[System online. 90% Core Damage. Host revival in five years.]
Those were the words Paul heard when he opened his eyes and he found himself surrounded by darkness.
The last thing he remembered was holding hands with a girl in white, until cracks appeared over the image, causing his body to tremble.
The memory shattered, followed by an intense strike of lightning, and a mocking laughter. Someone had ambushed them.
"Release her. Now." He had shot up into the sky, thundering in his loudest voice. The mere power of his voice shook the earth beneath them.
The image switched again, and Paul appeared, bloody holes surrounded his coats but the fire in his eyes burned brighter.
The enemies fired attacks from different sides, trying to slow him down but nothing worked. After all, he was the champion of The Greatest One.
These men held tightly to a box, and Paul knew she was inside it. She was unconscious, and helpless, simply because he had let down his guard.
"Get rid of him." A man in a black cloak yelled at his underlings. He had used most of his life source to create the box, trapping the lady.
He dived down, trying to find a coverage in the large forest, weaving through the tall, large trees hastily. His fingers dug into the wooden box.
The girl was simply a distraction. His task was to achieve the end goal—capturing and possibly destroying Paul's divine core.
"He's too strong, boss." One of his men replied.
The man shot him a hot glare, causing them to flinch.
"I do not care if your lives are at stake. At least slow him down till I can escape." Leventus gritted his teeth, feeling the penetrating pressure of their chaser.
"Do not touch her." The man behind them thundered. His golden-white hair swaying against the wind.
Lightning sizzled on every part of his body, mirroring his pain. With a roar, he shot forward, destroying everything blocking his path.
"Leventus. Don't you dare! She doesn't belong to you."
"Neither is she yours. This is her path, Paul. You can't change it." Leventus shot back, biting down at the regret that seemed to consume him. He was far from Paul, so he decided to act and talk carelessly.
However, the next thing that happened shook his world. A large spear flew past his shoulder in the blink of an eye, leaving a bloody tear on his shoulder.
The sting of the divine light was like millions of knives digging into his flesh. He had underestimated Paul's strength.
"Just because you have the power of God doesn't mean you can beat me." Leventus snickered. However, he knew it was a lie as he clenched his jaws. The pain on his shoulder simply intensified.
Paul could have killed him in a single blow if he had wanted but because of the girl. The champion had to attack with caution.
"Do not bring God into this. I'll burn you to smithereens when I get my hands on you." Paul replied, his voice moving through the distance.
"Catch me if you can." Leventus sneered. He activated his core, speeding away from Paul's sight.
Paul clenched his fist. He was about to resume chasing when five people appeared in his line of sight.
"Scram!" Paul waved his hand. A long light rod slammed into them, crashing them into the ground. Leventus' underlings looked back to see this display, and their hearts grew cold. This Paul was indeed a champion.
A dark cloud appeared in the skies. Paul's heart raged with a dark, menacing fire he had not felt in ages.
His eyes zoomed further, locking onto Leventus's disappearing body.
Leventus felt the bloody-curdling intent. His lips lifted in a smile. "Come get her. Champion of God." He muttered with a slippery tone, taunting the champion.
A vein popped on Paul's head when he heard the words.
The dark fire had utterly consumed his heart. He had forgotten to control it. In his raging emotions, a whisper brought a still to his heart, "Let her go."
Paul knew who owned the voice, but his heart was burning. How could he when he was this close? It would only prove Leventus right.
He wasn't a weakling like they thought. "I can't. I have to protect her. She's not safe with that monster." Paul snarled at the voice, as his eyes focused on the five humans in the line of his sight.
The first man came forth, his stance ready for battle. "Withering flames: Missile of death." His life core burned brightly, part of it turning to dust.
These people were prepared to end their lives on this mission. If they could have this moving threat, this so-called champion, their boss would have given them the eternity they desired.
The massive bullet of black fire hit Paul, who wasn't prepared for such a sudden, powerful attack. The earth trembled vigorously as a mushroom cloud blew into the sky as Paul crashed heavily into the ground.
An enormous crater formed under him. Half of his body had been blown to bits.
Paul raised his gaze, his blood pooling under him.
"Let her go. You are not in the right state."
Paul ignored the voice again. He wouldn't give up.
A soft laughter rang in his memory, followed by the appearance of a gentle face with an extended mass of white hair. It was the lady in the box, the one he loved.
Blood-red tears flowed down his eyes. He would get her back even if heaven stood against him.
These people would only back away if he show them how dangerous he could be. His life core swirled, more prominent than his enemies' core combined.
This was his golden key and a trump card in such a world.
It was why he was feared—his life core and the one who gave it to him—his God.
However, he was currently ignoring his God. Anger had consumed his reasoning. These people dared to offend someone like him. The core burned brightly, illuminating the part of his body that had been cut off.
After a few moments, the light dissipated. He was back to his normal state, but there was no time. Recovering his body had used much of his energy.
"I'll kill all of you and get her back," Paul yelled, a contrast of his former self.
He had yielded to the fury clawing at his heart—the yearning for utter destruction.
The four people dropped down and stepped forward. Their gaze sharpened when they saw what was on Paul's hand.
He was creating dark fire!
They looked at each other. The only persons who could create such fire were 'The corrupted.' Had Mighty Paul, God's champion, become one of them?
"He'd be weak like this." Someone sneered, his eyes focused on Paul.
"Corrupted fire can never mix with Divine Fire."
"That's enough talk, do you have the stump?"
"Shut up. Who do you think I am to ask that silly question? Of course I do." One of them said, bring out what looked like a dragon's tooth.
"If it weren't for the fact that master chose you, I'd have slapped your rude mouth into your behind." The other answered, kissing his teeth. The only reason he was here was because of that reward.
The men swallowed their enmity, and focused on their price, ready for a showdown.
Paul moved, and with each step he took, he cracked the ground under him. In his hand was a burning dark haze. The light in his eyes flickered before going blank.
He had severed his connection with God, destroying his affinity for Divine fire.
The only way he could beat these people was to use their fire against them. He had to grasp the essence of Dark Fire.
Paul had forgotten that his life core was made of Divine energy. He was blinded by his motive, working against his God's will, wanting to win against these people and get back what he desired.
He dived to the front in a blink of an eye, wielding his dark fire like a weapon.
"Die!"