Yongsun

Everything burns, the man thinks, stumbling as he attempts to get up, feeling his body twist and turn, the pain unbearable for a moment, and just then, as if it never hurt, he was ok. His body felt unfamiliar. I feel heavier, Yongsun thinks, looking down, he's wearing his stage clothes, well what was his stage clothes, they're all ripped, his body slightly bigger and his muscles that before were lean are now bulging. He touches his abdomen, finding it to be defined, the dream of most men, but not when your whole media image is being cute. Fuck, he swears in his mind, trying to make sense of his situation, at the theatre he saw things as fun and maybe due to the pool of people that were along with him, he didn't see any deaths or despair.

Sure some were confused, but as most were young people in their 20’s, they were quite familiar with the concept and jumped at the idea of being in some sort of videogame. Can we die for real here? He questions himself as no one dared to make a question to the dark figure who introduced the Tower of Life to them.

And just as he wonders, a transparent blue screen appears in front of him with a timer, announcing the imminent beginning of the first floor. Yongsun tries to move but is stopped by a force beyond himself. I need to wait then… 

Even though he spent his formative years training to be an idol, he still played a few games here and there, but what he enjoyed the most were mangas, reading in his spare time between stages and filming. He's familiar with the situation, as is something wildly covered in the stories he read, being dragged to another realm and having to fight in order to survive. The exact situation is different though, since it's real. 

As a veteran reader of isekai and transmigration stories, Yongsun immediately thinks of his status window, making it appear in front of him. There was no clue, if someone isn't familiar with the concept they might start the floor without knowing their stats.

And correct he is, as two billion people in the same situation as him are despairing right this moment, trying to survive in a maze with no clear exit. 

Name: Yoon Yong-sun

Age: 22 years 0 months 4 days

Race: Hybrid (Human/Demon)

Class: Demon King

Familiar: Not yet acquired 

Title: The First Half-Human Demon King; Young Master of the Yoon Family; Visual of TEMPEST.

Affiliation: TEMPEST; Hell.

Water coins: 0 

Fire coins: 0

Corruption Gauge: 67%

A moment of silence isn't enough for him to even begin to process the information in his status window. He thought he would be a hybrid with some interesting species, his hope was elf, dragon or even an angel. Due to Yongsun’s nature he would never imagine he ended up as a demon. He, someone who never experienced the rottenness of the world, is now someone 67% corrupt? He, someone known to be innocent to a fault, is the Demon King?

“There's something wrong, this can't be real”, he whispers to himself, his voice hoarse out of shock. He might be innocent and sometimes borderline naive, but even he knows that his image as the Angel of K-Pop will be tarnished the moment his fans find out he's the Demon King. An image he built in 6 harsh years in the K-pop industry, from an unknown idol to worldwide sensation, is now threatened by a choice he made thinking he could have some fun.

Of course he had no way of knowing he would become a demon hybrid, he even entertained the idea of being able to choose his race. But that was naive of him, but what can he do when he didn't even think it could go wrong? He touches his head, instinctively, feeling the warm horn that grew without his knowledge, that's probably why I was hurting so much, he can feel that the horn is hard to the touch, warm, shaped like a spiral and bigger than his hand. If I can't hide this… my career is over. Sure, he doesn't need a career, his family has enough money to last generations even if they don't do anything, but since he was a little kid, all Yongsun wanted to be was like those singers and performers he saw on TV. He had to beg his family for years, and he started training with private teachers at 12, training and studying as if his life depended on it, and after so much hard work, he finally debuted at age 16 with a small company his parents chose. And it didn't end with his debut, insane diets, hellish practice and group mates that thought he was a walking wallet, even surrounded by those with dark hearts, Yongsun came on top, surviving and succeeding in the idol industry and remaining pure of heart.

His solo fans were even called angels, and he was the archangel, he was at least. Not much of an angel anymore. Trying to stop thinking about the consequences this will have in his future, he continues to check his status, as the clock is ticking, and he won’t have a future if he ends up dead.

Stats:

STR: 120  INT: 12  DEX: 70  LUCK: 32 CHA: 110  CON: 70  MANA: 210

I don't have anything to compare it to, but it seems good. Considering I am the Demon King makes sense that my strength and mana would be higher. He thinks, looking at his stats proudly, at least he won't be put to shame on the first floor. Next he checks his skills.

