After transforming the half-dead Nagas into his Legion, Aengus finally had a moment to check his stats:
---
[ Name: Aengus Degaro ] (Marked by Ancient Red Serpent Deity)
[ Age: 18 ]
[ Title: Naga King yer ]
[ Race: Half-Human Half-Demon ]
[ Level: 31 ]
[ upation: Baron of Dark Valley, Demon Servant ]
[ ss: None ] (Options: Ancient Serpent yer)
[ Bloodline Lineage: Beelzebub (Partial-Royal), Viperscale Naga (Half-Noble) ]
[ Special Trait: Energy Converter (Artificial) ]
Physical Stats:
[ Strength: 380 ]
[ Agility: 404 ]
[ Defense: 400 ]
[ Mana: 18,352 /50,552 ]
[ Nether Energy: 10,000 /50,552 ]
[ Attribute points: 30 ]
Skills:
- [ Active: Doombringer Fortification -3 (C) Hellfire Dive (C), Earth Maniption-12(D), Azure Ghost de (D), Venomous Ripper (D)]
- [ Passive: zing Purge (D), Predator''s Instinct -23 (E), Health Regeneration -4 (E) ]
[ Special skills: Monster Breeding (Level-2) ]
[ Demonic Abilities:
- Peak: Heart of Darkness
- Intermediate: Gluttony of Darkness
- Basic: Darkness Pulse, Darkness Veil, Darkness Haki, Blood Regeneration, Hellfire Control, Poisonous Miasma Control, Body Duplication, Armoured ck Scales, Naganian Transformation, Spectral Death Strings, Pain Resistance.
[ Unique Skills: Appraisal (Basic), Skill Absorption (Mythic), Universal Synthesis (Ultimate) ]
[ Equipment: None ]
---
Aengus allocated the 30 attribute points he earned from his six-level power-up but paused, furrowing his brows at the ominous mark beside his name.
"Manas, what does this mark mean? Can I remove it?" he asked, a hint of unease in his voice.
"Master, it''s a mark left by an Ancient Deity from long ago," Manas replied. "Although they are dead, they can still exert some influence on the world by using devotion energy. While they can''t harm you directly, they may send someone in their ce to confront you. Until you''re powerful enough to remove itpletely, you should remain cautious, Master."
"I see... Now, what about this Ancient Serpent yer ss? Should I equip it?" Aengus inquired as he oversaw his followers collecting demon cores and dead bodies.
Manas responded, "It is a strong ss, Master, but it''s not ideal for you. It grants special skills rted to ying Ancient Serpents and their bloodlines, but it''s too niche for your goals. I advise waiting for a more suitable ss. Remember, you can only equip one in your lifetime, and it can''t be synthesized with others for that same reason."
Aengus nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the knowledge.
"But Master, I can sense you''re clearly in pain," Manas spoke, his voiceced with concern. "You should seek treasures to heal your soul. If you let the pain umte, it will eventually weaken you. Who will care for you then?"
Aengus looked up at the starry sky, his expression tinged with mncholy. "Yes... alone. I have no one close now, perhaps I never did. Aria, Aunt Greta, Emily... the only ones who ever showed me kindness, and they''re all gone now."
His thoughts lingered on Aria''s radiant smile, her captivating emerald green eyes, and the graceful way she moved in her white dress. Her memory shed vividly in his mind, stirring emotions long buried.
"It''s all those damn demons'' fault," he growled, his voice trembling with rage. "I will kill everyst one of them."
He roared to the heavens, his body emanating a dark aura as the fury within him surged. The force of his anger sent a chill through the air, and everyone nearby felt a shiver run down their spine.
---
After some time, Aengus and his subordinates led over 900 tribespeople toward Dark Valley, their new home. Along the journey, they cleared out numerous demonic creatures, ensuring the safety of the weaker members of the group.
Six to eight hourster, when Aengus finally arrived near his Barony, his forces had grown significantly. He nowmanded over 220 Lesser Demons and 30 Greater Demons—a remarkable increasepared to just a few days ago when he first entered Dark Valley.
His Legion had also expanded, boasting 700 Lesser Demons and 25 Greater Demons.
In total, Aengus''s army now consisted of more than 900 Lesser Demons and 55 Greater Demons, not counting the ordinary tribespeople. It was an overwhelming force, especiallypared to the other baronies under Be''s rule.
"Hey, look! It''s our new lord!"
"Oh, shi*t! Who are those Naga people behind him? So many of them!"
As Aengus and his subordinates entered his territory, the citizens whispered in hushed voices, their faces filled with awe and disbelief.
"It seems our new lord is quite capable!"
"Of course! Why else would Marquess Be appoint him as Baron out of nowhere?"
The townspeople weed their lord with apuse and cheers, impressed by the strength of his growing forces.
Once inside, Aengus and his newly added subordinates began settling in. Butler Yu and the administrative department assigned each individual to new posts and ranks based on their strengths and weaknesses.
However, Aengus had little time for these administrative tasks. Instead, he retreated into a secluded chamber, focusing on synthesizing the demon cores to increase their value and power, allowing him to grow even stronger.
Since low-level demons no longer provided him with stats, Aengus began ascending them to higher ranks. The process of "farming" continued as before, ensuring his army and personal strength would keep escting.
---
At the Fortress Marquis Estate, within Be''s mansion, Be Bellfrost sat seductively on an armchair, her chin resting on her shoulder with a casual expression.
"My Lady, we have received news about the newly appointed Baron of Dark Valley," a vampire with long, dark wings reported respectfully.
Behind Be, Vespera, her loyal confidante, narrowed her ruby-red eyes at the mention of the Baron, while Be''s interest was clearly piqued.
"Oh? What''s the news?" Be asked, her enchanting purple eyes fluttering slightly. She was intrigued, especially since this involved the man she shared her first kiss with—the man she shared her aspirations with.
Confident that the Hex poison had fully taken effect on him, she had no concerns about hus betrayal.
"Lord Aengus has subjugated a significant number of formidable Naganians and brought them to his town."
"How many?" Be inquired, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Nearly 700 or so, mydy," the vampire servant replied swiftly.
"Mm.." Be seemed impressed. "Alright, you may go," she dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
As the servant left, Vespera stepped forward, her toneced with concern. "Mydy, his power is growing exponentially. I believe you should enve him quickly. I''ve had a bad feeling about him ever since he arrived."
Be chuckled softly, a sly smile curling her lips. "Oh, Vespera, you worry too much. Don''t fret. I have my own ns. We''ll pay him a visit in a few days—after I finish these menial and boring paperwork tasks," she said, ncing with mild irritation at the towering stack of documents on her desk.