19 Collect Caller

Waking in my bed I shook my head the feeling of healing magic lingering in my body, Jade and Joshua were invaluable to me at this moment. I had no clue how long I would have stayed passed out if they both weren't here for me. I resolved to gather them both resources, as making them more powerful would benefit me.

Luci on the other hand had changed, somehow he had gained a layer of pitch black fur, I can only assume it was part of his evolution. The bones that were all around his body had consolidated to certain areas, becoming more deadly but less numerous. Laying there he looked like a cat with hidden spikes along his body.

"Intent." I nodded knowing what made this change, it was my want for him to become an assassin in the dark for me. The only odd thing was the bone mask that appeared over his face, it was completely black in color with a white gem fitted into the forehead.

I couldn't help but stroke the fur ball that was laying on my chest, and Luci raised its head drowsily at me. "Lifebringer, you're awake. Let Luci sleep five more minutes."

"Why did you evolve into this form?" I pet his head which made him turn it in delight.

"Jade said cats were natural assassins so I wanted to be like them." Luci yawned out the words, lazily swaying his tail.

"Now I feel like a witch rather than a wizard, all I need is a robe and a fancy hat." I thought for a moment and realized that in the clothes I had there was indeed the supplies to dress up like a witch. No one would see the connection though which made me a little sad, that was half of the fun of cosplaying.

Though as far as Nikolai's memory went I couldn't find a reference to cloaks and daggers so it didn't seem to be a popular style in this world. Slipping out from under Luci he ended up tangled in the blanket as the spikes on his body hooked into the silk but couldn't tear it. A helpless, "Gaaaah came from the blanket as he tangled himself up more."

By the time I came back to the bed, with a black travel cloak wrapped around my training attire, with a scholar's hat on, which looked like a pointed beret. The clasp was a quick release clasp used for when it was raining, and I sat down on the bed to create sheaths that would hide under my arms.

If Luci was preparing to be an assassin, I would too that way we can both go unnoticed. Posing in the body length mirror I nodded to myself before adding a bit of flair, using mana I created a needle and thread from gold making two sigils from memory of TV shows.

'Demonic Sigil created, demonic spells have 30% less control over you.'

'System can create a communication, connection establishing.'

"Oh hell no!" Immediately I tried to decline, but I heard ringing coming from nowhere.

After three rings a confused voice came from the air, "Fine I accept! Stop ringing! What the hell kind of spell are you?"

"Um, hello, I am Crowley." Figuring it would be impolite to not talk to him, I coughed.

"Crowley? Who are you, and why did you contact me?" I could almost hear him throwing up his hands in exasperation.

"Accident I promise you, I just made a drawing I remember seeing and it connected me to you." I scratched my head, before looking at Luci. "Hey can you hear this guy Luci?"

Luci looked around before shaking his head, his head shaking.

"You accidentally wrote an ancient sigil from bygone days that gets you in touch with the current king of demons?" A long sigh was heard. "Let me sleep Crowley, I'll contact you once my headache goes away." I could feel some magic swirling through the connection.

With a confused look, I shrugged at Luci before picking up my knives but the demon wasn't done yet. "I wonder what demon found an ancient tomb? Those things are valuable, I need to find this demon to get the sigil."

"I'm not a demon, but you can always trade for the sigil I'm rather good at explaining things." There was a long silence before cursing filled the air.

"Crowley, can you drop the connection for about five hours?" The demon seemed to be pleading as apparently he hadn't figured out how to get rid of the current connection.

"Sure, for one demonic spell!"

Luci spoke up from below me, looking up at my face, "Master has a perverted smile."

"If the spell is too powerful you won't get the sigil, remember that." I wanted to test the system with demonic spells, "I can currently cast one demonic spell without consequence."

"Fine! Just stop listening to me!" A flood of information filled my mind, which worried me, but currently there was already a connection. Letting the knowledge flow I nodded, staying silent.

"Hello? Crowley?" A pause, "You aren't listening to me still are you?"

I looked to Luci with a raised brow, I couldn't believe I made a self proclaimed demon lord this paranoid.

"The fool, no one but us demons can control demonic spells. They don't have enough control over their own emotions, muahaha."

Typical bad guy talk, I cut the connection not wanting to hear a two bit villian talking about how amazing he was in my ear all day. I had things to do.

Looking over the new spell, I was disappointed as it wasn't as powerful as my golem spell and sounded rather useless. "Walk like a Demon?" My face made a few different colors as I read through it. Apparently any really strong emotion could create a spell, and this one was based off of pride.

I cast the spell after studying it for a moment, the actual spell was easy to learn but it had to be fueled by a feeling of pride for the first time casting it. A white light started to flow around my body as I focused on the feeling of prideful disdain I had for the demon I just talked to, how I held my head up high pretending my father was beneath me.

A fluctuation happened as suddenly those thoughts turned into a deep, overwhelming feeling that everyone around me was bugs. The feeling progressed as I gripped my hand into a fist, everyone was mere pawns to my games now. No, that isn't true, it's always been like that. Everyone so far has played into my hands as they always would!

Who am I? I am Crowley, from a world a hundred times more advanced than this world, groomed twice to be able to rule everything around me. What is there to fear?

I mean, other than the fact that I've died twice, doesn't that basically say that all my grooming was a failure? The mad grin on my face faltered suddenly as my muddled mind became clear.

'Resisted demonic spell, Aura of the King. Spell reduced to get rid of influence. Aura of the Prince established!'

"Why is the name different?"

"What name?" Luci answered me confused.

'System names the demonic spells itself. Demons name everything after themselves. The more demons they add to the name the more powerful the spell. Their naming system is stupid. Also user only has to think to answer or ask questions of the system.'

Ignoring Luci I thought to the system, 'So the demonic demon body refining technique for demonic demons.'

'Yes, that is actually a spell.'

Bursting out in laughter, I couldn't help but think of demons as anime characters now, or very powerful men with 8th grade syndrome.

'It is not lack of intellect that makes the demons do such acts, it is that strong demons are heavily influenced by the 7 sins. Pride is a big one, making demons think there is nothing more powerful than a demon. So their system of classifying spells is one to five demons, then one to five devils, then one to five archdevils, and lastly spells named after a deadly sin.'

The system is much more helpful today, 'So what exactly is a king of demons?' Waiting, I found no response come from the system. 'Maybe other sigils contact other demon kings.' I thought through the hundreds of sigils I knew from tv shows and shook my head. Getting in contact with hundreds of demon kings didn't seem like a good idea.

With a shake of my head I went off to go for my body training, this time going to the garden to practice a bit of parkour. I made five dummies that looked like monkeys that would be able to go through the trees better than me.

Four hours later I exited the garden with a few extra bruises and a new respect for tree branches. The trees themselves getting more hits on me than the actual golems that I was practicing with. I knew though the rapid movements along the tree branches really strengthened my balance and burst strength.

Also Luci seemed happy as he had joined me during this training, he was happy chasing birds down and smacking them out of the air, calling them his nemesi.