^^ Demon General/Daemon Ogre ^^

— Zoken —

The captain of the guard, a middle-aged human who wasn't even level 75 yet, went even whiter with fear, if it was possible, and then cleared his throat. "To be clear... no, that is not our final answer; our Lord is a foreigner, he doesn't know our ways, and he is the reason Monsters were banned from the city. Instead, I ask that you please keep your violence contained to the Slave Guild? The citizens have no quarrel with you."

I nodded. "As I said, that is our intention... but bring your Lord to the guild, so we may speak to him after we've finished. I'm sure we can talk some sense into him."

He flinched, but bowed his head. "Understood, Sir."

Maze pouted a bit as they turned and jogged away, but let her bow stop flaming, and leapt cleanly into the air a good fifteen meters, landing on a rooftop and then leaping again, disappearing in midair. Mika punched my shoulder affectionately, and followed after her while invisible as well, and Hallox and the new orc stared at me; one expectantly, and the other simply mystified. Jerrod was admirably holding in his laughter.

"Off we go, then." I nodded and walked into the town calmly, whistling a tune.

Hallox laughed, striding casually behind me, waving saucily to a few of the people who were outside or in the market, as it was about an hour after noon. They froze like deer when they smell a fire, but our sheathed weapons and general pleasant atmosphere seemed to make people think twice about our intentions. Some of them were true locals, and weren't even fazed by our presence, which thankfully spread until people didn't stare at us for more than a few seconds.

The Silver Chain was a nice building, and I found myself appreciating its construction, as I walked up the steps. When I reached the top, an aura began emanating from the interior, not very powerful, but extremely dense, like living stone. "Hallox, keep Jae alive, I think Maze likes him a bit." I commented, and mentally showed him the feeling, because he couldn't pick it up normally.

He narrowed his eyes slowly, and nodded. "Mm... that one smells like a bit of fun, actually; you're sure you want him? I'd happily take him off your hands." He gripped his axe, almost kneading it. His burning desire for combat and bloodshed was sometimes off-putting, though understandable.

I shook my head. "No, I think I'll take them. If a Slave Taker wants trouble, they'll get it from me." I released my own aura in retaliation, pushing against the enemy's reach and ripping into the edges until I could walk through the aura, into the building.

A tall human woman stood in front of the main doors, her aura only reaching about ten meters at the most, and she was pale and sweaty from the effort of keeping me back. "You're trespassing." She growled.

"True. However, you're committing a Capital Crime by taking and holding Slaves here, by order of the Holy City. You can peacefully release into my custody all your slaves and then leave and never return, or you can continue to resist, and everyone who works here will die, including you." I shrugged calmly, hiding the exertion I was putting forth like it was natural; the Sage's Training was much harder, after all.

She bared her teeth with effort, but the aura couldn't regain the space I'd taken, so she took a step back, gathering her aura into a sigil in her hands I didn't recognize.

Instantly, I was behind her, a blazing path shredded through her aura, and my sword swung across her neck, nearly effortlessly parting her head from her body. The sigil exploded violently, as if her death had been a trigger, and I found myself engulfed in flames.

I calmly waited for the flames to abate in their own, and when they didn't after a few seconds, I found the sigil with narrowly squinted eyes, and crushed it in my hand.

The room was now blackened, and with that all of her papers and records were gone, I realized. Likely her plan all along. "Jerrod, can you recreate those papers and books?" I asked him, trusting he'd be around, even if I couldn't see him.

He spoke from my left, while appearing in his immaculate purple robe. "I'd already copied them all down, so it's unnecessary, and also basically impossible. I've also already copied down everything else in the building, and given Mika the Keys to the underground Prison. All that's left is dispatching the other employees, which I believe Hallox is taking the initiative on."

I glanced up, and sighed at the vision of Hallox in the upper floors, cutting through the various armed employees like paper. "Well, let him have his fun. Is Jae with him?" I looked for him, and found him behind Hallox, hacking at a Mage's shield.

"I'll handle the mage. The Mayor is your job." Jerrod smiled, and disappeared.

