CP: 3 - Crimson Altar Cult

Screams echoed through the forest. I needed to reach the village as soon as possible. I knew I was stronger now than before.

After a few minutes, I had covered the distance I ran throughout the night. Surprisingly, I felt no fatigue.

When I arrived at the village, a massive fire greeted me. Burnt corpses were scattered everywhere. Despite knowing everyone in the village, it was impossible to recognize the burned bodies.

Burnt people, animals, and houses were all around. I felt like I had fallen into hell. As I hoped to find someone still alive in the village, a voice came from behind.

"My Lord, you have finally heeded our call! Please guide these lost souls."

The voice I heard belonged to a familiar one. Wasn't it the Cult Leader? To confirm who it was, I turned towards him.

The wretched man in front of me was responsible for this plunder. Yes, it was none other than the leader of the cult. He stood before me with all his repulsiveness.

"You... Did you order them to do all this?"

My whole body began to numb. The person in front of me was the one who burned me and my family. Yet now, he addressed me as "Lord."

"We did everything to reach you. To make you happy... My Lord, please do not withhold your grace from this servant."

He began to beg on his knees. His actions and words astonished me.

Accepting these bastards who killed my relatives, siblings, and parents was impossible.

"Gather all your cult members here! I will show you how merciless my grace can be."

I would show them how ruthless my mercy could be. I would engulf them with my mercy.

I had understood the goals of the Cult Leader and his followers. They were a bunch of corrupted individuals trying to resurrect the Demon King.

Their plan had succeeded. Yes... I had to make a deal with these damn demons. I had been deceived because of them.

I couldn't understand how I made such a mistake. Everything was falling into place now. Everything I would do would strengthen the Demon King.

They had taught me how to make a contract on behalf of the Demon King. The entities I made a contract with would obey him when the real Demon King arrived.

When the real Demon King arrived, I would lose my power. Most likely, I would be killed by the actual Demon King.

"My Lord! As you commanded, I have gathered all my disciples."

The cult leader spoke as he prostrated himself before me. The leader's eyes were shining like stars, blinded by the position and power he would attain.

"Master, isn't this the guy we threw into the Abyss?"

Disciples began talking among themselves. The bewilderment on their faces seemed strange to me. Could the disciples have refrained from making contracts with demons?

"My Lord! All my disciples have made contracts with me. Excuse their foolishness for not recognizing your greatness."

The Cult Leader spoke with a worried expression. Contracts were only made on behalf of the Demon King or powerful demons. It was forbidden for inferior slaves and weak demons to make contracts.

There were three types of contracts. The first was the slave contract, in which power was passed down from Master to Slave. However, slaves couldn't surpass their master's will.

The second was the peer contract, a contract between the strong. These contracts were usually made between those of equal political or power status.

The third was the mission contract, providing benefits for a specific task. Once the task was completed, the designated reward would be given to the one who completed it.

The Cult Leader had sold his soul to the demon. His goal was the same as mine – to bring demons back to this world.

However, there was a significant difference between us. I was the Demon King of this world. The demons and those who sold their souls to demons in this world had to obey me.

"Tell me everything you know about the other demons in this world."

"My Lord! They must have sensed your presence by now. We just need to wait. Then, we can fight those who banish you from this world. We can fulfill your thousand-year-old dream."

The Cult Leader was crying with happiness. His obsession with this matter disturbed me.

Hatred and anger were gradually taking over my entire body. My eyes turned bloodshot. Sorrow began to weigh heavily on my entire body.

"I will bless you and your disciples with my mercy."

The demons had deceived me. I had foolishly made a deal with them. From the beginning, they had manipulated everything. I would kill them all.

Throughout the rest of the night, the screams of the disciples echoed through the forest. I tested my abilities and other things I learned from demons on the disciples.

By morning, I decided to take a few hours of rest. I needed some time to digest everything that had happened.

"My Lord..."

The figure watching me in the darkness finally decided to speak, thinking that I had calmed down.