Won retreated to his hotel room and greeted the peacefully sleeping Lulu, slowly rubbing her head, and tucking her in.
He was quite far from the Shrine, yet even here he could hear the unrest that filled the Empire. The clamoring of residents as they rushed to save their shrine.
Blame was pushed onto anyone and everyone, as chaos raged violently through the people. Through the curtains Won saw acts of beasts, as these people bit and tore at each other. Won shook his from side to side, "This is why I hate those who lean on religion. Once someone tells them something they follow without a doubt in their heads, and if they lose it the crumble. Even the popes of these religions humans kneel towards, aren't as naive as these people. They know the Gods lt whatever else they pray towards is a selfish and greedy being, they know this and all their devotion and righteousness is fake."
Ozaris said, "Indeed. In the Demon world power is all that matters, and one could get the devotion of others for this strength. But even then no Demon leans or relies on these figures. They do everything for their own selfish desires. Even I was prepared to die by masters hands, not because I didn't value my life or was a fool who only knelt before God. I did it because considered everything, my life wouldn't amount to much ordinarily, but a demon Royal was sure to become someone feared. If my life could make an impact on someone like that wouldn't that be amazing?"
Won laughed, "You con. It's seems I need to increase my evaluation of you."
Ozaris simply bowed.
'Yet these are the type of people I like. People who don't kneel foolishly. I don't need believer's who think I'm so God, I need people who actually have the ability to plot and scheme.'
It was always a question of whether one wanted a tamed dog, or a wild wolf, to fight for you.
A dog certainly would not betray you if you trained it, but a Wolf was a predator someone who hunted.
Won didn't need obedience he just needed a way to quickly become a Sovereign, because he knew that he trusted no one. Even if it was his wife or lover, he would constantly plot on how to defeat and kill them.
Two days later.
Won then went out of the room again.
Ozaris saw the back of Won and mumbled, "His highness is really scary. He acts amicable and coy, but I can sense it that evil in his heart. That cruelty. It scares me to my bones. He puts on a facade to control himself, but I see it. That frightening, cruel being who seeks to make everyone suffer."
...
Exiting the city he went to a far off distance. The Moon was crescent in the sky, only now beginning the cycle of the full moon. The Yin energy was thick and assaulted the world.
On the battlefields, men could be seen pouring oil everywhere.
And as the night deepened from the ground Zombies, Yin spirits and ghosts, Premature demons they all arose.
Yet in a blaze of fire they were extinguished, normally a common fire could never kill beings like Yin spirits, Ghosts and Premature Demons. Yet due to just being born they turned to ash that drifted in the wind. Zombies naturally were weak to fire and also died.
Won however disregarded all this and ventured into a far off valley.
Inside a violent and powerful Yin energy spread out.
Death seemed as if he had formed from this mass of energy and creatures of horror stories filled the valley.
Yet as Won appeared, they made low growls and knelt to him.
Won went deeper and sat in lotus position.
Today he was attempting his Awakening.
Demons had Awakenings, this meant their true form.
When Demons were born typically they were in a weak state, this was meant to test them. If they survived in the demon world until they were old enough or had the opportunity to awaken they were truly Demons.
Won had learnt he needed alot of things to awaken. First was the Blood pool in the Demon world, another was extreme Yin energy.
Won was lucky because one of the diviners in the palace looked and found from the stars a Extreme Yin night was approaching. So Won thought he should try and awaken. Then the matter of the blood pool. The Blood Pool was the essence blood of origin, Primordial chaos converged and formed into creation. Some say it is the Fetal Blood of the first being and containing the source of all beings. Some say it is the First Demons Essence blood. Whichever origin one took to explain the Blood pool, it was considered the origin of Demons. Won had two options. He could either slowly refine Ozaris and obtain the drops of blood pool that resided in his body or the other option. Summoning a God.
It wasn't impossible to imagine that mortals could summon God, many religion's did the very concept described, but even then it barely touched on the surface of what Won planned.
If an appropriate price was given one could even summon Heavens Will down. God's were after all selfish beings.
