AMANE'S SOBS FINALLY QUIETED as Zizu offered her a chocolate, a feeble attempt to comfort her. She took it, her trembling hand betraying her fear. "You know... My brother loved chocolates, too," she managed between sobs, taking a hesitant bite. Zizu forced a smile, but his eyes betrayed a hint of unease. They were trapped in Misuki's ominous office, surrounded by three other men, the air heavy with the stench of death. Books littered the room, their pages filled with dark incantations, while candles flickered ominously, casting eerie shadows on the blood-stained walls. A lifeless deer lay sprawled nearby, its blood pooling on the floor, a grim reminder of the horrors lurking within.

"Why her?" Misuki's voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"She's an innocent soul, sir. Satan craves innocence," Zizu replied solemnly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Misuki turned away, his gaze fixed on the horizon where boats approached.. Despite his immense power, a shiver ran down his spine as memories of that fateful day flooded his mind. The sight of his parents' lifeless bodies, the echoes of his own anguished cries, still haunted him to this day. Yet, as he looked at Amane, her innocence stark against the darkness of their surroundings, he felt no remorse. Revenge fueled his every action, a relentless pursuit that consumed his very soul. In that moment, he was nothing more than a vengeful child, driven by the insatiable thirst for retribution.

A sharp knock echoed through the room, signaling the arrival of a messenger. With a solemn nod to Misuki, the messenger addressed Zizu. "Sir, every wizard is now in position."

"Excellent," Zizu replied, his voice dripping with anticipation. "Now, leave us."

The messenger, visibly nervous, hastily retreated from the room, leaving behind a palpable tension in his wake.

"Amane, my dear, come closer," Zizu beckoned, his voice laced with sinister charm.

"I'm not sharing my chocolate with you, Sir Zizu," Amane retorted innocently, clutching the sweet treat tightly.

Ignoring her protest, Zizu issued a command to the other three men, who immediately opened their books to a specific page and began chanting in unison, their voices blending into an eerie cacophony.

As Zizu reached out to touch Amane's delicate hand, a sense of dread washed over her. "You have such beautiful hands, Amane. Does your brother possess hands as exquisite as yours?" he mused, his grip tightening around her wrist.

"No, my brother's hands are larger, stronger," Amane replied, her voice trembling with fear. "He's my hero—wait, what are you doing? Ahhh!" Amane's scream pierced the air as Zizu sliced open her forearm. The room was bathed in crimson as her blood dripped into the triangle Zizu had drawn on the floor, surrounded by about ten flickering candles.

Within the confines of the room, shadows danced ominously as the blood pooled into a macabre triangle, surrounded by flickering candles. Suddenly, a monstrous figure materialized in the darkness, its sinister presence casting a chilling aura over the room. With its towering stature, fiery red complexion, and menacing horns, it exuded an unmistakable aura of malevolence.

"What do you want, Zizu?"

"My Lord," Zizu nodded. "Allow me to introduce you to Misuki, the King of Black Gold Kingdom."

"I am already familiar with him," said Satan, his voice grave and resonant, echoing from realms beyond.

"I anticipated as much, sir. I serve him now. We seek your assistance."

"You know I do not aid without reason," Satan replied, his gaze briefly lingering on Amane.

"Indeed, sir. That's why I offer you this innocent soul," Zizu said, gesturing towards the unconscious Amane. "In exchange for fulfilling our desires."

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Amane lay motionless, overcome by fear at the sight of Satan. As he approached, his presence sent shivers through the room.

"You certainly know how to entice me. She is... exquisite. What is it you seek?"

"We are casting a spell. We require your power to ensnare all of Black Gold Kingdom under its grasp."

"You're aware that the spell requires sacrificial animals and individuals reciting the incantations from four distinct points within the designated area, correct?"

"It's all been arranged, sir," Zizu replied confidently. "Our wizards are positioned at strategic points along our borders."

"What manner of spell are we discussing?" inquired Satan.

"Why do you need to know? Just grant our wish," Zizu retorted.

Satan's gaze shifted from Misuki, seated solemnly on his throne, to Zizu.

