When Stephen opened his eyes again he was in the middle of the central plaza — below the rooftop he had seen previously. A beautiful stone fountain decorated with multiple statues of sea creatures stood in the center of the gorgeous plaza. Faucets were embedded into the mouths of these creatures, spewing water into the basin below. 

The sound of trickling water and the colorful lights that glistened as they were reflected off the surface of the water created a tranquil and calming ambiance. 

That impression only lasted a second. Stephen blinked and noticed splotches of red were swirling about in the water. The scent that assaulted his nose was completely putrid as well. Stephen gagged a little and had to grab his knees to stop himself from wobbling. 

‘Where am I? How long was I out? Is any of this even real?’

His mind raced with questions, but his mind couldn’t even focus. As if he had been awoken from a deep slumber, Stephen’s thoughts drifted without form. 

There was a shift in the air. It was as if all senses had become subdued. Everything was eerily silent except for some very light, rhythmic steps. The soft sounds roared in Stephen’s ears. Feeling like they would rupture, he wanted to move his hands to cover them. However, he couldn’t move them.

Stephen could taste his own saliva in his throat. He couldn’t even swallow. 

‘Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t fucking look!’

Stephen tightened every muscle in his body, but the resistance was futile. Unable to turn his head, his eye darted to the periphery and caught sight of the figure. It was the girl he saw from the back of the bus. It was also the calamity that he saw slaughtering hundreds of students. He could not logically think about what was happening. 

‘Move. Move. Move. Move. Move.’ He could only scream in his head.

It was too late. He was frozen in place. It felt like he was choking on his own heavy breath. Meanwhile, his eyes dilated like crazy as the figure went in and out of his view. A black dress fluttered to the beat of the figure's rhythmic steps. 

The figure was dancing. It didn’t just appear that way. She was literally dancing and the area around her was her stage. Having been to many balls and parties, it was the most beautiful movement he had ever seen. 

The rampant emotions that were flooding through Stephen didn’t blunten this impression in the slightest. He could feel his own mind battling over these various sensations. 

As time continued on Stephen even felt like he was forgetting an important truth. No, perhaps he was trying to forget reality. 

The girl that had appeared was indeed the same monster from the security footage. He had subconsciously tried to push those images out of his mind. The casual death and destruction, he had to push it out if he wanted to remain sane. 

No, that wasn’t quite right either. Stephen had seen such sights often. Death, pain, and despair were very familiar concepts to him. The difference was the utter hopelessness of it. He was an ant — less than an ant. A mere thought, a mere whim meant death. It was a certain truth that couldn’t be defied. 

Stephen’s survival instincts were suffocating. Permutation after permutation, countless options analyzed, and all the roads ended in gruesome death. The experience of these repeated deaths filled his lungs. He was drowning. He had to forget reality. 

Yet, the calamity was here: pale skin, silver gray hair, heterochromatic eyes of blue and pink, two black horns, and a small child-like figure.

The Sixth Demon Lord was in front of his eyes. 

The Prince of Undeath, the one who would herald the destruction of multiple worlds. 

“Hi ya~~~” The girl stopped dancing and waved at Stephen. She had black nails that were quite sharp. Still, he couldn’t move. 

The girl raised her brows and puffed out her chubby cheeks, “You’ve been thinking some rude thoughts haven’t ya?

Her frown deepened. With each increasing increment of dissatisfaction, the pressure on Stephen intensified. He felt it in his bones. They were going to snap. He felt it in his eyes. Blood pooled behind them; they were going to pop. 

The world itself was beginning to reject Stephen. Was it all because of guilt? 

“Why does no one answer me?” 

‘Because no one can hear you…’ Stephen himself couldn’t hear the girl. He just saw her mouth move, but no sound came out of it. Their level of existence was incompatible. Stephen had to pretty much guess what the girl was saying.

The girl frowned and then clapped her hand. When there was still no response, she waved her hand directly in front of Stephen’s face. Because of her height, she had to strain her body and use the very tips of her toes. Even then she had to stretch out her arm. 

The Sixth Demon Lord was undoubtedly cute. Just like how the dance appeared beautiful, this impression couldn’t be blunted. She was loved by the world and no matter what state she appeared in there was a wholesome quality to it. 

Yet, reality still existed. The girl had previously waved at him from the otherside of the plaza and before Stephen would have been able to even blink she had disappeared and was directly in front of him. This fact was terrifying. 

So, when the girl stretched out her hand towards him, it felt like it would casually pierce his flesh. He could almost feel it gorging out his eyes.

Stephen realized his hand was unwittingly on his waist. It rested on the handle of his knife. By reflex, he tried to tighten his fingers, and instantly he lost all feeling on the right side of his body. 

Frozen, he watched his own arm fly into the distance. Warm blood splattered everywhere.

“Naughty. Naughty.” The girl licked her frowning lips. Her teeth were even sharper than her nails.

Despite the playful words, she leaned back as if she was actually offended. “I don’t bite…”

“...”

“How boring. Miss Boing Boing said I could have fun tonight… Did she lie again?”

Her glowing eyes drifted to the corpses a short ways away. It was unceremonious; the lifeless corpses were simply piled on top of each other against the cold, hard ground. She sighed with pursed lips. 

“I thought you would be more fun than the Hero. I guess it was a waste inviting you here.”

The girl sighed again. Stephen gnashed his teeth together. 

