The Martial God: Demonic Cultivator in a World of Magic [Isekai LitRPG]

I didn’t want to come. But I had a Trump Card up my sleeves, the Skill I received after merging Heavenly Demon God Art with a Skill provided by the System.

[‘True Demon God Art: The Temporal Overdraft’ has been unlocked].

It came with some severe cost, far too potent to use in most situations, but it might end up saving my life in the worst case scenario.

I tightened my grip on the hilt of my sword, the one I had taken from the dead body of a soldier, feeling the weight of the blade as I assessed the floating levels over their heads.

Rang’thar, [Level 42]. 

Velora, [Level 39]. 

Darian, [Level 38]. 

I heard their names being shouted by one another, so I knew who was who. More importantly, the numbers hovered like an ominous reminder of the disparity in our strength. Frowning to myself, I knew this was going to be anything but easy. My confidence wavered, but I couldn’t show it. Not now.

One would wonder why the hell I chose to come here instead of running away if I was scared of losing and dying. The answer was simple. If I didn’t fight, everyone would die. Including me. In his fight against the Dragon, the Vampiric Father might just drop a nuke-like Skill and erase the city and its surrounding area. Fleeing was pointless.

If not a nuke, then the city would fall regardless, and the people would suffer a fate worse than death. I didn’t have the luxury of running. And besides, running had never been my style. Not when my legs worked, no.

My thoughts were cut short when the vampires rushed at me with blinding speed, their predatory eyes locked onto their target; me. I focused.

Rang’thar barked his orders, “You two, take care of the girl! I’ll deal with the human!” His shout made the two vampires move past me, going for the wolf girl instead whose name I hadn’t caught yet. While he lunged at me himself, his claws swiped through the air with lethal precision.

I barely dodged, feeling the rush of panic surge through me. Kicking backward, I felt my adrenaline in full flow, my senses heightened to their peak. He was faster, stronger, and his claws sliced through the concrete wall beside us like a hot scythe through tofu.

Every move he made was a calculated attempt to end my life. I had nothing that made me stand above him… perhaps except for my Martial Art Techniques. It was they that helped me kill that Assasin, who was 14 levels above me, and then the thrall vampires too.

Unfortunately, although my attacks were lethal compared to my levels, they couldn’t be spammed. They took too much Qi, and I was down to just 30% already after my earlier escape from Jacob.

“[Crimson Flash]!” Rang’thar roared, his body blurring as he appeared right in front of me. His fist, charged with crimson energy, hurtled toward me.

Shit.

I barely managed to sidestep, feeling the force of his punch graze my ribs. The pain shot through me, but I couldn’t afford to slow down.

I countered with a swift roundhouse kick, my leg arcing through the air with trained precision and power. The momentum of my body twisted in perfect harmony, hips rotating to maximize the force behind the strike. My shin aimed to connect with his ribs, a move designed to disrupt his balance and create an opening for my next attack.

It struck, and I immediately launched my hand that wasn’t holding the sword. 

[True Demon Fist Art, First Form—The Burning Barrage of the Bull of Heaven!]

My fist exploded with Qi, aiming for his chest. However, he deflected it with ease, his claws swiping dangerously close to my face. That surprised me.

“Is that all you’ve got, human?” Rang’thar sneered, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. He swiped his claws again, this time catching my shoulder even as I jumped and backstepped. Hot blood sprayed from the wound, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain.

I had to keep moving, keep dodging. His speed was overwhelming, and I knew a single mistake could cost me my life. I wish I could use the [Body Flicker] technique, but it wasn’t very cost-effective. I couldn’t even control it properly.

Yet I tried my best with my experience in the ring, pouring Qi into my feet to imitate something similar. Memories from another life flashed before my eyes, as I hopped around the area, darting across the terrain. There was a strain on my Qi, it was going down in real-time, but it was my only chance to gain some distance.

Rang’thar chased after me, his laughter echoing through the battlefield. What’s up with him grinning and laughing? Was he trying to imitate his grandfather? “[Blood Reaper]!” he shouted, a massive, scythe-like blade of crimson energy forming above his head. He swung it down with terrifying force. I barely managed to dodge, the blade slicing through the ground where I had been standing just moments before.

