I make some last preparations before heading out. I stash away all of the scrolls into my robe and hang the 4 grenades into my belt. Fort the operation today, my goal are the two cooks and one of the stronghold from ‚black mantis‘. I hope to at least be able to ‚seed‘ 5-6 persons. And with their help, I can lure in the others.

Ripping open one concealment spell, I leave the tower. My heart is burning because of it. It is not the loss of money or the scroll in this case. It is more than something that is mine had to be used because of that bastard Isaac. Last time I came out I saw some people looking around. I bet that they worked for Isaac. Leaving that aside, arrive after 40 minutes of walking at my first victim. The restaurant is somewhat bigger, but not by much. I go in and repeat the same thing a said to Luke. This time I leave different recipes for him. If in three different restaurants, the same exotic dish appears might make some busybodies curios. I don’t like curious people.

The streets are still empty, it is about 1 or 1 and half hour away from people waking up and going to work. Right now I am standing in front of a restaurant, which is bitter than the last two. Searching for a point of entry, I notice that the lock on the door is not well made. With some force, I was able to open it. Then from inside, I opened the lock and closed the door again. We don’t want any unwelcome guests this early. Except me of course.

Making my way around the house, searching for the bedroom, I hear some voices from one of the storage room.

„HA, I win bitches, here with the money haha.“ Said, someone.

„Yeah, here he goes again. He loses more than he wins BUT THE ONE TIME HE WINS, he acts like some kind of rich kid. If not for that he loses more than he wins, I would beat him up“ a second person commented.

„Can you people shut up? Or who wants to help her out?“ said a lazy voice. It was not as loud as the rest. Most likely there is another room inside.

Ripping a scroll of concealment, I peek inside. There are 3 tables with 4-5 people each and at the other end of the room is another door. Sneaking my way along the walls, making sure to be silent. A thing, which was very hard. The men smelled, a lot. I didn’t let myself be fazed with that and continued towards the door. Peeking inside were three people and to my delight. Black mantis was one of them, next to him his right-hand man and a strange opposite them. I recognise that guy, I saw him a couple of time in the tower. None important. I wait a bit and listened to their conversation.

„Alright so that out of the way. Master Negi, how much do you want for the attack?“ he said respectfully.

„hmm, 20 gold would be nice, “ Negi said. The right-hand man was about to explode in fury for this ridiculous demand. The gang might make 4-5 gold a week in profit. And that money is usually reinvested or pocketed by the boos.

Black mantis put his hand on the shoulder of the right-hand man and said“ master Negi, a person of your standing sure can make a more reasonable price“ black mantis said.

„But why can’t I just talk..“ he couldn’t continue, because moments before, I activated three of the grenades. One I throw behind the mage and one in front of him. The third went behind me to the henchmen. I ducked behind a shelve.

BOOOOOM

All three of them exploded at the same time. From the henchman’s, roughly a third died instantly. Those were the one closest to the explosion. The rest had varying degrees of injuries, but none of them was able to stand up, what more of making trouble for me.

Having a look into the other room something unexpected happens. A Fireball is moving towards me. I only had the time to throw me to the side, then the fireball exploded in the door. Splinter were flying everywhere, some of them scratching me. Hastily standing up, I rip one of the minor shock scrolls and throw it into the direction of the scroll, hoping that the mage is trying to flee through the door.

*ahhhhh* I assume that I was spot on hearing his scream. I rip 3 arcane bolt scrolls and direct them in his direction. I cast one towards him for good measure.

Then I wait for him to either come out or bleed out.

While waiting, the restaurant owner storms into the storeroom with an incredulous face. The reward for his action is a table leg into his face. Stepping over the bloody face of the cook, I take a peek inside the room.

The room was more devastated than the other one. The table had been completely destroyed, mantis and his man lay near the wall passed out. How they survived? I don’t know, maybe some kind of defensive scroll. My opponent is lying in his own pool of blood. Two bloody hole accompany him. One in his lower abdomen and one in his lungs. The other 2 arcane bolts didn’t hit. I was already happy with 2 hitting. Firing another two arcane bolts. On into his head and the other into his heart. Upon impact the twitches twice, before finally laying down motionless.

„So you waited for me to lower my guard? Too bad for you.“

Then I make my way to my VIP’s, first I use soul shredder to make the participants more ‚accepting‘ to the seed, and then I integrate it into the cook and the other two guy. While waiting for them to wake up, I knock out the henchman’s, who was still whimpering on the floor. At least those who are still alive, and I take some rope from one of the tables and bind them all together.

Having a stronger soul, then the first time I used ‚enslavement‘ the integration was easier, and there was no need to slowly integrate, like with Luke. So I go to the restaurant, put out the closed sign and wait for the 3 quests to wake up. Running through my head against, to make a better impression.