Chapter 13 - Seven's might

"yo" - Speech

'yo' - Thougths

*yo* - Sounds

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He perched atop a cliff and looked at the skirmishes between the demons below.

It had been a day since he tested his newfound abilities.

Soaring through the skies of the Upper Abyss, he searched for any altars with a good spot to camp on.

Altars is a medium that allows demons to cross over worlds, in simple words a gate that connects the abyss to the vast number of worlds. He remembered it being mentioned in the series that the demons, knowing that a human soul was much better than a demon's, created the altars so that they could cross over worlds to plunder human souls.

Though, he also knew that the altars also served another purpose.

"Wait, what was it again?" Kael pondered aloud, his brows furrowed.

He vaguely remembered that the altars had a bigger role than just being portals for demons. There was something about them being designed for battle, like those signal towers you see in movies. Yeah, they were like massive base stations, blasting out a signal that the nearby demons couldn't resist. It was like a secret code, summoning them to gather and get ready to rumble.

Although he had discovered another altar, he had a preference for this one. It was located in a peaceful clearing just below a cliff. He decided to set up camp at the top of the cliff, observe his surroundings, and collect the necessary items before embarking on his journey to another world.

With his body enhancement plan done, he only needed a few more things before he start making Magic Energy Growth Potion that will be able to push him into the next rank. Those things being; the horadric cube, a soul collecting flag and some added mods to his body.

The horadric cube, while he does not require it immediately, was the most important thing. With it, he can transmute Lower-grade souls > Higher-grade souls and Higher-grade souls > Superior-grade souls, thus allowing him to create skills and other such abilities.

The flag, the name itself hinted at its function—a handy tool that allowed him to effortlessly collect souls so that he doesn't need to get it himself. He does have a plan to solve this problem but, at the meantime the flag will do.

Kael then went to the edge of the cliff and then suddenly leaped, letting himself fall forward off the cliff, feeling the hot but refreshing wind rush past him. He wondered if he'll survive this fall, chuckling at his intrusive thoughts, Kael spreads his bat-like demon wings.

With the muscles in his back and shoulders flexing automatically, he caught the air with ease and soared through the black cloudy skies, feeling a sense of freedom that only flying could bring.

Yet, as he flew, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He could feel the hungry stares of the vulture-like abominations perched on the rocky outcroppings of the cliff he descended, eyeing him with a predatory gaze.

But he ignored them, he continued to soared through the air, his heightened senses attuned to every detail. Suddenly, a commotion caught his attention, emanating from the altar below. Intrigued, he directed his gaze downward, his eyes fixated on the unfolding scene. And then, a delicate fragrance wafted through the air, catching his keen sense of smell.

"A high-quality soul!" He knew that only a high-quality soul could emit such an aroma.

A High-quality soul was rare, specially in the upper abyss. He knew that some summoners doesn't really know much about demon summoning and what offerings the demons like, so coming across a good offering was rare.

Though he can fight and claim the right to answer the summon, he did not do so. He knew that it was still not time. The demons entered in a heated fight, fighting for the right to answer the summon.

As he hovered closer, he observed the brutal fight between the low-rank demons, but one demon in particular caught his attention. Standing at a menacing seven meters tall, with a big lava-like stone axe, its massive body towered over the other demons, including the other top low-rank demon who was three meters shorter.

A thrilling spectacle unfolded as a swarm of demons charged at the colossal figure standing at a towering height of seven meters. Their insatiable craving for souls propelled them forward, driven by an unquenchable hunger. Amidst the chaos, the other clever top low-ranking demon opted to stay back, taking a moment to observe the impending clash.

"Quite smart," Kael remarked silently, acknowledging the demon's intellect and the tactical advantage of assessing the situation before diving headfirst into the fray. The observant demon patiently watched as the epic clash between the formidable "7" and the frenzied horde unfolded.

With a thunderous roar that briefly rattled the weaker demons, 7 asserted his dominance. However, their ravenous hunger for the high-ranking soul seemed to override any flicker of fear that had momentarily gripped them. Undeterred, they surged forward, heedless of the imminent danger.

Standing tall amidst the chaos, 7 wielded his axe with astounding finesse, delivering swift beheadings to the oncoming demons. It was a terrifying sight, each swing of the axe severing the heads of the unfortunate foes. The battlefield became a gruesome display of decapitated demons, their lifeless bodies collapsing to the ground. The slaughter had begun, an awe-inspiring display of power and precision that sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

While Seven fearlessly confronted the overwhelming horde of demons, four cunning adversaries took advantage of the chaos to launch a coordinated sneak attack. With razor-sharp claws and bared fangs, they struck Seven's unsuspecting back, penetrating slightly through their defenses with ruthless precision. The sudden assault momentarily caught Seven off guard, causing a brief falter in his resolve. However, sevens indomitable spirit quickly rekindled, fueling a fierce counteroffensive that would leave the treacherous assailants reeling in regret.

