Alex’s eyes scanned the newly unlocked Devil Evolution Tree, zeroing in on the progress bar — 31% compatibility with the Proto-Demon Form.
"So I need to hit 50% before the next transformation kicks in..." he muttered, fingers twitching with anticipation. "How do I boost body compatibility?"
As if on cue, the system chid again:
[ Body Compatibility Factors Detected: ]
— Extended use of Demon Energy
— High-stress combat against stronger demons (or any strong enemies)
— Absorption of corrupted essence (Demon Cores, Blood Crystals)
Anyone slain by host will now drop a Blood Crystal if they haven’t killed others, and a Demonic Core if they have.
— Sync with summoned demons
— In-depth interaction with the Devil Book
— Exposure to demonic realms or energy fields
— Optional: Ritualistic offerings and body reinforcent techniques (Unlocked at 40%)
Alex read each point carefully, the gears in his mind turning.
"Well, out of all those options, only two are reliable for now—reading the Devil Book and extended use of demon energy," he mumbled as he leaned back, rubbing his temples. His body ached just from sitting upright. Fighting, even with the help of summons, was out of the question at the mont.
He let out a tired sigh, eyes drifting back to the Devil Book resting beside him.
"Looks like it’s just you and for a while..." he muttered, picking it up and letting the pages flutter open on their own.
As the pages of the Devil Book fluttered open, a sudden chill spread through the air. The faint scent of ash and rain hung around Alex as the ink on the parchnt began to shimr with a faint violet glow.
[ Devil Book activated: mory Echo Sequence Initiated ]
Reading Progress: 1%
Compatibility Boost: 2%
The world around him seed to darken slightly. The room faded to grey, shadows lengthening as whispers rose from the pages like smoke curling from a dying fire.
"There was a ti when words cut deeper than swords..."
Alex blinked—then he wasn’t in his room anymore.
He was standing in a crumbling cathedral, the air thick with sorrow. A pale man with silver hair—V—stood at the altar, clutching the Devil Book with trembling hands. Black tendrils crawled up his arms, his body flickering between man and mist.
"I am... nothing more than a shell. A mory. A regret given form."
Alex couldn’t speak, only watch. This wasn’t a mory of V—it was V’s pain, etched into the pages and now flowing directly into him. He could feel the physical weakness, the fear of disappearing, of being forgotten in the wake of Vergil’s return.
The cathedral echoed with the sound of battle outside—Griffon’s shrieks, Shadow’s growls, Nightmare’s thunderous stomps. But V remained inside, holding the book like it was his last tether to life.
Alex felt sothing twist in his chest. It wasn’t sympathy—it was understanding.
V didn’t fight with strength. He fought by commanding, by channeling—and when that failed, he relied on knowledge, tactics, and devotion to a purpose greater than himself.
The echo ended with a violent pulse of demonic energy that surged through Alex’s core. The room snapped back into focus, the Devil Book glowing faintly in his hands.
[ mory Echo Complete ]
Devil Book Progress: 2%
Body Compatibility 3% → 34%
New Passive Unlocked: Commander’s Insight — Minor buff to summoned demon
performance based on host focus and willpower.
-----
Alex exhaled slowly, his body trembling—not from pain, but from the rush of euphoric feeling that had just surged through him.
"What was that?" he mumbled to himself, glancing back at the glowing Devil Book. "1% reading progress just gave 3% compatibility... cool," he muttered as he tried to open the book again, but it didn’t respond.
"Huh? What’s this?" he frowned, tapping the book a few more tis—nothing happened.
Then the system ssage popped up again:
[ Warning: Host’s ntal state is destabilized. ]
If the host attempts to read more, there is a high risk of death due to psychic overload.
The book is sealed until the host’s ntal state recovers. ]
"Damn," Alex sighed as he lay back on the bed. "And here I thought I was finally getting enough energy to go outside or sothing..." he mumbled to himself, staring at the Devil Book in his hand before sighing again and placing it back into his inventory.
"At least I can still use the Ti Dilation Sphere," Alex muttered as he raised his hand. With a focused thought, a small sphere of grey light ford at his fingertips and shot out, hovering mid-air for a second before expanding.
Alex watched as the orb swelled, then suddenly burst outward into a translucent grey field. Everything inside it moved unnaturally slow—dust floated like molasses, the flicker of a candle looked like a painting, and even the air itself seed suspended.
"Maybe it’ll help test things safely... without them being able to fight back," he said, cautiously stepping forward.
But just as he moved closer to inspect the boundary, the entire grey zone vanished without warning, collapsing into nothingness like it had never existed.
Alex dropped to his knees, coughing up blood.
[ Warning: Host’s Ti Dilation Sphere consus a high amount of demonic energy. ]
[ Due to the strain it puts on the host, and the current weakened state of the host’s body, internal damage has occurred.
[If not for the presence of the Supre Demon Lineage, the host would have exploded into blood and gore. ]
Alex wiped the blood from his mouth and sat back on the bed.
"Okay then... I can only sit around and read the Devil Book to slowly build up energy. No point in forcing anything else for now," he muttered with a tired sigh.
He glanced toward the Shadow Fury beside him. The once-lethal predator now lay curled up almost like a loyal hound, its sleek, shadow-wrapped body stretched across the floor, resting on all fours. Its long tail flicked lazily, and its glowing yellow eyes watched Alex in silence.
Alex tilted his head, a faint smirk on his lips.
"Hm. You know... since you’re now my first demon, it’d be kinda ssed up if I didn’t give you a na," he said.
The Shadow Fury’s ears twitched. It slowly lifted its head and tilted it slightly, almost as if curious.
"Okay then... your na will be—"
Alex paused, a mischievous glint in his eye as he turned his gaze slightly, as if looking beyond the confines of his world.
"{ The naming privilege is given to my audience, so go on... you guys have a lot of ti... literally. }"
The Shadow Fury blinked, unmoving, but its tail swayed gently, waiting—almost expectantly—for the decision to co.
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