Bruce

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Bruce
Species/Race	Modified rat/Ratman with multiple demonic bloodlines
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Charles Augustus
Occupation/Role	Charles's assistant, armored warrior, commander, and laboratory aide
Status	Active; continues serving Charles and reunites with Scorchflame 703
First Appearance	Chapter 82, “Bruce”

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Modified rat / early Ratman	82	Charles successfully modified him with Demon Worm genes. Bruce retained his intelligence while gaining stronger defenses and physical power.
Knight-level Ratman	83	His growth, durable skin, scales over vital areas, strength, and speed gave him combat power comparable to a knight.
Bull Demon bloodline transformation	130	Charles infused him with Bull Demon essence, inscribed Abyss runes into his bones, fused demon organs into him, and replaced his heart with a Bull Demon's heart. Bruce survived and developed horns and a more demonic physique.
Rank One	140	After consuming refined Minotaur Demon essence, Bruce broke through. He grew to roughly 1.9 meters and began condensing witchcraft-like abilities.
Intermediate Demon (peak)	509	By the time Charles summoned him into the Abyss, Bruce had already become an Intermediate Demon and reached its peak, though his Minotaur bloodline had developed slowly on the Osela Plane.
Greater Demon	589	Charles identifies Bruce as one of the Greater Demons under his command before choosing him for a further breakthrough.
Archdemon advancement	589	Bruce kills a devil baron after Charles weakens it, triggering the Abyssal Will's blessing and forming a gigantic demon egg around him.

Background / History

Bruce began as an ordinary black-furred rat used in Charles's Demon Worm bloodline experiments. He was the sole successful subject: his mutations remained benign, his intelligence survived, and his body began steadily developing into that of a Ratman 82 83.

Charles personally cultivated Bruce's intelligence, trained him in commands, taught him the human common tongue, and hired a teacher for him. As Bruce grew, he became Charles's farm assistant, raising mutated rats, tanning Demon Worm hides, and consuming the worms' demon-tainted meat without suffering Abyssal corruption 83 91.

Charles repeatedly improved Bruce's bloodline. Before using a first-ring Bull Demon, he had already reinforced Bruce with a Lesser Demon bloodline, including imp bloodline essence. The Bull Demon procedure was far more extensive, incorporating bloodline essence, Abyss runes, demon organs, and the demon's heart 128 130.

After accompanying Charles through an interplanar transfer, Bruce was finally permitted to advance to Rank One. He thereafter became Charles's frontline fighter and a central figure in the development of the Outpost Base, pirate fleet, and later Abyssal territory 140 217 247 626.

Appearance

Bruce's body has changed dramatically through repeated bloodline modifications, progressing from a dog-sized upright rat to a heavily armored demonic warrior.

• Initially grew from a cat-sized rat into an upright, dog-sized mutant 83.
• Reached roughly one meter tall as an early Ratman; wore fitted children's clothing and possessed dexterous hands and a slender tail 91.
• After attaining Rank One, stood roughly 1.9 meters tall, with segmented bull horns, black fur along his back, tough demonic skin, and scales 140.
• By his Abyssal service, he stood over six meters tall and wore rune-covered heavy armor with flame leaking through its gaps 554.

Personality

Bruce is intensely devoted to Charles. His loyalty began under an apprentice slave mark, but later exceeds the mark's restriction; Charles states that Bruce would still follow his orders without it 230. During his Bull Demon transformation, Bruce endures visions of fear and exhaustion by clinging to Charles's praise and his wish to remain at his master's side 130.

He is eager to become stronger and more useful, treating service to Charles as an honor. This devotion is paired with practical competence: Bruce can manage labor, interrogate captives, direct pirates, and maintain forces during Charles's absences 129 197 247.

Abilities & Skills

Demonic Physique and Melee Combat

Bruce's Demon Worm, imp, Bull Demon, Minotaur Demon, and later Fireburn Demon modifications give him exceptional physical durability and strength.

