Jack looked down at the spear in his hand, then back at Kaedor.

"Done. I'll serve under you. And I will choose Oscar."

Kaedor's smile widened, satisfaction mixing with relief that the negotiation had closed successfully.

"Excellent choice. Though I should warn you, even if you can hold it without dying, the curse is still active.

Extended use will drain your life force. You'll need to be careful how long you wield it in combat."

{Adorable. He thinks you're still a demon. This is going to be hilarious.}

"I'll manage," Jack said simply.

"I'm sure you will." Kaedor gestured toward the stairwell. "Come. Let me show you the rest of the operation. If you're to serve under me, you should understand how everything works."

They ascended back through the levels, but this time Kaedor's explanations were different. Less showing off, more practical education about how items were tracked, distributed, and accounted for.

"Every weapon that leaves these vaults is recorded," Kaedor explained as they passed through the weapon level. "Who took it, when, for what purpose. That record-keeping is what makes me indispensable. Master Pho could kill me, but he'd lose all organization of his resources within days."

{Interesting. So he's not just a hoarder, he's a logistics manager. A bit less exciting than I expected.}

They reached a room Jack hadn't seen before, tucked away on the fourth level.

Inside, alchemical equipment covered every surface.

Vats, distillation apparatus, crystallization chambers, all of it focused around a single large table where raw materials were being processed.

"This is how I maintain the fortress's economy," Kaedor explained, his pride evident. "Master Pho requires two currencies. Death tokens, which are native to Tartarus Spire, and gold, which... isn't."

He gestured at a vat where molten metal was being shaped through magical processes.

"Gold shouldn't exist here. It's not native to the tower. But it has value in certain trades with entities who remember the outside world. So I created it."

{Wait, he's making gold? Through alchemy? That's actually impressive. Evil, but impressive.}

"The process is complex," Kaedor continued, "but the basics are straightforward. I take common metals available in Tartarus, refine them through alchemical transformation, and produce gold. It's not true transmutation, more like... restructuring at a molecular level."

He moved to another piece of equipment where gold coins were being processed through some kind of magical field.

"And once I have gold, I can convert it into death tokens. One gold coin becomes ten death tokens. Ten gold coins become one hundred tokens. And so on."

Kaedor picked up a gold coin, its surface gleaming despite the dim light.

"This gives Master Pho effectively unlimited currency. We never run out of gold to make death tokens. We never run out of death tokens to pay our forces. It's an economic advantage that makes this fortress richer than entire floors combined."

{Okay, that's actually brilliant. This demon just invented an infinite money glitch for a death tower. Respect.}

"And you control it all," Jack observed.

"I do." Kaedor set the coin down, his rings clicking together. "Which is why choosing me was the smart decision. I control the resources that make everything else possible."

They continued the tour through the rest of the day, Kaedor explaining logistics, distribution networks, and the complex systems that kept Pho's fortress supplied.

It was less exciting than Loryn's grotesque demon creation, but in its own way just as important.

As evening approached, Kaedor led Jack back to the vault entrance.

"Tomorrow, you'll return here, we wouldn't want to let the other generals think they don't have a chance," Kaedor said.

He glanced at the spear Jack still carried.

"Oscar is yours now. But be cautious with it. The curse is real, even if you seem resistant. I've seen demons try to wield it out of pride or desperation. It never ends well."

{If he only knew. This will be fun}

"I'll be careful," Jack said.

"Good. Then I'll see you tomorrow morning. We can discuss your duties in more detail than."

Jack nodded once and turned to leave, the spear held casually in his grip.

{So,} the spear's voice echoed in his mind as he walked back toward the barracks, {want to talk about your complete lack of romantic prospects? Because I've been stuck in a vault for decades, and even I can tell you need to work on your approach with the ladies.}

Jack ignored it, his mind already moving to the next day's plans.

{You're ignoring me. Rude. We're partners now, you know. The least you could do is discuss your future lineage. How are you supposed to have heirs if you never talk to women?}

"Shut up," Jack muttered under his breath.

{Never. I've been silent for decades. I have a LOT of commentary stored up, and you're going to hear ALL of it.}

Jack's grip on the spear tightened slightly, but he said nothing more as he walked through the fortress, his new weapon radiating smug satisfaction.

'You've not seen me with a woman yet, you're just spouting nonsense. So don't judge something you have no input on.'

-----

By the time Jack had retunred to the barracks, everything had settled into their evening routine. Jack gripped Oscar in his hand casually as demons cleared a path without being asked.

Most demons in this fortress recognized the weapon.

Word of the cursed spear had already spread, whispers following Jack as he walked through the chamber.

Demons stared at the black shaft and white-tipped cross blade with a mixture of awe and fear, recognizing a weapon that should be killing whoever held it.

Jack ignored them all, moving to his usual spot against the far wall.

The wide berth demons gave him was even larger now, the space around him practically empty compared to the rest of the crowded barracks.

He settled against the cold surface, Oscar resting across his lap, and finally allowed himself to really examine what he'd acquired.

'Flawed Sight.'

The familiar sensation washed over him as his vision shifted.

Oscar's form lit up with information, text appearing in his mind's eye in clean, organized lines.

[Oscar, The Demonic Cursed Spear]

[Rank: Legendary]

[+50 Strength, +50 Magic, +30% Damage to Demons]

[Special Skill: Demonic Drainage | Does 1% true damage to Demons per strike]

[Special Skill: Demonic Hate | Oscar's hatred for demons lingers in the spear. Any demon who wields it has their life force drained]

Jack's eyes widened slightly behind his visor, his grip on the spear tightening as he processed what he was seeing.

Fifty points to both strength and magic. Thirty percent bonus damage against demons. And that special ability. One percent true damage meant it would cut through any demon's health pool regardless of their HP.

This wasn't just a good weapon. This was a demon-killing machine that had somehow ended up in Pho's own fortress.

{STOP UNDRESSING ME WITH YOUR EYES!}

Jack nearly dropped the spear, the sudden shout in his mind making him flinch despite himself.

'What?'

{You heard me! I can feel you examining me, looking at my stats, probably drooling over my special abilities. It's invasive! At least buy me dinner first!}

'You can tell when someone's using appraisal magic on you?'

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