Demon Lord: Erotic Adventure in Another World

The group enjoyed an extravagant meal and a long sleep without danger of being attacked due to the natural holy barrier of the sacred tree. After eating dragon meat, everyone became reinvigorated and full of power.

The aches and pains that followed the canyon battle, especially for Paul and Simon, faded immediately.

"Phew... so today we enter there?"

"I think so..." Paul's voice trembled slightly, his eyes fixated on the world tree.

It was a beautiful, pure white forest, different from the silver forest. Each tree pulsated with a force that cleansed and made the body feel light and at peace. Find your next read at empire

"A truly serene and holy forest... I feel so warm."

Arinea's eyes glistened as she touched the white trees ever so faintly.

The moment she did, her body trembled, and a jolt of warmth poured into her, like drinking hot cocoa in a frigid winter.

"Arinea be careful..."

Erunda walked behind her, carrying most of her things, his face showing a slight smile while gazing at the delighted face of his partner.

"The trees vibrate slightly... almost as if they are talking to each other." Baku's voice echoed. His palm touched another tree, and his eyes closed. He looked at peace.

Meanwhile, Asmodeus, Erika, Ciela and Leviathan stood close to each other, through a holy and sacred ground, making them safe from monsters and attack...

The demons could only explain their current state as unwelcome... uneasy, and on edge.

Because the world tree didn't have a true consciousness, at least at this moment, it didn't. The demons in the party began suffering instantly.

He reached out for the tree, curious about the feeling that Arinea mentioned before, and a zap of pain shot through his fingertips.

This was his first interaction with the sacred forest.

But it wasn't the end...

Asmodeus suffered the worst.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It might have been because he was the king of demons, and the spores and aura spread from the holy trees would inflame and itch his skin. The other three didn't have thick blood, so they just suffered discomfort and looming dread.

"Let's hurry up," Asmodeus grumbled.

The tingling sensation on his fingertip soon spread to his hand, which became numb and heavy.

"Yeah... this forest feels strange. Can we rush to the trial?" Erika complained while hugging Asmodeus close to her chest.

Leviathan didn't speak or complain audibly, but her right arm was full of small red marks where the small flowers with spines shot them out the moment they appeared.

"..." Ciela's body looked quite clean, with no inflammation or reaction to the sacred forest—though one might have expected that the issue was something their divinity and hero class might help with. But it seemed to be an element unrelated to holy or divine.

'Well, I can see the world tree from here...' Asmodeus thought to himself. Aristella's voice sounded louder the closer they got to the tree.

However, the tree itself was a marvel... the trunk alone was hundreds of metres wide.

"I don't even dare guess how long it would take us to reach its branches."

Paul's jaw dropped slightly at the sight of the giant white tree.

"We will definitely not make it there walking... or climbing!" Erunda commented.

To see the branches or leaves, the party needed to tilt their necks upward, looking higher. However, the tree vanished into the clouds—that's how big it was. The top was unseen and invisible.

"I doubt we have any way to climb something so tall." Simon agreed, scratching his head.

Asmodeus looked bitter, his lips trembling with irritation as he looked at his back.

The moment he tried to expand his wings, they failed, stopping him from flying. Then, the spores of the tress glued themselves to his wings, causing the feathers to melt into goo.

After searching around for a while, the party entered a clearing near the base of the trunk, hoping to find a sign showing the location of the trial's entrance.

The scent around the world tree became sweet, like a faintly roasted vanilla latte sometimes, and when you moved closer to the small fruits that grew from the bushes below, fruity alcohol.

"It's so beautiful..." Ciela gasped when turning back...

A lush white forest lay before them.

Because the world tree stood atop an elevated hill, the many trees and flora in the forest below were visible from above.

"Something seems odd about this place..."

Arinea's brow furrowed, her fingers reaching for the dirt. There were no bugs, no beetles or worms living under the ground.

It was all pristine. Too immaculate.

"Have you noticed there aren't any of those blood sucking flies?" Simon whispered to Paul, who looked different. His face was weathered, and his eyes dark, but now, close to the world tree, he looked vibrant and full of energy. There was something on his lips.

"Did you just eat one of those fruits, brother?" Simon's eyes looked at the bright orange fruit juice dripping from Paul's lips.

