Crack, crack...
As if it were a signal, countless Demon Eggs along the banks of the Nether River began to slowly split open.
Various roars and howls started to fill the air.
The newly born Infant Demons looked vastly different from one another. Some resembled insectoids, others were humanoid, some took on beastly forms, and there were even those that were just amorphous blobs of writhing flesh.
After instinctively letting out their first roar to the outside world, they all began to eat their own eggshells to replenish their nutrients.
Once they finished their shells, they turned their attention to the eggs that had developed later and had not yet hatched, as well as to their weaker-looking peers. Every demon's instinct urged them to grow stronger quickly, or else they would only become nutrients for others. Losers had no right to live.
The slaughter began!
Driven by their killing instincts, they used their sharp teeth, claws, tentacles, and even stones to attack their respective targets.
They might be hunters, or they might be prey, but no one knew who would emerge victorious.
The boundless riverbanks were now drenched in the blood of Infant Demons, and the most fundamental rule of the Bottomless Abyss was laid bare at this moment: to kill, to plunder, to devour, and to turn everything into nourishment for oneself.
There was no mercy, no compassion—only the victors, drenched in blood, could walk out of the riverbanks as demons, bringing slaughter and destruction to all.
Facing the attacks of other demons, Olthagia was initially a bit clumsy, and the fearless, instinct-driven Infant Demons managed to leave a few wounds on him. However, as time passed, the demonic instinct for killing honed his skills, and in a short time, he became as refined as if he had undergone countless trials. He could now spot the weaknesses of his opponents at a glance and knew exactly how to deliver a fatal blow.
With physical abilities far surpassing those of other demons and his advanced combat skills, Olthagia could effortlessly twist off their heads and tear apart their bodies. Moreover, as the evolution system continuously strengthened him, the gap between him and the other demons was gradually widening.
His originally 1.4-meter-tall frame had now grown to nearly two meters, with solid muscles covering his body and his scales becoming even harder. Standing among the numerous short Infant Demons, he was truly conspicuous.
After slaughtering hundreds of Infant Demons, he had already met the minimum requirements for advancement and could break through to become a Lesser Demon at any time. However, the countless enemies around him left him no opportunity to do so.
Because demons enter a forced slumber during their advancement, and if the process is interrupted, it could cause irreparable permanent damage, he needed to find a quiet place to do so. But at least on the riverbanks, there was no such place.
Moreover, although his strength had reached the standard and he had obtained permission from the Abyssal Will to leave the riverbanks, he was not ready to leave so early. His inherited memories contained much information about the other layers of the Abyss, and without exception, all of it conveyed a clear message: the outside world was even more dangerous.
Therefore, he still needed to strive to plunder the soul of every Infant Demon. Such a large number of opponents, far weaker than him, would be hard to find in the outside Bottomless Abyss. He didn't plan to leave until the very last moment!
However, the current efficiency of slaughter was gradually failing to meet his needs, so he turned his attention to the system panel.
[Host: Stuart. Ogarisa. Asalonne...Curif. Ol' Saiga]
[Race/Level: Demon Race/Infant Demon (Can Advance)]
[Strength: 15 (5)]
[Speed: 17 (5)]
[Constitution: 16 (5)]
[Magic Power: 19 (5)]
[Soul: 22 (5)]
[Talents: Soul-Devouring Evolution (evolves autonomously by continuously devouring souls), Slaughter Evolution (evolves autonomously through continuous combat and slaughter), Combat Instinct (innately possesses strong combat talent)]
[Skills: None]
[Evolution Points: 2858]
[Note: The values in parentheses represent the standard level of a normal newborn Infant Demon. Each increase in points enhances the current strength by one-fifth. For example, 6 points are one-fifth stronger than 5 points, and 7 points are one-fifth stronger than 6 points, with percentage-based enhancement.]
The evolution method of the evolution system is not automatic.
Just as Olthagia had previously set, half of the evolution points were responsible for strengthening the body and soul, while the other half were reserved. It was necessary to specify the targets and effects of the enhancement first, and then the system would automatically list the possible enhancement methods based on the requirements, allowing the host to choose which method to use to achieve the effect.
Thus, Olthagia made his demands to the system.
'Most of the flesh is being wasted. I need the ability to extract the essence of flesh. Although I possess magic power, the usage is too basic, only capable of the most fundamental physical enhancement. I need more attack methods.'
[Flesh Extraction Ability: 1. Blood Manipulation (can extract the essence of flesh out of thin air using magic power, 1500 Evolution Points.), 2. Organ Modification (by modifying organs, the host's specified organs can gain the ability to extract the essence of flesh, 300 Evolution Points per organ.)...]
