"Shadows?"
Aron looked at the darkness beside the metal container.
With a single thought.
The shadow distorted.
Then it thickened.
In the end, it turned into a soldier armed with two long, curved blades.
He was completely black, only the blades gleamed with a cold shine.
"Come."
The shadow soldier reacted instantly, connected to Aron by pure will.
No words.
No commands.
Just a mental link and obedience.
Aron observed him with close interest, then placed his hand on its "body."
In an instant, the shadow changed shape, transforming into a black sword, sharp and powerful.
Aron grabbed it.
"So, this is your power, Sarco?"
"Impressive."
When he let go, the sword turned back into a shadow and vanished.
"Of course," replied the Shadow Demon, clearly pleased.
He didn't even notice that Aron now addressed him by name, but he was too elated to care.
Because soon… the power he sought would be his.
The Shadow Demon didn't know how it was possible that a human like Aron possessed such a quantity of pure demonic energy.
So pure it could be original.
But he knew one thing:
If he absorbed it…
He could break the barrier between dimensions.
Rule the Shadow Dimension.
And devour even the Hell Dimension.
If he succeeded…
He would become a Dimensional Lord.
The future he had always desired was now within reach.
"Man, I gave you a part of my power," the Demon spoke.
"Now it's your turn."
Silence.
"Where is it?"
"Where is the power you promised me?"
Aron spread his arms, his face cold.
In his ears, the system tone had already echoed:
[Ding!]
[Anomalous energy detected!]
[Exorcism system has automatically executed a purge!]
When he heard that, Aron knew:
He owed the demon nothing anymore.
You said your power is inside me?
Well, fine.
Let's see how serious you are.
"No… no…"
The Shadow Demon suddenly looked confused.
Indeed, he couldn't sense his power in him.
Yes, Aron was filled with shadowy energy…
But that energy wasn't his.
"You… YOU TRICKED ME!?"
Rage exploded.
All the shadows around began to move, tear, and twist.
They turned into disgusting, demonic creatures.
Aron instinctively tried to take control over the shadows.
But it was an unequal fight.
The demon's power surpassed his, for now.
"You still have a flair for drama, don't you?" said Aron with a mocking smile.
"You stupid mortal!"
The demon laughed maliciously.
"Did you really think I would give you all my power!?"
Hordes of shadowy monsters began to gather.
"Now you'll learn what it means to deceive a dimensional divine demon..."
The word "lord" wasn't even uttered.
A flash of white light.
Aron activated the pre-prepared exorcism array.
The system still as powerful as ever.
White light shone, and in an instant, all shadow creatures vanished without a trace.
Even the Shadow Demon himself was erased from existence.
"Hm... You think you left a backup plan, don't you?"
Aron clapped his hands and looked around.
There was no trace of shadowy aura anywhere nearby.
As if the Shadow Demon had never even existed.
And with his disappearance, Aron immediately gained full control over the shadows of all objects around him.
"Dimensional demonic god, you say?"
"You're not even a Dimensional Lord. How dare you even mention Dormammu in the same sentence?"
Thinking of the arrogant demon who proclaimed himself a deity, Aron shook his head in disgust.
At that moment…
[Ding!]
[Achievement unlocked: First banishment of a dimensional demon!]
[Congratulations, you've earned the reward: Voice of the Heavenly Law!]
(Record 1: No ritual required. Your word is law. Summoning can be executed by speaking the true name of the demon.)
(Record 2: The demon has the right to refuse the summoning if it wishes.)
"Which means…"
"I no longer need blood, limbs, or all those filthy sacrifices…"
"Just the name?"
When he read the effect of the reward, Aron's eyes sparkled.
No more rituals.
No more sacrifices.
So, you can simply call forth a being, if you know its true name?
But when he read the second line…
He cooled down.
Of course, the summoning only works if the demon agrees to come.
But still…
It was a huge step forward.
"Even if I can't decipher that papyrus the Ancient One gave me…"
"I can simply speak the name."
He remembered the ancient scroll given to him by the Ancient One.
The powers of the Dimensional Lords were recorded, but the text was written in archaic symbols he couldn't read.
But now?
There was no need for understanding.
Knowing the name was enough.
"What was it called again? The Ancient One muttered something… Quas?"
"No, Quag… Quags?"
Aron muttered.
BOOM!
In an instant, the space around him exploded with surreal pressure!
Tentacles. Eyeballs.
Massive, deformed masses filled the entire warehouse.
Uncontrollable, all-encompassing horror.
Pressure from all directions.
"Shit!"
"I really summoned him!?"
"And I didn't even set up an exorcism protocol!"
As Aron tried to gather himself and prepare the banishment ritual...
The horror simply vanished.
Everything disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.
Tentacles. Eyes. Pressure.
As if they were just hallucinations.
The warehouse returned to its original state.
Quaggs never even arrived.
"The Ancient One said that guy was sealed…"
"Looks like he is."
Aron wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
He had almost summoned one of the true Dimensional Lords.
And without any protection...
"From now on, no speaking names out loud."
Saying that to himself as a lesson, Aron headed toward the warehouse exit.
But after only a few steps...
"…?"
"What is that over there?"
"Where is that concentration of demonic power coming from?"
As soon as he stepped outside, he felt it.
A massive surge of demonic energy emanating from the very center of New York.
And not just that.
Something in that energy pattern was familiar.
Very familiar.
As if… it was the same group of demons he had summoned earlier.