The sun was about to set. I was sweaty as hell with my whole body aching. Yet here I was, dealing with this a crazy man I barely know. I do not know what to call this situation aside from being horribly unlucky.

“Greeeeeaaaaargh!” The man growled as he came towards me. 

He threw a punch with his right hand which I evaded by swaying my body rightwards then I countered with a right straight.

“How’s that?” I uttered after I landed a satisfying hit. 

The guy did not even flinch a bit, as if he did not feel anything at all. He just looked at me with the dead eyes of his and threw another right hook. I was able to block it in time by crossing my arms, joint over joint. 

“Damn you!”

The hit knocked me back a little. My arms hurt like hell, it felt like it was bruised but did not feel like a bone broke so I guess everything was still alright. 

As soon as I got my balance back, I replied with a roundhouse kick which he simply caught with his right hand. I quickly raised my body up using the caught leg then kicked his face using my left foot. I was sure that my kick landed a way more powerful impact than my punch but his grip on my leg did not loosen. 

“Whooah! Wait!” He raised me up from the ground using my right leg, swung me up in the air until he released his hold, launching me as if I was a projectile. 

I used my arms to cover my face as leaves and branches intercepted me as I was flying up in the sky. The obstructions though may be painful but it helped decrease my speed. I then landed on a small bush which served as a cushion; I guess I was not completely unlucky after all.

The impact was not as painful as the first punch a while ago so I was able to stand up quickly. The man walked towards me with his gaze locked on his prey. Now that I had a fine taste of his power, I became sure that I had to do it.

 I will not be able to leave here alive if I will not turn to the demon’s power. I hate to do it since it feels like I am going to be involved with all this shit once again. I guess fate really does work in ways you don’t want it to.

I placed my right hand on my chest where my demon’s mark, a black tattoo with a fire like pattern is located. I closed my eyes and focused into channelling its power into my body.

“Gnnngh!” I cried as my chest was engulfed in a burning pain which then spread into my entire body. 

My skin became full of blood red tattoo like patterns. Since I accessed the power, my eye color of blue and white should have turned into red and black as based on what I experienced before. Weird patterns on the skin and creepy eye color are the two most visible signs that one has activated the curse.

I felt the power surging into my body. I went back to my fighting stance as he came closer. When he was near enough, he rushed at me and tried to grab my head which I dodged by ducking. I then answered with a rising upper-cut to his jaw where a cracking sound was heard.

He did not fall but was just looking up, stunned. Thanks to this accursed power, I was able to dish out some damage. I took the chance while he was not moving to do a tornado roundhouse kick. 

It was a kick done after turning around then jumping before kicking, a move I always see in fighting games. I was able to imitate it thanks to the demon’s strength. My foot hit his face which knocked him out. 

“Haaaaa” I breathed out in relief as I saw him lying in the ground but still breathing. Saliva mixed with blood flows out from his widely opened mouth while his eyes were blank. 

That was rough. It is wishful thinking that he will be sane again after he wakes up but I also know for sure that it will not be the case. If one goes berserk, the brain is already good as dead, there will be no return.

But… how am I supposed to kill him? Ending him with a knife would be ideal but I do not have one on hand. If I leave to get one, he might be already gone to rampage somewhere else after I get back. 

Maybe I can just stomp at his throat? Should I just snap his neck? Will that kill him? Will I be able to do it? I have fought the likes of him before but I never killed someone before in my conscious self. 

As I was thinking about how to finish him off, it got significantly harder to breathe compared when I was fighting. Even though I had intended to lay him to rest from the start, my chest tightened and cold sweat ran through my back. 

I got to calm down. I already killed a lot of characters in games before, killing a monster who lost control should not be causing me this much stress. But damn, he is not a game character!

“Damn it!” I yelled as I kicked a nearby tree to calm down, knocking it over. 

I breathed in and out, closed my eyes then repeat. There is nothing I can do but kill him; that was what I told myself. He was the one who came at me and went berserk. He attacked first. I ran but he chased me. I had no choice but to kill him. If I do not finish him I will be the one done in. That’s right, I am not the villain. I am the victim.

I grabbed a large stone about twice the size of a soccer ball. I lifted it with both my hands and went off to the man to smash his head when he suddenly woke up. 

“Graaaaaaawoooooor!” The guy roared loudly as he glared at me. 

His markings in the skin gave out a dark glow and his body started to morph. Damn it! I was too slow! I was too preoccupied on how to cleanly kill him that I forgot that he could transform into demon form even when in berserk state. 

His body grew larger and got covered with black fur. His skin turned to a dark bluish color and the violet markings all over his body was still present. His teeth grew big with emphasis to the fangs. His arms grew about five times its size unlike its legs which did not increase by much. He looked like a gorilla with a black long tail that was possessed by some evil spirit.

“Graaaaaaaaagh!” The man... No, the demon roared with a much deeper, wilder and powerful voice as he stretched his arms side wards.

“Damn!” I shouted as I covered my ears in reflex to the blasting noise. 

He jumped high and raised his arms as both his hands were holding one another. When he was on his peak height, his hands grew ten times its size then attempted to pound me as he landed. I jumped back to avoid being crushed but the shockwave of the brute force caught me, sending me flying until my back hit a tree.

The demon’s hands returned to its original size then he turned around. His tail grew to hit me with a sweep from the distance. I pushed myself from the tree behind me then placed my back flat to the ground. 

