Part 16: The Empowerment of the Demon's Soul

Ian turned over in his bed. Dreams... no... nightmares invading his mind as he slept. It was his time in hell, the first time. The torture, the pain. It wasn't that he feared it. It was that he was reliving it again. He had almost forgotten it. He remembered laughing as they tore him limb from limb.

He sat up, awake, sweating profusely. His left shoulder ached where the gem embedded itself. He rotated it and massaged it. It was in deeper than normal. He could already summon the claws themselves. But since putting on the amulet, it had altered a bit. Right now the amulet sat on his night stand, but he could feel its energies growing.

Both were items of the real Izon, the demon in which Ian took his name. Not that it mattered, Izon was dead now. Defeated by the very demons Ian had defeated. Or so he thought anyway.

He rolled out of bed, barely stirring Sawish who had grown quite comfortable sleeping with him. He had nothing for her, no feelings of any kind. Though she was a great method to relieving some stress, both sexually and violently. She took a punch and just stood there. He wasn't sure why. His last lover killed him for his deeds. This one just took it like it didn't matter. Kind of like his first love, Andrea. Though he had actual feelings for that one. He still had to get rid of her so he could take over the Townsend Trading Company.

Ian walked out onto the patio. It was a hot summer night and the sky was clear. He often looked up at the stars when he would wake up in the middle of the night. Not to admire the beauty, but to plot trading routes. He was always working, even in sleep.

This night was different though. He was different. He looked out over the landscape. All he could visualize was the world burning and him as king. He wasn't sure why. He hated politics. Businessmen were known to be ruthless, but there was a purpose. Greed. Power to run lives was an illusion. Eventually it would end. But with money, the more you had, the harder it was for it to vanish. It was a real thing. Tangible. He wouldn't believe deities existed if he hadn't visited hell and see some of them first hand.

His shoulder ached again. This time a bit worst. He walked over to the nightstand and grabbed the amulet. Not sure why, but he felt it was the right thing to do.

He put it on and the pain vanished. He went back outside and took flight in the nude. He didn't care. Unless a plane flew by or a shuttle, no one would see him. He arrived at the construction site where his training facility was being built. He landed on the top level that was opened to the sky.

This was looking less and less useful. It would be massive, yes. And he would be able to hire warriors, yes, but would it help him reach his goals?

No.

The voice was his, or was it? It rattled around in his head and he wasn't sure why. He didn't think it or say it. At least not that he knew of.

Power is what you need. Stop relying on others.

The voice was correct. He needed to stop relying on others. His last ally in battle failed him. He suspected the others would as well. He had to take things into his own hands. He took the demon's powers, and used it to get out of hell both times. Nothing can hold him down. He had the power and he was learning to use it.

Ian brought his hands up. The gem and the amulet glowed with a deep dark red glow. Then working together, his skin turned to a black that was darker than the night. He became a void of sorts. He looked at himself as much as possible and watched as he turned into a walking, living void. He was a being of pure darkness. He wasn't sure what happened, but he was liking it.

He focused his mind and watched as the gem in the left shoulder turned to a liquid and spread out along his left arm. It hardened. He still had use of the claws. What was this? Was this the power of the amulet?

He lifted his palm and created a ball of energy, but like him, it looked like a black spot. It was a hole in the fabric of reality. It was pure darkness. It was utter evil. This was power. He knew this was power. He didn't feel much different, though he knew this was taking a drain on his energy, though it was a minor drain and with his training to conserve as much but still unleash the power, he should be fine.

He let the ball of energy go, heading towards the mansion that Ryouji owned. The black ball of energy seemed to vanish, though Ian knew exactly where it was. The ball struck the yard and exploded into a fountain of smoke and debris. That was a minor energy attack. Something that everyone seemed to be able to do. It had gotten more powerful. What ever this was, he was liking it and he could stop relying on others. He could instead watch them struggle without hope and simply laugh and enjoy.

He shot high up into the sky, faster than he could before. He realized he felt lighter. It wasn't the lack of clothing. It was as if some of his own mass had vanished. He performed tricks and stopped, floating in the air.

"I'm loving this."

Wait. He could speak. He had lips. He could enunciate what he was trying to say. No more being mocked. He could say the "p"s and the "b"s. Something happened and he was loving it.

He focused his mind and watched his skin turn to normal and the claws vanish. Things were about to get more interesting for sure. He could face his enemies without relying on others. He could get the dragon balls back and make his wish without fear of being hunted like before. Not that he was afraid.

He returned home to see Sawish waiting for him on the patio. Her hair was messy. She was wrapped up in a sheet which with her curves, made her that much more gorgeous. He landed on the patio. He was in a great mood and she could see it. She wasn't sure what but knew if she'd ask, he'd probably back hand her or something.

She knew he didn't care for her, but as long as she was by his side, she would glow in his power and survive what ever destruction he brings. She knew she just simply had to stay out of his way.

Whatever it was though eased his mind, which meant he would be able to function better in his every day duties and plots. He was a man that took stress and held onto it with every ounce of strength he had. He wielded stress like it was his power. Like it fed him. if he was at ease, he'd hunt for something that gave him stress. This confused her a bit, but he still functioned better than most.

Ian walked past her before stopping. He turned and embraced her, locking lips before letting her go and returning to bed. She simply stared at him in shock, unsure as to what to make of that. It was the most compassion he had ever shown her, and this made her blush. Maybe being by his side wouldn't be so bad.

Laying down, Ian kept the amulet on. His mind was at ease. He would be a new man. Not a man with heart and kindness, but a man with power that knew how to use it. He had more he could wield he knew, but this was an excellent start and he couldn't wait to force the brat to kneel before him and beg for his life. Maybe even the big man would do the same.

Who knew. But he suspected things were gonna get better for him. Maybe displaying this new found power, he would be able to get more on his side out of fear. Of course this wasn't as terrifying of a form as most, but the power it held would terrify the most seasoned warrior. Or was he simply being arrogant and over confident. He would find out soon enough he thought.

Maybe it wasn't all that powerful. No, he couldn't think that way. He had to focus on the prize and believe in this new power while he sought more. He looked at his left hand and willed it to turn to its black void, and it did. He smiled as it turned back. He could control it easily. He would learn the depths of this power and make a Saiyan tremble. That was his goal. Yes. He would make Broly tremble in fear.

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