Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

575. Manifesting

Haec didn’t know how long it took, but [The Great Agarus] soon passed. It was a Primordial Demon. It was the same evolution as the Demon King. It was Level 225. It could have crushed him without even batting one of its many eyes. It was terrible. But it was also a sight to behold.

He had never seen a wild Primordial Demon before— it was the very first time he had stumbled upon one. And while he was glad that it hadn’t noticed him, he was also glad that he had the chance to see it.

He hid deep within the ravine as [The Great Agaruas] lumbered over the landscape above. It looked slow— it barely moved as fast as Haec walked. But that didn’t mean it was slow. The wild Primordial Demon was simply taking its time as it crossed through the wilderness. After all, it wasn’t in any rush. So why shouldn’t it slowly drag itself to its destination?

Not that Haec knew where it was going. He simply stared on as it vanished into a mountain range in the distance. Only the shadow of its hulking figure remained— scarcely so. But that didn’t mean that the threat was entirely gone.

At any moment, the wild Primordial Demon could unleash one of its Skills and completely obliterate the region. If that happened, it didn’t matter how deep within the ravine Haec hid himself. He would be blown apart. And so would the three Archdemons accompanying him.

Haec glanced back as he saw Taburas, Betrugil, and Aemula huddled behind him. They wore worried looks on their faces. None of them spoke. They waited for him to give them the signal that they were in the clear— that it was safe for them to speak once more.

But as long as they were out here in the wilderness during Revelation, they would never be safe. Betrugil probably knew that much. However, Aemula and Taburas were lost. And so was Haec.

He had become the designated leader of this group even though he was just as inexperienced as the others. He didn’t believe he was qualified to be in this position. He tried to pass the role to Betrugil. Unfortunately, the [Abraxas] didn’t want it.

Betrugil claimed that he had only survived numerous cycles of Revelation because he had been hiding far from the fighting. He never had to navigate the destroyed landscape. So Haec had to take up the mantle of the leader.

After all, Haec was the highest-leveled of the group. Not only that, but he was the Heir of the Netherworld— chosen to be the successor of the Demon King.

…and there was also the fact that it was Haec’s decision to leave the Demon King’s Domain.

Both Betrugil and Aemula had protested his decision at first. Neither of them wanted to be hunted down by the Deathsquad Hunters of the Demon King. After all, they were still collared— they were being tracked with every step they took.

It was what Haec had wanted to avoid. But Taburas wanted to follow him. And he couldn’t let himself part from her. So he allowed her to follow.

As for Betrugil and Aemula, neither had anywhere else to go. And it seemed like they were apprehensively keen on the idea of leaving the Demon King’s Domain. They were afraid of what it would entail. The fact that they were endangering their lives. However, it was not like they knew how to return either.

So they just followed Haec. He led them deep into the wilderness. And while they turned to him for his guidance, he was just as lost as they were. He wanted to find Salvos. Unfortunately, he didn’t even know where to start.

He shook his head and drew forward, following the river of lava.

“Let’s go.”

He spoke to Taburas, Betrugil, and Aemula. They exchanged a glance as he explained.

“We’re in the clear. So now’s our chance.”

Haec strode forward, and they trailed after him. They were safe for now. But all four Archdemons knew that wasn’t going to be true for long. [The Great Agarus] could turn its gaze to this crevice at any moment and destroy everything.

But that was not all. The Deathsquad Hunters could find them at any moment now. And there could be other things lurking down here that Haec knew nothing about.

A shadowed figure stalked through the ravine, eyeing its prey from a distance. It didn’t make a sound. It simply waited, biding its time to strike.

But not just yet.

Revelation was dangerous. Or it was supposed to be dangerous. But so far, I had found it to be quite safe— at least, relatively speaking compared to the second layer of the Netherworld and the end of the world.

I only had to use my Grand Skills in battle once— when I was fighting the [Hellabomination] not long after I exited the Remnants of the First Demon Kingdom. However, since then, the most danger I had been in was when some of the black lightning crashing from the sky above nearly hit me.

It would have killed me if I hadn’t swerved out of the way in time. It struck the ground and completely obliterated the earth. The blast created a network of crevices down below that immediately began to overflow with lava. I had to keep an eye out for these attacks, otherwise I would be killed.

