A Reincarnated Demon’s Life of Wonder

Garami's PoV:

"...and then the idiot started to attack me all of a sudden! Can you believe that?! I did nothing wrong! Well, I did throw a ton of bombs before they could even introduce themselves~." - Garami

"Damn, so that's how you got the upper hand! Why didn't I do that myself when I was being hunted down unreasonably..." - Azi Dahaka

Why is this guy classified as a Calamity? He's a good guy!!

It's been quite a long time after Azi woke me up after I fainted from those..., horrifying news. Calm down, me. Even if I faint here, it won't change the facts that my face is...similar to..., but I can stop thinking about it! Yes, let's do that!!

And WAY more importantly, Azi here is SO not deserving his bad reputation!! He used to be a normal human you could find anywhere, but constant tragedies gradually pushed him to be known as the worst evil dragon on Terra Sol...

But if you ask me, that is a load of bullshit!!!! The first crime he was supposedly responsible for was the destruction of a dam, but the only thing he did was be at the scene of the crime… along with a few hundred other people. He was just picked out for no reason!! Maybe except for witnessing the Darkness Magic that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and destroyed the dam, which Azi himself had NOTHING to do with. 

Then there were the incidents where Darkness Magic was suddenly used to create problems anywhere and anytime Azi was doing something. And the people, almost as if they were brainwashed, started to blame Azi for it. And all those times, Azi got a corrupted-looking System Message that said his Karma Value was going down. As for why Azi described those messages as "corrupted"...it looked like someone lazily splattered black paint over the original message and wrote something else in blood-red ink on top of it...

And all those were placed at the bottom of Azi's list of tragedies he had experienced!! One of the worst according to him was having to kill his friends and family. Everyone had been forcefully turned into half-zombies while still alive. Darkness attribute-type zombie-species even...

And if you ask "did he deserve it", then the answer is "ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING?!". I tried to discover this dragon's true intentions with some random questions here and there, and all this guy wants is to live a peaceful life as an author before he was forced into training his magical abilities to counteract the random magic attacks aimed at him and his few loved ones that were still alive......

Okay, I so wanna smack that so-called goddess!! All the trouble she's given me is NOTHING compared to the unreasonableness that Azi had been forced to survive!! No one can blame him for getting [Wrath] at that point! If she tried to do the same with me, I would gladly take that skill myself and destroy the world in a fit of anger in the hope of taking her with me and everything else!!

Azi here didn't even do that!! All because he felt that others shouldn't experience the same suffering as he did if he ever went out of control due to the skill. Heck, according to him, a good portion of the reason he bought the [Wrath] skill was to prevent some random jerk from getting it instead! 

Ooh... I sooo wanna get revenge for this guy's sake. Is there some way to give that goddess one good punch in the face? Cooperating with a Disaster, maybe...

"Hey, what's wrong? You have a scary face there..." - Azi Dahaka

"No, nothing. Where was I?" - Garami

We haven't been talking about Azi's challenging life story. I've been in turn telling him mostly about anything that I've experienced in my life here on Terra Sol. I did keep some secrets, like the stuff about Filyn and that, but that comes with my position.

"Oh, you were...excuse me, I just noticed, but why did you appear here again?" - Azi Dahaka

See! He's such a polite big dragon of false evil! Who can hate him!? Heck, he cried tears of pure joy after he was convinced that I wasn't that fake goddess, meaning he had some social company that was not after his life OR happiness! 

Oh, right. Why I am here. That's......

"God damn! I was supposed to be rebuilding while evolving!!" - Garami

This guy's tear-jerking past made that part completely slip my mind!

"Evolving...then why are you here in my dreamscape?" - Azi Dahaka

"That is what I wanna know!" I replied to him as if we were doing a stand-up routine. 

I tried to see if I could get the "rebuild menu" or whatever it's called from my previous evolution+rebuild. I could. What's going on? Did a bug occur due to evolving in the middle of that Chaos Dungeon that had a connection to Azi or something?

