Just who in the world are you?

Jason blinked a few times and stared straight into the creature's ruby red eyes.

'Is this the second trial?' he thought. 'But then why haven't I been moved to the hellish realm?'

Frankly, Jason didn't know why the creature was looking for him or who it was, but he really didn't care that much either. With his levels of adrenaline peaking at an all-time high in anticipation of his "death match" with Eve, the black-haired teenager felt frustrated at the creature's sudden interference. Turning fear into excitement through pure fight-or-flight instinct alone, the hate reader nocked an ember-tipped arrow and prepared to punish the invader for ruining his day.

Jason drew the string of his blood-formed bow back gently and squinted, concentrating his hawk-eye vision on the cloud of black smoke. Though the creature was heavily obscured from sight, the black-haired vampire's heightened senses and survival instinct felt the creature trying to close the distance.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Jason heard its heavy steps as it closed its distance, and without a shred of hesitation, released the arrow into the dark. He snapped his fingers immediately after, causing a burst of fire to catch in the smoke as the ember-tipped arrow exploded. Not wanting to waste his precious advantage, Jason nocked another flaming arrow.

"Show yourself!" he yelled in the most frightening tone he could muster. "Who are you, and why would you interrupt my final spar?"

But to his dismay, silence was his only response.

Thump!

Thump!

The slow and heavy footsteps continued. Seconds passed as a hush spread throughout the arena, and everyone held their breath.

"Alright then!" Jason yelled, hearing no response, as a grin grew on his face. "I assume you want to be my sparring opponent instead?"

The hate reader concentrated once more on the slow-moving target and released his second arrow. But before he could even react, the figure charged forward in a flash and grabbed Jason by the throat.

Irked by the human's constant taunts, the horrifying 10-foot tall (3 meter) demon banged his club made of bones against the arena floor. His massive red-brown wings flapped heavily as he rose into the air, right hand still tightly gripping the hate reader's throat.

Jason wriggled for his life, clenching his heart with both hands before his arms fell limp.

He stared at the creature's hideous face and shivered, unable to maintain his composure as the fearsome demon hovered above the ground, completely unscathed.

"You are still two thousand years too early to be my opponent," the demon said in a chilling voice laced with disgust.

In a frightening display of power, the creature roared and unveiled his true form, revealing an ugly orc-like countenance adorned with four black horns and wrinkled purple skin. A long, reptilian tail slithered behind him faster than Jason's eyes could follow while rotten yellow teeth and purple spikes protruded menacingly from his jaw.

With a quick flick of the wrist, the demon created a harsh gust of wind and released the hate reader, sending him straight to the dirt.

"This is the boy my liege chose?!? How pathetic. No wonder why he almost lost to the imp."

Jason's ears perked at the mention of the imp. Wiping the dust off his jacket, he slowly got up and clutched his ribs, ignoring his broken bones.

"Imp, you said?" Jason asked cautiously, his voice laced with fear. "S-So you actually are the second trial?"

A deafening roar of laughter dispersed throughout the arena as the towering creature set a beautiful white package gently on the floor.

"Boy," he said with a snicker. "I am your last trial, but you are not ready yet."

He slammed his hands together with a thunderous clap and twisted his hands 180 degrees. Immediately, pillars of black flames shot toward the sky with a startling hiss, melting all in their paths to a shiny pool of liquid.

Jason tilted his head upwards hesitantly as he mulled over the demon's words.

'Last trial?' he wondered. "This…is the level I have to defeat if I want to live?!?"

The hate reader pinched his cheek repeatedly, trying to wake himself from this cruel reality.

He was supposed to spar happily with his sister, go on a mission to find a few ingredients, and then save Vlad in a happy fairy tale setting. But...at his happiest moment, he suddenly found himself in a one-on-one against this monster?!?

'Why are the gods so cruel?' he screamed internally, letting out his rage.

Reading the boy's thoughts, the unnerving devil released a hearty laugh and flicked his finger, faster than the speed of light.

