The Degree
Murder Puppet

After feeling a fairly intense vibration, Ray felt himself have arrived at one place. Even so, he felt uncomfortable going out.

Maybe it had been too long since he had gone to the outside world so there was a feeling of nervousness before stepping out.

Taking a deep breath, Ray finally opened the door and took the first step to get out.

Before opening it fully Ray finds that underneath there is water coming in. His feelings instantly became very bad.

“Do not say—”

Before he could convey his suspicions, the door suddenly opened hard and water entered the capsule. It was fortunate that Ray had prepared a water buoy so that he would be able to float.

Even so the biggest difficulty is that Ray's condition is currently sinking quite deeply. His head felt dizzy, it should be because of its depth. Even Ray himself has a weakness for this.

Thanks to the water buoy Ray slowly climbed upwards, he also hurriedly swung his legs to move up quickly. Lucky that he knew how to float in the water.

It took some time until Ray came to the surface, he took a deep breath while observing the surroundings.

“I know that the placement will be random, but please. Why in the middle of the sea?”

Ray only found water around him, and there was something that seemed to be land but it was not a distance that would be easy to travel. And that's not the worst part.

“I'm sorry I can't swim.”

Ray sucks in this field even if he knows how to float, he doesn't know how to move in the water from one place to another.

The biggest reason he could float was probably because of the buoys he used. Without it Ray would have died at sea.

“I can't ask anyone for help. Really, luck is not in me.”

Perhaps Ray must admit that he is hated by the goddess of fortune, unlike Arthur who is so blessed.

Ray began to think of various options he could use to get out of this situation.

First, swimming towards the land was something that was close to impossible. In addition to the distance, Ray really sucked in swimming. The thing he could do was probably just follow the flow of water in hopes of getting to the edge of the land.

Second, wait for the ship or helicopter to pass and ask for help afterwards. This choice is uncertain because there is likely nothing to come.

The last thing Ray can do is try every way he can. Ray starts accessing his unexpected clock alright.

“And I hope this is destroyed so that at least Secret will most likely come to replace it. Well, let's.”

Ray immediately accessed the market in hopes of ordering something. When he started looking around, a new notice appeared about the market.

— Purchase of each item will be taxed 500 DP every 1km from the city center.—

—Weight and large will go in the calculation of the addition of the cost required to buy something.—

—Delivery of goods will not be as fast as usual, it will take some time in preparing it and make delivery.—

The main factor may be that they are not inside Secret-made facilities. This is in the outside world, maybe teleportation can't be used as expected.

Ray thinks twice about using his DP. He intended to buy a small ship or something to go back to the mainland because swimming was not possible for him.

“It's getting harder. As expected, I'd better take someone with me from the beginning.”

Ray can't blame the circumstances that have happened. What happened can no longer be changed in any way. Therefore, Ray had to think of other solutions that he could use.

“This is approaching the situation with a dead end.”

As Ray dizzy looking for a way to get himself out of the situation, a notification message emerged from an additional feature recently given Secret. The feature also seems to help display messages about the situation going on about the final task.

The thing that surprised him the most was the content of his notification.

—Both group six have fallen from the last task.—

“This is beyond expectations ..” Ray feels frustrated with his current condition. “The situation is moving faster than I expected. While everyone started the hunt, here I almost drowned and had trouble coming back.”

...****************...

It had been an hour since Ray floated in the water without being able to do anything. He had tried his best to let himself get carried away by the current and wind. There is no meaningful progress, however.

“Should I buy something on the Market? It's been over an hour since the notice of the group's chairman of six deciduous.”

Ray could not help but hurry to find out the real situation. There were many things that went beyond his expectations, one of which was the destruction of one group in a short period of time.

“If I'm not mistaken, group six is held by Rani. Suppose something happens to her, I'm afraid it will have an impact on Erina.”

Ray does not care if Rani or Rina are killed though, but what he is worried about is what the impact will be on Erina. This is still the initial stage, Erina is still very necessary for the plan ahead.

“I would not sacrifice some plans for this reason.”

Erina's degree should shine brightly if it concerns the crowd. One of Ray's plans with Erina's Degree is to deceive people with great influence and manipulate them behind the scenes.

This will make him have a strong position on several things. Maybe even the movement will not be known by many Degree users.

Losing this move was a huge loss because maybe Ray had to do a massive waste of money. The worst part was that he might have to kill Erina with his own hands.

As Ray gets busy with his own thoughts and starts to argue about buying things or not, he sees something from a distance coming towards him.

“It ... a jetski?”

Ray wondered if Jetski really could reach this place, but maybe he was actually not in the middle of the ocean. Ray may be close to the beach or land but because he is bad at swimming so it is difficult to reach it.

Ray raised his hand to tell his location, “Oii!”

The Jetski noticed his presence and quickly drove towards him. Ray was grateful that at least he didn't have to buy anything unnecessary.

“It, right ..”

The man he didn't expect to drive the jetski. A beautiful woman whose hair was tied to a ponytail, exposed the skin on her neck. Not only that, for some reason he used a bikini that looked quite open.

Women who as usual say things insinuate as light as breathing.

“You can be quiet and keep this a secret, Indri,” said Ray a little indifferent.

“Well, it's natural to keep a secret of weaknesses where you try to look perfect.” Indri obviously did not care about it, he then reached out his hand, “Aliklah, uncomfortable talking in a place like this.”

Ray grabs her and sits behind her, Indri intending to run her but Ray is confused. He doesn't know where to hold.

