The samurai advanced on the bar land, his dark armor shining in the sunlight.
The troll was on its back, trying to turn around, with the rocks on its body pinning it to the ground.
"What a weak creature."
The samurai lifted his strange sword and swung it at the creature, decapitating it cleanly. Then he kicked the severed head away, hitting a nearby wall.
"I know that you are watching. Show yourself."
Silence.
The samurai waited for a minute, before making a horizontal swing at a house that was far away from him, It was the same house where he kicked the head. The house's wall trembled, falling apart making a giant hole while keeping the rest of the building intact.
When the dust settled, from the hole three figures emerged, each wearing a brown robe, with hoods on, making them look perfectly identical.
"So, you finally came out."
The middle one stepped forward.
"…Who the hell are you?"
The samurai put back his sword in the shelter.
"I am here to talk."
"… Strange way to ask someone to chat. Why would we accept your proposal and not rip you to shreds?"
"Because I believe that you guys want this." The samurai raised an object in one of his hands, making the tree individual hiss. "Yeah, one of you guys was trying to get it when I arrived. So, what do you say?"
"…Follow us."
The figures turned around and disappeared in the darkness of the house.
The samurai followed them into the building, down a staircase to the basement, where one of the walls was bashed in, leading to the sewers.
The figures entered the tunnels and continued to walk at a slow pace.
They walked in complete darkness that didn't seem to bother the samurai, who keep up with their tempo.
Soon they arrived at another opening in a wall, showing a small room, that seemed to be dug out by a beast, with a tone of sand on the ground.
In front of the entrance, there was a black figure sitting in a chair in a hunched back position.
"Welcome to my domain. I am…-
"Dealmaker, the beast. I know it."
"… And who you might be?"
"A samurai."
The one in the armor bowed respectably, in a 90°.
"A samurai? I haven't heard about a profession like this before. May I ask you where you come from?"
"You know about this job and from where it comes from. You don't need to play dumb with me. I know you well."
"…What do you want?"
The manner of speech of the one in black turned cold.
"I am well aware of what you are planning. Destroying and stealing everything from this city, then leaving it as a ruin."
"…Are you here to stop me?"
"Yes."
Followed by the answer of the samurai, two silver armor emerged from the sand under its feet, each holding a halberd at its throat, even before he could react.
"To come here, alone, threaten me at my place. It seems like even with knowledge some peoples stay idiots. Kill-"
Zoom!
From behind the samurai, a new figure appeared, also wearing black and stabbed him in the chest, then cut his head off with another weapon.
The moment its head touched the sand the armors fell apart in the sand, motionless.
"Don't you dare lay a finger on my lord, you monster!"
"Momo, I told you to stay put! I was handling the situation perfectly."
"But-But he was going to kill you!"
"He said that to make you show yourself! Didn't you, Dealmaker?"
"…Yeah."
Again, a figure emerged from the sand. It wore the same black cape as the previous one.
"To be fair, I was going to kill you if she didn't show herself."
"Y-You!"
She threw at the man three knives that pierced his abdomen, chest, and head respectively. He stood there for a while before falling over bleeding on the ground.
"… Seriously? For a kunoichi, you are pretty violent."
Another figure appeared behind the throne casually pushing the dead one to the ground before sitting in its place.
"H-How is he doing this! I can't feel anything from him!"
"Because he isn't alive."
"What!?"
The samurai placed his hand on Momo's shoulder, calming her down.
"This farce toked enough time."
He held an iron box in his hands, that let out a green halo.
The surrounding immediately changed.
They now were in a fogy town with old black buildings surrounding them.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
From the mist, a tall man came out wearing strange clothing and a bird skull in place of a head.
"Congratulations. You found out."
*****
Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit!
Who the frigid hell is this guy?!
Not only he knows me, he's even crazy strong!
I only allowed him to meet me, is because I had confidence in my skills. I even upgraded my [Lesser Mind Magic] to max, making it [Mind Magic]. This gave me a lot of different spells like the one that allows me to intrude into others mind. For that samurai to have an item that could break my grip on them and to get into my own head was a huge miscalculation in my part.
