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'...That was cringey as hell. What do I do? What should I do?'

[Perhaps annihilating the host's memories of the last ten seconds would suffice]

[If the host picks this option, please annihilate the related data in the System Database as well]

'No thanks. How about we pretend that never happened?'

---------------

[Negative]

[Data Deletion Commencing]

[...]

[...Complete]

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The cringe was too strong for the duo of a previous shut-in otaku and a System without the affiliated data.

<Reign>

Space and Time warped around Snow White.

A moment later, she was gone.

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'Good grief. Forget about it...'

Snow decided to receive the option reward without the Weirdo Will around. She drifted around in the other corner of the Omniverse, a place no one had ever set foot before, just for that purpose.

'The help of an unknown ally. You better be good.'

She wondered exactly how this unknown ally of hers would help her.

'A person that can teach me how to get stronger? A person that I can eat? Both?'

Snow finally accepted the reward.

*Clink*

At that moment, she heard the jingling of coins.

Approximately tens of thousands of gold coins came into being. They floated around Snow like multiple, mini-sized moons. Her hand was too small to hold onto all the coins, so Snow wrapped them up in Magicules.

She then placed them in her inventory and scanned them one by one.

----------------------

Gold Coin |Rank: D|

A coin made out of gold. It makes a nice clinking sound.

<Value>: $3000

----------------------

The coins were quite precious. They were essentially pocket-sized money bags. However, they were useless to the current Snow White, who sought strength than wealth.

She fiddled with them, flicking a coin, catching it, and doing it all over again. It was easy to do with her high dexterity despite being a baby.

*Clink* *Clink*

'They do make a nice clinking sound,' Snow thought. 'But this can't be everything...'

While she was busy with her thoughts, an odd pulling sensation disturbed her from her musing. Snow found it familiar.

Then she started flying through the empty domain. She didn't resist. Snow White recognized the feeling similar to when she traveled from one Omniverse to another through the power of a wish. While she didn't get to eat Han Jue to upgrade her stats further, at least she gets a free pass.

'Please have stronger people. Please have stronger, murderous people that I won't mind eating.'

Snow White observed her ever-changing surroundings. The speed at which she flew couldn't be described with words, other than it was incredibly fast. Then she saw it out in the distance.

A pitch-black streak etched in the empty domain, one that grew larger by the second. Snow was heading straight to it.

When she was in front of it, the Chaos was a child compared to its size. She found it eerily unnatural, the presence of the pitch-black streak inside the empty domain.

Snow White disappeared within its obscure maws, making her way to another land. The pitch-black streak started to shrink right after.

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"The anomaly went in there?"

A figure doused in divine light appeared where Snow passed. They apprehensively stared at the pitch-black streak she entered, hesitation apparent by their stiff bearing.

It was Han Jue. From inside his body, the Creation Will energetically egged him on.

(What are you waiting for? Go in! Follow them! Follow her!!!]

"Which one, exactly?"

(You know who I'm talking about! "Which one?" Do you even need to ask?! Follow HER!!!]

"I will (you simp), but this new cultivation technique of yours better work. Hopefully, Eira will let me use it," he mumbled.

Han Jue turned around and took in the emptiness of his surroundings. It was once full of mystery. Now it was no different from dead. The blank domain was no more because of Eira's mysterious power.

Extremely potent, extraordinarily rich, and therefore, exceptionally nourishing.

"If I cultivate it..."

If Eira can use it, why can't he as well?

Taking a deep breath, Han Jue stopped hesitating and flew inside the pitch-black streak.

The pitch-black streak continued to shrink before ceasing to exist.

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Thunderous storm clouds blocked the sun. The rain had yet to fall on the boisterous, jam-packed city roads, but the distinct smell of fresh earth lingered in the air, carried by the wind.

On one of those roads, inside a primarily black car with heavily tinted windows, a man leaned against his chestnut-colored leather seat. He wore a mask that covered his entire face.

‏‏‎ ‎

♪ I am your light, your light, your light. ♬

‏‏‎ ‎

The radio was playing the current top music hits in the world, garnering the occasional rhythmic bobbing of the man's head.

