The ship docked at Abyssal Tides late at night. The harbor was full of movement. Dockworkers carried crates from the ships. Their voices were mixed with the sound of wooden planks and waves hitting the pier. Lanterns flickered in the damp air. They cast long shadows over the moving figures.
Rage stepped onto the dock. His coat caught the wind. The four maids followed silently. A moment later, Isaline stepped forward. She offered him a thick hooded cloak.
"The Queen wants you to have this," she said. Her hands held another pendant. It had a purple gemstone. It hung on a chain next to the other pendant. The other pendant was the one Ignia had given him.
Rage stared at them. "Where did you get these? Wait, you can talk?"
The maids only smiled in response, their silence resuming as if the moment had never happened.
Narrowing his eyes, Rage exhaled sharply and pulled the cloak over himself. The maids followed, slipping into their hooded cloaks. Without another word, he led them into the city.
The streets of Abyssal Tides were the same as before. Damp stone roads were slick with salt air. Buildings leaned like silent watchers under the weight of age and secrets. Dimly lit alleys stretched into the unknown. Whispers of late-night deals and unseen figures moved in the dark. It felt the same as before but also different. Maybe it was the knowledge of what lurked beneath the surface this time.
Their steps carried them toward the Drifting Tide.
The tavern door creaked open, letting out the familiar scent. Inside, sailors and adventurers filled the space. Some were too drunk to stand while others laughed and argued over their latest ventures. The woman at the front desk turned her head and froze.
"You..." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I heard you died on a quest."
Rage pulled back his hood, showing his usual dry smirk. "Bad news."
The woman blinked, trying to gather her thoughts. Rage let her have her moment before speaking again. "I need two rooms. One for me, one for my companions."
She hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. "We only have one vacant room left."
Rage looked at the four maids and shrugged. "We'll take it."
Before he could move toward the stairs, a drunken voice slurred through the air.
"Hey, boy!" A sailor staggered from his seat, pointing a shaky finger at Rage. "I've seen you before... but I forgot where."
Rage barely glanced at him. "No, you didn't."
The drunkard swayed slightly, but Rage was already moving. Without another word, he and the four maids headed upstairs, slipping through the tavern's dimly lit halls.
Inside their rented room, there was no talk of rest.
Rage turned to the four, his gaze was sharp. "Change. We have work to do."
The maids did not ask. They knew.
Hooded cloaks fell away, replaced by sleek, reinforced armor. Daggers slid into place at their sides. Their presence shifted from silent attendants to something far deadlier.
Rage followed, putting on his own armor.
99 in every stat. What would that look like in action? What were the true limits of something so broken?
Their purpose was clear. Vaelith seemed to want them by his side.
Rage smirked. "Guess we'll see what four overpowered, max-stat bunny maids can really do."
And tonight, he would get his answer.
The door clicked shut behind them, the lock slid into place. A faint breeze stirred the air.
The window creaked open.
By the time it settled, the room was empty.
Rage and the four maids moved through the silent streets of Abyssal Tides. Their forms blended into the night. Their destination was the Black Pearl Keep. At its highest point were Mariselle's quarters.
They took no wasted steps. They made no unnecessary noise.
They climbed the rooftops, avoiding the main roads where patrols stood. A single misstep on the wet tiles could be dangerous, but none of them stumbled.
The outer walls of the keep were guarded, but the sentries were not alert. Maybe they felt no need. After all, who would come near the Queen's chambers at this hour?
The first guard barely had time to breathe before Isaline touched his shoulder. His breath caught, and his body slumped silently into her arms. The second swayed, his grip loosened on his spear as soft fingers pressed the back of his neck. One by one, they fell. There was no struggle, no sound beyond the whisper of sleep.
The group entered the keep.
Corridors stretched before them. They avoided open spaces, slipping through servants' passages and hidden routes. Every step was careful. They knew when to pause, when to move, and when to vanish into the shadows.