"Huh..., then, do you want me to help? Give you some advice or something...?" - Azi Dahaka

"Eh? Ah, no, I can handle it myself." - Garami

"...you can...I see..." said the so-called Calamity and turned gloomier than a funeral. 

"...but, you are my senior in both life and stats...some advice wouldn't hurt..." - Garami

"Oh! That's right, that's right! It won't hurt at all! I promise that!" - Azi Dahaka

Geez, look how happy he is to help. Hope he's not the type to be easily tricked into working for nothing.

Having agreed to Azi's help, I started to take out the different skill lists, one for each category of skills. It makes it easier to look through. It hasn't changed since I last looked at it after defeating the Throne, except for the recently added Dragon Stomach-skill and that Whisper-skill. Though some skills have been color-coded for some reason. I can see green ones, red ones, and the Extra Skills and Champion skills have turned black! Wait, so did [Greater Darkness Element]...

"Y-you said you were a D-rank before? Damn, these "Champions" are impressive..." said Azi while looking at my skill list with a cold sweat.

"It's just a collection of riff-raff during my adventures." - Garami

"Guess everyone has it though...hey, I haven't seen this skill before. This [Gamemaster]-one. And these too." - Azi Dahaka

"Ah, those are the Champion skills I mentioned. [Gamemaster] even has its avatar that you can customize-" - Garami

"SERIOUSLY!!?" - Azi Dahaka

"...wanna give it a try?" - Garami

While letting (one head of) Azi have a blast with GM's customization menu (glad that one still works) and turned my attention to the color-coded skills and asked Dahaka-sensei for assistance.

"The green-colored skills are those that are recommended for your new species. You should see what you can do with them. The red skills are either required to be removed or those that your new race has better alternatives for, so sacrificing them or trading them with new ones are required. The black skills are those you either can't manipulate with or those that you shouldn't due to them being important for your race." - Azi

"As expected of Dahaka-sensei!" - Garami

"No, that wasn't anything special~," he said with a happy face. 

Then let's remove the bad skills...

• [Summon Kin Lv.1] = 5 Points
• [Toxic Hex Lv.22] = 2 Points
• [Accelerate Lv.22] = 2 Points
• [Blasphemy Lv.1] = 10 Points

"...? Hey, what are these "Points" about?" - Garami

"Oh, you don't get new skills from a C-rank evolution. Instead, an additional 50 Points are added to the initial value that is your Skill Points from when you started evolving," replied Azi, all three of his head had started to focus on GM's design while I was looking away.

No new skills...no, I can buy them with this rebuild. Too bad those 50 points aren't doubled with the Champion-cheat. 

I had 21 Points...they rounded it down, didn't they? Anyway, I got exactly 90 points to work with..., working from the green-lighted recommendations wouldn't be a bad start...

---

After a long hour of thinking, plus some advice from the nicest evil dragon in history, who made an awesome design for GM I may note, I decided to upgrade these skills:

• [Dark Drain Lv.41] => [Darkness Eater Lv.1]. 5 points
• [Bind Lv.45] + [Dark Chain Lv.42] => [Black Fetters Lv.1] 5 points
• [Create Trap Lv.Max] + [Disarm Trap Lv.30] => [Trap Artisan Lv.1]. 5 points
• [Swift Legs Lv.37] + [Lightwalk Lv.Max] + [Running Lv.44] => [Assassin's Stride Lv.1]. 7 points
• [Poison Coating Lv.Max] => [Venom Addition Lv.1]. 4 points.
• [Lockpicking Lv.Max] => [Skeleton Key Lv.1]. 3 points
• [Intuition Lv.Max] + [Mind's Eye Lv.Max] => [Paranormal Intuition Lv.1]. 8 points.
• [Light Element Lv.49] => [Greater Light Element Lv.1]. 7 points.
• [Demonic Alteration (Humanoid) Lv.46] => [Demonic Self-Modification Lv.1] 6 points.
• [Golden Ratio Lv.Max] => [Charming Devil Lv.1] 6 points.