Finally, the red traffic lights turned green. The man continued driving to his destination.

Not long after, he arrived in front of a tall corner building.

*Pop*

The car door opened, allowing the man to step out. The hotel valet who opened the door greeted him with a warm, professional smile.

"Good afternoon Sir."

"Yeah, good afternoon."

"Do you have any luggage I can help with?"

"Nah, I got nothing."

After handing over his car keys, the man headed to the hotel entrance. The valet person immediately went to work, entering the empty vehicle.

Suddenly, the man looked back. Beneath the mask, his eyes shone for a brief moment. Then he spoke.

"You're a pretty good driver. Good job."

"Yes... thank you?"

'But I haven't driven yet,' the valet thought.

With those words, the man passed through the hotel guards and disappeared behind the tall hotel doors.

"Hey, James! Josh! Is it alright to let him in?"

Through the car window, the valet person spoke to the guards.

"He was wearing a mask. And was that a sword by his side? That's pretty weird."

"Don't worry about it. I've seen that man before."

"Yeah, same with me."

The guard continued while scratching the back of his head.

"Was it last week? The "Manager" himself welcomed him in."

"The Manager..."

The valet person visibly tensed. Slowly, he inserted the car key and twisted it.

*Vroom*

A low hum filled his ears. The valet person felt the car rouse awake with his hands on the steering wheel, his body on the quivering leather seats. He wiped the sweat off his palms and drove off, slow and careful.

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Meanwhile, the man arrived before the hotel concierge. The latter saw him approach and spoke first.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Valis. Welcome back to The Continental."

"Good afternoon too."

He was a bald, African-American man wearing a black formal suit. Thin-rimmed glasses hung between his ears, framing his dark eyes. It was the second instance that Valis met the hotel concierge.

"A room for the night?"

"That'll be great."

*Clink*

Valis produced a golden coin from one of his pockets and flicked it.

The concierge snatched it from mid-air, sliding it below the counter. His face twitched slightly but remained professional nonetheless.

He adjusted his glasses. "Sliding the coin over would be enough, Mr. Valis. Room 918 on the ninth floor."

"Right, thanks."

"And Mr. Valis," the concierge said, "The Manager expresses his gratitude."

"Don't mention it. I'm just doing my part of the contract. I could afford my dream car because of it!" Valis happily chirped.

As he started walking to his room, Valis remembered a piece of information he found interesting.

He moonwalked back to the concierge's counter.

"I heard that someone called the Sommelier is in. I want to make a few purchases."

To those words, the concierge smiled.

"Dinner plans, Mr. Valis. Dinner plans," he corrected. "The Sommelier is always in for a consultation. Is it for the latter half of the contract?"

"Nope, just interested, is all. I'm still new to this."

"Of course."

The concierge checked for other guests, and seeing none, he stepped away from his desk and motioned.

"If you would be so kind as to follow me."

"Alright."

A few steps behind, Valis followed the concierge through the hotel halls. The duo passed through many rooms and facilities, the kind that five-star hotels have.

"Over here is the game room... if you look to your right, you will see the fitness area..."

On the way, the concierge engaged in small talk with his guest. Valis nodded every few seconds, trying to remember the directions and names.

They went left, then right. Down. Right. Down. Down again. Lots of downs.

And finally.

Behind heavy metal doors, a hidden room that no guest would ever wander into.

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"Sir, if I may inquire, which gun is your favorite?"

Valis was looking around the high-end armory. Rifles, pistols, knives, grenades, mags, and a very eye-catching rocket launcher decorated the walls.

He had stared at the explosive weapon for a good minute. It was clear what went through his mind.

"A bazooka..." Valis murmured in awe.

"Sir?"

He snapped out of it. "Ah, sorry. To answer your question, I've never had to use a gun in my life."

"Never...?"

"Nope. Never."

The concierge, the part-time Sommelier, doubted his hearing. He tried to understand the implications of those words.

'Never used a gun... then how is he completing the contract?'

The concierge shifted his gaze to the sheathed sword by the guest's side. He remembered its inhumane sharpness and masterful craftsmanship.

Despite that, Valis turned despondent when he mentioned the jagged yellow streaks that ran through the sword's scabbard as if ashamed.

