《Abyssal Descent upon the Myriad Worlds》 ### Chapter 1: The Little Demon ¡°System energy insufficient¡­¡± ¡°System energy insufficient¡­¡± The blaring alarm jolted Carlo awake. A dim red glow filtered through what looked like frosted glass from above. But the ceiling seemed unnervingly low. Carlo reached out and pushed. The ¡°frosted glass¡± yielded with a soft press, forming a small dent before tearing apart with a crackling sound. Light poured in, revealing a dark purple sky. Seven crimson blood moons hung high in the heavens, while eerie howls echoed in the distance, mingled with a faint sulfur scent in the air. ¡°Scan complete. Host detected¡ªDemon. Plane detected¡ªAbyss¡­ Energy insufficient, energy insufficient.¡± The same voice that had awakened Carlo repeated its message, but before it could continue, it reverted to its monotonous alarm. What on earth is this? Carlo¡¯s head was a chaotic mess, throbbing painfully. He tried to stand up to get a better look at his surroundings but stumbled and fell onto something slick beneath him. It was only then that Carlo noticed his new state: slender, pale arms, a round, plump body, and something behind him¡ªhe turned his head and saw two thin, transparent bat wings. A spiked, soft tail trailed behind him as well. He touched his head¡ªsmooth and hairless, with two small protrusions resembling goat horns. Carlo finally grasped his new identity¡ªa freshly hatched little demon in the Abyss. How did a short nap turn into such a massive surprise? He felt stunned and helpless as he gazed at the landscape, where countless dark red demon eggs stretched as far as the eye could see. A multitude of small demons, each of different shapes and sizes, crawled out of their eggshells, forming an overwhelming sea. A sea of demons. Hunger. A sudden wave of hunger overtook Carlo¡¯s mind. Instinctively, he began searching for something to eat, but there was nothing around¡ªonly scattered eggs and broken eggshells. Eggshells? Carlo¡¯s gaze fixed on the basin-sized eggshell from which he had just emerged. His mouth watered uncontrollably. Those shattered, hard, and slightly disgusting eggshells now appeared as a gourmet feast to him. Unable to resist any longer, Carlo lunged at them, grabbing a piece of the eggshell and stuffing it into his mouth. It tasted a bit fishy, but it was indeed edible¡ªcrunchy, almost like a cracker. In no time, Carlo had devoured all the eggshells around him. The hunger in his stomach subsided slightly, and he began to regain some strength. He could now stand upright and flap his wings a couple of times, though flying was still far off.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. What should I do next? Carlo frowned. This was the Abyss. It was his first time here, and he wasn¡¯t exactly familiar with it. As he pondered, the egg he had been lying on cracked open with a sharp sound. To Carlo¡¯s astonishment, a freshly hatched little demon emerged from the egg. This demon bore no resemblance to a human. It looked more like a fusion of a lizard and a crab. The Lizard-Crab demon opened its eyes and immediately began devouring its own eggshell. Its mouth, filled with sharp, needle-like teeth, quickly finished the shell, passing its birth phase in the blink of an eye. Then, the Lizard-Crab¡¯s beady eyes locked onto Carlo, an unmistakably wicked glint in them. Carlo¡¯s heart sank. He instantly understood the creature¡¯s intent. It wants to eat me?! Instinctively, Carlo took two steps back, but the Lizard-Crab lunged forward, its jaws wide open, aiming straight for him. Carlo sidestepped, and the Lizard-Crab missed, crashing into another nearby egg. The eggshell shattered, and dark red egg fluid oozed out. The Lizard-Crab¡¯s tiny nostrils flared as it sniffed the air. It quickly lost interest in Carlo and focused on the broken egg beneath it. Its long, crimson tongue slithered out, greedily licking the egg fluid. No, Carlo thought. If this creature eats the egg and grows stronger, it¡¯ll definitely kill me. I have to strike first! Looking around frantically, Carlo found a stone about the size of a watermelon. Taking advantage of the Lizard-Crab¡¯s distraction, he snuck behind it and slammed the stone down as hard as he could. Sensing something, the Lizard-Crab tried to dodge, but the stone still struck its head. Seeing the creature dazed, Carlo quickly grabbed the stone and continued. ¡°Thud, thud¡­¡± He smashed the stone seven or eight times until the Lizard-Crab¡¯s head was a bloody mess, and it finally stopped moving. ¡°Huuh¡­¡± Carlo collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. He¡¯d finally taken down the creature. Though¡­ wasn¡¯t he a monster himself now? After a vigorous exercise, the newly born Karlo had expended a great deal of energy and found himself hungry again. Karlo noticed the broken egg shells left behind from the recent lizard crab attack. Mimicking the lizard crab¡¯s actions, he eagerly drank the egg white from the shells and consumed all the scattered fragments on the ground. The egg white, richer than the shell, was more satisfying. As Karlo finished the egg, a fresh round of ¡°crunch crunch¡± sounds began. This time, Karlo was more astute. Instead of waiting for the little demon inside the egg to emerge, he swiftly crushed it underfoot and then devoured the shell. Karlo set to work with determination. No longer waiting for new demons to be born, he took proactive measures, smashing every egg shell in the vicinity. Most of the eggs contained only egg whites, which Karlo drank like a hearty soup. A few eggs had fully formed demons inside, curled up and surprisingly cute. However, Karlo was aware of how fierce these demons could be once they were born. He coldly eliminated them while they were still encased in their shells. When Karlo had cleaned up all the egg shells and egg whites in his birth area, he let out a long, satisfied burp. ¡°Ugh¡­ I might have overdone it.