Clyde wasn’t sure whether to be surprised or not at the garb the black-haired girl wore. He was rather impressed that she wielded the traditional shrine maiden outfit and sex appeal hand in hand like weapons of mass destruction. He decided to ask the obvious question hanging in the air.

“Clare, a nice surprise, but how’d you find me? I don’t go around giving out my address,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have known about you, if not for the pulse of immense power last Sunday. I didn’t know it was you until my spirit partner showed me.” She folded her arms. “I need your help. Normally, I’m fine with fighting demons on my own, but…tonight, a witch of the lost path is snooping around my shop.”

“A witch of the lost path—alright, kindly explain what that is. And what’s a spirit partner?” Clyde said, weariness at the edge of his voice. “Let’s just pretend I’m from another world.”

She gave the young man a brief skeptical look then nodded.

“Witches are normally maidens of nature,” she began. “They typically live in the country or small towns, peacefully. Those of the lost path serve demon gods or sometimes worse, the Tainted. They abuse their powers, kill at will, and kiss up to demon lords. As for my spirit partner, you’ll see when I summon her.”

“So, the witch here today is paying a visit to our local demon lord,” Clyde said without missing a beat. He weighed his options. Sure, he fought Zeth and many powerful enemies, including those of the hidden Lotus, but he had to assume that they were of the lower end of the power scale. Clyde knew true horrors such as level four hundred abominations or “???.” Was there even a level cap? “How strong are we talking because I’m not trying to walk into instant death. Done that too many—”

[Quest: Defeat the witch of the lost path. This quest is mandatory and cannot be refused. Rewards: unknown.]

“Never mind,” he said, holding down his temper and secret need to blow his out his own brains. “I’ll help.” He added under his breath, “whether I’d like to or not.”

What happened if he ignored the mandatory quest?

[If you ignore a mandatory quest, you will be penalized severely.]

Clare smiled.

“You’ll help? Really?”

“I will, but after consulting with my friends. We meet at the bus stop around the corner before patrolling the night. Kapeesh?”

“Kapeesh.”

At least Clare got it. Someone needed to explain that to Mortem. For an overpowered entity, he knew jack shit of human culture.

At eight, the entire crew was gathered at the meeting spot: Harumi, Chika, Toru, Kitome, and Seth. They were all wide-eyed when he introduced them to Clare. Harumi’s glare was the most dangerous but seemingly lasted the least amount of time. He explained the situation, gathering a collection of groans. Seth protested first.

“Dude, I don’t want to tell you how to run the team, but after Sunday, I’d be fine with patrols. Even upgraded my bat. Has a fiery element to it.”

“No one cares about your bat,” Kitome said then stormed up to Clyde. The blue-haired magical girl seemed to lower herself a little as if intimidated. “You can’t be serious, Clyde. I can see it in your eyes—you’d rather not do this.”

Clyde spoke with gritted teeth.

“It’s not like I have any choice in this.” He looked at his team as a whole then spoke up, calmly. “I’m no dictator. You do not have to join me, I’m simply helping Clare out.”

Harumi was already to Clyde’s side before he could get out another world. Chika followed. Toru shrugged.

“The weakling has grown up, but you’ll get no complaints from me. I’ve been training.”

“You’re all fucking nuts. Ever read the stories? Witches are bad news man,” Seth grumbled.

“And demons aren’t?” Toru said.

Kitome frowned at Seth, turned to Clyde then to the young man’s surprise, placed a caring hand on his cheek.

“You’re the leader, I trust you. But never give us the option to abandon you. If you don’t have a choice, fine. I’d like an explanation later.”

Clyde felt a soft hand slip into his and squeeze. Harumi’s. He didn’t deserve the comfort, putting their lives on the line but she gave it to him anyway. Sheesh, no wonder why the marriage system unlocked on her account. A man and a woman looked for this kind of comfort from their significant others. Clyde’s back straightened, and he stood taller.

“I’ve gotten much stronger too,” he told the others. “I can only hope this new power will keep us going—now let’s get moving. The night’s dying and we’ve got some patrolling to do. Clare, lead the way.”

“To my shop,” she said. “I can sense her lingering there, looking for a way through the barriers.”

[Your relationship with Clare has changed to Friend. Teasing.]

Clyde analyzed the maiden, just to see how much she improved since the prior week.

Clare

Level: 34.

Type: maiden.

Relationship: Friend. Teasing.

HP: 100% (+15%)

MP: 100%

Stats: A barrier prevents this.

Special abilities: Summon Spirit Partner. Destiny arrow 11.

Skills: Baka! Your relationship isn’t high enough…desu.

Magic abilities: see above. You know this, yet you continue to test me, human.

Clyde missed a step. The system was always sassy, but this took things to another level. He made a mental note to speak to the system. And desu? What the hell did that mean?

Clyde reached into his inventory, pulled out the last of his beef jerky and devoured it.

[Your composure has increased by 3% for the next hour.]

“I’ve should’ve eaten something before coming out here,” Clyde said as they passed a bakery. A bakery that would’ve been open until ten if not for the curfew.

Harumi gave the young man a sideways look.

“You’re coming to my place to eat after this,” she said in a voice that left no room to object.

“Can I—”

Toru covered Seth’s mouth.

“When she gets like this, it’s best to stay out it unless you’re invited.

