“Vote for Boss… or else!”

“I hope you vote for the right candidate, if you know what’s good for you!”

“My fellow immortals, vote for Boss if you want to live forever!”

“Uhhh…Master, is it really a good idea to get the skeleton gang to campaign for you?” Kendra asked.

“This is the best way to make use of the excess manpower. Now quiet down, Kendra. Remember, we’re currently in a covert operation,” I said as I munched on a large bar of candy while holding a balloon up.

Kendra and I were at the Undying City’s largest harbor which was crowded and bustling with activity. Undead of every kind was already easy to spot when walking around the streets of the Undying City, but the variety was much more noticeable when they're grouped up in one place.

Why were all the undead here? Because today was the arrival of the Princess of the Kingdom of Angolia, Asha! According to the general public, Princess Asha was visiting every nation in the Continent in preparation for her eventual takeover of the Kingdom of Angolia. Of course, in reality, Asha was here because of something else entirely.

On the same angle, I was also here for private business. I swear, I'm not just touring around!

Thanks to the resources pooled in from the Skeleton Godfather’s gang, the city’s commissioners, and my companions, I was able to get an approximate location of the godfather I was hunting down.

“Hey, does Head Commissioner know that you busted the Skeleton Godfather out?” Kendra asked.

“No, I made a very convincing double to replace him temporarily,” I answered. “Have you found anything suspicious?”

“Nope. I can’t see anything.”

“Is it because you’re short?”

“Shut up.”

Still, I couldn’t blame Kendra. We only knew the approximate location of the target, but not who or what the godfather looked like. We just knew that this day was the only chance we could get him.

It could be that big skeleton, or that ugly spectral woman. It could even be this red-haired girl staring directly at me-

“Hello Uncle!”

“GAH?!” I squealed. “What in the name of me?! Asha?! What are you doing here?!”

“Don't be so loud, Uncle. I’m trying my best not to catch the attention of the public,” Asha warned as she pressed her finger against her lips. “I hate crowds, and I hate unnecessary attention more.”

“But you’re the de facto monarch of Angolia. You’re going to be talking to a lot of important people and going to a lot of social events,” I pointed out.

“Once I become the queen, I could just hide in my armory forever. Until then, I just need to survive.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” I shook my head and continued, “How did you find me?”

“You’re the only weirdo who would wear a clean set of white robes in broad daylight.”

I looked down and muttered to myself, “What's wrong with white robes?”

Kendra took a peek from my back and said, “Asha? Why are you here? Wait…If you’re here, then who’s-”

The already noisy harbor was joined by a loud fanfare announcing the arrival a fancy galleon lined with golden plates, bright red sails, and bronze lion statues. Black knights stood in formation on the ship’s deck, causing the crowd to be at awe.

When the ship stopped by the harbor’s pier, the boarding ramp was lowered. Everyone waited in anticipation for the arrival of the princess.

“Behold! It is I!” An armored black knight in a dress and red wig appeared from the deck. “Princess Asha of Angolia!”

I recognized that voice!

"You got Daggerless to substitute you?!" I asked Asha.

"By coincidence, he was also going to Gravia to settle matters with The Order. So I thought why not let him hitch a ride with me? Then I suddenly realized I could coax Daggerless into helping me by playing as my double.”

“How did you do that?”

“Well, I told him that if he gains a favor from me, Grandpa Sarjay might be more amicable to him,” Asha explained with a shrug.

“But Daggerless is… ugh…” I stopped myself as I looked back at Daggerless crossdressing as a princess.

The crowd was silent until Daggerless’ head was set ablaze with white flames. “Okay! Now behold - my head is on fire!”

“It is her!”

“Oooooh!”

“Princess Asha!”

“Is my identity really just a walking white fireball with red hair?” Asha groaned quietly.

“Will this really work?” Kendra questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“If it works, it works.” Asha shrugged. “Are you guys here to see me?”

“No. I’m here to nab a criminal leader for political gains,” I declared vehemently with a clenched fist.

“That sounds dark, but I’ll help you! Who’s the target?” Asha asked.

“We don’t know who or what he or she looks like. They could be that skeleton, or that zombie, or that giant blob of slime guarded by undead henchmen, or that spirit armor. It could be anyone!” I said.

