After this battle, Genji's energy pool reached its capacity. Genji took his rewards and left the enclosed cave, looking for a remote location to meditate.
When he finished his stat conversion, he set off again, bypassing the nearby town. With the extermination of the cultists, it would be hard for him to find anything noteworthy. He would be better off going into unfamiliar lands to confront unknown dangers to further boost his ratings.
Making up his mind, Genji had Bruce enter a full sprint. Only twelve days remained, and Genji wanted to pick up the pace. If there were any menaces, they did their best to avoid them. While the elites and mini-bosses were enticing, Genji didn't want to spend the effort. Calculating based on the cost of his potions, he would barely make any profits from any drop if he got injured.
Plus, his energy stat wasn't his priority right now. The short duration of this world made it unsuitable to grind that stat. For now, he would wait for a longer mission term before unleashing a killing spree.
'Should I purposely try to increase my mission difficulties?'
Yet the moment that thought formed, Genji pushed it down. It was best not to tempt fate with his current development. While his strength surpassed those of similar world counts, he still had plenty of techniques to perfect. It was more beneficial to hole up in the training chamber and hone his foundations in his current situation.
In a way, he should look forward to the short missions since he could spend more time in EverRealm. The catch, though, was that his world income would experience a drastic decrease due to the lack of loot. Genji was fine with this trade-off. It wasn't like he had any use for the coins anyway.
To cover his basic needs, he could always scam- *ahem ahem* sell his potions with innovation fees. They are not intelligence taxes since the buyers "willingly" bid for them.
"It's not my fault people are so generous. I didn't ask them to throw so much money at me. They did it of their own will. My conscience is clear."
Bruce rolled his eyes at this claim. The master is at it again, talking to himself and entertaining his boredom. Why does he speak as if he is a good person? With his mentality, I doubt he would be bothered if he did scam people.
"Hey. Are you thinking badly of me again?" Genji asked, patting Bruce's head.
Of course. What do you expect? It's moments like these where I hate your sharp senses. How can you guess what I'm thinking from just my muscle movements? Aren't you too good at this?
"Now now. It's not entirely guesswork. My imagination plays a good part as well. With how you've been behaving, it's not hard to get a general idea. Adding that to my understanding of psychology, I can come up with a few guesses on what you're thinking. You don't exactly hide your thoughts."
*Sigh* If anyone heard what you said, they would think you have an imaginary friend. You've been talking to yourself a lot.
"I don't have anything else to do. We've just been traveling and staying alert. It's not like I can meditate in this condition. I still want to live, you know?"
But before Genji could comprehend Bruce's response, he sensed a sinister aura in the distance. In an instant, Genji entered full battle mode with [Jaguar] drawn.
It was a dark sensation that was as obvious as a firework in the night. Part of this was because the aura was the exact opposite of the bright atmosphere in the world. So much so that it felt foreign to this world, invasive even.
[You have encountered the event: Demon's Summoning]
Details: The dark cultists have finally succeeded in contracting a demon and summoned one into this realm. As this greatly disrupts the order of the world, a voluntary quest has been issued to all realm members in the vicinity.
Requirements: Kill or repel the demon invader. 0/1
Note: Your contributions to this event will count toward your mission.
"Would you look at that? I knew there was something fun if I looked hard enough." A wide grin spread across his face as he directed Bruce in the direction of the disturbance. "Alright, full speed."
Here we go again. Why is he like this when it comes to interesting fights? Oh well. More things to brag about in the future.
An hour later, they came across a scene of devastation, the aftermath of the prior battle. Craters and burns scarred the area, emitting a dusty odor. Bodies lay strewn amidst the wreckage, badly mutilated and torn. Green flames, emitting the same sinister aura, engulfed the area, painting an otherworldly backdrop.
Genji surveyed the battlefield and spotted a survivor struggling on the ground. Both of her arms were torn off, but her tenacious will pushed her to continue crawling.
"What happened? What caused this?" Genji asked as Bruce stepped closer. At his words, the survivor looked up. Her face of despair eased, and agitation took its place.
"YOU! You need to spread the word! A demon! Demon!" She screeched hysterically, traumatized by the prior events.
"Calm down and speak clearly. Where did the demon go?"
"No! You don't understand! We don't stand a chance. None of us. It decimated our squad."
"I understand. Can you tell me where it went?" Genji patiently asked again.
"W-west. It went west."
"Thank you."
"Hold on! Why are you going that way?!?!?" The woman asked, sobering up after noticing Genji's direction. "Didn't you hear me? It went west! Why are you heading right for it? REPORT IT! We need to let the pharaoh know! Only he can resolve this!"
"Don't worry. If everything goes well, it should be resolved soon."
"You're no guard. Who are you?" At his response, the woman realized why this person felt so weird. A normal guard would have tended to her wounds before asking for information, yet he skipped that part. In her panic, she had overlooked this detail and accidentally leaked the information to a stranger.
"As thanks, I will put you out of your misery."
