Chapter 157: New Upgrades
Damian found himself in the dark room once again, standing within that vast, silent expanse where nothing seemed to exist except the oppressive stillness and the massive endless red gate looming in the far distance. It stood unmoving, ancient and absolute, as though it had been waiting for him long before he ever gained the power to step into this place.
Ahead of him was his Lust Talent Tree, its towering form stretching upward like a living entity rooted deep into nothingness. Its branches twisted unnaturally, adorned with beautiful yet scarce black flowers that pulsed faintly with a sinister glow. At the corner of his vision, the tree’s stats revealed themselves clearly.
[Lust Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 17%]
[Living Arts: 15%]
[Primal Soul: 10%]
[Elder Arts: 10%]
Damian stared at it thoughtfully for a moment before requesting his status.
[Name: Damian]
[Race: Human/Demon] [Hybrid]
[Rank: Greater Demon] [Beast]
[Sins: Lust/Abyss]
[Talent Points: 160]
[Talent Tree:] [Lust/Abyss]
[Level: 150] [0%]
[Strength: 26.5] [Agility: 26.5] [Constitution: 27.0] [Charisma: 26.5] [Demonic Force: 2050/2050]
His gaze lingered on the numbers. His night with his wives had only given him five levels, just as he expected. Growth was slowing down. The higher he climbed, the harder it became to ascend further.
Still, 160 talent points sat before him like a loaded weapon.
He shifted his attention back to the tree. At its base, the small black fox with faint purple fiery patterns lay curled up, its single tail wrapped around its body as it napped peacefully. It did not react to his presence in the slightest, as though he did not exist.
Damian did not mind.
"I think I’ll just get my living arts to 20%, then I’ll upgrade my primal soul to that level, and then my elder arts will follow." He muttered, his voice steady as he finalized his decision.
Now he understood. Strength was not just about abilities and techniques. Every battle would eventually collapse into raw physical confrontation. When that moment came, only one thing mattered.
Who was stronger.
Without hesitation, Damian began investing his points.
1%... 2%... 3%... 4%... 5%
[Living Arts: 15% → 20%]
[Three Tailed-Kitsune Physiology Unlocked]
[Name: Three-Tailed Kitsune Physiology]
[Type: Passive/Transformation]
[Description: Upon activation of Infernal Transformation Skill, you will automatically gain the traits of a three-tailed kitsune, gaining complete control over this form. Fox based skills are now strengthened threefold]
"Three tails?" Damian’s brows furrowed slightly in surprise.
His mind drifted back to the first vision of the fox he had ever seen. That creature had possessed nine tails. This was clearly a path, a progression, and he was only just beginning to climb it.
What caught his attention was not the number of tails, but what they represented.
Each tail amplified his power.
His fox flames were already terrifying. If they were strengthened threefold, then the difference in his combat capability would not be minor. It would be overwhelming.
With that kind of power, Duke Haborym would not have been able to suppress him so easily.
"You know what, spending fifty points for that upgrade is actually worth it. I’m not complaining this time." Damian admitted with a faint nod.
This was better than unlocking some random new ability. This was pure amplification. Direct, brutal, effective.
His gaze flickered back to the tree as the numbers updated.
[Lust Talent Tree Rejuvenation Process: 18.5%]
[Living Arts: 20%]
[Primal Soul: 10%]
[Elder Arts: 10%]
"Improve primal soul." Damian ordered immediately.
His talent points began to drop at a visible rate.
10... 20... 30... 40... 50
[Primal Soul: 10% → 15%]
[Fox Domain: Illusion of Perfect Desire Unlocked]
[Fox Domain: Illusion of Perfect Desire]
[Type: Active / Domain]
[Description: Creates an illusion space tailored to each target’s deepest desire. The stronger their desire, the harder it is to escape. While trapped, their real body is vulnerable]
"Ooh shit..." Damian covered his lips in surprise, his eyes widening slightly as the information settled into his mind.
He had been ready to complain about spending fifty talent points, but the moment he understood what this ability truly meant, that thought vanished completely. This was not just useful, it was lethal.
His gaze sharpened as he processed it.
It did not matter how long he could hold someone inside the illusion. Time was irrelevant. Even a single second of hesitation in battle was dangerous, so what about five seconds?
Five seconds was more than enough.
Enough to slit a throat. Enough to crush a skull. Enough to unleash the Ninefold Samsara Firefox and erase someone completely.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"And it’s a domain..." he muttered under his breath, the excitement growing steadily.
That meant scale. That meant multiple targets. That meant control over the battlefield itself.
He was no longer just reacting to enemies. He could dictate how the fight played out.
At this point, he was all smiles.
Thinking about it now, nothing had given him more joy than upgrading his talent tree. Every time he stepped into this place, he walked out stronger, sharper, more complete. He had never once left this world disappointed.
"Maybe I should spend more time here whenever I feel down." Damian nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with himself.
The thought lingered for a moment before he pushed it aside. This was not the time to bask in it.
There was more power to claim.
"Continue."
Without hesitation, he directed his attention back to his Primal Soul and began investing more points.
10... 20... 30... 40... 50...
[Primal Soul: 15% → 20%]
For a brief moment, the entire space seemed to shift. The air grew heavier, denser, as though something deep within him had been reinforced. His presence expanded subtly, not outward in force, but inward in depth.
Then the next notification appeared.
[Samsara Fox Fire Unlocked]
[Name: Samsara Fox Fire]
[Type: Active]
[Description: The only fire with a comparable might to the Abyssal flames. Its power to purge all evil without prejudice is its greatest strength and weakness]