Chapter 36

Devil's Council.

27 members are gathered in a circular-shaped room, which has tables, chairs and microphones. Also in the center of the tables a tribune is in the open space for the speaker. The chair/table levels are higher, giving perfect visibility to the center that is at a lower level.

"By votes of twenty-one to six, it is decided that the territory of the recently deceased Marbas will be auctioned. Two weeks for the initiation of agreements," said the Valefor family adviser from the rostrum.

"Next subject."

"AHEM. Reports of magicians interfering with Stray Devils hunting," said one of them as he read the paper.

"Nonsense. I don't see the relevance of bringing this up. Just send a letter to the organization they participate in and I'm sure they'll get the message," smiled one of the councilors, arrogantly.

"That's the problem. My subordinates have already messaged Mephisto, who is the president of the magician associations. None of them are known to be affiliated with an organization." Said a counselor rubbing his temples due to a headache.

"Hmph! Just a few rogue magicians hunting stray devils won't be a problem."

"I'm sorry to let you down," One of them shook his head. "The numbers are many."

"How many?"

"One thousand? Two thousand? We don't know for sure. What if the rumors are true," one of them pauses, feeling tense. "Other pantheons are talking about them. Their appearance is worldwide."

"How come we didn't know this beforehand?" Said Lord Vassago who was attending the meeting. "An organization grew up under everyone's noses and no one suspected a thing?" he asked in disbelief.

Organizations and pantheons did not grow from trees. They took time and left traces of their growth/recruitment.

It was almost impossible for an organization to emerge without at least some traces being known beforehand.

"We don't know their goals, but we can't allow them to continue hunting Stray Devils," said one of the councilors who had a huge beard.

"Counselor Buné tells the truth." Confirmed one of them.

Councilor Buné strokes his beard as he slyly says, "The stray devils are the living reminder of why reincarnated devils cannot escape their masters. Leaving some of them alive will do more good than harm. We cannot eliminate them all."

"Arrest them and investigate their leaders," ordered one of the counselors.

"Ummm, there's a problem with this," said one of them a little apprehensively.

"What?" asked Councilor Buné with a raised eyebrow.

"They all present themselves as... Super Heroes and wear strange costumes. I've sent middle and High class devils to arrest them, but strangely... They disappear," said one of them awkwardly.

"Disappear?" he asked in disbelief. "People don't just disappear."

"Their teleportation doesn't use magic circles. No mana fluctuation or visible signs," That counselor rubs his temples and says, "Just send someone above the middle-class Devil's power and they'll automatically disappear."

"Continue efforts to find them. Send those best able to hide their energies and try to catch them," Councilor Buné said slightly irritated. "I want one of them alive."

...

A green-colored ray flew towards two figures, who jump each to one side, dodging.

The ground was corroded by the sickening ray of color and the fight didn't seem to have just begun.

"Special Attack: Wind Wave," yelled the smallest of them and a wave of wind pushed back the previous attacker who was a bipedal horse-like monster.

The monster seems to feel the impact and stumbles backwards.

"Nokun, what's the result?" asked one of the figures who wears a white cape, half-moon mask and a German suit.

"The mission hasn't loaded yet, it's bugged. Shit, how do we contact the GM?" one of them asked angrily. "Oh. It's loaded now."

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Quest: Defeat the stray devil and use [Purify] while he is still alive.

Reward: 10 contribution points for each party member.

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"It's time for the end, Kreacher," pointed a finger at one of them who wears a green and red jumpsuit. "I'm a Flashy green bullet. See the red on my clothes? It represents the blood of my enemies who fell for me and didn't even see me passing by."

The least among them, "I am the dwarf mage 69 and I will free you from your suffering."

"ARGHHH. HUMANS. HUMANS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, BUT I WILL CRUSH YOU ALL," said the monstrosity angrily.

Dwarf mage lifts his staff and from there a ball of water the size of a basketball flew.

The bipedal horse stamped its shoes and the ground deformed, forming a natural barrier.

"Try to keep up with Flashy Green bullet's speed," he said before lighting a green light around his body and starting to run at high speed around his target.

"Amazing, Flashy is so Fast," commented a girl dressed as a nurse and a face mask.

"Focus, Nurse GirlxGirl. You are our supporter," scolded {Antone right shot}, a man dressed as a cowboy and butterfly mask.

Running at high speeds around the monster, Flashy green bullet has a smile. He just didn't count on one thing...

Parts of the floor were warped from the Stray Devil's previous treading, and he stumbled right into one of those ledges.

"Flashy," yelled Dwarf Mage 69 worriedly as he saw the figure of Flashy Green Bullet flying like a cannonball towards the wall.

*BOOM*

"Nurse GirlxGirl," Antone right shot said. The girl understood and ran towards the wounded.

"What did you do, monster?" Dwarf Mage pointed his staff towards the Stray Devil.

"Cough. Cough. He's too powerful," coughed Flashy green bullet blood into Nurse's arms. "Run everyone."

"HUH? I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING," Stray Devil was confused. "He Stumbled Alone."

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Antone's right shot starts shooting with his two revolvers and the light show was intense.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

"Damn monster, stop dodging," Antone ground his teeth.

"?? I'M STANDING IN THE SAME place," yelled the stray devil in irritation.

"Dwarf Mage, do something," shouted Antone right shot, as he continued to unload the bullets and none of them hit the stray devil.

