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The world was screaming.
Geon could hear it in every direction—the cacophony of terror, despair, and confusion. People ran through the streets, clutching their phones or shouting to the heavens, their voices swallowed by the overwhelming chaos. The blood-red sky pulsed like a living thing, casting the world in a nightmarish hue.
But Geon wasn’t running.
He stood frozen on the cracked pavement outside his house, staring at the glowing message on his phone. The words wouldn’t change no matter how many times he blinked.
Class selected: Demon.
Good luck! Last one standing wins.
His mind reeled.
“A game?” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the din. “What kind of sick joke is this?”
But it wasn’t a joke. He knew that deep down, in the same way he knew the sky wasn’t supposed to be bleeding. The same way he’d known, from the moment those trumpets blared, that the world had shifted irreversibly.
Something cold and sharp settled in his chest—a sensation that wasn’t fear, exactly, but close.
Then his phone vibrated again.
Welcome, Demon Geon.
Abilities unlocked! (1/5)
Type
Name
Description
Innate
Shadow Manipulation Manipulate the real you.
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“What the hell—”
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Before he could finish the thought, his shadow moved.
It wasn’t subtle. One moment it was perfectly still beneath him, stretched out in the crimson glow of the sky. The next, it slithered across the ground like ink spilled on water. Geon stumbled backward, his breath catching in his throat.
The shadow pooled at his feet, then rose—slowly, deliberately—forming a dark, wavering shape that looked almost... human.
Almost.
“Geon...”
The voice was a whisper, soft and venomous. Geon staggered back, his pulse pounding in his ears.
“What—what are you?” he demanded, his voice shaking.
The shadow tilted its head, its featureless face somehow conveying amusement.
“I am you,” it said simply. “Or rather, the part of you you’ve been too afraid to acknowledge.”
Geon’s mouth went dry.
“This can’t be real,” he muttered, clutching his phone like a lifeline. “None of this is real.”
But the shadow didn’t reply. Instead, it dissolved back into the ground, merging seamlessly with the pavement. Geon stared at it for a long moment, his thoughts a tangled mess of disbelief and rising panic.
Then the screams started again.
They were closer this time—just down the street. Geon turned, his heart sinking as he saw a group of people sprinting toward him.
Behind them was a figure unlike anything he’d ever seen.
It was humanoid, but grotesquely twisted. Its skin was an ashen gray, its limbs unnaturally long and thin. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green light, and its mouth—filled with jagged, yellow teeth—curled into a wicked grin as it pursued its prey.
Geon froze.
“What the hell is that?” he whispered, his hands trembling.
The group of runners didn’t seem to notice him as they passed, their eyes wide with terror. The creature, however, did.
It stopped abruptly, its head snapping in Geon’s direction.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then it charged.
Geon’s survival instincts kicked in, and he bolted without a second thought. His feet pounded against the pavement as he sprinted toward the nearest alley, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
Behind him, the creature let out a guttural screech that sent shivers down his spine.
He rounded a corner and dove behind a dumpster, pressing his back against the cold metal. His heart was hammering so hard he thought it might burst.
This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.
The screech came again, closer this time. Geon clamped a hand over his mouth, forcing himself to stay silent. He could hear the creature’s footsteps now—heavy, deliberate, and far too close for comfort.
His phone buzzed.
He glanced down, his stomach twisting as new text appeared on the screen.
Enemy identified: Carrion Wraith.
Weakness: Light.
“Light?” he hissed under his breath. “What light?”
As if in answer, his shadow shifted again.
It flowed across the ground, moving with a strange, serpentine grace, until it was directly in front of him. Geon watched in stunned silence as it began to stretch upward, forming a long, thin shape.
A sword.
He stared at it, his mind racing.
It’s not real. It can’t be real.
But the creature’s growl snapped him back to reality. It was just around the corner now, its glowing eyes cutting through the dim light of the alley.
Geon didn’t have a choice.
He reached out, his hand trembling, and grasped the shadow-sword. It felt solid—cool and heavy in his grip.
The moment his fingers closed around the hilt, a surge of energy shot through him. His fear melted away, replaced by a strange, cold clarity.
The creature rounded the corner, its twisted face splitting into a grotesque grin as it spotted him.
Geon didn’t wait.
He lunged forward, the shadow-sword slicing through the air with surprising ease. The blade connected with the creature’s chest, and it let out a shriek of pain as black ichor spilled from the wound.
It staggered back, its glowing eyes wide with shock. Geon pressed the advantage, striking again and again, each blow fueled by a mixture of desperation and newfound power.
Finally, with a final, guttural cry, the creature collapsed. Its body disintegrated into ash, scattering on the wind.
Geon stood there, breathing hard, the shadow-sword still clutched in his hand.
His phone buzzed again.
Enemy defeated. Experience gained: 50 points.
“What... the hell...” he muttered, staring at the screen.
The shadow-sword dissolved, pooling back at his feet. Geon’s knees buckled, and he sank to the ground, his hands trembling.
He didn’t have time to process what had just happened.
The sky above him pulsed, and a new message appeared on his phone.
Attention: All players.
Leaderboard updated.
Geon’s name flashed across the screen, accompanied by a chilling title.
Global Rank Player Name #111938 Demon Geon
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