Chapter Twenty Seven

It's been a few days since your little raid on the Farm. But the results of your little espionage were... less than satisfactory.

What you assumed to be a pretty big blow to the Demon King was little more than an inconvenience. One that will have long term ramifications but little short term ones.

Turns out the King has accumulated a lot of reserves for just such an occasion. Surprisingly thoughtful for a demon.

But to guarantee he and his court will continue to live in plenitude he confiscated all supplies and now the demons working under him barely have anything, making them... agitated.

Attacks have become more and more frequent around your camp, causing your little home away from home to steadily grow.

As you're making a new, stylish purple vest out of that board demon general whatevers hide Sala approaches you, clearly annoyed by our current situation. "We got another raid coming... Damn it! I thought taking away their food would make them turn on the King! But it just made them angrier!"

"Relax Sala." You respond to her as you carefull try to make some new clothes.

"It's always like this. At first they are mad at the cause of the problem. But reason tends to run out when you see your leaders living in luxury while you can't eat. Just give it some time and they'll turn around real quick.

In the meantime-"

"Could we practice magic some more?

You know... before the party arrives."

With a sigh Sala agrees. "Sure. Sit down and let's get started."

Doing as you're told you follow through with her orders and give it your best to take in what she has to offer. Unfortunately for you, the powers that you have access to are still... insufficient to say the least. Even after listening carefully to Salas lessons on how to best visualize things you still can't actually replicate the results. By the end the only thing you've managed to do is look like a complete idiot with your open palm pointing upwards while having an expression like you are constipated.

"Damn it! Nothing!"

Sala sighs. "I was afraid it might come to this.

You are smart but weak. It doesn't matter if you get the lessons if you don't have the energy needed to perform them..."

"Then-"

"I'm afraid there is nothing else we can do.

You could wait... or... speak with the Majin?"

"NO!"

"Listen. That may very well be your only way to increase your magic. I'm sure over time your own capacity would increase. But if you managed to rein it in..."

"That's... Not as easy as you imagine."

"I don't think it's easy. Far from it. But we simply have no other option."

Taking a deep breath you finally nodded.

"Fine... I'll try talking to it... God this is the worst idea ever."

"I know. But if you got something better, let me know."

Sitting down you crossed your legs and with regulated breathing attempted to enter a meditative state. Your mind goes blank for a moment before you find yourself in your mindscape once more. The profound emptiness still lingers so you have no clue if your "friend" is even here. "Majin. MAJIN!

Do you hear me?"

No response.

You consider leaving, thinking that maybe its asleep or something but you are quickly caught off guard by a noise. "BOO!"

"GAH!"

"AHAHHAHAHAHAHHA!"

"Well aren't you the funny one... Listen Majin-"

"BUU!"

"Yes Majin, very funny."

"BUU!"

There seems to be a pattern here. "Majin-"

"BUUUUUUUU!"

"Buu?" No response. "Majin?"

"BUU!"

"That's your name? Majin Buu?" It does not answer per se but it gives you an affirmative grunt. "Okay Buu... I assume you know why I'm here-"

"No!"

"Erm-"

"MINE!" Well that's concerning. Seems like in the short amount of time since it got stuck with you Buu managed to pick up some words. You make a mental note to not underestimate its intelligence.

"I know that it's yours Buu. That's why I'm asking to borrow some. Not take. Borrow."

It grunts dismissively. "Listen... If you give me something that's yours, I'll give you something that's mine. How does that sound?" There was nothing but silence. Looks like the demon waits for your offer. "I'll give you a memory of mine in exchange for some power. Are you interested?"

The creature pauses before giving a loud response. "NO!"

"Hmmmm..." It seems you are at an impasse.

"Then what do you want?"

It seems to be tugging at... something.

Driven by curiosity you try to pull up what he was referring to only to see.... a blank screen.

"What is this?" You follow Buus gestures more and pull up something more interesting. Sound. "These are... my senses?"

"Okay Buu... We can work with this. But... If we're going to do this we'll need trust.

Here. A gift. It's yours. As a sign of good will."

You try to conjure up an old memory of yours, of eating some delicious, delicious pizza. The sensation of the hot cheese melting in your mouth, the flavor of the tomato sauce and the toppings. All of it. Showing it forward you hand it over to the entity and watch as a pair of red eyes now accompanied by a mouth approaches it. At first it starts sniffing it cautiously but as soon as the aromas strike its nose it gobbles the thing down.

After that you feel... weird. Less.

"It's uh... it's gone!" Try as you might you can't recall that memory any longer... That thing literally ate it. This may have been a bad idea.

But at the very least your sacrifice seemed to have an effect. "OOOOOOHOHOHOOOOOO HAHAA HIHII!"

