IBMATG 42

chapter 42

I am a demon.

A demon who has awakened from a long slumber and finally regained my body.

People call me Angra Mainyu.

From now on, I will control Yu Shin-woo, this body.

Thump! Thump! Thump! …Kuuung…!

I see Markosias charging forward.

The scene slows down.

Huuuuuh.

Soon, time in the world stops, and my consciousness is drawn into a deep abyss.

I slip into my inner imagery world, somewhere between the material plane and the ether plane.

‘…What a mess.’

The imagery world I reached looks like a world ravaged by war, destroyed and desolate.

This is a reflection of my body’s current broken state.

Life Force: 3 / 3
Mana: 0 / 0
Strength: 1 (+0)
Vitality: 1 (+0)
Reflexes: 1 (+0)
Concentration: 1 (+0)
Willpower: 126 (+5)(+0)

Even looking at the system’s status window, it’s obvious.

All my mana has leaked out, leaving 0, and my stats are at rock bottom.

This body is basically that of a dying person; it wouldn’t be surprising if it perished at any moment.

‘Tsk. He seemed to have worked hard.’

All the power this body had accumulated has turned to ashes and vanished.

It’s a shame, but regretting it won’t bring it back.

Still, I haven’t lost everything.

The many guardian spirits I’ve absorbed and the power of Azidahaka, plus the Ether Weapon that replaced my heart.

This is enough material to revive this body.

Kwarrrr! Kukung!

But then, suddenly, a storm of blood rages through the imagery world.

From the sky of the barren desert, red rainstorms accompanied by lightning pour down.

Kuoohhh!

Along with it comes the roar of a raging monster.

Finally, through the dark clouds, the creature responsible for the roar appears.

Kwarrr!

The monster has three heads, scales as black as the abyss, and wings sharp as blades flaring from its back.

The Evil Dragon, Azidahaka.

A creature that exists solely for destruction and slaughter.

‘Ah, it’s been a while.’

My creation has descended here.

‘Come here.’

I reached out my hand toward it.

Kuoohh!

But perhaps because it’s been too long since we last met, Azidahaka doesn’t recognize its master and charges at me as if to attack.

‘You can’t do that. How dare you.’

I need to remind it of its master’s authority.

Locking eyes, I emitted malice.

Kruoooh!

Azidahaka, flying toward me, suddenly changes direction and flees.

It ran as if it were prey encountering a predator, using all its strength.

But I did nothing and remained still.

After all, this is the imagery world of this body.

Even if it tried to leave, it couldn’t escape; it would eventually reappear before me.

And then it would bow properly to its master.

Growl…

Just like now.

‘Yes, that’s right. That’s how it should be.’

After a while, Azidahaka returned, growling, and laid flat on its belly.

I patted its head.

Then I commanded it:

‘Give me all your power.’

Kuung. Gogo-go-go.

At the same time, the heavens and earth began to tremble.

The process of revival for this dead body had begun.

The storm stopped, and the desolate ground of the imagery world began to crack.

From beneath the land, red lava—no, red blood—surged toward the sky.

Kwaaaah!

The sticky, crimson liquid formed a massive shape.

A dragon of similar size to Azidahaka appeared.

The difference? It had only one head.

Krrr…

I quickly realized its identity.

‘The Demon Dragon Fafnir.’

During the previous absorption of Sigurd’s soul, the dragon heart of Fafnir, which had taken residence inside him, combined with Azidahaka’s evil dragon magic.

As a result, the blood in this body now holds the power of two dragons.

Two dragons’ power doesn’t double the strength—it actually reduces efficiency because their natures conflict.

‘I don’t need the power of some low-tier dragon like Fafnir. I’ll leave only Azidahaka’s power.’

The Fafnir blood, which only existed spiritually, had done its job.

To purify the blood in my body into Azidahaka’s essence, I destroyed the Fafnir-shaped blood mass before me.

Paaat.

A flick of my finger was enough.

Everything in the imagery world is realized or destroyed according to my will—the spirit of this body.

And this affects the body in reality.

<Evil Dragon Blood>

• Azidahaka’s blood flows in your body. Dragon blood is the source of all power.

Thus, my traits were changed.

From now on, this body’s energy source is Azidahaka’s power itself.

‘Now, it’s time to reconstruct the bones.’

This is far from over.

To wield such immense power freely, a solid foundation is required.

A normal human body won’t do.

Especially a frail body like this; merely containing the dragon blood would collapse it.

So, the body itself must be completely renewed.

Fortunately, I have the perfect material.

It is embedded in my chest.

‘Ether Metal.’

An Ether Weapon that can freely change volume, mass, and shape according to its user’s soul.

I forcibly fuse this Ether Metal into my bones and organs.

Kugugugung. Tteoteong. Bang.

The desolate ground is ripped away.

In its place, a shining silver metal fills in.

The red blood fountain flows beneath the metallic ground.

