His first five years were spent in the guise of a prominent demon named Xar���gath.
Mammon had spread a cunning lie: that he had returned from a plundering mission on a far-off planet, bringing back a horde of priceless artifacts and the fresh meat of exotic lifeforms.
It was a simple ruse, but it was enough to make the demigods close to Xar���gath flock to him like vultures to a carcass.
He gave them everything they wanted���the artifacts, the food���without asking for anything in return.
His power was both a blessing and a curse to his victims.
His unique talent dictated that if someone took something from him without providing something of equal value, then upon their death, Mammon would gain everything from them as compensation.
But it wasn���t just a simple trade. His Slow-Poison talent made them more and more addicted to this unfair trade, a psychological trap that lured them deeper and deeper into his web of deceit.
Slowly, one by one, the demigods close to Xar���gath began to vanish.
It would have caused an immediate uproar, but Mammon was always one step ahead.
As soon as a few of his victims disappeared, he would seamlessly change his form, becoming a new demon with a new identity. The demon king, suspecting nothing, had no reason to question a new face in the crowd.
As more and more demigods vanished, the demon king finally took action, by increasing the patrolling in the capital.
But this didn���t affect Mammon���s killing spree at first.
He was too clever, too fast.
It was only when the demon king personally began to check all the demigods in the city that Mammon was forced to change his strategy.
He needed a cover, something so audacious and simple that no one would ever suspect it.
He opened the -Fresh Meat Corner,- a shop that sold the meat of every lifeform you could think off.
It was the perfect disguise. Most demons paid their dues in mana stones, which didn���t activate Mammon���s talent, as it requires then to not pay for something they took from Mammon.
But still, a few demons, like Geryon, were so consumed by their own greed and arrogance that they refused to pay.
They were the ones who became hopelessly addicted to the unfair trade, their unpaid tabs kept on stacking his slow-poison talent on them.
-I should return home after the death of this blockhead,- Mammon said to himself, a wicked grin forming on his face.
He reached into his storage ring and pulled out a single, unadorned wooden plate.
It was a simple vessel, but its purpose was anything but simple.
-I should gift this to Brother Cerberus,- he said, his voice filled with a cold, triumphant glee.
He reached into his own form, pulling a soul from his essence and placing it on the plate.
A number, glowing with a soft, malevolent light, suddenly floated above the plate in his hand.
299
-That bull head should be the last soul to fulfill this goal of mine,- Mammon said, his grin widening into a truly terrifying sight on his lizard face.
He was so close to his goal, and the thought of it made his heart thrum with a dark, triumphant joy.
Chapter 78: Ch 78 : Thorn���s Test
In the Realm of Advancement, two serpentine dragons, one massive and the other a mere fraction of its size, soared in silent harmony above a sprawling, verdant forest.
These were Shenlong and Thorn.
Shenlong, a being of pure grace, moved with the unhurried elegance of a mountain,
while Thorn, though smaller, flew with a newfound strength, the transformation a part of his talent Dragon-born, which consumed the essence of hope.
But this consumption was miniscule compared to the essence of hope being collected from billion of lifeforms.
As they flew, a system panel flickered to life before Thorn���s eyes, a gentle chiming sound alerting him to an incoming video call.
It was from Anaske.
A genuine smile touched Thorn���s lips, and he quickly accepted the connection.
It had been months since he had last spoken with his son, and a pang of fatherly affection mixed with a hint of nostalgia filled him.
-Father, where are you right now?- Anaske���s voice, tinged with a faint worry, came through the screen.
-I���m currently in the Verdant Expanse,- Thorn replied, using the forest���s name he was currently in. -Why do you ask? Is everything alright?-
-Well, I only wanted to know if you���d be coming back,- Anaske said, his tone a mixture of longing and understanding. -But after looking at the distance between us, I don���t think you will be.-
-I want to come back, but I have my duty to follow,- Thorn explained gently.
He was committed to his mission, to help more and more lifeforms.
-What do you need me for? You���ve never asked such a thing before.-
-There are many life forms that want Demigod Shenlong���s blessings,- Anaske explained earnestly.
-He���s the only demigod with only one apostle, you see. The others have hundreds of Apostles.- Anaske���s words carried the weight of a leader.
-And I can���t contact Demigod Shenlong myself; that���s why I came to you.-
-And here I was, thinking you were just missing me,- Thorn chuckled, a warm, fatherly sound that resonated through his reptilian form.
-I���m not a kid now, Father,- Anaske defended, a hint of playful exasperation in his voice. -I know your responsibilities.-
-Yeah, yeah,- Thorn conceded with a laugh.
-Well, he doesn���t need to be there to give his blessings. I already told you how my blessing came to be.- The blessing, a powerful manifestation of Shenlong���s will, was a gift that could be bestowed from anywhere.
Their chat continued for a few more moments, a rare moment of familial connection, but then, Thorn���s senses went on high alert.
His expression turned serious.
-I���ll call you back later, Anaske,- he said, his voice now low and urgent. -There���s something important we need to do.-
After a quick, heartfelt goodbye, Thorn hung up the call.
He looked down toward a small city nestled in a valley below, his heightened draconic perception immediately picking up the detail of approximately four thousand life forms within its walls.
The city was currently under attack by a horde of demons, a chaotic storm of malice and violence.
Both Shenlong and Thorn gazed toward the one demon who was giving the orders.
He was a towering figure, his hunched back giving him a perpetually monstrous silhouette.
His arms were long, so long that they almost touched the ground as he moved.
His face was a contorted mask of pure, maniacal laughter.
-Archers, move your hands faster! Melee fighters, be more bloodthirsty! Take the meat of these weak life forms home, your family is hungry!- the leader roared, his voice amplified to an unholy, booming sound that was audible to both the demons and the panicked humans in the city.
The demon leader���s maniacal laugh deepened, but he suddenly felt a powerful gaze upon him.
He also felt the gaze of Thorn, but in his eyes, Thorn was just a weak creature, a mere flying reptile. He paid him no mind.
A panel manifested in front of Shenlong���s eyes, which had already deduced all the information about this powerful demigod.
Name: Shax
Profession: Sound Mage (SS-Grade)
Talents: Reality Talk (SS-Grade), Sound Affinity (SS-Grade), Magic Affinity (SS-Grade), Mana Recovery (SS-Grade), Mana Reservoir (SS-Grade)
The demon, Shax, looked toward Shenlong, and his laughing face turned serious and arrogant. -Oh, a flying snake. In my presence, you shouldn���t fly. Come, kneel in front of me!-
Suddenly, an invisible, oppressive force pulled the bodies of both Shenlong and Thorn toward the ground.
The pressure was immense, But just then, Shenlong used his own powers.
The essence of hope that was stored in his body suddenly materialized and covered the bodies of both Shenlong and Thorn.