Kujo's eyes fluttered open to a sterile, white ceiling. The faint hum of machines filled the room, punctuated by the occasional beep of monitors. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, painting pale stripes across the floor.
For a moment, he didn't remember where he was. His body felt heavy, weak, every limb protesting against movement. Confusion twisted in his mind.
Then he remembered. The dungeon. The overwhelming power. His death. And… rebirth.
He was no longer himself. He was someone else—a hunter who had perished alongside Jin-Woo in that fateful dungeon. Yet all his memories, all his knowledge from the previous life, remained intact.
A flicker of realization coursed through him. His Demon Monarch system—the white flame, the demons, the limitless potential—was still with him.
Careful not to draw attention, Kujo flexed his fingers. A faint wisp of white flame danced across his palm, harmless but unmistakably alive. His heartbeat quickened.
Across the room, Sung Jin-Woo stirred. His black hair fell across his forehead as he blinked awake, groaning softly from the lingering pain.
Kujo's eyes followed him, noting the familiar features. Jin-Woo looked just as he had in his previous life—determined, cautious, ready to rise. Yet Kujo knew the difference this time. He had the edge.
He shifted slightly, careful not to alert the nurses outside the room. His system interface shimmered faintly in his vision: stats, demons, quests, and a skill tree waiting to be explored.
The demons whispered in his mind, subtle murmurs of loyalty and anticipation. They were bound to him now, ready to serve.
Kujo flexed his arm, summoning a small, shadowed figure wreathed in white flames. The demon hovered obediently, its eyes glowing with a fierce, otherworldly light.
Even the smallest display of power sent a thrill through him. He had survived death, gained unimaginable strength, and now possessed the tools to shape the world—or destroy it.
He exhaled slowly, letting the reality sink in. He was no longer powerless. He was something else entirely.
The hospital room was quiet, save for the soft beeps of the monitors. Jin-Woo shifted, murmuring under his breath, still too weak to notice the subtle aura of white flame around Kujo.
Kujo allowed himself a small smirk. Knowledge and power were his. He could act, plan, and grow, all while remaining hidden.
He focused on the interface, testing minor abilities. A flick of his hand, and a wisp of flame traced a circle on the floor, disappearing before anyone could see.
The demon's form shimmered, solidifying into a small, humanoid figure. It bowed in respect, awaiting his commands.
Kujo felt a surge of pride. Even at this fragile stage, his system responded flawlessly. He could already feel the difference between himself and Jin-Woo.
He glanced at Jin-Woo again, noting the strain on his face. The boy had potential, yes—but Kujo had advantage, foresight, and powers beyond comprehension.
Carefully, he tested another ability. His white flames licked across the hospital bed, harmless yet intense, dancing in response to his thoughts.
Each movement, each test, only strengthened the bond with his demons. Their loyalty was absolute, their growth tied to his will and mastery.
He flexed, feeling the subtle warmth of the flame around him. The Demon Monarch aura pulsed faintly, an invisible signal of his presence and potential.
Kujo's mind raced with strategy. Dungeon exploration, leveling, rival hunters—every path, every decision, could be influenced. He had the power to survive, to dominate, to shape the Solo Leveling world.
Yet he remained cautious. Showing too much, too soon, could draw attention. The hospital was a testing ground, a place to measure his control and understanding of the system.
He summoned another demon, slightly larger, its form wreathed in brilliant white flame. The air shimmered around it, heat radiating faintly.
The creature bowed, awaiting instructions. Kujo's lips curved into a confident smile. Soon, he would command an army.
Even at this stage, his mind was already several steps ahead. He considered his first movements once discharged from the hospital: training, dungeons, stealthy tests of power.
Kujo flexed his fingers again, feeling the system respond instantaneously. Stats updated, minor quests appeared, skills unlocked silently.
White flames danced along his arms and shoulders, harmless to the outside eye but alive in his perception.
He whispered commands to his demons, and they obeyed flawlessly, each responding to his intent without hesitation.
The exhilaration was intoxicating. Power this vast was addictive, even in its nascent form.
Kujo's thoughts drifted to morality. He could choose ruthlessness, subtle manipulation, or restraint. The path ahead was wide open, a blank canvas painted with fire.
He looked at Jin-Woo again, silent, recovering. A rival? An ally? Perhaps both, in ways only time would reveal.
Every instinct told Kujo that patience was key. Even with Ashborn-level potential baked into his system, recklessness could ruin everything.
He allowed himself a moment to observe the hospital room, the mundane world around him. Fragile, small, ordinary… yet beneath it, he carried god-level potential.
A subtle pulse of white flame traced along his chest, a reminder of the Demon Monarch power waiting within.
Kujo's inner monologue churned with plans, strategies, and experiments. First, control the system. Second, train his demons. Third… survive and rise.
He flexed his hands, feeling energy respond to thought alone. Commands given mentally, the smallest spark of white flame obeyed perfectly.
The demons whispered again, faintly, almost impatiently, their forms shimmering with eager anticipation.
Kujo's gaze hardened. The Solo Leveling world was dangerous, full of hunters, dungeons, and monsters. But he would walk it as the Demon Monarch, on par with Ashborn, and with power that could surpass anyone.
Every small flicker of flame, every obedient demon, every pulse of the system interface reinforced one truth: he was no longer human in the conventional sense.
The hospital walls could not contain him. Even in weakness, he was a storm waiting to break free.
Kujo exhaled slowly. The journey had begun, and the world would soon learn the name of its new Demon Monarch.