Clyde along with Alice, Chika, Harumi, and Yuki, stepped into the ramen shop. To the eyes of the civilians, they were the typical group of college students that ate there all the time. They spotted Tyrone sitting in front of an incredibly pretty black-haired young woman with the most startling eyes. One eye was red, the other blue. The dual eye trope. He pretended not to see the book she hid behind her that had two muscled men on the cover.
Clyde and his party sat at the table next to Ming and Tyrone. Tyrone made the introductions.
A waitress smiled warmly at them and asked for their orders. Her smile lingered on Clyde much longer than the others.
"So, how can I help you?" he said after the attendant left. Ming heavily blushed. Tyrone sighed.
"Now that you're in front of him, all of that ego is drained," he said.
"Oh hush," Ming said then reached into a purse. She pulled out a glowing yellow-orange glass ball the size of a grapefruit. "It's a variant but definitely an Omen's sphere." She held it up, closed her eyes as if wincing and said, "marry me!"
Everyone nearly fell back on their chairs, including the civilians. Tyrone facepalmed hard.
[Ming has proposed to you? Accept? Warning, it is not recommended to accept without first having sex with her.]
Clyde's wiped the tiny trickle of blood that flowed from his nose. He also wanted to die of embarrassment. Alice was laughing so hard, tears dotted the sides of her eyes. Ming hid her face in her hands.
"I must marry the legendary figure and present him with the sphere," she said. "A silly dream really, you could've been a girl or an old fart, crushing it instantly."
Chika snorted.
"Better find new dreams because you're not getting this guy."
Ming glared at her then gaped.
"Are you…the daughter of—"
A furious glare from the silver-haired young woman shut her up.
"If I wanted to flaunt riches and material possessions, I would've done so," Chika said. " But I don't care about things like that."
"Words from the top student herself," Yuki said. "Admirable."
"Your dream is sweet," Harumi said, "but you shouldn't place it on a stranger."
"You girls sound like you're trying to keep him to yourself," Ming said. "Well, I won't give up. Maybe…we can start off as friends."
"No, go away," Alice said. "I'm barely tolerant with these two."
"No need to be rude," Harumi said half-heartedly. She looked as if she agreed with Alice, but just wanted to be polite.
Ming glared at them.
"I'm willing to wager that I can—"
"Enough," Tyrone said. "Kazumi's waiting at my place and I don't want to sit in here all day. Just give him the sphere and get to making the next chapter—"
"Shh!" Ming covered his mouth with both hands, dropping the sphere back into her purse.
"You're a writer?" Chika said.
"A writer and mangaka," Tyrone said after he moved her hand away.
Chika perked up.
"Hmm, what's your name again? You can't purpose to Clyde and not have a full name."
"Ming Chew," Tyrone said.
Chika's mouth dropped then she grabbed Ming's hands.
"Go home, right now. I need the next volume of Happy Love Ever After. Oh and the Loli Saga's pretty great too."
Ming hissed at her to keep the mention of her name low. So she wrote the Loli Saga? Clyde thought. The edge lord would be begging for autographs.
The waitress returned, handing everyone their bowls. Clyde commended her for balancing so many bowls on one tray without even so much as a flinch.
"Would you like to try our company's special sauce?" the waitresses said, holding up a bottle of clear liquid with a strange label on it. "It's normally expensive, but for you, it's on the house. Adds a nice kick and flavor boost to your noodles."
He considered accepting it, moved by the kindness of the waitress and the jealous glares from the other girls until a familiar ability unexpectedly triggered. Trap detection. This was the last skill he'd ever want to go off in a fucking restaurant—and especially a very good one like the ramen shop.
[Warning, substance in bottle is not company sauce, but vaginal fluid.]
Clyde's eyes widened.
"I'm good," he said, not feeling his bowl of noodles. The detection at least didn't go off for them.
"I insist," the waitress cooed, leaning over him with the bottle raised.
"No—I don't want your vagina sauce," he hissed. The waitress grinned widely. People began to either look away from the table or leave the restaurant, without so much as peeking over to the area of the noisy group. Like a certain phenomenon. The waitress shimmered in a display of sparkles and magic and the illusion dropped.
Maki stole a kiss from the young man while he gaped, baffled, perhaps even confused. She did not…feel like herself. The Ki that radiated from her felt wrong—too wrong. It was like staring down into the pit of Hell or at the scene of a terrible mass murder. Those feelings combined with fear and despair and a sense of the forbidden.
"Ugh, it's really a shame we cannot have sex right now," Maki said, "not until I'm fully turned into a goddess."
Everyone jumped up, except Ming.
"Maki…what's going on?" she said confused.
"You know her?" Chika said.
"She's my cousin," Ming said.
Maki winked at her cousin.
"I'll be taking that Omen's sphere if you don't mind. Someone important wanted me to make use of it, so I will."