Right now, all I could do is minimize the damage.
Let's start with some small talk.
"How did you managed to find it out?"
"The ones lead me here disappeared the moment we met. Then there was Momo who couldn't sense you."
The samurai didn't move while he was talking.
"What can I say? I screwed up!" I clapped my hands together, making a table, and three chairs appear from nothing. "Let's sit down."
The samurai sat with me, while Momo stayed still, her weapon ready to swing. Her eyes that were the only part visible from her clothing, was staring at me filled murderous intent.
"Seriously? "
I snapped my fingers. The blade in her hands turned into dust. She let out a cute scream in her fright.
Without turning back, the samurai spoke.
"Momo, we are in his head right now. Without any protection, he can do whatever he wants. Stay calm and do the same concentration techniques you usually do when training."
She nodded and closed her eyes. I could feel it for her, the mist that was around her, was slightly pushed back a little.
She can resist me?
I snapped my finger again, making the mist swirl around here, making faces and whispers to her. The aura around here slightly break down, yet not completely disappeared.
Interesting. She can't completely cut away her connection from me. Is this a technique that they teach where they live? If so, I need to find out how they do it and how to counter it.
I did send some mist at the samurai, but it just didn't allow me to connect.
Is this that technique at the master rank? Scary.
I let out a chuckle.
"Well, then I believe that I should introduce myself again. My name is Dealmaker a demon, recently called the Beast of whatever this city's name is. And an avid fan for anything interesting, like you two."
"Us?" the girl Momo asked still having her eyes closed.
"Well of course! A samurai and a kunoichi, two jobs that I have not seen for a long time just, barged in her, killed one of my employees, threatened me, killed multiple of my illusions, ten having a lovely chat with me. I believe that that should put the two of you into the interesting category. Don't you?"
"… We need information."
"There is a huge library not far away, samurai-sama. Try there."
"The information we need is one that only you have."
"Oh, really? And why would I help you?"
"Because we can pay you."
He was referring to the hero's sword. I used the attack as a diversion to send one of my slaves to get that thing.
"I already have it. Fun fact, while you guys are here, my men are robing your bodies blind."
"What?"
The ninja girl stopped concentrating allowing my mist to touch her, entering her mind, showing me her memories.
Her name is Momo, a country bumpkin who lost her parents and vent to the city. She was on the street till she was picked up by-
"Enough!"
The samurai increased his brier that pushed back my mist encircling the girl, cutting me from her memories.
"We want to know about swords."
"…What?"
Sword?
"Can't you go to a blacksmith or go to a library?"
"What we want is something that only you can give us. The way to make katanas."
Katanas? It sounds familiar but… Yeah, nothing in here. I know it is from my previous world and that the Japanese use it, but other than that nada. I mean I was American if I remember correctly, why should I know anything about foreign forge techniques?
Should I tell them that I know nothing? No, let's see how far they intend to go to have this information.
"Excuse me, but I don't see any sort of payment on you that satisfies your demands."
"What about the sword I brought with me?"
"Oh, that was the fee for you to meet me. You didn't think that that thing will be enough? I have already taken it none the less."
"Then how about this?" the samurai took out a piece of paper from somewhere. I took out from his hand the run through it.
"80 milliliters of pure water;5 drops of golden beetle extract;7 grams of black star powder; 10 grams of shadow grass powder; 3 drops of hydra poison. What is this; your grocery list?"
"These are the ingredients for a potion that will stop the spreading of [Holy Burn]."
"… Are we talking about a cure?"
The mist around them started to twirl faster, yet the samurai acted as nothing happened. On the other hand, his friend, Momo wasn't as calm as him. She was nervous, glancing at me and the mist.
"It will only stop its progress, nothing more nothing less. When you gave me the information I want, you will give you the rest of the formula."
What should I do?
If this is really a way to keep the curse under control and not burn to death then it would worth it. But I still have no information about sword making. If I could get a little more time then…Yeah, that's it!
