Story: I'm a Daemon, so what?
Disclaimer: I do not own the original setting.
Chapter 126: New Divinity
As always, up to chapter 142 is up at [email protected]/theogbasilisk
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- Felix -
"Rimuru and I have come to an agreement." I said to Gadra. "You've got a new home in Tempest. Rimuru will be your boss from now on. You'll have a place in his nation by working in his Dungeon, and in return, you'll be given the freedom to continue your research. Sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?"
Gadra's eyes widened slightly, though his aged face quickly returned to a composed expression. He stroked his beard, processing the information.
"You'll be working under him. Whether it's as a Dungeon Boss or in some other research capacity, that'll be up to him."
Gadra let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. "I… understand. Thank you."
"That's excellent master Gadra!" Sasha said.
Arcueid glared at her, causing Sasha to quickly shut up, though Gadra did smile at her.
"I'll let you meet Adalman and Albert for a little bit. I'll be sending you over to Rimuru tomorrow. You can see your friends again whenever you get some more free time from Rimuru."
Rimuru was a soft guy despite the tough exterior he tried to present. I knew he'd let Gadra come back to meet Adalman and Albert the moment he contributed anything of value.
"Thank you." Gadra dipped his head.
I snapped my fingers, unlocking the magic sealing cuffs on Gadra's hands and unlocking his cell.
Gadra lightly flexed his hands before getting up and leaving his cell. "Ah, I thank you once more, Lord Felix. It was quite discomforting not being able to call upon my magic." Gadra said with a sigh of relief.
The cuffs placed on him were meant to restrict one's magic circuits, making it impossible to channel most forms of energy.
"If you're ready to go, I'll send you to him now." Adalman was always stationed at the borders of my territory since he was basically the first line of defense against any sort of foreign invasion.
His vast army of undead were able to span the entire border of my nation, or at least the only border that needed to be monitored as the others were bordered by Rimuru's and Milim's territories, which I didn't need to worry about.
With Adalman's and Suphia's guard post watching the Empire, I felt relatively confident that I could see the Eastern Empire coming when they eventually decided to knock on my doors.
The barriers I had placed made it rather difficult for even the most experienced and skilled users of Spatial Manipulation to portal into my territory, and even if they managed to do so, I would at the very leastfeel the disturbance and appear to deal with them.
It was possible, though. The barriers were infused with the authority of Ouroboros, Lord of Infinity, but it wasn't actively being reinforced by anything, so a being of sufficient power could theoretically tear through it. I don't think the Eastern Empire had anyone skilled enough in Spatial Manipulation while also having the raw power to do that, however. The Scorch Dragon wasn't known for Spatial Manipulation, though according to Damrada she was still rather skilled at it, and neither was the Emperor, Rudra.
Velgrynd, the Scorch Dragon was the one who gave Laplace the artifact that allowed him to teleport away with Hinata, so she was certainly decent. It was just that my barriers required a higher level of skill than that as I already adapted them for something similar once I learned about how Laplace did what he did.
I had told Suphia a while ago to watch for anything suspicious from the Eastern Empire, and she had gotten right on that. She was a rather simple person, which I liked. She had also grown a fair bit stronger, and had managed to adapt more to the Unique Skill I gave her when she first became my subordinate. She'd likely get a chance to shine in the war with the Eastern Empire.
"I am ready now." Gadra said. I snapped my fingers, creating a portal, and this time one that could be visible from the other side.
Adalman practically jumped as the portal formed in front of him. "Oh, Lord Felix, you scared me! Yohohohoho!" Adalman laughed.
Gadra was frozen for a moment before laughing. "Hohoho! I would recognize that laugh anywhere." Gadra said happily. He quickly stepped through the portal, the chilling aura of death that always surrounded Adalman not fazing him in the slightest.
"Yohoho! Is that you Gadra!? My, my, it has been quite some time! You look different too, but your Aura is still familiar!" Adalman chortled.
Gadra clasped his hands behind his back, his sharp eyes taking in Adalman's skeletal frame. "Indeed, it has. I see undeath has treated you well. I had thought you dead due to those Luminaries' schemes." Gadra said with an undercurrent of anger.
