Chapter 20. Things get real(ly bad)
"
Grave digger, grave digger
Bring me to my knee.
Forget what I have done,
Forgive me if you please,
Save me if you can.
The time for me has come,
Let me be the one that got away.
Grave digger, grave digger
Slowly fill my grave
Whisper to your God
Allow me to be saved.
Grave digger, grave digger
Pray for my lost soul,
Release me fro-"
'They are here, so stop singing. You booming everyone out."
I was sitting on a bench of a fountain in the middle of a square, singing a song that just popped into my head to pass the time. Around me was a pile of wounded people at my foot, a sign of what I have done. I didn't kill them, I only wounded them so much that they couldn't move.
Soon, the armored knights came into my view, tightly squished together, with their shields and lances pointed forward.
This wall of metal stopped a couple of meters away from me and opened up a small passage from where several figures came out.
They were the prince and his harem, Belda, and that knight girl, holding a shield that was bigger than her body.
People that I had some sort of connection with. If things would have happened differently then maybe... No, it is too late to cry about this. What is done is done.
"Desmond, give yourself up! You have no place to run."
Belda, as always you are too loud.
I touched my mask and made it disappear, feeling that I didn't need it for a while.
"... Sorry to disappoint you, but I will not give myself up." I raised my hands into the air channeling my magic at my fingertips. "Summoning Sign: Activate."
From my fingertips, multiple symbols came out, softly falling on the ground, in the middle of the bodies. From each symbol a huge summoning circle appeared, dissolving the bodies that were in it.
"Mass Sacrificial Summoning."
Yep, the first magic I ever used in my life. Using my preys as sacrifices allowed me to cast this spell without any mana consumption.
From these circles, monsters started to appear one after others taking a good part of the square.
The soldiers started to run around like headless chickens in the sight of the mass of monsters, yet the group of people who were standing at the front seemed unfazed.
Ha, at least they have balls.
"I have a proposition." I jumped on my feet, then cracked my fingers. "You and your extended harem against me. No help, mano a mano. What do you say? A clean fight to decide things once and for all."
I made an exaggerated gesture with my hands. The monsters behind me kneeled at the same time, making a tremendous sound.
The soldiers that have organized themselves now took a step back from the pressure caused by them.
"Come on! Let's make this the third and final fight, o great hero!"
The prince and his friends didn't say anything they just stood there as stiff as rock.
"... If you refuse, I will unleash these guys in the city. I will instr-"
I couldn't finish my sentence, Belda has jumped on me her blade on fire. To deflect her attack, I used my blade on my back, then I kicked her away.
Shit, my blade got burned, but nothing my regeneration cannot fix. On the other hand,...
From where I stud, there was a clear view of her sword was becoming brown.
It became covered in rust.
Before she could say anything, I pointed my finger at her and channeled my magic.
"Mind Magic: Blackout."
The magic bullet came out from my finger and almost hit her in the head if not for the shield that appeared between us.
"Hmmm did that thing just absorbed it?"
I was preparing another shot when the ground turned into ice under my feet, trapping me.
I turned in the direction from where the spell was cast, making me look in the eyes of the prince who was about to chop my head off with his sword.
"Mind Magic: Balance."
My magic activated in time, the prince's aim suddenly changed, striking the ground a few centimeters from me. He didn't panic, from his impossible position he made another attack.
"Mind Magic: Fear."
This time his blade stopped in the middle of his attack, shaking. He was sweating like crazy, shaking and his face was white like a chalkboard.
"Got you."
Before he could get out of my spell, I stabbed him with a knife that I was hiding. The knife didn't pierce his armor, but it did push him away.
During this time, I freed myself from the ice, with my now exposed blades.
Seeing my escape, the still frail-looking saint started to cast a spell with her new staff.
"Holy Magic: Holy Arrow!"
"Lesser Summoning Magic: Object Call. "
Before her laser arrow could hit, I made one of the soldier's shields appear before me, taking the hit in my place.
"Lesser Summoning Magic: Object Call."
I summoned a sword in front of me that one of the soldiers have dropped.
"Telekinesis: Push."
Using my power, I made the sword fly at an incredible speed at the saint. The knight girl and the witch tried to stop it, but they were too late, the blade struck her in the chest.
"Telekinesis: Pull."
I made the blade come back into my hands.
