Preview: “Pathetic.” it spoke in a deep and hoarse voice. I-it spoke! I was greatly shaken by the fact that this monster is not only ridiculously strong, but also possibly highly intelligent! It turned its head away from me, and picked up the corpse of my brother, and with a leap, its wings unfurled and disappeared from my sight.

It's been two months(in my estimation) since I arrived in this hellish world. I thought long and hard about the reason for my arrival here and came to the conclusion that it may be due to the sins I accumulated from the constant wars in my continent. I must have killed too many people and now I’m being punished by being sent to Hell. Though, it's unexpected how I got reborn as a demon. It's a bit ironic if you'd ask me, I killed a lot of people in the war, some begged me to spare them, some shouting about honor, some killed in the passing, and some killed accidentally. It wasn't like I was inhumane, but circumstances forced me, they were enemies and enemies had to be eliminated. And now, I’m here and reborn as a “Demon”? Fate’s arrangement is truly funny and ironic. And it's ridiculous that this is now my reality.

After that monster left, I ate the meat of my dead siblings due to hunger returning to me after passing the crisis. And through that process, I grew stronger quickly and I also unearthed a lot more information from my genes. So it turns out this is indeed “Hell”, “Underworld”, “Tartarus”, “Land of the dead'” or so it's called by all kinds of people from different worlds. Souls tainted by darkness and malevolence come here and become nourishment to these lands. Most directly get absorbed by the place itself while souls that have higher compatibility become “demons”. Most demons are apparently mindless and don't have memories of their previous lives. Their souls have already been modified by Hell and become nothing but monsters who follow their desires.

As for me? I have no answer and I have no idea. Also, most demons are born from offspring and cases like me- a soul transforming into a demon is apparently rare. Its chance to happen is like, one in a thousand years. Is that something to be proud of? I'm not sure, but based on this information, I can guess that there might be others like me. One thing that separates those souls that became demons and natural demons is that - those reborn as demons have ridiculous growth speed and become abnormally strong. I feel like I am neither but I am also a weird case for having memories about my previous life. This leads me to having pre-established principles and morals as well as a fragile human life. But lately, I feel like my sanity has not been going so well.

I spend my “days” exploring and hunting. I’m not even sure if the concept of day and night exists in this place. The whole place looks the same all the time. Only the scenery changes from time to time when I’m exploring. I see lava rivers, I see volcanoes, I see towering rock mountains, I see a forest of boulders out of nowhere, I see a weaker demon getting preyed on, oh now that is my stuff! I ran out from behind a boulder and struck the demon that tried to steal my prey. I swing my claws at its back and my tail extends with a whoosh! Entangling its legs. This has been my primary style of hunting these days, due to the trauma I incurred two months ago. I hide behind boulders that exist everywhere and tail my prey until I find the opportune moment.

And thanks to my rapid growth from eating my siblings (Hehe thanks be to them.) I can adapt well enough to survive in this place and grow stronger. The meat from demons arent really, well what to say, tasty? But the feeling of your strength rising and height growing is definitely to die for. I used to be pretty short among the people in my camp and now it truly exhilarates me how I am already 2 meters tall. Unfortunately, I no longer look human - and even my human heart is slowly fading these days, constantly seeing slaughter and bloodshed.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I continued on my journey and came close to a weird place. It is filled with dense vines hanging from the pitch-black ceiling, and the ground is filled with knee-deep green grasses. It is far away from where I am but I can't see its borders. It seems to be endless and filled with mysteries. My curiosity is being tugged to explore the unknown as if there are endless preys there, a way back to my home, and maybe my comrades. I took a step forward towards the place when something suddenly jolted in my brain. I remembered the advice my captain once gave me while we were raiding enemy forces in the jungle.

He said with an abnormally serious face. “If you hear unknown sounds from somewhere, do not ever check it out. If you hear cries for help from the darkness, run as fast as you can. If a place does not feel right, trust your instincts and do not try to sound it out. Report it to the higher-ups as soon as possible so we can circle it on the map.”

I couldn't forget it because just days after we entered the forest, one of our members disappeared in the middle of the night, and according to the others who were on the watch with him at that time, there was a cry for help somewhere in the forest. Ever since then, that warning got stuck in my mind and I always stayed away from situations that didn't seem right and the unknown. And it's what kept me going. I never tried to stick my nose in other people's business and stayed in my lane. I joined the army at 14 and lived till 24, and I guess that's pretty impressive.

And the situation I have on hand right now resembles that of what my captain warned me about. I immediately retracted my foot and stared ahead, observing the place just like what I was briefed on in my training. I see mindless demons growling and entering the strange place from all directions. Their eyes are red as if they can't wait to tear everything apart and constantly makes noises that would make a human unconscious. But once they enter the strange place, silence would reign and no stirring would come from inside. It's as if- It's as if they just entered the maws of a terrifying monster- willingly at that.

My heart was once again gripped by fear and the absurdity of reality shook me again. Sometimes, I forget that this is no longer the world we fought using sticks and shields, but a place where demons and monsters roam everywhere. Moments like this give me a cruel slap that I am no longer human and this place is no longer home - but Hell.

I wiped my forehead thinking I sweated bullets, but realizing that there was none upon contact. I immediately recall that my body is no longer the same and I gradually calm down. I thank my captain for the warning and advice he gave me back then. It helped me in my old world, and still helps me even in Hell.

I continued my observations as I sensed no suitable prey from my surroundings and sat on top of a tall boulder. Due to my location being a blindspot, most demons on the ground don't notice me. Looking at them come and go, then start mindlessly entering the strange place keeps sending a shiver down my spine no matter how many times I see it.

While constantly watching this strange phenomena repeat several times, I no longer feel as afraid as I was in the beginning. Maybe it's just how the saying goes: The oldest fear is the fear of the unknown. And now that I know what I'm up against and can even fight against it, I no longer feel as bad. Mulling over such thoughts and thinking about my future, sounds of grass rustling and some stirring came from the place ahead.

It captured my attention and immediately focused in a particular direction. There, a strange serpent-like being came out? It was the first time I've seen anything walk out of that eerie place after coming in. I was curious how it was and what experiences and mutations it could have possibly experienced there. And so, I tailed it.