The Real Monster 34 Having The Demon Emperor As Neighbor Viii

-THIRD PERSON-

*RUMBLE*

*CRASH*

*BOOM*

*WOOSH*

Sounds of impact resounded all over the Lord of the Swamp's territory. The once dark green visage of the whole place turned into a desert in mere moments after the found its target. Clay, in his moment of crisis, again failed to close his mind in battle. Having realized that what he did was the same kind of thing that the royals who plotted against him did, he froze. That moment of shock and realization came biting his behind yet again.

Agamemkeru who had just fired his strongest technique that could level even a wide mountain range, had his eyes fixed on a certain spot in front of him. It was the same spot that Clay was in just moments ago which was now covered in a cloud of dust which even someone as powerful as him was unable to see through.

{…} Agamemkeru was staring at that same spot with hate, contempt, and every strong emotion that one can think of when a murderer who killed your kin was in front of you. He did not let up and just continued to stare at that same spot. Silence was blanketing the whole swamp. Even the hus.h.i.+ng of the winds came as silent as it could be as if giving heed to the mood.

Finally, after the cloud of dust cleared up enough to see a little of what was left after that shot, Agamemkeru as if knowing the truth the whole time spoke,

{It seems you have grown stronger than the last time we met. No, 'stronger' is too soft a word to describe your growth, I can only describe this properly with the words "monstrous" or even "unG.o.dly." To have power such as this is not possible.

{Even the Demon Emperor sitting at the throne cannot take this attack and look like you right after. It's impossible because we the four generals under him have the same amount of power he has. We've been stuck at this level for countless centuries already because of our body's limits.

{So how come you're uninjured even after taking that shot head-on?!} Agamemkeru spoke in surprise at the start and then he became quite languid when he was on his last sentences as he continued to look at the monstrosity in front of him.

Naked as he was born.

Clay who was desperately trying to block the shot earlier and so crossed his arms to cover his head finally realized that he was alive and could properly feel all his limbs. He closed his eyes earlier when the came to at least alleviate the pain he will suffer again after this serious mistake, but was disappointed when his expectation did not happen. He expected to die and only wake up after his body fully regenerated again.

But then he heard the voice of Agamemkeru who at first had anger and surprise, then his speech turned weak and as if resigned to his fate already. This was the same powerful demon that rules the swamps and is one of the Demon Emperor's Generals, Agamemkeru, who now felt despair when looking at the being in front of him.

Oblivious to Agamemkeru's thoughts, Clay was checking his body out as if he just received a package from the delivery company and excitedly pinched here and there. In his excitement, he even ignored the Lord of the Swamps who had a resigned face by now.

{…} Agamemkeru just kept on staring at the comedic actions of Clay and in his mind he was questioning if he was after all dreaming and is just having a nightmare or truly, this monster in front of him was this foolish looking?

Clay was touching himself, buck-naked. All his accessories were disintegrated when Agamemkeru fired off that breath attack earlier. What he's really curious about was how his body didn't even have a scratch.

"{H-Hey, did you really fire off the same attack that almost killed me last time? No, that last shot was even more powerful than the last so I doubt you held back at all. I just can't believe I got nothing but dust on my body from that. Isn't that just curious?!}"

Clay still couldn't believe what happened. He was sure that at the moment he closed his eyes would be the last scene he would remember after waking up in a cave or down beneath underground. Who would have thought that instead of being completely erased, he would discover that he can't be hurt by that powerful shot of the the same attack that erased his previous body?

Agamemkeru on the other hand still couldn't believe it as well and was completely resigned. He thought that today was the day he's finally going to die. This man was here to take his revenge for earlier, so it's only right to think that he would kill him.

{To think that you would grow to such a degree, that even I cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with you anymore. What kind of monster did the G.o.ds bring to our world? It seems time has already started to advance again and this time, it will bring beings of immeasurable power into the board. I wonder who would win between you and the hero of our kind.

{He said he was a 'Real' Demon from a different dimension, someone that we 'fake' demons cannot even dare to fathom. He had started training 2 years ago after his summoning. With your head start you should have trained very hard to get this far right? Well that, 'thing', was already as powerful as you are when he appeared. Now that he's trained his body, saying that having a body was very unfamiliar to him, he should have become even more powerful by now.

{If you want to kill me, then do it quickly. If not then go and leave me alone.} Agamemkeru said so and turned his back on Clay who was listening but was still touching his body everywhere. Hearing Agamemkeru's speech and resignation in his voice, Clay scratched his head and said,

"{Hey now, I only wanted to have a rematch to see if I can fight you properly now, but who would have thought that instead of fighting, you'd end up being dejected after firing off one shot. It's not fair. I haven't even fired off one attack yet, but I fear that if I did fire off one attack now, you'd die instead so let's call it even now. Our score cards would be kept at 1 all. One win and one lose for each of us that way we go home without crying, right?}"

Clay said something nice to Agamemkeru. He was actually not mad at the frog, he was just frustrated that he picked a fight and lost that one. Clay is after all a sore loser.

"{Well, as the winner this time, I'd like you to do me one favor of course. That is, if you can tell your other fellow Demon Lords or Generals that when they want to mount an attack on humanity then they can do so but just leave the whole Moribor Mountains out of it? Since I'm currently residing there and I don't want to be unreasonably disturbed by war efforts on both sides.

"{That is, until I unify the whole human realm under my rule. By that time, you can probably come to me and negotiate on some things, s.h.i.+s.h.i.+s.h.i.+."} Clay gave Agamemkeru a big grin reminiscent of those anime smiles that give confidence to those who see it.

