Chapter 96

After a while, the black mist dissipated, and the four individuals had undergone significant transformations.

Max had grown a full head taller, his body significantly more muscular, with his shirt ripped apart by the sheer bulk of his muscles. He now resembled a human terminator.

John's skin had darkened further, and he appeared leaner, but his exposed arms and legs were as muscular as rocks, turning him into a veritable Cyborg.

Allison's skin looked smoother, and besides that, her impressive figure had developed even further, to the point that her loose T-shirt had turned into a crop top.

Sonia, on the other hand, didn't seem to have changed much, but her expression gradually grew more agitated.

"Damn! What the hell is in your heads? Luckily, I can choose to turn this off!"

It turned out she had gained the ability to communicate with the other members of the group telepathically.

Bee walked over to Allison, who was closest, and poked her.

"Looks pretty good."

Allison was quite proud. "Feels pretty real, right?"

"Yeah, but aside from that, I think your skin has changed the most."

Probably even a small knife would only leave a white mark.

This made Bee start to feel envious.

"Don't get too happy too soon. While you've gained magical powers, you've also been cursed."

Randy's words left everyone stunned.

He had witnessed the whole process just now. Although he didn't fully understand the strange runes, he was all too familiar with these kinds of tricks and had already pieced most of it together.

That's why Randy sighed internally, realizing there were still powerful individuals hidden in America.

"You might not feel it now, but over time, you'll notice your magic fading, along with your life force! When that happens, you'll have to repeat the sacrifice ritual. The more often you perform it, the shorter the interval will become, until eventually, you might need to sacrifice daily."

"And... my big boobs too?" Allison asked, horrified.

"That's right, not only will they shrink, but they'll also shrivel up."

"Nooo!"

Everyone was terrified.

"Moreover, I suspect the book itself is a trap. The witch deliberately gave it to you so you'd use the sacrifice rituals, providing her with a steady supply of offerings. And when you run out of people, you'll become the offerings yourselves."

Randy thought about it: if one day a group of people tried to communicate with him, generously offering nourishment and promising to keep delivering it on time, he wouldn't be stingy either. He'd grant them enough power to survive.

Setting some traps along the way? That's just the cost of obtaining magic!

"That treacherous witch!"

"Damn it! I knew no villain would be so dumb as to send unstable zombies to capture us!"

Even Bee felt relieved. She was glad that she hadn't participated in the ritual earlier, as she might've fallen into the same trap.

"Don't worry. Derry Town is my territory. The witch's influence can't reach here. Once you pass your probation period, I'll help you get rid of the curse."

Naturally, none of them wanted to lose their newfound magic, so they all swore loyalty.

Max promised to follow any order, John offered Randy first dibs on any weed, Allison offered herself up for random fondling, and Sonia, struggling to find the right words, just chimed in, "Same here."

"Just listen to Bee."

Randy wasn't overly impressed with their pledges of loyalty. He pulled Bee aside to a nearby empty room.

"It's time to upgrade your combat abilities too."

Bee stared in shock as Randy conjured up a lotus flower, infused with a small amount of lightning magic and water-based spells. It would significantly enhance her attack power and survival skills.

Combined with the parasitic seed within her that constantly siphoned Randy's energy, it would give her a self-sustaining internal cycle, allowing her to hold her own even if faced with overwhelming foes—at least until Randy could join the fight.

"Are you ready?"

Bee was excited. "How do I use this?"

Without hesitation, Randy pulled up her shirt, and under Bee's shocked gaze, he sliced open her chest and inserted the lotus flower inside.

"Absorb its power, or be absorbed by it. Don't worry, you won't die. I can do this a few more times if needed. You're worth the effort."

As soon as Randy finished speaking, the lotus blossomed more brilliantly, and as it did, Bee's body grew weaker, almost anemic.

Just as Randy was about to stop and try the process again later, Bee's tenacity kicked in.

She forced the lotus into her chest with a determined hand, and despite the pain contorting her face, she gritted her teeth and absorbed all of its energy.

"Can you feel it?"

Randy, pleased, led Bee to a mirror.

"Remember how you look right now, because this will be the worst condition you'll ever be in again. In less than a night, you'll notice the change. You'll bloom into a radiant flower."

Bee could feel the transformation, and her senses were sharper. With a sly smile, she added, "Ready to be plucked by you later?"

"You know it, no need to say it out loud."

Randy ruffled her hair. Only now did Bee meet his standards.

Flowers are far more entertaining than humans.

The two of them returned to the living room, where the others had already calmed down and were patiently awaiting their next instructions.

Randy had a plan for them: he'd have them help him set up a large formation and spread seeds around the town.

"I'll draw a map of the town's formation. Just scatter the seeds in the marked locations. It doesn't have to be perfect, but don't be too careless either."

Randy eyed them. "Don't think about slacking off."

They quickly assured him they wouldn't.

Randy didn't believe they had the guts to defy him.

Since they'd be operating in Derry Town for the foreseeable future, they would need to meet another priest.

A red balloon floated out of Randy's pocket, gradually expanding and hovering in the air, until a pale hand grabbed the string.

Pennywise's grotesque figure emerged in the living room.

Randy, still human, couldn't compare to the fully monstrous Pennywise, whose appearance immediately terrified everyone except Bee.

"A clown?"

"A monster?"

Pennywise sniffed the air, the scent of fear causing his mouth to water.

"Is this my midnight snack?"

"No, just introducing you to them. They'll be officially working in Derry Town from now on."

Randy gestured towards Max and the others. "Now clean up the place and head back to where you came from. I'll give Bee the map, and she'll bring it to you later."

The group couldn't stand Pennywise's presence any longer, so they hurriedly left, doing their best to avoid him.

Max: "Man, did I just see it turn into a dead Cole?"

John: "No, it was more like a gun-wielding Policeman. I almost raised my hands in surrender."

Allison: "Stop it, I saw an oversized bra!"

Sonia: "Uh? Wasn't it a Black man trying to attack an Asian woman?"

John: "???"