“This’ll be tough…” Asha remarked.

It was impossible for me to just gauge the strength of the people around here because the hierarchy of the undead didn’t exist in Gravia. If only there was a way to tell the godfathers apart from the average peasant…

“Uh…Master, could it be that giant blob over there?” Kendra asked.

“What? How could you even tell? Is it because he wears a fancy suit, wears shades, and is surrounded by bodyguards consisted of undead slimes and abominations? That’s stereotyping, Kendra,” I chided.

Kendra massaged her forehead then snapped her fingers. Turning towards the direction of undead ooze, she shouted, “Skeleton gang rules!”

The giant blob immediately responded, shouting, “You little brat! We’ll show you the might of the abomination gang! After her, men!”

“So he is the godfather! Get him!” I ordered in response.

The skeletons hidden within the crowd burst forth into action, dropping their ‘Vote for Boss’ signs and their cotton candies. The clash between the two gangs caused the crowd to panic. Whether he realized that I was behind the chaos or not, Daggerless pointed at both gangs and shouted, “I pity the fools that disturbs my ceremony!”

After his sudden announcement, he leapt into the air and slammed into the mob of blobs and skeletons. The Angolian knights moved in to assist ‘Princess Asha’, and not long after, the city enforcers moved in.

The slime godfather made his escape, bouncing across the streets and the walls. I chased after him, sprinting through the crowd while avoiding the fights.

The labyrinth-like city proved to work in my favor, as I skipped through dark alleyways and deadends by using near-divine spells like spectral walking. I could use such spells liberally thanks to the thick essence of death in Gravia.

Cornering the Slime Godfather against a deadend, he finally turned to face me.

"At last, we have our final showdown, Mack!" the Slime Godfather shouted.

"Who the hell is Mack?" I asked.

"You're not Mack? The Skeleton Godfather?"

"His name is Mack?"

"Why do you skeletons all look the same?!" the Slime Godfather cursed. "So, who are you?!"

"I am Presidential-Candidate Boss! I am running for presidency!" I declared.

"Ah, I see. I have heard of your campaign from a pale boy. Regarding your market policy- No, wait! What do you want from me?!" the Slime Godfather asked loudly.

I took out a pair of handcuffs and raised it. "By order of the head commissioner, Head Commissioner Head Commissioner… you are under arrest!"

"Damn! So the head commissioner wants to get his second godfather, eh?! Does he not realize the consequences of his actions?!"

"I don't know, man. I just want to become the president, so quiet down and accept your fate!" I ordered as I moved in.

"Mack is helping you, isn't he?! A presidential-candidate working with a godfather?! Do you know what will happen if people get news about this?"

"Ha! I am an upstanding citizen that follows the law! Innocent until proven guilty! You'll have to prove that I work with… Mack before you could accuse me!" I declared as I finally got close enough to the giant blob.

"Tsk! Seems like you got me, President-Candidate. Go ahead and arrest me," the Slime Godfather sighed and raised his arms.

"Heh. At least you're smart enough to choose the easy way."

"But do you know how I've always managed to escape the law?"

"No. How?" I asked.

Without warning, the Slime Godfather exploded, covering the entire alleyway with goo. While most of the slime clung onto me, some scattered into every direction. It seemed that the Slime Godfather was actually inside a thick layer of slime, so it was something like a slime within a slime!

"You sucker! You’ll never get m- AARRRGHHG!"

The Slime Godfather's taunts were interrupted when the area was covered in white flames, trapping the godfather who was trying to escape in a ring of fire.

Asha appeared from the corner with a smile. The crown on her head burned with a mist-like fire, and her red eyes glowed.

"Good job, kid!" I praised with a thumbs up. Of course, I could've used my own spells to stop the godfather from escaping, but I always appreciate it when I didn't have to do any more work than necessary.

"Thanks, Uncle! All that training from grandpa paid off!"

With no way out, the Slime Godfather reformed in front of me. Out of desperation, he made an incantation but failed to cast his spell. "I-I can't teleport out of this place either!"

"Hoh? You know teleportation?" I grabbed onto the shrunken Slime Godfather and lifted him into the air. He quivered his entire body in fear. "I guess I can beat information out of you before I hand you over the city enforcers!"