Mind Demon's Path of Domination

[Killed a Pig—Soul Sphere has been automatically absorbed into the Host's Soul Space.]

[Soul Sphere +0.7]

Mark took a shallow breath.

With his enhanced senses, he could smell the disgusting stench of pig blood and their corpses with uncanny clarity, and he felt as if he wanted to puke.

Holding back the urge, he dropped the bloody butcher's knife on the ground, removed the yellow raincoat over his body, and left the empty room full of pig corpses. Dona walked behind him with a sleepy expression.

It was already deep at night, and Dona wasn't a night person… Demon.

On the other hand, on the top of his head was a calmly sleeping hamster, and as he left the room, it stretched its body and slept more comfortably.

Mark washed his hands with a very nice smelling soap and looked at the mirror above the basin coolly.

A violet screen flashed in his eyes.

._

[Marcus Haeligarth Aramanteuil Véxillarius Nócturnâ Aërglothur]

—Soul Traits—

[Demonic Heart]

[Current Desires: Fight a Colossal Giant (100 Years of Lifespan) (Incomplete)]

[Life's Great Desire: Attain Eternal Life, become a meaningful existence in the world, see the greatest pleasures that life has to offer, and be capable of attaining all that you desire by becoming the strongest Demon (∞ Years of Lifespan) (Incomplete)]

[Soul Longevity: 36 Years.]

—

[Mission From the Demon World's Will]

[Create a Dungeon spanning the entirety of a Nation in the Hunter World, and hand over the authority over the Dungeon to the Demon World Will.]

[Reward: Seal of Destiny (1), Portal Key to an unconquered World (1)]

<—Stats—>

[Tier 0—Demonling]

[Physique: 10 (Pinnacle)]

[Mind: 10 (Pinnacle)]

<—Resistances—>

[Heart Resistance (Low) (Tier 1)]

[Mental Resistance (Pinnacle) (Tier 0)]

[Physical Resistance (Pinnacle) (Tier 0)]

_

[Bloodline: Ephemeral Dungeon Heart Demonic Bloodline]

[Demonic Tricks: Soul Devourer. Dungeon Heart Seed, Heart Input (Pinnacle), Dream Shock (Pinnacle)]

_

[Soul Bond Treasures: Seal of Destiny(1), Portal Key (1).]

[Soul Spheres: 49.]

_.

There have not been many improvements to his stats since he left Demon World. He had been stuck as a Demonling for some time now.

In fact, looking into the mirror, he no longer abhorred his demonic appearance. He had gotten used to it.

I look… kind of cool, to be honest. Even the Scientist, even though she doesn't say it, is not completely disinterested in me physically.

It felt as if he had finally accepted who he was.

And even though he had seen not 'much' improvement, one couldn't say that he had seen no growth at all the past few days that had passed.

He had gotten better control over all his abilities—he had been training here and there and testing things out a bit—and he knew his limits better.

Know thyself, and know your enemies. It applied to all conflicts, and he had a better understanding of himself.

That certainly would tell him whom he could mess with and whom he shouldn't touch.

He also prepared some battle tactics that would always be useful against enemies of his equal level.

Not to mention, killing all the pigs and other unnecessary animals had given him a lot of Soul Spheres. The moment he broke through the Tier, he should be able to see exponential growth in his strength.

"Dona, it's time, let's head out…"

The demoness seemed too sleepy to reply, so he just let her climb on top of his back and left the area with a sigh. Outside, Yuri was already ready with a new pair of goggles over her face and a bag.

Seeing him, she immediately said, "I've prepared everything you said in the bag. Nothing more to do. Should we head out?"

Mark nodded. "What about Choi Sung?"

"He will be outside in some minutes. But I am not sure he would fight for us. He probably just plans to be our driver."

"I see. Oh, he's here." Mark looked at the camera-live-broadcasts and smirked at the sight of a huge truck slowly moving in their area. In the front seat, a young man was lazily driving while picking his nose.

Choi Sung.

Soon enough, they met up with the youth, and both of them walked into the trailer behind the truck.

As the door of the trailer closed, the truck moved calmly through the landscape outside the mega-dungeon.

Mark took a deep breath. He could feel the atmosphere change around him.

"It's going to rain," Yuri said.

Thunder faintly clapped in the skies, followed by a roiling sound.

