Chapter 52: Voices

ALMOST TWO DAYS EARLIER - Hotel, Room 669

"So give me a discount," I tell her, smiling wickedly.I am aware that she can read my thoughts.Did she intentionally show me her weakness? Is she playing with me?

The demon smiles at me."How about one point, her dear Strauss?"

To spend or not to spend that point?

I really want the [MIND READ] ability. It would be very useful, but I still lack a lot of points. As I learned from the encounter with the twins, having a weapon that I can summon at any time is a priority for me. In reality, the weapon is already mine, but I don't know its curse or potential. Spending a point could be a rip-off. But it could also prove to be a more useful gain than the investment made.

In the end, I think it's worth spending a point.

"Okay, Raqahela. It's a deal."

The demon smiles at me with satisfaction. "In her fabulous [DEMONIC SHOP], Raqahela has added an ability with limited one-time use. Please serve yourself, her dear Strauss." The succubus licks her lips.

I open the [DEMONIC SHOP] and locate the ability she mentioned.

[IDENTIFY CURSED ITEM One-time Only]

Cost: 1 [CORRUPTION POINT]

[[ DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE THE ABILITY? ]] [[ >YES        NO ]]

I choose yes.

[[ YOU'VE SPENT 1 [CORRUPTION POINT] ]]

The system notifies me that I have acquired the ability.

I don't waste any time and immediately grab the mace.

I cast [IDENTIFY CURSED ITEM One-time Only] on the weapon.

The mace reveals its true form as it emanates a dark aura.

[ELDRITCH TENTACLE OF THE DREDGED ONE] Type: Magical Mace Rarity: Unique Piece Origin: DungeonBuff Stats: +2 Strength Points Cursed: While this mace is equipped, your DEF, AGI, INT decrease by 1 point, and your maximum HP and MP decrease by 50. When you wield this mace, your MP becomes your HP. As long as you wield this mace, you lose 1 MP every minute. This effect cannot be prevented. While wielding this mace, if your MP reaches 0, you die. Abilities: [CREATE ELDRITCH TENTACLE] Cost: Variable. Minimum 50 MP Requirements: The creator must be at least Level 2; Wielding the maceEffect: Creates a thought-controlled tentacle with base stats equal to its creator but one level lower.The creator can adjust its size up to one meter in diameter and length up to five meters.The range for control is ten meters.The tentacle is resistant to penetration and blunt damage but weak to fire and slashing weapons. The tentacle emerges from the void and can move between walls and the floor, submerging and surfacing. If the tentacle takes damage, once eliminated, half of the damage is inflicted on the creator. The HP of the tentacle is determined by the spent MP. The creator of the tentacle feels the sensation of pain or pleasure that the tentacle experiences.

[CONJURE WEAPON] While this mace is equipped, you can use the [CONJURE] ability to summon it into your hand or make it disappear.

SET: Find the other pieces of the set to obtain equipment set bonuses.

[[ DO YOU WANT TO EQUIP [ELDRITCH TENTACLE OF THE DREDGED ONE]? ]]

I won the lottery. Of course, I want to equip it.

That Morgan Reeval wasn't a charlatan after all. Or maybe he was unaware? I need to ask where the mace was found. Now I want the other pieces.

[[ Identified cursed weapon: 500 Exp Obtained ]]

*Dling*

[[ CONGRATULATIONS! You level up! ]][[ STRAUSS WAGNER > LEVEL 3 ]][[ [FAKE CLASS] > Level 3 ]][[ [SCAN-EYE] > Level 3 ]][[ [AUTO-HEAL] > Level 3 ]]

Forget the lottery; this is the jackpot!I've even leveled up! Unfortunately, no new abilities. But the increase in stats is crucial.

"Humans use an inelegant expression that would define you perfectly, her dear Strauss," the succubus whispers in my ear.

"And what would that be?"

She's very close. Almost kissing my ear, she says, "Lucky bastard."

The bathroom door opens. "Did you say something, Strauss?" Kanna asks me. "Nothing, just thinking out loud." Raqahela has disappeared. Kanna looks at me strangely.

I reach the professor, whose graces are covered only by a towel.I take her hand.I look into her eyes.

"I was thinking how lucky I am."

She smiles at me.

STRAUSS STATS

****PRESENT TIME, Extrella Academy*DEEDEE POV*

Kill him. You must kill him.

"S-shut up," the detective says through gritted teeth. "Deedee?!" Guli, worried, tries to help her regain composure.

Fucking goddess, her damn voice will drive her insane. That's what she thinks right now. Deedee wishes to silence that voice that is driving her crazy. She knows she has to kill him. There's no need for the order. She had that vision. She saw what happens if Wagner survives.

Thanks to the healing potion that Gulihelmus made her drink slowly, she is recovering.

Kill the bishop.

"Deedee, are you okay?" Guli tries to help her up. "Y-yes, that bastard is tough. Far from F-rank." "You were right. His stats are fake. It's impossible for him to be just level 1." "I never thought he could cause me this much damage." "He also has an ally," the giant says, referring to the assassin. The dagger wounds on his arms are proof of the struggle with the silver-haired madwoman.

The demon's servant must die.

The flames are spreading even more. The fire suppression system seems inadequate. The substance used by the alchemist appears to be unaffected by water. The alarm resonates through the structure. Deedee hears the screams of the few remaining inside rushing out.

But what worries her the most is the distant sound of sirens. Law enforcement is on its way. They need to hurry.

