The Real Monster 33 Having the Demon Emperor as Neighbor VII

Flying towards Agamemkeru's nest took me a few months to actually get to. The demon realm is big itself. Just like the human realm which can only mean that this world is very big, I think even bigger than earth. That's just reasonable as well because after all there are a lot of sentient races which means lots of resources needed to sustain them all.

I think my intelligence have been getting better and better as my stats go up, so I now think that as long as I keep growing, something good will happen. I just feel it.

When I arrived, I already had to face a lot of demons that had any relation to reptiles and amphibians. What can I say; frogs do like the company of other frogs. I remember that this frog likes to keep pets like overgrown lizards just like that salamander, the first monster I killed in this world.

Salamander also made me rich for a while.

Now that I think on it, would I have been able to defeat that salamander without relying on the momentum of my fall and the sturdiness of my body? I'll never know now, but I think with my current strength I can probably toy around with it.

Agamemkeru will have to show his face. First I have to get ready. Just in case, I have to separate a drop of my blood into a bottle filled with a fluid for preserving the life of my cell. Well, it really won't die, but just in case again right? This way I can regenerate in peace even if I die again from Agamemkeru's onslaught. I prepared two drops. I'll hide one of these beneath the ground and the other I'll also go and hide in another location. I should promote these two as proverbs huh, 'safe and sound' as well as 'better safe than sorry', right?

With that done with, I further move into the territory of Agamemkeru and the frequency of attacks has doubled. The attackers were the same species but were even sturdier and stronger than previous ones. These are his pets, right? If not and these are just the result of him continually leaking that monstrous magic he has, then if he ever decided to attack anywhere, it'll be devastated not by him but by these normal(abnormal) monsters.

According to my analysis earlier while in flight, I saw how Agamemkeru's territory was marked. He maintains a great territory for himself as the swamps cover quite a great area and from what I heard from Kangkuro last we met, Agamemkeru also holds their village. So basically, his influence really is just so big isn't it? And he manages this with I don't know what method but there is clearly a demarcation in each area. The whole territory is centered on his actual nest. Above I can only see his nest and the monsters in each area decreasing the closer it is to the nest.

Well, I can use these monsters here to at least grow as well. I know I've heard this from someone a time ago, but it seems that a hero's body can grow really fast by defeating monsters and other humans by absorbing the essence of defeated foes. I never relied on this kind of training to grow since I can naturally grow powerful even without it and I think it was even faster when I did nothing and just stayed up on the exosphere to absorb even more radiation from the sun. I can probably travel to the sun directly some other day and let it directly refine my body. With heat manipulation I can probably withstand the sun's heat, or so I can only say in theory.

However, that changed when I actually killed a lot of these monsters. I never killed those I encountered if I can help it because it's a waste of time, but venting my anger on the frog through this monsters and killing them, have opened my eyes. Actually, it really, really, really opened my eyes. My strength actually went from Demonic to [Pseudo-Angelic] I don't really know how strong that is, but if that's included in the valuation then it basically goes from Poor, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Unique, Heroic, Legendary, Mythical, Demonic, and then to [Pseudo-Angelic] I really am looking forward to discovering what higher levels I can unlock by growing.

Killing monsters with strengths that go from Rare to Heroic actually gives me a lot of essence which then not only adds but I think multiplies my strength. Another explanation would be that in the case of normal denizens of this world, they also absorb essence from monsters or enemies they defeat and kill but not the whole of it. In heroes' case, it is absorbed fully and without doubt, this is what is happening.

I don't know how I can make such analysis just basing it on assumptions, but I feel confident about it.

All stats bank on [Pseudo-Angelic] and if I took off my accessories, I don't think it will just be Pseudo by then. I feel that if I fully utilize my abilities without fetters then my thoughts would be realized by my will and magic alone. That's a scary feeling, yet that's a feeling to be excited about. It's also very dangerous if not properly handled. I can't let that tragedy happen again. Let's keep that in mind.

Entering the area where Agamemkeru nests, I drank a potion that I created a year ago when I started my journey to train. It is a potion that brings my magic defense up to a considerable degree. Although I don't think it'll be too useful in fighting Agamemkeru, I at least have to apply it just to be safe. You never know, right?

Standing at the entrance to a big-ass dome of what seems to be a flower and I see it as a humongous Fly-trap that actually is named, [Flora Killada] which translates to human language's Killer Flower. That's a very simple name for a simply big meat grinder. Plus its stats read [Heroic] on all counts which means, normal heroes would die the moment they think they can challenge Agamemkeru to a bout and get close to this flower without using which I reckon should be part and parcel cheats from god right?

"Sigh" How I wish I could see numbers instead of words as valuation. That way I can be extra sure, however, no matter what I do to tweak the menu around, it doesn't give me that. I don't know if it's Safir's prank or Imhoteph's doing but come one man, at least make things a bit more easier for me!

Seeing as there's no longer any point trying to prepare more. I called out to Agamemkeru,

"{Guach Gich Maruch Ckhe Bhurh Guhk Croakch Banthel!}" That's me using the demon language to call out to Agamemkeru. As I said, the demon language has too much phlegm to pronounce so it's a hassle for the throat. I'll stick to giving you the translations from now on directly.

