Crackling—sparks scattered noisily.

Above the crimson sky and the red moon-lit altar, a single point of radiance blazed.

[Lightning God]

Grade: ???

Description: Borrows the power of the Lightning God for 10 minutes.

Remaining time: 9 minutes 59 seconds

Effect

-Converts Mana into the power of electric current.

Electric Immunity.

All Stats +100.

You can control electrical currents.

Strength: 80 → 180 (+100)

Agility: 60 → 160 (+100)

Vitality: 61 → 161 (+100)

Mana: 50 → 180 (+100)

Sense: 50 → 150 (+100)

Luck: 55 → 155 (+100)

Crackle—

Sparks rippled across Ha Gangwoo’s entire body.

The current flowing through him scorched the air, and the smell of ozone spread.

‘Is this… the Lightning God?’

Gangwoo ran his gaze over his own body, flickering with electricity.

The Fortune Coin’s effect was far more overwhelming than he’d expected.

‘This is Trait-level.’

It wasn’t just borrowing a skill — it was borrowing an entire Trait.

The effect surpassed his imagination.

The core of the Lightning God was the power to convert Mana into electrical current.

‘How do I use this?’

The question flashed through his mind, but there was no time to dwell on it.

The Great Demon Lucifel bared his teeth in a wide grin, watching Gangwoo shimmer with sparks.

Oh?! Yeah, that’s how you should come at me!

Lucifel raised both arms high, beckoning him to try his best.

Seeing that, a fierce light flickered in Gangwoo’s eyes.

‘Alright, let’s do this!’

He couldn’t ignore an opening handed to him so blatantly.

‘Extreme Strike Stance.’

THOOM—

A violet glow rippled around Ha Gangwoo.

[You have gained the effect of Extreme Strike Stance.]

[Your next attack will have 10x destructive power.]

The Lightning God’s boost had pushed his Luck stat to 100. The moment Chae Seohyun’s Buff was added to the mix—

His total Luck hit 200.

The probability was a staggering 10%.

Gangwoo’s eyes blazed as he locked into his stance.

‘Let’s see how long that grin lasts.’

Gangwoo pulled his arm back with all his might. His muscles clenched with a thrum. Each time he coiled, sparks burst violently—Crack!—and scattered.

‘With everything I’ve got!’

Throwing his arm forward as if it were his last strike—WHOOOM—the lance shot out.

The Lightning God had pushed his Strength to a staggering 275! The current enveloping his entire body only amplified his speed.

Crackling—the tip of the lance glowed red-hot as it tore through the air.

THUD!!!!

In an instant, a massive rupture blasted out from the demon’s back.

Pitter-patter—

A torrent of blood splattered against the floor.

A wide grin spread across Ha Gangwoo’s lips.

Because the lance had punched clean through the demon’s abdomen and burst out from his back.

A gush of green blood spurted from Lucifel’s mouth.

For a moment, the demon’s expression stiffened in apparent surprise — but then he flashed his teeth and let out a booming laugh.

Oh~ Fun. Keep going.

At those words, Gangwoo’s eyebrow twitched.

A fierce light flickered in Gangwoo’s eyes.

He knew it was a taunt. But it lit a fire of defiance in him.

‘Extreme Strike Stance.’

SHUDDER—

[You have gained the effect of Extreme Strike Stance.]

[Your next attack will have 2x destructive power.]

This time, a crimson radiance rippled across his body.

Shwoosh—Ha Gangwoo thrust his spear straight ahead.

Crack!!! Thud—

The demon, now a chunk of meat, had its hand drop to the ground with a dull thump.

Because this time, the demon had blocked Ha Gangwoo’s attack.

If it had been Extreme Strike Stance, the spear would have pierced straight through to its abdomen. The demon’s strength was clearly weaker than before, yet it was on an entirely different level compared to before he obtained Lightning God.

The demon grinned, looking at its torn wrist.

“What’s wrong? Is that it already?”

