"Was there any pizza left, or am I late to the party?"
The archdemon glanced over its slouched shoulder, stupefied to the overwhelming mana emanating from the man behind him.
It shudders. It didn't sense Froilan getting close, but now that the man's on his rear, the archdemon sensed danger for the first time.
Despite possessing tremendous dark energy, it was engulfed by Froilan's mana.
"Perhaps, I've spoiled the fun."
The trembling archdemon lashes out in fear, striking a hook at Froilan with its crooked claws.
Blood spurted, along with a limb falling from Froilan's cleaved elbow.
A grin spread on the archdemon's countenance. Unfortunately, that smirk was swept instantly when the same voice sounded like a deja vu behind his ears.
"How ill-fortuned you are, Conor," Froilan mused, loud enough for the name to resonate in the archdemon.
'He knew?' Unable to speak, Conor thought to himself as he crippled in terror upon noticing the Froilan in front of him was his hallucination.
To behold an archdemon quivering in horror was a rare sight.
Froilan outstretched his hand, slowly treading to grab the archdemon's head from the back.
With Froilan's hand clasping tightly against the head, the archdemon rages once again, releasing a final outburst as it cracks its neck, shifting its body around.
It tried ravaging Froilan's arm to free itself, but it was to no avail, for the Froilan behind was a recreation of another illusion.
Its claws passed through the arm as if it was intangible.
"Allow me to pacify you," Froilan uttered.
The archdemon slowly crumpled like a wilted rose, decaying as if its soul was being extracted.
Out of desperation, the archdemon erupted and exploded a continuous piercing sound with its agape mouth.
It produces a strong shockwave, lining cracks into the buildings in the vicinity. One more tickle and the structures will collapse.
But before that could happen, the scream fizzled out.
"This city is mine, wretched demons…"
The archdemon lost all its dark energy, deflating like a balloon devoid of air.
The battle then ended and the golem remained dormant, like a fossil, while all the transfigured humans under the archdemon's curse exploded to their deaths.
Simultaneously, a colorless crystal, shaped like a diamond, flickered in Froilan's eyes. It was the archdemon's heart, sticking out from the crumpled chest.
"What a disgusting trophy," Froilan said as he claimed Conor's heart.
~~~~~~~~~~
Later that same night at Hayden's abode, Hayden was naked on the couch, treating his mild wound while having a cup of coffee on the table. For him, the coffee was more of a medicine than the bandages.
As he looped the bandage around his torso with a seemingly annoyed expression on his face, perhaps because of getting injured by that cheap attack, an unexpected phone call rang next to his coffee on the table. After looking at the name on the screen, he dropped the bandage instantly and picked up the call as his countenance transformed into a cheerful mood.
"You don't have to worry about why the day suddenly turns to night," Hayden said in a tender manner. He was serious and short-tempered, but when this person is the one he's talking to, he becomes obedient as a dog. "The archdemon has been taken down."
"That isn't what I called for," a cold female voice responded.
"Just reassuring you that there's nothing to wor-"
"I need money."
Surprised by the sudden allowance request, Hayden paused for a second before asking, "What for? I sent you some cash just three days ago."
"The equipment for school activities is costly. Duh! Just-"
"Of course," Hayden affirmed, retaining that cheerful tone despite being aware that she wasn't telling the truth. He knew that she's asking for money to fulfil her material desires. "I'll send some extra tomorrow. Just ask if there's anything else you wish."
This is actually the case on multiple occasions; she only calls after squandering her monthly allowance on nonsense, and multiple occasions literally translates to almost every time.
"Thanks. I need that by 10."
*Beep*
She dropped the call with her tone not containing the slightest sense of gratitude. It's as if she's asking for something small like borrowing a pen to a classmate then not returning it.
It should tick Hayden off, since he's a short-tempered asshole. But despite that, Hayden would do everything to provide her sister with her necessities; even if they're not related by blood and those necessities are downright useless.
The following day, at the time when the sun had peeked at the horizon, Hayden was already in the HQ's lobby, demanding for a raise.
Franklin was counting the agents' salary on the envelope as Eagle, who was on a sweatshirt, sat quietly on the stool, waiting for her keep.
It's early in the morning and their breakfast is barking at each other.
"I've done the most work. I deserve 20% of this bitch's stipend!" Wolf prattled, prodding his finger on the unbothered Eagle.
"You'd be 7 feet underground without her assistance! Is your brain so full of air you don't recognize you narrowly escaped death!" Franky retorted, whereas Eagle remained peaceful on her square. It's as if she's immune to these two shit bags having rap battles.
"That wouldn't have happened if she hadn't relayed that jeopardising intel! Honestly, this bitch is not cut out to be a Headhunter."
"Hold your fucking mouth, brat! If this cash wasn't for your granny, I'd dunk it in your coffee and smash it on your empty skull!"
The two went onto indulging their love language until the payment for the mission was handed out.
After that, Hayden left the HQ, but he has yet to collect the real earnings of his hard work.
~~~~~~~~~~
At the press conference, as all the cameras focused at the podium, Ermit who had stitches across his cheek held the mic, stating, "Yes, it was the SSS-rank DH who took down the archdemon by himself."
"Is it true that you were targeted by Wolf amidst the gate opening?" a reporter asked.
"That is unclear. I did engage in a combat with Wolf as you can see with the stitch on my cheek. However, it's difficult to assume that Wolf is actually after my head."
Several more questions were prompted and Ermit answered with integrity. But while that was happening, the personnel at the back were in chaos similar to the incident just a day ago.
The reason for that is Esperanza is nowhere to be found. The media is yearning for his statements, yet he's late, just as always.
Eventually, he made an appearance and replaced Ermit on the podium.
He was wearing his natural formal attire with the shades on as he stepped up to the podium. He then pressed his index finger against the microphone's grille, rubbing his fingertips in a vertical line to ring a high-pitched sound that grabbed everyone's attention; and also frustration.
Camera flashed as Froilan boldly uttered, "How's it going, Muffinheads," his childish tone in a professional setting doesn't spark confusion in the media as Froilan was always this way.
"I'd like to inform y'all that the city was saved by the collective support of the DH guilds—and my indefinite power, of course," he said with an audacious smirk.
The room fell silent after the presumptuous statement, until a reporter's voice broke it. "Mister Esperanza, what's your thought about the Twilight's Delta rescue party which consisted of one A-rank and several B-ranks DHs being the casualty of your guild in the battle?"
With his natural playful tone, Froilan answered almost immediately, "I am not entertaining any further questions. Thank you," he said before walking out the room, leaving the media confused.
It's difficult to tell whether the question upsets him, or he's just in a rush to get home so he can bully her daughters. The way he brazenly left the room with a grin on his face makes it even more perplexing.
Upon exiting the room, Froilan walked down the empty hallway and spotted a familiar face on the opposite end. The person was in a hoodie, and he was watching something on his phone. He was standing still, as if he was waiting for someone.
For every step Froilan took the more it made sense to him who the hooded man was. It was then confirmed when—
"I am not entertaining any further questions. Thank you," the live news sounded from the phone. The man then rolled his hood down and deadpanned, "That's a hilarious way to conclude a conference."
"By the way, I'm here to collect my salary," the man added, "being a bodyguard of a frisky bitch is not an easy job."
Froilan chuckled. "Being a father of that bitch is a much harder job."
The two discussed further, and at the end of that day, Froilan went home with an empty wallet and busted pockets.