With a forceful slam of his weapon, Seven seized the two demons that sank their teeth into his neck. Swinging them like a furious pendulum, he hurled them towards the oncoming horde, causing a visceral splatter of demonic bodies that sent the assailants staggering backward, creating a momentary respite for Seven.

Throwing the demons in his grasp, he turned around, his gaze locked onto the two demons that had clawed at him, his eyes radiating a bone-chilling intensity that froze the very souls of the wretched creatures, causing them to tremble in fear.

As Seven poised to deliver a devastating blow to the two demons ensnared in his clutches, a malevolent figure, the other Top-Low-rank sprang forth with predatory speed. The demon's claws, gleaming with a sinister luster, were aimed unyieldingly at Seven's exposed neck, poised to rend flesh and spill blood.

However, in a spine-chilling twist of fate, Seven abruptly turned his head, locking eyes with the astonished adversary. In a macabre display of otherworldly prowess, Seven contorted his body, evading the razor-sharp claws by a hair's breadth.

As the demon's head glided perilously close to Seven's face, a twisted grin formed on his lips, revealing a glimpse of fangs glistening with malevolence. In a horrifying crescendo, Seven lunged forward, sinking his savage teeth deep into the demon's neck. The resounding crunch echoed through the air as the lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

A luminous essence ethereally ascended from the now lifeless vessel, casting an otherworldly glow upon the surroundings. Sensing the profound loss of their fallen 'comrade', the two demons at Seven's back trembled, their hands comically slapping their foreheads in a futile attempt to erase their foolish aspirations of vying for dominance over the summon and its coveted soul.

Meanwhile, the remaining demons, their eyes brimming with a ravenous hunger, fixated upon the fallen soul of the vanquished top-low-rank adversary. Yet, the resounding crunch that had reverberated through earlier echoed within their collective minds, abruptly halting their reckless yearnings. Wisps of caution intertwined with their primal desires, dissuading them from venturing further into the treacherous depths of their greed.

Soon, the menacing seven-meter-tall demon devoured the soul, letting out a deafening, reverberating roar that echoed throughout the upper abyss. As Kael watched the scene unfold before him, he found himself grinning, his thirst for power grew ever stronger.

This was the Demon World, where power reigned supreme and demons recognized one's status based on their strength. Kael knew that he too had to grow stronger if he was to succeed in this cutthroat world.

Even he was a bit shaken by the display of power put on by the seven-meter-tall demon. He knew that it was one of the few old demons that had remained in the upper abyss for a long time, and its strength was evident.

He knew that, despite his confidence in winning, there was still a chance he could lose if he wasn't careful. The demon wielded a weapon infused with a soul fragment, one that he had seen to cleave demons in half with ease, as if they were made of butter.

In a display of seamless fluidity, the demon swiftly reclaimed his weapon, seamlessly resting it upon his shoulders. He executed a graceful pivot on the spot, exuding an air of predatory finesse. Yet, as his piercing gaze swept across the scene, he was met with naught but an empty void where the two demons had previously stood. They had vanished into thin air, propelled away in a frenzied retreat, their quivering limbs belying the profound terror that gripped their very beings.

Unbothered by their cowardly retreat, Seven's resolute footsteps reverberated with a commanding presence as he forged ahead toward the altar. Unyielding and undeterred, nothing could hinder his relentless advance. The sheer manifestation of his unparalleled power had cast an ominous pall over the remaining demons, leaving them paralyzed in awe and dread, their feeble resistance shattered by the chilling testament of his might.

Soon, he stepped into the altar. A black light spot then appeared on the altar and then the entire magic formation began to shine, expanding that black light spot to form a black mist, which then enveloped the old demon.

After coming into contact with the black mist, the old demon's body began to blur a little. Soon after, his entire body disappeared, and the light from the magic formation dimmed.

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AN: Suo guys! Good day, let me know what you think of the chap. Enjoy!

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If some of you have read Warlock of the Magus World, what do you think the ranking would compare to cmdk's ranking?If some of you are familiar with the ranking system in "Warlock of the Magus World," I would like to know how you would compare it to the ranking system in "Cmdk." Specifically, what rank do you think a low-ranking demon and so on in "Cmdk" would correspond to in terms of the ranking system used in "Warlock of the Magus World"?