"Eh? You ate the fruit?" Arinea looked shocked, her ears standing up as she seemed shocked

"Don't worry! It wasn't poisoned..." Paul replied while chomping another bite down, chewing it lightly.

"What does it taste like?" Simon asked.

"Sugary sweet... and yet..."

There was also a metallic aftertaste of blood.

He could feel the heat inside him from the fruit flowing through his body towards his magical core.

"You shouldn't have eaten that... what if it's dangerous?!" Levia shouted.

However, Paul's instinct told him to eat the fruit.

A warm sensation filled his abdomen, and a sensation of his core swelling to the limit made him grit his teeth tightly together.

Soon, his core cracked... the moment he did, blood oozed from his lips as he stumbled back, caught by Paul's arm.

"Paul!"

"Don't move me!"

Ciela stepped back, her hand already grasping towards the potion.

But it was too late.

The man's face turned crimson before he threw up violently; a pool of red mixed with yellow formed under his feet.

However, when the others stepped forward as if to hurry to his aid, Asmodeus stopped them with his arm and gazed at Paul's body with narrowed eyes. "Wait!"

An odd aura emanated from the human.

Through his demon eyes, he could see the tiny orb had doubled the size and intensity of Paul's mana core. However, it was still growing, causing pressure on Paul's body.

"He doesn't need healing, but something to stop the pain... can you help cut off his sense of pain?" Asmodeus glanced at the party, his voice calm and without panic, allowing them to take a moment to recover.

'Paul... your dream, maybe it's coming true.'

Simon nodded and immediately used a small needle filled with a brown fluid, sticking it into Paul's nape and paralysing Paul, rendering him motionless.

Yet even then, through Paul's foggy consciousness, he could see the face of Asmodeus and the smirk on his lips. He wanted to ask the young lad if he was okay... but as the pain faded, so did his conscience.

The moment Asmodeus saw his eyes close, he ordered, " Put him down near the world tree."

"What happened?"

"I'm guessing it was magic burnout caused by the increase in mana capacity," Baku answered, scratching his forehead gently while looking at Paul with concern.

"Mana capacity?" Ciela's face showed confusion...

"Allow me to explain!" Arinea took over with a proud smile.

"This male ate one of the special fruits of the world tree, something that normally wouldn't be given to anyone. These fruits increase one's potential, and this includes their maximum mana."

"Isn't this a good thing? Then? Then why is Paul suffering?!" Levia asked this time. Though she had become a demon, Paul was the eternal big brother of their party.

"Well... unlike elves who have a flexible mana core that can shrink and grow... humans mature quickly, and by the time they hit puberty, their mana core solidifies and increasing the amount becomes difficult..."

Her explanation helped the others understand, and they could accept that... but what made Asmodeus curious was the number of fruits, which was the exact number of their party...

"Arinea, why is the number of fruits..."

"That's because it's our gift. Only those who are worthy can reach this far. The barrier of the world tree wouldn't have allowed your demons through unless you had the right," Arinea spoke in a soothing and calm voice, tossing the fruits to the party members one by one.

"Oh... it won't cause a negative reaction like the barrier forest... those sacred trees are the barrier itself. Fufu." Arinea seemed happy to teach them more about the elves and their culture.

Baku seemed the least shocked and just nodded, but Asmodeus looked at the tree and wondered to himself.

'Is this because Aristella spoke to me?'

[You really came to meet me~ ehehe, well... the entrance is closed, so let me help you! Eat my fruit first, or I won't let you inside!]

Aristella's gentle voice echoed in his mind as Asmodeus shook his head and bit into the fruit.

Suddenly, a juicy, sweet peach flavour filled his mouth. The soft flesh of the fruit was cool despite being in a warm forest. A scent of vanilla followed as he swallowed the fruit and its pulp without realising it.

'Delicious...'

[Ehehe~ I am happy your fruit was the best one!]

Asmodeus prepared himself for the same agony as Paul or Simon, who bit the fruit, with Ciela and Arinea standing beside him with the brown needle. A cool sensation flowed through his body, starting from his throat... like swallowing an extra strong mint.

Asmodeus closed his eyes, suddenly letting out a loud groan.

The sensation was so pleasant he couldn't resist.

He could feel his body reacting and devouring the special energy from the fruit, whose origin was unknown.

However, like Paul... his mana core began to swell.