Next Step

[ Kai's POV ]

Tap... Tap...

My footsteps echoed through the silent forest as I ventured deeper into the darkness.

The moonlight cascaded through the thick canopy of trees, casting an eerie glow on the forest floor.

However, I couldn't care less about the atmosphere around me.

My mind was preoccupied with thoughts about the story's future.

I could already imagine countless plot twists that will occur, because of me stopping the Demon from killing the Villagers.

It is because of me that the attack was prevented and not a single person lost their life today, which should have been quite a relief for Eva.

I mean, who would have thought that a Demon would kill his kin?

It probably took everyone by surprise.

Well, maybe even Eva was taken aback by my heroic display.

However, I doubt it. There simply was no way a single good act could completely change her perception of the Demons.

"Ughh, it's complicated..."

Rubbing my temples, I sighed heavily as I glanced at the moonlit path ahead.

If the story was to follow its original route, then in a few days Eva would embark on the journey toward the Capital of the Kingdom, Eldoria, planning to enroll in the most prestigious Academy of Magic - the Aetherium Academy.

The Academy was known for its rigorous training and cutthroat competition. Its main goal was to create powerful and skilled magic wielders who would serve and protect the kingdom.

However, the main objective of the Academy was to create soldiers that knew how to combat the Demons, the eternal enemies of the entire world.

Demons are naturally born stronger than humans, possessing innate magical abilities.

They also possess Dark Mana, which is the direct opposite of Light Mana, which usually results in Demons having an advantage due to their inherently destructive and nefarious nature.

Before they could even kill the lowest-level Demon like me, humans have to train for months to master their abilities to the level required to stand a chance.

Well, the same can't be said for Eva, who is a monster on her own.

Even Demons can't keep up with her growth pace and her increasing power.

Her 'System' trait is so powerful that it allows her to level up at an astonishing rate and acquire new skills and abilities through battles.

Sometimes, even I, a devoted reader of this Novel, could only raise my hands in the air, seeing the constant power-ups in Eva's every battle.

At one point I even started feeling bad for the Demons who had the misfortune of crossing paths with her.

Nevertheless, this Academy served as one of the few important steps for Eva to fulfill her ultimate goal - to eradicate all the Demons, fulfill her revenge, and bring peace to the world.

However, this was not good news for me.

If Eva was set on eradicating all Demons, including me, then attending the Aetherium Academy would pose a significant threat to my existence.

I couldn't prevent her from doing so, but I had to find a way to protect myself and ensure my survival in the face of Eva's relentless pursuit.

If I recall correctly, Eva's journey toward the Capital took around a week, during which she was forced to fight off hordes of monsters and in the end, even face a Fiend Rank Demon.

Well, regardless she managed to defeat them all and finally made it to the Capital.

These battles also gave her some valuable experience that further enhanced her skills and abilities.

I also wanted to intercept Eva before the Capital, but my chances of doing so were low.

Also...

I needed her to become strong.

Why?

Well, because I don't like Demons.

Although I am one of them, at heart I'm a human, so I also yearned for the Eradication of evil.

Eva was probably the only person in the entire world, who had the potential to kill the Demon God herself.

Although I wanted to soften her stance toward Demons and secure my survival, I also knew that killing Demons was a good thing.

And if I was unable to make Eva believe some Demons can be different...

Yeah, I would probably be killed as well.

Well, killed a lot of times since I'm kind of immortal but still.

Eva's 'System' would probably find a way to kill me for real, so my death was not out of the realm of possibility.

The other choice I had was to become as strong as possible and become powerful enough to stand against Eva and protect my existence.

The Great Demon War will happen in a few years and it's crucial that I prepare myself adequately for it.

"Hahhh..."

Breathing a heavy sigh, I brushed my dark hair to the side and clicked my tongue.

In the end, everything revolves around strength.

This was basically a race with time.

I either become strong enough to protect myself and ensure my survival or risk being eradicated by Eva's relentless pursuit and the upcoming Great Demon War.

My odds of survival aren't that great, are they?