Adalman's empty sockets lights flickered. "Ah, yes! My service to Lord Felix has given me a purpose beyond the grave! Yohohoho!" He spread his arms wide, gesturing at the vast skeletal army stationed around him. "And with my faithful soldiers, I am ever watchful!"
Gadra nodded approvingly. "It seems you've found your place. That is good to see."
Seeing as they were getting along I decided to leave them to it. I looked at Sasha who was looking through the portal hesitantly. "You going to go through?"
My words seemingly caught the attention of Adalman and Gadra.
"Come Sasha, you are part of this as well." Gadra said kindly.
"Indeed, she has been keeping me company, saving me from boredom. Come Sasha!" Adalman said.
Sasha smiled happily and went through the portal. Before she stepped through, however, she paused and turned around to look at me. "Thanks, Lord Felix!"
I smiled back at her. "No problem. Enjoy yourself."
With that I closed the portal.
"That went rather well." I said aloud.
Arcueid made her way to stand beside me. "Indeed. I was hoping for such an outcome."
I stifled a laugh. "I thought as much. There wasn't much other reason to bring Sasha along than to tug at Gadra's heart strings."
Sasha 100% wanted to come along, but if there was no benefit to it, Arcueid would refuse without a doubt.
"I was aware that you had a fondness for her mind; arranging for her loyalty to increase was only proper. Now she is more indebted to you, my Lord" Arcueid said.
I grinned, reaching my arm over Arcueid's shoulder and pulling her towards me. "Aww, you thought of that for me? Thanks Arcueid, I appreciate it." I said as I gave her a tight squeeze.
Arcueid's lips twitched upwards as she all but melted into my side. "It is only right that I see to your whims."
I smirked at her response, feeling the way she leaned into me just slightly. "Oh? Is that so?" I mused, my hand sliding down to her waist to hug her.
Moments of peace and simple cuddling like this were nice.
Arcueid hummed, tilting her head slightly so that her white hair brushed against my shoulder. "It is only natural. Ensuring your subordinates remain loyal is my duty, after all."
I chuckled, letting my fingers trail along her side in a more teasing way. Her lips curved ever so slightly, her breath brushing against my skin as we remained like that.
I let out a quiet chuckle, my hand slipping further around her waist, pulling her just a little closer. She didn't pull away. In fact, she melted into me like she always did when in these kinds of moments.
Before long I pulled away. "As much as I would enjoy staying like this, I'm sure you have things to take care of." Arcueid was by far the most busy of us. Not to mention I wanted to get Saeko, Raiden, and Kurumi's Life Reconstruction underway soon. After that I'd go to Sarion to hand Laplace over.
Saeko and Raiden had some time to get a handle on their new Skills. Far from mastering them, but that was enough for now.
"No work is more important than you, my Lord." Arcueid said with an innocent sort of smile. Ah, she really knew how to make my heart go doki doki.
I lightly flicked her forehead. "Save that kind of stuff for our date." Arcueid said she wanted to take the reins on it, so she was the one who would set it up. It wasn't going to be anything exceedingly fancy from what I understood.
Just a simple picnic, but simple was great.
Arcueid smiled seductively. "If that is what you wish."
I rolled my eyes slightly and turned around. As I took a step forward, space warping around me, I called out. "I'm looking forward to our date." As I took my step, I vanished from the dungeons.
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I looked at Saeko, Raiden, and Kurumi. All three were gathered in front of me to undergo the Life Reconstruction process.
Gadra had left for Tempest yesterday. Going by the message Rimuru sent earlier today, Gadra was already proving to be an asset to Tempest and was getting along with his peers.
Apparently, he had accepted a position within the hierarchy of The Dungeon and was working on modifying his floors to suit him. He had also joined in on the sciency group in Tempest, like Vesta, Dino, and Gabiru, and began working with them in some experiments.
He also spoke to Rimuru a bit about the Eastern Empire.
"Are the three of you ready?"
All three already knew the specifics of the technique, so I didn't bother explaining anything.
Undergoing a Life Reconstruction was a rather strenuous process, similar to a Harvest Festival in which an individual has to withstand the resentment of all the souls used in the evolution, but I thought the three of them were ready.
