I saw it coming. The moment I named Umbra, all the magicules within me were completely drained. There was no pain, no panic—only a profound shock. I knew that the naming process was a soul-linked ritual requiring immense energy, but it was a worthy investment. Umbra has evolved, now a much more formidable and useful Phantom Golem. The drastic drop in my EP was a small price to pay.
My focus now shifted to the ancient panel in the control room. For some time, Libertas had been analyzing the "Genetic Formula." I initially thought it was just an evolutionary recipe, but the data I gathered revealed a terrifying truth, Artificial Demon Lord Seed. The formula was designed by an ancient civilization to create a being as powerful as a Demon Lord—one they could control. It was a dangerous shortcut. Although their arrogance led to its failure, this method was now the most efficient path for me. Instead of hunting down an existing Demon Lord ,which feels very impossible for my current situation. I could create my own Demon Lord's Seed like Clayman did in the story, but my way is completely different.
My plan changed completely. I was no longer hunting monsters at random. My goal was specific: to find the perfect vessel.
Using my Magicule Sense and with Umbra's help, I began a focused search in the ocean. After weeks, I detected a strange energy pattern. It was an ancient spell concealing a vast territory—something I would never have found through conventional hunting. Inside this hidden area, I sensed hundreds of energy signatures. At the center of their colony, there was one extraordinarily powerful aura. Libertas analyzed it, confirming that they were a highly organized race.
In my mind, I named the race Siroco, and their leader was my primary target.
Instead of infiltrating and assassinating, my logic suggested a more efficient approach. I would give them a choice. I decided to appear before them and offer a deal. With my current power, none of them could stop me. I floated slowly, passing through the magical spell that concealed their colony. I had no need to hide. As I entered their territory, I activated my Manipulator, causing my magical energy to become chaotic. The surrounding seaweed withered, and small fish died instantly.
I saw their settlement: caves lit by bioluminescent algae and cultivated coral plants. When they sensed my presence, fear spread like a ripple. I could feel their heartbeats from a distance. I was a tall, powerful being with sharp teeth, but what was most terrifying were my empty, white eyes without pupils, like two dead moons at the bottom of the sea.
A larger Siroco, armed with a trident, stepped forward. I knew he was their leader, the Siroco Sovereign. His eyes radiated remarkable courage, daring to challenge the fear that gripped his people.
"Who are you?!" he shouted through mental communication. "How did you enter our territory?!"
"That is of no importance. I have come to offer you a power," I replied in a flat voice, a cold, emotionless mental vibration.
"Power? From a creature like you? We do not need it!"
"Oh, you will need it," I countered. "I see potential in you. I see the fear in you. I can give you the power to become more than just food in this food chain."
"What do you want in return?" he asked suspiciously.
"Simple. I need a test subject. I will choose one of you, and they will become the strongest being to ever exist. I will give them power, and in return, I will get the data I need."
The crowd of Siroco behind him whispered. Some eyes showed interest, but their leader, the Siroco Sovereign, shook his head decisively. "No," he said. "We will not hand anyone over to a monster like you. Leave this place!"
I stood silent, processing his answer. Data from Libertas flowed into me: 99% chance of rejection. My emotions remained stable.
"Your choice is clear," I said, my voice still cold. "I offered you evolution, but you chose destruction."
The fear in the leader's eyes was now mixed with anger. "We would rather die than become your plaything!"
"Very well then," I muttered, accepting his refusal with a cold demeanor.
Suddenly, the Siroco Sovereign roared and fired a high-pressure water spear at me. It was a fast and powerful attack, capable of piercing steel, but to me, it was just a slow-moving data packet. I merely floated there, letting the attack pass through my body without causing any damage.
The leader was shocked. He fired spear after spear, each faster and stronger than the last, but they all passed through me as if I were an illusion. I didn't even bother to dodge. I let his attacks pass through me, letting him exhaust his energy on something that didn't exist.
"Why?! Why aren't my attacks working?!" he shouted in a panic.
I simply smiled coldly. My sharp teeth were visible in the dim algae light. "Because you are too weak!" I said mockingly.
I then returned the attack. I didn't use any offensive magic. I simply used my Manipulator. With a single hand gesture, I caused the water bubbles around him to explode with immense force. He was thrown against the coral wall with a crash, nearly unconscious. The entire Siroco tribe watched in horror, realizing that their leader couldn't even touch me.
