Chapter 2 — Learning How to Exist
When I stood up, the ground didn't feel solid.
It wasn't unstable—just unfamiliar. The land of the Demon World pulsed faintly beneath my feet, as if it were breathing. Magicules flowed everywhere, thick enough that I could feel them pressing against my body.
Or maybe this body was just more sensitive.
I took a step forward. My balance wavered, and I nearly fell.
> "Master, movement coordination incomplete."
"Recommendation: slow adjustment."
"…Right," I muttered, though my voice came out strange—thin, echoing slightly, like sound passing through mist.
I focused. There were no muscles to tense, no bones to brace. Movement came from intent alone. Once I understood that, walking became easier.
The area around me looked barren. Jagged black stone stretched in every direction, broken by occasional crystal formations glowing faintly red or violet. The air was heavy, not poisonous, but oppressive in a way that made weakness obvious.
I understood something instinctively.
If I stayed here, something would find me.
And if it did, I would probably die.
"I need to get stronger," I said quietly.
> "Agreed."
"Suggested method: predation."
That word made me pause.
Predation.
I didn't like it—but I didn't have the luxury to reject it either.
"Find something… weak," I said.
> "Searching."
Information flowed into my awareness. Shapes, presences, concentrations of magicules. It was overwhelming at first, but Cursed Sage filtered it carefully, feeding me only what I could handle.
> "Detected: Lesser Imp nearby."
"Threat level: low."
I didn't know what a Lesser Imp was, but "low" sounded manageable.
I followed the pull of shadow and awareness, moving carefully. My body melted slightly as I moved, adapting instinctively to the terrain. Shadow Lord activated without my conscious command, spreading my presence thin, dulling my mana signature.
I reached a narrow ravine.
Something small and hunched crawled along the rocks below. Its body was wiry, its skin a dull red, horns barely formed. It muttered to itself in a language I didn't understand.
A demon.
Just like me.
My chest tightened.
Do I really have to do this?
> "Master, hesitation increases risk."
"This entity would kill you if given the chance."
I knew she wasn't wrong.
Still, my feet wouldn't move.
So I changed tactics.
"Shadow Lord," I whispered.
The shadow beneath the imp thickened.
It reacted too late.
Darkness rose silently, wrapping around its limbs and dragging it down. The imp shrieked, flailing wildly. It wasn't strong, but it was desperate.
I didn't attack directly. I just held it there.
Its movements slowed.
Then stopped.
The moment its presence faded, something warm flowed into me. Magicules—raw and unrefined—were absorbed naturally by my core.
> "Shadow extraction available."
I hesitated again.
"…Do it."
The shadow beneath me rippled, and something detached from the imp's remains—a faint, distorted silhouette that dissolved into my shadow.
I felt heavier.
Not physically. Existentially.
> "Shadow storage complete."
"Shadow count: 1"
I sat down.
I didn't feel sick. I didn't feel proud either.
Just tired.
"That was…" I searched for the word. "Necessary."
> "Correct."
I checked myself instinctively.
I felt slightly stronger. My mana flow was smoother, more stable.
It wasn't dramatic—but it was real.
"Is this how demons grow?" I asked.
> "Yes. Through combat, consumption, and survival."
"However, your growth rate exceeds standard Lower Demon parameters."
I let out a quiet breath.
That wasn't comforting.
I stood and moved again, deeper into the rocky wastes. Over the next several hours, I repeated the process. I avoided anything that felt too strong, relying on stealth and shadows rather than direct confrontation.
By the time I stopped, I had absorbed three more Lesser Imps and one demonic beast that resembled a warped hound.
My shadow felt denser now. More responsive.
> "Master, recommendation."
"You should find a territory. A place to anchor yourself."
"A home," I murmured.
The idea felt strange—but appealing.
I looked out over the Demon World's endless dark horizon.
One year.
I didn't need to rule anything.
I just needed to survive.
And maybe—if possible—
Understand what I had become.
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End of Chapter 2