I didn't know how strong they would get from this. Maybe they'd be able to grasp Divinity, but then again, maybe not. It all depended on them. At the very least they'd grow stronger in some way.
Saeko was the first to respond, nodding sharply. "I am ready, Felix-sama! I am willing to undergo any process if it means growing stronger to be a better secretary for you." Her voice held no hesitation, only conviction.
Raiden similarly nodded. "I must grow stronger to be a proper maid." She spoke simply, as if stating a fact.
Kurumi crossed her arms under her bust and gave me a foxy smile. "I will grow stronger to be a better pet!" She declared with an enthusiasm that was entirely her own.
Speaking of Kurumi, I needed to tell her that the man behind her mother's death was part of the Imperial Guardians in the Eastern Empire. Gadra knew a bit more than Damrada, and he mentioned a certain man who was behind the attack on Kurumi's village.
Kanzis. That was the name of the bastard who had orchestrated the destruction of Kurumi's village. He was an egotistical menace who delighted in spreading fear, boasting about his Unique Skill whenever he could. From what Gadra said, he was not a person I would get along with.
Sure, I had an ego too, but I liked to think I wasn't as unhinged with my own ego.
I hadn't told her right away since I knew this Life Reconstruction was coming up, and that kind of mental anguish may make things more difficult for Kurumi, which was why I would tell her after the process is completed.
Gadra even knew a bit about the Unique Skill of Kanzis, since the guy willingly spread the information about his Skill. Plus, it was hard to hide when he would go around resurrecting the dead as his servants.
Gadra did not know the name of the Unique Skill, but he knew its general functions. When Kanzis kills a living being, he can use his Unique Skill to manifest an equivalent dark being formed from darkness with the same power.
This being can be summoned at any time, and the dark copy bears the same appearance and Skills of the killed target.
I was pretty sure that Gadra was misunderstanding the Unique Skill, since no mere copy made of darkness should be able to manifest the same Skills as the killed target. The likely scenario was that the Unique Skill messed with the soul and resurrected the killed being as an Astral Body of some kind, but I couldn't understand more until I saw the Skill itself.
But basically, it was just what the Shadow Monarch from Solo Leveling did to bring back the dead as his servants, which was ironic seeing the next world I was going to go to soon.
Gadra also knew the reason that Kurumi's village was targeted. Word about her mother had reached the Eastern Empire since she was a powerful Majin. Kanzis wanted her as one of his summons, so he came up with some bullshit excuse to attack and got the cooperation of Clayman to succeed.
I imagine that Kurumi's mother was still laboring under him as one of his minions even today.
I was looking forward to giving Kurumi the opportunity to get her revenge. I had also prepared the territory that Raiden had requested to roam around in. Luminous had agreed to watch over Saeko for some time to let her learn under her, so Saeko likely won't be coming with me to Solo Leveling. I'm sure that will go over well with her.
I wouldn't force her to train with Luminous, but I knew Saeko enough to know what decision she would make.
But it wasn't like she couldn't come and go. I'd be leaving the connection between the two worlds mostly open so that Othinus could analyze the differing time flows to get a better lead on the DxD world for Ingvild. At the very least I would come back to see her if the flow of her power was still too chaotic and had the chance of causing destruction in another weaker world, like that of Solo Leveling.
Now with the three of them ready, I stepped forwards. We were currently in one of the lounges which I had reinforced with barriers. I snapped my fingers, creating three beds for each of them to lie on.
"Good." I nodded, stepping forward. "Then let's begin."
As the three each laid down on their respective beds, I spoke up. "I know all three of you have been training hard." I began.
Saeko had come a long way from the berserker she fought as before; no technique and only raw power. Now she had some technique and managed to refine her raw power, though she was still more of a brawler that hit before thinking, but that was fine since that fit her style. She had even grown to become a leader in her own right, with a fanclub and a legion of subordinates who worshipped her, and were loyal to her, not because I did anything, but because she charmed them with her hardworking attitude and personality.
She had matured.
Raiden was a mindless Dragon who held no respect among her kind. Now when she visited the Caanat Mountains, the reigning Dragon Lords looked at her with respect.
