Max Ranker

Jin Hwan's grip tightened around the handle of his small axe as he stood at the entrance of the abandoned mall. The air was thick with decay, and the red glow of countless eyes in the darkness made his breath hitch. Twenty demons.

His heart pounded. This wasn't like the factory fight. This was a slaughterhouse.

He exhaled sharply. No turning back now.

A low growl echoed through the space. The first demon lunged forward—its jagged claws reaching for his throat. Jin Hwan barely had time to react, sidestepping as its nails grazed his hoodie, slicing the fabric. Too fast.

He swung the axe. SHLICK! It embedded into the demon's shoulder, but the thing barely flinched before snapping its teeth at his face.

Jin Hwan ducked, yanking the axe free, and slammed it down on the demon's skull. A sickening crunch echoed through the air as blood splattered across his hoodie.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 6/100 ]

Another demon rushed in. He pivoted, barely dodging a set of claws, but pain exploded in his side as another one caught him off guard.

Shit.

He staggered backward, pressing a hand to the wound. It wasn't deep, but he could feel the sting. Two more demons charged. He needed to move.

The first one lunged. He dropped low, using the momentum to swing upward, cleaving its throat open.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 7/100 ]

The second demon leaped at him, its jaw unhinging like a snake. Jin Hwan raised his axe just in time, jamming the handle into its mouth. Its sharp teeth scraped against the wood, but he used his weight to slam it into the ground.

Before it could move, he brought the axe down—once, twice, three times—until its body stopped twitching.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 8/100 ]

He was breathing hard now. His hoodie was soaked with sweat and blood. His hands trembled, but there was no time to rest.

A group of five demons surrounded him, their red eyes gleaming. They weren't attacking mindlessly anymore. They were waiting. Studying him.

Jin Hwan wiped the blood off his face and gritted his teeth. I can't stop. I have to keep going.

One of them sprinted forward on all fours. He feinted left, but at the last second, dodged right. The demon stumbled, and in that split second of vulnerability, he swung his axe straight into its back.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 9/100 ]

A second demon lunged. He rolled to the side, barely avoiding its claws, but another one came from behind. No time to dodge.

Jin Hwan raised his arm to block, feeling sharp nails sink into his flesh. He gritted his teeth against the pain and drove his knee into the demon's gut. It flinched just enough for him to swing his axe straight into its neck.

Blood sprayed as the head tumbled to the floor.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 10/100 ]

His body screamed at him to stop. His arm was bleeding, his vision blurred, but he wasn't done yet.

Three more.

They came at him all at once. Jin Hwan exhaled. Calm down. Think.

He waited—just long enough for the first demon to overcommit to its attack—then sidestepped and buried his axe in its ribs.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 11/100 ]

The second demon was faster. It tackled him, sending him crashing against a pile of debris. Pain flared through his back. The demon snarled, pinning him down, its jagged teeth inches from his face.

Jin Hwan grabbed the only thing within reach—a broken metal pipe—and jammed it straight through the demon's eye.

It let out a deafening shriek, convulsing before going still.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 12/100 ]

The last one hesitated. It had seen him take down six of its own.

Jin Hwan, breathing heavily, grinned. Scared?

The demon snarled and leaped—Jin Hwan met it mid-air with a vicious swing. The axe cleaved through its skull, splitting it in two before it even hit the ground.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 13/100 ]

He staggered backward, his body barely holding together. Seven down. His vision swam.

There were still thirteen more demons in the mall.

Jin Hwan wiped the sweat from his brow and forced himself to stand. Not yet. I'm not done yet.

The remaining demons were watching him now. Hesitant. They could tell. He was getting stronger.

Jin Hwan cracked his neck and tightened his grip on the axe.

"Come on," he muttered. "I'm just getting started."

Jin Hwan took a shaky breath, his entire body burning from exhaustion. Blood dripped from his wounds, soaking into his hoodie, but he barely felt the pain anymore. His fingers tightened around the axe handle.

Seven down. Thirteen more to go.

The demons were wary now. They had watched him slaughter their kind. But they were still demons—still killers. They weren't going to let him leave this place alive.

Then, without warning—they charged.

Jin Hwan had no time to think. He planted his foot firmly on the ground and swung his axe in a wide arc. The first demon to reach him had its skull split open instantly.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 14/100 ]

But there were two more right behind it.

Jin Hwan barely had time to react as one pounced on him from the left. He twisted his body, narrowly dodging its claws, but the second one tackled him from behind, slamming him onto the cold concrete.

A sharp pain erupted in his ribs. His vision blurred as the demon's claws raked across his back. He let out a strangled grunt, forcing himself to roll over before the thing could sink its teeth into his throat.

The second demon lunged again—Jin Hwan jammed the handle of his axe straight into its jaw. Bone cracked as the demon recoiled.

Now!

Jin Hwan brought his axe down with all his strength—right into its skull.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 15/100 ]

The first demon had recovered by now and lunged at him again. This time, Jin Hwan was ready. He sidestepped at the last second and swung low, severing its legs at the knees.

The demon screamed, collapsing onto the floor.

Jin Hwan didn't hesitate. He raised his axe high and buried it into the demon's chest.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 16/100 ]

He staggered back, breathing heavily. The taste of iron filled his mouth—he had bitten his own lip in the fight. His arms trembled, but he forced himself to stay on his feet.

Four more had died. That left nine.

But the remaining demons… something was different.

They weren't just attacking blindly anymore.

They were coordinating.

Shit.

They spread out, surrounding him in a half-circle. Their growls reverberated through the empty mall, their red eyes gleaming with hunger. Jin Hwan exhaled. He had to move first.

He rushed forward.

The first demon reacted too slowly—Jin Hwan drove his axe into its neck, nearly decapitating it.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 17/100 ]

But that left him open.

A sharp pain tore through his shoulder.

A second demon had pounced on him, its claws sinking deep into his flesh. Jin Hwan gritted his teeth and grabbed its wrist, twisting with all his strength. The demon screeched as bones snapped, but it wasn't enough to kill it.

Another demon lunged at him from the side.

Jin Hwan used the injured demon as a shield, throwing it into the second attacker.

He rushed in before they could recover and brought his axe down, splitting the second demon's skull.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 18/100 ]

The one with the broken arm tried to crawl away—Jin Hwan ended it with a clean strike to the throat.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 19/100 ]

One more. One more to hit twenty.

But before he could turn, something slammed into him from behind.

Jin Hwan crashed into the ground, gasping for breath. The last demon had tackled him from behind, pinning him down. Its claws tore into his back, ripping through flesh.

Pain exploded in his body.

He struggled, but the demon was too strong. Its jaw unhinged, saliva dripping as it prepared to bite into his neck.

Jin Hwan gritted his teeth.

Not like this.

His hand shot out, grasping a piece of broken glass nearby. With a desperate yell, he stabbed it straight into the demon's eye.

The demon shrieked in agony, thrashing wildly. Jin Hwan took the chance to flip their positions, pinning the creature beneath him.

Then, with his last bit of strength—he slammed his axe straight into its heart.

The demon twitched. Then, it stopped moving.

[ Rank Up +1 ]

[ 20/100 ]

Jin Hwan collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving. His arms felt like lead, his body screaming in pain.

He had done it. He had killed twenty demons.

But there were still more left.

And he wasn't sure how much longer he could last.