"No," Ming said. "Maki, you will tell me what's going on. And about all of these rumors going around. I've even heard what some girls are supposedly doing in your name."
Maki blinked.
"No one's doing jack in my name—I didn't give out commands yet." She pointed at Ming. "Sweet cousin, I love you, but if you don't hand over the sphere, I will take it from you. And it will hurt."
[You activated Binder's hand.]
[No effect.]
Clyde blinked, taken by surprise. No effect? He'd never seen a prompt like this in any of his battles.
Maki held out her hand. Alice leapt into action, snatching the sphere and then bolting for the door, motioning for Clyde and the party to follow. They complied.
Maki teleported outside, waiting for them with a wicked grin. Clyde supposed now was the time to get the arrest over with.
"Maki—"
[Talent Main character stuff. Hidden Skill. Tier 1 skill: Foresight.]
[This skill was forcibly triggered by your soul connection to Alice.]
Death rained on the restaurant in an explosion on a level he'd never before seen. In fact, the entire block was wiped out by the black Ki. This…unnatural power, given to the girl by a trickster demon god. She meant to kill all for power and ecstasy.
[Warning: this is but a possible future, among many futures; however, if you continue to let her remain influenced by the irresistible allure of the trickster demon god, she will kill against her will. Then once given full power, will become numb to it, force herself to enjoy it. You must say something to stop this course now.]
[Maki is currently wrapped in the trickster's net of protection. Ordinary magic will not work on her. She must resist, even a little to break from his grasps.]
Clyde knew everything he said would ride on this. For now, he'd have to forget the arrest, forget that she was batshit insane and pull her from the clutches of Melody's father. Of all things, a fucking demon god is dipping his hands into their lives. This had to be against the stone-viper game rules or something. Why weren't the watchers doing anything?
"Maki," he said softly. "Let's talk, just you and I."
She gave him a skeptical look, but the grin long since faded as she probably charged whatever crazy power it was that she wielded. Clyde continued. "Don't let him control you."
She flinched then fell to her knees. A voice whispered from everywhere and nowhere, from the skies, to the ends of the universe.
[Warning: your charisma may not be high enough to accomplish the feat.]
"When you learn the Omen's sphere, even a little bit, kill the Stone. Do so and I will grant you power, more than you could imagine. And you can use it to fix your life. Obey mortal."
Maki shook her head.
"No. You're trying to trick me—get out of my head."
[Your heart protection has launched a seed into Maki's spirit. An unknown force combats it…]
"You don't have a choice. Kill him or I'll just give this power to your uncle. I have his soul, ready to revive, to point of your location. Don't make me compel you Maki, mortal. There is great power, potential. I want you to willingly use your black Ki for me. Obey! Or I'll kill your family."
Maki flinched, tears streaming from her face. Clyde could see that she was simply a frightened college girl.
"Maki!"
Mei seemingly appeared from thin air and pulled the other woman into a hug. "Please, resist it. I know how to stop his influence. Please…I don't want to—"
Maki grinned widely as her eyes glowed red.
"That's just an act. As if I'll throw away the chance to become a goddess. Besides, master's aura is too great. And Mei, you should've stayed home like I told you."
Her black Ki-enveloped hand fiercely lurched into Mei's stomach in a gory display of cold-blooded murder. Mei gasped and held onto Maki's arms as her strength vanished. Ming screamed and cried as she watched her cousin commit the horrible act. "I pull you from your suffering out of love, old friend. Now off to my master you go. He'll take care of your soul."
Tears streaked from the demoness's eyes as she burst into purple flame. "Oh no, who didn't see that coming." Maki laughed. "Come on, guys, lighten up. She had it coming, the nuisance."
Clyde and his party remained frozen, eyes widened. Pink aura appeared around Alice.
"Maki…why? Just let me know that," Clyde said. "Why even do all of this?"
"You're not my cousin," Ming said softly, wiping tears from her eyes. "Mei was so kind…and you…"
Maki winked.
"Kind my ass. Say what you want, but I don't call the shots. I obey, I get to live, and gain real power. No more of this life for me."
She teleported by Alice.
"I've been meaning to tell you this, slut."
She almost unleashed a deadly blast of black Ki on Alice, but the demoness had no intention of just standing there. She swept Maki off her feet, then followed it up with a kick. The force of the attack spiraled the yandere ten yards backward.
Maki laughed maniacally but held the Omen's sphere high into the air. "Another act, a mission for my master completed. Bye!"
<Maki channeled shift.>
And just like that, she was gone. Ordinary magic wouldn't work on her. Clyde spat.
"How the fuck….what the fuck just happened," he said. He felt bad for Mei, but had no sympathy to spare for her. Maki couldn't be saved. He rapidly dialed Melody's number. If anyone could counter the demon god's magic, it would be his daughter. If not, well, they were already fucked.