Soon, a massive tidal wave washes over the metallic land.

The barren land of the imagery world is now flooded with a sea of rich mana.

Thump. Thump.

I can feel my heart beating.

The hollow chest is now filled with Ether Metal.

Even the fragile human organs and skeleton have been replaced by soul metal.

<Ether Metal Skeleton>

• Your bones and organs are made of living soul metal. As your soul strengthens, so does your body.

Azidahaka can now freely exert its power.

No longer must I fight with weapons constrained by the system.

{Primary weapon changed from <Knuckles> to <All Weapons>.}
{Primary stat changed from <Willpower> to <All Stats>.}
{<Intermediate Martial Arts> changed to <Wave Control>.}

I break free from all restrictions.

The system’s interference with my powers is now blatant.

{Due to the weapon change, <Ether Fist> transforms into <Ether Cube>.}
{Synchronization with Azidahaka increased: 20.57%}
{Ability <Pain: Sphere of Karma> achievement upgraded to level 2.}

Kuoohhhh!

Having completed all preparations, Azidahaka howls toward the sky.

I quietly mutter:

“All-Armed, True Return. Hall of Evil.”

Time stops, and I return to the real world.

The eight projected weapons of the guardian spirits I absorbed are summoned.

“W-Whoa!”

Patrick, the knight who had been holding me, is startled by the sudden appearance of the weapons and falls backward.

I land lightly and said:

“Get lost. Unless you want to die.”

“…O-Okay!”

He freezes for a moment, then runs away in panic.

If he had reacted a fraction later, I might have killed him out of frustration.

• Angra Mainyu! Ne-nooooom!

Thump thump thump thump!

Markosias charges straight at me.

I grin mockingly.

“You ignorant bastard.”

• Shut up!

Whoosh, thud!

He unleashes a blindingly fast attack, faster than sound.

The shockwave tearing through the air is louder than the destruction of nearby buildings.

“Tsk tsk.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s faster than me.

I’m already standing on his head.

• Y-You… inferior human dares to step on my head!

“Why don’t you shut that stinky mouth? You can convey your thoughts anyway.”

Pukwakwakwa!

As he tried to lift his head, the eight projected weapons pierced his face.

Kwang!

The impact made him hit the ground face-first.

• Ugh!

“This is the difference between you and me. You can never beat me in your current state.”

• Shut up!

Swaaah!

The wings on Markosias’ back swooped down.

Naturally, I wasn’t about to block them.

Bweuh!

Jumping from his head into the air, the wing bones fall to the ground.

He just slammed his own head with his wings.

“You really are a dumb bastard. Hehehe.”

I mocked him fully.

• Ghh…! You…! It wasn’t this bad before!?

The panic I sensed earlier is gone.

No wonder—seconds ago, this Yu Shin-woo body was frail.

Now, it has almost fully regained its former demonic glory: Angra Mainyu.

The pathetic fool interfering with the system and coming down to the mortal world now dares to face me.

• This… cannot… be…!

“Stop babbling. Let’s finish this. If you have any secret moves left, now’s the time to use them.”

I land on the ground, preparing my final strike to destroy the great demon before me.

Thump. Thump.

My heart races.

The strong Ether Metal blood pump circulates dragon blood throughout my body.

It writhes as if insects crawl through my veins.

Kkudduk. Kkudduk.

Particles begin to gather around me, increasing until they engulf my entire body.

The particles form a massive shape in an instant.

Black scales, wings, claws, teeth.

Bigger than most buildings, the colossal form is sculpted in less than a second.

Crack. Crack.

I become the core controlling this shell according to my will.

It is the materialized Evil Dragon Azidahaka.

Kugugugung.

• Heh… hehehe…

Seeing this, Markosias begins to mock me.

• You were all bluff. That’s the “true form” you showed!?

His earlier panic is gone.

There’s a reason. This Azidahaka manifestation is incomplete.

‘Complete manifestation is impossible…’

No lower body; ribs and organs below the chest are exposed as if ripped out.

Only the right wing has grown, and of the three heads, only the middle is fully formed.

How could such an incomplete three-headed dragon show the terror of destruction and slaughter?

• Fine, let’s end this!

The reckless dog stomps and boasts, seeing my incomplete form.

• I’ll forever remember your ugly face today!

But.

“This form is enough, idiot.”

Crack!

I grab the dog by the snout with Azidahaka’s right front claw.

• Guh!?

It cannot fly, cannot stand due to missing hind legs.

Yet I just drag its exposed upper body toward me and grab it with one hand.

“Farewell.”

Suddenly, a small metallic cube appears before my eyes.

The Ether Cube, forcibly transformed from the Ether Fist earlier, glows blue.

Chaaaarrr!

One by one, the cube transforms into massive swords, spears, and bows, each larger than Azidahaka itself.

• Ah… no!

Hall of Evil.

The hero’s weapons strike together, tearing the arrogant demon that challenged me to pieces.