44 Demons Cultivation (1/2)
When Stigma first meet the Demon, it gave of a feeling of a playful imp who was just born, rather than a dangerous creature. At the time, he felt just like a young boy wearing makeup and a costume for halloween.
Like the ones he had read in novels and folklore, it had the side of mischief that wanted to cause trouble from time to time, and has an erratic behavior for his enjoyment.
His actions were similar to that of a child, from the way he was eating messily such as grabbing the food by the hands or the way he was throwing a tantrum when his secret was discovered, or when it tried to hide the excitement but had it's smile exposed.
Due to still being in the size of child, the demon was just shorter by a head from Stigma's height. Making it look it like a bizarre scene of an innocent child beside his creepy new friend.
His manners and ethics along with his small tuxedo made it look like he was just a precocious child trying to act like an adult. If not for its intelligence and different skin color along with its horns, it could have just been normal.
But now all his previous evaluations were thrown out the window, when they started battling. The little Demon was ferocious as he charged at him relentlessly, using the branches as foot holds had him in the upper hand in having the air advantage and it used the roots as vaults[1] to draw himself closer by flinging itself at Stigma's location.
It had been three hours since he started confronting it, and he was still dodging and finally realized the danger it poses, as it was seriously trying to kill him.
He had a powerful grip that could crush rock just by grasping and it's arm strength was incredible, as he had destroyed a tree branch from just one pull and still threw it like a spear at him, causing a crater in the ground, his jaw strength were already proven to be strong as he crushed a bone in half after one bite.
Each time he dodged from its bite he saw the damage it could do, not just to him only. When he used a tree root as an obstacle, it used jaws to rip it off as it it was a piece of paper even a part of a tree trunk was removed when he started pulling with his body.
To distance himself he grabbed some of the rock and threw it at his face, but instead of dodging it caught each rock and crunched it like hard candy. Even if larger rock stood in the way, it bit of a piece and left huge bite marks that could fit a person's head.
He then started throwing rocks, no not a rocks: boulders at him, causing their distance to greatly shorten each time Stigma stopped to dodge. The constant raining of boulders had made small dust clouds that it gave chance to Stigma to find some breathing room.
”What's the matter, Dear Sir, this is cultivation of the demons.”
”How the hell is this Cultivation! This seems more like a hunting game.”
Dodging another rock from the air, he hid behind a tree and erased his presence, it was bad enough that he had no weapons, but even Dusk couldn't be summon. And the Demon claimed that it had no right to fight for it's master's place.
From a distance he could hear the Demon's laughing, as he started to jump from branch to branch, searching for him.
'F*ck! This is too much, I don't even have a skill that could help, even the 'Soul Eater' isn't working.'
When Stigma first entered to this realm, he tried using his skills yet only 'Essence Reader' was in effect so he used it to look around, but instead of seeing energy he only saw nothing but a void in the air, and that was the instance the Demon called him out.
It was bad enough he had no weapons, he can't even see an advantage for him to fight back. The demon was faster and stronger than him, so he had no time to discover what it's physical weakness was.
What was worse is that he had no idea of its other abilities, if he tried to use 'Essence Reader' he would need to stand still and find out, but he would be a sitting duck if he stepped out and tried to look for it. The constant running around was already irritating him and he wanted to end it already.
”Hey! How the hell are you this strong!”
The Demon was still on the branches but took it's time to follow the voice. Giving a heartfelt laugh in the air as he continued to move.
”Why, because of you of course, Dear Sir!”
He had to keep it busy and figure out a plan to counter attack, turning his head to the side, he had found what he needed to use, but had to occupy him for a certain kill.
”Hah?!?!!? What do you mean! Explain!”
He found a good spot to set a trap, but he he had to be quick, since be can hear the Demon' footsteps getting near.
”Simple Dear Sir, it was because you kept on absorbing souls remember. Do you think it would be easy to absorb souls as a human without any special traits, if you were a regular human, instead of gaining skills or boosted physical traits, you would have gone mad from the pure souls and be the actual beast you absorbed.”
Ripping a branch from its side, it used it like a tool and slash in front of him, but only swung onto thin air. But he still maintained his wide grin and continued to speak to catch his attention.
”You see Dear Sir, if you didn't have a trait that relates to such elements. You would have reduced to a possessed creature that had lost his former self torn from switching between the former and the original, lost in its own lingering desire. And the only way to remove it would be purified in a number of ways, say exorcism using holy words for example.”
Stigma stopped from his worked and thought of the theory.
'If that was true then, the articles about people being possessed are true then!”
Now that he thought about it, if this place was indeed his inner world and the Demon was born here, where are the soul he had already? Unless...
”That still doesn't explain as to why are you this strong, don't tell me you ate them all!”
”Ha ha ha, Heavens no! They belong to you remember, I only stored them in a safe place as to not clutter in unwanted areas. It is my responsibility to keep this place safe and hide precious treasures, while those attendances act on the logistics, such as cleaning.”
”And the reason as to why I am this strong, was because of you, Dear Sir.”
”You see the more souls you absorbs you get stronger correct. So that would also apply to me too since I am your other half remember. You...understand.”
He gave a low tone to the last worse and sounded sinister with his eerie smile in place.
”The stronger you get, the stronger I get. A shared experience like in a party in RPG games. HA! HA! HA!”
With all his laughter in the air, it was easy to pinpoint its location, so Stigma took his position and started his plan, starting with bait.
”Then show me what you got!” The Demon turned to find Stigma standing in front of a tree, his preparations were already done, so all he needed to do was provoke it then aim for the kill.
The Demon turned his body and caught sight of him, and started to ready a tackle, causing the ground to crack under the pressure of his stomp.
”AS! YOU! WISH!” The Demon came after Stigma with neck breaking speed, causing a sonic boom from behind him opening it's jaws and aimed at Stigma's head.
If what the Demon said was right, then Stigma was already capable in following it's speed. So he side stepped and aimed at his unguarded side, but the Demon's reflexes was more formidable as it used its arm to guard it's neck.
Causing the Demon to propel to the ground and got his footing right.