However, an incident with a thousand deaths isn't something you can just sweep under the rug. After all, those thousand people represented a thousand families, plus their parents, relatives, and friends.
If you count it like that, the number of people affected runs into the tens of thousands.
Luckily for them, the American government is known for its thick skin, so they're just going to drag their feet on this.
They'll just wait until the public gets tired of waiting, and then the issue will naturally resolve itself.
The 9/11 attacks, Hurricane Milton, the Los Angeles fires... haven't they all been handled this way?
But none of this has anything to do with Roy. He still has to continue playing in the Santa Monica Cup knockout rounds and prepare for Heather's birthday party.
Gerald, on the other hand, managed to squeak by in the end, successfully holding onto his job.
He really has Elise to thank for that.
After the Devil Late-Night Show incident, Elise deeply felt the massive changes in human society. A lot of things can't be solved by one person alone.
The mind of a Wisdom Angel is nothing if not flexible. She decided to cooperate with the FEA to a certain extent.
And Gerald successfully clung to Elise's coattails and kept his position. But according to Saltana, the FEA headquarters sent down a new Deputy Director named Paxton Feltai, who might still not fully trust Gerald.
Or maybe Bartholomew from Amacham Technology pulled some strings, wanting to get revenge on Gerald.
After all, Gerald locked that woman up for a whole week, which was undoubtedly a huge humiliation for Bartholomew.
Nevertheless, Los Santos eventually returned to its usual calm.
Beelzebub's cult was almost entirely eradicated by Elise. Mammon was jointly banished back to hell by Roy and Elise. And Asmodeus's daughter, Elrêsa, now only says "aba aba."
On a side note, Elrêsa only has two ways of eating. One is to suck men dry like before.
But Roy can't exactly provide her with fresh men every day.
This behavior once led the other women to believe that Roy had finally become a pervert.
Roy: What do you mean "finally"?
(Please remember the website 101kan.com for the fastest chapter updates)
Fortunately, after Roy explained and everyone met Elrêsa, they understood his actions.
Well, only Elrêsa didn't quite understand. She preferred fresh ones; secondhand ones just didn't make her happy.
It was the dark web that really got unlucky.
Iliana was transferred to deal with Beelzebub's cult, but Elise wiped them out. The FBI from Texas couldn't just come all this way and do nothing, right?
So, Iliana took her frustrations out on the dark web, really letting off some steam from her time in Austin.
The dark web in Los Angeles might have bribed the local FBI, but they were completely helpless against Iliana and could only silently swallow their bitter pill.
Time quickly moved to March 21st. This day was the final of the Santa Monica Cup and also Heather's birthday.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the finals of the Santa Monica Cup Heavyweight Amateur Boxing Tournament! Time really flies, doesn't it? It feels like the Santa Monica Cup just started, and now we're already at the finals! In less than twenty days, the Santa Monica Cup has attracted nearly ten thousand spectators..."
Today's match successfully landed a live broadcast deal with a television station that covers the entire state of California, so the commentators had a bit more to say.
Of course, this TV station definitely wasn't KABC-TV. That station went bankrupt due to their outstanding employee, Jack Dell, being forced to work overtime and causing a major accident. They're currently undergoing restructuring.
"Mr. Black, the school board has reviewed your performance in the matches and unanimously agreed to offer you admission to UCLA without requiring an entrance exam."
Alan Berg announced the good news to Roy in the locker room, but he noticed that Roy didn't seem particularly happy.
"Mr. Black, aren't you happy about this?"
Roy rolled his eyes. After everything that had happened in Los Angeles, the news of being admitted to UCLA without an exam wasn't exactly cause for celebration.
"Yeah, USC contacted me yesterday and offered even better terms. I'm currently considering whether or not to go to UCLA."
This was true. Although Roy had consecutively taught two USC students a lesson, in the world of sports, as long as you can win, nothing else really matters.
Jordan crushed the Knicks. If Jordan said he wanted to join the Knicks, do you think the Knicks owner wouldn't be begging him to join?
Besides, Roy hadn't even joined UCLA yet, just expressed interest. USC would naturally want to jump in and try to sway him.
