Demon Evolution System

Chapter 9

The exhausted sensation Miles was feeling subsided was instantly replaced by a strength he had never felt before. His body felt lighter, faster, yet more durable. Even his chest no longer burned from exertion; his wounds seemed to knit together subtly, the lingering bruises fading as if some unseen force was accelerating his recovery.

He flexed his fingers experimentally, watching as a faint shadow wove along his skin, black and rippling like liquid night. “Is this how demonic beasts grow stronger? By devouring one another.” he mummured rhetorically.

The cave rumbled violently and Miles understood what it meant. Since the boss monster had been degrees, the rift would close so he needed to leave before that happened.

Miles shook his head, forcing the hunger down. He allowed himself one final glance at the dead monsters. The bodies could fetch a fortune… The hounds were D rank level beast while the three headed wolf was probably a C rank beast-rank, if he sold it he would earn enough for a month’s wages. But even as the thought crossed his mind, a more pressing realization anchored him to reality: If anyone finds out a porter like me killed them alone… it will draw attention and he was not ready for that yet.

As a result Mouse made the decision to store the beast's part in the inventory for now until he got his hunter licence.

Miles took a glance at his dagger and realized it was damaged beyond usage. He then had an idea and manipulated demonic energy coating it around the blunt dagger which he used to cut the important parts of the beasts and stored it.

Each step toward the exit felt lighter than it should have; his body had adapted to the weight as though it were an extension of him. Miles marveled at his own speed, the efficiency of his movements. Only a few hours ago, exhaustion would have claimed him halfway across the outlands. Now, even burdened with the spoils of the hunt, he felt like he could sprint for miles without faltering.

This… this is power, he thought, heart racing. And it’s only the beginning.

The path out of the dungeon was steep and littered with jagged rock, but Miles moved with a predator’s grace, shadowed muscles rippling under his arms as he climbed. His senses were sharper now, detecting subtle shifts in the air, small movements that would have gone unnoticed before. The forest floor outside the cavern, previously a blur of jagged stone and shadow, now lay clear in his perception—every uneven edge, every loose rock, every shadowed crevice mapped in his mind with uncanny precision.

The setting sun cast the corrupted Outlands in deep crimson and black hues. Miles let the weight of the moment sink in. The rift had closed behind him, the faint glow of the portal fading as if the world itself had swallowed it whole.

It was getting darker making the islands more dangerous at this time which meant that he needed to make it back to the city as soon as possible. Miles sprinted towards the city direction, traveling across the outlands in a speed that could even achieve an hour ago.

The city Miles lived in was called Silver heights. Since humans couldn't reclaim all the lost lands after the first wave of demonic beasts attacked years ago, human settlements were scattered as humans could only live with the reclaimed lands. In order to protect the city from monster waves, huge and tall walls were built around the settlement which are guarded by trained awakeners working for the awakener association. He Hu

Several minutes later, Miles could see the city gates a few meters away from His location. He slowed down his speed just enough to approach the guards at the checkpoint, careful to appear weary yet human.

“Porter’s license?” one of the border guards demanded, stepping forward with a skeptical gaze. His fingers brushed the laminated card, scanning it with professional suspicion.

Miles produced his license without hesitation. “Here,” he said evenly, voice calm despite the lingering exhaustion.

The guard’s brow furrowed, clearly unconvinced. “Out alone? This late? A porter shouldn’t be wandering without backup, especially after the recent spikes in Outlands activity.”

“I—uh—I got separated from my team. Luckily I found my way back without encountering… any monsters.”

Another guard who was listening immediately commented. “A Hunting squad passed by a few hours ago. They claimed they lost two hunters and a porter to a monster horde. You must be a part of the crew.”

Hearing the guards words, Miles realized that Ryan and the others who left him behind also made it back successfully to the city. He could have reported Ryan's actions that very moment but that would also raise questions on how he survived the rift.

As a result, he chose to remain silent.

“Damn you are so lucky to make it back alive.” the first guard commented

Miles nodded, feigning concern. “Yeah, I know. I was lucky. Could’ve gone bad real quick.” He allowed a short, tense pause before adding, “But I made it back safely. That’s what matters, right?”

The guard studied him for a long moment, suspicion warring with protocol. Finally, he grunted and waved Miles through, muttering, “Be more careful next time.”

Miles exhaled silently, allowing himself a moment of relief. Once inside the city proper, he headed straight home.