Chapter 20: Arc 1 – Now or Never: Chapter 20

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Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

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Arc 1 - Now or Never: Chapter 20

2 hours later*

So, Juvia, Erza, and I split up to locate Wendy and Carla. Well, mostly Juvia and Erza are searching for those two. I'm treasure hunting to see if there is anything valuable, which I made sure there is with the help of my cheat.

Too bad, it has been a couple of hours now. This is a bit weird because my cheat should have by now make it so I find the treasure in a short time.

Ah, never mind. Found a room with the door still intact; therefore, something must be inside that's valuable. And to make sure my bullshit reason comes true. I made it happen with my cheat. No need to waste any more time than I have already done.

Opening the door, I see it's mostly empty other than a huge painting of a beautiful woman placed on the wall on the left side of the room.

The woman is tall and slim with long black hair. She wears a short grey dress with a short jacket over top. She also wears hell and a belt.

"What's odd of a ghost possession of this painting?" I thought out loud because even though the woman in the painting is beautiful, it feels very unnatural in more than one way. Sending a chill down my spine at that.

An Evil Cleansing Card appears in between my left fingers, along with a Binding Card. Ready for the potential ghost possessing this painting that may or may not just be a false appearance to lure in poor victims.

Yet, at the same time, my cheat should lead to me a treasure. So maybe the painting is the treasure? Seeing how the term treasure could mean anything from others' points of view. Ah, crap. This painting is the treasure, isn't it?

Slowly, I check the painting for any sign of being possessed or literally the ghost itself. I throw the Binding Card first before flicking the Evil Cleansing Card right after. Only for nothing to happen other than my Evil Cleansing Card to drop on the ground; however, the Binding Card just makes the painting bound to the wall even stronger than before.

"I wonder if the painting itself is worth anything." I mumble to myself. As I retrieve the Evil Cleansing Card.

I move closer to get a good look at the painting to see if there is anything that could help me clue into what makes this painting a treasure other than the beautiful woman in the painting.

Still nothing.

Frowning at this, I begin thinking about anything to see if I could debate the value of the painting.

I facepalm because a sudden thought popped into my head and I just realized something I should have done early on with the painting. So, undoing the Binding Card on the painting, then moving close to touch the edge of the painting to see if there is anything out of place.

Again. Still nothing.

I take a few steps back before snapping my friend, creating the Magic Circle of Teleportation Magic, and making the painting moved to the side.

Sure enough, I was right. There was something hidden behind the painting.

Behind the painting is just a small section cut off the wall. Like a secret safe to keep important things like documents or deeds. But the thing inside is literally just a single piece of paper. An old yellow one, that seems to be close to breaking the moment it's touched by someone or something.

On the paper:

Hello, potential contractor. We are the Phantom Maidens. If you desire our powers and loyalty. Bound your soul to us and allow us to once again come into the realm of the living.

And the rest explain how to use this paper aka contract to form a binding of my soul with these so-called Phantom Maidens.

"Why do I feel like I know the name of these Phantom Maidens from?" I thought out loud.

I debate if I should do it or not, but eh. I kind of what to see what these Phantom Maidens are like and if they are any powerful. Hopefully, they aren't ugly like that ghost I killed.

I use my cheat to make it so I won't have my soul destroyed upon using the contract, including not being the slave or whatever position that's below these Phantom Maidens. If anything, I would be the master in this whole thing. Going further, I made it so these Phantom Maidens can't curse me either nor would I end up with some kind of harmful side-effects once I sign the contract.

With that done, I sign the contract with my blood as was instructed on the contract.

Instantly, the yellow people burst into numerous tiny glowing yellow orbs and rush into my head, literally.

Okay, a new set of knowledge of who the Phantom Maidens are and how to summon them. Along with rules that I must follow, even with my position as the master of the Phantom Maidens. Furthermore, the Phantom Maidens can be used with Magic Power and among the energies like stamina.

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An odd look appears on my face, as to realize that these Phantom Maidens are actually unique types of ghosts that aren't from this world. Powerful ones at that and they're the only of their kind, no other like them. Furthermore, besides having a contract with them. Below them is an army of Phantom Soldiers. Ghosts that have been killed by the Phantom Maidens themselves and converted into their own army to command. Hell, it doesn't have to be ghosts to be converted into a Phantom Soldier. Any lifeform can be converted as long they are killed by one of the Phantom Maidens.

Seriously? Do I have an inborn talent for ghosts in general? Because up to this point, it's mainly ghosts and more ghosts than anything else.

