Max stood alone on the rooftop overlooking the Pride Ring, running through the details of the evening in his mind for what felt like the hundredth time.
Tonight was the final date.
God himself had told him that if this one went well, it would be time to move on to the next stage. Of course, the warning that came with it wasn't exactly comforting.
A massive headache is coming, God had said.
Max sighed.
"Well… that's future Max's problem."
Still, the stakes were high.
He had spent hours making sure everything was perfect. The restaurant he chose was one of the few elegant places in the Pride Ring that sat outside the influence of the Vees. Finding it alone had taken longer than expected.
Vox's influence had a nasty habit of spreading everywhere.
And the last thing Max wanted tonight was Vox or any of his allies interfering.
Poppi had warned him specifically about that.
She had apparently seen the second season of Hazbin Hotel, while Max had only seen the first. Which meant she knew more about what was coming than he did.
And Max had made a firm decision.
He would not use his future sight.
He wanted things to happen naturally.
"Alright," Max muttered to himself, pacing slowly.
"Location secured."
He ticked off points on his fingers.
"Food they like—handled."
"No immediate threats nearby."
He paused, thinking.
"What else…"
Then his eyes lit up.
"Ah."
He extended his hand slightly.
Shadows peeled away from his feet, forming several dark silhouettes—perfect duplicates of himself made from condensed shadow energy.
His shadow doubles bowed slightly.
"Cause chaos in a few other districts," Max instructed. "Nothing too destructive. Just enough to pull attention away."
The doubles nodded before melting back into the darkness and scattering across the Pride Ring.
Max exhaled slowly.
That should keep unwanted eyes busy.
He had been preparing for this for quite a while.
Soon he would need to return to the present timeline, and before that happened, a lot of things needed to be put into motion.
The coming war wasn't going to prepare itself.
And there was still one mystery he hadn't solved.
Someone—an angel, most likely—was supplying heaven-grade weapons and equipment to Hell.
Which meant someone in Heaven was secretly playing both sides.
Max intended to find out who.
But that was a problem for later.
Right now…
Tonight mattered.
A little while later.
"Wow."
Millie looked up at the restaurant with wide eyes.
"This place is fancy."
The building stood tall among the twisted skyline of the Pride Ring, its architecture surprisingly elegant for Hell. Crimson lanterns lit the entrance, casting warm light across polished black stone floors.
Beside her, Loona crossed her arms.
"I'm surprised too."
She glanced at Max suspiciously.
"You didn't blow up someone's casino to afford this, did you?"
Max chuckled.
"Relax."
He opened the door for them.
"Only the best for the best women in my life."
Millie smiled warmly.
Loona rolled her eyes but walked inside.
Max had made absolutely certain that tonight would go smoothly. Every possible disturbance had been quietly removed from the area.
No gangs.
No overlords looking for trouble.
No assassins.
Nothing.
Inside the restaurant, the lighting was soft and warm. Smooth jazz drifted quietly through the air as demons and sinners chatted over expensive meals.
Poppi was already sitting at their table.
She waved casually when she saw them.
The moment Millie and Loona sat down, the atmosphere was… tense.
Very tense.
Both sides studied each other carefully.
But Poppi handled it surprisingly well.
Since she had watched the show's future events, she already had a decent understanding of their personalities. She knew exactly what to say to ease the tension.
After a while, the conversation slowly relaxed.
Loona took a sip of her drink before speaking.
"You're not that bad."
Poppi raised an eyebrow.
"High praise."
Loona shrugged.
"I expected some crazy sinner obsessed with destruction and chaos."
She leaned back in her chair.
"Besides Max, most sinners I deal with at work are petty assholes."
Millie nodded.
"Yeah, most of the jobs we get are pretty pathetic."
She counted on her fingers.
"Cheaters. Revenge killings. Someone mad about an inheritance."
She sighed.
"Stuff like that."
Poppi twirled her glass slowly.
"Yeah. Most sinners just want petty revenge."
She smirked slightly.
"But Overlords actually do something with their afterlives."
She leaned forward.
"Though I guess it doesn't really matter."
"We're all stuck together down here anyway."
Millie tilted her head.
"I thought sinners couldn't die."
"They can't," Poppi said.
"But Overlords have creative ways of making eternity miserable."
She smiled slightly.
"For me and my sister, we usually destroy their property."
"Burn their money."
"Take their territory."
She paused.
"Others are… worse."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"Alastor, for example."
"He breaks souls."
She tapped her finger against the table.
"Which makes eternity very unpleasant."
Loona gave a low whistle.
"Remind me not to piss him off."
The conversation continued for a while longer as the dinner slowly came to an end.
Eventually Max leaned forward slightly.
"There's something I want to ask you all."
The girls looked at him.
Max raised his hand.
Three glowing documents appeared in the air.
Harem Contracts.
Millie blinked.
Poppi leaned closer.
Loona narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Max scratched the back of his neck.
"They're basically loyalty contracts."
He gestured toward the papers.
"You can add clauses if you want."
"Promises I have to keep."
"Rules."
"Boundaries."
He shrugged.
"There are no downsides."
The girls exchanged glances.
A silent conversation passed between them.
Finally, they nodded.
Each of them picked up a pen.
They were just about to sign—
Then everything froze.
Time stopped completely.
The restaurant.
The music.
The people.
Even the air itself seemed frozen in place.
Max groaned.
"…God damn it."
A familiar voice spoke behind him.
"That's not a very nice way to use my name, Max."
Max turned.
God stood behind him, hands casually in his pockets.
Max sighed.
"What now?"
God smiled.
"I just thought it would be interesting."
He gestured toward the contracts.
"You don't get to see their clauses until you return to the present."
Max narrowed his eyes.
"…You're messing with me."
God shrugged.
"Maybe a little."
Then he smiled proudly.
"But you did it, my boy."
Max leaned back in his chair.
"So what's next?"
God raised a finger.
"The wild card."
Max frowned.
"That doesn't sound reassuring."
God snapped his fingers lightly.
"Be warned."
His voice carried a hint of amusement.
"You're about to experience the next few months in extremely fast motion."
Max blinked.
"Wait—"
God grinned.
"You need to reach Bee after all."
Max barely had time to react before God snapped his fingers.
Reality shattered around him.
[A: Sorry, my Gramps finally passed. I should be back into a more fruitful writing schedule in a week or two so I will be posting a lot of chapters after everything is calmed down. Thanks for the support and hope ya enjoy]