Blood started to flood out from the wound of the saint, who fell on her knees, holding her dirtied hands.
"NOOOO!"
Before I could react, something hit me in the face, making me fly in the air.
Shit what hit me, a truck? Is Truck-kun here to reincarnate me again?
I landed on my face, before turning on my back.
"Uggh that hurt like hell."
'Hey, the guy with the urn will be here in any second now!'
"Then I should step up my game."
Will getting on my feet my body started to shift.
My arms split apart revealing the insect legs that were hiding under it. The blade on my back became elongated, almost reaching the ground. On my head, the deer mask reappeared, but this time it didn't have any decoration on it.
"Prince and friends, it's time to settle this!"
*****
Josh POV:
I didn't have time.
There was no time for me to help Belda, nor there was to concern myself with it. Not with the treatment I was facing.
The demon transformed before our eyes again, but this time it looked more hideous than before.
With his insect legs and the blades coming out from his body, he now really looked like he came out from the deepest nightmares. Even his voice changed, it became layered, as if multiple persons were speaking at the same time.
The demon stayed still for a moment before he started to run in my direction, using his two-bladed arms on his back as front legs.
I jumped aside from his first attack. The blade that missed didn't even touch the ground, it was immediately lifted for the next assault.
"[Iron Skin].!"
By reinforcing myself I managed to block the attack with my sword. On contact, it became rusted and dull.
Is this a skill?
"Die!"
He made a spin and one of his blades was coming at me at great speed.
Clank!
The demon's attack suddenly was blocked by a shield that appeared between us. The one that was holding the shield was the knight girl.
"You! I never should have saved you!"
"Yes, you shouldn't! [Shield Bash]!"
A shockwave pushed away the demon a few feet away from us.
"I am not done yet! Body Enhancement Magic: Strengths!" her body became covered in a reddish hallow." [Shield Air Chain]!"
A ray of red light came out from the shields that hit the demon in its chest, making it fly in the air.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, but your shield..."
"Don't worry. This thing was made with magic and curse resistance. Even the magic guild maser couldn't destroy it."
She grabbed me by my arm and pulled me up.
"How is Selma?"
"She will live, but she lost conscience from the shock. My man has already taken her to a safe place. The Blades are almost done with ther-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The demon got onto his feet while screaming.
His body started to change again this time it was even bizarre than before.
His shirt was completely gone revealing the skin that was twisting from whatever was behind it.
Soon the insect arms have completely disappeared, giving place to the blades to move into their place. Then, accompanied by the sound of breaking bones, the monster's mask changed to that of a dog's skull.
"AA...AAA... Well, this is new."
*****
What the hell is this?!
I found myself back to my chapel, sitting at my desk, facing the mirrors that were showing the outside world.
"What is happening? Why can't I move?"
Even with my best efforts, I couldn't lift a finger.
"Sorry, but we can't let you go."
Several figures came into my line each wearing different colored clothing.
"What are you guys doing?! I was in the middle of a fight for crying out loud!"
"We know it." The one wearing a human skeleton mask and white suit stepped forward. "That's why we need to talk."
"You! Who the hell are you!? What did you do to them!?"
"I did nothing, only talked to them." He snapped his fingers making the others disappear.
No, not disappear, we were the ones who changed location.
Right now, we were in an empty white space with no ceiling or floor yet we weren't falling.
"How did you do that?"
Even I couldn't do that!
"I am you. I can do everything you can be. And more." He snapped his fingers again making a book appear. "I have been created with your soul and the content of this book. You may refer me as Seis, the Slothful."
The content of the book? Is he the manifestation of that book? How is that even possible. I read hundreds of them, why did that one react differently.
"Ooookay... What do you want...Seis?"
"You are dangerous and insane. You believe that you are unstoppable and a genius but guess what? You are not alone now. Even though we are a part of your mind, each one of us has developed an ego of their own and we won't let you put us at risk."
"What are you talking about? Everything I have done until now was for us to survive!"
"It's not true. If it was then, you have already left this city running the moment you woke up after the beating you got from them."
"I did that to take revenge for the things they did to us!"
"No, you did it because you like it. Admit it, you are a battle junky. A psychopath that enjoys fighting and carnage."
"No... well yes, I mean-AAAAAAAgh what do you guys want!"
"We want you to sign this."
He snapped his fingers together making a table appear with a piece of paper on it.
