"Hold on," Officer Han's voice cut through Marcus's defensive bluster like a cold blade. Before the 'Tower of Trials' had ever manifested, Han had been a career prosecutor; he was a man trained to hear the truth hidden behind a stutter or a poorly timed flinch. He turned his sharp, emerald gaze toward the Guild Master. "Mr. Thorne... what exactly did Mr. Tempest mean by a 'demon'?"
Under normal circumstances, a man as procedural as Han might have dismissed it as the ramblings of a rogue Ranker. But Marcus's momentary lapse, that split-second flicker of genuine, primal terror, was all the testimony the Officer needed to smell blood in the water.
"That bastard is just talking crazy!" Marcus exploded, his face reddening as he gestured wildly toward me. "Don't you know he murdered nearly fifty of my Guild Members at the regional branch? Arthur Tempest is a lunatic doing lunatic things! Take him away before I file a formal complaint that you brought a mass murderer into my headquarters!"
"Ahahahahahant... so you're telling me you didn't sign a contract with the Abyss?" I asked, my voice dripping with mocking amusement.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, you crazy bastard!" Marcus fired back, but his voice hit a frantic, high-pitched note that betrayed him.
I wasn't about to let him retreat into his shell of deniability. "Then you won't mind if Officer Han runs a quick diagnostic on you and your senior staff? As RMB top brass, I'm sure he carries Energy Detecting Crystals that pick up even the slightest 'impurity' in a Ranker's energy. If you're clean, there shouldn't be any 'Corrupted' traces of 'Demonic Energy', right?"
"Leave! Now!" Marcus screamed. He was backed into a corner, and the sweat beading on his forehead was becoming a flood.
Legally, Officer Han was at a stalemate. Without a warrant or a direct violation of the Ranker Management Laws occurring in front of him, he couldn't force a search. But I didn't need a warrant. I just needed to tear the veil.
"[Activating the 3-Star Barrier, 'Revelation of Dusk'!]"
I flared my 'Chaos' energy, the raw power of my core surging with just enough force to disabled Han's [Deadlock]. A dark, ethereal dome expanded from my position, sweeping through the lobby. While the 'Reaper' members remained 'human' in form, the barrier acted as a spiritual blacklight. Thick, oily plumes of 'Demonic Energy' began to manifest above them, coiling into the vague, hideous shapes of the demons they had pledged themselves to.
"Bastard!!" Marcus roared, his secret laid bare in a sickening display of purple-black mist. The 'Contract' was no longer a hidden document; it was a physical stain on reality. Realizing the game was up, Marcus lost all pretense of civility. "Kill hi—!"
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'One Standing Court: Contempt of Court' Lvl 7!]"
Before Marcus could finish his command, the air in the lobby turned into solid lead. Officer Han moved with a precision that was terrifying to behold. The gravitational pressure slammed every 'Reaper' members into the marble floor with a bone-shattering crunch. Simultaneously, the 'Chains of the Ten Seals' exploded from his sleeves, dividing and multiplying until they had bound every single person in the room.
"Ranker Management Law 4D," Han declared, his voice booming with the weight of the state. "'A recognized Guild is strictly prohibited from signing a 'Contract' with a Tower Resident. An individual may do so at their own risk, but a Guild as an entity is forbidden'. Mr. Thorne, you and your members are under arrest."
"Arrest?" I spat, my 'Chaos' energy beginning to bleed out of me in dark, flickering waves. "Do you have any idea what they were actually planning, Officer?"
"Mr. Tempest, stand back—"
"These people signed away their souls for a promise of fucking wealth!" I shouted, the rage I'd been suppressing since the regional branch finally boiling over. "They sacrificed thousands of innocent human lives as tribute! All so the {Demons} could manifest physically outside the Towers! You think a 'court' is enough for this?"
"[Activating 'Hell Flame' Lvl 5!]"
Violent black and purple flames writhed out from my body, swirling around the lobby like hungry serpents. The heat was unnatural; it began to literally 'consume' the gravitational pressure of Han's Skill and the lingering 'Demonic Energy' in the air.
"Mr. Tempest! Stand down!" Han shouted, his chains lashing toward me to force a suppression.
But his words were white noise.
"[Activating 'Absolute Wall' Lvl 1!]"
The silver chains struck the invisible barrier and rebounded with a shower of sparks. I stared at Marcus Thorne, whose face was pressed against the cold floor, his eyes wide with the realization that the law was no longer his biggest problem.
"[Activating 'Eyes of Gluttony' Lvl 6!]"
"[Personal Information]"
- [Name: Marcus Thorne]
- [Age: 38 | Gender: Male | Sex: Experienced]
- [Class: Warrior - Berserker | Rank: A-Rank | Level: 39]
- [Stats: STR: 36 | AGI: 31 | VIT: 34 | HP: 85% | PER: 28 | Aura: 30]
- [Title: Traitor of Humanity]
- [Exclusive Skill: None]
- [Guild: Reaper | Guild Master]
- [Skills: 'Frenzy' Lvl 6, 'Heavy Strike' Lvl 7, 'Intimidate' Lvl 5, 'Demonic Infusion' (Temporary) Lvl 4, 'Durability' Lvl 4, 'Prey' Lvl 3. Etc.]
- [Anatomical Stats: 5.2 inches slightly curved dick. Shaved. Hemorrhoids present in his tight, sweaty asshole.]
- [Copy Condition: Defeat the man who sold his soul. You will be able to copy one of his Skills if you deliver the final blow while the 'Contract' is active.]