¡± By now, Karlo was nearly a meter tall, about the size of a typical three-year-old child, and his body was sturdier. If he were to encounter the lizard crab again, he should be able to defeat it with ease. Karlo reclined by the rocks, digesting his meal. He noticed that the incessant ¡°energy low¡± alarm had finally ceased. As he pondered this, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind. ¡°Energy intake complete. Abyssal Descent System activated. Host Name: Karlo S. Yabolin Race: Abyssal Demon Strength: Minor Demon Evil Value: 220 Descending Plane: None Main Quest: Conquer countless planes and become the Abyssal Overlord Side Quest: Survive¡± Karlo stared at the sudden influx of information, momentarily dazed. A system template as a bonus for crossing over? That¡¯s promising; finally, a golden finger! But what does the ¡°survive¡± side quest entail? A shiver ran through Karlo. He turned to see the dark red demon sea still churning relentlessly, leaving a multitude of demon eggs scattered on the beach with each tide. Deeper in the beach, more eggs were hatching, with fully formed, partially formed, or soon-to-be-formed demons crawling out, growing, feeding, and fighting... Everything here seemed even more terrifying than he had anticipated. --- **Chapter 2: Blunt Club and Cold Knife** Karlo spent over an hour studying his golden finger, only to find that this so-called system was of limited help, providing only a clear picture of his current strength. He couldn¡¯t find any clickable buttons or hidden functions. He guessed that the data behind the strength bar might be his experience points, as he remembered consuming about twenty demon eggs. If each demon egg grants one experience point, and the lizard crab he defeated was worth two points, the math seemed to add up. The evil value was likely calculated similarly, though he still didn¡¯t know its purpose. To test his theory, Karlo ate two more demon eggs, and indeed, his experience increased to 24, and his evil value rose by 20. Karlo felt like he was playing an old online game he used to enjoy, where initially he was just killing chickens and pigs in the newbie village, except now he was smashing demon eggs. Karlo began searching for more demon eggs, curious to see if reaching a hundred experience points would result in a level-up and what that might entail. In fact, he didn¡¯t need to search far. Demon eggs were abundant. Karlo was on a cliffside at the edge of the demon sea. He had already destroyed all the demon eggs in his immediate area and was venturing further. Inevitably, he encountered competitors. Demons in the Abyss face a brutal survival of the fittest. Countless minor demons emerge from their eggs, only to be consumed by those born earlier before they even have a chance to open their eyes. Typically, no new demons can hatch from the eggs around a fully formed minor demon, as they become nourishment for the demon¡¯s growth. Karlo was fortunate; had he not been the first to emerge from this batch of eggs, he might have been digested by now. To Karlo¡¯s left, a small demon about the size of a dog, resembling a dog but without legs, was eating. This dog demon had unusually thick arms and moved by jumping on its hands. It was unclear who noticed whom first, but Karlo and this dog demon locked eyes. The dog demon bared its teeth at Karlo, braced its thick arms on the ground, and leaped towards him. Karlo, unsure of how to fight back, picked up stones from the ground and threw them at the dog demon. His aim was poor; after several misses, he finally hit the dog demon once. However, the dog demon seemed undeterred, shook its head, and appeared even more aggressive. Karlo observed the dog demon¡¯s sharp teeth and cursed inwardly: Damn, why does everyone come with built-in weapons? How am I supposed to fight with my bare hands?The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. The dog demon was closing in, and Karlo retreated. Fortunately, his speed was slightly greater than the dog demon¡¯s, or he would have been caught. He needed a strategy to defeat it. Karlo recalled how he had killed the first minor demon and picked up a demon egg to throw at the dog demon. **"Smash!"** The demon egg shattered on the ground, its contents spilling out. The dog demon glanced at the broken egg, then at Carlo. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, it continued its pursuit. The plan was ineffective; clearly, Carlo was a stronger lure than the demon egg. Carlo turned and ran, swiftly distancing himself from the dog demon. When he looked back from his original position, the dog demon was still relentlessly pursuing him. What should he do now? Carlo was growing anxious. He noticed the corpse of the first little demon he had killed lying nearby. He had an idea and threw the body. The bloody corpse landed a couple of meters away from the dog demon, causing it to stop. Carlo watched closely, observing what the dog demon would do next. The dog demon hesitated for a moment, then turned and hopped over to the corpse. It sniffed the body and began to feast on it eagerly. As expected. Carlo¡¯s eyes brightened. Between a live prey and a ready meal, the dog demon chose the latter. Next, it was time to continue his specialty¡ªusing a club. Carlo quickly found a hefty, though still manageable, large stone. Stepping lightly on the soft sand and rocks, he approached stealthily, making as little noise as possible. The dog demon was engrossed in its meal, making "chomp chomp" sounds. Carlo¡¯s eyes narrowed. He raised the large stone and struck hard at the dog demon¡¯s head. ¡°**Ugh~**¡± The dog demon let out a piercing scream and rolled away. The stone was too heavy; Carlo didn¡¯t manage to hit its head but succeeded in breaking one of its arms. The dog demon glared at Carlo with resentment. With only one arm left, it couldn¡¯t walk and floundered on the ground like a fish out of water. Carlo didn¡¯t approach but continued to strike with the stone. The dog demon couldn¡¯t dodge, making it much easier this time. After about ten minutes of heavy stone lifting and sweating, Carlo finally smashed the dog demon to death. With a **gurgle**, Carlo touched his stomach¡ªhe was hungry again. With the dog demon dead, its territory became Carlo¡¯s. He smashed open three demon eggs and drank them dry, slightly regaining some strength. Though he had considered eating the meat, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it, given the bloody, mangled corpse. He needed to find a way to start a fire; eating meat would help him grow faster, Carlo thought. He checked his system template. It was still the same, but his experience points had risen to 30, and the evil value to 300. The recently defeated dog demon, with a growth state similar to his own, had granted him three experience points. Looking at the dead dog demon, Carlo stroked his chin and suddenly had an idea. At this stage, little demons generally had low intelligence, about that of a two- or three-year-old child. He planned to continue using the "bait and smash" method to hunt other little demons. However, he first needed a proper ¡°club.¡± Carlo searched for a suitable stick-like stone for a long time but found none. Eventually, he gave up and chose a piece of hard rock to grind into shape. No club? Then he¡¯d use a cold knife. Carlo worked furiously to sharpen the stone knife, eating a demon egg whenever he was hungry. By the time he finished all the demon eggs in this area, the stone knife was completed. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a knife but rather a stone dagger. About a foot long, with the tip sharpened to a fine point, Carlo estimated that using this stone dagger to pierce a little demon¡¯s head should be relatively easy. Carlo admired his creation with satisfaction, then picked up the dog demon¡¯s corpse and began searching for his next target. --- ### Chapter 3: The Claws of Liwei Dan Carlo quickly identified his target: a little demon that had survived the previous battle. It was injured, with its wings and one arm broken. The bait didn¡¯t work because the injured little demon was focused on devouring the flesh of its defeated kin. After several attempts, Carlo had learned a trick. He learned to step on hard stones to approach his target silently. Demons are a particularly abnormal species. Relying on the flesh of their own kind, they not only grow quickly but also heal very fast after being injured. When Carlo got within two or three meters behind the little demon, its wounds were already healing. Its wings, which had been drooping like paper, were now flapping energetically. Carlo clicked his tongue in annoyance, realizing he needed to act quickly. Otherwise, if it recovered, the roles of hunter and prey might reverse. Carlo gripped the stone dagger tightly, aiming for the top of the demon¡¯s head. The demon¡¯s instincts were sharper than a beast¡¯s, and it almost instantly reacted. However, instead of dodging, it turned and lunged at Carlo. Carlo quickly adjusted the dagger¡¯s tip and slashed downwards. ¡°**Thud**,¡± Carlo was headbutted by the little demon in the chest, sending him flying backward. The dagger slipped from his hand. Damn, what a powerful force. Carlo rubbed his chest in pain, feeling as though he had been hit by a large stone. He looked at the little demon. Fortunately, his strike wasn¡¯t in vain. The demon had a deep gash from its eyelid to its lip, with one eye even burst open, its face covered in dark red blood. The little demon let out a shrill cry of pain. Driven mad by the injury, it used its remaining eye to barely locate Carlo and charged at him. Carlo quickly rolled to the side and picked up the fallen dagger, striking the little demon again. With one eye blinded and its vision affected, the already injured demon became slower due to repeated blows. Carlo took the opportunity to stab the demon lying on the ground, killing it instantly. At last, it was over. He rested briefly, then collected the corpse and cracked open the remaining demon eggs one by one, eating them. Any newly emerged demon larvae were crushed under his foot. Carlo grew stronger, his limbs gaining more power, and his height surpassed one meter. His hunting techniques became increasingly adept. He used bait to lure demons and struck when they were most vulnerable, in the midst of their feast. Sometimes, he encountered demons engaged in fierce battles; in such instances, Carlo waited patiently for them to determine a victor before swooping in to reap the rewards. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.His experience and evil points surged rapidly, and soon both reached the 100 and 1000-point thresholds. When Carlo shattered the last demon egg, increasing his experience from 99 to 100, the voice in his mind that had only ever said ¡°Insufficient energy¡± finally spoke again. ¡°Congratulations, host, on your promotion to the rank of Lesser Demon.¡± ¡°You have earned one lottery chance. Reward: 100 Evil Points.¡± ¡°The Demon Shop is now open.¡± ... The flurry of notifications left Carlo feeling somewhat disoriented. He examined the system template closely. The experience bar had shifted from 100/100 to 0/1000, indicating the experience required to advance to the next level. His evil points stood at 1100, and the recent system message indicated that the shop was now open, suggesting that evil points functioned as currency. Carlo was about to open the shop template when he noticed that the ¡°Descendable Realms¡± section now had three faintly glowing words next to the ¡°None¡± entry¡ª¡°Available for Descend.¡± Carlo clicked on it, and a prompt appeared. ¡°Are you sure you want to descend?¡± Carlo hesitated and quickly chose ¡°No.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what ¡°descend¡± entailed and didn¡¯t want to take any risks by clicking ¡°Yes¡± casually. He set that aside and went directly to the shop, feeling a mix of anticipation and excitement. Upon opening the shop, he found only a few items available. There were four in total: ¡°Seed of the Demon God¡¯s Legacy,¡± ¡°Basic Demon Combat Techniques,¡± ¡°Basic Demon Magic Mastery,¡± and ¡°Leviathan¡¯s Claw.¡± He examined each item carefully. ¡°Seed of the Demon God¡¯s Legacy.¡± ¡°Offer your faith to receive power. Choose one of the Seven Lords of the Abyss to receive a fragment of their memory as a legacy seed. There is a chance to gain insight into the power of the Demon God.¡± The mention of the ¡°Seven Lords¡± and ¡°Demon Gods¡± piqued Carlo¡¯s interest, but the 10,000 evil points price was prohibitive. He couldn¡¯t afford it! He reluctantly moved on and continued. ¡°Basic Demon Combat Techniques: Basic mastery of demon combat skills. Upgradeable.¡± The next item was similar, but for basic demon magic. The description was brief and did not provide much detail, but the price was reasonable¡ªjust 1,000 evil points each. When Carlo reached the last item, he felt a surge of excitement. ¡°Leviathan¡¯s Claw: A fragment of claw from the Envy Demon God Leviathan, broken off during a battle with the Celestial Gods. Obtained by a demon lord and forged into a scythe. Unfortunately, it was discarded due to its weak power.¡± It was a scythe over a meter long, with a blade gleaming with a blood-red cold light, radiating a chilling aura. Carlo was immediately captivated by this scythe; it resembled the Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe from his past-life comics¡ªexceptionally stylish. Moreover, it was crafted from a demon god¡¯s claw, which made it seem extraordinary. Although the description mentioned its weakness, it was weak only compared to what a demon lord considered powerful. Carlo thought that what might be deemed weak by a demon lord could be a powerful weapon for him. The key was that if Carlo had such a formidable weapon, his efficiency in hunting small demons would greatly improve, accelerating both his leveling and earning of evil points. Then he could return to redeem the ¡°Demon God Seed,¡± achieving a perfect outcome. Carlo¡¯s vision was optimistic, but reality was once again harsh. ¡°Leviathan¡¯s Claw¡± cost 30,000 evil points¡ªmore expensive than the Demon God Seed. Carlo could only sigh in frustration. He was broke and couldn¡¯t afford it. It seemed he had to choose between the two basic skills. At least that would quickly enhance his current abilities. As Carlo pondered whether to learn combat techniques or magic first, he suddenly remembered he still had one lottery chance left. No matter what, he decided to use the lottery first. Chapter 4: All for a Piece of Roasted Meat ¡°Would you like to proceed with the reward draw?