Remenis cleared his throat and went on to tell a speech with the most arrogant voice.

  "Allow me to explain, peasants. Indeed, you are all connected by a chain. Your objective is to sit down, relax, and vote someone out to break free."

  Everyone thought to themselves:

  "Vote out?"

  Remenis continued.

  "Indeed. To break free from your devouring chains of death, you shall vote someone out to get the key. The key to the breathtaking and mesmerizing freedom you slaves seek for!"

  Flugel thought:

  "That easy? But wait... what happens to the one voted out?"

  Remenis proceeded his speech.

  "Reles will take care of everything for you. Just sit and vote!"

  Flugel pondered.

  "It can't be that easy, no way."

  Flugel shouted:

  "Paradium of Mercy shall begin!"

  Everyone looked at each other in confusion as Reles approached them. Reles coughed and opened his mouth and finally spoke for the first time since he appeared.

  "You have five minutes."

  He raised his hand and opened his fingers, indicating the declared five minutes.

  The people could not help but bring someone to push Welch's corpse away, yet everyone they brought refused to do so.

  All of them agreed that it's best to push Welch under the table, at least like that it won't be so visible and unpleasant.

  Two men from the crowd participated in pushing the corpse, and so they did successfully.

  The two men couldn't help but look as far away as possible from the disgusting corpse of Welch as they pushed it under the table, making it hidden.

  The two men sat on the table next to the lever and coughed from exhaustion as they breathed heavily.

  "That was— gross!"

  "I know, right?!"

  "I'm never— doing this crap again!"

  "Me neither!"

  A man named Plaur emerged from the crowd, clapping his hands with an arrogant smirk as if announcing his leadership.

  Plaur was around 185 centimeters tall and had an impressive giant build for a human, making him a little intimidating.

  "Alright, everyone, get it on and unite in group. As the passing Herkil's student and dear friend, Plaur, I shall guide you all."

  Unexpectedly, instead of uniting into one giant group, the crowd actually separated and split into even smaller groups, specifically three.

  Flugel twitched a nervous smile and thought:

  "Herkil's friend? So he's from my village, yet claiming himself a leader won't do much because.."

  Flugel noticed the newly formed groups. The first was Flugel's village, obviously. The second was what seemed to be a village of redheads, each person having a smooth orange-red long wavy hair, both men and women. Finally, the last was a village of people with a darker skin tone, which wasn't strange to Flugel as he had met many people, especially merchants of a different skin color.

  A man from the redheads named Ferdge emerged with vivid annoyance on his face, approaching Plaur.

  "Wait, wait, wait. Who are YOU and this Herkil of yours? Student? Friend? Whatever. You can't just come in front of us and claim yourself leader!"

  Plaur was insulted and annoyed.

  "Claim? I'm not claiming anything as this is my literal role! I'm the village chief of Gandara Village!"

  Ferdge thought:

  "Gandara? Isn't that a village in the west? Where are we..."

  Ferdge shouted back.

  "You're only representing yourself. The one before you who made this stupid and clueless act is now lifeless! No one even agreed to your leadership. Did you all?!"

  Fredge turned to face Gandara Village's people, yet no one answered the question and chose to stay silent with some shrugging and others looking down.

  A young dude from Gandara Village shouted from the crowd.

  "Yeah, man, you kind of just appeared and started talking nonsense, not to mention what happened to the one who did the same thing before you..."

  Plaur furrowed his brows, pursed his lips, and raised his voice.

  "Well, I‐I—!"

  Ferdge raised his hand and put it on Plaur's shoulder.

  "Just calm down, go back to your place, and let's do this quietly and calmly, alright?"

  Plaur's breath became heavy as he panted, which made Ferdge a little considered and questioned his state.

  "Are... you alright—?"

  Before Ferdge could finish his question, Plaur clenched his fist and threw his arm back. In a blink of an eye, Plaur landed his knuckles across Ferdge's cheeks and nose with a vigorous and powerful blow.

  The impact was powerful enough to push Ferdge back a few steps and then fall to the hard concrete floor.

