Amidst the tavern's lively discussions about unique tastes and fetishes, Xia Mi emptied his mug and discreetly made his exit.
Whether motivated by the hidden stash beneath his mattress or the fabled non-human exotic bride he had yet to encounter, Xia Mi recognized the urgency of ensuring his survival.
With the ever-present menace of the Seven Great Magicians from the Magic Tower, simply waiting and hoping to become stronger was a luxury he couldn't afford.
Divination Magic, interestingly, served as a conduit to solicit game system secrets.
Its usage was infrequent, but each application unveiled invaluable insights.
If things remained unchanged, the mages from the Magic Tower might corner Xia Mi before he could ascend to the title of Demon King.
He could almost picture it: relaxing at home, enjoying a hotpot, crooning a tune, when out of the blue, a hero comes knocking.
Such a future was one he couldn't accept!
"Accept!"
Thus, Xia Mi stepped into his destiny as the Demon King.
Shortly thereafter, a new interface materialized, supplementing his original villager profile.
[Name: Xia Mi]
[Race: Demon]
[Job: Greenhorn Demon King Successor]
[Level: 1]
[Status: Flabbergasted]
Did the system genuinely need to mock him even after he willingly assumed the Demon King mantle?
His villager profile now displayed:
[Name: Xia Mi]
[Race: Human]
[Job: Villager]
[Level: 50]
Just moments ago, he had been a humble level 27 villager. Yet, with his newfound Demon King title, he immediately soared to level 50. For common roles such as villagers, blacksmiths, and innkeepers, level 50 represented the zenith.
He had become the epitome of villagers.
Reviewing his [Villager] profession skills, it was clear that Xia Mi's agricultural prowess was now unmatched.
[Skill Panel]
[Master Farmer (Max Level)]: Your innate agricultural expertise allows you to discern the needs of various crops, enabling you to farm plots five times faster than any hero.
[Blacksmithing (Max Level)]: Your handiwork ranges from crafting simple tools to forging the finest blades in the village.
This signified that Xia Mi could now engage in farming with unparalleled efficiency.
Dedicating himself from sunrise to sunset, leveraging his [Master Farmer] skill to the fullest, he could cultivate vast swathes of land, subsequently purchasing more territories to continue the cycle.
In his spare moments, he could even forge standard weapons for fellow villagers.
In due course, he might even secure a lavish residence in the city, relishing a life of bliss.
Oh, how life's prospects had broadened!
For now, Xia Mi only had these skills under his belt. However, he possessed an abundance of unused [Villager] skill points. He planned to delve into other [Villager] skills when time permitted.
First things first, though.
His attention shifted to the secondary interface.
The [Demon King] interface remained static, kindling Xia Mi's curiosity.
He scrutinized himself, but everything seemed ordinary, from his skills to his appearance.
Was this all there was to the Demon King heir's might?
Suddenly, bold text flashed before him.
[Skin Selection: 1. Villager (Default Skin); 2. Demon King (Legendary)]
A choice in appearance!
Suppressing a smirk, Xia Mi, under the observant eyes of the villagers, confidently opted for his default look.
Previously, main quests seldom appeared on his villager status screen. However, a significant quest now emerged on the Demon King interface.
[Main Quest]
[Picking Up the Scraps]
[Embark on a journey to the Demon King's fortress to secure the 'Heart of the Demon King's Fortress', the Demon King's ring, and the Monster Codex from the subterranean vault.]
"The Demon King's fortress? That's a considerable distance from this starting village."
Xia Mi visualized a map of the Aelran continent in his mind.
Since his arrival in this alternate realm, Xia Mi had amalgamated knowledge from various sources, crafting a comprehensive understanding of his surroundings.
This was a realm where logic bent, governed by the mystical force known as 'Origin', which powered a myriad of supernatural feats and related technologies.
Magic, divine auras, sorcery, knight techniques, and more...
Moreover, humans weren't the sole inhabitants. Elves, succubi, yuki-onna, dragons, vampires, orcs, gnomes, and other JRPG staples thrived here.
[Note: This sequence isn't from Xia Mi's computing system.]
Aelran was a vast continent, home to diverse nations, each jockeying for prominence.
Illy, where Xia Mi resided, was nestled on the eastern frontier of the Phis Kingdom, a longstanding continental powerhouse. The previous Demon King's territory lay further east, compelling heroes from distant lands to traverse the Phis Kingdom to challenge the Demon King.
Predictably, Illy was a popular starting point for many.
In essence, this realm was a JRPG paradise, merging elements from various JRPG universes.
Yet, for Xia Mi, simpler matters occupied his thoughts: Could he still wed a non-human bride? And how would he reach the Demon King's fortress?
Venturing there solo, oblivious of the distance, was ill-advised.
Engrossed in his thoughts, Xia Mi delved deeper into the Demon King's interface.
On the second page of the Demon King's panel, under the skill section:
[You have unlearned skills]
[Skill Points: 1]
Wait...
Xia Mi realized he hadn't learned any Demon King skills yet.
[Demon King's Aura : Enables you to make females of the demon race produce more hormones towards you. (Able to learn) ]
[Infinite Lust: Enhance your body and endurance, allowing you to be more indulgent than any other creature. (Able to learn) ]
"..."
As expected of a Demon King.
But now wasn't the time to upgrade such peculiar skills, right?
Spotting a new skill, his interest peaked:
[Skill: Demon King's Warp]
[For optimal performance, minimize needless travel.]
[Usage: 1. Warp to any map point with kilometer precision. 2. Return to the Fortress. Instantly warp to the Demon King's stronghold.]
[Note: Former Demon King's favorite warp destinations: Succubi's Lounge (Warped 3748 times); Chamber of the Swordsman Shukas' Wife (Warped 121 times)]
Xia Mi stifled a chuckle.
The renowned Swordsman Shukas was an ardent advocate for vanquishing the Demon King, wasn't he?
And the Succubi's Lounge... Had to be a venue of... Intrigue.
Without hesitation, Xia Mi acquired the skill.
However, the mentioned locations were sadly inaccessible, which was a minor letdown for him.
[Skill: Demon King's Warp]
[Warp to any desired point or directly to the Demon King's stronghold. Usage cooldown diminishes with leveling up.]
Stealthily, Xia Mi returned home, discarding the long-standing couplet "Equilibrium Preserved" from his entrance. Despite its tenure, no hero had ever sought him out.
As the new Demon King, it was utterly superfluous.
Ensuring he was undetected, Xia Mi activated his newly acquired skill.
"Warp to the Demon King's fortress."
A quintessential portal materialized, beckoning him onward.