“Ugh. My head…what time is it?” Alrich said while yawning and blocking the sunlight penetrating from the window. He cracked his neck before stretching his arms and legs. Standing up, he gazes outside the window and the memories of him being kidnap returned once more as he quickly checked his body for injuries only for him to notice a bandage wrapping around his arm. He slowly unwraps it to reveal fair skin without any gashes, wounds, or even a scar.

A knock on the door surprised him as he jolted while raising his arms just in case it’s an enemy but it’s Melissa who stared at him coldly.

“Lady Cellica is calling for everyone to head to the living room” she said before leaving and slamming the door shut. Without anything else important to do, he decided to head to the living room.

Once in front of the white door of the living room, an aura of intimidation and anger emanates. He hesitated but he was more determined to be not a piece of useless baggage on the team as the door creaks open. Everyone’s gaze was instantly directed at him as he smiled nervously. He’s quite scared that they might blame him for his mistake of being kidnapped and that he will be tossed away once more. Noticing that it’s Alrich, they removed their intense gaze and glare at him as he sighs a big relief.

Weirdly enough, Isaac is not here as he was always with Kyle and he’s not the type to be always late. He grabbed a sit from the far corner of the table as he calmly surveyed their expressions. Kyle’s usual cheeky smile is gone and replaced with a frown while Cellica looked sicker and tired with large black eyebags in her eyes and lastly, Melissa looked like every emotion was gone from her body. This suffocating silence remained for the next 15 minutes as everyone didn’t open their mouths or even make a sound.

The door swings open with the butlers delivering food to everyone as even that, the only sound leaking out is the forks and spoon hitting the meats and vegetables while occasionally hitting the plate. Noticing this, something must have happened for them to not even speak, insult or create a plan and Alrich doesn’t have the audacity to ask.

Suddenly, the door opens once more to reveal Isaac wielding the katana in his hands. He was wearing a black suit and black pants that were not sullied with dirt. Terrifyingly, Melissa jumped from her seat with her fiery hair moving wildly while fangs and claws were ready to rip Isaac to pieces. Alrich tried stopping her as Isaac might retaliate but he was too late. Melissa’s claw ripped Isaac’s chest as a 3 large gash appeared and his blood is dripping to the floor before she grabbed his arms, twisting it before pulling it in the bloody fashion. Everyone winces in pain, shock, and disgust as they quickly grabbed Melissa’s arms to stop her from attacking Isaac.

Blood flooded the room and the smell was nauseating and while his arms cruelly torn off from his shoulders, he didn’t even grunt, wince, or even changed his expression as a red mist surrounded his body. He crouched down and grabbed his arms before sticking it back to his shoulder as every part of his injuries healed and returned back to normal. The red mist slowly faded to a grey mist as Isaac clicked his tongue in annoyance. The ripped suit also annoyed him as he sighed and decided to sit in one of the chairs facing Alrich.

“I hope you don’t do that again. It will not bring him back and it will only annoy me. I hunted every single monster i’ve seen only for that effort to be gone in a matter of seconds” he said cruelly and without remorse for what he did.

“Y-you!” Cellica was shocked and terrified at first but was he said infuriated her to the next level as she wanted to kill him immediately where he sat. What pained her the most was the fact that he didn’t even look guilty of it and mocked what Melissa did and feels. It was like he just killed someone insignificant to her and that her retaliation and anger were unfounded.

“Stop already. I’ve grown tired of your angry shouting that it is quite tiring to hear” Isaac sighed

“Everyone calmed down! Listen, Isaac, i would appreciate it if you answer me this” Kyle said while pricking Melissa with a needle coated with sleep-inducing potion as she falls to the floor asleep. Cellica gazed sadly at Melissa as she carried her to the chair while holding her to stop her from falling.

“Did the ego inside your katana influenced you, tempted you, or promised you something? Answer me honestly or i might have to hurt you” Kyle threatened while revealing the black spear. Isaac’s katana trembled excitedly as a woman’s voice erupted in the room.

“Of course i did, but this demon of a man used me instead! He only wanted my techniques, skills, and tricks so he can grow stronger while promising me things that he won’t do or give.” instead of Isaac speaking she said angrily and with clear frustration on her tone. It seems that she was the victim being used by her master. It was the first time he has seen this behavior coming from the ego. A muffled sniffle and sobs followed inside the katana and although sounding fake, the frustration and anger were clearly apparent.

“We should really find you some Ustrium sheath so that ego will stop with her ramblings. I wish Cellica can do this for us.” Kyle said with a helpless smile as he stared and waited for Cellica’s answer,

“Forgive me, i must bring Melissa with me. It would be inconvenient to let her stay here” Cellica says coldly as she carries Melissa with the help of other maids outside the room.

“Dammit! Now what?! At first, it’s fine that you just insulted them but you literally killed Melissa’s brother! He was supposed to survive longer!” Kyle shouted angrily at Isaac.

“Hey, don’t ignore me!. I don’t appreciate you giving the idea of having an Ustrium sheath to cover my cage. I’m the more benevolent and helpful egos you can ever find” she said cheerily and proudly.

“We literally can’t turn this around. We needed their cooperation and now we are even lucky that they are letting us stay here. They might try to find a pledge breaker to break the contract and kill us.” Kyle sighed while grabbing his head in frustration. He just ignored whatever the ego said as most of it is irrelevant for him. A pledge breaker is a taboo class that only a rare amount of people obtained. Despite being a forbidden and taboo class, they are protected by the human nobles and the evil organization called the ashen order.