At one point, the soft murmur of voices came from a crossing hallway. A pair of guards leaned lazily against a column, talking idly. Rage signaled the maids.
No hesitation.
Two figures glided past the threshold. One moment the guards were talking, the next they sagged against the cold walls, unconscious before they hit the ground.
A hidden spiral stairwell led them higher. The narrow passage was barely wide enough for two. A single lantern flickered at the top, casting long shadows down the winding stone. They moved without pause, slipping past the final checkpoint.
At last, the doors of Mariselle's quarters stood before them.
He reached for the door, expecting resistance.
The knob creaked. The door swung open.
Inside, Queen Mariselle lay asleep. She did not notice the intruders.
Silent steps carried Rage and the maids closer.
Then a presence appeared in the shadows.
A chair shifted slightly. A pair of glowing eyes opened from the darkness.
Lady Ormere.
She had been there.
"Restrain the Queen. Cover her mouth," Rage ordered in a calm voice.
The maids moved without hesitation. Soft hands pressed over Mariselle's lips, stopping any scream. Her body jerked, but she was powerless against them.
Lady Ormere exhaled slowly, almost amused. "I thought we had already gotten rid of you." She leaned forward. Her glowing gaze pierced the dim room. "This week, your five companions will follow."
He did not respond.
Van. Kyle. Densuke. Geralt. Zach.
The names came to him without warning.
She stood from the chair, stepping into the moonlight. Her true form showed. She was a demonkin.
Horns curved back from her head. Black wings stretched a little before folding behind her. Shadows clung to her like a second skin. She stood tall and sure. The smirk on her lips showed she was confident.
"There's no need to hold the Queen. No need to call the guards," she said, rolling her wrist like it was nothing. "I'll finish what the island could not."
She took a step forward.
Rage used Null Veil.
He disappeared.
A blur.
Then the cold bite of steel.
His curved blade was already through her skull, slicing from under her chin.
Ormere's lips moved, but no scream came. Only a gurgled choke and a shaky breath as her glowing eyes dimmed.
Rage leaned in slightly, voice just above a whisper. "If you can still speak to your boss," he said, twisting the blade and feeling bone break, "tell him I send my regards."
Her body fell forward, lifeless.
Mariselle's muffled cries continued behind him. Her wide eyes showed something worse than fear.
Rage climbed onto the bed, placing his feet on either side of the struggling Queen. Her panic grew.
Without a word, he reached for her nightgown, pulling it open at the chest.
Then he pressed his hand against her bare skin.
Interface appeared before him. Layers of script stretched on forever. Strings, settings, values, and rules were tangled together. There were too many things at once.
But they had all night.
His mind worked through it, picking apart the extra pieces. He filtered through the clutter. Every line was checked and studied. He scrolled deeper.
There.
[CONSOLE]{ "curseStatus": { "enabled": true, "freeWill": false, "demonicObedience": true } }
Rage groaned. "Really? JSON? Seriously."
"Of all things."
He changed the values, returning her back to normal.
Rage exhaled. "That should do it."
He switched to Mariselle's status screen.
Most of it looked normal. Strength, Dexterity, Agility, and Vitality were between 20 and 50.
Nothing seemed strange. Nothing looked wrong compared to when he checked the stats of the bunny maids.
Or so he thought.
Then he saw it.
[SYSTEM] Int: 125
"Wait... what?"
That was not possible. The last time he worked with stats, 99 was the limit. Even his changes never went past that.
What he could remember was that Vaelith's stats, at least for royalties, had never shown anything above 99. Or maybe he had not noticed it at the time, caught up in the rush of the moment. Perhaps Vaelith had higher stats all along, and he had simply overlooked them.
He narrowed his eyes. He could change it.
But he did not.
He did not know what would happen if he did.
For now, he closed the interface.
Rage activated Eclipse Requiem.
A pulse ran through Mariselle's body.
At first, she blacked out. Her whole body went slack beneath him, the tension disappearing instantly.
"I knew it would work."
"Let her go."
