Chapter 26 – I Choose You (1)

I traversed around the vicinity of my territory while hunting small monsters. When I left the castle I easily came across the figures of all sorts of monsters, perhaps due to the lack of manpower and almost no management. The middle- and lower-grade monsters such as wyverns and arachne went fleeing at the mere sight of me. I burst out laughing at such a refreshing scene.

‘Slime.’

One slime wasn’t moving at all, but they had barely any Intelligence after all. These things which wobbled around like jelly would attack and eat small animals or insects. The slime’s general information popped up as I opened Mind’s Eye.

Name: Slime (Value – 25) Race: Slime Str 10 Agi 5 Con 9 Int 1 Mag 5 Potential(30/45)

Its stats were a joke, as well as its potential. Slimes were monsters that were treated even lower than gnolls. I decided to catch 10 of these.

[Dominator Skill has been activated.] 235pt has been consumed. Slime 1~10 has been succesfully dominated.

Following that I placed the captured slimes into the ‘Jewel of Space’, and 10 slimes appeared in it pixels, busily crawling around the house.

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‘It’s no fun to stop here.’

Together with the added pair of Authorities in my possession, ‘Universal Man’ and ‘Dominator’, the creatures dominated by me was able to ‘evolve’ or in other words, be ‘promoted’.

I went around indiscriminately searching for things to feed slimes. The strongest monsters near my territory were only around Lv5. At the same time I carried out my search, I took this chance to check out Uriel Diablo’s powers and began to do some warming up.

‘Stygian Touch.’

About 500m of the ground in sight was stained with darkness as black hands burst out from within. They appeared to number in the thousands, and any living creature that came in contact with the hands were drained of all their vitality, becoming shriveled corpses.

[Battle has ended.] [The disparity in strength was too extreme. No points could be obtained.]

It was like this. I needed to hunt at the least a Lv6 Bugbear if I wanted to gain some points through pure hunting with this body.

‘This isn’t the right way after all.’

It was peerlessly powerful, but didn’t seem to be meant for capturing things alive. However, the sheer magnitude of it was definitely as I had seen in the past; nothing but pure death laid in the hundreds of metres before my eyes. I got the feeling that I could turn at least half the forest into a land of death if I wished to.

‘This means I have to catch them with my own hands.’

It wouldn’t make for a great image, but I didn’t have a choice. I went through the forest, personally catching orcs, harpies, trolls and the like without discrimination. The creatures caught by me trembled in fear. Even monsters were able to instinctively recognize a disparity in overwhelming strength and rank.

“Do not move.”

Dragonish(Lv9) was activated. I suspected this was another skill passed down by Diablo. It imbued the power of dragons into words and immobilized those who hear it.

The monsters froze as if possessed upon hearing those words, and then I tossed these helpless monsters to the slimes for them to eat. The slimes slowly inched over to the monsters to swallow and digest them. Then a change occurred as I continued this process for the whole day.

[‘Slime 1’ has evolved to ‘Fire Slime.’] [The growth limit of ‘Fire Slime’ has increased by 50.] [‘Slime 2’ has evolved to ‘Dark Slime’.] [The growth limit of ‘Dark Slime’ has increased by 65.]

What’s more was that they didn’t evolve in a certain way. The type of evolution varied along with the ways they were fed or raised. It seemed there was a slight element of luck involved, or perhaps the environment they grew up in until now seemed to have an effect.

‘This is jackpot.’

If I were to dominate and raise weak monsters, there was no need at all to go out of my way and pay high amounts of points to recruit mercenaries or monsters. Furthermore…this was quite fun.

‘Can they continue to infinitely evolve?’

I wanted to experiment. For 3 long days I tossed food to the slimes as if obsessed. 10 slimes were raised up in no time as a Demon Lord toiled without rest.

[‘Giant Slime’ has evolved to ‘King Slime’.] [The growth limit of ‘King Slime’ has increased by 50.] [Further evolution is impossible.]

9 out of the 10 slimes became a ‘King’ or ‘Queen’ and were determined impossible to further evolve. They had all become like this at the end or two or three evolutions. Their potentials were at most 250 or so, which was just right for Lv5 monsters. Did this mean their limits were determined from the start?

However, only one slime showed a different appearance.

[‘Death Slime’ has evolved to ‘Shadow Kaim’.] [The growth limit of ‘Shadow Kaim’ has increased by 100.]

I observed this scene with newly lit interest in my eyes because light shined from the death slime’s entire body and soon its form began to change.

It turned into a monster in the form of a small rabbit with small black wings. It was known to be a savage and fairly strong monster, contrary to its cute appearance, but its color and figure slightly differed from the normal kaim; normally its body should be colored orange and without wings. I’d never expected a slime would end up becoming a kaim.

