The morning sun shone into the room through the open window, completely dispelling the lingering chill of the night.
"Hmm~"
With a soft groan, the blonde woman lying on the bed slowly opened her eyes, her crimson gaze filled with a hint of confusion and relief.
Involuntarily, Clementine looked towards the source of the light, the warm sunlight like the brilliant flash that had just pulled her from the endless darkness.
Sitting by the window was a man in white with short silver hair. He was holding an unknown book, his light red eyes focused and serene as he looked at the complex magical patterns and annotations.
An elegant, handsome man.
"It's you!?"
Clementine was startled when she saw the man's face, retreating repeatedly until her back was pressed against the wall by the bed.
However, her panicked movements caused the blanket covering her to slip, revealing a sacred light.
Lock's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden cry. His eyes shifted, and he glanced at the woman on the bed, a gentle smile appearing on his face, "Oh, you're awake! I thought you'd sleep until noon."
Noticing the man's scrutinizing gaze, Clementine pulled the blanket over her, covering her exposed body, and looked at him nervously, like a startled kitten.
"It's not like I haven't seen it before. By the way, you have a pretty good figure, only slightly inferior to my maid's," Lock teased, gracefully taking a set of women's clothing from his storage space—an exotic JK uniform with matching white stockings—and tossing it onto the bed. "Put it on first. Of course, if you want to speak freely and be honest with me, I wouldn't mind."
With that, Lock turned his back, facing the window.
Perhaps when he first transmigrated, he was still a hot-blooded, inexperienced young man who might not have been able to control himself, but now… Heh heh~ mere temptation. This old monk is detached from worldly desires and possesses extraordinary self-control.
Clementine looked at the clothes tossed on the bed and at Lock, who had his back turned. After a moment of hesitation, she picked them up and began to put them on.
Although her armor set looked rather revealing, this didn't mean she was a promiscuous exhibitionist. It was specifically designed to reduce weight and facilitate movement, maximizing her speed advantage. Normally, she would cover her body with a full cloak.
She didn't know why, but her current emotions and mind were unprecedentedly calm, probably due to experiencing death.
That feeling was like being thrown into the lightless depths of the ocean, enveloped by heavy seawater, where no matter how much you struggled, it was futile.
This sense of loneliness and powerlessness even made the pain of past humiliation seem trivial.
Hearing the rustling behind him stop, Lock turned around, his smile unwavering, but a sharp sword was pressed against his throat. The cold gleam from the tip of the sword seemed capable of piercing his windpipe and killing him at any moment.
"Who exactly are you?!" Clementine stared at Lock with sharp eyes, holding the sword that had, countless times yesterday, cut through her body, severed her tendons and bones, and finally pierced her chest.
This man was a warrior of absolute power, so strong that she had no room to resist.
And what brought her back from death was clearly the power of the Magic Caster's fifth-tier spell, 'Resurrection of the Dead'.
Considering that he was the only one in the room, and Clementine's fear of Lock, a bold guess inexplicably emerged in her mind.
"How heartless! I am your great benefactor who saved you from death!" Lock spread his hands casually, his smile unchanged, and not a hint of tension or fear in his eyes.
Clementine's expression gradually twisted, revealing her signature smile, "I haven't forgotten which bastard sent me to the realm of the Death God either. No more nonsense! Answer my question."
"What if I say no?"
"Heh heh," Clementine let out a deep, cold laugh, "Ah~ that would be just perfect! Big sister here will first chop off your limbs, then break every single one of your bones, and finally stab you through the heart, just like you did to me yesterday. How does that sound? Fun?"
"While that would be quite interesting, however…" Lock slowly closed his eyes and raised his palm.
Whoosh!
Clang!
Thud!
"Ah!!!"
A red magic circle flashed in Lock's palm. He opened his eyes, looking at Clementine on the ground, clutching her head and wailing in pain, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
In that instant, he was certain he had accurately activated the Soul-Consuming Curse Mark's effect.
If it had been an ordinary person, they would have likely collapsed in pain immediately, but Clementine actually endured for 0.1 seconds, wielding her Dragon Spring Sword to slash at his arm.
If he hadn't dodged in time, she would probably have severed one of his hands.
"You truly surprise me. Your tenacious willpower is something I have to admire!" Lock said with praise, slowly crouching down and grabbing Clementine's hair to lift her head. Despite the unbearable pain, deep malice could still be seen in her crimson eyes.
"Perfect. I'm currently preparing to develop Soul-Consuming Curse Mark version 2.0. I'll use you as a test subject."
Magic power surged again in the hand pressing Clementine's head. A larger, more complex magic circle appeared above her head. Red energy, like tiny spider silk threads, passed through her crown, extending downwards from her head, moving beneath her fair skin like a living thing.
"Ah ah ah!!!"
Instantly, Clementine let out an even more agonizing scream.
If Lock hadn't cast a soundproofing spell on the room, the entire inn would likely have heard it by now, possibly attracting the city guard.
Under such torture, Clementine's eyes remained wide open, fixed on the man so close to her. His face showed no expression of pleasure from tormenting, only a hint of curiosity and anticipation.
With a god-like appearance, yet his methods made Clementine, who considered herself a demon, feel inferior. He was truly a terrifying man.
The new version of the Soul-Consuming Curse Mark didn't take much longer to cast, so Lock quickly released his hand.
Clementine lay weakly on the floor, her newly changed JK uniform soaked with sweat. The white shirt beneath her red jacket revealed a different kind of alluring beauty.
"Stand up."
Lock said calmly.
Clementine, lying on the ground, immediately felt her body move involuntarily. Although she tried desperately to stop it, it only made her movements seem sluggish, and she swayed as she slowly stood up.
"Smile."
A stiff, fake smile appeared on her face, but her crimson eyes showed an even deeper terror.
Across from her, Lock, with his gentle smile, had light red eyes that glowed with an enchanting light, as if capable of controlling the entire world, making one instinctively want to submit.
"The effect isn't bad; at least it's not much worse than Demiurge, the demon strategist of Nazarick, and his domination spells. The changes in willpower still need to be strengthened. Hmm~ adding some charm-type magic would be even better!"
Next, Lock continuously familiarized himself with the new version of the Soul-Consuming Curse Mark, developing various postures.
For example, controlling Clementine to perform her unique martial arts. Perhaps due to her own resistance, the first few attempts failed.
After all, martial arts themselves require the user to expend mental focus, and the Soul-Consuming Curse Mark could only control at most half of her mind. With Clementine uncooperative, it was difficult to execute.
But coincidentally, Lock was a very patient man.
---
A/N: A New Fanfic Is Out "Bleach: Reborn As Ishida Uryuu"
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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