Civilization

"Well, well, well. I knew my pet was killed not too long ago, but I didn't expect the same people who killed him to venture up further so soon. Who would have thought… I guess I should introduce myself, it's not nice to keep everyone waiting." - ???

Speaking with a low-pitched voice, the figure steps off her throne moving a wine glass of suspicious red liquid onto the side of the throne. Her steps echo alongside the beating of the heart as she walks closer as a scythe appears in her other hand, twirling around her wrist. Flicking her pink hair, and banging the butt of the scythe on the floor in front of her as the purple cracks stop flickering. It starts to emit a constant stream of light, lighting up everything around us.

"3…2…1… Swing it. It's ya boy, Mori Calliope, first apprentice to the Grim Reaper himself." - Calliope

An intense aura emits from Calliope, and the pressure weighs down on my body but for someone with a worse physique like Rebecca, she was forced to the ground. Even Howard has difficulty standing as I see his legs tremble slightly. Staring at her as she looks at us with disgust, I try to strike up a conversation while signaling Rebecca to use her Aqua Ring. 𝙛𝘳𝘦e𝓌e𝗯n𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝚘𝑚

"The General for the Reaper?" - Ian

"The General for the Reaper? Is that what you humans have been calling me? A bit disgraceful in my opinion as I am nothing like a General. Just a shinigami." - Calliope

A blue ring circle around us as a gentle pulse lists the terrifying aura off our shoulders. Raising an eyebrow at the effects of the ring, Calliope sends out another wave of her aura strengthening the weight on our shoulders to the point that everyone had no choice but to kneel to her.

"We… Weren't the ones that came up with that reference. Unfortunately, for us, it seems we stumbled here at the wrong time. Maybe we should leave first? I'm sure you don't mind that right?" - Kingston

"Hmm… No. I do mind." - Calliope

Hitting the floor once more with her scythe, she casts a skill, blocking the stairs with a thick bone wall. Turning away, she returns to her throne, sitting down with her left leg on top of her right knee, resting her scythe on her thighs.

"While I don't like killing insects, y'all did kill my pet, so it is only fair for me to at least try to do something to you. I'm sure Death sensei will pick you up before you enter hell. Deadbeats rise. It's time for you to do some work around here." - Calliope

Picking up her wine glass with her right hand, she takes a sip before coating her left hand in a smokey gray aura. Lifting her left hand and pointing to the beating heart, the aura slowly spirals upward entering the heart, causing the purple cracks to turn gray. As if someone turned off the color button, the world becomes engulfed in gray. Every bit of color is eaten out of existence by the gray light that comes out of the cracks.

One by one, small pillars of light come out of the ground, and from them, skeletons emerge. Each one wearing a trench coat and a bandana around their skull, holding onto a baseball bat as the dark socket for eyes glare at us. What started off as a couple of Pillars of Light eventually covers the room revealing an army of trenchcoat-wearing skeletons.

"Ian, this doesn't look good." - Kingston

"I can see that, Kingston. No need for you to say that." - Ian

"I suggest, the moment the woman takes off this aura, we attack in a straight line backward or to the side and find a wall where we can at least protect our flank." - Yor

"Agreed, there is only so much David and I can hold off before potentially dying to the horde of skeletons." - Howard

"Yor and I can start by clearing a path." - Ken

"That's assuming that the both of you are able to push past these skeletons. We don't even know if they are as weak as the ones we faced before." - Gewari

"I doubt I will be of any help in the fight itself, but from my danger sense, the left side seems to be the least dangerous." - Rebecca

"Then we head toward the left, with you and Kaede in the center. Ken and Yor will attempt to clear a path, while Howard and David bring up the rear. I'll do my best to protect the side with Kingston while Gibing and Gopopo protect the other side. Frank and Gewari, support Ken and Yor after the initial push. We move the moment Calliope lifts her aura on us." - Ian

Snapping her fingers, as the last Pillar of Light dissipates, Calliope's voice booms across the floor. At the same time, the Deadbeats grip their baseball bats tighter, bringing them up front and pointing them at us.