In addition, I obtained [Physical Ailment Resistance] and [Mental Ailment Resistance] for 8 and 9 points respectively. Both would normally require 4 Resistance Skills related to their respective type of status ailment, but the rebuild allowed me to still get them despite only having 3 of each. The skills that only resist the ailments will be merged into the new skill, while those also guarding against the attributes themselves would stay as they are. Guess they're on heavy discount due to them being so heavily related to my next race...?

Despite all these good deals, such as being able to ignore a few missing levels by spending more points than normal, there was one little problem...

"[Charming Devil] will integrate [Sweet Demon's Whispers] and [Devil's Smile]. If you want to instead sacrifice these skills for more Skill Points, press yes, it says...but where is that button!?" I shouted at the new and confusing message that suddenly appeared.

"Maybe you need some of those skills? Like a certain number of them?" replied Azi-sensei, making me remember that one of Kur-Udug Therion's evolution requirements was at least 5 demon-type skills. And here I'm taking 1 new one that will make 2 of them go "poof"!

With that in mind, I started to select new skills before choosing to evolve those that I already had. All the evolutions would reduce my 90 Skill Points to 17, meaning the skills I wanna buy must be below that, so...

• [Annihilating Evil Eye Lv.1] - 7 points.
• [Demon's Bounty Lv.1] - 4 points.
• [Devil's Claw Lv.1] - 4 points.

I added these three skills, allowing me to convert Whispers and Smile now for 4 more points, and giving me a total of 6 points left to work with.

"Hey, you don't have any Shell-type skills. Why is that?" - Azi Dahaka

"Shell? I'm no clam, you know?" - Garami

"Not that type of shell! Wait, are they not popular anymore? A Shell-type skill creates a barrier that sacrifices itself to block one attack, then deal a secondary effect on the attacker or yourself depending on which attribute the skill belongs to. Sure, the effect does not last so long so you have to time when the skill shall be used, and you can only use them a limited number of times in one day, but still!" - Azi Dahaka

If that's true, it is strange for such useful skills to be forgotten. A little search...and I found three Shell-type skills. One each for Darkness, Light, and Poison. They match my Technique Master titles, huh...

After giving it half a minute of thought, I decided to take [Light Shell]. It explodes into a blinding light after being broken, which will give me a new source for inflicting Blind on people. The Poison-type only releases a poisoned fume and the Darkness-one only reduces their stats a little. Taking advantage of the enemy suddenly being blinded after an attack and then countering them feels like a better idea for a defensive move.

It took the rest of the Skill Points I had left, meaning that I can't increase the levels of the skills, but this new collection of mine is way worth it. 

"...you gonna leave now?" - Azi Dahaka

Don't look at me with those puppy-dog eyes! Personality and backstory or not, you're still supposed to be an evil dragon of a Calamity!

"I'll try to visit again, so don't make that face." - Garami

He makes a good conversation partner. One of the best I've talked to in my second life. Maybe because we have so much in common? Former humans, being eyed on by a nasty goddess, etc...

"I-if that is fine with you...the Sea is dangerous, so do be careful..." - Azi Dahaka

That is why I say, keep an eye on your reputation!! Wait, the Sea? Oh...that's right...I have to visit the Demonic Sea if I ever wanna see this guy...and there's no guarantee that I can speak with him again as well...

"Maybe I should just break the seal-" - Garami

"Absolutely..., NOT!" - Azi Dahaka

"Wha-! That surprised me..." - Garami

"S-sorry about the sudden outburst, but are you mad!? If some bad people get to hear that there was a Calamity sealed in the Demonic Sea, they may figure out that other Calamities are sealed in the other Seas and try to utilize their powers for their own goals. That may end up in tragedies if one of the worse Calamities gets unsealed. As if the existence of the Demonic Seas is not bad enough already..." - Azi Dahaka

Meaning you would rather stay here than endanger people to the other Calamities or the Demonic Seas...

