9.81 meters per second squared.

32.2 feet per second squared.

Gravity within the world of Yolenos was set to the same value as that of earth.

How did Claire know this?

Because she could change it.

With the simple touch of her left demonic hand, and a single phrase exiting from her mouth, something so fundamental as the very magnitude of gravitational force exerted by the planet could change.

Therefore, at a height of approximately 50 meters in the air, it took just over 3 seconds for Kota's body to increase to a speed of around 30 meters per second.

With a nosedive into the plaza, his head exploded on impact, spraying the surrounding area with his blood.

At first, the people watched this scene with straight expressions, holding their breath as a man was killed before him.

Many did not know the transgressions of such a man, nor did Claire bother to explain them.

However, there was no reason for her to do so.

For she was a dictator.

A demon who could exert her tyrannical rule on all those underneath her.

Despite the remorseful statements of the man, he was killed before all.

Normally, such a message would terrorize the hearts of the people.

Normally.

Were this any other nation, her actions would be viewed with terror.

Were this any other nation, the people would be struck with fear.

However, this was the dictatorship.

And so, the people smiled.

'It would seem that her eminence has placed judgement on a man who offended her in the past.'

'How merciful of her.... to allow him such a simple death.'

'She truly is an angel.... even if she takes the form of a demon.'

The fishmen who had experienced the crimes of Kota and had forgiven him did not hold any fear towards Claire, but rather looked up to her with deep resolve.

'Determined..... you are our Queen. And if this is your decision..... then we accept it.'

To the rest, they merely stayed silent.

'He must have been a man worthy of such a fate.'

'We hold no right to question the actions of her eminence. Anything which she has decided to do is a decision which we must stand by without wavering.'

And with these thoughts filling the minds of the people, the angelic woman in demonic outfit spoke casually, with one hand on her chin.

"Could someone clean that up? I'd prefer that our streets be kept spotless of filth."

As she said this, she pointed down to the remains and blood splatter which lined the area underneath the thrones, and a female spiderling immediately ran over to the scene.

"Of course, your eminence."

She wore a hoodie which covered her entire body, and nothing more. With quick movements, she grabbed the body and in less than a second the entire area was cleaned of blood splatter.

Returning to her post after taking the body to be disposed of within the poison moats outside the town, her hoodie was now stained red with blood.

"Thank you."

Claire then stood up with a bright smile, looking down at the thousands who had gathered before her.

"Good morning, my slaves! I hope you all are doing well today!"

Shouting out with the energy of a young woman, not a single trace of the demonic aura stayed within the woman as she changed her demeanor from one to the other in mere moments.

"Just look at how many people have gathered..... all this for me? I'm flattered, really."

"They gathered because we commanded them to gather. What are you talking about?"

Two voices spoke from the same woman.

One was bright and cheerful, the other sinister and pessimistic.

"Ah, I suppose that's right. But even so, I should still thank you all. After all.... you chose to come here over your own deaths for disobeying my orders.... right?"

Speaking these horrible words with a grand smile, the people were not distraught in the least, filled with fervor for their queen.

"I guess? I feel like you're being waaay too optimistic here. I mean, normally people would pick living over dying, right?"

"Is that so? I suppose death is pretty painful, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

The woman spoke to herself as if she were mad, yet the people around her carefully listened to every word, trying to find the meaning behind each and every statement she made.

"Now then.... it would seem that today is the day that we set out for war, no?"

Closing her eyes with a bitter smile, Claire stepped forward.

Opening her eyes, she had resolved herself.

"I will not question the loyalty of anyone here. The fact that you have all surpassed the trials which myself and the antiheroes have given you is more than enough to conclude that you are all prepared for what is to come. However, I wish to make one thing clear."

Stepping forward, the woman placed her foot before herself, resting her hand on her hip as she made a declaration to all.

"I cannot guarantee that nothing will go wrong."

At this statement, tension filled the crowd.