Well, he did look like the Vampiric Father kind of, with dark skin and braids. That came from his origin, as he’s not from the western continent, let alone the Ethenia Empire. Not all of his children had dark skin, as the Vampiric Father mated with different women for each of his children, who then mated with other Vampires from other families, some even chose humans or other races, so some of his grandchildren looked far different from him.

I have to think, to strategize. My sword wasn’t going to hold up much longer, and my Qi was rapidly depleting. I had to rely on my wits and agility. I kept running, using the terrain to my advantage, ducking behind debris and leaping over obstacles.

“I thought you were stronger, the way you bravely stepped in!” Rang’thar shouted with a mocking laugh, followed by a relentless pursuit that left me no room to breathe. 

He was on me in an instant, his claws a blur of deadly strikes. I parried with my sword, but the sheer force of his attacks sent shockwaves up my arm. The blade was already showing signs of strain, with cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

“[Blood Frenzy]!” he roared, his claws glowing with an intense crimson light. His strikes became a whirlwind of slashes, each one aimed to tear me apart. I was barely holding on, my movements becoming more desperate with each passing second.

In a bid to create some space, I kicked off a nearby wall, flipping over Rang’thar and landing a solid kick to the back of his head. He stumbled forward, more surprised than hurt, but it brought me a moment's reprieve.

I channeled Qi into my sword.

[True Demon Sword Art, First Form—Absolute Cataclysm of the Demonic Butterfly!] 

I performed, my sword glowing with a fierce, dark blue energy. I slashed at Rang’thar, aiming for his neck, releasing an explosion of butterfly wings. He blocked with his long claws, but the force of my attack sent him stumbling backward.

“Impressive, but not enough,” he growled, his eyes burning with fury. He lunged at me again, his claws tearing through the air. I parried with my sword, but the impact was too much. The blade shattered, leaving me unarmed and vulnerable, and a kick landed on my chest to send me slamming against a wall.

Goddammit.

Rang’thar smirked, sensing victory, as he walked over to me slowly. “It’s over for you, human,” he said, raising his claws for the final strike. Blood aura spiked out of his claws like blades of energy, and I braced myself, knowing my fists alone wouldn’t reach him. If they did, he’d cut them off.

I tried to dodge, jumping up, but Rang’thar was too fast. His claws raked across my chest, leaving deep, bleeding gashes. It wasn’t looking very good. I staggered back, slumping down to my ass, back against the wall. The pain was overwhelming.

“Is this… is this really worth it to go this far?” I looked up at him and asked, a hand covering my chest, while the other was in front of me stretched out.

He scoffed in return. To him, the battle had been long decided. His posture relaxed and he turned his head to the wolf girl. I saw panic in the eyes of the wolf girl in the background, engaged against two vampires. The situation mustn’t look very good.

He looked back at me and began laughing even louder than before. Everyone believed I was done for, naturally so. Rang’thar opened his mouth, “Oh, look at you begging. I can’t be bothered to talk with a weak h-”

I wasn’t begging, no. I was looking for an opening, and I just found one. My movements cut through his words, and in a split-second decision, I summoned the Demonic Dagger hidden in my [Soul Storage]. 

The Demonic Dagger that I bought from the black market appeared in my hand, its blade shimmering with dark energy. As Rang’thar swiped at me in shock, far too clumsy to do any harm, I ducked beneath his claws. His claws tried to slam my Demonic Dagger away, but I just took it back into my soul space, dodging it. 

Swiping was the only thing he could do here. I was far too close for him to do any other attack, I could see through his inexperience. 

These young vampires might all be high-level, but I guessed they haven't fought anyone on their level. They hadn’t fought with anyone that could exploit their weakness, they’ve always had the advantage. That was why I’ve been able to kill them all, and it seemed that Rang’thar was no exception.

I leaped upward. His chest was right in front of me; in an instant I summoned the dagger again. This time it spawned right in his chest.

His eyes widened in shock, his body convulsing as the dark energy of the dagger spread through his veins. He staggered back, clutching at the wound. “You…how…” he choked out, blood trickling from his lips.

