Chapter 68: Unexpected Delight
Zorat has been experiencing an all too familiar state of mind for the last forty-eight hours... Boredom.
And when Zorat gets bored, both the people and the world around him are unsafe.
For this reason, he had decided to separate himself from the group of sleeping heroes, so he would not get carried away in his boredom and commence a jamboree of needless massacre.
Similar occurrences had taken place on multiple occasions in the hell dimension.
However, doing such a thing here would jeopardise his plans to extract the divine authority fragments from the heroes.
So, he buried all that boredom, and a sprinkle of mania deep down, thinking it efficient, and a better use of his time, to go for a walk in the woods, to touch some grass and cool those urges.
There are multiple ways to experience pleasure and excitement; sometimes, a reconnect with nature can be just as pleasurable as a rigorous five-hour sex marathon.
At least that’s what Zorat has been trying to convince himself of.
Still, Zorat would never have imagined that in his search for some balance, he would come upon the one thing he had been craving: a cure to his present boredom.
The melody that he had been introduced to was not meant for the body but for the mind.
Zorat had already discerned that it was a skill, at play; a powerful one at that, according to this world’s power standards.
The effect was like a compulsion on the mind, which would easily enthrall all those below a certain realm to be drawn to its origin.
It basically functioned on the preconceived notion that those of a lower realm than the skill user are weak-willed.
This would have been quite the lethal skill were it not for some anomalous individuals like Erica existing in this world, who innately possess strong wills.
Of course, to Zorat, the skill might have never been used at all.
Grinning, Zorat began to walk along the path that the melodies were singing to him, with his hands folded behind his back.
He already knew that this was a targeted attack to lure him from his group for what he assumed would be a silent assassination attempt.
The thought of some humans actually attempting to assassinate Zorat almost made him moan in pleasure at such a well-timed gift.
And like a lamb being called to slaughter, and happily cooperating, Zorat walked ahead for more than fifteen minutes before finally coming upon a gathering of tall trees overlooking the double moons in the sky.
Five human silhouettes were blended into the darkness, draped in all black with their faces covered, and standing lightly on tree branches that were positioned to encircle the area.
The last message received in the melody was for Zorat to remain standing at the center and do absolutely nothing.
Zorat figured this was their assassination pattern. Lure the target out with a powerful skill, and then go for the blow.
Quite efficient. Hehehe.
So, Zorat did exactly as they expected, acting like he was completely under the skill’s control.
He stood at the center of the surrounding trees.... But he didn’t exactly do as the assassins expected....
Zorat had a wide, creepy smile on his face as he stared directly at the figure who had used the mind skill on him.
"Um, number boss ..... He’s looking straight at me." The figure who had used the skill on Zorat mumbled in concern, as Zorat’s smile was creepily unnerving.
And most importantly, he was looking straight at her, which should be impossible while under the influence of her skill.
"Has this ever happened before ?" The calm and collected baritone voice of the assassin boss resonated from behind.
"No..... never. He should be in a daze right now."
The boss was quiet for only a moment before saying dismissively. "Doesn’t matter. As you can see, your skill worked as usual....
This one is just a little bit peculiar, nothing much." He added reassuringly.
They have already gotten the rundown on the target. The hero of item box. The failed summoning pariah.
Even though that creepy smile was making even his skin crawl...
From his observation, this person was obviously only at the Adept realm, and his record-holding assassination team members are all at the master realm, while he himself is an actual grandmaster.
"Number three... cripple him." At his command, another figure to the right side of the encirclement .... pulls out a Violin.
He steadies it on his shoulders, then slowly brings the bow down to the wires, before proceeding to play an unpleasant note with a harsh rhythm, directed straight at Zorat’s spine.
"Ah... this feeling...." Zorat closed his eyes as the sensation of pain exploded down his spinal column. His smile drew wider as a little blood dripped down the corner of his mouth.
"Yes ....this.... this is exciting... "
"Give me more..." He implored his assailants wholeheartedly, wearing the most joyous expression on his face.
"What the hell is that person?"
"Boss... I think something’s not quite right here." Number five voiced her concern as Zorat appeared more unhinged with every passing second.
Her instincts were screaming at her to ... run. But their boss had other plans.
Though he was also getting freaked out, he knew the item box hero was only at the Adept realm, something only those who have crossed the Grandmaster realm can sense.
"Relax, number five. Reactivate your skill to properly incapacitate him this time." He ordered as number five again, brought out her flute, and began to play.
"Number three, double the intensity... it doesn’t really matter if he dies before we get to torture him as the client demanded." He added.
Number three, who was already quite flustered and freaked out, as his attacks were taken in with such overwhelming delight by the freak in front of them, immediately began to double the intensity, pouring all of his mana into it.
"Yes... now we’re talking... hahaha." Zorat relished the sensation as it burned through him at more than double the previous intensity.
"If only ..." He murmured, as his head sloped lower in discontent.
"If only this body could take more.... But alas..."
Zorat shook his head from side to side in disappointment. His spinal cord was almost turned to Swiss cheese from the repeated bombardment of sonic attacks.
Thick streaks of blood were already pouring out of the side of his mouth and down his jacket.
He knew if he let this continue, his current body would not be able to handle any more and would fail him.
"Hmmm... this will hurt so much in the morning. Hehehe." Zorat grinned as he adjusted his spine, standing up straight.
"I guess that’s my current limit... sigh."
"Now..... I’m bored again," He murmured, raising his head towards the assassins, now wearing a handsome and enchanting smile on his face, as a golden ring materialized on his right index finger.
"Why don’t we play a game ?"