A few weeks later, I was finally ready to choose the two new Mutations I could get for free. I had pored over the list with my family and Moonwash, and just learning of the possibilities was so endlessly fascinating that that was all we did. We could have spent months doing only that, however I had to pick my new Mutations at some point. My time remaining here would not last forever.

[Mana-infused Blood]

I stared and focused on the first Mutation that I’d decided upon. Doing so gave me an instinctual if fleeting understanding of what it could do. That was how this selection of Mutations worked.

The mana-infused blood would essentially allow every drop of blood in my demonic body to function as a mana repository, although missing a lot of the protective effects that it had. That was a bummer, but the massive amounts of extra storage would no doubt augment my power to even greater heights.

I could already feel my mana congregating in my non-Mutation blood. It was coming from the heart after all, and anything less than blood would be rejected by the mana… for some reason, which made the option of choosing a normal repository or buying an external one for it just so inefficient.

The repository option also carried the problem that it couldn’t cut off the production of mana for a heart like it could for a mana fount. What mana it did have, I would have to manually shunt inside. At that point, I might as well just try to dump my mana into my surroundings as fast as possible, or into an external storage. These things just weren’t designed to work with a heart that produces mana.

The main problem with picking mana-infused blood was that packing myself with even more menace mana would be a strain that would fray at my mind, but I was confident in my ability to handle it.

Another important thing to note for future historians was that I chose this Mutation for the one that would be inherited by all imps because of how well it synergized with everything else. I didn’t intend to have children, but if there were to be more demons in the future somehow, then it wouldn’t be a bad thing to give them all the advantages they could get.

…Actually, it could be a very bad thing. One could even say that demons were inherently slanted towards evil. Not everyone would be able to tame their instincts and live with it peacefully like I could. There were many good arguments for me deliberately not adding further to their strength… however I was their progenitor.

It would just be so… scummy to fuck over their potential like that. Especially when it would cost me nothing. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t give them the same blood.

So I guess the people of the future would just have to be strong enough to deal with it. Good luck little guys! I won’t say I’m rooting for you, but good luck!!

[Regen Heart]

This other one would allow me a way to heal, and it would also give me a much needed way to keep my endurance up by healing the wear and tear on my muscles. It could potentially take care of more minor injuries during battle, although the big ones would have to be healed with nature magic afterwards. Hopefully my enemy would be dead by then, allowing me time to heal up.

In addition, I was pretty sure that menace magic could empower my body in the same way goblins were able to with their wicked magic. But after some testing in my mother’s basement, I had figured out that it was a double-edged sword. My bones and muscles would break under the strain, especially as there seemed to be far less limits to what I could do with my mana inside of my own body. Activating menace magic within also ran afoul of my health by itself. So having some constant healing would really help during the heat of battle.

Having multiple hearts is also just kinda fucking cool.

[Would you like to Obtain the Mutation: Mana-infused Blood?]

[Warning: This Mutation will be inherited by all imps.]

[Yes / No?]

[Would you like to Obtain the Mutation: Regen Heart?]

[Yes / No?]

Yes. To both.

A sharp intake of breath shuddered throughout my body. It began with a strong prickle of pain, before turning into a joyful feeling like what I experienced during my evolution, but weaker.

It stopped, after what I assumed to be a few minutes. A check of my Status confirmed the two new Mutations, still at level 1.

[Regen Heart - A heart that yearns to live. Every pump regenerates damage to your body.]

[Mana-infused Blood - Blood that is able to hold and store 1 type of mana.]

A new heart drummed in my chest, along with the other, speaking of new possibilities to behold. My blood had transformed, it felt thicker as it flowed through my body, and it only grew more full. The chunks of menace mana floating around in all parts of my body were sucked into it, and I could feel just how much more I could store within myself. Already, my thoughts shifted for the more menacing, as if it weren’t bad enough.

