Chapter 663: Chapter 664: Damon’s Variable Paimon’s arrival immediately sped everything up. The emperor held a short meeting with those in power, all while keeping a sharp eye on Paimon, who was casually eating grapes to the side as if she couldn’t be bothered by any of it. This was troublesome. Demons were troublesome. This was a powerful species. A demon was one who had fallen into depravity, at least true demons. Except these were demon kin, meaning they were descendants of actual demons. It was the same as the dragon kin species. They were also just descendants of dragons, able to be categorized as a different race. By that extension, demons were more of a condition or status that turned you into a creature with characteristics different enough to define you as a completely different race. This was the nature of demons. This race didn’t spawn out of nowhere. It was the humans, the elves, the dragon kin, the beastmen, and whoever else that had become corrupted and depraved, turning into demons. Their racial characteristics would change, gaining wings and horns... at least for the males. It was troublesome because demons were powerful, both physically and magically. This was a race born with power. "Hmmm." Damon bit his lips, his eyes narrowing in irritation. This was annoying. He never got a chance to finish his conversation with Kadelas since the elf had left him behind. However, seeing Paimon was a harsh reminder. This world had far too many powerhouses, and that was excluding the outsiders who were even more powerful. He didn’t know where they were, but it was evident they would return. "I need to rank up soon." But more than that, he needed to know. For now, the closest clue he had was Lazarak, or rather, the Tomb of the Lesser Gods. He still hadn’t explored its levels and uncovered its mysteries. Then there was Mugu.... Damon reached into his shadow storage and pulled out a potion. Looking at it, he bit his lips in hesitation. ’With the demons in the equation I can no longer predict what will come next... I should add an uncontrollable variable of my own... even if I may not use it.’ He took a gulp of the potion, and with no one watching, all eyes distracted by Paimon. Damon’s face grew increasingly pale. His shadow greedily sucked at his shadow energy. Falling to his knees, he coughed violently, unable to stand. Forcing himself against the wall, he leaned back just as an identical version of himself emerged from his shadow storage. Except this version was completely uninjured. This was his shadow clone, bearing ninety percent of his power. Damon had created it for one singular purpose. Well, actually for a few purposes. In the world dungeon, he had wanted to annihilate everyone. His injured main body did not have that power. It was also a good opportunity to push his narrative. It was time to unleash the invincible demon Amon the Faceless into the world. In the meantime, Damon would try to grow to the next rank. "If I push it I can do so in a few days. I just need a lead on my next class." He sent it back to his shadow storage. However, more importantly, if he didn’t need Amon, he could still use his clone to act as himself, though that would be unwise since he had nowhere to hide his main body. He coughed again, wheezing, as the world spun around him. He had also weakened himself on the gamble of "what ifs." The way things stood, he couldn’t beat anybody without taking another one of those Soul Blaze potions. "Which means I can go all out two more times before my wounds heal." By the time Damon was done, the emperor Kronos stood at the center of the arena, his hands open. All eyes were focused on him. Damon stood up, pulling his hood tighter over his face once more. He leaned casually against a pillar, trying to appear nonchalant, but the truth was he was in pain. His hands trembled, and he shook his head when he realized he was struggling to keep them still. He had no intention of letting Kadelas or anyone else see any weakness. So he stepped into the shadows and teleported, falling deeper beneath the arena where he had a clear view of Kronos. His breathing grew ragged, and he found the hood stifling. Pulling it off, he pressed a trembling hand to his chest. "Damnit, Paimon... you ruined my plans." This was all on him though. He hadn’t accounted for this variable. Therefore, he had to prepare as best he could. He took out the Staff of Carnage, its destructive capabilities still charged. This was another trump card, and he began mentally going through his arsenal. ’Well, it’s no fun if I just destroy them... I’ll give them all a little handicap.’ Kronos raised his hand high. "Warriors of the great races of the goddess... the time has come once more. For ages we have dealt with the demon scourge, and our power has been without contest. However, it seems these few years of peace have made the demons forget fear." His impassioned voice lit a fire in everyone who wasn’t a demon. "They have come to challenge us in our home, full of naïve arrogance. We do not fear. We are children of war!" The crowd of warriors, adventurers, and nobles roared, their voices thundering with fighting spirit. Kronos was a ruler. He knew how to ignite the flames in people’s hearts, how to turn doubt and fear into certainty and courage. "These demons have come. They will not leave alive. Young warriors, I call you to the fields of glory! Come, raise your blades, face this darkness from the demon continent, and remind them why they fear!" His hand pressed firmly to his chest, his voice booming across the arena. "Let them remember this day forevermore as the beginning of the end. Let them remember this as the day demons bled, the birth of heroes!" His aura expanded, saturating the entire arena. Space itself seemed to stretch with the weight of his magic. "I call the mighty! Come forth and leave your mark in blood! Stand on the field of glory, becoming the heroes of today and the legends of tomorrow!" As the arena opened like a great tide, hundreds of young warriors impassioned by his speech surged forward without fear in their eyes. The magic of the arena swallowed them, summoning them into battle. Damon stood at the edge, glancing down, watching it unfold. ’So it begins... how anticlimactic.’ "This was just like the goddess races... wanting to settle everything in the most blood-soaked and warlike way possible." Crossing his arms, his crown glinted under the dim light. His eyes, heavy with exhaustion, carried shadows beneath them. ’Let’s hope this doesn’t end like the Battle of Harlem Pass.’ [Authors note] [Shout out to Joseph Akiyama for the wonderfully nerdy definition of demons; I liked it so much I decided to use it.] [Don’t forget to leave a review]