Demon Metamorphosis III

There he was, he irradiated a golden aura that dwarfed mine, shining up this dark world with his splendour.

I was for the first time able to witness my master's aura, falling completely enamoured with its golden hue and beautiful might.

[Primordial Golden Dragon God Richter Magnanimous Golden-Haze. Emperor of the Primal Realm's Haze Dynasty, Fort Ascension's Star, Fate's Chosen One, Nemesis of Destruction, Owner of the Treasury Realm, Helius' Tyrant...]

His aura was so heavy and strong that I couldn't believe I had been enjoying such a close relationship with a powerhouse like this, only now I truly realised who he really is... let alone, this is but a wisp of his power.

Yes, this is the divinity transmitted by a single one of his scales!

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm still angry you know?" He stated with frowning eyes.

"Master… master…" I wept, unable to approach him, but desiring nothing but to throw myself on him. How could I even dare touch him after what I did? moreover… he has already expressed his discomfort.

I 'devoured' him after all.

Before I approached his silhouette, there was something I needed to discuss with him, a hunch.

"Master... it was your plan all along?"

"Yes," He smiled, not concealing anything.

"Only if I devoured you... would you be able to appear here, is that how it is? the only way for you to enter the trial..." I cleaned my tears with determination in my voice, the fact that it was his plan all along didn't diminish the guilt of my actions.

He remained silent momentarily before a warm smile appeared on his face, "Well, it was actually more than that, Grayfia... I needed you to die many times as possible in order for your spirit to adapt to my primordial gold and even to the Heart Lineage. Otherwise, how would you have harnessed this power?"

"You didn't try this before, right?" I gave him a half-smile, I was used as his lab rat.

"Never... I didn't know if it was going to work, but to be fair... I also didn't believe you were going to be able to surpass this trial. But that is precisely what the Heart Lineage does, rebuild your whole being from the core to transform you into a Demon Empress... I only placed my scale in the middle of it all and hoped for the best, that way not only would you be able to harness my Primordial Gold, but I'd also be able to come and help you".

"How could you... do all this... so impulsively?" I sighed with a pout, cleaning my tear and resigning to my fate.

My master is a madman, or a mad dragon is more accurate?

I approached him and hooked his arm around my chest, where it belonged.

He had gambled it all... he gave me the Heart Lineage unaware if I was going to be able to overcome the trial. He tore out one of his scales and implanted it in me, unaware if I would be able to harness its power. But... he also came here with me, to help me as much as he could in this process, he did it all... everything he could... even going as far as to allow me to devour him just so he could enter the trial with me.

He transformed this 0% probability into a 100%.

'How can I not fall in love with you?' I said, not caring if he heard me or not, in fact, it is better if he hears me.

He looked at me for a moment before setting his gaze on the demons all around us, "If you don't risk... you don't win, Grayfia... that's how this multiverse is... I believed in you, then I believed in myself... and I won like I always do".

I couldn't take it any longer.

"Please… allow me to be your maid! allow me to serve you for eternity!" I couldn't wait anymore, I needed the confirmation. I did it, managed to surpass the first phase and became a Demon Goddess as he desired, I need to be acknowledged!

"Ah?" He deadpanned at me as if saying 'really? now?' perhaps expecting me to propose this once the trial was done, prop to him for believing I could wait that long!

"I don't want to be separated from you ever again, Richter-sama! you promised me... I have become a Demon Goddess! Not a Queen or an Empress, A Goddess!" I don't even know how I achieved it, I only knew that I needed to be stronger to be by his side and take him out of here and back home... it was all that mattered.

"Grayfia… right now is not the mo-" He tried to evade the subject, a logical decision considering that we were in the middle of an army of Demon Kings, Emperors and Gods. I didn't care... if they tore me to shreds I'd just rebuild my limbs.

"Please! tell me your answer! I-If you reject me… I will become stronger!" I wouldn't stop until he accepted me, this is the person I have chosen, I don't want anyone else!

"Aish…" He scratched his head several times, I don't know what he was thinking until I heard him whisper something to himself.

"You remind me of myself, huh... fighting so hard just so you can enter someone's eyes..." He said lightly before increasing his volume, "You speak of eternity as if it was anything… you have no idea how long is eternity, Grayfia".

"I don't care, master… if it is too long we can slumber together... if it is short we can live the moment, please… allow me to serve you." I rubbed my hair against his arm, behaving like a spoiled cat... I knew he'd allow me this much. I sounded desperate because I was desperate.

If he didn't accept me now, I don't know if I would be able to take it.

**

**

[Richter's POV]

This woman... I think she took my actions a little too seriously.

The hordes of Demon Gods that even I don't dare underestimate are approaching and yet here she is, pledging herself to me with a look of infatuation I have seen millions of times, but never this pure... how many women have proposed to stay with me for eternity, but they don't even reach a hundred years?