Clyde along with Alice, Chika, Harumi, and Yuki, stepped into the ramen shop. To the eyes of the civilians, they were the typical group of college students that ate there all the time. They spotted Tyrone sitting in front of an incredibly pretty black-haired young woman with the most startling eyes. One eye was red, the other blue. The dual eye trope. He pretended not to see the book she hid behind her that had two muscled men on the cover.
Clyde and his party sat at the table next to Ming and Tyrone. Tyrone made the introductions.
A waitress smiled warmly at them and asked for their orders. Her smile lingered on Clyde much longer than the others.
"So, how can I help you?" he said after the attendant left. Ming heavily blushed. Tyrone sighed.
"Now that you're in front of him, all of that ego is drained," he said.
"Oh hush," Ming said then reached into a purse. She pulled out a glowing yellow-orange glass ball the size of a grapefruit. "It's a variant but definitely an Omen's sphere." She held it up, closed her eyes as if wincing and said, "marry me!"
Everyone nearly fell back on their chairs, including the civilians. Tyrone facepalmed hard.
[Ming has proposed to you? Accept? Warning, it is not recommended to accept without first having sex with her.]
Clyde's wiped the tiny trickle of blood that flowed from his nose. He also wanted to die of embarrassment. Alice was laughing so hard, tears dotted the sides of her eyes. Ming hid her face in her hands.
"I must marry the legendary figure and present him with the sphere," she said. "A silly dream really, you could've been a girl or an old fart, crushing it instantly."
Chika snorted.
"Better find new dreams because you're not getting this guy."
Ming glared at her then gaped.
"Are you…the daughter of—"
A furious glare from the silver-haired young woman shut her up.
"If I wanted to flaunt riches and material possessions, I would've done so," Chika said. " But I don't care about things like that."
"Words from the top student herself," Yuki said. "Admirable."
"Your dream is sweet," Harumi said, "but you shouldn't place it on a stranger."
"You girls sound like you're trying to keep him to yourself," Ming said. "Well, I won't give up. Maybe…we can start off as friends."
"No, go away," Alice said. "I'm barely tolerant with these two."
"No need to be rude," Harumi said half-heartedly. She looked as if she agreed with Alice, but just wanted to be polite.
Ming glared at them.
"I'm willing to wager that I can—"
"Enough," Tyrone said. "Kazumi's waiting at my place and I don't want to sit in here all day. Just give him the sphere and get to making the next chapter—"
"Shh!" Ming covered his mouth with both hands, dropping the sphere back into her purse.
"You're a writer?" Chika said.
"A writer and mangaka," Tyrone said after he moved her hand away.
Chika perked up.
"Hmm, what's your name again? You can't purpose to Clyde and not have a full name."
"Ming Chew," Tyrone said.
Chika's mouth dropped then she grabbed Ming's hands.
"Go home, right now. I need the next volume of Happy Love Ever After. Oh and the Loli Saga's pretty great too."
Ming hissed at her to keep the mention of her name low. So she wrote the Loli Saga? Clyde thought. The edge lord would be begging for autographs.
The waitress returned, handing everyone their bowls. Clyde commended her for balancing so many bowls on one tray without even so much as a flinch.
"Would you like to try our company's special sauce?" the waitresses said, holding up a bottle of clear liquid with a strange label on it. "It's normally expensive, but for you, it's on the house. Adds a nice kick and flavor boost to your noodles."
He considered accepting it, moved by the kindness of the waitress and the jealous glares from the other girls until a familiar ability unexpectedly triggered. Trap detection. This was the last skill he'd ever want to go off in a fucking restaurant—and especially a very good one like the ramen shop.
[Warning, substance in bottle is not company sauce, but vaginal fluid.]
Clyde's eyes widened.
"I'm good," he said, not feeling his bowl of noodles. The detection at least didn't go off for them.
"I insist," the waitress cooed, leaning over him with the bottle raised.
"No—I don't want your vagina sauce," he hissed. The waitress grinned widely. People began to either look away from the table or leave the restaurant, without so much as peeking over to the area of the noisy group. Like a certain phenomenon. The waitress shimmered in a display of sparkles and magic and the illusion dropped.
Maki stole a kiss from the young man while he gaped, baffled, perhaps even confused. She did not…feel like herself. The Ki that radiated from her felt wrong—too wrong. It was like staring down into the pit of Hell or at the scene of a terrible mass murder. Those feelings combined with fear and despair and a sense of the forbidden.
"Ugh, it's really a shame we cannot have sex right now," Maki said, "not until I'm fully turned into a goddess."
Everyone jumped up, except Ming.
"Maki…what's going on?" she said confused.
"You know her?" Chika said.
"She's my cousin," Ming said.
Maki winked at her cousin.
"I'll be taking that Omen's sphere if you don't mind. Someone important wanted me to make use of it, so I will."