[Attack Methods: 1. Magical Destructive Enhancement (the host's magic power will possess even greater destructive force, 1200 Evolution Points.), 2. Bloodline Element Awakening (awakens the demon bloodline within the host, randomly gaining control over elements such as fire, thunder, wind, etc., 1000 Evolution Points.), 3. Bloodthirsty Slaughter (consumes magic power to forcibly enter a state of slaughter, greatly enhancing physical attributes, 1000 Evolution Points.)...]
After reviewing the methods provided by the system, Olthagia first chose Flesh Extraction - Organ Modification (fingers, tail), followed by the attack methods Magical Destructive Enhancement and Element Awakening.
As he completed his selections, the Evolution Points on the system panel rapidly decreased as if being drained. The scales on the fingertips of both hands and the tip of the tail rapidly proliferated, automatically transforming from small scales into black, hard shells with tiny, needle-like holes. Simply by piercing them into the target's body, regardless of whether the target was alive or dead, the essence of flesh could be extracted. The difference was that a living target would resist and might not be easily extracted, while a dead target would not resist and could be extracted at will.
The mana within his body was boiling like never before. If it had been warm water before, it was now akin to concentrated sulfuric acid, becoming far more aggressive. Simply releasing it around his body would automatically corrode the nearby demons, even without Olthagia's control.
But what truly surprised Olthagia was the third enhancement—the Bloodline Element Awakening!
The first two enhancements, while causing some abnormal physical reactions during the process, had little overall impact on his combat abilities. Even with temporary physical discomfort, it didn't hinder him from effortlessly dominating the Infant Demons around him with just one hand. Though these Infant Demons had made significant progress after a period of slaughter, their efficiency was nowhere near his level. Compared to him, they were like elementary school students facing an adult—Olthagia could have taken them on with both hands tied.
However, when the Bloodline Element Awakening occurred, the sensation of his blood vessels seemingly leaping out of his skin caught him completely off guard. Never having experienced such pain before, his movements froze, and he nearly dropped to his knees on the spot.
Facing this glaring vulnerability, the surrounding Infant Demons didn't hold back. Though they didn't understand what was happening, their innate greed drove them to swarm Olthagia, eager to tear him apart and feast on his flesh. In their perception, one Olthagia was worth at least dozens of their kind.
Faced with this crisis, Olthagia was furious. He hadn't expected the evolution system to throw such a curveball. Assuming the enhancement process would be as seamless as the physical upgrades, he quickly utilized his newly enhanced mana to create a defensive barrier around himself, buying time.
It didn't take long—just over ten seconds—before some demons broke through the mana barrier and reached Olthagia's scales. But by then, Olthagia had already sensed that the abnormality within his body had subsided, replaced by a surge of power as restless as his rage.
A Blood Flame, fueled by his mana, erupted from his body, engulfing everything within a ten-meter radius. It was as if the flames were alive, seeping into the demons through their pores, mouths, and eyes, burning them from the inside out.
Against this flame, the scales of the Infant Demons—which could withstand ordinary weapons—and their formidable vitality, which made most injuries non-lethal unless their hearts or heads were destroyed, were utterly useless. Within a second or two, they were all dead.
Looking at the charred corpses around him, Olthagia, who had just survived a close call, silently resolved to conduct any future enhancements in a safe location. The evolution system was nothing more than a rigid tool—it answered questions but offered no additional warnings.
This experience taught him a lesson. Since his birth, everything had gone smoothly, and he had grown somewhat overconfident. But in the Bottomless Abyss, where madness was everywhere, overconfidence was a sure path to self-destruction.
Watching the Blood Flame continue to burn after consuming all the corpses, Olthagia knew it was sustained solely by his mana. With a thought, he withdrew the mana, and the flames immediately extinguished, leaving behind only non-combustible debris and scorched earth.
'Too wasteful, all the flesh has been burned away. It seems that until I can control my strength, I can only use this in critical battles...'
Thinking this, he raised his head and glanced at the celestial body in the sky.
When it fully descends, the Nether River will rise, submerging everything on its banks.
And it has already descended halfway!
'There's still some time...'
Olthagia began to seize the moment to harvest once more. This time, after three enhancements, his harvesting speed far surpassed before. Moreover, due to his Flesh Extraction ability, each kill yielded more Evolution Points, leaving behind only desiccated corpses.
After a long while, as the celestial body was about to fully descend, the slaughter on the riverbank was nearing its end. Those still alive were the strong who deliberately prolonged the time to harvest souls. All the weak had been eliminated, becoming nourishment for the many victors!
Taking one last look at the remnants on the riverbank and the numerous victors, Olthagia silently used the victor's privilege and vanished from the spot.