Clyde wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not at the garb the black-haired girl wore . He was rather impressed that she wielded the traditional shrine maiden outfit and s.e.x appeal hand in hand like weapons of ma.s.s destruction . He decided to ask the obvious question hanging in the air .

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"Clare, a nice surprise, but how'd you find me? I don't go around giving out my address," he said .

"I wouldn't have known about you, if not for the pulse of immense power last Sunday . I didn't know it was you until my spirit partner showed me . " She folded her arms . "I need your help . Normally, I'm fine with fighting demons on my own, but…tonight, a witch of the lost path is snooping around my shop . "

"A witch of the lost path—alright, kindly explain what that is . And what's a spirit partner?" Clyde said, weariness at the edge of his voice . "Let's just pretend I'm from another world . "

She gave the young man a brief skeptical look then nodded .

"Witches are normally maidens of nature," she began . "They typically live in the country or small towns, peacefully . Those of the lost path serve demon G.o.ds or sometimes worse, the Tainted . They abuse their powers, kill at will, and kiss up to demon lords . As for my spirit partner, you'll see when I summon her . "

"So, the witch here today is paying a visit to our local demon lord," Clyde said without missing a beat . He weighed his options . Sure, he fought Zeth and many powerful enemies, including those of the hidden Lotus, but he had to a.s.sume that they were of the lower end of the power scale . Clyde knew true horrors such as level four hundred abominations or "??? . " Was there even a level cap? "How strong are we talking because I'm not trying to walk into instant death . Done that too many—"

[Quest: Defeat the witch of the lost path . This quest is mandatory and cannot be refused . Rewards: unknown . ]

"Never mind," he said, holding down his temper and secret need to blow his out his own brains . "I'll help . " He added under his breath, "whether I'd like to or not . "

What happened if he ignored the mandatory quest?

[If you ignore a mandatory quest, you will be penalized severely . ]

Clare smiled .

"You'll help? Really?"

"I will, but after consulting with my friends . We meet at the bus stop around the corner before patrolling the night . Kapeesh?"

"Kapeesh . "

At least Clare got it . Someone needed to explain that to Mortem . For an overpowered ent.i.ty, he knew jack s.h.i.+t of human culture .

At eight, the entire crew was gathered at the meeting spot: Harumi, Chika, Toru, Kitome, and Seth . They were all wide-eyed when he introduced them to Clare . Harumi's glare was the most dangerous but seemingly lasted the least amount of time . He explained the situation, gathering a collection of groans . Seth protested first .

"Dude, I don't want to tell you how to run the team, but after Sunday, I'd be fine with patrols . Even upgraded my bat . Has a fiery element to it . "

"No one cares about your bat," Kitome said then stormed up to Clyde . The blue-haired magical girl seemed to lower herself a little as if intimidated . "You can't be serious, Clyde . I can see it in your eyes—you'd rather not do this . "

Clyde spoke with gritted teeth .

"It's not like I have any choice in this . " He looked at his team as a whole then spoke up, calmly . "I'm no dictator . You do not have to join me, I'm simply helping Clare out . "

Harumi was already to Clyde's side before he could get out another world . Chika followed . Toru shrugged .

"The weakling has grown up, but you'll get no complaints from me . I've been training . "

"You're all f.u.c.king nuts . Ever read the stories? Witches are bad news man," Seth grumbled .

"And demons aren't?" Toru said .

Kitome frowned at Seth, turned to Clyde then to the young man's surprise, placed a caring hand on his cheek .

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"You're the leader, I trust you . But never give us the option to abandon you . If you don't have a choice, fine . I'd like an explanation later . "

Clyde felt a soft hand slip into his and squeeze . Harumi's . He didn't deserve the comfort, putting their lives on the line but she gave it to him anyway . Sheesh, no wonder why the marriage system unlocked on her account . A man and a woman looked for this kind of comfort from their significant others . Clyde's back straightened, and he stood taller .

"I've gotten much stronger too," he told the others . "I can only hope this new power will keep us going—now let's get moving . The night's dying and we've got some patrolling to do . Clare, lead the way . "

"To my shop," she said . "I can sense her lingering there, looking for a way through the barriers . "

[Your relations.h.i.+p with Clare has changed to Friend . Teasing . ]

Clyde a.n.a.lyzed the maiden, just to see how much she improved since the prior week .

Clare

Level: 34 .

Type: maiden .

Relations.h.i.+p: Friend . Teasing .

HP: 100% (+15%)

MP: 100%

Stats: A barrier prevents this .

Special abilities: Summon Spirit Partner . Destiny arrow 11 .

Skills: Baka! Your relations.h.i.+p isn't high enough…desu .

Magic abilities: see above . You know this, yet you continue to test me, human .

Clyde missed a step . The system was always sa.s.sy, but this took things to another level . He made a mental note to speak to the system . And desu? What the h.e.l.l did that mean?

Clyde reached into his inventory, pulled out the last of his beef jerky and devoured it .

[Your composure has increased by 3% for the next hour . ]

"I've should've eaten something before coming out here," Clyde said as they pa.s.sed a bakery . A bakery that would've been open until ten if not for the curfew .

Harumi gave the young man a sideways look .

"You're coming to my place to eat after this," she said in a voice that left no room to object .

"Can I—"

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Toru covered Seth's mouth .

"When she gets like this, it's best to stay out it unless you're invited .

Just then, two spiders the size of greyhounds with metal exoskeletons and six pumpkos jumped off the store rooftops to engage the party . Clyde a.n.a.lyzed the spiders . The pumpkos were level twenty-six .

