I am screwed!

“Get him!”

“Release Lady Saint!”

“Kill the bastard!”

I never thought that I will be chased by an angry mob in my life.

Priests, guards, adventurers, angry bystanders, everyone was running after me.

Things got more complicated with the unconscious young girl in my arms. It seemed like I just kidnaped someone’s wife!

“Come on. Come on. I am too young to die again. I should have made a better escape route!”

MY original plan was that I will leave the scene of destruction with a carriage that I have sealed. I couldn’t have known that the driver would be late resulting in my sad situation.

I took a turn in an alley and ran into a house with an open door.

The angry mob didn’t seem to notice this, they run in front of it.

When they left, I let out the air that was trapped in my lungs.

Shit, why is everything so complicated?

I left the house and went to the nearest sewer entrance.

Damn it, I forget the scepter! It's too late to turn back, the place must be crawling with those guys.

When I lifted the metal cover and was about to dump the saint in it, the hairs on my back stood up.

“DIE!”

Narrowly I janked my head back, evading the blade that was on fire, that embedded itself in the ground.

Oh no…

It was Belda with her fire short sword, standing on a rooftop, with two other people.

“I got you now!”

“Can we talk about this?”

“NO!”

She landed on the ground smoothly and made a stab in the direction of my head again. This time I was too slow, and she managed to cut a part from my antenna.

“Hey, calm down, shorty!”

“What did you say to me?!” Her sword erupted in more flames.

“FFFUUUC-“

Boom!

This time her attack hit my left leg, severing it cleanly.

While falling, she took the Saint out of my hands, while kicking me so hard it broke off the front part of my mask.

Before I could retaliate a fricking arrow hit me in my shoulder.

Where did that come from?! That archer is dead!

“Telekinesis: Push!”

With my power I made myself go up into the air, then reding my next when a grave voice talked next to me.

“Binding Magic: Five Chains!”

Chains made out of energy wrapped around my body, slamming me back to the ground.

“Shit! Lesser Su-“

My casting was rendered short by the edge of the blade that was held at my throat.

“You lost. Give up or die.”

“… I give up.”

*****

Soon I found myself behind bars. They have even looked me up in some sort of metal coffin that only left my head exposed. While inside I tried several times, but this thing was blocking my magic, even my unique skill had difficulty to work, only allowing me to grow back my leg.

But I was smart. Before they locked me in this thing, I separated my soul from my mortal coil. In that form, my options were limited, but it was better than to be bound. To keep up appearance detached my right ghost arm and put it into my body’s head, moving it as a puppet.

They tore off my mask so my real face was exposed, making it very hard to make expressions.

“Well, this is a fine pickle.”

‘Why in the bloody hell are you not worried? Also who are these guys, they give me the chills!”

The ones Deux was referring to, were my new personalities. Two of them came from the memories of the saint and the witch. Saint on was wearing a yellow suit with a rabbit skull mask while the other one had a purple one, with a cat skull. The third one appeared without my knowledge while I was running. Supposedly he was entirely in white with a normal skull mask.

None of them talk they just sit around, murmuring to themselves. Whatever it was I was feeling great despite the situation I was in.

“Don’t bother them they are a part of me. Have you learned any martial skill?”

‘Ay, it should be on our skill list by now. It is called [Swift Step]. It enhances our speed for 5 minutes.’

“That’s all?”

‘I want to point it out that to learn martial arts, one must train! It's already a luxury to have this with an untrained body!’

“Alright, alright, I get it, thanks. Shit, someone is coming, I will contact you when they are done torturing me.”

‘You have a problem.’

The steps come louder and the one standing before my cell was the prince.

His handsome face was painted red with anger, and his eyes were beaming with murderous intentions.

“Hello. Nice morning, we have, don’t we? I would offer you a place to sit, but sadly I am unable to move.”

The prince stayed silent. He opened the cell door and walked right in front of my face.

“… Why?”

“Why what?”

Will moving my head, I came closer to him. I tried to possess him, but there seemed to be some sort of protection on him.

Damn, rich people do have everything.

“Why did you do it?” he clenched his fist, I could hear his fingers cracking from the force.” You have killed so many. Caused people to suffer. My friends have suffered so much, one of the sacred treasures has been corrupted and the staff given by the church has been broken. Why? What benefit do you have from all this chaos?”

“… HeheheHAHAHAHHAAHAHA!”

I didn’t know why this situation was funny, but it just did.

“Why are you laughing?!” the prince punched me in the face.

“Hehehe, sorry, I couldn’t hold it in. To answer your question, I believe I did it because I could.”

“What?”

