How to Live the Life of a Demon Chapter 31 - What Happens in the Desert (6)

 

 

The desert where the sandstorm blows.

 

The poisonous demonic energy descended heavily, and the red moon of the demon world swayed in the dense wind.

 

Lucius briefly surveyed the desolate scenery of the desert.

 

‘The situation has become serious.’

 

The weak terrain and lack of water had caused the plants to wither. Demons who couldn’t withstand the poison were perishing and decomposing. It was an extremely harsh environment.

 

‘Ten years ago, His Majesty tasked me with creating an environment where demons could at least survive.’

 

Judging from the situation, he was worried about whether they could withstand the next dry season.

 

He had no intention of getting deeply involved in the territories of other demons, but he found it hard to believe that Tariq would have taken the tree he had planted underground.

 

If a problem arose, he would not be able to avoid responsibility. He didn’t want to be falsely accused of disobeying orders.

 

Soon, Tariq took a deep breath. His exhaled breath was tinged with a faint purple hue.

 

“It’s a good thing we’re in the desert.”

 

As a member of the Scorpion tribe, renowned for their deadly poison, Tariq breathed in the poison as if it were his own, handling it with ease.

 

A fierce energy emanated from him, as if he could effortlessly shred anything to pieces.

 

“No matter how much you do, you won’t be able to use even half of your original power in a place like this.”

“Don’t worry, half is enough.”

 

Tariq wasn’t wrong.

 

There weren’t many plants strong enough to withstand such poison. He could summon any plant for a short period of time, but it wouldn’t be effective against Tariq.

Nor could he summon desert plants. His opponent is Tariq Rahawis, the Loser of the Desert. He must know the plants that grew in the desert.

 

‘The poison is thick.’

 

It was hard to breathe deeply in the poisonous air. Just standing still consumed more magic than expected.

 

A dense mist of poison hung in the air. Tariq, with a determined expression, soon disappeared into the sand and poison.

 

Various energies swirled around, hiding his presence. Lucius kept his senses as wide as possible.

 

‘Close combat is disadvantageous, but there’s no choice…’

 

His claws, tail, and even his blood contained a significant amount of poison, so he needed to be cautious.

 

As he reached out his hand, a thin and long spear appeared. The silver-colored hilt had green magic gemstones intertwined like ivy.

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve used this.”

 

Ain, the spear that Dummett gave him as a gift when he reached his second growth stage.

 

Pulling out this weapon, Lucius couldn’t afford to lose, for the sake of Dummett.

 

Soon, within the thickening haze, Tariq’s attack, concealed along with the sharp wind, surged.

 

Clang!

 

Lucius swung the spear. As the sharp tip of the spear cut through the mist, the magic gemstone on the hilt resonated several times.

 

Boom!

 

An explosion occurred along the spear’s path, summoning a plant known as ‘Lero.’

 

Lero was a sensitive plant that would explode even with the slightest movement and scatter its seeds. Summoning it in a place where demonic energy swirls like this.

 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

As soon as it is summoned, it explodes.

 

The spear’s tip traced a circle on the ground, and the magic emanating from it stimulated the buried seeds of Lero.

 

The buds sprout, and the stems that extend out burst forth again.

 

“Not yet.”

 

It’s just a warm-up exercise to gauge Tariq’s position.

 

To prevent Tariq from escaping into the sand, Lucius summoned entangled vines beneath his feet. As a result, numerous plants began to grow.

 

From familiar trees to rare species adapted to extreme environments, from ordinary grass to precious herbs, they all materialized.

 

There were plants that thrived in the desert and those that did not.

 

The space where Lucius stood transformed into an unnamed forest.

 

But even that was temporary.

 

Crackle.

 

The dense forest could not overcome the momentary poison and turned to ashes. Tariq appeared through the billowing black smoke.

 

Kaang!

 

Lucius blocked the attack with his shaft, and beneath his feet, the branches writhed. A small magic circle appeared among the vines, and the sand sharply rose.