I evaded the tail but it partially broke the tree behind me and was about to fall down in my direction. I rolled side wards to avoid it but then a huge stone came flying at my way. I used all the force I can muster to quickly get up and avoid it.

“Graaaaaagh!” He roared as he started hurling trees and stones at me. 

I was able to dodge all of it for a while but doing so took so much out of me. I slowly but steadily moved towards him as I avoided the projectiles. I was still not close enough yet he stopped his mad flinging. He made his right arm grow instead and tried to grab me with a sweeping motion.

I jumped forward to avoid his palm and grabbed the fur on his wrist to climb on his arm. His fur was hard and greasy that it was disgusting. As I firmly grasped on it, his arm suddenly shrunk and I was dragged with it towards him then I was met with punch with his left fist. 

I was able to duck in time then I countered with a kick to his abdomen. It was so hard that I was confident that it did not hurt him at all. The demon countered with a downward punch which I avoided it, crushing the ground instead.

I jumped back to put some distance between us, leaving me unsure of what to do next. I do not have anything to use to fight against him from a distance while I did no damage at all during the melee. All I did was run and duck and evade and dodge. If this keeps on going, it will be me who is going to end up dead.

I had one option left and I do not want to use it as much as I can. If he can transform then I can too, but I hate what happens when I do. I honestly abhor doing so but it seemed like I have no other choice if I want to survive. 

It was him who chased me. I was the victim. I had no choice. I got to live. He is as good as dead. I’m just doing this because I have to. He forced me to. I really had no options left.

“GOD DAMN IT ALL!” I shouted in frustration as I channelled the demon’s energy once again in order to change my form. 

My nails became black, long and sharp. My skin turned into a greyish color, my ears became pointy, and black horns came out from my chin and forehead. I did not change in size nor had other extravagant physical changes but I was sure I became way stronger than this mindless beast.

“Oh yes, It’s playtime! Make sure to savor every bit of my madness!” I laughed out loud.

An uprooted tree came flying at me, I jumped above it avoid and ran towards him. He made his right arm grow again and tried to grab me in a sweeping option. The same move, he really is just a dumb low life. I avoided it by jumping then landed on his grown arm. 

As predicted, he reverted his arm to its original size which dragged me towards him. Before he could punch me with his left knuckle, I stomped at him in the face, making him flinch. That is what he got for using the same boring tactic again. He really got his brain dead in the drain.

“How’s the taste of the shoes that were supposed to be brand new!? Huh!?” 

I stomped at his ugly face over and over again then he tried to punch me back which I simply evaded by jumping back. 

“This shoes were supposed to be smooth and stiff! You even hurt me just a while ago, you know? You still have to pay for that!”

I rushed at him again and I used my claws to slash at his body. He tried to fight back by punching but this buffoon’s movements were too slow that it was a snitch to evade. I kept on slashing at his body, dodge then slash again. Blood splattered all over my hands and a bit on my face. 

“How’s that? How’s that? How’s that? How’s that!?” The joy of slashing through him got to me.

  I kept on ravaging his body over and over again. His torso, his abdomen, his legs and arms, I scarred them all! The sensation of his tough body getting ripped slowly by my sharp claws filled my body with ecstasy that I just can’t contain it! 

He must have suffered a lot. This trash was not able to do anything about it at all! He looked so damned pitiful with his useless excessively large body covered in wounds and blood. This is amazing!

“What!? Tired of playing already? You were the one who chased me all the way here for attention, you weak shit!” The foul smelling monkey was on his knees, breathing heavily and unable to lift its arm. “Come on! No longer gonna grow your little arms, huh!?”

I kicked its face which knocked him down to the ground. He really is just a weakling. I can’t believe this thing was able to land a blow at me, pathetic!

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey” I kept on kicking its body but there was no response. “I guess we have to end it now huh, what a bummer.”

I wanted to have more fun but I was a fool to expect a lot from this huge pile of brainless shit. I stood on top of his chest and looked down on him. He gave me a blank stare. I guess it really was the last of him.

“You were too unlucky to have faced me. Etch the name Ziminar into your puny soul.” I used my claws to pierce his chest then retrieved his heart, killing him for good. 

I licked my lips as I saw a feast upon me, a juicy heart of a demon. With this, I will become even more superior. I held it up high as I adore its beauty while blood dripped down on my face. I open my mouth and let my fangs sick into the pleasure. The tough texture made it a challenge to chew but increased the satisfaction it gave exponentially. 

“Ah, that was delish!”

I reverted back from the demon form. My horns and markings in my skin disappeared while both my nails and eyes returned to normal. I felt so exhausted that I was brought down to my knees.

“Blurgh!” I felt like vomiting but I stopped it as I covered my mouth with my hands. 

What did I just do this time? This is why I don’t want to use it! I cannot control myself when I do. I end up doing horrible things yet I clearly remember what I just did after I revert.

My stomach felt funny as if something inside it was running wild while the bitter taste of the heart lingered in my mouth. I did not feel so good. I fell down on the ground as I groaned with so much pain in my whole body. It felt like there was something crawling beneath my skin. 

I stared at the sky that was starting to darken. I tried to reach for it with my right hand when I saw the demon’s mark of the one I just killed was etched on it. I then felt a huge shock and everything was swallowed by darkness.