The Rust Quarter was the throbbing, infected heart of Slum Sector 4.
Built from the salvaged hulls of ancient war barges and stacks of rusted shipping containers, the quarter reeked of stale ale, ozone, and cheap sulfur. Overhead, tangled webs of copper wiring hummed with illegally siphoned power, casting a sickly yellow glow across the muddy thoroughfare.
Jin Sparrow moved through the crowded market with an easy, unhurried stride.
His dark emerald coat swayed with each step. The subtle gold embroidery along its collar caught the pale light of the street lamps. To the starved scavengers and desperate low-class Devils huddled in the alleyways, he looked less like someone who belonged in the slums and more like an aristocratic mercenary who had wandered into the gutter out of curiosity.
A few people watched him pass. Others quickly looked away.
Through their shared sensory connection, Mikhael observed everything from his hidden alcove, a mile away.
"A chaotic hive," Pride remarked from the depths of Mikhael's soul core. His voice carried its usual cool disdain. "Lesser beings clinging to scrap iron and pretending they have built something of value."
"And they are willing to kill each other for it," Envy added. Her green eyes glinted in the darkness of his mind. "They fight over copper while the noble Devil houses sit on mountains of magic crystals. How miserable."
Mikhael paid little attention to their commentary. His focus remained on the images streaming through Jin's eyes.
Jin approached a low stone building marked by a rusted iron sign. It depicted a gargoyle with a split throat.
The Bleeding Gargoyle.
According to the information Jin had gathered so far, it was the main watering hole for the district's mercenaries, smugglers, and gang enforcers.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped inside.
Warm, smoke-filled air greeted him. The tavern was crowded. Low-tier demon mercenaries with jagged horns and scarred hides occupied the splintered tables, arguing over card games or drinking mug after mug of fermented sulfur-ale.
Jin made his way to the counter and settled onto an empty stool.
The barkeep, a burly four-eyed demon with thick leather-like skin and one missing horn, glanced at Jin's immaculate coat and gold rings. He placed a heavy stone mug on the counter with a dull thud.
"You look lost, stranger." His four yellow eyes narrowed. "This isn't the Upper District."
"Lost?" Jin gave a quiet chuckle. "I assure you, I'm exactly where I intend to be."
He casually flipped a polished silver coin onto the counter. It spun across the wood before settling between the barkeep's thick fingers.
"I'm looking for business, rumours, and perhaps a little opportunity."
The barkeep pocketed the coin. His posture relaxed, if only slightly.
"Business is easy to find around here. Rumours are even cheaper. So, what are you buying?"
"Information." Jin leaned forward, resting one arm on the counter. "More specifically, I want to know who actually runs this district. I've heard Dregar and Galgos aren't getting along."
The barkeep snorted and wiped the counter with a filthy rag.
"Getting along? That's one way to put it. Dregar's syndicate controls the extortion rackets and weapon rations. Galgos runs the scavengers in the sewer pipes. But three days ago, Galgos's scouts found a collapsed vault near the old iron foundry. Apparently, it contains supplies left behind during the Civil War."
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"What sort of supplies?"
"High-density crystal ore and military-grade iron." The barkeep lowered his voice. "Dregar wants sixty percent of whatever they recover. Galgos refused. Now both sides are preparing for trouble. Dregar's thugs have been patrolling the foundry perimeter, trying to catch Galgos's supply runners."
"That sounds rather expensive."
"It will be, if they start killing each other over it."
Jin placed another silver coin on the counter.
"And what about the people above them? The noble houses?"
The barkeep glanced at the coin before answering.
"The pure-bloods don't care about a gang dispute unless it affects their quotas. As long as the sulfur shipments keep coming, they leave us to rot down here." He paused. "Though I heard a representative from the House of Phenex was seen near the border gates yesterday. Apparently, they're buying low-grade demon cores to use as cheap labour."
Jin's expression remained relaxed, but his golden eyes sharpened.
"How generous of them."
"Generous?" The barkeep gave a humourless laugh. "They'll squeeze every last bit of value out of you before they throw you away."
Inside the alcove, Mikhael's crimson eyes opened.
A conflict over a magic cache. Patrols spread across the district. And a pure-blood house purchasing low-born demons.
He considered the information for a moment.
Then he contacted Jin through their soul link.
"Find me an isolated Dregar patrol route near the foundry perimeter. Somewhere without high-tier oversight."