And Kurumi was just a poor soul who lost everything she knew. There wasn't much more I could say about her, since her situation was that dire.
I liked to think that I did right by them. Even if I pushed them to go after more and more power, it was for their own good. In the end, despite the fact that I'd always be around to back them up, achieving their own personal strength was paramount if they wanted to thrive in this world.
"This will put you to sleep for a few hours as you work to refine the energy from the souls and upgrade yourself. If any of you want to back out, then now is the time."
All three shook their heads, and with that I began. I needed 50,000 souls for each of them, or 150,000 total. Getting those souls out of Guy was really coming in handy.
Each of their weapons were tightly bonded to them, except Kurumi since she didn't use any weapons. Saeko's and Raiden's weapons would also similarly receive a bit of a power boost as their masters grow in power. Maybe they'd reach God Grade if Saeko and Raiden manage to attain Divinity.
Currently, their EPs were as follows: Saeko was at around 900,000 and Raiden was at around 875,000. Their EPs had decreased by a few hundred thousand due to the formation of their Unique Skills, which had cost them some energy. Kurumi was at around 1,000,000, the most out of them all, since she has only been growing in EP.
I deployed Small World around the room to maintain a bit more control over everything. With Small World, even if something went wrong in any of their souls, which was not likely, I'd be able to handle it right away, hopefully preventing the brunt of any possible damage.
'Help me out, Othinus?'
I didn't want to mess up. Who knows what consequences that could have. Othinus was the more experienced of us when it came to manipulating the soul, even if I was working on improving my understanding over the soul.
All three of them closed their eyes as they waited for me to begin the process.
The way Life Reconstruction worked made it so that the entirety of the soul had to be used. Due to that, I couldn't exactly preserve a part of the soul, the memories portion, to revive the souls some other time.
So I would be condemning 150,000 souls to being used as fuel for these three's growth, and I was fine with that. I wasn't a perfectly moral person. I would have helped the souls out if I could, but I would prioritize my people's lives and safety over some random souls that died thousands of years ago.
It specifically had to be the souls of those who had lived as well, I couldn't try to create souls from scratch then spawn kill them for the Life Reconstruction. The ego, the memories, and everything was important to the process.
There was a reason that despite this Art's usefulness, I still considered it rather messed up.
But it is what it is.
I still had the 200,000 cores from the souls I used for the Artificial Harvest Festivals of Rain and Misery. I'll revive them when things were mostly handled, when the world was in a more peaceful state. I didn't want to manage 200,000 more people at this point. It's not like they could complain, they were already dead.
I pulled 150,000 souls out of the 1,250,000 souls that remained after the Life Reconstructions I already did. I then separated the 150,000 souls into three groups of 50,000.
50,000 souls went into each of them as I, with the help of Othinus, began turning everything about the souls into energy. Their memories, their heart cores, their egos; all of it was converted into energy and then pushed into their bodies.
I felt the energy of the souls course through each of their bodies as the three immediately got to work on refining and forging the energy. Of course, it wasn't that simple. No soul wants to be consumed in another's evolution, so they fought back.
Even underneath that whole process Othinus was performing the actual Art of Life Reconstruction. If the only requirement was to refine souls, then many others would have done so in the past. It also required the use of the Life Domination sub-skill in a very complex way.
The souls' resentment and hatred was quite tangible. I could feel the resentment and hatred contesting against Saeko, Raiden, and Kurumi's wills. Of course, the souls were facing a losing battle. These three didn't have the same experience and breadth of knowledge as Arcueid, Megumin, and Lalatina, but they were still experienced and knowledgeable in their own right.
The souls of 50,000 normal High Humans wasn't going to be enough to overwhelm them.
The only reason this process would take time is because the process of refining the souls would take some time.
As Othinus began guiding the energy inside of them, I decided to work on some stuff while I waited. I wasn't going to leave them until the process was done just in case, so I might as well make use of the time.
"I have conducted a scan, each of them are beginning to develop in a way that an Ultimate Skill is inevitable. At the moment, however, they are not ready."
'That is what we expected, so it's fine.'