¡± ¡°Confirm.¡± After witnessing the "Claw of Leviathan," Carlo was hoping to score a handy weapon. His recent promotion to mid-tier imp not only came with a slew of system perks but also significantly boosted his own abilities. Carlo had shot up to 1.3 meters in height. Although still slender, this made him "tall" among his kind. His strength had grown too, and now, even without relying on sneak attacks, he could easily take down an imp. But he still felt weak. Carlo figured it had something to do with his diet¡ªliving on demon eggs alone couldn''t compare to a solid meat-filled diet. After all, in any battle, the meat-eater always had the edge over the vegetarian. That¡¯s why a decent weapon could change everything. ¡°The draw is complete.¡± While Carlo¡¯s mind wandered, the system had already finished the draw. What... is this? He blinked at the item in front of him. A ball of fire? To be precise, it was a tiny flame, no bigger than a fava bean, dark purple at the edges, fading to pure black at its core. The flame flickered briefly before darting straight into Carlo¡¯s chest. Carlo winced as pain shot through him, but soon, the flame settled inside his heart, pulsing in sync with the organ. A dark purple flame, a dark purple heart, both beating in perfect harmony. Hellfire Seed. Effects: Ignite, Brand. The system¡¯s description was short and to the point. Carlo¡¯s eyes lit up, and as he extended his hand, a small purple flame flickered into life in his palm. The air around him shimmered with heat. Tears almost welled up in his eyes¡ªhe could finally roast meat! This was a long time coming. Next, Carlo spent 1,000 Evil Points to unlock "Basic Demon Combat Skills Mastery." A rush of memories flooded his mind, and countless fragmented images flashed before his eyes. Carlo stared at his hands in wonder; he felt reborn. The demons, perched atop the pyramid of countless species, had honed their combat skills to perfection. Even just the basics were enough to transform Carlo, boosting his power to a whole new level. As he tested out his limbs, he found the techniques imprinted in his mind easy to execute. While his small frame slightly limited their full potential, the 1,000 Evil Points were well worth it. Excitement gleamed in Carlo¡¯s eyes. He licked his lips unconsciously. Imps¡ªor rather, Evil Points¡ªhe was coming for them. Before him was a demon that had already devoured several of its kin, resembling a grotesquely oversized mantis. Its legs were muscular, and its forearms were serrated blades, still glistening with bits of flesh. Carlo wouldn¡¯t have dared approach it before. Even with a sneak attack, victory would have been impossible. This mantis demon was on the cusp of advancing from low-tier to mid-tier, needing just a couple more kills to complete its transformation. While Carlo¡¯s move seemed risky, his recent string of easy victories had left him confident in his newfound strength. Demons weren¡¯t meant to cower. Besides, Carlo had been eyeing this mantis demon''s blades for quite some time.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. From a distance, Carlo hurled a stone at the mantis demon. The stone arced through the air perfectly, but just before it struck the mantis demon''s head, a flash of cold steel sliced it to dust. What a fine weapon. Carlo¡¯s eyes gleamed with greed. The mantis demon, enraged by the attack, screeched and vanished, appearing right in front of Carlo in an instant. Carlo thrust his dagger at the demon¡¯s head, but the demon''s blade arms blocked it, snapping the dagger in half. With a fluid motion, Carlo discarded the broken weapon and ducked under the demon¡¯s next attack. Instead of retreating, he surged forward, slipping like a fish into the demon''s guard. Thud. Carlo collided with the mantis demon, causing it to stumble back. Before it could regain its balance, Carlo pushed off with his toes, flipping gracefully over the demon¡¯s head and landing behind it. During the flip, he grabbed hold of the mantis demon¡¯s head. Crack. Carlo landed lightly, disgusted, and tossed the severed head to the ground. Behind him, the headless corpse collapsed, blood spraying in all directions. As Carlo watched, a wisp of gray smoke rose from the corpse, drifting toward him and entering his body, making its way to his heart. The small, dark purple flame trembled and grew ever so slightly. This was a new discovery¡ªCarlo¡¯s Hellfire Seed seemed to feed on demon souls. Every time he killed, that gray wisp would appear and be absorbed by the flame. Not that it bothered him much. Instead, he happily pried off the mantis demon¡¯s blade arms and modified them into a pair of fearsome serrated daggers. With these new weapons, hunting demons became much easier. Carlo had transformed from a hunter into a reaper. Over the next few days, he swept through the demon-infested beach like a storm. Low-tier imps, worth less than five experience points each, were slain with a single strike. Mantis demons, worth seven or eight points, fell in two or three moves. As for the mid-tier imps worth ten points, he had encountered two. After some effort, they too became fuel for his Hellfire Seed. Carlo¡¯s experience points had climbed to nearly 500, and his Evil Points had grown to over 3,000. He spent 1,000 of them on "Basic Demon Magic Mastery," unlocking spells like Minor Charm, Minor Curse, and Minor Soul Torture¡ªcool-sounding but mostly useless for his current needs. Except for one handy ability. Carlo¡¯s left hand held a serrated dagger, pinning down a freshly hatched imp, while his right hand conjured a massive ball of crimson flame. As the fire roasted the imp, its skin sizzled, and a tantalizing aroma filled the air. Once the meat was done, Carlo dismissed the flames and tore off a large chunk, savoring the taste. In truth, the roasted flesh wasn¡¯t particularly delicious, but after living off demon eggs for so long, it tasted like heaven to Carlo. He had only recently started eating meat. The Hellfire