Chapter 15 - Seed of the Devil

Uriel looked at the space cut in half in front of him, in his indifferent eyes a mysterious gleam flickered. He did not look the same as before. His hair was purple and fell to his knees. He stood taller and a mysterious aura emanated from him. He was not in his physical body but the form of his soul!

He smiled slightly and his gaze turned downward and he looked at the being split in half.

It had large wavy black horns coming out of its forehead, lips, and black skin full of cracks. He had a relatively muscular physique, standing about six feet tall with a pair of large black wings that protruded over his ribcage.

'So, that's the demon attached to this Demon Village.'

A Demon Village, a realm that once belonged to a Demonic Ancestor. They were made as a gift to his followers and loyal servants. Currently, Demonic Villages are known by many as Demonic Tribulation, or by some as Demonic Prison... A place where one can obtain the qualifications to become a demon.

The first test, and the method to even get into this place, is to demonstrate possessing the nature of a demon. A demon is an existence that always likes to be bathed in blood, so to enter this place one must first be bathed in blood.

And since the Demon Village were created by beings of a level equivalent to heaven, even if you are in another dimension, realm, or universe, someone can enter it. Of course, if you are in a place very far away, such as in another universe, you will need to make special preparations. Uriel had already made the preparations even before he left the Abyss.

'That time I failed to get the qualification. However, now...'

Uriel looked at the demon split in half and a smile appeared on his face.

His former self who entered the Demon Village in pursuit of changing himself into a demon could not even think of hurting such a being

'The difference is enormous.'

A wry smile appeared.

"Kuak!"

Suddenly, the head of the demon he was stepping on moved and, a pair of red eyes that would cause goosebumps in anyone who looked, fixed on him.

"You bastard! What are you planning to do!!! The Ancestors will punish you!"

"Ancestors?"

Uriel's lips curved into an amused smile.

"Haven't I already told you? They are dead. All the Demonic Ancestors are currently dead."

The red eyes widened.

"Impossible! Do you think I'm going to believe such nonsense?! Demonic Ancestors are omnipotent beings, how could they die?!!"

'Omnipotent, huh...'

Uriel almost laughed at the ridiculousness. Whether it was those who reached the level equivalent to heaven, or those who surpassed that level and reached even greater heights, none of them could be considered truly omnipotent.

'The Demonic Ancestors were beings of the heaven equivalent level of the Demon Race, yet they were far from being considered omnipotent.'

He looked at the demon lying on the ground with a mocking look.

"What would I gain by lying to you? Several Age ago, specifically in the Venerable Age, the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable Supreme killed all the Demonic Ancestors."

"Lies! When the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable Supreme broke the boundaries of his lower world and ascended beyond his world, the Ancestors were the first to help him adapt and they even became great friends!!! Why would he kill them?!"

"Why?"

Uriel's eyes narrowed and a mocking smile formed on his face.

"Your Ancestors were betrayed and, without exception, all of them were killed by the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable Supreme. They were used and, soon after, discarded like garbage."

"I wonder how they felt? Betrayed by one of their most trusted friends, someone they treated as a brother… Haa..." Uriel sighed and a sad expression appeared on his face, although his eyes showed a trace of mockery. "It must have been a really painful feeling..."

"Impossible! I refuse to believe your drivel!"

The demon roared and its red eyes glittered.

It was then.

Kuuuuuuuuuo!

An unbelievable amount of Demonic Energy exploded from the demon's body. The two halves of the demon's body mysteriously came together and space began to twist as its figure moved further and further away from Uriel. The demon was twisting space trying to escape!

'Trying to escape? Humph.'

With both hands behind his back, Uriel's eyes showed disdain. His leg came down and he stepped on the ground. Demonic Energy spread over his feet at an unbelievable speed. Scarlet black energy rapidly expanded all over the place.

Kuuuuaaash!

"Kuaaak...!" The demon cried out in pain as he felt enormous pressure. His gaze turned upwards and he saw Uriel's foot on top of his head pressing him hard on the ground. However, there was something else that made him terrified.

'Your Demonic Energy...!'

He saw an endless sea of Demonic Energy behind Uriel. A practically endless Demonic Energy!

"Impossible!"

All the Demonic Energy in this place belonged to the Demonic Ancestors before they left this place. But, some human brat was controlling all the Demonic Energy of the Ancestors so easily? Such a thing was impossible in his mind.

"Why wouldn't it be possible?"

The demon's pupils trembled to look at Uriel's smiling figure. His eyes and expression showing how disbelieving he was.

"How can you freely use the Demonic Energy of this place?! That's impossible!"

'Mm...' Uriel twisted his lips slightly. An amused smile was on his face and he asked the demon, "Don't you already have your answer?"

The demon frowned heavily. Then suddenly he noticed something around Uriel—a mysterious smoke!

'Could it be...?'

The demon's pupils decreased as a thought arose in his mind. He gritted his teeth and a hateful expression appeared on his face. He had understood now. There was only one existence he knew of that could create something that could freely control the Demonic Energy of this place.

"Heaven Refining Demon Venerable Supreme...! That damn traitor!"

The demon's eyes were injected with blood and his entire body was trembling. His face was twisted in anger and hatred.

Uriel's lips curved as he watched the demon's reaction.

'Heh. It's really funny the expression of someone when they find out they've been betrayed. Did I make a similar expression that time?'

He scoffed. Then, suddenly, his gaze became tense and his pupils contracted slightly. His forefoot-stomping the demon's head withdrew and, kicking the ground, he retreated like lightning several hundred meters.