Each and every person held absolute loyalty to the antiheroes and the Determined- the beings which they believed were by far the most powerful existences in this world.

Yet here she was, stating that something might go wrong.

"We have prepared ourselves to counter the abilities of the Hosts of Sin, and Theo has run a number of simulations to predict as many worst case scenarios as possible. Yet.... this may not be enough."

With resolved eyes, Claire looked forward.

"Their abilities are powerful, and the slightest slip up would lead to our defeat. These are opponents which even I cannot take lightly."

Many gulps were heard across the crowd.

If even the antiheroes and the Determined failed to defeat their foes, then the rest of the army would be doomed.

The entire battle depended on how things went between those at the top.

Thinning her eyes, a wicked smile came across the face of the Determined, her less energetic and more sensual voice speaking.

"But it is exactly for this reason..... that I believe they will make slaves of the highest quality."

And with this confident declaration, demented grins spread like a disease, and cackling laughter propagated through the crowds.

"Heh...."

"Hahaha....."

"Heh heh heh....."

Soon, thousands of people were laughing to themselves.

Men, women, and children.

"Hahaha....."

"Heh heh heh....."

"Hehehe....."

Holding out her arms, the angelic woman took something out of an interdimensional space.

It was a purple flag, with the hand of a demon crushing the heart of the world.

As it fluttered in the wind, the woman spoke for all to hear in demented tone.

"Do you see this flag, my slaves? Just how many hearts have already been crushed by us? Only a few more remain..... until I have gathered all the monsters and villains of this planet. And then..... we will destroy the one man whose existence.... taints this very world. Be silent."

The laughing of the people stopped.

"Now then.... I suppose I will give you all a choice here. It wouldn't be very fair to force you into something like this, so feel free to decide either way."

Jumping off the platform, Claire fell into a freefall.

She did not flap her wings, nor did she slow her descent.

Her speed increased as she fell, and she slammed into the pavement, her own body glitching out like a horrid mess before retaking its normal angelic state.

She landed on two feet as if nothing had happened, looking around at the thousands who surrounded her with a grin.

"Some..... know what it is to die. I myself..... understand well..... what it is to die."

Thinning her eyes, the woman spoke with spite.

"It is painful. It is tormenting. The feeling of your organs flopping out of your stomach.... the impact of a collision..... the coldness as your blood is drained from you..... and worst of all..... the unconcerned glare of the very one who brought about your death."

With disgusted expression, Claire said these things.

"Yet perhaps even worse than death..... is living. For death is nothing more than that which is on the end of that pain. It is only in living that we continue to suffer."

Walking forward, the girl took a look at two of her hands.

"And now..... I know what it is to be UNABLE to die."

With a sly smirk, the girl looked up.

"That's fine. If I am unable to die, then there is really only one thing I can do, right?"

Walking forth, Claire approached Coran, whose children were lined up around him.

Placing her hand on the head of a young girl, she spoke with a light smile.

"I'll live."

The girl giggled as she gave the angelic demon a bright smile back.

"Live, Determined!"

"Live!"

"Live!"

The children around began to shout out, cheering on this demon as they encouraged her to live.

"Of course. It's so simple. If I am unable to die..... then I will spend my life making it so that nobody else has to live in this horrid world."

Walking with her back to her people, Claire spread her arms.

"I'll tear everything apart. I'll destroy everything in this world. I'll rip up those who hurt others, and I'll make them suffer worse fates than imaginable. I'll make this wretched world into a place where the people who make living miserable..... will be forced to live miserably."

With a glare and a smile, Claire turned back to the people, flapping her wings as she flew to the skies.

"And for those who have lived their lives helping others..... for those who are willing to give themselves for the sake of others.... or even for those who simply go about their days, not bothering others..... for those decent, normal, selfless, or even self interested people..... for all of you who are merely trying to live.... I present you with a choice."

With a gorgeous smile, the demonic hand of the woman pushed aside a tuft of her beautiful silver hair as she spoke in her normal, gentle tone.