It made no sense to the concierge. Valis's katana was a beautiful weapon for slaughter.

But guns were better in this day and age, especially if the opponents had guns too.

'It's impossible to complete the contract with a sword alone. A sword requires shortening the distance. That is practically impossible under most circumstances.'

'He must have received help then. If not, well, we all have our secrets to keep,' the concierge thought.

"Mr. Valis, would you mind if I recommended you a main course and appetizers that suit your budding palate?" As the concierge spoke, he gestured to the automatic rifles and the pistols.

Valis pondered over his words.

"Main course... sides dishes... no thanks. That's not what I'm here for,"

Valis walked to the section filled with knives, scrutinizing their razor-sharp edges. A number of them attracted his fancy.

"Since we speak in this coded language," Valis admired the murderous sheen from each blade, "then today, I'd like to purchase some cutlery. The type that you throw."

"..."

"Yeah... is there a word for that? Throwing cutlery? A deadly, throwable butter knife?"

"Nothing comes to mind, sir."

Shaking his head, the concierge pressed a button on the wall, revealing another hidden section full of knives and other consumables.

"Unlike the previous knives on display, these knives are more suitable for throwing."

"Damn, I didn't even notice the difference. Say, which one's your favorite? I'll buy three of those."

"Mr. Valis, I prefer bullets over sharp and pointy objects."

"Yeah, I get it. I'll just grab the coolest-looking ones then. And some extra things."

Valis went on a shopping spree.

"Damn. All of the knives look cool. Wait, this one's heavier than the others. Interesting..."

In the concierge's mind, he pictured a childlike expression under the mask. The mask covered Valis's entire face, revealing nothing to the world.

He wondered what Valis looked like.

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When all was said and done, while carrying a shopping bag full of knives, other amenities, and a large rectangular bag, Valis asked, "So, where's the hotel's power room? I'll need it to 'accidentally fail.' If you catch my drift."

"Do not worry about that, Mr. Valis. Tell me a time, and we will handle it."

"Around midnight is cool."

Leaving behind the concierge, Valis left for his room.

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The middle of the night. It had started to rain heavily.

Valis stayed awake by watching the shows on the television. To keep his hands busy, he tended to his sword, muttering to himself as he did.

"Numerous henchmen plus the target, sleeping assassins, awake assassins, three knives, one sword, my newest purchase... should be enough."

The room clock ticked loudly in the noisy room. Its two arms showed that midnight drew near.

*Bzzt*

Valis checked his messages and confirmed the target's location.

"Huh, hanging out on the dining lounge at this time... not the rooftops? Well, it is raining cats and dogs."

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The plan was to take the lights out, snoop around while hidden, murder the target and a few people, then escape. It sounded so simple, apart from the fact that the hotel was brimming with professional assassins taking a break from the bloodshed. Despite that, Valis was confident he could come in and out before they could even react.

The Continental Hotel Chain was the underworld's sanctuary. Killing inside it breaks its rules, and the perpetrator faces the punishment of death.

As a newcomer, Valis was unaware of the Continental's rules. The Manager took advantage of this and offered him a contract: $10 million for two rival crime lords killed with a $2 million deposit.

A few days prior, Valis succeeded with his first target. However, the second was alerted and fled to the nearby Continental—as predicted by the Manager.

And because Valis was a clueless newcomer, he would pursue and finish the job, unaware of the adverse consequences. He would be quickly dealt with, hiding the connection between them.

Or so the Manager thinks. Valis did know about the rules.

He just didn't care.

"Hmm... I have a good idea."

After checking the room clock, Valis removed his mask and tossed it on the bed. Straightening out the creases on his formal jacket, he prepared his professional working attire.

His knives and some small extra items hung from his belt, while his "extra weapon" that he bought for fun went over his shoulder. Valis carried his sword by the waist.

With a twist, the door to the hallway opened with a creak.

Right on time, the power went out at that moment.

"Nice job, Charon."

Valis's two golden pupils seemed to glow brightly in the darkness, signaling the start of the hunt.

"Sure brings me back to that dungeon... let's get this quest over with!"

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