HYEIN'S POV

"We saw some ships in the distance circling the headquarters. They're not allies, and they seem to be watching our movements," my underling reported.

I put down the cigarette I was holding and faced him, contemplating the situation. It seems the time has come. It took them a long time to find out.

"Take out the White Monarchy flag and stick it next to our flag," I ordered.

I had endured for a long time, and finally, the time had come. Demon, Demon, I want to see her.

"But Sir... if we do that, we will be attacked by more enemies," he hesitated.

"That's what I like," I replied with a smirk.

He paused for a moment before immediately following my order. When the enemy sees that flag, they will attack us, and I can use it as an excuse to see her. But before that, I need to deal with one person first.

The King of the West.

"Send a message to the King of the West. Let him know that we will be visiting," I commanded.

It wasn't long before another underling ran up to me, panting and holding a telephone. "The King of the West has responded, Sir. He said he will wait for our arrival."

He responded faster than I expected. "Prepare twenty soldiers to accompany me. I must appear pleasing in his eyes."

That jerk won't listen to me unless I appease him. He won't let me see Demon unless he's satisfied.

---

"Mr. Heie, your majesty is waiting," a guard informed me as we arrived.

Even his people here are pleasant to look at. I only know one person who can make it so pleasant.

Zeus.

"My Lord, your guest is here," the guard announced as we approached the grand doors.

"Tell them to come in," came the response from within.

We were guided into a lavish room where the King of the West sat, a man standing behind him.

"Your Majesty, we meet again," I said, begrudgingly kneeling on one leg and bowing my head.

Minutes passed before he spoke again. "Raise your head, Heie."

I lifted my head, and so did the twenty soldiers with me.

Hiei, you must remember, you have to satisfy this person.

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty," I responded with all the polite words I knew. It was annoying, especially with the guy behind him, who I recognized as Venom, observing me.

"Drop the formality, Heie. Just call me Viper," he said, smiling behind his mask.

I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath. "But that's not the proper way to address you, Your Majesty," I said sarcastically.

"It creeps me out every time you call me that. We're friends, so we don't need formality in conversation."

It's creeping me out too. "If that's what you want, I'll follow it, Viper," I responded like a gentleman.

The man behind him flinched, surprised that I called the king by his name.

"Heehh! It's nice to hear," Viper said, his tone changing as if he were enjoying his own show.

Although I wanted to play along, I still had something to do. I needed to get his answer as soon as possible. "I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore, Viper. I need help. We received news that the Masks will attack our headquarters. They found out we are allies of yours. Damn! I'm asking for help—"

"Retreat!" Viper interrupted.

I pretended to be surprised even though I wasn't. I knew he would say that. "But we can fight. I'm just asking for permission and some—"

"I said retreat," he reiterated, his voice authoritative. "The Outlaws can do nothing against the Masks. If you fight, you risk being thrown out of the underground. The district leaders are still important people in the underground; you can't touch them."

He is right. The Outlaws are among the strongest in the underground, but we can't do anything about the rules enforced there. We can't fight the district leaders if we don't want to be everyone's enemy, but we can't side with them either—

"But they are not as strong as the White Monarchy. No one is stronger than Demon," I insisted.

"I need to finish this show. As soon as possible, retreat everyone in your HQ."

I didn't speak anymore. This was the signal that I could leave, so I bowed again and was about to leave when he spoke again.

"I'll let you see her again, so you need to be safe," he said. "I'll let you see her as long as you obey me."

"I'm looking forward to seeing her," I said.

When I left his room, one of his people was waiting for me outside, his hands spread as if telling me to follow him. I did exactly that.

He took me to a room and removed his mask. "Long time no see, Heie."

"Zeus, where is she? I want to see her," I demanded.

"Didn't you understand what Viper said? He will let you see Demon if you follow him," Zeus replied with a grin.

Tch. If it wasn't for Demon, I would have stopped contacting them a long time ago.

"Then, okay. What is his order?" I asked.

Zeus grinned widely. I had a bad feeling about this. "Don't go against the Masks."

"Huh?"

THIRD PERSON'S POV

"Don't let your guard down; there might be an ambush," Ice reminded the other Masks as he entered first.

"Welcome to my headquarters," a voice called from above.

The eleven Masks looked up simultaneously to see a masked man standing on the veranda. He was alone, with no sign of any underlings around.

"He's Heie Anderson, the leader of the outlaw group," Carl whispered.

Outlaws are known for their leader, who is reputed to be skilled with a sword. Heie and Cyrus are both good with swords, but Heie's level is higher compared to Cyrus.

