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Chapter 159 - CH: 157: Mind Cutting off A Piece of Meat For Me?

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{Chapter: 157: Mind Cutting off A Piece of Meat For Me?}

He didn't know if he should prepare to fight
 or run.

But one thing was certain: Dex hadn't come here to chat.

Unlike those bottom-feeders who tried to seize the opportunity while he was injured—only to be crushed and killed without effort—this particular demon could sense something different. Though the figure before him, Dex, was technically just a [Middle-level Demon], the oppressive aura surrounding him made it abundantly clear: he was not someone to be underestimated.

Even while suffering from serious injuries, the demon instinctively understood that a confrontation with this opponent would be risky. If possible, he would rather avoid conflict entirely.

Dex, meanwhile, calmly studied him. His gaze lingered on the demon's wound, where remnants of divine energy still sizzled and corroded the flesh. A flicker of curiosity shone in Dex's eyes, one that made the injured demon's instincts scream danger.

Among demons, such a look was often a prelude to violence.

Feeling the shift in atmosphere, the injured demon unconsciously began to gather his remaining strength, preparing for a preemptive strike if necessary.

But just as tensions were about to explode, Dex suddenly asked in a relaxed tone, "Can I ask you a question?"

Surprised by the unexpected pause, the wounded demon hesitated for a second before answering, "...Ask."

Dex smiled, a glimmer of amusement on his lips. "Please tell me a number between 1 and 100."

The demon blinked, unsure of what this strange request meant. Nevertheless, he answered offhandedly, "Twenty."

Dex's grin widened. "Ah, an even number. That means I won't attack you."

This baffling statement made the other demon furrow his brow in confusion. But at the same time, he could sense that Dex was speaking the truth—at least, his truth.

Just as the other party could sense how it's not easy he was to deal with.

He could also clearly feel that the other party was not easy to kill!

But it was really beneath his dignity to do nothing when a severely injured [Higher Demon] was in front of him!

Therefore, he, who suffers from indecisiveness, Dex had devised a simple method to overcome his own indecision. He had resolved that if the number given was odd, or if the other demon refused to answer, he would immediately strike. If it was even—he would leave things be.

A simple game of fate.

"...?" The demon stared at Dex, clearly questioning his sanity.

Dex ignored the look and casually pointed toward the demon's wound. "I'm interested in the residual divine power left in that injury. Would you mind cutting off a piece of meat for me?"

The other demon fell silent. A tense few seconds passed.

Then, with a gruff grunt, he tore off a chunk of his own corrupted, divine-tainted flesh and flung it toward Dex.

Dex didn't catch it with his hands. Instead, he used a magic to keep it suspended in the air beside him. Nodding in satisfaction, he said with genuine politeness, "Thank you for your generosity. I'll take my leave now—I won't disturb your meal any further."

With that, he turned and summoned a new portal.

As the swirling ellipse of energy opened, Dex stepped through without a second glance, disappearing into the shimmer.

The wounded demon remained on edge for a while longer, making sure the portal didn't re-open. Only after confirming Dex had truly gone did he relax and turn his attention back to his meal.

This time, however, he devoured the meat with far more urgency than before. He needed to recover as quickly as possible and relocate to a safer place before another powerful being arrived.

---

Somewhere beneath the arid wastelands...

Dex emerged from the portal and wasted no time. Without warning, he threw a punch forward.

A thunderous force exploded outward. It was the kind of strength that could level entire city blocks and leave mushroom clouds in its wake. But rather than being destructive in a chaotic manner, the force was evenly distributed, carving out a massive tunnel dozens of meters wide and high.

The smoothness of the walls suggested some kind of magical shaping. Even under the pressure of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, the chamber wouldn't have cracked. At worst, a bit of dust might fall.

Dex walked inside, his expression bright with fascination. In his hand hovered the chunk of demon flesh, still glowing faintly with golden divine light. The residual divine energy hadn't yet dispersed and was in fact still actively corroding the corrupted tissue.

