The battle against the Sirens intensified as Daemon realized Lockheart's attacks were ineffective against them. Frustration filled his eyes as he glanced at Lockheart, desperately wanting to find a solution. Her wand emitted feeble green lights that barely made a dent in the Sirens' health bars.

Clenching his fist, Daemon made up his mind. "Enough, Lockheart! Stop attacking. It's my turn now!"

With determination, he leaped onto the boulder, searching for a strategic advantage. Finding a moss-free ledge, he swiftly ascended and positioned himself directly above the Sirens. In a display of acrobatics, Daemon performed a backflip, driving his sword into one Siren's chest upon landing. With a swift kick, he sent the other Siren tumbling down the boulder, where it vanished into oblivion. The echoing sound of its demise resonated through the cave.

As Daemon prepared to face the remaining enraged Siren, its screams pierced the air. Caught off guard, Daemon lost his balance and plummeted five meters to the ground, incapacitated by the powerful sound waves.

Lockheart, alarmed by the impact, shouted, "Daemon!"

Rushing to his side, she assessed the situation. Above Daemon's health bar, a status effect revealed the Curse of the Siren, trapping him in a dream-like state until either the boss was defeated or Daemon perished. Lockheart noticed that everyone's health bars were dwindling and changing color.

Daemon, being the most vulnerable with his low defense and HP, suffered the most. Lockheart turned to Nyaru, who seemed oblivious to the chaos, and urgently instructed her, "Nyaru, heal Daemon immediately!"

As Nyaru opened her eyes, she discovered Daemon lying unconscious. "Brother!" she exclaimed, immediately beginning the healing process while Lockheart focused on attacking the boss with her wand.

Within Daemon's hazy consciousness, a vivid memory from his middle school days emerged. He recalled sitting in the back row, observing a girl humming a song beside him. Her voice was enchanting, not too high-pitched or too deep, resonating with a mature and calm essence. Her captivating appearance, with long black hair, coal-like eyes, and full lips, drew Daemon's attention.

They locked eyes for an extended moment until the school bell interrupted their connection. Daemon's heart raced with excitement and anticipation. It was a novel experience for him, someone showing genuine interest. But just as he mustered the courage to speak, the girl rose, laughter filling the air, and walked away.

Meanwhile, Lockheart battled the Siren, feeling a dizzying effect from the encounter. Despite her fatigue, she pressed on, determined to defeat the boss. Glancing at her own health bar, still in the yellow, she reassured Nyaru, "I'm fine, Nyaru! Focus on protecting Daemon."

As Lockheart valiantly fought, memories of Daemon's middle school encounter continued to unravel. The next day, the girl, Yui, approached Daemon, greeting him with a smile. She initiated a conversation, inquiring if his name was Takashi. Their interaction brought a glimmer of hope and excitement to Daemon's otherwise mundane existence.

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Nervously averting his eyes, Daemon replied, "Y-yes, but I didn't catch your name..."

Yui's smile persisted as she assured him, "It's okay. My name is Yui."

Daemon's voice was cut off, and he found himself enveloped in the dream-like state once more. Images of the canteen conversation with Yui played out in his mind. He longed for a genuine connection, but the presence of Yui's friends dampened his hopes of a meaningful conversation.

While Yui's friends yawned and expressed their hunger, suggesting they grab something to eat, Yui turned to Daemon and offered, "Do you want something to eat?"

Daemon nodded hesitantly, accepting the offer. Internally, he felt disappointed that their encounter had shifted from a potential intimate conversation to a group setting. Doubts crept in, questioning Yui's intentions.

As Yui's friends departed to fetch food and drinks, Daemon found himself momentarily alone with Yui. Grasping for a topic of conversation, he stammered, "Y-yui?"

Uninterested, Yui focused on her phone, texting absentmindedly. With a casual yawn, she responded, "Huh?"

Attempting to find common ground, Daemon asked about her preferred shows, hoping to uncover shared interests. Yui replied dismissively, never lifting her gaze from her phone, as she mentioned popular series like Streamdale, 369 Days, and Sex Ed Caution.

Unfamiliar with these shows, Daemon's attempts to contribute were met with Yui's indifference. She scrolled through her phone, glancing at the series Daemon mentioned before rolling her eyes. "Aah, I see," she mockingly replied.

Feeling increasingly disheartened, Daemon mumbled, "Well, everyone has their own taste."

Yui's attention swiftly shifted as her friends returned with food and drinks. Laughter and animated conversations filled the air as they shared flirtatious messages from other men. Daemon's discomfort grew, fueling his desire to escape the situation.

Suddenly, Yui grasped Daemon's shoulder, startling him. The physical contact made him recoil, his unease intensifying. "Hey, Takashi!" Yui exclaimed, attempting to regain his attention. With a self-assured smile, she suggested, "Aren't you going to pay the bill?"

Caught off guard, Daemon hesitated. He contemplated the fairness of splitting the bill individually. Yui's voice carried traces of frustration as she urged him to "be a gentleman."

Daemon's fists clenched in frustration, torn between asserting himself and the fear of drawing attention from others. He reluctantly retrieved some coins from his pocket and handed them to Yui. Her laughter blended with that of her friends as they relocated to another table, leaving Daemon alone with his toast.

Overwhelmed with suppressed emotions, Daemon trembled, tears streaming down his face. A bitter smile crossed his lips as he muttered to himself, "Man, I thought someone was genuinely interested..." He shrugged, accepting the painful realization that perhaps good intentions alone were not enough in the complexities of human connections.

******

Sirens were one of the most complex beings in the world of Escapia, inspired by the actual Sirens in Greek Mythology. They can regenerate images that are almost perfectly similar to the ideologies and prejudgments from individuals in game by humming a random melody and activating the "Curse of the Siren"

[Curse of the Siren: By simultaneously activating the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus parts of the player's brain, it shows the player an event from his memory as a dream. The player will be trapped in this dream until the boss or the player itself dies.]