"Good huh? That's called eating." Hopefully if it learns of things other than destruction maybe it'll become less... violent. "Now. That was free! But the rest? We'll work it out. Tell you what: If you give me some power... I'll let you use one sense of your choosing.

What do you say?"

Buu stops for a moment and starts thinking to himself. After a while he points at the screen which represents your sight, signaling that it is the one he wants. You nod and extend your hand, expecting something in return.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm!" Buu begins to hum and in front of you a pink glob of energy pops up.

Touching it you feel the power of the Majin course through your body, nearly overwhelming you. Falling to your knees you start panting hard. "Damn... that's... intense..."

Straightening your back you look up at the entity. "Okay Buu. A deal's a deal."

You relax your hold on the being for a moment and allow it access to your eyes. With the transaction over with you bid farewell to Buu and stop meditating. When your eyes snap open Sala reels back so much she falls on her rear end as she's pointing at you.

"Y-Your eyes! E-Eric?"

"Hmmm? What?"

Much like Salas, your eyes have gone black and your iris turned red. But only for a moment. Slowly the darkness retracts and your eyes return to normal. Sala sighs like a weight has been lifted from her heart.

"Thank the Makaio... I thought for a second you lost yourself!"

You shake your head. "Not yet. I managed to strike a deal though."

"Really?"

You nod.

You extend your hand and try to conjure up the power that Buu bestowed upon you.

With a grunt you plunge deep into the very core of your being and call forth the magical energy which appears in your hand as a small ball, about the size of a regular ki blast.

Sala looks at this and carefully pokes it.

"This is it? That's kinda small."

"We're working out the details of our contract..." Pulling back the energy inside your body you snap your finger and produce a little flame. "But at least I can work with this now."

Sala looks away from you and towards the horizon. "Well work on it later. We're out of time..."

"Great." Standing up you think carefully about how to handle this.

You crack your knuckles and your neck.

"Great. Just what I needed. Training dummies!

Hey Sala!"

"Huh?"

"What's the chance of these mooks being cannon fodder to weaken me for an Elite?"

"Slim. Don't expect such strategy from Demons. It's more likely that either they were promised a reward for your head... or that they were the first ones who started complaining so they got sent out."

"Noted."

With a quick burst of power you take off to the horde and stare it down as it approaches you.

Giving them a quick scan you can hardly make out any individual power levels since they are so low and similar to each other the whole thing just feels like one massive blob.

"This shouldn't be too difficult." You observe.

Now the only thing that matters is exactly "how" you want to dispatch them.

You decided to try something... potential dumb and definitely dangerous. If one speck of magic could do something like that... then you shudder to think what an entire handful of the stuff would do. And to add to the madness you decide to throw in a bit of something else as well.

Extending your hand you began chanting something. Not necessarily a spell but something dumber AND cooler.

"Darkness beyond twilight Crimson beyond blood that flows Buried in the flow of time

In thy great name, I pledge myself to darkness

Let all the fools who stand in our way be destroyed by the power you and I possess..."

As you go on the black sphere in your hand begins to grow, its swirling mass threatening to swallow everything around you. But this time it seems much, MUCH calmer. To go along with the nicked words you have a little song playing in your head to accompany this warcrime you are about to commit.

Extending your hands you throw out the bomb and shout. "NULL STAR!"

The black orb shoots out like it was fired from a cannon and as it reaches the flock of flying demons it expands and begins to suck in everything around it. Some demons try to simply outrun the thing, some try to fire whatever they have at it in the hopes of stopping whatever is going on.

As the orb begins to swell in size and becomes ready to explode you smile to yourself about how you managed to almost cock it up again. But you didn't. The spell was performed perfectly.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Most, about 70% of all demons, dies in the resulting explosion. The rest look up at you in horror and start shouting in fear.

"It-It's him! The Doomslayer!"

"H-He's on a whole other level!

We don't stand a chance against him!"

"Screw this! Let the Elites handle him!"

You watch as one of the bigger, bulkier ones steps up and pumps his chest. Seems like he's a greater demon that got stuck with all these weaklings but his powerlevel was drowned out by the many lesser ones.

"PUNY DEMONS! YOU DARE RUN FROM A HUMAN? FOOLS! FINE! RUN IF YOU WAN! I'LL SLAY HIM ALONE AND EARN BACK THE FAVOR OF THE KING!"

But before he could go on boasting some more the others around him surround the poor bastard and overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Even though he was more powerful than any of them he was overwhelmed.

How sad.

But with him out of the way the rest are preparing to turn tail and book it as fast as possible. Meanwhile you just watch this with arms crossed and giggling to yourself.