Name: Shadow Kaim (Value – 4,400) Race: Beast Str 40 Agi 50 Con 45 Int 30 Mag 60 Potential(225/300) Special Note: A kaim that has involved to due a special power. It is able to fly and is able to use the special ability ‘Shadows’. ※ Shadows: Turns invisible when in a dark place.

Kyu?

The shadow kaim made a cute noise, and it turned invisible as it entered the shadows beneath a tree. I could see where it was by using Magic Power, of course, but it was otherwise perfectly hidden.

‘Other kaims don’t have this ability.’

I was surprised at this time. Kaims were fast, and were capable of firing laser beams by gathering Magic Power in both of their long ears. However, they had weak Constitution by nature and their Magic Power weren’t on the high side, so they weren’t capable of threatening veterans. They were also incapable of flight, as they weren’t supposed to have wings, and yet…this shadow kaim’s Constitution and Magic Power were excellent. It was capable of flight and it was also capable of turning invisible in shadowy places. Even I had to admit that this was a tough combination of abilities.

‘Unbelievable.’

Only one among the 10 slimes completely shed off its own species as a slime. Was there perhaps a pretty high chance of this happening?

I continued to experiment with 30 more slimes, but there were no cases of them evolving into other species.

‘Maybe there’s only an extremely low probability of becoming a special being.’

I smiled.

This kind of experiment would have been difficult to carry out on Earth. I was able to get my hands on important information, what I should have come across much later, thanks to having used Transfer. More than anything…this, would work. Evolution of species, of all things. It was something only I could make possible. But there was a chance of others becoming wary or desiring of this power.

‘I’m a rookie who made his appearance in 100 years after all. The deeper the predicament, the more boldly I should act.

The other Demon Lords didn’t know of the power or Authority I had obtained. That was also the reason why Carpediem the Destroyer wasn’t able to make an immediate attack. Which was why I would flaunt how relaxed I was. I would put up a show of belittling them all, thereby catching them unawares.

I nodded to myself and moved my feet toward the castle.

The experiment was finished.

..

“You mean, Gourmandi?”

Laila responded.

Right after coming back to the castle I spoke to Laila about the creator of the ‘Jewel of Space’, Gourmandi, but her expression at this mention wasn’t particularly happy.

“You know of him?”

“He is an eccentric lich, notorious for being good at making strange items. His reputation is not so good either.”

“So it seems he isn’t working under any other Dmeon Lord.”

“Yes. There is no Demon Lord who would take in a ‘half-demon’ as a follower, even if he were a lich. Not to mention that he is an eccentric.”

Laila emphasized on his eccentricity.

Liches were a higher species of monsters. They were talented at black magic and were extremely rare. Most cities would go up in flames if a lich were to act. Liches were like ‘disasters’ if they weren’t taken down early, because a liches army would grow larger with every city passed. That’s why there would be a global effort to subdue them whenever a lich emerged. But a half-demon…

‘Which means that he’s not of pure-blood.’

The demon race. They were the nobility among monsters. While few in numbers, each and every one of them were powerful, and the majority of the Demon Lords were made up of the demon race. Uriel Diablo, namely myself, made for a fine example of that fact. It seemed that those who weren’t of pure-blood wouldn’t be highly regarded. Of course, that was of no consequence to me. What would I know of their circumstances and the like?

“I have to try meeting him.”

“…I shall look for him.”

I was holding the Jewel of Space in my hand. They costed 2,000 points each. It would be difficult to purchase them in large numbers, however, matters would change if I were to directly trade or to form a business partnership. I would be able to obtain a great many more at a much lower price.

Following that I spoke a few more additional words to Laila.

“Also, spread a rumour of a friendship between Andalton Bruxelles and myself.”

“My Lord. Permit me to ask why?”

“With a rumour like that circulating, it will become harder for the weaker Demon Lords, at least, to attack me. At worst, they would hesitate over it.”

“Would anyone believe in such a rumour?”

“There were those who witnessed Andalton Bruxelles and myself. When the rumour spreads, they will serve to add some credibility to make it appear as if it were the truth.”

“Ah…”

Laila nodded as if in realization.

What we needed was time. I believed this whole farce with Andalton Bruxelles would buy a momentary respite, at the least. This was politics, in a sense, which I was sick and tired of, but there was no other way in order to turn around my situation. No, I wouldn’t spare any method it I could only win.

Laila spoke solemnly.

“So I must make it succeed.”

“Everything lies in your hands.”

“Understood. However…”

Laila took a look behind me and spoke confusedly.

“What are those things in the back? Was that perhaps the reason why you have been in the forest these past few days?”

“They are business items.”

“Yes?”

Various kinds of slimes were sluggishly following behind me…

Kyu! Kyu!

…and the shadow kaim was zipping around frantically above my head.

At the end of my words, Laila’s gaze began to turn vaguely bewildered.