“What's up, Ray?” indri asked in a mocking tone. “You are allowed to put your hands anywhere, loh.”

“That's the problem. I don't know where to put it.”

It was because there was nothing in front of him other than Indri himself exposing his entire skin and curves. She has a slim belly and waist, something that women may crave.

Indri Then grabbed Ray's hand and draped it to his waist, “Are you a virgin? I told you to put it as you please. There are no complaints if you play in sensitive areas.”

He's obviously teasing Ray, it's an interesting offer but Ray's not the asshole guy who's gonna do it. Not if it's related to the user's degree. In addition, there are concerns of cases where Terumi might catch him.

If that happens, Ray doesn't believe himself to be able to make a credible excuse.

“Stop your jokes,” Ray said as Indri started riding jetski and headed for land without hurry. “Although so I was surprised you found out my whereabouts.”

Ray doesn't know other than Secret if anyone else can figure out his whereabouts. Indeed there are several ways to find people in the ocean but it will be a complicated thing because it requires the hands of government.

If Indri is determined to do so, the question will arise how Ray can be trapped there.

“Fu fu, I have my own way. Surely you can know it as long as you want to follow one mandatory condition from me.” Indri licked his lips.

“Do not joke. Unfortunately I don't want to obey anyone.”

“You are a rebel, I know that, because that is also what makes me interested in you,” Indri said with a small laugh before becoming serious. “Live on, I will directly discuss the current situation. I'm sure you know that the head of the group of six was killed. She is Rani.”

Ray remembers getting the notice but he remains shocked to hear it from others. Not to mention, that person was Indri directly speaking.

“Not only Rani, but Rina was also killed. Even though I had already occupied Ryouma with him, he had no time to do anything due to the separation. By the time he arrived on set, it was all too late.”

The group of six had been completely destroyed and losing the chairman was also the key it had in such a short period of time.

“Secret won't lie that each group will be in a different location to avoid chaos at this starting line.”

Ray was at least sure Secret would hold onto his words. There is also no advantage for organizers looking for data to cheat their guinea pigs. In addition, there was no news of the group's further death and destruction.

“I also believe in it very much. So far, no verbally trustworthy other than Secret.”

If so then there is only one thing that is most likely to happen.

“I got a glimpse of you talking to Arthur about something. Is it related to people who are injured?” ask Ray. “Finally, there is nothing more possible than among those people to be the culprit.”

“As expected. You understood the situation quickly without the need for me to explain.”

Since seeing Indri having a conversation with Arthur, there were only two possibilities that Ray had thought of. Either Indri stays with her and does things in her favor, or she starts switching sides and standing with Arthur.

Because Indri wants to come to see him and help him, Ray becomes convinced that Indri remains the same. He's not on Arthur's side. Therefore, the conversation between the two must be a negotiation regarding membership.

“I made those dying apes fill the void in Rani's group. Surely there is an advantage that I will take every few times. Somehow, there seems to be someone who already expects something like that to happen. And, there was an intruder among the bego worms.”

Ray was amazed that Indri was able to say condescending sentences as easily as breathing but now it deserves to be ruled out.

“If someone as sharp as that infiltrates, then he should be the chairman of a certain group. If he was the chairman, I'm sure it wouldn't be possible to join another group. Exactly the word Secret.”

Indeed there are some cases like Erina who somehow did not become chairman, but Ray has an assumption. That's because his performance has declined since the latter half of Open World and most likely because he's from the first generation.

“There is one way that allows it to happen and I have proven it myself,” Indri said. “We can exchange group leaders without any notice. In fact, I've moved my group into Ben.”'s hands

Ray just knew it, so it is true that the removal of the chairman can occur without any notice.

“It ate a lot of DP, are you okay with it?” ask Ray.

“There is no problem. There are other advantages I can get after handing over the position of chairman and getting out of the group. Therefore, let me join your squad, I only have a little time left.”

He doesn't have to go that far. Ray doesn't know why Indri did it but he's sure this woman isn't stupid.

“You have told me how Rani died and her group was destroyed. Now you try to enter my group after leaving yours. Isn't it too stupid to practice it right away, Indri?” arthur said in a condescending tone.

“Fu fu, I'm sure at least you already have a real picture of what kind of person I am. I really want to help you, stay by your side forever. I don't care about other things, my life is only about you.”

This is something that Ray could never understand since the first leg he met with Indri. Ray always thought this woman was strange because she had a great obsession with him.

Instead of Ray knowing each other from the beginning, it was he and Indri hannyalah stranger until the moment they met.

“You seem to be expressing love to me,” said Ray.

“Is there a problem if I am?” Indri is a little blushing. “I have no problem saying it out loud but now it doesn't matter. There is a reason why we should work together directly. Not only me, you will also have trouble.”

“We cannot support each other by turning our backs again. For this time, we need to finish it by hand.”

“What makes you think so?” ask Ray. “I'm pretty confident that there's nothing I can't finish.”

“Then do you know who killed Rani?” ask Indri.

Ray certainly said no, since the first time out he did hannyalah trying to stay floating like a stupid frog who did not know how to swim.

“The killer is you, Ray Morgan.”

It was beyond Ray's expectations and conjectures, something illogical. The most absurd thing was blamed on Ray who from the beginning was in an impossible situation doing nothing.

Even so, it is unlikely that Indri will make a lie. If so, then everything is true. After all, nothing is impossible if it is a Degree.

“This is a really bad joke, huh? I never remember having a twin brother at all.”