Skills:

Transformation (Lvl. 3 / 0%)

Demon King (Lvl. Max / 100%)

Soul Link (Lvl. 0 / 0%)

Dark Manipulation (Lvl. 3 / 0%)

Master of the Masks (Lvl. 0 / 0%)

Stage Presence (Lvl. Max / 100%)

Yongsun slowly reads his skills, he has a decent amount already leveled up, probably because of his DNA change as the dark figure in the theatre said. With this I probably will be able to do this floor well, if his assumptions are correct of course.

Transformation (Lvl. 3 / 0%)

Tap within your darkness and change between your human-self and your demon-self. Beware that depending on your mastery of this skill, the transformation can become unstable.

Required Mana: 0 Cooldown: 180 seconds

Thank god, Yongsun thinks with a smile, I just need to master this skill and I'll be able to hide… this. 

Demon King (Lvl. Max / 100%)

The Crown lies in your head, not only you're able to command other demons, but you're the epitome of your race. Any order you give to another demon will be followed regardless of individual will, you can mark your loyal followers allowing them to become more powerful and your power growth is endless.

Don't forget that with the crown responsibilities follow.

This is a passive skill, always active and due to the mastery there is no Cooldown or Mana Cost.

So I'm really the Demon King, the realization doesn't make the man happy, he's not ready to rule over a whole species.

Soul Link (Lvl. 0 / 0%)

Some look for eternity, but you're lucky enough to have a skill to aid you! Having another soul link with yours is rare, as you fill up your skill, you'll be able to see your link more strongly.

Being close to your link will fill the skill %. When you're close to your link all your stats will increase by 20 points and your skills will have their cool down reset by physical contact.

Link Name: Not found yet.

Required Mana: 0  Cool down: 0 

This skill makes Yongsun pause for a moment, he reads the description a few more times before opening a big smile. In reality, beyond being an idol, he has another dream, an intangible dream he put on the background for his career. The dream of finding his soulmate, and now, here it is a skill that gives him that, a soulmate. His very own other half.

And he must make a choice. To be an idol is to commit to being single, after all an idol’s lover is their fans, one dream must go for the other to shine.

Well…

Six years is good enough, no?

I can take a role in my father's company…

I should buy a pink diamond for the wedding ring…

My brother had a craftsman do his, maybe I can get their contact…

As one might figure it out by now, Yongsun is a romantic, a dreamer and a naive one at that. His dream of being a hit idol had been fulfilled and even if he wanted to do this for more 10 to 20 years before retiring, he now not only has a good motive - the Tower of Life - but also he has a new goal. Frickle as it may sound, for someone desperate to keep his career afloat, however he made a promise to himself all those years ago when he watched his first romance movie, that when he finds his soulmate, he'll dedicate his life and soul to them, not only because it's a rare encounter, but because to love and to be loved is the most beautiful emotion a human can experience.

Well, half-human now.

Dark Manipulation (Lvl. 3 / 0%)

A power suiting of the Demon King, you're able to manipulate dark matter to the limits of your imagination. The world is your playground and where there is light it'll be darkness, use your surroundings and your soul to dominate battlefields!

Required Mana: 15-40 Cooldown: 240 seconds

Master of the Masks (Lvl. 0 / 0%)

As an idol you were surrounded by those with dark intent, and now as a King you must keep a poker face even when encountering your biggest fears. The more you master this skill, the less you'll be surprised even when your closest friends stab you in the back.

This skill will automatically activate when the user experiences a big shift of emotion.

This skill doesn’t work on your Soul Link.

Required Mana: 100 Cooldown: 62 hours

Stage Presence (Lvl. Max / 100%)

You made history as the first K-Pop star to be known even in small country cities and remote communities, you're a star through and through. Wherever you are you're the center of attention, and what you do will become reference to those watching you. You're influence itself.

This is a passive skill and doesn't have a Mana Cost.

This skill doesn’t work on your Soul Link.

Skills are based on my experiences, personality and class, he observes as the clock on the first floor comes closer to zero. Yongsun sighs, warming himself up. Well, let's see how I hold up on this floor.

It all happened too fast for even the man himself to understand what he did, the timer came to zero, Yongsun took three steps forward, touching the cold stone wall of the maze and then he just punched it, barehanded. A wall of smoke appears where used to be the maze wall, and once the smoke subsides, he stares beyond, where a frozen ballroom is, he destroyed fifteen walls with one punch. This is insane.

Even if he wishes to say it may be the basic power level, it doesn't make sense, since the floor wouldn't be designed to be this easy. He leaves the maze, which is now only a pile of rubble, and enters the ballroom, completing the first floor in exactly 2 minutes and 23 seconds. Ranking first in the entire world.

And like that the endless wait for the second floor began.