Even then… Grayfia does look like she can keep up.

She reminds me of myself... back then I was fighting so hard to enter Destiny's eyes... I did everything to become stronger, who would've thought that it was my time to be on the other side of the spectrum?

I saw her fighting those creatures and my interest in her flared. She has inherited my power. She's compatible with my Primordial Gold, which means... She could possibly bear my child without having to suffer Monique and the other's fate.

Moreover, she literally ate me... it was a part of the plan but I will never forget what this woman did. I will never let go until she dies… she's mine.

"Very well, Grayfia. Henceforth, you're my maid."

**

**

Grayfia smiled like never before and her aura flared inadvertently, giving her master another surprise upon recognising her new titles.

[Demon Goddess Lucifuge of the Frozen Underworld, First Apostle of Primordial Gold]

Her title resonated like thunder in the land, making Richter whistle in awe, 'First Apostle of Primordial Gold, huh? does that mean that you're now sharing my faith? it explains how you became so strong...'

Grayfia read her own aura in awe, it couldn't be compared to his, but it was still devastatingly strong, the golden aura still mostly foreshadowed the fact that she was a Demon Goddess.

'Frozen Underworld... First Apostle of Primordial Gold... I like how it sounds' He thought, feeling pride. After ten thousand years of being a Primordial, he finally gained a worshipper and he's an apostle at that!

"That is your identity… it defines how you are perceived in the eye of other powerhouses, 'Apostle of Primordial Gold' hold tightly onto that identity and don't let go, Grayfia. It means that you're now one of my own!" His voice showed absolute pride, the Primordial of Gold had finally gained a member of his entourage.

"Yes!"

*RUMBLE!!!*

The Primordial and his First Apostle stood together, their golden brilliance shining like never before, his wings flapped freely just like hers, giving an intimidating hue that made several Demon Kings and Emperors back down.

He threw her a sidelong glance and for a moment caught the sight of a waving crimson hair with a maniacal expression that mirrored his own, closing his eyes and opening again, she was gone and Grayfia remained.

'I guess... it is time to move on, Monique...'

"Now, there is something we have to do… only this time I shall allow you to lead the way, Demon Goddess~"

*RUMBLEE!!!*

Richter's body formed scales all around and transitioned to his hybrid form, his wings flapped with a shockwave and before Grayfia even knew, he was no longer there, there was only a slight remaining golden hue.

*BOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!*

Richter's aura flared like a golden mountain falling on everyone on the battlefield.

With a maniacal smile, golden piercing claws clutched onto one of those Demon Gods by the head, immediately obliterating the weakling Demon Kings and Queens with the mere impact before crashing the bastard against another Demon Goddess. His tail pierced, his wings sliced, his claws crushed... everything was a weapon.

*BOOOMMM!!*

Sharp teeth sank inside a Demon God's neck before he even realised, tearing the flesh apart; he evaded blows, blocked darkness and fire attacks and danced on the battlefield as if he was born for it. Grayfia was awed, this was her trial, but her master had become MVP.

"Damned monster!"

The Demon Gods flickered trying to evade him and sending attacks of their own, they weren't easy foes, not only that, they were enjoying this as well as if they had finally met the final boss.

Richter didn't use Primordial Gold, magic or anything... his mere physical strength did the job.

He took two demon emperors and crashed their heads on the ground heavily destroying the area and producing a cloud of smoke that he further used to his advantage.

A kick exploded a Demon Emperor's head like it was watermelon, he then kicked the body and set it blasting towards the crowd of incoming kings and queens.

It had been less than a minute and there were more than a dozen corpses of powerhouses.

Grayfia was elated... Richter quickly got in the zone, he hadn't fought so well for a long time and wasn't about to let go of the chance.

He told her to lead the way and then charged on his own!

The maid sighed with a helpless smile and released her own aura, there was no need for an entourage to defeat all these Demon Gods. All of them are as strong as Selodus or even stronger, but Grayfia felt as long as she had her master, it was enough!

She extended her hands as Ice and gold began to cover the dark world, the closest Demon Empress whose gaze had been mesmerized by Richter looked at her before flickering in her direction, using a dark broadsword that emitted a dangerous glint.

"What a wonderful master you've got, I envy you~"

!!!

"You speak?"

"Of course, I can! hand over your body, Demon Goddess!~"

Grayfia frowned and produced a frozen golden sword of her own both weapons clashed heavily producing a shockwave that spread through space.

*BAAAANGGGG!!!*

Grayfia's legs sank to the ground, keeping her place against this astounding opponent, her fight had just started.

Richter lifted his hand up to cover himself against a gigantic hammer that came crashing down, producing a crater underneath him that failed to even make him frown, clouds of dust spread all over as he looked at his foe with an interested glint.

