Suddenly, strange words appeared before his eyes, making Ash's head buzz.
He couldn't quite make sense of it all—there were too many suspicious points to count—but from the so-called "gift of the Demon God," something named the Demon King Growth System, he quickly realized this system was nothing like he had imagined.
The so-called Demon God, it turned out, was just the self-proclaimed title of a great demon from the Mythic Era—one who had nearly stepped into godhood before dying. In fact, that demon was said to be the strongest Demon King of that age.
The reason Ash was chosen had nothing to do with talent or bloodline. It was because his emotions were… unusual. Unlike most demons, Ash displayed strong social tendencies and a complex range of feelings—so strong, in fact, that even past Demon Kings paled in comparison.
The system, apparently, had given him a very high evaluation based on that potential. Though whether it was a mistake or not, Ash wasn't sure. After all, this wasn't the gift of a real god, and its abilities were painfully limited.
No overpowered hacks, no world-breaking powers. The only thing it offered was this: if he could harvest the souls of a thousand humans—or the equivalent number in other intelligent, soul-bearing lifeforms—he could use them to trade for a miracle.
More precisely, these weren't true miracles, but recreations of a goddess's miracles, painstakingly copied by the Demon God. This system, which bore the power to release miracles, was essentially a vessel created when the Demon God stripped the copied magic from himself.
And the scale of those miracles? It depended entirely on how many souls Ash was willing to pay. According to the system's own explanation, with enough fuel, these recreations could nearly rival the genuine thing.
In short, every use required at least a thousand souls—there was no upper limit—and each wish consumed everything he had accumulated in one shot.
The conditions sounded absurdly harsh, but there was a silver lining: demons lived for an exceptionally long time. Even working in a slaughterhouse would eventually earn him a chance to make a wish.
Still, the system was absurdly simple. That single ability was all it had. After a brief surge of excitement, Ash found himself once again worrying about his day-to-day survival.
After all, he was only three years old! Where on earth was he supposed to find a thousand souls for a wish?!
Thirteenth year since his reincarnation, beside a lake in the forest.
The icy wind swept across the water, raising ripples and leeching away Ash's body heat.
Though still in the body of a youth, he dragged with one hand the carcass of a beast shaped like a tiger but nearly the size of a cart. With the other, he pulled Aura along by her horn as they made their way toward the cave they called home. Without looking back, he muttered:
"You really ought to stop focusing on mental-type spells and just switch to something practical in combat. You restrained this thing's movements, but ended up collapsing yourself… totally useless."
"Don't lecture me, Ash. My magic is my own choice. Just because we were born in the same cave doesn't give you the right to interfere."
"You're awfully cold, considering you have such a passionate brother." Using gravity magic to lighten the load of both Aura and the prey, Ash shrugged helplessly.
"…If dragging me across the mud like a sack of goods counts as passion, then tomorrow, once I've recovered, you can be the one lying in the dirt."
The pink-haired girl, smeared with mud and utterly drained, closed her eyes and allowed herself to be dragged by the horn, but her tongue was sharp as ever.
"By the way, do you even have the strength to get up later? Will dinner be ready in time?"
"Why is it always me who has to do that?"
"Because this is fair and democratic. I drag you home, you cook."
"During the fight, I put in way more effort than you!"
"Between siblings, why nitpick?"
He cut her off with a single line, leaning on the fact that he still had enough strength left, leaving Aura clicking her tongue in annoyance behind him.
Unwilling though she was, once they returned to the cave she still lit a fire, painting the stone walls around them in warm shades of orange.
Ash sat cross-legged nearby, letting the firelight illuminate Aura's side profile. Unconsciously, he found himself studying her features.
She might have a twisted personality, and yes, she was still just a child, but she was surprisingly pretty—her delicate face framed by twin pairs of demon horns. They were convenient, too, for dragging her around.
The key thing was, she was hardworking and reliable. Even if she talked back, in most ways she wasn't so bad. Her only real flaw was…
"If only you were a little gentler. Softer. Cuter."
"What are you mumbling about over there?" Aura, busy with the meal, turned her head and grinned mischievously. "Don't tell me you're thinking weird things again?"
"I was thinking maybe it's time I left this forest."
"To move into a human city and start eating people?"
"No, no, I've got no interest in human flesh. But look at me." He tapped his head.
"A bald little oddball. If I hadn't grown up with you, I'd swear you were some stupid human trying and failing to disguise yourself as a demon. Even your demonic aura is weak. If you're not careful out there, people will mistake you for a human and kill you."
Though her words weren't exactly cheerful, Aura tilted her head, closed one eye, and smiled as if amused.
"…Think about it. What would it feel like to eat someone who looks just like you? If you had to devour someone like me, how would you feel?"
"Well, now that you mention it, killing someone like you outright might be the better choice."
"Hey."
"Relax, I'm kidding. We've been partners too long. Once my magic reaches its peak, I'll make you my servant. You'll cook, hunt, clean, and take care of my daily needs. Oh, and I hate it when the water's freezing at night—so you'll warm my toes in your mouth and lick them clean after, understood?"
Already imagining that future, Aura smirked and let out a laugh.
Ash, however, didn't bother reacting to her brazen boasts. Resting his forehead in one hand, he simply wondered how on earth someone who grew up alongside him had turned out this bizarre.
But his silence only fueled another misunderstanding. "What's wrong, Ash? Are you too happy to even look at me?"
"…Your face just pisses me off. I'm worried I'll snap and kill you one day. Then who'll cook for me?"
"??" Aura blinked in confusion, then pressed her palm against his head and shook it vigorously, laughing aloud. "You're so easy to fluster! You really are happy, aren't you, Ash?"
Good grief. She wasn't listening at all anymore.
Was this some trauma from childhood that warped her personality? The inherent nature of demons? Or had she been influenced by him? …No, no, definitely not him. It had to be one of the first two.
Grinding his teeth, enduring the uncomfortable jostling of his head, Ash seriously considered one thing: if he gave this little brat a good knock to the skull, would it set her straight?