(Maleek’s POV)

Me, a champion? That was the thought spinning through my head. I really had to think this through. My theory was spot on—I was in an isekai situation. Letting out a deep breath, I gathered my resolve and said, “Okay, let’s do it.” I looked at them with sheer determination.

Both of them smiled at me—well, at least Faust did. As for G, I assumed he was smiling behind the radiant light that hid his face.

“Good. But I won’t lie, I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to do with this,” G admitted, holding the soul in his hand.

“Hmm, maybe just gah—” I managed to say before the soul shot out from his hand and flew straight into my chest, sending me flying back and crashing to the ground.

“Are you okay?” Faust asked, rushing over with G.

I tried to stand, but a sudden, searing heat overwhelmed me, spreading through my entire body. My breath hitched as the sensation grew more intense. My body shook violently, steam rising from my skin as if I were about to combust. I gritted my teeth as searing holes began to tear through my flesh, blood pooling around me before evaporating into the air. Finally, flames erupted from my body, consuming me entirely as I screamed in agony. The pain was unimaginable, and then, everything went white.

I opened my eyes to find myself in a dark void. “What the hell was that?” I muttered, looking around. I glanced at my body, only to find all my injuries gone.

“I’m so sorry for how rough the process was,” a high-pitched feminine voice said.

“Who’s there?” I demanded, scanning the darkness, panic creeping in.

“Right here,” the voice said. I turned, and if I hadn’t already died once, I would have bled to death right then and there. Standing before me was… a stunning sight, to say the least.

She was a humanoid female, but with two distinct features that set her apart from any human I’d ever seen. Her skin was ash-gray, with red streaks running across her arms and legs. A pair of small, curved horns adorned her forehead. Her hair was a beautiful silken white, cascading down her back, and her eyes were a mesmerizing ruby red. She smiled, revealing a set of fangs that were sizable but not grotesque. And, well, the most striking thing was that she was completely and utterly naked.

I tried not to stare, but my eyes had a mind of their own, tracing every inch of her figure. Her breasts were a perfect size, maybe D-cup, almost double that. Noticing my gaze, she giggled and did a playful 360-degree spin before bending over, showing off her perfectly rounded backside. My mouth went dry. Goddamn. She even reached back and gave her ass a smack, causing it to jiggle like a plate of Jell-O. As if that weren’t enough, she bent further, giving me a full view of her… lips. She stood back up and quickly closed the distance between us, pulling me into a tight hug, my face buried between her breasts.

“I’m so happy to have finally found someone worthy enough to wield my power,” she said cheerfully, her voice vibrating through me.

“What do you mean by that?” I managed to ask, pulling my head out from between her breasts, my face burning red.

“I’ve waited a long time for someone I deemed worthy to use me and my power. No one ever caught my attention—until you,” she chirped, her voice full of excitement.

It finally clicked. “You’re the soul,” I said, realization dawning on me.

“Yep!” she replied gleefully. “But I’m not just any soul. I’m a symbiotic soul. Think of me like a spiritual version of those symbiote things from your human comics.”

I remembered the Marvel comics and shows I used to watch. Symbiotes could bond with a host and grant them special abilities.

“So, once you bond with me, you’ll grant me powers, and we’ll be able to interact, just like they did in the shows and comics?” I asked, piecing it together.

“Exactly! I look forward to working with you and serving you, Master,” she said, her voice filled with love and joy.

“Well, I guess it’ll be a pleasure to work with you too, umm… what should I call you, exactly?” I asked awkwardly.

She tilted her head in thought. “I don’t really have a name.”

“Yeah, see, that’s not going to work. So, I’m just going to give you one.” I thought hard, trying to come up with something fitting. “Shion. Your new name is Shion.”

A cheerful giggle escaped her lips as she hugged me even tighter. “Thank you so much, Master! I promise I’ll do my best to serve you!” she exclaimed before pulling me into a deep kiss, catching me off guard. I blushed furiously as everything around us faded.

(Faust’s POV)

I watched in horror as Maleek writhed in agony. His screams, the blood, the fire—it was beyond bizarre. I looked at G, who seemed just as disturbed. “What’s happening?” I asked, panic clear in my voice.

“I don’t know,” G replied, his tone just as alarmed as mine. We watched, helpless, as the flames consumed him. I was about to try expelling the flames when they suddenly vanished.

What rose from the ashes left me speechless. Standing there, looking completely transformed, was Maleek. I knew it was him because I could sense his soul, but he was different—physically and spiritually.

The first thing I noticed was his body. Where Maleek had been robust before, his new form was a perfect blend of lean and muscular, with chiseled definition that seemed almost otherworldly. He had grown a foot taller, now towering at 7 feet. His arms, legs, and part of his torso were covered in intricate markings, glowing faintly with a mysterious energy.

Then I noticed something else—he was completely naked. His clothes had burned away, leaving me with an unobstructed view of everything. I tried not to look, but I couldn’t help it. His newly toned physique demanded attention. My eyes drifted lower, and I couldn’t suppress the thought that flashed through my mind. Oh my goodness, that’s… big, I thought, feeling my face heat up.

