Chapter 19

A lot has happened over the past year. So, I decided to take a little "vacation" for myself. Considering that gaining experience at my high level was virtually impossible under normal circumstances, as I've mentioned before, I "studied" what I could and took what interested me. Not long ago, I stumbled upon Los Angeles, as it turned out that in this city, some genuine "Demons" had settled quite comfortably. Yes, those same ones from the Bible. I was surprised to find that some of them yielded a decent amount of experience, and their blood, horns, and claws could be used for my alchemical experiments. No, demons, like restless spirits, are everywhere, but in this city, it's as if they've found their second home. Perhaps it's because of the local energy?.. I've only recently become quite a sensitive sensor, able to feel the local energy and emotions. Here, though?.. Lust, suffering, pain, and hatred, along with a plethora of human vices - everything demons love. So, why doesn't Gotham teem with these creatures? It's unclear.

Among the rabble of demons I encountered, one stood out by the name of Yorm. He asked me not to kill him, in exchange for which he provided me with a special dagger called Scar - a unique demonic relic that allows the user to gain incredible power. However, even the demon himself doesn't know exactly what kind of power it grants. He told me the story of how the previous body's owner made a contract with him. It included a special privilege in the form of a simple thing called "Vengeance," in exchange for their coexistence. This could be compared to a split personality, enhanced with special effects, or think of the Hulk. To be frank, the human soul and the personality of John Jay Abrams were not the dominant personalities, and, moreover, the demon could not control its main characteristic - rage. He had to obtain it from somewhere else, and since John's desire had already been fulfilled, this rage had to be extracted from someone else...

So why did I trust him so easily? Well, the only substantial reason I spared him was the offer from the system to accept this quest. It sounded like this...

A secret quest opportunity is now available!!!

"All I need is blood..."

Complete all of "Yorm's" conditions to perform the ritual to create the Legendary Dagger Scar.

Seemingly, a dagger is just a dagger, right? What's so special about it? Well, it wasn't that simple. In the note, it was mentioned that this dagger was the Second weapon of John Wood, that very hunter-adventurer whose spectral dagger I still use to this day. Although I had never seen or really known John Wood, I could tip my hat to him in respect since he had such dangerous "toys." But, judging by an excerpt from his IV volume of adventures, he encountered something serious, or maybe not?.. Oh well, it's a shame there aren't many gold coins around. I would have liked to read his story. But that's beside the point...

In any case, I agreed to this deal, and the first thing he needed for the ritual was to feed on the negative emotions of the locals. Unfortunately, Yorm wasn't very smart and suggested luring a small group of people into torture to extract these emotions from them. I proposed a more acceptable alternative. Why use violence when you can obtain these emotions from people willingly?.. Either way, it still took some time, but I managed to combine the pleasant with the useful. Pleasant for me and useful for the local people.

And now, we return to the moment when an interesting guest visited us. A dark purple cloak with a hood that covered the upper half of her face but revealed her unusual grayish skin tone. And even though I couldn't make out the details of her face, I could easily see the beautiful purple shade of her eyes in the darkness of her hood. Dark purple women's bodysuit that accentuated her attractive figure, long sleeves with gloves of the same color, and gray stockings(?), without which this outfit would have been more erotic, but that's just my lust talking. On the cloak, around her neck, she had a round black-and-red precious stone in a golden plate that held the entire outfit together.

It was terribly curious to examine her characteristics, skills, and features, but my gut feeling told me it wasn't the best idea, as she could easily sense my interference and block my ability. When there's a little more trust between us, then we can satisfy our curiosity.

"Well, Yorm, before we begin, maybe you could tell me about the specifics of this ritual? And most importantly, where did you learn about it?.."

"It so happened that I... let's say... temporarily borrowed a fragment of the dagger from my previous boss, and when my boss found me and was ready to tear me apart, that's when you showed up."

Apparently, it was a foolish and quite strange turn of events. Lucky for him, to say the least.

"... And you also learned about the ritual from him. I see. So, what does it involve?"

"The dagger fragment must absorb a demon's blood, and at the same time, I must invoke our lady, the Red Queen..."

"Stop-stop-stop... Have you gone mad?!"

"The 'Red Queen'?" Raven asked curiously.

"In very simple terms, she's a very powerful demon," I explained to her and then returned my attention to Yorm, who had shrunk a bit when I grabbed his shoulders and squeezed tightly. "Do you even understand what could happen if 'She' decides to grace us with her presence?!"

"T-there's no other choice! The dagger was originally created by her as a gift to her chosen one! Only with her permission can the wielder use it!.. The ritual will indeed summon her, but only in a weak physical form..."

