Chapter 4: The Cult Of Diablos

No. 002's rampage in Everick is the hot topic around my father's demesne right at the next day. Where did the monster come from? How did it enter the town right under the nose of the town guards?

Questions like that were flying around and my father is currently busy scolding some people while I just secretly grinned proudly whenever I heard things being said about my handiwork.

Lots of property destruction and lives lost from being crushed or torn apart by No. 002.

Music to my ears.

I was waiting for talks about my abandoned basement being discovered but so far nothing. I intentionally left my signature pentagram drawn with blood on the place along with a few corpses before I left it in order to connect the dots that it was all done by me, the Occult Killer.

Is my father's investigation unit that incompetent? Or was somebody covering it all up?

Would've been more interesting if it was the latter.

I later confirmed it was the latter when I heard the remains of No. 002 disappeared from the Knight Order's custody.

This calls for some investigation. But before I could do that, there's something else I need to deal with, namely my sister's kidnapping, or at least what comes from it.

Yes. Someone kidnapped my sister last night, probably by making use of the chaos happening in Everick, which is easy because the castle I'm living in is within the city and No. 002's rampage easily drew everyone's attention.

The castle was in uproar and they failed to connect the rampage to the Occult Killer, they instead connect No. 002's rampage to the kidnapper, thinking the monster was a distraction so they could kidnap her.

This will not stand. I can't forgive those who steal my thunder.

I'll find them and I'll kill them.

"Claude, my boy. I know you're angry about Charlotte's kidnapping but please don't act recklessly. Let me handle it. I'll bring her home safe."

"Yes, father." Huh, did I look that angry? Well, I am angry but not in the way you're thinking, father.

Still, that works for my good older brother act. Heh heh heh.

"You're thinking of revenge, aren't you? Seriously, Claude. Don't do anything reckless!"

Oops, I grinned again. I need to stop grinning whenever I'm internally scheming.

Anyway, this father of mine. I had thought he would be one of those fat corrupt nobles but he's absolutely a good guy!

I tried digging on some dirt, only to find that he has been a good ruler with no connection to shady things. Not to mention he's a wholesome family man. A bit disappointing.

Looks like I have to start building connections to the underworld myself. I wonder what face he'll make when he discovered that his son is a very bad man. Heh heh heh. Oops, I grinned again.

...

I sneaked into Everick's Knight Order headquarters in order to search for a lead because I suspect they are the ones covering things up. In my Necromancer disguise of course. I searched through their offices, skimmed through their documents and reports and finally found the dossier about The Occult Killer, namely me.

"Hmm…. Killed lots of people… Left foreign runes and circles drawn with blood on the scene…. Active in several regions around Midgar… List of suspects… Probably someone from Lawless City…. And…"

This is it. I found something.

"Not affiliated to any branches of the Cult… nor any organizations we know of… Interested in recruiting…"

Heh heh heh. So the Knight Order's got some dirt on them. This is precisely the kind of dirt I want to find.

"Cult of Diablos, huh. Certainly sounds like the shady organization that I seek. Heh heh heh heh."

"Who's there!?" Said a young knight entering the room. I threw my dossier to him and he caught it. He realized who I am after looking at the dossier.

"You…. Are you…?"

"I am the Necromancer, Ruler of Death and Master of your fates."

"Necromancer? Heh. Whoever you are, the leaders of the Cult is interested in your handiwork from yesterday. I suggest you-"

"I know. Take me to your leader."

"It's good that you're cooperative, Mr. Necromancer. But there are procedures to this. First we must knock you unconscious. You know, secretive business and all that."

"There is simply no way I would agree to that."

Hearing that, the knight grinned as his colleagues swiftly entered the room and surrounded me with their blades unsheathed.

"Sorry. But the decision ain't yours to make!"

"The decision is always mine to make."

I drew my own blade, which is a huge butcher knife and start hacking them, mutilating them swiftly before they can react. In their perspective, it is as if their bodies are cut apart in an instant. I might've overdid it.

"Wh-What…?"

I snapped my fingers and released my magic on the corpses and they began to rise as zombies despite the missing limbs and disembowelled torsos. Some even stood up without heads or crawled on the floor due to losing their feet.

Even I didn't expect this to work as it never worked before but I suppose the knowledge and experience from injecting magic to No. 002 helps in this case. Now I know the correct frequency of magical energy to resurrect corpses and control them.

This is good. Now I look more intimidating! Just look at the face of the young knight I intentionally left alive, who is the very first knight to discover me.

"Wh-What!? What is this!? Aren't they dead!? Who are you!?"

"I told you before."

I approached him slowly while making my eyes shine red with magic for dramatic effect.

"I am the Necromancer. Ruler of Death and Master of your fates."

"Hiyyyyy! P-Please spare me!"

"Take me to your leader. I won't ask you again."

"Y-Yes! T-This way!"

