Xiandre glanced around as Kaden lay dead on the ground.
Most people had already run. The only ones left were Amelia, Velmora, Alice, Fillia, Millie, Ruby, and a few other adventurers and citizens—barely anyone remained.
"That's cruel," Ruby muttered.
Xiandre pointed at the tavern.
"Let's go back inside. No one should be there," Xiandre said.
Suddenly, the controlled adventurers and citizens went wild. They began charging at Xiandre and his group, along with the remaining adventurers and citizens who were still alive but not yet controlled.
"Without a leader, they're all just walking zombies… That's what I told Kaden," Xiandre muttered to himself.
Amelia and the girls ran toward the tavern, fending off the charging adventurers and citizens as they moved.
Xiandre followed, while those who were still outside were either controlled—or killed.
Once inside, Xiandre and the girls locked the tavern doors and rushed up the stairs.
The adventurers outside had no consciousness anymore. They were just wild, mindless animals.
Xiandre and the others returned to their deluxe room, Ruby entering with them.
Xiandre walked toward the window and looked down.
Blood was everywhere. The sun had already gone down. The cold snow had begun to freeze the bodies on the ground, including Kaden's.
"I think it's time we attack the castle," Xiandre said. "The people who brought me here… shall suffer by my hand."
He turned to Fillia and Millie.
"You two… you were actually the true reasons I'm here. But it looks like I've forgiven you both. Don't I have a warm heart?" Xiandre said.
"We will always thank you for your mercy," Fillia responded.
"Heh… I guess you girls should always do," Xiandre replied, turning to the window and staring at the enormous castle in the distance.
"Maybe after this—after we get our revenge on them—why not?" Velmora said with a smile.
"Travel the world, together we will the smiling Reaper's, the Group that shall be known in history,"
"I would love that," Alice added, her voice filled with gentle cheer.
"I wouldn't mind… as long as I'm with you, Xiandre," Amelia said softly.
"I guess we shall rule this country after we defeat Father together..." Millie added.
"Together? Who told you that? You, Millie, along with Fillia and Alice, will stay here at the tavern."
"What!? Brother, no fair!" Alice exclaimed.
"Yeah! We want to fight too!" Millie shouted.
"Just them? What about me?!" Ruby cut in.
"You're coming with us. We need your help—as a guide to make sure we don't get lost inside the castle," Xiandre replied.
"Why not bring Millie or Fillia? They know it better than me!" she protested.
"I don't want them to get hurt," Xiandre answered.
"Then you think it's okay for me to get hurt?" she snapped back.
"...No, not really. But I just value them more than you," Xiandre replied bluntly. "Besides, don't you want to see the true side of the king? And The real reason I became the Smiling Reaper in the first place?"
"The holy knights said… back in their world, the Smiling Reaper hunted the most dangerous criminals. He never actually went after the good people—just the bad ones," Ruby replied quietly.
As the snowy breeze darkened into night, guards stood firmly at the capital castle's front gates. Not just them—over a hundred men were stationed on guard.
Suddenly, a massive gate opened in the sky, sweeping away the cold weather. The sky turned red as demons from Hell poured out of the gate.
Then, Lucifer emerged.
"Well, well, well... I'm actually looking for Xiandre right now. He really disrespected me during our last fight, and I can't let my pride take that," Lucifer exclaimed.
The guards watched but remained steady. King Dula sat on his throne, surrounded by over a thousand strong and powerful men—along with the Holy Knights inside the throne room.
The clouds began swirling in circles.
Through a massive window in the throne room, the Holy Knights rushed over to observe the chaos outside.
"THE SKY IS RED!" Sherl yelled.
Vin slapped the back of her head.
"We can see that, babe. Stop embarrassing yourself..." Vin said.
"What the heck!? How could you hit me like that!?" Sherl retorted.
"There they go again... seriously? Even at times like this?" Alex muttered, turning to Kath, who was smiling at the scene.
"Huh? What are you smiling at?" Alex asked.
"If Kian is truly the Smiling Reaper... then even if we get defeated, I bet he wouldn't have the guts to kill me. He's head over heels for me," Kath replied confidently.