"...then how about staying in my Dungeon?" - Garami

"Huh?" - Azi Dahaka

"My Dungeon. Damavand. It's got more space and entertainment than this place, and it is 18 floors deep and consists of several Territories. Not to mention that the name is taken from a mountain from my homeworld and is supposed to house an evil dragon in its depths." - Garami

Well, it was my world's version of the Azi Dahaka, and it was confined. Not that I want that to happen.

"And besides, if someone found Azi Dahaka in a recently added Dungeon, people will believe that he has been put there by the gods, the same ones that sealed Azi Dahaka in the first place, meaning that people won't think that mortals can affect the other sealed Calamities." - Garami

"-!! That ingenious! As expected of someone who crushed that pesky throne who has irritated me like the mosquito it was!" - Azi Dahaka

That analogy may not be too far from the truth.

"Then, we have a deal?" I asked him as I reached out my hand to him.

Azi stared with blank eyes for a while, before tears started to flow like a dam had been broken and he-ugh!? He-...he hugged me with his huge body...pal, too much...this is too much...

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! My friend, Garami!" - Azi Dahaka

"Y-y-yeah...you can let go now..." - Garami

Azi put me down slowly after noticing he was crushing me with his enthusiasm. 

"Hehehe...I can see it! Brave adventurers finally reach the bottom of a danger-filled dungeon, only to find me greeting them, right in front of a pile of valuable treasures...that sounds so cool!!" - Azi Dahaka

"Someone's enthusiastic." - Garami

"I lived as a Calamity for many years before being sealed here. I've adapted to the identity in the end." - Azi Dahaka

Guess humans, even former ones, really are experts in adaptation.

"Then..., see you later, I guess?" I asked him while preparing to complete the rebuild, which by theory should send me out of Azi's "dreamscape" or whatever it's called.

"*Sniff*, see you later!" replied Azi while blowing his noses with several handkerchiefs he had taken out from somewhere...

Yeah, it's not like we are never gonna meet again. I won't let that happen.

And with that, I pushed the "okay"-button on the system window, and my vision turned dark again...

I definitely won't let that guy be alone. No way. It's too gruesome of a fate for such a nice guy...

---

Azi Dahaka's PoV:

I saw Garami's figure disappear right after she closed the system window and I was left behind in my dreamscape yet again...somehow, it looks emptier now than before...

No, I shouldn't be sad. Rather, joy is what should be dominating my heart now! 

If Garami's stories are true, then it means that Alvatria, while still being a thorn in everyone's side, has grown out from directly interfering with the world! All my sufferings must have been worth something if they at least contributed to that gruesome goddess' growth of personality! 

And that sweet Garami said she wanted to release me...*sniff*, I fear I may run out of handkerchiefs, even if they are a product of my fantasy.

I should try, no, have to do something in return! But me being stuck here with no way out is the main reason for this whole situation!

Maybe I should start to train again? Getting off some old rust so I am prepared to assist her the moment she releases the seal? Trying to develop some new spells may not be a bad idea. If not, it would make my second and last remaining Extra Skill, [Solomon - King of Magic] cry out in despair...

Wait, did she not mention that her dagger..."Carnwennan", was it? Yes, she said something about it being "Deathcalibur-fied lately", so she was wondering about changing her weapon...Deathcalibur...where have I...ah! From Invidia! Well, not exactly that, but it all hints to that sword being that. 

But how am I supposed to give her a hint...maybe...

Oh! It worked! Hope she understands the meaning behind that name. Well, even if it takes some time for her to understand that, it's a cool and fitting name for someone like her~.

Now, onward to Dahaka's training arc! ...I miss those picture books the Migrants used to make in my time...

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Kigal-Note/Demons: Kur-Udug Therion