A demons pride an isekai.., p.1
A Demon's Pride: An Isekai LitRPG Adventure (Salvos, Book 2), page 1
Salvos Book 2/Volume 2
A Demon’s Pride
MelasD / VA Lewis
Disclaimer
Copyright © 2021 MelasD / V.A. Lewis
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form possible without permission from the author or publisher. For permissions, contact the author or publisher through email at delta201@melaswebserial.com
Cover art by Fuyu Dust
Typography by Noble Creates | https://www.noblecreates.com
Proofreading by Dominion Editorial.
https://melaswebserial.com/salvos/
To hear news about my books and Salvos stuff, subscribe to my newsletter here: https://melasdnewsletter.ck.page/
You can also check out my Discord if you prefer it over newsletters! https://discord.gg/BD93MBVVns
Acknowledgements
To my wonderful friends who support me.
And to my most amazing mother.
Thank you.
Table of Contents
Salvos Volume 2 A Demon’s Pride
Disclaimer
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Preface
0. Daniel’s Dilemma
1. Journey Back
2. Adventurer
3. Weird Human Things
4. Emotions and Stuff
5. Gold Rank
6. New and Familiar
7. Testing Out Skills
8. Ignition
9. Hardest Hurdle
10. Centinels Camp
11. Expanding Vocab— Uh... Inventory?
13. Noble
14. Crest
15. Human
16. Breaking In
17. Cultists
18. Ignavare
19. Rachel
20. Double Battle
21. Bounty Hunters
22. Revealing Secrets
23. Harrowed Vindicators
24. Eye for an Eye
25. Princess
26. Road Trip
27. Viechester
28. Cringe
29. Summoning Ritual
30. Minor Harrassments
31. Caught!
32. Going on a Trip
33. Trial of Fire
34. Giant Ape
35. Refinement
36. Finally!
37. Drakes
38. Sleep Sucks!
39. Nightmare
40. Brilsum Ruins
41. Return
42. Observations
43. Doing Bad Things
44. Stampede
45. The Inner City
46. Cultist Scheme
47. Minotaurs Found!
48. Seeing the Light
49. Burning with Excitement
50. Company War
51. A Nice Feeling
52. Stand and Fight
53. Declaration and Introduction
54. Faith
55. Siege
56. Found
57. Escape
58. Prejudice
59. Contract
Author’s Note
Read More
Preface
I’d just like to quickly preface before you begin this book that it is a fantasy LitRPG, or a Literary Role Playing Game. This means it is set in a game-like world with RPG-like mechanics. There will be things like Status screens, Stat Points, and even character Levels. However, this does not mean the world is set inside a video game. The world depicted in the story is as real to the characters as real life is to you and I.
You do not have to read every Status screen or notification that will be shown, but I do encourage that you at least take a quick look at it before moving on. Now to the real story.
0. Daniel’s Dilemma
Daniel blinked his bleary brown eyes as sunbeams seeped into the room through the blinds of the window. He got up with a sigh, clutching at the invisible wound on his side. He wasn’t hurt—no, there was only the vague feeling of an injury there.
The black-haired man had been burned, bruised, and cut up by the Greater Demon, Lucerna, and yet, with healing potions, he was now left without so much as a scratch. Well, at least physically he was fine. Mentally speaking, he wasn’t really sure how he felt. Sure, he was OK now, but wasn’t he on the cusp of death just yesterday?
It was a strange thing to think about— it was something that occasionally kept him up. He had never thought that it would ever be possible to recover from that much blood loss. And yet, he continued fighting. He had been able to pick himself up from the rubble and rocks with a nearly broken body and healed himself completely with the last of the healing potions Salvos had given him. Then Mistshard picked him up, carrying him to the battlements where Druma waited.
After that, everything had been a blur. They managed to catch Lucerna in their trap, strangling him until his neck or spine broke. Daniel wasn’t even sure if Demon’s had spines, but something happened to paralyze the [Djinn]. With that, Edithe finally got her revenge and Salvos her answer: She can’t return to the Netherworld.
The young man remembered seeing her face when she heard that. He had never seen her look so shocked since he met her; even as he got out of bed, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about seeing her in the common room of the inn.
He packed his things and got dressed as worrying thoughts raced through his mind. Will she still be broken up about it? Will she be even more confused than before? Will she be lost, without a clue on what to do? Or will she…
Daniel hesitated, chewing his lowering lip as he considered the last possibility.
Will she hate you for lying to her? You promised her, after all. You said you would help bring her back to the Netherworld, and now she thinks it’s impossible. She might even kill you—
He shook his head and pushed the door to his room open. That wouldn’t happen; Salvos was not the kind of Demon— or uh, person— to attack someone unprovoked. She had made it extremely clear. Daniel tried to reassure himself as he walked down the stairs, and yet, the thought remained: what if Salvos went mad? What if she had some kind of Demonic instincts within her that suddenly took over? What if those ‘wild Demons’ she talked about were really the true forms of a Demon, and he would come down to find a bloodied inn—
“Took you long enough!”
