Chapter 01: Former Human, Now Tengu Demon Lord
"Hmm? Now, this is intriguing," I mused, my curiosity piqued as I observed my surroundings.
I was in a throne room; however, that wasn't the intriguing part; what fascinated me the most was that, somehow, this place felt familiar.
Looking down at my hands, opening and closing them, I chuckled.
I should be dead.
I don't remember much; however, what I do recall is the sound of bones breaking and the pain that ensued. After that, nothing.
"I suppose that means I've reincarnated, but where?" I pondered, now sitting on the throne. For some reason, I'm quite calm about this.
Endeavoring to ascertain my whereabouts, hoping to learn more about my present situation, I continued looking around.
Black and white tiles cover the ground, and an ornate red carpet runs vertically through its center, leading to the throne. Three stone pillars stand on either side of the room.
"I have a hypothesis as to where I am, but I need to find a single item to confirm it."
After a while, I found what I was searching for—the Dungeon Core!
"So, if I'm right, I was reincarnated into Maou ni Natta node, Dungeon Tsukutte Jingai Musume to Honobon suru (Now I'm a Demon Lord! Happily Ever After with Monster Girls in My Dungeon). And it seems I've taken Yuki's place, no less (I think). Ha, I don't mind that."
Wasting no further time, deciding that ruminating on why and how I got here would be gratuitous (for now), I approached the Dungeon Core—a multi-colored glass orb.
Upon placing my hand on the orb, I received an electric shock that coursed throughout my body.
Although painful, it was incomparable to the pain I felt when I died—something I never want to experience again.
"Now, what was the command to bring up my stats? [Status]? No, [Menu], then it was [Status]."
Before me, a white, game-like window the size of a laptop screen bloomed.
***
[Name: Tyus, Level 1]
[Race: Tengu (Unique)]
[Class: Demon Lord]
[HP: 5780/5780]
[MP: 14700/14700]
—
[Strength: 1451]
[Endurance: 1500]
[Agility: 2100]
[Mana: 1246]
[Dexterity: 2859]
[Luck: 300]
—
[SP: 15]
[Great Skill: War God Hachiman (Locked)]
[Skills: All Speak, Martial Arts (Level 10), (Storage (Level 10), Appraisal (Level 1)]
—
[Demon Lord From Another World, The Selected, The ********]
[DP: 2500]
***
"Selected? Wait, wouldn't that mean that someone intentionally reincarnated me here? But why? Who? And why is my [Unique Skill] locked and a [Title] obscured? Wonderful, more questions. For now, though, I shall check out the [Shop]."
In order to acquire things from the [Shop], [DP] must be expended. And in order to gain [DP], I need monsters to inhabit my domain (Dungeon).
After dwelling in or killing said monsters, the Dungeon, as it is a living thing, will absorb their essence, converting them into [DP].
Apparently, upon being killed and absorbed by the Dungeon, the monsters can also be used as food.
Also, like Yuki, I could purchase manifold things from this world and my previous one. However, none of the items available interest me at the moment.
All I want to do right now is explore.
Dismissing the window, I got up from my throne and stretched my arms.
It was while I was doing so that I noticed something.
"Oh shit. I have wings."
Looking over my shoulder, coming from my back, were two black feathery appendages.
"I need a mirror."
Opening the [Shop], I found a full-length mirror and bought it for 10 [DP].
[DP: 2490]
"Wow."
I had noticed it previously but didn't bother to mention it: what once was brown skin is now pale white.
My hair, which was once curly and dark brown, reaching my shoulders, is now straight and black, reaching my hamstrings.
My body, frankly, is amazing.
I don't mean to sound narcissistic, but this body is perfect; I look as if Michelangelo himself sculpted me.
I'm at least eight feet tall, and muscles I've never seen before ripple across my body.
Finally, my face looked like the one I had in my previous life: handsome.
My eyes have black sclera with yellow pupils.
And, oh, by the way, I'm nude.
[DP: 2480]
After buying black pants, a black, high-collared cloak, and getas, I left the throne room and ventured outside.
"Despite me being as strong as I am, the possibility of myself besting Lefi is nil. Therefore, my best course of action is to avoid her," I said as I passed by fantastical-looking flora and fauna.
There were rabbits with horns and tusks, deer with floppy rabbit ears and piercing red eyes, and trees with different hues.
A truly fantastical world indeed.
"Speaking of Lefi, I wonder if this is the cannon world or an alternate one? Will my knowledge be relevant, or has my existence changed things? Hmm, I'll find out soon enough, I guess."