Yet how was this possible? Gods are beings who are intertwined with the very universe on an extremely personal level. One could say they were the Universes children. Any reaction or movement of the universe could be felt by them. The concept of summoning was a shamanic practice, shamanism interacted with nature and distorted it to suit their needs. They were quite similar to Witches, but Witches were more violent in their powers. Buddhas could interact with the Dharma or the natural law and convert any imbalance through the rule of the Dharma. Witches could tamper with the Dharma change it so that fire wasn't hot and water didn't flow, they were like hackers who interfered with the universes code. Shamans on the other hand they communicate with the spirit's and elements that fundamentally hold in place the universe, the converse, bargain and serve Gods and other beings taking in a part of that being. Buddhas, Witches and Shamans were all technically from the same school, just done differently. Comparably to a sword school where one division taught short sword, another broad sword and finally dual sword.
Of course the cost of summoning a God was already great, but summoning a specific god... It was insanity to consider this.
Yet Won smirked, "That's really why I like my new me."
A voice said, "The grim moon rises from the endless gloom that flows like rains down to earth."
Won replied, "The heart of man is Changeable and undesirable, but the very need to live surpasses the evil of the moon and the conniving sun."
A man walked out. He wore a hood.
He pulled it down, and a man who looked identical to Won appeared. Yet perhaps the most notable difference was his hollow like eyes, and the tattoo on his wrist saying beast.
Won asked, "How was the South borders?"
The man who looked like Won and said, "Hey main body you know so why are you acting coy? It was shit, ten boats full of those savages arrived and I was chased for ten days. Luckily you gained a level and I managed to kill them."
Won complained, "The technique is very nice, but sadly for the main body to collect the experience points and anything else gained I have to reform. Sigh."
The man threw a ring.
Won looked curious, "I never expected to see a Storage ring..."
The man said, "It isn't a storage ring, I was investigating it. It's similar to Witchcraft. They both deal with spatial laws, just differently."
Won nodded and he opened the ring and 100 human bodies came out and ten large jugs of blood.
Won said, "It's not enough."
The man said, "Hungry Ghosts is bringing it soon enough. Stop complained."
Won said, "How mean!"
The man laughed, "Aren't you the one controlling me to say that you pervert?"
Won meekly laughed.
The man came close and turned into red sparks which fused with Won.
[Congratulations! Level up! Lvl 10 > Lvl 14]
Won laughed, "Looks like the Demon Idol killed quite alot. Hehe. I wonder how Heaven is doing studying magic in the west..."
Ten Demon Idols. A Cultivation technique Won had received from the Darkness Kings. Yet they heavily misunderstood the intent of the technique. They thought ten people were needed for each one of the Idols, they thought of it like 1+1=2, but in fact it was one creates two, two creates three and so on.
The Ten realms.
Hell, Animal, Hungry Ghost, Asura, Heaven or Deva, Human, Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, bodhisattva, Buddhahood
One would normally look at it as one characteristic needed to be taken upon, but the Ten realms were a journey to ascend.
One can only become a God by living a day as a mortal one said.
...
Soon enough a large cart dragged by over a hundred people came, a man in a palanquin soon arrived.
All together there were 10,000 people all standing in a daze.
The man in the palanquin came out and again he looked like Won.
The Won with Hungry Ghost tattoo on his wrist.
Won asked, "How was it?"
The hungry ghost bowed and said, "Well I met this poison magician while wandering. I killed him because the poison was too low level, and took his skill. Then I killed like a hundred thousand people in some strange clan. I then put all my efforts into the poison magic and went to the small kingdom there. I pretended to be a cook and poisoned everyone. Most of the kingdom are my slaves. I brought the most talented and useful for the summoning here."
Won nodded, "Thank you. How much exp do you think you have?"
Hungry Ghost shrugged, "Stop messing around original. You know everything yet you act like this. Hai, you read too many books as a kid. Anyway the amount of exp is uncountable, even taking these people under my control gave us exp. If I amount the entire Kingdom which is basically poisoned and under my control, the emissaries from other kingdoms and those I Slaughtered from my own actions or inciting war... Maybe 1,000,000 people or more."