Salvos marched up to the young man and jabbed a finger at his chest. He blinked as he looked her over.
“How long do you Humans need to sleep? Seriously, the sun is already high in the sky! You must have slept for, uh… 200 hours!”
“That’s… I don’t think there are that many hours in a day, Salvos.”
Edithe sighed as she walked up to the pair. The red-haired [Summoner] was dressed in her usual robes and placed a hand on the Demon’s shoulder and lowered it.
“Give us a break. And don’t be so loud. I know the innkeeper is out right now, but what if someone passing by hears us?”
“Don’t worry. They won’t suspect a thing.”
Salvos grinned and twirled around. The cloak that used to loosely hang over her shoulder was now almost a snug fit to her body, its hood no longer masking her face too. Daniel just stared at her as she came to a stop.
“I look just like a Human now, see? You think so too, right, Daniel? Uh… Daniel?”
She cocked her head, and Daniel blinked. He quickly turned his gaze to the wooden floorboards as he felt his face burn up.
“Yeah… you do.”
Previously, Salvos had an impish look to her. She had been short—, not even up to his shoulders at five foot two inches. Her skin was pale— almost like that of a dead body, which was hardly her most inhuman feature. She lacked any… parts, for the most part. She had no chest and nothing below her waist. It had reminded him of the most simple and plain mannequins, ones that only had the vague shape of a woman— he thought she had been more androgynous than anything. And that was everything about her that had even seemed ‘Human’.
Seeing her clearly back then, it was unmistakable she was a Demon. Two small horns had protruded from her gray-silver hair, her face had been rather rotund, without much of a jawline under her sharp teeth, and while her black nail-like claws were not that terrifyingly long and usually hidden under her cloak, Daniel had seen what they could do, and he didn’t want any of it.
But now, after her recent evolution, he was staring at a Human woman standing on a pair of long, sculpted legs, letting the top of her head reach past his chin. Her waist was tapered, curving up to a slim figure that would draw all eyes— male or female— to it out of lust or envy. She had her arms folded across her chest, which now had the men’s shirt wrapping around it tighter than the loose garments of before.
Her golden eyes were enchanting, almost like there was something magical to it— in fact, there probably was something magical to it. Her chin was sharper too, like a sleek steel knife after it had been delicately washed and polished. When she curled her fuchsia-pink lips up, Daniel could almost see his own reflection in her mirror-like pearly whites. And he only saw himself gawking.
Salvos no longer had anything about her that screamed ‘Demon’. Her hands were normal— she had no claws, no sharp nails. She even had a pale-olive skin complexion that matched how alive she normally carried herself.
Daniel caught himself as she nodded, eagerly turning to Edithe.
“See? I told you.”
“Come on, Betty and Chase are waiting for us! I can’t wait to race them back to Hazelbury and beat them again. I’m much faster now, you know?”
The two exchanged a glance. Daniel shook his head, and Edithe just rubbed the bridge of her nose. She hasn’t changed at all, huh? He followed after her, scratching the back of his head.
“You know, Salvos, since we don’t need either Druma or Mistshard to be with us now, you can just always ride on the horse with us.”
“With me.”
Edithe shot him a sharp look, and he blushed.
“I didn’t mean it like that, but yeah. You’ve already proved yourself faster than them, right?”
“Huh. I didn’t think of that.”
Salvos paused, thoughtfully tapping a hand on her chin as the three continued down the busy streets of Silvergrove. People were up and about, already trying to rebuild their city from the destruction caused by Lucerna’s attack.
A few faces turned to them, pointing and whispering to each other. However, none approached them, which Daniel was grateful for. He wasn’t really someone who could handle too much attention, although Salvos seemed to be the opposite.
She noticed the hushed conversation and nodded in the direction of a group of carpenters. Immediately, they quietened. Salvos scowled before turning back as she heard a chuckle.
“What?”
Edithe suppressed an amused look.
“Nothing.”
Salvos raised a brow but said nothing more. They finally reached the stable holding their horses and saddled them to leave the city. There would be no celebrations today— there had already been plenty on the days before. But now, they needed to go back to Hazelbury… mostly to return the horses they borrowed from a stable in the other city. And once they were back in Hazelbury—
Daniel frowned, looking over at Salvos.
“So, uh… what will you be doing now?”
She glanced back over at him, sat behind Edithe.
“What do you mean?”
“You know, you can’t… go back to the Netherworld, right? So what will you be doing?”
Salvos blinked a few times, registering his words.
“I can’t go back? Why not?”
