Year 2025
Twenty years ago. Humanity was on the verge of extinction after an unprecedented global pandemic that nearly wiped out it's population.
A vast rupture occured between space and time.
Dimensional planes collided against the very foundation of the human realm.
Signaling the very end.
Demonic creatures of every kind were unleashed upon the world of humanity, and their hunger for humanity's flesh knew no bounds.
Thousands were swept clean from the surface of the earth. Days went by and the horrors spread throughout the continent.
Gate breaks were portals to the other realms and dimensions.
Gate breaks occured constantly, unleashing various demonic creatures into the world of humanity.
And so humanity needed to evolve in other to survive.
Mana radiation seeped into the very fabric of reality, altering the fundamental building blocks of life and sparking a rapid evolution in the human species.
Awakening special supernatural abilities known as Cards.
These humans gained the title of Players and were obligated to protect the lesser men and women.
To prevent such events in which gate breaks occur. Players were given permits to raid dungeons.
Players were reverent and adorned. Worshipped because of their supernatural abilities.
They became demigods to the ordinary men and women.
Humanity began to change.
Guilds were created, and the federal government slowly began to revolutionize itself.
Revolving their authority around the existence of Players.
In this world where players are worshipped.
Only the strongest among players gets to be called Kings.
And for a player to level up and grow stronger.
They must raid dungeons and take out demonic creatures twice their size, creatures whose levels are greater than imagination.
The world was forever changed. As the mana radiation and the gate breaks reshaped the course of human history.
Propelling the species toward a future filled with magic, wonder and untold dangers.
Dungeons became the playground of Players.
A chance to grow beyond their expectations.
This was where I was spawned into…..
A lower-grade Dungeon.
****
Eros's POV
~~
You may be surprised as to how I was able to get my hands on all this information.
I was an archangel designated to observe and watch. My duties as the embodiment of destruction were to simply record all of existence.
For a universe to be born, a universe must be destroyed.
Life is a result of death.
I observed that, while still sealed, with knowledge of millions of worlds flooding my mind, this world is inclusive.
But the days of my neutrality have come to an end.
After all, I'm a human.
I've lost the entirety of my powers. I cannot deny my immortality anymore.
I'm just your average awakened human.
A player.
**
Eros POV
~~
I coughed violently, the sound echoing off the damp stone walls of the dungeon, as I covered my nose with a cloth to filter out the worst of the noxious air.
The dungeon's air was thick with the stench of mould, decay and rot. The smell clung to everything like a physical presence.
Even though I regressed as a human…
I was unable to feel certain emotions that normal humans felt.
I walked passed the lifeless bodies of players who fell to the wrath of the dungeon's demonic creatures.
Bodies drenched in their own pool of blood.
I tiptoed forward, struggling not to expose myself to the demonic creatures wandering around.
Many were still busy devouring the players they killed.
And I hid behind a wall.
The wall, slick with moisture and covered in strange, glowing fungi that seemed to press in on him from all sides.
Making the narrow corridor feel even more claustrophobic.
I softly exhaled.
"This is a dungeon, considering how I'm still alive and able to move, it's probably a low-grade dungeon"
"But even if I encountered a demonic creature in here. Could I even kill it?"
I asked myself.
And I continued….
"I know I regressed time but as a punishment. I lost the entirety of my powers, I can't even feel my divinity anymore"
"Am I just some weak mortal creature?"
I thought.
It's hard to believe there will be a day when I will be left powerless. After all, I'm Eros, the Archangel of Destruction
Destined to be the end of creation and the beginning of another creation.
How has the mighty fallen!
Since this is the first time I, Eros is entering the human world. I had no idea how to check his abilities.
All I knew was that I'm currently a mortal and quite a weakling. But I could feel mana coursing through my veins.
I controlled my breathing phase not to expose my presence to the demonic creatures wandering around the dungeon.
Beads of sweat dripped down my cheeks.
I pressed myself against the wall, holding my breath as I peeked around the corner, my eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement.
The stone wall seemed to blend with my shadows, it camouflaged me as I hid.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I waited for the perfect moment to act.
Suddenly, a cerulean slime creature emerged from the darkness, its face twisted into a grotesque grin that seemed to stretch across its face like a macabre parody of joy.
