The Demon Monarch System

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While Nadida was lost in thought, Fuhrer acted on the other side of the hidden floor. With a simple slash of Brynhildr, Fuhrer opened a portal linking to the floors below. At first glance, Apollo could see that the pagoda was nearly empty.

Additionally, he also noticed the increasing damage to the surrounding space. 'I expected as much. These people are known to scurry at the first sight of danger. I guess it's correct to view them as nothing more than vermin,' Apollo thought before eventually stepping through the portal.

However, he stopped immediately after as he took notice of two figures at the bottom of the obliterated staircase. Both Nadida and Odessa gazed at him with worrisome expressions. Until now, they weren't sure if he would safely make it out. On the other hand, Fuhrer found this scene amusing.

"Well, would you look at that? The young Lord's charisma has caused two beauties to watch after him blindly. Even in this unfortunate place, they're awaiting your arrival. It's a shame that they don't suit your taste," Fuhrer teased.

But, Apollo just gave him a small smirk. "Who knows what the future holds, they could be~" 

Instead of continuing to entertain Fuhrer's banter, Apollo jumped from where he stood. While the distance to the ground was absurd, Apollo felt no danger. In fact, falling from this distance felt comfortable. As he thought about it, Apollo pictured Valac descending from the air.

Ever since witnessing Valac's ability, Apollo always wondered whether or not he'd be able to fly as well. After all, some of the strongest demons possessed wings. Even Saehtyn possessed a pair of infernal wings.

Thus, as Apollo thought about it, he felt an itch on his back. The feeling continued to grow as his descent accelerated. Finally, just 25 meters from the ground, a pair of black wings unfurled from his back. Although they looked plain at first, they soon gained color matching his skin. 

And, similar to his body, markings of the Infernal Ira Stigmata appeared alongside the bone structures of his wings.

Whoosh!

With a flap of his wings, Apollo levitated one meter above the ground before retracting his wings and falling to the ground with a gentle impact. In response, both Nadida and Odessa looked at him with apparent horror.

"Wings?! You have wings?! What in the hell, this is unfair! Are you a chicken?" Nadida screeched while pulling at her hair. It seemed as if Apollo was pulling ahead of her at every return.

Meanwhile, Odessa's reaction was much more reserve, "Is that the ability of an inhuman race, or have you learned how to channel the abilities of your Spirits through your vessel? If it's the latter then this is quite surprising. You'd need to be a Spirit Master to accomplish that."

"Mm," Apollo nodded while brushing aside her words. In his eyes, he owed no explanation. However, after sparing it some thought, he also realized he didn't want any rumors to arise. Thus, he opted for a more fitting story.

"You could say I've deepened my relationship with my partners," Apollo answered before glancing around and continuing, "Wouldn't it be smarter for you all to disappear from this place? Why would you remain?"

"Isn't that answer obvious?" Nadida said with a scoff before dragging Odessa with her and mumbling under her breath, "Dummy, he such an oaf. He doesn't get it, never does!"

Witnessing this scene, Odessa smiled yet again. Then she looked back toward Apollo as truly gave him an inspective gaze, 'He's changed. And, I mean that in more ways than one. Maybe we can talk about it later.'

In tandem with Nadida, Odessa crushed her Inscription Key and disappeared from the space. However, Apollo remained in place for a short while. For one, he didn't require the inscription to leave. On the other hand, there was still a vast collection of energy here.

If no one absorbed it, then once this place collapsed, it would just disperse and travel the cosmos endlessly. So why shouldn't he take advantage of it now?

〈Alert! The voracity of the Gluttonous Soul has been stimulated. Endless Devouring activated.〉

A vibrant whirlpool appeared above Apollo as he opened his mouth and inhaled the residual energy of this place. The longer he consumed it, the duller the place became. Soon enough, it appeared lifeless, and Apollo ceased his actions with a smile. Now that he held a rudimentary control of Gula, there were a few things that no longer worried him.

Not to mention, there was a certain message hidden amongst the vast list of changes that occurred during his evolution. Unlike the rest, this was directly linked to what he needed. It gave him even more insight into the Nihilistic Ring's power.