I walked out of the front door, taking the burnt skull of the enemy with me, and hummed at the northern man that was being led forward by the Captain from earlier. He was about the height of Waylon, big for a human, but that was about it, just from a glance. "So you're the new mayor in town, the foreigner who hates monsters? Given that fact, I wonder why you came to the Monster Lands?" I asked, sending the skull away for now. I would send it as a message, later.

His eyes gazed sharply at my hand, where the skull had disappeared, and he smirked. "Well, someone needed to bring some order to this godless wasteland, didn't they?"

I raised an eyebrow at him slowly. "We literally have more gods than any other continent, and all of them combined, in fact... what are you smoking, friend?" I chuckled, and then looked at his status, curious.

<Individual: Velar Tikal (Seven Sins Clan, Demon Lord of Gluttony.)
Race: Daemon Ogre (Legendary, 1st)
Demonic Affinity: 9th Form
-
Combat Level: 525
-
Class: Glaive Warrior
Level: 75/100
Class: Deceiver
Level: 65/100
Class: Demon General
Level: 60/100
-
Taker of Heads, Templar Slayer, Demon General, Paragon, Legend Slayer, Lord of Gluttony (Gula), Seven Sins Clan, Banner of Red (Slaughter).>

I blinked slowly. 'Jerrod, Get Hallox and flank this guy, please? He's using a fake face, but he's a Level 525 Demon General.'

"Bah, you know what I meant, I meant God, the One True God, not those other ones, the powerful spirits who claim to be divine." He waved his hand dismissively.

"That is quite amusing, coming from a Demon General. Velar Tikal, Demon Lord of Gluttony, General of the Banner of Red, the Banner of Slaughter. And also brave, considering you're only level 525." I hummed, and watched his eyes widen slightly, before he tilted his head in confusion.

"Only 525? Boy, have you been knocked upon the head? That's Legendary Class, you do realize-"

"The weakest member of my party is level 505. Monsters are not the weaker members of this endless war anymore." I grinned and drew my sword slowly. "But still, I suppose the General of Slaughter has some evil plan, protecting the Slave Trade? Planning on filling your army with Enslaved monsters, just like every other time you couldn't fight your own battles?!?" I growled.

'Calm yourself, Zoken... I'm not disagreeing with you, but his presence will feed off your rage and it will not end well for you. Calm yourself. Contain your aura. Do not attack him needlessly. Until he attacks us, we cannot risk starting a war. Our orders were to deal with the Slavers, not the Town's Mayor, Who happens to be a Demon Lord.' Jerrod whispered, and I frowned, but centered myself, shaking the rage from my mind.

He hummed softly as the people within earshot began murmuring. "Now, that is a Serious Accusation..."

"And your smell is a serious offense, I don't really care. As you are not currently our enemy, I will leave you be, if you halt the slave trade and leave our people alone. That is all we want. The Demon Lord in our Party, the Lord of Wrath, flies the Banner of Silver, the Banner of Warnings." I sheathed my sword begrudgingly.

He blinked in shock. "Ira is your ally? How'd you manage that?"

"No, his name is Hallox Mars, Orc Paragon, the one who killed Ira." I shrugged as said orc ducked out of the building's doorway, covered in blood and gore.

The man's eyes narrowed slowly, and he bared teeth which slowly sharpened, while his form stretched and cracked and grew until he stood as tall as the very largest of ogres, a Legendary Evolution called the 'Daemon Ogre' who was close to five meters tall, with his massive scaled horns stretching for another meter at least. He had the Legendary Red hide, covered in scars and tattoos, with a white beard and visible fangs, as well as a muscled, hulking figure much like Hallox's.

He swung a hand like he was snatching something out of the air, and a glaive of equally massive proportions appeared, resting on his shoulders. "To think, I'd find a source of real entertainment in this posting?!? Ah, Demon King, to think I doubted you..." he sighed happily, and I narrowed my eyes slowly.

"The Demon King sent you to enslave my Kin and the peoples of my country? Which one?" I asked suspiciously.

"Why, the True Demon King, Janus, not that pretender Calais." He growled savagely.

'Remember his title of Deceiver, believe nothing that he says!!!' Jerrod snapped.

