Bang!

Bang!

"Goddammit!"

I shouted in frustration as I repeatedly punched the brick wall in the dark room.

My eyes, accustomed to the darkness, helped me hit the same spot over and over again with my small fist.

I continued to punch, venting all of my frustration and the emotions that plagued my mind as the cheat I was waiting and anticipating for, still hadn't appeared.

"Just fucking come out!" I yelled, pounding the wall relentlessly.

My knuckles kept getting torn with every bash, dripping blood that splattered onto the floor. The wall also bore a red mark from my small fist, but it remained unscathed, unaffected by the little force I could muster.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I persisted, releasing the heavy burden in my heart, feeling helpless as I waited for death to be my only fate.

Soon, all the fingers in my hands broke, piercing through my pale skin, numbing my arms. I tried to raise them to keep going, but the pain was the only response I received.

Biting my lips, I gave up the struggle, weakly falling to my knees on the floor.

"Ha... Ha... Ha..." I gasped for breath, my chest heaving as I desperately tried to fill my lungs with air.

At the same time, the skin on my knuckles squirmed, stitching itself back together. The bones in my fingers straightened, emitting cracking sounds throughout my hand.

"I would believe this recovery was my cheat if I weren't a demon," I muttered, watching my hands heal at an astonishing speed, returning to their previous state as if nothing had happened. Not even a scratch or bruise remained.

Except for my knuckles, still covered with my own blood. Looking at it, I couldn't help but feel dizzy, and my vision became blurry.

"Ugh..." I groaned as I leaned against the wall, the world around me spinning as if I were on a twirling rollercoaster.

"So, this is how people with phobias feel when they see something they fear," I mused, gaining a new understanding from this experience.

Then I closed my eyes and brought my hand to my mouth, licking the blood off my fingers like a cat cleaning itself.

"Hmm? I never thought my blood would taste this delicious," I murmured, shocked by the flavor, as I continued to lick my hands until they were clean.

Afterward, I lay still on the floor, staring blankly ahead. I could feel a fog lifting from my mind, clearing my thoughts and allowing me to think more clearly.

I pondered for a moment before thinking that maybe I could survive this even without a cheat. Maybe the demons, or I should say my kin, would show me mercy since I'm just a kid?

Wishful thoughts flooded my mind, igniting a flame of hope in my heart.

But I quickly dismissed those thoughts, knowing that I shouldn't deceive myself with false hope. While being idealistic was good, being realistic was undoubtedly better.

"What should I do now?" I asked myself, racking my brain for a solution.

"Think... Think... Remember all the novels you've read. There must be something that can help you here."

Suddenly, I sat up straight as an idea struck me like a light bulb switching on in my head.

"Cultivate! I should cultivate like the cultivators in manhua and Chinese novels!" I exclaimed, slapping my forehead. "Why didn't I think of this before? No, no, don't get too excited. I'm not even sure if it will work or not. I should meditate to confirm."

Nodding my head, I quickly assumed the lotus position and took a deep breath, clearing my mind of all unnecessary thoughts.

Then I focused and observed every inch of my body. Soon, I noticed something in my upper abdomen, though I couldn't see it clearly. Nevertheless, my eyebrows jumped with joy, breaking my concentration.

"Yes! I see something!" I shouted excitedly, my eyes lighting up. "It's a good sign! I just need to focus, and soon I'll see results!"

With that thought in mind, I sat in the middle of the dark room, ready to meditate once again after emptying my mind.

***

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Inside the underground chamber...

In a labyrinthine network that stretched far and wide, interconnected cells and corridors swallowed the desperate cries of anguish and despair. Dimly lit torches flickered along the cold brick walls, casting eerie shadows that danced across the damp surfaces. The deeper one ventured, the darker it became.

The cells were small and cramped, each containing only one prisoner. Iron bars kept them confined, heightening their isolation and sealing their fates.

Whispers of hope and dreams of freedom reverberated amidst the desolate chambers, mingling with the sounds of striking metal and walls being hit.

"L-Let go of me..."

"P-Please have mercy..."

"...I beg you, set me free!"

Once prideful demons now begged for their lives, pleading with the same race they had toyed with and enjoyed killing before. It was a pitiful and disgusting sight, witnessing them beg humans for mercy, the very humans they had shown none to.

Some might argue that this was what they deserved, but was it truly? Killing their own kind for the entertainment of others was something they had done to humans before.

Humans were only paying them back, but they knew it wasn't enough. It wasn't equivalent to the suffering they had inflicted on their own kind.

It was only the beginning of their revenge, and they were already giving up? It was only a taste of what they had done, and they were already spewing it out?

What weaklings they turned out to be!

