Soul connection? What's that?
Wait! Don't answer it yet. I want to see first-hand what it does and without any knowledge about it.
{Attempting to acquire skills...} {Success.}
{Superior skill [Magic Strength] has been acquired.}
{Special Skill [Negative Status Resistance] has been acquired.}
{Special Skill [Thermal Adaptation] has been acquired.}
{Skill [Shapeshift] has been acquired.}
{Skill [Material Body] has been acquired.}
{Skill [Justice] has been acquired.}
{Acquisition of skills has been completed.}
So many skills. No doubt he is a superior demon.
It feels wrong to obtain skills like this. I'll just use these skills for good reasons so that it won't make me feel guilty earning these skills this way.
{Attempting to acquire magic...} {Failed.} {Dark Magic has already been learned.}
{Attempting to acquire race...}
{Superior Demon race has been acquired.}
{Acquiring intrinsic skills...}
{Intrinsic skill [Dark Armor] has been acquired.}
{Intrinsic skill [Demonic Eyes] has been acquired.}
{Intrinsic skill [Demon King's Aura] has been acquired.}
{Intrinsic skill [Darkness] has been acquired.}
{Acquisition of intrinsic skills has been completed.}
Wait what? Did I just become a superior demon?
To be honest, I don't want to look like him because he looks terrifying, but hopefully even if I did get the superior demon race, I still get to keep my appearance.
Hmm... Although it doesn't matter though, I got a skill called [Shapeshift], if it's exactly what I think it is then I could probably change what I look like completely!
{Attempting to acquire mana...]
{Success.}
{Expanding Mana Capacity...}
After hearing that, I immediately felt divine, just like how I did when I became filled with mana. It just feels good and I want to feel it again.
It seems I have acquired a lot of skills. I can't check them out right now because it seems weird doing that in front of someone.
"Uhmm, I know it's a little bit late but can I ask what your name is?" I asked him.
"Sure. My name is Opathos Membrea Nikolaus," he replied.
"Hey, is it fine if I call you Nikolaus? Is there any nickname you want me to call you like Klaus?" I asked him.
"Klaus? No one has ever proposed calling me that. Of course!" He replied with laughter.
"Uhh... I got to ask you something... Would you be alright if I leave you here alone?" I asked hesitantly.
"Hmm. Why do you ask?" he replied, curiously.
"It's just that, I'm not planning to stay here for long, I want to explore this world's magic and at the same time, laze around." I replied, hesitantly.
"It's fine, kid. I could always resist this prison they made for me but I have no reason to do so, I simply just don't." he firmly replied.
"Oh! Is that so? I thought you wouldn't be able to free yourself... I would have offered to remove this prison for you." I replied in relief.
"You can do that, kid?" he asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, though. I can try but don't expect I'll be able to remove it." I replied.
"Oh? Feel free to try." he said with a grin.
"Okay." I replied.
First, I need to touch the prison, then get a feel of the whole material. Spread my mana around it and separate Klaus' body from the material. Klaus is a demon so it might be harmful to cast a holy field around him.
So from my palm, I project holy magic, light beginning in my palm then spreads around the material causing it to disintegrate into nothing as the flow of light touches the material.
A barrier of mana protecting Klaus' body made it possible to use holy magic around him allowing me to safely destroy the prison without dangering him–freeing him.
"So? The prison is removed completely, what do you feel?" I asked, concerned.
"Interesting... Thanks. I feel fine." he assured me.
"Now that you're free, what do you plan to do?" I asked, curious.
"Let me think for a second," he replied.
For a second, Klaus looked at me focused and curiously as if he's doing something to me.
He laughed after seconds of looking at me. "Be my master," he proposed.
"No." I instantly rejected him.
"Why not?" he asked, sad and disappointed.
"I should be asking you why... There's no reason for me to be your master. Besides, you're a demon and I'm only a human. I'm pretty sure there's a hierarchy of races out there." I explained.
"More the reason why I want you to be my master." he added.
"I don't understand what you're trying to say, but I'll be fair. If you can give me a good reason why then I'll gladly accept your proposal." I gave him an offer.
Upon retrospect, what am I thinking? Why am I okay with anyone serving me? I'm not that useful when it comes to leading, I'm more of a follower kind of person.
"I'll kill humans if you don't accept." he responded with determination.
"I doubt you'd do that. Even though we only just met, I have a feeling you're not that kind of person." I shot down his response.
"Hehe. But, if you become my master, you can order me to never act on killing humans." he added.
"You're really determined to make me your master, huh? You do make a great point. But I have another offer, what if I just make you my friend?" I offered.
