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 .

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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 gla.s.s 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 s.e.x with her . ]

Clyde's wiped the tiny trickle of blood that flowed from his nose . He also wanted to die of embarra.s.sment . 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, crus.h.i.+ng 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 .

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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 f.u.c.king restaurant—and especially a very good one like the ramen shop .

[Warning, substance in bottle is not company sauce, but v.a.g.i.n.al 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 v.a.g.i.n.a 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 s.h.i.+mmered in a display of sparkles and magic and the illusion dropped .

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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 h.e.l.l or at the scene of a terrible ma.s.s murder . Those feelings combined with fear and despair and a sense of the forbidden .

"Ugh, it's really a shame we cannot have s.e.x right now," Maki said, "not until I'm fully turned into a G.o.ddess . "

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, s.n.a.t.c.hing 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 . ]

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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 G.o.d . 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 G.o.d, 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 bats.h.i.+t insane and pull her from the clutches of Melody's father . Of all things, a f.u.c.king demon G.o.d 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 G.o.ddess . 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 a.s.s . 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, s.l.u.t . "

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!"

And just like that, she was gone . Ordinary magic wouldn't work on her . Clyde spat .

"How the f.u.c.k… . what the f.u.c.k 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 G.o.d's magic, it would be his daughter . If not, well, they were already f.u.c.ked .

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