Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

The darkness continued to spread. Demonic Erasure consumed everything that it touched. Tanaka stood before it. His body surrounded by the blackness. Not the blackness created by Rhazek. Endless Abyss wasn’t spreading outward like ordinary magic. It seemed to pull the surroundings inward. The air twisted and the dust that floated around them disappeared into the darkness surrounding Tanaka. Even the light seemed weaker around his person. Rhazek peered at Tanaka from within the expanse of Demonic Erasure. For the first time since their battle had begun, the Demon Lord’s lips weren’t curled into a smile.

Tanaka raised one claw. The darkness gathered around it. Tanaka reached out to the sphere that was approaching him. The moment the two powers met the battlefield shuddered. The power of Tanaka’s Endless Abyss was not present. At least, not for a heartbeat. Then, the surface of Demonic Erasure began to warp. Rhazek’s eyes narrowed. The darkness surrounding Tanaka was consuming his magic. Not destroying it. Devouring it. Endless Abyss was pulling at the demonic energy with a hunger that never seemed to be satisfied. Rhazek immediately responded by bolstering the power of his spell. The sphere expanded. Tanaka’s feet sank into the earth. His body shuddered from the force of the magic pressing against him. The two powers clashed. One consuming. The other erasing.

Rhazek gritted his teeth. ”What are you?” Tanaka did not respond. Instead, he pushed his claw forward. Endless Abyss expanded. A portion of Demonic Erasure was devoured by the darkness. The energy of the spell was gone, consumed into Tanaka’s power. Tanaka exhaled. It was only for a moment, but he could feel what Rhazek had poured into the magic. The structure of the demonic energy, the mana, the destruction power, the corruption that had been woven into the spell. Endless Abyss was dismantling everything that Rhazek had put into the magic. But it was not free. Tanaka’s Magic Core screamed in pain, and he staggered. The amount of energy that had been contained within Demonic Erasure was incredible. Tanaka’s Magic Core strained to process the vast amount of power. Tanaka clenched his teeth. He could not simply consume all of it at once. Doing so would cause his Magic Core to rupture.

Rhazek took notice of Tanaka’s hesitation. The Demon Lord’s smile returned. ”So it has a limit.” Tanaka turned to look at him. Rhazek immediately added more of his power into the spell. Tanaka was forced to retreat, his claws carving trenches into the earth as he did so. The pressure was overwhelming. But Tanaka did not allow himself to release Endless Abyss. Instead, he altered his technique. Rather than consuming it all at once, he condensed the power of Endless Abyss into a single point. The pressure against him lightened. Demonic Erasure was consumed, one piece at a time.

Tanaka’s breathing was ragged. Rhazek’s expression shifted. ”You’re controlling it.” Tanaka exhaled. ”I’m learning.” The darkness continued to disappear. Rhazek’s eyes narrowed. He modified the spell. The sphere that was Demonic Erasure compressed. Rather than spreading out, the power of the spell was condensed into a single point. Tanaka immediately recognized what Rhazek was doing. The Demon Lord was reducing the amount of energy that was available for Endless Abyss to consume. He was making the spell more dense, more powerful, more difficult to devour.

Tanaka’s instincts screamed at him. Rhazek’s hand shot forward. Demonic Erasure surged. Tanaka crossed his claws. Endless Abyss exploded. The two powers collided once more. This time, the force of the impact did not spread outward. It swallowed everything around it. Tremors rocked the battlefield. The earth split open and trees were pulled inward. Loose stones vanished into the maelstrom of magic. Tanaka was sent tumbling forward. Rhazek remained rooted to the spot. The sheer physical strength of the Demon Lord allowed him to withstand the force of the spell.

Tanaka was forced to use his wings to stabilize himself. His whole body shook from the impact. Rhazek increased the power of his spell. Tanaka gritted his teeth as the darkness consumed more of the battlefield. He could stop. He could retreat. But if he did, Demonic Erasure would continue. Tanaka looked past the wall of darkness. Rhazek stood on the other side. The Demon Lord was stronger than he was. His mana reserves were greater, his newly acquired powers more powerful. But Endless Abyss granted Tanaka something that Rhazek did not have. It allowed him to consume his power and use it against him.

Tanaka shifted his tactics once more. Rather than resisting the force of Demonic Erasure, he allowed himself to be pulled forward. Rhazek’s eyes widened. Tanaka let himself be pulled into the edge of Demonic Erasure. Pain lanced through his body. Tanaka’s scales were vanishing. But he did not stop. Endless Abyss expanded. The darkness around his body consumed the spell. Rhazek’s eyes widened impossibly. ”You’re insane!” Tanaka grinned through the pain.

”Maybe.” Tanaka’s claw shot forward. His fingers disappeared into the sphere of Demonic Erasure. Endless Abyss exploded. The portion of the spell surrounding his arm was devoured. Tanaka took another step forward. Another portion of the magic was consumed. Tanaka took another step. Rhazek added more of his power into the spell. Tanaka took another step forward. Each movement threatened to rupture his Magic Core. But each movement allowed Endless Abyss to consume a little more of Rhazek’s power. Finally, Rhazek moved. He stopped chanting the words of Demonic Erasure.

Tanaka’s eyes narrowed. The opening was there. Tanaka lunged. Rhazek met his charge. The fist of the Demon Lord impacted against Tanaka’s chest, sending him sprawling. But rather than landing on the ground, Tanaka transformed his body and devoured the force of the blow. Rhazek advanced, Tanaka swung his claw. They met. This time, Tanaka felt something different. The demonic energy that Endless Abyss had consumed was flowing through the power of Endless Abyss. It was not simply vanishing. It was becoming a part of him. Tanaka’s Magic Core felt heavier, denser, stronger.

Tanaka pushed Rhazek’s arm away. Rhazek’s expression changed. Tanaka attacked once more. His claw impacted against the Demon Lord’s shoulder, forcing him back. Rhazek halted and looked at the wound in his shoulder. He turned to regard Tanaka. ”You’re stronger.” Tanaka looked down at his own claws. He could feel it. Not overwhelmingly so. Not enough to overcome Rhazek, but enough. Endless Abyss had consumed a portion of Demonic Erasure. And Tanaka had adapted to it. Rhazek’s lips curled into a slow smile. ”So that’s your power.” Tanaka raised his head.

”No.” The darkness around him grew immeasurably deeper. ”That was only the beginning.” Endless Abyss throbbed. The remaining traces of Demonic Erasure were pulled toward Tanaka. Rhazek’s smile vanished. Tanaka opened his hand. The darkness was compressed into his palm before vanishing into his body. Tanaka felt the foreign energy settle into Endless Abyss. His Magic Core shuddered and he nearly fell. But he held on.

Never had Rhazek looked upon Tanaka with anything but amusement. Now, the Demon Lord realized something. Tanaka wasn’t simply strong. His power fluctuated depending on what he consumed. Every battle added to his strength. And every powerful opponent could become another step forward. Rhazek’s crimson eyes burned. ”Then I’ll simply have to destroy you before you can devour everything.” Tanaka smiled. Endless Abyss answered from within him. ”Try.” The two kings charged. But this time, Rhazek was not facing the same Monster King that he had defeated a few moments ago. He was facing a Devourer that had tasted the power of a Demon Lord.