"Heie Anderson, we're here to confirm the rumors that you're an ally of the White Monarchy," Ice spoke cautiously. "You probably know the evil deeds of the White Monarchy, don't you? So if you're one of them, I won't hesitate to declare war against the Outlaws."

"White Monarchy, huh? I've been hearing that name a lot lately," Heie replied. He jumped down from the veranda and landed in front of Ice. The Masks immediately became alert and aimed their weapons at Heie. "My dear district leader, I believe we have only one goal: to kill Demon."

Heie showed a jolly expression while saying that.

"Liar—"

"I want to wrap my bare hands around her little neck and squeeze until she loses her breath," Heie said, stepping closer to Cyrus and grabbing his neck with one hand. "She dreams of dying, so I will make it come true for her." He let go of Cyrus's neck and sat on a nearby chair. "I will kill her, and she will be happy with me."

"Carl, didn't you make a mistake? Is he really the leader of the Outlaws? He's a psychopath," Zeke asked Carl.

"Are you crazy? You can't kill Demon—" Jared started, then cleared his throat. "We are the ones who will catch Demon."

Jared felt irritated and joined the conversation. There was something about Heie that he didn't understand, and it annoyed him when Heie said he would kill Demon.

As Jared tried to calm the atmosphere, Heie suddenly appeared in front of him, grabbing him by the face and slamming him to the floor.

"Cough—" Jared coughed up blood and was nearly knocked unconscious by the force of Heie's blow.

"What the— Attack him!" Ice commanded. The ten Masks sprang into action, surrounding Heie.

"For a moment, I thought I would be afraid of you. I am disappointed," Heie taunted.

Cyrus's jaw tensed. He jumped higher than a human, grabbed a sword hanging on the wall, and swung it at Heie. The blade grazed Heie's cheek.

"Having second thoughts? That's what will kill you," Heie grinned. He jumped away from Cyrus, using Joshua's shoulder to land safely on the ground.

Cyrus hissed, regretting his hesitation.

—SWISSHHHH! The sound of a sword swinging through the air. In the blink of an eye, Heie raised his sword and rushed toward Cyrus. Cyrus prepared to block the attack, but Heie's movements were too fast. Heie seemed to be everywhere at once.

"You cannot beat me," Cyrus grunted, using all his strength to block the attack. He succeeded but couldn't block the next one.

Heie executed a 1080 kick, knocking Cyrus down.

The Masks were taken aback by Heie's speed and precision.

"That one was a clean attack. I can't do that kick very often," Brizon whispered to himself, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're good, but I think that's all you can do," Dos said, taking out two kunai from inside her coat and twirling them around her fingers.

"Hey Dos, don't provoke that psychopath—" Stanley started but was silenced when a large rock blocked his mouth.

Heie had thrown the rock. "I'm confused, how did she choose these as district leaders?" Heie murmured. He removed the rock from Stanley's mouth, then hit him on the head.

While Heie's attention was on Stanley, he didn't notice Brizon preparing to attack. Brizon kicked Heie in the knee, causing him to fall. Brizon moved in for another attack, but Heie tackled him, straightening his leg to deliver a powerful kick. Brizon's head turned to the side, and only his ear was scratched, but blood flowed from the wound.

"Damn, I almost killed you. Demon would be angry if I touched her toy," Heie said softly to Brizon, who couldn't believe he was still alive.

"What? You're a White—"

"Brizon, step aside. I'll finish him off," Dos interrupted.

"No—"

Brizon couldn't stop Dos. She rushed at Heie with her kunai, attempting to slash his face, but Heie moved three times faster.

"What was that?" Heie taunted, effortlessly avoiding Dos's attacks. "What's the point of trying to hit me if you really can't?"

Dos grew frustrated but noticed something in Heie's attacks—they were familiar. Heie seemed skilled and practiced.

"Don't tell me he's also a pawn of Demon?" Dos whispered to herself.

She stopped attacking, thinking Heie wouldn't strike her like he did Brizon. That was a mistake. Heie slid forward and delivered a strong blow to her stomach.

Dos felt her arms tremble. No matter her training, she couldn't match Heie's strength.

"Do you think I won't attack you?" Heie teased. "I don't like girls, except Demon."

Meanwhile, Jarvis felt disgusted as he watched Heie torment Dos. He couldn't attack without risking her safety.

"He's not a real man if he can hurt a woman," Jarvis muttered.

"What are we going to do, Master? If this continues, he will bring us down one by one," Sky asked, taking a stance.

"We can't bring him to a proper discussion, so we have no choice but to bring down all the Outlaws," Ice sighed, grabbing Cyrus's sword.

