Chapter 11: The Greedy Devourer
Shaye’s words sent a shiver down Qin Chu’s spine.
Despite her power being depleted, she was still acutely sensitive to the presence of Demons and otherworldly beings. Her instincts were rarely wrong.
“He’s a Phantom Demon,” she explained, her voice low and urgent. “A peculiar breed among the Demonfolk. Masters of disguise, but lacking in combat prowess.”
“Their primary function is intelligence gathering, though they occasionally dabble in assassination. He’s marked you, Hero. That mark… it will guide other Demon assassins to your location.”
Shaye had no qualms about siding with Qin Chu. Her existence was now intrinsically linked to his. If he perished, she perished.
Ironically, the most powerful Witch in existence was now his staunchest ally, her survival dependent on his.
As for any sense of camaraderie with her fellow Demons? Shaye had never considered them her equals.
Qin Chu’s memory stirred. In his previous life, after the banquet, he had been escorted to his lodgings under heavy guard.
The Hero posed a significant threat to the Demons, a threat they would go to any lengths to eliminate. The leaders of the Heavenly Continent might be corrupt and self-serving… but they weren’t stupid.
They understood the danger he was in, the constant threat of assassination. They had assigned him a retinue of skilled guards, kept his movements secret, even employed decoys to mislead potential assassins.
Yet, despite their precautions, he had been ambushed that very night, barely escaping with his life.
Now he knew why. The Phantom Demon had marked him.
“What are you going to do?” Shaye asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
“We’re both powerless at the moment,” Qin Chu replied, his mind racing. “Don’t you think he makes a rather… convenient target?”
Revenge required power. He had managed to humiliate Loseweisse, but it was a hollow victory. He was still vulnerable, utterly defenseless.
He needed to regain his strength, and quickly. His Abilities, especially Greed and its associated power, Devourer, were his greatest assets.
Devourer allowed him to absorb the power, even the Abilities, of others.
Of course, attempting to devour someone stronger than himself would be suicidal.
But Phantom Demons, as Shaye had explained, were an anomaly. Their magical power increased with their level, but their combat abilities remained on par with an ordinary human. Their entire existence revolved around their shapeshifting abilities. Their only other skill, a rudimentary understanding of illusion magic, was hardly a threat.
The higher their level, the more potent their magic, the more convincing their disguises. Even those closest to them would be hard-pressed to detect their true nature.
A high-level Phantom Demon could perfectly mimic not only their target’s appearance, but also their voice, mannerisms, speech patterns, even their subconscious tics. They could seamlessly integrate into human society, their true identities remaining hidden.
The real Count Donald was likely dead, replaced by this imposter. No one in this room, not even the Emperor, the High Priestess, or the Sages, had detected his true nature.
To become a Sage, one had to reach level eighty and master a vast array of spells, including at least one Super-tier spell and three High-tier spells.
Emperor Wadsworth, Saint Monique, and Pope Augustus were even stronger, their levels likely exceeding ninety.
To deceive them, this Phantom Demon had to be at least level sixty.
Which meant he was a walking, talking experience piñata, ripe for the picking.
Qin Chu wouldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
Devouring him would significantly boost his magical power.
And that shapeshifting Ability… he had a feeling it would come in handy.
Shaye didn’t object. They desperately needed a power boost.
“Have you figured out how you’re going to explain this?” she asked, her voice laced with amusement.
“Of course,” Qin Chu replied, a sly smile spreading across his lips. “I have a plan.”
While they conversed, Count Donald, his beady eyes narrowed, observed Qin Chu. Though his face was plastered with a pleasant smile, a flicker of disdain, of murderous intent, flashed in his eyes.
The newly summoned Hero, despite his future potential, was currently as weak as an ant.
Even he, a non-combatant, could easily kill him.
But doing so here, in front of all these witnesses, would be suicide. Best to leave the dirty work to the professionals. His task was simple: mark the Hero, guide the assassins to their target.
He smiled, his voice smooth and reassuring. “Well, Hero, I must take my leave. You are always welcome at my estate.”
He made to withdraw his hand, eager to move on, to maintain a semblance of decorum.
But his hand remained trapped in Qin Chu’s grasp.
He tried to pull away, but Qin Chu’s grip tightened, like a vise.
He frowned, looking up at Qin Chu.
And then his blood ran cold.
A wave of primal fear washed over him, making his heart pound in his chest.
He couldn’t pinpoint the source of his terror. Qin Chu’s face was still the same, his smile still in place. But his eyes… his eyes were different.
They were filled with a strange, unsettling intensity, as if they could see right through him, stripping away his carefully crafted disguise, exposing his true nature.
How could a powerless, newly summoned Hero evoke such fear?
For a fleeting moment, he saw Qin Chu bathed in blood, surrounded by a mountain of Demon corpses, a river of crimson flowing at his feet.
A strangled gasp escaped his lips, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
“H-Hero,” he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. “What are you… what are you doing?”
Had the Hero seen through his disguise?
Impossible.
Even the Pope, the High Priestess, and the Emperor had been fooled. How could this weakling, this newcomer, possibly know his secret?
Qin Chu smiled, his lips curving into a predatory grin that made Donald’s blood run cold.
And then he whispered a single word.
“Devourer.”
A terrifying force erupted from Qin Chu’s hand, a powerful suction that made Donald’s heart skip a beat. His magical power, his very essence, was being drained away, pulled towards Qin Chu like water down a drain.
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