The Useless One Chosen by Darkness

"Hah… hahahaha… Another weakling?"

Jihoon cracked his knuckles, a smirk playing across his lips. The darkness around him twisted and pulsed, but he stood tall -unchallenged.

"Are you going to keep hiding in this cursed gloom, or will you finally crawl out and die like the rest?"

His voice echoed through the void.

"I can't wait any longer… My hands are itching to rip something apart!"

Then, a cold, guttural laugh boomed from the shadows -deep, ancient, and mocking.

"Hahaha… So eager to die?" came the reply. "Fool. You won't survive today. You're nothing without that little shadow power of yours. Weak. Pathetic."

The suffocating darkness peeled away slowly, revealing something that made Jihoon's instincts scream.

Not a beast. Not a monster.

A demon.

[Name: Dread Lord Azareth]Level: ??? (Disguised as 20)Race: Ancient Demon LordRank: Legendary BossTitle: Voice of Despair

HP: 18,000 / 18,000

MP: 10,000 / 10,000

Attributes:

Strength: 150

Agility: 140

Intelligence: 200

Vitality: 130

Dark Affinity: 180

Skills:

Soul Shatter (Active): Temporarily crushes the target's soul, reducing max HP and stunning the spirit.

Void Flames (Active): Black flames that corrode both flesh and mana, causing continuous damage over time.

Despair Field (Passive): Weakens enemies within 30 meters, reducing attack speed and skill damage by 20%.

Immortal Will (Passive): Cannot be instantly killed. Survives once per battle with 1 HP.

He was seven feet tall-lean, sculpted by war and fire. His obsidian-black skin pulsed with crimson cracks like lava veins. Two majestic onyx horns curved back from his skull, etched in glowing red runes. His long, silver-white hair flickered like it was set ablaze at the ends.

His armor floated just inches off his body, ancient and cursed, dripping with invisible pressure. His cloak coiled like living mist, a silhouette of dread and doom.

Jihoon scoffed. "Nice entrance. But I'm going to rip those flashy horns off and use them as fishing hooks."

Before he could react further—

[System Notification][Dark Perception: ACTIVEWarning: Threat level—Overwhelming.Retreat is advised.]

"Huh?" Jihoon frowned. "What's it talking about? He's just Level 20… That's not above me anymore."

But something in his gut twisted.

Something wasn't right.

Still, Jihoon laughed.

"What? You hiding another demon behind you? Or are you just that scared of me?"

The demon's lips curled.

"Scared? Of you?" He chuckled. "There's no one else here. Just you. And me. And you… will die today."

Jihoon vanished, using Shadow Step - reappearing in a flash before the demon, blade slashing toward his chest.

But Azareth merely raised one hand.

CRACK!

Jihoon flew backward like a broken doll, crashing into the stone wall with bone-jarring force.

"Urgh…!"

Blood spilled from his mouth. Something cracked in his ribs.

"You're nothing," the demon sneered. "Just a puppet dancing on strings your 'Shadow' gave you. Without him, you're just a worm."

But Jihoon didn't back down.

He wiped the blood and attacked again - Shadow Step, then Shadow Slash mid-air—

But Azareth's eyes flared.

"Let me show you how weak your soul truly is."

A pulse of black energy exploded from his palm.

Jihoon's body didn't just hurt. His soul cracked.

He dropped, limbs limp.

[Enemy used: Soul Shatter][Your Max HP has temporarily dropped. HP: 8,500 → 7,500]

"What… is this…?" Jihoon gasped, pain echoing through every layer of his existence.

The demon blurred forward.

BAM!

Another punch. Jihoon hit the wall again.

"Still standing?" Azareth mocked. "You're more stubborn than I expected."

Jihoon roared back, activating Blood Reap—five dark slashes flew forward.

But Azareth calmly traced a rune in the air.

FWOOM!

A sphere of Void Flames erupted - devouring the slashes, then hurtling toward Jihoon.

He tried to dodge - too slow.

The black flames licked his body - burning not flesh, but mana.

"Aaagh—!"

His HP and MP began to drop.

[Warning: Your HP and MP are rapidly decreasing.][HP: 8,500 → 6,000MP: 6,000 → 4,000]

"What the hell is this?! Is he really just Level 20?!"

Jihoon pushed forward, heart racing.

"No. I won't die here!"

He launched another slash - but something felt… off.

His attack felt slower. Weaker.

[Enemy used: Despair Field][Effect: -20% Attack Speed and Skill Damage.]

Suddenly, from behind—

CRACK!

A punch to his back.

He flew again.

Blood. Dust. Silence.

He struggled to stand.

"Is this it…? Is this where I die…?"

In the Shadow Realm

Shadow watched from afar, panic creeping into his usually calm voice.

"Why isn't he fighting back properly?! Should I summon him?!"

He reached out - but the summoning failed.

"What? Why isn't it working?!"

Then it hit him.

"That damn demon… He's using an artifact. That's why I can't pull Jihoon out. And he's hiding his true level too."

Shadow's expression twisted with fury.

"I need five minutes to destroy the artifact… Damn it! Just hold on, Jihoon… Just a bit longer…"

Back on the battlefield—

Azareth laughed darkly.

"This ends now."

He reached Jihoon, grabbed him by the collar - and began to punch.

Again. And again. And again.

Jihoon's body collapsed, bloodied and broken.

[Critical Warning][HP: 8,500 → 500MP: 6,000 → 400]

"You're just a tool," Azareth whispered. "Even that shadow doesn't care about you. No one does. You're unloved. Unwanted. A failure."

The words hit harder than any punch.

Jihoon's heart cracked.

He couldn't speak.

Couldn't even cry.

He collapsed to his knees.

Inside the Shadow Realm

Shadow clenched his fists. "He's dying…"

He tried again to summon him - nothing.

"Just a little longer…"

Back on the field—

Jihoon was on one knee. His sword slipped from his hand.

His breath came in shallow gasps.

"…Maybe the demon's right," he muttered.

"I've always been weak… Nothing without Shadow… What's the point of strength, if no one loves me?"

His voice broke, tears falling freely.

"I never wanted to fight. I just… wanted someone to stay."

He looked up at the empty sky, bleeding and broken.

"No one ever wanted me. Everyone always runs away…"

A broken laugh escaped his lips.

"If I die here… no one will care. Not even my teacher. I was never special…"

Tears mixed with blood.

"…Maybe it's better this way."

[Critical Warning][HP: 8,500 → 10MP: 6,000 → 0]

He closed his eyes.

"Maybe… death will hurt less than living unloved."

[System Notification]You have been forcefully summoned back to the Shadow Realm.

The pain vanished.

Jihoon opened his eyes.

A familiar silhouette stood before him, surrounded by swirling shadows.

"…Shadow…" he whispered.

And smiled weakly.

Then - he collapsed.