Dungeon Room, W.A.S HQ, Azura.
"What the fuck!" Code muttered, eyes wide with terror as he stared at the demons sprawled across the dungeon.
"Shriek! Snarl!" the demons hissed as they approached him.
They all looked similar—unnaturally thin humanoid creatures with elongated fingers and wide feet.
'That motherfucker. How could he leave me alone in this place?' Code rasped.
"Shraa!!" a demon roared as it lunged, throwing its fist at Code.
"They don't look so strong," Code whispered as he raised his arms and braced himself for the impact.
But as it connected—
WHAAM!
"Gahh!!" Code's arms bent inward, the blow sending him flying as he crashed into the wall with a sickening thud.
"Ugh!" Blood spurted from his mouth as he fell to the ground.
"Oh my God," he muttered, wincing in pain as his head spun. "A heavy hit?"
He pushed himself up, locking onto the approaching horde. "So, each one of them possesses punching strength at that level?"
"Rchhk!" the demons shrieked, dashing toward Code in legions.
"This is too much for me," Code muttered. But the memory suddenly flashed.
'Survive.'
"Tch." His jaw tightened, his gaze hardening. "I'll prove to that asshole that I'm not a weakling who'd die so easily," he said, taking a fighting stance with his fists clenched.
"RAHHH!!" The demons reached him as another punch swung toward his face.
"Oomph!" With a grunt, Code ducked, watching the punch sweep past his head.
"My turn!" he shouted, jerking upward as he unleashed an uppercut straight into the demon's jaw.
SPLOSH!
The jaw caved inward before exploding in a bloody burst.
Before another punch could land, Code jumped backward, barely avoiding it.
"Arrgh," he exhaled heavily, his heart pounding. "I did it. I actually killed a demon," he beamed.
"However..." His expression soured as his eyes dropped to his right fist.
It had been crushed, blood smearing across his fingers.
"Shit, how am I supposed to defeat so many demons after breaking my fist?" Code grimaced.
"RAWW!!" another demon boomed, flying toward him, its tongue sprawling wildly.
"Eew, don't come close!" Code screamed, jumping away as he rolled across the floor.
"Arghh, bastard. That was close," he reeled, skidding to a halt.
But suddenly—
BAASSH!!
"Bluuhh!" Code blurted as a punch slammed into his torso, saliva splattering from his mouth.
THWOOOMPH!
The impact hurled him across the room, crashing him into the floor.
"Wha? Are these guys professional boxers?" Code exclaimed, but he couldn't finish the thought as another punch crashed into his side—
Crack!
A rib snapped, and Code's eyes widened in agony.
"Now you've done it, you motherfucker!!" he snapped, stomping his foot as he delivered a left-hand jab straight into the demon's skull.
SWAAM!
The force of the punch blew the demon away, sending it crashing into several others.
"Huh?" Code said, looking from the demon to his fist.
"It didn't break?" he muttered, noticing his left knuckles were neither injured nor bruised.
'What is this?' Code whispered.
"NYAHH!!" another demon roared, flying toward him, but Code didn't even look. He simply flung his fist, and as it touched the demon—
BLUURSHK!
Its body was reduced to bones and viscera in a single brutal impact.
"Oh?" Code's eyes widened. "This power... there's no way I always had this power," he whispered.
'It feels like...' he started, but paused mid-thought.
His eyes narrowed as he took a stance, fists clenching.
CRACK!!
His foot stretched back, cratering the ground.
BOOOOM!!
He shot forward, leaving a trail of distorted air and debris behind.
"ROAR!!" A demon sensed him coming at blistering speed, but before it could react—
SPLOSH!
Code's fist connected with its head, reducing it to a mist of red.
"Next," he said, spinning as he drove an elbow into another demon's neck.
"Shriek!!" the demons hissed and snarled, quickly surrounding him.
"Hehe." A creepy smile spread across Code's face. "I think I understand it now," he muttered, driving a fist into a demon's torso, puncturing it in a spray of crimson.
"It feels like every time I kill a demon, I get stronger," he said as he kicked a demon's head, sending it spinning like a football into another demon's skull.
"Hahaha!!" Code laughed wildly, leaping into the air as he grabbed two heads and smashed them together.
Then he seized another demon by the arm, swinging it around and using it to batter the others.
FLING!
He released it, sending the demon crashing into a distant wall with a visceral splat.
"Arrgh, I can feel a strange energy coursing through my veins," Code said, locking on the last remaining demon.
Unlike the others, it was huge and massive, skin deep black.
"Come!" Code commanded, eyes narrowing.
"ROOOAAARRR!!" The demon let out a ear-shattering cry, as it lunged towards Code, every footstep cratering the floor.
"Nngh," Code grinned, veins bulging around his arms.
SWOOOM!!
He dashed forward, unleashing destructive shockwaves behind him.
"This power..." he muttered, reaching the demon, as he threw his fist forward.
"I'll use this power...to the max!!" His fist connected with the demon's chest.
BLAAAMM!!
The impact shot a gaping hole through the demon's chest, ending its life instantly.
"Ahh!" Code exhaled, as he landed on the ground.
The demon's body fell beside him with a wet thud.
Blood, flesh, and bones coated the floor, and at the center stood the victor—
Code Weber.
"Whew, I did it. I killed them all," Code shouted, his voice echoing.
"Nice!" a voice boomed from behind him as Van stepped into the room. "I knew you wouldn't fall my hand," he said with a smug smirk.
"Bastard," Code spat, glaring at him.
"Can't blame me," Van shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you were special before letting you into my guild."
"Huh?!" Code growled, stepping toward him.
"And I guess I'm convinced," Van continued, tone turning serious. "Your power is dominance through blood. The ability to take the powers of demons you defeat."
Code froze, eyes widening. "So that was it?" he whispered. "The reason I grew stronger after defeating each demon—"
"Was because of blood dominance. You took their powers after killing them," Van finished.
"Woah," Code muttered in disbelief.
"Welcome to my guild, Code Weber," Van said, extending his hand for a shake.
"Y-yeah," Code replied, reaching out, but when Van noticed Code's palm drenched in blood, he quickly drew his hand back.
"Let's skip the handshake part," he said bluntly, turning away.
"Tsk," Code clicked his tongue.
***
To Be Continued...