An orange demon with eccentric spiked red hair flew through the skies, approaching an industrial city.

He wore sunglasses, and the skies were without even a single cloud, as if the very atmosphere itself had been removed from the area.

The air which he breathed in felt far cleaner than any place he had ever visited.

'Hm? I thought the air in my own city was clean, but this place is almost like a paradise.'

It was as if there was something purifying the air within the area, removing all impurities from it- to the point where Vex could literally feel the cleanliness.

Landing from his flight, Vex planted himself on the outskirts of the city- which bustled with life.

Even the outskirts were tightly packed with buildings. There seemed to be no suburban area. The city literally transformed from absolutely no civilization to a downtown landscape without any transition.

These buildings weren't quite as high as the ones in the center of the city, but they were just as closely packed.

Vex looked around to see that not many people were out and about in the streets.

'Looks like most people are working or something along those lines?'

Checking his watch, Vex smiled.

'It looks like I saved a good amount of time by ditching those others to attack on their own. I can spend a bit of time here and still make it back by tonight.'

With a single goal in mind, Vex walked through the empty city.

[Detect Wrath]

Waves of magical energy emanated from the demon, and he opened his eyes with an excited grin.

'Looks like they're over that way.... these ones aren't quite as wrathful as the last two villages. They're really shackled by their fear. It might take quite a bit to completely remove those shackles. But that's fine. I got time.'

Vex began making his way through the alleyways towards the direction of greatest wrath.

It appeared that the wrath had been gathered all in one area of the city.

'They've ganged up together? The people who don't approve of the antiheroes, that is. Makes my life so much easier.'

Putting his hands into the pockets of his striped suit, the loose tie which the demon wore swayed back and forth as he walked through the city like a mobster about to take on a gang.

'These cities were supposed to be for us to take over, but the antiheroes went and used the fact that we had a non expansion pact to take them in our stead. We can't have that. I'll show them a little something. Being attacked by those who they made enemies of is one thing....'

Noticing that the shoelace to his bright green sneaker was untied, Vex propped his foot onto a metallic wall and began to tie it.

'But just how will they feel if they're attacked by the very people they've taken over? Haha.'

----

An angel sat in a demonic throne, in an office building.

Her halo floated gently above her head, and her captivating smile beamed down on the three people who bowed before her.

Her angelic wings ever so lightly fluttered, producing an aura of grace and elegance.

This angel sat with her hands folded on the desk in front of her.

Her right hand was pure white, with delicate fingers.

Her left hand was pitch black, with the appearance of a tarlike fluid that bubbled, and veins streaking across the clawed deformity in this almost flawless being.

Next to her was a white mug filled with a dark brown fluid, which was so hot that steam emerged from it.

The angel grabbed the mug with her demonic hand and took a small sip before carefully placing it down with a smile.

"Ah.... after all, coffee is great! I'm so glad we were able to start producing it here!!"

The bliss which came over the angel as she drank the beverage produced smiles on the faces of the three who knelt before her.

One was a man with the appearance of a rat. The older man wore a monocle and leaned on a cane, with a fedora topping his head.

Speaking out in a concerned tone, the older gentlemen addressed the angel with the utmost respect.

"Your eminence, there has been unrest within certain areas of the city recently. It seems that all those who disagree with your rule have flocked to one factory in particular, and they are awaiting this savior which they have created within their own minds. Should something not be done about this?"

The angel put one hand to her cheek, pressing into it with her index finger as she looked to the ceiling in thought.

"Not yet. I have been informed of something recently by the antiheroes."

Looking up with surprise, the three intently awaited the words of the angel.

In the center was a ferret woman who currently wore a leopard mink and a dress with high heels. This woman had submission and awe in her expression, yet her appearance would suggest otherwise.

Her bright red eyes looked with patience and hope into the eyes of the angel before her. She was ready to treasure each and every word which came from the angelic mouth of her master.

"A hero will appear soon. To be more accurate, someone who will take the spot of the hero."

Looking down with sadness, the angel's wings seemed to slump.

"I've realized something since coming to this world."

Puckering her lips with a bitter expression, the angel rested her head on her own angelic arm, her hair swaying to the side as she looked out the window into the city.

"If you want to do anything heroic, you won't be seen as a hero. People will hate you. There will be those who are jealous or don't agree with what you do, and they'll try to make it look like you're doing the wrong thing."

The three before the angel were filled with compassion for their leader, wondering just what trials and challenges she had to overcome in her life to be filled with such a solemn regret.

"If you want to be seen as a hero, you have to give up any and all moral values. There is a certain saying where I come from. What's the difference between a great leader and a good liar?"

Closing her eyes, the girl brushed aside a lock of her silver hair, looking into the distance as she whispered.

"If we knew that, then we wouldn't have as many problems as we do."

"I fail to understand. Could you explain further?"

The one who said this was a dark grey gerbil humanoid, who had a mechanical arm and leg.

