Chapter 8

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Chapter 8: Vengeance Worm

The Vengeance Worm had a segmented torso over twenty meters long, covered in overlapping layers of crimson scales. It lacked limbs, moving solely by contracting its abdomen. Without a mouth or nose, its only facial feature was a massive maw filled with razor-sharp teeth, constantly dripping highly corrosive saliva.

This was a Vengeance Worm. Though merely a larva, its vicious nature ensured ordinary adventurer teams faced certain death upon encountering it.

At level 38—double Midi’s own level—the creature had locked onto its prey at the island’s center. Enraged, it emitted high-pitched screeches that vibrated the sand beneath Midi’s feet until it burned.

“Why is there a Vengeance Worm here? Ah—this must be why my pursuers from my past life were so battered!” Midi pieced together, cross-referencing his memories.

In his past life, when his fusion with the demon god was disrupted, he’d glimpsed his injured pursuers, their numbers reduced. The Vengeance Worm must’ve targeted them instead of him back then, leaving no trace of this threat in his memories.

Now, alone in the cave, he’d become its prey.

“It’s twice my level, and I’m trapped on this island with no time to flee. What now?” Midi scanned his surroundings, a cold dread creeping down his spine.

A level 38 monster—a top-tier threat even among its peers—was charging at him. For a level 19 adventurer yet to undergo transmutation, this was the brink of death.

Yet after decades of trials, Midi’s resolve had hardened like steel. The moment he gripped his sword, he’d become an unsheathed blade, unshaken by fear.

The Vengeance Worm zigzagged across the water, churning waves as it lunged at the island. In that final instant, its gaping maw snapped toward Midi, who had nowhere to dodge.

The attack’s force eclipsed even eight intermediate automatons striking at once. At level 19, evasion would’ve been impossible—had Midi relied on ordinary swordsman tactics.

But at the last moment, Midi moved with inhuman speed, leaving afterimages in his wake—

Demon Shadow Step!

A skill exclusive to Ghost Cry users. In his past life, Midi had achieved a second awakening as one.

Dodging the strike, he leapt, driving his longsword like a needle into a gap between the worm’s scales. The black-haired boy clung to his sword as both he and the thrashing worm plunged into the water.

Born in this canyon, the Vengeance Worm had never faced opposition. Now, this tiny “morsel” clung to its back, provoking furious shrieks. The monster writhed—diving, leaping, scraping the lakebed, and slamming into rocks with earth-shaking force.

Yet Midi held fast.

Reborn with a chance to perfectly fuse with the demon god, to reclaim lost power and mend regrets, he refused to die here. Even against a foe twice his level, he’d fight to the last breath.

For one who’d already died, fear held no meaning. Surrender alone was terrifying.

Countless cuts littered his skin; bones cracked under strain. Still, Midi shifted deftly to avoid crushing, relentlessly striking the scales with the Demon Swordman’s “Cross Slash.”

On the tenth strike, the scales split. Foul fluid gushed from the deep wound.

Exhaustion and pain finally stilled the worm.

Seizing the moment, brilliance flashed in Midi’s eyes. Cold energy surged from his demon hand, channeling through glowing sigils into his sword.

“Mountain Shatter!”

A signature Demon Swordman skill meant to rupture the ground and destabilize foes. But Midi aimed upward, hurling his sword at a stalactite overhead.

The blade shattered the stone pillar. Fragments rained down like spears, impaling the worm’s massive body. Though it thrashed, exhaustion and confined space left it helpless.

Stalactites pierced scales, pinning the creature. Even then, the legendary monster struggled for ten minutes before collapsing, limbs twitching.

Only then did Midi exhale.

This sudden battle—against a level 38 horror and the unpredictability of rebirth—had left no room for fear. He vowed never to grow complacent. Humans weren’t gods, nor even Apostles. Caution was paramount.

Moreover, the life-threatening fight had deepened his fusion with the demon god—a bond normally requiring decades to master. This synergy, a rare boon, delayed his final step: the seal.

Feeling the demon hand’s reliance, Midi chose to forgo conventional sealing. This flawless fusion, unprecedented in history, demanded a new path.

This life, he and his ancient partner would forge miracles anew.

“My true rebirth begins now.” After resting, Midi clenched his fists and departed the nameless canyon.