"Why risk it like this?! You know that such a creature sees us as insignificant little insects. You had so many opportunities to escape, yet you really want to do this. Why, Yorm?!.."

"I want to see her because I want to. You wouldn't understand me. After all, what child wouldn't want to see their parent at least once?"

"You're simply blindly worshipping her. Are you really willing to die for the sake of a dubious chance?"

"It's worth it."

I gazed into the demon's red eyes and couldn't understand him, but after a minute of waiting, I decided to respond:

"Alright, go ahead. Before we begin, I want to say that you're the first demon who made me realize that not all of you are the same, evil, and vile creatures. Demons are a reflection of the dark side of humanity, right?.."

"Well..." A sharp blow, the bone-hilt plunged into his wrist and then into the other, piercing them through, and blood flowed profusely onto the floor. He fell to his knees, holding the hilt in a prayerful gesture. I couldn't discern or translate the words of the demon's summoning as with each new word, the blood seemed to come to life, spreading throughout the room like a web, engulfing everything in a red hue.

"We're being transported to another dimension!" Raven exclaimed nervously, as it seemed she knew much more about these matters than I did. The place resembled some kind of hell. Flesh, blood, bodies, faces distorted in masks of suffering, pleasure, and lust were everywhere. Yorm continued to mumble his mantra and didn't notice anything around him until an attractive naked girl made entirely of blood emerged from a puddle. Her eyes had strange cross-shaped pupils. Completely made of blood, without flesh and bones, she placed her hand on Yorm's cheek. Incomprehensible sounds came from his mouth. As if he couldn't believe her presence or was simply stunned? I couldn't know.

The atmosphere of her presence stirred my consciousness, my body trembled, and refused to move, drops of cold sweat accumulated on my forehead. Attempting to use "Observation" yielded nothing but another generous serving of "Fear." The blue interface window was distorted by interference, all characteristics were marked with question marks, and only her name, "Red Queen," confirmed our... reckless decision.

"S-s-s-s..." Her index finger touched his lips. "You summoned me, but you're not the one who will have a conversation with me. So, Alex... Speak. Don't be silent. Don't disappoint me," she slowly approached me, embraced me, and put one leg behind me.

"I... I want your dagger. Mortals call it Scar."

"Oh-oh-oh? You want to get *****? How amusing. But what's in it for me?"

I wouldn't have agreed to the summoning without anticipating this question.

"To be your 'servant'? After all, this weapon is an extension of your will, correct? Through this weapon, I will only kill those worthy."

"Servant... hehe? All my children play games and think they're better than others in their own game. There was one amusing man. You remind me of him. He loved to face his death with a smile and never regretted his actions."

"You're talking about John Wood?! What happened to him?"

"We're not talking about John right now, are we? What matters is what's happening now. You should understand that this conversation is happening only at my will. If you make the wrong move..." Her lips touched my ear. "...'Poof,' and you'll die. Without ever realizing what happened."

"What do you want?"

"Sometimes the best way is to be straightforward and honest. I'll give you a couple... bonus points, hehehe."

Was this a hint about her knowledge of the System or?..

"Yes, I know about it and others. You're not the first, and you won't be the last to come to me for help. Even great evil is used to accomplish small good or evil. Irony, isn't it?.. There's only one condition. I want 'God.' Kill him for me with this dagger. This is our agreement, one you won't be able to break..." Her claw pierced the back of my hand, leaving a red diamond-shaped tattoo.

"Hmm, you're an amusing little creature. Child," she addressed Raven, who, unlike me, could move freely and was nervously waiting for something to happen.

"I'm not your child."

"A sharp tongue. Do you think that just because you're the 'child of that very demon,' nothing will happen to you? And besides, despite your father's immense power, he's still trying to find... something important. I'll give you a hint; it's not genocide or planet conquest. It's something you're unlikely to understand and... accept. Hehehe, I find it amusing to watch all of you. To see how you react to the hints from those who know more than you do."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Parents should know everything about their children. Ever heard that saying? Whether you believe me or not is your personal business. I've just given you something to think about. But I think we've talked enough."

Her bloodied palm made a simple snap gesture, and Yorm exploded into fragments in all directions with an invisible and horrifying force of the Red Queen. Another light gesture, and the dagger formed a twisted blade and completely changed its hilt from Yorm's blood puddle. A black and red mist of aura floated around it. She beckoned with her hand and handed it to me. I confidently accepted it, and when my hand touched the hilt, my palm swelled with red veins. Were the conditions for acceptance the same as with the spectral dagger?.. Afterward, I looked into the eyes of the Red Queen and, for some reason, found something attractive and beautiful in them.