"Huh? Sorry -- I'm out of mana," said dwarf mage a little embarrassed.

And that's when the worst happened, the dry noises of the revolver indicated that the bullets had run out.

"HAHahahaha. I don't know where you came from, Strange Humans," The stray devil pauses briefly before chuckling openly, "Now that you come to my house I will be grateful and kill you all painlessly."

But before he could do anything...

"MOMMYY KICK!!" screamed a female voice as She kicked down in midair.

The blast of air was loud and the horse monster's head sank into the ground.

Triple magic, Ice stakes.

A boy in a jester costume conjured three magic circles that launched three ice spears, piercing the stray devil.

"ARGHHHHHJ," yelled the Stray devil with his face still buried inside the crater before he swung with all his might.

The newly arrived woman wearing Catwoman's mask clothes, jumps away, avoiding being caught by the blast of energy emitted by the demon lost by a few inches.

"His energy emitted is in category three (middle class devil)," said the boy dressed as a jester. "Are you okay, Mom?"

"I am, my son. Such a monster is no harder than the adversity of a single mother," Catwoman said with a smile.

"Hey," shouted Antone. "I know you. You are the Rankers."

Rank number 7 - Mommy Justice.

Rank number 16 - Night joker.

"The rankers, we're safe," Nurse GirlxGirl said like a fan.

"Mom, let's finish this soon. I have a bad feeling," said Night Joker.

Night Joker Talent: Chances of sensing danger.

Like harpies, some humans have developed some abilities beyond what is expected. Most of them reached the top of the players and became Rankers, the 50 strongest list.

"Yes," said the Catwoman with a smile.

Delay mind, cast Night Joker, causing the devil stray to have delayed perception.

Like a locomotive the woman dressed as Catwoman came running with a punch, "Mommy Punch."

The stray devil figure went flying. In the direction he was flying, the woman reappeared and kicked upwards, "Mommy Kick!!!"

His flight direction has changed, the stray demon hit hard against the ceiling.

The explosion was immense and Flashy Green Bullet, who was still lying in Nurse's arms, said, "Amazing. She's even faster than I am."

"And strong," said Nurse GirlxGirl excitedly toward the beauty.

As the stray devil fell from the ceiling as he unglued, the figure of the Cat woman appeared in the air in front of him. She pulled her arm back and screamed at the top of her lungs...

"MOMMYYYY JUSTICE!!"

Like a meteor, the stray devil fell to the ground.

Everyone present at the abandoned school had to cover their faces due to the force of the impact, which produced gusts of wind and dust.

Mommy Justice's Talent: All mana, life energy, or other energies within the user's body is converted into mother energy.

Mother energy can be used to physically strengthen yourself, getting faster and stronger.

"She did it," said dwarf mage happily.

"The stray devil is still breathing," said Mommy Justice. "Quick, use [Purify] on him."

Purifying, Night Joker extended his palm and the stray devil glowed with golden energy for a few moments, before disappearing.

Where would he go? Nobody knew.

But it didn't matter.

--------

Mission complete.

Points were debited to {Mommy Justice} and {Nigh Joker}.

Consolation prizes were also sent to other players.

------

After the fight was over, Night Joker gave the rookie group some tips. He was doing this not just out of kindness.

He needed to teach a certain number of players for him to unlock a new class and have special spells to be bought in the shop.

"Man, I wish I had a mother like that," said Flashy dreamily towards the Cat woman.

"Whhhatr?" He yelled as he was hit in the stomach with a punch.

"What kind of thing are you talking about?" complained Nurse GirlxGirl. "She is only to be admired from afar. Be grateful to our saviors."

"Hey, I'm still hurt, you know?" complained Flashy.

And so their group begins to argue. Dwarf mage complained that Antone didn't hit a single shot and the cowboy in return said little one had mana for a single spell.

And flashy complained that Nurse GirlxGirl didn't know how to treat her patients well.

Mommy Justice was laughing at how energetic they were.

It seems that Night Joker's senses were correct and the boy dressed as a jester frowned.

-----------

The system detected energy levels far above the users. Automatic teleport activated.

------------

Everyone there disappeared within a few moments.

In a house that the refrigerator had the door tied with some strings.

The figure of Night Joker and Mommy justice appeared.

"Good thing. Looks like I was right," said Night Joker to himself.

The two chose their homes as a point of return.

Every time an out-of-control situation arose, Index would forcefully teleport users to their return bases.

"I think I'll try to grind some contribution points," the Night Joker said as he headed upstairs, but a hand grips his shoulders.

"Where are you going, my son?" Mom Justice asked with a strained smile.

"Huh? I still haven't done my daily mission. There's still 200 sit-ups left to finish the mission," he explained.

"Have you done your homework yet?"

The boy's blank face said it all.

"Go do your homework right away. You have school tomorrow and I don't want to hear any complaints."

"But mom," he complained in tears.

"But mom nothing. No complaints."

Each player to participate in hunts, they had to wear costumes and not let their identities be discovered.

In ordinary everyday life, they would retain their identities.

If they purposely reveal their identities, they would lose their systems and powers.

The decree was to keep this until the big turning point.

The big turning point is an event on a global scale that will take place in three months. Nobody knows what it will be exactly.

But until then they would have to act with their secret identities.

Those who disobey the rules of the game lose their system powers and memories.

That was the price of being privileged to be beta players.