Seloria hesitated for only a second before releasing her grip.
Now they would see if she woke up as the Queen, or something else entirely.
Silence followed.
The maids stayed in position, their eyes were fixed on Mariselle's form. Their hands hovered near their weapons, ready for anything.
Rage stretched his arms overhead and then waved them down.
"No need for that. I checked everything," he said, leaning back slightly.
"Only found one issue."
He clicked his tongue. "Kinda half-expected it to be an error on line 42."
He sighed and stood, walking toward the balcony. He pushed the doors open and stepped out into the night air.
He sat on the edge, elbows resting on his knees.
And waited.
The room stayed still.
Moments passed.
Then a sharp gasp broke the silence.
Mariselle jolted forward. The maids stayed, still standing guard, but Viviane stepped forward, gently helping the Queen into a seated position on her bed.
Rage did not turn. He kept his eyes on the city below. His posture was relaxed, but a smirk was on his face.
"Told you," he muttered.
Mariselle's gaze moved around the room. She took in the dim candlelight, the silent maids, and then Lady Ormere's lifeless body.
She remained calm.
"I expected you," she said quietly. "But not this soon."
Rage swung his legs back over the balcony edge and stood. "You're welcome."
She drew a slow breath, steadying herself. "There is work to be done. Before word spreads, every demonkin within my council must be eliminated."
Her eyes met his. "Tonight. No noise. Finish them in silence."
Rage arched a brow. "Why all of a sudden?"
"If the Demon Kingdom becomes aware of this, Abyssal Tides will fall," she said. "Had I defied their will outright, this kingdom would have ceased to exist long ago."
"And you think I can do this?"
"I've ruled long enough to know what people are capable of."
"Whatever," Rage said.
"You have maps? I want to see where they live," he added, turning his head to look around the room.
A royal maid entered, carrying a platter with a scroll on top. She set it down carefully.
Rage glanced at Mariselle. "That quick?"
He unrolled the scroll. It was a map, covered with marks and symbols.
He looked at Viviane. "Can you remember this?"
Her eyes flickered over the details.
With her maxed Int stat, she could. She nodded. "Yes. I can remember it, master."
Before leaving, he turned to Renelle, Seloria, and Isaline. "Stay with the Queen. Make sure she is safe."
The maids nodded, falling into position around Mariselle as he prepared to go.
He turned to Viviane. "Let's go."
Without hesitation, Viviane hopped onto the balcony railing and leapt off.
She plummeted toward the ground far below.
Rage moved to the edge just in time to see her land.
No impact.
No sound.
Just a soft puff of dust where her feet touched the ground.
Rage stared.
Then he looked down.
Then back up.
Then back down again.
"...Yeah, no," he muttered.
He had done some risky jumps before, but this? This was pushing it.
Still.
He exhaled sharply. "Maybe Null Veil will help."
He activated it.
"Only one way to find out."
He jumped.
The world stretched.
For a moment, the descent felt weightless, like he was caught in something between falling and floating. His body moved as if the air itself carried him, the motion smooth, controlled.
Then he landed.
Softly.
His boots made almost no sound as they touched the ground. His momentum disappeared as if it had never been there.
Rage straightened.
Confirmed.
Null Veil would work with gravity as well.
Rage and Viviane moved through the alleys. Their steps were swift and silent.
They stayed in the shadows, slipping between buildings and avoiding the watchful eyes of the patrols.
Their first target was a mansion just outside the walls of Black Pearl Keep.
Lord Veylan.
Getting there required precision. The guards were not hostile. They were just men doing their jobs, unaware of the corruption above them. That made it easier. A quick press to the neck, a controlled breath of air, and one by one, they fell unconscious.
No bodies were left in the open.
Every guard was dragged to the sides, tucked into doorways or hidden behind crates.
By the time they reached Veylan's quarters, there was no trace of their passage.
Inside, the air reeked.
The scent of rot and dried blood clung to the walls.
Bodies.
Dead humans were scattered across the room. Their forms were twisted, drained of something beyond just life.