"Perhaps you'll be able to accomplish what he couldn't..."

With these final words, we returned to the reality of my room. I looked at the description of the dagger.

Bloody Dagger "Scar" Equipped!

Level: 60;

Rank: Legendary;

Non-level. Becomes stronger as the character's level increases.

Requirements for use:

Red Queen's Approval: Approved;

Profession: Assassin;

Parameter Requirements: None;

Damage Type: Physical [666-???];

Abilities: "Blood Manipulation," "Shape-shifting," "Life Energy Absorption," "Life Energy Transfer," "Puppet," "Mimicry."

"Well, that was... interesting," I disperse the dagger into a red mist until better times. There's no opportunity to "test" it now. "It's a shame that Yorm died, but he knew what he was getting into," I shrugged, spreading my arms to the sides, awaiting Raven's response.

"I can't understand why this demon named Yorm so eagerly wanted to meet his creator, only to be destroyed by them in the end."

"Unfortunately, we'll never know his motives now. Let's get back to something more interesting, namely you, Raven."

"What do you want?"

"We both want to achieve our goals. You want to defeat your father, and I want to become a bit stronger and learn the details of a very ancient and horrifying story."

"You still haven't answered where you got all this information from in the first place."

"It's... quite difficult to explain, but I assure you, I will never violate the terms of our mutual agreement. Perhaps we can't call each other friends yet, but why not start as mutually beneficial partners?"

"Partners? Explain further."

"We both know that sooner or later, your father's minions will find you and do everything to free him. I'll help you stop your father, and in return, you'll help me learn magic. I think we can deal with my spirits later, as the situation there is complex and requires more time and effort to resolve."

"You mean that 'phantom archer'? He's surrounded by a powerful curse."

"That's what I'm talking about. I want to understand the nature of that curse. Can it be lifted or weakened? Because I may be a 'necromancer,'" I created air quotes with my hands, "but I don't like using my spirits without considering their feelings and opinions. This will be my way of thanking them for their help to me."

"Sharing your magic secrets..." she said doubtfully, folding her arms across her chest, and for some reason, it seemed like she frowned beneath her hood.

"Is it really that terrible? I absolutely have no intention of using it for questionable purposes. I promise!," I folded my palms together in front of me, but my mask-like smile clearly undermined that image. She thought about it for a moment and eventually replied,

"Fine."

"Great! I was starting to worry there. I have a couple of friends who can join us. Being alone all the time isn't that pleasant. Don't you think?"

The question didn't require an answer. I reproduced the Spectral Dagger Talos in my right hand and made a sharp gesture, cutting through space and creating a transition between our location and the Tower of Titans.

"We don't necessarily have to share the details of our global problem. It will only create unnecessary fear and mistrust. Let's try to build a 'bridge' of trust and enjoy this beautiful life."

"Sometimes I think you're insane. Why are you so sure you can stop my father?"

"Well, it's certainly better than constantly being unsure of your own decisions. Sometimes you have to believe in yourself and others."

Raven silently watched the confident young man walking ahead, and she had a rather strange first impression of him. The simplest word that could characterize him was "mysterious." Making deals with demons, summoning powerful demons to get what he wanted, and then pretending that her father was just a small problem... 

In any case, her interest was purely business. Her emotions always had to be under control because of her second demonic self. She could control her, but only for a short time. She just had to be cautious. Any strong emotion would trigger an internal resonance. She promised herself that she would never become like her father.

"We help each other. That's it."

Those words sounded like an excuse for her interest in him, which might, quite possibly, turn into something more...

I was pleasantly surprised to see that our little Robin had come into his own during my absence. More precisely, thanks to someone named Starfire, Dick Grayson had realized that he was truly tired of being in the shadow of his mentor. He changed his costume to black and blue and adopted the new name "Nightwing." Among the previous young lineup of teen heroes, only Beast Boy managed to overcome his fear of the public and finally got rid of that silly purple mask. The public already knew him as the green kid in a purple mask. Without it, he remained the green kid for them, and he even had a fan club due to his friendly and open nature.

I occasionally discreetly monitored the activities of the Teen Titans, and it turned out that Rose Wilson did indeed leave their ranks due to an unpleasant incident. The mission involved rescuing hostages from the hands of a little-known psychopathic villain known as "Hank." He gave them information that they had five minutes to stop him and save the hostages. With Kid Flash out of action due to a leg injury from a previous mission, there wasn't enough time to do two things at once. In the end, they separated and went to save the hostages, while Rose went after the psycho. But it turned out that the psycho had lied, and the Teen Titans met Hank, while Rose found herself with the hostages.

