The Novel's Professor

Rio casually walked inside the forest, his footsteps neither quick nor slow. In each his every step, blood dripped to the ground.

The puddle of blood reflected his inhumane appearance. He stopped, staring at his reflection for a moment. It seems his disguise had lost effect long ago, adding to that ...He didn't even look human anymore. From his back, dark red spikes protruded.

He didn't know when and how those spikes appeared—not that he cared either way. From the moment he let go of his desire, he stopped caring of what would happen to his body and mind, it was useless to do so. It was only a vessel.

Without care, he just ran and devoured enemies one after another, perhaps it was the strength that came with his demonization, but no single enemy within the forest was able to retaliate against him.

Thus, after killing or incapacitating them, he devoured their blood. He didn't know how much 'enemies' he had devoured and killed, it was uncountable.

It was a period of insanity—driven only by gluttonous desire. He couldn't even recall the appearances of the enemies he had devoured, perhaps some of them were not even animals, but humans.

Even with knowing that, he didn't feel any ounce of regret and guilt in himself. Well, he was a monster anyway—so what if he just embraced that identity entirely?

Not like it mattered. Maybe it would had if he was still human, but now he wasn't. Truth to be told, as long as he got to live, he didn't care on whatever state he was in.

Perhaps some might have chosen to die than be a mindless, desire driven demon. But he was not some. He was him—whether he was demon or human—he would choose to live.

Living to him was his ultimatus. It was ironic considering he was but a broken, and empty man that has no dreams nor experiences of joy. Well, it was. But after he gets 'the answer' and fulfillment he desired, it wouldn't be so ironic anymore.

... For that, he was thankful and grateful on being demonized. Demonization had brought him to an entirely new state. The Devourer had led him to his true, original ideal purpose so easily without obstacles. Even now he was doubting everything as all of it felt too easy.

In the past, he realized, he was too ignorant and indecisive. Not that he could blame his past self. His ignorance and indecisiveness stemmed from his human shell—his humanity was getting in the way to his goal. It brought in slothfulness, ignorance and stupidity.

As a human, he knew nowhere to start his goal of finding 'the answer' to his question. Proof of that was his two life time of worth emptiness. Even with all the time in the world, he wasn't even able to form himself an answer.

The other reason was that he wasn't determined and resolute enough to do anything just to achieve his goals. After being demonized, he realized it was a fatal flaw.

If his past self had leaved his ignorance and indecisiveness, he would have easily arrived at the answer he wished much earlier. A person's humanity restrained potential and freedom.

...But it didn't matter. He, in the present, knew what to do now and that was enough. He would do things better, and perfect. Nothing was stopping him to the answer and fulfillment he seeked—this would be his revelation.

He raised his arms, feeling the immense power within him. ...Truly, he felt unstoppable. In one move of his arm, he could destroy trees and boulders as easy as stepping down an ant.

..He liked it, the power. It was far cry from his helplessness and weak state in the past.

From his hand, a flood of corrupted energy spread to the air, eeriely hovering around his body. The energy ocassionally flared, shining red.

He stared at the sky, trying to stare at something beyond it. He had to thank that entity for this gift. After demonization, not only did he gain immense power. The Devourer also gave him direction—something he desperately didn't know he needed. It provided him a way to his goals.

With it, he wasn't as aimless as before. Within him, his greed and gluttony would flare, attracting him to something, and somewhere he wanted and deeply wish for.

With The Devourer's help and assistance, he didn't have to worry about anything.

He just had to follow his desires and it would lead him to the answer and ideal he had longed wished for. It was that simple, yet the past him didn't understand it. Truly, humanity was a chain, locking down man's true potential.

Rio shook his head. Suddenly, he stopped his body from moving. ...There was an enemy. He turned his back, staring at the figure behind the trees.

He wasn't particularly starving for blood right now, but extra sustenance wouldn't hurt.

Woosh—!

Behind him, from the trees—a large figure stepped out. The figure had four huge arms, two from its bulky limbs and the other two protruding rom its hunched back. On the surface of its body, its veins tightened as the fire that ran through it flared.

"...You're a new one," Rio muttered, his gaze shifting to the four armed figure. "I haven't seen something like you around. You don't look like a demonized beast either. What are you?"