 

With a single, powerful thrust of his spear from top to bottom, the sand scattered, but only for a moment before the magic circle was activated again, splitting into two branches and moving separately.

 

In addition to the coordinated attack from both sides, the same assault poured in from above, below, front, and back.

 

To block the relentless attacks, Lucius summoned a massive broadleaf that covered his body. Leaves that were stung by poisons also withered.

 

Despite the narrow field of view due to the broadleaf, Tariq continued his aggressive assault. Numerous magic circles overlapped in the air, initiating various attacks.

 

‘It seems like he’s getting serious.’

 

Lucius descended to the ground. As soon as his feet touched the desert, a harmonious forest sprouted once again, tainted with poison.

 

Each time the plants withered from the poison, new ones bloomed repeatedly.

 

‘Just a little longer…’

 

“You are not the only one waiting for the right time.”

 

A gigantic array appeared in the sky and on the ground. Countless spells floated between the magic circles.

 

The desert sand and wind began to spin slowly in a circle, bending to Tariq’s will, until it became a huge tornado that roared loudly.

 

Koo-koo-koo!

 

Whoosh.

 

A powerful gust of wind swept through, causing the trees to sway and fragile roots to snap. Lucius briefly cast his gaze upon the plants consumed by the raging wind.

 

“Do you have any chance to look away?”

 

“The battle is already over. You’ve lost, Tariq.”

 

“Lucius!”

 

“How impolite of you.”

 

A thin film of sand formed around Tariq like a sphere.

 

The wind blew with such intensity that it seemed as if it would be sucked into the sky if it lost its tension. It exerted a pressure that even most flying demons couldn’t withstand.

 

Lucius’ body gradually floated according to the direction of the wind.

 

“The outcome is already decided, Lucius.”

 

Tariq chuckled lightly.

 

Lucius looked at that smile and spoke.

 

“The sand is too weak to spread its roots, and the rain from the sky is far too scarce. In the dry season, the poison is thick, and in the wet season, when the poison weakens, it is infested with monsters.”

 

His cold gaze shifted downward, fixating on the charred remnants of trees.

 

“However, there are plants that thrive in the desert. Through long periods of trial and error, they have taken root and endured.”

 

“What…?”

 

“Sir Tariq, how many plants do you think have died after experiencing trials and errors here in the desert?”

 

Swoosh, thud! 

 

Koo-koo-koo-koo-koo!!

 

Not only plants flew in the wind, but also numerous seeds that the plants spread to adapt to the desert.

 

In response to Lucius’s signal, the seeds sprouted simultaneously. They extended branches, entwining with one another as if seeking mutual support.

 

Soon, they formed a dense wall—a formidable and massive wall that appeared impervious even to the raging tornado.

 

The wind stopped.

 

His right hand firmly gripped the lower part of the spear.

 

“Consider it an honor that I won’t end your life. Your fate will be determined not by me, but by His Majesty,” Lucius declared.

 

Lucius, who had been floating in the air, gradually descended. The tip of the spear was precisely aimed at Tariq below.

 

Swish!

 

The spear pierced through Tariq’s body along with his sand barrier.

 

* * *

 

‘I can’t believe I’ve been poisoned.’

 

His abdomen bleeding profusely without any signs of regeneration.

 

Thin, elongated stems sprouted from the most severe wounds, including his abdomen, with small, translucent flower buds blooming at their tips.

 

Tariq let out a laugh.

 

To use poison against the scorpion tribe, known for generating powerful poisons. Beyond amazement, he felt a sense of awe at the audacity of such an idea.

 

‘Well, they say that what can be used as medicine can also be used as poison.’

 

Within the plants summoned by Lucius, there was an herb mixed with the ability to neutralize scorpion poison.

 

The roots of this herb, which took root in his wounds, used blood as nourishment to bloom transparent flowers.

 

“Cough. Ah… I might die like this.”

 

He had clearly said he wouldn’t kill him.