I floated toward him and extended my hand. He trembled. My empty white eyes stared straight into his soul, and for the first time, I saw genuine despair. I used a Spectral Howl focused on him. He fell unconscious, helpless.
The rest of his forces froze, too afraid to attack. The desperation in their eyes was a new data point. I had incapacitated their leader with no real resistance, and now they knew that resistance was futile.
"The choice you made was destruction," I said to the entire tribe. "And I will destroy you. Not by killing, but by taking your freedom, blame you for choosing a stupid creature as your leader"
I controlled Umbra. A wave of magic spread from me, paralyzing the entire Siroco population before me. With that, I had not only gained one test subject but hundreds. My ultimate goal, the perfect vessel, was now before me, along with an ideal living laboratory. I had achieved the first stage of my plan.
Inside the laboratory, I placed the unconscious Siroco Sovereign on a giant stasis table. His form was magnificent—a blend of human, fish, and coral. His skin was as hard as a shell, and his eyes radiated deep intelligence. I knew he was the perfect candidate.
Along with their leader, I also brought the entire paralyzed Siroco population. They floated in stasis bubbles around the laboratory, awaiting their turn to be experimented on. This was the perfect living laboratory.
I channeled the pure magicules I had collected for 50 years into the tube. I instructed Umbra to begin the process. The ancient magical patterns found in the Genetic Formula began to light up all over the tube, shining with a blinding light.
The monster began to tremble, shaking violently. The process was too horrifying. His bones and muscles randomly reshaped, his skin cracked, and his body emitted a blinding light. His voice, a terrifying mental groan, filled the control room. It was the sound of suffering from a forced evolution.
After a while, the process was complete. I ordered Umbra to open the tube. The creature floated out, its EP now exceeding 50,000, surpassing even my own. Its form was now sleeker, more perfect, but its eyes radiated a horrible mix of madness and awareness. He was the perfect manifestation of the formula's purpose.
He looked at me, and for the first time, I heard his voice in my mind. It was no longer a groan but a sentence spoken clearly.
"...Who... are you? Who... did this to me?"
I didn't answer. My emotions remained calm. I just observed my creation.
"I remember... I was a king... I... led my people... Why... Why have I become like this?"
The eyes of the newly evolved Siroco Sovereign trembled. He remembered everything, but his consciousness was trapped inside a body he no longer recognized.
"You... you did it... I remember!!... I feel it... You are the one who made me... this."
He stared at me with absolute hatred. His intent was no longer to kill, but to destroy. To destroy everything.
The creature roared. Its roar had no sound but was a pure vibration that could be felt throughout the ruins. He attacked me, his instincts guiding him to destroy anything he saw.
The battle was short. Although the creature had a much higher EP and terrifying potential, it was a product of a formula, without combat experience like mine. I easily subdued him, and with one final attack, his body disintegrated.
As his body shattered, an extremely dense and dark energy core appeared. This was the Artificial Demon Lord's Seed, the product of the ancient civilization's terrifying experiment.
I used my Manipulator to contain the energy core, preventing it from disappearing. I approached it, letting Libertas analyze it. The data that flowed into my mind was so complex, a knowledge that could destroy a less resilient being.
However, with Calm Mind, I remained serene. I did not devour it. Instead, I used Libertas to transmute the dense energy into a form that could be absorbed by my semi-physical body core. Then, I used my Manipulator to channel it directly into myself.
The sensation was beyond description. I could feel an indescribable power flowing through me. The energy resonated with the essence of my soul, filling the void and creating immense potential. I felt my core tremble, change, and grow. I felt a higher consciousness flow into my soul, and a new connection with the spiritual core of all the Siroco I had paralyzed.
Suddenly, an emotionless voice, a voice that echoed throughout the cosmos, resounded in my mind.
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I felt my body changing. My sharp claws now emitted a subtle purple light. My solid form felt as if it were coated in a shimmering obsidian substance. The dark green and blue aura around me became thicker, swirling slowly. My eyes, which were once just white dots, now had a crystal-like core that pulsed with a silvery light.
My EP was refilled and nearly doubled.
I observed the changes logically. This Demon lord's Seed wasn't perfect. The energy it provided was only enough to push me over the edge. Because this was an artificial seed. I have to fix this defect.
The first stage of my plan was complete. Now, there was only one thing left to do: gather the souls I needed.