The chaos energy coursing through me crackled like an unrestrained storm. It consumed every corner of my being, caring little for what might happen to my body afterward. Right now, none of that mattered.


    I was angry.


    My grip on the power tightened as I charged forward, my sights locked on Belphegorr.


    “Chaos Magic: Annihilation Pulse!”


    A massive sphere of raw, swirling energy formed in my hands, its pull so intense that it distorted the air around it. The ruined building groaned under the pressure as debris spiraled into its gravitational pull. Without hesitation, I hurled it at him.


    Belphegorr sneered, his confidence unshaken as he activated his so-called ultimate defense. The black void appeared, ready to devour my attack.


    But I wasn’t done.


    The moment the pulse left my hands, I summoned the power of Nightmare Speed, the ability I had obtained in the depths of that cursed forest. My body flickered, becoming a blur in the air, and before he could fully absorb the energy, I reappeared to his left.


    “Chaos Magic: Absolute Desolation!”


    Another sphere of chaos erupted from my hand, this one even larger and more ferocious, ripping through the very fabric of the castle. The energy howled like a tempest as it barreled toward him, obliterating everything in its path.


    Belphegorr barely had time to react before the attack struck him with full force.


    The impact was cataclysmic.


    He was sent flying through the air, his body colliding with the remnants of the already crumbling structure. Blood sprayed everywhere, painting the battlefield in crimson streaks. The left side of his body—once grotesquely adorned with stolen Skyrend wings—was gone, disintegrated by the unrelenting force of my magic.


    The ground beneath us quaked violently. The castle, already on its last legs, groaned as walls cracked and beams splintered. Dust and rubble rained down, threatening to bury us both in this chaotic battleground.


    Belphegorr coughed, a guttural, wet sound that hinted at the internal damage he was now suffering. Yet even in his mangled state, his twisted grin persisted.


    I staggered, barely able to keep myself upright as chaos energy crackled through me like shards of molten glass. My breaths were shallow, each one a fight against the weight of exhaustion. Blood dripped from the corner of my mouth, a grim testament to how much my body was breaking down from the sheer strain of wielding chaos magic.


    Still, I forced myself to move forward. Each step toward Belphegorr felt like a climb up an endless mountain, but I refused to stop. My eyes locked onto him as he began to chant.


    The ground rumbled violently beneath us. A fissure split open, revealing two tiny creatures rising from the shadows—baby Skyrends, no older than moments.


    For a heartbeat, I froze. Their small forms, so delicate and innocent, were a stark contrast to the darkness that surrounded us.


    And then, without a second''s hesitation, Belphegorr killed them.


    “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” I roared, my voice cracking with rage and disbelief. “And where did those Skyrends come from?!”


    Belphegorr didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he smeared their blood across his mangled body with a look of sadistic satisfaction.


    “No…” I whispered, as the impossible happened before my eyes. His torn flesh began to knit itself together. His missing limbs regenerated, and the aura around him grew darker, heavier, more suffocating.


    When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with malice. “What’s wrong, Hero? Surprised? Let me enlighten you.”


    He stepped forward, his grin wide and mocking.


    “I, Belphegorr Nomicus, am the demon who unlocked the secrets of the Skyrend bloodline—using your precious daughter as my key.”


    “You… what?” My voice shook, and so did my hands.


    “Oh, it gets better!” He laughed, the sound grating against my ears. “Using your daughter’s unique lineage, I’ve cultivated new Skyrends, bred them for war, and harvested their blood to heal myself.”


    “You… monster!” My fury boiled over, but my body refused to respond.


    “Ah, but that’s not all!” Belphegorr continued, his eyes alight with sadistic glee. “During my experiments, I discovered something fascinating. Your daughter wasn’t just any Skyrend—she carried the dormant power of her parents. By breaking the seal within her, I’ve unlocked their combined strength! Her blood, her very essence, is now mine to command.”


    I clenched my fists so hard I thought my bones might snap.


    “You think you’re powerful? You’re nothing but a thief!” I spat.


    “And you’re a fool, Hero. You think you can defeat me? I now wield the power of the Skyrends themselves. I’ve transcended even the generals!”


    The room vibrated with his growing power, and his grin widened further. “Do you still think you can stop me? Come then. Fight me! Show me how far your anger will take you!”


    I grit my teeth, the chaos within me roaring in response.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    “For Nyxis… for the lives you’ve destroyed…” My voice was steady, my resolve unshaken. “I’ll rip you apart, Belphegorr!”


    “Imagine it, Alexander,” he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “An army of Skyrends under my command! Do you even understand what that means? These creatures once challenged the mighty dragon race and brought them to their knees. Without the Skyrend, the gods would have fallen in the Great War. And now, I hold that power in my hands!”


