Two figures darted through the vast forest, moving with a speed that would have blurred them to mortal eyes—two kilometers a minute, yet neither seemed strained. The wind hissed past their ears, carrying the scent of damp moss and old bark. Branches whipped by, and roots flashed beneath their boots, but their footwork was so precise that it seemed the forest itself parted to let them through.
They were Zatiel and Ezequiel, master and subordinate, heading unerringly toward the lair of the Shadow Wolf.
Zatiel's expression was calm, but beneath it simmered something cold and deliberate. He had always been vengeful by nature—someone who believed no slight should go unanswered. But his vengeance was never blind. If the opponent was beyond his current power, he would wait, bide his time, and strike when the moment guaranteed overwhelming victory. To lash out while still weak was not courage—it was suicide. In his philosophy, revenge wasn't about the heat of the moment; it was about precision, inevitability, and the satisfaction of striking when the prey thought themselves safe.
And now, the Shadow Wolf that had dared to attack him before was about to learn that lesson.
As they moved, Zatiel's gaze flicked toward the boy running beside him. Ezequiel matched his speed effortlessly, his expression as relaxed as his master's. For a newly transformed Neo-Demon, that was telling.
Neo-Demons were never identical. The Chaotic Core did not simply make them stronger—it enhanced the physical and mental traits they already possessed before transformation, then amplified those qualities as they grew. In time, the changes would be even more extreme.
Zatiel's lips curved slightly. Speed is one of his main gifts. Interesting.
"A.I. Chip, scan him," Zatiel commanded silently.
[Bip… scanning.
Name: Ezequiel
Race: Neo-Demon
Strength: 3.5
Physique: 3.6
Speed: 4.2
Abyss Aura: 5.2]
Zatiel nodded to himself. "Not bad. His numbers are beneath mine, but that's expected. I was already as strong as a seasoned warrior before my transformation, while little EZ was barely above an ordinary human. Still, his Abyss Aura is impressive—he'll hit 7 points soon enough. That's the equivalent of a Rank 3 apprentice magus."
His mind wandered to the first layer of memories—the reservoir of Rank 0 spells at his disposal.
Most magi tailored their spell selection around their affinity to natural energies—fire, ice, shadow, and so on. Neo-Demons, however, were free from such restrictions. The Abyss Aura could mimic or create any type of magical energy. Still, mastering too broad a variety diluted progress. Specialization remained the wiser course.
Four spells drew his attention:
Shadow Form – Darkness energy cloaks the user in a shadow mantle, increasing agility by 30% and reducing detection probability.Consumption: Abyss Aura -1 per minute.
Corrosive Fireball – A fireball that ignites upon exposure to air, latching to enemies and expanding as it burns.Damage: 10 degrees. Range: 15 meters. Consumption: Abyss Aura -3.
Somber Spear – Dark energy forms within the target's own shadow, manifesting as a spear that launches upward.Damage: 8 degrees. Range: 10 meters. Consumption: Abyss Aura -2.
Death Enchantment – Infuses a weapon with negative energy, adding 3 degrees of magical damage per strike and infecting wounds with death energy.Consumption: Abyss Aura -1 per minute.
He recalled the magic tower's classification system. "Magical crystals are the standard. One crystal equals roughly 1 degree of damage if detonated. Spells are measured the same way."
For his current stage, these four were already formidable. A Rank 3 apprentice typically managed 15–20 degrees of damage, but he could match that now, freshly reborn as a Neo-Demon. Of course, this was just the first step toward the peak of the infant stage.
"I'll start with Shadow Form and Death Enchantment," he decided. "Good until Rank 1. For ranged offense… Corrosive Fireball is decent, but the innate Neo-Demon spell will surpass it."
The thought of the innate spell stirred excitement. It was the sort of ability that scaled endlessly with his growth.
His attention shifted to Ezequiel. "Given his speed-focused style, this will suit him perfectly."
While the boy ran, Zatiel's voice resonated directly in his mind. Little EZ, I'm sending you a spell. Learn it. Ask questions later.
Before Ezequiel could even blink, the knowledge unfolded in his consciousness, as if he had always known it.
Lightning Armor – Coats the body in lightning energy, boosting strength and speed while forming a protective shell. Cannot cast other spells while active, as all Abyss Aura converts to lightning energy.Enhances Strength and Speed by 30%. Protection against 8 degrees of magical/physical damage. Consumption: Abyss Aura -1 per minute.