Not only that, but universities in the Bay Area also came to join the fun, showing that Roy was definitely becoming a big deal.
Alan's face turned red with anger.
"That damn USC! They're so shameless!"
Roy patted Alan on the shoulder and then stood up.
"Mr. Berg, I'm seriously considering USC's offer, but I also have a very good impression of UCLA. I think you understand what I mean, right?"
Of course, Alan understood what Roy meant. He wanted UCLA to sweeten the deal!
But he had no choice. If Alan did nothing, all his efforts over the past few days would have been for nothing.
"I will bring this up with the president and the school board."
Roy nodded in satisfaction. But after giving a stick, you should always offer a carrot.
"Mr. Berg, I'm quite satisfied with our cooperation. If I decide to go pro in the future, perhaps you and Mr. Lambert could both join my coaching team."
Hearing this, Alan's eyes lit up.
This was fantastic news!
Being a coach at a university provides a stable income, but the exposure is limited, and the salary isn't particularly high.
But becoming a professional boxer's coach is different. The exposure increases significantly, and the income will also greatly improve, especially with Roy's incredible talent. There's a very high chance he could become a champion.
The title of a champion's coach carries a lot of weight!
And being a professional boxer's coach wouldn't affect Alan's position at the university.
Boxing is a very unique sport. Top boxers only fight a few times a year and earn a ton of money.
During that time, the coach's main job is to help the boxer stay in shape, which is quite relaxed.
So, most boxing coaches train several boxers.
"Mr. Black, rest assured, I will definitely help you secure the best possible deal!"
Alan suddenly felt a surge of motivation, eager to rush to the UCLA board of directors and fight for Roy.
"Mr. Berg, I believe you can do it."
With that, Roy walked out of the locker room, greeted by the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.
"Reaper! Reaper! Reaper!"
"Nuke! Nuke! Nuke!"
The two nicknames were shouted back and forth, and the entire venue erupted into a frenzy. After the popularity Roy had gained through several matches in the Santa Monica Cup, his fame in Los Angeles was already comparable to some professional boxers.
There were even newspaper reporters at the venue specifically to see Roy.
"Now entering the ring is the popular Santa Monica Cup competitor, known as 'Reaper' and 'Nuke,' Roy Black! Standing at 6'3", equally skilled with both hands, undefeated since his debut, he's an incredibly well-rounded and terrifying boxing prodigy..."
After Roy entered, the commentator showered him with praise. This was the same commentator who had given Roy the new nickname "Nuke." He was clearly a big fan of Roy and went on and on about him.
Soon, the other boxer entered the ring.
"...Oh, and now, who do we have here? Ah, yes, Alvin Rich, from Caltech."
Yeah, that was it. That short introduction.
This kind of differential treatment made Alvin Rich's face turn dark. Luckily for him, he was Black, so even if his face got darker, no one would be able to tell.
When Roy and Alvin stood face-to-face in the ring, Roy noticed that his opponent was panting heavily, like an agitated bull.
So, while the referee was reading out the rules and prohibitions, Roy asked, "Are you planning on plowing a field later?"
"Pretty boy, don't get cocky! I'm gonna knock your jaw off with one punch!"
It seemed Roy didn't even need to provoke him. Alvin was already in a state of furious rage.
After all, being a boxer who made it to the finals, Alvin still had some confidence, but unfortunately, he was a bit too confident.
The bell rang, signaling the official start of the match.
Alvin rushed forward to attack first, but he didn't expect Roy to also want to end the fight quickly. At this point, there was no need to put on a show anymore.
Roy ducked under Alvin's left jab and then used a V-shaped sway to avoid his opponent's right hook.
At this point, Roy was already very close to Alvin.
And then, with seemingly effortless ease, a swing landed squarely on Alvin's wide-open cheek, and the guy was knocked straight to the ground.
The venue fell silent. The exchange was just too fast. Many spectators in the audience had only blinked, and Alvin was already down.
Fortunately, the finals venue had been upgraded and had a large screen to replay what had just happened.
