The Devil's Cage

Kieran frowned.

It was the first time the High Demon wanted something and he took it seriously, though the decision would come after he had a look at the black pillar.

[Name: Voodoo Pillar]

[Type: ETC]

[Rarity: III]

[Attack: Strong]

[Defense: IV]

[Attribute: 1. Voodoo Touch; 2. Voodoo Disorder; 3. Voodoo Control]

[Effect: Voodoo Consumption]

[Prerequisite: Mystical Knowledge (Master), Blood Sacrifice (A permanent decrease of rank I in Constitution)]

[Remark: In the tropical forest of Hile Koko, evil lurks but more fearsome are those short, dark-skinned voodoo hunters. They aren't just catching the prey's body, but their souls as well]

…

[Voodoo Touch: When a target touches your body, you will automatically receive a rank II defense formless force field barrier (You can decide whether or not to activate the shield)]

[Voodoo Disorder: Within an hour after Voodoo Touch is activated and you have either the hair, nail or blood of the target, you can heavily affect the target's emotions (Including, but not limited to, negative emotions)]

[Voodoo Control: 7 days after Voodoo Disorder has been cast on the target, the target will undergo a Spirit authentication of rank -I; when passed, you will have total control over the target]

…

[Voodoo Consumption: Whenever a Voodoo skill is used, you will have to pay 10,000 Points as a cost; When Voodoo Control is active, 20,000 Points is required for a 5 minutes session.]

[Note 1: Whenever Voodoo Control is in effect, Voodoo Pillar cannot be moved.]

[Note 2: Whenever Voodoo Pillar is immobile, Voodoo Touch's defense minus rank I]

…

When he saw [Voodoo Pillar]'s introduction, especially at the effect [Voodoo Consumption], a sudden realization hit Kieran.

The reason why Aligino had caused unnecessary trouble and chose Freedom Alliance as his target was because he had to compensate [Voodoo Consumption]'s cost.

Otherwise, he would have stayed with the Guardians and slowly increased his strength.

No! Given how conceited he was, he would never accept a slow growth, wanting to speed things up.

The best proof was Aligino deliberately approaching the Resistance, Ickart, and of course, his real collaborator.

Kieran looked at the captive beside his feet, giving the man another chop on the neck just to be sure.

Pak!

A few twitches later, the man passed out again.

Trying to fool Kieran with a disguise in such a short distance was nearly impossible.

After making sure the man was unconscious, Kieran called the High Demon through the power of the contract.

Compared to interrogating the captive, Bloody Mary's request interested Kieran more.

"Boss," Bloody Mary bowed but its eyes were glued to the pillar.

"It's important to you?" Kieran asked.

"Yes, very. I can feel it, the power inside! If I can consume it, I might be able to become stronger!" Bloody Mary nodded and said honestly.

"And?" Kieran asked.

"And?" Bloody Mary was stunned.

The High Demon was obviously confused. Since Bloody Mary was bound to Kieran via contract, shouldn't it mean once it got stronger, so will Kieran?

Bloody Mary was bound to Kieran for good or bad, what else would he need?

While Bloody Mary was stunned, a new contract appeared before its eyes.

After consuming [Voodoo Pillar], regardless of success or not, I will fulfill 1 request of any type, regardless of whether it's life-threatening or not, for my contractor (2567), including but not limited to the assigned mission. I will carry it out wholeheartedly.

…

Looking at this additional contract, Bloody Mary's face twitched and before it could say anything, Kieran added more.

"And, you said "might be able" just now. I don't want that, I want it to become 'will'. Otherwise, I don't know what I might do after losing a rank III item for nothing. Gluttony had told me more than once that he wants to taste you."

'You've said it haven't you!

Say it!

Don't know what you might do!?

How is the hungry bastard better than me, other than eating?

Why am I threatened like this?'

Bloody Mary's heart was roaring furiously, but because of that, the last bit of hesitance was burned away.

Bloody Mary wasn't stupid; in a certain aspect, it possessed quite the intellect.

It understood that as its contractor grew stronger, the enemies he would come across would be undoubtedly stronger.

It was hard for Bloody Mary to know whether or not it would run into enemies that could threaten its existence. As a matter of fact, it had been running into such enemies recently.

Should it stay where it was, it would stay stagnant forever and eventually disappear into the void.

Bloody Mary didn't wish for something like that to happen.

"I will become stronger," the High Demon emphasized.

"Go then."

The moment Kieran finished, Bloody Mary jumped towards [Voodoo Pillar].

When Bloody Mary got close, the sharp-fanged ghost faces on the black pillar came alive. They were like the evil spirits that lived in the pillar and they roared at the High Demon.

Despite the deterring roars, the High Demon didn't stop.

It widened its mouth, revealing a never before seen row of sharp fangs as it grabbed the head of an evil spirit on the stone pillar and stuffed it into its mouth.

Gak Ts! Gak Ts!

Amid the loud crunches, one of the ghost faces on the stone pillar vanished, but the other ghost faces came out and bite Bloody Mary.

It didn't turn illusory, as if Bloody Mary was in a trance, but allowed the ghost faces to bite its body.

"Come on! Come on! We'll see who eats who!"

A series of low growls filled the place, Bloody Mary ripped another ghost face off the pillar and stuffed it into its mouth again.

At the same time, the ghost faces also tore something like flesh from Bloody Mary, but Bloody Mary didn't care, grabbing another and eating it.

They continued, consuming each other.

Bloody Mary and the ghost faces on [Voodoo Pillar] were like two hungry ferocious beasts in nature that crossed paths: no rules, no turning around, clashing fiercely for survival.

Kieran watched the gruesome scene quietly, not helping.

Even though [Voodoo Pillar] required a [Blood Sacrifice], Kieran still gave the pillar to Bloody Mary.

This was Bloody Mary's fight; no one could intervene, not even Kieran.

Kieran would not allow others to intervene also. He looked down at the unconscious captive.

A sudden depressed and grudgeful aura came afloat on the captive and it obviously wasn't from the captive himself.

Someone else was inside!

"If you don't want to die, stop…"

"Finally you show yourself?"

The unusual voice proved Kieran's guess.

Since he had been waiting, he didn't care about the voice and unleashed his aura.

Chaotic, wicked aura erupted.

A dense sulphuric smell filled the room as if the place had fallen into a sulphur river.

Sinful whispers sounded and trembled hearts, as if an endless darkness had descended.

For a moment, hell had arrived on earth.