"Well, either way, I suggest you leave now; you've revealed yourself to the populace, and they'll likely attack you on sight now. I suggest this because whilst you are certainly stronger than then, if you kill any of them, you are my enemy; humans or not, they are my People, and if you make an enemy of me, you will regret ever crawling out of your mother, I guarantee you that." I frowned at the taller ogre.

He laughed heartily, and shrugged. "So be it." He swung his glaive at the Captain of the guard casually.

"He's all yours, Hallox." I frowned, catching the blade to my chest with a grunt.

The red-skinned ogre looked down at me, surprised, and then swung his Glaive up to meet Hallox's greatsword, the one he'd gotten from killing Ira.

I dangled from the end of it, bleeding a little, and I grinned at Hallox when we were suddenly eye to eye. "We meet in the damndest of places, no?" I laughed, exhilarated, and flipped over the Ogre, grabbing his horns and using my momentum to pull his head back, exposing his throat.

Hallox spun low instead, as the general guarded his throat, and then swung straight up between his legs, activating the one-off skill and cutting the larger creature in half from crotch to throat, bisecting his heart visibly, as the two halves, connected by the head, spilled out everything inside them.

Then he cut off the head, as I leapt off, and the head disappeared into the Pocket.

"Well! That was easy!" I nodded happily, and stabbed the mess with my sword, letting it eat it all and clean up instantly.

<Update!
Hallox Mars' Level Increased!
Hallox Mars' Ur Increased! (13th Form)
Hallox Mars' Class (6): Maxed!
Hallox Mars Evolves (6) into: Orc Prince (Legendary Path, 12th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
Zoken Katachi's Level Increased!
Zoken Katachi's Ur Increased! (14th Form, Legendary)
Zoken Katachi's Class (6): Maxed!
Zoken Katachi Evolves (6) into: Spirit Knight, (Legendary Path, 13th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
Maze Lily's Level Increased!
Maze Lily's Ur Increased! (8th Form)
Maze Lily's Class (4): Maxed!
Maze Lily Evolves (4) into: Elemental Spirit (Fire) (Ultra-Rare Evolutionary Path, 8th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
Mika Katachi's Level Increased!
Mika Katachi's Ur Increased! (11th Form)
Mika Katachi's Class(6): Maxed!
Mika Katachi Evolves (6) into: Elemental Spirit (Earth) (Mountain Spirit) (Legendary Path, 10th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
Jerrod Kylan's Level Increased!
Jerrod Kylan's Ur Increased! (13th Form)
Jerrod Kylan's Class(4): Maxed!
Jerrod Kylan Evolves (4) into: Lich Dragon (Legendary Path, 10th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
James Taaliyah's Level Increased!
James Taaliyah's Aura Increased! (6th Form)
James Taaliyah's Class(5): Maxed!
James Taaliyah's Evolves (5) into: Spirit Sphinx Monarch (Legendary, 12th), at Dawn!>
<Update!
Sage's Tree Level Increased!
Sage's Tree Reach Expanded!
Sage's Tree Ability Sharing Level Increased!
Hidden Pocket Contents Gathered!
Hidden Pocket Digested/Analyzed!
Common Pocket Dispensed!>

I raised an eyebrow at the sudden jump, and a second message followed closely.

<Congratulations!!!
You've killed a Demon General, the Lord of Gluttony, one of the 14 Demon Lords!
Large XP Boost granted, as a Reward!!!
Comrades Evolved, as a Reward!!!
His master, (Calais, The Demon King of the South,) has been Notified of his General's Death by the hands of a Hero and a Rival Demon Lord!
All the Demon General's minions have been given over to new Demon Lord of Wrath and Gluttony, Hallox Mars! Should he continue to slay Demon Lords, Hallox Mars can potentially become the Demon King!>

I hummed and looked at the human Captain I'd saved. "I trust you'll handle everything else, and properly? Slaves that pass through your city are to be halted, and we are to be contacted for retrieval of them and their masters, as well as any goods or possessions they have with them. You will receive, as per the law, a fine to the city for every such slave owner turned in, and every slave, either human or monster or even demon, that we recover. It's all in the paperwork we sent you. Should we send another?" I asked.

He gulped slowly, and nodded. "Yes, please? Thank you, for... wow. Uhh..."

"You're welcome. Mika, have we gotten them all?" I asked, looking towards the building.