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(Demon Monarch System) Lv.5

Name: Apollo Kaiser

Race: Greater Demon [15.00%]

Title: Monarch's Descendant, Azridan's Successor

Age: 18

Level: 150

Experience: 0.00%

Health: 100%

Demonic Anima Reserves: 25,000 units.

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Strength: 1,750.0

Agility: 1,625.0

Intelligence: 1,650.0

Vitality: 1,580.0

Comprehension: 195.0

Willpower: 165.0

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[«Traits»]- 1

«Supreme Demon Body»

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[«Techniques»]- 3

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[«Sin Margins»] 

Ira - Primary [Infernal Hellfire]

Gula - Initial

Avaritia - N/A

Superbia - N/A

Invidia - N/A

Luxuria - N/A 

Acedia -N/A

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[«Demonic Servants»]

[Daemonic Avatar] 

Erus Fuhrer (Demon Knight) - The Tenebrous Master 

»Greater Demon« [5,000] 

[Demonic Acolyte] 

Typhir Estrada (Demon Knight)

»Lesser Demon« [0]

[Demonic Follower]

Furcas (Demon Knight) - Wiseman of Corruption

»Greater Demon« [0]

Valac (Demon Knight) - The Terrible

»Greater Demon« [0]

[Demonic Servant] 

Zarkath (???)

»Weakened Greater Demon« [0]

Jorgun the Anomaly (???) 

»Weakened Greater Demon« [0]

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[«Interdimensional Inventory»][«Inheritance»] [«Lucky Draw»]

Not only did the indication of his internal state disappear, but so did his affinities. In return, a measurement of his current Sin attainments appeared. Based on the information given by the system, the breakdown of the margins was separated into 5 parts—Initial, Primary, Late, Peak, & Perfection.

The amount of Sin that could be utilized as well as its purity was determined by the determined state. The closer to perfection it became, the stronger it was.

Once Apollo browsed through his status menu and noted all the changes, including the consolidation of his traits into a single overpowered trait, Apollo closed the menu.

A few moments later, he stepped through the portal opened by Fuhrer and arrived a distance away from the others. However, with their acute senses, the overseers of the excursion immediately noticed Apollo's appearance. Fortunately, while inside the spatial tunnel, Apollo acted quickly and stored his demons back in his Tainted Temple.

Most of the people who witnessed his mass of Demons were either dead or couldn't recall their presence. To avoid danger, most of the people entered doors before Apollo summoned everyone. Thus, the chances of him being discovered were nonexistent.

Of course, his apparent increase in strength was enough to discover. So Apollo didn't attempt to hide it in the slightest. On the contrary, Fuhrer's aged appearance merely stood beside him in case any unusual developments occurred. 

Unfortunately, the massive disparity in the number of people who returned and enter raised numerous red flags. As a realm void of any real danger, the obscene number of deaths didn't make any sense.

"Hm? Just what happened inside there? Why are there so many of them missing? Furthermore, it seems like they've all been put through something terrifying. Look at their expressions," one of the two elders muttered while observing everyone closely.

"Precisely," the other elder nodded while doing the same. It only took a few seconds for them to notice a few of the returnees kept glancing in Apollo's direction with blatant signs of fear.

"Him? Just who is that boy? Should we question him further?" the first elder questioned. 

"I believe so. With this many deaths, it'll be a matter of time before we have a massive headache on our hands. It would be best to learn of the reason behind it," the other elder responded. 

Since they had made their choice, both of them disappeared before reappearing before the collection of youths.

"It would seem some kind of unforeseen event took place. Would you all care to clue us in? That is, to take care of any uncalled-for repercussions."

Once this questioned was asked, almost as if they had trained this motion time and time again, the entire crowd pointed in Apollo's direction. While they figured as much, they didn't want to move without ample evidence.

And, suffice to say, everyone's mirrored response was evident enough.

"Ah, so it's you. Very well. Before anyone is allowed to leave, we'll need some adequate answers!"

Meanwhile, Geneva could only frown as she watched this scene. 'Why... WHY!? I just can't catch a break with this kid."