I confidently threw the paper on the paper.
"I have a proposition for you."
This made the samurai's companion flinch, while the other one stayed still and quiet.
"What you are offering is indeed something that I need but it those not worth as much as the knowledge you wish for.
"What do you want exactly?"
"I was getting to it...Momo right?" I asked her, before chuckling with her glare." The things I want are extremely simple. One of them is an urn. The Blessed Urn to be more precise."
The Blessed Urn. An artifact that contains a supposedly infinite amount of Skill PT. Each big church building has one and once a year they share some with their believers. Humans and other 'intelligent' creatures earn Skill PT much harder than us, monsters, making these urns an important asset for their force. I never understood why they didn't just give everything to a strong warrior. They could have an army made of super-soldiers!
Getting my blades on this thing might supply me enough Skill PT become a veritable human-looking powerhouse!
The ninja girl looked even more shocked, her eyes almost popping out of her head.
This samurai, on the other hand, seemed unfazed completely.
"This doesn't sound like a fair trade."
"Oh, well because it isn't one. You two are in my head, your bodies surrounded, defenseless. Even if you do manage to get yourself out of this place, kill my man and then found me, I still would not give you the information. Your only chance is to make a deal with me."
I snapped my fingers, creating a paper appear, with the terms of the deal on it.
"Sign it here, here and here."
"… I have some conditions."
"You are not in a situation to make one, but sure say them."
"First, you will not hinder us in any way. Second, when you get the urn, you let us well to use it. Third, you will only get the rest of the potion formula when we are done."
"…Fine. But I want them in a week. Also, you can only use it for 5 minutes, after you give me the rest.
"…"
Samurai took the paper, then he took the pen that I made appear next to him.
"By the way how should I contact you two?" I asked.
"…I can tell you that you already have an idea. "
A wild green appeared on my face, not that they could notice it.
"Hehehe, you can read me like a book! It's quite easy really." I pointed at him. "Let me in your head."
*****
Miranda POV:
"They are late."
Ever since we arrived, they have left me behind. It's not fair! I have been working as hard as I could! If only master would allow me to help him then he could see it! I have been the one who was longer with master! I am his first disciple. Oh, dare that thrash from the street take away the one I love!
" Ugghhh, if only that stupid Momo could disappear!"
"Mira, come here!"
Master!
I run at the edge of the roof and jumped down, landing with grace at the hole in the wall, from where my lord in his exquisite armor and Momo came out.
"Master are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"I am fine, but Momo needs a little help."
The girl in question was clinging to master right now.
That bitch, how dare she do this to my lord! I will kill her!
"She needs to be taken to a quiet and isolated place.
"My lord…I am fine…"
On a second look, her eyes were blindfolded with a piece of black fabric from her cloth.
Did she got hurt in a fight, forcing master to retreat? That bitch been hindering my lord!
"We need to go. Do you have the talisman I gave to you?"
"Yes!"
I took out a fist-sized green gem with markings on it. The gem let out a faint green halo that enveloped the three of us before our surroundings changed.
Now we were in the bedroom at the hotel. Each one of us rented a room in a different hotel, for a reason that I didn't know. Now we were in the hotel that I was renting.
Wait, is that mean that master is my room?!IIIIIIIIIIIIII! (Insert crazy happy squalling here.)
Master but that garbage on my bed before removing her blindfold.
Her eyes whereas ugly and black as ever, but now they were worse. They became bloodshot, with her iris becoming cloudy.
"Is she blind?"
Please, be blind!
"No, something worse. She made a deal with a demon."
A deal with a demon? Did she sell her soul? Did she… Ahhhh! Why is my master bending over her?!
"Momo can you see me?"
"…Yes."
"Why did you take the deal in my place? I could easily support it but you…"
"Its alright I…AAAAAAggggghh!"
She started to scream while tears of blood started to flow out from her eyes.
"AAAAAA! I CAN SEE THEM! I CAN SEE THEM!"
"Mira help me hold her before she harms herself!"
