My last memory was the battle against the specter. My body was utterly exhausted, every breath a struggle, every movement an endless agony. But I didn't give up. With my final strength, I unleashed my most powerful ability and finally managed to seal the specter.
After sealing the specter, I looked up at the sky, my sword planted in the ground as I leaned on it. A deep relief and triumphant sensation washed over me. My breathing steadied, and my body relaxed, freed from the weight of battle. But in an instant, everything changed. An intense pain struck my back, and darkness enveloped me. I couldn't do anything but fall.
My mind emerged from the memory, but the pain lingered. What happened after I fell? Regaining consciousness, I found myself surrounded by darkness. A growing unease churned inside me. My heart pounded with anxiety, anticipating an unknown fate. Is this the end, or just the beginning of something worse?
I sank into useless thoughts, bored and desperate. "Why does this always happen to me?!" I shouted. At that moment, I remembered Sofia. "Sofia!" I called out.
The darkness slowly dissipated, and a familiar voice responded: "My lord, what do you need?"
"Sofia, where are we?" I asked desperately.
"You are dead, my lord," Sofia replied with infuriating calm.
"Dead? What do you mean?" I shot back, confused.
"Exactly that, my lord. You died. But don't worry—your soul has already been reconstructed," Sofia explained.
"Sofia, this isn't the time for games! How do I return?" I insisted.
"My lord, you don't understand. Your soul is ready to return to your body… but there's a small problem," Sofia said with a dramatic pause.
"What problem?" I demanded impatiently.
"It seems your body is currently occupied by a group of ghosts playing a card game," Sofia answered, her voice dead serious.
"What?! Sofia, stop messing with me!" I yelled.
Sofia's voice faded, leaving me with more questions than answers. Then, I felt something pulling me back into the darkness.
Before I could curse Sofia for her unhelpful answers, I abruptly woke up. My heart still raged with fury.
Opening my eyes, I saw a young woman sitting beside me. Her face was serene, but she startled when she noticed I was awake.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed, jolting upright. "Who are you?!"
The young woman leaped to her feet, eyes wide. "What… what are you?!" she demanded.
"What do you mean?" I replied.
She recoiled as if afraid. "You… you can't be real," she said.
I had no time to respond. The girl slapped me so hard I flew backward. I crashed into the wall with a loud thud.
The impact left me dazed. I heard the girl shriek: "You won't escape, demon!"
When my vision cleared, I saw her charging at me with a flaming candelabra. Her face was twisted with fury and fear.
"Wait!" I tried to yell.
"You'll die now, demon!" she screamed, launching a devastating strike. I laughed bitterly, thinking of the irony—already dead, yet dying again.
"Skill analysis complete. Survival probability: 0%…" Sofia's voice echoed in my head.
"Sofiaaaa, what do I do?!" I cried out desperately.
No response.
"Sofia, don't ignore me now!" I pleaded.
Sofia's voice returned, analyzing the situation: "Dragon Fist skill copied successfully. Initiating summoning circle to counter hostile intent."
"Specter…" Sofia finally said.
"Specter!" I shouted.
"Quiet already—you're insufferable," Sofia snapped irritably. "Repeat after me: I release you from the seal I imposed. I free you from the prison where I confined you. Now you are free. Emerge, specter, and serve me."
I grimaced but obeyed, shouting the words: "I RELEASE YOU FROM THE SEAL I IMPOSED! I FREE YOU FROM THE PRISON WHERE I CONFINED YOU! NOW YOU ARE FREE. EMERGE, SPECTER, AND SERVE ME!"
Instantly, a summoning circle appeared on the floor, and dark energy erupted. The specter emerged from the dimensional prison, scythe in hand.
The girl froze mid-attack, stunned.
The specter stepped between us, bewildered. "Who are you?" the girl asked.
"Death itself," the specter replied with a grin.
The girl laughed like a maniac. "You're a funny demon," she said.
The specter chuckled. "And you're either very brave… or very foolish," he retorted.
As they stared each other down, the specter—unaware he'd been freed—and I—clueless about what I'd summoned—stood in confusion.
"Sofiaaaa, who did you make me summon?!" I yelled. "You know I barely sealed him!"
The specter stared at me, laughing. "I thought you'd be stronger," he taunted. "But here you are, cornered by a girl. I refuse to help."
Sofia's laughter rang in my mind. "Hahahaha! Enjoy the show, my lord," she mocked. "I told you not to be so weak. Now have fun with your new… friend? Enemy? Who knows?"
Her laughter crescendoed, her amusement palpable.
"Sofia, this isn't funny!" I shouted.
Sofia's laughter cut off, her tone turning serious. "Apologies, my lord. But you must learn to handle your abilities. You can't always rely on me."
Doubting Sofia's motives, I asked: "Sofia, how do I make the specter defend me?"
Sofia replied monotonously: "My lord, the answer lies around you. But I'll explain briefly. In this world, the law of strength reigns. Monsters and entities like the specter lack names because naming them is dangerous for humans. Without a name, they can't develop ultimate skills. Some submit to mediocre masters for benefits."
"And you, Sofia?" I asked. "Did you benefit when I named you?"