I pulled the dagger out and then stabbed it into his ear, hearing it penetrate with a sloppy sound, and watching as he crumbled to the ground. 

[You've defeated an enemy far above your level. You've earned experience points.]

[You've leveled up!]

[You've reached Level 21!]

[The Heavenly Demon Skill Tree’s proficiency has reached 13.77%. You've been enlightened about one technique.]

[....!]

That was it. Although I was injured beyond belief, and the battle took everything I had, I won. Victory was mine. An immense energy cocooned around me, healing my wounds, and recharging my stamina. 

My half-torn armor-plated clothes showed pristine skin under, and at this point, I was half-naked.

I couldn’t relax, though. I turned my head towards the other two vampires. Seeing their leader fall, they hesitated for a moment. Their confidence wavered, and that was all I needed as I rushed toward them. Before I could reach them, Velora turned around and ran. Darian was too shocked to follow her, and the wolf girl took that chance, diving a clawed hand into his chest.

Blood sprouted out, and the female vampire fled the scene too far for us to catch. I let out a scoff and stopped chasing her, turning to the wolf girl instead, who was watching me in awe. “Who… who the hell are you?”

“Ah, me? I’m Iskandaar Romani. We’ve met before.” I said, reaching out a hand, while the other still held the dagger. She looked at it, and then slowly took my hand, retracting her claws.

“It’s Lilian…” Lilian looked at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and hope; she hesitated, looking at the air between us, and added. “I… I’ve reached Level 39, and have enough experience to reach Level 40. However, I have a quest to fulfill, but I can’t view it outside a temple. There’s a secret chamber… in this mansion… will you help to get there? I can ascend then, and then be of more help in this battle,” she said, her voice trembling with urgency. “Please?”

A secret chamber that’ll let her see the quest and ascend? Huh? A temple in a Baron’s mansion? Oh no, wait…

The Moon Wolf Tribe, Amelia said their matriarch was a… Divine Beast. Something of a God itself; a Demi-God to be precise. So that creature was in a secret chamber? Will it be able to act as a God to show her the quest?

If such a creature was here, shouldn’t it come out and fight the Vampiric Father? I was scowling in my head, but I didn’t show it. I was shocked, and a bulb of hope lit up in my chest. I nodded at her, “Lead the way.”

We moved quickly, navigating through the chaos and destruction. The battle was far from over, but we had a new objective. And this time, we had a fighting chance.

****

The two of us ran through the interior of the messy and broken mansion, moving beside one another, senses on high alert. “The dragon caused this when it transformed,” Lilian informed me as we ran.

The rooftop of the mansion was mostly gone, so just looking up let me see the spectacle of color and destruction above. That mythical creature was now in the sky, engaged in a battle against the Vampiric Father, testing each other’s Skills and bloodline powers. It was intense. As a battle between demi-gods should be. 

I felt like an ant as I ran, clenching my jaws and focusing on the path ahead. “To the left,” I whispered, and Lilian quickly turned to the left. My Demonic Sphere caught a vampire ahead.

“There shouldn’t be this many vampires here,” Lilian said, “Perhaps…”

“Seems like it,” I agreed with her suspicion. “The humans who failed to escape, a lot of them have been turned into thralls. The mansion is littered with them.”

From the way they were moving in my demonic sphere, they didn’t seem ‘awake’, not like the thralls I fought before. They seemed more like zombies to my senses. So I was assuming they had already died, and then risen as thralls? Unsure.

I followed Lilian’s lead, avoiding any possible vampire on the way thanks to my Sphere, as the two of us made our way into a storage room. It was one part of the mansion that still had its rooftop intact, so nobody must have seen us from above. Lilian led me inside, and soon, she poured her mana on a spot in the wall, and a part of the floor popped open.

“A secret passage,” I muttered and she nodded, looking up at me.

“Can you stay guarding here?” she asked and I showed her a nervous smile.

“It’ll be more suspicious if anyone sees me standing idle here. It’s wiser to go inside. Unless whatever is in there is forbidden for outsiders?”

