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Jason's body screamed in protest, every nerve alight with agony as the Domain's retribution tore through him. The failed Dimensional Slash 500 points poured into a vow-powered strike that should have ended it all backlashed with merciless precision. Deep gashes erupted across his flesh, not mere cuts but ravines of cursed judgment, carving into muscle and bone without spilling a drop of blood at first. Then the red welled up, hot and insistent, staining his clothes as his reverse cursed technique kicked in, threads of energy knitting the wounds closed inch by torturous inch. He gritted his teeth, forcing his mind to stay sharp amid the haze of pain. 'Three options,' he thought, analyzing even as his body rebuilt itself. 'Dimensional Slash is out too physical, too tied to existence. Neron's contract with every demon in Hell redirects it like a lightning rod. Spreads the damage, lets him walk away unscathed.'
His gaze locked on Neron, who stood whole and mocking, the bisected halves of his form already reformed as if the slash had been a mere illusion. The faint echoes of demonic screams lingered in the golden flames, a chorus of distant suffering from Hell's legions absorbing the blow. Jason's mind raced on. 'Soul Slash... on paper, it's perfect. Strikes the essence directly, ignores the body. But this is Hell. Souls are currency here, twisted and traded like poker chips. Neron's claimed thousands demons, humans, whatever he's bound in his contracts. He could deflect it, sacrifice a pawn to shield his core. Too risky.'
The pain spiked, a fresh wave as the Domain's judgment lingered, but Jason pushed through, his reverse technique accelerating, sealing the deepest lacerations. 'And Death Slash... that's the nuclear option. Inflicts true end, no regeneration, no redirection. But if it hits Neron, does it ripple through his contracts? Kill every demon tied to him? I need subjects to rule, not a graveyard. And Death herself... she might not care about mortals or demons, but breaking the cycle that badly? She'd yank this power back faster than I could blink.'
Neron's laughter cut through the void, low and resonant, the sound of a victor savoring the moment. "Impressive, Jason Anderson. Truly. To gather that many points, to weave vows like a spider's web... only to watch it unravel." He tilted his head, chains clinking softly, his eyes gleaming with that infernal intellect. "I feel almost pity for you. A human thrust into our games, wielding powers from beyond this reality, and yet... still bound by the same chains."
Jason straightened despite the lingering ache, cursed energy stabilizing his form. "Pity? Save it. You're the one hiding behind a million shields."
Neron's smile widened, unfazed. "Perhaps. But pity can be merciful. Let me offer you a deal—one last chance to walk away from this farce."
Jason raised an eyebrow, his predatory instincts flaring. He knew a trap when he smelled one—Neron didn't offer mercy without strings. But curiosity gnawed; the Domain's mechanics were still unfolding, and every word could reveal a crack. "I'm listening. But make it quick."
Neron's voice turned silky, weaving intent like a contract in the making. "Simple. If i vow that you do not know who I truly am. You promise to vow that you know me...In that case, We aren't gaining points...We are wagering....Winner takes all...Loser takes damage? What do you say?...I'm handing out charity right now..."
Jason's mind sharpened. 'He's baiting me. Playing with perception, like everything else in this damned court. But why? To force a counter-vow? Test my knowledge?' He met Neron's gaze, unflinching. "Aren't you Neron? The self-proclaimed Demon God wannabe?"
Neron chuckled, shaking his head. "That's for you to figure out. Invoke a vow in return—promise you know me—and we'll let the Domain judge."
Confusion flickered in Jason's thoughts, but he sensed the play. Refusing meant conceding ground, letting Neron control the narrative. To understand the Domain's quirks, to probe Neron's endgame, he had to engage. "Fine. I vow that I know exactly who you are."
The flames exploded upward, evaluating the claim's improbability—Jason, an outsider, claiming insight into Neron's core? The Domain slapped a heavy value on it, recognizing the risk.
[VOW REGISTERED]
[Speaker: Jason]
[Content: Jason knows Neron's true identity]
[Wager: 200 points]
The flames stirred, assessing the vow's audacity—knowledge of identity, in a realm of deception? Unlikely to resolve cleanly, but weighted with hidden layers.
