Author's Note:
Hello. This is my first ever fanfiction. Please review it. I plan to write at least 30k words before abandoning it. I am using this platform to practice my writing skills, while writing about something I love.
Prologue - The Regression
In the mystical dungeon of Cregmoth, where the scent of adventure mingled with the aroma of freshly slain enemies, stood a crimson demon named Ryobiru. Fifteen years ago, he found himself reincarnated into this fantastical world, adorned with a shadowy cloak, a menacing spear staff, and the less-than-impressive label of a "Failed Crimson Demon". Despite his subpar stats, Ryobiru navigated the perilous paths of adventuring, his wit and unconventional strategies compensating for his lackluster abilities.
Having triumphed over countless challenges and quirky adversaries, the main character of this story now stands facing his greatest challenge yet, Vorzeth, the archdemon boss of this dungeon. Behind him is the goal of our main character, a mountain of treasure.
Vorzeth appeared formidable with pitch-black dragon-like wings, sharp facial features, and a muscular body seemingly forged from adamantite. His expensive-looking light armor and ominous cape completed the image of a creature uncontested by mere adventurers.
The demon welcomed Ryobiru, making fun of him for arriving alone, assuming his companions had either abandoned him or fallen to their demise in the dungeon. Vorzeth then asked for Ryobiru's class and name, intending to remember him after his inevitable defeat.
However, the demon's assumptions were wrong. Ryobiru had traversed the dungeon's path alone from the start, with no companions to begin with. He mocked the demon, declaring himself a lone, partyless adventurer named Ryobiru, destined to become the strongest of the basic class.
Dumbfounded, Vorzeth sneered, "What the hell is Ryobiru? What kind of goofy name is that?" He ridiculed Ryobiru for being an adventurer, not an archwizard or even an advanced class, and began harassing him with insults and disdainful laughter. "What can a mere adventurer do? I don't know how you made it this far on your own, but this is the most funny thing I've seen in a long while."
With an air of mischief, Ryobiru retorted, "A goofy name? Coming from someone who looks like they couldn't pick a proper name out of a hat. You should be grateful, Vorzeth, I at least have the decency to carry a name, unlike some overgrown winged lizard hiding in the pit of a dungeon. Are you scared that a god will purify you?"
Unfazed by the demon's provocations, Ryobiru, well aware of demon kin's ability to taste negative emotions, refused to react. Instead, he started teasing and taunting Vorzeth, he knew that making an enemy emotional grants one a decided advantage.
The demon, visibly agitated, shot back with venomous words, "You'll regret your insolence, little adventurer. Your mockery won't save you when I tear you apart."
Ryobiru only grinned wider, unfazed by the threat. "Save the theatrics for the afterlife, Vorzeth. I hear the underworld is always in need of a good laugh." The banter between the two adversaries intensified.
Vorzeth took a deep breath, as if calming himself. "I see you aren't releasing negative emotions. You must have a strong spirit. In fact, all I sense from you is amusement." Ryobiru's strategy seemed to be working.
"Come on, Vorzeth! My dinner date is at stake here, and I've got a reservation for two with a lovely succubus. Let's get this show on the road."
Feeling a sudden chill down his throat, Ryobiru suspected the demon had activated an appraisal. "Appraisal, huh?" he nonchalantly inquired, not bothering to hide his amusement.
Vorzeth smirked, surprised that Ryobiru noticed. "I thought you were bluffing, but you really are an adventurer. Your stats are impressive for a mere adventurer, though they won't nearly be enough to defeat me."
With a sly grin, Ryobiru responded, "First time having an appraisal used on me. Usually, I'm the one doing the appraising. Mine only shows vague stat differences, but yours... well, it's quite the show."
The demon, still smirking, suddenly unleashed an intermediate magic spell. "Icicle Lance!" he shouted, launching a barrage of sharp icicles at Ryobiru.
In a swift response, Ryobiru activated the priest class's reflection magic, sending the icicles hurtling back toward Vorzeth. Surprised, the demon unfolded his pitch-black majestic wings and dodged the attack by flying to the side.
Curious about Ryobiru's skills, Vorzeth asked, "You have priest skills?"
In a mocking tone, Ryobiru replied, "Of course, I've got all the skills. Being a jack-of-all-trades has its perks."
Remaining calm, Ryobiru stood his ground, taking the opportunity to taunt the demon with the Crusader class's skill. "You look so worried and uncollected, Vorzeth. Is this the best you've got?" In this moment, he activated the taunting skill from the crusader class.
Fueled by annoyance, Vorzeth declared, "I'll start taking this seriously now!"
Inwardly, Ryobiru chuckled, knowing he had successfully planted the seeds of doubt. The demon wasn't taking this seriously because he considered Ryobiru a formidable opponent, but rather to avoid being mocked.
Vorzeth unleashed a more potent attack, shouting, "Light of Saber!" as a glowing blade of light materialized from his hand. Ryobiru, recognizing that a reflection magic from an adventurer wouldn't work against advanced spells, opted to evade. However, the demon's attack appeared to cut right through him, leaving Vorzeth satisfied for a moment.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from behind Vorzeth, "A seal upon those who are unclean!" Ryobiru had used beginner illusion magic to create a fake clone of himself, followed by the assassin concealment skill to vanish from sight. Additionally, he cast the magic inhibitor curse on himself, rendering him invisible to magic sensing creatures.
Having successfully deceived the demon, Ryobiru quickly dispelled the curse and cast sealing magic on Vorzeth while he reveled in his perceived victory. Catching a powerful demon off guard with such a spell was no small feat, but Ryobiru knew the importance of exploiting moments of confusion to gain the upper hand.
The demon scanned his surroundings in bewilderment, a hint of mockery in his voice. Did this mere adventurer think a seal spell from someone of his class would have any effect? Despite his arrogance, an unexpected weakness overcame him. "What?"
The room transformed, filled with an overwhelming sense of cleanliness and purity. Even the air seemed fresh and cool. "That right there was 2 million eris worth of manatite down the drain!"
Ryobiru chuckled, reveling in his clever strategy. "Heh! Even if my magic is weak, being a member of three religions and borrowing the power of three different goddesses grants me some fearsome purification abilities… also, using expensive manatite had an effect as well. It was mostly the manatite. Power of money investment, baby!"
With step 2 complete, Ryobiru acknowledged his inability to reflect the demon's magic. However, preventing him from casting it was a different matter. Swiftly pulling a magic item from his backpack, he hurled it into the middle of the room.
A sense of foreboding washed over the demon. Was he actually losing? He retreated, enveloping himself in the protective wings and casting a barrier, but it was too late.
The item emitted a blinding light, engulfing the entire room. As the radiance faded, the demon found himself sprawled face-first on the ground. Perplexed, he raised his head, wondering what had transpired.
"That right there was an overpowered useless item made by none other than the legendary Hyoizaburo!"
"The what now?"
The item, created by the legendary craftsman, prevented anyone within its range from using magic, including the user. In this scenario, however, it proved useful.
"No magic allowed in this space; you're on my turf now!" Ryobiru declared as he cast coercion—a skill, not a spell, making it immune to the item's effects. "A demon without magic is nothing other than a sitting duck!"
While the coercion didn't have a profound effect on the demon, he sensed a disadvantage. The main character had been setting the pace of the fight from the beginning.
"You think just by stopping me from using magic, you've won? I still have my skills, you fool." The demon, although confident in overpowering the adventurer in a physical contest, remained cautious, refraining from launching an immediate attack.
A questionable move, Ryobiru pondered. The demon seemed too hesitant to attack, missing the window that would have disrupted his future plans. However, victory was assured either way.
"What's wrong, scared?" Ryobiru taunted, seemingly counterproductive as he didn't want him to attack, but he was just employing reverse psychology.
"I won't fall for your taunts," the demon responded, finally taking the situation seriously. Bingo!
Unfortunately, the only move ensuring his survival was to run away, abandoning his treasure, but getting to kill the demon wasn't something to complain about. Even if the demon attacked now, all it would've cost Ryobiru was a few expensive defensive items, but it wouldn't have been a significant setback.
Seizing the opportunity, Ryobiru activated concealment, and the demon stood alert, sensing the magical presence but feeling it move away, confused. Was it heading toward his treasure?
Once Ryobiru reached the treasure, he deactivated concealment. "Did you know? The effect of the magic item doesn't reach all the way over here. I can use teleportation magic to escape and steal all the treasure while I'm at it."
"You cowardly bastard!" the demon screamed, dashing forward in a blinding speed.
"Woah!" Ryobiru hadn't expected such speed. He miscalculated!
With sheer force, the demon stabbed through Ryobiru's abdomen. "Shit!" he thought. This guy's physical strength rivaled that of a high-level sword master!
Leaning in, the demon sneered, "Heh! It was pointless to be wary of a coward like you. You just threw me off because of your confidence!"
"Well, I guess it's time for my backup plan," Ryobiru thought. Originally intending to teleport the treasure away and then lure the demon into a trap, he had to switch the order around. Activating the teleportation magic he had been preparing, he whisked both of them to another location.
Under normal circumstances, getting stabbed would break concentration, causing the spell to dissipate. However, Ryobiru possessed the pain nullification berserker skill, rendering it a non-issue.