'There are only about 40, all Orcs, a whole Clan. This was a trap, not a real attempt, I think, and Jerrod says the paperwork agrees with me.' She responded mentally.

'We'll deal with it. The Demon King Calais will need to answer for their trespass here, but we'll need more power before that's possible... perhaps the Master will assist? Or the Templar Heroes, the Saint was particularly helpful.' I smiled wistfully.

'You just like that she's smaller than you.' Mika accused dryly.

'Very true, but she's also very wise and kind. And very beautiful. Our children shall be glorious!' I laughed, and followed Hallox and a flummoxed-looking Jae into the basement.

After a few moments, Jae spoke. "Ye jus' killed a Demon Gen'ral... an' with one blow." He said incredulously.

"Yep." Hallox grinned, and threw a set of double doors open, grinned at the group of orc's, fresh from chains, it looked like, and all healed by Mika. "Ahh, Friends!!! We have come to release you and your Clan, and take you to Treaty Lake for safety!"

—

The Sage was staring at his palm, when we approached later that night, and we waited, unsure as to why he was doing.

A small flame appeared over his hand, colored a brilliant silver, and then slowly expanded, into a small sphere, about six inches wide. His aura wasn't around him, and I found myself lightly applauding the level of raw control that would require.

He shaped the sphere slowly, into a small plant, a tree, perhaps, and then touched it to the Sage's Tree as Mika flinched.

The entire tree seemed to blaze with fire, but it wasn't burning; just like our weapons, the sage had simply infused it with his Aura.

"I didn't know you could infuse living things with Aura, master?" I asked, confused.

"What do you think your weapons are?" He answered calmly, and then took his human form, relaxing visibly as he sat on the bench. "Now, it seems you've killed a Demon General... Waylon tells me that the other Lords will be even stronger, as Wrath and Gluttony are always the Weakest Lords. As such, I've decided on giving you something I have held off on until now. I prefer to see you grow on your own, after all." He sighed, and began meditating again.

A few confused minutes later, five spheres of Silver Aura appeared in front of him, and then floated over to us, touching our Hearts and sinking in.

We fell as one, holding back screams of pain as it seemed to rip into our very souls, replacing something there in the center.

<Update!
You've Awakened the Aura of the Silver Titan! Affinity Recovered! Modifications Finished!>

I breathed deeply, standing up as the pain took its course, and shook it off, attempting to ignore the pain entirely. "Are you the Silver Titan, then, Master?"

He smiled a little at my display, and then shook his head. "Not yet... for now, it's actually the Sage's Tree that has that Title." He nodded at the massive, still-blazing Silver Tree.

I watched a few of the leaves fall off of the tree, landing in the stream, and turning the water a slight silver sheen, which slowly spread. I walked over and knelt next to the water, humming softly. "What's that doing, I wonder?"

<Item: Silver Titan's Blood
Effect: Legendary Healing Buff.
Effect: Legendary Increased Muscle Growth.
Effect: Legendary Increased Durability.
Effect: Legendary Increased Virility/Fertility.
Effect: XP Gained x2
Effect: Inedible to <Lvl 50, .01% chance of death.
Silver Titan's Kin: Immunity to Disease
Silver Titan's Kin: Nullify Mind-Influence Magic
Silver Titan's Kin: Nullify Slave Contracts
Silver Titan's Kin: Immune to Slave Contacts
Sage's Pupil: Guidance During Righteous Conflict
Sphinx's Blessing: High-Grade Evolution Paths
Dragon's Blessing: Level Cap raised by 400
Orc's Blessing: Physical Stat Multi per Kill
Dryad's Blessing: Crops increase their Bounty
Ogre's Blessing: Higher Quality Crafted Products
Elemental's Blessing: Immunity to Fire&Ice.>

I chuckled softly, and drank some of the water immediately, gathering a bit into a flask and carrying it to my fellow disciples, pouring some into their mouths once they'd managed to stop squirming.

Jerrod, sitting up calmly already, drank some on his own, though his hand trembled a bit, almost imperceptibly.

The pain in my soul began to dim, a few hours later, and when the sun came up, the pain reignited even worse than before as my body cracked and broke and ripped itself to shreds.