The manor was empty. People had been burned alive. We arrived at the centermost residence of the now-renamed Handrick Town, and found the carcass of dead shepherd children. And many of the people who worked here had been indiscriminately burned with them.

I felt angry. Angrier than usual. I understood the irony for I had done something similar before in burning down a manor and killing so many unrelated people, but this was just done out of cruelty. We had come here because we heard people cheering. I thought I'd find a fun victory party, not this.

"Who?" I asked simply, and Angerly went off to ask around.

Only a few minutes later, I had my answer.

I immediately marched off to the tavern where they had gathered. I slammed the door open and sneered at all the soldiers here. They were a varied mix, but I knew that at least half of them had to be affiliated with the eradicationist faction in some way. They were the subset of New Grandera who advocated for the harshest measures.

…Measures that I had at times deployed, but I had decided here and now that I would not allow them to do the same. Let evil check evil, if that was what it took.

"Who again?" I asked Angerly who had followed behind with the rest.

"Her," she pointed at a table where a belfegor woman sat, the center of attention and laughing with her friends.

I nodded and walked up to her.

"Ah. Hael–"

I punched her right in the face.

Her nose broke, and it bled all over.

"W-wha–"

She could never finish a sentence. I kicked her right in the face, got on top of her, and then started pummeling her head. I felt hands try to reach for me, the people around us now finally reacting and trying to break off the fight. I gave them one glare, with a dose of my aura, and they backed off. I beat the woman up for a while longer, then I stood back up before she could actually die.

"Ah, ah…" I cracked my neck. "Eradicationers, was it? FUCK OFF. I reject all that you are. You are a stain on New Grandera. A reminder that nothing will ever change, for anyone who gets a crumb of power will always be terrible and corrupt. Fuck you. Die. Go kill yourself."

My declaration was met with silence. I turned around and left.

I did what I could. I was satisfied.

~~~

I was called to the general's office the next day. They had already setup in the town hall of the newly reconquered Handrick Town. The general of this force was a centaur woman with a prominent eyepatch and a missing arm. Lariane was the equivalent of a gold-ranker, and her presence was definitely felt in the previous battle.

"You called?" I asked casually. I almost refused to meet with her, like I often did with authority figures, but this was unlikely to just be a request for tea and a waste of time.

"I did. Gold-ranked Adventurer Haell Zharignan. I am here to inquire about the murder of one officer Tranado, and the assault of several other officers. Namely, Captain Yaril, Alen, and Golian."

"Eh, I don't know those names, but I assume you mean the rapists and the genociders." Also, some of those last ones I probably just pushed away while I beat up their friend. Why the fuck were they also coming up here?

Her eyes darkened. "Those are heavy accusations."

"Heavy actions that I saw with my own two eyes." I was not cowed. We continued to stare at each other.

She sighed. "You are out of line, adventurer. You had no right to execute or assault them regardless of what you thought they were doing."

"What I knew they were doing. Things that I'm pretty sure are illegal for your military anyway."

I would hope so, at least. I didn't actually know.

"It is. But you are not the judge of that. We have military courts for it."

"So that you can slap them on the wrist once the damage has already been done."

"That will be up to the courts, but it is far better than any random upstart on the street deciding who gets to die and who lives."

"Control your forces then, commander. So that I do not have to take action."

"You cannot just take such drastic action spontaneously. You do not have the authority!"

"And yet I did. I'm not part of your military. I'm an independent actor here."

"That's even worse. Everyone is still under our rules and laws. You cannot just break them!"

I allowed an awkward silence to pass. However angry she was, I was angrier. Fucking pathetic lapdog of the state thinking I would be an obedient mutt just like her.

"I guess this is the last time we see each other then."

"What?"

"I came here as a favor to a friend and your council. I was thinking I might be open to helping you all out again. But you've made it clear now that I am not welcome here. So good luck with your wars."

"What?" she repeated, panic growing. "No, wait! I just want you to know that there are limits and boundaries! Being sent by the council doesn't mean you can just do whatever the fuck you want!"

"A shame," I smiled with all the kindness in the world. "Doing whatever the fuck I want is my favorite thing. If that's going to be a problem, then I guess I should really just leave. Goodbye. It's been fun."

I turned around and went for the door. I heard a loud crash behind me as the table in front of the previously composed woman broke in half.

"The council is making a big mistake by letting a chaotic and stupid factor like you loose."

"Let's rectify that mistake and get me out of here then,"

She looked at me with a new fury in her eyes. It was a glare I could almost respect. But it was still pathetic.

"I know what you're doing. By all rights I should have you in the courts to be judged for your crimes."

"You know what I'm doing?" I tilted my head. "Lariane, if you think this is some sort of bluff, then let me assure you. I am being genuine. I truly would not mind just leaving. You can kick me out, and I will leave and be out of your hair, because there is nothing keeping me here. Nothing forcing me to fight in your wars unless I wish to. And I do not wish to. It's fucking horrific. I would welcome not having to deal with this anymore."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

She studied my gaze, the evil in my eyes, and found no deceit within. "I can see that you're serious. But I just want to impose a few restrictions. I'll even work with you for some things. But I just can't let some random jackass do whatever they want. How can we ever maintain order that way?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "And it's not my fucking problem. So give me your decision, and I promise to actually abide by it. Am I too volatile a factor, or do you want me here?"

"I do not. Fuck no. But my… superiors do."

"I'd tell them to fuck off."

"And that's why you're no commander no matter how popular," she chuckled bitterly.

"I've… actually received offers," I admitted.

"FUCK!" She took a deep breath, and I sympathized. It was a terrible idea! "It's out of my hands. I can't even take you to court because it would be 'bad for morale.' But just know, Haell, that I do not want you here."

"Okay!" I said cheerfully as I finally made my exit. "I know that now! Thank you!"

Lariane was so mad her face almost did an impression of my own by going red. But she was too disciplined to make a move on me. It was funny.

Fucking soldiers and generals and military.

This was why I did not want to be part of any of it.

So many fucking rules.