Dex studied it with deep interest, watching how his own magic interacted with the divine remnants.

Based on everything he had seen and learned so far, he had reached a rough conclusion about his current place in the power hierarchy of this world.

And it wasn't comforting.

At his current level, trying to slay even a single god was a fantasy, let alone two. He had originally considered testing his strength by going after a few divine beings, but those thoughts had now been shelved indefinitely.

The gods of this world weren't easy prey. Even their incidental attacks—such as the one that left this meat infused with divine power—could maim high-level demons.

No, he would have to ascend to the rank of [Upper Demon] first. And even then, he would need to push beyond the threshold of that level to stand a real chance.

But none of that deterred him.

If anything, his interest in the divine only deepened. These gods, and the power they wielded, were unlike anything he had studied before.

And now, in the divine-tainted piece of meat floating beside him, he held a valuable sample. One that would allow him to begin analyzing the true nature of divine power.

His grin returned as he whispered to himself, "Fascinating
"

---

In Dex's perception, although the residual divine power he held was meager, it carried an overwhelming and unmistakable malice—an instinctive and ancient hatred, directed solely at creatures of the Abyss.

This wasn't the ordinary divine rejection that many demons felt when exposed to holy power. No—this divine energy was purposeful, personal, and venomous. It felt almost as if the artifact it came from had been forged with the singular goal of exterminating abyssal life.

There were two likely explanations for this. Either the divine weapon had been specifically designed to counter abyssal beings, possibly by gods who had warred with the Abyss long ago, or the original owner of the weapon—perhaps a god or a devout champion—had harbored such an intense hatred for demons that his will had permanently infected the weapon, imbuing it with this unwavering hostility.

Whichever the case, one thing was clear: this weapon was an immense threat to any demon, especially those like the [Great Demon] who had come into direct contact with it. The only reason the demon had survived was because the weapon's current wielder was merely a [Demigod], and not a true deity capable of unleashing its full divine potential. Had it been wielded by a full god, the unfortunate demon would have been reduced to scattered ashes, with not even a trace left behind to recover from.

Yet, despite its danger to ordinary demons, Dex remained unconcerned.

The current amount of divine power was far too small—insignificant, really—to pose any real threat to him. At most, it stung like a thorn in his palm. A mildly irritating toy. One that he could control, study, and ultimately learn from.

With slow, deliberate precision, Dex poured his own magic power into the divine energy, pushing it against the residual divine force. The two powers clashed and canceled each other out in small bursts of magical resistance and resonance.

It was a deliberate experiment. Dex carefully observed how the two energies interacted, measuring the reactions, gauging the differences in quality and nature. He wanted to determine, as accurately as possible, the true distance between his current self and the gods of this world. Though there was still a substantial gap, this experiment offered him valuable insights.

Of course, he knew better than to treat this as a direct comparison between himself and an actual living god. Divine weapons carried divine power, but they did not possess a god's will, intelligence, or full force. They were shadows of their creators. Still, the nature of the divine power within them made for a useful benchmark.

---

Far away, within one of the fortified defense lines bordering the wild wastelands


An orc warrior who had recently clashed with Dex stood within a massive circular conference hall, surrounded by representatives of numerous races. He stood tall, his voice firm and serious as he addressed the gathering.

The topic: Dex.

He described the demon as a catastrophic threat—something far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary [Middle-Rank Demon]. A walking calamity. A creature that, if ignored, could eventually upend the balance of their entire fortified defense line.

But the response he received was not the one he had hoped for.

The representatives listened with polite indifference, their faces more skeptical than concerned. Once he finished, the dwarf representative let out a casual chuckle, waving dismissively.

"Harun," the dwarf said, shaking his head, "you have to remember that every race occasionally births a genius. Demons are no exception. It's not exactly newsworthy when one or two demons outshine the rest of their kind."

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