Volume One: "The Nature of the Devil Does Not Change, and the Heart of the Dead Devil Regrets Nothing"
Arc One: "The Devil Finally Leaves Earth"
[After thirteen years]
Scarlet King stood by the window in his usual clothes and bamboo hat, the cold winter light washing over the wooden house that looked exactly the same as the day it was built. His eyes were closed, his expression colder than snow. The room was calm—broken only by the soft whisper of snowfall outside—when he spoke in a voice that sent chills through the air:
"Thirteen years of planning and preparation to leave Earth with the best weapon available… and it has finally come to an end."
He heard Ikalat and Lin Yuan step into the room. Ikalat spoke loudly, dressed in a black shirt and black gloves, black pants, and classic shoes, a sharp-toothed smile stretching across his face:
"Hey, my friend! The weapon is finally complete—we can leave Earth now, right?"
Scarlet King didn't turn. He kept facing the snow-covered ground beyond the window and answered with icy restraint:
"Not now. But soon. Come—let's go see the super-weapon."
Lin Yuan couldn't hide his excitement:
"I supervised the project myself. The weapon is beyond description."
The three of them moved out. As they left the room and approached the stairs leading down toward the hall and kitchen, the surroundings shifted—snapping into an iron elevator lit by blue lights. When they stepped inside, Scarlet King said:
"Floor Zero."
The elevator began to descend, carrying them down to Floor Zero.
Ikalat glanced at Scarlet King with a mocking look, curiosity slipping into his tone:
"How many floors are there? And what is this weapon? I've been off-planet gathering materials across the solar system."
Scarlet King turned his gaze on him—sharp, freezing—and replied like frost scraping bone:
"There are five floors. Floor Zero is the secret-weapon level. And it's good you were useful in gathering resources—otherwise I would've ground your body into paste."
Ikalat swallowed, shut his mouth, and stared at the elevator doors as they dropped, avoiding Scarlet King's eyes. Lin Yuan stood between them, tense under the charged silence.
Then the doors opened, and the tension cracked.
A vast hall stretched out before them, filled with men dressed entirely in black—cloth masks hiding their faces, classic work caps pulled low—moving and working in silence.
In the center stood the body of a gigantic robot, nearly four hundred meters tall. Its head was an old-style television screen showing nothing but static. Two hook-like claws rose from its back. The machine itself was purple, dressed in full black clothing with gloves and classic shoes.
Three music-producing machines—like enormous disco recorders—were mounted on it: two medium-sized units hanging from its shoulders, and one massive unit fixed to its chest. A huge jetpack was installed on its back, and nearby workers inspected it carefully, ensuring there were no internal errors.
Crane lifts surrounded the giant for climbing, repairs, and final checks. Scarlet King pointed toward it and said:
"This is the legendary weapon that will bring me tremendous benefit in achieving my goal."
As Scarlet King walked closer, Lin Yuan and Ikalat spoke quietly behind him:
"Even after living with him for thirteen years… we still don't understand who he is."
Then, strangely, the giant began to shrink—compressing down until it stood only three meters tall before Scarlet King. Scarlet King turned back to Lin Yuan and Ikalat and tapped the giant's solid metal frame as he spoke:
"I will merge with this giant… and obtain a new transformation."
The workers, Lin Yuan, and Ikalat all froze, then shouted at the same time:
"That's impossible—and dangerous!!"
Scarlet King raised his middle finger at them.
The giant's body opened. Scarlet King stepped inside, and the suit sealed shut—crushing his body within it. Bones cracked. Blood seeped along the suit. Scarlet King dropped to his knees. Flesh tore. One of his eyeballs burst—while black fog rose and swallowed him.
One worker stepped forward and said:
"This is the second-level vaporization technique. It allows separation and fusion to happen perfectly, so don't worry. The chance of success is one in a thousand."
[After a day and a half]
The fog faded.
Scarlet King stood there again—his body intact. But his clothes were different now: a black shirt and black pants, a coat draped over his shoulders, classic black shoes, a classic military cap, and black gloves. On his back was something like a jetpack, and he now had the same two hooks the giant had.
The fusion had succeeded.
Scarlet King spoke, voice steady as ice:
"Come. Let's go outside and test the new transformation."
Lin Yuan asked:
"So you can transform into the giant now?"
Scarlet King extended his hand forward. A large sword suddenly emerged from his left arm—formed from a razor-sharp black crystal. From his right arm, a destructive, burning gun barrel appeared. Then both vanished, slipping back into his body.
"I need a few things before I can transform into the giant safely—and properly. But for now, I can use the giant's abilities in my half-human form. Come. We'll take the compound—it's on the first floor. And today, we're also going on an exploration trip to a place I named the Sealed World."
They returned to the elevator. Once inside, Scarlet King said:
"First floor."
The elevator rose.
Scarlet King stood still like a block of ice. Lin Yuan practically vibrated with anticipation for the coming exploration. Ikalat looked tense, but the excitement in him still leaked through.
When the doors opened on the first floor, the space looked similar to Floor Zero—except the giant wasn't here. Instead, a massive suction-and-pressure device dominated the room, used to draw out the compound and refine it.
Ikalat spoke with pride:
"I supervised this compound myself. This refinement will make it stronger and purer."
Lin Yuan's enthusiasm dimmed into frustration:
"But that'll make you stronger than me."
Scarlet King moved with ruthless calm, picked up the two compounds, and tossed one to Ikalat. He took the other, pressed it against the vein in his arm, and injected it into his body. His veins bulged as the compound spread through him. Scarlet King said:
"After we remove the impurities, you'll break through the first two levels of the Qi Gathering Realm. The compound has been inside you for a long time, absorbing qi and storing it within you. And because of your physical strength, you'll be able to break through two levels at once. But I can't pretend it isn't dangerous."
End of the Chapter
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