บท 3: First Summonings

"Wow."

A wave of awe washed over him as he touched the dark door, feeling the engravings beneath his palm pulse in recognition.

The small door frame creaked open, revealing a fiery pool of liquid green flames illuminating his impish face.

DING

[Use one beast core to summon a random rarity demon of the same level. Check the Tier list for more information.]

His heart hammering against his chest, he followed the advice.

Tier 1: Lesser demon

Tier 2: Demon

Tier 3: Greater demon

Tier 4: Demon Baron

Tier 5: Demon Earl

Tier 6: Demon Marquis

Tier 7: Demon Duke

Tier 8: Demon Prince

Tier 9: Demon King

A loud hiss of terror shattered his excitement upon realising the chasm-no, the canyon - separating him from Baal.

"Everything is fine now."

A loud exhale of white steam helped him return to his calm demeanor and restored his excitement.

Without wasting a second, he gutted the boar, hoping to find a core in its carcass. And a minute later, he grinned at a rough, brown ball.

With a swift baseball throw, he pitched it into the pool, anticipation painting his face red.

Fiery flames danced before him as a silhouette took form in a magic display of demonic energies.

Despite the suffocating heat and the smell of sulfur burning his throat, he kept his eyes glued on the process, crossing his fingers to get a powerful helper.

A moment later, the inferno condensed. Long, flowing dark hair danced as pale, supple skin glistened. He registered the creature's green eyes next, feeling his temperature increase and palms moisten, a captivated feeling he never felt before washing over him.

"She looks gorgeous, but is she strong?"

Pushing the allure she exuded with her curved body down, he pondered.

[Congratulations on summoning the tier-one rare demon from eastern mythology: the Bai Yexiaojing]

Simultaneously, the woman walked on the liquid fire as if on solid ground. With an elegant movement ruffling her Chinese dress, she bowed slightly.

"Greetings, lord. I'm Shihan."

Her melodious voice overwhelmed the flames, making his mind blank and his pants bulge.

'Temptress! She must be among the strongest demon species!'

Scarred by her strange ability to awaken lust, he shook his head, chasing any intrusive thoughts and begrudgingly removing his eyes from her large...

He gulped, closing his eyes altogether, his voice cracking.

"What can you do to help me develop the territory?"

"Shadows are my weapons and men my playthings. If anyone displeases you, give me the command, and he'll disappear in the middle of the night."

A tremor rocked his body. Why must he summon demons? The typical old human knights and archers suited him more than those insidious and cruel creatures!

Unfortunately, he had to make do with what he had.

"Can you hunt, build houses or do anything to improve our living conditions?"

Shihan tucked her fingers around her chin, pondering for a second before delivering him a chilling answer.

"I can. I can warm beds if you command me to."

"What? No!"

His palm met his forehead, the noise of his disillusionment echoing in the den for a second before a notification resounded.

[Congratulations! Shihan's loyalty increased by ten points.]

Another interface window unfurled before his enlarging eyes.

Name: Shihan

Race: Bai Yexiaojing

Affinity: demonic energy

Job: /

Class: Assassin

Loyalty: 80

LVL: 1

Exp: 0/20

HP: 30/30

Vitality: 3

Strength: 2

Agility: 2

Demonic essence: 2

Note: Subjects under sixty loyalty points will harbor traitorous intentions against you. Be mindful of their needs or face a coup d'état!

'So, they aren't mindless units I can control as I wish. They each have needs and personalities. They are real living beings.'

He cemented the mechanic deep in his mind, promising himself to treat his subjects well and perhaps build a peaceful demonic territory.

With a chuckle, he turned and left to inspect the other two buildings in her company.

Close to the shaky hut built out of rough materials and looking on the brink of collapse, he whistled at the towering gate.

The moment he stepped into range, a notification flashed.

[The Gate allows you to summon random demons. You have a 94.99% chance for a common creature to walk out, 3% for a farmer, 2% for a specialist and 0.01% for a mythological figure. Increase the Gate's rank to increase the rates and your summoning limit. Proceed with the daily summoning?]

His lips twisted into a grimace.

'0.01%? Just say zero. It'll be faster and less misleading.'

He slammed the yes button, jumping in fright as crackling noises engulfed the area.

Menacing green fires ignited the empty door frame, billowing into a vortex of heat and doom.

The next second, two shadows moved inside, making him squint at them, heart hastening in his chest.

As they stepped out, everything returned to normal, and a manly voice reverberated.

"Ay! Can't believe I left the demon realm. Oy, M'lord, I'm Bart!"

Another voice resounded, more guttural.

"The name's Garduck."

He gazed at the two men's robust frame and bulging muscles, a hint of excitement filling his heart despite the horns and other demonic traits. No matter what others said, random draws never failed to thrill him.

"Welcome to my territory, good citizens. What can you do to help?"

Bart answered first, raising his fist.

"I can herd demonic beasts. I used to supply my town's butcheries with fresh meat."

Then, Garduck spoke, his glacial voice sending a shudder down his spine.

"I'm an underground fighter. If you set up an illegal arena, contact me. I'm the best at rigging matches."

"Why the heck would I want to do that?!"

Upon hearing his bewildered yell, Shihan interjected.

"Because that's how it's done? We bet on who can rig the match better because no one cares about two lesser demons fighting. It makes a comical entertainment for the big shots."

The cruelty of the demon realm struck him like a hammer, making him realise how lucky he had been to escape from the dreadful place. Forget about enemy lords. The locals would have shredded him after the grace period.

With a sigh of relief, he gazed at his three subjects.

"I have a boar's carcass. Can you cut its meat?"

Bart offered a confident nod, reassuring him.

Then, he continued.

"Shihan, Garduck, come with me. Together, we'll hunt a few beasts and try to catch some cubs for Bart."

The tasks divided, and after a quick check of the two men's loyalty, noticing they ranged from sixty to sixty-five, he guided them out of the ethereal walls for his territory's first expedition, a sense of responsibility weighing on his shoulder.