"Would I be able to accompany you if I accept that offer?" he asked.
"Sure. Only if you want to though." I replied.
"Thank you for this offer, Master." he enthusiastically responded.
{Klaus' soul has successfully recognized Lerst's soul as his master.}
Master? I'd ask him to not call me that but he was pretty hellbent on making me his master so I'm one hundred percent sure he'd instantly reject the idea.
Even World's Voice validates Klaus' "servitude" to me. Well, there is nothing I can do.
"Hey so, I'm planning to travel to places where humans live so if you're coming along with me, can you change your appearance to appear as if you were a human?" I requested.
"Of course, master." he energetically accepted.
With my request, he successfully changed his appearance. Handsome face, tall, muscular, red eyes, black hair, light skin, black horns, black wings, an armored body. With his shapeshift skill, he retained his features except his horns, wings, and armor body.
With a look I was able to see the mighty weapon of a superior demon. It seems he is truly worth being called a superior demon.
And in an instant he clothed himself using his shapeshift skill.
"Hey, Klaus. Can you wait for me? I'll just check my skills out for a second." I requested.
"You don't have to ask, Master. Simply just say what you want and I'll abide." he responded.
"Is that so? I don't mind asking, though, if it makes you feel better, I'll do it." I replied, curious.
"Yes, Master. It's much better if you do so." he responded, satisfied.
Alright! Time to check out my new skills.
Index!
[Magic Strength] {Allows one to convert mana into strength.}
[Negative Status Resistance] {Allows one to resist negative statuses.}
[Thermal Adaptation] {Allows one to adapt to changing temperature that occurs in the environment.}
[Shapeshift] {Allows one to change the shape of their body.}
[Darkness] {Allows one to release a dark miasma.}
[Material Body] {Allows one to change the material of their body.}
[Justice] {Allows one to acquire the truth.}
[Dark Armor] {A dark armor surrounding one's body.}
[Demonic Eyes] {Allows one to see the strength and mana of someone.}
[Demon King's Aura] {Allows one to release an aura equivalent of a demon king's. }
These are powerful skills. I'm more focused on the shapeshift skill though.
Although, the kind of skills that I have don't really reflect me... I'm more of a mage person or someone who does the long range type of thing.
{Note. Some skills can be integrated.}
{Permission to integrate skills has been acquired.}
{Beginning process...}
{Integrating skills...}
{[Dark Armor] and [Perfect Body] have integrated into [Dark Body].}
{[Material Body] and [Shapeshift] have integrated into [Morph].}
{[Darkness] and [Demon King's Aura] have integrated into [Dark Aura].}
{[Negative Status Resistance] and [Thermal Adaptation] have integrated into skill [Negative Status Adaptation].}
{Note. Upon getting the superior skill [Negative Status Adaptation], the superior skill [Skill Index] allows you to see the negative statuses you have adapted into.}
{Attempting to integrate races...}
{Success.}
{You are now a Dark Human, a hybrid of superior demon-superior human.}
{Separating demon form from human form...}
{Success.}
{Creating demon form...}
{Success.}
{Note. You can use skill [Morph] to shift between forms. Human to Demon or Demon to Human.}
{Note. Skill integration may occur at any time, but will only be reported when the system deems the user's awareness necessary.}
The system's late announcements are starting to feel personal. Like it's trying to build suspense just for fun. Whoever built this thing clearly never finished patching it.
After briefing me with integrated skills by World's Voice, my body began to be enveloped by a black miasma, but later absorbed into my body. It was a tell that I have just become a half-demon half-human.
Becoming another race than human isn't new to me, hehe. The games I play lets me choose the race I want to so this is normal to me.
Since I got new skills, I checked them out too.
[Dark Body] {A durable and regenerative body.}
[Morph] {A shapeshift skill.} {Transform physical matter into another physical matter.}
[Dark Aura] {A powerful aura consisting of coercive and destructive properties.}
[Negative Status Adaptation] {Allows you to resist negative status and list them into [Skill Index].}
Morph has two abilities, the ability to transform my appearance as well as transform physical matter into another physical matter. Hmm... I'll try to use that later.
Hm... When struck by a negative status, I am able to resist and adapt to it, then after adapting the negative status it will be listed down in the index to show what negative status I am resistant to.
If I experience a negative status like curse, then I adapt to it, then I can't be cursed again because I have adapted a resistance to it.
Alright now that I'm acquainted with the new skills, let's try if I can change a part of this cave into a mirror or glass or anything that can reflect so I can see myself.