"If you do not wish to live in this world..... then you do not have to. And I will grant you that peace.... that you no longer have to live."

With wicked smile, the woman thinned her eyes as they became reddened.

Horns grew on her head, and her halo disappeared.

Her fangs grew long and her skin became the color of tar as if it were flowing through her body.

Her beautiful white feathered wings became corrupt and demented, like the withered branches of a tree.

And her expression, that of a true demon.

"And for anyone who wishes to continue living in this hell..... hahahaha... listen up, worthless insects. I'll make this world into hell..... I'll make it into a place so corrupted that you won't be able to know black from white. I'll make it into a place so horrid..... that the scum of the earth will beg me for death, wishing for nothing more than their end. But for everyone here.... for everyone who chooses to live....."

Instantly the woman changed back to her angelic self, smiling on all.

"I'll do my best to make it into a paradise."

And then, in unison, the two voices spoke together, resounding in the ears of all who listened.

"So? What will it be, slaves? Will you help me and myself in destroying this world?"

----

Cheers filled the arena.

They were not cheers of fear.

They were not cheers which came forth out of the terror of what would happen should someone not cheer.

They were cheers of true joy.

Tears fell from the eyes of the many people before the demon.

"Determined....."

"We... WE WILL HELP YOU!!!!"

"WE WILL CREATE THIS HELL!!!!!"

Every single person here had witnessed suffering to an extreme.

The fishmen who were killed and thrown into despair at the hands of Kota and Caspus.

The lizardmen who had been terrorized by the antiheroes, only to realize their true intentions.

The snakemen who underwent the tyrannical rule of the provider.

The people of Porta who had undergone or witnessed the disturbing treatment of Mrs. Fera.

The ratmen who had lived for years in a city plagued by gang warfare.

The mercenaries who had submitted themselves to the antiheroes.

The insectoids who had been engraved with loyalty towards their new 'Queen'.

Every single person here had been thrown around by life.

Every single person had undergone torment, trauma, and terror- some more than others.

And with the gorgeous woman standing before them, with her two personalities that represented the duality of her will, they were inspired.

One was cheerful and ready to take on the world itself.

The other demented and ready to destroy those who went against her.

One prepared to assist all who were in need.

And the other prepared to destroy those who harmed those in need.

Yet, they were one.

One and the same.

And it was because of this strange bipolar personality that the people were guided towards their true anger.

They held anger towards living itself.

Towards the cruel world which had thrown them about, taking them whichever way it pleased without concern for how much it rocked their minds.

They would be forced to pick themselves up and keep walking, no matter how rattled they were.

And now, they were faced with someone who was so fed up with it, that she was ready to stand before thousands- declaring war on fate itself.

"We love you, Determined!!!"

"Please lead us!!!!"

As they cried out in fervor, Claire fluttered into her seat, laughing to herself.

"Lead you? Protect you? Hahaha.... you all are so naive. I will use you until you are unusable."

"Please use us!!!!!!"

Even as the angel corrected the pleas of the people, they did not stop.

"We wish for your goals to be achieved.... at any cost!!!"

Closing her eyes with a light nod, Claire let out a sigh.

Whispering to herself so that only the antiheroes beside her could hear, she spoke lightly.

"I see..... you all have certainly done a great job in gathering loyal subjects."

"No..... that is not quite right."

Speaking in response, Trevor grinned to himself.

"While my efforts always bear fruit, I refuse to take credit where it is not my own to take. Determined..... you are the one who has rallied the hearts of these people. And it is for that reason.... that you will become their Queen."

"Ehh..... can't I become the queen?"

Ashley spoke with lazy eyes, barely even bothering to open her mouth.

"You mean that I should simply allow her to take over such a position? Theo, don't tell me you've fallen for her."

Samantha spoke in response as well, joking lightly, to which Trevor brushed back his well combed hair with his hand.