"Wait-"
Before she could get any more words out, Genji manifested [Curse Bearer] and blasted her head. Now that he had the information, he needed to silence her. If possible, he didn't want anyone to find out and interrupt the fight. It was cold-blooded, but Genji wasn't going to take the risk, especially when he would be weakened after the battle.
"Let's go," he said, pulling Bruce away from the scene.
After another hour of pursuit, they found the target of their hunt. The demon stood taller than normal humans, at 3 meters, and had thick, red skin. Dirt and grime covered its luster, but Genji could sense a ferocious strength hidden beneath.
[Demon General Acouz (Weakened)]
Health: 12,600/12,600
Energy: 120/120
Con: 36
Str: 30
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Dex: 24
Int: 12
Spc: 2
Skills:
- Boss(Passive): +6,000 (Due to world restrictions, this skill has been weakened to mini-boss level)
- Demon Physique (Passive): +3000 health
- Tenacious Body(Passive): +12 defense, + 15 recovery speed
- Nether Flames(Active): Summon green flames to burn target for true damage.
No further skills can be read.
When Genji saw these stats, he immediately swapped to his daggers. This was an enemy that focused on defense and survivability, which was no threat to him. As long as he could pierce the defense, he could whittle his opponent down.
The next moment, Genji appeared next to the demon and slashed down normally to test the full extent of the defense. A small cut nicked the skin, but Genji felt a strong resistance upon hitting the muscles. The added defense was no joke, even with his sharpness.
After sustaining another two cuts, the demon finally reacted and hurled its thick arms at his head. Genji ducked down and allowed the huge tailwind to brush aside his hair before leaning inward for another attack.
This time, shadow flames coated the dagger's surface and gouged deeply into the side. Then he dispelled the flames and used the tough muscles as leverage to leap over the next counterattack.
As he arced over the shoulder, a worn-out flintlock manifested in his hand. Genji pressed this against the head and pulled the trigger, initiating a small explosion that propelled him aside. The demon's head jerked aside and a mist of curses engulfed the wound, attempting to execute the target, but the damage was superficial.
When the smoke faded, a mangled face came into view. Grey bones peaked out from between the strips of flesh, but the demon was otherwise unharmed. Not even a crack was visible on this skull, further testifying to the demon's defense. Then the bleeding wounds scabbed over and slowly regrew, showcasing its even stronger regeneration. This was going to be a long fight.
"You want to play it that way? Fine. Then let's see which one of us can last longer."
Then Genji reappeared next to the demon, unleashing the entirety of his dodging skills. His daggers whittled away at the demon's health, slipping through with the slightest opening and utilizing his superior speed. Many of the attacks landed on the organs, but the anatomy of a demon was different than a human's.
Organs that were typically fatal to humans were nothing more than a bigger scratch to the robust demon. Tapping into his medical knowledge, Genji slowly probed the fatal points in a process of trial and error. Not a single inch of skin was spared, but the demon remained in peak conditions. It was as if the creature had no weaknesses.
"So much for being economical," he muttered as he jumped over a stream of green flames that zipped out from the mouth. "Hey, big oaf. You must be intelligent so why are you repeating this with me? Are you that confident in your durability?"
The demon snorted in disdain and continued its barrage. To the demon, Genji was like a glass cannon, fragile and easily shattered with a single blow. As long as he got one hit in, he would kill this pesky fly. Otherwise, why would he keep dodging as his life depended on it?
All he needed to do was play the endurance game and wait for a slip-up. It wasn't like glass cannons had much stamina. However, Genji exceeded expectations and dragged the battle out longer than expected.
After a while, his entire body was covered in cuts, many of which were having trouble closing. His healing factor couldn't keep up anymore and the battle was taking a turn for the worse.
'Why?!? Why can this puny being fight for so long? Didn't he focus on speed? How can he keep up with my strong body?'
'I guess he finally noticed. Time to end this training session then.'
Genji jumped back and got into a sprinting position. Then he burst forward, beheading the demon in one swift stroke. A baffled look overcame the demon's face, but Genji gave him no time to think. The next second, the head fell apart into many cubes.
Since the vampire encounters, Genji has developed the habit of obliterating the head after beheading and this time was no different. One could never be too cautious about ensuring the target was dead, especially after Genji witnessed the vampire king surviving without a head.
[You have slain Demon General Acouz.]
[You have obtained: 34,938 coins, 23 max energy, and Chainmail of Tenacity]
[Chainmail of Tenacity]
Rating: Rare
Type: Torso armor
Defense: 20
Durability: 130/130
Requirements: 30 con
Skills:
1. Surviving Struggle(Passive): +3 healing rate when below 70% health, +5 when below 50%, +7 healing rate and +2 defense when below 30%.
2. Fortify (Active): +5 defense for 3 minutes, 12 hour cooldown
Description: A chainmail that embodies a will to survive. It might not protect you well, but it can save your life when you need it most.
It was a decent piece of armor, but Genji's fighting style was dependent on speed and techniques. Wearing this would only slow him down when fighting. And this hindrance would only worsen as he went faster, practically rendering his flashstep useless.