It wasn’t targeted. It was completely random. And because of that, [Angelic Premonition] didn’t even warn me they were coming. I cursed as I shot to the side, seeing the black lightning streak down my way. There was a flash of black light as the blast struck the ground. And after a minute passed, I heard the crackling of the thunder.

I continued flying on as I sighed.

“It’s been weeks…”

Or it felt like it had been weeks. I didn’t know exactly how much time had passed since there was no real way for me to track time here in the Netherworld. I just knew that I had been flying aimlessly for a while.

I saw a sea of lava up ahead and continued to fly straight over it.

“How am I supposed to find Haec anyway?”

When I decided I would return my first ever companion after ending up in the Mortal Realm, I… really didn’t have a plan. It was simply a promise I made myself— and to him. But I wasn’t sure how I was going to find him.

My dad had told me that he was with Regnorex now. And while that was useful to know, I also didn’t know how to get to the Demon King’s Domain. Sure, I had been there once before. But it wasn’t like there was a map or anything to guide me.

I scratched my chin as I flew over the river of lava. I saw a ripple form on the bubbling crimson surface, and a shadow swimming beneath. I snapped my fingers as a undulating figure burst out of the ocean.

“Oh, I know!”

It was an [Uroboros]. A Level 152 Primeval Demon. I swerved to the side as my Divine Nebular Scythe appeared in my hand. The blade shone with a crimson light as I swung down, cleanly slicing the wild Demon with a [Divine Radiant Slash].

Defeated [Uroboros - Lvl. 152—

Less experience is awarded—

I grinned as I came to a halt over the middle of the red ocean. The split body of the [Uroboros] crashed into the bubbling crimson surface, sending a pillar of lava spilling into the air. I lowered my head as I clapped my hands together.

“If I want to find Haec, I just need to see everything.”

And that was simple enough. So I closed my eyes as I took in a deep breath. I felt my Divine Essence coalescing within me, and my eyes snapped open. I whispered as iridescent flakes wisped out of my mouth like a misty breath.

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods].”

All at once, my vision expanded. All my senses grew to encompass the world around me. But I suppressed my hearing— I focused so that only my sense of sight widened.

This was a Divine Skill. One I had learned when I became a [Draconic Apprentice]. It allowed me to see, hear, and smell everything in a hundred miles. But I didn’t need the full extent of its abilities right now. Especially since it was overwhelming at times. Even now when I had become a Lesser God, it was still slightly disorienting.

I just needed to find Haec with my eyes. And I could see everything.

I saw the wild Lesser Demons hiding down in the crevices back where I had come from. I spotted the charred corpse of a Greater Demon lying at the center of a crater, struck down by the black lightning. I looked on as winged Demons fought amongst each other high in the skies above.

And I continued to search for Haec. I didn’t see him anywhere. Which was expected. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t find him soon enough. I just had to keep moving. I propelled myself forward with my wings, watching as the world spun around me. As I continued to take in everything with [Manifestation of the Old Gods]. I flew on for a while, seeing nothing that particularly caught my eye in this desolate landscape.

But as I approached the end of the ocean of lava, I spotted something moving at the very edge of my vision. A lumbering figure— a massive hulking beast. One that seemed to cast a shadow over an entire mountain range. It was bigger than even an [Ancient Centinel] was long. It waded its way up a mountaintop.

And I stared at it with [Manifestation of the Old Gods].

[The Great Agarus - Lvl. 225]

“Huh.”

It was a Primordial Demon.

I watched as it slowly came to a halt right atop a tall mountain. It stood there on four legs. But it had dozens of tendrils that spilled from its face like a beard. And with its many eyes, I watched as its gaze fixed on… me?

I blinked.

“How…?”

I asked the question as it opened its mouth. Its tendrils pulled back, revealing its unhinged jaw. Even though it was a hundred miles away, it was still staring at me and aiming its gaze my way. I looked on as purple sparks flickered within its mouth. It revealed hundreds of sharp shark-like teeth which crackled with power.

And all at once, a purple void shot out. A beam of powerful magic. One that carried with it the power of the stars. I stared for a moment, watching as the blast shot forward, tearing through the mountaintops, before shooting over the ocean of lava. I saw the purple glint drawing closer as I blinked.

The realization settled in a moment later as [Angelic Premonition] blared in my head.

[The Great Agarus] was attacking me.

“Oh no.”

And the purple blast reached me a moment later, crossing a hundred miles in mere moments as I braced myself.