Heie noticed and immediately jumped back to the veranda. He shouldn't underestimate the person Demon chose to be the head of the first district.

"GET DOWN!" Ice shouted.

"Ice, I have a good proposal for you. Why don't we work together? I'll help you catch Demon, but you'll let me kill her—"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three bullets hit Heie's chest. He fell, shocked at the shooter.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your fun. The Elder ordered me to end the mess here," a man with a gun walked in, followed by over a hundred underlings.

"What is a nameless king doing here?" Ice asked irritably.

"Like I said, I'm here to clean up your mess," the man replied, walking toward Heie, who was bathed in red. "The Elders were worried you might not finish off this traitor, so they sent me."

"You don't have to do that—"

"It looks like some of the district leaders are in serious condition. Won't you take them to the hospital?"

Ice clenched his fists, annoyed. He wanted to challenge the King of the West but couldn't. The king had come to help, and he couldn't ignore it.

"Let me get you some wine next time," Ice said seriously to the King of the West, who bowed slightly.

"I am happy to accept that invitation."

Ice said nothing more and approached the unconscious Cyrus and Stanley. He carried them like sacks of rice and left.

Jarvis clicked his tongue and helped Dos stand. Soon, no district leaders were left in the area, only the King of the West, Heie, and the underlings.

"The Masks, Dos, and Brizon don't know who you are, right?" Heie asked, lying comfortably on the floor, covered in the red paint from the king's bullets.

"It's no good if they know too much."

"Heh!"

Heie stood and approached the King of the West, shaking his shoulder.

"You don't know how to keep a promise, Heie, but I'll let it go for now," the King of the West said. He walked to one of his underlings and took a pillow. "I will lock you in the bottom part of the underground, and you will stay there until I need you. Only then will I release you."

"I don't care what you do with me. The important thing is that I fulfill Demon's wish."

The King of the West grinned and threw the pillow at Heie, who caught it. Heie stared at it for a moment, then began to strangle it.

ZEUS'S POV

"Is he losing his mind?" Venom asked, watching Heie repeatedly stab a pillow while muttering "Demon."

Before Heie became the leader of the outlaw group, he was a prisoner in the training area with Viper me. Demon was the reason he was freed, and in return, he wants to fulfill her wish. Heie's obsession with Demon has driven him to the brink of madness, with a single goal in mind: to kill her with his own hands.

I glanced at Viper, who was silently staring at the starry sky. His calm demeanor didn't mask the cold calculation in his eyes.

I didn't need his permission anymore. Once Heie was finished, I would take him to the bottom of the underground and hide him there. He could no longer lead the outlaws. The district leaders believed the King of the West had killed him, which was part of Viper's plan. He aimed to erase the outlaws from the underground and claim it for himself, ensuring no future threat to Demon.

"Zues, she could wake up at any moment. When that happens, send Tres there," Viper instructed, still gazing at the stars. "I want him to see and be afraid of the person he values. We need to gauge his loyalty."

I bowed. "Understood."

"I'm done. I don't think she can get up anymore. I killed her. I made her dream come true," Heie said, dropping the knife and approaching me with his hands together. "You can handcuff me now."

He lifted his head, revealing an unsettling smile and tear-filled eyes. "I killed her. I killed her."

"Get him out of my sight," Viper ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.

Viper's coldness towards Heie was evident, yet he had saved him from the district leaders' plan to kill him. Speaking of district leaders, it seemed Heie had defeated Dos and Tres. Dos would likely storm the mansion with questions. It was better to forbid her entry for everyone's sake.

ICE'S POV

"FUCK!"

"If you're here to swear, you better go home. You haven't even ordered a drink," Nathan said.

I rolled my eyes and continued cursing. If it weren't for that nameless king, I could have discussed Heie's proposal. That king, does he want all the credit for taking down the outlaw?

The Elders seemed desperate to eliminate the outlaws, even sending that nameless king to kill their leader despite our presence.

Tch.

"Looks like you didn't fare well with the outlaws," Nathan said, handing me a beer, which I gulped down.

Ahhh. Beer tastes so good when you're pissed off.

"You might need to train yourself to carry your underlings solo. Even Sky carries his wherever he goes," Nathan suggested.

"No, what if one of them stabs me?"

"Are you afraid to die?"

"Of course. If I die, I won't see Hyra again. Just thinking about it feels like torture."

Nathan suddenly fell silent.

"Why do you like her? Weren't you like a dog and a cat back then? Aren't you curious why—"

"That's weird. Should there always be a reason to like someone?" Interrupting felt satisfying—wait! Is that why Takashi doesn't let me finish speaking?