Sofia fell silent. Electricity surged through my body. Then she replied: "Immunity to paralysis acquired." She ignored me afterward.
Armed with this knowledge, I turned to the specter: "Help me, and I'll give you a name."
The specter and the girl froze, stunned by my offer.
The girl scoffed: "Are you insane?!" The specter nodded in agreement.
A third voice boomed with thunderous laughter: "HAHAHAHAHA! This is hilarious!"
The girl paled, recognizing the voice. A figure emerged from the shadows—a man with bronze skin, standing nearly 6'1". His body was a masterpiece of muscle, sculpted like a god's creation. His deep blue eyes glowed with intensity, and his jet-black hair cascaded like silk. His smile radiated like sunlight.
The girl knelt, trembling. "My lord…" The specter hid behind me like a scared child.
A warning flashed in my mind: "Danger level: God. Lethal intent detected."
Before I could react, my body moved on its own, barely dodging a strike from the god-like being.
Sofia commanded: "My lord, leave this to me. You're not ready to face him."
"Show me what you've got, partner!" I yelled.
Sofia activated skills: "Rapid Perception activated. Healing Kai activated. Resistances boosted."
The god laughed. "HAHA! You're good, kid. First mortal to dodge my strike."
He moved inhumanly fast, appearing behind me for another attack. My body auto-dodged again.
Sofia sounded annoyed: "Even with Rapid Perception, I can't track his moves. Without Healing Kai, you'd be dead."
The battle raged—my body dodging relentlessly. My heart raced, breath ragged.
Finally, I counterattacked. My aura flared, summoning magic circles. "Chaos Rain!" I unleashed dark energy bullets like a machine gun.
The god dodged effortlessly. Over 100 magic circles fired at full power—still no hits.
He laughed. "Good firepower, kid, but you'll run out of mana."
As I kept firing, Sofia grew frustrated. The god retorted: "Let's counter. I want to see your potential."
Suddenly, 100 gates appeared around him: "Gates of Eternal Shadows." They unleashed energy orbs dwarfing my attacks.
Sofia smirked: "Just what I wanted. Gates of Eternal Shadows—copied successfully." My magic circles vanished as my mana drained.
The god halted, amused. "You okay?"
I spat: "In battle, never ask if your enemy's okay!" Sofia shouted: "Gates of Eternal Shadows!" 200 gates surrounded me, unleashing dark entities.
"Unlike you, I maximize stolen skills," I taunted.
The god grinned. "Bold! Stealing my move?"
The dark entities grappled him as I added "Chaos Rain." 200 magic circles bombarded him.
A warning blared: "Mana below 10%. Overuse may cause fatal consequences."
"Sofia, stop! I'll run out!" I yelled.
Sofia cackled madly, attacking nonstop. The god chuckled: "Ahh, ahh—"
A figure materialized behind me and punched me into a mountain 1,000 meters away. The impact buried me in rubble.
The god ordered the specter and girl to check if I survived.
I emerged from the debris, cloaked in dark aura. "Sofia, enough!" I roared.
My body moved autonomously. A dark dragon erupted from my fist, striking the god. He barely flinched.
Exhausted and mana-drained, I collapsed. The god laughed. "You're entertaining, kid, but no match for me."
Regaining control, I hissed: "Cheating won't work. Show your real self!"
The god's clone faded. His true form emerged, laughing. "You passed my test."
The girl asked: "My lord, what were you really seeking?"
He smiled. "Finally found my best friend. Never thought a human could keep up with a Dragon God like me—let alone nearly die trying."
I lay battered and confused. "Dragon God? Explain."
He healed me with "Hell," restoring my mana and strength. "Why seek a friend?" I asked.
"I didn't expect someone who'd match my pace and humor," he said, offering a hand. "Name?"
I stood, grinning. "Sora. No last name. Thanks for the heal… friend."
He laughed. "Audacious! Stole two skills in one day!"
"Call me Ryoga, one of the Six Dragon Gods. You, Sora, are my best friend."
Ryoga proposed: "Let's share a divine protection and a surname. How about Kōjin?"
"Kōjin—god of calamity and renewal. Perfect," I said.
Sofia announced: "Divine protection acquired."
Ryoga telepathically added: "I know you're from another world. No matter. Our destinies are now intertwined."
The specter knelt, awestruck. "Lord Sora! Let me serve you!"
Ryoga teased: "Looks like you've got a fan. Name him."
I declared: "Your name is Zero."
Light erupted as Zero evolved into a sublime being—divinely handsome, clad in night itself.
Ryoga laughed. "Thought he'd become a monster, but he's… intense."
Zero worshipped me endlessly. "Sora-sama, my god, my savior!"
Ryoga smirked. "You've got a problem, Sora."
I asked Ryoga about the girl. He shrugged. "She's just a worshipper. Never named her."
As she left, I asked Ryoga: "Teach me another skill. I'll steal it."
He laughed. "Greedy friend! What are these manga in your memories?"
Sofia transferred manga and anime into reality. Ryoga devoured them, ecstatic.
Zero suggested: "Lord Sora, build an empire here!"
"A kingdom… Good idea, Zero," I said, ignoring his endless praises. This'll give me a headache.