I might have fucked up. But I might also have just given myself more mana than a repository could ever give me. Only time would tell, if I was a genius or a fool.

~~~

Projectiles of rock soared towards me, and I broke into a run to dodge them to the left. I stopped right by the wall of the basement and then immediately veered the other way with great effort once I saw Granuel preparing to throw more. My friend had figured out how to apply both the force of magic and the strength of his arms to his projectiles. I felt proud.

I dodged that volley too and then the next, but my opponent spread them out even more, forcing some superficial hits.

I was trying to get more used to my demon hooves. They were a further evolved Mutation, which meant that even if the hooves weren't made for deft maneuvers, the sheer quality alone coupled with the amount of power they were able to output allowed me to not be totally incapable of dodging. But it still threw me off, I could easily overshoot, and it got even harder to maneuver if I ended up building too much speed.

All in, I was taking about two-thirds more hits than usual, which Granuel seemed to greatly enjoy.

I contemplated briefly fighting back, maybe using him as target practice for my new menace magic. That will teach him to fear me. But I realized that it was mostly the mana itself whispering into my ears. Again.

We continued the exercise for a while, until I felt myself starting to tire, sooner than I thought I would. I also knew that my training didn’t progress nearly as nicely, on account of my brain having literally changed. I was still a supernaturally fast learner, but my mind was no longer specialized for patterns.

“I’m out of mana,” Granuel said, and finally I could call off our exercise. I was a little more tired than I thought I would be, with less results to show for it than I expected. My endurance wasn’t what it used to be, and neither was my very mind the same. I regret nothing, but damn I wish I kept all my human advantages on top of everything new. Is there no soul feat for that? I’ve gotten way too used to them already.

“So you’re leaving?” Granuel gratefully accepted the glass of water, as I plopped down next to him.

“Yeah. Eventually. Can’t let anyone see me like this,” I pointed at my very obviously red skin, the horns atop my head, and even the hooves might get noticed, “It could be inconvenient. My grandpa once said–”

“That the first generations of fountans and us ishkawtans were abused, not that they ever stopped. And you, as the first of your species, may suffer the same fate. I know Haell. I’ve… asked Rolex to tell me all about that stuff.”

“And he just told you? A child?”

“You’re a child too!”

“Eh… well, whatever. Maybe I’m being paranoid. The ishkawtans and fountans were made by the angels. I’m just some random new species. They might not even be interested in doing anything at all.”

Granuel looked me in the eye. “Really? Do you really think that, Haell?”

“Maybe?” I shrugged. “They could be out to get you, they could not be. It is how it is.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“I… feel like they’ve been out to get me. From the start.”

“That’s… Well, you’re right. Yeah.”

“And I think if they don’t want to abuse you like that, they’d at least want to kill you.”

“Mhmm. I don’t want to die.” Not again. Not now. I’ve achieved my dreams and I’ll get to actually live it out this time!

“Yeah. It’s fucked up. And I won’t let them. So when you get back Haell. When we’re all strong enough. It’s time to fight back!”

I looked at his eyes, and I felt how serious he was. Granuel would likely, truly fight against the very empire someday, or at least he’d damn well try. I would just have to join him then, and raise absolute hell.

“Hell yeah!” I bumped my fist with his. “Someday. It’s a promise.”

~~~

Here I stood, a wooden sword in hand. Against an opponent that towered over me, Angerly the ogre, and my friend.

We charged towards each other and the dash I made built up more and more momentum. We reached each other in the large basement, and my sword and her wooden mace bounced off each other. Another clash soon followed, but this time I was pushed back, no longer having the weight of my charge to support me.

The both of us clashed some more, and I found myself forced on the defensive. I still had better technique, and now my strength could finally keep up, so I lightly diverted Angerly’s stronger strikes, evaded a tad clumsily, and landed a few slashes across her limbs.

“That would have slowed you down a lot by now, were this a real fight,” I said imperiously.

“I know! You were already tricky to fight before you became a demon! A really cool demon!”

“Thank you!!” I roared while continuing to exchange blows with my friend. I’d already proven my greater skill, even with new unmastered Mutations, but there were yet more things I wished to test precisely because of that.

Mischief. Malice. To make a nuisance of myself.

Intimidation.

Sheer and utter domination.

That was what it meant to me, to be a menace. Those were the images and the concepts I poured into the magic when I activated the mana within me.

My muscles pulsed with the power, my arms swung with frantic urgency. My sword and Angerly’s own weapon met again, but this time I was not pushed back. My raw strength became a match against the much larger foe.

I did it again, I engaged Angerly in a contest of equals, our weapons blurring in our personal war. My greater technique led to me landing hits further along her body, and towards the vitals that would’ve instantly ended a true fight.

The menace mana quickly replaced itself, for I used only a small amount relative to my newly improved reserves and the rapid beating of my heart sped up its generation.

I could actually use even more power than this, it was so easy to wield magic within the confines of my own body, but I would very quickly destroy myself if I did so.

As it stood, I was already building up damage in my muscles. Damage that was slowly being repaired by my regen heart, again beating harder due to the exertion.

The demon thrives in conflict. My build had become the truest expression of that concept.

I smirked, striking Angerly’s mace and pushing it back by expending more menace mana.

I immediately jumped back afterward, placed a good amount of distance between us, and then charged.

I want to win. How amazing would it be to bring low my foe. I will tower over her and all the descendants to come!

Menace magic coursed through my body once more, not just through the arms, but across every inch. My charge was augmented, I built up even more speed than what was sage, I made it to my much larger foe and crashed my sword against her mace.

There was a loud clap, I won the contest, and the giant was pushed back. I then pressed the advantage and she staggered back even further. My sword was at her throat the next moment, I pressed the wooden blade just to make my point.

“I win. A hundred and one times I win.”

Angerly panted and then gave me a beaming smile. “Yep! You did! That was amazing!”

The ogre girl straightened herself up and gave me a crushing hug. “I’ll miss you, Haell! Get stronger soon! As strong as you want! And then… and then…” She sniffed, and I felt the tears drop down my head. “The Harvesters aren’t over. It’s just a break! We’re just taking a break. But we’ll get back together someday!”