"It has been a long time… old fool Rangha"

"Golden Dragon! I see you have grown up just like your father!~ fight with me as he did back in those glorious and devilish days in the primal realm!"

The Demon seemed quite enthusiastic to meet an acquainted here of all places, alas...

"Unlike my royal father… I'm afraid I don't have the time, Rangha"

Out of nowhere, the man's torso exploded and the afterimage of a big bloodied golden tail made itself present; having impaled him. It was Richter who had used his tail to attack the now-fallen Demon Emperor, the hit produced waves that spread across the dozens of incoming Demons who switched their targets from Grayfia, towards Richter!

However, she wouldn't allow her master to do the work that was hers to do.

Grayfia's steps became heavy as the frozen gold coated her body, producing plates around her body that resembled an armour of glory.

*BOOOOMMMMM!!*

She blasted away the Demon Empress she was in a deadlock with. With her current strength Demon Emperors shouldn't be difficult to defeat, but she had yet to harness her whole prowess, relying mostly on her master's primordial gold than the demon powers she had obtained.

"This new power…" She still couldn't believe how strong she had become, deep inside she knew she was no longer a devil but instead something sinister. All of the sudden, she felt as if flows of darkness began pouring into her mind... memories.

The corpses all around began transforming into the darkness that entered her body. The Demon Kings and Queens were almost insignificant to the current Grayfia, brushed aside like rubble. But the memories of the Demon Emperor Rangha flowed in her mind with weight, hundreds of thousands of years ago, coursing through the land, devastating it and cursing it with his black thunder and a gigantic hammer.

A Barbarian Emperor.

She saw the silhouette of a big red dragon whose name she knew, as well as his title.

[Dragon King Ferocious Haze, Chief of the Dragon Race, Leader of the Haze Dynasty]

That was his title back then. It was her master's father, those days the now majestic Dragon God was a newly-born, she could see him in Rangha's memories together with a petite silver dragoness, Eneva. They had just hatched from their eggs. Beside Furious; protecting their children was a rather beautiful and graceful white dragoness whose size was unexpectedly bigger than even Ferocious.

[Dragon Queen, Afluora. The matriarch of the Western Plains]

Their titles were feeble and compared to her master's current existence, they were like ants. But those days were different from the present. The Demon Emperor Rangha fought him several times, ending in a stalemate for each of them until he fell into the hands of the fairies who took possession of the heart lineage and sealed it for the next centuries.

*BAAANGG!!*

Her frozen claws met a sword that resembled emptiness, Epitaph of Silence, Demon God, Shin the Authentic.

It was a difficult fight, from the sidelines she saw how her master kept the rest of the demon gods at bay, even managing to slaughter one of them, in doing so… memories flowed in her mind again.

It was then that she understood this test. If she perished, they'd take over… if she prevailed, she'd have to inherit their legacy and risk losing her own.

Such was the heart lineage. No such power existed in her world.

When her claws pierced through Shin's heart, she marvelled.

Millions of years ago, a romance… Shin hailed from another world, a much more advanced civilisation and his talents were phenomenal, but in the end… he caused the end of his own civilisation… starting with the end of his own Kingdom, Earlshide Kingdom… the demons set him in a trap, unleashing his full potential which ended in the fall of those he held dear.

On a desolate and barren planet, he met the Demon King that was currently fighting her master, Demon King Eiyashun. Shin destroyed him, eventually earning himself the Heart Lineage and obtaining the strength to leave that desolate planet, moving somewhere else in the multiverse of Helius where once again the demons would once again sprout from negative emotions.

Grayfia fell on her knees covered in frozen gold and blood, holding her head with a strong headache, so many memories she couldn't handle didn't cease to pour in as she yelled.

Richter paid no heed and continued his slaughter, a mass grin covering his face as he continued to massacre known and unknown enemies from his past.

He trusted Grayfia to be able to complete the job.

...

The silver-haired maid understood that devils and demons were fundamentally different… while there were Devils that could be good or bad… demons were different, they were fundamentally evil, and going against this evilness was like going against their own nature.

Several of those Demonesses that came from the shadows in strides, aimed their weapons at Grayfia.

She felt a spear impale her chest, holding it tightly she found herself face to face with a woman that could only be described as ravishing, she licked her lips.

[Demon Goddess Lucile of Endless Lust, Tyrant of the Male Population, Heartbreaker]

The woman licked her lips, tasting Grayfia's blood having impaled her shoulder, her lips opened to say something that made the maid utterly outraged.

"You don't mind if I get a taste of your master, once I plunder your body, right?~"

!!!

This woman had a massive stench of depravity around her, Grayfia didn't even want to see what memories she had, but she had no choice.

"DREAM... ON!"

