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Chapter 283: 283
The hatching process was a brutal race for survival. The first demon to break free from its egg would devour the remains of its shell, absorbing the nutrients it provided. But this was only the beginning. Driven by primal hunger, these newly hatched demons would turn on the eggs around them, attacking and consuming the still-forming creatures within.
It was a gruesome spectacle, one that laid bare the inherent cruelty of demonkind. The stronger demons feasted on the weaker, growing more powerful with each kill. Those that survived this initial bloodbath were already seasoned killers, their very existence forged in violence and predation.
Phantom, his expression grim, turned to Malzor, speaking quietly, more to himself than to anyone else, "This... this is how they’ve survived for so long. Not by nurturing their young, but by forcing them to prove their worth from the moment they’re born."
Malzor, not noticing Phantom’s disturbance, kept his gaze fixed on the carnage before them. There was no pity in his eyes, only a cold understanding of the harsh reality of the abyss.
Watching through Phanthom’s eyes, Ikenga remarked to Keles, "Survival of the fittest. It’s no wonder they’re so strong. But this also means that the potential for power here is immense."
As they continued to watch, Phantom and Malzor’s attention was caught by a robed imp and a fifth-stage demon flying above the carnage. The newly hatched demons began to gather around the imp, drawn to it as if by instinct.
The imp seemed to sense it was being watched. It turned, locking eyes with Phantom and Malzor, its cold gaze lingering before it looked away and led the young demons away from the riverbank.
Disturbed by the imp’s glance, Phantom and Malzor took a heavy breath, only to be shocked once more as a huge humanoid spider appeared at the riverbank, mimicking the imp’s actions by gathering all the spider demons around it before leading them away.
After the spider demon retreated, Malzor pointed at the riverbanks, where the leftover newborn demons were still fighting and devouring each other.
"This will be our method to quickly grow our army. There are many unguided gargoyles down there, and since we aim for the position of demon king, we might as well learn from them."
Ikenga and Keles, watching the scene through Phantom, each wore a thoughtful expression. Ikenga was the first to speak to Keles. "Sister, I believe we must be cautious in our actions and ensure that our world can’t be traced back to us."
"Avoiding conflict where the safety of our world is at stake should be our top priority," Keles agreed, grimacing as she spoke.
The thought of the abyss invading their world and an endless army pouring out from the enemy’s side was something she couldn’t bear to imagine.
"Even though this method might serve our immediate goals, we must be mindful of the bigger picture. The scene before us shows that we are at a disadvantage. Who knows how long Zarvok and the Spider Queen have been using this method to bolster their strength?"
"A fifth-stage powerhouse was sent to collect newborns. If that’s the level of strength they deploy just for recruitment, who knows how many fifth-stage demons they have on their side? The gargoyles have none at that level—except for Phantom. Given a few more years, it could be different, but we don’t have the luxury of time."
"It’s been a while since we last communicated with Zarvok. I believe the time is approaching when he’ll begin his expedition. We need to be prepared for whatever move he makes next."
After Phantom was shown the sight of the riverbank, changes began taking place in the outpost. The number of gargoyles grew, and many tasks were accomplished. The method Björn used once again came to the forefront for Ikenga and Keles.
To boost the strength of the newborn gargoyles and older demons, a carnival event is occasionally held. Demons grow by devouring souls and strong flesh and blood—the stronger the demon, the stronger its soul and body become.
As a demon advances through the stages, its body and soul accumulate more energy and power. By the time a demon reaches the fourth stage, its energy is highly concentrated and refined. Lower-stage souls, which are less powerful and pure, no longer provide the necessary energy density or quality required for further growth. Essentially, the energy and essence they offer are too diluted or "tainted" to significantly impact a more advanced and refined fourth-stage demon.
The process of devouring souls is most effective when the consumed soul has a comparable or greater level of purity and power. At the fourth stage, the demon’s soul is so developed that consuming lesser souls results in minimal gains. The energy extracted from these souls is insufficient to push the demon’s body and soul to the next level.
Additionally, the process of extracting pure energy becomes less efficient as the demon grows stronger. The demon’s body and soul are already near peak efficiency, making it difficult to assimilate lower-quality energy without significant effort or risk of contamination.
As demons progress through the stages, they become more "tainted" or specialized in their form and energy signature. This tainting is a byproduct of the demonic energy becoming more unique to each individual, creating an incompatibility with the souls of other demons. After the fourth stage, the differences between the soul signatures of different demons become more pronounced. Consuming another demon’s soul at this stage could lead to an energy clash, where the foreign energy disrupts the advanced demon’s internal balance, making it not only unhelpful but potentially harmful.
To reach the next stage, if not in a hurry, a demon might wait for about a century or less, depending on how diligently they work to naturally break through. If this option is void, the demon would need to find another source of souls apart from other demons—such as beings of an equal stage or beings with a soul different from the rest.
With this, the gargoyles were slowly growing in strength. To avoid attracting the attention of the other two demon kings, they kept a low profile and never overextended themselves.
This continued for another month or so when the large ear given to Ikenga by Zarvok for communication began glowing. Holding the ear, Ikenga heard Zarvok’s deep voice: "It is time."
With that, the large ear left Ikenga’s hand, floated in mid-air, and began vibrating rapidly. Ikenga and Keles readied themselves, staring at the ear, but after a while, nothing happened.
Zarvok’s voice came through the ear once again. "You both need to relax and let it do its work."
Ikenga and Keles looked at each other before shrugging. The ear began vibrating again, and soon a huge red portal opened in the room. Keles walked through the portal, while Ikenga watched as their surroundings turned to dust. Without hesitation, he followed her through the portal, only to find himself in a vast library.
Ikenga did not see Keles when he emerged from the portal; instead, he saw Zarvok floating in mid-air, reading a massive book in front of him. Ikenga’s feet left the ground as he floated over to Zarvok to see what he was reading.
Looking into the book, Ikenga noticed that he didn’t understand the language, but he recognized an image. One page depicted a goblin, while the other showed an ogre.
"These are the sons of the world we will be invading," Zarvok said to Ikenga, who raised an eyebrow.
"Where is my sister?" Ikenga asked, reaching for another book and opening it.
"She has been taken to her quarters. I need to finish a few things before we leave," Zarvok replied as the book closed by itself and slid back into the open space from which it came.
Ikenga kept his gaze on Zarvok, trying to read the expression on his face, but Zarvok’s eyes remained fixed on the now-closed book.
"And what do you plan to accomplish with these... sons of the world?" Ikenga asked, flipping through the pages of the book he’d picked up. The text was equally unreadable, but the illustrations were vivid—scenes of battle, rituals, and grotesque creatures that made his skin crawl.
Zarvok’s voice was calm, almost detached. "The goblins and ogres are not usually known to be the first children of their world. When this does happen, they tend to be exceptional and unusual."
Looking at Ikenga, he continued, "I expected nothing less, as this is a world chosen by the abyss itself for the ascension ritual to demon lord status."
Ikenga’s eyes flickered with a mix of curiosity and unease as Zarvok’s words sank in. "The abyss itself chose this world?" he echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. "And what makes these goblins and ogres so special? Their kind is usually among the weaker races."
Zarvok nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Ikenga. "Indeed, they are usually weak, but this world is an anomaly. The fact that goblins and ogres are born as the first children of their world is a rare occurrence. It suggests that their world holds unique power, or there has been some interference or mutation."
