The Degree
Surprising Meeting

With an ominous feeling in his chest, Ray walked while observing the surroundings.

What kind of degree does that woman have? Hypnotic maybe? But I have such a high consciousness that it is almost impossible to be hypnotized.

Ray always had a healthy mind and was never empty. The absolute requirement of hypnosis is to bring the thought of his target in the direction he wants so that the suggestion given will be successful.

With his condition at that time Ray could not be hypnotized. There must be something else.

The degree is mysterious after all. It is not known what its uses are and what its effects are. Ray never uses his own because he still doesn't understand his.

“If in general I understand my Degree. But I can't think of what this degree can do as a Degree.”

Ray did not deny that he did have the qualifications to receive the Degree but the problem is how he uses it.

“Well, let's ignore it. The most important part is how to cope with the woman.”

Ray remembers about the guy who was on the same assignment before, if he doesn't remember wrongly his name is Ronald.

That person was not like the one who would submit to women but the fact that he was now serving Erina was a lot of words.

It was enough to be an indication that Ronald was exposed to something like hypnosis. Similar but not the same.

“Sial, I can't think clearly as long as my anger doesn't subside.”

Ray decides to clear his mind by going to a deserted proper.

He entered the woods where no one was there.

Soon he reached the end of the forest and found a river that looked beautiful. The sight slightly calmed his heart.

However, it was not good enough to completely relieve his anger.

“It appears that over there is the eastern block.”

Ray is thinking of reaching the eastern bloc but there is concern that something else troublesome will happen.

Perhaps the leader of the eastern bloc had a worse nature than Erina. If so, then Ray will be caught between the disputes of the two people.

“But I need a complete puzzle to unlock the fifth task. I need a plan.”

Ray sat by the river and let his feet soak in the cold water of the river.

The cold water of the river is very refreshing and soothing. Ray had a slight urge to wash himself in the river because it had been quite a while since he had last bathed.

When the impulse began to strengthen Ray heard someone's footsteps coming from the opposite direction to him.

“Who's there?” Ray asked a little strongly and prepared his weapon.

A hand came out from behind the trees and over time Ray saw who it was.

“That voice ... I expected, it's you, Ray!”

Ray was surprised that the person who came was the one he already knew when he first came.

“You ... Terumi?”

Although there is a big change happening to him but Ray can still recognize him.

When compared to Terumi when the beginning came, the difference would be very far.

“Thank God you survived until here!” Terumi approached Ray and began to cry.

“You're still a whiny girl.” Behind him someone followed.

The man with slightly brown golden hair appeared with his smile. The difference is a little obvious. If previously the person was shorter than Terumi, this time his height compensated for it. After all, even so he did not reach Ray's height at all.

“You, Leo? You guys changed so much that I barely recognized him. Thank goodness that you guys made it through every obstacle.”

Leo smiled wryly when he saw Ray's left hand and his body that looked full of bandages, “Ya, the task is not too difficult so we can overcome it. But it seems you are experiencing things heavier than us.”

No one suffered more or less. One thing is certain even though the tasks they face are different but have the same goals.

Ray is convinced that Terumi and Leo have been through a lot while undergoing the task at hand.

After some time they exchanged stories about what happened and what they went through.

Ray is shocked to discover that Terumi once killed at least two people in the process. The degree he has is clearly very useful and striking more than anyone else.

While for Leo he has been equipped with great fighting skills because he had studied it self-taught.

It was not surprising because from his stature alone it was obvious that Leo was an expert at fighting.

“From the looks of you guys coming from the east block. Is it possible that you guys joined the union there?” Ray asked quite curiously.

Leo and Terumi looked at each other before nodding.

“Ya, rather than join, more precisely we framed.” Terumi said in a voice that was almost whispering

“Trapped?” Ray asked back.

Leo nodded lightly, “The fact that you know something about the union then means that you already understand the situation in this place.”

The fifth task has not appeared since two years ago because no one can open it. At a time when things got tough the dispute between the western and eastern bloc occurred.

Since then, Open World has been divided into east and west sides.

Leo and Terumi admitted that they had been at the Open World for three days. Ray did not expect that time had gone that long when he had survived completing all the tasks.

From the information given by Leo and Terumi. The eastern union is called Blueeast. The leader of the guild they had never met and all this time they had only communicated through his personal servants.

The leader of the Blueeast is called the Order of Maguire. His degree was not known at all and almost no one but the servant had ever seen him.

“From the looks of you coming from the west, Ray. Are you also involved in it?” leo asked a little curiously.

“Yes. Just like you guys, I'm stuck with the leader of the Redwest guild, Erina Queen. Maybe our situation is very different but at the moment I can not oppose the desire of the woman.”

“Tak can not oppose it .. I remember that there are rumors that say western leaders have a Degree that is able to brainwash others. It seems that the rumor is true but also not.”

Ray nodded in agreement, “In fact I am still in complete control of myself. You could say that he needs certain requirements to use his Degree.”

Speculation can no longer be doubted. Ray tried to recall about the exchange he had with Erina. There's a chance he could get a lead.

“What's wrong with you, Terumi? You've been quiet since.” Leo suddenly said to Terumi who was silently looking down.

“Women ..” Terumi muttered before ferociously crawling closer to Ray. The faces of the two were so close that they could feel each other's breath.

“Women ... does that woman do indecent things to you?!”