These limbs were once bronze and clattered with every motion, yet it had been replaced with a sleek silver model that didn't creak in the slightest as she moved freely.

This girl wore a cap with a set of goggles and a leather suit hiding two blades within her sleeves.

The angel looked forward with a smile, clearly pleased with the three in front of her.

"What it really means is that everyone who is thought of as a good leader is really just good at covering up their flaws and hiding corruption."

The eye of the angelic figure seemed to twitch as if she remembered one man in particular as she said this.

"Understood. What shall be done then?", the gerbil woman asked.

"We wait for this hero to rise up. And then I play the role of the villain, and beat him down."

"Are you really willing to sacrifice your image for the sake of what you consider to be right, your eminence?", the older man asked.

With a childish smile, the angel responded immediately.

"Of course! I don't want to be seen as a hero anymore. I just want to do what I can to help people, even if they aren't thankful. That's all."

The older man bit his lip as she said this.

"You are truly a leader beyond imagination, your eminence."

"I learned this from my comrades, so thank them. Not me. I'm just following their example."

With the wave of her hand, the angel dismissed the three.

"Continue watching and make sure to let me know if anything happens, ok? I don't want any events to slip by me. And if there's any fighting, then I want to take care of it myself so that nobody has to get hurt."

"As you order, your eminence.", the three responded simultaneously as they stood up to leave.

The angel then pulled out a stack of paperwork and plopped it on the desk before her with a light sigh.

"This is the most annoying part of ruling. But it has to be done. At least I have some coffee to drink while I work now!"

----

Since the time which that demonic figure had boldly declared that the city of the ratmen was her own to rule, things had been strangely peaceful.

Even after those demons calling themselves the antiheroes had destroyed the factories, new ones had popped up as if nothing had ever happened.

The smog had been removed from the atmosphere, and these newer factories produced no such contamination, and so the air which the people of the city breathed was cleaner and fresher than that which they had ever experienced.

Mining operations had been automated, and the efficiency of the factories had been boosted by tenfold, allowing many laborers to reallocate their own work elsewhere.

It was strange, and many people of the ratmen village could not understand why.

They left the arena on that day believing that the end was near, with a demon having taken the reins over the city, yet instead everything had improved significantly.

Some believed that the demon was merely waiting to make one final move, but as time passed the people began to wonder what was truly going on.

Eventually, people started believing that perhaps the demon who took over the city had no intention of destroying it, and merely wished to rule over it as a dictator.

This did not explain the new factories, and so some came to the conclusion that perhaps it actually was the demons who took over who created the newfound factories.

'After all, they were capable of so much.'

'Who is to say they couldn't do something like that?'

A number of people however came to a far different conclusion.

'Why would they do something like that though!? It makes no sense at all, and goes against everything they said and did on that day.'

'That's right. It couldn't have been them.'

'Then who could it have been?'

An unknown third party must have been involved somehow.

'A savior was the one who did it.'

'Someone who's power rivals, or perhaps even exceeds those demons.'

'Someone must be keeping that demon at bay. She probably desires to destroy everything in this city, but this savior is keeping her from doing so!!'

'It is because of this savior that we have been able to go back to work, and that the food reserves throughout the city have increased by so much!!!'

With this line of thinking, a third party had come into existence in the minds of many. It would have been inconceivable for the demons who destroyed everything and slaughtered so many to have built up these factories.

The very fact that anyone could do something like this in the first place was amazing enough, but the fact that such things were happening was proof that it was possible for someone- whoever it may be.

Nerdro was one such person who believed that this savior had been keeping the demons at bay.

'I don't know who you are or why you haven't shown your face, but clearly there is someone out there protecting us.'

A number of messages had been distributed throughout the town in secret.

The message which was sent instructed those who disagreed with the demon in control to make their way to a certain factory.

'As to why these messages haven't reached the ears of the demon in charge.... I can only think that the savior prevented it from happening. If that demon knew, she would be on the doorstep for certain, ready to slaughter all of us.'

Nerdro, a built hamster humanoid, was currently inside a factory, working at a conveyor belt.

Lines of cheese seemed to flow from outside an oven on a conveyor belt, which Nerdro would then move onto another conveyor belt to be packaged.

'But to think that some people would go and think that those demons created these factories... tch!'

"Nerdro, what's wrong? Your hands aren't moving as fast. That's an awful expression you got there. Thinking about your girl again?"

A ferret with a kind expression prodded Nerdro.

"Not that. I just can't help but be angry that anyone would think that demon could do anything good like build these factories."

Looking down, the ferret held a bitter expression.

"Our boss was one crazy bitch, but that demon.... she was even more insane. It was your girl who got tortured by our boss, right? I need to apologize for that."

"It isn't your fault. It's the fault of that boss of yours. But that demon.... you said she accepted your boss without a second thought? Hah. Fitting for a demon to take on another monster as her own subordinate."

"More or less. I'm surprised that nothing has happened yet. The savior must really be putting in work to prevent things from getting worse."

"Damn right."

The two continued their work as they spoke, bitter expressions on their faces.

