Elre dashed towards me and aimed for my neck. I swiftly evaded and fired Piercing Red at his knee, completely obliterating it.

"M-my-" Elre stuttered, stunned at the knee which was once attached to his leg.

"I'm not done."

I snatched onto his collar and penetrated his stomach with Caustic Blue before tearing it out from the side of his abdomen.

As Elre fell to the ground, I performed Instant Heal on him which instantly restored his body to its normal state.

"What the-?"

"Quiet," I said before kicking him towards the ground.

The Mage, Vaslyn, appeared behind me and conjured up a snowstorm. The snow from the storm began to encase me but it never got to touch me as it was being cut down.

"What? How aren't you-?"

"Rebellious Shield. I was going to use it beforehand but you guys never gave me the chance. It is all thanks to you for running away."

"Damn it… how didn't I notice?"

"Don't look so down. At least you are smart, unlike him," I replied, pointing to Elre who was groaning in pain.

"Why-?" She began and I returned my attention to her.

"Why did you just heal him after you tore him apart?" She asked, clenching onto her staff.

"Well… it would be a waste to dispose of you two."

"What?"

"You haven't figured it out yet? Alright, I'll tell you. Since you already have spies set on me and Joseph, then why don't I have my own set of spies in Cocytus as well? It hasn't occurred to me before but I've decided to make you two my spies, though I don't have that much confidence in your friend." I explained to her.

"Actually…," She began. "He's my brother."

…

I glanced at Elre, then glanced back at Vaslyn.

"Wow… that is-"

"Y-yeah."

…damn… must be embarrassing to have an arrogant and stupid brother.

"I see… So anyway, how does it sound? You can work for me instead of your 'king' who hasn't even thought of sending his most powerful force at me. In return, I can help free your parents."

"…I-I'm sorry but we can't do that."

"Hmm? Is it loyalty?"

She hesitated for a while before nodding.

"That hesitation. Let me guess, you still have loyalty for Cocytus, but something is holding you back and you are close to betraying them, right?"

"Yes… our parents were thrown in jail when we were young and we were trained to be weapons. They won't be released until after the war with the surface is over."

"Hmph, I see."

So they were forced, not paid. They became weapons as a result of being separated from their parents and forced to join the military. This is what I assume.

This... is one of the reasons why I hate some kings…

"Now that you've told me that, I have two kings to hate," I said, clenching my hands before I dropped to the ground and nudged Elre's head.

"Get up, stop whining like a little bitch."

"Tch, bastard. Don't take me lightly."

"I can't take you seriously if you are cowering like that. Get up, you are embarrassing your sister."

Elre scowled at me before getting up cautiously. Vaslyn began explaining what I had just told her and after Vaslyn was done, Elre gave me an untrusting look.

"You think we will help you because you offer to free our parents?"

"Is that not what you want?"

"No, I don't need to see their faces. They left us when we were young. Why would I do that?"

"They didn't leave you, you were taken away from them. Are you that much of an idiot?"

"Shut up! If you want my loyalty, then you'll have to do it by force."

"I'll gladly shatter that fragile loyalty of yours."

"Then come at me with your best shot!" Elre yelled before zooming past me, delivering several slashes on my body.

"Elre, no!" Vaslyn yelled but he ignored her call.

"Come at me!" Elre shouted as he ran towards me.

I turned around and launched several waves of Distorted Kicks which he somehow managed to dodge every one of them.

…I could end this now, but I might kill him by accident. If that happens, I lose a spy. The only way I can end this peacefully is if I show the difference in power between us.

And so, that is what I will do.

As soon as he was about to strike me, I quickly grabbed ahold of his face and stared into his eyes before I slowly morphed into my Altima form.

"Wh-what is this?" Vaslyn said in awe. "This overflowing amount of… sinister energy."

Elre was completely oblivious as to what was happening since he supposedly didn't know how to sense mana, but after seeing his reaction, I think it is safe to say he can sense my power.

"Afraid now?" I asked him in a distorted voice and I could hear him gulp.

"Either you give up, or you'll experience a fate worse than death. I've never seen such a stubborn idiot as you, so if you want to live, I suggest you toss your loyalty for Cocytus away. What have they ever done for you? Because so far, all I see is a complete nuisance who keeps talking back."

"…"

Elre glared at me before he turned away and scoffed. I could feel his body trembling as I continued to hold him. Guess I've settled the power difference.

As we dropped down to the floor, he returned to his sister's side.

"So, what about it? Will you become my spies?"

The two siblings looked at each other and whispered about it before Vaslyn turned to me and nodded.

"Alright then, it's settled."

"I-I guess so… What should we do?" Vaslyn asked.

"Well, for now, just tell me when and where I'll be ambushed by more of your people. I don't have any specific missions other than that as I don't want to be ambushed by more of your people anymore since it gets tiring."

"Is that all?"

"Pretty much. That is all I have for you two. Just tell me when and where."

"How are we going to communicate with you?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll have others relay the message to me."

"Huh?"

I stared at their shadows before sending two of my shadow servants into them. I'll have my shadow servants report to me after they get the information I need, and while they do that, I can also find out where the entrance to Cocytus is. I'll just be using these two's shadows as vessels.

"Umm, Mr-?"

"Just call me Nero," I responded.

"Umm… Nero," Vaslyn began. "Will you really be able to free our parents?"

"What? Do you doubt my words? Of course, though, it will take some time since I have other things to deal with, so if your king wants to fight me on his own, then I can't guarantee that I will win. I still need to grow stronger. Sadly, the form I have just shown you was the peak of my strength, nothing more. I still have a long way if I'm ready to face any other one of your people."

"Is that so...? Then I guess." Vaslyn's eyes trailed off into the woods behind us, a worried look on her face.

"If you were worried that the spies were going to snitch on you, don't worry, I've already killed them."

I turned around and, walking out of the woods were my other two shadow servants dragging four dead ice elves out of the bushes. I walked over and used Shadow Enslavement on them, sucking in their shadows.

Now that makes 8 shadow servants in total.

"Well then," I began, levitating up in the air. "I guess that is all. I'll be going now."

"Wait a minute!" This time, Elre shouted at me.

I turned to him and asked what was up.

"There are rumors that you... you... devour our blood once you kill us. Is that really true?"

Huh? Is that what is being spread around in Cocytus? Well, I can't say they aren't wrong...

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Were you going to do that to us if we didn't agree to be your spies?"

"Hmm... I would've but you lucked out. You see, I am actually unable to devour any blood due to recently awakening the demon blood which courses through my veins. I still have to wait a month or two before I can actually do it again. Oh, and since you know that, you are probably what I would've done if you didn't want to be my spies... well, you both would've died a gruesome death, but be lucky that I felt generous today."

The two looked away and I could see them both sigh. I smiled before I clenched my hands together.

"If you two ever get found out, just come here and I'll rescue you. Otherwise, just act like you normally do. When you return, just say I fled."

And then I shook my hands, disappearing from the vicinity.

***

When I returned, I told the receptionist at the front desk that there were no Stormblitzes in the area I was in and so they gave me a new quest to take.

I needed money... for some beer. I haven't drunk some in a while and luckily, Kiyomi isn't here. So I can drink as much as I want.

...oh...now I know why I can't be trusted with money.

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