“Well to be fair, I intended to live a calm and pleasant life here. Then you and your escort showed up, destroying my plans and almost killing me. Isn’t it fair to pay you guys back for what you have done to me?”

“You did all this in the name of revenge?”

“Pretty much, yeah. I just went with the flow and that’s happened.”

“And what about the peoples you have killed? Where they also nothing in your eyes?”

“Hey now, if you want to blame someone blame yourself. If you didn’t come, then I wouldn’t have to do all this!”

“We were sent here by the Goddess herself! We couldn’t just ignore it!”

“Then blame her! She is the reason why I killed so many! If not for her all of them would have stayed alive!”

“Are you telling me that the supreme ruler, the one who is the protector of humanity is the reason for everything that is happening?”

“Ay, he finally gets it! Seriously, you guys have been over glorifying her for no reason. Did she ever help you guys? “

“She did!”

“I am talking about current events! Not something that a bald guy wrote one piece of goatskin thousands of years ago! She and her angels have disappeared in the nature for who knows how long, leaving only stories and a corrupt religion, that has infected everything. You and your little harem are no exception. If you even knew what that saint even did to her-“

He hit me again, and again and again.

He continued till blood started to come out from my mouth and nose.

When he was finally done, he fell on his knees.

“Ugh, I think you broke my nose. You should train as a martial artist instead of using a blade.”

“Are you enjoying this?”

“Oh, yes! Seeing your face like this makes things so much sweeter!”

“…Just tell me why?”

“I said it, I already told you. Because I could. I don’t understand why you are so obsessed with this; I haven’t killed anyone important to you. Yet.”

After a short while left without a word, shutting the cell door shut.

‘Hey, one of the newbies just talked. Apparently, we are going to need some blood from the saint.’

“Are you serious? Sigh. Can you contact the others?”

‘I can but it is hard. There seems to be some spell that is jamming us.’

“Ok, then send the following message.”

*****

My name is Terence. Or at least it was.

I was born and raised in a war that was going on for centuries. I had no memories of my family or my home, as long as I could remember I lived on the streets. When I turned 15, I joined the army and fought on the frontlines.

Due to the chaos, at age 28 I became a general and at 40 I had my own battalion.

During my military carrier, I met several peoples with extending talents. They fought with incredible strengths and determination. Sadly, they all fell prey to the cruelty of war.

When I was 50 and serving directly under my king, I had the luck to be with the heroes sent by the goddess. We fought and laughed together making unbreakable bounds. Till that faithful day.

We were on the battlefield, fighting the hordes of the devil lord.

Then when we were in the castle, fighting, as usual, the sky split open and seven beings came down, killing demons and humans alike. Fire, water, wind, earth, holy or cursed, nothing worked on them.

Even the devil king ran away, fearing for its own life, a being closest to omnipotence.

We got obliterated. I was on the verge of death. Then an entity proposed me a deal. In exchange for my soul, I will get the ability of a hero. I accepted and I was able to fight more, but I failed again.

My head was cleanly cut off I could see my body fell.

With my last seconds of consciousness, I etched the figure of the monster that killed me.

When I was conscious again, I was alive and young, 500 hundred years in the past, as a son of a noble with a great fortune.

While growing up I made friends and allies with multiple persons and where I could change some things so that we may survive the incoming war.

Yet, I didn’t expect that my actions had such repercussions.

The Dealmaker.

In my past or in the future, he was nothing but the King of Crossroads, a deal and information dealer with no real power, leaving all the fighting for his minions or deters. When we first meet, he gave us the plans of the devil lord's castle and the number of his troops in exchange for the life of his and his people. He even gave us weapons that were beyond our wildest dreams.

And yet here he became a being of fear. Not only his appearance is different from what I was expecting but his powers, they were…darker. They were definitely stronger than the ones I saw in the future.

What did I do wrong? Did I make a mistake somewhere? Or is this a different world?

Some of the heroes told me that there are parallel worlds, places with wildly different histories, or with some subtle differences.

Have I approached this the wrong way? Am I actually in a different world?

“Master is there something wrong?”

“Hmmm, no everything is fine.”

Miranda and I were on a rooftop of an abandoned warehouse. The sun was already on the point of setting, painting the sky in orange colors.

What a beautiful sight.

While emerging myself in this view, I sensed something approaching us at great speed.

Soon, a human-looking person jumped up from the street next to us.

He is too agile to be human. Or is he using a skill?

“My lord is sending his regards. He is unable to meet you here, due to the current situation he is in.”

“Then what about our deal?”

“The deal is still standing. My lord will release your companion when he gets the rest of the formula. Then when he gets the urn you will get the sword. Also, my master wishes to get the urn to hold the part of his contract.”