Before Jason could move a muscle, black lances made of cursed flames shot through Jason's body, leaving his corpse agape with holes.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Hate Counter: 514

Hate Counter: 513

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Hate Counter: 510

Jason slowly moved his hand from his cheek and closed his mouth before jumping backwards with fear.

"Never forget," the demon hissed in a ghastly voice. "Your flames are like a candle to a wildfire. These…These are the real flames of Hell."

He waved his hand once more, and in an instant, the tower black flame pillars vanished without a trace.

"But...let's stop here for today," he said, a tiny smile growing on his face. "Today, I came bearing gifts."

The unnerving creature gestured toward the white package beside him.

"My liege has requested that I give you this, so you better make use of it well."

The purple demon stared blankly at the new vampire and paused a few seconds before remembering his original mission. Just then, the emotion drained from his face, leaving nothing but a hollow mask.

"Oh, and one last thing," he added, his voice echoing ominously across the arena. "Don't die. If you do, you will suffer a fate worse than death."

The purple demon's lips curled into a slight smirk, and with the heavy push of his wings, flew into the air, vanishing from sight.

Jason's legs quivered as he fell to his knees. Though he had trained his fear resistance against a ten times stronger version of Nemesis for over a month in the Curious Grove, nothing could compare to the suffocating pressure of the new creature, and it took Jason every ounce of his remaining willpower not to piss himself.

'Shit,' he cursed to himself as he fiddled with a ball of blood, deep in thought. 'I'm so fucked, aren't I?'

The other vampires stared at each other before running toward the center where a terrified Karl lay, sucking on his thumbs.

As the black smoke slowly drifted out of the arena, Eve slowly lowered her hands from her ears and turned to face her father.

Approaching the subject cautiously, she inquired, "Father, who was that scary creature? He seems to know you well."

Vlad released a long heavy sigh and stared at the spot that Koros had previously occupied only minutes before.

"It's a long story, Evelynn," he said hesitantly. "A story for another time. But if you ever see him again, promise me that you'll run as fast as you can."

"Please?" he begged.

The vampire sovereign looked at his daughter with caring eyes as the silver-haired vampire nodded her head quickly, cognizant of her father's fear.

"Even I am nothing but an ant in that demon's eyes," he continued. "And rumor has it that he's only lost one battle in the last ten thousand years."

"No," a strong voice responded coldly, piercing through the air. "He will lose again."

The two swiveled to see the hate reader on his feet, walking toward the beautiful white package.

"I will surpass him; there is no other way," Jason repeated with ferocious snarl. "After all, what is there to life if we continue to fear death?"

With a burst of newfound determination, the hate reader grabbed the white package and gently removed its wrapping. Karl cowered behind the father-daughter duo and peeked behind the sovereign's leg in anticipation.

A few seconds passed, and unable to hold it in any longer, the Doom Monkey screamed across the arena,

"Hurry Master, open the package. Tell us what's inside it!"

Jason transformed his hands into sanguine claws and cautiously ripped open the box. A disappointed look formed on his face as he peered inside.

"Nothing," he responded with an uncertain tone. "All I see is a piece of pape—"

But before he could finish his sentence, his body crashed to the floor in a slump.

"Jason!" Eve screamed at the top of her lungs, rushing toward him. "Are you okay?" she asked, frantically shaking him awake.

Noticing the piece of paper beside him, the silver-haired vampire gently picked it up as her whole body visibly shook.

"Congratulations on passing the first trial," she read aloud in a trembling voice, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You have three months before the next trial, and my kind and beautiful wife has asked me to bless you with a bit of help. Please read the instructions carefully before you proceed to use your new gift."

Eve's eyes widened as she stumbled backwards in shock, her voice trailing.

"You have been granted Death God Ability #272: The Power to Bind Souls."

"A full system shutdown will be needed for the next 48 hours to process all updates. Please wait patiently."

Beads of sweat dropped from her forehead as she stared at her Big Brother.

"Jason, just who in the world are you?"

Hate Counter: 510