“I certainly don’t remember giving you permission to leave, Leon,” she said. “You’ve never been a bad knight. Don’t make me sad.”
He gulped and remained in place. While her seemingly good-natured tone didn’t change, there was something deep within that he didn’t want to test. She was a demon lord after all. “You may report.” Her manga book was closed with a bookmark slid in between the pages.
“There is a nagging rumor being spread in the servants quarters,” Leon said.
“Oooh, gossip,” the demon lord said. “As if I care.” She didn’t bother getting off the couch, eyes still on the TV.
“My lady, apparently the cultists have enslaved two very important figures. One of them goes around fighting for those pathe—the minotaurs. The other once called herself a maiden of the Viper.”
“Don’t care,” the demon lord said. “Oooh, get him Honaka-chan! Whack him!”
Leon grimaced. Why did he have to put up with this? His vast magic was… just being wasted. No one attacked the skyscraper—who would? She was under the guise of being someone who controlled the mayor from behind the scenes. Not that the woman actually did anything but watch anime, drama shows, and read those goddamn books. This type of laziness was unacceptable! “Go away Leon, your grumpiness is boring me now. But if it makes you feel a little better, you have permission to investigate this so-called Viper maiden. Anyone calling themselves a maiden of the world destroyer is probably sick in the head and needs healing.”
“You mean killing, my lady?” Leon said, a little hopeful.
“No, you meanie,” she said. “Healing. I’ll take away her loyalty to him and make her my anime buddy. Maybe we can enjoy tea and cake together in the afternoons like they do in the shows.”
Leon facepalmed. Fuck this idiot, he thought. He wouldn’t be following that absurd and ridiculous order. For the safety of House Necro, he’d do whatever it took for its continued success.
“By your leave, Great Lady Necro,” he said, ignoring the mental pain in his tongue for giving this moron the respect that only true demon lords deserved.
“Bye!” she said then opened her manga. She took a swig of soda.
Leon stormed out, disgusted. Something had to be done about her.
Episode 34 (Part 2)
Tuesday. Week 1. Month 2. Year 1. Season: Autumn.
City: Niyoto, Satovia
[Current quest: Investigate Niyoto. Step 3!]
[Alert: today will more than likely be worse.]
Day two…
Step three? Well, at least there’s decent progress, Clyde thought.
“YOU FUCKING BRAT!”
“Harumi! Kitome’s bullying me!”
Clyde winced at Kitome’s echoing yell from the hall. So much for soundproof walls. He paused, gasping as a hand grabbed his horn, massaging it. He should’ve known that falling asleep alone didn’t mean waking up alone. Come to think of it, did he check? The room was pitch black the prior night, but he didn’t feel anyone there. On most nights at home, he ended up spooning either Alice or Chika.
Clyde did not expect Yuki. She stroked harder.
“A good morning release will help you focus,” she said flatly. Clyde chuckled.
“Then let me spread the love.” He climbed on top and entered a wet bliss. She was in her maid outfit, panties tossed to the side. The young man jack-hammered.
Yuki wrapped her legs around him and held onto his back as he rode. He barely pulled out in time. The demoness decided she wasn’t done yet, pulling the young man to the bed. A kiss later, along with some horn-stroking, she mounted and galloped. Her horny breathing seemed to double his erection. It quadrupled as he watched Yuki’s large breasts bounce. She let out a climatic moan that once again, almost awarded herself with a chance to be filled with Clyde’s load. She lied on top of him, panting.
[Ki increased!]
[Yuki’s crests are Heart, Power, and Mystery.]
[Your body is beginning to adjust to the amount of cultivated Ki. Keep this up! You may need this more than you think.]
[Life: 2. Lightning: 2. Heart: 4.]
[ Strength:1. Passion:2. Energy: 1.]
[Soul: 4. Command: 5. Radiance: 4.]
[Vitality: 5. Speed: 5. Aura: 5.]
[Mystery: 2. Power: 2 Ambition: 1]
[Submission: 1 Unpredictable: 1 Spark: 1]
[ Rain: 1 Spirit: 1 Love: 1]
Clyde could just not keep the erection down, but more than an hour had passed. Ignoring the planned mission was not an option.
“Do you really have to go?” Yuki said, hand on his chest, as he rose.
“Yep,” Clyde deadpanned. “Around the cultists. Wanna join?”
“Sure, but I get to be your right hand,” she said.
System, can you please set a reminder for me tonight; call or invite Kitome , Clyde thought
[The System is not responsible for your forgetfulness nor habit of getting off track.]
Yes, you are fucking responsible , Clyde mentally snapped. No response. He headed to the shower without thinking on it further, Yuki following. This ordeal reminded him of the days his Uncle Lenny argued with a computer. No results.
What kind of anime tropes was he going to deal with this day? Another question to avoid answering.
When Clyde opened the door, Ruri jumped back.
