"A dagger is a weapon of close combat . Closer than the sword . If your weapon is battered away, then switch to the dagger . Don't fight a demon unarmed unless you have the training, the combat skills . Even basic skills can go a long way . Let me show you how to use the dagger . "

Sponsored Content

And so, for the next two hours, Clare taught Clyde how to use the dagger, techniques, hiding it, and even showed him how to properly use throwing knives . The young man wasn't perfect, but he caught on quickly . Clare's teaching was as clear as day to him, almost as if she injected the skills into his skull . They spent a lot of time pressed against each other, she sometimes grabbing his arm, directing it to a proper form . She was very touchy-feely, especially on Clyde's chest . At the end of the two hours, the young man received a prompt for his troubles .

[You have learned dagger combat 1 and knife throwing 1 . Your combat level has reached basic 2 . ]

"I'll let you take one of the steel daggers," Clare said . "When you have the money, you know, from killing monsters and all, you can upgrade . "

After he left the shop, a little disappointed that he let Clare's teasing nature decide things for him . Chika's text cheered him up and he wasted no time replying . And they said silver-haired anime people were dangerous . How ridiculous . Chika was like the friend she needed in this world .

Just then, Clyde spotted Kitome and a blue-haired young man wearing the academy school uniform, arguing in front of a restaurant . He considered walking somewhere else, uneager to interfere with their quarrel, but it was too late .

"See, there he is . We can do it, Yasuke . "

"I never asked for this gift thing," Yasuke barked, without looking at Clyde . He stormed off in the opposite direction . Clyde a.n.a.lyzed him in time .

Yasuke .

Level: 11 .

Type: ninja

Relations.h.i.+p: stranger .

HP: 125%

MP: 75%

Sponsored Content

Higher HP and lower MP, now this intrigued Clyde . Most base stats from what he had seen so far resonated a balance between the two . No…that wasn't what hyped him . No… a real-life ninja . Jealousy ran through Clyde's blood like currents of a raging river .

Kitome smiled sadly at him as he approached . The blue-haired anime girl, who looked to be just five feet tall was dressed in casual clothing—jeans and a designer s.h.i.+rt . She had her long hair in curls this time . Clyde actually felt bad for the hairdresser .

"Your boyfriend's a ninja," Clyde said .

"That's my brother," Kitome said . "And like me, he transforms . "

"Into a ninja," Clyde deadpanned . "That's not fair . "

Kitome shrugged .

"So wait," Clyde continued . "You're a brother-sister duo of magical girl types . "

Kitome sighed .

"That's one way to put it," Kitome said . "If only he didn't reject his power so much . He'd be really helpful at taking down the demon lord . "

"His level is only eleven . Remember that metal pumpkin thing?" Clyde said . "He was at twenty-five . The demon lord is going to be a f.u.c.king killer . Either your brother's in or not . "

"I'll . . . try harder to convince him," she said with a twinkle in her eye . Clyde forced away the thought of a certain anime trope that came to mind .

"Yeah…just don't do anything weird," Clyde said as he started to walk away .

Kitome followed .

"What do you mean by that?" she said with a tiny bit of anger .

"Nothing," Clyde said . "Do your best . And get him to train . Anyway, I'm off to the dojo, bye . "

Kitome still followed him .

"I don't like the hidden meaning in your voice . And you know, it's a cloudy day . I don't mind walking with you to the dojo . "

Sponsored Content

He gave the young woman a blank stare, a once-over, then shrugged .

"If you have nothing better to do," he said then continued walking .

Kitome harrumphed anime-girl style . His phone buzzed . Chika sent a photo of her and the most magnificent-looking sundae ever . It looked to be the size of a melon, decked with chocolate fudge and nuts . Sweets . The enemy of Clyde's athleticism . He wasn't sure how long he'd be able to deny them in this word . The silver-haired girl sent him another message .

Next time, I'd really like to share it with you . Not my annoying father .

"How rude," Kitome said . "On your phone with another girl when you have someone like me in your company . "

"Says the girl who likes—" he stopped in time then just shook his head .