  Ferdge looked down with his eyes closed due to the pain, still not realizing the fact that he was hit directly in the face. Only then, he sensed a liquid dripping and rolling over his skin. His blood was soaking his clothes as he realized what had happened.

  Ferdge heaved and yelled:

  "WHAT THE HECK?!"

  The men from the redheads stood firmly with a rage fueled stare, reading to attack at any moment.

  Ferdge turned his head, looked at them, and shook his head, indicating a refusal of help.

  Ferdge got on his knees and stood up with a rapid motion, and went on to respond with another punch.

  "What is wrong with you?!"

  Before Ferdge could land his knuckles on Plaur's face, Plaur weaved to the side, avoiding the attack.

  "You're weak for a redhead, I heard you guys are quite strong, yet here you are."

  Ferdge quickly switched direction and threw a punch towards Plaur's ribs. Plaur smoothly leaned backward, avoiding the hit. As Ferdge's body was unbalanced and couldn't keep his ground, Plaur ducked and then used his legs as a spring and launched his knuckles into Ferdge's gut.

  Ferdge couldn't help but take the hit with a guttural gasp, making him step back as he clenched his stomach to ease the pain.

  "You... you bastard..."

  The redheads couldn't watch their dear friend suffer any longer and decided to halt in anger and frustration.

  Plaur smirked and shouted as he opened his arms:

  "Come at me, pests! I'll crush you to atoms!"

  "HOW DARE YOU LAY A HAND ON OUR CHIEF?!"

  One of the redheads attempted to land a vigorous and fierce punch across Plaur's face. Surprisely, the punch seemed to be of great power and force that made Plaur consider escaping as its speed was high enough to make Plaur unable to dodge in time.

  Before he could even lay a finger on Plaur, Reles appeared out of nowhere between them and stopped his fist with his hand mid-air.

  Reles's expressions weren't as vivid as a normal human and were quite unrecognizable. Yet everyone could tell he was frustrated and annoyed.

  "No violence. Violence equals death."

  Reles turned around and faced Plaur, staring dead into his eyes with a sharp, intimidating gaze.

  "You, you go first."

  Plaur was perplexed as everyone watched his interaction with Reles.

  "What do you mean "go first"? Where?"

  Reles remained calm.

  "You go inside machine, now!"

  Reles raised his hand outward and pointed towards the previously mentioned press machine. Plaur tilted his head to the side and still questioned what Reles meant. On a side note, everyone noticed that Reles had some kind of problems talking as he constantly made grammer errors in his speech.

  Plaur shrugged.

  "That looks— I'm not going inside of that!"

  Reles clenched his fist.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "If you don't go, I make you go."

  Reles ducked for a mere moment and launched himself into the air, all of that just to grab Plaur by his head, due to Plaur being much taller than Reles.

  Plaur groaned.

  "What the— I'LL END YOU!"

  Plaur immediately tried resisting and threw a rapid and smooth hit with a vigorous thrust. Unfortunately, Reles immediately weaved to the side with a smooth motion.

  Flugel watched as the seemingly weak Reles turned out to be of great power, yet he wondered how Welch had the ability to knock him out before.

  Flugel pondered.

  "Woah, that guy is insane! How did Welch even have the ability to do such a thing?! Wait... maybe..."

  Reles threw his arm back and then landed his fist into Plaur's gut with a powerful blow. Surprisingly, the hit was powerful enough to make Plaur gasp for air with a guttural gasp. As well as making him clench his muscles and hold his stomach with his arms, just like what Ferdge did before.

  Ferdge watched as Plaur got the same treatment as his, making him feel a little pleasure and amused.

  "Deserved, idiot." Said Ferdge.

  Although the scene was one of great pleasure for the redheads, it was quite disrespectful for Gandara Village's people. But no one dared even a little to stand up to Reles.

  The fight only caused more questions than answers as Flugel pondered.

  "His fists are powerful enough to make that monster of a human Plaur beg for air like a weakling, yet he's weak enough to get knocked out by someone like Welch... What is that thing?!"

  As Plaur was gasping for air, Reles pulled him by the hair and dragged him into the machine. Reles pushed Plaur's head inside the machine, specifically on the pad, making him lay on his stomach.

  Plaur clenched and twitched.