“I told you not to sniff in there,” Matsume said as she approached the trio from down the hall.
“But he was taking so long,” Ruri said. “I Just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
Clyde gave the hellhound princess a suspicious glare. She smiled sadly.
[Talent, main character stuff: head pat.]
She melted into Clyde’s caress. Her tail wagged and her tongue lolled out her mouth for just a second. The adorable blush made the young man smirk.
“Ruri, since you’re not doing anything right now, you’ll be joining me on the infiltration.”
Her ears perked up, tail wagged harder.
“Okay,” Ruri said, “but Alice has to sit this one out.”
“Blasphemy,” Clyde said. “I don’t go anywhere without Alice.”
Alice just happened to be approaching them, hearing it all. The young man glared at the smirking hellhound. The half-demoness stopped by Clyde’s side, grabbing his arm.
“Who’s the idiot to make such a suggestion,” she said. “My hus—Clyde and I have fought together since the beginning. By the way.” She looked at Yuki. “Why’d you bail on the women’s meeting this morning. We canceled it to be fair.”
Yuki shrugged.
“It slipped my mind.”
“Women’s meet?” Clyde said.
Alice waggled a finger.
“Girls only, so don’t try to pry.”
Clyde gave her a skeptical look then shrugged it off. These particular women were brilliant. He figured having them strategize things should be no problem.
“Anyway, I’ll go fetch Natalia,” Alice said.
“Don’t worry about that,” Clyde said. “Yuki, you, Ruri, and I will go.”
“I’d like to go,” Matsume said.
“No, I’ll need you—”
“I want to go,” Matsume whined. Clyde rolled his eyes.
“Ruri, explain things to your servant,” he said.
“You’re not going,” Ruri said simply. “We can’t have a large party—and especially not two hellhounds.”
“Besides, Chika’s going to give us a boost,” he said.
“Why not use that ninja,” Matsume said.
“Yeah right, I’m not trying to fail,” Clyde said. “Besides, Harumi and Toru’s training him right now.”
“Indeed. Maki’s with them,” Yuki said. “She’ll have a break today under Harumi’s care.”
“You let that poison near our Harumi,” Alice said.
“She’s not as bad as she once was,” Yuki said, giving Alice an icy glare. “What do you think I’ve been doing the entire time? Not just labor. I haven’t
told anyone, but I’m her therapist too.”
Alice nodded, just briefly taken aback.
“Whatever,” she said. “But it’s going to take more than that to make me forget what she did to poor Naomi.”
Clyde sighed.
“Yuki, keep up the good work. Now, let’s go scoop up Chika and get going.”
Clyde had a few ideas to go about this task. Most involved using some skills. As for that night, he’d complete Kitome’s quest.
That may take an elaborate plan to dodge the other girls. Well, not really. He’d call the magical girl from somewhere in town, praying the minotuars don’t fuck up everything and… This was just not going to work.
No matter how he looked at things, completing Kitome’s quest… He dropped that thought. A month ago, he vowed not to be a dumb shit indecisive main character. Now wasn’t the time to give in. First, he’d initiate the challenge himself.
Clyde texted Kitome. Yuki tried to eavesdrop, but he held the phone out of her reach.
“Clyde’s texting someone in secret—cease the phone!”
That was Natalia, rushing toward them, happy-go-lucky attitude radiating. She dove into Alice’s arms.
Clyde gave the loli a blank stare, but then noticed everyone behind him creeping closer and closer, hands in a grabbing position.
[Clyde activated Special Tier Skill: Energy Materialize. Weapon: Paper fan.]
A paper fan made of energy materialized in his grasps. A paper fan…that was not made of paper, but felt like it. He whacked all the woman on the head in one swift move, then pocketed his phone.
“Save your sneakiness for the cult headquarters,” Clyde said. “Tear’s done a good job, tracking them down so quickly—I need to get her—” He quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, focus on breaking that contract.”
**
A minotaur watched from the window, giggling. Stealthing was nice.
“As if you’re going to waltz in on our servants and ruin years of structure.” She turned to her partner, a holstaur. “They have him. Go ahead and commence the full assault right now. And capture any man you desire. Violations on sight and husband declaration is allowed. Save our comrade too. They’ll never expect that we minotaurs can organize when someone takes something that’s ours or hurt our friends.”
**
The red-cloaked being chuckled.
“Once again, I have to miss out on the juicy stuff.”
He saluted the air and Jumped.
Episode 34 (Part 3)
Clyde’s phone rang as they reached Chika’s room. Ruri knocked on the door while he answered.
“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 mass-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 shimmies.”
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. Class: 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.]
The sky darkened, winds rising. A thick mist spawned 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 asserted 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. Class: 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, unleashing 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.
[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 ent
ire enemy army. “You’re shitting 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 shield 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?”
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 Anime Trope System: Stone vs. Viper, #6 a LitRPG (ATS) Page 8