"Huh? What's that?" I asked.
I was unable to decipher what this creature was.
Just then a floating shimmering virtual panel appeared before my eyes. It's radiating cerulean light engulfed his face.
My eyebrows furrowed.
[Notice….]
[Unregistered Host has encountered a Fury]
[Registered Fury: Epoch Slime]
[Level: 1]
"A fury? Aren't they the lowest-ranked demon slaves?" I asked.
I glared at the slime below him.
With loads of thoughts flooding my mind, but Fury, without hesitation, attacked.
A level 1 fury may not be extremely powerful, but to someone as weak as I was….
It was far deadlier.
The Fury was a twisted, elongated being with skin like dark, polished marble, its slender form seemingly carved from the shadows themselves.
The slime darted forward with unnatural speed, its long, spindly limbs striking out like whips as it sought to rend its prey apart.
I evaded the slime's direct attack.
The slime's acid splattered against the wall, eating away at the stone like a hungry beast, as the sound of sizzling and bubbling filled the air.
A noxious cloud of fumes rose from the impact zone, the acrid smell burning the eyes and nostrils as the acid continued to dissolve the wall's surface.
I leapt to the side, avoiding the slime's acid by mere inches, as the realisation struck me that a single drop on my skin would mean certain agony and disfigurement.
Fear gripped my heart as I scrambled backwards, my eyes fixed on the slime's quivering mass.
Knowing that one misstep would bring me within range of its deadly attack.
The slime didn't hesitate with its next attack.
Expanding its slimy figure and it directed way more acidic attacks. My eyes calculated at full speed.
I evaded the acidic bullets directed against him.
Still maintaining the distance between myself and the level 1 fury.
I exhaled a deep sigh.
My footsteps alerted the attention of the other Furies lurking around in the dungeon.
Different Furies gathered from all directions.
All bloodthirsty and hungry.
The sight of a living player made their mouths water.
"Shit"
I growled.
Completely overwhelmed by the number of bloodthirsty furies. My heart skipped a beat, he staggered backwards.
A bloodthirsty three-eyed wolf charged forward.
Baring its poisonous fangs directly against him, he evaded the wolf's claws.
Channelling the mana within my body into my arms.
I sent the fury flying.
But the fury rejected the idea of going down alone, its claws tore through my right hand, causing me to writhe in pain.
Just the smell of my blood was enough to trigger them.
And without hesitation, I was attacked by furies simultaneously. The more I tried resisting, the more they applied pressure.
I was brought to my knees as they ripped me apart.
Blood gushed out of my body violently.
I gnashed my teeth.
Channelling mana into my fist, I directed a punch against a fury who aimed to rip off my left arm.
The punch tore through the level 1 fury.
And the shockwaves sent every other fury flying. I was left alone for a few seconds.
Sitting on the ground while struggling to catch my breath.
My eyes blurred.
I chuckled softly.
"Hmph. To think the once Archangel of Destruction would be reduced to such a state"
"If I were at my full power. Just my presence alone would be enough to incinerate these pests"
I groaned.
I struggled to stand up but my legs had no strength. I bled from every direction, every hole in my blood.
Time went by and the furies were already recovering as they slowly surrounded me again.
This time, to rip me to shreds.
I exhaled a soft sigh.
I took a deep breath, gently closing my eyes in defeat.
My lips curled up into a knowing grin….
"I guess it was foolish for me to even think of reversing time to change the future. To think I would be dying against these little pests"
"Such a shame for an archangel"
I whispered.
I bent my head in shame, with my eyelids closed.
And I welcomed my death.
Just then the shimmering virtual panel spawned right before my eyes.
[Please be patient as we scan for the right Card]
[Awakened Trait: Destroyer]
[Scanning for the proper aspect connected to the awakened Trait]
**
[Congratulations you have awakened an aspect]
[Aspect: Nuclear Scientist]
[Rank: SSS]
[Would you like to activate your Card?]
My eyes blurred as I slowly lifted my gaze, facing the direction of the system's window floating before my eyes.
I groaned.
With my last strength, I clicked the Yes button.
Drifting into the world of unconsciousness afterwards…