The Damned Demon

[ New Slave Acquired ]

Name : Merina Roul

Race : Darkmoon Werewolf

Gender : Female

Level : 5

HP : 597 / 597

MP : 294 / 294

STR : 85

DEF : 119

INT : 59

DEX : 61

Passive Ability :

[ Darkmoon Transformation - Your primal bloodline transforms your body in every way, turning you into a beast that dominates the shadows ]

[ Echo of the Mind - Telepathic connection with anyone bonded through mana or any other means ]

Talents :

[ Terror in the Shadows - Upon transforming into your beast form, your DEF, DEX, and STR will increase by 10%, but your INT will decrease by 10%. You will also blend perfectly in any shadow, making you invisible to the naked eye. Every 1 minute in this form will decrease your INT by 1% ]

[ Silent Predator - Mask or hide your aura for 1 minute ]

[ Cursed by the Moon - Under the full moon, your STR will increase by 15% while INT will decrease by 15% ]

Skills :

[ Dark Claw - Your claws are infused with the power of darkness. Upon successful attack, your enemy won't be able to use mana for 3 seconds ]

[ Shadow Mist - Creates a mist of unnatural darkness around your enemies, blinding them for 15 seconds ]

…

Asher had a baffled look upon seeing her stats. These weren't the stats or abilities a maid should have. Ordinary werewolves don't even have any elemental power, but she had the power to use the Shadow element or pure darkness. She even had more than one Skill and Talent that would make her a dangerous predator in the dark.

Does this have anything to do with her background? Who was she before she became a refugee? Maybe all werewolves over there were given basic training or something? Or was she born into a decent werewolf family? That could explain her pretty looks.

Merina dressed herself up with shaky hands. Even though she felt as if nothing changed after getting the slave crest, she also felt as if her life won't be the same again.

Asher was rubbing his chin from behind. He wasn't worried she would betray him since unless he died, the slave crest wouldn't break. She would still have control over her mind and body, but if she did anything remotely that would harm him, she would experience pain that would make her feel like killing herself.

He could also feel her pulse, and if he wanted, he could instantly kill her with just a thought or even cause her pain. He had never placed a slave seal on anyone, but he learned it to study it without the intention of using it. Who would have known he would be using it finally, and the feeling of having total control over one's life was a unique feeling. He could even say it was oddly satisfying.

Still, as expected, she was around the level he was expecting her to be. However, remembering her stats, he asked, "So you have some fighting experience?" She had to have some to at least reach level 5 with these abilities.

Merina turned around after dressing herself up and nodded with a bent back, "Only some when I was younger. After that I…I was busy taking care of others."

"Did you take good care of them as you did for me?" Asher sarcastically asked, making Merina lower her gaze with her lips firmly pressed together.

"But other than you, why are every other servant too weak? Is it because they are truly incapable of getting to higher levels?" Asher knew demons loved power, so even if the servants here had to serve someone, surely they could level up slowly to a certain point, right? Or was it because they didn't have the necessary resources.

"That's because the stronger we become…, the more life crystals we need to live. We are not wealthy or powerful enough to sustain ourselves like that. Most of them also don't have the proper training or the right strengths to risk their lives by accepting quests," Merina said, making Asher realize that it was just as he guessed. However, he felt that Merina had the potential to be very powerful with the set of abilities she had. Maybe he could make her a more useful slave than he expected.

"I see. Well, I know you won't and can't tell anybody else about me no longer being a cripple. So you will only report to me from here on, and that also includes keeping your daughter in the dark. I don't want her sniffing into my business…yet," Asher said as his eyes glinted with a certain light.

"Of course…as you wish, Your Highness," Merina said with a deep bow.

"Good. Now stand outside while I level up. I don't want anyone interrupting me. But if anybody comes, you know how to let me know," Asher was glad she had the ability to use telepathy to talk to him. This way, nobody would even suspect anything, even if she was to warn him from outside.

Merina had a blinking expression, wondering if he was already on the brink of leveling up to the next level. He had only woken up yesterday, and did this mean he already took part in quests? How was he still alive when he didn't know to fight? Was she missing something here?

Even if the late Demon King bestowed him with power, things like combat abilities and instincts could not be bestowed. It can only be learned and nurtured.

And to level up, it wasn't easy at all for someone new to all this.

Understanding one's mana circuit alone could take months or years before one can learn how to extend their circuit and level up. However, based on the royal consort's confidence, it seemed like he already knew how to do it, which confounded her.

However, she knew better than to ask questions to him and silently left the room with a baffled mind.

Asher now felt he could probably get more freedom now that he had an extra helping hand. With her help, he could finally get out of this castle and do quests with fewer worries.