Especially for Saeko and Raiden. To get an Ultimate Skill so soon after getting a new Unique Skill would be tough since they wouldn't have had the time to properly acclimate themselves to their Unique Skill.
They were fine as it was right now. I was betting that Saeko and Raiden's weapons would reach the God Grade, so that would give them something to use against Ultimate Awakened. As for Kurumi, her only hope would be to reach Divinity.
- Saeko -
She focused on fighting off the wills of the souls that were trying to corrupt her, trying to prevent her from serving Felix-sama; something that was unforgivable.
Many were whispering in her ear about how she was strong now, how she didn't need Felix-sama. Hearing that was enough to enrage her, she didn't serve Felix-sama to receive strength, or because he was stronger. She served him because she loved him. It was as simple as that. Should he lose his power and remain with the strength of a normal Human, she would still serve him.
She had originally followed him due to the odd compatibility they had. Back in the Ogre village, she was the one who accompanied him most. She was the one who went out to hunt Monsters with him when he felt like it. It was almost like fate itself had bound them together, an unbreakable tether that no amount of persuasion, temptation, or corruption could sever.
Perhaps it was all in her head, but it was what she believed.
The souls clawing at her mind did not understand, could not understand.
They hissed and writhed within her, their voices rising into a cacophony of deceit. "You are more than a servant. You are a queen among mortals. Take your rightful place!"
She grit her teeth, forcing their influence down. 'Silence.' She commanded inside of her soul, her command laced with an authority that was wholly her own. She was not weak. She did not need to be saved from herself. Her devotion was not some fragile thing that could be shaken by the whispers of those whose eras had long passed.
She would endure. She would remain by Felix-sama's side.
That anger she felt at the presumptious souls was still singing through her. It was enough that she instinctively called upon her Unique Skill: Cook, and demanded the souls to shut up and obediently succumb to her.
It wasn't easy. She had never used Cook in this kind of way, but she had pushed herself beyond her limits recently, and so Cook accomplished what she wished, and the wills of the souls were overwritten.
And then with a burst of sheer willpower, she crushed the dissenting voices underfoot, scattering them into nothingness through Cook. They did not deserve to speak.
She could feel the renewed determination within her. No matter what came next, she would fight. She would endure.
Because she was his, and nothing in this world or the next would change that.
She could feel her Spirit refine itself on the energy, as her body began to take on spiritual properties.
Is this what true spiritualization was like?
Was she becoming a Spiritual Lifeform? She had received a taste of what that was like thanks to the Unique Skill she awakened when fighting Razul. It allowed her to force her body to spiritualize by using a lot of energy, and so she knew what to look for when it came to those kinds of things now.
However, even that felt fake compared to what she felt happening now. She felt as if she could think at a deeper layer of herself than she could have ever imagined, and that was only the start of what she felt.
More than that, she could feel an odd sort of energy begin to sprout from within her. Something told her that it was important, and so she dedicated most of her mental capacity to stoking the flames of that energy, attempting to push it to grow more and envelop her being.
She could feel her Spirit beginning to surpass her Material Body. She was growing stronger, and she was happy for it.
She felt the odd being that had connected to her at the start of this process speak. "Hmm, not quite ready yet."
"Eh? What's not ready?"
She trusted the voice intrinsically, as she knew its origin was from Felix-sama.
"You will learn in time." And with that, everything returned to quietness.
- Raiden -
As Raiden felt the calm darkness surrounding her, she considered just how it was that she ended up in such a fortunate position. It felt like just yesterday when she could not even remember what occurred a mere week ago, her soul too undeveloped to retain proper memories.
It wasn't until her Master graced her with a name that she truly began living and thriving. And everything since then had been a dream.
Now she had a job, a role that she was meant to play and one that she would play with all her being, because it was what her Master commanded her to do, what her God commanded her to do.
He wished for a maid, and so she would become the best maid she could become. It did not hurt that becoming a maid so early on into her formative years had warped her personality, allowing her to enjoy maidhood, making her life even more enjoyable. Even if she despised being a maid she would play that role without question, but she knew her Master would dismiss her as his maid at that point, so she was glad that was not the case.
She was not his maid because that is what he wanted anymore; she was his maid because she wished to be.
