Chapter 80 – The Curtain Rises

Volume 3: Rising Winds and Clouds

With the appearance of the first Level 5 lizard-like Demonic Creature, one lizard-like Demonic Creature after another burst from the black hole within the Silver Vortex that the Demon Realm Gate had become!

Aside from their varying lengths, all these Demonic Creatures looked exactly alike!

As more and more of them emerged, the bizarre creatures soon filled every corner of the Demon City!

In the sky, the Blood Beast shuddered at the sight of the lizard-like Demonic Creatures below.

"This is… their nest… That lunatic actually opened a path into Baru's nest…"

Perhaps the Blood Beast circling endlessly overhead had alerted the Baru Demons scattered across the ground. Every one of the eyeless creatures turned its head toward the sky!

Several Level 5 Baru Demons, along with countless lower-level Baru Demons, focused on the Blood Beast. Though they had no eyes and therefore couldn't truly be said to have a gaze, the sight still made the Blood Beast-or rather, the Black-skinned Demonic Creature within it-feel its hair stand on end!

"Um… hello there…"

The trembling Blood Beast sent out a mental pulse, attempting to greet the Baru Demons below!

Unfortunately…

They weren't interested.

To put it another way, these terrifying creatures, feared even within the Demon Race, would eat just about anything-except polite greetings!

And as luck would have it, the Baru Demons' favorite food happened to be Demonic Creatures!

The Level 5 Baru Demons made a series of wet, gurgling sounds. Then every Baru Demon throughout the city opened its enormous maw at once!

Countless slick tongues shot toward the Blood Beast in the sky.

The tongues of the Level 5 Demonic Creatures were faster and stronger than the rest, instantly coiling around the Blood Beast's ankles!

Caught completely off guard by an unexpected attack from its own side, the Blood Beast quickly recovered and tried to break free of the tongues around its ankles!

But before it could make a move, even more slender tongues wrapped around its body!

Then every Baru Demon in the city pulled at once!

The Blood Beast couldn't withstand such tremendous force. Like a crashing plane, it plummeted toward the ground!

"No… we're… on the same side…"

Before the Black-skinned Demonic Creature could say another word, the Baru Demons throughout the city pounced on the Blood Beast as though they had found a delicious snack!

Horrific chewing sounds erupted from the enormous mass of Baru Demons surrounding the Blood Beast, accompanied by the agonized screams of the Black-skinned Demonic Creature trapped inside!

"Save me… Save me!!!"

Perhaps the great Demon Lord heard the Black-skinned Demonic Creature's cries. An even larger Baru Demon crawled out of the black hole.

The only difference was that a strangely shaped Demonic Creature stood atop its head!

The Demonic Creature had grayish-green skin and four short legs that could barely support its body. Perched atop its squat frame was a disproportionately enormous head! Above the massive One-Eye on its head, a black Mysterious Crystal was clearly visible!

This was another Demon Seed!

The Demon Seed frowned slightly when it saw the Baru Demons swarming around the Blood Beast, then spoke.

"That's enough, my darlings… This one isn't your prey!"

Its twisted, grating voice carried a faint mental pulse.

The Baru Demons sensed the wave of psychic energy and immediately scattered, revealing the Blood Beast at their center!

The Blood Beast looked no different than before. After all, with its Undying ability, the Black-skinned Demonic Creature inside would be in no danger as long as the Blood Beast's duration had not expired.

The truly terrifying part, however, was that the Baru Demons had no minds whatsoever! Once they locked on to their prey, they would keep tearing into it until either the prey died or they did!

Without an order from the Demon Seed, the Black-skinned Demonic Creature's only possible fate was to be ripped limb from limb!

The moment the Baru Demons surrounding it dispersed, the Blood Beast rolled over and struggled to its feet. Trembling, it approached the Demon Seed.

"My lord…"

The Demon Seed smiled at the Blood Beast, baring a mouthful of vicious, pitch-black fangs.

"Tell me. What exactly is this place?"

"My lord, this is…"

The Black-skinned Demonic Creature forcibly suppressed its trembling and explained the rules of this Treasure Land, along with everything that had happened in the battle moments ago.

After hearing the full account, the Demon Seed nodded.

"Then you may follow me. Your ability is at least somewhat useful. Besides, this Treasure Land can only accommodate beings up to the Level 5 Peak. My big darlings can't come out, and relying on these little darlings…"

The Demon Seed pondered for a long while before slowly shaking his head. Then he patted the massive head of the Baru Demon beneath him.

"Cancel that form and come sit beside me!"

Faced with the unquestionable command in the Demon Seed's voice, the Black-skinned Demonic Creature hesitated, then nodded. It immediately deactivated its Blood Beast form, returned to its original appearance, and climbed onto the Baru Demon's back.

Seeing how obedient the Black-skinned Demonic Creature was, the Demon Seed nodded in satisfaction.

"A whole new world… I wonder if the natives here are as tasty as Demonic Creatures…"

The sight of the Demon Seed licking his lips sent a shudder through the Black-skinned Demonic Creature!

At the same time, it recalled the legends within the Demon Race concerning the Baru Demons!

…

The Baru Demons were a unique group within the Demon Race!

They possessed no intelligence, only uncanny combat abilities and a terrifying rate of reproduction! Worse still, they devoured any flesh they could find!

As a result, the Baru Demons spread like vermin throughout the Demon Realm, wreaking havoc wherever they went!

Their frightening ability to adapt to any environment also made the revolting things impossible to eradicate!

It was only after the Ancient Demon Clan and the High Command of the Demon Palace spent a great deal of time studying their behavior that they finally discovered a way to control the Baru Demons!

They used the flesh of the Baru Demons to cultivate a unique new species, one capable of guiding them!

The plan succeeded, and a new race was born!

Although the members of this race possessed very little combat ability themselves, as long as they commanded the Baru Demons, every single one of them was equivalent to an invincible army!

However, this newly created race had inherited one of the Baru Demons' vile habits!

Compared to other living creatures, they much preferred the taste of Demonic Creature flesh…

Fortunately, this new race was intelligent. Intelligence meant they could communicate, negotiate, and compromise…

After a series of countermeasures was put into place, the Baru Demons were successfully incorporated into the armies of the Demon Race.

Even so, no Demonic Creature wanted anything to do with these demons.