Chapter 21 – ONE MAN AGAINST A MULTIDIDE
Dan's body felt like molten lead as he lay in the hospital bed. Every muscle screamed in protest, but the medical team had restored a semblance of energy. Monitors beeped softly, casting pale light over the sterile room.
System: Subject stabilized.
Mission successful.
Rewards: 30 XP
Special combat reward: Title – "The Divine Soldier"
Attributes: Consistent 10% boost in intense enemy battles. Ability to scroll through system files of fighting techniques and skills to harness god-like powers.
Current Level: 8
Required level in 9 days: Level 15
Body recovery time: 4 hours to be back to combat mode
Analysis complete.
Dan glared at the vision in his mind.
"9 days to attain Level 15…" he muttered.
"I can't even take one of those bastards down without knocking myself out. Lives… all those people… they depend on me."
Pain and exhaustion lanced through him, but determination burned brighter.
"I have to improve… fast. Absolute limit… no… beyond mortal restrictions."
A soft knock on the door drew his attention. Reeve and Keane stepped in, faces lined with concern and awe.
"Dan…" Reeve said, voice hesitant, "that fight… we saw the footage. You went all out. How did you do it? I've never seen anything like it."
Keane added, more blunt: "Seriously. That humanoid… you didn't just fight it—you dominated. How the hell?"
Dan turned his gaze to them, lying calmly despite the burn in his body.
"It… it was nothing special," he said.
"I just… couldn't watch the civilians die. Pure emotion. That's all. I promise… I'll get stronger. Stronger than the humanoids. I'll kill every single one that exists. If the gods are by my side…"
The words hung in the room. He paused, eyes narrowing. Even saying it out loud… does it mean I can actually do it? Or am I fooling myself?
Reeve stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Dan… don't forget… you're not alone in this. We, the global forces, the army — everyone behind you. You don't have to carry it all by yourself."
Keane nodded, voice gentle:
"Yeah. You survived this fight, and you'll survive the next. We've got your back, always."
Dan exhaled slowly, letting their words sink in. His fists relaxed slightly, but the weight of responsibility pressed down harder than ever. He had survived, yes — but only barely. His limits were painfully clear.
System: Subject preparation: 4 hours until operational. Recommended focus: stamina, combat efficiency, skill integration.
He didn't respond. Not yet. He was already envisioning the next steps, every limitation in his body, every flaw in his technique, every weakness the humanoids could exploit.
Outside, the city remained oblivious to the destruction the humanoid had wrought — until news outlets began broadcasting the footage.
"Breaking news!" The voice blared over every channel. "A humanoid threat breached civilian districts… one man confronted it… and survived. One man against a legion of demons. Earth faces annihilation!"
The footage played: Dan throwing himself at the humanoid, dodging claws, landing precise blows, flames flickering around him. Every angle exaggerated the threat, every frame amplified his heroism, and the danger of the humanoid.
Reeve and Keane looked at each other. Reeve muttered:
"Damn… they're making it sound like the end of the world."
Keane nodded grimly:
"One man against a horde of demons… that's exactly what it looks like."
Dan opened his eyes, staring at the feeds. A shadow of doubt crossed his mind. Can I really kill them all? Am I strong enough to stand against an army? The thought lingered like ice in his veins, but he forced himself to shake it off.
"They don't understand yet… how many there are. How fast they evolve. I need to be ready… I'll get stronger than them. Every last one. No one else can do this but me."
The screen flickered with images of destruction, civilian terror, and the humanoid's final collapse. The world had seen the clash. They didn't know what it cost him, or how close he had come to death. They only knew one man stood against an army and survived.
Dan lay back, exhaustion weighing heavily, but in his mind, a fire burned brighter than ever. The weight of humanity pressed down, but he had a promise to keep — to Morgan, to himself, to the people who had survived this one battle.
And now the world was watching.
One man. Against a multitude of demons.
The words echoed in his mind, both a warning and a challenge.