Forsaken By The Gods, I Made A Contract With the Demon King

What is an Inheritance? Some may ask out of ignorance, but those who grasp its true meaning understand its significance.

It is believed that the Gods once walked the lands of Paradise. Through cultivation, they ascended to the celestial realm. During their time in Paradise, they too faced trials—challenges that, when overcome, granted them the extraordinary power they wielded. An Inheritance is a recreation of those divine trials, passed down through Providence itself.

Providence crafts these trials for humans who seek power beyond their wildest dreams. That is what an Inheritance truly is—an opportunity to walk the path once tread by the Gods, to claim a fragment of the power they left behind.

A prime example is the master of the Lion Heart Sanctuary, who received the Inheritance of the Twelve Labours of Lionheart. Though he has yet to complete the entire Inheritance, it has already elevated him to one of the most powerful beings on Earth. Such is the overwhelming potential of an Inheritance.

But these opportunities are not just awe-inspiring—they are incredibly rare. Of the millions of Followers who have made contracts with the Gods, barely ten to twenty have openly revealed possessing an Inheritance. And even if we consider those who have kept theirs hidden, the number may reach fifty at most.

This is an exaggeration compared to the vast number of people seeking active contracts with the Gods, underscoring just how special an Inheritance truly is.

Now, Levi had stumbled upon such an opportunity.

He stared at the ancient seal that had appeared before him, glowing with an ethereal light. The seal was broken, and he sensed that what he held was only a fragment. The sigil shimmered, its intricate lines forming symbols both foreign and deeply familiar, as if they spoke directly to his soul. A pulse of energy surged through him—beyond the physical.

And in that moment, Providence spoke.

----[Tautha Dé Danann]----

Description: [Forgotten were those who chose to stay—bound, shackled by those who left. They have chosen you as their flagbearer. Learn the story of the forgotten Gods.]

Incomplete: 1/5 (All five parts of the Inheritance must be gathered to attempt it.)

----[Tautha Dé Danann]----

Levi read the message, and his mind returned to the words of the Goddess.

"Only three? Then why tell me about five?"

He had asked this when the Goddess mentioned that she only needed three keys to break the shackles that bound her. Her answer was simple,

"You will know."

Levi mumbled, finally understanding the meaning of her words.

She had been referring to the Inheritance. To claim it, Levi had to clear all five sanctums, regardless.

But another question surfaced in his mind, the description didn't speak of just one god. It referred to "Gods." Did this mean the Inheritance wasn't solely tied to the Forgotten Goddess of the Tautha Dé Danann, but to all the gods who were part of some ancient group?

If so, this Inheritance was far more valuable than he had initially thought.

Although he couldn't decipher much from the vague description, Levi felt certain that more would be revealed in time.

With that in mind, he closed the message window and pocketed the seal, turning his attention to his small glutton, who was eagerly devouring the monstrous bird.

"Leave some for me, you glutton!" Levi called out, dragging his body toward the bird.

Noir, as expected, paid no attention to him, continuing its feast. One thing caught Levi's eye, though, Noir's body was glowing faintly as it tore into the bird's flesh.

Carrion Feast!

Its skill had been activated.

That meant the bird's meat would provide benefits to his black companion. Levi couldn't help but smile at the thought. Deciding to let Noir eat to its heart's content, he shifted his focus to the three demonic crystals from the fallen-rank monster.

These crystals radiated immense power—far more than he had ever felt before. It made sense, considering they came from a fallen-rank beast.

"Let's do this."

Unable to wait any longer, Levi sat down cross-legged on the spot and took one of the crystals in his hand.

He crushed it.

The moment he did, raw energy burst out from the crystal, surging in all directions. It was immense, more potent than the vile-rank crystal he had previously absorbed from the Lunacy Incarnate. Levi's senses sharpened as the overwhelming force of the crystal's essence began to dissipate.

But he wasn't about to let it go to waste.

He activated Lunacy, the ability that allowed him to harness his madness, and used it to seize control of the dissipating essence. He guided it carefully, using his power to bind the wild energy and direct it toward his core.

The process was excruciating.

The energy from the fallen-rank monster was more potent and pure than anything Levi had absorbed before, and it placed enormous pressure on his body, which was still only at the Follower rank.

Each wave of power felt like it was tearing him apart from the inside. His veins pulsed with the strain, and every muscle screamed in agony.

Gritting his teeth, Levi forced himself to maintain control. He circulated the essence carefully, pushing it slowly toward his core. The sensation was unbearable, like fire coursing through his veins, but Levi refused to give in. He had to succeed. As he continued regulating the flow, time became a blur—a meaningless concept in the face of the pain and concentration it took to guide the energy.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he managed to imbue all the essence from the first crystal into his core. But the process was far from over.

Without hesitation, he crushed the second crystal.

Once again, raw energy exploded outward, and Levi seized it with his Lunacy, repeating the grueling process of absorption. His body shook under the strain, but he pressed on, knowing that each crystal would push him closer to his goal of filling his demonic essence bar of a thousand.

The essence fought him, like a wild beast refusing to be tamed, but Levi's resolve was unbreakable.

By the time he crushed the third crystal, his entire body was burning with the intense pressure of the absorbed energy. His core felt like it might crack under the sheer force, but Levi pushed through the pain. Every ounce of essence was guided and forced into his core, strengthening it.

At last, after absorbing the essence of all three crystals, Levi collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted. His body felt like it had been through a war, but he could sense the tremendous power now contained within his core.

With a deep, ragged breath, he opened his status to check the results.

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