Time held almost no meaning in the Demon World.
At the banks of the River of Oblivion, Liora couldn’t tell how long it had been since her awakening. Minutes? Hours? Perhaps even days.
The only thing she knew was that, during this unmeasured span, she had been crushing eggs and devouring souls, the number of her victims unknown.
Her movements looked relentless, unstoppable, until she suddenly froze.
Her crimson eyes scanned the surrounding Devil eggs. Their stirring and the imperceptible cracks on their surface caught her attention.
"They are waking up!"
Her expression darkened. Once those Devils hatched, her advantage of having been born prematurely would disappear.
"I need to grow stronger.", she muttered, summoning the System Panel with a thought.
--
[Name: Liora Veythalis Dranthera Vexira...]
[Rank: Little Devil]
[Strength: 2], [Agility: 1], [Vitality: 1], [Mana: 1]
[Race: Undetermined]
[Abilities: Combat Instinct, Soul Devouring, Low-Level Regeneration]
[Evolution Points: 52]
[Current Absorption Efficiency: 10x (Normal Devil = 1x)]
--
After increasing her Strength, Liora noticed that the Evolution Points she could gain by killing the unborn Devils had decreased. She guessed that it was because of her improved power.
As such, her Evolution Points remained unspent.
"Should I enhance my base stats?", she pondered, but quickly shook her head.
The first improvement had cost her only one Evolution Point, but raising her [Strength] from 2 to 3 would require three. To reach 4 would cost four, and so on.
"It’s not efficient to enhance my base stats. And my current abilities are not strong enough to play a role in combat, even if improved."
With that in mind, Liora turned to the last function of the System—creating new Abilities.
Many ideas instantly popped up in her mind. She thought of various abilities such as armor, camouflage, and wings.
But in the end, her instincts as a Devil led her to make a decision: she should create something offensive, something that could help her kill!
As soon as this thought was born, a translucent window appeared in front of her eyes.
--
[Create New Ability]
[Suggested Abilities:]
[1. Shadow Claws: Coat your claws in shadow energy, increasing damage and speed. (Recommended)] Cost: 50 EP.
[2. Soul Strike — Directly target the soul of an enemy for true damage.] Cost: 45 EP.
[3. Weapon of Flesh (Passive) — Manipulate your body to form weapons made of flesh.] Cost: 30 EP.
[4. Abyssal Grasp — Command the shadows to bind enemies within a certain range.] Cost: 50 EP.
[5. Create your own ability.] Cost: ?? EP.
[Confirm Ability Creation? Yes/No]
--
Liora’s gaze lingered on the panel, her mind racing. The faint cracking of the eggs echoed in her ears as fractures spread across their surface.
The Devils were ready to be born.
Time was running out.
She ignored the fifth option, creating an entirely new Ability, her attention shifting to the suggested ones.
"Shadow Claws...", she whispered to herself. The word Recommended inside the brackets made this option appear extra compelling.
In the end, she trusted the System and tapped the first option.
The moment she confirmed her choice, Liora’s entire body was enveloped in a dark aura that twisted eerily beneath the crimson moon.
Her body stretched from 1.2 meters to 1.6, her frame growing more sleek and slender.
Her rough crimson skin softened, gaining a pale wheat tone, while her blurred facial features sharpened even further, starting to resemble those of a human. A few strands of red hair sprouted atop her head.
Shadows clung to her arms, writhing like serpents made of ink.
She flexed her fingers. Power surged within, making her claws sharper, faster, deadlier.
"Perfect.", she murmured, her crimson pupils flashing with excitement and primitive hunger.
A soft crack shattered the silence. One nearby egg had fully hatched.
The first Devil to awaken matched Liora’s size at birth, only a meter tall. Mottled black skin, molten gold eyes, and jagged claws were its main characteristics.
Its limbs contorted unnaturally, as if it were getting used to its body.
When Liora saw the Devil, the Devil’s gaze also locked onto her.
It did not attempt to communicate with its kind—instead choosing to lung at her.
Such was the instinct possessed by every Devil at birth. The will to slaughter, devour, and destroy every living being occupied their minds.
Unfortunately for it, it had chosen the wrong opponent.
Seeing the Devil attack, Liora didn’t show any hesitation. Her shadow-coated claws struck first, slicing cleanly through its torso with surgical precision.
The Devil roared in pain, but before it could react, a second swipe finished its job.
Its body split into two and collapsed to the ground, lifeless. A soul rose and rushed to Liora, vanishing into her mouth.
The soul tasted sweet like honey, more exquisite than any she had before.
"Does the taste of the soul depend on the creature’s strength before its death?", Liora closed her eyes and licked her lips.
Unfortunately, she had no time to fully savor this feeling.
Her battle had alarmed the remaining eggs. Cracks spread across their surface, and one by one, they shattered.
Devils erupted from their shells, diverse in shape and form.
Some were humanoids, others animalistic, while some were difficult to describe, grotesque monstrosities beyond imagination.
They lunged at each other, slicing, tearing, and biting, using every method in their arsenal to slaughter their opponent. This was the ability that every Devil was born with— Combat Instinct.
Chaos soon took over the riverbank. The screams and shrieks of the newborn Devils reverberated into the crimson sky.
The true, terrifying nature of the River of Oblivion revealed itself.