“Well…” from the way her expression grew worried, it did seem forbidden. I heard the Matriarch was quite injured, she probably didn’t want an outsider to see that.

That was when a voice boomed, coming from the depth of the secret passage, “It’s okay, Lilian. Bring him in.”

It was a voice so ethereal that it sent shivers down my spine. Such a powerful voice, I couldn’t believe it belonged to someone on death's door. My hand clutched my demonic dagger tighter, and then I quickly deposited it in my Soul Storage. I didn’t want to offend a divine beast with a demonic item.

Lilian looked surprised by the order but didn’t disagree. She looked at me and then stepped into the hole in the floor, walking down the stairs. I followed, hearing sharp mechanics as the passage closed behind us.

Then, we picked pace. We ran through the long dark hallway, reaching a bright light in the end. It was a single door, with a veil fluttering on it instead of a closed door.

“Come in,” the voice from before said, “both of you.”

Lilian scowled in surprise and took a look at me. Then, she stepped through the veil and I followed suit. My senses bloomed, light blinding me for a moment.

As I stepped through the veil, my senses were overwhelmed by a sudden change in atmosphere. My eyes grew wide, my ears twitched, and my heart skipped.

The air grew heavier, almost tangible as if the very fabric of reality had thickened. It felt like I had crossed into another realm, a place where the divine intersected with the mortal. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight before me.

The chamber was vast, its walls lined with intricate carvings depicting ancient battles and celestial beings. The air shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow, casting everything in a soft, surreal light.

At the center of the room lay the source of this overwhelming presence. A massive wolf, its fur as white as freshly fallen snow, radiating a divine aura that filled the space with almost palpable energy.

[Level ???]

The beast was enormous, easily dwarfing any living thing I had ever seen, perhaps as big as the dragon from earlier. Its eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, seemed to pierce through my very soul. I was at 2nd Ascension now, so I should be able to perceive people lower than Level 100; the 7th Ascension. She was above that.

Each breath it took resonated through the chamber, a deep, rhythmic pulse that echoed like the heartbeat of the world itself. Its fur, pristine and immaculate, seemed to shimmer with an inner light, each strand reflecting the glow of the chamber in a mesmerizing dance of luminescence.

My knees felt weak, a mix of awe and fear coursing through my veins. There were too many big players here, where the presence of a dragon seemed insignificant. The sheer power and majesty of this creature before me, the Matriarch, was humbling. 

It served as a reminder of my own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. 

Despite its apparent frailty, so injured that it couldn’t stand on its foot, I could sense the immense strength lying just beneath the surface, like a slumbering volcano waiting to erupt.

Lilian approached the Divine Beast with a reverence I could only begin to understand, her steps careful and measured. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling with emotion as she spoke. “Matriarch, I’m here for my 4th Ascension. As for this human boy, he is someone who helped me defeat the vampires. He’s surprisingly strong.”

The Matriarch's eyes shifted to me, and I felt an overwhelming pressure as if the weight of the heavens themselves had descended upon me. It was as if time stood still, the air crackling with an unspoken power. 

The realization that I stood before a being of immense power, a creature whose very existence was intertwined with the fate of this world made my thoughts pause. 

It… no—her intelligence far surpassed mine to refer to her as an inanimate object—she was on the verge of her death, and her death would leave this planet changed. Because undoubtedly, she was one of the pillars of this world.

I could feel the divine energy radiating from her, a force so potent it seemed to seep into my very bones, trying to ignite a primal instinct within me to bow, to submit to this ancient and godly presence. For a moment, my knees almost buckled to do just that.

Then, something else from within shattered that feeling.

A flow of blood-red Qi slipped out of me, surrounding me like smoke from a cigarette.  One moment, I was paralyzed, caught in the gaze of the Matriarch, and another, the divine will of a greater man thumped through my veins. The willpower of a God from another world helped my eyes regain clarity, I stared up at the creature without blinking.

“Interesting,” the Matriarch said slowly, withdrawing her aura the best she could. “Ah, allow me to apologize. I was simply curious how… such an interesting specimen was doing here.”

Could she perhaps sense that I was a reincarnator? Transmigrator? Or was it the odd demonic energy in me that made her curious?