    I glared at him, my breath labored, but my resolve unshaken. “You’ll never get away with this.”


    Belphegorr chuckled darkly. “Oh, I already have. Your daughter… she’s special, isn’t she? It’s her parents’ legacy, their sealed power, that made her so unique. I broke that seal. I ripped it open with my bare hands and claimed it for myself. Now, her strength flows through me.”


    His grin widened, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. “Can you even fathom the irony? The power you’re so desperate to protect now fuels the very monster you stand against. And with the blood of her offspring enhancing me further…” He flexed his clawed hands, the air around him distorting with raw energy. “I’m invincible.”


    “Shut up!” I roared, chaos energy crackling around me. “I don’t care how powerful you think you’ve become. I’ll tear you apart and make you pay for everything you’ve done!”


    Belphegorr’s laughter erupted again, manic and wild. “Then let’s see if you can, fat pig. But first, let me give you a little preview of your daughter’s future.”


    Before I could react, he moved—faster than I could follow. His clawed hand grabbed the back of my head and slammed me into the floor with a force that sent cracks rippling through the stone.


    Pain exploded through my skull, and I gasped, dazed.


    “Did you really think you defeated me back there?” Belphegorr hissed, leaning close to my ear. “That was just a warm-up. I wanted to see how much fight you had in you before I crushed it entirely. And now… now, I’ll make you watch as I turn your daughter into my eternal experiment.”


    He threw me across the room like a ragdoll. I smashed into a wall, coughing blood as I slid to the ground.


    “Imagine it,!” Belphegorr’s voice was almost gleeful. “The endless torture. Her screams, her cries for help. The pain as I rip her apart piece by piece and put her back together. It excites me just thinking about it.”


    My vision blurred, but his words cut through the haze like a dagger. Nyxis’ terrified voice echoed in my mind, her broken body chained to the wall.


    Blood dripped from my face, blurring my vision as Belphegorr hoisted me up like a broken toy. My body dangled in his grip, chaos energy flickering weakly inside me like a dying flame. Every muscle screamed in agony; every breath was a battle.


    “You know, Hero,” Belphegorr began, his tone dripping with smug satisfaction, “you have incredible magical power, but physically? You’re pathetic. Weak. A mere insect in my grasp.”


    His claws tightened around my neck, cutting off my air. I wheezed, my body convulsing as I clawed feebly at his arm.


    “I, too, obtained the power of the Skyrend, but unlike you, I had the foresight to keep its most dangerous essence intact. That’s the difference between you and me. You act on emotion, and I act on brilliance.”


    He dragged me towards the corner of the room, where Nyxis lay, still asleep under the spell I had cast earlier. My heart clenched.


    “I could kill you right now, but where’s the fun in that? You’ve caused me so much pain, so much trouble. No, the best revenge is not your death… but your eternal suffering.”


    Belphegorr slammed my head into the table beside Nyxis, the wood splintering beneath the force. Pain shot through my skull, stars exploding in my vision. I weakly raised a hand, trying to fend him off, but he swatted it away like a fly.


    “What is this pathetic attempt?” he mocked, gripping my arm. With a sickening crunch, he severed my right hand with a single swipe of his claws.


    The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt. A guttural scream tore from my throat as blood poured from the wound, staining the floor in crimson.


    The sound must have woken her.


    “Papa…?”


    Nyxis’ voice, soft and fragile, cut through the haze of pain. My gaze snapped to her, and what I saw broke me. Her eyes, wide with fear, darted between me and the monster looming over us.


    “Papa! Papa!” she cried, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her face.


    “Nyxis…” I choked out, forcing a weak smile despite the agony. “Don’t worry, my little star. Papa’s just… warming up.”


    Belphegorr laughed maniacally, his voice a thunderstorm of malice. “Oh, this is rich! Look at her—terrified, helpless. What a show! And you, are nothing but a broken joke. How does it feel to see your daughter witness your failure?”


    I gritted my teeth, rage bubbling beneath the surface of my despair. Even as my vision blurred and my body faltered, the chaos within me began to stir once more, reigniting like embers caught in a sudden gust of wind.


    “Nyxis… close your eyes, sweetheart,” I whispered, my voice trembling but resolute. “Papa’s not done yet.”


    Belphegorr sneered, his claws reaching for Nyxis. “What could you possibly do in this state, pig? Watch as I take her apart, piece by piece, just like I did before!”


    “Belphegorrrrrrr!” My voice echoed with a primal fury as I pushed past the pain and summoned the last vestiges of my strength. “You think I’m finished? You think you’ve won?! This isn’t over until I’ve ripped that smug grin off your face and sent you straight to the abyss!”


    Belphegorr''s laughter echoed around the ruined chamber as he loomed over me, holding a small vial of murky liquid in his clawed hand.