Grasp the structure of the cave as I put my palm on it. Visualize a mirror big enough to let me see my whole body.
{Success.}
Good thing [Morph] runs on visualization. As long as I know how something works or looks, I can become it—even if it doesn't exist in this world.
Hmm... I still look like that, huh. Let's see if I can change my appearance.
Closed eyes. Imagine my chubby body shifting into a slimmer one. A face without fat in it.
{Success.}
I opened my eyes and I couldn't believe that the person in front of me was me. My face became beautiful and handsome while my slim body completes my appearance.
I'm happy but I am more relieved than I can fit into a standard so that way I don't have to kill myself to do so.
Torturing yourself to be acknowledged by people who deem a skinny figure, the beauty standard is one of the mistakes I ever made.
It's mostly the reason why I am insecure about my body but nonetheless I am not there and I am not the same as I was so I would very much like to abandon all the bad things I experienced in the old world.
It seems I kept my features, black hair, black eyes and I'm still tall... Oh well I like those features anyways.
I was done checking my skills as well as changing my appearance to a much more attractive one so I was set for adventure. I called Klaus and decided to get out of this cave.
With no knowledge about where to go or how to get out of here, I turned to Klaus.
"Hey Klaus. I don't really know the way out of here. But you might, so do you know how to get out of here?" I asked Klaus.
"If my memory serves me right, there shall be a hidden passage immediately directing us above." he said.
"Above what?" I asked, curious.
"What lies above us is the Demon Kingdom, Pathos," he replied.
Demon Kingdom? Eh? I got transported below the demon kingdom? And even if I survive the cave, I might still get killed by the demons.
Although, I might not get killed by any demons because apparently, a superior demon is my friend. Plus, I have holy magic so that's a good thing.
"Allow me to lead the way up," he offered.
"Sure." I replied.
After hearing my approval, he sprouted his black wings. I assume this is an effect of his shapeshift skill?
{No. Demons can naturally revert their wings back into their body as well as retract it when it's inside.}
Ahh, thank you for clarifying for me.
"Would you like me to carry you?" Klaus asked, his face looking at me.
"There's no need, I can fly too but without the wings." I replied.
Even though we can both fly, the way we fly is different. I can fly because I have the skill [Flight] but he can fly because he has wings on his back.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes." I replied.
As we began flying, I noticed that the passage was not a passage...
With my skill [Demonic Eyes] I could tell that Klaus was converting his mana to gain strength which is his superior skill [Magic Strength].
My only focus is why?
And there he began flying at a speed upwards, crushing the structure and making a hole for us to go through.
I got concerned and worried because Klaus might trigger a collapse and we would be trapped.
However, that's not the case. The structure seems to be strong, this isn't the land of the demon kingdom for nothing.
I followed Klaus and matched his speed. In two minutes we were at the demon kingdom. The hole Klaus made emitted light, a sign the kingdom is just near upwards ahead.
My feet finally set on a floor that isn't a cave so I toggled my flight skill off and started observing the place.
Dark walls, red glass panes, and fancy chandeliers, it was a sight I expected when talking about demons.
There are also seven people right in front of me and Klaus.
All of them look determined.
"Greetings, my council." Klaus declared.
Huh. These seven must be the council, the council who betrayed him.
Seven... There's something familiar about it...
Seven deadly sins! That's what it is!
The seven quickly kneeled as their king was in front of them.
They're kneeling... not like traitors—but like mourners.
"There is no need to kneel, I am no longer your king." Klaus said.
"King, you must be joking." said by he. Slim build, black hair, average height and beautiful light blue eyes, so pretty that you would doubt that he is in fact a demon.
"King, you have come back" he, with the pretty eyes, said to Klaus.
"Shut your mouth, Slein!" Klaus yelled angrily.
"Do not try to deceive me again." Klaus shouted with determination.
King, huh... I didn't know that. But why are they silent? If they really betrayed him, why are they still kneeling in his presence?
The seven didn't attempt to utter even a single sound. This behavior only implies that they still recognize him as the king.
"I will get the truth, and you will give it to me willingly." Klaus declared
"I am not your king anymore, I am simply a servant of Lerst." Klaus announced.
In an instant, one of the seven, the one with the long white hair, white skin, and white clothes launched herself unto me. But instead of having white hair and white clothes, they seem to have turned into a color of vibrant red.
Klaus stopped her by kicking her, launching her to the other side of the room.
"You dare attack my master?" Klaus angrily said as he released his aura filling the room with intimidation and coercion.
