Am I a genius?
I'm aware that I feel better than others. Smarter, more intelligent.
I'd like to believe I'm a genius, but in reality, I think I'm quite average.
In my previous life, my results weren't excellent, but they weren't poor either.
Average. Evidenced by the fact that I didn't have a satisfying life.

Since I've had this second chance, perhaps I've been too impulsive in my choices and actions.
Most of the troubles I've found myself in were probably due to my mistakes.

The worst of all was drug trafficking.
It became problematic, difficult to manage, and as it expands, it's starting to attract attention.
Despite this, it has earned me quite a few credits. Money won't be a problem from now on.
I've never loved gambling. I like to play when I'm 100% sure I'll win.
That's why I realize that when you're winning, it's time to leave the table and cash in your chips.
Why didn't I open a brewery? Or a potion shop? Perhaps I had the fantasy of Pablo Escobar.
In the end, we all know what happens to the narcos who make too much noise.
When their business starts clashing with the authorities, the party ends.
And I don't want to be pursued by law enforcement in my second life.
At least now, I have the money to start a legal business.

I feel like in that manga, where the protagonist loses at the end of the story due to a mistake made in the second chapter.
Let me tell you, there are no perfect plans.
Plans with millions of moving parts like intricate clockwork.
There are too many variables to control, and often, a butterfly's wingbeat on the other side of the world is enough to disrupt everything.

But now that I've resolved the issue with Luysia Camclair, I want to take a more cautious approach.
I've taken significant risks and earned a lot, but now I want to proceed with caution.
I've learned many things about my powers.
The next step is to build a solid foundation for my climb to power.

Taking inspiration from that manga, I admit without shame that it was one of my favorites, and by studying Professor Merfal's book thoroughly, I've created a new type of curse. Extremely powerful.
It's not a type of curse I can use in battle, but it will be useful for severing ties with the scum.

Speaking of the scum, the fact that they wanted to touch and violate what I had marked as mine really bothered me.
After all, what can you expect from junkies and bullies?
Nothing good, and that's why I'm getting rid of them. I no longer need underlings like them.
It's not just because they attempted to violate Luysia; essentially, I don't need them anymore.
My Servant harem is expanding more and more.
Thanks to the Master-Servant contracts, I've surpassed most of my physical limits.
I'm a generous Master.
Those who serve me, no matter how incompetent, always get what they deserve.
I rewarded them by selling them the drug formula, letting them run the business, and leaving them the money they'll earn.
The business has become too concentrated within the school, and word is starting to spread.
I don't want anything to do with it anymore.
That's why I've decided to sever the ties, and I had them sign a blank contract.

I check my status, satisfied.

{{ STATUS

STRAUSS WAGNER
AGE: 18
LEVEL: 2
RANK: F
CLASS: Cleric
MASTER
SERVANT: Rero Sansanti, Luysia Camclair

                               BASE | Rero II | Luysia I | Stats |
MAX HP:               260 >  +78          +65         403 - 50
MAX MP:               390 >  +177         +117        684 - 50
STRENGTH:            10 >   +3            +3             16 - 2
DEFENSE:                12 >   +4            +3             19 - 2
AGILITY:                   10 >   +3            +3             16 - 2
INTELLIGENCE:      25 >  +8            +6             39 - 2

STATUS }}

As I pour the gasoline in the underground rooms of my hideout, I feel a pang.
Even for a psychopathic bastard like me, I occasionally have moments of melancholy.
When I end up in hell, I hope these flashes of humanity can make a difference in my judgment, I think with a smirk.

This place has been special. Here, I subdued Rero and broke Luysia.
Here, I planted the roots of my ascent.
But in life, every now and then, you need to clean up and start anew.
The evidence needs to be destroyed, and dead branches need to be cut.

I spill about a dozen smartphones on the floor. I had already removed the SIM cards and batteries.
Now I need to physically demolish them.
I raise a blacksmith's hammer in the air and then slam it onto the pile of phones.