Won smirked, "That should be more than enough for leveling up past lvl 20."
Hungry Ghost nodded.
Won lifted his hand as Hungry Ghost began to walk towards Won.
"Don't give me the exp now. Do it during the awakening."
"Yes."
Won collected all the bodies and used the large pots of blood to form a weird circle to sacrifice for the gods.
"Which God have you decided to summon?"
"Heaven did some research and I found about a few Gods, but none of them would help me probably. I'm thinking of calling the Goddess of the Blood Sea, but the amount of blood origin she has is not that much in my opinion."
"Goddess of Blood sea. Ah, who the Cult of twisted Laughter worships. She's an original God born from the Universe so she most likely won't help us actively so it'll be more costly. Furthermore the Blood Sea she has is commonly mistaken with the Blood pool in the demon world, right. She's must have been actively sought by those fools who try to turn into demons and won't be too happy. Even the records the kingdom I have describe how bloody small headed those Gods are. Why don't you call one of the Demon worlds Godking's."
"Are you stupid. They'll instantly recognize I'm a Draconian Demon Royal and then what'll happen?"
"Ah! Wait, wait! Original I remember talking with Hell. He was in the South as well and he told me how he had found out the Gate of Heaven is guarded by spirits rather than angels."
"Gate of Heaven... Ah you mean the thing they use to awaken."
"Yeah. So why don't we summon a Demonic spirit or servant and get them to retrieve it."
Won clapped his hands, "You're right it's cheaper and easier!"
Hungry Ghost asked, "Original why do you pretend as if you don't know? The amount of sacrifices present is obviously for a spirit, no God could be called let alone begin an offering with this much. Or is it that you've become dumber due to splitting?"
Won sighed, "What nonsense are you saying. It's just... It's boring if you know everything, it takes the joy out of what you do. Furthermore I want people to talk to even if they are myself. It's too lonely guarding myself, never truly letting anyone in."
Hungry Ghost sighed and said, "I suppose you're right."
Won laughed bitterly, "Hey out of all my incarnations you should understand me the most. Your representation is of people forgotten by their descendants!"
Hungry Ghost frowned and said, "Original don't bully me! Or I'll revolt!"
Won clasped his hands together, and a green flames sprouted from the ritual circle he had drawn.
The bodies surrounding it began to turn into little sparks that merged with the twisting green flame in the middle.
With only about a hundred remaining.
Won said, "This greedy bastard. He's just a mere Demonic Spirit yet he's acting like some big boss. Wait till I go to the Demon world! I'll kill the bastard and take back everything he took today."
As the flame began to coil around and a small boy began to appear, the sky rumbled ferociously.
Purple lighting crisscrossed across the sky.
Won looked up and said, "What the fuck..."
[A Hegemonic being has altered the world such that any acts of shamanism shall incur Heaven's wrath!]
Won complained, "Heavens bloody wrath? I'm just a low level minor character, why the hell is Heaven noticing me..."
As if angered at Won further by his lack of reverence, the lighting buzzer and forked downwards forming a dazzling rain of purple lighting.
Just then some mysterious force seemed to act and the angry and prideful lighting shook in place as if scared, it slowly retreated back into the clouds.
Won stared wide eyed and said, "Heavens wrath senior, where did you go?"
Hungry Ghost said, "Maybe it's tank was empty... I mean there are a lot of sinners it isn't that weird that it can't dish out all the time."
[As soon as Heaven's Will even if unconsciously tried to attack you, the Bloodiest Devil will in the system stopped it. Unless you actively go seeking death he will stop any external power trying to attack you.]
Won laughed loudly, "Is that so? So let me ask. If I take a wife who happens to be the princess of lets say the Dragon clan, can the Dragon Godking do anything to me?"
[Unless you clearly show malice or wish to make that person suffer in some way there will not be any protection, but if you do something simply to harass or abuse another being you will not be protected. You have as much freedom as you want as long as you mind yourself in an appropriate manner. That's not to say you can't do as you wish. If you do it's just you have to deal with the problems that come with that desire.]
