Clyde's phone rang as they reached Chika's room . Ruri knocked on the door while he answered .

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"What's up, Toru?"

"I found nothing on the news, but if you look outside, you'll notice something interesting . And we're in a bit of trouble . I'm ma.s.s-texting the others right now . "

Chika opened the door, smiling to see Clyde but frowned at the surrounding women . She had a brush in her hand .

"Okay, screw this, I can't do this patient waiting thing anymore," she said .

"What are you talking about?" Natalia asked .

"Nothing," Chika said . "What's the occasion?"

"You're going to the cult headquarters with us," Yuki said .

Clyde walked to the hallway window to confirm Toru's words when his mouth dropped .

"Ladies," he said . "Not you, squirt . " He patted the loli's head .

"Hey!" Natalia snapped . "I'm a wom—holy s.h.i.+mmies . "

The others also seemed to wilt at the sight . Toru's text buzzed, revealing a picture that had even more of them from another side of the building .

There were hundreds of minotaur monster girls, surrounding the hotel, some armed, some not .

"Nya, I don't like this," Neko said, running down the hall . She almost made the anime dive into Clyde, but a last-minute block from Chika tumbled away her chances .

Chika trembled and Clyde knew it was rage . What brought this on?

"First you lot—and now more interferences," she said . "Like, can't a girl catch a break?" The group hurried to the lobby to meet with others . And they all had grim or determined expressions .

Clyde nodded to himself . If the minotaurs believed they'd be waltzing into this hotel easily to do something foolish like take back everything, they had another thing coming . He opened the front door, eyes on the approaching army .

"Well, let's see how this goes . "

[You activated Summon Mist . ]

[Summon Mist: Type: water . Cla.s.s: uncommon . summon a thick mist that can cover an area the size of a small town . You and your allies will be able to see 40% better than any enemies . Warning, this is useless against enemies that do not rely on vision . ]

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The sky darkened, winds rising . A thick mist sp.a.w.ned in the area, nearly instantaneously . He realized something then . A cow on earth could smell something six smiles away, according to the books . Did that apply to the minotaur?

"I can't see," one of them cried . "I knew this was a bad idea . What if the demon lord betrayed us?"

"Do you think someone like that will betray anyone?" another minotaur girl said, voice a.s.serted in a way that made her seem like the leader .

Clyde blinked . Alice, standing beside him did too .

"You… can do that?" Alice said to Clyde as Kitome walked up, transformed .

"I may have a lot of skills that I don't use," he said . Kitome shook him .

"Well get to using them, idiot!" she barked .

"Alright, sheesh woman," Clyde said . "Just let me access the window and see what we got . "

That's when they all became aware of the hotel staff watching, mouths agape . One of the women fainted .

"Team Stone," another woman said softly

Clyde waved .

"My bad, it slipped Tear's mind to tell you that . We didn't think it was important, since, you know, we're mostly known in our home town . Don't mind us, we won't bother you . "

The manager nodded, simply accepting that . Oh well, nothing could be done now without the phenomena . What deity removed it and why? Questions for later, Clyde thought as he accessed his skill menu .

[Tier 2 skill: Blizzard: Type: ice . Cla.s.s: very rare . Unleash a portable blizzard on your foes . Does Heavy Ice damage . ]

"I used this maybe once," Clyde said, aiming a hand outside . "Tear and Ming, continue to watch the fairy boy . We need to break that contract so he can eat without trying to kill us in defense of the minotaurs . "

"I can't believe minotaurs are real, but after what we saw on the news," a staff woman said to the manager .

"Everyone else, go find a place on the rooftop and use big spells to take them out . With that army, I'm pretty sure they weren't going to show us mercy, especially the women . Go!"

As his party took off with their orders, he released the blizzard . Alice and Kitome still remained at his side . They joined in, unleas.h.i.+ng multi-targeting attacks . Both were whirlwinds of beauty and destruction . Kitome wasn't the same battle-incompetent girl from before and Alice…well, Alice was just Alice .

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[Kitome activated Tier 2 skill: Flurry of Love . ]

"Is that a cosplayer?" one of the hotel staff said . Kitome nearly fell .

"I'm not a cosplayer!" she snapped .

She released hundreds of heart bombs into the sea of minotaurs . Since the monsters were weak against ice, the young man was sure his blizzard wiped a ton of them out . He could see through the mist, but barely . Forty percent better? The enemies were probably blind . The sound of his party's attacks rumbled above them like distant thunder .

