s this? —he muttered to himself—. Can I sell him the items I got from defeating monsters?

For a moment, his mind filled with calculations. If he could sell those materials, it might be possible to buy some of the more powerful items, even if it took time. But a deeper doubt stopped him.

—Wait… —he said, looking back at the demon with narrowed eyes—. I don’t mind selling these items. They were pretty easy to get. But that’s exactly why I’m suspicious. Why would someone like you, who seems so powerful, want something so trivial? Is there more to this? —He paused before adding seriously—. If I do business with you, will you take my soul?

The demon burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the cavern.

—Your soul? —he said, still smiling in amusement—. What use would I have for something so irrelevant? —He waved a hand as if brushing away a ridiculous notion—. It seems your world has such beliefs. I’ve met others like you who thought the same. But rest assured, I don’t want your soul. Just your items… for a fair price, of course.

Kaito continued to watch him warily, but the demon’s words made sense.

—I could easily gather those materials myself. —Wellc’s tone was pragmatic—. But frankly, I’m tired of exploring the human world. For me, it would take a few minutes to collect them. For you, a whole day. Do you understand what I’m saying? So, do we have a deal?

Kaito sighed. He couldn’t deny the logic. Besides, if Wellc had bad intentions, he would have acted already.

—Fine. —He finally nodded and pressed the sell option.

The purple window flickered, and a message appeared before him:

* You have obtained 31 silver coins.

* You have obtained 50 copper coins.

Kaito frowned as he analyzed the information. The numbers on the window began to fall into place in his mind like pieces of a puzzle.

—So, one hundred copper coins equal one silver coin —he muttered to himself, bringing a hand to his chin—. That’s why I received 31 instead of 30. —His eyes narrowed as he continued to think—. It probably works the same with gold, which means I’ll need to gather 69 more silver coins to get one gold.

He let out a deep sigh.

—That means I’ll have to collect at least 35 more ant poison glands… —His shoulders slumped slightly as the realization hit him—. In other words, I’m just a gatherer for him.

Finally, he looked up at Wellc, his expression more resolute.

—Alright, I’ll take the cloak. But with what I have now, I can’t buy anything else. How can I contact you when I’ve gathered enough items? —he asked, his voice steadier.

The demon gave a calm smile, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief, though he didn’t seem hostile.

—Don’t worry about that. I’ll find you myself in certain places when you’ve accumulated valuable items. —Wellc made a casual gesture with his hand, as if it were the most natural thing in the world—. Plus, I might even give you some hints about this world if you show me something interesting.

As he spoke, his fingers began moving in the air, manipulating the purple windows as though they were an extension of his will. Moments later, a new window popped up in front of Kaito.

"Wellc has sent you an item.Black Dragon Skin Cloak.Would you like to receive it?"

Kaito pressed "Accept" without hesitation.

Another window appeared immediately:

"The item ‘Black Dragon Skin Cloak’ is equippable. Would you like to equip it now?"

—Yes —Kaito said as he selected "Accept."

The moment he did, he felt a slight weight settle on his back, accompanied by a faint glow enveloping his body. An impressive cloak, adorned with tiny dragon scales that reflected a subtle shimmer, draped over his back and partially covered his torso. The material was firm yet surprisingly light. Kaito shifted slightly, impressed by how perfectly it fit him.

A new window appeared before him:

"Kaito Ishida – Level 2 (Dark Hero)"Race: Human (Undead)

State: Calm

Total Power: 1800

Attack Power: 800

Defense Power: 500 (+500)

Vitality: 0/0

Mana: 950/1300

Stamina: 280/300

Hunger: 10%

Fatigue: 0%

Passive Skills: Hero F, Cursed Zombie S, Luck B, Evolution S

Skills: Devour SSS, Poison Attack F

Kaito studied the details carefully.

—A significant power boost… —he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips—. This will come in handy.

Kaito stared intently at his status window, his eyes locking onto the new skill listed.

—Poison Attack, Rank F? —he murmured to himself, crossing his arms with a thoughtful expression—. Wait… isn’t that the ants’ skill?

As he tried to make sense of this revelation, Wellc broke the silence with a calm yet firm tone.

—Well, with nothing more to add, I’ll take my leave. —The demon turned slowly, the shadows around him beginning to swallow him whole—. Ah, but one last piece of advice: avoid any opponent whose status shows a question mark. I’d hate to lose such a promising client so soon.

Before Kaito could respond, Wellc vanished completely, dissolving into the darkness as if he had never been there.

