Chapter 122: The Path of Demon King

Chapter 122: The Path of Demon King

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[Free skill points +2.]

[Strength +1.]

[Constitution +1.]

[Killed one of the upper ranks and gained 1500 experience points.]

[Congratulations on your upgrade!]

[Ultimate mission obtained: The Path of the Demon King.]

Aoki's attention was drawn to the flurry of system notifications, especially the experience points.

"Kokushibo's experience is 1500—just as I expected. Defeating him allowed me to level up."

All the effort from the past had finally paid off. In addition to the experience, he gained 1 free skill point, which was equally crucial.

"Two attribute points and two free skill points. As expected of an upper rank demon, the rewards are bountiful."

Aoki mentally acknowledged Kokushibo's contribution, albeit posthumously. He allocated the 2 free attribute points to agility and strength, reaching over 25 points in all attributes, with strength peaking at 26 points.

Combined with the benefits from "Demon Devouring," which boosted all attributes by 1 point, the overall improvement was substantial.

Yet, this wasn't the most significant impact.

Aoki turned his attention to the skill bar. He had previously accumulated 2 free skill points, gained 1 point from the recent level-up, and acquired 2 additional points by devouring Kokushibo. With 5 free skill points available, he could now upgrade to level 2 "Transparent World."

Without hesitation, Aoki made the upgrade.

A sudden, cool sensation filled his mind before quickly dissipating. Aoki felt an immediate change—the "Transparent World" now felt like an instinct, activated and deactivated at will with almost no energy cost.

[Name: Aoki]

[Strength: 26]

[Constitution: 25]

[Intelligence: 25]

[Agility: 25]

[Occupation: Hunter, White Walker, Martial Artist]

…

White Walker

Quality: ★★

Level: lv20

Skills: Demon Blood VI, Space Shuttle II, Transparent World II, Demon Devouring II

Mission: Path of the Demon King (Ultimate Mission)

As Aoki reviewed the system panel, a wave of satisfaction washed over him. He had finally reached the maximum level.

It was already November, marking a full year since he had acquired the profession of "White Walker."

His attributes had evolved from the initial "4454" to an impressive state—over 25 points in all four dimensions, with each decimal point higher than his original total attribute.

Yet, despite maxing out his level and skills, a new mission still appeared. Aoki's curiosity peaked as he turned to the task bar.

The Path of the Demon King?

He had speculated about this before. First came "The End of the lower Moon," followed by "The End of the upper Moon." Following this pattern, there should be a " End of the Demon King" or "End of the Demon Ancestor."

Regardless of the naming convention, he had always felt there should be a mission tied to Muzan Kibutsuji.

But nothing had come from the system—until now.

Even though it didn't explicitly state that "the system has the final right of interpretation," there was no place for appeal. He had no choice but to accept the system's decisions.

Unexpectedly, despite maxing out his level, Muzan Kibutsuji's mission had finally arrived.

Not only was it delayed, but the mission's prompt and title differed from other tasks.

The ultimate mission sounded significant.

Aoki's curiosity intensified as another blue screen appeared.

[The Path of the Demon King]

It begins with the Demon King and ends with the Demon King. Those who devour the Demon King will also become the Demon King.

Mission requirements: Devour Muzan Kibutsuji.

Mission rewards: 1. "White Walker (★★)" advances to "White Walker King (★★☆)."

2. Choose one skill to enhance to its extreme.

3. Gain a new skill.

Aoki was taken aback, internally exclaiming, "Oh, damn!"

This mission was incredible.

The reward for upgrading professional quality was simply unbeatable.

Increasing half a star didn't just mean an additional half-star profession; it meant raising the level cap by 5 levels and gaining one more free attribute point every 2 levels!

The other two rewards were equally appealing.

The ability to choose a skill and enhance it to the extreme was intriguing, though the exact outcome was unclear. The term "extreme" alone fueled Aoki's imagination.

Acquiring a new skill was a bonus in itself.

He had long realized that unless the number was extraordinarily high, the benefits of skills far outweighed those of attribute points.

This reward truly lived up to the "ultimate" in its name.

The Path of the Demon King surpassed The End of the Upper Moon, becoming the mission with the richest rewards.

Even the devious Muzan Kibutsuji carried some worth.

But on reflection, what if this mission had been triggered before he reached the maximum level? What would have happened if he had killed Muzan Kibutsuji before maxing out?

This mission would likely have been lost—perhaps a hidden or ultimate mission missed.

Aoki felt a wave of relief.

To maximize his chances, his strategy had always been to "reach the maximum level first, then kill Muzan Kibutsuji."

This was part of the reason he risked confronting Kokushibo first.

Now, it was clear that this had been his most correct decision.

Still, Aoki couldn't help but wonder if the Hunter and Martial Artist professions had ultimate missions too. He quickly decided not to dwell on it.

…

Muzan Kibutsuji surveyed his surroundings.

The demons he had forcibly created with his blood were no match for the Demon Slayer Corps pillars and would likely be wiped out soon.

But that didn't concern him.

Once he obtained the Blue Spider Lily, he would overcome the sun and exist forever, rendering the survival of these demons meaningless.

As this thought crossed his mind, Muzan Kibutsuji grew even more eager to end this battle. He had no desire to continue dealing with the defector and the Demon Slayer Corps.

He needed to finish this quickly.

If the defector tried to escape, so be it; if not, Muzan would kill him instantly.

Withdrawing his gaze, Muzan was stunned, his expression darkening.

What was this rat across from him thinking, getting distracted in the middle of a fight? Even the old monster wouldn't dare show such arrogance before him.

"A rat is still a rat. If it doesn't even know how to show respect, it should just die!"

Muzan's killing intent surged as he charged forward, unleashing over a dozen whips simultaneously. The air filled with whip shadows, enclosing Aoki, and the sharp whistling sound of the strikes reverberated through the battlefield.

Snap!

The long whip struck, leaving deep gouges in the ground.

Aoki's figure reappeared next to the Blue Spider Lily.

"You tried a sneak attack? Unfortunately, it won't work on me."

Though most of his attention had been on the system panel, Aoki hadn't been careless. He kept the "Transparent World" active, monitoring all of Muzan Kibutsuji's movements.

Muzan sneered, "Are you still only capable of scurrying around like a rat?"

"If you're that eager, let's begin!"

Aoki's eyes grew colder, his killing intent intensifying. "I've been looking forward to this day—the day I get to twist your head off!"

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