The Incubus System Chapter 1100. My Heart is Bitter

The Incubus System Chapter 1100. My Heart is Bitter

Larry leaned in for a closer look, then shook his head. “Man,” he said, “if I didn’t know better, I’d think you guys were in a Halloween costume contest.”

Kevin’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t take the bait. “It’s not about appearances,” he said seriously. “It’s about the message.”

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Alright,” I said, crossing my arms. “Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want from us?”

Kevin hesitated for a moment before his grin returned. “I want you to join us,” he said. “You guys are smart, capable, and driven. We need people like you to help spread the word.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded. “You want us to join your cult?”

“It’s not a cult,” Kevin said quickly. “It’s a movement.”

Larry snorted. “Sure, buddy. A movement with robes, rituals, and a giant demon statue. Totally not a cult.”

Kevin ignored him, focusing on me instead. “Ethan,” he said earnestly, “you’re exactly the kind of person we need. You’ve got leadership potential. People would follow you.”

‘They already do,’ I thought, biting back a sarcastic remark. “I’ll think about it,” I said instead, standing up and grabbing my coffee. “But right now---"

Before I could finish, Larry leaned forward, cutting me off with a mischievous grin. “So, Kevin,” he said, his tone light but pointed, “you think Ethan here is a good candidate to be the leader of your cult? Even though he clearly knows nothing about it?”

I froze mid-step, my grip on the coffee cup tightening. ‘Oh no…’ I thought, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach. Larry had that smile—the one he always had when he was about to stir up trouble.

Kevin nodded eagerly. “Of course!” he said, his eyes lighting up again. “Why not? Ethan fits the image perfectly! Strong, commanding, mysterious… everything the Great Demon embodies.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Larry jumped in again, his grin widening. “Great!” he said, clapping his hands together. “In that case, take us. We want to see how it is.”

“What?!” I blurted out, nearly spilling my coffee. Larry slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer as I tried to wrestle free.

Larry didn’t even look at me as he kept his eyes on Kevin. “Yeah, we’re totally interested,” he said cheerfully. “Right, Ethan?”

I shot him a death glare, the kind of look that said, ‘What the hell are you doing, dumbass?’-Ethan

Larry just grinned back, leaning in slightly, ‘Chill out. I’m sure this will be interesting. This is about you, so you need to know what’s going on. And hey, I’m a demon hunter—maybe I’ll find some useful info to report to the organization.’- Larry.

I wanted to scream, ‘Are you dumb?!’ in his face, but unfortunately, he had a point. If this cult really was about me—or the twisted, exaggerated version of me they’d cooked up—it wasn’t something I could just ignore. But honestly, I was too lazy to deal with this pointless nonsense, and I definitely didn’t want to use my Mind Corruption skill on it. Reading too many people’s minds always left me mentally drained. Still, the thought of dealing with this nonsense made me want to crawl under the table and disappear.

Kevin looked between us, his expression turning a little wary. “Uh… are you guys okay?” he asked, his smile faltering slightly.

Larry flashed a cheerful grin. “Oh, we’re great! Just excited to see what this is all about.”

Meanwhile, my face told a very different story. My glare had intensified to the point where I could probably melt steel. “Really?” Kevin said, his gaze shifting to me. “Then why does Ethan look like he wants to kill me?”

Larry waved him off, laughing. “Oh, don’t mind him. His americano is too bitter.”

I deadpanned, staring at Larry with a mix of disbelief and betrayal. “My heart is bitter,” I muttered darkly.

Kevin brightened again, clapping his hands together. “Then it’s perfect!” he declared. “Our movement can heal you, Ethan! It’s all about finding balance and peace.”

‘Balance and peace my ass,’ I thought, but I bit back the sarcastic comment. Instead, I drained the rest of my coffee in one go, hoping the caffeine would help me survive whatever was about to happen.

Kevin stood up, gesturing for us to follow. “Alright, let’s go!” he said enthusiastically. “You’re going to love this.”

Larry nudged me with his elbow, his grin as annoying as ever. “See? This’ll be fun.”

I shot him another glare. “If I get roped into some weird chant or sacrifice ritual, I’m blaming you.”

“Relax,” Larry said, patting my shoulder. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

‘Everything,’ I thought grimly. ‘Absolutely everything.’

A short while later, we found ourselves walking down a narrow alleyway that led to a small, nondescript building. The kind of place I’d expect to see in the opening scene of a horror movie. Kevin walked ahead of us, practically skipping, while Larry and I lagged behind.

“Why does this feel like the setup to a bad thriller?” I muttered under my breath.

Larry shrugged, hands in his pockets. “Because it probably is. But hey, if it gets weird, I’ll take care of it.”

“How reassuring,” I said dryly.

Kevin pushed open the door, revealing a dimly lit room filled with mismatched chairs and a podium at the front. A handful of people were already seated, their faces a mix of anticipation and… something I couldn’t quite place. Reverence? Desperation? Whatever it was, it gave me the creeps.

“Welcome!” Kevin said, spreading his arms like he was introducing us to paradise. “This is where it all happens.”

“Where what happens?” I asked, scanning the room.

Kevin turned to me, his smile unwavering. “Where we learn the teachings of the Great Demon.”

Larry snorted, earning a few disapproving looks from the other attendees. “Sounds fascinating,” he said, clearly trying not to laugh.

Kevin didn’t seem to notice. He led us to a couple of seats near the front and gestured for us to sit. Reluctantly, we complied, though I made sure to keep an exit route in mind. Just in case.