—Wait! I still have so many questions! —Kaito called out into the empty space, his arms falling to his sides in frustration.

Clara, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, puffed out her cheeks and fluttered her tiny wings furiously.

—Good riddance! I felt completely ignored the entire time! —she huffed, crossing her arms with a visible pout.

Kaito glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

—Hey, Clara, are demons really so dangerous that you’d act like that? —he asked, his tone relaxed but genuinely curious.

Clara spun toward him quickly, her expression serious despite the faint blush on her face.

—I wasn’t scared! I was just being cautious —she retorted, twirling in the air—. But yes, demons are extremely powerful. In fact, if they wanted to conquer the human world, they would have done so ages ago. And it wouldn’t have taken much effort.

Kaito looked at her with a mix of amazement and skepticism.

—So why haven’t they? —he asked, his tone more serious now.

Clara sighed, flying closer as she explained:

—Because they’re not interested. Plus, there are certain rules in their world that forbid them from coming here. They rarely show themselves on this side.

As he listened, Kaito started walking, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. He was determined to find more ants or another monster to defeat, but Clara’s words lingered in his mind.

—Then why did a demon show up here? —he asked, cutting her explanation short.

She rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed at being interrupted, but she answered nonetheless.

—I told you, there are exceptions. They rarely appear, but when they do… —she paused, her tone dropping slightly—. We’re lucky this one was friendly. If a demon is in a bad mood or comes searching for ingredients, they’ll destroy everything in their path and disappear without leaving much behind.

Kaito nodded slowly, his thoughts still tangled in the encounter he had just experienced. However, he kept walking, determined to face whatever the world had in store for him next.

In the grand throne room, Elizabeth Ashborne stood tall before the king, her armor gleaming under the dim torchlight. Her expression was stoic, but a slight tension in her jaw betrayed her inner thoughts as she spoke.

—My king, I have completed all the tasks you assigned me. —Her tone was formal, controlled—. The results confirm that you were right. The hero leader will follow our orders for now. However… —Elizabeth paused briefly, adjusting the gauntlet on her right hand—, the problem will arise once the heroes surpass the level of a royal knight.

The king, lounging nonchalantly on his throne, let out a soft, sinister chuckle. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the throne’s armrest, each tap echoing ominously through the hall.

—Don’t worry about that, Elizabeth. —His lips curled into a cruel smile—. Just ensure they level up to where I need them. Once we’ve taken the neighboring kingdom, they’ll be disposable. —The king paused, his eyes glinting with cunning and disdain—. We’ll eliminate them and claim they perished heroically in battle.

Elizabeth lowered her head in a bow, her fist pressed against her chest in a gesture of respect.

—As you command, my king. —Her words were dutiful, but as she turned to leave, her face betrayed the storm brewing within her.

Walking down the corridor, the clinking of her armor echoed with each step. She gritted her teeth, a knot tightening in her stomach. "How much longer must I follow such dishonorable orders?" she thought, her hands balling into fists. She had sworn loyalty to the kingdom, but her principles wavered under the weight of the king’s tyranny.

As she exited the throne room, a commotion caught her attention. Guards were rushing back and forth, some carrying weapons, others clutching reports. Elizabeth raised a hand, stopping a soldier who hurried past her.

—What’s happening here? —she demanded firmly, her tone leaving no room for evasion.

The soldier, slightly out of breath, halted and saluted.

—Lady Ashborne, we’re dispatching troops to the city catacombs. —The soldier swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly—. It seems a zombie is causing havoc there. We don’t know how it got in.

Elizabeth frowned, her sharp eyes narrowing.

—A zombie? That’s impossible without a necromancer involved. —Her voice carried a mix of disbelief and concern—. What else does the report say?

The soldier stiffened, searching for the right words.

—Witnesses say the zombie broke through a wall and defeated two soldiers who tried to stop it. Thankfully, the soldiers are alive, but the zombie left them unconscious.

Elizabeth stepped closer, her gaze piercing.

—What level were those soldiers? —she asked, her tone laced with impatience.

—They were levels 8 and 10, my lady. —The soldier seemed increasingly uneasy.

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to contain the anger bubbling within her.

—This makes no sense! —she exclaimed, raising her voice—. A level 5 is more than enough to take down a zombie. How could that zombie overpower two well-trained soldiers?

Turning swiftly, she pointed toward the castle stables.

—Prepare me a horse immediately. —Her tone was sharp, resolute—. I’ll investigate this matter myself.