My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

The demon's clawed hand stretched toward Ethan's unconscious form, its sharp fingers trembling with anticipation. Just as the demon's shadow loomed over him, the stillness of the forest was shattered by the sharp crack of a gunshot.

A single bullet tore through the air, striking the demon's outstretched hand with deadly precision. The impact sent a burst of fiery sparks cascading across its pallid skin, and the bullet's effect was immediate. The demon's hand erupted in flames, a searing light consuming its flesh as it shrieked in agony.

"Aaaaargh!" the demon bellowed, stumbling back as it cradled its smoldering hand. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air, mingling with the oppressive black mist that clung to the forest floor.

Its two comrades spun around, their red eyes narrowing as they scanned the dense underbrush for the source of the attack. The forest, seemingly tranquil moments ago, now bristled with an unseen tension.

"Who dares?!" one of the remaining demons growled, its voice reverberating like rolling thunder. Its tail lashed the air furiously, the sharp blade at its tip slicing through leaves and branches as it swung in agitation.

"Show yourself, coward!" the third demon snarled, stepping forward. Its glowing eyes burned brighter, and its fangs gleamed as it bared them in a menacing grin. "Face us if you dare! Or do you prefer hiding in the shadows like a pathetic little worm?"

The injured demon staggered to its feet, smoke rising from its burned hand. It snarled through clenched fangs, its voice trembling with fury. "Whoever you are, you'll pay for this insult. Come out and face your death!"

The tension in the forest reached its peak as the black mist swirled violently around the enraged demons. Then, from the shadows of the dense forest, a figure emerged.

She was clad in a long, dark robe that flowed with her steady movements. The hood partially concealed her face but left just enough visible to glimpse sharp, piercing eyes.

Her elegant yet deadly weapon was adorned with intricate carvings, and her rifle rested confidently in her hands. Her presence exuded an aura of quiet determination, and her movements were deliberate and unyielding.

The demons immediately locked onto her, their glowing red eyes narrowing as snarls escaped their lips. Without a word, the woman continued her slow, deliberate approach, the barrel of her rifle gleaming faintly in the dim light filtering through the forest canopy.

"You dare show yourself?" one of the demons spat, baring its fangs as it coiled its body, preparing to strike. "You'll regret that choice."

The injured demon growled, smoke still rising from its scorched hand. "Kill her! Make her suffer!"

The third demon didn't wait. With a guttural roar, it lunged forward, its powerful legs propelling it toward her like a feral predator. Its tail lashed behind it, a deadly blade aiming to slice through the robed figure.

But the woman was ready.

In one fluid motion, she sidestepped the attack, her robe swaying with the grace of her movements. As the demon's claws slashed through empty air, she swiftly loaded another bullet into her rifle, the metallic click echoing in the silence. Before the demon could recover, she raised the weapon with uncanny precision, aiming directly at its head.

The rifle roared as the shot was fired. The bullet, glowing faintly as it cut through the air, struck the demon squarely in the skull. There was no time for it to react as the explosive force obliterated its head in an instant. Its lifeless body crumpled to the ground, black ichor seeping into the soil.

The remaining two demons froze momentarily, stunned by the speed and lethality of the woman's response. Their snarls grew louder, their rage now fully unleashed. But the figure didn't flinch. She lowered her rifle slightly, her stance steady, ready for the next move.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The remaining two demons roared in fury, their glowing red eyes blazing as they lunged at the robed figure with murderous intent. Their movements were a blur, their powerful legs propelling them forward as their tails lashed violently behind them.

Emboldened by its rage, the injured demon closed the distance first, its claws slicing through the air with lethal precision. But the woman remained calm, her movements fluid as she sidestepped the attack, her robe billowing like a shadow in the wind. She reloaded her rifle with a swift, practiced motion, the sound of the metallic click sharp and deliberate.

She raised her weapon before the injured demon could recover and fired again. The bullet, glowing faintly with an otherworldly energy, struck true, piercing the demon's head with devastating force. Its skull shattered as the explosive power erupted, sending fragments and black ichor scattering into the air. The demon's lifeless body crumpled to the forest floor, its final growl cut short.

The last demon let out a guttural roar, leaping high into the air in an attempt to flank her. It moved with terrifying speed, its tail whipping toward her with deadly precision. But the woman remained composed, her sharp eyes tracking its every move.

As the demon descended, she raised her free hand, and the air around her swelled and hummed with power. A sudden gust of wind erupted from her palm, forming a spiraling drill of razor-sharp currents that crackled with energy. It was a clear manifestation of her control over elemental wind—a sign of her ascension to at least the Knight Ascendant realm.

She lunged forward with a burst of speed, meeting the demon mid-air. The wind drill on her hand glowed with an intense energy as she drove it directly through the demon's skull. The impact was immediate and catastrophic, the swirling currents boring through its head like a hot knife through butter. The demon's body went limp, and it fell to the ground with a dull thud, lifeless.

The woman lowered her arm, the wind dissipating into the still air as she surveyed the scene. Her gaze briefly flicked to Ethan's unconscious form before she let out a quiet sigh, her voice carrying a tone of exasperation.

"What a pain in the ass," she muttered, shaking her head slightly. Her rifle rested on her shoulder as she turned to the mysterious young man on the ground.

The woman's sharp gaze shifted to the massive black and gold gate standing ominously at the base of the towering mountain. It loomed in the distance, an unyielding monument of power and dread. She wiped a speck of demon ichor from her cheek, her lips pressing into a thin line of frustration.

"It looks like they're becoming more active," she muttered, her voice tinged with irritation and concern. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the intricate carvings on the gate's surface, faintly glowing in rhythmic pulses, almost like a heartbeat. "The frequency of their appearances is increasing. This isn't good."

The smallest gate, now closed, seemed almost mocking in its silence, a reminder of the danger that lay within. The black mist had dissipated with the deaths of the demons, but the gate's unsettling aura lingered, oppressive and heavy.

She turned her attention back to Ethan, who lay unconscious amidst the flattened underbrush. Her sharp eyes softened slightly as she observed his ragged breathing, his face pale and bruised.

The remnants of the black-and-gold glow from his Primal Overdrive mode still faintly shimmered on his skin like the dying embers of a great fire.

The woman sighed deeply, resting her rifle against her shoulder. "Great," she muttered. "This is exactly what I needed—more trouble."

She crouched next to Ethan, studying his features and the strange aura clinging to him. "What's your story, huh?" she murmured, tilting her head slightly. There was something about him that felt off and didn't quite fit with the usual chaos surrounding the gates.

After silent deliberation, she straightened up and glanced back toward the mountain. Her brows furrowed, and a flicker of reluctance crossed her face.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" she said to herself. "If I leave you here, you're as good as dead. And if you've got anything to do with this damn gate, the old man will want to see you."

Her tone turned resolute as she slung her rifle over her back and crouched again, carefully lifting Ethan onto her shoulder. Though his weight wasn't much for someone of her strength, the effort it symbolized made her sigh again.

"Let's go, mystery boy. You're about to meet the old man," she muttered, her voice heavy with both frustration and curiosity. Without another glance at the gate, she began walking deeper into the forest, her steps steady and deliberate as she carried Ethan toward an unknown destination.