Mind Demon's Path of Domination

Hunger. Thirst.

Ryan licked his parched lips and looked up at the night sky; at the giants ambling around him. They were like that. Silent, moody, and relentless. They didn’t complain or look around and just kept walking with the castle on their backs.

The castle itself loomed above like a distant mirage.

Ryan sighed.

Two days had passed and in those indecisive hours, his body had grown terribly weak. Thirst was the biggest issue while hunger was becoming a bigger issue after every breath. If it went like this, it wouldn’t be too long before he was a corpse.

If he died, so would his main body.

What should he do?

After a lot of thought, he had come up with exactly 3 ideas to get out of this situation. One more crazier than the other.

Swaying in the air and spreading his small wings widely, he thought of the ideas.

One, he could go beg for food from the demons trapped by the weird tree. They were probably in a bad mood after his main body deceived them, and the chance that they’d just capture and kill him was super high. In fact, if they got their hands on him, they’d probably even ask for his True Name and whatnot.

It was not an idea he liked.

Two, he could try and fly closer to the giants. Or even try entering the castle itself. But the giants had airwaves around them that grew stronger the closer he went to them. And it was most probably the most dangerous option.

He didn’t like that idea either.

Third. He could try going closer to the weird tree and... eat parts of it. The tree had heads growing out of it instead of leaves, and they were demon heads. He didn’t mind eating them if it could satiate him. He had eaten those before, too. But he was too wary of the tree.

What if the tree captured him, too?

If it started absorbing vitality, he’d be killed in minutes!

Maybe seconds!

And the demons were close to it, so they might just sense him.

It’s not looking good, he thought. This body can’t last much longer without water. Fuck.

As he stood on a sandy part of the ground—staring up indecisively—time passed. The night vanished, replaced by the morning sun. His throat felt dry, lips parched, and his gaze was drowsy. His eyelids opened and closed heavily.

When the sun harshly covered his face, he opened his eyes completely.

Oh... I fell asleep...

Water...

I need...

Water!

He felt the utter weakness of his body. The sun was too harsh today. Or was it that he was too weak?

Ryan stood up, swaying.

A wild wind slammed him back onto the ground.

Something is wrong.

He looked around and at himself. To his dismay, he found that his whole body had been covered with small black spots. It was barely discernible, but it couldn’t be anything good.

He groaned.

It was the curse from his main body!

YOU STOLE MY PEAK!

I COULDN’T SHINE BRIGHTLY BECAUSE OF YOU!

"No, no, no!" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Both Mark and Ryan exclaimed simultaneously. Both were surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Is this it? Am I going to die?

Someone less rational might have immediately gone through with one of the three ideas, but Mark suddenly sat down and closed his eyes. He had to calm down. There must be a way out.

The wall, the land, the castle, the giants, the weird tree, the chains, the captured demons. Was there no clue in there? Nothing?

In the Star Monkey World, Mark’s mind had grown incredibly hazy.

The timelines in the two worlds were different. One was much faster than the other. And though Ryan had only gone through two days, Mark felt like he had been fighting for too long.

Had it already become a week?

No sleep. No rest. Just a constant barrage of enemies, one after the other, coming to kill him. The curse was growing more powerful with every single person that he killed, too!

By now, the curse was so powerful, Mark felt the screams of his victims tear through his soul.

I... want to sleep...

"IF YOU HADN’T EXISTED!"

"I HATE YOU!"

Mark spat out a mouthful of blood as an attack from an Esper Mind connected against him and took off one of his hands. But with just a simple Alchemic Shapeshifting, the hands came back. And in his anger, Mark used his new Demonic Trick!

Costume of the Murdered!

He could inherit all the abilities of an enemy he had murdered for a brief moment using this demonic trick, and suddenly, Mark’s body transformed. It became the shape of a minotaur and he screamed.

ROAR!

The distant Star Monkey who was using Esper Mind felt blood drip from his nose and ears and soon after, died.

Mark didn’t feel any satisfaction.

This was utterly hopeless!

Ryan opened his eyes wearily.

There was only one way!

He has to risk it!

Flapping his wings, he no longer bothered hiding and flew into the air, moving closer to the captured Demons. When he was close to them, he licked his lips and touched up his appearance, removing all sorts of weariness.

When asking for help from strangers, appeal to their self-interest and not pity!

Reaching even closer to them, Ryan laughed mockingly. Then—he shouted: "Look at you, grand demons at Tier 4 or even stronger levels, and here you are, dying like any other mortal would. Sitting, alone, in a forsaken land chained against your will."

Eyes focused on him.

Meanwhile, Mark felt his hair rise in the Star Monkey World.

Ten flying ships surrounded him, and in all of them, there were strong Tier 2 Pinnacle Star Monkeys. That wasn’t what worried him.

They all had the ability—Star Fever!

A mocking laugh echoed in his ears. "How long can you last, Demon boy? These people are all here to sacrifice themselves. From now on, some of these people would appear in surprise and give you more trouble."

...

Ryan looked calmly at the gazes focused on him. Then said with a poignant tone. "Isn’t this great? We are all in such hopeless situations." He laughed, miserably proud. "We had such grand goals, great backgrounds, and look at us. We are all... dying!"

The River of Destiny.

That motherfucking River!

It was planning against him so well. It left no holes in its plans. It had laid him right into the trap of death.

...

Mark laughed and shook his head. "It’s been a week since I started fighting?" He licked his lips. "Little guy, you sure know how to speak big from your mother’s basement. But send your whole kin here and I will still stand. As proud as I am now."

His form transformed back to his real body from the Minotaur transformation.

He smiled and planted his palm against the ground.

Alchemic Shapeshifting!

Dust and explosion blurred the senses.

Mark took out a metallic piece from his World Space and threw it into his mouth. His fangs crunched the metal like biscuits, the sound echoing eerily out of the dust and destruction.