"So you didn't end up going to fight the demons when they offered?"

"Neither did you. I wouldn't fight someone who I don't stand any chance against."

Memories flowed through Nerdro of being held to gunpoint, surrounded by ferrets as his own woman was kidnapped.

He recalled the desperate pleas of the gerbil to not leave her alone, and his own pathetic scene of running away.

"She hates me now. It's all because your boss ordered your subordinates to kidnap her. Her sister will probably kill me if I show my face in front of her. I mean, of course I would run.... I would've just died if I hadn't..."

Nerdro continued his work with an expression of self assurance as he told himself that he did the natural thing.

He did what anyone else would do.

"Nobody would just fight an unwinnable battle if they can save themselves. What's the point!?! There is no point!!!"

"Calm down, Nerdro. I know that you've got a whole lot of reason to hate our boss and your ex for rejecting you after something like that, but you gotto focus on the positive here. The savior is fighting for our sake against that demon who has taken all of those people underneath her."

"Yeah. That's right."

A smile drew itself across the face of Nerdro.

"He'll surely come someday. The one who built these factories, and the one who will save this city."

----

Vex walked through the city, headed towards the location which had been pinpointed.

"Let's seeeeee.... that direction, huh? There really aren't many people in these streets. Everyone's gotto be working after all."

Vex lamented that nobody was around to witness his stylish shoes and glasses, but continued lightheartedly making his way through the town.

He trodded through a few alleys until eventually reaching a certain building which looked significantly different from all the others around it.

While most buildings were made from some sort of bronze material, this one was made from a sleek aluminum, and appeared to be much cleaner and newer than all the others.

It was a factory, and it sputtered with life.

"Oh? Everyone is inside here, eh? Alright."

Checking his watch once again, Vex stepped up to the entrance and knocked on the door.

"Anybody here? Maintenance!! I'm here to fix up this city!"

Vex reached for the door handle, but it was quickly opened by a man who looked to be a human with the features of a rat.

"Maintenance? I don't remember ca-"

The rat seemed to speak casually until seeing the demon standing at the door, at which he fell backwards in surprise and horror.

"D-d-d-d.... demon!!! What are you doing here!?!?!"

At the screams of the foreman, all work ceased and every person within the massive factory focused their eyes on the entrance.

"Demon?"

"Did he say a demon has shown up here!?!?"

"Is he working for the Determined!?!?!"

"AGH!!!! WE'VE BEEN CAUGHT!!!"

"He's been sent to kill us all!! After all, things were too peaceful!"

The people within the factory went into a frenzy, but Vex simply smiled.

"Calm down. Did you just say the Determined? The one who is said to lead the antiheroes? I ain't workin' with her. I'm here to kill her."

The people who were visibly panicking ceased their breakdown and stared at the demon with confusion.

"Kill..."

"The Determined?"

Noticing the change in the mood, Vex stepped forward, displaying his own sneakers brashly.

"Yep. Nice to meet you all. Name is Vex, head of the house of wrath. We've decided that the antiheroes and the Determined are threatening our positions as the most powerful beings in the realm. We have to kick em down a notch."

Silence filled the room as Vex walked into the factory, the only sound being the squeaking of his sneakers on the metallic floor.

"So? Wanna team up with me and take em down?"

A pin could have been heard dropping as Vex stopped in the center of the factory, looking around at the faces of all, but one voice in particular spoke up.

"Are you.... the savior?"

"Are you the one who has been holding the Determined at bay?"

"Are you the one who has prevented her from killing us all?"

"Are you the one who built these factories and allowed us to continue our lives as normal?"

Vex was flooded with questions as the people around him looked towards him with hope.

'Didn't expect this, but I'll play along.'

Vex brought his hand to his chest, arrogantly taking the credit for all these things which he had no knowledge of.

"YEP! That was all me!!"

"The savior..."

"He's appeared...."

"In the form of a demon...."

"So the demon who takes over the town can take the form of an angel, and the angel who appears to save it can take the form of a demon....."

The people began to flood into the center of the factory, surrounding Vex.

"You will help us to defeat the Determined?"

"You'll help us overthrow that demon from her throne!?!?"

With a grin, Vex pushed up his sunglasses and checked his watch.

"Oh yeah. And we'll have it done before sunset."

"Before the ball of fire in the sky disappears...."

"I can't believe it...."

"The savior really has appeared...."

Many of the men began to cry with joy, relieved that their lives had been saved from the demon who destroyed everything.

The situation of the city was far worse before the demon had appeared, but they did not accredit the improvements to the demon who took over. Rather, all the credit was given to this demon before them.

"Thank you!!!"

"Thank you so much, Vex!!!"

"To think a house leader would end up saving our people.... I misunderstood your kind!!!"

"Forgive us for believing that all demons were evil, Vex!!!"

Waving the statements of the people off, Vex took a seat in a chair, propping his sneakers up before him.

"No sweat. So? Give me more details. I want to hear everything you know."