"It’s okay." Kaiser finally said with nonchalance. "Bring your man so we can rid him of his torments..."

"Tchh... his arrogance is the very cause of his downfall," spat a warrior, his voice condescending. For the elves who on average lived much longer than the other races, they had the chance to acquire experience. Especially the mercenaries who had even adopted the aura in addition to the mana that elves usually use.

Boasting or deliberately putting oneself in the spotlight was in most cases a sign of an early death by doing anything reckless. That was why they despised those who had a big mouth.

After giving his agreement, a table was prepared for him and Diavolo. The man who had spoken earlier, a warrior with an imposing build, ordered with a gesture two of his subordinates to go fetch the possessed.

Needless to say, the room immediately began to boil, the atmosphere had radically changed. Until then, the agitation of the drunk from before had diminished, giving way to curiosity. All the spectators wanted to see how they would manage once the possessed was there.

"I bet they will chicken out at the last moment..." added a man while taking a loud bite into an apple. "I don’t feel any arcane mana in them..."

"Obviously, these guys don’t look like priests at all, especially that asshole with his hat," added another, not even bothering to hide his contempt.

At his table, facing him, several other warriors were all of the same opinion. They observed Kaiser with undisguised mistrust, all they were waiting for was to see them humiliate themselves. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Anyway, it will at least have the merit of entertaining us a bit when they get caught..." added another at the end of the table, drinking a glass of wine whose aroma almost perfumed the room. "After all, it’s not every day we get these little entertainments..." he added while taking another sip, his eyes fixed on their silhouettes.

"You hear that baby boy?" Diavolo asked while vigorously plunging his fork only to realize it was just a lettuce leaf. "I almost forgot that these bastards don’t consume meat..." he said a little annoyed, dropping the fork onto the plate with a metallic noise before taking his glass of wine instead.

Diavolo, with his eccentric cowboy look and his hat, seemed totally foreign to the tension that was rising. He displayed a smile that revealed his golden teeth to anyone who wanted to see them. It was only a matter of time before they reached their goal.

After today’s exorcism, it was certain that the rumor would spread like wildfire and with that, it would be easier to get volunteers so that Kaiser could continue his training. This test upon their arrival was not planned but it was not so bad after all.

"Anyway, it was predictable that it would happen like this..." Kaiser replied nonchalantly while contemplating the ruby red color of his wine, swirling the liquid in his glass. "It’s actually better this way..."

’Besides their attitude reminds me of a big mouth too...’ he thought, remembering Kris and the time when he often got into trouble at the academy.

"I confirm, use this as your training, take the opportunity to make a name for yourself..." Diavolo replied with a mischievous wink. "Who knows, you might even get one of these beauties..." he added while pointing to two mages eating not far away.

The two women in question were impressive. One of them wore a fitted leather armor that highlighted a generous chest and wide hips, while her hair fell in cascades over her shoulders. She threw a dark look at Diavolo, but the latter simply laughed.

"Nyo-ho!..." he exclaimed before emptying his glass in one gulp.

While the discussion was about to continue, a violent commotion suddenly rang out in the staircase leading to the second floor, instantly capturing all the attention. The sounds of struggle and bestial grunts drowned out the murmurs of the diners.

Two men tried to descend with another individual firmly tied up, but it was not easy. The prisoner kept struggling with inhuman strength, drooling abundantly on his chest, while frantically shaking his head, making his long white hair swing. His eyes, once clear, were now a deep and opaque black, an undeniable sign of possession by an entity from the Abyss.

As they tried to descend the last steps with him, the thick rope bonds that held him broke under the pressure.

"Shit!" swore one of the guards, realizing the catastrophe too late as the possessed propelled himself forward.

"Watch out!" shouted another warrior while standing up at the last moment, his chair toppling behind him. He was addressing a young waitress who, by misfortune, had been chosen as the target by the possessed. The young girl, an elf with delicate features, remained frozen, her tray trembling between her hands.

The man had already jumped from the staircase, his tongue hanging out and his muscles bulging under grayish skin. In his fall, he had grabbed a blade lying on a table, aiming for the carotid artery of the young girl who paled as she saw the reaper approaching dangerously.

But before she could even understand what was happening, she saw the man violently slammed to the ground with a crash. Diavolo had closed the distance in the blink of an eye, using a speed that defied the vision of the warriors present. He grabbed the possessed by the wrist, disarming the brute and subduing him without too much apparent effort.

"Let the master handle it, baby boy..." he said over his shoulder with his usual drawling tone.

Kaiser was not idle either. He did not draw his sword, preferring to use the mystical teachings of his master. His hands moved with surgical precision, forming complex mudras that no one in the room had ever seen.

< Mystic Spells : Tripataka... Prana Mudra ! >

An ethereal glow, a mix of lunar silver and gold, began to emanate from his palms as he placed his index finger on the man’s forehead. The possessed began to thrash violently while screaming, a guttural sound that seemed to come from several throats at once.

Everyone was watching the scene, shock written on every face. The warriors who had been mocking just minutes earlier were now petrified, feeling an invisible pressure weighing on the room.

A thick black smoke suddenly emerged from the man’s orifices. It took for a fraction of a second a horrible form, a grimacing face with red eyes, before completely dissipating under the effect of Kaiser’s aura. The man then fell heavily.

The silence that followed was deafening. Only the crackling of the torches and the panting breath of the spectators disturbed the returned calm. Shortly after, the man slowly opened his eyes. They had regained their natural color, although they were veiled by extreme fatigue.

"Where am I?" he asked weakly upon seeing the crowd gathering around him, while Kaiser looked down at him with his usual impassiveness.

"He really did it?... "

Many murmurs began to spread through the room like wildfire. The contemptuous looks had transformed into expressions of fear and fascination. Such were mortals; a moment ago it was as if they wanted him to fail, now that he had succeeded their attitude had completely changed.