The replay showed Roy's incredibly swift swing connecting, leaving a noticeable dent in the headgear on Alvin's head, creating a sense of violent aesthetics in slow motion.
Soon, deafening cheers erupted, especially after the referee finished the count and announced Roy's victory by knockout. The cheers reached their peak at that moment.
Even the commentator's voice was drowned out, forcing him to shout to be heard.
"Let's congratulate Mr. Roy Black! This boxer, who hasn't even turned 19 yet, is sure to cause a major earthquake in the boxing world in the future. Let's all wait and see!"
The match was very short, but it took Roy a long time to escape the fans surrounding him, signing autographs until his hand cramped.
It was a bit ridiculous. Once Roy went pro, this kind of situation would probably happen frequently. He needed to find a way to deal with it.
Finally escaping Santa Monica Beach, Roy used the excuse of wanting to properly celebrate his championship win and took Heather alone to the Dolphin Hotel restaurant.
"Heather, happy birthday!"
The restaurant had already been decorated for a birthday party, and a giant cake was ready.
Almost everyone Roy knew in Los Angeles was there, besides Heather and Penny, there were also Mary, Saltana, Dahlia, Ceci, Keller, Molly, Amy, and Iliana.
Only Elrêsa was left in Dahlia's apartment due to her sensitive identity, but Dahlia had already lulled her to sleep before leaving.
Heather's face was full of surprise, but there was also a hint of helplessness.
"Thank you everyone, but today isn't actually my real birthday!"
Penny was stunned to hear this.
"Really? I saw on your driver's license that it says today's your birthday!"
Heather looked a bit helpless.
"That was a random birthday I filled in after my adoptive parents adopted me."
Heather was taken away and brought to Los Angeles to be raised when she was very young. Her driver's license was obtained after that, and her real birthday was probably only known by her late grandmother.
Penny felt a bit embarrassed about this, but Heather didn't blame her, and the two hugged.
"It's okay, let's just treat today as my birthday! Let's light the candles!"
As soon as Ceci heard about lighting candles, she clamored to help Heather light them.
So, Heather picked up Ceci, and together they lit the candles. Then came the part where they sang the birthday song and made a wish.
"Happy birthday to you..."
Heather closed her eyes and made a wish, then blew out all the candles.
"Heather, tell us, what did you wish for?"
Penny excitedly started asking Heather about her wish, but Heather was a little embarrassed.
Everyone then looked at Heather with knowing smiles, except for Ceci, who was still a bit confused.
Heather shyly picked up the knife to cut the cake.
"Time to cut the cake!"
"Yay!"
As soon as they heard about cutting the cake, Ceci was the most excited. She had been craving cake for a while and was going to eat her fill today.
But while eating the cake, Penny suddenly started playing a prank and smeared cake on Heather's face.
"Penelope!"
Heather shrieked and started grabbing cake to retaliate, but her aim was a bit off, and she hit Molly instead.
"Ah—"
Molly was only 17 and hadn't experienced anything like this before. She immediately grabbed two pieces of cake and started attacking.
In an instant, the great cake war had begun!
All the women seemed to have become 10 years younger as they frantically threw cake, creating a chaotic scene.
Roy initially stood on the sidelines, watching the fun. Hair-pulling and all that was the most interesting.
"Sisters! Don't forget about Roy!"
But when Iliana noticed that Roy was still clean and pointed the finger at him, all the cakes suddenly flew towards Roy.
"What the f—!"
In the end, Roy was the worst off, basically covered in cake from head to toe.
The other women were also covered in cake, and the restaurant was a mess. The restaurant staff working the next morning were probably going to have a rough time.
"Delicious!"
The only one unaffected was Ceci, who sat alone under the cake, eating non-stop with cream all over her face.
Everyone looked at each other's appearances and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The party ended, and everyone went their separate ways.
Keller and Molly cleaned up a bit before leaving. Dahlia took her daughter to bathe, and after bathing and putting her daughter to sleep, she still had to check on Elrêsa.
Mary used the bathroom and then left as well.
As for the others, they simply stayed overnight at the Dolphin Hotel.
Roy had specifically booked an extra-large presidential suite for tonight, big enough for everyone to stay together.