The four armed being roared. Its arms moving in perfect synchronization. Its dark red eyes widened, staring at Rio.

"Oh, so a non-sapient species then?" Rio said, his body casually approaching the monster. "Let's see. Weird anatomy, unfamiliar monster, collosal amounts of corrupted energy, and has horns...there's no doubt about it. You're a demon, aren't you?"

The four armed demon clenched its teeth, immediately attacking as its arms moved like a blur—trying to grasp Rio's body.

Woosh—!

Rio immediately raised his hand, blocking the demons arms. He groaned, "Hey, calm down' will you? It seems you have a great deal of physical strength. Reaching that of a peak Rank C Martial Artist. That's good. Though, in a completely unrelated topic. I wonder..."

Woosh—!

In that moment, the four armed demon attacked once more—this time using all of its arms. It slammed its arms to both sides.

However, before it could react—Rio's body already dissapeared from its peripheral. Suddenly, from its back, it heard a loud arching sound as immense pain suddenly assaulted its body.

"..if your blood would taste good?" Rio off handedly asked, his arm etched, stuck deep inside the back of the demon.

The four armed demon roared, screaming in pain as its back was torn apart. It tried to struggle and back away, but a heavy force was witholding him from moving.

"Alright," Rio said, removing his hand from the back of the demon. "I'l help you a little. We're the same kin afterall, just very distant relatives that don't mind killing each other."

After removing his hand, Rio raised his feet—suddenly kicking the four armed demon's back. The demon blasted through the air, flying from the impact.

"Bloodv tasting comes later. I'm not the type to disrespect my opponent by eating their remains on their presence," Rio said, dropping his feet to the ground. "That's just dirty. So, please. Quickly die for me, alright? A favor from your very far, distant demonic cousin."

The four armed demon growled, wearily trying to stand up from its position. It put all four of its hands on the ground, pushing his body to stand.

The demon raised its head, its eyes shone—filled with anger and rage. Unexpectedly, the human infront of it, even with a thin and frail body possesed immense physical strength.

"I just thought of something," Rio said, a theory forming from his mind. "I got progressively stronger, and stronger after absorbing continously large amount of corrupted energy without rest, right? Well... aren't you a demon? As the same kin, we should more or less similar amounts of eneg—"

The four armed demon roared, its body dashing in to Rio. It moved like a blur, immediately arriving in Rio's position. It clenched its hands, slamming it to Rio.

Rio breathless dodged in the last second, his clothes getting torn apart from the demons strength. "... As I was saying, If I kill you and devour you, shouldn't my strength grow?"

The four armed demon attacked once more. Its fiery veins flared—covering its bulky arms with dark red fire. An abyssal fire that held great burning and destructive properties.

Rio's eyes immediately turned serious upon seeing the fire. He didn't know what it exactly was, but he felt a sense of danger from it. Before the fist could slam to his body, he immediately leaped back.

The four armed demon slammed its fist to the air—the fire covering it bursting to its direction. The dark red abyssal flames flared, bursting into the air as it burned the surroundings.

"...I suppose I have to kill you now," Rio said, his head shaking. "It was a pity. I was hoping to communicate with my fellow kin more, but anything...anything the could threaten my life, no matter how small, cannot live."

The four armed demon widened its eyes, its body staggering to the back.

Suddenly, Rio stopped talking. He raised his head, silently staring at the four armed demon in his direction. Behind him, the protruding spikes suddenly withdrew to his body.

"Hm, so this is how it's used..." Rio muttered, raising his hand as he waved it casually. From his arms, dark red spikes stretched—pointing at the demon's direction. "Well, let's see of its sharpness."

Woosh—!

In that instant, the four armed demon eyes blanked. A loud arching sound sounded. The next thing it heard was its body getting torn apart. It opened its mouth, trying to scream—but before it could even utter anything, its body fell to ground.

Thud—!

"Huh, so it's that sharp." Rio said, withdrawing his hand as he stared at the tip of the spikes. On the tip, a heart hanged. He continued, "...In a different matter entirely, what are you guys doing here?"

Woosh—!

Suddenly, from the surroundings—several cloaked figures stepped out from their hiding spots. Their cloak was colored red, shining crimson scarlet amidst the darkness.

They were Cultist of Greed, Aza's followers.