"Of course not. Even were that the case, romantic feelings should always be kept out of any decisions made for the sake of business..... and it is exactly for that reason which I have endorsed her over you. To put it simply, my woman, she has the ability to wield hearts in her hands, tearing and twisting until they have been pressed just enough to fulfill her intentions."

At this, Samantha nodded with a smug grin.

"Of course. But if you allowed your romantic feelings to come into play?", Samantha questioned.

"Then you would be the first pick without question.", Trevor replied without hesitation.

"I had bettered be.", Samantha stated with confidence.

At the interactions around her, Claire merely looked around with surprise.

"Do I really come off as such a wicked dominatrix!?", Claire shouted in protest.

"Isn't that what you were trying to do?", Trevor asked as he turned to her with a confused expression.

"EH!? It looked like I was trying to do that!?!?"

"The fact that you don't even realize yourself.... hahaha..... it merely shows just how natural it is for you."

Placing his hand to his forehead with a delighted smile, Trevor couldn't help but be impressed.

"Excellent... continue as you are, Determined. It's time to get this show on the road."

"But I still can't be queen?", Ashley whispered.

"You don't need to be anybody's queen but mine.", Garett replied as he ran his hand through her messy hair.

"Hehehe..... ok. Hey, when can I destroy everything Theo?"

"Not today it appears, if my own predictions are correct. Even so, stand by at the ready. It is your presence that will act as a critical piece in this showdown."

Looking around at the interactions, Claire couldn't help but smile.

"You all truly are.... good people. Perhaps unlike me. But even so.... haha..... let's go."

And so, the five stood up in unison.

"What are you talking about, Determined?", Garett responded to her whispering.

"Good people? We lost our souls the moment we entered this world."

----

In the early morning, Huberos lay in his bed.

It was dark out, however regardless of the time, that would always be the case.

The time was early- merely 6 am.

Sitting up, the indigo demon looked around as he woke himself.

'It would seem..... that I allowed myself to become too emotional over the deaths of those three.'

Cringing as he recalled his mad state the previous night, Huberos was filled with shame.

'To think that I would confide in a humanoid like that.... to lower myself in such a way.... hahaha.... how pathetic. Truly, that is the opposite of pride.'

Stepping out of the bed, he looked around before checking the clock by his bedside.

'However....'

He could not stop thinking about the beautiful face of that plant woman.

Her face had been etched into his mind, and he could not think about anything but her.

'There was something..... about her.'

After dressing himself and fixing his hair, Huberos stood forth.

He wore an indigo colored tuxedo, matching his own skin color. His tie was a dark shade of purple as well.

'Now even if my blood is to stain it, the color will not change.'

Feeling his own fangs, he realized that they had grown in just the night to an annoying length.

'I should trim them again, shouldn't I?'

Stepping out with class and elegance, he took every step with pride, heading towards the washroom.

As he exited the room, he was met with two demons.

One was white with black features, and the other black with white features.

"Chiora. Selna. Good morning."

"Good morning, Lord Huberos.", they said in unison with pleasant expressions and closed eyes.

Turning back, Huberos felt an odd tension in the air.

"Something.... is different. You two. Has something happened? Your demeanors.... seem to have changed."

It was the slightest change, something which would not be noticed by the average person.

The only difference was a strange feeling in the air, but as the Lord over the two, Huberos knew them well enough to sense the change.

"Ah! N-nothing, Lord Huberos!"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong. Is there anything we can do for you!?"

The two answered with shaken expressions, to which Huberos thinned his eyes.

"Excessively out of place. Did someone do something to you? Speak and I will have their head."

The women looked to one another, unsure how to reply to the questioning of their master.

"Well.... er.... it's nothing of concern, Lord Huberos. It's just..."

Chiora, the demon with snow white skin, fumbled with her words, folding her hands as she spoke.

"Spit it out. I don't have all day."

It was then that Selna, the one with pitch black skin, stepped forward, speaking in direct tone.

"Lord Huberos, what is your relationship with that plant woman who exited your room last night?"