And at the center of it all, Lord Veylan and he was awake.
The noble turned, golden eyes narrowed as he looked at the intruders.
"You're bold," he mused, voice smooth and casual. "Walking into my quarters without permission. And bringing a beast girl along, no less."
Viviane said nothing. Her posture was steady.
Veylan smirked, showing the glint of his fangs. "Not that it matters. No human has ever left my room. So it is fine."
Rage tilted his head. "You know Queen Vaelith?"
The noble scoffed. "Ah. That weak of a whore who rules Ebonwake? What of her?"
Rage smirked. "Good to know."
Veylan barely had time to process the words.
Rage activated Null Veil.
He blurred.
Same as before.
Same sword through the skull.
Veylan collapsed instantly, lifeless before he hit the ground.
Rage glanced at the blood pooling beneath the body. "Why haven't I been doing this more often?" His gaze shifted to Viviane. "Seriously. This is way more efficient."
He crouched, pressing a hand against Veylan's bloodied face. His interface flickered.
No data.
Nothing loaded.
It felt like...
"A destroyed drive," Rage muttered, curling his fingers against the cold skin. No response came. Whatever had been here before was completely wiped.
"Shame. I kinda wanted to check his browsing history."
"No time to complain."
With a flick of his wrist, he wiped the blood off his sword.
One down.
More to go.
They leaped from the balcony.
Landing without a sound, Rage and Viviane slipped through the back gate of the mansion. Guards stood watch, but none of them noticed. Their movements were swift and precise.
Next target.
Lord Albrecht.
His mansion was in the city market district, between merchant estates and noble homes. Unlike Veylan's, it looked plain and quiet. A place that did not draw much attention.
There were fewer guards. Less security. Easier.
They reached his quarters without trouble.
Inside, Lord Albrecht sat on a chair, reading under the candlelight.
He did not look up.
"I knew this day would come," he said. His voice was calm. "The day of reckoning for those who meddled where they should not. Demons interfering in the domain of angels."
He turned the page.
"Please," he said. "Let me die without pain."
Rage stood there, watching him.
No fight. No denial. Just acceptance.
A rare thing.
A death without pain.
A sword or dagger would be fast but not painless. Eclipse Convergence would be too much.
Then he thought of something.
What if he used sudo?
Only one way to find out.
Rage stepped forward and placed his hand on Albrecht's head.
Before he could begin, the old noble breathed out slowly. "One last thing."
Rage paused.
Albrecht looked up. "Tell the Queen I was one of those who took her mother's life." His voice was low. "She deserves to know. And for what little it means... I am sorry."
Rage said nothing.
[INPUT] target:~$ sudo rm -rf /*
He activated Eclipse Convergence.
Albrecht exhaled.
Then he collapsed, lifeless.
Rage let go, watching the body slump forward against the open book.
It was a clean erasure.
What Rage did not know was that the code he used had erased Albrecht's soul completely. It was as if he had never existed, wiped away like a perfect shift-delete. Every trace of him, his memories, his essence, and his presence, vanished in an instant. Albrecht could no longer be reborn or resurrected, not in this world, any other dimension, or any plane of existence.
He turned to Viviane.
"Let's go."
No more words were needed.
One by one, the marks on the map were visited.
Some fell screaming. Their bodies were left twisted and unrecognizable. Blades had cut through flesh. The worst of them fought back, using their demonic power until their last breath was gone.
Others accepted their fate quietly. No pain. No struggle. A hand on their head, a whispered command, and they simply fell.
Gruesome. Merciful.
It did not matter in the end.
By the time the night reached its final hours, only one mark remained.
The last one.
The Court Magister's Quarters.
Rage and Viviane stood in front of the last door.
Lady Sorell, the final target.
Rage pushed the door open without hesitation.
Inside, the room was fancy but cold. Velvet curtains, dark wooden furniture, and a faint smell of incense filled the air. At the center, Lady Sorell sat on a lounge chair.
