Gershion stood before the dark portal as it began to shrink, the swirling blackness receding like a wound slowly healing. The air around him crackled with residual dark energy, but with the portal closing, the sense of dread that had clung to the chamber began to fade. Gershion’s eyes remained fixed on the rift until the last of the darkness vanished inside, leaving behind nothing but silence.
His body still hummed with the power he had gained during the battle with Astaroth. With a thought, he summoned his status screen, eager to assess the changes.
Title: Demonic Archangel
Sub-Category: Prince of Darkness
HP: 200/200
Strength: 10/20
Agility: 14/20
Speed: 13/20
Intelligence: 9/20
Sense: 10/20
Seal: 1/10
Demonic Essence: 25/500
Demonic Skill: Shadow Merge
Gershion's eyes widened as he scanned his stats. His physical attributes had grown immensely, but what struck him the most was the title that now marked his identity: Prince of Darkness. He had never imagined being associated with such a title. For a moment, he felt a chill creep up his spine.
"I'm… a prince of darkness now?" he muttered, still processing the gravity of what that meant. The seal had barely broken, and already his potential was terrifying.
His musings were interrupted by the soft padding of footsteps behind him. Gershion turned to see the two-headed dragon cautiously approaching, its heads slightly lowered as if unsure of what to make of its new master. Its red and blue eyes gleamed with intelligence, watching him closely.
The dragon hesitated for a moment, but then one of its heads—perhaps the more curious of the two—nudged forward and gently rubbed against Gershion’s arm. Gershion blinked in surprise, feeling the warmth of its scaled hide.
Suddenly, a system alert flashed before him.
ALERT: Sign Beast Contract. Yes/No.
Gershion stared at the message, his mind racing. A beast contract would bind the dragon to him as his companion, strengthening their bond and allowing them to grow together. He hesitated for only a second before selecting Yes.
The moment he confirmed the contract, a surge of energy flowed between him and the dragon. Its two heads let out a satisfied growl, and Gershion felt a deeper connection form between them.
Ding! Alert: Pet: Variant Dragon
Level: High-Level Magical Beast
Gershion glanced at his new companion, still awed by the power the creature radiated. The dragon seemed pleased as it circled around him, each head briefly nuzzling him before it fell into step beside him.
"Guess you're with me now," Gershion said softly, resting his hand on the dragon’s thick hide. The creature huffed in response, smoke curling from its nostrils.
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He then checked the items he had acquired from the battle, opening the store interface in his system. His inventory was filled with various demonic cores, pieces of corrupted armor, and other items dropped by the demons he had slain. But there was one item that stood out among the rest.
Sword of Astaroth.
The weapon gleamed darkly, its blade etched with runes of ancient power. Gershion could feel the malevolent energy that still clung to it, but he also recognized its potential. It was a weapon worthy of a demon prince, and now it was his.
"I’ll keep this," Gershion muttered as he held the sword, feeling its weight in his hand. The rest of the items—he will sell for a considerable sum of celestial coins in return.
---
As he made his way to the Genesis Human Center, Gershion couldn’t help but notice the stares. Celestials and magical beasts alike paused as he passed, their eyes wide with disbelief. The Variant Dragon walked beside him, each step shaking the ground slightly, its sheer presence enough to inspire fear in even the bravest of souls.
For celestials to have pets was nothing new, but the intimidating aura of Gershion’s dragon was something they had never seen before. Even seasoned warriors gave him a wide berth, whispering among themselves as he walked by.
“Is that Gershion?” one celestial muttered, his voice barely audible over the hushed conversations. “I thought he only had a score of two... How did he grow so powerful?”
“And that dragon—I've never seen anything like it. How could someone like him get such a beast?”
Gershion ignored the murmurs, his eyes focused straight ahead. He knew that rumors would spread, but he had no time for distractions. The mission wasn’t over yet.
---
As Gershion neared the outer layer of the Genesis Center, he encountered a scene of battle. A group of celestials was locked in combat with a pack of shadow wolves, their celestial swords clashing with the beasts’ claws and fangs. It was a fierce fight, but the celestials were struggling, pinned down by the wolves' relentless assault.
The moment the wolves spotted Gershion’s **Variant Dragon**, their snarls turned into whimpers. Without hesitation, the pack turned tail and fled, leaving the celestials stunned and panting.
One of the celestials, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. He recognized Gershion immediately.
“Gershion?” the man asked, blinking in disbelief. “Is that you? What happened to you, man? You look—different.”
Gershion nodded slightly, but before he could respond, another celestial burst out laughing.
“He still has two essence, doesn’t he?” the celestial sneered. “What good is all this show if you can’t even awaken properly?”
The others laughed, some of them nodding in agreement. But their amusement faltered when they saw the Variant Dragon turn its heads toward them, both sets of eyes glowing with barely-contained power. Even the dragon's presence was enough to send a shiver through the group.
Gershion remained silent. He had nothing to prove to them. His transformation was real, and those who laughed now would understand soon enough.
With a dismissive wave, he continued walking, the dragon following closely behind him. But as they moved away, the dragon lashed out, catching a few stray monsters in its jaws, crunching through their cores with ease before tossing the remains toward the group of celestials. They stood frozen, unsure of how to respond as Gershion disappeared from view.
---
Finally, Gershion reached the Genesis Business Center, a bustling hub of activity where celestials, merchants, and adventurers traded items, information, and weapons. As he entered, eyes turned to him once again, though this time it wasn’t just out of curiosity—it was respect. The Sword of Astaroth at his side and the Variant Dragon at his heels marked him as someone not to be trifled with.
Gershion approached the counter where magical weapons and items were sold. A merchant looked up, his eyes widening as he saw the sword.
“That blade... where did you get that?” the merchant asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Gershion didn’t answer. Instead, he placed the celestial coins on the counter. “I need supplies. Potions, weapons, and armor,” he said flatly.
The merchant nodded quickly, scrambling to gather the requested items.