The jump made Clyde's stomach lurch . No wonder why Dark preferred an airport—he couldn't imagine transmitting over long distances . He pushed aside the need to vomit as he approached the scene . The standoff between a redhead and a silver-haired girl .

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Clyde wasn't sure to be surprised or not when the first thing he noticed was the colossal amount of Chika's aura rotating around her like a tornado . Melody looked as if she'd rather be anywhere else . He couldn't blame her . Chika's place of power was a dungeon with the difficulty level of Super Extreme .

"Admit it," Chika said . "You're trying to use him . I told you, I won't have it, you b.i.t.c.h . "

"And I said I'm not—Oh, Clyde . " Melody's excitement sank when Chika blocked her path, murder oozing from the silver-haired girl .

"What the h.e.l.l, you two," Clyde said as he walked toward them, Selkie trailing with a deadly sense of calm . The young man knew she calculated and examined the trickster from the inside and out .

"Move," Melody said to Chika, voice threatening .

"What are you planning?" the silver-haired girl said . "We know what you are . "

Melody's eyes widened .

"Alice, you rebellious idiot . So, what? I still have my fancies toward men . "

"Not this one," Chika said, still calm, "trickster . Make one move toward him and I'll make you wish you born dead . "

"A human, threatening me?" Melody laughed .

Clyde stopped at Harumi side, ten feet from the two .

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"I've tried everything to break them up," Harumi said .

"Someone tell me what's going on?" he said to two .

"She started this," Melody said .

"Don't try to play victim," Chika said . "You think we're afraid of you because you're some trickster demon . "

"No . " Selkie's voice made all eyes turn to her . "Half trickster demon, half-G.o.ddess . The daughter of he who I cannot name and of she who dawns time . What are you doing here?"

Melody said nothing . Selkie stepped forward .

"You better answer me girl," Selkie said in a voice that trembled the air .

Melody's eyes flashed with fury .

"I owe explanations to no one, I do what I want . And don't think I'm going to back down to you, ent.i.ty . You're not allowed to interfere with this world . " Melody stuck her tongue out at her . Intense green aura rushed about Selkie in a lurch so powerful, Clyde was almost knocked to his a.s.s .

"Okay, everyone's clearly out of my league, I'm going home," Clyde said . "Care to join, Harumi?"

"Clyde, wait," Melody said . She was about to take a step toward him, but Chika's expression hardened .

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"It's so simple," Chika said, "but your reluctance won't help you here . "

Melody sneered, then aimed a hand at Chika .

"Out of my way . "

It briefly flickered with intense white light . The flash bashed Chika to the side . Clyde saw a notification in his prompts, but it was too late to stop her .

[Your party has entered a Boss fight!]

[Chika has activated a Tier 2 skill, a sheer-anger skill, Transcendence of the G.o.ddess!]

"Chika wait!" Clyde yelled too late .

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So much magic rained from the sky on Melody like the cross between a raging water fall, a roaring hurricane, and crackling lightning . The redhead's screams were louder than the shrill squeals of the giant white beams . Seconds later, all was eerily silent . Melody, battered, was on one knee, tears flowing from her eyes .

[Melody's HP has dropped to 10% Utilization of her weakness and catching her off guard with such a powerful move has put your party at an advantage . However, there is a price to pay for using a skill that one just wasn't ready for . Chika's MP has dropped to 0 . Chika's attack has decreased by 40% for 10 minutes . Chika's defense has increased by 20% for ten minutes . ]

[Melody has been inflicted with Super Magic Mute . She cannot use magic for two hours . ]

Chika loomed over the redhead, eyes seeming to s.h.i.+ne, aura visible .

"Well," Clyde said, eyes wide . "Holy s.h.i.+t . Chika, calm down . Let's see what she has to say . "

Chika looked pleased with Clyde's words . The young man nodded at her . Of course, he was going to side with her, she was his trusted friend . At least for now . But a skill like that… . And it had a tier . He recalled Zeth, the boss, also using a tier two skill . Notes for later . Not p.i.s.sing Chika off was natural, but he'd probably do it just to mess with her . He looked at the bent signs, the lack of people, the shattered windows of the hotel nearby, the distant police sirens, then reconsidered .

[Melody has lost the will to fight . ]

[You have ended the fight . ]

"No tricks . Let's talk about this," Clyde said softly to Melody . He offered a hand .

[Your heart protection has cleansed the doubt from Melody . ]

Melody eagerly accepted the hand . Clyde could no longer deny that the Absolute Endearment wasn't a system glitch . At least not a full deny .

"As much as I don't want to ask, Selkie can you teleport us out of here?" he said . Dark groaned . Clyde felt his pain . "Take us to my apartment, if possible . Not inside . Can't have everyone puking on my floor . "

Selkie nodded, seeming to cover a hint of a smile . And just like that, they were engulfed in white light and whisked away .

As everyone but Selkie nearly doubled over upon arrival, he allowed himself to think, maybe even respect Chika . OP . That's just too much overpowered for him . She did more than just mop the floor with the demi-G.o.ddess, she made her lose the will to fight . Come to think of it, Melody never really seemed that strong to begin with… . But, Alice would never emphasize the power of a weakling . By underestimating Chika, she let her guard down . Who would predict a human casting a tier two spell like that? There was so much Clyde needed to learn . Maybe he'd start with befriending her .

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