Azaroth… Orsaga extended his palm, staring at the pile of rocks and mud blocking the cave entrance.
As a bloodline awakening ability, no incantation or preparation was necessary. A blood-red fireball, roughly fifteen centimeters in diameter and radiating intense heat, instantly materialized and floated between his palms, illuminating the cave.
Whoosh!
Following his thought, the fireball shot forward, striking the blockage.
Boom!!
The explosion echoed through the cave, and blood-red flames splattered everywhere.
When the flames died down, a hole about three to four meters deep had formed. Based on his memory of how he had sealed the cave, one more shot should clear the passage completely.
He condensed another fireball, equal in size and heat to the previous one, but this time he didn't use the Fireball skill. Instead, he compressed his bloodflames into a sphere with sheer willpower.
Boom!!
Another explosion shook the cave. As the smoke settled, Orsaga inspected the result: only two meters of obstruction remained.
He didn't rush. Instead, he calculated the power difference and mana consumption between using the Fireball skill versus directly forming bloodflame spheres.
Direct manipulation consumed nearly four times more energy while producing only half the output—a nearly eightfold inefficiency.
Satisfied with his observations, he experimented with other skills and talents, understanding the limits of his current strength.
Sitting on the ground, he recovered his mana and stamina, licked his lips, and smiled. Then he rose and began wandering deeper into the Howling Forest, moving on to the next step: evaluating his position in the forest's food chain.
The demon, a werewolf-like creature with a hardened exoskeleton, felt its life force being drained. Instinctively, it summoned its last reserves for a final struggle.
But Orsaga, who had already sensed its intentions, wouldn't allow it.
With a faint hiss, his tail—already piercing the demon's chest—stirred violently. The heat of his bloodflames burned its internal organs, cooking them medium-rare and scattering them from within. Instant death.
The creature was a [Lesser Demon], slightly stronger than the ape demon he had slain before. But unlike then, Orsaga had undergone a qualitative transformation. An opponent that would have once required a fierce battle was now irrelevant.
From start to finish, Orsaga didn't touch the demon with his hands. A quick-cast bloodline skill, Soul Shock, induced mental trauma, leaving it dazed. His tail then pierced the chest, absorbing its life force and leaving it hanging like dried meat.
He tore off an arm from the corpse. His human-like mouth split wider than normal, revealing rows of sharp teeth, and he bit into the flesh, savoring the taste.
The corpse, drained of life, was casually tossed into the bushes, feeding the forest's magical plants. Even in the Abyss, one should care for the environment.
Since leaving the cave, he had wandered the Howling Forest for half a day, encountering more than ten [Lesser Demons], seven or eight [Young Demons], and hundreds of native Demonized creatures.
The ancestors of these Demonized creatures had once been non-demons. Over time, absorbing Abyssal magic, drinking its water, consuming its plants and animal flesh, and enduring its corruption, they all became bloodthirsty and vicious, regardless of original disposition.
The creatures' strength varied: the strongest were [Lower Demon] rank, the weakest weaker than [Young Demons]. Their one shared trait was prolific reproduction; otherwise, they would have been wiped out by demons long ago.
Despite wandering for hours, Orsaga hadn't encountered a single [Lower Demon]. His plan to spar with one had failed.
He calmly stepped over a rock pile. His tail, guided by energy vision, pierced precisely into the brain of a hiding Demonized creature, killing it instantly. Stealth and camouflage were meaningless against his perception.
[+77 Evolution Points]
Looking up at the sky, already darkening, he frowned.
The efficiency is too slow.
Compared to the riverbanks, where demons packed tightly and slaughtered each other without hesitation, the Howling Forest was a sprawling hunting ground. Here, danger came from unseen places: above, below, within trees, underground. Even flowers could release toxins or ensnaring tendrils.
The forest trained cunning, patience, and hunting instincts, whereas the riverbanks tested brute strength and slaughter. Both were valuable for a demon's growth.
But for Orsaga, who needed constant slaughter to evolve and could compensate deficiencies with Evolution Points, this slow, hidden method was inconvenient. Prey was scarce, and kills were far between, significantly prolonging his growth.
He considered igniting a forest fire to flush out prey but quickly abandoned the idea. Demonized plants resisted flames unless continuously supplied with magic, and even then, burning them wouldn't grant him souls directly.
His limitation was clear: he lacked long-range soul harvesting. Without being able to bind souls remotely, he had to collect them one by one—tedious and inefficient.
Demon memory offered three methods for harvesting powerful souls:
Kill and seize the soul directly.
Summon and bind via Abyssal Contract.
Corrupt the target into servitude, gaining souls naturally.
Orsaga now faced two developmental paths:
Respond to Abyssal summons in other worlds, using his Abyssal Contract to gain rewards before being expelled. The risk: unknown enemies, magical traps, and potential death.
Gradually dominate the Howling Forest. Less risky, slower growth, and all opponents capped at [Lower Demon] rank, making escape possible even if overwhelmed.
After three seconds of thought, he chose caution.
He would remain in the Howling Forest. For now, slaughter would be methodical, survival guaranteed, and future opportunities plentiful.
Though his demonic instincts hungered for chaos and conquest, his human memories reminded him: brains were as important as claws.