Seed couldn''t be used for roasting; it would incinerate the flesh to ashes the moment it touched. Carlo had finally attained a modest lifestyle. When thirsty, he cracked open a demon egg. When hungry, he roasted meat. When bored, he roamed the area, harvesting experience and Evil Points. He had become the undisputed ruler of this stretch of the demon beach. During this time, Carlo¡¯s mindset had gradually changed. He was becoming more like a demon¡ªperhaps, becoming what he was always meant to be. As Carlo enjoyed his meal, a chorus of imp screeches suddenly echoed from the distance, accompanied by a strange rushing sound, like a violent wind sweeping through. It was coming closer. Fast. t #Chapter Five: Forced Descent Karlo spotted a ¡°black cloud¡± approaching from a distance. The little demons on the ground screamed and took flight, diving into the ominous cloud. As it drew closer, Karlo realized it was no cloud at all but a gigantic demon. This demon had massive wings growing from its back, covered in black scales, with a wingspan of six or seven meters. The wings were powerful, whipping up gusts of wind with even a slight flap, lifting several small demons into its gaping maw. The bird-like demon devoured its prey with alarming speed and an insatiable appetite. It had consumed countless small demons on its path but still seemed ravenous. Inevitably, its gaze turned to Karlo. "Damn it," Karlo muttered as he sprang to his feet and dashed away. He and this bird-demon were on entirely different levels of power; fighting it head-on would be suicide. It¡¯s absurd to think a person armed with cold weapons could take on a bomber! Karlo fled with remarkable speed, but the bird-demon was faster. In just a few breaths, it had caught up with him. With a powerful beat of its wings, Karlo felt a strong wind surge beneath his arms, lifting him uncontrollably upward. Desperately flapping his small, meager wings behind him, Karlo tried to counter the upward motion, but it was futile. His wings were more ornamental than functional compared to the demon¡¯s. As Karlo rose higher, he saw the demon¡¯s enormous jaws slowly open to receive him. He threw his two serrated daggers at the demon, but they sank into its mouth without causing a ripple. Thinking quickly, Karlo activated a black aura with his right hand and hurled it at the bird-demon. ¡°Weakness Spell!¡± The black aura expanded in mid-air, eventually enveloping the bird-demon. Its body suddenly felt as though it had gained an immense weight, and its movements became sluggish. The gusts of wind beneath Karlo disappeared suddenly, and he felt a surge of relief, preparing to escape as soon as he landed. But before he could descend a meter, the wind returned. Karlo looked back and saw that the ¡°Weakness Spell¡± had worn off. "Damn it, this bird-demon¡¯s magic resistance is extraordinarily high," Karlo thought grimly. Usually, when he used such spells against lower-level demons, they became easy prey, barely able to move. Why did it last only a few seconds here? It was likely due to the vast difference in power. In desperation, Karlo unleashed all the spells he knew: Weakness Spell, Curse Spell, Blindness Spell... The bird-demon was bewildered and disoriented by Karlo¡¯s frantic barrage of magic, allowing him to finally return to the ground.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. But before he could escape far, an enraged roar erupted from behind. The bird-demon, eyes blazing with fury, took to the skies once again in pursuit. "This is bad," Karlo cursed inwardly. His magical energy was nearly depleted. Stumbling, Karlo headed toward the demon¡¯s gaping mouth. In mid-air, his physical strength was useless, and he could only watch as death drew nearer. "No, I can¡¯t just be eaten like this." Karlo¡¯s mind raced, desperately searching for any possible escape. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Confirming descent?" "Yes, yes." The stinking, hot breath from the demon¡¯s mouth was already on Karlo¡¯s face. "Selecting random descent dimension for the host¡­" "Hurry up!" Karlo urged frantically. Half of his body was already in the demon¡¯s mouth, and he was about to be torn apart like a piece of meat. "Selection complete, preparing for descent¡­" The demon¡¯s sharp teeth, resembling a guillotine, snapped down, and Karlo shut his eyes tightly. "Crunch." The bird-demon¡¯s jaws snapped shut in vain, hurting itself with the impact. "Huh? Where did that piece of meat go? How did it suddenly disappear?" ... "Where is that damned witch?" "Child, my poor little Jimmy, he¡¯s only three¡­" "I¡¯m going to nail her to a cross and burn her alive!" In the raucous square, farmers with pitchforks, hoes, and axes gathered, their emotions running high and their mouths spewing all sorts of vile threats. Everyone¡¯s rage was directed at one person among them. "Old John, that evil woman is your daughter." As the village chief, Basse was a large, imposing figure with considerable authority. He stepped forward, grabbing the hapless man¡¯s collar and lifting him up. "You must know where she is, don¡¯t you?" The old man, disheveled and vacant-eyed, seemed unable to accept that his beautiful daughter had become a witch and killed the town¡¯s mayor¡¯s only son. He mumbled repeatedly, "I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know anything¡­" Enraged, Basse slapped Old John twice, causing him to clutch his head and scream wildly, "It¡¯s his fault, he tried to rape Talia, he deserves to die¡­" "Pah." Basse threw Old John to the ground and spat, "The Baron¡¯s son desiring Talia is her honor." "You should die too, your whole family should die¡­" Just as Basse released Old John, a woman from the crowd charged forward, punching and kicking him. "Talia that whore took my child, you better tell me where she is! Speak¡­" "Enough, calm down." Basse intervened, separating the angry woman and addressing the villagers, "We must find Talia before the Baron¡¯s guards arrive, or the entire village will be implicated by her." Basse looked worried, "The Baron¡¯s only son was killed in our village. If we cannot deliver the murderer, the entire village will be destroyed by his wrath." Fear appeared in the villagers¡¯ eyes, and someone spoke up, "So what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s split up and search." Basse nodded, about to assign roles when a breathless villager burst in. "I¡­ I found Talia." Basse¡¯s eyes lit up. "Where is she?" The villager caught his breath and quickly said, "I saw her sneak into the barn with a sack on her back. I didn¡¯t dare follow because of her magic." "Good, let¡¯s go catch her