Lox walked through the dark and dense thickets of the forest, heading towards the humble shelter he considered his new habitat.
His thoughts were filled with plans and strategies for the upcoming hunt in the forest.
He wanted to find the most powerful demons and creatures to become even stronger and conquer these lands.
In the distance, Lox could hear the murmurs and voices of his faithful servants - the gods.
He knew that his presence would cause them anxiety and fear. He decided to leave them and allow them to communicate and act freely without his control.
Lox wanted them to become independent and make decisions on their own, but with some rules.
After arriving at his hiding place, Lox sat down on the ground, leaning on an ancient bone in this shack. He began to ponder his next steps and plan of action.
Various strategies swirled in his head, he weighed the pros and cons of each action.
"I need to give the demons clear rules that will keep them safe and prevent conflicts with other creatures in the forest," Lox thought.
When Lox arrived at his hiding place, he laid down on a mossy cushion and closed his eyes to focus on his thoughts.
It didn't take long before he was approached by Vermiel, who also appeared interested in following up.
- 'Sir, if you have any instructions or plans for tomorrow, let us know,' Vermiel said as he bowed to Lox.
Lox opened his eyes and looked at his loyal servant.
- Tomorrow we will begin our hunt in the Northern Forest. We must be extremely careful and avoid attracting unnecessary attention.
Our strength as a team is very important and we must use it tactfully and efficiently to get to our objectives," Lox said with confidence.
- Vermiel, you will lead our squad and be in charge of coordinating our actions. I rely on your skills and experience.
- We seek knowledge and strength, and nothing must stand in our way. But remember, I don't want any unnecessary losses in our ranks," Lox added, paying special attention to the last warning.
Vermiel nodded in agreement and spoke with determination:
- It shall be done, sir. We will carry out your instructions and succeed in this hunt.
Lox smiled, seeing Vermiil's devotion. He knew he could rely on his personal servant and loyal team of demons.
- Very well. Prepare everything you need for the morning, and be ready to depart.
Lox looked at Vermiil with a bit of surprise as he continued to stand by his side. He hadn't expected the demon to be so insistent, but he was glad that his faithful servant was so loyal and willing to follow him anywhere.
- I let you go, go," Lox repeated, this time more insistently.
Vermiel smiled a little embarrassed, but didn't go along with his emotions. He knew that Lox wanted to give him his freedom, but he also knew that his place was by his master's side.
- Master, I will always follow you. You are my lord and master. I want to be by your side and serve you," Vermiil replied with sincerity in his voice.
Lox looked at Vermiil with respect. He realized that for demons, loyalty was not just a word, but the essence of their being. They were created to serve those who were stronger, and for Vermeil, serving his master was natural and integral.
- No, now go away, I want to be alone with my thoughts," Lox said heavily.
Vermiil was slightly embarrassed to hear the refusal from his master. He hadn't expected such a reaction, but he immediately realized that Lox needed a moment of solitude.
The servant was loyal and attentive, and he knew that some moments the lord wanted to spend in solitude.
- As you wish, master. I will wait for you when you are ready,' Vermiel said and bowed slightly leaning forward.
Lox nodded his thanks, realizing that his faithful servant understood his wish.
The imp carefully stepped back some distance to give his master space.
He knew his master needed time to consider his thoughts and plans.
Loneliness enveloped Lox as Vermiel withdrew. He sat down on the ground and immersed himself in his thoughts.
His mind was full of questions and thoughts about his upcoming journey through the Northern Forest, his new companions and their abilities.
He pondered on how best to utilize his demonic abilities and how to accomplish his goals in this challenging and dangerous world.
"This strange power of undoing, why do I have it ? I am a free demon, but now I am also the master of demons. Can I properly utilize their loyalty and power ?" - Lox thought, feeling various feelings and emotions struggling inside him.
Lox sat on the ground, immersed in his musings. His mind was swarming with questions and doubts, but he tried to gather his thoughts and find answers.
He realized that his life had changed forever from the moment he met Vermeil and the rest of the demons. Now he had new powers that he couldn't just ignore.
"Vermiel believes in me and is willing to follow me even when I refuse his help. He's loyal and that's valuable," thought Lox, feeling a deep gratitude for his servant.
"But then again, I'm not used to having that kind of responsibility. I've always been a lone demon, and I've always had to rely on myself."
On the one hand, Lox felt that his new power and ability to control other demons gave him great advantages.
He could assemble a strong team and accomplish his goals in the Northern Forest, overcoming all the obstacles in his way. But on the other hand, he was afraid of using his power in a way that wasn't fair.
"Could I become what some demons were - cruel and ruthless? Could I lose myself in this power and become like those I used to despise?" - Lox pondered thoughtfully. He didn't want to become what he had been fighting against all this time, ever since he was born.....
Suddenly the image of Viola, the snow-white female figure he had seen in his dream, appeared in his mind.
She seemed so fragile and delicate, but strong and wise at the same time. This was something new and strange to Lox, he had never felt this way about anyone else.
"This feeling... what does it mean?" - Lox wondered. He realized that these new emotions and human feelings made him vulnerable, but at the same time they gave his essence some new depth.
Lox didn't want to go into detail, his bloodlust was present, but being in the human world takes its toll.