• Fights with the power of a heavily armored shock trooper, able to disregard most ordinary pirate weapons 182.
• Uses a two-handed axe effectively against Tide Warriors, including Isabella 209.
• His armor and physique allow him to withstand attacks from Ripper Demons that would otherwise be dangerous in close combat 298.
• His great size and armor make him exceptionally resilient, though his bulk can make him slower than more agile opponents 298 554.

Spell-Like Abilities

Bruce developed witchcraft-like powers after his Rank One advancement and later demonstrated spellcasting in combat.

• Casts a Darkness Spell to blind enemy sailors, guards, and pirates during boarding actions 196 217.
• Can combine spell-like abilities with close-quarters fighting, making him useful in both planar battles and Charles's experiments 274.
• Benefits substantially from Charles's enhancement and shielding spells during major engagements 209 212.

Rat Handling

Bruce has an innate talent for managing rats, likely rooted in his origin as one.

• Raised and trained Charles's mutated rats to obey commands 91 106.
• Was specifically valued for his “astonishing” ability to control rats before Charles's planar mission 135.

Stealth, Swimming, and Infiltration

Bruce retains strong aquatic capabilities despite his demonic transformations.

• Swims quietly enough to enter a pirate harbor, incapacitate a target, and return through the water without alerting nearby pirates 141.
• Assisted Charles's early exploration of a new plane by shaping ice beneath their temporary platform and rowing with improvised tools 139.

Interrogation and Command

Bruce is an effective enforcer and field commander.

• Studied interrogation methods in Isata and extracted detailed intelligence from captured pirate officers 197.
• Managed the interrogation and culling of surviving pirates with Dalle's assistance 146.
• Expanded the Undertow Pirate Crew to 800 core members, acquired ships, and amassed nearly 100,000 Magic Stones in profits during Charles's absence 247.
• Was entrusted with training and controlling Charles's army while Charles returned to Isata 401.

Equipment

• Two-handed axe — Bruce's primary battlefield weapon during the conflict with Isabella and Marcus's pirates 209.
• First-circle heavy witchcraft armor — Selected by Anderson for Bruce; contains defensive and physical-enhancement witchcraft 212.
• Later heavy armor forged by Charles — Extremely thick rune-covered armor that vents flame through its plates 554.

Relationships

• Charles Augustus — Creator, master, and primary source of Bruce's cultivation. Bruce's loyalty to Charles persists beyond the slave mark originally placed on him 129 130 230.
• Scorchflame — Longtime companion. Scorchflame often sat on Bruce's head when young; the two processed and shared Demon Worm meals, and were happy to reunite after years apart 135 247 703.
• Erika — Assisted Charles during Bruce's Bull Demon bloodline surgery 129.
• Dalle — Assisted Bruce in interrogating captured pirates 146.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rat Experiment and Farm Assistant

• Becomes Charles's only successful Demon Worm bloodline experiment and develops into a Ratman 82 83.
• Supports Charles's scroll-making operation by tanning Demon Worm hides and processing demon materials 91.
• Receives further demonic bloodline modifications, culminating in the successful Bull Demon heart transplant 128 131.

Shadow Spy Expedition and Pirate Wars

• Accompanies Charles into a new plane and advances to Rank One after landing on an island 138 140.
• Captures pirate Turner for Charles's intelligence-gathering operation 141.
• Leads boarding actions, interrogates captives, and fights as Charles's armored frontline defender during the pirate conflicts 182 197 209 217.
• Captures the enemy fleet, including a Demonbone Ship, after the Outpost Base battle 217.

Undertow Pirate Crew Commander

• Runs the Undertow Pirate Crew in Charles's absence, expanding its personnel, ships, resources, and Blood Ring Knight contingent 247.
• Continues serving as Charles's principal military subordinate during later territorial campaigns 266 401.

Abyssal Service

• Returns from the Osela Plane to serve Charles in the Abyss, where Charles intends to accelerate his evolution into a Greater Demon 509.
• Develops Fireburn Demon traits, including flames and flame runes on his body and horns 512.
• Assists Charles in reclaiming Abyssal territory and launching incursions into Purgatory 626.
• Receives the opportunity to begin advancing to Archdemon after killing a devil baron 589.

Notable Quotes

“Bruce will follow Master forever!” 130

“It is my honor to serve you, Master!” 247