Aengus quickly morphed back into his humanoid form, the power of his recent transformation still coursing through his veins. He looked at his subordinates, who stared back at him with awe, their eyes reflecting a mix of fear and reverence, like fanatical devotees witnessing a divine miracle.
“Congratulations, my lord!” Sienna and her father spoke in unison, their heads slightly bowed. Though their hearts were in turmoil, they masked their fear with forced smiles, knowing that showing any doubt could mean their end.
Butler Yu and the other subordinates quickly followed suit, their voices rising in a chorus of flattery. “Yes, my lord. Congratulations on becoming even more powerful!”
Aengus watched them with indifference, his expression unreadable. Their praise meant little to him; it was power he sought, and power he now possessed. “Butler Yu,” he commanded, his voice cold and authoritative, “choose three others to join you. I’m going to merge the four of you with the rest of the bodies.”
“As you wish, my lord,” Butler Yu responded, a glint of excitement in his eyes. He quickly began selecting three others, choosing those who were the most intelligent and hardworking among the group.
Sienna’s heart raced as she observed the scene, her mind reeling from the implications of Aengus’s power. “Oh, demon god, what kind of monster is he? Can he do this to others as well? Such a terrifying possibility!” She shivered, barely able to contain her fear.
Butler Yu soon returned with his choices. “My lord, these are the most suitable for your divine blessing,” he said, including himself among the chosen. The selected ones—Gabi, Maru, Beru, and Butler Yu—bowed their heads in submission. Two of them were Hellfire Gillians, while the other two were Double-headed Hydras..
Aengus eyed them, considering their potential. “Alright, you will do,” he finally said, his tone flat but commanding.
“Thank you for the generous reward, my lord. We will be your sword and shield,” they roared in unison, their voices filled with fervor.
As the process began, Sienna couldn’t tear her eyes away from the spectacle. The thought of what Aengus could achieve with such power both terrified and intrigued her. This man—no, this being—was unlike anything she had ever encountered. If he could turn others into beings as powerful as himself, what else was he capable of?
Sienna glanced at her father, who shared her unease.
Aengus activated his [Body Duplication] skill, watching as his form split into two identical bodies. He immediately noticed a significant drop in his stats, with his power reduced by 30%. Yet, despite this drawback, the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and combine strength for more formidable attacks presented clear advantages.
His duplicated body and the original stood face-to-face, mirroring each other perfectly while sharing the same mind. Aengus could easily identify his true form by the larger reservoir of Consciousness power it possessed.
“Synthesis!” Aengus commanded, his voice echoing with authority as he initiated the merging process.
The transformations that followed were astonishing.
Gabi and Maru, who were originally Double-headed Hydras, underwent a dramatic change. Each of them grew an additional head, resulting in a terrifying Triple-headed Hydra. The new heads were not just reptilian but included a Naga head, a wolf head, and a crocodile head, each representing a unique and deadly aspect of the creatures they once were. Their size doubled, reaching an imposing 25 meters in height. The newly formed Hydras lowered their colossal heads in submission before Aengus, acknowledging his supreme power.
On the other side, the humanoid Hellfire Gillians—Beru and Butler Yu—experienced a different transformation. Though they retained their humanoid forms, their bodies became more muscular and robust, infused with Naganian characteristics. Their skin took on a subtle scale-like texture, and their eyes gleamed with a predatory light. Like Aengus, they now possessed the ability to transform into Nagas, further expanding their combat versatility.
Aengus observed his newly transformed subordinates with satisfaction. Gabi and Maru’s monstrous new forms radiated raw power, while Beru and Butler Yu, and embodied a perfect blend of humanoid intelligence and Naga ferocity.
Aengus climbed atop Gabi’s broad, scaly shoulder, towering over his subordinates like a living god. His gaze shifted toward Sienna, who instinctively began to fidget under his intense scrutiny, her nerves clearly rattled.
“Sienna and Sanka,” Aengus commanded, his voice cold and unwavering, “lead the way to your Naga tribe. We will conquer that place next.”
Sienna managed to muster a smile, though it was tinged with anxiety. “Yes, my lord,” she replied, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions churning inside her. She stepped forward, with her father following closely behind, leading the group toward their next target.
As they moved, Sienna’s initial happiness at the prospect of reuniting with her mother began to be overshadowed by worry. The Naga King, a powerful Elder demon, ruled her tribe with an iron fist, and his strength was legendary.
Could Aengus, despite his terrifying abilities, truly defeat someone like the Naga King? And what about the nearly one hundred Greater Demons that served him? Each one was a formidable force in its own right, making the Naga King’s domain a nearly impregnable fortress.
But despite her fears, Sienna felt no loyalty to the tribe she was leading Aengus to conquer. The Naga King’s rule had been nothing but tyrannical, forcing the tribe members to toil endlessly under harsh conditions.
Most of them were as cruel as their ruler, with no sense of camaraderie or kindness to be found. Sienna’s only concern was for her mother and little brother, the one person who had shown her any genuine care. The thought of seeing her again brought a glimmer of hope, but it was tempered by the dread of what lay ahead.
As they marched, Sienna couldn’t help but glance back at Aengus, who sat atop Gabi with an air of absolute confidence.
—
The destination lay nearly 100 kilometers ahead. Along the way, they encountered numerous Hellfire wolves and other low-level creatures, which Aengus absorbed into his dimensional space to breed.
With each encounter, his forces within the dimensional space grew at an astonishing rate.
60, 80, 120, 170, 200, 350, 500.
From the initial 40 lesser demons, he now commanded over 500. These included not only wolves but also undead horses, skeletal warriors, spectral spiders, and Soulreaver tigers.
By absorbing their abilities, he enhanced his own demonic powers, making them more versatile with each acquisition. Alongside this he also collected some demonic cores from some of dead creatures to recover his energy and make use of those later on.
Sienna was too shocked to speak. In just a few hours, he had also gained control of 10 new greater demons, bringing his total to 15.
She could only regard him as an unfathomable being. The world was bound to change if he continued on this path.