  "W-what are you?! I'll kill you!"

  Plaur resisted yet again, but his actions resulted in absolute zero signs of impact.

  For the first time, Reles smirked.

  "Ungrateful, arrogant rats like you should be crushed to—" Said Reles.

  Strangely, Reles started speaking like a normal human with absolute zero errors or stuttering.

  "What is it that you said? "Crush you to atoms"?" Said Reles.

  Flugel felt uneasy watching what was about to happen, as if he knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant and comfortable watch for anyone.

  Reles crouched and used his legs to launch himself into the air forward. As gravity slowed him down, he fixated his legs stiff and still like an arrow, shooting towards Plaur's back.

  Reles threw himself onto Plaur's back like a merciless drill, piercing through his back, paralyzing Plaur.

  Plaur screamed in agony.

  "AGH- YOU!"

  Reles giggled.

  "Misbehaviors shall pay for their indecent behavior."

  Reles turned around and approached the lever with a smile on his face, each step causing fear and anxiety among the people, especially Plaur.

  Plaur kept twitching and moving around, trying to break free, yet to no avail.

  "You, everyone, what are you doing?! Aren't you going to help me?! I am Herkil's student! I was entrusted the safety of the village after his death! What are you doing?!"

  No one dared to say a word opposing Reles or Remenis as they had seen their power and control. They watched as the supposed "New Leader" became a subject to the unknown mechanism.

  "I am the chief of Gandara Village! I command everyone to stop this rabbit! Listen to me!"

  Meaningless, that was what his words were. No words out of his mouth could make him escape from his undeniable doom.

  Reles looked at Plaur one last time. He then raised his hand and opened and closed it multiple times.

  "Bye-bye." Said Reles.

  Reles pulled the lever with a rapid motion as he formed a wide grin on his face. The grin was so similar to Remenis's that it sent chills down Flugel's spine.

  Flugel pondered as thoughts were scrambled in his mind.

  "What do I do? What do I do?! Do I stop him? No, no, he's way too fast and strong. I just saw Welch die like nothing."

  When Reles pulled the lever, the wheels of the mechanism started turning, and the giant cube on top started descending slowly.

  Everyone knew exactly what was going to happen and were definitely not prepared to watch.

  Plaur couldn't watch the mechanism work as his face was facing the floor, but he could hear the sound of the wheels turning and an object approaching him.

  Plaur shook and twitched harder than before as he screamed for help.

  "Y-You! Anyone! Help me!"

  Plaur's voice started cracking as he yelled for help, for a hand to save him, for a light to lead him out of misery.

  Ferdge watched while sitting down as the cube descended closer and closer to Plaur's head.

  Plaur noticed so.

  "Red dude! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Just help me! I'm so sorry for hurting you, I won't do it again, just save me, please, anyone!"

  Flugel's jaw was stuck as he watched the very same man that was acting tough and fierce starting to beg for help like a lost child.

  "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't hurt anyone ever again! Forgive me, everyone! Herkil, Herkil, forgive me!"

  Plaur couldn't see the people's faces and reactions. Some of them were disgusted, and some were in absolute horror. But, most people from every group agreed that Plaur was a shameful man.

  As the cube descended, Plaur screamed, yelled, and cried out for any person to save him.

  Flugel thought:

  "He's done for."

  Plaur snapped.

  "SCREW ALL OF YOU! DAMN YOU CARROT HEAD! ALL OF YOU DESERVE DEATH!"

  That was it. The object had made contact with Plaur's head and began squeezing and squashing it against the pad. Plaur watched as his vision slowly began unclear and blurry and felt as his brain was being crushed into one condensed object.

  Plaur's tongue failed him as he tried screaming and yelling in agony and pain. The weight of the descending and merciless object forced itself onto his head.

  Plaur's voice cracked.

  "Ah... Herkil?"

  As he blinked multiple times, a familiar figure appeared before his very eyes. A man with quite average height and familiar clothing. Plaur couldn't help but watch the back of the man who was looking outward.

  "Herkil? Turn to me, Herkil..."

  Herkil turned around to face him and smiled.

  "It's okay, Plaur."

  "Ah..."

