Ch.296Created Humanity (Part 1)

There was a man.

He was a member of an ancient demon race called the Demon Tribe, specifically from a species that uniquely resembled humans.

Originally, demons were creatures as diverse in appearance as they were in abilities, with higher demons said to be so unique that it was difficult to find two that looked alike.

This was because they evolved beyond the limitations of their biological blueprint—their DNA—into forms that could maximize the abilities and powers they had acquired.

However, this particular demon man had a plain and unremarkable appearance, as if he were simply an overgrown Lesser Demon.

This was because his abilities were truly mediocre, not excelling in any particular field.

Living day to day without any outstanding strengths or weaknesses, this mundane man was one day struck by a meteorite falling from the sky and awakened to a mysterious power.

Infinite lifespan, regenerative abilities, and the power of “Plunder”—the ability to steal one capability from any creature he killed.

The man did not yet know that the meteorite was actually a fragment of a mysterious being known as the “Demon King.”

After gaining the power of Plunder, the man began repeating days of attacking, killing, and stealing abilities from those weaker than himself.

Those dying from old age or injury, young creatures separated from their packs, even pregnant females too heavy to fight.

His plundering, which began with wild animals, gradually escalated to beasts, monsters, humans, and demon tribes.

As he acquired more and more abilities, he developed a powerful desire to reach “omnipotence.”

Omnipotence.

The literal power to do anything.

To reach it required not vertical growth—becoming stronger than any creature in this world—but horizontal growth, expanding the range of what he could do.

Realizing this, the demon man ceased his decade-long plundering and hid himself deep within an underground cave where no one could find him.

About a hundred years later…

The demon man, who had been immersed in research in his deep underground cave, succeeded in creating a new life form that had never before existed in Grantis.

It was an achievement that utilized the special abilities of numerous monsters, combined with the “alchemy” ability stolen from humans.

The man’s power of “Plunder” was originally meant to steal innate physical abilities like horns, fangs, or breath attacks.

However, from civilized beings like humans, elves, dwarves, and beastfolk, he could obtain “techniques” they had developed through learning.

Unlike innate abilities with predetermined limits, these were fruits of endless possibilities born from life and effort.

The demon man was convinced that these brilliant achievements were the key to reaching “omnipotence.”

After tremendous effort, he finally created the “Third Eye”—specifically, a new human species named “Type 1.”

The man’s plan was as follows:

Allow these talented new humans to flourish and master various skills and abilities.

Then, as their creator, harvest the lives of his creations once they had fully developed, stealing the techniques and abilities they had mastered.

This way, he could safely, albeit slowly, accumulate new abilities without risking confrontation with enemies of unknown combat power.

It was essentially farming using humans, but things don’t always go according to plan.

The “Third Eye Type 1” he created faced extinction after just two generations.

As the price for their exceptional abilities, they only lived for 10 years—not enough time to develop diverse talents or even properly pass down basic survival skills, resulting in the entire species starving to death.

Learning from this terrible failure, the demon man immediately began creating “Type 2.”

These Type 2 newborns were born with one survival skill already perfectly mastered, separate from any talents they might develop later.

As soon as they achieved minimal physical growth, they could immediately join the workforce.

This allowed them to maintain their community while developing as individuals.

With their survival issues resolved, Type 2 prospered smoothly, and by the 4th or 5th generation, meaningful results could be observed…

And those “meaningful results” became the cause of the next failure.

“Does being our creator give you the right to kill us as you please? Were we born just to be slaughtered?”

Born with the ability of “leadership”

Later developing the talent of “philosopher”

This unexpected combination caused ripples in the once-obedient Third Eye society,

And those ripples eventually became waves of rebellion that crashed upon the demon man.

An unprecedented event occurred—creations rising against their creator.

But what they faced was not just any demon, but a being who had inherited a fragment of the Demon King and acquired the abilities of countless beasts and monsters.

The outcome of the battle was one-sided, with over 95% of the Third Eye tribe meeting death at their creator’s hands.

Not just the rebels and their supporters, but everyone else too.

“Type 2,” having learned the concept of resistance, no longer held value as creations.

The 5% who barely escaped with their lives fled the cave into the outside world, but they were a short-lived species with only 2-3 years left to live.

Thinking they would die out on their own, the demon man soon lost interest in them,

And that became yet another massive mistake that would come back to haunt him.

“Hehehe… You’ve gone too far with your games, you lowly creature.”

“Did you really think creating life merely to toy with and kill would be forgiven?”

Toward the demon man, whose body was burned and crushed, rolling pathetically on the ground, came the mockery of an alluring woman wrapped in robes and the scolding of a cold-eyed young female swordsman.

But the one who had actually reduced the demon man to this state was a single middle-aged man looking down at him with calm eyes.

That man’s name was Deidric Asmad.

A figure who would later be praised as a great sage who left behind numerous achievements.

“How is it, Deidric Asmad?”

“Hmm… as expected, it’s impossible. Regrettably, it seems we cannot completely destroy this being with the means currently at our disposal.”

“Of course not. Even a mole hiding underground is still one who has received the baptism of a meteorite.”

As the alluring woman said this with a chuckle, the cold-eyed young swordsman sighed and summoned a strangely shaped object from thin air.

This cube-shaped object, made of an unfamiliar metal, emitted an even stronger power than the meteorite he had once seen.

“In the end, as you said, we have no choice but to use this place for that magical experiment.”

“I understand your reluctance, Armedia. But for now, we have no other option but to be satisfied with buying time.”

“That aside, is it alright to leave this thing as is? It might commit the same atrocities elsewhere.”

“Hmm… that’s true. Perhaps it would be better to take at least its physical body as a precaution.”

Ominous conversations passed between the three, but the demon man, unable to move a finger, had no way to escape this crisis.

Still, since they said they “couldn’t kill him,” he thought he might avoid the worst-case scenario.

Just as he was feeling relieved, Deidric Asmad’s solemn voice echoed through the deep cave.

“Space-time isolation, open.”

*Riiip!*

With Deidric’s command, the space right beside the demon man split open with a sound like tearing paper.

The demon man’s eyes widened at this astonishing power that he had never seen, heard, or even imagined before.

“The spell is successful. Armedia, please proceed with the measures we discussed earlier.”

“Understood, Deidric Asmad.”

The calm young swordsman held out the cube in her left hand, and a soft light emanated from it, enveloping the demon man’s body.

“To the demon man who received the baptism of a meteorite, I declare in the name of Armedia: Your soul shall be separated from the concept of a physical body, and by no means shall you ever possess your own body again.”

As soon as those words fell, the demon man felt his body become as light as a feather, and he was instantly sucked into the spatial rift that had opened beside him.

“Farewell, nameless Demon King. Your end shall be clearly etched in these {pure white} eyes of mine.”

With the playful wave goodbye from the alluring woman, the demon man crossed the vast rift in space-time and arrived at a small island in an unknown vast ocean.

A place with clear traces of a civilization distinctly different from the ancient styles of Grantis, but without people—not even animals besides seagulls and fish.

Yet it was a beautiful southern island where lush tropical plants and tall palm trees demonstrated the tenacity of life.

This was the landscape of the eternal prison where the demon man, now transformed into a ghost without a physical body, would be trapped forever.