Mind Demon's Path of Domination

Mark was conflicted. Should he try and take on that Armor in a battle?

In action, that thing didn't seem too strong—it was not much faster than the Savage Lord. But if it was faking its competence like Reol'ran said so that Mark wouldn't run, this fight could be his death. Yet, if the Armor was indeed weak and something he could defeat, he might gain something incredible after he defeated it.

Mark felt conflicted. This was a great moment of choice!

"Greed blinds the mind of a smart man as much as it does the mind of a petty one," Reol'ran said, her tone much calmer than before. "My love, you are being blinded!"

Suddenly, Mark woke up, as if from a dream, and understood. Greed was never good, greed and hunger for growth were not the same thing either. And now, it was time for his test.

What was his grand goal? What was he chasing?

He was chasing the epitome of life. The very peak of existence. He wanted to become the strongest demon—a Tier 10—and live life without fearing anyone's opinions. Only if he was the strongest could he run rampant with his own rules.

Only then can he be truly free.

He didn't want to be a speck of dust in the vast universe, he wanted to matter. He wanted to leave a mark in time that could never be erased.

"Even as you are now, you do stand a chance at that apex you chase," she said, having a somewhat different tone to her. "You have the mysterious violet mirror, your own set of unique demonic arts, and your own set of people helping you. This armor is not something you must have, it's just another thing with some unknown and strong background.

We don't even know if fighting it is worth something in the first place."

Mark nodded, feeling something profound.

Yes, he already had enough tools in his hand to chase his dreams. He already had what he wanted and if he so much as took the slow route by not engaging in any unnecessary conflict, one day or the other, he would reach a level the current he could not even imagine.

He was no longer an insignificant mortal.

He was Mark, a prodigal demon who was growing stronger by the day.

Rushing to fight an Armor that might or might not kill him, was it worth it? What was one supposed to do when faced with such a choice? Do something blindly?

"You are talking like everything is sunshine and rainbows," he said, questioning himself. "But the Suffering is coming, right? And isn't every scrap of power I get going to help? Shouldn't I move on without a flicker of fear in my heart?"

Reol'ran nodded inwardly. So, fundamentally, he is not greedy for power. What he is greedy for is progress in his dreams. He is still hyper-focused on that upcoming Suffering—I am the one wavering, the one forgetting the troubles ahead, and dreams beyond.

Until now, she had always looked down on Mark's enemies inwardly. And to be honest, she couldn't be blamed. She was a grand Tier 4 existence—and Mark was living a life of battle among Tier 1 and 2 existences. They were truly like ants to her, not even worthy of two glances.

How can she not look down on Mark's enemies?

Thus, in all kinds of situations where he was in crisis, she had acted calmly and always seen through the essence of all situations. She had been a warrior chilling in a playground of kids, but suddenly, the Armor had appeared, something even beyond her own understanding.

It had crashed in on her playground and that had immediately destroyed her calm. She had become someone who only thought of what was happening at the moment. Escape, run, survive, live, fight, or whatever.

But to truly be beyond things, one must align all their thoughts and actions towards their grand goal. What helped them achieve that goal, was good, what didn't help, was bad.

Mark's goal was clear and at all times when needed, his actions and moves were aligned to help him move closer to achieving it.

If his goal was to become a doctor and he went to study philosophy, that would be stupid. If his goal was to have a lot of money and he went to a prostitute, that would also be stupid. And when the Armor came, he had also used that same principle.

She took it as greed, but to him, it was just what made him closer to his goal.

Unlike her who, in her moment of blurriness, chose to retreat in the immediate face of danger, he was thinking differently. Was there something in this crisis that could help him defeat his current greatest barrier, the Suffering?

He was always calm, and now, it was the moment of choice.

Would he fight, she wondered.

Mark took a deep breath and smiled. "Yes, I will fight. By now, it isn't the one at complete advantage if it is not utterly overpowering like its aura is—but yeah, I don't see why I should involve Yuri's and Dona's life in this battle. I will make them hide somewhere safe."

She asked softly, "Is fighting the wise option?"

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"What are my chances of surviving the First Suffering as I am now?"

"I have some ideas to help you in that," she said. "But even then, your chances are low. You'd most probably… not survive. Not as you are now."

"Then it's just delayed death. If I am dying in that moment, wouldn't I regretfully think—Ah, I should have fought with that Armor, maybe, I might have not died today then…"

Mark waved his hand and removed Yuri from his World Space. Both Dona and Yuri now looked at him, wondering expressions on their faces. He then wondered about Yasna and other humans inside his World Space.

And Reol'ran.

"This is a battle I might not return from, Reol'ran, do you want me to put your sealed body away somewhere hidden?"

"When I gave you my True Name, I was ready to die. I expected you to give me some nasty orders when I became your slave, too. But you never did. Mark, no matter your flaws—you are mine and I am yours.

"I told you once before, no one is taking you away from me. Not even death. And that's my resolve as a warrior. Do not mock a warrior's resolve—I might have been dazed for a second but I am no coward, if I die, I die."

Mark felt somewhat overwhelmed. She depended on him.

"What about the people in my World Space, Yasna, and her villagers, what will happen to them if I die?"

"If you die, the Savage World will collect your World Space and integrate it with itself. The people wouldn't die. You should leave Dona and Yuri inside, too—that's probably safer for them than anywhere else."

Mark looked at Yuri and Dona, winked at them, and his wings flapped. He flew at sonic speed, not out of the dungeon but inside it, and as the two women watched, heads after heads of demons fell in succession.

Ten seconds later, Mark appeared, dropping a giant head on the floor, bathed in green blood. He looked barbaric, savage, and cold.

An aura of devilishness surrounded him, a sense of arrogance and desire.

Blood dripped from his hands, too.

All demons in the Demon Cave were down, all crippled or dead.

"Ladies," he said. "Your man plans to have a great battle, be prepared with wine and bed in your homes."

Yuri and Dona looked at each other, blinking. They could sense the intensity, and honestly, they felt fear more than anything. Mark had never said something like this, and the aura they had sensed had them quaking in their boots.

Ordinary, foolish women might have said they would stay and help but Yuri was not the sort to overestimate herself.

I would only hold him back, she knew.

Dona, on the other hand, just had absolute confidence in Mark's judgment. She did feel very uncomfortable when Mark acted uncharacteristically dramatic, but she knew to listen when he tells her something.

"Is this wine thing good, Mark?" she asked, looking down.

Mark patted her head. "We will see when I return, I think it will be pretty sweet. Don't worry, if I need your help, I will bring you out."

He wasn't the sort of man to be ashamed of asking his own women to help!

He gave both of them a kiss on their forehead and gently absorbed them into his World Space. Then, he sat down and looked around at the writhing demons on the floor. He had left the Dungeon Demon alive, so he could use this dungeon as the place for his battle.

A deep, deep desire rose in his heart.

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[Demonic Heart: You can follow your desires and gain more lifespan.]

[Soul Longevity: 42 Years.]

[•> Current Desires:

1. Survive the battle with the Armor and have a great night with my women! (60 Years of Lifespan) (Incomplete)

2. Fight a Colossal Giant (100 Years of Lifespan) (Incomplete).]

[•> Life's Great Desire: Become a meaningful existence in the world, experience the greatest pleasures that life has to offer, and be capable of attaining all that can be desired by becoming a Tier 10 Demon. (∞ Years of Lifespan) (Incomplete)

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I shall do it!