The end of this story was that Rose had about a minute to defuse the bomb. But then it turned out that the explosive was literally surgically implanted into the chest of one of the hostages. The only way to stop the bomb and save twenty innocent lives was to eliminate either Hank or the hostage. Rose knew that Robin wouldn't be able to do what was required, so she did it herself, piercing the hostage's heart with her sword to save the others. As promised, the hostages didn't explode when the time ran out, but the Teen Titans felt guilty and sad about what happened, especially since Rose literally disappeared after that.

Most likely, in her opinion, if they had truly wanted to save those people, they would have killed Hank first. If they had done that and taken the "sin" upon themselves, she would have stayed with them. She just understood that after that moment, they would look at her differently and couldn't help but see her as a terrible murderer. The fear of being rejected despite all her efforts to be... better. I can relate to that. However, unlike me, she wasn't incredibly powerful, and fighting the Teen Titans was not an option for her. She simply didn't want to end up in prison just because she had done what she deemed necessary.

"Hey, Alex, is... Rose okay?" We were currently having a peaceful conversation in the common room. It was me, Raven, and Dick Grayson. The others were busy with their own activities. Dick Grayson had allowed his team and me to see him without his mask. While it was clear to me, this act of trust towards his team members added a few points of respect for him. Yes, undoubtedly, there was some risk involved, as some particularly clever villains could potentially learn his true identity through his team members. But it also made them understand that he wasn't afraid of them and was ready to take responsibility for the consequences.

"On what grounds do you think I know anything about her?" I replied to his question with a smirk, shrugging my shoulders.

"After that day, we discussed what happened and accepted the fact that Rose did what was necessary. Just... if you get the chance, tell her that the Teen Titans will always welcome her back into the team."

"When the opportunity arises, I'll pass on the message. It seems Rose understood that I occasionally track her, and she decided to cut that connection. I didn't delve into it too deeply, as Rose is already an adult and quite intelligent. Perhaps she found a new goal for herself and wants to achieve it without my help..."

I felt a bit sad. I didn't want anything bad to happen to Rose during this time. I hoped she was okay. If necessary, I could locate her using the Compass of Desires, but not right now. Realizing that the topic was taking a somewhat negative turn, Dick Grayson seemed to decide to switch to something more interesting.

"You know, even though you've returned, and I'm glad about that, I didn't expect to meet you with a guest."

At this point, Raven apparently realized that she needed to introduce herself and create a positive first impression. Removing her hood, I saw a young woman with no sign of the red rhombus crystal that my previous life's Raven had. I had no idea what purpose that crystal served for the Raven in that animated series, but it didn't seem to be necessary here. Asking about it would have been foolish. Perhaps it would appear in the future as per the "canon."

"My name is Raven. I... came from another planet called Azarath, and due to certain circumstances, I can't return there. I just want to find my place in your world and... that's it."

"I hope it has nothing to do with usurping the throne?" Nightwing decided to tease. However, Raven wasn't privy to the details of Starfire's introduction, and she only raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Realizing how odd it sounded, Grayson felt a bit awkward.

"Just because we also have someone who couldn't go back home due to 'family circumstances.' In the end, we were able to help her. Mostly, everything turned out more or less well thanks to Alex," I proudly raised my nose and crossed my arms over my chest. This was it, my shining moment!

"Praise me! Praise me like your own brother, for I am the one who showed you the path to your happiness!"

"...And he has quite a unique sense of humor," Raven added with a touch of sarcasm.

"Alright, I have no objections to your presence. Can you briefly tell us about your ability?" Nightwing asked.

"I'm a mage. I have fairly extensive access to various aspects of magic, but I mainly specialize in soul magic."

"I could have guessed that from your outfit, Captain Planet," Nightwing replied.

"I just wanted to confirm my thoughts. No need to be sarcastic and express your dissatisfaction, Alex. So, what's this about? Right now, there are only four of us: Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, Starfire, and me."

"I have my eye on someone... A 'fish,' you could say. I can't keep an eye on her for too long, and I need to allow her to see the outside world."

"Another girl? You definitely lack female attention," Nightwing commented.

"Not exactly. It's a rather sad story that I'll tell you some other time. And why did your thoughts stray in that direction? Pervert. Did sweet Starfire reveal a couple of new secrets to you?"

"I don't understand what you mean..."

Despite the seemingly serious tone, you still averted your gaze, allowing me to understand the phase your relationship had entered.

"Um... maybe I could go somewhere else for a while while you two chat? I feel a bit out of place," Raven intervened with a sad smile, and we both felt a bit awkward. We had forgotten that there was a young girl here who was trying to find her place in this tower.