Stopping for respite at a stream, not that I needed to, as I was washing my face, I sensed danger; from my periphery, I spotted an immense black object moving swiftly toward me.
Flipping backward in the nick of time, I narrowly avoided a claw strike aimed at my ribs.
"Well, hello there, big boy," I said on one knee with a toothy grin, the right side of my cloak in tatters.
[Race: Obsidian Bear]
[Level: 57]
Standing almost as tall as me, the bear had red eyes with black fur and obsidian scales on its head, above its eyes, and on its fore and hind legs.
"Come," I beckoned it with my right hand, my body urging me to fight despite the level gap. "I've never consumed bear before."
That must have incensed it because immediately after I stopped talking, the bear bellowed a mighty roar and charged at me.
Deftly dodging a flurry of swinging claws, I was more in awe of myself than fearful of my current predicament.
"It must be because of my [Martial Arts] skill," I presumed, amazed at my fighting prowess as I bent under another horizontal swing.
Delivering a left knee to its sternum, hitting it into a tree, and subsequently several, I didn't give the Obsidian Bear any reprieve.
Rushing forward with astonishing speed, I punched and kicked it incessantly, felling more trees and several boulders in the way.
My assault led us to a lake, the Obsidian Bear half-submerged in it.
As I flew over the lake toward my still-downed foe, I couldn't help but think:
"How weak."
However, as soon as I had that thought, another came to mind:
"This Obsidian Bear isn't weak, I'm just abnormally strong."
Landing on top of the bear, its breathing haggard, I raised my right hand and struck the final blow, piercing it through its stomach, my hand exiting out of its back.
As I was removing my hand from the bear, a thought occurred:
"I should eat it!"
Placing the Obsidian Bear's corpse in my [Storage], I began a casual walk to my Dungeon.
What? Did you think I would eat it raw? My mind is still human, after all.
***
[Name: Tyus, Level 27]
[Race: Tengu (Unique)]
[Class: Demon Lord]
[HP: 5810/5810]
[MP: 14727/14727]
—
[Strength: 1501]
[Endurance: 1530]
[Agility: 2129]
[Mana: 1278]
[Dexterity: 2882]
[Luck: 300]
—
[SP: 40]
[Great Skill: War God Hachiman (Locked)]
[Skills: All Speak, Martial Arts (Level 10), (Storage (Level 10), Appraisal (Level 1)]
—
[Demon Lord From Another World, The Selected, The ********]
[DP:2480]
***
Entering my Dungeon and traversing its cave corridors, I walked into my throne room and sat down with a contented sigh.
Opening the [Shop], I stared absentmindedly at the home screen.
There are several things I would like to purchase, chief among them being surveillance for my Dungeon and the surrounding area and a skill that would allow me, when I'm not in my Dungeon, to perform the same tasks.
I know I should've acquired this at the start, but I was too excited to prolong my journey any further. Forgive me for being slightly juvenile.
Touching the [Items] tab, I scrolled through manifold things.
"[Supernatural Vision]? I said, curious, stopping on the skill.
[Supernatural Vision: Allows one to see miles away, see in all directions at once, see in the dark, see the faintest movements, and track things too fast for the normal eye]
[DP: 2230]
After purchasing [Supernatural Vision], I continued my search for security.
"I wonder if this [Shop] has a Ring camera?"
It didn't.
Instead, I found and purchased a [Giant Sentry] to guard my Dungeon: a stone Tengu carrying a stone feather fan in one hand and a katana in the other. Its legs were shoulder lengths apart over the entrance with a menacing snarl on its face.
[DP: 2130]
Feeling safer, I purchased a few household items (a stove, cooking utensils, a bed, and a TV).
[DP: 2090]
Pulling the Obsidian Bear from my [Storage], I skinned, gutted, cleaned, and butchered it in preparation for cooking.
While I was doing so, I pondered on how I should confront Lefi.
I can't beat her; that's obvious. And despite knowing of her sweet tooth, I won't resort to such methods.
As a Supreme Dragon, to essentially allow a stranger to enter and reside in your territory for sweets is inconceivable. Therefore, I shall use something else in order to prevent my potential demise.
Or will I?
As the adage goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Hoping my knowledge of canon would prevail (lazy, I know) and that Lefi would have the same personality, I opted to use sweets.
If consequences transpire, I'll deal with them when they arise.
Frying a piece of steak, the smell emanating from the pan was divine; I couldn't wait to eat.
As I was doing so, savoring every morsel, I thought about my future and what it could entail.
With my gaze turned toward the ceiling, I smiled softly.
"This will be interesting."