Demon King

As Kai's essence reintegrated in a deep, dense forest, his body slowly took form once more. The cool breeze rustled the leaves around him, carrying the scents of the living world—fresh soil, blooming flowers, the faint musk of animals. Kai inhaled deeply, his sharp senses drinking it all in.

"Ah... the smell of life," he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. For a brief moment, a flicker of nostalgia crossed his face—memories of his former life as a human flashed before his eyes. But just as quickly, that emotion was snuffed out. Nostalgia was nothing compared to the hunger that burned inside him.

He had come here for one reason—to destroy. Just as he had done in hell, so too would he annihilate this world.

With a single thought, Kai summoned the familiar interface that had guided him through his rise to power.

"System," he commanded.

SYSTEM STATUS

Name: Kai

Title: Demon King of the Netherworld

Level: 1

Mana: 100

Skills:

Pride: Command the essence of superiority and dominance over beings lower than your level. (Passive aura increases intimidation and influence.)

Envy: Manipulate a person to create a debilitating feeling of inadequacy, resulting in lower morale and potential failure in their abilities or skills.

Gluttony: Devour the life force of any creature, increasing level and potential skills

Lust: Manipulate other's thought into an illusion of what you want them to think.

Greed: Draw resources, wealth, and items toward you effortlessly from your surroundings.

Sloth: Allows for enhanced observation and increased capability of thinking.

Wrath: Unleash devastating bursts of destructive energy, fueled by your rage.

Kai stood in the forest, his eyes narrowing in disbelief as the system's display showed his level had reverted to 1.

"Level 1?" he muttered, clenching his fists. It had taken him ages to reach level 99, to dominate the netherworld with sheer strength and dark power. Now, in this new realm, it was all stripped away.

Frustration bubbled inside him, but his gaze quickly shifted to his skillset. A small wave of relief washed over him as he saw it—the one ability that truly mattered was still intact.

Gluttony.

This skill was his lifeline. With Gluttony, Kai could devour the life force of others, accelerating his leveling process. In no time, he could absorb enough power to restore his former might. The system was simple: his skills grew with his level, and with Gluttony, getting back to the top was just a matter of time. For now, his physical strength was no greater than an average human's, but that would change soon enough.

As Kai contemplated his next steps, a faint sound reached his ears. The unmistakable clang of battle—metal clashing against metal, and the dull thud of blows. His sharp senses focused on the source, drawing him toward the noise. He moved through the trees, each step slow and deliberate, curious about what this world had to offer in terms of conflict.

Soon, he reached a clearing. In the distance, he spotted a group of combatants. Some wore green vests, fighting in unison, clearly well-trained. But his attention was drawn to two others. They stood out immediately, their cloaks black with ominous red clouds painted across them. One wielded a jagged scythe with a maniacal grin, while the other, stitched together like a grotesque puppet, watched the fight with cold indifference.

Kai's eyes gleamed with interest. He didn't know who these people were, but their power was undeniable. Even in his weakened state, he could feel it radiating from them—dark, dangerous energy.

In the midst of the fight, a spiky-haired man with a cigarette in his mouth fought fiercely against the scythe-wielding figure.

Kai watched the battle unfold, a hunger growing deep inside him. His instincts screamed to devour the two men in red cloud cloaks. But he knew better. At level 1, it was impossible for him to even touch them. They would destroy him before he could so much as activate his skill.

Gluttony had its limits. For it to work, his target had to be on the brink of death, and Kai needed to physically touch them to begin the process. Neither of these conditions could be met in his current state.

"Sloth," Kai whispered, activating his observational ability. A faint glow passed over his eyes as their levels appeared before him—Hidan, level 35, and Kakuzu, level 42. Far beyond his reach. The spiky-haired man with the cigarette, level 30, and the others around him were in their 20s. Strong enough to put up a fight, but still out of the two men's league.

It was frustrating. All of that potential, so close yet so far. Kai's mind raced as he searched for a weakness to exploit. And then, something unexpected happened.

He watched as Hidan, in the midst of his maniacal fight, stabbed himself in the chest. But instead of falling, the damage wasn't his—it transferred to the spiky-haired man, Asuma. 

A twisted smile spread across Kai's face. The situation had just changed. If this Asuma was pushed far enough, Kai might have a chance. Gluttony would let him absorb that level 30 power in an instant. He just needed to be patient, to wait for the perfect moment when the man was on the brink of death.