I quickly averted my gaze, focusing on his face. His eyes, once a warm brown, were now a brilliant ruby red, glowing ominously. The whites of his eyes had been replaced by pure black, and his pupils were red slits surrounded by a fiery ring.

I took in his more disturbing features. His forearms were covered in sharp spines curving backward, and his fingers ended in long, menacing claws. Massive black, draconic wings sprouted from his back, and a long, sinuous tail, covered in black scales and tipped with a wickedly sharp stinger, lashed behind him.

But the most terrifying change was his mouth. It was like his lips had been torn away, leaving a grotesque, permanent grin filled with sharp, jagged teeth. It was as if someone had carved a hideous smile into his face.

“Maleek?” I said cautiously, my voice barely a whisper as we looked at him. He turned to face me, sending a shiver down my spine. “How do you feel?”

He looked himself over, flexing his new form. “I feel… all kinds of weird right now,” he said, admiring his transformed body. Suddenly, black wisps of fog erupted from his form, swirling and coalescing into a humanoid shape beside him. The figure solidified into a female with ash-gray skin marked by the same red streaks that adorned Maleek. She had silken white hair, ruby eyes, and—she was completely naked.

“Ummm, Maleek?” I asked, quickly turning my head to avoid staring.

“Ummm, yeah?” he replied, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “Guys, meet Shion,” he said, gesturing to the girl beside him.

“Hi! It’s nice to meet you!” she said in a bubbly voice. “Any friend of my master is a friend of mine!” she beamed.

“Wait, master?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ll explain,” Maleek said before launching into the story. I was shocked, to say the least. This girl was the soul that God had in his possession, and it had bonded with Maleek to give him power.

“Well, this is interesting, but now I think it’s time to take action on our situation,” G said, bringing up a valid point. “I’m not sure what abilities you have now, but we’ll find out. Faust and I will teach you what we can,” G said, earning a nod from Maleek.

“As it stands, you’ve shown attributes from many different types of creatures—from demonic to angelic and supernatural,” I added. “We just need to figure out how to harness them.”

“I have a few suggestions,” Shion chimed in. “I think Master should focus on his physical strength and elemental abilities first, as they might be his most useful assets,” she suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea, but now it brings up a question—just how much physical strength does he have right now?” G pondered.

“I’m not sure. Should we test it?” Maleek asked.

“I think so,” G replied with a mischievous grin. “And I have the perfect idea.”

He stepped in front of Maleek, hands behind his back. “Boy, I want you to use all the strength you can muster and hit me as hard as you can.”

Maleek’s eyes almost bulged out of his head. “You want me to do what?” he screamed.

“Just do it. Don’t argue with me,” G said, his tone brooking no argument.

Deciding not to question him further, Maleek took a few steps back to get a running start. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then shot forward with blinding speed. The force of his takeoff would’ve probably killed a normal person. He delivered a right hook straight to G’s stomach. To my shock, he actually managed to send G sliding back a couple of feet.

“No way that just happened,” Maleek squeaked, staring at his hands in disbelief. I looked at G, who casually lifted his shirt to reveal a small but sizable bruise forming on his stomach.

“I think that answers the question of his physical strength,” I said, dumbfounded.

“Indeed,” G replied, fixing his shirt back into place. “Boy, you may just be a bigger hope than I first thought,” he said with a proud smile.

He walked up to Maleek and placed a hand on his shoulder. “For now, rest while you can. You’ll be training with two gods, and despite not being in Hell, it’s going to be a hellish experience for you.”

Maleek grimaced at that statement but nodded resolutely. “Alright, let’s do this.”

With a light chuckle, G said, “I am proud to have you as my champion, Maleek Dukes.”

“You know, we’re going to have to change that now,” Maleek said, causing me to tilt my head in confusion.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Listen, I love my name and all, but with everything that’s happening, it just doesn’t feel right anymore,” he explained.

“And what makes you say that?” G inquired.

“With this new life, this new beginning, it feels like I need a new identity. I want to leave Maleek in the past if I’m going to move forward. Plus, if I’m going to be facing literal demons, I’d rather have a name that strikes fear into their hearts,” he said with a small chuckle.

Letting out a sigh, I shook my head with a smile. “Okay, so what did you have in mind?”

He sat there, thinking for a moment before answering, “Sureiyā. Sureiya Okumura,” he said proudly.

“Hmm, interesting,” I said, scratching my chin.

“Yeah, I’ve always had a thing for Japanese culture. I even learned the language. Sureiya means ‘slayer,’ and Okumura is the last name of one of my favorite—and in my opinion, most underrated—anime characters. He was a demon who helped slay other demons. No matter how many people were against him, he kept moving forward. And I aim to do the same with this task,” he said, his voice filled with resolve.

I could see the fire burning in his soul. This boy, now Sureiya, would be the one to save us all.

Author's Note

Finally this took a minute I just got the hang off inserting pictures now I need to learn how to do it with music anyway I’m out my niggas have a good revel in the dark/Kurayami de tanoshimu