I just said to him, "Come on you overgrown frog. Let's have a rematch and I'll see go croak to death!" it's simple provocation, however, mentioning that he is a frog would probably give it the most convincing and reaction inducing effect. And true to my analysis,

{HOW.DARE.YOU.CALL.THE.GREAT.ME.FROG!} is what he said. Although I could understand him last time since he spoke to me in human language, now that I'm the one coming for him, I should speak in demon tongue to return the favor isn't that right?

*RUMBLE* *THUD THUD*

The ground started rumbling and sounds of something heavy continuously resounded. I know what these sounds are, these are his steps or maybe even hops like the frog he is!!

"{Agamemkeru! I'm right here you frog!}" I repeated it to him and made my voice louder by imbuing it with magic. I'm sure a huge scope heard that voice of mine just now.

{You called me frog again; I shall make you regret that in HELL!} Suddenly, the great sounds disappeared and a humming sound replaced it. Judging from my sense, he actually leapt and is coming towards me with a huge momentum. He must be planning to crush me to death!

*Boom Boom*

The huge-ass frog butt revealed itself to me as I raised my head to the skies. The sun was blotted out by his butt and the wind that's breaking from his sheer weight is frightening to listen to. Well, here goes nothing.

Entering super slow motion, I went away from the impact zone and lifted myself off of the ground to brace myself from the shockwave he's going to produce. This is very nerve-wracking for me; this is a return fight after all!

*BOOM* *WOOSH*

Agamemkeru's big ass butt landed big time and the shockwave came as expected. I braced myself for impact… which was useless and in vain since really; my body did not budge at all. If this were last time I would have been blown far away just by that shockwave alone.

{Who dares to sully my name by uttering taboo?} He said. I am inclined to answer so I do after blowing all the dust away anyway.

"Hu" using my super capacity for air, I blew all the dust away revealing my figure to Agamemkeru who had a confused face. I understand you're confused because you know I already died by your hands last time, but surprise~ I'm alive motherfucker!

{What is a human doing in my territory and speaking in demon language? How curious.} It said.

Fuck! It wasn't surprised that I'm alive, it's confused that a human could come to his nest in one piece and is able to speak in the demon tongue. What.the.fuck!

"{Oi, oi! It's me. The guy you supposedly annihilated last time when we fought, but here I am alive and well. That should be your concern, not the other stupid things! I am here for a rematch, let's go fight!}" I am very pissed at the moment, but more like frustrated at the fact that this guy has forgotten about me after all this time.

It really might be true what they say, people don't remember the ants they squash under their feet. So I'm a fucking ant?!

"{Frog. You better take me seriously right now and fight or you will regret it!}" I howled towards his fat chin that was in the way to look at his eyes.

{The only human to call me frog from the last decade was that guy I met at the borders where my Salamander once made nest. So if you're saying that that guy is you, so then you've come to really finally die at my hands now?

{How foolish can you be? If you survived you should have just gone in hiding and grow in strength and never appear before me again in fear of the next time being your last. And yet here you are seeking death.} Agamemkeru had a very condescending tone in his voice as he said all those things. We are speaking in demon language by the way.

"{It's not too late for you to take back what you just said frog. This time, I came prepared.}" I released all the pent up killing intent within me as well as pouring my mana into Overpower to fuel it even more and then designated Agamemkeru and everything in the surroundings with me as center. Since I'm the only human here, I can go nuts without worry. So here goes!

"{ARGH!}" I took a familiar stance as if my hair was going to turn golden and yelled my war cry. That activated the most overpowered skill I have since coming to this world, Overpower. With it unleashed all the creatures and monsters that were in the scope of my Overpower all either died or fainted. I could feel a bit of power transferring to me just a second after crying out. It must be evidence of there being a death toll on the monsters around us.

{What did you do?! I feel my precious pets' numbers dwindling by the second. What are you doing?!} Agamemkeru seems to have the ability to feel his pet's status. This must be what alerted him last time as well.

{Y-Y-You will pay human! You will PAY!} I was right. My Overpower still would not work on him even now. I am not going to deactivate it so those under its influence would die.

Agamemkeru was enraged. Right of the bat he already was channeling in his mouth the strongest attack he could muster to destroy me completely. His hate really does run deep once his pets are put in danger. In a different aspect, I would also go berserk if my people are hurt because of an unfortunate mix-up.

{Die you filthy human; beast in human skin! } Agamemkeru shouted as he fired his for the second time that I am seeing it. This time the breadth and reach of the shot far exceeded what he used from last time. He really must be, truly angry this time. Killing his people might have been going too far.

Dammit, I am acting the same way as those fucking human scum I killed. Caring for nothing and no one, just so I can achieve my goal and desire. Fuck!

Fuck! FUCK! FUCK!

I had this realization in the middle of a fight and that one moment of idleness would cost even the most powerful veterans their lives. Looking up at the beam that just fired out of Agamemkeru's mouth, I entered Super slow motion and instinctively moved away, but even in super slow motion the shot fired by Agamemkeru was still as fast as if this was a normal state. Ah, [Nihility] can mean nothingness which is already a good name for a technique, but it also has another meaning which is [Nullity] that is to reduce something into null, void or even invalid.

So I'm guessing this technique inhibits its target's senses and renders every move useless. So that's why when I first encountered this attack it kept following me like a homing missile. Damn. Here it comes already. Will I go back to square one with this? Stupid conscience!

Chapter end