"No," Ming said. "Maki, you will tell me what's going on. And about all of these rumors going around. I've even heard what some girls are supposedly doing in your name."
Maki blinked.
"No one's doing jack in my name—I didn't give out commands yet." She pointed at Ming. "Sweet cousin, I love you, but if you don't hand over the sphere, I will take it from you. And it will hurt."
[You activated Binder's hand.]
[No effect.]
Clyde blinked, taken by surprise. No effect? He'd never seen a prompt like this in any of his battles.
Maki held out her hand. Alice leapt into action, snatching the sphere and then bolting for the door, motioning for Clyde and the party to follow. They complied.
Maki teleported outside, waiting for them with a wicked grin. Clyde supposed now was the time to get the arrest over with.
"Maki—"
[Talent Main character stuff. Hidden Skill. Tier 1 skill: Foresight.]
[This skill was forcibly triggered by your soul connection to Alice.]
Death rained on the restaurant in an explosion on a level he'd never before seen. In fact, the entire block was wiped out by the black Ki. This…unnatural power, given to the girl by a trickster demon god. She meant to kill all for power and ecstasy.
[Warning: this is but a possible future, among many futures; however, if you continue to let her remain influenced by the irresistible allure of the trickster demon god, she will kill against her will. Then once given full power, will become numb to it, force herself to enjoy it. You must say something to stop this course now.]
[Maki is currently wrapped in the trickster's net of protection. Ordinary magic will not work on her. She must resist, even a little to break from his grasps.]
Clyde knew everything he said would ride on this. For now, he'd have to forget the arrest, forget that she was batshit insane and pull her from the clutches of Melody's father. Of all things, a fucking demon god is dipping his hands into their lives. This had to be against the stone-viper game rules or something. Why weren't the watchers doing anything?
"Maki," he said softly. "Let's talk, just you and I."
She gave him a skeptical look, but the grin long since faded as she probably charged whatever crazy power it was that she wielded. Clyde continued. "Don't let him control you."
She flinched then fell to her knees. A voice whispered from everywhere and nowhere, from the skies, to the ends of the universe.
[Warning: your charisma may not be high enough to accomplish the feat.]
"When you learn the Omen's sphere, even a little bit, kill the Stone. Do so and I will grant you power, more than you could imagine. And you can use it to fix your life. Obey mortal."
Maki shook her head.
"No. You're trying to trick me—get out of my head."
[Your heart protection has launched a seed into Maki's spirit. An unknown force combats it…]
"You don't have a choice. Kill him or I'll just give this power to your uncle. I have his soul, ready to revive, to point of your location. Don't make me compel you Maki, mortal. There is great power, potential. I want you to willingly use your black Ki for me. Obey! Or I'll kill your family."
Maki flinched, tears streaming from her face. Clyde could see that she was simply a frightened college girl.
"Maki!"
Mei seemingly appeared from thin air and pulled the other woman into a hug. "Please, resist it. I know how to stop his influence. Please…I don't want to—"
Maki grinned widely as her eyes glowed red.
"That's just an act. As if I'll throw away the chance to become a goddess. Besides, master's aura is too great. And Mei, you should've stayed home like I told you."
Her black Ki-enveloped hand fiercely lurched into Mei's stomach in a gory display of cold-blooded murder. Mei gasped and held onto Maki's arms as her strength vanished. Ming screamed and cried as she watched her cousin commit the horrible act. "I pull you from your suffering out of love, old friend. Now off to my master you go. He'll take care of your soul."
Tears streaked from the demoness's eyes as she burst into purple flame. "Oh no, who didn't see that coming." Maki laughed. "Come on, guys, lighten up. She had it coming, the nuisance."
Clyde and his party remained frozen, eyes widened. Pink aura appeared around Alice.
"Maki…why? Just let me know that," Clyde said. "Why even do all of this?"
"You're not my cousin," Ming said softly, wiping tears from her eyes. "Mei was so kind…and you…"
Maki winked.
"Kind my ass. Say what you want, but I don't call the shots. I obey, I get to live, and gain real power. No more of this life for me."
She teleported by Alice.
"I've been meaning to tell you this, slut."
She almost unleashed a deadly blast of black Ki on Alice, but the demoness had no intention of just standing there. She swept Maki off her feet, then followed it up with a kick. The force of the attack spiraled the yandere ten yards backward.
Maki laughed maniacally but held the Omen's sphere high into the air. "Another act, a mission for my master completed. Bye!"
<Maki channeled shift.>
And just like that, she was gone. Ordinary magic wouldn't work on her. Clyde spat.
"How the fuck….what the fuck just happened," he said. He felt bad for Mei, but had no sympathy to spare for her. Maki couldn't be saved. He rapidly dialed Melody's number. If anyone could counter the demon god's magic, it would be his daughter. If not, well, they were already fucked.
