"Muxiao," Reina surveyed the room, sidling up to him quietly, "Won't the gunshot attract attention? Should we wrap this up quickly?"
"No worries, there's hardly anyone around. Even if we're noticed, it's fine. This noble's status might be useful. I've got a bold idea," Muxiao chuckled.
A bold idea?
"Ryuurikawa, no need to rush killing him. Since you hate this blond so much, let's see how I toy with him."
Muxiao positioned himself in front of Boyman.
Reina's expression shifted in alarm. No way, Muxiao, you're not going to use your tentacles on him, are you? That's disgusting—please don't! Reina had no issue with Muxiao's tentacles, but using them on a man? Unacceptable!
Good thing Muxiao couldn't read her mind, or he'd have whipped her for such thoughts. What kind of pervert do you think I am?!
Tsubaki, still itching to torment the wailing man—one shot to his groin wasn't enough—reluctantly stepped aside.
"What are you going to do? You…"
Boyman, curled up like a shrimp, his face twisted in agony from the searing pain below, was a mess of anger, fear, resentment, and panic.
He'd braced for something brutal, like being torn apart… To him, this was already hell.
But nothing happened. Muxiao retracted his tentacles and even released the two bodyguards.
"Cough, cough, cough—"
The freed bodyguards had witnessed everything from start to finish. Oddly, the burly men showed no fear, their expressions as calm as ever.
Boyman, too distraught to notice, roared, "Quick! Kill that monster!!"
"Young Master, are you okay?"
Boyman's pupils shrank. The bodyguards weren't addressing him but the tentacle monster, bowing respectfully.
"What are you doing?! You traitorous bastards!! Betraying me so fast?! Useless trash!!"
"He dares curse the Young Master. I'll shut him up," one lackey said eagerly.
"No need," Muxiao raised a tentacle, his eyes glinting with eerie red light. "Just keep him from running. We'll take him back later."
"Yes, Young Master Boyman."
Young Master Boyman?
Not just Boyman but Reina and Tsubaki turned, stunned, staring at the bodyguards, who showed no hint of abnormality. Reina understood.
Muxiao's ability.
"What?"
Boyman was dumbfounded, realizing something. They hadn't betrayed him—they'd mistaken the monster for him! How could they confuse me with a tentacle monster?!
"You useless idiots! I'm here!! I'm your Young Master!!"
Tsubaki, unclear on the details, was simply delighted to see Boyman lose it.
"What did you do? What did you do to them?!"
"Just took control of their minds. Think of it as hypnosis," Muxiao said, grinning, his voice cheerful. "So, Mr. Blond, how's it feel? Your bodyguards are now mine."
"This is just the start," Muxiao's smile was demonic in Boyman's eyes, his words chilling. "Not just your bodyguards—your family, your friends, they'll all see me as you."
"No one will notice anything off. No one will know the truth. Everyone will think I'm the real Boyman—"
Boyman's jaw dropped.
"Your noble status, your family's wealth," Muxiao leaned closer, "even your women… they'll all be mine, tamed by my tentacles~"
Hiss—
Hiss—
Boyman panted heavily, ignoring the pain below, grinding his teeth, his bloodshot eyes glaring at the tentacle monster, as if needles pierced his brain, driving him to madness.
"I'll kill you!! I'll kill you!! I'll definitely kill you—!!"
"Even if you say that, I won't kill you yet. I'll let you live to watch everything you own be taken from you bit by bit. Oh, I'm looking forward to it—living the noble life."
"It'll be fun—villas, maids, anything I want."
"You're so sleazy, Mr. Blond. Bet you've got plenty of pretty women, huh? What's yours is mine, and I'll take it all—"
A devil.
He's a devil!
"No—!!"
Looking at Boyman, collapsed like a dead pig in despair, Muxiao tilted his head. Why do I feel like the villain? Whatever, I'm a tentacle monster—being a bad guy's fine.
Reina stood silently behind her Leader, rolling her eyes as he let out a creepy "je-je-je-je" laugh. She didn't know what to say about this version of Muxiao.
Glancing at Tsubaki's unfazed, cold expression, then rubbing her brow, she thought of Izuki and Tomie—equally odd women—and sighed inwardly.
Everyone in this cult is weirder than the last.
I feel like the only normal one here…
"Reina, clean up. And you, Miss Believer," Muxiao signaled the bodyguards to lift the lifeless, despondent Boyman. "Let's go enjoy the noble life."
"Leader… you're really going?"
Reina blinked, dumbfounded.
"What, you thought I was kidding?" He playfully swatted her rear—springy, soft, sensational. "Didn't you say this noble's influence is significant? If I don't handle it, the cult could be targeted."
Fair point.
Still, she wondered about his talk of stealing Boyman's women… He's not serious, right? Reina pursed her lips, holding back the question, and followed Muxiao with Tsubaki.
Watching the bodyguards drag Boyman out, she marveled. This is Muxiao's power?
"If you can influence minds, you don't need to be so cautious when going out."
"It's not that simple. My ability isn't group control—it's single-target," and with only D-rank magic, it wasn't as convenient as it seemed.
That said, using this mind control on women… Wow, that's dark.