"This contact contains everything, but basically what we want is that you stop being so rush and before you make a move consort with us. In exchange, we will support you and won't drag you to the farthest corners of your subconsciousness. Also, in your next evolution, you need to consider each of our wishes".
"..."
This smells fishy. On a closer inspection, this contract is too crude, there are too many ways to counter them. I know this because I used this method multiple times.
"... Hey Seis, can you slow down the time?"
"Slow down time? Well, I can make the time in your head much faster than outside, why?"
"There are some points we need to discuss.
*****
Prince POV:
"Look out!"
"Don't let it hit you!"
"Evacuate the citizens!"
This was chaos.
No matter how many times we beat the demon, its body starts to change and it gets up with a new power.
Right now, it grew a second pair of arms, its legs were replaced with blades, and was floating in the air, shouting spells like a mad man.
Or woman.
It also had a voluptuous breast and a cat mask complete with a woman's voice.
"Fear me, mortals, as I am death! Fire Magic: Fire Sphere!"
A sphere made out of blue flames materialized in one of her palms, making another house a pile of rubble.
"Compound Magic: Frozen Arrows!"
"Ice magic: Ice Bolt!"
"Water Magic: Water Bolt!"
Belda and several others fired their spell each aimed at the demon.
"HAHAHHAHAHA, WHORTLESS! Thunder Magic: Electric Sphere!"
From her hand a blue ball flew out, colliding with the first magic, making it explode in a thunderous roar, erasing all the other magic.
"HAHAHAHA! This is great! I understand why that guy loves fighting this much! More! Entertain me more!"
Another ball appeared this time it was twice as big as the one before. The ball floated in the air for a second before it started to divide into multiple smaller balls the size of a grain of rice.
"Thunder Magic: Electric Shower!"
The small balls started to twirl in the air, before falling on the ground.
I couldn't move fast enough.
During the fight with the demon's previous form I used up all my mana and my body was sore.
"Shit... "
"[Breaker of Heaven]."
Immediately a gust of wind pushed away the droplets, making them fall into a place where no one was standing.
"What was..."
From the mob of soldiers, a figure wearing an exotic-looking armor stepped forward holding a strangely forged sword.
"Samurai-sama, may I know what you are playing at?"
"Isn't it obvious? I came here to stop you."
"Stop me? But Samurai-sama, have you forgotten? With our contract still active, we can't harm each other, no matter the situation. May I take this that you are breaking our contract?"
There was a dead silence.
Did this guy sell his soul?
The knights behind him started to become restless, some even released their sphere in the direction of the 'samurai'.
"...Yes, I'm breaking our contract."
"...Very well. Then the contract will be broken. After you pay, naturally."
"What?"
The demon raised one of its hands over his mouth and started to laugh. If not for its appearance, it could have been a charming sound.
"Fufufu, well of course there is a cancelation fee. It was on the contract. The one who wants to break it must pay, 10 levels, 30 MP, and 30 HP capacity or get the acknowledgment of the contract. Since you deflected my attack, I have no reason to acknowledge your request. So you have two choices. You can ignore this and wait or attack me and have me punished. I'm warning you, the price to pay for attacking is having 5 levels transferred each time you attack."
"...Then I have nothing to fear."
The samurai made a quick stab in the air. From the tip, a green light appeared that gently floated into the air.
"[Falling Leafe on the Mountain Wind.]"
The light suddenly expanded, and it became a beam of energy severing the two left arms of the demon.
"... I am level 500. I can lose some of it if it means saving lives."
"... I am... out...someone takes... my place..."
The demon's damaged body started to change again.
Now its body was entirely covered in a piece of white sheet-like fabric and a rabbit's skull have appeared from the cat's mask, that crumbled to dust.
"So this is the outside world. Such piety, I wished to see it in a more pleasant atmosphere."
The demon's voice was different yet again. It stayed feminine but it was definitely older as if it was in its 80s.
"Are you the same demon that I met?"
"Oh? You must be that samurai. Yes, I remember you. We meet at..."
"Answer the question or I will cut your head off."
"...Such rudeness. Very well I guess there is no harm telling you. The answer is a yes and a no."
"Elaborate."
"Well yes, the one who is standing before you is indeed the Dealmaker, and yet it isn't. I am a part of his personality, born from his soul and stolen memories. I have the humble name of Fünf, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Fünf... Five."