Just then, two spiders the size of greyhounds with metal exoskeletons and six pumpkos jumped off the store rooftops to engage the party. Clyde analyzed the spiders. The pumpkos were level twenty-six.

Meta-Spider

Level: 27

Type: Monster

Work under: demon lord spawn.

Special: Metal Crush Slash. [Chance to inflict double metal damage.]

Weakness: Fire.

Resistances: Your hostile detection isn’t high enough.

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

[Your party has entered combat!]

“Shit I hate spiders, battle formation two guys, fan it out,” Clyde ordered. Everyone obeyed, assaulting their chosen foes. Toru fought with magically-enhanced hand to hand combat, Seth used his bat that echoed flames, Harumi mixed martial arts with electrical magic. Sometimes she kept at a distance, preferring to pepper the enemy with lightning. Courtesy of her wand. Kitome’s magic was still unknown to Clyde, even though he experienced it firsthand. Every magical attack seemed to be as cutesy as possible, pink hearts made of energy and explosive magic.

Clyde’s complaining eventually got her to transform before he arrived at the bus stop. Chika’s fighting style reminded him of the rogues from the games—she even seemed to go invisible sometimes. Her dagger skills were impressive. Until that bout with Melody, Clyde never actually seen the girl do any magic. She’d be his secret weapon if need be. Clare perhaps was the most graceful, fighting with a glowing bow and arrow. A white winged cat fought at her side with fierceness, slashing and biting foes. It left behind trails of fading white light when it moved.

Clyde’s foe, a spider, of course, lurched at him. Sensing the moods, air flows, the tiny tremors in the ground, he stepped to the side, hands in pocket, calm. The spider looked surprised to miss its attack. Its claws began glowing, eager to crush Clyde with its special attack. It never got the chance to move.

Clyde jumped with ease, unsheathed his sword, landed on its back.

[Clyde activated Precise Slash.]

Four levels of demon steel sliced the creature in two. He looked for more, hoping to test out his mystic abilities, but his group proved themselves to not be slackers.

[Battle completed. Victory! Reward: 600 EXP and $200.]

“Is she still at the shop?” Harumi said.

“She is,” Clare answered. “Come. Follow me. We’re almost there.”

The airflow began to tense in a strange way. Chills flowed down the young man’s spine like frozen waterfalls. He closed his eyes and focused on the strange energy ahead.

[Talent Main character stuff: Hidden Mystic Skill activated. Foresee.]

Clyde immediate threw up a spirit shield in front of Harumi. The blast of dark energy bounced off harmlessly, vanishing into the ether.

“Ugh, so close!” someone said. Clyde’s eyes widened in bewilderment at the small girl that approached them, dressed in all black. Kid’s clothing. A fucking ten-year-old girl.

“That’s an illusion,” Clare said. “She can morph to any age, except past her own age.”

“So, you fought her before?” Toru asked.

“A friend of mine fought one of her type that did the age thing.”

“May as well not call it an illusion,” the kid said. “I’m stuck this way…but if I kill you booby brains, I should get the power to reverse this. Unless.” She pointed at the shop. “Let down your barrier and I’ll spare your lives.”

“I don’t think so,” Clare said, voice deadly. She seemed to be nervous.

Clyde gave the kid an analyze.

“Someone call the cops,” Chika said.

Natalia- Witch of the Lost Path.

Level: 60

Type: dark witch

Work under: the covenant of the lost path.

Special: Princess Dire Spiral [Tier 2 dark magic. Does severe damage.]

Weakness: Spiritual. Holy.

Resistances: Your hostile detection isn’t high enough.

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

“Level fucking sixty,” Clyde said to the others. “Clare, you know about me. Otherwise, there’s no way you would’ve brought any of us here.”

“Level sixty, dude? Fuck,” Seth said. “I knew this was a bad idea. You see this is what I get for trying to go with the flow. Being a team player. Follow the wome—”

“Shut up,” Harumi said in a deadly calm voice, her glare at the young man sharper than steel. He grinned nervously.

Natalia sighed.

“To think you’d dare ignore me. Let’s see how you deal with this!”

[Your party----$##%$#^#^$#% Battle canceled.]

Clyde’s spirit wave hit the girl hard enough to send her flying more than thirty yards.

[Critical! Weakness exploited!]

Natalia stood back up, dusting herself off. Clyde frowned.

“Well, I suppose this isn’t the first time I fucked up.” He laughed. “We’re not about to be wiped by a loli. Everyone fucking run.”

“We’re running away from a kid?” Chika said.

“You’re running away,” Clyde said. “Or at least back up. I’ve got this.”

“Are you fucking insane?” Clare exclaimed, shaking Clyde. “Not even you can take her alone!”

As if to emphasize her point, black lightning rained on the entire party. Pain struck like a hammer, but the young man held fast. His initiated a quick meditation.

[Your party has entered combat!]

“You want to play,” the loli witch said. “Then we’ll play!”

“I don’t,” Clyde said, dodging her black lightning. The little girl continued to fire deadly bolts, but the young man became one with the nature. One with the wind, vibrations in the ground, the breathing. He needed to or else, death to level sixty attack. His mystic senses made him looked as if he practiced combat skills and dancing and gymnastics for years. His friends stared, nearly dumbfounded. Natalia seemed more amused than bitter.

[Natalia used teleport]

The witch was behind him with a hand on his back.

[Natalia activated Tier 2 magic: Princess Dire spiral.]

Everyone watched in horror. Clyde simply grinned.