With a clang, the spinning axe blade was forcibly blocked. Opposite him stood a Demon General, shrouded in Demon Iron armor, blocking his path.
"Step aside and let me battle him!" the Demon General bellowed. Instantly, the Demon Clan soldiers cleared an open space, surrounding the area to watch.
Li Jian knew that even if he killed this Demon General, he wouldn’t be able to escape, but he refused to die quietly.
"Die!" Li Jian roared from in front of the screen, while his in-game character leaped up fiercely, bringing the axe down in a ferocious strike—Leap Slash!
However, the Demon General merely parried with force, neutralizing Li Jian’s onslaught.
Li Jian stepped back—Earth Cleaving Slash!
The invisible edge of the axe blade ripped open a gash in the ground, yet the Demon Clan BOSS remained unyielding.
Savage Charge! Li Jian had no way back; he hurtled into the BOSS, and taking advantage of the enemy’s stagger, he thrust both battle axes into the demon’s limb joints.
Ultimate Skill—Slaughter Feast! A series of slashes like a butcher carving meat left the Demon General almost powerless to retaliate. In one breath, his two arms and one leg were severed; although his health points were still nearly half remaining, he had lost any capacity to fight.
Looking down at the Demon General, now dismembered and gasping on the ground, Li Jian could only wryly smile. This was the best he could perform beyond his usual level, but what did it matter? He still couldn’t break free.
"He killed the Demon General! He killed the Demon General!" The Demon Clan soldiers seemed unable to accept the outcome, and they swarmed forward, slashing wildly.
It’s over, am I going to die? As Li Jian watched his character get cut down by the Demon Clan soldiers, leaving just a sliver of health points, he felt a wave of despair.
His fingernails were already digging into his flesh without him realizing it when, suddenly, the demons stopped. They dragged his on-the-verge-of-death character to an open space in the military camp. The battle here had ended, and he was surrounded by numerous Demon Clan members, forming a tribunal-like arrangement. Enjoy exclusive chapters from freewebnovel
To his surprise, there were three other NPCs also captured along with him: An Shixiong (General Huwei), who, despite being drenched in blood, was still alive.
The other two caught were Chen Boxiong (Deputy General) and Liu Zhonglin (Central Army Colonel), both high-ranking NPCs. It seemed he was held in high regard, Li Jian thought sadly, facing the computer screen yet unable to do anything. He disliked watching game narratives, feeling they were a complete waste of time, but this time, he had no choice but to watch.
The demons suddenly made way, and a figure resembling a Priest of the Demon Clan approached the three captives—Soul Reaver (Demon Clan Priest).
The Soul Reaver first questioned An Shixiong: "Powerful human, you have shown me a different side to this frail race. Tell me, mortal, do you fear death?"
An Shixiong (General Huwei): "Pah, bastard, if you dare, then kill me. I will never yield."
"Hahaha, as you wish!" With a wave of the Demon Clan Priest’s hand, several Beast Tamers by his side lashed their whips, unleashing a pack of Saber-Toothed Wolves that swarmed over An Shixiong, reducing him to a pile of bones in the blink of an eye.
He then moved on to Chen Boxiong, saying, "Strong human, although you are slightly less impressive than your general, your performance was fair. I offer you a chance now. Tell me, mortal, do you fear death?"
Chen Boxiong (Deputy General): "I do indeed fear death, but I am not afraid of you!"
"Wrong answer!" The Demon Clan Priest waved his hand again, and another pack of Saber-Toothed Wolves rushed forward, in an instant reducing Chen Boxiong to a pile of bones as well.
The Demon Clan Priest then approached Liu Zhonglin.
Soul Reaver (Demon Clan Priest): "Human, you don’t seem particularly strong, but being able to survive until now is an ability in itself. Tell me, mortal, do you fear death?"
Liu Zhonglin (Central Army Colonel) looked extremely calm, even in such a situation he showed no signs of panic, his face bore a hint of reluctance, an expression that made Li Jian feel a sense of empathy.
Liu Zhonglin: "I do not fear death, but I am afraid of dying insignificantly and without meaning."
The Soul Reaver seemed surprised to hear such an answer and leaned down to ask, "Then tell me, what price are you willing to pay to avoid death?"
Liu Zhonglin looked up, his eyes ablaze with zeal: "Any price."
"Just as I thought. Then I will give you an opportunity. Join the Demon Clan and become one of us. You will obtain power beyond your imagination, and of course, you will no longer have to worry about the threat of death. Do you accept?"
Liu Zhonglin nodded without hesitation, "I accept."
"A wise choice. Now, receive the power bestowed upon you by the Abyssal Lord." The Soul Reaver suddenly placed his hand on Liu Zhonglin’s head, a stream of black energy continuously infused into his body, and as the power flowed in, Liu Zhonglin’s body was gradually enveloped by a black glow.
When the black light dissipated, he was clad in a layer of pitch-black armor, his eyes turned a mystical purple, and his name had changed to Traitor Liu Zhonglin (Demonized Human Race).
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(So this is the process of Demonization? It seems that it can only happen on a voluntary basis.) Li Jian watched the process and a glimmer of hope rose in his heart.
While he was contemplating, the Demon Clan Priest had already approached him.
"A chosen one, truly an unexpected find." The Soul Reaver seemed a bit surprised and his expression suddenly turned fierce: "You have seen what happened before, now tell me your answer. Will you join our Demon Clan and gain immense strength, or die a pathetic human death?"
A prompt suddenly appeared on the screen.
System prompt: Race transformation system triggered, do you accept the transformation, Yes/No. (Once you undergo race transformation, your attributes and mind may be influenced in peculiar ways).
Li Jian was startled and thrilled, not expecting such a stroke of luck, (Not only can I escape death, but I can also change my race. Considering the Demon Clan’s clearly superior combat capabilities compared to humans, transforming might enhance my strength, although it might also mean losing my own mind. Similar plots are not uncommon in movies I’ve seen).
(Although there seem to be risks in becoming a member of the Demon Clan, it’s certainly better than dying, and perhaps it’s just an in-game change that doesn’t affect reality.) But at this point, did he have any other choice?
Li Jian glanced at the two piles of bones beside him and chose to accept without hesitation.
"A wise choice. Now, accept the power bestowed upon you by the Abyssal Lord." The Soul Reaver suddenly pressed his hand on the head of his character, as a dark power continuously poured into his body. As the power infused, Li Jian suddenly felt dizzy as it gradually invaded his brain.
He tried hard to resist, a trace of panic flashing through his mind, (Aren’t the changes in the game supposed to take effect after a few hours?) But it was too late, his consciousness became blurry, warped, and when he awoke again, he felt that the colors of the entire world had changed.
He looked into the computer screen, where his in-game character stared back at him with a pair of purple eyes that superimposed over his reflection on the screen.
System prompt: Race transformation complete. Racial trait acquired—Abyssal Will, Demon Clan form.
The Soul Reaver appeared to have exhausted his energy in the transformation process, collapsing to the ground listlessly, yet seemingly satisfied with the outcome of the transformation.
Soul Reaver: "Good, you are now one of us. Now, I will assign you a task—a task of utmost importance..."
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