Were these the demons that instilled fear in all? Were these the same creatures that brought dread? It didn't seem like it, making one wonder how far they had fallen.

From demons who ruled the world to becoming slaves, begging for their own lives.

However, not all demons within the cage had given up. Some still clung to a sliver of hope, training their cores and honing their claws and fists against the brick walls.

Just like the young demon at the end of the labyrinth, in the pitch-black room where no torch could maintain its flame.

His small figure shimmered with a red sparkle, making the darkness retreat, particularly around his upper abdomen, where the light shone brightest.

The young demon remained in place, unaware of his surroundings, as he sat in a lotus position. His eyes were closed, and sweat trickled down his forehead, yet he breathed in a relaxed manner.

With each breath, the dark red sparkle receded, gathering toward his abdomen, forming a sphere.

Soon, the lights around him vanished, leaving only a dark red sphere illuminating the room. It, too, disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

The young demon opened his eyes, a wide smile stretching across his face.

"I did it!" I shouted, jumping in joy and pumping my fist in the air. "I finally fixed my core!"

I examined my body, sensing the presence of a sphere inside me. I felt that my blood flowed much smoother through my veins, and with each breath my exhaustion washed away faster than before.

"Sigh... It was harder than I anticipated. I thought I was going to die the moment my concentration broke. I felt the hot, burning sensation in my body trying to escape, but thanks to the pain I had experienced before, I somehow resisted and endured it," I sighed, recalling the arduous journey that led to this success.

During my cultivation, I finally saw clearly what lay in my abdomen. To my surprise, there was no core like in manhwas and manhuas. Instead, I saw something resembling shattered glass.

At first, I thought that "Xhin," the original owner of this body, had swallowed a water along with it's glass, but then I remembered the novels I had read in the past. It occurred to me that perhaps that wasn't the case. Maybe the shattered glass I saw was indeed my core, but broken.

The more I thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Thus, I attempted to move the shattered pieces, which I noticed budged, even if only slightly.

This confirmed my theory that it was indeed my broken core. I didn't regret spending my time reading novels; knowledge truly was power.

So I began to fix my core, moving the pieces bit by bit, like a child building a Lego toy for the first time. However, the mental exhaustion far surpassed any physical strain I had experienced.

I don't know how long it took me to move them closer to each other, but if I were to estimate the number of breaks I took, it would be over a hundred. Yes, over a hundred breaks. That's how difficult it was.

Then, I spent another hundred breaks forming one-fourth of the core, with each movement accompanied by a burning, needle-like pain. Another hundred breaks followed, forming one-half, with the intensity of pain increasing. Finally, after hundreds more breaks, I fully formed my core.

If I were to calculate the total number of breaks, it would be a staggering seven hundred. I don't know how long it would be if converted into time, and I don't really want to know.

Looking at my surroundings, I smiled, letting go of the memories of the past.

"It's true what they say: the harder you work for something, the greater you feel when you achieve it."

Then, I gazed at my trembling hands and muttered, "If it feels this great to achieve something small, how amazing would it feel to fulfill my dream?"

I shifted my gaze to the ceiling, murmuring, "Ha... I can't stop thinking about it. I want more power. The faster I accomplish it, the more satisfied and happier I will become."

Just then, I noticed that my surroundings were no longer pitch black. Countless shimmering lights floated in the air, resembling fireflies in the night. They emitted a red glow and took the shape of circular orbs, each with a different size. The largest orb was about the size of a small pearl.

The sight resembled a starry sky without the moon, only with crimson stars.

"Is this demonic energy?" Excitement resonated in my voice. I looked at it with awe, completely mesmerized by the otherworldly beauty.

In magical fantasy worlds, it was common knowledge that mana existed as the element that allowed different creatures to evolve and use magic.

Some fantasy worlds had demons living within them. Unlike most creatures, they didn't use mana as a medium for magic but demonic energy. It was a different element with the same purpose, although it had the potential to corrupt one's mind, making them act like the demons themselves, following their desires and instincts. The red circles in the air matched exactly what I was seeing now. This was undoubtedly demonic energy.

Staring at it, I couldn't help but fall in love with this mesmerizing sight. Then, an idea struck me.

I quickly assumed a lotus position, closed my eyes, and focused. Even with my eyes closed, I could still see the red spots lingering. I gathered them toward my core, and they moved little by little at a moderate speed.

Eventually, they entered my core, vanishing from sight. At first, I felt nothing, but gradually, with each absorption, I could sense the power coursing through me.

A smile spread across my face as I realized what I had accomplished. Opening my eyes, I looked at my still trembling hands. I clenched them tightly and spoke with determination.

"At last, I have found my hope."