Thinking about it for a moment. I use my cheat to make it so I'd have 100% failure of not being able to support all the Phantom Maidens AND the Phantom Soldiers all at the same time forever by just relying on my Magic Power alone without having them becoming weaker in doing so.

Lucky for me. The Phantom Maidens are not part of this world; therefore, my four godlike magic talents wouldn't affect my abilities as the master of the Phantom Maidens.

Now, that I've found another way to defend myself against anything in this world besides using magic. It's time to see the so-called Phantom Maidens.

So following the directions in the set of knowledge related to the Phantom Maidens. I discovered all but one Phantom Maiden could be summoned without relying on a medium other than using Magic Power to support her connection to this realm of existence.

"Come to life... Bari." I summon the only Phantom Maiden that is available right now.

A black gate with a ghost theme appears before my eyes and slowly opens itself, revealing the other side just a void of nothing. The presence coming from the black gate sends a chill down my spine along with the temperature starting to lower to the point frost begin appearing in the room.

However, I didn't pay attention to this. As the sound of footsteps coming from within the darkness inside the black gate made me tense up.

Slowly, I can see a shadowy figure, and in the next second. The shadowy figure came out of the black hate and revealed the figure of Bari.

I glance at Bari, then look to the side where the giant painting of the beautiful woman and back at Bari.

Holy shit, someone painted a portrait of Bari and must love her or something. Also, she is armed with a large curved sword the size of her own height and with a chain attached to it.

Oh boy.

"Nice to meet you, Master Renato." Bari said to me in a voice that sounds soothing yet causes one to feel like they going through a blizzard without any clothes on.

"Same here, Bari." I replied. "So how come the contract was left here and not taken away or is there something that wasn't mentioned in the set of knowledge given to me in the contract?"

"Oh, that's because no one manages to form a contract ever since the other Phantom Maidens and I came into this world. At best, we form temporary contracts until we meet our master, which is you. Thereby, we made a rule that no one can take the contract that binds us anywhere without our permission." Bari explains. "It wasn't until recently the last temporary contractor was killed by their own family, which annoyed most of us. So we didn't allow anyone to take us away from here. We even go far as to kill those that dare try. So we bud our time. Waiting for our next potential contractor. Although I was not expecting to finally meet our master, that can bind the contract."

"I see." I nod while thanking myself for my fast thinking to use my cheat. Otherwise, I might have ended up as a temporary contractor or lost my life instead. Depending on how Bari and the other Phantom Maidens would act toward me.

"So Master Renato." Bari spoke up, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Is there anything you need of my service?" As she tilts her head.

"Do you know what's going on around here while waiting?" I ask Bari.

"All I know is that due to the contract's aura has led to countless ghosts in other areas to be drawn over here. Most likely to see if they can devour the contract to become stronger, which is a foolish thing to do as the contract isn't something that could easily be destroyed." Bari answered with a small grin on her face.

"Huh..." I have no words to describe how I feel right now. "Well, I need to regroup with my team and find someone here that's been gone for a while now."

"Right away, Master Renato." Bari walked to the door, then stand to the side. "Please, after you."

Okay...

I stare at Bari blankly, then walk out of the room and Bari begins leading me somewhere. Hopefully to the girls and maybe they've found Wendy and Carla.

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A few minutes later*

"Renato-sama!" Juvia shouted, hugging me with a death-like grip while glaring at Bari. "Who's this?"

"Hello, Lady Juvia." Bari greets Juvia, completely unfazed by the hostile intent being directed at her by Juvia. Then look at Erza, "Hello, Lady Erza. It's nice to meet Master Renato's lovers. I'm Bari, Master Renato's maid."

"What...?" Erza looks at Bari with a confused expression.

With no problem whatsoever, Bari easily explains what is needed to know and things that aren't needed to be spoken to both Juvia and Erza. By the end, both Juvia and Erza look at Bari in awe and with a hint of fear for the right reasons. Where the main factor is that Bari wasn't alone and the other Phantom Maidens are waiting for their time to come back into this world.

"Does this mean Renato-sama now has a harem...?" Juvia asks in an empty tone, with cold eyes.

"Technically, Master Renato could order me and the other Phantom Maidens to strip and make us walk naked in public without any hesitation. For us Phantom Maidens, Master Renato is our life until he dies. We will do anything for him. Within the rules of course." Bari answered.

"Oh...!" Juvia looks at Bari in disbelief, then look at me and blush.

"I'm not going to do that!" I shout at Juvia, for actually thinking I would do such a thing. I have no such fetish of wanting to show off naked women in public!

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