However, he knew his priorities and didn't forget that he should level up first. If he didn't level up soon, then he would feel intense pressure from within that would make it hard for him to even move.

This was the main reason why everyone would level up as soon as possible once they had a level-up pending.

Such a strange phenomenon was caused due to the mana circuit brimming with refined mana that needed to be absorbed to extend the circuit.

Refined mana was the one that strengthened both body and mind and was separate from the normal mana that flowed through one's body. Refined mana could only be produced when the body had pushed its limits through quests or strenuous training. If one doesn't absorb this refined mana, then it could overload the mana circuit and cause all kinds of problems to the body. They also won't be able to use their mana efficiently as the mana flow would be sluggish.

But of course, the fastest way to gain refined mana was by finishing as many quests as possible. Supposedly, the devils and angels who gave quests to the demons and humans, respectively, granted the victors with refined mana for every quest they completed. This was something Asher found common between both worlds.

Asher sat down on the floor, and closed his eyes to focus on his mana circuit.

HP : 95 / 95

MP : 45 / 100

STR : 20

DEF : 19

INT : 20

DEX : 20

Talent Points : 4

Skill Points : 3

Even though he was used to this, the process of leveling up was not something that could be done casually.

It always required complete focus since just one tiny mistake or distraction could cause damage to his mana circuit or, in the worst case, cripple him for good.

This was why whenever somebody was busy "refining" their refined mana, they would make sure to seclude themselves in a safe place where nobody could disturb them.

He could see his mana circuit glowing with a dark green light, brimming with excitement to form new pathways.

He knew he had to direct the refined mana carefully through his entire body and mind. By just looking at the refined mana he had, he could estimate how many points he had to put into his stats.

[ Total available stat points : 60 ]

'Time to utilize them all,' Asher thought as he first decided to utilize these points in the two paths he chose to specialize in.

[ 7 Life Crystals will be utilized ]

'For fucks sake…You gotta be kidding me…' Asher didn't expect there to be a cost for leveling up as well. He couldn't understand why. At this point, everything seemed to have a cost, and realized that the life of demons were even more harsher than he thought.

Still, there was no other choice but to accept and sighed as he saw his Life Crystals dwindle from 9 to 2.

It took him a couple of seconds before a new pathway for the 'Strength' stat was created.

STR : 20 -> 45

Right after that, the bonus from one of his titles 'Weak but Strong' was added as well, making his STR bump up from 45 -> 50

And within the next few seconds, a new pathway for the 'Intelligence' stat was created.

INT : 20 -> 45

MP : 100 -> 224 / 224

Since he was still at the lower levels, it was quite easy for him to quickly create new pathways to a simple mana circuit. However, the time taken to create these pathways would increase the higher he goes up the levels.

By now, he had utilized 50 points and had 10 left. He decided to put all of it into his defense stat and planned to increase dexterity next time.

DEF : 19 -> 29

HP : 95 -> 144 / 144

[ Successfully leveled up! ]

[ Rating Points reset! ]

[ Leftover Rating Points added ]

[ Level : 1 -> 2 ]

Rating Points : 48 / 126

Even though he was just at the low levels, he couldn't help but relish the feeling of leveling up. The satisfaction one gains from leveling up never changes.

He could feel his entire body getting strengthened and refreshed, and even had his mana regenerated as expected.

The feeling of leveling up was actually similar to climaxing, though some didn't like to admit that.

This was the main reason their faces would be red, just like his was now, and seemed even more charming than usual.

However, he wasn't finished and he took a look at some unused points,

Talent Points : 4

Skill Points : 3

He knew these points were to be used to level up one's talents and skills. If he levels them up, they will become more powerful and useful to him.

Talents :

[ Favored by the Night - (0/5) ]

[ Vengeful Lifestealer - (0/8) ]

[ Hell Master - (0/10) ]

Skills :

[ Resentful Slash - (0/6)]

He could see that he had three talents but not enough talent points to even level up at least one of them. But he was not surprised since he knew leveling up talents and skills was harder, depending on how powerful they were.

If he had low-level talents and skills, then it would have been way easier to level them up. But he was glad he had a ring that granted him quite impressive talents and skills, even if they were not easy to level up.

He decided to put all 4 Talent Points into Hell Master even though he couldn't level it up for now.

[ Hell master - (4/10) ]

As for the 3 skill points, he didn't even have to think as he dumped them all into his only skill.

[ Resentful Slash - (3/6 ) ]

But to see how much MP he would have as Hellbringer, he subtly smiled and mumbled, "Hellbringer."

A dark green light flashed in the room as he transformed into Hellbringer.

MP : 560 / 560

INT : 112

Feeling satisfied by the flow of so much mana through his body, he reverted back to his elf form.

Now that he was finally done, he simply ordered through his mind, "Merina, come in."