I am a complete and utter fool. Or more accurately was a complete and utter fool. To understand why I am a fool you must listen to my life story. It all began three days ago.

I am an imp. Yes an imp, I know you are surprised to hear one of us being actually somewhat skilled in speech. No I am not a aberrant, just a normal imp. The first thing to spawn anywhere there is demonic energy, the first signs of a demonic invasion in the mortal realms and a pest in the Hells. But I was lucky to be born in the shores of the Khyn Sea, one of the Seas of Origin. If you don't know, a Sea of Origin is a giant repository of one of the expressions of demonic energy. There are many and many more are made and destroyed every day.

However the Khyn Sea is one of the most ancient and powerful ones, the Sea of Life. As its name means in the old tongue it looks like a sea of blood. It represents the part of demonic energy that grants life. In ancient times it was used by the Lords to foster their armies and create new demons. However it's prosperity brought disaster unto it. The Heavens saw the threat it represented and, in a very costly effort, created an eternal lightning storm over it. Why does this matter? you may ask. Because the lightning is holy and continuously strikes anything above a certain threshold of demonic power. The Sea answers with a flood of demonic power but that matters little if the individual is dead. For the record the Sea is constantly struck by the lightning.

Because of the Heavenly Calamity, as it's called, the sea was abandoned. Only the weakest of demons inhabit it, and those are imps. Due to the lack of any natural predators or slavers imps thrive in it. Until the Sea throws them away before they call lightning due to increased power or they are eaten by other imps, since there is nothing besides imps and a few beasts here. And imps are far easier prey than those beasts. Imps only reach about level 10 before evolving, the weakest beast here is the Jawed Worm at level 27 (in comparison to imps, their level also starts at 1 for them) after birth. There are a few insects and trees but the insects taste terrible and imps are carnivorous. And despite all of this it should still one of the better places for imps to live.

Those of you knowledgeable about imps must be marvelling at me. How does this imp know so much? How is his mind so clear? How is he not an ignorant fool like the rest of his pathetic species? Simple, I am the luckiest imp in history. One day after my birth, after I had just broken the shell of my cocoon, I was looking for food in the shores when I found a shiny gem in the middle of a crater. And like the fool I was I ate it, because imps. It was the best thing I'll probably do in my life.

It was a fragment of the Fsad Srvr, the Evil Prince of Depravity, who was split into fragments two centuries ago. This was a small fragment but it increased my intelligence from 3 to 17, and my luck increased by a whole 1000. Yes the most fickle and useless, but horrid to actually lack, stat increased by 1000 from my imp standard 1. That is how lucky my finding of the fragment was.

However its weakness meant that I only got those stats and his knowledge of the world. So I know about how the Hells and mortal realms are structured, how levelling works and things like that. It is still the most valuable thing for an imp, knowledge and intelligence. The best thing was that I learned the basics of magic, survival lore, evolution and mutation and non level stat gains. So I with a whole 17 intelligence (standard for non impaired goblins is 25, for humans it's 500) understood the best way to increase my power. Imps grow with demonic power, and so if I absorb much of it I would become so strong that I would be able to rule over the Khyn Sea (never mind the Heavenly Calamity would have killed me). And the moment when there is the most demonic energy is when the lightning strikes.

With my newfound intelligence I devised an honestly impressive, for my intelligence, plan, go me I suppose. I would create a circle that would gather demonic energy in one of the caves in the cliffs on the shores. That would attract the lightning that would fall harmlessly on the cliff and I would absorb the energy from the Sea's response safely.

This is why I am a fool. Why, oh why, did I think the Heavens didn't account for such a simple trick?Because I only had 17 intelligence, that's why. Heavenly Calamity Lightning goes through stone, even if diminished, and once it detects demonic power it will keep striking until it's destroyed.

It was by simple weakness and lack of skill that I survived, my magic circle was horrible and the energy it gathered weak. Much less than I expected. That saved my life since the lightning it attracted was suitably weak and by the time it went through the cliff it was so weak it only took 30 HP, I had 50 by the way. The surge of demonic energy healed and I got my precious stat gains. I then thought that it was fine, wasn't it? I simply had to resist some lightning and I would get my power. Problem? Since I took the lighting the demonic energy gathered wasn't purified, which made the next lightning bolt stronger. That one took 55 HP, thankfully the last one had given me an additional 20 HP so I didn't die like the fool I was.

Did I learn and undo the circle? No, because I wasn't such a fool I didn't learn, after all the stronger lightning was because I was stronger right? How quickly I forgot imps are simply so weak they don't activate the Calamity. So the next lightning bolt was so strong it made me faint from the pain.

So now I find myself in the middle of a destroyed cliff, surrounded by melted rock. All I can see is devastation and fire. At least I am more intelligent so I got my stat gains. Now I just need to run far enough that the beasts and imp should that are called by the commotion didn't kill me. I hope by my very life that this was worth it.

***

It was so fucking worth it. I am the luckiest imp ever, and that is probably not hyperbole. Now that I think about it my luck probably had something to do with my survival. Seeing is believing so let me show a comparison of my before and after status (which by the way I only learned to call after eating the Fsar Srvr, best choice ever dumb me!).

Nameless imp.

Race: Imp(Demonic).

Level 1.

Class: None.

HP: 50 MP: 85

Strength: 10 (Goblin average 30)(Human average 200)

Speed: 5 (Come on! This one is important! Goblin average 60. The fuck?)(Human average 80.)

Dexterity: 1 (Seriously? Goblin average 7)(Human average 300)

Vitality: 20 (Finally! Goblin average 20)(Human average 250)

Intelligence: 17 (Ugh 3 base. Goblin average 25)(Human average 600!)

Magic Power: 1 (I can't even... Goblin average 1. Hah!)(Human average 400. Fuck!)

Magic Defence: 5 (Suck it goblins! Goblin average 1. Smugness intensifies.)(Human average 300. Why am I comparing imps to humans again? Oh right, they are the most numerous mortals.)

Luck 1001 (Goblin average 5)(Human average 10 😏)

Resistances:

+30% demonic resistance. Sob. So proud of my species.

+10% dark resistance. Sigh.

-20% lightning resistance. How the fuck did I survive?

-100% holy resistance. 😳. Seriously how the fuck?

-100% light resistance. I thank everything for the lack of light in the Calamity.

-50% mental resistance. I can't even...

My former weakness aside, no don't remind me of it please, let me show you the result of my efforts(luck).

Nameless unknown unstable mutated imp.

Race: Unknown unstable mutated imp.

Level 1.

Title: Training from Hell. (I have a title.)

Class: None.

2nd Class: None. (Oh boy, oh boy.)

Hp: 1000 MP: 2000!

Strength: 40 (Not everything is going to be this unimpressive I swear!)

Speed: 60 (I told you)

Dexterity: 30 (Take that goblins!)

Vitality: 280 (Who is laughing now humans?)

Intelligence: 400 (..............................................................................................................................)

Magic Attack: 320 (huh?)

Magic Defense: 700 (By all that is good and holy and all that is evil and demonic and all that is neutral and limbotic and all that is dead and underwoldy and all that is... I have no more words. Please never wake me up from this dream.)

Luck: 1501 (And even this miraculous, or unholy?, event gives me half of what eating the fragment did!)

Resistances:

+80% demonic resistance. Faint.

+60% dark resistance. Faint intensifies.

+10% death resistance. Where did you come from?

+20% life resistance. I thought only undead were harmed by life magic?

+30% fire resistance. Hell yeah!

+60% burn resistance. Ouch.

+50% lightning resistance. Yeaaaaaaaaaaah boyyyyyyyyyyyy!

+5% arcane magic resistance. Arcane? The magic of raw magic?

+100% blood magic resistance. Of course the sea of blood gives blood resistance.

-50% light resistance. At least it has decreased?

-30% mental resistance. I need to patch this so hard.

Innate Magic: (I actually have some of these? Not even humans have it! Admittedly they have a much greater magic damage and massive hidden magic affinity but still.)

Magic Lightning Touch: allows for the user to create limited quantities of Magic Lightning at will. Deals minor fire, major lightning, minor arcane damage. Deals MA*0.5 damage/s of contact. No cost. No cooldown. Can evolve.

System Help: When there are many damage types the damage type dealt defaults at lowest resistance unless weakness to more than one element weakness is present in which case it deals damage of both types. (Major damage deals 100% additional damage of a weakness, minor 50%. As such if enemy has -100% lightning and fire resistance it will deal a 100% lightning +50% fire additional damage for a 150% total additional damage)

Dark Touch: Allows the user to create limited quantities of dark and demonic energy at will. Deals major dark damage. Deals MA*0.5 damage/s of contact. No cost. No cooldown. Can evolve.

Notable things. I have a title, I am no longer demonic, I don't have a holy weakness, and I have two class slots. In order this is significant because:

An imp doesn't tend to have titles.

I am in the Hells, how can I be not demonic?!

Imp.

Second class slots have to be earned.

I guess that the lack of demonic and holy is because my body has bathed on both and mutated because of it. And since demonic and holy are anathema they nullified each other. Good riddance, those make more enemies than friends. And the Hells accept those that aren't demonic, even if they are distrusted but my story would erase that.

I have to look at the title though.

Title gained. Training from Hell.

Perform training that risks your life and increase stats by at least a factor of 20.

Gives *1.5 stats per level. Grants 2nd class slot.

That explains it. Indeed it was worth it, my luck does pull it's worth. But I have a doubt, why did the fragment give me twice the luck if it's effects were weaker than the training? I also need to get rid of that unstable, since that doesn't seem to be good. I wonder if- Motherfucker! Why am I burning?

The handy notification tells me why.

The Shard of Fsar Srvr within you has stirred. It's power has been consumed to repair your unstable existence. 80% of power consumed.

Functions lost: +100 to all stats. Mental Compulsion. Skill Vampire Transformation.

Functions remaining: Skill Appraisal. Skill Blood Infusion.

Mental Compulsion: The mind of Fsar Srvr lives within you. You are compelled towards evil. You are compelled to find other Shards and consume them.

Vampire Transformation: Transform a target of your choice of 3 levels bellow yours into a lesser vampire.

Appraisal: See the status of the target. 50 MP.

Blood infusion: Transform magic into lifeblood. Negates bleed damage. Heals MA*0.8 damage. Serves the same effect as blood for vampires. 10 MP.

I once again thank everything. I do not want Mental Compulsion, whatever I do I'll be the one to choose it. The stats are a shame though, as is Vampire Transformation. This does pose a problem, however. Life as a low level demon in the Hells is already hard enough, but if I have overpowered demons gunning for my Shard? I need to escape from Hell, and soon.

First I need to evolve, get to level 15 and then I can leave to the nearest city. Evolving is important since classes are gained at level 15, yes, 5 levels more than the imp maximum. And in order to leave without offering my freedom in exchange I need enough power to break through the blockade made by the Calamity.

While I was planning my escape a notification appeared.

Species established. No matching species has existed before. You have gained title First One.

First One: You are the first of your species. +5 stat points per level. One free choice of species or class skill per species and class every 5 levels. +1 skill point per level.

Name your species.

I looked at my body. I was a grey imp, such a great change. Whatever, since this was brought by burning I shall call myself an Ash Imp.

Name acknowledged. Choose three characteristic for your race:

1. 50% mental resistance.

2. 50% light resistance.

3. +50 to any stat.

4. Any innate magic type affinity of your choice.

5. Boost level limit by 5.

6. Boost demonic power by 1000%.

It's both good and bad. It gives me a chance to patch my weaknesses so I will choose 1 and 2. However the last two are traps, 5 because it would allow me to select a class which would be weaker than if I was of a higher species. I'd delay my evolution for a poor choice, which with my low species priority was sure to happen. 6 because of the Heavenly Calamity, and that is enough. My choice then is between 3 and 4, but while 50 to any stat is very good an innate magic type affinity is more useful in the long term so I selected that. I promptly fainted.

Some time later I woke up and looked at my new status.

Nameless Ash Imp.

Species: Ash Imp.

Level 1

Title: Training from Hell, First One.

Class: None.

2nd Class: None.

HP: 1000 MP: 2000

Strength 50

Speed: 70

Dexterity: 50

Vitality: 300

Intelligence: 400

Magic Attack: 350

Magic Defense: 700

Luck: 1500

Resistances +90% demonic resistance

+80% dark resistance

+10% death resistance.

+20% life resistance.

+30% fire resistance.

+100% burn resistance.

+60% lightning resistance.

+105% arcane resistance.

+100% blood magic resistance.

+20% mental resistance.

Innate Magic:

Magic Lightning Touch.

Dark Touch.

I feel much more confidence in my plan now.