Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1210  A Thousand Punishments

The fishing boat roared across the waves. Despite the small stature and the feeling of what should have been a middling engine, it really had some power and umph to it. But that much was only natural if they had been planning on using it to catch what would presumably need a D-Grade net.

The use of external items to boost your strength was a field that Sylas didnʼt have much hands-on experience with for obvious reasons. If he tried to use this fishing boat, or even pressed a button with his hand, it would probably explode in a rain of ash.

However, the fact that such power could be in the hands of people so weak was another wake-up call to the type of world he was stepping into.

In a lot of ways, even if he didnʼt want to, he had to bolster his understanding of Treasures and his ability to counter them—if for no other reason than to protect himself from the avalanche of them his enemies would be throwing at him soon.

…

A quarter of a day later, a hub appeared in the distance. Sylas stood at the head of the small fishing boat, his eyes narrowed.

Was he taking a risk right now? Most definitely. However, he also knew that stalking around hoping to stumble onto something wasnʼt going to work out properly for him.

The best way forward was to take this risk and put himself at the center of the storm.

After killing Thorny Gold, his entire crew surrendered.

Rather than taking this as an opportunity to run away, Sylas chose to stay instead.

According to the crew, they were working under a fishing company known as the Barbed Chains Fishery. This wasnʼt a surprise to Sylas, as he had already felt this was the case after seeing them all wearing the same emblem on their chests.

What was interesting was that the Barbed Chains Fishery was just one of the many businesses of the Barbed Chain Gang.

Why an apparently upstanding corporation would choose to call themselves a gang when they were clearly in at least semi-legitimate business?

Alex claimed it was a Demon thing.

But Sylas was seeing things a different way. So, he actually chose to return the boat and see what happened.

Sylasʼ gaze flickered up to the skies where the Hollow Wing was still carrying the others. They couldnʼt fake Demonic presence like Sylas could, so for now, that was the best they could do.

Sylas realized that the reason they had been fooled wasnʼt just because he fused with Nosphaleen, though that was important too. Instead, they were sensing his Demonic Will.

After realizing this, Sylas leaned into it, and the already collapsed fishermen found that they couldnʼt even raise their heads, constantly muttering something about him being a ”Noble Demon.”

Sylas had no idea what that meant, but what he did know was that it would open him up to some possibilities so long as he didnʼt overplay his hand.

It was a good thing he had told the old man to ensure no one was watching. If they were, the Charysm allegations would return in even greater force than before.

But for now… Sylas didnʼt know how the Demons would receive such allegations, so while he poured on the Demonic Will, he kept his Charisma restrained—especially the Lust Seed and his eyes.

…

After the boat docked, Sylas took a step off of it, meeting the gaze of a gruff, black-skinned Demon with chipped tusks curling up almost to his eyes.

”This fishing boat attacked me in the middle of the ocean. I killed the captain and brought it back.”

Straightforward. Emotionless.

It felt almost like he was staring right through the attendee, and the latter could only freeze in response.

The attendee, once imposing and mighty, almost felt… small.

Remembering Alexʼs words, Sylas honestly couldnʼt help but find all of this curious. Demons didnʼt act much different from what he had seen from any other Race until now. Were they truly so different that they deserved a whole other category of Life to themselves?

”I—will have to report this,” the attendee finally said. ”Please wait, Noble Demon.”

The words were a bit cruder than normal for someone trying to sound official, but this was also a fishermanʼs dock and not a high-end establishment.

Sylas watched the tusked Demon rush away, one to return minutes later with a pig Demon practically rolling in his own fat. His fat rolls had fat rolls, and every rushing step he took made the apparently unanchored dock sway wildly from side to side.

—

[Constantine Primus (EE)]

[Level: 83]

—

The ridiculous name and even more ridiculous Grade immediately made Sylas narrow his eyes. The power of these people was ridiculous.

Did this pig Demon also have no combat experience? Or was the nervousness on his face purely because of the so-called Noble Demon Title he had been handed?

Sylas wasnʼt sure of the truth at all, but what he did know was that battle experience or not, killing this pig Demon would cost him a hell of a lot more than Thorny Gold had cost him.

Plus, unlike Thorny Gold, this pig Demon would almost certainly have Treasures on him even if he had no Skills or Unique Genes of his own.

Gasping for breath, Constantine came to a stop. All along the way, Sylas had felt the man observing him, looking him up and down as though trying to understand something.

Then, as though a last-ditch effort, he tried to scan Sylas, only for his attempt to shatter on impact.

A flash of brilliance sparked in the pig Demonʼs eyes as he stumbled back, pressing a palm to his head.

”Iʼm sorry, Iʼm sorry, Noble Demon. Iʼm a bit of a fool and couldnʼt immediately recognize your Noble Lineage, so I made the foolish choice to try and check myself. I should have known Noble Demon wasnʼt a normal F-Grade—a

thousand punishments, a thousand punishments.”

Sylas thought that was the end of it…

Until the pig Demon pulled out a blade and beheaded himself.

Blood splattered.