The demon, his hand still impaling Ryobiru's abdomen, remarked on the adventurer's resilience for managing to cast the magic despite the interruption. He then surveyed the room, recognizing it as one floor above the boss room, but it was vastly different. A giant magic circle adorned the floor and ceiling, accompanied by numerous smaller circles on the walls.
"A trap?"
"Too late," Ryobiru exclaimed, tearing a piece of paper from his chest pocket while the demon observed the room.
Attempting to decapitate Ryobiru with a swift arm swing, the demon froze in place as the paralysis magic circle activated, fueled by expensive manatite. Both of them stood motionless, bombarded by an array of holy magic.
As the radiant light dimmed, Ryobiru found himself lying on the floor, paralyzed by his own magic circle, alone. The hole in his abdomen had completely healed thanks to the holy magic. Sensing a surge of power, he realized he had reached level 100 at last.
After the paralysis wore off he stood up, dusting off his jet black cloak, Ryobiru couldn't help but smirk as he reveled in his less than honorable victory.
As the crimson demon basked in the afterglow of his latest conquest, he checked his adventurer card, a mystical parchment detailing his progress and achievements. A glint of surprise crossed his face when he noticed a new option – "Limit Break." Intrigued, Ryobiru hesitated only briefly before selecting the mysterious choice.
Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of dizziness engulfed him. The world blurred, and his surroundings twisted into a kaleidoscope of colors. The sensation was akin to being caught in the spin cycle of a chaotic washing machine. Disoriented and groggy, Ryobiru clutched his head, trying to make sense of the bizarre occurrence.
.
.
.
Waking up, Ryobiru found himself lying in an unfamiliar space. "Right, the dungeon. If I didn't fall asleep in this fortified room, I would have gotten killed in my sleep." He pondered his luck before a sense of weakness gripped him, and he glanced down at his hands, only to be met with the sight of diminished power. The crimson glow that had defined his being now appeared faint, and his once formidable stats were reduced to those of a mere beginner.
"Limit Break," he muttered incredulously, realizing that the euphoria of breaking his limits had come at a cost. Ryobiru, once a level 100 adventurer, now stood weakened and stripped of his former prowess.
Shaking off the remnants of the strange experience, Ryobiru assessed his situation. With a resigned sigh, Ryobiru acknowledged that his once-imposing power had been reset to that of a novice. A wry smile crossed his face as he contemplated the absurdity of his situation. However, the crimson demon was not one to wallow in self-pity for long.
"I came here with hopes of claiming the treasure, but my current predicament prevents me from descending to the floor below. To make matters worse, the ability to use teleportation magic has slipped through my fingers, along with my stats, skills, and accumulated skill points bidding me farewell."
"What a nuisance. I should have exercised more caution. Now, what's my next move?" The only escape route available is a teleportation scroll leading to the beginner town of Axel, a destination he intended to visit after conquering the dungeon.
Rummaging through his backpack, He finds only a few demon-slaying magic items, some intermediate-level manatite, and around 230k eris. "Even if I manage to make my way to Axel, not having teleportation prevents me from accessing my secret hideout. It seems I'm left with limited resources for now."
Perhaps it's fitting to venture into the beginner town in a state of regression to level one. "I'd rather avoid the Crimson Demon village in my current condition; being labeled a failure due to average stats is far from pleasant." The thought of enduring mockery and scorn discouraged him from considering the village as an option.
However, the challenge of leveling up solo loomed over him. His initial levels were achieved with the help of instructors at the Crimson Academy freezing monsters for him. Now, he must seek out companions, a prospect that didn't sit well with him. Recalling his experiences in the capital, attempting to join forces with others resulted in mockery and the burden of carrying their belongings once they discovered my class.
"Perhaps the beginner town will prove more forgiving. I'll take my chances there and, if unsuccessful, explore alternative strategies." As for this concept of 'limit breaking,' it was a term unfamiliar to him. The adventurer class is relatively easy to level, making it rare for any other class to reach level 100. Most individuals opt for class switches from adventurer, making such an achievement even rarer; even the king of the kingdom stands at level 95. "Whatever, as I continue my journey, the effects of limit breaking should gradually reveal themselves."
In a display of resilience and resourcefulness, Ryobiru reached into his backpack and retrieved his last teleportation magic scroll. With a decisive incantation and a flourish of his hand, he vanished from the spot, leaving behind a gust of displaced air.
In an instant, he reappeared at the heart of Axel, surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the beginner town. The adventurers milling about cast curious glances at the crimson demon, who had materialized out of thin air.
"Alright, here goes nothing."
Prologue - End