"I see disrespect brewing in you, Zizu. But you know what? Your spell matters little to me. It's granted." Satan struck the ground with his trident thrice. "Now, I'll take the girl with me. She's lost too much blood, you fucking moron. There was no need to inflict such deep wound. Do not bother me again for a long while."

With that, Satan vanished. Misuki regarded Zizu with suspicion.

"Is that all?" Misuki demanded, blowing out a cloud of smoke from his cigar that engulfed the room.

“Are the chips ready?” Zizu inquired eagerly, turning to one of the three men in the room.

“Yes, sir, they're good to go,” the man replied promptly.

“Well, well, well,” Zizu turned back to Misuki with a mischievous grin. “Time for a little experiment, don't you think? Let's bring in one of your strapping guards, shall we? We'll slap one of these fancy #BG chips on him and then give him a good old-fashioned thrashing.”

Misuki chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Now, that's what I call an entertaining afternoon."

A few minutes later, the guard was escorted into the room. His demeanor was stern, but there was an underlying tension in his expression that betrayed his nervousness. He was a young man with a dusky complexion and a distinct accent that hinted at his origins. As he entered, Misuki extended a reassuring hand, calming the guard's apprehensions.

“I called you here because we need to conduct some tests,” Misuki explained, his tone surprisingly soothing. “But rest assured, you’ll come out of this unscathed.”

“I’m at your mercy, your highness,” the guard replied respectfully, his voice tinged with a hint of anxiety.

“Let's bring in some company,” Zizu suggested, gesturing for one of his men to open the door. In marched two more of Misuki’s guards, summoned to witness the proceedings. With swift efficiency, they seized the dark-skinned guard by the forearms as instructed by Zizu.

With a surgeon’s precision, Zizu implanted the chip, deftly navigating the delicate procedure. As soon as it was done, he delivered a swift punch to the guard's face. Instantly, the life bar materialized before them, displaying the fluctuating #BG balance as it decreased in response to the blow.

"It's a success!" exclaimed Zizu, his excitement palpable. "You can try it yourself, your highness," he urged Misuki.

However, Misuki's expression betrayed his lingering doubts. It was evident that something was weighing on his mind.

"But how do we extend this effect to encompass the entire country?" Misuki questioned, voicing his concern. "As it stands, it seems only those with the chip will be affected."

Zizu nodded in agreement. "Yes, sir, you're correct. But if someone were to kill this man, they would also fall under the spell."

"Is that so?" Misuki turned to the engineers for confirmation, receiving affirming nods in response.

"So, what's your plan?" Misuki turned back to Zizu. "I need to expedite the samurai's readiness by implementing this system or spell, whatever you want to call it. They need to be lured here in pursuit of #BG, of life points whatever you call it. And then, I'll kill them.”

"I think we should dispatch some emissaries, you know. Send a few of your guards to pay a visit to the samurais. And if they happen to kill one of them, whoever does it will fall under the spell too," suggested Zizu, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Yeah, but I don’t reckon we can ‘infect’ too many samurais that way. We need to spread out our efforts, send a handful of them so they meet their end at the hands of different warriors," Misuki countered, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"I doubt a mere trainee would dare take down one of your guards. It'll likely be a high-ranking samurai. And if a seasoned warrior gets ‘infected’, as you call it, that'll exert pressure on the entire army to expedite their preparations," Zizu elaborated, his tone laced with conviction.

Misuki nodded thoughtfully, scratching his chin in deep thought. "That does make sense. But how will they come to know about the spell?"

"It's simple. We can instruct the guard to divulge the information," Zizu shrugged nonchalantly. "Moreover, once they dispatch the guard and witness the life bar materialize with their own #BG points, they'll have no choice but to believe. Although I suspect once he's captured, he'll face interrogation, if not torture. We are dealing with a professional army, after all."

"You're right, Zizu. It all adds up. Though I doubt they'll resort to torture. Samurais tend to hold themselves to a higher standard," Misuki concurred. "Let's start with one of our expendable men for now. Ikaru, bring me one of those rebellious guards. Someone utterly disposable. We'll implant the chip on them and dispatch them to my brother's house."