"Sorry, sorry, we got carried away. Nightlegs*, please find a simple room for the young and attractive mage."

"My codename is Nightwing. Remember that. I don't call you..."

"Well, come up with one."

"Joker?..."

All my cheerfulness was instantly deflated. Why, out of all people, did he compare me to that madman? Why? I don't indiscriminately kill people for fun. I try to make this world better while becoming stronger along the way. Even though it was a joking comparison, for some reason, I just felt uncomfortable with the fact that the only thing separating me from the Joker was my... love for people, or rather, for those who interested me. Dick Grayson realized he had chosen an unfortunate nickname and also dropped the cheerful tone.

*Note: "Nightlegs" was used humorously to playfully mock Nightwing's name.

"Not funny," I replied shortly and extended my hand. "The room."

"Room 304. Here are the keys," Nightwing reached under the table and threw them to me. I caught them calmly and, with Raven, silently headed for the elevator. Once inside, and after pressing the button for the third floor, Raven became curious.

"Who is this 'Joker'?"

"He's a notorious madman. A man who has killed hundreds, maybe thousands of people."

"Why hasn't anyone brought him to justice?"

"I have no idea. Perhaps it's because of his unique trait—he's a Fragment of Chaos. Even if you were to kill him, someone else would simply take his place."

"Seal him away and hide him from everyone?"

"Not a bad idea. If Batman ever gets into a tough spot with the Joker or just gets tired of playing with him, you can suggest that alternative."

The elevator doors opened, and we walked down the corridor to the designated door. I used the key card on the intercom, and the door opened. Inside was a rather spacious two-bedroom apartment, with a kitchen and a living room. Nothing special.

"Do you want to be left alone for a while, or...?"

"No, it's fine. We can proceed with our agreement. But could you please explain how you know about me?"

"It's quite interesting, isn't it? Well, it so happened that I'm not an entirely ordinary soul, and where I come from, they knew this world as a story written in a book. I saw 'heroes,' 'villains,' and just those who tried to find their place in their world."

"And I was there too? Did I... win?"

"Spoliers. If I talk about the future, it might not come true. I'll tell you right away that I know almost nothing about you except for your tragic fate, but I'm ready to learn not only about magic but also about you."

"Is my image appealing to you?"

"Why not? Is there something wrong with that?"

Raven chose not to answer that question and simply turned her gaze away.

"Well, if I answered my question honestly and openly, won't you allow me to satisfy my curiosity?"

"There are things I'd rather people not know. That's much more valuable information than what you told me. And there's no need to stand before me in a prayerful pose. Maybe... later, but not now."

Alright, alright, if you don't want to, you don't want to. Sooner or later, I'll find out anyway, so let's not spoil our business relationship.

"Well then, teacher, where shall we start?"

I wonder, will I be able to take advantage of the fact that she's a guest from another planet and isn't familiar with our special, let's say, traditions? After all, Starfire...

"You won't be able to exploit my inexperience for your questionable purposes," Raven replied calmly, with a hint of sarcasm and disappointment.

"Reading minds was unnecessary! I know your mind is something like a dangerous black box, but you should relax every now and then," I retorted.

"If I relax and lose control..."

"Things will go very wrong, I know, but why not try to find a compromise? I understand that I'm not particularly experienced in this rather personal matter, but it seems to me that any darkness created in the soul wants to be accepted."

"You don't understand what you're talking about."

"Perhaps," I shrugged. "I'm not in your shoes, and I have no idea what it's like. I'm just expressing my thoughts aloud. Hatred, anger, bloodlust, a thirst for destruction – these are all part of ourselves. Those who deny it are simply foolish hypocrites."

"Alex, we can't..."

"Not right now. I'm not one to rush into things and charge ahead without a plan. I'm used to calculating my actions in advance for a more successful outcome. After all, losing isn't fun in this game."

"Why do I feel like your wordplay means something more?"

"I'm just poking fun at my own lifestyle and finding some irony in it. I must admit, I'm actually enjoying this conversation for the first time."

"More interesting than talking to demons on the brink of life and death?"

"Of course! One of the main reasons is, of course, the integrity of my body."

"You're very carefree."

"I'll take that as a compliment! Thank you, sensei!"

"It's too early to call me a teacher. Besides... I've never passed on my knowledge before."

"It's nice to know I'm your first."

I wonder what else you haven't experienced. It's tempting to be the first in everything. No need to give me such a suspicious look. All my intentions are pure, Raven. Well... almost all. I have a feeling that our everyday life is going to be very interesting.