~~~

An article was pasted onto a wall, which detailed how I had come to hate the empire. Everything on there were my genuine thoughts, because they knew I might raise hell and contradict them if they dared lie about anything.

"Their Hero Disillusioned." A poster showed me in the same pose my grandfather used to always strike. With the greatsword drawn and raised to the sky. I actually preferred to have it more to the side and resting near my shoulder.

Another one was just a badass image of myself with the word "DEMON". I liked it a lot.

Other artworks included me flying over entire armies as they all ran away in fright.

This was a scenario that repeated itself over many parts of the newly conquered town. It had only been a few days, and yet the state-sponsored artists had already found the time to put up all these propaganda pieces. From the town hall, announcement boards, to even random houses and businesses. It was why my image had recovered so quickly after the whole shepherd debacle.

There was no way the government would keep doing this forever. I was frankly surprised that it had even gone this far. Someone had to decide at some point that I'd gotten too big, but I would absolutely push my luck until then. This sort of power was fragile and not really worth investing much into, but that was only all the more reason to milk it for what it's worth every step of the way.

It could all disappear in a heartbeat.

"They got your nose wrong," Moonwash complained while looking at one poster in particular.

I tilted my head and looked at it. "I… guess? I really didn't notice anything until you pointed it out. And it's my face!"

"I'll go help them make adjustments later."

"Okay…?" I said confusedly, before just bursting into laughter. If that was what she wanted to do with her time, then I was no one to judge.

We continued to tour the place a bit more. I saw a church collapsing to the ground as it burned by the flame, and was demolished by the very earth. Some people tried to protest, but they were immediately restrained. The worship of the angels or their god was banned, and varying penalties were given. From community service for most people, to imprisonment or worse for the primary instigators.

I frowned. My deep well of anger leaked out of my expression. But unlike every other time, I did nothing.

Their gods were real. They were active. And I did not know how to deal with that, when things might not only be up to interpretation.

I was content to leave all those complications for someone else to handle.