    "Oh, don’t worry, Alexander," he sneered, yanking my head back and forcing the liquid into my mouth. "This isn’t to help you—it’s the lowest-grade paralysis potion I could find. Barely worth calling a potion, but oh, so effective."


    I choked as the bitter liquid slid down my throat. Instantly, my limbs went heavy, like lead weights had been strapped to my arms and legs. I strained, pushing against the invisible chains binding me, but it was no use.


    "Ah, look at you," Belphegorr taunted, circling me like a predator savoring its prey. "Struggling so pathetically. You’d need real physical strength to break free, and you…? You’re just a sack of magical desperation. Poor, poor Papa."


    He kicked me in the ribs, the force sending me sliding across the floor. Pain exploded in my side, and I tasted blood.


    "This is getting boring, though," he said with a mock yawn. "You’re no fun anymore. I was hoping for more of a challenge, but I guess this is where your story ends."


    Belphegorr’s hand crackled with dark energy, a pulsating orb forming in his palm. The air grew heavy with the weight of his power as he leveled it at me.


    "Bye-bye, hero," he said with a sinister grin. "You failed. You couldn’t even save your precious daughter. How tragic."


    As the orb of energy shot toward me, a scream pierced the room.


    "No!"


    The sound of metal chains snapping rang out, and in a blur of motion, Nyxis threw herself between me and the oncoming attack.


    "Nyxis!" I shouted, my voice breaking as the dark energy slammed into her frail body. Time seemed to freeze as she crumpled to the ground, her small frame convulsing before falling still.


    "Nyxis…! What the hell are you doing?!"


    She looked up at me, her face pale and streaked with tears. "I… I couldn’t let him hurt you anymore, Papa. I didn’t want to see you suffer."


    Her voice was weak, barely a whisper, but her words cut deeper than any wound.


    "No… no, no, no!" I cried, clutching her limp body in my arms. Her breathing was faint, her life slipping away before my eyes.


    "What is this?" Belphegorr muttered, his confident sneer faltering as he took a step back. "She… she still had that much strength?"


    "Nyxis…" My voice cracked as I cradled her closer. Her warmth was fading, and with it, any sense of hope I had left.


    Belphegorr''s laughter was distant, drowned out by the pounding in my ears. My hands trembled as I reached for the frayed ropes binding me.


    "Nyxis... Nyxis, wake up, please." My voice cracked, raw with desperation. I gathered what little strength I had left and whispered a faint spell.


    "[Wind Magic: Razor Edge.]"


    The ropes around my wrists and ankles snapped, and I fell face-first to the ground. Pain shot through my body, but I didn’t care. Crawling, inch by agonizing inch, I reached her.


    "Nyxis... my sweet girl." I pulled her close, her body limp against mine. She felt so small, so fragile—so cold.


    Belphegorr let out a frustrated scream behind me. "Fucking idiots, the both of you!"


    His footsteps thundered toward us. "No matter! I’ll just start over. I can breed more Skyrend from her offspring, even if it takes time!"


    Before I could react, his boot slammed into my side, flipping me over like a ragdoll. Blow after blow rained down, but I didn’t flinch. My mind was a fog, focused only on Nyxis.


    "Hahaha, nothing to say? No cries for mercy?" Belphegorr sneered, his punches growing harder. "Pathetic! Just die already!"


    Then he turned toward Nyxis. My heart stopped as he raised his heel above her.


    "No!" I lunged forward, catching his leg with both hands before it could come down.


    "You can beat me, break me, do whatever the hell you want to me... but you will not—" My grip tightened, and his face twisted in shock. "—touch my daughter again."


    Belphegorr tried to pull his leg free, but it wouldn’t budge. "What the fuck… how are you this strong?! You—this can’t be!"


    I released his leg, and he stumbled back. His eyes darted between me and Nyxis, disbelief written across his face.


    I rose to my feet, the air around me crackling with an unseen force. Every ounce of pain, every drop of despair melted away, replaced by a surge of power so overwhelming it felt like my very soul was on fire.


    And then, it appeared before me—a screen glowing faintly in the chaos.


    <hr>


    Skill Unlocked:


    Gluttony [Full Unlocked]


    <hr>


    Belphegorr''s voice trembled as he took another step back. "What... what did you just... what happened....? This isn’t possible!"


    I clenched my fists, feeling the power course through me. This was different from chaos magic or any skill I had ever used. It wasn’t just strength—it was everything.


    "Belphegorr," I said, my voice calm yet deadly. I turned my gaze on him, and for the first time, he looked afraid. "You’ve taken everything from me. It’s only fair I take everything from you."


    The ground beneath me cracked as the full force of my newfound power surged forward. This time, I wasn’t holding back.