Her combat ability had grown to levels she couldn't have even dreamed about before meeting her Master.
Now she towered over even the Dragon Lords that she used to respect so much when she was a mere Medium Dragon. Now they respected her, a status that she could admit she enjoyed. Despite being her Master's maid, some of her draconic instincts would still influence her; something Sir Middray and her Master encouraged. And so she stopped suppressing them, something that was freeing in a whole new way.
She was stronger than most Dragons alive, even.
She felt the energy from the souls flow into her, she worked to refine it, use it to improve her being. Though it was almost as if there was another invisible hand subtly guiding her actions. For all she knew, there was, and her Master was helping her even now.
She welcomed the thought with reverence. If her Master wished to guide her even in this moment, then she would embrace his will completely.
She let the energy course through her, its essence intertwining and elevating her own. It was almost like a nuclear reaction, something her Master had taught her about. It was raw and untamed, but she still worked to refine it. This energy was not simply the remnants of lost souls; it would be the fuel for her ascension. It would allow her to become an even better maid to her Master.
She could feel the wills of the souls, wills that were slowly dissolving into nothingness as she used them as fuel for her evolution. She ignored their words. What maid would betray their Master?
She had always known there was more power to attain. She had felt it within Sir Middray. The sheer draconic might he had was melded with something else, something she couldn't quite comprehend. But now, for the first time, she could grasp it. She could shape it, she could feel it sprouting within her.
The instincts of a Dragon warred with the discipline of a Maid, but rather than contradicting each other, they melded into a singular truth, she was both.
She did not need to choose between her draconic might and her servitude to her Master. Both were essential parts of who she had become.
The energy she had felt within Sir Middray that had sprouted within her continued to grow as she felt her Spirit nourish itself on the energy of the souls. Until eventually, her Spirit began to surpass her Material Body.
She was evolving.
- Kurumi -
As she felt the torrent of soul energy coursing through her, she focused on controlling and manipulating it. She could feel it flowing from her body to her nine tails and even into her summoned beasts, who also worked to refine the energy and grow stronger. Some foreign entity was guiding the soul energy, preventing her summoned beasts from harnessing too much as they were not powerful enough to handle much. She trusted the foreign entity as she felt it came from her Master.
As her tailed beasts grew stronger, their added strength increased her own, as their power was hers to call upon. She steeled her will as she ignored the voices of the egos within the souls. Some would call out to her, saying that they had enough power for her to finally take revenge on the man who had killed her mother. Others said to take what she wanted for herself, a desire she resisted fiercely as that was not the place of a pet.
She was not meant to take for herself. She was meant to serve. To obey. To protect.
The souls did not understand this. They did not understand the fulfillment she found in servitude, the unwavering devotion she felt in her heart. She had once been lost, once been alone, been enslaved, but her Master had given her purpose, had given her a place at his side. That was all she needed. She would not fall for their corruption. Her Master thought her ready, and she would not disappoint him by giving in.
She could feel the energy within her tails swell as she continued to refine it. Her tails were always the point where the most power in her body lurked, and that was being made even more blatant as her energy and power grew further.
The process was difficult for her, taking the remnants of the souls her master provided and turning them into fuel, into strength. It was not as simple as consuming them. No, she had to mold them into something that would not corrupt her, and safely strip them of their energy and nourish her own Spirit with it.
And yet, even as she did so, the whispers persisted. The souls were painful to handle as their words practically rammed into her soul.
"You deserve more."
"Why bow your head to another? You are powerful."
"Take, take, take."
She could feel the souls' intentions being sent to her own soul, making it difficult to resist, but she managed.
Fools.
She was already more than she had ever dreamed of being.
Her Master had given her strength, had given her the chance to finally live after being enslaved for so long. She did not need to take, she needed only to serve, and accompany him so long as that was what he desired.
She ignored the other more forbidden desires that sprouted at those thoughts. So long as her Master did not want her in that way, she would suppress those desires, even as those desires influenced her Spirit, turning her into a more seductive, and more buxom version of herself.
The summoned beasts that she had nurtured trembled as the energy flowed into them. They too were growing. They too were evolving, though not to the same extent that she was.