now." "But¡­" someone hesitated, "She uses evil black magic." Basse¡¯s face showed a moment of doubt but quickly hardened with resolve. "Everyone, go back and bring toilets. Filth can neutralize a witch¡¯s magic." The villagers, invigorated by the plan, eagerly responded. Soon, each returned carrying a toilet, and Basse, with a commanding voice, led them to confront the legendary witch. Chapter 6: The Minor Massacre In the abandoned barn, sunlight filtered through gaps in the dilapidated roof, casting mottled golden patches that dissolved into the surrounding darkness. A barefoot young woman, draped in linen, knelt in the darkest corner, her face a mixture of madness and fervent devotion. In front of her was an array of unusual items: a frog''s eye, the left paw of a black cat, bat blood, a lizard''s tongue, and a centipede''s tail, all arranged in the shape of a pentagram. At the center of the pentagram lay a freshly bleeding heart. The girl chanted: ¡°Thank you for binding me with sin, for all the tragic fates I have met. I am ensnared in a deep prison, and only blood and bones can free me, May the will of evil walk the earth as if treading the abyss, ¡­¡± After reciting the incantation three times, she opened her eyes and drew a sharp dagger from behind her. The final step of the ritual was to sever the index finger of her right hand. As she hesitated, struggling with her resolve, the faint sound of footsteps grew louder outside. ¡°Ah!¡± A shrill, cat-like wail echoed from the doorway. ¡°Talia, you hellish whore... My poor Jimmy, only three years old... His heart, they took his heart!¡± A sneer of disdain appeared on Talia¡¯s lips. Hell? May your words come true! The barn door was smashed open by the enraged villagers, led by Basse, who stormed in, armed to the teeth. ¡°Talia, you evil and vile witch, the holy fire will nail you to a cross, and your soul will never find redemption.¡± Without hesitation, Talia quickly cut off her index finger. The bright red blood splattered on the ground, forming a grotesque, rose-like stain. She chanted rapidly: ¡°O evil and mighty entity, may you heed my call, descend upon the mortal realm, and let the inferno consume everything¡­¡± ¡°Stop her!¡± Basse screamed in terror, grabbing a chamber pot and hurling its contents at Talia. The other villagers followed suit, lifting their own chamber pots. Streams of yellow and green liquid arced through the air, drenching Talia completely. She was instantly enveloped in a foul stench. Talia remained motionless, her expression vacant, unsure if it was the absence of the expected results or the overwhelming filth that left her in shock.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Ah!¡± She finally screamed in utter despair. ¡°I will kill you all!¡± Covered in yellow urine, Talia no longer resembled her former beautiful self but looked more like a grotesque demon from hell¡ªfilthy, ugly, and revolting. ¡°The witch¡¯s true form has been revealed!¡± Basse shouted, raising his hoe high and stepping forward with newfound courage. ¡°Everyone, attack! Kill her!¡± Talia frantically recited a long incantation, pointing with her now severed index finger at the crowd, but nothing happened. ¡°Damn it, my magic!¡± Talia cried out in horror. Basse, emboldened, shouted, ¡°The witch¡¯s dark magic is ineffective now. Everyone, advance!¡± The villagers, now more confident, closed in on Talia, their eyes filled with the desire to tear her apart. Talia staggered back, her eyes filled with despair. As Basse neared her, a ripple suddenly appeared in the void between them, as if the still surface of a pond had been disturbed by a stone. A small black hole began to form, and a gust of wind swept through the barn, stirring up dust. The hole grew larger, and everyone¡¯s attention was fixed on the unfolding spectacle. A foot slowly emerged, followed by legs and then the body... The full figure of the newcomer was revealed: small bat-like wings fluttered slightly as the slender, elegant body hovered in the air. With dark purple horns on its head and a serpent-like tail behind, it had a strikingly handsome face with blood-red eyes, radiating an aura of extreme malevolence. Karlo had arrived in this unfamiliar dimension. The low level of this dimension seemed to have lifted a heavy layer of constraints from him, dramatically enhancing all his abilities. Even his wings, which had barely supported him in the Abyss, now allowed him to hover effortlessly. He felt immensely powerful, a sensation that was truly delightful. The only discomfort was the pungent stench in the air. Karlo furrowed his brow, covering his nose, and muttered, ¡°What is that smell? It¡¯s awful!¡± His comment broke the eerie calm. A villager stammered, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a demon!¡± ¡°Hahaha!!¡± Talia laughed maniacally, pointing at the villagers and commanding Karlo, ¡°Hurry! Help me kill them!¡± The villagers, terrified, began to retreat. Some shook the remaining urine from their chamber pots and flung it at Karlo. Karlo¡¯s crimson eyes narrowed as he deftly evaded the liquid with a flick of his wings. He realized the source of the foul stench. ¡°Seriously, you dare to throw urine at me?!¡± Karlo couldn¡¯t help but curse angrily. At that moment, a voice echoed in his mind: ¡°Main quest initiated.¡± ¡°Quest 1: Kill the ignorant villagers and subdue the witch Talia.¡± ¡°Quest 2: Not yet available.¡± Karlo paused, glancing at the frantic and filthy woman, and thought, Could this ¡°filthy person¡± really be the witch Talia? What a heavy taste! Karlo sighed in resignation. Regardless, he decided to deal with the villagers first. The villagers, having missed their target with the urine, began to flee in panic. Karlo cast a ¡°Weakness¡± spell. This basic demon magic, which had merely dulled the senses of the bird-demon in the Abyss, proved extraordinarily effective here. A dark purple aura expanded from Karlo¡¯s hand, swiftly enveloping the fleeing villagers. They became sluggish, as if trapped in a swamp, unable to move efficiently. Karlo then cast a ¡°Fireball¡± spell. The villagers¡¯ piercing screams filled the air as they ignited into blazing torches, turning to ash in moments. Checking the system panel, Karlo saw that each villager had contributed some experience and ten points of evil value. Mortals truly were pitifully weak compared to demons. Finally, Karlo turned back to Talia, a smirk on his lips as he said, ¡°Well, mortal, I¡¯ve fulfilled your request. Now it¡¯s time for you to offer up your soul.