Grit—The sight made him grind his teeth.

‘One more time!!’

Ha Gangwoo twisted his face into a scowl and kept thrusting his lance.

[You have acquired the Attack Stance effect.]

[Your next attack will have 2x destructive power.]

Thud!!

[You have acquired the Attack Stance effect.]

[Your next attack will have 2x destructive power.]

Thud!!!

And so, Ha Gangwoo’s relentless assault continued.

***

[10 MP have been consumed.]

[You have acquired the Attack Stance effect.]

Thunk—

He pierced through the demon’s heart.

[10 MP have been consumed.]

[You have acquired the Attack Stance effect.]

He pierced through the demon’s abdomen.

Then,

[10 MP have been consumed.]

[You have acquired the Extreme Strike Stance effect.]

‘Whenever ‘Extreme Strike Stance’ triggered,’

Thud!!

The demon’s right arm flew off with a thud.

A cascade of green blood spurted like a waterfall from the demon’s severed flesh.

He flinched—

‘What is this ominous feeling!’

The demon’s abdomen was pierced, and both of its arms were gone. Yet it kept smiling, staring at Ha Gangwoo with an unsettling gaze.

The demon opened its mouth in a low voice.

“You’re strong, boy. Are you the Seed?”

‘Seed?’

For a moment, doubt flickered, but there was no time to listen to the demon’s whispers.

Lightning God’s effect lasted only ten minutes.

[Remaining time: 6 minutes 31 seconds]

Already four minutes had passed.

Ha Gangwoo frowned and glared at the demon.

‘Where’s its weak point?’

He had been stabbing wildly, but he’d aimed for vital spots. The heart, then the abdomen. Yet it didn’t seem to be taking any real damage.

The only place he hadn’t attacked yet was…

Ha Gangwoo narrowed his eyes and focused on one spot.

‘The head.’

Exactly. The head.

Because whenever he tried to strike the head, the demon twisted its waist to dodge.

Crackle—Sparks wildly flew around Ha Gangwoo.

‘I think I get it.’

Ha Gangwoo channeled Mana into his lance. It was a sensation he’d never felt before obtaining Lightning God’s effect.

‘So this is control.’

Crackle—The current continuously gathered into the lance.

[1 MP has been consumed.]

[1 MP has been consumed.]

[1 MP has been consumed.]

……

….

..

His MP plummeted, a chaotic drain.

[MP: 35/111]

Only thirty-five MP left—and the recovery was slow, probably because of Swift Movements.

‘No choice.’

[Swift Movements has been deactivated.]

The blue light rippling around his feet guttered out in an instant.

But right after—

[MP recovered by 1.]

[MP recovered by 1.]

[MP recovered by 1.]

…..

…

..

[MP: 55/111]

In a flash, his MP surged back up.

A smile tugged at the corner of Ha Gangwoo’s mouth.

‘This is really something.’

The Reins’ Armlet was a far better item than he’d expected.

Without it, there’s no way he could’ve kept up this fight.

Phat. Ha Gangwoo’s foot launched off the ground as he charged forward. With Swift Movements off, his speed was slower—but it didn’t matter.

The demon was still rooted to the spot, mocking him with both feet planted on the ground.

‘Aim for the head!!’

Ha Gangwoo’s form cut through the air with a sharp whoosh. Sparks crackled and traced the path behind him as he passed.

Spot. In the blink of an eye, Ha Gangwoo was right in front of the demon.

He swung his lance toward the demon’s head.

Fwoosh—

Ha Gangwoo’s lance etched itself into the crimson eyes of the Great Demon, Lucifel.

‘How amusing.’

A mad grin spread across Lucifel’s lips.

How long had it been since he’d felt pain like this?!

Lucifel was having a blast.

Tracking the lance’s arc, Lucifel snapped his head aside. Vwoom—a vicious hum of pressure grazed his ear.

A simple, straight-line strike. No way that was hitting him.

‘Come on, entertain me a little more!!’