 

The roots of the herb slowly burrowing into his flesh caused him excruciating pain. Tariq exerted his demonic energy to resist their corrosive effects, but he couldn’t predict how long he could hold out.

 

If it were his personality, he would order his butler, Bertin, to come get him.

 

If he could hold on a little longer, he would show a pitiful sight to his servant.

 

‘The story will reach His Majesty’s ears as well.’

 

Tariq burst out laughing.

 

Despite momentarily feeling like he had the upper hand with just a two-rank difference, he felt like a fool.

 

‘How can he be this strong?’

 

How could an underage demon who hadn’t undergone the coming-of-age ceremony possess such power?

 

If that’s the case, what about the third growth stage…?

 

‘It’s not for nothing that the academy system is in place.’

 

Demons undergo physical maturation and experience explosive growth in magical prowess with each stage of their development. The third stage, in particular, proves challenging for many young demons, often resulting in them going berserk or losing their lives.

 

The establishment of the academy and the implementation of systematic education significantly reduced the number of such cases, but there are still many demons who can’t endure their growth and perish.

 

Tariq couldn’t forget how he was during his third stage of growth. Most likely, it would be the same for most demons.

 

‘The pain of your limbs being torn apart would be better than that.’

 

It felt as if blood was gushing from every pore of his body. 

 

The torment was excruciating—his eyes felt like they were being gouged out, his flesh burning, his body consumed as if by voracious creatures, and thousands of needles were piercing him.

 

Every sense became heightened, intensifying the agony. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—all of them. Too much information flooded in, making it impossible to keep a clear mind.

 

He contemplated gouging out his eyes or cutting off his ears to alleviate the pain. But the torment was so unbearable that he couldn’t even move a finger.

 

It was a living hell.

 

‘I was like that, but what about Lucius?’

 

Throughout history, no demon was as strong as Lucius when they were underage. Tariq himself was only strong among his peers.

 

Yet he was in so much pain that he wanted to die. He immediately understood why there were so many demons who couldn’t surpass their third stage of growth and perished.

 

‘… I might die.’

 

What if he were to undergo another growth right here, right now?

Tariq raised his head, trying to gauge the pain.

 

Sigh. As he let out a breath, he sensed something in the distance. Swish, swish. Something was swimming towards him from beneath the sand.

 

“Bertin?”

 

Swoosh.

 

His butler, Bertin, appeared. He peeked his face out from under the sand and frowned when he saw his master’s appearance.

 

“The esteemed guest returned to the mansion alone and asked me to fetch you, my lord. But what has happened to you?”

 

“Any other reports?”

 

“…”

 

Bertin looked at Tariq with a tired gaze.

 

Even in such a state, Tariq’s mind was still preoccupied with Lucius. Did this demon not realize that his own life was in peril at this moment?

 

Tariq’s expression was like that of a child before opening a gift box. Bertin, who could not bear to reprimand him, silently conveyed Lucius’ words.

 

“This warning is the end. If such a thing happens again, he will throw you as prey to Hamel. Behave well. That’s what he said.”

 

“To throw me as prey, what a harsh thing to say.”

 

Chuckle. 

 

He chuckled as if amused.

 

He had tried to seize the position of elder by defeating Lucius this time. But things didn’t always go as planned.

 

“Cough, cough.”

 

Once again, Tariq coughed up blood, his hand remaining motionless. The roots of the branches summoned by Lucius gently brushed against his fingertips.

With his eyes closed, Tariq reminisced about the magnificence Lucius had displayed.

 

At Lucius’s command, grass and trees sprouted and flourished, and flowers bloomed in abundance. The spear effortlessly traced a beautiful parabolic arc through the air.

 

Silver hair fluttered, and the golden eyes that shone with elegance were directed at him.

 

Perhaps he will never know.

 

How dazzling he was when he aimed his spear at the sky!

 

He whispered softly to himself.

 

“I will become an elder. And as an elder…” 

 

I will make you my knight.