¡± Chapter 7: The Grimoire of Calabos Talia pressed her forehead firmly to the ground, speaking with reverence, ¡°Great and exalted evil one, I am willing to become your servant and minion, so that the world may forever be submerged in the depths of suffering.¡± Carlo channeled the ¡°Soul Contract¡± from memory. As the spell was cast, the Purgatory Seed in his chest trembled slightly, and Talia let out a muffled groan of pain. A complex crimson mark appeared on her forehead before quickly fading beneath her skin. From that moment on, Talia¡¯s soul was under Carlo¡¯s control, her life and death subject entirely to his whim. With the contract sealed, a system notification echoed in his mind. ¡°Plane Main Quest 1 complete. Reward: 100 experience points, 1000 evil points.¡± Carlo felt a surge of satisfaction. He hadn¡¯t expected such an easy task to reward him with a full 100 experience points and 1000 evil points. A truly profitable deal. Then, the system chimed in again. ¡°Plane Main Quest 2 initiated.¡± ¡°The stench of sin has been detected in the mortal world. The Hounds of Heaven will follow the scent to hunt you down. Destroy them, and let the detestable holy light be extinguished forever in darkness. The Seven Lords shall commend your vile actions.¡± "Destroy Heaven¡¯s forces: Reward: 3000 experience points, 30,000 evil points. Kill a Child of Grace: Reward: 1000 experience points, 10,000 evil points. Corrupt a Child of Grace into the Abyss: Reward: 2000 experience points, 20,000 evil points." A demonic tattoo slowly materialized on Carlo¡¯s left arm, depicting a grinning demon''s face. Carlo sensed that this mark functioned as a radar, allowing him to detect the proximity of any "Child of Grace." Whenever one drew near, the demon tattoo would react. The generous rewards of the second quest made Carlo¡¯s mouth water, though they also hinted at the danger involved. Composing himself, Carlo thought, "Take it one step at a time." ¡°Master, where shall we go next?¡± Talia asked, her eyes gleaming with cruelty. ¡°Shall we slaughter the remaining villagers?¡± Carlo cast an approving glance at Talia. This woman was utterly ruthless, her descent into the abyss complete. She was, indeed, promising material. With a snap of his fingers, Carlo said casually, ¡°We¡¯ll deal with them later. First, get that disgusting stench of urine off you, then fetch me some clothes.¡± Our lord Carlo was still stark naked, as there was nothing in the Abyss to clothe him. A short while later, Talia returned to the barn, having washed and brought back a clean linen cloak for Carlo. Carlo donned the cloak, its wide folds conveniently concealing his demonic form. He nodded with satisfaction, then frowned and said, ¡°Talia, you still stink. If you weren¡¯t my servant, I¡¯d burn you to ash right now.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Talia, guilt written across her face, knelt at his feet. ¡°Master, I apologize. I shall punish myself.¡± With that, she began chanting an incantation, and a small green flame flickered into existence in her pale hand. She pressed the flame to her face, and the fire sizzled as it burned her flesh. The acrid smell of scorched skin filled the air. Disfiguring herself without uttering a sound, Talia endured the agony in silence. Only when her once-beautiful face had been charred beyond recognition did she finally stop, sweat pouring from her brow. What horrors had this woman faced to make her seem more like a demon than even I? Carlo thought, intrigued. But instead of commenting on it, he asked her a more interesting question. ¡°Talia, what magic did you just use?¡± ¡°Master, it was from the Grimoire of Calabos.¡± Talia pulled a thin notebook from her robes and handed it to Carlo. Carlo casually took the book and flipped through it. Though called a grimoire, it was more like a witch¡¯s journal, filled with various cruel and dark spells. The spells were decent enough, but the casting process was absurdly complex, requiring lengthy incantations and rare alchemical ingredients. For an ordinary person, it might have been a treasure trove, but for Carlo, it was hardly worth his time. He smirked when he reached the final page, which detailed the summoning ritual Talia had used to call him forth. Amused, he asked, ¡°Who is this Calabos, anyway?¡± ¡°The most evil and powerful witch in the world,¡± Talia replied, her face showing a mixture of reverence and fanaticism. But catching Carlo¡¯s mocking gaze, she quickly lowered her head. ¡°Though, of course, she is nothing compared to you, Master.¡± ¡°She once cursed an entire kingdom into a year-long slumber and killed a powerful knight of the Church. Everyone hated her, cursed her, and feared her. Her spellbook has circulated across the continent for a hundred years. Every witch who has obtained it gained immense power and became the Church''s greatest enemy. I came across these few pages by pure luck.¡± Carlo chuckled, offering no comment, and with a flick of his fingers, summoned a flame that turned the notebook to ash. ¡°Talia, forget about Calabos,¡± Carlo said, looking down at her. ¡°I will bestow upon you the power of the Abyss.¡± Talia¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she spoke excitedly, ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Carlo placed a finger on Talia¡¯s forehead, and through the soul contract, transferred a selection of spells and meditation techniques to her¡ªones he had carefully chosen from "Basic Demon Magic." Talia trembled with excitement, kissing the top of Carlo¡¯s foot with reverence. "Now, we have more important matters to attend to," Carlo said with a wicked grin, his gaze drifting toward the horizon beyond the barn. To him, every mortal in this world was merely walking experience points and evil points. Individually small, perhaps, but enough of them would add up in time. All he had to do was keep killing, and he would level up eventually. ... "Baron, please, have mercy on us! It was all that whore Talia''s doing..." The remaining villagers knelt at the entrance to the village, surrounded by seven or eight imposing knights and several dozen fully armed guards. The baron, fat and pig-like, sat in his carriage, fiddling with his signet ring as he asked, "Where¡¯s Basse? Tell him to come see me." The trembling villager responded, ¡°The village chief took the men to capture Talia at the barn. I can take you there, my lord.¡± Satisfied, the baron waved a dismissive hand. ¡°In that case, you lot are useless. Rot, kill them all... except for the father of that witch who killed my son. He doesn¡¯t deserve a quick death.