Jin took a slow sip from his glass. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips.
Already found one, boss. A three-man patrol passes through the alley behind the old foundry every hour. Their levels range from ten to twelve. Nothing particularly impressive.
"Good."
Mikhael rose from his seat.
"It's time for our first harvest."
Part II: Shadow Hunting in Sector 4
By the time Mikhael reached the outskirts of the old iron foundry, the rain had intensified into a steady, freezing downpour.
At barely four feet tall, dressed in tattered rags, he looked like an abandoned child who had wandered too far from shelter. Anyone passing him in the street would have seen little more than a malnourished low-class Devil struggling against the cold.
They would have been mistaken.
Beneath his pale skin, his newly reinforced muscle fibres hummed with strength far beyond what his small frame suggested.
Strength: 25. Agility: 25. Durability: 25.
Mikhael pressed his back against the damp brick wall of an abandoned warehouse. He slowed his breathing and waited.
Farther down the narrow alley, three pairs of iron-shod boots splashed through the sulfurous rainwater.
The patrol had arrived.
Mikhael activated [Record].
His thoughts accelerated. Combat vectors, movement patterns, and possible lines of attack unfolded in his mind. The three targets appeared on his mental display as glowing red figures.
[TARGET INSPECTION]
Target 1 (Point Guard): Dregar Syndicate Thug — Level 11 (Warrior Class)
Target 2 (Mid Guard): Dregar Syndicate Thug — Level 10 (Brute Class)
Target 3 (Rear Guard): Dregar Syndicate Thug — Level 12 (Spearman Class)
The rear guard trailed roughly fifteen paces behind the other two. He dragged a rusted iron spear along the stone floor, apparently more interested in getting out of the rain than watching his surroundings.
Mikhael's gaze settled on him.
That will do.
He moved.
Using his Agility (25), Mikhael slipped out of the shadows and crossed the distance without making a sound. Within moments, he was directly behind the rear guard.
The Level 12 thug never noticed him.
Mikhael drove his right palm into the back of the demon's neck, his fingers reinforced with demonic energy.
"Gluttony."
Crimson and obsidian energy erupted from his palm.
The thug's body jerked. A muffled gasp escaped his throat, but the rain swallowed the sound before it could reach the other two guards.
In less than three seconds, his reserves of Maryoku, blood, and physical essence were drawn into Mikhael's core. His body withered, crumbling into brittle grey ash that scattered across the rain-soaked ground.
[SIN DRAIN ACTIVATED]
Target Consumed: Level 12 Dregar Spearman
Base Yields: +100 EXP, +400 Maryoku, +200 Health/Stamina Recovery.
Mikhael did not wait.
The middle guard turned, apparently sensing something was wrong.
"Hey, Vane, what's taking you so—"
His words died in his throat.
Vane was gone. Only a patch of wet grey ash remained where he had been standing.
The thug's eyes widened. His hand moved towards his weapon.
Before he could raise the alarm, Mikhael stepped into view.
The demon stared at the small figure emerging from the darkness. For a moment, confusion overtook his expression.
Then Mikhael tapped into Envy's Desire Control.
"He's going to kill you."
Envy's voice slipped into the thug's thoughts, amplifying the fear and paranoia already buried there.
"Look at him. Look at those eyes. You know what happens next."
The thug froze.
His breathing became uneven. His grip tightened around his weapon, but his body refused to move. Terror had overwhelmed his ability to think clearly.
Mikhael closed the distance.
He leapt upward and drove a knee reinforced with Strength (25) into the thug's chin.
A sharp crack echoed through the alley.
The brute staggered backwards. Before he could recover, Mikhael caught him by the throat with both hands and activated Sin Drain.
Dark absorption energy flared around them.
Seconds later, the second thug had dissolved into ash.
The lead guard finally turned around.
He drew a heavy iron cleaver from his belt, his expression shifting from confusion to panic.
"What the hell are you?!"
Mikhael looked up at him.
"A predator."
The guard roared and lunged, swinging the cleaver in a wide, desperate arc.
Mikhael ducked beneath the blade. He stepped inside the guard's reach before the demon could recover, then drove his hand into the man's chest, directly over his heart.
Gluttony stirred hungrily within his soul core.
The final guard's life force was consumed before his cleaver could strike the stone wall.
