The battle raged, a relentless maelstrom of violence. Countless demons fell, their colossal presence dwindling, yet the conflict showed no sign of abating. Alex fought on, his prowess growing with each passing moment. The more he fought, the more a sense of exhilarating joy and terrifying comfort washed over him—the intoxicating dominion of the battlefield. His head felt light, as if floating on clouds. He couldn't stop, no, he didn't want to stop; this intoxicating power was addictive. "It's like I'm destined for this," he whispered, but the memory of the goddess's face—her expression of disgust as she gazed into his soul—shattered the illusion.
"No," he growled, regaining his clarity. "This isn't who I am. I'm different; destined for a new life, not a path of unending slaughter. I won't become consumed by destruction like the other demons. I need to focus—to level up, to evolve—not to destroy and lose myself in this chaos." He exhaled slowly, regaining control over his raging blood, suppressing the murderous intent that had nearly overwhelmed him.
Calmer now, he finally noticed the system notifications: his next evolution was imminent, his breakthrough to S+ rank was near. Despite the fact that no single demon had inflicted significant damage, his HP was depleting far faster than he anticipated. The constant charging and use of MP, it turned out, also drained his HP. But breaking through to S+ rank was paramount. "I mustn't delay this," he muttered, vanishing into a blur of motion, his speed now almost supernatural. He resumed his assault, vanquishing demons and consuming their hearts. He noticed that demons whose hearts hadn't been consumed after death—due to the lingering effects of the True Flame's power—were inexplicably recovering and rejoining the fray.
As he fought, his stats skyrocketed. With his mind clear, he felt his strength swelling, nearing its limit, poised to burst forth into a new realm of power. The demons became easier to dispatch with each surge of newfound strength.
A sudden wave of debilitating weakness washed over Alex. His strength seemed to drain away, leaving him hollow. "What's wrong?" he wondered, frantically checking his status window. Nothing explained this sudden, miserable state; it wasn't related to his impending breakthrough. His eyes began pulsating violently, as if on the verge of exploding, a searing pain radiating from within. Hot, red blood welled up and began dripping down his face. His head drooped, and as he glanced at the True Flames, a fleeting shadow in their reflection revealed a demon standing silently behind him. "A demon behind me...but I couldn't sense his presence," he thought, his strength completely gone. He wanted to fight back, to defend himself, but his power was utterly sapped, and his vision was blurring, his sight deteriorating rapidly.
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A bone-crushing kick sent him sprawling. He tumbled, rolling across the ground, the force of the blow staggering him. Looking up, he saw the figure of a demon, its hair as dark as shadows, yet shimmering with an ethereal beauty. Normally, demons, from infancy to S-rank, were bald. But those who ascended beyond S-rank, who evolved, grew hair and other features—their skin changing, their forms shifting until they resembled humans.
He then noticed other demons, also sporting long, beautiful hair. "Ah, so some bastards evolved before me," he realized, the pieces clicking into place. While the goddess's curse had hindered his growth, other demons, locked in battle from the very beginning, had reached S+ rank. The sudden loss of strength he had felt was the overwhelming aura suppression of an S+ rank demon. As the True Flames seeped into him, healing the shattered bones in his leg, his eyes remained agonizingly blurry.
"Ah, he was showing me something interesting earlier, but how disappointing," Beelzebub muttered from his vantage point, where he had been observing the battle. "Won't he show me more?" The demon king's disappointment was palpable; the sudden shift in power dynamics had robbed him of the spectacle he craved.
Alex, his wounds fully healed by the True Flames, slowly rose, a grim assessment dawning on him. "What's the use now?" he wondered aloud. "How do I fight without sight? How can I even evolve?" Before he could dwell on his predicament, another demon's axe slammed into his cheek, sending him sprawling. He tumbled, battered and bruised, his already failing eyesight struggling to make sense of the chaotic battlefield. He could now clearly see the overwhelming presence of S+ rank demons—their numbers far exceeding those of the remaining S-rank demons; out of the 4000+ demons still fighting, the tide had turned decisively against them.
He didn't want to give up, but what choice did he have? The situation looked hopeless; he could only expect to be knocked unconscious, rise again, only to be beaten down once more. This brutal cycle of violence seemed inescapable.
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| SYSTEM NOTIFICATION |
|Survival Rate: 0.5% |
| Due to low survivability, forced ascension to S+ Rank initiated. |
| Yes | No |
```
"Uh, what's 'forced ascension'?" Alex muttered, his vision swimming. "Do I even have a choice? I must survive." His blurry vision barely guiding his trembling hand, he frantically clicked 'Yes'.