The strength and power of demons are based on their level of evolution. That's why they are demarcated into ranks. Even their stats are demarcated into ranks too. The ranks for stats range from Fragmented, low, middle, high, pinnacle, extreme, and so on. These correspond to fledgling, low, mid, high, demon noble, demon lord, and so on.
He laughed a little when he saw his title. He had two titles which no legion has. The other clones of legion can't share in his title because that would mean he has to channel pure Chao energy through his soul into the soul artifact that bonds them. It is not a risk that Legion is willing to take.
His demon rank says he is a low-rank demon but he has a power rating above that of a normal mid-rank one. Some of his stats are well above what a low-rank demon should be capable of. His constitution, activity, chaotic power, and physical and magical defense have reached an extreme rank because of Chaos energy but only in terms of stats. Their rank is still low, so he hasn't reached the power rating of a demon lord.
Power rating is a concept introduced by the realm lord with the advent of the system for demons. Demons had always known that low-rank demons can't beat high-rank demons no matter how old they get, how much they eat, or many they kill.
Demons grow stronger as they kill and eat. Their stats increases from 1 to 99. It becomes difficult to get more stats the more they kill. An increase in stats also becomes irrelevant unless they evolve. Evolution increases their state of existence which amplifies their power.
The sin energy that is the cornerstone of their power increases in quality with each evolution which in turn makes them stronger. A demon fledgling has no amplification. A low rank has a state of existence of 2, mid-rank demons have 3, while a high-rank demon has 5. The power rating is acquired by multiplying the state by the state of existence.
The situation of his soul is a good example of the uniqueness of the power system of demons. The strength of his soul has fallen but the quality remains the same. He still has an eternal soul. While the strength of his spirit and his perception have been reduced, the resistance of his soul is still too notch.
He nodded and said. "First step, get stronger and reach Dakon's plane."
He created an objective then he began to prowl the ashy plain for prey. His stats reflected what he discovered about his body. Chaos energy has skewed his existence. His sin might be different but it still follows the normal method by which demons grow.
Demons grow stronger when they eat souls and flesh, but they evolve when their sin upgrades and they have enough energy. That's what the stats about Soul essence, biomass, and divinity are about. They are the three resources that demons need to evolve. He has unlimited sin energy which means that the only thing holding him back from growing his is sin.
He chanced upon numerous fledglings that were just born and ignored them. These newly born demons were already fighting each other to the death. The ashy plain is full of numerous brawls between small and skinny demons. The ones that win get to live another day and also become stronger when they absorb the souls of the defeated. They would break up their fights and run away whenever they sighted him.
They weren't proper prey for him. Most of their stats were in the fragmented rank and their power rating doesn't exceed 9. Plus they don't have any mark of sin for him to consume to make his own grow. He would gain nothing by fighting them. So he went deeper into the abyssal plane.
A plane in the abyss is a circular disk of reality. It is divided into rings meant for different ranks of demons. Demon fledglings are born at the edge while the demon Lord of the plane lives at the very center where the waypoint is.
The closer you get to the center of the plane, the higher the concentration of mana and sin energy. Demons can ignore their need for mana, but sin energy is too important to be ignored. The higher your sin rank is, the more concentration of sin energy is needed to sustain it. That means demons will like to live closer to the center of the plane, but the available space becomes smaller which creates conflicts and competition.
A hierarchy has been formed somewhat because of these dynamics. The closer you get to the center of the plane, the stronger demons you will meet. If you reach the waypoint and leave the plane, you will get access to the numerous other planes in the abyss.
In essence, the abyss is a pit with planes in the form of circular disks piled on top of one another. He needs to reach the waypoint if he intends to get to Dakon's stash.
Dakon is the demon Lord that tried to possess him in his past life as Gehaldirah. A demon Lord of Dakon's Caliber should have some things that will be useful to Aeternus' smooth ascension.
His plane might have been taken over by a new demon Lord but Aeternus knows where he kept a secret stash of his wealth. He needs strength to transverse the plane and reach the stash, he will also need strength to overcome the numerous traps and obstacles that Dakon must have left behind. There's no way a demon Lord will not booby-trap his stash.
He spent the next couple of full days walking past the domain of fledglings and low-rank demons before he finally reached the ring populated by mid-rank demons.
It was a boring journey that the precarious environment didn't encourage. The burning heat and the ashy plains would have made demons tire and stop to rest once in a while, but he is no normal demon.