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in all this, Guli." "Don't think about it. I would have been dead long ago if it weren't for you. I owe you at least that much." "I don't know if we'll survive this battle." For a moment, Deedee feels uncertain. That man is terrifying. Despite the pursuit, he has always maintained incredible composure and consistently pulled aces out of his sleeves.

All this could be Wagner's plan. He might have cursed them already. They could be dead already.

The big man, seeing the woman's worried expression, gives her a hearty pat on the shoulder. "This isn't the Deedee I know!" He's right. What matters now is that their prey is getting away. Her pride as a hunter cannot allow it. There's no time to waste on getting depressed.

"Let's make a deal, green hair! If we survive, I'll treat you to a round of that Celestial Empire liquor you love so much," the big man says with a smile. "I like that, big man. What if we die?" "You'll treat me to a drink in the afterlife! Hahahah," he laughs heartily with his typical guttural laughter. "Fair enough. A win-win situation," Deedee smiles. "I wonder if I can bring that liquor into prison." "I doubt it, Guli."

They laugh.

The two fist-bump and shout in unison, "GOLD GRIFFIN, HURRAY!"

"One last raid! A raid worthy of the name. We've never hunted a demon before," the giant downplays. "Let's get that motherfucker!"

Kill Strauss Wagner.

They run up the stairs leading to the roof.

*****STRAUSS POV*

I pause for a moment to catch my breath. We're on the roof.

I'm wounded all over. Should I have anticipated that facing those two would be much more dangerous than any encounter so far? Have I been too arrogant? The encounter with the twins was helpful, and I thought I gained experience. But against the detective and the giant, it's a whole different story. Only thanks to magic and doping have I managed to avoid death. But now the buffs are running out, and with them come the repercussions. The pain is so intense that I struggle to breathe.

I need to heal. I grit my teeth and pull out the arrows stuck in me. I bandage the wounds. I drink a red and a blue potion.

Bicrista is next to me. I take a vial containing my semen from the bag and offer it to the girl.

"Drink it. It will boost your stats by thirty percent."

"What?" she is surprised. Despite the astonishment, she grabs the vial and looks at it skeptically.

"Drink it. I need you at your best," I order.

The madwoman opens the bottle and gulps down its contents.

"Ah~ ?" she moans satisfied. "This is your sperm, Strauss!~ ? It's delicious!~ ? I recognize it!~ ?"

"Exactly, you're a connoisseur. I'm glad," I smile at her.

I don't think Rero and Luysia will make it in time. As uncontrollable as she is, I'm glad to have Bicrista with me.

"Thank you, Bicrista," I say sincerely.

"You owe me a creampie, Strauss~ ?" she says as if stating the most natural thing in the world.

If she doesn't betray me with a backstab at the crucial moment, I'll be happy to cum inside her. I think she will have earned it. I would like to laugh, but I believe I have a few broken ribs, and moving would be too painful.

This roof will be the battlefield of the final clash. I'll have to use up all my resources.

Too bad; I wanted to continue living in the shadows for a bit longer.

****A FEW MINUTES EARLIER ***KANNA POV***

Kanna is like paralyzed by shock. It all happened so fast.Deedee and Gulihelmus, her former party members, started chasing Strauss Wagner with the intention of killing him. It seems so absurd, so unreal.

Her happiness from two days ago has now turned into a nightmare.

"Whatever happens, remember that I love you."

So Strauss told her. He seemed almost resigned.

The sentences uttered by Strauss and Deedee continue to replay in his mind, like vivid flashbacks.

"Kanna, as soon as I try to kill him, you'll see the true face of this son of a bitch."

“I want to live, and I'll fight with everything I have. I'll do everything I can to survive."

She asked him if what the detective accused him of was true. He didn't answer.

“Remember that I love you."

Has she been manipulated by that guy all this time? Seduced and deceived?

She recalls Chand's coldness, his disdain towards her pleas.

"Do you know why Chand despises you? Because that's not a man. That's a demon." That's what Deedee told her, as if she knew something of which she's unaware. As if the goddess spoke through her.

Kanna falls to her knees. She puts her hands on her head.

"Chand, tell me! What should I do?" The plea escapes her mouth almost involuntarily, as if the desperation she's feeling needs an outlet.

Kill him. Kill Strauss Wagner. Kill the servant of the demon.

A clear and crystalline voice, like daylight. In her head. The sudden occurrence makes her jump. Did the goddess speak to her? Or is she going crazy?

Kill him. Kill the bishop.

No, it's not madness. Chand is giving her an unequivocal order. Tears stream down her eyes. She can't stop this crying.

*BOOOOMMM*

An explosion. An explosion coming from the school building. Kanna snaps out of the state of despair she was in.

From the windows, flames can be seen illuminating the rooms of the structure.

People drawn by the commotion are starting to gather. Some have taken out their phones to call the emergency number.

The professor looks for her phone. Deedee still has it.

She stands back up.

"Luysia! He's in there! Hurry!"

Two women come running, wielding their weapons. One blonde, and one brunette. Kanna knows them; they are the girls always around Strauss. One is Rero Sansanti, the boy's classmate. The other is Luysia Camclair, the former paladin of Chand.

The pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Camclair disappeared for three days during the goddess festival. When she came back, she had renounced the church and was following Strauss Wagner. How is it possible that she didn't realize what was happening?

Was she so blinded by the boy?

"Hey! Stop! It's dangerous to go in!" a teacher tries to stop them without success.

The two women, clearly in a hurry, rush through the secondary entrance through which Strauss and Deedee had entered earlier.

Kanna decides to follow them.

She needs to know the truth.