I did as he said I held her down while she cried, painting the bedsheets red around her head.
She debated four an hour before she fell asleep.
"My lord, what was that?"
"The demon and I made a contract. In exchange for the sword-making technique, we need to steal him something. He also proposed that he goes into my mind to contact me as a sign of trust. And I accepted. I don't know why I accepted it, maybe he messed with my mind or something."
Hearing this I put my hands at my mouth, covering up a vulgar noise.
How can a man as great as him be forced to this position? That demon, I will make it pay!
"There is no time to wait. We have a week to bring it to him. He said that if we do so he will cure her."
Cure her? But that would mean-No. First comes my lord's happiness before mine. Nd if I am lucky there might be some permanent damage on her sight that makes her unneeded.
"As you wish my master."
*****
This is getting more and more interesting.
Who thought that I could get someone like a samurai at my side even if temporarily.
With the help of those two, I can get what I want without me sending away any of my troops.
I didn't expect that the ninja girl will throw herself between our deal, but I can work with this, if not it was better for me. In the contract that she signed, it is clearly written that I can't harm, control, or transform him. I didn't believe that with my [Mind Town] would enhance my [Sweet Talk] skill. Maybe because of the mist.
Anyway, that girl is unprotected, completely in my mercy, and I have already started to work on her.
First, I detached a fragment from myself and sent it to her 'house' to see what happens. The fragment fused with the house and taken the form of a crawling lant that slowly started to grow on the house.
Then I started to download her memories in one of the mirrors, learning some quite interesting information, perfect materials for blackmailing. Also with the training in her head, I was planning to copy them into the memories if my followers to see if they could learn her skills.
Then for a touch, I made her see horrible images, which were hiding in her brain. If they asked me why this was happening, I would simply say that those are the aftereffect of being possessed.
"My lord, we are ready."
"Oh, right let's get this party started. "
I got up from my chair and I walked with Number:1 to the storage unite.
I decided to leave the sewers and install in one of the abandoned houses of the slums with a huge basement where we where stocking our precious materials.
"How many did you managed to get?"
"There is 13 in the basement and 6 in the dining room. There are currently more that are airwing today."
"And the weapons?"
"We secured enough iron scrap for the dwarfs to work on. We estimate that there will be enough weapons by the end of the week."
"Perfect. Continue gathering. Also, send some ghouls at the herbalists, doctors, anyone with alchemy material and bring me the materials on the paper that you find on my desk.
"As you wish." He stopped and made a bow.
I arrived at the dining room that only had a table and six people all tied up with a piece of clothing in their mouths.
"Gentleman. Thank you for dropping in for supper."
____________________________________________________________________
Name: Desmond ˙(Temporary,)
Race: Stranded Spirit
Age: 16
Job: Golem Maker; Slave Master, Apprentice Summoner
LV: 9/30
HP: 560/560
MP: 540/540
STR: 30
VIT: 0
SPD: 20
MRES: 30
Skill PT: 40
Physical attributes: [Dark Vision] [Transparent Body] [Flight] [Intangibility] [Fragmented]
Skills: [Golem Fabrication: LV:1] [Slave Commend;Lv:1] [Lesser Summoning Magic; LV:1]] [Deal Making, LV:3] [Wish Granting, LV:2] [Mapping, LV:1] [ Appraisal,LV:2] [Mind Town, LV:1] [Slave Mark, LV:1] [Chained Possession, LV: 1] [Lesser Telekinesis, LV:1] [Transmute;Lv:1] [ Mind Magic,Lv:1] [Lesser Summon Sign,Lv:1]
Passive skills: [Herbology; LV:1] [Sweet Talk, Lv:5] [Speed Healing, LV:1] [Mass Absorption, LV:1] [Midas's touch]
Resistances: [Poison] [Fire]
Curses: [Iophobia] [Holy Burn]
Unique Skills: [Body Physic Manipulation] [Harvest]
Titles: [Broken Soul] [Heretic] [Cursed Book Owner] [Revenge Driven] [Decorator] [Heartless]
____________________________________________________________________