Sounds that roared into Kuro's eardrums, forced him to wake up yet again. He was unable to make out what kind of sound it was, barely opening his eyes.
Where am I? Kuro did not recognize his surroundings. Unfamiliarity was written all over his face. As his gaze wandered, he was able to see a red stream of flowing lava, oozing with hotness.
A spike of heat overcame his body at the sight of this scenery. A burning sensation had rendered him almost unconscious. His hand wandered around his body in an attempt to check his temperature. Am I being grilled?
It seemed like he could at least withstand the heat enough to barely hang onto the thread he called his lifeline. The dangerous temperatures had not been his biggest issue though, as he saw a lot of monsters carefully circling him from afar to estimate his strength.
The cautious walk that demonstrated signs of a predator that was waiting for his prey to be exhausted intimidated Kuro.
His palms touched the ground to support him. He slowly tried to stand up, just enough strength to do so flowed through his body. It was not like he was weak, he knew that much. But the evolution, at least that is what the system called it, took its toll on his body.
He had to check his surroundings but there was something else that lingered in his mind. What was this evolution-thing the screen mentioned?
And how do I even contact this screen? He started to touch through the air, hoping something would respond. Yet, nothing had happened.
But he was not going to give up. Because Kuro had read some Manhwa and Webnovels and knew one or two things.
"System start" he uttered. Nothing happened. It was excruciatingly awkward to Kuro.
He tried yet again.
"System, I want to level up alone."
...
"Arise."
...
"I am the sole leveler - the omniscient reader with a certain point of view".
A sharp jolt of pain stung right into his heart. Not because of a sudden illness but because he embarrassed himself. At least nobody saw me doing all that stuff.
[You Are In Hell. Fight Out Your Way Of It]
The sound of a notification rang through his mind. His earlier embarrassment was washed away, slowly trying to accustom to this new situation.
What? I am in hell? Did you mean that with becoming a demon?
Kuro could hardly believe what he just read. Besides the information about his whereabouts, he knew nothing.
Except that if this was truly going to happen, he had no way of knowing how long it would take. It could take days, months or even years.
But for the sake of his bloody revenge, he had to do it. Even if it killed him. And he knew, it was his only chance to ever get back on his former party, who he used to love so dearly.
I was a kind man throughout my life. It was quite ironic as he noticed what him being in hell implied. He was now a subject to the devil, or at least that is what he had assumed.
Whether that was right or not, was for Kuro to figure out at some point. For now, his only goal was to survive.
[Minor Heat Resistance Skill Received] - a message popped up in front of the man.
How handy. This will definitely help me with traversing. Now he only needed to shake off the monsters that were stalking him from hundreds of meters away.
One... Two... Three - that could be doable for me. But maybe I should see what my abilities are? This evolution has to mean something.
Uhm... Dear system, if I may be so rude. Would you perhaps allow me to have a glance at my abilities?
As if it pitied him, another sound intruded his mind with a ring that could render a normal human deaf.
[Line of Evolution: Demonic Human]
[Skills: Minor Heat Resistance D-Rank, Demonic Fist F-Rank, The Curse of Betrayal SSS]
Oh, sounds not baaaa---- Wait.