I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 70: A Demonic Encounter

"I... I can’t believe it," the man croaked, his voice hoarse but trembling with emotion. "He actually sent someone to find me..." A ragged smile flickered across his sunken face.

"What?" Vale asked, brows furrowed in confusion. "Who is he talking about?"

The man took a cautious step back, eyes scanning Vale’s puzzled expression.

"W-wait... you’re not from the castle?"

Vale stared at him for a beat, then shook his head. "No."

The man collapsed to his knees, despair flooding his face.

"We’re done for..." he whispered, rocking back and forth on the floor of his cage.

Vale watched him in silence, unsure of what to think of his behaviour.

"Did he snap?" The thought drifted through his mind, but he pushed it away.

"Why are you here? What’s going on?" he pressed, his voice firmer now, demanding clarity.

The man’s head lifted. With sudden urgency, he scrambled to his feet, moving as quickly as his battered body would allow.

"Quick!" he hissed, panic in every syllable. "We need to leave before he comes—otherwise—"

He froze mid-sentence. His eyes widened in horror, staring at something directly behind Vale.

Vale hesitated, confusion turning into dread. Then he felt it—the icy shift of presence in the air.

He spun around, weapon raised—but before he could catch a glimpse of what stood behind him, something struck his head.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Countless moments passed before Vale finally stirred awake.

He gasped for air, bolting upright with a sharp inhale, instinctively summoning his weapon to his side.

His eyes darted around. This wasn’t the basement with the cages. He lay on cold, polished stone beneath towering arches, surrounded by shadowed pillars. The chamber was gothic, ancient—almost cathedral-like—and at its heart stood a massive throne carved from obsidian.

A figure sat upon it.

"I see you’re awake," the voice called from the shadows, smooth and composed.

Vale focused on the speaker.

He looked human—almost. Pale white skin, eyes like endless black voids... and two sets of horns curling from his skull.

Vale’s breath caught.

Only one kind of being looked human, yet radiated this kind of dread. Only one bore horns and presence in equal measure.

A Demon.

The creature rose from the throne with measured grace, his footsteps echoing as he descended the steps toward Vale.

"I must apologise for startling you," he said, flashing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I wasn’t expecting visitors. You must be the one who injured Vermyr." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Vale’s mind reeled. "A demon?! I knew they existed, but to actually meet one... wait... Vermyr?"

"Vermyr?" he echoed aloud, confusion creeping into his voice.

"My dragon," the demon replied casually. "He returned to me wounded."

Of course it’s his dragon, Vale thought bitterly, still reeling. Scrambling for a lie seemed pointless now.

"Yeah... that was me," he admitted.

The demon paused, then let out a low laugh. "I see. Honest. Straightforward. I like that."

Then, the presence of the Demon shifted.

Vale’s chest tightened. His breath came in short gasps. The air around him thickened, pressing inward from all sides. The demon’s mere presence felt like it was crushing his lungs, his bones, and his very existence.

He dropped to a knee, clawing for air, the world spinning with every desperate breath.

But just before he blacked out again, the demon lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, my apologies..."

The pressure vanished. The suffocating aura evaporated as if a switch had been flipped, and Vale collapsed to his hands, gasping in relief.

"I forgot," the demon added calmly. "You’re not an enemy."

He began circling Vale slowly, eyes scanning him with unsettling interest.

"Your..." Demon paused for a moment, as if looking for the right word, "core? It’s Dormant isn’t it?"

Vale’s eyes widened. His mind raced as to how the demon could’ve known, but no answer came. Understanding the nature of a Divine being was far beyond him.

"Yes," Vale muttered.

The demon nodded thoughtfully. "Impressive. Vermyr is not an easy opponent to injure. Countless Awakened human soldiers have tried and failed even to leave a scratch."

"Awakened?" Vale fixated on the word. He questioned whether there might be any awakened in the castle he had seen. The image of the dark fortress flickered through his mind, chilling and oppressive.

Awakened humans were nothing like their monstrous counterparts. Monsters acted on instinct—rage, hunger, fear—but rarely intelligence. Humans, however, were different. Even the dullest among them was still terrifying in comparison, capable of strategy, cruelty, and willpower that made monsters seem almost predictable.

"What is this place?" Vale asked, breaking the heavy silence that hung over the vast chamber.

"My home," the demon replied simply. "I’ve lived here for... centuries."

"...And the cages?" Vale pressed.

The demon’s expression shifted. The sinister grin vanished, replaced by a flicker of something colder.

"My subjects," he said. "You see, I’ve been conducting research—experiments, really—on how to elevate creatures to higher ranks."

An image flashed through Vale’s mind—the broken man in the cage. He clenched his fist, heat bubbling in his chest, but quickly forced the rage back down.

"Ah, but where are my manners?" the demon said suddenly, his tone lightening. "You must be starving from your journey. Come, let us feast in celebration of your arrival."

The demon draped an arm around Vale’s shoulder. He flinched at the contact, every muscle tensing. His instincts screamed to run or fight—but he held himself still.

"If he wanted me dead," Vale reasoned with himself, "I’d already be dead."

Then, the demon’s last words struck him.

"...Celebrate my arrival? I have a bad feeling about this."

The Demon glided through the shadowy corridors of his home, his movements smooth and silent. Vale followed just a step behind, every sense on edge. His instincts screamed at him to run, to escape this place—but it would be pointless. Against a divine being, resistance was nothing more than suicide. All he could do was play along... for now.

It wasn’t long before they entered a smaller chamber, dimly lit by wall-mounted torches. At its center stood a long wooden table, polished and old yet untouched by time.

The Demon gestured for Vale to sit.

Without a word, he left the room, his footsteps vanishing into the silence. Vale sat in uneasy stillness, minutes dragging like hours until finally, the Demon returned—two steaming plates of food in hand.

He placed them on the table with surprising care. A rich aroma rose from the plates. Roasted meats, seasoned vegetables, and a smell of spices—Vale couldn’t quite name. His stomach stirred at the sight—calling for him to act.

"Let’s eat," the Demon said with a pleasant smile that didn’t quite reach his dark eyes.