You decided to let the small fry run. They didn't sign up for this. And at least they have the common sense to run the fuck away when they need to. When you returned to your home you let out a hearty chuckle and told Sala and Ken about what transpired. They were at least a little bit entertained by it all.

After that however... no demon really dared to approach you, leaving you with plenty of time to exercise and practice. During this period of relative "peace" you sought out the most vile and dangerous corners of the Makai with Salas help and thrust yourself deep into it.

Best performing in life or death situations your progress skyrocketed and each endeavor left you considerably stronger.

And as your scars mounted so did your trophies. A new pair of boots, a pelt around your waist, a shirt and bone plates for armor. All coming from... less than enthusiastic donors but hey... fashion has its price.

After a couple of weeks of looting and pillaging your outfit became truly worthy of a road warrior from Mad Max. Even your precious mask underwent a huge change. After tacking on several new bone chips it looks like something out of a Predators collection. And when you put it on it strikes fear into the heart of even demons.

For your efforts did not go unnoticed.

They learned your name before... Now they learned to fear it.

The lesser demons tore each other apart as they competed to run into the deepest circles of the Makai. Being spawned by darkness learned to be afraid of the shadows. For they could hide Him. He who stalks the umbral plains, seeking the children of the Makaioshin and teaching them that there is something worse than they are.

The Doomslayer.

But as the infamy of the Doomslayer rose ever higher so did the blood pressure of the Demon King. Slamming his fist into the thick, black table in his castle he cursed violently.

"DAMN IT ALL! HE IS JUST ONE MORTAL! HE SHOULD'VE BEEN DEAD THE MOMENT HE ENTERED HERE! NOW MY KINGDOM IS IN SHAMBLES! WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE DESTROYER IS GOING ON?!" The red devil raged as a familiar presence approached him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Worry not little brother."

"Ah dear sister... Please tell me you bring good news... I'm afraid I can't take much more of this."

"That I do." She gestures backwards where a figure emerges from the shadow. The Demon King then REALLY gets mad.

"YOU!" He rushes forward and lifts the being up by the collar. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY ADVISOR! WHERE WERE YOU?!"

"I still have important things to do you ape!"

The purple figure responds. "Besides. I thought a mere mortal would not be beyond your ability to handle Abraka..."

The king lets go of the mysterious figure and then shoves a crystal ball in his face. "SEE THIS?! THIS IS MY MOST ELITE GUARD! LOOK WHAT HE DID! HE CHOPPED THEM UP AND MADE A MESSAGE OUT OF THEM! "RETURN TO SENDER" WITH A DICK NEXT TO IT!"

"I see. How vulgar. And you're afraid of him because of a taunt? How many times do I have to tell you that there is simply no way for a mortal that could beat you to exist? If you just did as I said and killed him when he first came in we wouldn't even need this conversation. Or have you become so complacent in the last thousand years that you forgot how to fight?"

The King is now REALLY mad. "SCREW THIS! AND SCREW YOU MAKAIO! There is still one warrior that could stop him..."

"You don't mean-"

"Yes... My old teacher..."

But as all that was going on you nonchalantly were picking demon things out of your teeth.

Your food tried to bite you, you bit back harder.

"Well it looks like that's about it. There isn't much else around here. You cleaned house D."

Sala spoke up.

"Oh really? Man. I really disliked that shadow labyrinth. Fighting is fine but I hate it when puzzles get in the way of it. It's kind of a let down to end on a bad note."

"Well... not necessarily. You still got the Demon King. And another one."

"Who?" You look up.

"Someone you may not want to kill."

"Why?"

"Because he's another outcast. A demon rejecting the ideals and norms of the Makai.

His name has been struck from the records. Even before I was born. Everybody just calls him Master. Supposedly the last Demon King."

You look up from picking your tooth.

"And he survived the new ones coronation?"

"Yes. Believe it or not the current Demon King Abraka did not want to kill him for some reason. Just branded him and left him alone.

What do you say? One last trip before kicking down the gates of the head asshole?"

You tell the others to pack their stuff because you're going to visit someone. On the way you assured Sala that just because you're gonna knock on his door doesn't mean you'll straight up murder him. Only if he's asking for it.

Much to your surprise the mountain where this supposed guru holed up is pretty much abandoned. Not quite devoid of all life like where Buu was locked up but it's still surprisingly... quiet by Makai standards.

Flying to the top, because fuck climbing, you reached a pretty big cavern which could house quite a big fella that wants to hide from the world.

Slightly feeling nervous you enter the place and almost immediately a wave of pressure washes over you. Chuckling in excitement you speak up. "I assume that's our guy."

"Yeap."