Won smirked, "Whatever atleast that means I won't die and unjust death!"
Won and Hungry Ghost high-fived.
Suddenly the green flame rose up and a small boy who looked to be atleast eight years old walked out with his hands behind his back, his robe dragging on the floor. He looked around and furrowed, "Shamanic summoning to this realm? That shouldn't be possible... Hm. Anyway summoner... YOUR MAJESTY!"
The young boy fell to the ground and kowtowed.
Won looked at the boy who had large spikey red hair, and copper colored skin.
He said, "Hmph! Acting arrogant in front of this one how daring."
The young boy said, "I'm sorry your majesty! It's just how could I expect a Demon to use that foolish art of shamanism..."
Won asked haughtily, "So you are saying I am Foolish?!"
The Young boy slammed his head down and said, "This servant dares not! He shall obey his majesties command!"
Won hurrumphed.
Hungry Ghost laughed, 'To command a demon you need to create a hierarchy, but this little spirit is rather cute."
Won said, "Bring me a 100 barrel full of dew from the blood pool and I shall forget your disobedient nature!"
The boy nodded, "Yes your majesty! Immediately!"
He then dissapeared, but green flames remained.
Won laughed, "That little fellow didn't even take his money. How pitiful."
Hungry Ghost, "Being a Demon Royal has helped up greatly, but the main concern is how we became one. Furthermore dosen't it seem to coincidental, like something is secretly guiding us."
Won said, "The race change must have happened during the bodily rebirth in the battle with White Dragon, there must have been Satan's bloodline considering pieces of his inheritance also dropped."
Hungry Ghost nodded, "But if it was truly something of the Demon races firstly how did it come to our realm and how come no Demon has noticed. Furthermore if these Demons truly have a place in many establishments shouldn't they have been to The Grim Reapers Graveyard at least once. Many powerful beings go their for entertainment and even use it to make deals. A Demon at the very least should have had information of it and then atleast sent a subordinate like Ozaris. I know Demon and Angel intervention isn't something special and most low level realms like ours have other races trying to take control of it, we learnt this from Ozaris. Yet I have this unsettling feeling inside."
Won sighed, "Don't worry too much. If it's a problem we currently can't deal with, lets rely of the Bloodiest Devil. The problems we have now need our immediate attention."
Hungry Ghost asked, "How does the plan come?"
Won shook his head, "Still don't have a clue, but I've made protective measures either way.
Hungry Ghost asked, "How long do you think Human and Buddha will take for them to come out?"
Won said, "They've found appropriate places to do as we need. Now we just need to work on acquiring and praying to the Bloodiest Devil that they aren't found."
Hungry Ghost said, "Original you have the same question as me don't you. I'm sure you question was answered with Beast returned."
Won nodded, and then he asked, "System how is it that I learn my Cultivation techniques? It's as if I have been using it since birth, but that doesn't make sense. Furthermore what is exp actually?"
[When user kills any being, the system absorbs their soul and sends it to the fragment of The Bloodiest Devil inside. The fragment completely understands the technique or ability and then sends the information back to you. The soul is converted into Qi or soul energy and even Mana and send back to you, and it is processed as Exp. Special items are made taking the source of the deceased being which the Fragment of will crafts into something for you.]
Hundred Ghost clapped his hands, "We were right. The jar of souls traps the souls therefore the exp, the Cultivation techniques and abilities are either extremely low or non existent."
Won nodded.
"How big is the Fragment of will?"
[Extremely tiny. 1,000,000,000,000,000 x smaller than the smallest grain of sand.]
Won looked at Hungry Ghost with a stupid expression, "He's a bloody cheat he is. He's this bloody arrogant and capable with such a small bit of will... No doubt the system will tell me if it was bigger the universe would collapse upon itself."
[...]
Won groaned, "Hungry Ghost don't you feel as if a lemon was pushed into our mouth?"
Hungry Ghost sighed, "It's similar to bitter wine in my opinion."
The two Won's sighed.