Paradoxically, someone else came forward, holding a weapon that resembled a trident while exuding a green and pestilent aura, even then, her curves couldn't be underestimated.

[Demon Goddess, Querehsha, Monarch of Insects]

The battle in this dark world only grew more and more agitated, but Grayfia refused to give up.

A massacre ensued in which she resisted her memories, thinking about her family, thinking about the underworld, thinking about the things that made her 'her', forsaking memories, romances, orgies, destruction, sadness, isolation… ambitions.

Eventually, only one corpse remained.

Richter stood by her side, coated with more than a little blood, the gold in his hair was barely visible from the massacre that he pulled out, the majority was slaughtered by him.

Grayfia was on her knees, shivering with his hand on her shoulder… her eyes regarded the last Demon God on her lap. His body bisected, but instead of crying disconsolately, he looked at her with the smile of a lunatic.

He was a child.

The son of the Demon Goddess Lucille, the one she doted on the most… after her death at the hands of the light queen, the heart lineage was inherited by this little fellow… he was the demon god merely for ten days before the heart was mercilessly stripped from his chest by one of his elder brothers.

He didn't manage to overcome the test that she was currently going through, he was corroded to the point of no return, mostly by his own mother.

All he could do as he watched Grayfia was laugh and laugh maniacally, a poor child whose heart had been consumed by the origin of demons.

"Finish it, Grayfia… he's the last one," Richter said, aware she was having doubts because the demon's appearance resembled a child, but that was no child.

'To think you would go this far, Grayfia Lucifuge~'

The voice of Legion spoke again, coming precisely from this child.

Grayfia couldn't answer… her eyes were cold and her entire aura was cold… she was on the verge of becoming something else.

'Hehe~ could you still be called Grayfia Lucifuge?~'

"I-I am… m-master's maid…" She declared, slowly and stuttery her memories struggled to remain in front of the river of bloody memories that poured constantly.

"Your last test is upfront, me~, it must have been difficult right? the ones like me were the most desperate upon facing the trial... those without a will, corroded by the past of the demon origin. Are you willing to go through it, once more?~"

"I… will…"

"Oh?"

"If I am unable to… do… this… then… I'm not qualified to be by my master's side"

"ARE YOU SO EAGER TO BE THIS DRAGON'S SLUT!? NO ONE THAT EVER HELD ME, LEGION, HAS EVER BEEN A SLAVE! WAKE U- AHHHH!!"

She introduced her frozen spear-like fingers into the kid's eyes, shutting him up.

"I will be whatever my master desires for me to be".

Richter remained silent, but his eyes regarded Grayfia with a different visage.

For several seconds she massacred the last Demon God, absorbing his memories which were almost null, in truth, those that were corroded during the test were the most difficult, there was nothing but madness in them.

As she knelt, all she could think of was the endless memories of those she consumed.

Ambitions unfulfilled, romances lost, destruction, massacres, orgies… everything evil that she would have never taken part in during her life as a devil, she had lived by proxy.

But even then, deep within this abyss, were those memories… the memories of her mother, her father, her little sister, the underworld, the devil race which she loved, her mother teaching her how to be a good maid.

"Master, why did you give me... the Heart Lineage and your scale? risking even your own consciousness..." She slumped on the ground, tired... memories still rushed in, but she kept her ground mostly aided by Primordial Gold.

If he hadn't come along, she wouldn't have surpassed this trial. In fact, she felt respect for anyone that did surpass it.

"Isn't the answer obvious?" He sat beside her and the two lay down on the ground.

"..." Grayfia regarded him from the side, it wasn't so obvious to her.

"Because I want you by my side, Grayfia~" The man chuckled, scratching his belly as if to congratulate himself for his effort, hoping he could just be back to fall asleep after massacring a few hundred Demon Gods.

She giggled, still shivering due to the aftermath of the second phase.

Regaining a little of her poise she knelt in front of him, "I'm still Grayfia Lucifuge, master..."

"I can tell".

"I will be your maid for the remains of our eternity, please... treat me well".

"Ho?~" He raised and took Grayfia in his arms roughly, she bit her lips, noticing that they were beginning to disappear from this dark world.

His hand clawed on her butt through the maid dress as he held her waist with the other, Grayfia placed her hands on his chest clumsily, awaiting his words.

"Don't worry 'First Apostle of Primordial Gold' I will make sure you remember who is your master, every day... for eternity".

An astounded Grayfia literally froze when her lips were stolen roughly, it was so intense that her golden wings flapped out inadvertently at their full length, just like Richter's.

It was her first kiss, and it couldn't be any better.

The world began to crumble around them like broken glass.

The lovestruck maid hooked her arms around her master's neck and melted while Richter did the same around her slender waist. All the way to the end until they disappeared from the Heart Lineage's trial.