Chapter 14: Dark Lord’s Awakening

Luke was kneeling by the edge of the waterfall, scrubbing what could barely be called a shirt against the rocks. The fabric was torn almost beyond recognition—riddled with holes, crusted with dried blood, its seams frayed to the point of disintegration.

It clung to his hands like a memory that refused to be washed away. The only reason he hadn’t tossed it aside was painfully practical: he didn’t want to wander around half-naked in just his underwear, exposed to the cold air and whatever else this strange place might throw at him.

The bloodstains weren’t coming out easily. No matter how hard he worked, they remained—stubborn, dark, embedded in the fabric like dried memories. Deep down, he knew washing it was pointless. If he ran into another fight—and he would—it’d be soaked again within minutes.

But the act itself, this small, mundane gesture of cleaning something ruined, helped in ways he couldn’t quite explain. It gave him a rhythm to follow, a quiet focus. It calmed the noise. Even if only for a moment, it kept the worst thoughts at bay.

Am I going to turn into some kind of monster? Lose who I am… completely?

The question came again, softer this time. But he didn’t have answers, so he simply stopped asking.

Instead, he slipped on the damp shirt and sat at the edge of the clear lake, water dripping down his back. A few fruits sat beside him—freshly picked from the trees nearby.

This place had changed.

The island—once shattered, fractured, hanging in a void like a forgotten shard—had slowly reconnected with the world around it. It was no longer floating in emptiness. It belonged somewhere again.

Trees had grown where there had been only dust. Mushrooms now peppered the forest floor like tiny lanterns. He’d seen butterflies. Fireflies blinking in the underbrush. Even a few squirrels darting from branch to branch, their presence a small but comforting sign of normalcy.

It felt alive again. Like the land itself had exhaled.

But one thing still lingered in the back of his mind.

“There’s still one thing left…”

He opened his system screen.

Next to the “Titles” section was a flickering [?] symbol.

Luke exhaled. He already knew there was no turning back. Might as well see what he’d earned.

[Do you wish to unlock your title?]

“No… but like I have a choice. Just show me already.”

[Unlocking your title…]

The screen flashed, and then came the new notification. Luke read it—then froze.

[Dark Lord] Master of the dark forces. Supreme commander of monsters, demons, and abyssal creatures. This title grants the authority to dominate and shape supernatural beings at will, commanding them as extensions of your will. The horde that follows you grows in strength with your presence alone.

(Bonus: +10 to all Attributes)

He blinked.

I actually got +10 to everything…?

A warm rush pulsed through his chest, spreading outward like lightning. He felt it immediately—his lungs expanding, muscles charging with renewed energy. The lingering fatigue from traveling was gone in seconds. His reflexes sharpened, his hearing grew more sensitive, and every inch of his body felt like it had been rebuilt.

He opened the system screen.

Name: Luke

Level: 2

Rank: F

This book’s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Class: [Assassin (Lvl 5)]

Race: Half-Demon

Profession: —

Titles: [Dark Lord]

Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon]

Health Points (HP): 300 / 300

Mana Points (MP): 210 / 210

Stamina: 157 / 190

Stats:

Strength: 25

Agility: 33

Endurance: 19

Vitality: 30

Perception: 26

Intelligence: 21