Chapter 36: Hell Lord's Fortress ( Part 1 )
Maxim sat by the crackling campfire, the warmth of the demonic flames flickering against the cool night time air of the demonic realm. Unlike the daytime, it was as if a blizzard crackled through the realm.
Snow or ash began falling from the sky, and the temperature quickly dropped below the freezing point, leading Maxim to search for warmth to feel more comfortable.
The meal he was currently eating, a simple strew of herbs and meat that he had brought to the Realm in his storage, simmering quietly in a cast iron pot. As he stirred the pot, the scent of roasting flesh wafted across the environment.
The air, however, was tainted by another scent, blood. The blood of the monsters that had dared to cross his path. All around the camp lay their lifeless forms, twisted, grotesque creatures, their blood splattered across the clearing.
Their bodies were a testament to the ruthless efficiency with which Maxim had dispatched them. Clawed limbs lay scattered, severed heads twisted in grotesque angles, their eyes frozen in terror at his power.
The ground beneath him was a mix of mud, ash, and gore. But Maxim didn't care. He ate in silence, spooning the hearty stew into his mouth, his gaze distant as if the scene around him were of no consequence.
As he chewed, Maxim's eyes darkened, and a low hum vibrated through his body. His Demonic Powers stirred beneath the surface, as he could feel the pull of the dark energy coursing through his veins.
He could feel himself growing stronger and stronger with every moment that passed, and this was no exception. He took another bite of the stew, feeling the power settle deeper in his core, intertwined with the satisfaction of the meal.
Before he could even comment on the delicious meal, however, a surge of ethereal energy coursed through his body. His demonic power, already formidable, now harmonized with something new, something lighter, purer.
In an instant, his senses sharpened, and his body felt weightless, filled with a glowing energy that thrummed beneath his skin.
He had awakened Dante's Angelic Abilities. His agility had increased tenfold, and with a mere thought, Maxim could feel the shift into Angel Mode, granting him an enhancement to speed and precision.
His hands flickered, and the spectral form of the Osiris scythe materialized in his grip, its gleaming blade radiating holy energy. Now, Maxim could feel the balance of both angelic and demonic forces coexisting within him, each one waiting to be unleashed.
His power had definitely massively increased, as Dante's Angelic Abilities had given him a massive power boost as well. All of this only made him much more confident in his abilities, and he couldn't wait to test it out.
Maxim finished the rest of his meal and sent the tools into his storage, before immediately taking off in a sprint, the wind screaming past his ears as he activated his Angel Mode, his body shimmering with an ethereal glow as his speed and agility increased tenfold.
He quickly made his way to a suitable area, arriving within a twisted forest that bordered the domain of the Hell Lord. The air was thick with corruption, demonic creatures lurking in the shadows.
A sudden rustling in the underbrush alerted him to the presence of enemies. From the trees emerged more demonic jaguars, larger and fiercer than those he'd fought before, their bodies radiating hellish energy.
Maxim smirked, raising Osiris in a defensive stance, "I guess you're good enough test subjects."
One of the jaguars lunged, its fangs bared and claws extended. Maxim spun, his movements fluid as he brought Osiris down in a wide arc.
The scythe sliced clean through the creature, the angelic energy imbued within the blade causing the demon to disintegrate mid-air. Black smoke billowed from where the jaguar once stood, but the others were undeterred, attacking from all sides.
Maxim danced through their assault with supernatural grace, phasing through attacks when necessary and using Air Hike to leap into the air and gain the advantage.
As he rose above the fray, he extended his free hand and summoned the Eagle, a spectral bird formed from pure angelic energy.
It screeched and dove toward the demons, tearing into them with razor-sharp talons. The jaguars shrieked as the eagle's holy energy seared their flesh, causing them to burst into clouds of darkness.
Maxim descended back to the ground, his form glowing as he switched between corporeal and incorporeal states, finishing off the remaining jaguars with swift strikes from Osiris.
The angelic scythe moved like an extension of his body, carving through the demons with surgical precision. The forest floor was soon littered with the smoldering remains of the creatures, their bodies reduced to ash by the sheer power of his attacks.
Once the jaguars were defeated, Maxim pressed onward, the fortress of the Hell Lord growing ever closer. The deeper he ventured into the Hell Dimension, the stronger the demonic presence became.
Larger, more powerful demons began to appear. Hulking brutes with molten skin and glowing eyes, serpentine demons with tails that lashed like whips, and winged creatures that circled above.
Maxim easily battled them all. At this point, if he was struggling with these tier of demons, he'd be an embarrassment to Dante Sparda and everything he stood for. Maxim was able to easily dispatch all of those who stood in his way.
He used Glide to soar through the air, evading strikes and launching aerial assaults with Osiris. When surrounded, he unleashed powerful attacks formed with Holy Energy, causing any demons in his path to be incinerated.
His Enhanced Mobility allowed him to dodge and weave through the chaos, never staying still long enough to be struck down.
As he pushed deeper into the Hell Lord's territory, the landscape shifted, becoming more twisted and malevolent.
The sky darkened further, and the air grew hotter, suffocating with the stench of brimstone. Rivers of lava crisscrossed the land, and jagged, obsidian spires rose from the ground like the bones of some ancient, long-dead titan.
In the distance, Maxim could see the towering fortress, its walls pulsing with a sickly red light. But before he could reach it, a final obstacle stood in his way.
A massive demon, twice the size of the others, blocked the path. Its body was covered in thick, impenetrable armor, its eyes glowing with the fires of Hell. This was no ordinary demon, this was one of the Hell Lord's elite warriors, a being forged from the darkest pits of the underworld.
Maxim grinned, "Finally, a real challenge."
The demon let out a deafening roar and charged, its massive fists swinging toward Maxim like battering rams.
Maxim immediately activated his Angel Mode, he darted out of the demon's reach, moving with blinding speed as he unleashed a barrage of strikes with Osiris. The scythe's blade clanged against the demon's armor, leaving a variety of gashes.
He effortlessly dodged another strike and leapt into the air, using Air Hike to propel himself higher. From his elevated position, he focused his energy and summoned the Eagle once more.
The spectral bird swooped down, attacking the demon's exposed joints and eyes, distracting it long enough for Maxim to land a powerful, demonic-infused strike with Rebellion.
The demon roared in pain as Rebellion's blade pierced through a weak point in its armor, sending cracks spiderwebbing across its body.
Maxim followed up with a series of rapid strikes, exploiting the opening and weakening the creature further. With one final, devastating blow, he brought Rebellion down, shattering the demon's armor and cleaving it in two.
The ground trembled as the massive demon fell, its body dissolving into ash. Maxim stood over its remains, his chest heaving with exertion, but his eyes were fixed on the fortress ahead.
The Hell Lord, and his strongest Soldiers awaited him.
As Maxim crossed the final threshold, entering the courtyard of the fortress, the ground quaked, and the very air seemed to tremble with the presence of the Hell Lord.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone