Catato Patch 

I want to live. No matter the situation I’m in, I will strive to survive.

 

Big 1 offered 17 small imps to be my subordinates. Including the four imps who were still alive after that harrowing battle, I now had 21 small imps under my wing. With the combat strength of our group, we should be able to sweep through this floor, right?

 

The schedule is kinda tight right now so I’ll have to skip out on resting. We still have to make it to the entrance of the upper floor.

 

As we made our way across this floor, the devils we encountered were enslaved or killed. While we had some losses along the way, it was still a net gain.

 

After five days of journeying, our small imp numbers swelled to 35 while our large imp count rose to three with the addition of two more large imps namely, Big 2 and Big 3.

 

A problem soon arose where our consumption rate threatened to overtake the amount of food(imps) we encountered. As such, I decided to stop enslaving more devils and just killed anyone I met, even the large imps.

 

It was now the seventh day of our journey, we managed to kill a few dozen more small imps and a large imp. By now, Big 1 and the other named subordinates were used to harvesting souls for me to consume. With each consumption, I felt my evolution approaching ever closer. As my body transformed, a strange refreshing fragrance wafted through the air.

 

All the imps, even Big 1, were thoroughly mesmerised by this smell, causing me to retch internally.

 

Why was I disgusted? Because this fragrance came from my body…

 

Damn it, what’s with this strange fragrance. Brother’s a bonafide boy. Get your act together my dead body! Wait...don’t tell me...don’t tell me... I’ve become a girl…

 

Noooo...my pee pee...I haven’t even used my pee pee yet…

 

“The smell is coming from over here...come on!”

 

An anxious voice rang out in the distance. This was soon followed by the sound of footsteps closing in on us. A large group of imps which consisted of four large imps and over twenty small imps, came into view.

 

These damned imps and their stares...giving me goosebumps. Don’t tell me, it’s another pervert like Big 1…

 

The large imps led the group over the hillside and ran straight for us, their malicious intent clear for all to see.

 

By this time, my subordinates were already preparing the defences. Big 1 led Big 2 and Big 3 to the front to shield me. On my flanks, were No.2 and No.3. As for No.4 and Mr. Faker aka No.5...as always they were guarding my butt from sneak attacks.

 

After these seven days of journeying, No.3 was undoubtedly the biggest small imp among the group. He was on the precipice of breaking through, and as such should be able to handle a large imp as long as he had some small imps as support. As for the actual large imps, they should each be able to handle a large imp by themselves.

 

In terms of numbers, we naturally held the advantage. Before the enemy completed their charge, the scamps behind me were already in a defensive formation around me. The sight of over 30 imps moving, while not as grand as a thousand cavalrymen racing across the battlefield, was still a sight to behold. For the lowest level of Purgatory, we were definitely a top tier power.

 

This was proved by the reaction of the enemy as they saw our full numbers. Seeing our numerical advantage, they showed signs of wavering. Soon after, they completely gave up on attacking. The four large imps signalled to the small imps to retreat and soon retreated as well.

 

Seeing them slowly retreat, I breathed a sigh of relief. With our opponent’s numbers, even though we would definitely win, it would’ve come at a terrible price. Them retreating was definitely the best outcome.

 

As the final devil disappeared from my view, the stress was completely lifted off my shoulders. This bloodless confrontation had caused me a great deal of stress despite neither side coming to blows. This stress caused my body to emit that strange fragrance once more…

 

Big 1 took a big whiff of that fragrance and couldn’t help but lean closer to me. “Master, your body smells really good…”

 

“Scram!” Feeling danger, I immediately kicked him to the ground and retreated a few steps.

 

Having seen the fate of Big 1, Big 2 and 3 changed their minds about approaching me and stood there; a conflicted look on their faces.

 

Damn! Don’t tell me I’ve really become a girl! But the last reincarnation was into a boy’s body!

 

Reincarnating into a female devil is something I won’t accept!

 

“Keep moving, we need to reach the upper floor entrance as soon as possible.” I said as I forced myself to calm down. The matter of my gender has to be put aside for now. What we really need to worry about is not getting drowned by the blood sea. “Also, No.3 will get an extra portion of food from now on.”

 

That group actually had one more large imp than us. With the expanding blood sea, the amount of dry land will decrease as time passes. Soon, all the devils will be squeezed into an ever-shrinking territory. By then, the number of large imps we encounter will increase as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a field of large imps especially since we are clearly near to the entrance.