"I don't even want to know," Lox thought.
He couldn't sleep even in cat form.
Lox stepped quietly out of the shack and cautiously made his way through the dense thickets of the forest.
The night air was cool and the stars shone brightly in the sky.
His mind was busy with many thoughts, and he searched for a way to dispel his doubts and worries.
Amidst the hushed sounds of the forest, Lox moved with soft and silent steps.
His senses were so acute that he could easily distinguish every rustle, every odor, and every nuance of his surroundings.
The power of demons flowed in his veins, making his hunting incredibly efficient.
Lox was reluctant to take companions with him, he needed solitude to clear his thoughts and sort out his feelings.
The others continued to murmur near the huge flames.
Slowly climbing to the top of the hill, Lox stopped and looked up at the starry sky.
At that moment, his mind calmed down and he felt as if the nature around him was speaking to him. He felt himself a part of this world, connected to it by his inner energy.
"I am a demon, and that is my essence. But I'm also part of this world, and I shouldn't be consumed by emotion," Lox pondered, feeling his serenity return.
Lox lowered his head to look at the horizon, somewhere in the distance, and then he saw something.
Lox was amazed that a strange creature with an unusual and unique appearance appeared before him. A puma of darkness - this was something completely new to him. The gaze of the creature's blue glowing eyes seemed perceptive and mysterious.
As Lox took a closer look at the creature, he noticed messages appearing before his eyes:
[Puma of Darkness]
[Rank: Elementary]]
[Elevation: 1].
The term "Rank" itself was new to Lox, and he didn't know what "Initial" meant.
The following table appeared in front of Lox's face.
[According to the hierarchy and strength of the monsters in this world, the ranks are as follows:].
Elementary: This is the class of weak monsters. They have basic abilities and serve as the first level of the monster hierarchy. Their strength is comparable to simple creatures and are no threat to stronger creatures.
Phasic: A type of monster is stronger than humans. They have more advanced abilities and physical characteristics. Phase monsters pose a greater threat to ordinary creatures.
Resonance: At this stage, monsters become more selfish and their etheric power increases. They have more destructive abilities and can use etheric attacks.
Hunt: Humanoid creatures, under the influence of ether, become stronger and much more dangerous. They can chase their prey over long distances and can be dangerous hunters.
Diffusers: Controlling the elements of the ethers, they have the power to control and manipulate the various elements. However, there is a chance that they can be influenced by etheric forces, making them more unstable.
Aether Warrior: At this stage, the effects of the aether are much stronger. Aether warriors have powerful abilities and can use aetheric attacks to destroy their opponents.
Aether Rhapsody: These are entities that possess destructive power and can take over an entire country. They possess intelligence and can use powerful etheric spells to destroy.
Aether Elemental: These are beings capable of defeating the very essence of the elemental, on a level with sacred magic. They control and manipulate the various elements, making them unrivaled in battle.
Vispers: These are the "Lords" of the monster world, possessing intelligence and power. They are able to equal demigods and other mystical beings. Vispers serve the Aether themselves and possess incredible power and wisdom.
Aether: The supreme beings of the universe, born as rulers of the worlds and exalted to be the beginning of all things. They possess various elemental gifts and beliefs and can give something in return for loyalty to their essence. The Aetherians are the local league of gods, possessing immense wisdom and power.
Thus, the hierarchy of monsters in the world consists of a variety of species and varying significantly in strength and level of danger.
His curiosity and eagerness to learn more made him move closer to the Puma of Darkness.
- What kind of creature are you?" asked Lox quietly, addressing the Puma of Darkness. His voice sounded cautious yet full of interest.
The Puma of Darkness stared at Lox with her blue eyes and she didn't seem to understand his words. However, she did not respond, remaining silent and mysterious, and then vanished like a ghost.
Lox decided not to pursue the creature, not wanting to provoke its aggression or provoke a fight.
Instead, he decided to leave the Puma of Darkness alone and find someone stronger.
Lox continued to ponder the strange ranks he saw before him.
He wondered about the nature of these ranks and their relationship to the creatures in this monster world. "Ranks" seemed like something new and unusual to him, and he couldn't help but wonder what they meant.
He was particularly surprised by the Aether Rhapsody and Aether Elemental ranks, which possessed destructive power and could equal sacred magic.
They were entities that could take over an entire country and defeat the essence of the elemental itself.
Lox understood that these ranks were at the top of the hierarchy and represented the highest beings in this world.
"Thus, if these ranks are to be believed, the supreme beings here are the Aethers," Lox thought. The Aetherians represented the local god-league, possessing various elemental gifts and beliefs.
They were the rulers of the worlds and erected the beginning of all things. From these thoughts, Lox concluded that the Aethers had immense power and could influence the very course of events in this world.
At the same time, Lox couldn't help but notice the rank of 'Initiate', which referred to being weak in comparison to others.
He had seen a Puma of Darkness with this rank and wondered what kind of creature it was and what its place in the monster hierarchy was.
"These ranks probably indicate the level of hierarchy and ability of the creatures. And the elevation showed the level of power that the monster had achieved. Knowledge increased the percentages per elevation, and the more elevations a creature achieved, the stronger it would become."
"They may be different in nature and purpose," Lox pondered, trying to understand the logic and system these ranks followed.