Mark's ears perked up, "It's been a long time since I saw the rain."

"Does it rain in the demon world?"

Mark merely stayed silent.

Yuri sighed and opened a small window-like setup on the wall of the truck. Droplets of rain were already falling from the moonlit night sky. She moved her hand out of it, and an unconscious smile stretched across her lips.

"I like the rain."

"I do, too," he said.

Yuri seemed surprised, but soon enough, a silence settled in the trailer.

In that silence, the truck moved, and soon enough, the rain turned into an absolute downpour.

The sound of the truck rushing past puddles, the windshield wiper clearing the water away from the windshield, and the seatbelt warning pings all echoed around softly, and a strange peace settled over the place.

Suddenly, a huge thunderbolt exploded above the horizon, and Yuri paled slightly. Subconsciously, she took her wet hand back into the truck and closed the opening.

Silently, the Scientist hugged her legs and closed her eyes tightly.

Mark sat closer to her and pulled her into his embrace. She blinked.

"Do you fear thunder?" he asked.

"… It makes me unsettled."

"Then you can just hold onto me when you feel like that."

Thunder roiled in the skies again, and she clenched his hand tightly. For the entire journey, she was trembling and holding onto him for dear life. She really did seem to like the rain and its noise, but sure enough, she was afraid of thunder.

All of a sudden, Mark grew speechless.

He could see warm tears leaking down the side of her cheeks and into his hand. She tried to immediately rub it away, but another thunder made her hold onto him tightly again.

Mark caressed the girl's head and smiled. "For the boldest woman I had ever seen, you sure are very fragile at times. Why are you crying now?"

"No—Nothing, it's… a chemical got into my eyes."

"There is no chemical here."

"…"

"Tell me, I am curious."

"I don't know, alright?"

Yuri seemed awkwardly out of character as she looked out into the darkness.

She had never been helped out when she was frightened, intrigued, or anything of that sort. Ever. It was the first that someone held out a hand or a hug when thunder happened.

All those nights alone in her lab, she would roll in the bed and close all her research midway. She would crave for someone. But those days were long past her since her current lab had a soundproof wall setting.

She was a genius scientist from her youth, and when she grew up, she began to hate other humans due to them shunning her ideas.

She called them monkeys.

At some point, in her striving for something greater, she had grown really, really lonely. And at this point, she could really feel it. This one time, someone comforting her… made her heart hurt.

"Demon…" she called. "I've… never asked before… What is your name?"

"You can call me Mark."

"Surprisingly human name," she said, "Dona is a human name, too."

Mark loosened somewhat.

Deep down, the psycho Mad Scientist was just a woman who had never been appreciated or approved by anyone. At some point, she had stopped searching for approval and just focused on her own research.

She must have been… lonely.

"You should try to be more genuine with yourself, genius Scientist," he said and calmly rubbed her head.

She coughed slightly. "… For some reason, that name makes me smile for the first time."

They spoke about simple things like that for a long time, and only when the truck came to a halt and they jumped out of it, did they realize that the rain had stopped.

They were near a huge mansion in the middle of a dark forest. That mansion was a Dungeon that had been completely occupied by a Tier 0 Dungeon Demon.

Nobody could guess what waited inside.

Choi Sung jumped out of the truck and looked at the mansion. The place reeked of ghostly energy, and there was not even the scent of a living being around.

"What a creepy place, so do you guys need my help to clear the Demons inside?"

Mark splattered some water on Dona's face, and her eyes fluttered open. He immediately made her drink some black water from one of the bottles inside the bag in his hand. Then, he stood up straight and stretched.

All over his body, muscles popped and tightened. He was in a simple white T-shirt and simple white boxers, but even through the wide outfit, his muscles were visible.

"Stay here and listen to Yuri." Looking at Choi Sung, Mark said, "I'll send a signal if I need you."

Soon enough, a focused Dona and a cold Mark opened the mansion's door. There was no doorway leading inside; instead, a dark veil covered the doorway like an entrance to another world.

It looked like a vertical pool.

Mark and Dona entered the pool and vanished.

They were going to face a Dungeon.

Yuri bit her lips. "Choi Sung, if you see anything wrong, run to help."

Choi Sung just blinked.

That Demon is stronger than me, though…