Ezequiel's eyes widened. The sensation of a foreign skill embedding itself into his mind was overwhelming. Not only could his master speak directly to his thoughts—he could give him knowledge.
Zatiel caught the expression and almost laughed. "For supernatural beings at Rank 1 or higher, mental communication is trivial. Knowledge transfer, though… that's slower and rarely this clear."
The Chaotic Core made it possible. Core-to-core transmission was instant within the same plane, though full knowledge transfers required proximity.
With that explained, they began practicing their new spells even as they ran. Shadows seeped around Zatiel, blurring his form, while arcs of lightning danced over Ezequiel's skin. The surge of speed was palpable.
Soon, the forest ahead grew quiet. Too quiet.
They had reached the lair.
A deep, echoing howl split the air. From the treeline ahead, the Shadow Wolf emerged—three meters of muscle and malice. Its fur seemed to drink in the light, and its amber eyes burned with rage.
This time, Zatiel didn't stop moving forward. The shadows thickened around him, and his smirk was pure provocation.
"Remember me, little doggy?" His voice dripped contempt.
The wolf's lip curled. It understood the insult well enough. With a snarl, it lunged, its jaws snapping toward his head.
Zatiel's body flowed aside like smoke. His hand clamped around the beast's hind leg, and in one smooth motion, he heaved it overhead and slammed it into the earth. The ground cracked; stones flew.
Before it could even yelp, his boot drove into its ribs. The impact launched the wolf skyward—seven meters of helpless flight—before Zatiel was already there, leaping to meet it. His fist crashed into its skull, sending it tumbling into a tree with a splintering crunch.
The wolf lay broken, twitching. Zatiel's gaze was unreadable. To him, this wasn't triumph. This was housekeeping.
"One moment you're the hunter. The next, you're prey. Complacency is death." He stepped forward, voice low. "Time to end this."
But the beast wasn't finished. Darkness wrapped around it, and its eyes bled red. Its frame swelled, muscles bulging as it let out a howl of frenzy.
"A last desperate gamble?" Zatiel's eyes sharpened. "Fine. You'll be the first to taste the Neo-Demon's innate spell."
Innate spells were beyond teaching—abilities woven into a species' essence. Dragons had their breath, gorgons their petrifying gaze. Neo-Demons… theirs had never been used. Until now.
The berserk wolf charged, faster than before, claws tearing furrows in the dirt. Zatiel didn't move. At five meters, his hands rose.
"Abyssal Blast!"
From his palms erupted a beam of condensed Abyss Aura, 2.5 meters wide, a lance of annihilation. It struck before the wolf could even blink. The creature vanished in a storm of dissolving shadow and ash. The blast carved onward, ripping through trees for another twenty meters before it dissipated.
Zatiel blinked at the devastation. Even without reaching Rank 1, the attack rivaled the strike of a newly ascended magus.
Then he laughed—deep, proud, almost feral. "Neo-Demons really are the strongest race."
The joy faded into calculation. "But… a Rank 1 magus could still weather it. Their defenses would hold, even standing still. And the limitation is obvious."
The Abyssal Blast drew entirely from the Chaotic Core's stored Abyss Aura, laced with the chaotic mental impact it filtered. The damage was both physical and psychic—but it could only be unleashed once a day.
"As the Core grows, so will its storage and output. I'll fire it more often, and stronger each time." He tilted his head. "A.I. Chip, analysis."
[Bip… Abyssal Blast: Concentrated beam of Abyss Aura from the Chaotic Core. Inflicts magical and mental damage. Usable once per day. Power and frequency scale with Core growth. Current output: 28 degrees.]
"Excellent," Zatiel said, though his gaze swept the empty clearing with a touch of regret. "Pity there's nothing left to eat."
Five meters away, Ezequiel was frozen. He'd intended to watch without intervening—this had always been his master's fight. But witnessing the Abyssal Blast firsthand… it shook him.
The wolf had been twice the size of a bull, and in seconds it had ceased to exist. And deep in his mind, he knew—he could wield that same power. The method was already imprinted in him from his transformation.
Can I really be that strong? He stared at his own hands, flexing his fingers as if the answer might be there.
"Hey, brat," Zatiel called, snapping him out of it. "Stop daydreaming. This place is boring."
Ezequiel flushed faintly, nodding once. He fell in beside Zatiel without a word, and together they turned their backs on the Grey Swamp, moving toward whatever awaited them next.
The forest closed behind them, swallowing the scarred clearing and the faint scent of burned shadow.