Fwoosh—the lance came flying at his head once again.

‘Only aiming for the head, is it?’

An interesting idea. He must think the head is a weak point.

Grinning—Lucifel’s mouth twisted into something sinister.

‘I could let him punch right through me for the thrill, but… scars on my face? No thanks.’

And so Lucifel dodged every one of Ha Gangwoo’s furious attacks.

By the time he had evaded about twenty strikes.

Thud. The man in front of him drove his own weapon into the ground.

For an instant, the demon’s expression stiffened subtly.

‘Already done?’

He’d thought this one was interesting—a decent sort—but it seemed he’d already broken.

Lucifel was a demon who fed on despair.

‘I thought you were a seed, but that was a mistake.’

Fshh—

The demon’s torn arm stretched back out, regenerating smoothly.

Once his opponent had fallen to despair, he lost all interest.

Right then.

Click—

The man in front of him pulled out some strange object and aimed it his way.

‘What’s that?’

The question lingered only for a moment.

Bang!!!

Along with the sound. Swoosh—a small projectile came hurtling at tremendous speed.

Before Lucifel had any time to react.

BOOM!!!!

The Explosive Round slammed into Lucifel’s head.

Ziiing—

Lucifel faltered for an instant. The blow itself was weak, the impact negligible—but the sound and that subtle tremor rattled deep in his skull.

‘What the—that weapon!!! It’s fast! No wonder the Arbiter is so entertaining!!!’

And just as Lucifel was basking in that thrill—

Whoosh—

Through the explosion dust that had veiled his vision, a single streak of light arced toward his head.

‘Yes!! That’s how you fight me!!!!!!’

Too late to react properly, but he had no intention of taking it head-on.

Lucifel twisted his neck as far as he could, trying to dodge Ha Gangwoo’s strike.

Creeeak—

The lance scraped against the demon’s horn with a grotesque screech.

‘Tch!!’

In that instant, Ha Gangwoo’s face twisted.

‘You dodged this too?!!!’

What he’d thought was a perfect attack had missed completely.

And then—

Thud!!!

An immense pain slammed into his abdomen.

[You have suffered 1,233 HP damage.]

Whoosh—Ha Gangwoo’s body went flying through the air, tumbling across the ground with a heavy crash.

“Kkueok…….”

Ha Gangwoo lay face-down, clutching his stomach as he gasped out a pained groan.

He balled his fists and forced his head up.

‘What the hell…….’

A sudden chill ran up the back of his legs.

The demon who had been smirking and enjoying himself was gone.

He flinched!!

Goosebumps erupted across his entire body.

‘The weak point is the horn, then.’

The demon’s expression twisted into something terrifying. A crimson killing intent rippled through the air around him.

“I’m bored now.”

The demon’s voice scraped against his ears like nails on a chalkboard, sending a shiver down his spine.

Ha Gangwoo drove his lance into the ground, using it as a crutch to haul himself upright.

His legs trembled violently.

“Haaah…. Haaah….”

‘What do I do….’

He had thrown everything he had. And it still wasn’t enough.

Ha Gangwoo’s brow furrowed.

Was there really no way?

As he was lost in thought—Shhhhh—

The demon’s form flickered and vanished, leaving only an afterimage.

Then.

Crunch—

Along with a sickening sound.

“Huh?”

The demon’s form appeared behind Ha Gangwoo.

In the demon’s hand was a single weapon.

A spear gleaming with golden light.

And then—Thud—

Along with Ha Gangwoo’s arm.

Thump—

And just like that, Ha Gangwoo lost consciousness.

***

Thud—

“Kugh—”

Kang Seongbin spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Captain! Are you okay?”

Chae Seohyun said urgently, sweat beading on her brow as she visibly depleted her Mana.

Kang Seongbin felt a sharp sting of pain as he stared straight ahead.

The demon was tearing off Ha Gangwoo’s arm and tossing it to the ground.

Kang Seongbin’s expression crumpled.