 

After another two days of marching, we finally reached the end point of the blood sea; which is the upper floor entrance. Nearby, there was a rock which stated in devil language that there was more than one entrance and one merely had to find one.

 

The entrance in question was a tunnel in the shape of a fierce devil’s face carved out of the cliff face in front of us. It was a realistic carving with the usual features such as a nose and a pair of eyes. The hole was inside a devil’s mouth crowned with a set of razor sharp fangs that looked like they could close in on you at anytime, shredding any unfortunate soul it came into contact with.

 

In order to reach this entrance, one had to climb a thirteen step high flight of stairs which was comprised of 10 meters long, 7 to 8 meters wide and half a meter tall steps. And right at this moment, these stairs were filled countless devil guards…

 

Originally, crossing through the entrance was a simple affair but who knew, not every devil was a dimwit. There were those who came to this place early on and decided to guard the entrance. Their motive was obvious, to eat anyone who tried to enter the tunnel.

 

Thankfully, the situation wasn’t dire yet so there was no need for us to rush into that blockade. However, this was only true for three more days. After three days, the blood sea would have washed up to this area. At that time, we would have no choice but to charge into that blockade of deadly devils.

 

From this hillside to the entrance was a 300 to 400 meters long stretch of road. The amount of small imps and large imps waiting in ambush along this road was uncountable. How strong would the head devil have to be in order to command so many devils? Don’t tell me it’s a two-star head imp!

 

What to do...wait, since the other party made such an obvious attempt at blockading the entrance, then there should be other groups who were roaming around here as well. They couldn’t all have stupidly charged into that blockade!

 

“No.2, No.3, No.4, No.5, I need you guys to lead a scouting party with those scamps inside. See if you can find the other devil parties. Once you do, report to me immediately, do not engage them.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

No.2 and No.3 immediately responded and led their team away. No.4 stood there wringing his fingers and as for No.5...his face clearly said he didn’t want to go.

 

“Get going!” I sent a kick flying towards No.5 and just as I was about to do the same for No.4, I realised he was already gone.

 

Recently, the matter regarding my missing pee pee and my impending sex change...or could just be my devil nature, seemed to have made me more trigger happy with my fists and kicks.

 

Half an hour later, the scamps were back. No.3, 4 and 5 brought back no news while No.2 brought back a small imp.

 

Hmm, you actually caught one...didn’t I say not to engage them? Forget it, since no one got hurt or lost anything, I’ll leave it be.

 

The captured small imp immediately knelt down upon seeing me. As he prostrated himself, he slowly made his way towards me, and even wrapped both his arms around my left leg. Then, he stuck out his tongue...is this the so-called “bootlicking” I heard so much about?

 

*bam*

 

No.3 immediately sent a flying kick towards the little captive. He tumbled through the air several times before ramming into No.4’s legs; finally stopping. As for No.4...he received a jump scare.

 

What’s happening? Don’t tell me this guy is here to assassinate me? But then, why did he lick me? Is his tongue laced with poison?

 

Just as I pondered this puzzling situation, No.3 swaggered up to the captive and kicked him several times shouting, “You dare to lick our Master’s leg with your dirty tongue. You lowly piece of trash!”

 

Don’t tell me bootlicking is some kind of taboo in Purgatory? A derogatory action? Ahem...well no matter what, my foot was just licked by a devil. Even if I wore shoes, I still wouldn’t want to be licked unless it was by a beautiful girl. Even more so since I’m not wearing any shoes.

 

“Good job No.3.”

 

I nodded and praised him a little. No.3 gazed at me and flashed a flattering smile.

 

“I haven’t even licked Master’s leg before, how could I let you lick it! Even if it needed to be licked, it would be me who licks it, you shameless scumbag!”

 

“That’s right, that’s right! Even this lordship does not know the taste of our master’s leg! Bastard, you better get in line!”

 

“Protect our master’s innocence! Stop the foreign invaders from stealing our rights!”

 

“Bash him! Bash him good!”

 

Following No.3 and Big 1’s nonsense, the other devils began clamoring as well. Their goal, to procure the right to be the first to lick my feet.

 

Me: “...”

 

Heavens, I’ll no longer believe in love...No wait, I’ll no longer believe that Purgatory has any normal person left!