Jason's pulse quickened slightly. 'Two hundred? The Domain thinks this is a long shot. Either it's expecting some twist, or Neron's layered deeper than I thought.' The golden void hummed with tension, the vows hanging like loaded dice.
Neron smiled as he spoke "I vow that you have no idea who i am"
[VOW REGISTERED]
[Speaker: Neron]
[Content: Jason does not know Neron's true identity]
[Wager: 100 points]
Jason instantly noticed that the domain thinks Neron will win this according to the wager points it assigned to his vow in comparison to Jason's vow
Neron's expression remained serene. "Well? Speak your truth."
Jason's mind whirled through possibilities. 'Two angles. One: Perpetua's influence. He's her puppet, her shadow in Hell. The Domain might value that as hidden knowledge. Or two: A mind game. He's just Neron—plain and infernal. Overthinking it hands him the win.' He weighed the odds, the Domain's bias toward the unlikely. But instinct screamed simplicity. "You are Neron."
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. Then Neron threw his head back and laughed—a deep, booming sound that shook the flames. "Wrong."
The Domain pulsed, judgment swift and merciless.
[VOW RESOLVED]
[Winner: Neron]
[Jason's vow failed: 200 points transferred]
[Damage inflicted: 200 points equivalent]
Agony ripped through Jason anew, ethereal slashes manifesting across his soul-bound form, deeper than before. Reverse cursed technique surged instinctively, healing the spiritual wounds, but the pain blurred his vision momentarily. Neron gained 300 points total—his 100 plus Jason's 200—his tally swelling dangerously.
As Jason steadied himself, Neron's face shifted. His skin flushed crimson, veins pulsing with unholy fire. Blonde hair darkened at the roots, and from his forehead, two curved red horns erupted, twisting upward like crowns of damnation. His eyes burned with a new, ancient malice. "Wrong," he repeated, voice deepening into a guttural echo. "I am Satan."
Jason's eyes widened, realization crashing like a domain shatter. 'The switch... just like Azrael. He can toggle identities, bend the perception. The Domain saw him as Satan in that moment, not Neron. Rule-bending bastard.'
Satan's smile widened, fangs glinting. "You dared decline my offer earlier. I decided I'd found a better host—one with wits to match the power."
"I've killed your host once," Jason growled, cursed energy flaring despite the chains. "I'll do it again."
Satan's laugh reverberated. "This host was quite smarter than the last... isn't that right, Neron?" Half his face paled back to normal, one horn retracting, the features splitting in a grotesque duality. The Neron half spoke, voice overlapping in eerie harmony. "With all my points... I summon the Hell Council."
Jason's confusion spiked. 'Hell Council? What the—'
The golden flames churned violently, the ground of the Domain splitting open like fractured stone. From the depths rose figures, materializing in bursts of infernal energy—chained just like them, souls bound to the court's law. Azazel emerged first, wings unfurled, his angelic armor gleaming with dark stains. Beelzebub followed, bloated form buzzing with flies, corrosion dripping from his steps. Belial completed the triad, lean and cloaked in rotating sigils, his eyes sharp as daggers.
They weren't illusions. They weren't revived dead. They were real—flesh and infernal essence, as alive as they'd been in the tournament.
Azazel laughed, a cold, echoing sound. "The plan took far too long for a mere human to unravel."
Beelzebub's wings twitched, his voice a swarm of whispers. "I've waited to crush you since you stepped into our realm."
Belial's grin was precise, calculating. "For such a dangerous existence... we must all work together."
Neron now fully himself again, horns receded—smiled widest of all, his presence swelling with triumph. "They were working for me all along. Every defeat, every 'loss'—preparation. I've been weaving this web forever."
The Domain accepted them seamlessly, chains snapping around their souls, integrating the newcomers into its unyielding law. The flames stabilized, the rules unchanged, but the battlefield transformed. No longer one-on-one. Now four against one—or five, if Satan's lingering essence counted as the shadow puppeteer.
Jason's mind raced amid the shock, cursed energy coiling for the inevitable storm. 'Outnumbered, but the Domain binds them too. Wits still rule here... but now the game's stacked.' He cracked his neck, a faint grin tugging despite the odds. "Bring it."
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If you Like this story! Check out my other story ! Shadow Monarch in Danmachi!
AND
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patréon at
"https://www.patréon.com/Riadooo"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !