"Seriously? Dungeons? What's your problem?" Agnes leaned in and suddenly shouted in my ear, waking me up.
I growled, not amused at all.
"Every time it's a more isolated place than the last. I never know where the hell you are!" She kept grumbling nonstop.
[ Do you need me, by any chance? ]
I said, not amused. Agnes usually had no reason to know my whereabouts.
This was just being controlling.
"Yes, the party is about to start, and who the hell do you think the main star is?"
[ … ]
For a moment, I felt slightly embarrassed—I had forgotten about that.
I looked away as I got up.
"Gods! Now you're filthy and smell like a corpse. Come on, we need to fix this."
Time passed quickly from that point on, as Agnes ordered the maids to take care of me while she also got ready for the party that would soon begin.
However, my mind was no longer there.
Once I realized I could simply switch the main consciousness with the legacy consciousness, I did so.
My legacy consciousness was left to deal with Agnes while my main consciousness immediately began experimenting with aura manipulation.
The invader had opened my eyes to a completely new world.
Until moments ago, I had never even imagined using aura as an arrow.
The myriad wolves didn't fight like that—they simply expanded their aura in a straight line instead of using it as a projectile.
My mind quickly filled with ideas on how to manipulate aura even further and the advantages that could give me.
For example: Increasing aura density. That way, with less aura I could affect stronger enemies.
Knowing that I would soon meet others like me, I wanted to stand out among them, and aura would be the best way to do that.
If aura duels were a thing—as the invader had shown me—
I had to be prepared to establish myself as a good duelist, at the very least so I wouldn't embarrass myself among my peers.
Suddenly, my main consciousness returned, pulling me out of my interesting thoughts.
I quickly took in my surroundings—I was behind a stage with the curtains closed.
My eyes fell on Agnes questioningly.
She swallowed hard, her breathing tense.
"At least this time, do what I'm asking." she said nervously. "The curtains will open, I'll introduce you, and you roar to draw attention. Got it?"
I sighed deeply before agreeing. I guess that at the very least, this much I could do for her.
Agnes soon gave the signal for things to begin.
The curtains opened, revealing endless rows of important people.
My eyes quickly wandered through each of their faces, searching for something.
But immediately something weighted down on the back of my mind…
There were no beasts.
There were no earthly demons, as we were called.
Why the hell not?
Meanwhile, Agnes had finished the greetings and finally turned toward me.
"At last, I would like to present to you the reason for tonight's gathering. A legendary and powerful tiger cub—practically a demigod among men."
I finally stepped forward, my large and strong body nothing like a cub's, shocking the crowd who expected something far smaller.
Their faces screamed: How the hell is he already this big and strong?
"As you can see, this legacy beast faced numerous challenges—so many that its vessel could not contain its grandeur and expanded beyond conventional limits."
I looked tensely at the audience as I slowly exposed my fangs with a proud posture.
Each of them stared me up and down with dropped jaws.
"But if you think that's impressive, it's only because you have yet to feel this one's aura or witness the power of his spiritual roots—the legendary pure roots."
WOOSH
Suddenly, my aura expanded, forcing everyone to reevaluate my presence, their estimation of me rising even higher.
That's why even the king coveted the cubs, they thought.
As an effect of the aura, I could see some trying to hide tremors, paralysis, or even struggling not to faint outright.
"He never lacked enemies, and he killed and devoured them all. Therefore, today I present to you: Kai, the Devourer of Myriads!"
I roared fiercely while the people still hadn't recovered.
"..."
Shame flooded my heart.
I had been given a name—and a shameful title.
I didn't like this…
Finally, they began applauding enthusiastically.
All of them looked at me with wide eyes and expressions that were borderline perverse…
Damn humans…
'Next time, I'll leave this to the legacy consciousness.'
A short while later we left the stage, Agnes looking me up and down with a proud smile.
"Good boy!" She brought her hand closer and I immediately tried to bite—but it was impossible.
I sighed deeply as she caressed me.
[ Anyway, where are the others like me? ]
I asked, half irritated, half disappointed, and one hundred percent betrayed.
"Don't be impatient. That was the main presentation. The actual party is in the hall, and that's where they'll be. I mean, no matter how big the stands are, there's no room for everyone."
She shrugged as we walked toward the hall.
My eyes widened at last.
Once we got there, I saw that what Agnes said was both true and a lie.
I clenched my teeth with rising frustration.
If not for the seal, I would kill everyone here and now.
Throughout the hall, beasts accompanied people.
All kinds of beasts were visible—from huge elephants, I had no idea how they got inside, to small rodents.
Many of them were abnormal…
I saw a rat running through the hall like lightning, while on the other side I saw a familiar wolf replicating itself at its master's request.
The myriad wolf.
[ Agnes… is this what you call an earthly demon? You think they are like me? ]
I asked with barely contained anger, making Agnes look at me tensely.
Her eyes checked whether her brothers were watching before trying to answer me.
She could sense everything was going to go wrong—and it would be her fault.
"Of course… I mean—they're more evolved. You're in the second stage of the first rank. And these with abilities are at least second rank… they're more evolved than you…"
I smiled, amused—my smile wider than usual as sadism filled my heart.
[ More evolved? ]
My heart pounded harder and harder.
It was difficult—very difficult.
I watched the little rat running like lightning across the hall—certainly fast—and it soon passed near me.
BANG
My paw fell upon it—faster than lightning—and crushed it, turning it into bloody pulp.
[ Second Rank? Seems weak… and that wolf over there?]
I stared at the myriad wolf, Agnes already on the brink of total panic.
"Second Rank, third stage."
I laughed, certain of one thing.
I immediately crossed the distance between us as fury raged in my eyes.
The wolf didn't react or even notice my movement.
BANG
My slap sent it flying across the hall, leaving it disoriented for a few moments.
However, I didn't advance again. I waited for its reaction—and it was… fear, panic, terror.
I clenched my teeth in frustration.
She said he was like me?
My aura turned into arrows and shot forward unhindered.
The wolf didn't try to counterattack with aura—
Because he didn't even have any.
None of them had aura.
None of them had endured the challenges I had.
I reached him—the wolf completely paralyzed, while somehow even my normal aura caused him pain.
I slowly raised my paw, ready to crush his head—a head that should have been much stronger, belonging to a creature with powers beyond my understanding.
But he couldn't even move under my gaze.
BOOM
His body fell dead on the floor as my aura grew more unstable.
She said these pets are like me?
These domesticated animals are like me?
Agnes soon pushed through the crowd who watched everything in shock.
But the shock wasn't disgust—rather, many of them enjoyed it. They wanted more of my violence.
[ Cultivators—that's what you call yourselves, right? ]
I laughed, amused.
[ You somehow manipulated nature to evolve beasts without natural aura use. Which created a bunch of weaklings. Not that it matters—after all, you made them to be exotic pets and nothing more. ]
I laughed even more.
[ If I wanted to, I could kill everyone here—even if they are ranks above me. Simply because I am the genuine article. ]
[ In other words… all this time, you saw me as just an exotic pet. All this show, and I'm just a special little animal to all of you… ]
[ I'm disgusted by their weakness. And I'm disgusted that you compare me to them. ]
Suddenly, Agnes' brothers approached laughing as they finally pulled talismans from their pockets.
They judged their sister incapable once again and took her place.
No one heard my conversation with Agnes—so to them, I was just a violent, uncontrollable beast.
And perhaps… they were right.
However, they were no better than she was—and they would not stop me!
I was furious and would unleash that rage.
Talismans flew toward me, shining brightly.
My aura immediately formed armor around me.
As soon as the talismans touched it, they lost all effect and fell like ordinary paper to the floor.
Agnes and her brothers watched in astonishment.
They had no way to control me. Only their father could—and he had only forbidden me from killing them today.
I wasn't supposed to kill them yet—yet.
Therefore, what I would do today wouldn't bother him.
I was even making them stronger.
He might even thank me for it.
My aura then transformed into arrows—dozens of arrows…
For those who possess aura, an aura arrow is just another manifestation.
But for those who lack aura, it causes real pain.
And as it happens, aura is infinite.
Therefore, in my hands, I held infinite arrows.
I fired immediately, with no one capable of stopping me.
After today, they would understand this very well.
I am not a pet—and if I want to, I am your ruin.