"I should be able to get a good price for it. There are some parties that would pay hefty sums to equip their tanks with good equipment. If not, I can always sell it to a lone wolf."
[You have completed the event: Demon's Summoning]
[It has been detected that you are the sole contributor in this battle.]
[You have been rewarded with an Experienced level flexible knowledge book.]
Genji put away his loot and drew his sheath. After cleaning up the blood, he summoned Bruce, who had a disgusted expression.
"What's wrong?" Genji asked, curious at what could make Bruce feel this way.
In response, Bruce gave him a "Are you really asking me that after forcing that disgusting blood down my throat," look. To Bruce, the demon blood had a rancid taste that reminded him of rotting flesh. It was so bad that it surpassed vampire blood in vileness, becoming his most hated variant.
"Don't be like that. The blood has a lot of vitality. Can't you see how strong the demon's body was? That blood alone should have made more progress than everything else."
While that was true, Bruce would prefer the other types of blood any day over this crap. And his master has the guts to say it's good for him. This is animal cruelty, I tell you!
"On the bright side, you probably won't be drinking much of it in the future. It's not like demons are that common."
Bruce nodded in agreement and continued their travel.
----------------------------------------
In a private bed chamber, a young man's eyes snapped open, and he jolted upward. Heaving breaths coursed from his mouth as a raging headache assaulted him. His pupils dilated and darted around rapidly, trying to recall his dream.
"Lord pharaoh, are you ok?" A maid asked, rushing to his bedside.
"Yes. Gather the advisors. I just received a vision from the almighty Sphinx," the young man replied after settling.
Hearing this order, a sense of urgency overcame her, and she dashed out to fulfill the orders. A few minutes later, the young man adorned his grand robes and met his subordinates.
"Greet the lord," the head guard bellowed as the pharaoh entered.
Everyone in the room pressed one hand on their stomach and bowed their heads. This was the motion for loyalty and was required upon meeting the lord.
"You may rise," the pharaoh's childish voice rang out after sitting down on his opulent throne.
"We thank the lord," they replied before returning to their standing position.
"Everyone. I have gathered you here because the Sphinx has enlightened me about a demon entering our world."
At his words, everyone gasped in shock before breaking into a commotion.
"A demon! How is that possible? Aren't they mythical beings?"
"No, we're all doomed!"
"Is this the end of the world? But I don't want to die!"
"Why now? What did we do to deserve such a fate?"
The advisors had no doubt about this, as it came from the almighty Sphinx. After the prosperous civilization collapsed, some lucky survivors retained fragments of an inheritance from that time. These were small pieces of a whole, but they allowed their owners to glimpse events from kilometers away and react accordingly.
These visions were so accurate that it felt like an omnipotent god was bestowing his wisdom and protection upon them mortals. That was why this phenomenon became known as the Sphinx's Enlightenment.
Over time, these messengers of god wandered around the world and settled in unclaimed lands, building entire communities around them. It was a mystical power, one adored by many. With this bridge connecting the mortals to the divine, people felt safe and cared for. Like any disaster could be alleviated if they listened to these prophets.
Eventually, these prophets were worshipped as the sole being above others and below god. Like this, they rose to become the rulers of their settlements, unreplaceable and undeniable.
However, the inheritance of this power was only through bloodline and a series of undescribable ceremonies. It was so delicate that should anyone interrupt it, they could risk losing the favor of the Sphinx.
In fact, should anyone go against the pharaoh, they would risk that as well since pharaohs were messengers of the Sphinx. The pharaohs themselves were not significant, but the people couldn't afford to lose the protection of their god.
In this manner, the pharaohs cemented their positions and became the most important people around. That was how this young man maintained his position despite his incompetency.
The pharaoh frowned at this commotion and tapped his fingers impatiently. How rude of them to disregard his presence. The head guard noticed this expression and shouted once more to quiet the group, fearing the pharaoh's wrath.
"SILENCE! THE PHARAOH DEMANDS TO SPEAK!"
At this, everyone quieted down and regretted their loss of composure. How could they screw up like that before the pharaoh? What would happen if they offended the Sphinx? By then, not even the lives of their families would be enough to redeem their sins.
As they prayed for the best, the pharaoh spoke again.
"Before anyone panics further, know that the demon has been slain."
Everyone inwardly sighed in relief, but none of them dared to express it physically. Instead, they waited for the young man to continue, despite questioning how this was possible.
"And the hero that killed it will soon arrive in this city. That's all."
The advisors thought for a few moments before one person stepped up.
"If I may speak, milord. I think it will be best if we welcome him with a feast. If we can leave a good impression, we have a lot fo gain."
Hearing this, the other advisors looked at him like he was crazy. How could he be so audacious as to speak his opinion without first getting the pharaoh's permission? Wasn't he afraid that his head would roll for his words?
The young pharaoh thought briefly and nodded. "Very well. I will leave all the preparations to you," he said, happy to delegate his responsibilities and continue his carefree lifestyle.
"By your will!" The advisor replied, phrasing the response as if everything was the pharaoh's idea.