She looked away from me, unbothered to wait for my reply, and looked at Lilian. “You said you’re ready for your 4th Advancement? Come here,” she said, and Lilian walked closer. The wolf gently raised one of her paws, just that action causing her breath to fasten, as she closed her eyes. “The window will appear before you. What does it say?”

 A true God would be able to see the Quest Window that they’d bring up themselves, but this divine beast couldn’t. It made sense, she wasn't a true divinity.

Lilian answered, eyes closed, “It’s, uh…” her voice quivered. “It just says… ‘Survive’.”

“....” the Matriarch’s jaws clenched at that. She appeared disrespected by that. “Do the fates and heavens think my blood would perish tonight, to offer such an outrageous quest? Just because I’m slightly injured…!”

Honestly, I could understand it. While she looked fine from the outside, she was greatly injured inside. She had trouble just raising a single paw, while the Vampiric Father was clashing against a dragon. If the dragon lost, the result of this battle was as clear as day.

The Matriarch wasn’t delusional either. She sighed, admitting defeat. “Accept the quest, Lilian. I apologize for being so useless, hiding in here and not even able to aid you all.”

“No, no, I am the one who’s at fault, grandmother!” Lilian said with her eyes wide and teary. “If only I could have brought back that cup, then you could have fought! Even if it didn’t heal you fully, you could have fought instead of staying here. I’m sorry for making you feel so useless!”

A cup? A cup that can heal… Oh shit, wait! I blinked. “Hey, hey, a minute please,” I spoke up, raising my hand. A light shone on my palm, as Lilian’s head snapped at me, and the Matriarch’s gaze sharpened. “This thing,” I pointed at the Demonic Cup. “You two aren’t talking about this, by any chance, are you?

****

Lilian stared in silence. For three whole seconds, she just stared, and after that, she leaped at him with her fangs out. “You bastard!” Rage coursed through Lilian’s veins as she jumped at Iskandaar after a moment of shock. “It's you! It’s really you who stole it!”

She ran around four cities in search of something that could heal her grandmother, she spent weeks in search. She found nothing, and then she chose to search Romer City. She searched the black market there for half a week, individually checking all items, and after long, she finally came across it. 

The Demonic Cup. An item that could heal her grandmother! She didn’t have the money to buy it, so she returned to get money. She ran to Lockdarn for days and then returned to Romer after another series of sprinting. 

She finally got the money to buy the cup, but the cup was already gone. Lilian still felt the sense of devastation that had spread through her veins. Was this bastard after all of her misery?!

“Lilian, stop,” her grandmother said, raising a paw between her and Iskandaar. Anyone else, and Lilian would have slapped it away, but it was the Matriarch. She stopped herself reluctantly, glaring at Iskandaar who shot her a confused look.

“I’ll beat you up when I get the chance!” she shouted, and he shrugged.

“He did not do that intentionally. He must have coincidentally stumbled upon it, Lilian,” the Matriarch said. “Rather, isn’t it fate that he came here with it? Fate wanted the cup to be bought here. Perhaps it didn’t allow you to bring it yourself because you’d have faced danger.”

“Yeah, think optimistically,” Iskandaar agreed with a snap of fingers, although he didn’t get the situation fully. He looked at the Matriarch, “Look, I don’t want to die tonight. If this can heal you, I’ll go pick up red people’s blood and make a potion-tea. The mansion has enough bodies littering around to make one.”

“You even know how it's used,” the Matriarch said, her eyes glowing. “Alright, I’ll leave that to you. Lilian, you stay here. I have one remaining ‘boon’ that can force-complete a Quest. I’ll raise you to 4th Ascension by the time he returns.”

“But grandmother! Shouldn’t I go with him?” She started, suspecting that he might run off when the Matriarch shot her a disapproving look. 

“Lilian,” the Matriarch said, and that was enough. Lilian flinched, recalling how he had saved her and fought for her. He was not an enemy, she had let her frustration get the better of her just now.

Instead of being stuck on it, she quickly bowed to Iskandaar. “I apologize!”