He led me to an underground secret tunnel while I and my zombies follow close behind. The presence of the undead must've sent shivers down his spine as he couldn't stop stumbling around while walking.

"What's wrong, sir Knight?"

"N-Nothing's wrong, Mr. Necromancer, sir!"

Heh heh heh. This is so fun.

We passed through more knights whose on guard duty and they fearfully let us pass when they saw the zombies I brought. We also passed through several cages, some are empty and some are filled with girls who are suffering from Demonic Possession.

I noted that in one of them lies my sister who is chained to the wall and is unconscious but unharmed.

I ignored her for now though, as I have another thing to deal with.

The knight knocked on a door to what I presume is the officer's room.

"Enter." An old man's voice inside the room said. He opened the door and we both entered the room.

"So, Scar Edycat. Report! What happened? Whose magic power was it upstairs!? Ugh! What's that smell? Did you actually go ahead and violate one of the Possessed girls, Scar Edycat? Gross!" Said the middle aged man in officer uniform sitting on a desk inside the room whom I recognize as Captain Gilfried, the captain of this garrison.

"N-No sir! You have a visitor…"

"Who is it? This masked clown? Who are you supposed to-" It's at this moment that he saw the zombies wearing Knight Order uniforms behind me.

"Wh-What the!? What are those things!? Ghouls!? Who are you!?"

"I am the Necromancer, Ruler of Death and Master of your fates. I am also the one you called the Occult Killer and I heard you were looking for me. Now here I am. Speak."

"Y-You're the Occult Killer!? A-Are you a vampire!?"

"That's not the answer to the question I asked." I flared my magic power to intimidate him.

"W-Wait! The Cult wants to extend an invitation for you to join us!"

"Tell me more about this Cult of Diablos."

"Th-They are a gigantic organization that ruled this world from the shadows, pulling the strings in every corner. As you can see with how the Cult has people in the Knight Order, we have people everywhere. Even the Church! I assure you that you will benefit greatly by joining us!"

"Interesting. And I trust that I will be granted autonomy if I join? I certainly will not accept being a slave."

"N-No! You have proven yourself to be more than a mere pawn! In fact, in my opinion, you could be one of the Children! Second… no a First Child!"

"Interesting. Tell me more."

"The First Children are the strongest agents of the Cult! They are among the leaders of the Cult! I'll put on good word for you so the management will grant you this title!"

"Who leads the Cult?"

"It's a secret known to only a few even among the Cult members but the Cult's leaders are a group of people called the Knights of Rounds. I don't know who they are exactly, except the one who rules over Midgar Kingdom. His name is Lord Fenrir."

"Fenrir? Familiar name." As in Fenrir the mythical wolf of Norse myth?

"So you know of him? Good. Lord Fenrir, also known as the Devil of Midgar, is the strongest Swordsman of Midgar since centuries ago. With such power backing us, nothing in this world can stand in our way. What do you say, Mr. Necromancer?"

"You've intrigued me. Very well. Tell your masters that I shall join the Cult of Diablos. I shall be waiting for good news when I return."

"You've made a wise choice, Mr. Necromancer. I assure you that you won't regret it!"

Before I left I need to ask him some things.

"Experiment No. 002, the monster who went on a rampage yesterday. Where is its corpse?"

"I-It has been sent to other bases to be studied by Cult scientists under the management of Marquis Zenon Griffey."

"I see. And the girl… Charlotte Normann. For what purpose did you kidnap her?"

"W-we have been monitoring her for years to see if she shows signs of Demonic Possession. The Cult is interested in experimenting with the victims of Demonic Possession, who we called Compatibles."

"And did she show any signs of Demonic Possession?"

"N-No. One of our spies sent to monitor her just foolishly kidnapped her when she saw the young lady having black stains on her skin due to playing with ink and thought she showed early signs of Demonic Possession. Now we have no idea what to do with her."

"Leave her to me."

"If you're going to take her, it's fine. Less burden on my hands anyway."

"Hm." I was about to leave again before Gilfried stopped me.

"Wait! There is something I need to tell you. The young lady's brother is a smart young lad and likely already knows the existence of the Cult. Be careful on how you want to deal with him and the girl."

"I will." No need to worry about that, I will deal with myself just fine. Heh heh heh. Though did I know the Cult before? What makes them think that? Meh. As long as it makes me look cooler even as Claude, I think it's fine.

With that, I left the room along with my zombies, allowing him and his men to breathe properly.

"Haaahhh… I never thought that guy would be that scary. What a pain. How did you find this guy, Scar Edycat?"

"I didn't, sir! He found us! We tried to surround him and threaten him to come with us but then h-he mutilated the men who were with me before I noticed what's going on and when he snapped his fingers, a wave of great magic power flared out of him and then suddenly the corpses came alive!"

"Haaahhh. That explains the huge magic power I felt upstairs. Just treat him with proper respect next time. In the future, he will most likely be our superior."

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