She smiled. "I was wondering when you'd arrive."
Rage stepped forward and sat in a leather chair nearby. One arm rested on the armrest. "Go on, then. Let's hear it."
Sorell's lips curled further. "Lady Sorell, Court Magister of Abyssal Tides. Daughter of a Demon Lord."
Rage exhaled, feeling the weight of her presence.
She was stronger than the others. It was not just the way she spoke. It was in the air, in the way the shadows seemed to grow around her. No wonder she was the last mark on the map.
Sorell tilted her head. "You must be bold, attacking me at night. The time when I own the shadows, when I own the dark."
Rage smirked. "Yeah. That is probably a bad idea." He leaned forward slightly. "So, I will let her handle it."
Viviane stepped past him.
Sorell chuckled. "It has been so long since I used my true power. I am tired of this water magic, this disguise."
Her body tensed. Shadows coiled around her like living tendrils. Her human form wavered, and the dim candlelight revealed something darker beneath.
The room grew colder.
Then she moved.
Viviane's daggers whispered from their sheaths.
Sorell's claws extended. Sleek, curved talons glowed with dark energy. The same mist surrounded her whole body, sinking into her skin.
A breath.
Then they vanished.
The first clash happened in the center of the room.
Sorell lunged, claws cut through empty air as Viviane twisted, ducking under the swipe. She struck back, daggers flashed upward toward the ribs.
Sorell twisted in midair. Her body moved unnaturally, the strike missed by inches. She countered, driving her knee toward Viviane's stomach.
Viviane caught it with a crossed guard and skidded backward.
No pause.
Sorell blurred again. Her speed matched Viviane's as they clashed in the dim room.
Their weapons struck against each other.
Viviane feinted left, her dagger cut upward.
Sorell's claw met it. Sparks flew between them before they pulled back.
Then Sorell whispered something under her breath.
The room shifted. It darkened and warped. Candles went out, and the air grew thick with fog.
Viviane did not hesitate.
She lunged, her form flickered like a mirage. Her daggers moved with her, striking precisely and with lethal intent.
Sorell blocked and struck back. Her claws cut through the air.
A line of dark energy followed, cutting into the floor where Viviane had been.
But she was already gone.
Behind her.
The tip of a dagger pressed against Sorell's back.
Sorell smiled.
Dark tendrils exploded outward.
Viviane darted away, twisting in midair as the tendrils missed her, carving deep gouges into the walls.
Sorell turned, her smile widened. "Impressive."
Viviane did not respond.
The air between them stayed still.
Then, in the next instant, they clashed again.
Viviane moved, her twin daggers cut through the air in a fast, relentless flurry.
Rage watched from his seat, arms crossed.
She was better than most fighters he had seen, even among the elite warriors. Fast, precise, untouchable. Every strike had deadly intent. Her movements were smooth and refined.
A few more exchanges passed, steel hit claw.
Sorell began losing ground.
Her breathing grew heavy. Her strikes slowed. The dark aura around became unstable.
Rage narrowed his eyes. She was running out of whatever fueled her.
He frowned. Stamina was not something he remembered seeing in the system. Maybe one of the stats he had increased affected it.
Dexterity? Agility?
It did not matter.
A sudden shift caught his eye.
A shadow, barely noticeable, moved toward the door.
Trying to escape.
Rage's gaze snapped to it. His body was already moving.
"They're all dead," Rage said, his voice flat and final.
Sorell's breath hitched. "If my father hears of this, this kingdom will be in ruins."
Rage's mouth twitched. "Sure."
She barely had time to turn.
"Please," he said, voice low and calm, "send your father my regards."
His fingers pressed against her skull.
He injected codes and activated Eclipse Convergence.
Her body jerked, then slumped.
Lifeless.
Darkness unraveled from her body. The last of her strength faded.
Rage pulled his hand back, watching Sorell collapse on the cold floor.
The final mark.
The job was done.
Without hesitation, they slipped back into the shadows.
