CHAPTER 43: A GENEROUS OFFER!

Chapter 42

’Pix! I know that I can’t win this fight that easily if you don’t help me now! Tell me what a greater fiend demon is. How strong they are and what their abilities might be.’ Max pleaded inwardly as he pushed himself up from the rubble he had been buried under, blood dripping freely from his mouth.

His breathing was ragged, and every movement sent waves of pain through his battered body, but he forced himself to stand.

"We don’t have time for a history lesson, but all you should know is that a greater fiend is just above the lowest tier a demon can be. The lowest demon tier is the lesser fiend, almost like a weak demon vessel. But a greater fiend is just above it. That’s all I can tell you for now." Pix replied curtly and then went silent.

’If a lesser fiend is like a weak demon vessel, and I barely managed to face off against a demon vessel, then how am I supposed to defeat something even stronger than that?’ Max thought in panic as his eyes fell on the demon. It was slowly rising, its hunched frame trembling with fury, black blood dripping thickly from its fanged mouth.

’Wait! I killed that vessel by going for its head. Will it work if I do the same with this demon?’ Max asked inwardly, clinging to the desperate thought, but Pix gave him no answer. The silence from his companion only deepened his confusion.

"All dragons are the same. Obstinate, prideful and arrogant." The demon spat with disdain, its voice carrying a guttural echo that made the air feel heavier.

It clashed its claws against each other, producing a sharp ringing sound that reverberated across the narrow alleyway, and then shook its head slowly.

"But you... you feel and look different. Yes, you are a human with Draconic powers and strength, but you are still a dragon regardless. That is why I want to make you an offer."

"Offer?" Max raised an eyebrow, pressing a hand against his abdomen as pain coursed through him. He winced, his other hand tightening into a fist as he tried to steady his breath.

Unknown to him, someone had just landed silently on the rooftop of the alleyway, his figure blending perfectly with the darkness of the night.

His sword was strapped neatly to his waist, and his black attire helped him disappear into the shadows as though he were part of them. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the confrontation below.

This man was the same mysterious figure who had told Max to strike for the head during his fight with the demon vessel. Now, hearing the exchange between Max and the demon, his intrigue deepened.

’I have a feeling I already know what that demon intends to offer. Let’s see if the master was right or not.

If he is wrong, I will personally take the dragon’s head and present it to the faction.’ His thoughts were sharp, his expression cold as he observed.

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"What can a creature like you possibly offer me?" Max asked again with a raised eyebrow, masking his unease with defiance.

"More power." The demon declared, its voice rumbling with intensity. "Yes! You are a dragon and already strong, but you could be stronger."

"How?" Max demanded, suspicion and curiosity flickering in his gaze.

"Are you seriously considering his words?" Pix’s voice suddenly cut in, sharp and angry.

"By turning you into a demon," the greater fiend answered without hesitation. Its grin widened, revealing jagged rows of sharp teeth dripping with tar-like blood.

"Even though you have dragon blood within you, you are still part human, which means it would work. The demons are a great race, powerful and eternal. If you join us, you can become something more—something greater.

You might grow strong enough to rise into the ranks of the Twelve Echelons. Who knows?" The demon shrugged casually, as though it were offering him a simple favor instead of corruption.

"If I happen to join you all, how exactly will I grow stronger?" Max pressed, his brow furrowed, though a flicker of unease passed through his eyes.

"Of course, by eating humans. The more humans you eat, the stronger you become," the demon replied, its voice carrying a dark and eerie tone.

"So I have to eat humans to become stronger every day?" Max asked, his brows furrowed in clear distaste.

"I know it sounds disturbing, but trust me," the demon said as it licked its lips with a grotesque slurp. "They taste delicious."

The man crouching on the roof above had veins bulging on the side of his head as he clenched his sword tighter, his knuckles pale from the pressure.

Every instinct inside him screamed to descend and end the conversation right there, but he struggled to restrain himself.

’Why is the dragon vessel asking such stupid questions? Is he truly considering being a demon? If that is the case, then I should just take them both out here and now,’ the man thought as he shifted slightly forward. But just as he was about to move, he suddenly froze, his sharp eyes narrowing.

"And if I don’t want to be a demon?" Max asked, his tone firm yet curious.

"I guess I will just have to kill you right here, right now. You are, after all, a threat to the demon race," the demon replied, a small frown twisting across its face.

"A threat, huh?" Max chuckled, his voice rough yet filled with a bitter amusement.

He stared at his own hands, at the scales glimmering faintly in the dim light, at the claws that curled with deadly sharpness, and at the raw, pulsating power he felt running through him. "You know, in my previous life, I wasn’t important. I only had one true best friend, someone who treated me like a brother.

"In my workplace, I felt invisible, like a ghost drifting through the halls. Even to the CEO, I was nothing more than an overlooked shadow. I felt useless, weak, and unrecognized.

But now? Now it feels different. It feels good to finally be acknowledged, even if it’s by a whole other race. For them to feel threatened just by my existence—it is almost ironic."

"Feel threatened?" The demon tilted its head before bursting into loud, mocking laughter that shook the air around them. "He says we feel threatened."

"Huh?" Max muttered, his eyes narrowing.

"You think with how weak you are, you pose a threat to us? You amuse me. There are those far stronger than I am. We have the Twelve Echelons, and at the very top stands the Devil himself.

And you think we feel threatened by you? Heck, you can’t even defeat me," the demon sneered, chuckling again, its fangs glinting.

"And who says I can’t?" Max asked as he opened his palm. Flames erupted around it, licking up his hand like hungry serpents, while his eyes glowed an ominous red once again.

"Oh, so you have made your choice? You are refusing my generous offer?" The demon asked, its face twisting into a huge frown.

"I will say this only once." Max’s voice was steady as the flames burned brighter, their mild intensity turning sharper, fiercer, as if reflecting his will.

"Screw you, screw your so-called generous offer, and screw the demons! I will never be a slave to anyone, nor will I eat humans! Never!"

"Is that your final answer?" the demon growled, its claws elongating even more, scraping deep into the ground beneath with a harsh screech.

"Yes! And I will never change it. Do your worst." Max spat the words with venom, his glare unyielding as his flames roared higher.

"Very well. I suppose I will now have to take things more seriously with you." The demon sighed, though its voice carried a sharp edge of anticipation. Immediately, the tattered wings on its back began to flap with wild intensity, stirring the air into violent gusts.

Within seconds, its body lifted off the ground, hovering ominously above. The sheer presence made Max’s chest tighten, and despite his fiery determination, he couldn’t stop himself from gulping loudly.

"Die!" the demon howled with a monstrous roar. It opened its mouth wide, revealing jagged fangs coated with saliva, before spewing a massive ball of glowing green goo.

The putrid mass shot toward Max at breakneck speed, splitting the air with a sickening hiss.