Day 9 (A Natural Born Ruler)

Now, Lesser Demons… What will it be? What do you all decide it to be?!

Yet still, are you all willing to acknowledge me as your leader, as you did when I was but a Demon Larva? Or have seeds of discord taken root within you, urging you to rebel and challenge my authority?

Silence stretched between us as every Lesser Demon in the gathering turned their full attention to me. Their gazes, once scattered, were now unwavering, waiting to make their call.

Was I afraid? Of course, I was. I would be a fool not to be. Before me stood creatures of overwhelming stature, some towering, others grotesquely formidable in their monstrous forms. Their mere presence radiated power that I, in my current state, could not match.

And yet, I knew one thing for certain: if I allowed fear to take hold, if I hesitated even for a moment and showed them what it was I was truly feeling, it would be over.

A single crack in my confidence, a flicker of doubt, and I would cease to be a leader. I would become nothing more than a disposable failure.

But that was not an option.

I refused to be ordinary. I refused to be just another replaceable Demon in the crowd.

No! I was willing to rise high above that, far above any other.

For me, it was never a matter of confidence nor was it a wish. It is a goal, my aspiration to be above all else!

With that conviction burning within me, I stood tall or rather, I held my slimy, larva-like form with a poise that exuded confidence. My eyes locked forward, my shell arched in defiance. I did not cower, nor did I present myself as one awaiting judgment. No, I confronted them as one who would command.

I showed them the traits of a leader who knew no fear. One who stood in defiance of their authority.

Fear? Begone, you say!

At only nine days old, you have faced fear, dined with it, and conquered it!

You have earned a title:

[Fear Dominator] – You who have faced fear and refused to submit have tamed it and made it your own!

Title Effect: Will reflect during your evolution.

A title?! Yes! For me, the alarming notification was but an affirmation that I was walking the right path.

"We greet the Oba of the kin!"

The declaration resounded as one, their voices harmonizing in reverence.

As a Demon Larva, you have tamed a Lesser Demon!

Dozens of Lesser Demons have acknowledged you as their leader!

You have subdued a demon of a higher rank!

You have defied the natural laws of Demonkind!

You have earned the title: [Defier of Nature]!

[Defier of Nature] – You who refused to conform to natural law have succeeded in halting nature from taking its course!

Title Effect: Will reflect during your evolution.

Error!

Error!

You have acquired the title [Defier of Nature] twice!

Titles intertwining…

[Defier of Nature] has evolved into [Nature's Opposite]!

[Nature's Opposite] – You have opposed nature on two occasions, making it clear you will not bend to its will. In response, nature has acknowledged you as its opposite!

Title Effect: Will reflect during your evolution.

I was beginning to wonder… was it truly this easy to gain titles, or was I an exception?

The frequency at which I obtained them almost made them seem ordinary. Yet, when I used [Comprehension] on others, none had titles to their name. Either they were incredibly rare, or my skill was simply unable to detect them.

Wait… they spoke? Not in telepathic murmurs but in actual words, flowing from their mouths with clarity!

Was this another result of evolution? Another reason to look forward to my own evolution.

And they called me Oba… was this the word for 'leader' in our tongue? Yes. No, I was certain of it.

These demons, despite the disparity in strength and rank, had accepted me as their leader. Even nature itself had confirmed that such a thing was not normal. And yet, it had happened.

I had accomplished this in just nine days as affirmed by the notification.

I was undeniably on the right path. A path that would lead me to something greater, something beyond the reach of the ordinary.

"Command us, Oba! We stand ready to serve!"

Their voices rose again, reverberating with loyalty and submission. Every demon in the gathering remained on their knees, awaiting my decree.

Satisfaction swelled within me. This? This was what I wanted. What I rightfully deserved.

I was not meant to lead an average existence. No, I was meant to be revered. I was meant to rule.

I would not be a mere demon among many. I would be the demon, a force to which all others would bow.

The tallest of the newly evolved demons rose from its kneeling position. It was a Mirefiend Demon, its hulking form casting an imposing shadow as it approached.

Despite the uncertainty of its intentions, I felt no fear. No hesitation. Only a deep-seated confidence.

When it reached me, it extended both massive hands and carefully lifted me. There was no roughness in its touch, only deliberate gentleness, as though it feared causing me discomfort. Then, slowly, it raised me high above the rest, holding me aloft for all to see.

A monarch exalted before his devoted followers was what it felt like. And I acknowledged the moment.

Yes… you lost ones. Demon larvae and lesser demons alike, come to me! Confide in me! Seek me out! Only I hold the answers you need!

They could not hear my thoughts, of course, but that did not matter. The feeling of absolute control coursed through me, intoxicating and exhilarating.

Oh, how I longed for the moment I would evolve. To finally have a voice befitting a ruler.

To speak and have my words shape the fate of those before me.

That day would come.

And when it did, I knew for a fact that I would create waves wherever it was I end up.