¡± "Yes, my lord," the lead knight, encased in thick armor, nodded coldly and raised his lance. The other guards lifted their weapons in unison. The villagers'' faces contorted in terror, and they desperately begged for mercy. ¡°Please, Baron, spare us! We had nothing to do with it¡­¡± Their pleas were swiftly drowned out by screams of agony as the clash of blades and the splatter of blood filled the small village with the grim symphony of death. A maniacal gleam flickered in the baron¡¯s eyes as he raged internally. This was only the beginning. Everyone would pay for his son''s death. Chapter 8: The Intermediate Knight "Master, the foolish villagers are just ahead," Talia said as she led the way. Hovering in midair, Karo sniffed lightly and spoke in a calm tone, "Talia, it seems someone has already taken action for us." Talia froze for a moment. Before them, a well-trained cavalry unit, escorting a grand carriage, slowly emerged from the village. At the front, the knight''s lance skewered the frail body of an old man who clung weakly to life. Talia fell silent, and Karo could feel the weight of her darkening mood. "Who is that? Your enemy?" Karo asked with interest. Talia nodded, her voice quiet. "And also¡­ my father." A ripple of magical energy surged from her body as she rapidly chanted a series of harsh, guttural syllables. A crimson fireball materialized before her and flew swiftly toward the knight. Sensing the attack, the knight swung his lance just as the fireball approached, using the old man as a shield. Already on the verge of death, the old man let out one final, agonizing scream as the flames consumed him. His body twisted in pain, but soon, all that remained was a blackened, charred corpse. The knight¡¯s sharp gaze locked onto Talia, and he flicked his lance with a practiced ease. "You killed your own father, woman." A mocking voice echoed from inside the carriage, and a corpulent baron leaned out. His small eyes widened in shock when they landed on Karo. "A Great Knight?!" "No," came the gruff voice of the knight-captain, Rot. "It¡¯s just magic." The baron exhaled in relief, his sneer returning. "So, this little apprentice witch has a companion? Hmph..." Talia paid him no mind, her voice barely a whisper. "Poor father¡­ may you rot in Hell for eternity. May disaster and suffering follow you all your days..." Talia, now a full-fledged follower of the Abyss, offered this twisted eulogy to her father, Old John. As her master, Karo knew the fireball had been meant for Old John all along. She hadn¡¯t wanted him to linger in this world, to suffer any longer. She had sent him to Hell with her own hands. What a tragic yet fascinating tale, Karo thought with a sigh. "Rot, kill the dwarf. I want the witch alive." The baron issued his command to his most powerful subordinate.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The knight-captain grunted in response, his lance glowing faintly with a pale white light¡ªthe mark of an intermediate knight. The baron¡¯s lips curled into a smug grin. Rot was his trump card. An intermediate knight! A warrior capable of wielding battle aura. Few counts could claim a servant of such power. The baron had secured Rot¡¯s loyalty only through a stroke of luck, having saved the knight¡¯s life long ago. What strength could an apprentice witch¡¯s companion possibly have? Surely nothing beyond a low level. Against a mage, an agile knight always had the upper hand. The baron could hardly wait to witness the massacre of the witch and her ally. Talia, despite her raw talent, had only recently been introduced to demonic magic by Karo. Yet she was already casting several spells with impressive precision. "Curse." A dull gray light shot from Talia¡¯s hand, striking Rot. His body seized, and his horse collapsed with a pitiful whinny, foam bubbling from its mouth. But a flash of white light rippled across Rot''s body, instantly dispelling the curse. Without slowing, his lance shot forward like a silver bolt of lightning aimed directly at Talia''s face. Yet her grotesque, twisted features showed no trace of fear. She calmly began preparing another spell, though it was clear she wouldn¡¯t finish in time. Even if she did, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop Rot. Her actions seemed like the height of folly. But Talia wasn¡¯t a fool. She was waiting for her master, the pure-blooded demon from the Abyss, to intervene. She knew Karo would never let her die. "Talia, step back." A soft voice whispered in her ear, and without hesitation, Talia stopped chanting and retreated two steps. Rot¡¯s lance instantly shifted course, aiming now for Karo. But in the blink of an eye, the lance slowed as if caught in thick, invisible mud. Its speed reduced to a crawl. It wasn¡¯t the air that had thickened; it was Rot''s strength that had diminished. "Weakness" and "Gravity." With the innate advantages of a demon, Karo needed no lengthy, cumbersome incantations. A mere flick of his finger sufficed, and his spells were magnitudes more powerful than Talia¡¯s. Rot''s strength was reduced to that of a mere mortal. "An¡­ intermediate¡­ wizard..." Rot¡¯s eyes flickered with disbelief before dulling. His soul dissipated into a thick, gray mist, which Karo inhaled with satisfaction. The Hellfire seed within him grew stronger¡ª15 more experience points, 150 more evil points. In a rare mood to explain, Karo remarked, "I¡¯m not an advanced wizard, merely intermediate. And I¡¯m no wizard at all. I am a demon." But Rot would never hear those words. The entire encounter had lasted mere seconds. The baron hadn¡¯t even processed what had happened. His most powerful knight was dead, without so much as a proper struggle, slain as easily as a chicken in a slaughterhouse. "All of you, attack! Kill them both!" The baron¡¯s voice shook with terror as he hastily shoved his bloated form back into the carriage. What followed was a slaughter¡ªswift and brutal. Karo didn¡¯t bother with magic. He picked up Rot''s fallen lance and demonstrated the ferocity of demonic combat techniques. The results were astonishing. The combat skills honed by the demons of the Abyss, forged through endless battles against countless races, far surpassed anything this lowly world had to offer. A squad of cavalry, along with dozens of fully armed guards, crumpled like paper under Karo¡¯s assault. They didn¡¯t even have the chance to flee. Moments later, all of them had been reduced to nothing more than experience points and evil value. "Master, where shall we go next?" Talia asked, her tone changed. As the small village burned and crumbled into ashes, something within her had shifted. If there had been any part of her heart left untouched by darkness, it was gone now. Talia had fully embraced the Abyss, leaving nothing behind.