  A small tear formed and rolled down his cheek like a droplet of water.

  Only then, a loud sound emerged from the mechanism as Plaur's head had, in fact, been crushed.

  Blood and flesh flew across the area around the mechanism due to the immense pressure. The mechanism was covered and soaked in Plaur's blood. No one could dare to get any closer to that filthy area.

  The scenery was catastrophic and disgusting. No man, woman, or child could bear to keep their eyes open to witness such a view.

  The crowd couldn't take it any longer. First, it was Welch. Now, it was Plaur. Both suffering a painful and catastrophic death filled with shame.

  Ferdge was frozen in place as a little bit of Plaur's blood had gotten on his clothing.

  "W-what the hell..."

  He couldn't help but turn to the side and throw up on the floor. His fellow men immediately went on to help him by holding him by his back.

  On the other hand, the previously mentioned group, consisting of a darker skin color, couldn't help but watch with a face full of, not disgust, but shame.

  A man from the previous group emerged and said with a grimaced look:

  "Wishing damnation on the verge of death. Yet, screaming for a savior with nonexistent shame after a display of pure arrogance. Truly shameful, don't call yourself a man."

  The women in the crowd couldn't help but scream and yell in disgust and terror as the crushed remains of Plaur's head covered the place. The children couldn't do any better than just cry and yell for their mothers.

  Reles finally turned around and faced the crowd and then said with a devilish grin across his face:

  "One minute."

  He raised his hand, formed a fist, and then opened one finger.

  Terror and fear grew among the crowd rapidly, leading them to freak out and run and sprint as far as possible from Reles.

  Flugel merely stood there frozen in place as the scene grew chaos in his mind. We could never forget that he was merely a seventeen year old child subjected to such vulgarity and despair.

  *****

  Remenis watched out the window as chaos grew in the crowd, making him wipe his hand across his face in disappointment and annoyance.

  "We paid for this, Fedesis?" Said Merris.

  "Shut your filthy mouth before I end your miserable and worthless life." Said Remenis.

  "Oh, don't you go threatening me like you did with Dusk. Listen here, Remenis. I know, and you know for a fact you can't just end the rest of us. As your show wouldn't be picked up by any other people! We've sponsored your show merely out of pity."

  Remenis's eye twitched as everything Merris said was basically an insult to him and his work. He clapped his hands together and approached Merris.

  "I'm sorry, didn't you say this was going to be the last show? Excuse me, but I have some work to do." Said Remenis as he giggled and turned around.

  "You're quite the egoistic one, aren't you? Why won't you accept the fact that you're nothing without us? You know for a fact that you're a pawn, a piece, a toy, for us." Said Merris with a wide grin on his face, and his fingers pointed against each other.

  Remenis turned around yet again, raised his hand, and covered his eyes with it.

  "You are such..."

  Remenis peeked at Merris through the little gap between his fingers.

  "...a fool."

  "Huh?!" Questioned Merris.

  Remenis opened his arms and closed his eyes as he prepared to tell a speech.

  "For I, Remenis Fedesis, shall bring you the best and last show of your lifetime! A show of true magnificence and amusement! A display of the pure instinct of the filthy creatures of The Filth Realm!"

  Remenis finally rested his arms, opened his eyes, raised one hand, and put it on his chest.

  "We'll see about that, Fedesis. We'll see." said Merris as he leaned back on his chair.

  "Merris." Said Remenis.

  "What do you want, Fedesis?"

  "No, not only you, Merris. Everyone, Merris, Huak, Lew, and Oren. The four of you are the remaining investors of my dear and amazing show, and I shall thank you."

  Merris was quite amused and perplexed due to the sudden sweet talk, which was quite bizarre and strange to hear coming from Remenis himself, the most egoistic and arrogant person alive, probably.

  "Well, that is new. My men and I are still not going to fund your show anymore, Fedesis."

  "No, no, no... you don't get it, do you, Merris?"

  "Huh?!"

  There was no mistaking it, Remenis had thought of something. He had already thought of a plan, yet its purpose was unknown to everyone. There was even doubt that he was just bluffing. But there was no mistaking it, that devilish smile on his face, that inhuman mouth connected together by a mere string, its pattern could be memorized by anyone due to how disturbing and unusual it was.

