Kain awoke to a dragging sensation, a gradual pull that felt like it was tearing him apart at the waist. The first thing he registered was the rough friction along his back, something abrasive scraping against his scales as he was pulled across the ground. Then he became aware of the weight around his leg.
A chain was wrapped tightly around it.
He kept his eyes closed, concentrating on his shallow breaths. The metal links dug into his skin, shifting with every tug, reminding him of his imprisonment. He fought the urge to move, understanding that his captor was powerful, effortlessly dragging him without any hurry or concern for what it bore.
Every instinct told him that resistance would spell disaster, so he remained still.
Time slipped by, marked only by the dull sound of dragging and the steady rhythm of heavy footsteps. At some point, the terrain had shifted beneath him; rough stone had given way to a softer surface akin to fine sand, yet chillingly cold.
Finally, the dragging stopped.
The chain loosened, allowing his leg to drop against the ground with a dull thud. Kain waited a moment before cautiously opening his eyes a fraction.
What greeted him was a transformed world.
The sky had lost its blackness; it was a pale purple, stretching infinitely above him. A sizable moon hung in the sky, casting a gentle glow that illuminated everything without creating shadows. The unearthly light imbued the landscape with an unsettling quiet.
Drawing himself up slightly, Kain peered ahead.
Not far off, a massive skull-shaped structure loomed, rising from the sandy ground. Its jagged edges and hollow eye sockets exuded a sense of foreboding. It seemed less a construction and more an entity claimed from the land.
His gaze shifted, and that was when he saw it—the creature that had dragged him.
Resembling an enormous beetle, its thick, armor-like body was dull and uneven. Two powerful forelimbs rested against the ground, jagged spikes adorning them as if designed for tearing rather than defense. Chains dangled from its shoulders—the very chains that had ensnared his leg.
Kain forced himself to remain motionless.
The beetle turned and entered the skull structure without looking back, the sound of its footsteps echoing within.
Only then did Kain make his move.
He pushed himself up and grasped the chain binding his leg. Up close, he could see the thick links, not perfect but possessing small weaknesses where the metal had been bent. Testing it, he twisted his body and pulled, but met with resistance at first. Regaining his grip, he used his whole body to tug again.
The chain creaked, shifting slightly.
Good.
He worked quickly, pulling and straining until the links loosened enough to progressively work them apart when the moment came.
Then he heard the sound of something heavy shifting inside the structure, coming closer. Kain dropped back down, going limp just as the beetle emerged.
He slowed his breaths.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the creature carrying a hefty pot, moving toward a crude setup near the entrance—two logs anchored into the ground with a metal rod placed across them.
The beetle carefully set the pot down and adjusted it over the rod.
Kain's gaze flicked to the flames igniting beneath it—still small, but growing steadily.
As the chain tightened again, Kain had had enough. His eyes shot open, and with all his strength, he yanked his leg back, tearing the chain apart with a sharp crack.
He leapt to his feet.
The beetle reacted instantly, emitting a piercing screech that sliced through the air as it charged at him. Kain barely had time to brace himself before it collided with him.
The impact struck his chest like a hammer, lifting him off the ground before he crashed back into the sand. Air expelled from his lungs in a harsh cough.
Rolling onto his side, he fought to breathe. His shoulder ached faintly from an earlier arrow wound, but the pain was manageable.
Pushing himself upright, he muttered, "Alright. You don't waste time, it seems."
The beetle charged again, forelimbs slamming down, spikes aimed at him.
Kain dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack that smashed into the ground in his place, sending sand scattering.
Seizing the opportunity, he struck out with his left hand against the creature's armored body.
His claws scraped across the tough surface without inflicting damage, and he quickly withdrew his hand.
"…figures."
Another swing from the beetle forced him to retreat. Keeping his distance, Kain raised his hand slightly. "Listen, we can work something out. I have access to souls. Human ones."
The creature showed no signs of backing down.
"I'm serious," he insisted, taking a step back as the beetle lunged again. "You don't need to eat me for that."
It lunged once more.
Kain exhaled deeply. "Yeah, alright."
The beetle moved faster than he anticipated, its forelimb shooting forward.
Kain attempted to block it.
The impact rattled his arm, pain shooting up as it resonated through his claws. Something cracked.
He quickly pulled back.
His claws—
Small fractures marred their surface.
Not good.
The beetle pressed forward relentlessly, refusing him a chance to recover. He dodged one strike, then another, but a third grazed his side, sending him stumbling.
Steadying himself, he panted harder.
"Okay… not a foe I can break."
Circling around, Kain studied the creature's formidable armor.
Except...
His eyes flicked to the joints.
There.
But before he could act, the beetle charged anew. Instinctively, Kain raised his left hand to defend. The claws absorbed the hit.
And shattered.
Fragments flew from his fingers, leaving his hand exposed.
Kain's breath caught.
Seizing the opportunity, the beetle lunged again, catching his right arm before he could react.
For a split second, there was resistance. Then it tore his arm clean from its socket.
The pain was immediate and all-consuming. Kain screamed as he staggered back, blood gushing from the wound, his vision blurring as he fought to remain upright.
Ragged breaths filled the air.
"Damn it…"
The beetle advanced once more. Kain struggled to focus through the agony; he couldn't oppose it directly—not like this.
He cast a glance at the skull structure, then back to the fire pit, and finally to the scattered chains.
An idea sparked.
With the beetle lunging at him, Kain pushed himself forward despite his injuries, sprinting toward the structure and snatching one of the loose chains.
The beetle kept pursuit.
Kain dragged the chain behind him, letting it trail on the ground. At the last possible moment, he turned and threw it low, wrapping it partially around one of the creature's legs.
Though it didn't fully hinder the beetle, it slowed it just enough. Snatching the metal rod from the fire pit, he winced as it burned his hand, but he pushed through.
The beetle broke free and charged again, but Kain stepped forward and thrust the heated rod toward the joint in its limb.
This time his attack found its mark. The beetle screeched, its body bucking violently as Kain pressed harder, driving the metal deeper.
The creature slammed into him, sending them both crashing to the ground.
Gritting his teeth, Kain seized the chain again, wrapping it around the injured limb.
"Come on…"
The beetle thrashed, desperate to escape. Kain pulled with all his remaining strength.
As the chain tightened, he felt the joint strain before finally succumbing. The limb collapsed under the pressure.
The beetle's movements faltered.
Kain didn't relent.
He grasped a jagged piece of bone from the ground and drove it into the softer area beneath its head.
Once. Twice. Again and again.
The creature's movements slowed to a crawl, then stilled. Kain fell back, breathing heavily, his body trembling with exhaustion.
For a moment, he lay there, taking in the stillness, when a large mote rose from the beetle's body. It was unlike any he had encountered before.
Kain stared at it, inhaling deeply. The instant he absorbed the energy, it rushed through him like a tidal wave.
This surge was heavier than before, filling every part of him, which momentarily blurred his vision.
Then, the system materialized.
[Conditions for ascension met.]
Kain blinked, trying to comprehend.
"…what, ascension?"
The words shifted in response.
[Ascension into higher rank of demon commencing.]
Before he could process what was happening, his body locked in place.
Energy enveloped him, thick and suffocating, pulling inward as if trying to compress him.
A cocoon formed around him.
His vision faded to darkness as he felt the steady pulse of energy reshaping him from within.
Then, everything fell silent.