Chapter 24: A Taste of Power
DING
[Talent's daily use available. Use: Yes/No]
As every morning, the system's notification woke him up at sunrise.
Since it was the third time, he sat without grumbling and gazed at the wheel, excitement overtaking his sleepy eyes.
"I'll get an SSR draw today!"
Hope swelled in his heart, and he smashed the yes button, eying the silver sword shining in one of the parts.
"Give me my silver rapier back!"
By now, he realised the items changed every day. And today, he noticed the blade he used around the tenth level in his favorite MMORPG, awakening the desire to use it again.
The rattle of the pointer resounded as he watched it slow, delight coloring his face.
"Yes! Stop now!"
The pointer oscillated between the rapier and the next part, making his heart flutter... before his eyes rolled as it passed the coveted item.
"A scam! This talent is a scam! Where is the fraud commission when I need it?!"
He munched on his lips, aggrieved by the failure, as a notification rang in his ears.
[Congratulations on obtaining a lesser baleful stone!]
"What do you want me to do with it? It's not like I can upgrade my weapon like in that MMO!"
A bitter taste filled his mouth as he remembered how baleful stones were required to transform his weapon to the next level. Yet, without the corresponding weapon, it was useless.
Still, he summoned it, feeling its hot surface and brilliant red color.
Lesser baleful stone:
Contains a small amount of demonic essence. Ideal for warlocks' rituals or to upgrade their weapons.
Note: You can also use it to increase your demonic essence by ten points permanently.
All the frustration disappeared as he cradled the stone, smiling with joy.
"It can do that, too! It's true I'm a demon now!"
His lips parted as he stuffed it into his mouth. The stone dissolved into a burning liquid that forced a yelp out of his mouth the moment it touched his tongue.
"ARGH."
He rolled on the ground, feeling the unpleasant heat spread through his system and merge with his scarce essence. From barely noticeable, it became a thin stream of power irrigating his body with potent energy, making him groan in pain and smile in delight simultaneously.
After a brief minute, the pain vanished along with the heat. Yet, he gritted his teeth, keeping the roar he wanted to hurl in.
'I'll evolve in no time if I keep getting items like that!'
Chuckling and in an excellent mood, he left the hut and had breakfast with his subjects.
Then, he eyed the imps' more controlled behavior and nodded.
"We'll take them with us as a test. They don't really need to fight, so I count on you to keep an eye on them."
He commanded the satyr before turning to the tomte.
"I have a farm blueprint. Can you build it with the materials?"
Unlike the market, warehouse, and goblin huts, it had to be built without the system's help, making it a headache without carpenters.
"I can supervise the overall construction. But I have no idea about how to polish wood planks. You'd better try to recruit specialists if you don't want to have unstable constructs."
The tomte tucked his fingers around his chin, the joy of having farms contrasted by the challenge of building them.
He nodded, taking the advice to heart and revising his plan.
'The gate will seldom summon combat units. I should be safe from summoning imps.'
The territory's growth would drag if he focused on fighters alone.
Without wasting time, he proceeded with his two daily summons, observing the male and female stepping out of the fiery vortex with a smile.
"Welcome to my territory. Is there anything you specialise in?"
"I'm good at butchering idiots who ask too many questions."
'Somehow, I want to stop summoning again...'
His eyes rolled at the male's threatening appearance and his clothes displaying his defined muscles for everyone to see.
'You might as well walk bare-chested, you pervert!'
"I'm good with my hands. If you have menial tasks, I can do them for you as long as you feed me and ensure my security."
The female answered, making his eyes lit up. Even if she wasn't a specialist, she could become one with enough training.
"Take this and work with the tomte to make straight and durable planks. You'll teach and supervise the others later before we build it."
He extended the blueprints to her before gazing at the man until his interface popped up.
Loyalty: 0
"Hmm. Tell me, what would you think about a peaceful demonic territory?"
He asked just for the form, yet he had already made his decision.
"What kind of Cerberus shit are you spouting? No one wants that!"
As the demon's words hung in the air, he blurred into motion, shocking his subjects and the man alike with his swiftness.
Nails glinting, he seized his throat and crushed it before he could react, ending his life and letting his body plop powerlessly to the ground.
"I don't need troublemakers like you."
Unlike the innocent imps, the man had nefarious intentions he couldn't let spread in the early stages of development. What if he stole his resources for his own benefit? What if he whispered poisonous words into the others' ears and built dissension?
As he gazed at the stiffening corps with conflicted emotions, Luna nodded from the side and smiled.
"At least you know how to rid yourself of potential threats. From his attire, he was a cutthroat terrorizing his city's outskirts. Bastards like that are better dead."
Feeling Adam finally acted like a true demon lord, Bart and Garduck offered a few words of approval as he dismantled the corpse.
[You have defeated a Lvl1 lesser demon. You have gained 5 experience points.]
[Obtained: 2 Units of demonic essence. Assimilate? Yes/No.]
The second he pressed on yes, he felt a surge of energy strengthen his own as terror gripped his heart.
'No wonder they're at each other's throats if they can progress like that.'
His eyes narrowed as the enjoyable feeling gradually vanished.
'I must protect myself against temptation!'
After all, the realisation finally struck him like a hammer.
He could kill the demons he summoned to fuel his growth.
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone