It works! Well, kind of, it only creates a ten by ten area. So I am still being somewhat suppressed by something other than the manacles. Even a small soulscape is better than none.

"Seronia? Krenocia? I invite you to my soulscape!"

I wait for a few minutes, and then a few hours, yet nothing happens. I guess whatever is suppressing me is blocking them from hearing me or entering. Still I am happy to be able to create a soulscape again, it will help me endure this situation.

'End Soulscape!'

Lady Xinun will probably want to talk to me or just torture me for what I did. Until then I am just going to keep exercising and building my strength. I need to be able to move with these manacles on before Xinun decides I am not worth the trouble.

I have only been exercising for a few minutes when the cell door opens and the demon walks in. He has a second whip now that is coated in lightning, and he is wearing my helmet! Now that my mind is no longer being suppressed I can tell that he is only a rank four demon.

When he starts whipping me I pretend it hurts more than it does and I flinch every time he hits me. After being whipped for a few minutes I throw myself to the floor and crawl towards him pretending to grovel. He keeps whipping my back as I crawl but he lets me get close enough to grab his ankle.

'Create Soulscape!'

The soulscape I create is an exact copy of my cell, the only difference is I am no longer wearing manacles. The demon just keeps whipping me, I don't think he even noticed the change. He definitely notices when I suddenly stand up completely ignoring the whips.

The look of panic on his face makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. As I grab him and rip off the arm holding the fire whip his scream of pain makes me truly happy. He turns and starts pounding on the cell door and yelling for the guards as I watch and eat his arm.

Core Upgrade Progress: 30%

After I finish his arm I pick up the fire whip and lay into the demon with it. Watching him writhe and scream in pain keeps me entertained for a few minutes, payback is so fun! But I quickly remember that I am wasting time I may not have much of so I quickly kill the demon and eat him.

Core Upgrade Progress: 55%

'End Soulscape!'

When I open my eyes I am lying on the floor of my cell and so is the dead demon. First I grab my helmet and put it in my pouch then I cut the demon open and absorb its core. Then I start eating the body starting with the heart.

Core Upgrade Progress: 85%

Devour Activated! Str +20 End +10 HP +100!

'My core isn't quite back to where it was but I won't complain. No demonic power notifications so that means they are gained only once and can't be lost, good to know. That strength boost from devour is really handy though!'

Since it has been a while since I have had a proper meal I continue eating the demon even after devour triggers. I am eating him as four human guards rush in wielding clubs and beat me down until I am unconscious. When I wake back up I am in the great hall hanging next to Lady Xinun's throne.

The chain between the manacles on my wrists is what I am hanging from, and from how much my shoulders and arms hurt, I have been here a while. Lady Xinun is sitting on her throne holding the fire whip, she seems to be deep in thought. Every so often she will idley hit me with the whip, from the amount of wounds on my side it looks like I have been here for an hour or more.

I make sure to hang limply and not make a sound when she whips me. The last thing I want to do is draw her out of her thoughts and have her full attention on torturing me. I definitely don't want to be dragged into her soulscape again.

Discreetly looking around I can see no one else is in the great hall, no guards at all. Even the normal servants are not here, it is just me and Lady Xinun. For some reason being completely alone with her just makes me more nervous.

Lady Xinun says "Ah, awake at last! Do you know how much trouble you have caused me?"

"Hopefully enough to cause you to fall!"

Lady Xinun says "Not even close, at most you have caused me to alter some plans. But don't worry, I will make you pay for it in full."

"Oh, only a minor inconvenience? Then I guess I will have to try harder!"

Lady Xinun says "Your will is impressive, I will give you that. You might even be able to become a demon lord if given half a chance."

"If it means defeating you and all the others then I will become the demon king if I have to!"

Lady Xinun says "You will die long before you get the chance to destroy me! In fact you will be lucky to live through the meeting."

"Meeting? What meeting?"

Lady Xinun says "Thanks to your stunt with the envoy I am forced to have a meeting with my allies."

"Oh, so sorry to inconvenience you!"

Lady Xinun says "If I wasn't already planning to kill you, that smart mouth of yours would ensure you a long and painful death."

"Well, if I'm going to die either way then I may as well keep being a smart mouth and annoy your allies."

Lady Xinun says "That would just make your death even more painful. The other demon lords won't have my patience."

"If my death can disrupt your plans or weaken your alliance then it will be worth it."

Lady Xinun says "Oh? Do you feel some loyalty to the humans of the area beyond the land bridge? How interesting!"

"So what if I do?"

Lady Xinun says "It is just interesting, a quasi-demon who cares about mortals."

"For some reason your interest seems to only be directed at me. Could it be that you have fallen for me?"

Lady Xinun says "Enough of this foolishness! The other lords will be arriving shortly. If you want to live through this meeting I suggest you keep your mouth shut!"