Within thirty seconds, all three gang members had vanished. Not a drop of blood remained on the cobblestones.
Mikhael stood alone in the alley, breathing steadily as the stolen demonic energy flowed into his core.
"Now," he said internally, "apply [Amplifying] to the battle gains."
The System interface flickered.
Since Amplifying operated as a zero-cost growth ability, it required no additional Maryoku to activate. Its multiplier was immediately applied to the rewards from the hunt.
[AMPLIFYING ACTIVE — GAIN MULTIPLIER APPLIED!]
Amplification Factor: 3x Multiplier on System Yields!
Amplified Battle Rewards:
Experience Gained: +300 EXP → +900 EXP!
Maryoku Absorbed: +1,200 → +3,600 Maryoku!
Chime! Chime! Chime!
[LEVEL UP!] [LEVEL UP!]
Level 3 → Level 5 (Experience: 256 / 600)
Bonus Stat Points Earned from Level Up: +20 Stat Points
Total Stat Points Available:20 Stat Points
A warm rush of energy spread through Mikhael's body. His mana core expanded, and the additional demonic energy settled within it.
His total Maryoku capacity had risen to 12,100.
Mikhael examined his new status before allocating the twenty available stat points.
His physical attributes were already balanced. What he needed now was greater mental capacity: sharper judgement, better planning, and more precise control over his abilities.
He distributed the points accordingly.
Intelligence: 15 → 25 (+10)
Wisdom: 15 → 25 (+10)
[STAT ALLOCATION COMPLETE]
Strength: 25
Durability: 25
Agility: 25
Intelligence: 25
Wisdom: 25
Dexterity: 25
Mana (Maryoku): 12,100 / 12,100
With every core attribute now sitting at twenty-five, Mikhael felt a noticeable change.
His thoughts became clearer. He could process information more quickly, and his control over Maryoku felt considerably more refined. Even the voices of the Sins seemed sharper, their words easier to distinguish and filter.
He dismissed the System interface.
Three enemies eliminated. A new level of strength acquired.
It was a useful beginning, but hardly enough to make him a serious threat in the Underworld.
There was still much to do.
Part III: The Fourth Stirring
Mikhael returned to his hidden alcove, pulling his rags tightly around his shoulders as the sulfurous rain continued to fall outside.
He settled against the cold stone wall and opened his System interface.
His attention moved to the [Fate Gacha] tab.
"Initiate Daily Free Invocation."
A golden runic roulette wheel appeared before him. It spun with a soft, ethereal chime before gradually slowing and locking into place.
[GACHA DRAW COMPLETE!]
Item Received:Black Key of Purification (Nasuverse Weapon) — A specialized conceptual throwing dagger forged from reinforced silver-steel. Highly effective against stray demons, curses, and low-grade miasma.
Passive Trait Obtained:[Mental Fortitude (E-Rank)] — Grants 25% resistance against mind-control, charm, and emotional manipulation magic.
A sleek silver dagger materialized in Mikhael's lap.
He picked it up and examined its intricate hilt, testing its weight and balance. It was light, sharp, and easy to conceal. Its design made it suitable for throwing or close-range assassination.
Not a bad reward.
Mikhael slid the Black Key beneath his rags.
Then a heavy, fiery pressure stirred deep within the fourth sleeping layer of his soul core.
A dark, volcanic silhouette opened its blazing crimson eyes in the void.
"A clean hunt," a deep voice growled. It was rough and heavy, like molten steel dragged across stone. Wrath had awakened for the first time.
"No hesitation. No foolish mercy. Blood demands blood."
"Control yourself, fool," Pride replied coldly from his shadow throne. "The child fought with calculation, not blind rage."
"Let Dregar bleed..." Gluttony murmured hungrily. "His magic cache will feed us well."
Mikhael closed his eyes and asserted his authority over the four active presences.
"Silence."
The word carried no anger, only command.
"We move according to the plan."
A moment later, Jin's voice came through their soul connection.
"Boss, Dregar's scouts have noticed the patrol hasn't returned. Alarms are going off across Sector 4. From what I'm hearing, Dregar thinks Galgos's gang ambushed them."
Mikhael's lips curved into a faint, cold smile.
"Let them blame each other."
He looked towards the entrance of his alcove, where the rain continued to fall beyond the stone.
"While they tear each other apart, we'll take the cache."
[END OF CHAPTER 3]