The wasteland was quiet.
For the first time since Rai arrived in the Demon Realm, there were no demons rushing to kill him.
The body of the Rare Demon still lay on the cracked ground behind him.
Black blood slowly soaked into the earth.
Rai stood there silently.
The wind blew through his messy black hair as he looked at the glowing system window floating in front of him.
---
SYSTEM
User: Rai
Rank: D
Skills:
Immortal Body
Combat Adaptation
Pain Resistance Lv.2
Minor Regeneration
Fear Aura Lv.2
Dark Dominion Lv.1
---
Rai slowly clenched his fist.
The power flowing through his body felt different now.
Stronger.
He could feel the fear in nearby creatures.
Small demon scavengers hiding behind rocks refused to come closer.
His Dark Dominion aura was already affecting them.
Rai looked around the wasteland.
"This place…"
He spoke quietly.
"...is full of monsters."
Broken mountains surrounded the area.
Cracked land stretched endlessly.
But Rai noticed something interesting.
The place where the Rare Demon had lived looked different.
Behind the battlefield stood a large cave carved into the side of a black cliff.
Bones were scattered around the entrance.
It had clearly been the Rare Demon's territory.
Rai walked toward the cave.
The closer he got, the more nervous the small demons became.
They ran away in panic.
The Fear Aura was working perfectly.
Inside the cave was dark.
But Rai's eyes adjusted quickly.
The cave was massive.
Large enough to hold dozens of demons.
Bones, weapons, and old armor were scattered everywhere.
But something else caught his attention.
A pile of glowing stones.
Mana crystals.
Rai crouched down and picked one up.
The crystal hummed softly with energy.
A system message appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Mana Crystal Detected.
Use: Power Source / Skill Evolution / Crafting.
---
Rai smiled slightly.
"So even demons collect resources."
He placed the crystal back down and looked around the cave again.
Then he nodded to himself.
"This place will work."
This cave could become something important.
A base.
A safe place.
A territory.
If he wanted to grow stronger…
He needed somewhere to start.
Suddenly—
A group of small demons appeared outside the cave.
Five of them.
They were thin, weak-looking creatures.
Probably scavengers.
They stared nervously at Rai.
One of them whispered.
"H-he killed the Rare Demon…"
Another demon trembled.
"Does that mean… this territory is his now?"
Rai walked out of the cave slowly.
The demons instantly dropped to their knees.
They were shaking in fear.
Rai looked at them calmly.
His Dark Dominion aura pressed down on them.
But he didn't attack.
Instead he spoke.
"If you want to live…"
The demons looked up nervously.
Rai's cold eyes stared down at them.
"Then work for me."
The demons froze.
One of them whispered.
"You… won't kill us?"
Rai turned his back and walked toward the cave again.
"That depends."
He stopped at the entrance.
"If you are useful."
The demons quickly bowed their heads.
"Y-yes! We will serve!"
Rai entered the cave again.
Behind him…
The first followers of the Demon King Vessel had just appeared.
And this cave…
Would become the first territory of a power that would one day shake the entire world.