Beyond that, the people of this place took to the changes quite well. At least, they were able to go about their day just as normal without much problem. By being in the middle of two opposing forces that hated each other so much, they had adapted to become able to worship the angels when asked, and set aside the faith when it was convenient. All the while, at the depths of their hearts, being loyal only to themselves and their neighbors.

I didn't hate it.

~~~

_________________

Name: Haell Zharignan

Species: Demon

—Mutations—

Wrath Heart: Level 40 (max)

Demon Brain: Level 40 (max)

Demon Skin: Level 40 (max)

Evil Eyes: Level 39

Demon Flesh / Demon Bones / Demonic Musculature(synced) : (All) Level 38

Demon Arms: Level 40 (max)

Demon Hooves: Level 39

Hyperdemon Gland: Level 20

Demon Horns: Level 40 (max)

Mana-infused Blood: Level 40 (max)

Regen Heart: Level 40 (max)

Demon Wings: Level 39

Hellfire Heart: Level 40 (max)

Memory Core: Level 38

Extradimensional Demon Blood Storage: Level 38

—Soul Feats—

Reincarnator

Progenitor

Imp Progenitor

Progenitor II

Demon Progenitor

Demon Harbinger

_________________

Almost half of my Mutations were now ready to cross the threshold. The materials I needed were all here except for one, which would hopefully be delivered soon. The orboworm's selfcore for my own memory core was the last thing I needed, which was a core that allowed the orboworm to reincarnate itself in a sense. The core would be passed down to the offspring, allegedly making it the reincarnation of its parent.

But what did that mean? Were memories passed down? The soul? Did the original die at conception? Can it lay more eggs? Was it just a way to combat age?

The book I had read that from in Duke Astro's library did not say any more. The orboworm was a creature shrouded in mystery, which lived in the depths of the Hivania Continent, the home of the inhex. It was a long shot that I'd even get the core I wanted, much less of the right level because I didn't know what this alleged reincarnation and the passing down of one specific Mutation meant for the creature's levels. Was it preserved, or was it reset? I didn't even know the monster's starting level!

Hopefully, I'd find out more. That was what I'd asked of New Grandera for my help in this most recent battle. I wanted them to use what spies and connections they could to really track down a sample, even if what I desired was all the way in the other continents. I didn't think their reach went that far, but the country did have merchant vessels that dealt with the isla archipelago, and more importantly for my purposes, the crustecar and crorcas of the ocean. Maybe a sample would have ended up in any of these places. And even in the greater whole of the Angelore Empire, maybe they could smuggle something out.

If that still didn't work, then I might have to consider going without anything for my memory core when I evolved. It was just such a rare Mutation that had few analogs among other species. I really didn't want to go without it because I was already abandoning my hyper-demon gland, but hopefully, my Demon Harbinger soul feat would allow me to evolve my species anyway.

I wonder what comes next? Demon Lord? Demon Queen? Princess? Archdemon? Greater Demon? I can't wait!!!

"Haell," Moonwash called. I looked out the window of our room as the sun was just starting to rise.

"Yes?" I greeted her with a warm smile. "What is it?"

"It's hatching."

"Huh."

"The egg."

"OH! Shit! Right now!?"

"Yes."

I immediately got up and carried Moonwash with me. There, on a nearby table, was a greenish egg covered in thick blankets. It twitched, and I coiled in anticipation. The thing gave a few more shivers, until a strong enough impact from within made a crack form. One claw burst out, and then a reptilian snout. The other claw pierced through the membrane, and then the small cracks through the shell quickly widened to egg-spanning fissures. Finally, the eggy prison crumbled, and from it, a salamander-like terror flailed defiant.

The lizekto fell over itself cutely.

It was the size of a chihuahua already, but I knew it would only get all the more massive later.

The monster baby shook itself off, got back on its feet, and then looked at us warily.

It hissed before coughing out just a small blob of caustic goo in our direction.

Oh right. I was hoping it would just bond with Moonwash as the first creature it ever saw, but this was still a wild animal. A monster. A reptile. It would not be that easy.

I hoped Moonwash knew what she was doing. Because I sure didn't.

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