{You're planning on taking over the entire human realm and lead it under your rule? Kua ha ha ha ha, that's a fine goal you have there. We actually don't care about the wars that the G.o.ds also prepared for us, telling us in an oracle to fight in war against every race. If you can truly do this then you'll surely hear from us I can guarantee that!}

*Kua ha ha ha ha ha* Agamemkeru continued to laugh even when he was maintaining his stance of having his back against Clay. He somehow felt relieved and stressed at the same time. He kept on thinking, if I can make some friendly relation with this guy, the demon realm just might benefit from it. The problem is, will our hero talk to this human hero and come to an agreement? That thing is pure evil after all. It will probably escalate to a fight the moment they meet. I can't have him know of this human. However, I do have to report to the four of them, Agamemtasha the Blood Witch; Agamemken the the Demon Sword; Agamemvolf the Son of Vulg and our current Demon Emperor – Agamemnonn Demon of the Night, the Immortal.

{You call yourself Clay right? Why don't I visit your territory later on to see if it's any good?} Agamemkeru tried to sound friendly and his resigned voice was nowhere to be found, a stark contrast to just earlier. However, no answer came to him as Clay actually already went away the moment he spoke his condition and favor.

Turning his head towards where Clay was just standing, Agamemkeru was stunned to find no one there and he grumbled as a result. {Dammit! I should have faced him sooner. No matter, I will contact the rest and see what they think of the human calling his self, Clay.}

*Thud Thud Thud*

With that, Agamemkeru started to move away from his nest. The destruction of it didn't really matter to him because with just him leaking his mana for a time, the forest will go back to how it used to be and the inhabitants there would mutate the longer they are exposed to his mana. His mana after all favored reptiles and amphibians. Clay did not know this fact and would continue to think of creatures as precious people to someone else. Well, except those who threaten his life, he can't very well just let them kill him or attack him without consequences right?

***

-Clay-

So I left Agamemkeru that frog that had become dejected because he couldn't scratch me with his ultimate move. Thinking about it now, I wonder if I managed to survive because my bands got disintegrated or would I have been still alright if the bands survived.

Checking myself after that battle, I took out clothes from my storage and managed to dress myself. The adrenaline was still pumping inside me and kept my heart beating fast, but now, it slowly calmed down and became normal. The moment I recovered my normal state,

*Ping!* *Ping!* *Ping!* *Ping!*

Consecutive notices appeared in front of my eyes saying:

Null Magic – Advanced acquired

Null Magic Resistance – Advanced acquired

Host's body has reached a threshold – Mortal Body Ascension available

Host's body has undergone Ascension – Demi-G.o.d Body acquired

The race 'Human' has been replaced by 'Demi-G.o.d'

Host's body has reached a threshold – STR stat Limit Break available

Host's body has undergone limit break – STR stat Limit has been broken

Host's body has reached a threshold – INT stat Limit Break available

Host's body has undergone limit break – INT stat Limit has been broken

Host's body has reached a threshold – MGC stat Limit Break available

Host's body has undergone limit break – MGC stat Limit has been broken

Host's body has reached a threshold – DEX stat Limit Break available

Host's body has undergone limit break – DEX stat Limit has been broken

Those notices really surprised the heck out of me. What is with these notices, as if saying I have now officially turned my back on humanity, this clearly is making me out to be a non-human now right?

"Demi-G.o.d, is that the same kind of thing as Hercules or Perseus in Greek mythology? Well, whatever it is, I have to check my status now to clearly see what's what. Status"

Name: Clay

Cla.s.s: Hero «Transcendent»

Sub-Cla.s.s: None «Alchemy Master»

t.i.tle: Hero «Alchemy Master»

Stats:

[STR – Demi-G.o.d Lowest «Unique»] [INT – Demi-G.o.d Lowest «Unique»]

[MGC – Demi-G.o.d Lowest «Unique»] [DEX – Demi-G.o.d Lowest «Unique»]

Skills:

«Alchemy Master» «Regeneration» «Kryptonian Gene»

[Observe] [Language Acquisition - Advanced] [Human Language - Advanced] [Leaders.h.i.+p]

[Overpower] [Demon Language – Advanced] [Elemental Magic – Advanced] [s.p.a.ce Magic –Advanced]

[Light Magic – Advanced] [Dark Magic – Advanced] [Null Magic – Advanced] [Pugilism - Basic] [Teaching - Basic] [Spartan Training - Basic]

Resistances:

[Null Magic Resistance – Advanced]

Blessing:

«Guided by the Guide to Souls» [Safir's Champion]

Status: Normal «Optimal»

My status looked like that now and my mouth can't stay closed just seeing it. How did it come to this? I can't even trace how this happened and can only a.s.sume what happened.

So if I a.n.a.lyze it good,

*Ping!*

Suddenly, another notice appeared in my head and a complete set of a.n.a.lysis were clearly made from dozens of a.s.sumptions and hypotheses that I could think of to the closest explanation I needed.

It was really clear to me in a.s.suming that because the gravity accessories I wore got broken altogether suddenly which drastically made my overall 'True' strength shoot up from Pseudo-Angelic to past that of Angelic itself and broke through the bear minimum for one to be categorized together with those 'Demi-G.o.ds.' Although the valuation was of the 'Lowest' at the moment, it seems that this 'Lowest' enables me to have power that cannot be contained by un-Ascended mortal bodies.

I have to consolidate my current strength and take it under control or else, I might just accidentally, again, destroy countless lives. There's the other problem I think I might have already resolved, sharing borders with the demon realm really does make me feel as if having the Demon Emperor as neighbor.