“Listen, i also didn’t want that to happen. Although i didn’t regret it, it was never intentional. I would be dead by now by decapitation if not for this ego’s help.” Isaac said calmly.

“An ego helped you?! She must have other plans that needed you alive and just a reminder. She was the one who put you to that extreme torture.” Kyle was absolutely fuming in anger. He has never heard of a benevolent ego or even a helpful one. His belief that every ego is a lying, tempting and malevolent being hellbent on controlling the wielder of their weapon should be sealed forever is quite strong.

“I know, but if i didn’t get forced by the Demerion Kingdom. I wouldn’t be tortured either” Isaac says coldly and seeing that he was too trusting of the ego. He wielded his spear in an attempt to grab the katana only for it to float towards Isaac’s hand.

“It doesn’t mean that it’s not her fault. It only means that both of them are the same. I would get revenge but seeing that there’s no way to kill her. I would continue using her for my own goals. " Isaac bluntly said as the both of them stared at each other dangerously. A spark may ignite a fight between them. A clashing of beliefs is one of the things that can sever relationships. Isaac’s belief that as long as it’s useful and he can control it, he’s willing to listen and continue using it despite coming from an evil being as opposed to Kyle’s absolute wish for the destruction of all egos as no usefulness and helpfulness can supplement the risk of being controlled.

“Fine…since you’re pretty adamant about this, i would rather not argue with you. Just make sure that you’re pet stays humble and quiet throughout this night’s banquet. " Kyle sighs. Fighting and arguing won’t get anywhere and seeing that Isaac is as stubborn as himself, it would only lead to animosity between the two of them.

“Pet?! I let you know that i’m the last pure progenitor of the vampires and the strongest ruler ever!” she shouted angrily like her pride has been severely hurt.

“If you’re the strongest then why are you sealed in this weapon?” Isaac asked bluntly as Kyle takes an interest in this peculiar ego.

“I-i…umm…i was surrounded! it was 1 vs 1000!” she said with awkward pauses that Isaac and Kyle doubt what she said.

“The true strongest would never lose despite the number of enemies.” Kyle said with a teasing smile.

“Well…i…um…you’re lucky that i’m sealed heer or i would blow you up like a bloody firework!” she shouted back before the katana grew silent and its vehement shaking stopped. Isaac looked at Kyle confusedly.

“Are egos this stupid? or something? I’m worried that my ego is quite a retard compared to others” Isaac asked with concern that Kyle doesn’t know if his concern is genuine or not.

“Now that i know her background and who she is. Then yes. She’s quite a stupid evil if you say. She was naive and overly confident in herself before but now. After years and years of torment and controlling others. I’m sure it’s just one of her facades to hide something more sinister” Kyle warned seriously.

“I see. I know that they can’t be trusted but that doesn’t mean they aren’t beneficial. Isn’t our purpose of being the wielders of these cursed sacred weapons is to cleanse and gain control over the egos to turn it into a sol?” Isaac asked that even Kyle was surprised. This information was never revealed before the death of the demon king and now Isaac knows about it.

“How do you know about it?” Kyle asked but Isaac only pointed in his eyes. Kyle gazed around the room to still see Alrich sitting there awkwardly and nervously like he wasn’t supposed to hear any of it.

“We should take a rest since this banquet might be more troubling than i anticipated. You should also take the spare red suit that has been given to us by Cellica before. It’s in the cabinet. Also, the both of you need to head here during dinner to discuss every information i gathered” Kyle informed as the three of them leaves the room and headed to their separate rooms to rest.

In the dusk, the living room is again full of silence with the 5 of them either glaring, staring, or focusing on the food. Alrich is still not used to this and seeing what happened earlier, he was more than ready to stop if someone tried attacking one another. Cellica looked like the signs of fatigue and lack of sleep like the eye bags are gone and her cheeks are rosy red but her eyes remain emotionless as she eats the food like a robot. Melissa on the other hand is glaring daggers at Isaac as her claws are itching to end this bastard’s life. While Isaac, the main source of anger is calmly and peacefully eating the food laid in front of him and Kyle is just smiling awkwardly while occasionally taking bites in his food.

“Listen, i have some important information from the shadows. The banquet is said to happen at 8 pm sharp or 32 shades to those not familiar with the earth’s time. The axis of darkness is planning on massacring nearby villages while the ashen order plans on kidnapping some high-ranked officials. This will be happening at the same time. The guards and knights stationed at that villages are lesser than usual so the cultist will try killing the people of nearby villages while the ashen order uses the time of having high-ranked officials in the same room to kidnap or might assassinate them.” Kyle said seriously as everyone listened to him or at least he hoped.

“The villages that will be highly targeted will be the Abbarach village, the smitten hope village, and the nightoak village. This three is just far enough for the knights to have quick reinforcements and close enough that some knights protecting these villages are called to the capital and also the estimated prime targets of the ashen order are the second princess of Demer Kingdom, the third prince of the Lederion Kingdom, and the Sage of the magic institution.” Kyle explained

“We need to stop this from happening if we don’t want the axis of darkness getting stronger for them to summon a demonic being and the ashen order to kill some valuable and important figures that might lead to a war being started immediately. " Kyle said with urgency and seriousness in his tone as everyone understood the heaviness of their mission. They might be the most dysfunctional group ever created but they are still driven by revenge, kindness, or their goals that they will kill, maimed, and do the things necessary to stop the evil organizations from achieving their goal.

“This is gonna be a long night” Kyle smirked.