“Lucerna said you can’t. He said you needed a summoning collar, and you don’t have one. So…”
He trailed off, wondering if he made it awkward. Why did you have to bring that up? Moron! However, Salvos didn’t seem offended by it. Instead, she scoffed.
“If Lucerna says I can’t go back without one of those summoning collar thingies, then I just have to get one, don’t I?”
“I… I don’t think it’ll be that simple.”
She shrugged and turned away.
“I didn’t say it will be simple. I said I just have to do it. I like this place— the Mortal Realm. But I need to return to the Netherworld. Haec is there. He can wait a little longer but not forever.”
“And Haec is?”
“My companion.”
Salvos spoke simply as if that was supposed to tell him everything he needed to know. And maybe Salvos thought it was enough— that this ‘Haec’ was reason enough to try so hard to go back to the Netherworld. But honestly, was there a need for a deep reason to want to go back home?
Daniel didn’t think so. In fact, he thought he understood how Salvos felt. She might not see it in the same way he did, but the fact of the matter was that the Netherworld was her home. Of course, she would want to go back. He smiled.
“Well, it’s probably going to be difficult is all I’m saying. But I made you a promise, and I’m going to keep it.”
Salvos nodded as if she hadn’t expected him to say anything else. And maybe for her, it seemed that way. He told her he would help her, and he had done so thus far— why would he suddenly change his mind?
That was something she was going to have to learn about Humans— or well, mortals— from spending more time in the Mortal Realm. But for now, Daniel would help her in her quest to go back home.
It was not for any particular reason. He just understood the feeling— he could empathize with her. The longing to return to where you belonged was something he knew all too well.
After all, he was a [Hero] from another world.
1. Journey Back
I sat just behind Edithe on the back of Betty, the Level 13 [Traveler Horse], as we rode to Hazelbury. I felt the wind blowing at my face— my now longer hair flowing with the wind. I was in my Human form now. I had evolved and become a Greater Demon. My Subspecies was now a [Midday Changeling]. I had chosen it because it was the best Subspecies to help me blend in and survive while I was stuck here in the Mortal Realm.
Everything felt different. This body felt different. It was bigger than my previous, yet it was somehow lither. I slowly glanced down at myself, clenching my fist as I took in this new feeling. I softly closed my eyes, curling my lips while leaning back. This body, this new form—
I hate it! It sucks! I feel so weak!
Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)
Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)
Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 40
General Skills:
[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 1
[Identification] - Lvl. 4
[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1
[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1
[Rest] - Lvl. 2
[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1
Stats:
[Available Stat Points: 10]
[Vitality]: 40 (+5) (-7)
[Strength]: 27 (+5) (-7)
[Endurance]: 53 (+5) (-7)
[Wisdom]: 63 (+5) (-2)
[Agility]: 79 (+5) (-7)
Skills:
[Available Skill Points: 15]
[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 1
[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)
[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)
[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 1
[Self Haste] - Lvl. 1
[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 1
[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1
[Unused Skill Slot] x2
I had so many new Skills. My Status was almost completely different now, with a Title that provided me with additional Stats and even a General Skill. However, I was stuck in this Human form which severely inhibited me!
Not only did it just take away most of the benefits I got from my Title, but I also didn’t have claws anymore! What am I supposed to do now? Punch people?! That’s stupid!
I sighed and slumped onto Edithe’s back. The Human woman turned back slightly and raised an eyebrow.
“Is something wrong, Salvos?”
“I don’t want to be a Human anymore…”
I murmured under my breath. Daniel looked over at me from his horse before quickly darting his eyes away. He hesitated.
“Wh— Why not?”
“Because it sucks. Everything about it sucks. I don’t have my claws, and I don’t have my horns. I don’t even look like myself anymore. And... why do I even have these things on me?”
The Human man immediately averted his gaze as I gestured down, and Edithe laughed, shaking her head.
“Salvos, you have to understand it’s necessary for your own protection. Demons are treated as… monsters, I guess. Sure, not everyone will immediately attack you if they see you as a Demon—especially if you’re higher leveled than them— but still, what happens if they do?”
I scoffed, replying simply.
“I’ll fight back and kill them, of course.”
“Then you’ll get in trouble with the authorities. And there’ll be a lot of complications because of that. Trust me, it’s better for you to stay like this, at least while in the cities.”
I narrowed my eyes and hopped off Betty, landing on the dirt road as the two continued for a moment longer. They then whirled around, giving me a confused look.
“What are you doing, Salvos?”
“We aren’t in one of your Human cities anymore, right? I’m going to change back.”
“Wait—”
I ignored the two as they protested. I focused on the General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] and deactivated it. Immediately, I felt my body growing and turning whiter. The ground suddenly shrunk below me as I felt my clothes tighten around my body— except for my chest, it actually became looser there. My hair didn’t recede, instead growing even longer than before.