"Who likes what?" Kitome gave him an inescapable glare .

"Cosplaying as magical girls," Clyde said, refusing to state the rest of his original sentence .

"It's not cosplaying," she said . "And something tells me you were about to say something else . Something worse . "

"Women's intuition?" Clyde said with a chuckle . Kitome gave him a final glare then sighed .

The two walked the rest of the way to the dojo in silence . The mood increased once they watched a few matches . The duo talked and made comments, smiled and laughed together . Clyde was rewarded with prompts as they started to leave .

[Your relations.h.i.+p with Kitome has changed from friendly to a.s.sociate-friendly . ]

[Your combat style has changed from basic to somewhat skilled . You gain + 2 bonus stats to speed and will . ]

Sponsored Content

After seeing Kitome off, he started for home, shopping bag in hand . As he pa.s.sed the ramen shop, a strange feel s.h.i.+mmied down his spine . Chills . The feeling of being watched . He turned around but saw no one other than walkers on the other side of the street . They were ignoring him, talking to loved ones or even jogging . Yet, Clyde could not pa.s.s off that feeling easily—it felt palpable . A pair of eyes that were wanting .

Clyde continued to his front door, only to stop when he noticed something on the steps to his door . He picked it up . It appeared to be some kind of trading card .

[You have found an Attacker card . Item cla.s.s: bizarre . The Sorceress Amina is said to have been a lost card, unable to be printed as data of it vanished a long time ago . Power: ??? Defense: ??? . ]

[The cards effect's and abilities cannot be revealed to you until the contract is formed . ]

"What in the s.h.i.+t?" Clyde said as he examined the item . "A card with a big-b.o.o.bed anime girl on it, dressed in wizard robes . Even has cleavage showing . " He warped the card to his inventory . Something felt familiar about the trading card in general, but he just couldn't put a finger on it .

He took a nap until that evening .

Clyde set off in the cool seven-thirty air . He stopped at the ramen shop and devoured a bowl . He was about to deem the early evening safe when he spotted someone familiar laying on a bus stop bench, groaning .

Clyde pushed aside his nervousness and a.n.a.lyzed her .

Alice

Level: 27

Type: demoness .

Work under: demon lord . [Warning: it is very crucial not to engage her at your level . ]

Special: Your hostile detection isn't high enough for this . [Her special…it feels like it can affect all party members . ]

Weakness: Your hostile detection isn't high enough for this, m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t .

Resistances: See above .

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

Clyde started to back away . Lack of people meant that enemies began to sp.a.w.n . And of all things, a boss like this was just way out of his league . He took a deep breath then let it out as the thought of the recent quest addition came to mind .

"Are you okay?" he said, approaching the bench as casually as possible . "We don't need any dead bodies lying about . "

"I'm starving," the girl said softly . "Sooner or later, my toothpaste or the soap is going to start to look delicious . "

Clyde reached into his inventory and pulled out a chocolate bar . As if catching its scent, the girl's eyes shot wide open, leapt up, and then s.n.a.t.c.hed the candy from his grasps . She ripped off the wrapper and devoured the bar in one swoop .

"You know, I could get you some real food," Clyde said .

She looked up at him .

"I could marry you right now," she said . "Alas—I'm perfectly fine with living off sweets . Do you have any more?"

Her eyes were sparkling in a way that made Clyde almost feel sorry for her . Almost . The young woman was still a demon lord lackey—a demoness .

He reached into his inventory, glad that he bought snacks earlier, and handed the hungry girl his last chocolate bar .

"Well, have a good one," Clyde said then started for home . He stopped when he felt a presence following him . He grew annoyed . He'd love to have normal women following him home…But not a f.u.c.king demoness .

He turned a corner and bolted . The presence followed him . As he rounded another corner, taking the block in circles, he ducked to the side of a dumpster . He heard her voice let out a "tssh" in frustration .

"Geeze . "

He waited for her presence to vanish then bolted home . As he reached for the doork.n.o.b, he stopped, realizing that taking the night off is just asking for the Viper to suddenly appear and wipe the floor with him .

Sponsored Content