"What if she's someone else—"

"No matter who she is, I'll accept her again and again. I like her so much I'm ready to give up everything to make her happy."

Nathan's expression shifted to one of disgust. "That's too cheesy," he said, his mouth twitching.

"Aren't you glad I'll be your brother-in-law?"

"Brother-in-law my ass. Fix the problem with Marasigan first. You can't get close to Hyra until Marasigan is gone. I don't want to see Hyra fighting again."

"Don't worry, I'll clean up the problem."

Nathan has been softening too much when it comes to Hyra. Then again, I'm the same with Mary. I'll scold her, but at the end of the day, I still love her. Mary only had me and Dad; she didn't grow up with Mom. She never experienced having a mom, and that was Demon's fault.

---

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to give notice before you come?" He said, frustration in his voice.

"I tried calling, but you didn't answer. I'm sorry," I replied, And he check his phone and seeing my missed calls.

Why do I need to give notice? I'm one of the people running this company. Maybe he's hiding something—never mind, that's not why I'm here.

I took the initiative to sit on the sofa in front of his desk.

"I'll get straight to the point. I can't take Marasigan with me anymore. I have a girl, and I don't want her to misunderstand—"

"Then break up with her and make Claire your girlfriend. Claire is a decent woman and will help you when the time comes."

"But I don't like her."

"You will learn to love her."

No, I only love Hyra. If I can't marry her, I won't look for another woman, ever.

"Son, I know what you're thinking, so I'll enlighten you. Claire is the girl the Elders want for you. I've heard many bad things about your current girl. The Elders have a lot of power, and Claire's father is one of them. Your girl will be in danger if you continue this."

I smirked, stood up, and left his office without saying goodbye. Hyra could block my attacks, handle a gun, and keep up with me. Being strong must run in their blood, so I'm not too worried.

---

"Shawnnn?"

Huh?

"I'm lucky to see you here. Come shopping with me," Claire Marasigan said, hooking her arm around mine.

Did I do something bad in my past life? Why am I being punished like this?

"Ah, I'm sorry, Claire, but—"

"Ice, you're here too. Has your father told you about the wedding?" Her father approached me.

Badump!

My heart pounded, and I clung to Marasigan, struggling to breathe.

"You okay?" She sounded really worried.

"Whose wedding?"

No, please, I hope I'm wrong.

"Who else? Of course, yours and my daughter Claire's."

---

Claire didn't give me much time to process the bombshell news about our supposed engagement. Before I knew it, we were walking through a high-end shopping district, her arm still firmly linked with mine.

"Let's start with some clothes shopping. You need to look your best, Shawn," Claire said, her tone as chipper as ever.

I sighed internally but followed her lead. We entered a boutique that screamed luxury, the kind of place where just breathing the air probably cost a fortune. Claire immediately started picking out clothes, holding up shirts and jackets against me.

"This would look great on you," she said, holding up a sleek, tailored suit.

"Uh, I don't really need more suits," I muttered, trying to back away.

"Nonsense. You always need more suits. Here, try it on," she insisted, pushing me towards the dressing room.

I reluctantly took the suit and changed. The fabric was soft and comfortable, fitting me perfectly, but I couldn't muster any enthusiasm. When I stepped out, Claire clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling.

"See? You look amazing!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks," I said flatly, glancing around. The store was empty except for us and the overly attentive sales staff.

Claire ignored my lack of enthusiasm and continued shopping, selecting more clothes for me. As we moved through the store, she chatted animatedly about various topics—mostly wedding plans and social events.

"Shawn, you have to come with me to the charity gala next weekend. It'll be a perfect opportunity for us to be seen together," she said, holding up a tie to match the suit.

I forced a smile. "Sure, whatever you want."

As we left the boutique with several bags in tow, Claire seemed genuinely happy. I, on the other hand, felt like I was sinking deeper into a pit I couldn't climb out of.

"Let's get something to eat," she suggested, leading me to a nearby café. We sat outside under a large umbrella, and Claire ordered for both of us without asking what I wanted.

"So, about the wedding," she started, stirring her iced coffee. "I was thinking of a spring ceremony. Cherry blossoms would be perfect, don't you think?"

I stared at her, my mind racing. "Claire, about the wedding... I need to—"

"Don't worry, Shawn. I'll take care of everything. You just need to show up and look handsome," she interrupted, flashing me a dazzling smile.

I forced another smile, my heart sinking. How did my life get so complicated?

As we finished our meal and continued shopping, I couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom. Every step with Claire felt like a step further away from Hyra, from the life I actually wanted.