"We apologize for her, our king." The six kneeling apologized.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't control my rage. Forgive me, my king." The woman in the far side of the room apologized and knelt.
Hmm... Did she just change her hair and clothes back to white? I swear it was both red when she attacked me.
"It's not up to me to forgive you. It's up to my master." Klaus said to the seven.
Forgive them? I'd argue that they should forgive me. Based on their behavior and actions, they probably think I stole Klaus from them.
"The seven of us formally apologize to you. Would you accept our forgiveness?" The seven asked.
"Of course." I immediately replied back.
"Alright, then. We will begin our battle at noon." The demon with glasses said.
Wait, what? What do they mean battle?
"Don't worry, master. I'll tell you later." Klaus assured me.
After the conversation, the seven offered Klaus his bedroom, only for him to reject and propose the idea that I should be the one to stay there.
They looked determined but Klaus was insistent, he shut them down by releasing his aura.
We were escorted by maids to Klaus' bedroom. His room looked dull. There was only one big fancy bed inside.
I immediately laid down on the bed not caring what's happening to try to process what just happened back there.
"Why are you just standing there? You can lie in this bed if you'd like. It's really big enough for the both of us anyways." I offered Klaus.
"I can't believe you sleep in this huge bed, hehe." I added.
He smiled as I offered him, and immediately sat down on the bed while looking at me.
"So... What is it you're going to tell me?" I asked Klaus.
"Since you didn't know. I'll be happy to tell you, Master. You see, demons are prideful beings, and in our culture, when we ask for forgiveness, this means we are asking the person to battle us." he explained.
"We battle them so that we are able to measure their strength and therefore solidifies the idea of why we, prideful beings, need to ask for their forgiveness. If you win, you are strong enough to be asked forgiveness and if you lose, you are not worthy enough to be asked forgiveness." he added.
"Is that so? That makes sense. Thank you, Klaus." I thanked Klaus.
I asked Klaus how to win and he told me an answer. I could either win by killing the councils or by making them surrender.
I'm not a killer-type of person so it's definitely the second choice. I may have trauma but I'm not desensitized in terms of murder.
Klaus initially offered information about each and every member of the council, and I gracefully accepted his offer because I thought it would help me with dealing against the seven without hurting them.
White hair, pale skin, white pupils, and white clothes. Ava, the person who just tried to attack me earlier. She possesses the superior skill [Wrath]. The effects of the skills makes her anger unmanageable, it also makes her hair, eyes, and clothes turn red.
Slim build, black hair, and beautiful eyes, the eyes that are unforgettable. The person who first greeted Klaus is Slein, he possesses the superior skill [Sloth]. This skill allows him to see future tragedies.
Me winning would be a tragedy for them so how am I exactly going to counter that? I'm not exactly sure but I'll overlook his ability right now.
The person who possesses the superior skill [Lust] is not bound by any pronoun. They possess the ability to shapeshift into any gender or anyone in order to achieve lust. They do not have a name but he or she is called by the name Lust. Her shapeshifting skill allows her to change her body parts into another race, say into a dragon arm.
A figure and tallness resembling an athlete, and huge red horns. The guy's name Orfus, he possesses the superior skill [Pride]. The abilities that he possesses are unknown. But he has been known to be exceptionally good at things he tries.
Hailed as the perfect woman in the demon kingdom. They call her Afentina, possessor of the superior skill [Envy], she has the power to steal the skills and appearances of people that she envies.
Same appearance as me but he looks way older and has horns. His name is Venris. The one who possesses the superior skill [Gluttony]. This skill allows him to absorb mana and convert it into his.
A truly frightening ability for people who have high capacity for mana. Although I don't know whether my mana capacity is small or big.
Known as the smartest person in the demon kingdom, Fara, possessor of the superior skill [Greed], she is known to acquire knowledge like a rabid dog, as long as it is an information she doesn't know, she would do anything to acquire it. Her skill allows her to desire for information as well as advanced cognitive functions.
After being given the information, my mind cannot comprehend all of it at once and I was overwhelmed and could not think of a plan to defeat them individually.
Huh... I need to find ways to beat them altogether.
What's the one thing they all have in common...
Klaus as their king? Heh, I'm running out of ideas...
Wait... Demon? That's right! They're all demons.
Based on the games I've played before, holy magic is effective against demons. And this experience might not have been objectively true if I hadn't been able to use holy magic on the prison made of dark material. So I know this is something that is true.
Knowing that, I instinctively knew what to do. I haven't slept for a while. I like sleeping because it refreshes my mental state so I'll probably hold on to the sleeping function even though I don't need it.
Hope you're all ready.