  "I, Remenis Fedesis, will finally take it."

  "What are you talking about, Fedesis?" Said Huak.

  "Yes...! the fruits of everything, the fruits of my work, my desire, my sacrifice. The fruits of my..."

  Remenis turned around yet again one last time, approaching the window that was watching over Flugel's party.

  Remenis looked down at his hand, raised it, and clenched a strong and fierce fist as he stared with amusement.

  "You wouldn't get it, would you, people?"

  The four investors simply stared with confusion at Remenis and looked at each other, trying to make sense of whatever he was saying.

  Lew leaned over to Oren and raised his hand against his mouth as if indicating that he wanted to say something.

  "This idiot has lost it. I know this Fedesis is something "special" and not your usual businessman. But this guy is above the limits!" Whispered Lew to Oren.

  Oren leaned to the side against him.

  "I know, right?! To be honest with you, I'm barely paying this guy. I've donated merely 0.001% of my income to this guy! Are you seriously thinking I'd give this failure of a man anything above that?!"

  "Hmm... maybe, I think he deserves more. Give him a chance, man."

  Lew stared at Oren with a little smirk on his face, and both looked at each other, trying not to break into laughter.

  "Something funny, gentlemen?" Said Remenis.

  Lew felt Remenis's voice coming right from behind his ear, sending chills down his spine.

  He quickly turned around only to see the disturbing smile of that monstrous creature called Remenis.

  "I see that you're quite the humorous man, aren't you? Enlighten me on such humor of yours." Said Remenis.

  Both Lew and Oren quickly leaned back away from Remenis as they stuttered over their words, trying to make up an excuse.

  "N-NO IT'S NOTHING! We're just talking about— business! Yes!" Shouted Lew nervously.

  Oren nodded so fast as if he was kicking something with his head.

  "I see..." Said Remenis.

  Remenis raised his hand and put it on top of Lew's head, grabbing onto his hair. He then pulled it upwards, lifting Lew off his chair.

  "Ayayay!" Yelled Lew as pain flowed through his veins.

  "I wasn't asking, Lew Lemer."

  Remenis pulled Lew to himself, rubbing Lew's forehead against his. Lew could only see Remenis's eyes full of hatred and disgust.

  Lew couldn't handle staring into the fierce and sharp eyes of Remenis. As if their presence alone belittled Lew like he was the smallest object in the world.

  "I-I-I—" Stuttered Lew.

  Remenis finally let go of Lew, sitting him back down on his chair. Oren leaned back with a face full of fear, yet confusion.

  "You're nothing more than a slave, a slave to your own greed. Your existence is merely another disturbance to the harmony of this world, I'd end—" Said Remenis before being interrupted.

  "So, are you just going to threaten us one by one, Fedesis?" Asked Merris in the background.

  Remenis lifted his head up to stare right into Merris's face with an insulted face.

  "Threaten? Oh, such vulgarity! Me, threatening? No, no, no... I'm merely pointing up my opinions. As an honest worker and businessman, I have my rights that I can use at any moment, don't I?" Said Remenis.

  Merris smirked a little, crossed his legs, and then crossed his fingers.

  "Fedesis, if this is going to be your last show as you say, at least make it enjoyable. Don't you agree with me?"

  Remenis's lip twitched a little as Merris started annoying him yet again.

  "My shows and project are the most significant source of entertainment this world and kingdom had seen for the last ten years! Not even Flewarna had seen such an amazing talent!"

  Merris laughed in his face as if he were a clown.

  "Ha! Oh, what do you know about Flewarna?! Businessman? I bet you haven't even left The Modesty Realm in the last ten years!"

  Remenis stepped forward.

  "What is your point?"

  Merris formed a wide grin on his face and went on to yell with an arrogant voice:

  "Make your crap enjoyable before I send you and your little filthy mud-grubbers back to The Filth Realm for eternity!"

  The insult struck a nerve in Remenis's brain. But, he simply took a deep sigh and remained as calm as possible.

  "You know what, Merris?"

  "Mhm...?"

  "Watch me."