I returned her crushing embrace. “Yeah. Absolutely. I’ll come back a stronger demon than ever before.”

~~~

Two wooden swords clashed, and one was pushed back, hard. I wasn’t even using my menace magic yet, but Therick was already unable to match my force, with a difference greater than the one between me and Angerly.

He tried to circle around me, to dodge around my strikes, but it took less effort on my part to just make sure I kept on facing him, and it was easy to predict his movements besides. Not that he was bad at it, but his movements were very by the book and orthodox, if more defensive. And the moment I started to push, he became stuck parrying and trying to survive. I chose to enhance one strike with my menace magic, and he fell, unable to take my strength augmented with magic.

Therick stared, mouth agape, at the sword pressed against his head. That expression amused me to no end, proof of my conquest and superiority. It oozed out of my body, a menacing aura like no other.

Therick shivered. His eyes became filled with genuine fear. It would be so easy to drive it home. Maybe not kill him, but something permanent. Something that will be remembered.

“H-Haell… W-what…?”

I blinked, and snapped myself out of it. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, myself unaware of what truly happened. I thought it over for a couple of seconds, until I finally understood.

“It’s a new technique. New magic.” I pulled back my sword and helped Therick up. “Sorry about that. Menace magic. You know how it is.”

“R-right…”

I began pacing back and forth, before activating a lot of mana within myself. It was a different effect, not meant to enhance my body, so all I felt was distinct discomfort, but nothing more.

The surrounding air distorted, just a little, as a small amount of mana began leaking out of my skin.

Hmm. Curious. I tried wasting a good amount of mana by just dumping them out into waves, before then trying the aura thing again. The mana shouldn’t leak out while my blood wasn’t full, but it seemed this spell automatically forced a certain amount to escape. My body was now covered by a visible violet haze, and looking upon it, or otherwise perceiving it, spread terror towards my foes. Just like how Therick had his bulging eyes glued on me now, as he slowly backed away. It was a strong intimidation effect, one that induced fear.

My friend screamed when I pushed it further and added my Demon Eyes into the mix.

Perhaps my new eyes are not a lost cause after all. Nice.

I stopped it, and he relaxed.

Therick took a few moments to compose himself, before finally shouting, “What the fuck was that, Haell!? Seriously! What the fuck!”

“Sorry, sorry.” I explained to him the menace magic, and made some excuses about how its influence might have caused me to go too far. Which wasn’t untrue at all.

Therick sighed. “Well. I get it. But damn, couldn’t you have gone easy on me for the last time? Now I’ll remember you as one scary bitch.”

“Demon.”

He raised a brow. “Right. Scary demon. That’s much better.”

“Totally.”

He scratched his head. “You achieved your dream though. Congrats Haell. I know just how hard you worked for it.”

I beamed and sat next to him.

“Yeah! It’s great!”

“Yeah… But… So why leave now?”

“Hmm, well…” I told him about the dangers that awaited myself, and how the angels and everyone else might react.

“That’s… do you really think they’d do that?”

“Of course. It totally fits. Rather, what do you think they’ll do?”

“Oh. W-well. You’re an entirely new species. How they treat you and your kin would depend on yourself?”

I barked out a laugh. “You mean if I’m a good little slave that follows what they say or not.”

“I… well, that is true. Those who are obedient are rewarded.”

“And I’m the complete opposite! Which means that it’ll come to blows, war is inevitable. Therefore I must prepare. And I must be strong. Stronger than anything.” I smiled. “Not that I wouldn’t have done that regardless.”

Therick was quiet for a while. He seemed to be thinking. “You have big dreams, Haell. Bigger than I can even imagine.”

“Killing God is a classic.” I nodded seriously.

Therick balked, put off balance. “You shouldn’t joke about that!”

“I’m not joking.”

“...You’re really not, huh?” He shook his head. “...No wonder I’m no match for you.”

“How about you? What’s your dream?”

“Nothing as big as yours. Not even close. Unclear, really. A warrior, a swordsman, someone who achieves great things and is… recognized for it. I don’t even know what form I wish for it to take.” He fiddled with his wooden sword. “Sounds so childish put next to yours.”

“Really? You think so?” I asked, genuinely. “Become demon. Become strong. Defeat all those that I hate. Big, perhaps, but it's no less vague. I don’t actually have any more of a plan than you do.”

“That’s…” Therick chuckled. “Wow, that is true. It’s so uncomplicated, you’re simply just… so much more confident about it. And you follow it, unabashed and unashamed.”

“I see no reason to be.”

“Plenty of people would.” A pause. “It’s unbecoming. Humans can aim high, higher than most, but not that high. And certainly not against our leaders.”

“Bah! I reject their leadership! I follow no master!”

He stared at me for a second, before getting up and helping me to my feet. Therick did not let go of my hand.

“Let us meet again, and bring back The Harvesters. Let us once again follow our dreams, together. All of us.”

I shook his hand.

“Deal.”