[Alice activated Special tier skill: Lightning storm annihilation . ]

"Hold your fire," Clyde said to Alice and Kitome, then texted the same orders to the rest of his party . He wanted to check out the damage . He willed for the mist to part . It vanished instead .

His eyes widened at the giant translucent-green barrier-sphere that surrounded the entire enemy army . "You're s.h.i.+tting me . "

"It's pretty easy to forget that they can wield magic," Alice said . "They typically rely on brute strength . "

"You underestimate us," the leader's voice boomed . "And now you're going to pay for it . Ready up, aim for their leader . "

[The minotaur army has activated a Group skill- Scarlett Desiccation . ]

Clyde shook his head .

"We're supposed to be halfway through the cult headquarters right now . "

Alice laughed .

"No reason for us to hold back . Use that star storm skill . "

"Shouldn't we focus on defending against whatever's coming," Clyde said, the spirit s.h.i.+eld skill hanging just on the top of his fingers .

"Leave that to me," she said . "Do you really think I plan to bite the dust from a bunch of minotaurs?"

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A giant light began to form from the center of the minotaur army . Alice stepped forward .

"They need time to charge that," she said . "Hurry . Kitome, it's time I used this thing you made for me . " She pulled from her purse something that resembled a blue potion and tossed it into the air . It burst, releasing a cloud of sky-blue smoke-like substance into the air .

[Clyde activated Tier 1 skill: Star storm . ]

[Alice used an item: Element Bomb! Your skill's element has changed to ice . ]

[Talent, Main character stuff: Lady Luck's kiss . ]

[Item activated: Necklace of Her Devotion . You have entered enlightenment mode 1 . All stats boosted by 100%]

The necklace glowed, pouring aura into and around Clyde . He…felt Kitome's heart—as cheesy as that sounded, the young man couldn't describe it any other way .

[The devastation element has been added into your Star storm . ]

And it did devastate . Clyde willed the spell to focus on the minotaurs, not the f.u.c.king buildings . He didn't want Team Stone to get a bad reputation already . Well, he wasn't feeling the rep in the first place—all it would take is one whisper and the Viper would be able to surprise him .

He found it a little strange that he had not encountered any word or hint of a Viper . Shouldn't he or it be trying to take over the world or something? Well, the edge lord claimed he was doing that, but chuunis didn't count .

He dropped too many thoughts and internal questions that needed answers . Ah well . One step at time .

When the magic cleared, unconscious minotaur bodies littered the place . Holy s.h.i.+t that spell was strong, he thought .

[The minotaur army has lost the will to fight . All HP: at 1% All were inflicted with feebleness . ]

"How are they not dead?" Clyde said . One of the minotaur women was on her knees, trembling . No, crying .

"Please," she said, voice quivering . "Mercy . Don't kill us . "

Clyde wished he could duplicate his evil collar for this moment . He sighed at the invasive thought .

"I've got questions for you," Clyde said, stepping forward . He motioned for his team to be on guard .

"Sure," the defeated minotaur said . "Anything you wish . You can even have your way with me . "

Abruptly, someone stepped out of nothingness . She was a busty woman with long blonde hair and a warm expression on her face . Something about her felt…really off .

The only thing that killed the mysterious vibe she gave was the Loli Saga s.h.i.+rt she wore .

"Excuse me," she said . "I'll be taking ahold of them . "

"What—"

She knelt by the monster girl, placing a hand on her shoulder . Along with the entire army, she vanished in a display of sparkles .

"Who the f.u.c.k was that?" Clyde said in an exasperated voice . He shook his head . "She basically stole our win . "

"Clyde," Alice said . "That was Noona Necro . "

"Who?" Clyde said .

"She was the heir of a silent demon lord house," Alice said . "If she's here…she's the demon lord . "

"Who just so happens to be on the minotaurs' side," Kitome said . "f.u.c.king h.e.l.l . "

Clyde grabbed the magical girl's hands and pulled her close .

"You are a crafting genius and don't know it," Clyde said . She gave him a skeptical look, followed by a blank stare . "Kitome . Listen . You—"

"He's right," Alice interrupted . "Necro stole YOUR victory . "

Kitome frowned, but her breathing seemed…elated as the young man held her hands .

"I need you," Clyde said . "Y—" Kitome fainted . He caught her on time, stare blank . "What the h.e.l.l? Never mind, I'll take her to her room . Tell the others they can come back now . "

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