"So... second in the Demon World huh? Okay. I'll take that." The power of the guy is frankly massive. Easily on par with some of the Super Saiyans you've seen before. Cracking your neck you venture further in. "Time to see how far I've come."

Entering the cavern proper you are greeted by a... temple? That's strange. You thought demons are more about the destruction of those and not their construction. Before the stairs stands a ring, consisting of many cube shaped stone slabs. At the center of the ring sat a demon, legs crossed and meditating.

He looks kinda young despite being over a thousand years old according to Sala.

Noticing your presence he opens his eye and looks at you. "I thought I sensed someone.

Pardon me for not greeting you. I got... used to not having any visitors."

"I assume you know who I am."

"Actually I do not."

"Huh... That's refreshing. Anyway, I heard you're pretty tough and that you were the previous Demon King. So I got curious and came to check you out."

"And what for?"

"I want to kill the current King. And have nothing else left to do other than test my mettle against you."

"I see. How unfortunate."

"Why?"

"Because it's such a shame seeing someone trying to kill themselves..."

That managed to tick you off. "Okay buddy. I don't know if you've noticed but I'm wearing your entire race as a loincloth. I'm pretty sure I'm a big deal."

"And so did many before you. Yet none of them managed to usurp the throne. A barbarian will never be able to defeat Abraka..."

"Well I'm no mere barbarian. I came here to fight and to better myself through it. If killing here is what gets me strength then so be it!"

He looks over to your companions. "And them? Being your slave is for your betterment as well? Or is it perhaps for their sake?"

"Hey I'm no slave!" Sala responds.

"Mmmmmmm-"

"And he over there doesn't speak much so-"

"I was a slave-"

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! OVER A MONTH!! DID YOU DO THIS ON PURPOSE?!"

"But I changed my mind. That one over there. He is strong. He is worthy to follow. I watch him. And I grow stronger."

"I see... Perhaps I misjudged you. You might be more than a mere brute after all. Is this the wisdom of the upper worlds shining through you?"

"Can't say. Not much of a philosopher or a wiseman. Just a warrior with something in his noggin." You tap your temple.

"A rarity... here in the Makai that is." The Master then undoes his lotus position and stands up. "Very well. If it's an exchange of words you're looking for then I'm more than happy to oblige. Though I must apologize. I haven't had much conversation this millennia.

What would you like to know? I assume you had a question, hence you sought me out."

You nod.

"Well I suppose the big one is "Who are you".

Since... you know, you were a Demon King.

So what's your story? How come you're hanging out here now? Nice crib by the way."

He looks a bit confused by your last line but he shrugs it off and starts explaining things to you. "To tell you the truth I'm not sure how I got here either. I suppose it's my foolishness that lead me here."

"How come?"

"I wanted to change... I though I could change things. What makes a demon, what's the norm for the Makai. It didn't go so well. I used to be the most powerful in all the realm. But my subjects only begrudgingly respected me. They did not share my views."

"I assume they weren't too fond of temples and meditation."

"No. But I did not expect them to. I am still a demon. I understand what drives them, what's their reason for acting the way they do.

I'm just... calmer. I have control over my base instincts. I wanted to teach them that same thing, to put an end to this endless cycle of violence, murder and betrayal. But I failed."

"Abraka."

"No. That came later. When I realized you can not pour water into a jug that's full I changed my approach. Instead of trying to educate the fully grown demons, I'd go about influencing the next generation and hope they too influence those that come after them.

Sow the seeds of change and hope for the best. He was my first one. My first... and only pupil." The Master takes a deep breath and then sighs with a heavy heart.

"He was not much when I found him. A weak, frail little thing abandoned by its parents. A common thing in Makai. When a child is born too weak they are either abandoned or killed off as nobody would want to waste time, energy and effort on raising them. So I took pity on him and started teaching him my ways. Moderation, control, how to be... better than all this senseless violence. I hoped my martial arts would serve as a good tool for his education... But I failed to understand his ability to learn."

"Some things stuck better..."

"Couldn't have said it better myself. He was a genius when it came to fighting. He grew strong and he did it quick. Far quicker than I ever anticipated. But he cared little for the deeper meaning behind my lessons. When the time came... When he finally surpassed me he took my throne for himself, tore it from my fingers... In the end all my words, all my ideals and all my efforts amounted to nothing."

He smiles. "But I suppose I did survive. Although I wish I didn't."

"How come?"

"It was the one thing he took to heart. He felt... indebted to me. Deep down he knew I saved his life, that he wouldn't be where he is were it not for my generosity. So he repaid me with banishment instead of execution." The Master closes his eyes once more. "But that's it. He became just like all the rest before me. Like all that will come after him. Now you know... the tragic extent of my failings."