Clyde swiped a t-shirt and sweatpants that barely fit him from someone’s clothesline. He felt uneasy about not having his sword, especially against the demons that roamed the city. Damn that demon lord and his fucking army, Clyde thought.

Before he found the line, he ducked over his shoulder constantly to make sure cops weren’t going to catch him for indecent exposure. His worries were for nothing. Not a single human police patrol was out. The young man suspected that they knew everything about the demon lord. And they were afraid of him.

Clyde checked his mental navigation system, frowning at the large numbers that still remained. He wasn’t terribly far from the others but sneaking and ducking when flapping and screeching sounded in the distance slowed him considerably.

The young man still felt a little down about losing his clothes and killing the harpy. The spirit wave seemed to get stronger with every use, despite not having a level. Even though the harpy basically sexually assaulted him, he was still a man. A single man with a beautiful woman. Well, some a bird woman attempting to force him into fatherhood. Monsters and humans had vastly different thought processes. Both could be forceful. Once again, being the Stone was now starting to mean something. Still, he hoped self-defense was enough justification for the deed.

Clyde was crossing an intersection when the sound of conversation caught his ear. He dashed behind a parallel parked car and watched.

“Lord Zeth is being so pushy tonight,” a feminine voice said.

“Like yah,” an accented voice answered. “I tried to get him to rest, maybe mess around a bit, but he’s being such a stick in the mud.”

Clyde saw two demons moving slowly past him from less than fifty yards away. One was a Lamia, a pink-haired girl with the upper body of a pretty young woman and a snake-like lower body. The second looked to be some kind of bee woman. Short blonde hair, lower body of a bee. Disturbed, he analyzed the two.

Lamia- Sui.

Level: 25

Type: Monster

Work under: Zeth; Hidden Lotus.

Special: Charm. [Great chance to charm males for up to 1 hour.]

Weakness: Your hostile detection isn’t high enough for this.

Resistances: See above.

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

Honeybee- Abby.

Level: 23

Type: Monster

Work under: Zeth; Hidden Lotus.

Special: Lustful sting. [Great chance to stun. Honeybee may lose control and vigorously super-rape victims].

Weakness: Your hostile detection isn’t high enough for this.

Resistances: See above.

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

Just then, they stopped, as if sensing his analyze. Clyde held his breath, feeling like an idiot. He should’ve remembered the dark slime’s reaction. Anyone of the Hidden Lotus seemed to be able to sense themselves being magically analyzed.

“Did you sense that, my dear Sui?”

“Sure did, Abby.”

Clyde felt their grins.

“I taste him in the air—over there!”

“Fucking son of a bitch,” Clyde hissed as he peeked around to see them moving toward him with unhurried paces.

“I get first dips,” Sui said. “It’s been a while since I’ve had sex with a human.”

“Pssh—I don’t have all day to wait for you to climax. We share him.”

“Fine with me,” Sui said. “But try not to sting him. It’d be a pain in the ass to get my ride in if you’re raping him to oblivion.”

Clyde hopped to his feet and bolted with all of the strength his legs could muster. His speed stat was forty-six, paired up with the passive-skill Athlete. Then…. He wanted to punch himself for forgetting an important skill. A skill that could be used outside of battle at the risk of his MP. Flash Step. The pursuers were laughing as they sped up, easily gaining.

[Activated Flash step.]

Within seconds, he lost them—not caring how much MP he wasted to get far away from them. He managed to circle the area and get back on track with his Mental Navigation System.

“You.”

Clyde turned to the source of the voice. A sense of sweetness and honey pressed against his mind, but his Heart protection warded it off. Stepping out of the shadow, armed with a glowing red katana, was Melody.

“What do you want?” Clyde said, uninterested. “I’m busy here.”

“Why you!” Melody pointed her sword at the young man. “You better take me seriously. I owe you death so many times over.”