As the birthday girl for the night, Heather had priority. Then, she pushed Roy into the luxurious master bathroom.
"Roy, do you want to know what I wished for just now?"
"What did you wish for?"
Heather leaned close to Roy's ear and whispered something.
"I want to have a cute baby with you!"
This was the most touching love confession, instantly sending Roy into a frenzy.
"Heather, you have so much cake on you. Let me help you clean it off!"
Heather finally understood how powerful the berserk Roy was, but she didn't regret saying those words. That was indeed her current wish.
First Blood!
However, this made the few women waiting outside for their turn in the bathroom suffer a bit.
Listening to Heather's beautiful and moving singing voice, one high note after another, was indeed quite unbearable.
Soon, Penny, the one with the thickest skin, couldn't take it anymore.
"Heather seems to be in trouble. I'm going in to help!"
Penny's words made Iliana's eyes light up. This older sister wasn't exactly shy either.
"Me too!"
Now, only Saltana and Amy were left in the living room.
Saltana was the most reserved, while Amy was a bit better. But when they heard the singing in the bathroom go from a solo to a duet, then a trio, they immediately felt like they had ants crawling all over them.
Double Kill!
Triple Kill!
"Saltana, how about..."
Amy finally couldn't hold back and looked at Saltana with an inquiring gaze.
Saltana gritted her teeth and nodded. The two of them went into the bathroom together.
Quadra Kill!
Penta Kill!
Aced.
Fortunately, the bathroom in the presidential suite was big enough, otherwise, it really wouldn't have fit so many people!
[Ding! Obtained Iliana Scott's Conquest Treasure Chest! Open it?]
[Ding! Obtained Heather Sawyer's Conquest Treasure Chest! Open it?]
That night, Roy achieved his first Penta Kill, fighting until dawn and sending positive energy to Heather before it ended.
Even with Roy's physique attribute reaching 52 points, he still felt a bit tired.
However, this battle yielded two more Conquest Treasure Chests, which greatly surprised Roy.
Could it be that the more people involved in the battle, the higher the probability of getting treasure chests?
Roy looked at the chaotic battlefield, lost in thought.
Forget it, let's open the treasure chests first. Roy currently had five treasure chests.
He petted the five cute kittens, and then gently placed the five sleeping women on the bed and tucked them in. Roy then went to the living room to officially start opening the treasure chests.
First was the Mirror Spirit's Fate Treasure Chest.
[Opening the Mirror Spirit's Fate Treasure Chest...]
[Obtained 2 Spirit Attribute Points!]
[Obtained 1 Willpower Attribute Point!]
Okay, the mirror spirit inside the ghost mirror was really weak, so Roy had already prepared himself for not getting anything good.
Hopefully, Elrêsa's Conquest Treasure Chest wouldn't be disappointing. After all, she was the daughter of the King of Lust.
[Opening Elrêsa's Conquest Treasure Chest...]
[Obtained 3 Memory Attribute Points!]
[Obtained 3 Spirit Attribute Points!]
[Obtained 3 Willpower Attribute Points!]
[Obtained Shard of Original Sin (Lust)!]
Wow, it directly gave a +3 to all three Spirit-related attributes!
And there was also a special item!
[Shard of Original Sin (Lust): A shard of original sin from the King of Lust, only obtainable from the King's kin. If you collect all the shards of original sin, could you become the King of Hell?]
The system's description was a bit ambiguous, but it made Roy realize that this shard of original sin was a very important item.
Roy took the Shard of Original Sin (Lust) out of his inventory. It was an egg-sized, pink, irregularly shaped stone. Holding it made him feel a little restless.
Since there was a Shard of Original Sin (Lust), were there other shards of original sin?
Could this be the true source of power for the Seven Demon Lords of Hell?
Even the Key of Solomon didn't record this knowledge. Roy had no choice but to put the Shard of Original Sin (Lust) away for now.
Next was Jack Dell's Fate Treasure Chest.
[Opening Jack Dell's Fate Treasure Chest...]
[Obtained 1 Agility Attribute Point!]
[Obtained 1 Memory Attribute Point!]
