Sam’s heart pounded like a war drum, a relentless rhythm that echoed in his ears. Every beat was a reminder of what was at stake—the fragile line between life and death. Before him loomed the Demon Commander, its grotesque form radiating suffocating malevolence. Its monstrous figure seemed to eclipse the very light in the room, the air crackling with dark energy.

  Sam gripped his shadow blade tighter, his small hands trembling. Each muscle in his body felt frozen under the weight of terror, doubt clawing at the edges of his mind.

  Can I do this? he thought, his chest tight with despair. I’m just a kid—barely a year old. What chance do I have?

  His eyes darted to his parents. Caross and Claire lay motionless, their bodies bruised and bloodied on the debris-covered ground. Their faces were pale, their breaths shallow. For a fleeting moment, they looked dead. That thought sent an icy blade through Sam’s heart, and his knees nearly buckled.

  If I don’t stop him… If I don’t fight…

  He clenched his teeth, tears pooling in his eyes. They’ll die because of me.

  The Demon Commander sneered, its voice dripping with mockery. “What’s the matter, little one? Is this all the fight you have in you? How pitiful.”

  The cruel words only fueled the storm brewing inside Sam. Fear, rage, desperation—all of it churned like a tidal wave, ready to crash. He forced himself to stand tall, even as his knees trembled.

  He felt it then—a faint warmth in his pocket. The Divine Crystal. His fingers brushed against its surface as he pulled it out, the light from it pulsing softly like a heartbeat.

  How do I use it? His thoughts spiraled, frantic and wild. What did Mom say?

  A whisper echoed in his memory, Claire’s gentle voice cutting through the panic:

  "Once it’s inserted into your brain, it can never be removed. But it will save you, Sam. It will save you when you need it most.”

  Sam stared at the crystal, sweat dripping down his face. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving as if the air itself had turned to stone.

  “I need it now.”

  Before his mind could second-guess him, he pressed the crystal to his forehead. A sharp, searing pain erupted in his skull, white-hot and blinding.

  “AAAHHH!” Sam screamed, collapsing to his knees as agony wracked his body. It felt as though his brain was being torn apart and rebuilt at the same time, his veins flooding with divine energy.

  Crystal Transformation Process Initiated.

  11%... 42%... 55%... 79%... 90%... 99%... 100%.

  Transformation Complete.

  The pain subsided as suddenly as it came, leaving Sam panting on the ground, his small body trembling. But something was different. A newfound energy surged through him, raw and untapped. His senses sharpened. His vision focused. The weight of fear lessened, replaced by an iron resolve.

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  New Skill Unlocked: Reborn Battler Divination

  Reborn Battler Divination: A divine combat buff that increases physical attack by 7% and physical defense by 4%.

  “Use skill: Reborn Battler Divination,” Sam whispered, his voice steady, though his hands still shook.

  The energy flared to life, radiating from him in waves. He could feel it—his body was stronger, faster. But just as he steadied himself, the Demon Commander stepped forward, its grotesque form towering over him like a stormcloud.

  “So you’re still alive?” the Commander mocked, dark amusement playing across its twisted face. “I suppose I should commend your spirit.”

  Sam glared up at him, his fists clenched around the shadow blade. “Shut up!” he shouted, his voice raw with fury. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done to my parents!”

  The Commander’s grin widened, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. “Ah, but what will you do, child? I’ll give you a choice. Submit to me. Serve me willingly, and I might spare your pathetic life. Refuse, and I’ll order my demons to tear your parents apart while you watch.”

  The words struck Sam like a physical blow. His chest tightened, the terror rushing back tenfold.

  I can’t let this happen. I can’t lose them.

  “Fourteen seconds,” the Commander continued, his voice calm and cruel. “Fourteen… thirteen…”

  Sam’s heart pounded. Think! Think! He frantically searched through the system shop in his mind, his fingers skimming over options.

  Health Replenishment Purchased.

  Warmth flooded his body as his wounds began to close, the bleeding slowing.

  Mana Recovery Purchased.

  His depleted energy returned, restoring his strength.

  “Eight… seven… six…”

  Sam’s pulse raced. There wasn’t time. He had to act now.

  “Use skill: Scale-a-Pult!” Sam roared.

  Dark energy surged from his body as the skill activated. The Demon Commander’s expression twisted in confusion—then in pain—as his own scales were ripped from his body and turned into deadly projectiles. They shot back at him with blinding speed, piercing his flesh like spears.

  “ARGHHH!” The Commander bellowed in agony, his body staggering under the unexpected assault.

  Sam didn’t hesitate. He pushed forward, his shadow blade gleaming as he struck with everything he had. Each swing was fueled by anger, grief, and an unrelenting will to protect the people he loved.

  “You’re not… taking them from me!” Sam screamed as he struck again and again.

  The Commander roared, swiping at Sam with desperate, clawed hands, but Sam ducked and dodged with newfound speed. Every strike landed deeper, cutting through the demon’s defenses.

  Finally, the Commander snarled and lunged toward Caross and Claire, his claws outstretched.

  “NO!” Sam screamed, his body moving on instinct. He leapt into the air, twisting as he brought the blade down with everything he had.

  The edge of the sword connected. The Demon Commander froze, its eyes widening in shock as the blade cleaved through its neck.

  A sickening silence followed.

  The Commander’s massive body slumped to the ground with a deafening crash, its severed head rolling lifelessly across the floor.

  Sam collapsed to his knees, the shadow blade evaporating in his hand. The room was still, save for his heavy, ragged breaths.

  You Have Defeated the Demon Commander.

  You Have Leveled Up 6 Times!

  Tears streamed down Sam’s face as he turned to his parents. They were alive—still breathing, though battered and broken. Relief washed over him, but it was bittersweet.

  “I… I did it,” he whispered, his voice trembling. His small hands balled into fists as his tears fell harder. “I saved them. I saved them…”

  He looked at his bloodstained hands, his vision blurred by tears. “Even someone like me… someone so useless and weak… can have worth, right?” His voice cracked. “Does that… does that make me normal?”

  The words hung in the air, filled with the weight of everything he had endured.

  Sam slumped forward, his body exhausted beyond its limit, but his heart was full of something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

  Hope.

  For the first time, he realized that even in the darkest shadows, there was a light to fight for.

  As he lay there, his parents breathing steadily beside him, Sam whispered a promise to himself.

  “I’ll get stronger. Strong enough that no one can ever hurt us again.”

  The house was silent, the battle over, but Sam’s journey had only just begun.

  To Be Continued…