*SMASH*
*SMASH*
*SMASH*

I continue to shatter them until they're practically just tiny pieces of metal.
I pour gasoline over them.

"Raqahela isn't pleased that you want to set fire to her altar. If she didn't know your intentions, she would consider this an insult, an act of defection," complains the demon who has appeared by my side.

"We will find another place to perform the rituals, Raqahela. A better place, a temple befitting your greatness," I reassure her.

"Raqahela knows how smooth-tongued you can be. She knows how you embellish reality and manipulate it. But even though she knows, she loves your honeyed words. That's why you're her favorite."

I chuckle. "I have a few [CORRUPTION POINTS] at my disposal, so I think I'll take a look at your [DEMONIC SHOP]."

"She'd be delighted. Do you have something in mind?"

"The ability you used during the ritual, [MIND SPEAK], seems very interesting."

"She knew it would pique your curiosity, which is why Raqahela used it," she smiles slyly.

I open the [DEMONIC SHOP] and search for these abilities.
In reality, there are two, [MIND SPEAK] and [MIND READ].

"What the hell!" I exclaim.
I'm shocked.
The first one costs 6 [CORRUPTION POINTS], while the second one costs double.

What's the difference?

[MIND SPEAK]
Mana Cost: Target's INTELLIGENCE * 10
Target: Single Target.
Activation Condition: The target must be below half of their own HP or MP.
Effect: Prompted by questions or external stimuli, the target vocalizes their thoughts as if speaking.

Cost: 6 [CORRUPTION POINTS]

[MIND READ]
Mana Cost: Target's INTELLIGENCE * 15
Target: Single Target.
Activation Condition: Your intelligence must exceed that of the target.
Effect: You can read all of the target's thoughts.

Cost: 12 [CORRUPTION POINTS]

Both are incredibly useful spells.
The first one is less costly but seems more suitable for interrogations and torture.
The second one allows you to delve into the victim's mind without them noticing, making it much more powerful for uncovering secrets.

"Raqahela, you're too expensive!" I complain.

"She thinks these are fair prices considering that possessing these abilities would make you nearly invincible. Almost like a demon," she responds with a smile.

She is right. If I possessed these abilities, everything would become much simpler.
I'd be one step closer to becoming a deity.
I don't mind the idea.

"I need to save more corruption points," I sigh, closing the menu.
"By the way, when I corrupted Luysia's soul, a strange notification appeared. It seems I destroyed a heroic seed. That's why I got an additional [CORRUPTION POINT]. What are these heroic seeds?"

"The heroic seed indicates that the possessor has the potential to become a [HERO]. Heroes are the soldiers of the gods and our worst enemies. Identifying these not yet awakened heroes should be your priority," the demon responds.

"So Luysia could have become a heroine if I hadn't corrupted her."

"It was SUBLIME," Raqahela recalls excitedly.

I need 3 more points to obtain the [MIND SPEAK] ability.
Or should I wait and aim directly for the [MIND READ] ability?
Both have their uses.
I'll have to think it over.

But now it's time to move forward.
I step away and exit the underground.
My hideout, an abandoned warehouse, has been the stage for my dark operations. But now, it's all coming to an end.
I have a lighter in my hand, and I know exactly what to do.

With a steady hand, I ignite a strip of gasoline.
The flames burst to life as if they've been eagerly waiting for this moment.
The gasoline catches fire quickly, crackling like a growing inferno.
My heart pounds as I watch my recent past go up in smoke.

The abandoned warehouse is illuminated by the destructive glow of the fire.
The walls creak under the pressure of the flames devouring everything in their path.
The crackling of the flames fills the air, a chorus of destruction.

This is the end of this arc.
It's not an act of redemption, nor is it a way to erase every trace of what I've been.
Regardless of the motivation, I know this is the only path.
My life must go on, and this chapter must close definitively.

I watch the flames as they consume the structure, as everything turns to ashes.
The heat is oppressive, but I stand firm.
This is my moment, my catharsis.

And as the abandoned warehouse is swallowed by the fire, I walk away, ready to start a new chapter in my life.