"I hear a lot of chattering even though you are surrounded. Do you think you will be able to get past my Deadbeats?" - Calliope

"We won't know unless we try and who knows, we might surprise you and escape this hellhole." - Ian

"Hahaha! Deadbeats… Kill them all." - Calliope

,m Her eyes flash red, as the dark sockets of each Deadbeat flash red as well. A small dot for eyes appears and their jaws widen, as if cheering in unison, they raise their bats into the sky charging at us. Within the same moment, the aura is lifted from us. I feel the pressure leaving my shoulders, and we immediately spring into action, following the plan that I had thought up.

Bursting off the ground, Ken and Yor dash toward the left. Their claws clash with the baseball bats, overpowering the Deadbeats and pushing them back into the sea of skeletons. After the initial attack, they realize they were able to overpower the skeletons easily. Nodding to each other they activate their respective skills, Silver Flash and Blood Hunt.

Ken zooms forward, bashing into the Deadbeats along the way before zipping back. He uses his 14 flashes to create a path toward the wall while also disarming as many Deadbeats as possible as he collides with each baseball bat.

Whilst Ken is busy with creating a path, Yor instead attacks the Deadbeats closer to us. His increased Agility allows him to attack a Deadbeat several times before they are able to react, with some of his attacks killing them. This gives us more room to work with as Frank and Gewari enter the battle right next to Yor.

Even though Frank would do more damage with his skills compared to using his fists and feet, he, unfortunately, didn't have much choice. With his low MP, he had no choice but to rely on his own body to deal damage. At least with the increase in stats, he is able to contest against the skeletons but is unable to deal a finishing blow before another skeleton approaches him.

Unlike Frank, Gewari was doing her best to support Yor. Her Agility might not be on the same level as Yor, but it wasn't too far behind, allowing her to counterattack skeletons that might be attacking Yor from a blind spot. Her claws shatter the bones of the skeletons but even though the skulls of the skeletons were destroyed they were still moving.

"It's somewhere other than the head that we need to destroy in order to kill the skeletons quickly!" - Yor

"It might be random! I've attacked multiple skeletons, and it seems I was able to kill 1 by destroying the lower pelvis but didn't kill another when I targeted there." - Ken

"Let me see…" - Ian

With the path somewhat clear, Rebecca and Kaede start moving toward the wall and I start my battle with the approaching Deadbeats. Piercing forth the trident collides with a baseball bat, sparking a small explosion, emitting a touch of orange and red light before being eaten by the gray light surrounding us.

The baseball bat remains intact after the collision and the Deadbeat swings at my chest. Blocking the strike with my lower right spider leg, I Immediately counterattack with three quick trusts to the skull, the rib cage, and the pelvis. Each strike shatters the bones but is unable to kill the monster. Following my attack, the three free spider legs stab forward, piercing through the bones of the skeleton as well, eliminating it when the rib cage was pierced again.

However, there is no break. Once a Deadbeat dies, another takes its place, forcing themselves forward with sheer numbers. Kingston shows up next to me, stabbing at the skeletons with a Poison Fang. Covering his body is his Sand Armor, as he tanks a couple of hits from the Deadbeats, allowing him time to Cleave in that direction and pushing them back with his strength.

Following his example, I do the same, creating a series of explosions while my spider legs attack rapidly at various points. I activate Enhanced Agility and charge toward Frank as I notice a Deadbeat leaping at him, attacking from above after the help of another Deadbeat. Reaching the attack in time, I block with my trident and activate Emerald Gaze in that direction, slowing down a good number of Deadbeats.

Gopopo's Demon Lash attacks next to me as a Deadbeat attempts to attack my legs, knocking it toward Kingston who pierces the skull and luckily kills it in a single blow. Defending Gopopo, Gibing's fists were wrapped in Demonic Energy as he smashes his fists into baseball bats and rib cages. Doing his best to push the monsters away from Gopopo as Gopopo was constantly whipping at the monsters approaching us from blind spots.

Protecting the rear, both David and Howard were doing their best. I could see Howard shifting his shield left and right constantly, as loud bangs echo throughout the floor. However, slowly but surely, they were moving backward. David constantly embraced any attack that might harm Howard with his Flame Body as he helps fend off any monsters that were attacking our rear.

With sheer willpower, we eventually made it to the wall, left of our previous position while sustaining as little damage as possible. Our superior stats played a large role in it as well as our teamwork but now, the second part of this battle commences. Using this spot, we need to defend against the army of Deadbeats, while at the same time, hoping Calliope doesn't want to join in on the battle.

After all, if she does, I doubt we would have any chance.