MetSpider

Level: 27

Type: Monster

Work under: demon lord sp.a.w.n .

Special: Metal Crush Slash . [Chance to inflict double metal damage . ]

Weakness: Fire .

Resistances: Your hostile detection isn't high enough .

Secret: Your hostile detection, luck, and will isn't high enough for this .

[Your party has entered combat!]

"s.h.i.+t I hate spiders, battle formation two guys, fan it out," Clyde ordered . Everyone obeyed, a.s.saulting their chosen foes . Toru fought with magically-enhanced hand to hand combat, Seth used his bat that echoed flames, Harumi mixed martial arts with electrical magic . Sometimes she kept at a distance, preferring to pepper the enemy with lightning . Courtesy of her wand . Kitome's magic was still unknown to Clyde, even though he experienced it firsthand . Every magical attack seemed to be as cutesy as possible, pink hearts made of energy and explosive magic .

Clyde's complaining eventually got her to transform before he arrived at the bus stop . Chika's fighting style reminded him of the rogues from the games—she even seemed to go invisible sometimes . Her dagger skills were impressive . Until that bout with Melody, Clyde never actually seen the girl do any magic . She'd be his secret weapon if need be . Clare perhaps was the most graceful, fighting with a glowing bow and arrow . A white winged cat fought at her side with fierceness, slas.h.i.+ng and biting foes . It left behind trails of fading white light when it moved .

Clyde's foe, a spider of course, lurched at him . Sensing the moods, air flows, the tiny tremors in the ground, he stepped to the side, hands in pocket, calm . The spider looked surprised to miss its attack . Its claws began glow, eager to crush Clyde with its special attack . It never got the chance to move .

Clyde jumped with ease, unsheathed his sword, landed on its back .

[Clyde activated Precise Slash . ]

Four levels of demon steel sliced the creature in two . He looked for more, hoping to test out his mystic abilities, but his group proved themselves to not be slackers .

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[Battle completed . Victory! Reward: 600 EXP and $200 . ]

"Is she still at the shop?" Harumi said .

"She is," Clare answered . "Come . Follow me . We're almost there . "

The airflow began to tense in a strange way . Chills flowed down the young man's spine like frozen waterfalls . He closed his eyes and focused on the strange energy ahead .

[Talent Main character stuff: Hidden Mystic Skill activated . Foresee . ]

Clyde immediate threw up a spirit s.h.i.+eld in front of Harumi . The blast of dark energy bounced off harmlessly, vanis.h.i.+ng into the ether .

"Ugh, so close!" someone said . Clyde's eyes widened in bewilderment at the small girl that approached them, dressed in all black . Kid's clothing . A f.u.c.king ten-year-old girl .

"That's an illusion," Clare said . "She can morph to any age, except past her own age . "

"So, you fought her before?" Toru asked .

"A friend of mine fought one of her type that did the age thing . "

"May as well not call it an illusion," the kid said . "I'm stuck this way…but if I kill you b.o.o.by brains, I should get the power to reverse this . Unless . " She pointed at the shop . "Let down your barrier and I'll spare your lives . "

"I don't think so," Clare said, voice deadly . She seemed to be nervous .

Clyde gave the kid an a.n.a.lyze .

"Someone call the cops," Chika said .

Natali Witch of the Lost Path .

Level: 60

Type: dark witch

Work under: the covenant of the lost path .

Special: Princess Dire Spiral [Tier 2 dark magic . Does severe damage . ]

Weakness: Spiritual . Holy .

Resistances: Your hostile detection isn't high enough .

Secret: Your hostile detection, luck, and will isn't high enough for this

"Level f.u.c.king sixty," Clyde said to the others . "Clare, you know about me . Otherwise, there's no way you would've brought any of us here . "

"Level sixty, dude? f.u.c.k," Seth said . "I knew this was a bad idea . You see this is what I get for trying to go with the flow . Being a team player . Follow the wome—"

"Shut up," Harumi said in a deadly calm voice, her glare at the young man sharper than steel . He grinned nervously .

Natalia sighed .

"To think you'd dare ignore me . Let's see how you deal with this!"

[Your party----$##%$#^#^$#% Battle cancelled . ]

Clyde's spirit wave hit the girl hard enough to send her flying more than thirty yards .

[Critical! Weakness exploited!]

Natalia stood back up, dusting herself off . Clyde frowned .

"Well, I suppose this isn't the first time I f.u.c.ked up . " He laughed . "We're not about to be wiped by a loli . Everyone f.u.c.king run . "

"We're running away from a kid?" Chika said .

"You're running away," Clyde said . "Or at least back up . I've got this . "

"Are you f.u.c.king insane?" Clare exclaimed, shaking Clyde . "Not even you can take her alone!"

As if to emphasize her point, black lightning rained on the entire party . Pain struck like a hammer, but the young man held fast . His initiated a quick mediation .

[Your party has entered combat!]

"You want to play," the loli witch said . "Then we'll play!"

"I don't," Clyde said, dodging her black lightning . The little girl continued to fire deadly bolts, but the young man became one with the nature . One with the wind, vibrations in the ground, the breathing . He needed to or else, death to level sixty attack . His mystic senses made him looked as if he practiced combat skills and dancing and gymnastics for years . His friends stared, nearly dumbfounded . Natalia seemed more amused than bitter .

[Natalia used teleport]

The witch was behind him with a hand on his back .

[Natalia activated Tier 2 magic: Princess Dire spiral . ]

Everyone watched in horror . Clyde simply grinned .

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