"Oh, do you talk German? How exotic! But it those raise a question." The demon tilted his head." How can you speak a language that only exists in another world?"
The air around the demon suddenly changed it became scary.
"You are or you have met someone from a different world. Ah, the thought of all those secrets that are hidden in your head makes my old body shiver!"
The demon lifted his hand, which was still covered by the white cape.
"Light Magic: Holy Arrow."
The magic was too fast to be seen with the naked eye and e the samurai was able to dodge it without any difficulty.
"[Wasp Strike.]
Seemingly the blade of the samurai has extended almost going through the demon's chest if not for an invisible force that seemed to stop it in his tracks.
"Sorry, But I have already set up a barrier. You need better than that to kill me."
*****
"-bathroom, kitchen, the total. You can decorate it how you like."
"Then what about the possible others? Will they get their own property?"
"We will figure it out when we get there, but for now I think it is more than a fair offer."
"...Tell you what. We will sign this contract and when something comes up, we will change some details in it."
"I'm okay with it."
Seis took a pen and wrote something on the paper.
"There. Now then I will send you back. We have already reached the level cap, so while you are up there, we will choose your new race as in the contract."
"Whatever."
The senary changed again and now I found myself in a war zone.
Bodies were laying on the ground all around me, killed in horrific ways. Buildings were broken down to rubble while smoke was rising all around me.
"Well...Shit happened while I was away."
Looking around I also noticed that I was human, like normal looking. The blades were gone.
Right now, I was standing there in a black suit with my mask.
"DEALMAKER!"
From the rubble and smoke, a figure jumped at me.
Samurai?
He looked terrible. His armor was now a pile of junk, his sword was half broken and his movements looked...slow.
Effortlessly I dodge the attack and I jumped away from him, onto another pile of rubble.
"HA...HA...Finally...I managed to get you to show yourself."
"Samurai-sama. What are you doing here? And where are we exactly?"
"You-You don't know? Even though you caused all this?"
"I have the faintest idea."
"..."
He stood there for a moment before erupting in a rage-filled roar.
"DIE!"
He again launched himself at me.
This time I grabbed the blade with my bare hands making it covered with rust, before breaking it. Then for a coup the grace, pushed him away, making his breastplate unusable.
"Telekinesis: Pull."
Before he could fell, I made him fly in front of me, only to punch him in the face.
The force of my fist was so great that it made his entire body bend forward before galling on the ground behind my back.
"Uggh, that might have resulted in a concussion."
I bent down and I touched his bare neck.
Not caring about him turning to stone I marked him with my skill and asked one of my personalities to download his memories.
I wasn't worried about the quick spread of the petrification, Seis has made it so that the things happening in my head were going a lot faster. Meaning...
'Got it. All memories have been downloaded and we have analyzed it we only need to evolve and the skill is ours.'
"Good. Then the guy with the urn is nearby?"
I turned away not looking a the slowly dying samurai.
"Ehhh, yeah under that rubble."
I lift a piece of wall where I found an urn made from solid gold.
"Thank you, and I believe that this also belongs to me."
With the urn, I also took out a sword coated in blood.
I raised the blade and I pulled its back over the urn, leaving a stain of blood over it.
"Ol aboapri Ascha g quasahi od g hoxmarch."
I didn't know what this sentence meant, but it seemed to work.
The lid came right off and a cloud of golden dust started to float around me.
For a while, nothing happened till a burning sensation started to creep into my body.
*****
[Alert!]
[Major rule-breaking detected!]
[Rule number: 000 10 867 323]
[Sinner name: Desmond.]
[Alert.]
[Sinner is currently under Judgment count down]
[Setting countdown to 5 minutes.]
[Preparing for primary strike.]
*****
[Preparations complete]
[Data absorbed]
[Evolution complete]
[All skills been evolved to the race cap.]
[Title: [Peak of Race] received.]
[Real name been found!]
[Real name has been set as: Destin Torres.]
[Alert!]
[ Judgment been detected.]
[Probability of death by impact: 99.999%]
[Preparing for-]
[Date been received from: ■■■■■●of●■■■■■ ]
[Uploading to system...]
[Upload complete]
[.... Upload accepted.]
[Rewriting parameters.]
[Redistributing data...]
[Evolution been modified from [ Demonic Beast] to [Living Nightmare]]
[requirements meant!]