“So, you want me to give you the urn and the formula?”

The figure nodded.

“That is correct. If you are worrying about betrayer, we can work something out for you.”

“… No, it's fine.”

The Dealmaker I knew was a ruthless and sly fellow, but he always stuck to his deals. I need to believe that this one also kept his word.

I handed over the urn and a piece of paper to the figure.

“…. The control over Momo has been severed. My master is warning you two that she has been over a lot, so her mental state can be…unstable. Please stay alive until the deal is complete.”

The figure jumped off from the roof, disappearing in the shadows.

*****

[Remaining time till Judgment-event: 0 days 23 hours 30 minutes and 20 seconds]

[Alert!]

[Target is in a highly-populated area.]

[Commencing evacuation…]

*****

Good, everything is going great.

I now possess the last parts of the formula and the urn is in my possession.

Now I only need the blood of that blondie and I am set.

While moving my head I could hear multiple persons approaching.

Soon, six persons came into my cell.

One of them was a guard of the prison, four of them looked like mercenaries and the last one was an old lady in a wheelchair.

“My lady, I don’t understand why you wish to talk to a demon. In fact, we should go right now.”

“I have my reasons. Do you have your keys?”

“My lady, I can’t free him even for someone at your standing. Please un-“

Slash.

One of the mercenaries cut his head shifty, killing him before he could notice it.

“…Lady Defo. It’s a pleasure to meet you in person.”

“Mr. Dealmaker. I hoped to meet you in an environment that is slightly better than this.”

“As I. May excuse my impoliteness, but we could stop this pleasant chatting and free me?”

“Certainly.” Defo raised her hand, signaling to her guards, who immediately started ripping off the chains and the iron coffins, with their bare hands.

When I was finally free, I re-entered my body, twisted my limbs before killing the four of them, with my blades, giving them no time to react.

[60 EXP earned]

[Additional 30 EXP earned.]

[LV: 23 reached.]

“Ah thank you. It feels so good to get out of that thing. May we go?”

“After you, Mr. Dealmaker.”

Smiling I changed my appearance to the dead guard.

“Alert! The prisoner has escaped!”

Soon all hell got loose. Guards were running in every direction, holding weapons.

In the commotion, me and Lady Defo have slipped out to a nearby parked carriage.

“To the slums, at the abandoned warehouses.”

“As you wish.”

The carriage started to move away from the prison that was buzzing with peoples.

“Is it me or this was way too easy?”

“As you say. Even for a normal prisoner, there should have been more guards. Just what in the world happened?”

*****

[Alert!]

[Target is still in a highly-populated area.]

[Commencing fate changing…]

*****

“…Lady Defo, I will descend here. Continue to the warehouse, my man will start the procedure on you.”

“As you wish.”

I made a respectable bow to her then jumped out to the street.

‘Did you felt it?’

“Yeah, something isn’t right. As if cold water was splashed all over me.”

‘We should get out of here right now!’

*****

[Alert!]

[Target is still in a highly-populated area.]

[Commencing fate changing…]

*****

“… No, we will stay until we have her blood.”

‘Are you nuts? No, wait don’t answer that.’

I changed to my regular black suit and deer mask. The bystanders that were witnessing the change had a horrified look on their faces, making it worth even more.

‘What are you doing now?’

“Getting stronger.”

____________________________________________________________________

Name: Desmond ˙(Temporary,)

Race: Stranded Spirit

Age: 16

Job: Golem Maker; Slave Master, Apprentice Summoner

LV: 23/30

HP: 560/560

MP: 540/540

STR: 30

VIT: 0

SPD: 20

MRES: 30

Skill PT: 0

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] [Advanced Wish Granting, LV:1] [Mapping, LV:1] [ Appraisal,LV:2] [Mind Town, LV:1] [Slave Mark, LV:1] [Chained Possession, LV: 1] [ Telekinesis, LV:1] [Transmute;Lv:1] [Mind Magic,Lv:1] [ Summon Sign,Lv:1] [Lesser Knife combat] [Lesser Athletize] [Lesser Knife Throw] [Lesser Poison Knowledge] [Lesser Qui manipulation]

Martial Art: [Swift Step]

Passive skills: [Herbology; LV:1] [Sweet Talk, Lv:7] [Speed Healing, LV:1] [Mass Absorption, LV:3] [Midas’s touch]

Resistances: [Poison] [Fire]

Curses: [Iophobia] [Holy Burn]

Unique Skills: [Body Physic Manipulation] [Harvest]

Titles: [Broken Soul] [True Heretic] [Cursed Book Owner] [Revenge Driven] [Decorator] [Heartless]

____________________________________________________________________