‘Annoying bastard.’

He was furious at himself for collapsing from a single Devil’s Beckoning, and irritated that Ha Gangwoo could actually trade blows with that demon.

[Sacred light suffuses your body.]

The excruciating pain slowly receded under Chae Seohyun’s skill.

‘Really… there’s no other way…?’

Kang Seongbin gritted his teeth, lost in thought. Then, as if he’d made a decision—

His gaze went cold and hard.

He grabbed Chae Seohyun’s chin—no, her wrist. And spoke low.

“Save your Mana.”

“What?”

Seohyun’s face was pale as she blinked in confusion, but Seongbin was already hauling himself upright on trembling legs.

“Giving up already? You said you’d be a Ranker. I’m not done yet.”

Clang—

He dropped his greatsword. And began unfastening the apparatus around his right shoulder.

‘I never wanted to undo this, even if it killed me…’

His face twisted.

Around the shoulder where the Black Demon’s Arm was sealed, twelve stakes were driven into his flesh.

‘Feels like shit, but there’s no choice.’

Sssk— He pulled out the first stake. A jolt of pain raked every nerve in his body.

“Ngh!!”

Seongbin’s face crumpled as he spoke.

“I’ll buy time. You save that bastard.”

“…”

Chae Seohyun could only watch as he staggered forward, lurching one step at a time.

‘…’

Seongbin pulled the second stake.

“Ngh!!”

No matter how hard he tried to hold it in, a groan of pain slipped out.

Shrrk—

With each stake removed, blackened skin spread across his body.

Crick—

It was when he pulled the third stake.

A searing jolt—and his consciousness snapped.

[Hmph… easy to say. I wish it were that simple, but…]

—…

[You’ll never be able to control it.]

That scene flashed again.

‘Damn it…’

Back then, he’d just been furious at his father.

To look at your own child with such contempt—he’d thought it was insane.

But then he’d learned the truth.

[A baby that killed its parents the moment it was born!!! Could it be a Demon Trait?!]

It would’ve been better not to know. He could’ve lived hating his father in blissful ignorance.

Why his father hated him. Why he said Seongbin could never control his Trait.

The moment he read those words, it all clicked.

The moment he was born. A monster tearing through his mother’s body. A newborn that killed nurses, doctors, everyone—a demon born into the world.

Crack—!

Metal clattered against the floor.

Somehow, Seongbin had already removed five stakes.

Kang Seongbin. He, too, was a monster with demon blood.

Slowly, insidiously—

Black energy writhed around him.

Ssss—

The black mist gathered, converging on his forehead.

Poof— A single massive horn took shape on his right temple.

[The demon’s power has been unsealed.]

[First seal released.]

Kang Seongbin’s eyes blackened. Then a green light kindled in his pupils.

“Ughhh!!!”

Seongbin had undone his seal.

***

Crack!

Seongbin’s form twisted into something wicked as he lunged at the demon.

“Wha… what…”

Chae Seohyun stared blankly at the scene. Then Seongbin’s words came back to her.

[Keep that bastard alive.]

Jolted back to her senses, Seohyun snatched up Ha Gangwoo where he lay on the floor. She grabbed his severed arm and dragged them both toward the safest corner of the altar.

Seohyun laid Gangwoo on the ground and checked his breathing.

“Hah… hahh…”

Gangwoo’s breath was faint, but he was still clinging on.

‘No time!’

Gangwoo’s form was blurring. He was dying, moment by moment.

Seohyun activated a healing skill immediately.

Meanwhile.

In front of Beiron’s corpse.

Boom!

Lee Ayeon watched the source of the fight.

“As expected from the chief~ I knew that power was ominous, but it’s interesting.”

She grinned, then the smile vanished from her face.

‘But it’s not enough. I think…’

Ayeon’s fingers traced Beiron’s screaming forehead.

‘I’ll have to use it, won’t I?’

Ayeon hesitated, torn over whether to use her true Trait.