The red sky of the Demon Realm stretched endlessly above Rai.
The wind carried the smell of blood and burning ash.
Rai stood slowly, still feeling the faint pain in his neck where it had been snapped moments ago.
His fingers touched the spot.
It was perfectly healed.
"No scar…" he muttered quietly.
The blue window from earlier still floated in front of him.
---
SYSTEM
User: Rai
Title: Demon King Vessel
Rank: F
Ability: Immortal Body
Task: Survive 24 hours in Outcast Demon Land
Reward: Rank Upgrade
Failure: Endless Death
Time Remaining: 23:54:12
---
Rai stared at the timer ticking down.
"So I just need to survive?"
His voice was calm.
But the world around him clearly had other plans.
A loud roar echoed across the cracked wasteland.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Heavy footsteps approached.
The same three demons from before appeared again.
The tallest one pointed at him.
"What the hell?!"
The second demon's eyes widened.
"I snapped his neck!"
The third demon grinned slowly.
"Even better."
He pulled out a jagged blade.
"A toy that doesn't die."
The tall demon laughed.
"This will be fun."
They rushed him.
Rai didn't even have time to react.
SLASH.
The blade tore through his chest.
Blood splattered across the ground.
Pain exploded through his body.
His vision faded.
And once again—
Darkness swallowed him.
---
A few seconds later.
Rai's eyes snapped open.
He was alive again.
His chest was perfectly healed.
He breathed heavily.
"That… hurt."
The demons were staring at him like they had just seen a ghost.
"What…?"
"Impossible!"
The blade demon tilted his head.
Then he laughed loudly.
"He's regenerating!"
The tall demon cracked his knuckles.
"Kill him again."
---
They attacked.
Again.
And again.
And again.
---
Neck snapped.
Heart pierced.
Body crushed.
Head smashed.
Each death came with unbearable pain.
Each revival left Rai gasping on the ground.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
The demons were enjoying themselves.
They treated him like a toy.
A punching bag.
A living corpse.
But Rai was learning.
Each time he revived, he moved a little faster.
A little smarter.
He began dodging slightly.
Then blocking.
Then running.
The demons chased him across the wasteland.
Hours passed.
Blood covered the ground.
But Rai kept standing back up.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Finally—
The tall demon grabbed him by the throat.
"You just won't die."
Rai looked directly into his eyes.
His breathing was steady now.
"You done playing?" the demon sneered.
Rai spoke quietly.
"No."
The demon crushed his skull.
CRACK.
Darkness.
---
Then—
Rai opened his eyes again.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
User has died 37 times
Pain Resistance unlocked.
---
Rai slowly stood up.
The demons were now slightly annoyed.
"Why are you smiling?" one of them growled.
Rai wiped blood from his mouth.
Because something had changed.
---
NEW TASK
Kill your first demon.
Reward: Rank Evolution
---
Rai looked at the three demons.
Then he cracked his neck.
For the first time since arriving here…
He took a fighting stance.
The tall demon laughed loudly.
"Oh? The toy wants to fight."
Rai's ice-blue eyes became sharp.
"I've been watching you."
The demon charged forward.
Rai moved.
This time—
He didn't die immediately.
The real fight…
Had finally begun.