The city remained unaware of the silent purge that had just happened. No alarms. No panic. Just the quiet calm of a kingdom that did not know it had already been emptied from within.
Rage and Viviane moved quickly, retracing their steps through the quiet streets. The scent of salt and damp stone hung in the air as they passed patrols, unseen and untouched.
Before long, the towering shape of Black Pearl Keep appeared ahead.
They moved through hidden passages, avoiding guarded halls with practiced skill, until they reached Mariselle's quarters.
"So, what now?" Rage asked as he approached her.
Mariselle stood near the balcony, looking out over Abyssal Tides. She did not turn when she answered.
"Whether we killed them or not, this kingdom is still heading toward ruin," she said. "The difference is that now it will fall fighting rather than fading into nothing."
Rage clicked his tongue. "Not exactly uplifting."
Mariselle finally turned. Her expression was unreadable. "You are looking for hope in the wrong place."
She held his gaze for a moment before speaking again. "Keep your work hidden. The fewer who see it, the safer you will be. If the heavens learn what you do, you will vanish, as my father did."
"I heard that from someone else."
Mariselle did not answer. She continued, her voice was calm and steady.
"Gather all the kingdoms you can. Rebuild the Supreme Kingdom, but do it quietly. If the heavens see, you will not live to finish it."
Her expression darkened. "Vera has informed me. Firekeep is on the brink. Nobles are gathering, preparing to strike against Ignia. Another kingdom plans to join them, trying to claim Firekeep for themselves."
"We need Tenzan Skyhold. Their strength will decide the outcome of this war. It's seven days away south."
A full week. Longer than he wanted, but manageable.
"Fine," he said, rolling his shoulders. "I'll leave in the morning."
Mariselle said nothing.
She just turned away, her gaze was on the city below, watching in silence.
Moments passed.
A knock. Then the door opened without hesitation.
A guard stepped inside. Not just a guard. A high-ranking officer. Likely the Queen's most trusted.
His eyes swept the room, pausing briefly at Rage and the four maids, all hooded again. He did not flinch. He did not question.
He understood.
A quiet breath left his lips. "So, it has begun."
Mariselle turned to him. "Dispose of the council's remains. Leave no trace behind."
"The secret trades with the Western Demon Domain will continue as usual," she added. "That should give us time. The Demon Kingdom will not notice their disappearance right away. Vaelith stood with us once. She will stand with us again."
She held out a scroll to him. An official decree, stamped with her sigil.
The officer took it with a firm nod, moving before another word was spoken.
***
Back in their rented room at Drifting Tide, the five of them moved in silence.
The moment the door closed, the maids shed their hooded cloaks. Their assassin gear was replaced by their usual attire. Rage did the same.
Viviane had fought well earlier. Sharp and fast, but not overwhelming.
Not broken enough.
Maybe their weapons were the problem. Maybe he could fix those too.
Without hesitation, he held out a hand. "Give me your weapons."
The four exchanged glances before complying. Each drew twin daggers and placed them in his palm. Eight in total.
Rage sat on the edge of the table and laid them out neatly in front of him. Without a word, he changed the stats of each dagger and activated Dead Circuit.
One by one, the steel darkened. The polished metal lost its shine, deepening into smooth, obsidian black. Shadows clung to the edges of each blade, absorbing even the faintest light.
By the time he finished, all eight daggers looked the same.
Perfect.
Rage exhaled.
"All set," he muttered, standing up. He moved to the sofa and collapsed onto it, sinking into the worn cushions.
The maids stood unmoving.
Their gazes flicked toward the single bed in the room.
Hesitation.
Rage cracked one eye open. "We're no longer in Ebonwake," he said, voice low but firm. "You're no longer maids. You're my companions."
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then, quietly, almost uncertainly, they stepped toward the bed.
Rage smirked and closed his eyes.
Finally, sleep took him.
[SYSTEM] Queen Mariselle : Loyalty 94%
[SYSTEM] Corruption : 33.2%