[Obtained Shard of Original Sin (Greed)!]
"Whoa, look at that! We actually got something!"
The system description for the Shard of Original Sin (Greed) is pretty much the same as it was for Lust, just swapping out the King of Lust for the King of Greed.
Roy took out the Shard of Original Sin (Greed), and he noticed this one was a lot smaller than the Lust shard. It was probably only about the size of a quail egg. It was still an irregularly shaped stone, but this one was gold.
Looks like the size of the Original Sin shard you get depends on how close the Sin's follower is to their master.
Like, Eluruisha is Asmodeus's daughter, so she was able to get an egg-sized Original Sin shard.
Jack Del is probably a favored subordinate of Mammon, so he could get a quail egg-sized one too.
As for a certain someone who shall remain nameless, a follower of Beelzebub… haha, they got absolutely nothing!
Mahogany: Hey, stop talking about me like that!
But even though he's gotten Original Sin shards two times in a row, Roy still has no idea how to use these things. They're just taking up space in his inventory.
Hopefully, the next two treasure chests will have some good stuff in them.
Nope, gotta wash my hands again!
Roy then washed his hands again using five little cat toys. He even wiped off the cat slobber with some "peace of mind" wipes before continuing to open the chests.
[Opening Marlena Scott's Conquest Treasure Chest…]Assassin's Heart: A special ability passed down from an ancient assassin organization called the "Mutual Aid Society." Only those with exceptional talent can learn it, and it includes various superpowers.
Gun Kata: An assassin can quickly flick their wrist the instant a bullet leaves the chamber, giving the bullet horizontal velocity and creating a curved trajectory.
Bullet Time: When their heart rate accelerates, an assassin can see details that are normally too fast for the human eye to catch, and their reaction speed also greatly increases.
Oh, wow, these are the abilities from the movie Wanted! That movie was pretty well-known for its cool gunfight scenes. Angelina Jolie was the female lead in that film. So, Roy basically got the abilities of Iliana's alternate-world counterpart.
How should I put this? With Roy's current physical stats, Gun Kata doesn't seem all that useful, unless it's for situations where he can't reveal his identity.
On the other hand, the Bullet Time ability is super versatile. It's an excellent support ability for both close-quarters combat and ranged attacks.
(Angelina Jolie's famous scene from Wanted)
Finally, there's Heather's treasure chest.
[Opening Heather Sawyer's Conquest Treasure Chest…]
[Gained 1 point of Strength!]
[Gained 1 point of Constitution!]
[Gained Expert-Level Water Sports Skills!]
Huh, another skill?
Water sports include swimming, diving, sailing, surfing, and stuff like that. It's a pretty practical life skill.
But Roy's a little confused. How did Heather get this skill? When they were playing on Santa Monica beach before, she didn't exactly seem like a great swimmer.
Then, Roy thought of a movie, Baywatch.
Alexandra Daddario was in that movie. The expert-level water sports skills must have come from Heather's alternate-world counterpart.
Not bad! Maybe next time they go swimming, he can trick Jennifer Niedy into making another bet with him!
(Alexandra Daddario in a still from Baywatch)
As of right now, Roy's stats are:
Roy Black
Nephilim
Strength: 46
Agility: 43
Constitution: 53
Memory: 38
Spirit: 48
Willpower: 50
Abilities: Mike Tyson's Boxing Skills, Bob Munden's Shooting Skills, Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin's Charisma, Sawyer Family Chainsaw Handling Skills, Key of Solomon, Thievery, Fear Domain, Trap Master, Lust Domain, Nightmare, Eye of Judgment, Touch of Darkness, Eye of Truth, Defiler, Assassin's Heart, Expert-Level Water Sports Skills
Items: Smith & Wesson M625 Revolver, Smith & Wesson M629 Ivory Edition Revolver, Ghost Face Mask, Used Yellow Chevrolet Camaro, Chainsaw Sword, Cursed Twin Daggers, Mason's Digital Camera, Cursed Hair, Baron Samedi, Remington M870, Perfect Blood, Shard of Original Sin (Lust), Shard of Original Sin (Greed)