“First all you little twat, you started this shit,” Clyde said. “I don’t have time for the dramatics. It’s fucking dangerous out here.”

Melody lurched toward the young man, uncaring to the bigger situation at hand. Like the distant wing flaps.

[You have entered combat!]

“Are you being serious right now?” Clyde dodged the katana’s swipe, took aim, and released his magic.

[Activated energy ball!]

Clyde predicted her dodge, aiming at the spot she dove right into. Mortem wanted him to use his head. He would. And hopefully not get fucking caught by the approaching harpies.

[Enemy HP has dropped to 76%]

Melody slowly stood, snarl on her face.

“You know, I’ve had it up to here with you,” Clyde said as he raised a hand over his head. “You have issues. Like, scamming and then sending those guys after me because you didn’t have your way. What’s your problem?”

The redhead said nothing. Clyde shook his head. “Okay, you’re attacking with a sword. In a threatening manner. I…I’m no killer, but…” Then an idea came to mind. He quickly shook it away. Bind her, leave her to be raped by monsters. As much as she probably deserved it, the redhead was still human. Armed, but still human. “Why the fuck are we fighting each other when those things are out there?” Comprehension actually came to her eyes. “I know you’re not out here after curfew, armed unless you’re some kind of chuuni. In that case, the monsters will rape and eat you. And I’ve got some really strong ones chasing right now. So, truce?’

“No,” Melody said. “Let them kill you for all I care.”

“Fine then, back to the original dick move it is,” Clyde said, aimed, and released the tendrils of blue magic.

[Activated Binder’s hand]

[Your luck has caused the binding to work when it would fail! Binding active!”]

Each tendril held the redhead in place.

“Hey—you asshole, let me go!”

Clyde willed the tendrils to hold her to the side of a building like glue. She struggled but couldn’t move.

“Well, see you. I feel like a dick for doing this, but thanks for the sword.” He snatched it out of her grasp. The girl struggled harder, eyes frantic.

“Give it back to me…It’s mine—give it back now!”

[You have found Blade of the Red Souls. Item class: very rare.]

“I gave you a chance to work with me, but I’ve got better plans for you,” Clyde said. “That binding will release right as they get here.”

“No, please.” Tears dripped from Melody’s eyes. “Please don’t leave me here. I’m sorry for being a bitch—just don’t let them.”

Clyde shook his head.

“Bye. And have fun.”

“I’ll do anything! Please!”

Clyde stopped his forward step.

“Anything, you say?”

“Anything—I don’t want to die.”

Clyde shook his head.

“But you sure had no problem killing me. One who did jack shit to you. Pfft, you know what, have fun. I hope you get raped by empire state building-sized penises.”

As Clyde took another step away, Melody’s crying pierced his ears. She sobbed like a ten-year-old girl. The prompt that he’d been waiting for finally appeared.

[Enemy has lost the will to fight!]

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t let you stay here to be monster bait.”

He cackled softly. “Never mind.”

System, I need you to make sure this girl honors her promises, Clyde thought. He wasn’t sure if it was going to respond, but it did.

[You may make a nonattacking Pact with Melody via a promise. She will be unable to attack you for the rest of the night. Any further day, if she even so much as thinks of harming you, you will given a one-time warning. Her defenses will be dropped by half.]

“Fine, I’ll let you down, but you must give me your word that you won’t try anything. I’m also keeping this sword, because you know, trying to kill me and all. You’ll have to help me though—so I hope you know unarmed combat.”

“I give you my word,” Melody said, tears flowing. A little snot trickled from her nose and from her blush, all dignity was gone. “Please. I swear.”

[Promise accepted. She is now bonded to you via nonattacking Pact.]

She looked surprised when Clyde actually released the binding. The ploy worked.

[Your relationship with Melody has changed from utter hatred to feared.]

Clyde sighed.

“Remember, you started this not I. Now let’s get going. We’ve wasted enough time. And I’m sure we can’t avoid conflict now.”