Kaboom!

Red lightning came down from the sky and a powerful pressure began to radiate from the demon. A growing Demonic Energy began to emanate from his body and red rays covered his entire body.

Crack! Crack!

The ground around him had cracked completely and space trembled above his feet.

The demon's lips were curved into a mad smile. "Hehehehehe! Who cares if the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable Supreme is a traitor? I can just get rid of you and go after him right after!"

Looking at the growing Demonic Energy radiating from the demon, Uriel assessed him carefully. His eyes showed no fear, in fact, a trace of disappointment flashed through them.

'As expected from a demon carrying the devil seed, he is not bad at all... However...'

"Is that all?"

His gaze showed disdain and mockery as he looked at the demon.

"That's all?" The demon whispered softly, wondering if he heard something wrong. However, seeing Uriel's mocking expression, he realized that the latter was being honest. A vein popped out of his forehead and an irritated expression appeared on his face.

Did I just... Did I just get underestimated by a human? A mere human? Me, a demon who served directly to the Ancestors?

Kuuuuuaaahh-!

He roared as his red eyes flashed brightly and a malevolent aura coming out of his body expanded over the sky and earth. His body was changing. His muscles were swelling and his veins were bulging.

Buzz! Buzz!

Powerful red rays expanded from his body and covered the ground colliding head-on with Uriel's almost endless Demonic Energy. His body had grown several hundred meters in height. He pointed his finger in Uriel's direction.

"Die."

Bzzt!

A red beam formed at the tip of his finger. When a large beam formed of thousands of red rays shot toward Uriel. Wherever it passed, the beam tore chunks out of the earth and kept moving forward frantically.

Kaboom!

The great red beam approached him, but Uriel showed no fear. His gaze was indifferent and a mocking smile was on his face.

'Those rays... Was the Demonic Ancestor he was serving from the 1st Demon World?'

He observed. A moment later, he stretched his palm forward. Endless Demonic Energy gathered and began to consolidate something in his palm.

Woong!

The air vibrated and twisted.

"Demonic Art - Flame Lotus..." Uriel smiled and the Flame Lotus spun in his hand.

'Um...? What's that?'

The demon sensed something wrong.

Suddenly, his eyes widened and a terrible expression appeared on his face.

He felt the temperature of the place increasing tremendously. The ground was melting into magma and space itself was distorting over the scorching heat.

Crackle! Crackle!

The crackling of flames resounded, and in the demon's vision, a small scarlet-red lotus from Uriel's hand shot out toward his great red beam. The lotus looked simple, yet, the demon knew, that was something terrible and frightening!

Boom!

A deafening sound rang out as the two attacks collided.

"...Scalding Wave."

Uriel's whisper echoed.

It was then.

Kuuuuuuuuuuuo!

Terrible flames exploded from the Flame Lotus and instantly devoured the red beam. A tenebrous, gigantic wave of flames appeared!

"Burn."

At Uriel's command, the flames continued their advance in a great wave of flames toward the demon.

Crackle! Crackle!

'Run!' As soon as that thought came to the demon's mind, he shot toward the space split by Uriel's sword earlier. He didn't even look back as he felt the wave of flames spreading towards him. He could feel his own Demonic Energy evaporating just by being near those flames!

Crackle! Crackle!

A huge existence hundreds of meters long was running away from an even bigger wave of flames!

"Hehehe, that's it? For a demon to be running away from a 'mere' human..."

Uriel's teasing laughter rang in his ears, but his recoil did not stop. Demons are selfish existences that live for themselves! He would rather save his life than try to protect the Demon Village from such a terrible monster.

'He's boring.'

Uriel narrowed his eyes.

'But, I can't let him die. Not by the flames of the Flame Lotus...'

Uriel squinted his eyes, looking at the figure of the demon that was escaping with all his might. He knew, even if the demon used all its strength to escape, it would inevitably be destroyed and devoured by the Scalding Wave.

"Sigh..."

Uriel sighed and shook out his sleeves. It was then that the gigantic wave of flames dispersed in a single instant!

Before the demon could rejoice at that...

Whoosh!

Uriel stepped forward and in an instant appeared in front of him. The demon's heart leaped. He didn't seem to be looking at a mere human, but a terrible monster in human form!

"W-what do you want...?"

His voice was shaky and his eyes showed fear.

"Haven't I already told you?" Uriel tilted his head to the side. Just as the demon was about to ask what, a smile appeared on his face. "I came here to become a devil."

"Huh...?"

A confused expression appeared on the demon's face. When suddenly, he understood what Uriel meant by that.

"No! I have other ways you can become a devil! Please-"

Splash!

Blood splashed out like a fountain.

"Cough...!" The demon spat out blood and looked at the smiling figure of Uriel holding his heart with his hand. A hateful look appeared on his face as his vision began to blur. "You... You damned..."

Thud!

Before he could complete his last words, his dead body fell to the ground and he took his last breath.

"Pfft... Hahaha! Heavens, did this guy really think I was going to spare him?"

Uriel couldn't help but laugh at the demon. A moment later, his laughter stopped and he looked at the heart in his hand. The heart of a demon. And not just any demon, the heart of a demon that had once received the blessings of the Demonic Ancestors.

The seed of the devil!

'That should do it.'

A satisfied expression appeared on his face. With both hands holding the heart, he sat down in lotus form on the ground and did the basics that any cultivator knew how to do.

Cultivate!