After living amidst the wreckage of debris, and surviving in fear of monsters for weeks, do you have any idea how relaxing a normal urban morning in a three-star hotel could be?
'You honestly have no idea...' Damon thought as he looked at the calm skyline of Shanghai, gleaming in the morning light.
Drinking his coffee, Damon completely relaxed, watching the city bustle with living people, not the dead. Citizens greeted each other cheerfully, exchanging smiles instead of cries and mourning.
Bo City and Shanghai were only a few miles apart, yet the difference was as stark as heaven and hell.
Shaking his head, Damon tried his best not to dwell on his past in Bo City. Setting his mug down, he sat calmly on the bed, contemplating his next steps.
'Now what?'
Recalling fragments from the novel, he pieced together the events. Mo Fan's demonization would be the next major occurrence after the Bo City Calamity.
'Before that, what events were there? Inter-college tournament of some sort? Terrorizing Pearl University, Black Vatican's revenge attack, joining the Hunter's Association in Shanghai, admission to Pearl University, and… ah, that strange fire or elemental whatever it is.'
Tracing the rough outline of future events backward, Damon thought to himself. Many things would unfold in the next few years, but the most immediate plot involved what he called his "modern-day Xiao Yan" acquiring the strange fire.
'The next plot is about the fuchsia flame spirit.'
If Damon remembered correctly, it was about to happen in two months, in a town near Shanghai, where Tang Yue would invite Mo Fan to fight a wanted criminal. Mo Fan would then get his hands on the ferocious Fuchsia—or Rose—Flame Spirit.
{A/N: I am unable to get a proper official translation for the flame spirit. The novel has "rose flame," the Manhua has "ground spirit," and the anime has "Fuchsia spirit." For convenience, let's go with rose flame.}
"..Should I take it or not?" Damon wondered before nodding his head. "I should take it."
It would be disadvantageous for Mo Fan, but for Damon, it would be a boon. As a fire-element mage, the boost from the Rose Flame Spirit was necessary to increase his combat power.
Sure, there were better flame spirits he could find later, but honestly, knowing a powerful flame spirit existed, which he could gain in a few months for free, why should he give it up?
Mo Fan had his life, and Damon had his. For Mo Fan's sake, Damon should not hold himself back just because destiny had reserved it for someone else.
Rising from the bed, Damon stretched and looked around. His newly purchased items were neatly arranged in the suitcase, while the table was stacked with all kinds of books.
He examined the books one by one, especially the tower he had arranged before going to sleep:
"Introduction To Magic Theory"
"Introduction To Magic Theory II"
"Advanced Magic Theory"
"Magic Foundation"
"Practical-Oriented Magic Theory"
These five standard books of magic theory, one of the most important subjects for a magician, formed the entire foundation of magical society. Internationally acclaimed, they were used by universities and professors worldwide.
The five books alone could make someone among the best if read thoroughly. Seeing them before him, Damon let out a grin and placed his left hand forward.
Book-Eating Mage, the novel that inspired gluttony, wasn't for nothing. The main character, once familiar with the books and their concepts, could assimilate the knowledge fully with the help of grimoires.
Beelzebub, however, worked differently. It didn't have ego, restrictions, or a hunger for originals. It simply allowed Damon to assimilate knowledge directly from books.
Picking up the first book, Damon activated Devour. As the swirling blackness settled, waves of knowledge poured into his brain.
[Introduction To Magic Theory]
[Assimilation: 40%]
The screen of Beelzebub displayed his progress as Damon sat dumbfounded on the bed.
The book, though basic, was foundational for every mage. Even the best in the field often could not fully grasp the content of these kinds of books. Now, the theories, workings of magic, and spell foundations that had previously eluded him were firmly imprinted in his mind.
"God, this is amazing," Damon muttered, eyes glowing with hunger. The assimilation showed only 40%, but he knew this was different from Theodore's gluttony.
In the original novel, for complete assimilation via gluttony, Theodore first had to read the book before devouring it. Due to the nature of gluttony and its ego, he could not directly reach full proficiency by devouring once.
But this wasn't gluttony. This was Beelzebub. There were no limits. Knowledge could be devoured repeatedly. Licking his lips, Damon picked up the same copy again, repeating the process.
[Assimilation: 90%]
He repeated it once more, reaching 99% maximum proficiency before giving up. Turning to the next book, he devoured the second volume twice until his brain reached saturation. Further assimilation without rest could have caused unconsciousness.
Only then did he stop. Closing his eyes, his mind was exhausted from the flood of knowledge, his head pained, but the smile on his face never faltered for a single second.
It took Damon an hour of complete rest before he finally left the bed. Stepping out of his hotel room, he traveled through the city of Shanghai, enjoying the sights he had only heard of, eating at various spots, shopping, and soaking in the experience of his stay.
In the evening, before returning to the hotel, he visited a realtor to inquire about purchasing a place to stay. After providing his budget and necessary information, he left the office and made one final stop in the streets dedicated to magic, searching for items with high magical energy.
Artifacts and the like were far beyond Damon's budget. Consumables contained too little energy to be worth the cost. Magic crystals were strictly controlled by the government and the Magic Association, making it impossible to obtain them openly.
After hours of searching, Damon finally found the object he had been looking for.
Paying seven million yuan, he clutched the dark cloth tightly as he returned to his hotel room.
'Cultivation… here I come!'