It hurts. Can’t fight. Can’t run. Can’t talk. Play. She wants to play. We can dance? It fucking hurts. Ask her to dance. Idiot. Bastard. Ask her to dance. Dance. Dance. Dance.

A cold voice roared through Stephen’s mind. It screamed out. Like icicles in his mind, his thoughts cleared slightly. He could barely move the tips of his fingers. 

Somehow Stephen activated his muscle memory and managed to bend at a 90 degree angle. 

Just treat it like kissing ass. Smile politely.  

“D-dance…” Blood dripped down Stephen’s lips.

“Hmm.” The girl drew closer. It felt like she was pointing to herself. 

“M-mi… lady…”

“Silly, you will need two arms if you want to dance.” She laughed, “Hmm, give me a second.”

“O-okay…”

The girl disappeared and then came back swinging something in her arm. She pressed something against Stephen’s shoulder. It was hot and there was a weird sound. 

‘Oh, that is me.’ 

Stephen continued to scream. However, his mind tried to escape the pain. It was like he was watching his own body as it withered about. 

“Shh.” The girl put a finger on his lips and he couldn’t even scream anymore. It somehow made the pain much worse.

The unbearable pain felt like it lasted an eternity. 

“Ta da! All better!” The girl clapped her hands together with a smug expression.

In reality only a moment had passed. Stephen's knees crashed into the ground and he almost blacked out. A mix of vomit and blood dripped down his mouth.

Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. 

The girl held out her hand. He barely managed to grab it. It was soft, but when she pulled him up and towards her, he felt like his arm was about to be pulled off. At the very least, there was undoubtedly a snapping sound. 

Relax. Relax. Relax. Relax. 

Stephen’s heart raced, but he left everything to memory. As a man that trained his body, Stephen was regarded as an attractive figure. Many noble ladies forced him to go to countless balls, parties, and dances. Perhaps, those painful experiences would save him here. 

Yet, right from the start Stephen made a mistake. He couldn’t control his body the way he wanted. Dread filled him. 

“Heheheh.” The girl giggled, “You stepped on my foot~~~!” 

Stephen continued the motions without thinking. He extended his arm out and the girl twirled at his arm’s reach. She was smiling and holding her stomach, completely laughing at this point. 

Although sweat continued to build on Stephen’s body, to the point he felt like he could even see it flying into the night-like air, he didn’t stop moving. His face muscles worked to hold the smile on his face. He made sure his eyes were engaged. 

Everything else was pretty much automatic. Take a step forward here. Take a step back there. Pull her close, spin her around, lift her in the air. Amongst countless bodies, the two figures  danced all around the fountain. 

Of course, there was nothing romantic about the movements. It was more like a father or an older brother doting on a younger relative. 

That said, if one could hear Stephen’s mental screaming then the scene would be completely ruined. 

When the dance came to a close, Stephen bowed as etiquette dictated. He lightly kissed the tip of her fingers. 

“Much better than that lame Hero!” The Demon Lord proclaimed with a wide grin. However, it didn’t take longer for her expression to darken. She took a few steps back and looked towards the ground. A self deprecating laugh escaped her lips.

“Milady…”

The girl's cheeks puffed up and she burst out laughing. “Miss Boing Boing would be very surprised. She always complains I’m unladylike… Bleh.” 

She wiped the tears building in her eyes. 

“Miss Boing Boing?” Stephen’s head was still swimming, so he repeated her words without context. 

“Ah. She got massive melons!” 

“Melons?”

“You know serious honkers.”

“Honkers?” 

“Absolutely humongous!” Her arms went wide. 

“...” 

“You know a real set of badonkers.” She made a popping sound with her mouth.

“...”

While getting closer, the girl cupped her hand over her mouth — like she was telling Stephen a secret. 

“You know, sometimes I make her wear a maid outfit.” The Sixth Demon Lord then retreated back. She pushed on her nose with her thumb. Pride was evident in her expression. Perhaps, this was the Sixth Demon Lord’s true personality. 

“Maid? What?”

“Bullshit.” Unexpectedly a vulgar word left the little girl’s mouth. Her eyebrows raised. “You don’t know what a maid outfit is?” 

“Some people call me a maid.” Stephen once again answered, unaware of what words were actually leaving his own mouth. 

“Shocking gasp!” 

“...”

Silence ensured and the girl once again played with her fingers. “Umm, can I ask you something… big sis?”

“Brother.”

“Confused.”

“I’m a man.”

“Shocking gasp!” She wore a bewildered expression then muttered, “But he is so pretty.” 

“...?”

“Pretty man?”

“Yes?”

“Pretty b-big brother?”

“Ugh, yes?”

“So, I can call you big brother?”

“Yes?”

A giddy laugh left the girl’s mouth.

“Is that what you wanted to ask?”

“W-will, big brother play with me… ugh… again… some time?”

“...”

“The demons… can be soooooooooo boring… sometimes… I mean most of the time.” Her voice grew more and more anxious.

By reflex Stephen smiled. “Sure.” 

A giddy laugh left the girl’s mouth. She then began to float in the air. She flew to the side of Stephen’s neck and bit into it.

“Didn’t you say…” Stephen's mind and vision blacked out. The last thing he heard was her apologizing. 

Some dark, ominous energy settled in what felt like the middle of Stephen’s belly. It occasionally came in contact with a golden energy that was already there. The two forces opposed each other, but neither could dominate the other. Eventually the two forces settled down in opposite corners of Stephen’s stomach.