As time passed, she could feel her Spirit undergo a process she was unfamiliar with. It was as if it was attempting to grow beyond what it already was on its own. She wasn't actively guiding it, but perhaps her subconscious was.
Her Master hadn't attempted to stop her, and so she allowed it to grow, and grow, and grow, hoping that with it, she would be more capable. She wouldn't allow the Eastern Empire to take what she had now. Not again.
She could feel her Spirit almost tremble as it expanded beyond her Material Body. Even in her current state, she could feel her nine tails acting as both conduits and vessels for the energy she absorbed. The whispers of the lingering souls weakened, their futile resistance fading into nothingness as they had been fully suppressed. Her will had won out.
She could feel her very nature shifting as she grew into something more.
She thought back to the past. Back when she was a slave of Clayman's. Back before her Master had taken her in. She remembered just how scared she was as her mother told her to run as she faced down that man from the Eastern Empire. That was the last time she saw her mother.
Shortly after that, she ran into Clayman's territory and was captured.
She was no longer the helpless fox she once was, and it was all thanks to her Master. This event only reinforced her loyalty, ensuring that she would serve her Master until he no longer wished for her to do so.
- Felix -
I looked down at the three bodies lying on three separate beds. It had been around 8 hours since the process began. Surprisingly, Saeko was the one who had the easiest time. I didn't expect her to use Cook to take care of the souls all on her own, but I suppose it worked.
There were physical changes over the last 8 hours for each of them.
Through our soul corridors, I could feel their Spirits growing to surpass their bodies. They were in the process of spiritualizing and becoming full on Spiritual Lifeforms. In fact, they were going beyond that.
It was a shame that the Unique Skill Saeko got from her latest breakthrough would become irrelevant with this. Its only purpose was to forcefully spiritualize her at the cost of a lot of energy, but she had no need for that if she was a genuine Spiritual Lifeform.
The three of them were now in an evolutionary sleep. All three of them managed to evolve and attain Divinity, but I was prepared for that possibility, even if I wasn't certain if that would happen.
All three of them had been training their butts off and getting some more worldly experience. The conditions for unlocking Divinity were a mystery, so there may be all sorts of ways to unlock it.
Still, it was nice to know that all three of them could fight on the same level as Ultimate Awakened now, if only on the lower end of it since none of the three have any experience with Divinity. Perhaps with more mastery, they could contest against the stronger Ultimate Awakened, like Elmesia, wholely on their own.
Saeko and Raiden's weapons were also absorbing the energy from their evolution. I expected them to reach God Grade.
None were ready for Ultimate Skills, as predicted, but it was better that way. They needed time to get used to this new level of power. The jump from mortal to Divinity was a vast one, and it takes time to get used to.
Still, their growth was proof of their unwavering resolve.
I exhaled slowly, suppressing the smirk that threatened to tug at my lips.
They had done well.
The soul energy that they had been using over the last 8 hours had dried up some time ago. Now they were just growing their own energy and completing their evolutions, which should be wrapping up soon.
And almost as if she heard my words, I saw Saeko's eyelids slowly rise. "Felix-sama?" Were the first words out of her mouth.
"I'm here." I told Saeko, and it was almost as if I could see the tangible relief flood through her body.
Saeko's lips curved up a bit. "Did I do good?"
I walked closer to her, gently running a hand through her hair. "You did great."
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I am highly motivated by your guys' reviews and likes, so do that! I'll probably keep writing or something.
I have a discord server, come hang out if you want! https://discord.gg/VxR5Gn72Fp I also have a channel in Shiro's Gaming Omniverse.
Links: patreon.com/theogbasilisk
Author's Note:
Sup everyone, back with another chapter of Daemon.
In this chapter we wrap up the Gadra shenanigans for the foreseeable future, and Felix has a little moment with Arcueid. Then finally the life reconstruction for Saeko, Raiden, and Kurumi, as well as a bit of introspective thoughts from them, showing how they've changed in mentality and whatnot.
Anyways, not a ton of action but the story is moving forwards!
Thanks for reading, peace.
Thanks to @Salante and @Flowerman for beta'ing this chapter.
Last bit of editing -Omnax
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