Demonic Devourer's Development

I could hear Goddess of Wizards's thoughts, ranging between "yuck!" and "what is that?". I didn't wait for her to free herself from the web and seized the moment by rushing outside. At the same time, I gave Pest the command to enhance me with spells, as I had instructed him before.

The spells in questions ranged from the stat buffs that would sum nicely with the increases I got from my abilities to more utilitarian spells, like the dark cloud that would hide me from the enemy. But they would take a while to prepare, and I hoped to not make that fight lost this long.

Time wasn't on my side here. After all, my opponent also used spells as their primary attacks. And contrary to Pest, she didn't need to spend minutes on casting each and every one. I remembered our last fight like it was yesterday. With the help of her magic book, she cast spells in instants. Taking it from her would make the divine bitch, if not helpless, then much weaker.

It was the same with other deities. Those who used magic all had a unique way to do so. It wasn't something I realised back then, since I didn't know as much about magic as I did now. After learning from Pest and Willorio's books, I knew spellcasting is a process too complex to it instantaneously.

Adventurers—and angels—bypassed that by using only spells that divine bastards gave them in a form of abilities. The drawback was that they couldn't modify it and needed gestures to aim.

Goddess of Wizards used her book. Somehow. Did she just… stored her spells in it, like adventures did in their character sheets?

Goddess of Druids cast spells slowly, but used ones that lasted long. Transformations, plant grows, lightning storms…

So did Goddess of Clerics. Both would then proceed fighting in melee with their enhancements.

Goddess of Sorcerers didn't bother with any accuracy or elegance when it came to spellcasting and just blasted away. Saved her time.

Goddess of Warlocks just let others cast her spells.

From them all, Goddess of Wizards was the most adept in spellcasting, with her book and all. It was daunting, but I knew no fear.

When I got out of my burrow, my body was already that of melting-hot lava. I was in my full fighting form, covered in orichalcum carapace, with all thirty claws (on legs, too) lengthened and a mouth ready to bite.

Goddess of Wizards was hanging mid-air by thick sheets of web, only visible to me with blind sight. A perfect opportunity to strike.

Before I could take it, Goddess of Wizards glared at me and a wave of heat that blasted from her incinerated the webs around her and in ten meters radius together with any bushes in the vicinity, leaving only ashes. Some of that heat reached me, and I knew that if there would've been any trees, they'd burn too.

The woman herself softly landed on the ground and shook off a flake of ash.

Seeing as she wasn't defenceless now, I paused. Pest was still casting his spells on me, so now it made sense to bide time instead. Might as well say hello. And if I provoked the divine bitch into doing stupid things out of anger, better for me.

She wasn't in a hurry herself—but not because she was biding time, but because she thought I was as weak as a gnat, one she'd be able to kill with a single 'Death Clutch' spell. I had to say, it WAS an impressive spell—destroying a creature's heart killed them all.

There was another thing, though. She could sense magic, and through her, I could, too. And since I was in her head, I could tell what was what. I, as it turned out, was glowing with it all. I suspected that some of it was Pest's work, but Goddess of Wizards concluded it must be my magical abilities. Magic was everywhere. Even my web was magical—the divine bitch could feel its aura and knew that it gave it some of its strength and invisibility.

I didn't focus long on this all—that perspective was too overwhelming for a combat situation. But I noted that Goddess of Wizards didn't notice Pest yet and it didn't seem that she would at least until he was done.

Inwardly, I shifted my anatomy, adding myself a second heart as a spare. Then I gave the bitch a wide, toothy grin.

"Didn't expect to see you without your friends. How do you like my new palace? Plan on destroying that one, too?"

Goddess of Wizards snorted dismissively, but I sensed that my jab at the way the Twelve Bastards ganged up on me before, struck a chord with her. "It fits a demon like you much more, Devourer. A burrow is just where a disgusting worm like you should hide."

"High and mighty goddess, calling me a worm—have you looked in the mirror lately? You have a chin like a horse yourself." I sneered at her. "I wish I knew what I did to offend you so I could do it again, but on purpose."

Goddess of Wizards went very still for a brief moment. Her face was perfectly fine—in fact, it was a perfect example of what a divine beauty should look like. Perfectly symmetrical features, skin smooth like silk and pink like peaches. Lips like rose petals and teeth like pearls… But her boobs were only like apples.

And she perfectly well knew all that and STILL grew offended when I told her that there was something wrong with her chin. Women!

"I don't have to spend my time on talking with you. Devourer, you are an anomaly. Something that shouldn't exist. You are breaking this world, and will only keep doing so. Don't blame us, gods, for destroying you. Blame the chaos that gave birth to a creature like you."

Then she put a hand on her magic tome and my heart exploded.