"Babe... what are you saying..." Mike said from behind Kath, a sad look on his face.
Kath turned to him, placing her palms on his cheeks.
"Huhu... don't worry, Habibi. I just really like seeing your jealous face," Kath said playfully.
"Tsk. Then if I see Kian, I'll go kill him and torture him for putting his eyes on you—despite knowing I'm your one and only," Mike replied, eyes narrowed.
"Huhu, really? I like that attitude, love," Kath replied, then leaned in to kiss him—tongue to tongue—as Krist watched in disgust.
"Kath... you know there are so many people around us right now," Krist said flatly.
"So? Are you mad you never got to be with Louie? Huhu, I bet you are. You're just jealous that I have a boyfriend," Kath teased.
"Tsk. Kian also had a crush on me too, you know. He even confessed to me. I tore his heart like paper. Maybe you don't even know—I'm the cutest and prettiest girl in our class. Every man wants me. Why would I be jealous over a bitch like you?" Krist replied, her eyes full of pride.
Patricia watched the commotion from a distance when Kyla suddenly jumped behind her.
"Um... what is it?" Patricia asked.
"You're sooo cute, Patricia. Why don't you have a boyfriend?" Kyla asked.
"Eh? Boyfriend!? Um... well, that's because I'm not over 18 yet. I'm still 17," she replied.
"How boring. I got Paul when I was still 13," Kyla replied.
"That's because he was your classmate. You two can't even stop your horniness without each other," Patricia replied bluntly.
"These Holy Knights are capable of fighting. I'd like to see them fight," King Dula muttered. "And besides, if I were to fight now, it'd all be over. I want to see how this plays out first."
Neru stood on her balcony, looking down at the chaos below. Demons with red tridents were piercing citizens—children, elders, women—it didn't matter. Blood splattered everywhere.
Leviathan descended from the red sky's portal, growling as he held his spear. He wasn't even in his full serpent form, yet his power overflowed.
Citizens banged on the castle gates, begging to be let in as the demons tore through them outside.
Suddenly, the gates burst open as the demons charged inside.
The guards were highly trained and fought the demon army head-on.
As the blades of the first demons and guards clashed, the rumble began. Blood splattered everywhere. But the demons were superior—they broke through hundreds of guards like paper. Still, the guards remained confident.
They held their weapons high. Whether life or death, they didn't care. As long as they died as warriors.
From a distance, Xiandre watched the chaos. He stood on top of an empty house. The sky was dark red, and the snow, now soaked in blood, made it all the more sinister.
Amelia stood beside Xiandre, along with Ruby and Velmora. All of them wore their masks.
Xiandre pointed his sword toward the top of the castle.
There, on the top floor, he could see the throne room window—and the familiar faces of his former classmates.
Amelia also spotted them—her classmates, the ones who had abandoned her as well.
Xiandre sighed.
"There's no point in entering through the gates and climbing floor by floor. That would only slow us down," Xiandre said.
"Wait, what!? Then how are we supposed to ent—" Before Ruby could finish—
A massive skull of a dragon burst through the roof they were standing on.
"I call this... the Transportation Death Blaster. Cute, isn't it?" Amelia smiled.
"How can you call a creature with Death in its name cute?" Xiandre replied flatly.
"You're such a meanie!" Amelia pouted.
"Wait—what's happening!? Uahhh!" Ruby screamed as the Death Blaster launched them through the air.
Back in the throne room, Sherl stood by the window as the others discussed how to handle Xiandre's inevitable arrival.
BANG.
Through the window, Xiandre and his team crashed in. The skull blaster smashed into Sherl's head with such force that her skull cracked instantly—killing her.
Her body flew across the room, nearly hitting King Dula, who remained seated on his throne.
He grinned, watching the magnificent entrance of the Smiling Reapers.
"Well then... looks like I didn't have to wait long," King Dula said with a grin.
Alina was still in her and her husband's room, locked in divine chains. Suddenly, the door swung wide open.
"Mother!" Neru exclaimed.
"This divine chain... it's absorbing my life force. If it isn't taken off soon... I'll die," Alina muttered under her breath, as steam rose from the chains into the air.