Chapter 372: Plunge of Insanity

"Huh?! Say that again? You can't be serious right? D-" Regrit spoke before suddenly being cut off by the sound of an angered voice to his side. 

"Kane! I told you this before and I'll say it again! I thought we had a deal! Under no circumstance will I turn into your demon slave! You got that!" Regrit looked over and saw a heated black-haired Yami marching with confidence, as though she was trying to prove a point. 

At first, he assumed it all to be some sort of joke. But now, seeing how serious she was, he began to reconsider…

"Yes, I remember," Moby nodded. "but do we really have a choice now? You said that it's been a few hours since we came here, there might not be much time left," he continued.

"I'll survive on my own! Thank you very much!" She replied.

"Suit yourself, see how you survive against those monsters. You clearly have two options here, either you selfishly get both you and your sister killed or you follow what I suggest. I'm not sure why you're so against trusting me…" Moby sighed and shrugged. 

"Yami! I'm confident! I trust big brother! Let's do it!" Hikari turned back into her normal self and spoke.

"You idiot! You understand the implications of this don't you!? It's not just simply pledging your allegiance to someone! He will have complete control over you! You'll be his slave! This is exactly what he wants! He'll use you as his slave and throw you away when you're no longer of use! Just like what happened before! Need I remind you!?"

"I don't care!" Hikari switched back and screamed, only for an even more enraged Yami to return.

"Why don't you listen to me sister!? Don't you remember what happened with Amelia?! I warned you about her but you wouldn't listen! This is arguably much, much worse! Don't be a fool!"

"Y-yami…" Hikari broke down on her knees, tears flowing down from her face conflicted on the two halves playing tug of war in her heart. 

"Don't be scared Hikari, I won't hurt you, use you, or make you do anything you don't want to. When have I ever done that? Nevertheless, it's all up to you whether or not you should trust me…" Moby looked her in the eyes, there was no malice in his expression or voice. Quite the opposite, he was rather soft-spoken.

Regrit watched from the sidelines at the confrontation ahead with much brewing in his mind. What he considered to be some sick joke at first was clearly need for thinking and concern. The more he thought about Moby being inhuman, the more it made sense to him…

"Wait… Demons… They're real I guess… And you're meant to be a demon right? You can share your powers with others but that also interns turns them into your eternal servants… That's pretty much what I got from that correct?"

"Well, I'm not just a demon, I'm actually the rightful air to the demon throne. You've seen my powers in action, how else do you think I won every match at the mammon's den? How else do you think I managed to straight-up lie to the principal herself? How else do you think I went from abilityless trash to a top elite in a single year? You know the information… Now make your choice…" Moby smiled, closing his eyes as he leant back on the cave's walls. 

"So… If I choose yes… Will I get all those weird mind powers and stuff…"

"Oh! That's just the tip of the iceberg! I promise you would be able to do far far more… For example," Moby snapped his fingers, and a small flame sparked onto his fingertips.

"WHAT!?" Regrit's eyes shot out wide, and his mouth nearly dropped to the floor.

"I can also teleport, control ice rather well, cast various different spells. I can show you if you really want, I don't mind."

"No… No need… I fully believe you… Huh… Who knew that the infamous "hero of justice" Moby Kane was actually a Demon all along..." Regrit chuckled. "Never would have guessed that you're literally nerfing yourself at all times just to hide your powers… But, will this have any major affect on my mind? Is it really so simple to just turn me into a demon?" Regrit wondered.

"There will be no major changes to your mental state. And, the only change to your body will be that you'll be more handsome if that bothers you. Still, that doesn't answer my question, is it a yes or no?" 

"You know… I've always joked around with my mother… How I promised to do anything for her sake… I've even said that I'd sell my soul to the devil if it came down to it… I never really thought that would actually happen one day but here we are!" Regrit's laughter increased as he looked up at the cave's ceiling. "Yes! I agree to become your servant in return for power! But don't think of this as anything more! I'm no slave of yours you got that!! I just want to survive! I must survive and get to the top no matter what!" Regrit's words bore passion unlike anything Moby had heard in a very long time. In fact, it was such a long time that it gave him memories of Abby Reid before her plunge to insanity.

"You have my word that as long as our interests don't clash, you will be a free man," Moby's smile grew even wider hearing Regrit's answer.

"Fine by me! I'm going with my gut! I'm trusting you like we once trusted each other long ago! So, how do we get started?" He looked Moby dead in the eyes like a tiger, and Moby lifted his leaning body from the wall and spoke.

"This process will usually be painful, more painful than anything you've ever experienced in your entire life to be exact. There's a real chance of you dying if you're not strong enough to endure the pain and trauma. BUT! Good news! If I knock you out, it'll mitigate all the torture, so no need to worry." Moby reassured, confidently grinning from ear to ear.

"Will it change the outcome of the transformation whether I'm awake or not?"

"Not at all," Moby shook his head. 

"Okay, then no need to knock me out! Just turn me into a demon the normal way," Regrit casually waved off Moby's answer almost as though it was an insult. 

"WHAT!?" Moby's casual demeanour immediately shifted. "Didn't you hear me correctly?! What part of "The most painful thing you've ever experienced," Do you not understand! Are you some sort of insane masochist!?"

"Of course not!" Regrit promptly retorted. "You're looking down at me too much! I've experienced much pain in my life! I'm no twink! I bet you went through that pain too right?! If you can do it so can I! I won't be outdone! If I can't survive this much than I know failure is the only thing that lies ahead!"

Regrit's explanation was one that Moby never expected, but it was one that made perfect sense considering who it was he was adressing. Regrit's face was rigid, there seemed to be no changing his mind, that was for certain. It gave Moby an even bigger headache than before. It was not that he thought he would fail, knowing how headstrong and stubborn Regrit was he was certain he would pass. However, he was uncertain of what he would experience and how it would affect him later on.

"Fine, so be it. I've warned you but that's all I can do. "Moby sighed and finally responded. "Now, go on one knee and let me begin, I'll start by sending waves of demon energy into your body, and the rest is up to you."

"Alright, If I must," Regrit immediately did as he was told, despite the clear humiliation of kneeling before a man such as Moby. 

Moby took a deep breath looking down at the top of Regrit's orange hair before placing his hands tightly around his skull.

"You've now passed the point of no return, all I can wish you now is luck…"

"Luck?" Regrit scoffed, a wide smirk sprouting on his face. "I don't need Luck! For all my life, luck has never once been on my side! I've always relied on myself! I don't think luck will help me and I certainly don't need it now!"

'Why… Why can't I do the same… Why is he so much stronger…' Hikari who was still a broken mess on her knees could not help but peer up in awe at the display ahead, like something was drawing her near. 

The tears flowing down her eyes had momentarily halted. She could not believe what she gazed upon.

'So… This is the kind of man Regrit Oswald is…" She deeply pondered to herself.

He had a dream and aspiration, and with nothing more than gut and instinct, he took the plunge that she was so torn upon so adamantly all in order to survive and pursue that dream and promise to his mother. 

There was pure bliss in his expression, yet that bliss did not last for long, as it was soon replaced by pure agony. Moby's hands left Regrit's head and his body dropped on the ground, squirming and writhing in pain. 

Yet, despite the pain, Regrit's resolve and resistance was more than visible… She was unsure whether she was imagining it or not, but it was almost as though she could make out a slight smirk on his face...