A Certain Demon's Evolutionary Tale

It was a calculated move. A necessary one.

As I advanced toward my chosen target, a single thought occupied my mind? How could I end its life before my kin intervened and stole the kill? What method would guarantee success before they had the chance to rob me of my moment?

The answer came to me as naturally as breathing.

When I reached my victim, I clamped my jaws around its head and sucked it clean off its body!

Experience Points Gained!

You Have Leveled Up!

Demon Larva. Lv.3 → Demon Larva. Lv.4

A rush of exhilaration surged through me, a sensation so intoxicating that I nearly lost myself in it. The warmth of power coursed through my body, spreading from my core to my very limbs.

This was growth.

This was evolution.

The kin from whom I had stolen the kill glared at me with disdain, but their feelings meant nothing to me. I had no reason to care about their petty grievances. Survival was all that mattered in here. No one cares for details as long as you come out standing.

So instead of spending my precious time lingering on their resentment, I focused on my next target? Another weak, dying foe. One that lacked the strength to resist.

4 Stat Points Acquired!

1 Skill Point Acquired!

The message came in later after I had set my next target. I ignored and carried on.

I plunged back into the chaos, seizing every opportunity that presented itself. I was not like the others who fought with brute force or honour. I was a scavenger, striking where it was most convenient. I targeted those already incapacitated, the ones whose struggles had drained them of their final reserves.

And it worked.

One by one, I claimed my victims, climbing higher and higher. When the battle finally ended, I had reached level 6.

The victory cries of my kin echoed through the air, a testament to our triumph. We had utterly dominated the opposing group.

But amidst the celebration, my attention was drawn to something far more important? My new form.

I had grown. My once insignificant size had expanded, and, most importantly, I had limbs now. Slimy, malformed, but functional. I could grab things. Lift things. Hold things. It was an undeniable improvement.

For a brief moment, I revelled in my progress. But then, I looked around.

The excitement drained from me in an instant.

There were others, many others who had grown even more than I had. Towering figures loomed over me, and at the centre of them all stood our alpha. The very embodiment of power.

His level flashed before me:

Race: Demon [Infant]

Species: [Demon Larva] – Lv.10

I clenched my new limbs in frustration.

He wasn't the only one. Others had also reached level 10. More still hovered around level 9, while the majority ranged between levels 7 and 8. And then, there was me, one of the few left behind at level 6.

I was slower than them.

That much was clear. But acceptance didn't mean complacency. I had no intention of remaining at the bottom forever.

Everyone else was exhausted. The battle had drained them completely, leaving them unable to move. Our alpha, without needing to say a word, had made a decision to rest and so would the others.

One by one, my kin retreated into their shells, their bodies folding inward as they entered a dormant state. Soon, I was the only one left awake.

It wasn't that I couldn't rest. I just didn't need to.

I had more than enough energy left, my body still brimming with unspent strength. Instead of wasting time in hibernation, I used the opportunity to observe.

And as I watched, a question formed in my mind.

Was killing truly the only way to level up?

I held no emotional attachment to my kin. I had no regrets about taking their lives for my own gain. If necessary, I would do it again without hesitation. But efficiency mattered more than morality.

The battle had been risky. One misstep, one miscalculation, and I could have been the one crushed beneath the swarm.

There had to be another way.

A safer way.

My thoughts swirled as I scanned my surroundings, searching for an answer. Then—

Uhu...

Something flickered at the edge of my perception.

Instinctively, I activated [Comprehension]. My vision honed in on a single presence.

Race: Demon [Infant]

Species: [Demon Larva] – Lv.10

I already knew that. But there was something else. Something new.

State: Evolutionary Hibernation [Vulnerable]

I froze.

A realization clawed at the back of my mind, but I refused to accept it just yet. I checked another. And another. And another.

The result was the same.

Every Demon Larva that had reached level 10 was in Evolutionary Hibernation. And they were—vulnerable.

A slow, wicked understanding settled in.

Was this what I thought it was?

Could it really mean what I hoped it did?

A grin spread across my unseen face.

This… this was my chance.

No, my opportunity.

There wasn't enough data to be completely sure, but the risk was worth it.

With deliberate movements, I reached down and grabbed two solid rocks—one in my left limb, the other in my right.

Then, moving as silently as my body allowed, I crept toward the alpha's unmoving form.

His shell was hardened. Thick. Sturdy. But he was inside—defenceless.

I knew I was playing a dangerous game. One mistake, one miscalculation, and my existence would be erased before I could even realize what had happened.

But I didn't stop.

No.

I couldn't stop.

Something inside me refused to back down. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was madness.

But the logic of this world was clear.

I am a Demon Larva. A being that exists to evolve.

If I wanted to rise, I had to take it. If I wanted to be more, I had to seize the opportunity before me.

I raised both rocks high above my head—

And I struck down with all my might.