[Evolution [Living Nightmare] been corrupted to unique monster [Living Madness]]
[Title: [Unique Monster] received]
[Alert!]
[Some skills and jobs are incompatible with new race.]
[Changing and deleting incompatible ones with compatible ones...]
[Alert! Overflowing Exp detected.]
[Searching for solution...]
[Solution Found.]
*****
Ugh, I feel like crap.
Ahhh, I can't move!
Like at my first evolution, my body was incredibly sore.
'Hey, how are you hanging?'
"I am dying."
'Then stop it.'
"Uuuuuuugggggghhhhh!"
I somehow managed to stand up.
"I am normal."
There was nothing strange with my body, it was the same.
'We decided that we will keep your human appearance. Your real one is a floating dark blue blob of slime.'
"Oh, yeah, thanks. So, did it work?"
'Yeah, everything has leveled up like crazy. You even became a unique monster!"
"Really I need to see that."
____________________________________________________________________
[Living Madness]
Threat level: S
Description: An unique monster that mutated from a Living Nightmare. Contrary to its normal comrades this thing feasts on the madness of its victims, keeping it alive and strengthen it. Besides, this being has an aura that can turn people insane, giving it new sources to feed on.
To those who are challenging this thing, just run as fast and as far as possible.
Magic most compatible: mental
____________________________________________________________________
I am an S rank. I am one of this world's strongest now!
"Did I get anything useful?"
'Yep, but most of them are your old skills over evolved. The fun thing is that we also received our own status. We even have separate HP and MP! Also, also, some of our skills are specialized versions of your own."
"I see. Then I believe we have nothing else to do here."
'As you say. Should we start the ceremony?'
"Yes, please, I have the feeling that I have done enough damage to this city."
'On it.'
What we talked about was our true retreat strategy.
By drawing a summoning circle specially made for me, I will disappear from this town and reappear in the middle of the forest.
A few seconds later my body was enveloped in a blue halo, a gentle pushing feeling enveloped me.
"Sigh, this went horribly wrong but at least I escaped unharmed aaaand what is that?"
****
[Alert!]
[Target is being summoned to an unknown location!]
[Countdown been set at zero]
[Launching Judgment at 60% power...]
*****
The sky above me was suddenly covered by a humongous white magical circle with its center gathering a blinding light.
"This can't be good."
BBBOOOOOOMMMMMM!
*****
[Target hit]
[Scanning...]
[No life sign detected in the crash zone.]
____________________________________________________________________
Name: Destin Torres
Race: Living Madness
Age: 16
Job: Master Summoner, Madness Maker, Parasite, Lawyer,
LV: 1/1000
HP: 10 123/10 123
MP: 11 540/11 540
STR: 50
VIT: 0
SPD: 80
MRES: 90
Skill PT: 50 000 (MAX capacity.)
Physical attributes: [Dark Vision] [Destroyed Mind] [Inorganic Body] [Madness Lifeform] [Parasitic Immortality] [Divisibility]
Skills: [Master Summoning Magic; LV:9]] [Nightmare Magic: 9] [Advanced Deal Making, LV:9] [Advanced Wish Granting, LV:9] [Mind Country, LV:9] [Dream Mark, LV:9] [Mad Infection, LV: 9] [ Advanced Telekinesis, LV:9] [ [ Summon Symbol,Lv:9] [Advanced Knife Combat, LV:9] [Advanced Athletize, LV:9] [Advanced Knife Throw, LV:9] [Advanced Poison Knowledge, LV:9] [Advanced Qui manipulation, LV:9] [ Advanced (Corrupted) Holy Magic, LV:9] [Advanced (Corrupted) Compound Magic, LV:9] [Division, LV:9]
Martial Art: [Swift Step]
Passive skills: [Advanced Herbology; LV:9] [Silver Thang Lv:9] [Regeneration, LV:9] [Mass Manipulation, LV:9] [Tantalus's touch] [Sloth, LV:9]
Resistances: [Poison] [Fire]
Curses: [Iophobia] [Holy Burn]
Unique Skills: [Body Physic Manipulation] [Harvest]
Titles: [Broken Soul] [Enemy of God] [Cursed Book Owner] [Revenge Driven] [Decorator] [Heartless] [Insane] [Peak of Race] [Unique Monster]
____________________________________________________________________