“It’s alright, happens when adrenaline is high,” he waved it off, the cup in his hand vanishing again. He looked at the Matriarch again, hesitating. “I’ll try to be quick. If somehow you think I’m too late… assume I died.”

Lilian realized that he was as desperate as them. He couldn’t leave this place with his life intact as long as the Vampiric Father was alive; leaving this chamber in the face of danger to collect blood was a dangerous choice, but he had to do it.

****

I steadied my nerves as I walked through the dark corridors, returning to the secret passage I’d entered through. I felt scared. Each step echoed in the dimly lit passage, the weight of the task ahead pressing down on me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, a relentless reminder of the danger that awaited outside.

The only remaining players I could come across were enemies leagues above me, and they were not people I could handle. I had to be especially alert with my Demonic Sphere.

Slowing down, I decided to check what Skill I received earlier, after reaching Level 18. That might just end up saving my life. I opened my notification window.

[...You've processed and learned the second move of the True Demon Sword Art.]

[Additional knowledge about ‘swordsmanship’ in general comes with this, to help you properly perform it. The knowledge is intricate enough to level up a skill.]

[Swordsmanship (Basic) has been upgraded to Swordsmanship (Apprentice).] 

Huh. So it’s just an upgrade on existing skills, rather than something totally new. I guessed this was how the growth process would follow, I’d keep unlocking more forms within the three arts, rather than unlocking the other demonic technique. That limited me. 

The Heavenly Demon God Cult’s martial arts were more than just these three, but I’ll have to learn them myself from memory. As for this technique itself, it wasn’t bad, but it’s nowhere near the Skill I received after merging two. I’d use them if the situation required me to.

As I reached the end of the secret passage, I pressed my hand against the wall to the right. Lilian had informed me where it was, but I had to feel around the wall a little to actually find it. Pressing it once I felt it, the secret passage opened up. Light filled the stairs.

The staircase, devoid of any sound, was overwhelmed with it. The world outside seemed to blur into chaos, and the muffled sounds of battle grew louder, punctuated by the occasional explosion. I stepped into the storage room, my senses on high alert, closing the door behind me. 

The air was thick with tension, and every fiber of my being screamed at me to stay hidden. But there was no turning back now. I took a moment to compose myself, my mind racing. “There are a bunch of zombies running around, would their blood work?”

Gathering blood from the fallen was not going to be easy, especially with vampires and werewolves tearing each other apart. I could get caught in the battle. 

Deciding to return to where I had defeated Rang’thar instead of finding a zombie, I stepped outside.

– Boom!

Just as I did so, a deafening explosion rocked the mansion. The force of it sent tremors through the floor, and I instinctively ducked, shielding my face from the debris. When I opened my eyes a second later, the wall in front of me had caved in, and a werewolf was hurled through it, almost crashing against me with a sickening thud. 

The werewolf lay motionless beside me, defeated. The level notification was gone from over his head, he was dead.

Shit.

There was an enemy.

My heart skipped a beat as I turned to the gaping hole in the wall, my eyes widening in horror. Stepping through the dust and debris was a woman, and to my dread, it was not a small fry.

It was someone who I recognized from the game. A big shot. 

[Level ???]

Holy fuck.

Could this day grow any worse? 

Munera Obsidian, the eldest child of the Vampiric Father, stepped through the hole, filling the hallway with her dominating presence. 

She exuded an aura of sheer power, her every movement deliberate and lethal. Her eyes gleamed with a cruel satisfaction as she surveyed the scene.

“I thought you’d last for longer, Rathor,” she looked down at the fallen werewolf and said with a mixture of disdain and boredom as if defeating such a powerful foe was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. 

Then, her gaze shifted to me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. She was not on the same aura level as the Matriarch, but my mind saw through the danger regardless.

There was no way I could fight her. Running seemed pointless, but I couldn’t just stand there either. The air grew thick with tension as our eyes locked, her expression shifting to one of mild curiosity.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The noise of battle faded into the background, leaving only the oppressive silence between us. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a countdown to death.

Munera took a step forward, her lips curling into a predatory smile. “Heh,” she purred, her voice dripping with malice. “A human still alive in this mess? Fascinating.”