"Trent."

Link's voice echoed through the Atlas residence as he called out for his friend. The absence of monsters made navigating the area easier. He moved with purpose, finally reaching the main house.

Inside, Link searched every room, bursting through doors until he found the maids and a few guards, huddled together and trembling at his sudden entrance. Their initial reaction was fear, mistaking him for a monster as they closed their eyes and screamed.

"Wait," Link said quickly, raising his hands in a calming gesture.

The room was filled with tension. Link turned his head, drawn by a sound to his left. Turning his gaze, he saw several water spikes suspended in the air beside him, poised to strike. His eyes followed them to Trent, who stood tall and resolute behind them.

"Trent, there you are," Link said, relief flooding his voice.

"Link? Where have you been, friend?" Trent replied, lowering the water spikes upon recognizing him.

"Quinn told me telepathically that I would find you here," Link explained.

Trent relaxed, realizing it wasn't a monster that had entered the house. After a moment of silence, Link's curiosity got the better of him.

"The world is in chaos, Trent. Where have you been? I hadn't seen you all day, so I thought you were in Higher World."

"What do you mean?" Trent asked, puzzled. "We saw each other this morning."

Link raised one of his digital eyebrows, confusion evident on his face before Trent elaborated.

"You were playing a game, and I told you we were out of food," Trent began. "So I said I was going shopping for a few hours to restock."

"Huh?" Link asked, still confused.

Trent sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a credit card.

"You even gave me your credit card," Trent explained. "And you said, and I quote, 'Go nuts.'"

Hearing this, Link finally remembered their earlier conversation.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," he said foolishly, a smile breaking out. "My bad."

Using the time they had, Link and Trent filled each other in on recent events. Trent explained that he had been watching over Link's family since encountering the situation, while Link described the horrors outside their gates.

As they talked, Link's mother suddenly walked into the room from a smaller room deep inside. Upon seeing Link, she rushed to him and hugged him, tears streaming down her face.

"I was so frightened," Link's mother said, her voice trembling. "A monster suddenly appeared in front of me, but instead of attacking me, it killed my handmaiden and acted as if I wasn't even there. That was when your friend, Trent, showed up and saved us."

She recounted the terrifying moment when the monsters first started to spawn. Trent had just returned to the Atlas residence with groceries when he heard a scream from the main house. He rushed in to find a monster towering over Link's mother and used his Water Bullets to slay the creature as it turned towards him. This was why the demigods hadn't crossed paths when Link and Klaus left the home.

"I was so scared, thinking you had been killed," Link's mother continued, her eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine, Mother," Link reassured her, though his own eyes betrayed a deep sorrow.

He hadn't seen his mother in years and felt a pang of guilt for his prolonged absence, especially after hearing her fears.

"What about Quinn?" she asked. "Where is she?"

"She's in Higher World," Link replied. "She's safe, and you all will be safe too."

Trent turned to Link, catching his attention. "What do we do now?"

"We have to return to the city and eliminate the monsters," Link explained. "We need to regroup with Klaus and the others."

Hearing this, Link's mother began to tremble in fear. Sensing her distress, Link turned to her with a reassuring tone.

"You should head to my house with everyone else," he said. "There, Pixel will protect you all to the best of its ability."

Looking his mother in the eyes, Link continued, "I promise you will be safe."

His words soothed her, and she believed him. The two demigods escorted everyone to Link's home, ensuring their safety before preparing to depart.

"Do you know why exactly this is happening?" Trent asked, still stunned by the sudden chaos on Earth.

"No," Link admitted. "But I suspect there's an instigator—someone with a reason to cause such a thing."

Klaus sat on his knees, his gaze fixed on the monsters parting to reveal a stranger a few yards away. His eyes locked onto theirs, taking in the familiar horns atop their head. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"You. It can't be."

The figure slowly walked over to him, and when they finally spoke, the voice sent a shiver down his spine.

"It's so nice to meet you again, my love."

Standing before him was Xhin, one of the two demons who had guided him during his time in the Under World. The monsters seemed to obey her, making no move to attack. Klaus was frozen, a torrent of confusion and shock paralyzing his thoughts.

"Oh, apologies for the injury," Xhin said, her concern evident as she stepped closer. "Does it hurt badly?"

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She crouched beside him, her eyes searching his face for a response. But Klaus found no comfort in her presence.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice trembling with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"Oh, me?" Xhin replied lightly. "I'm here for you."

"Are you the one?" Klaus pressed, unwilling to be sidetracked by her evasive words.

"Am I the one that what?" Xhin asked, feigning confusion.

"Are you the one who summoned these dreadful creatures to our world?" Klaus demanded, his voice growing firmer.

"Oh," Xhin said with a smile. "Well, yes. But don't worry about that. It's just a little life project of mine."

She reached out to help him up, but Klaus recoiled from her touch.

"You did this?" he asked, his voice filled with betrayal. "You chose to lay siege upon humanity?"

"Me? Siege?" Xhin replied, genuinely shocked. "Good Gods, I am doing no such thing."

"You said you wanted to help humanity before I left," Klaus said, his voice softer, filled with the pain of her betrayal.

"Oh, but this is the HELP I wanted to offer to humanity," Xhin explained, her tone almost gleeful. "This is my HELP. It is my Human Extinction Life Project."

Klaus' eyes widened in disbelief. He could hardly process her words, the horror of her true intentions sinking in.

Growing up, Jhin and Xhin were born into a dynasty of champions in Nyxia. Their family had always been victors of the Games of Champions since the games began, earning them elite status among the demons. Despite their superior ranking, humanity was still held in higher regard by the Gods.

This reality always disgusted their house. "Why are humans praised as perfect imperfections when they are not even the most dominant creatures to have traversed their world?" Humans were perceived as flawed creatures, a belief deeply instilled in both Jhin and Xhin by their family.

Jhin openly showed his resentment towards humankind, but Xhin was adept at hiding hers. "After all, she is good at putting on a facade."

As she grew, every boyfriend she ever had only liked her for one thing: her family's name. It was common for other demons to want to marry into their family, yet she always chose to trust them whenever they claimed otherwise. Despite this, they always ended up breaking her heart.

Xhin had sworn that she was not going to trust people anymore since she was always taken advantage of. But this time, this time was different. Ever since she laid her eyes upon him, she knew that he was the one.

"Klaus Walker!"

Down to every cell and fiber in his body, he was the embodiment of perfection. His glance towards her sent shivers down her spine. She had already planned their future after just one gaze upon him. But despite all this ringing in her head during their first meeting, she held her composure.

"After all, she is good at putting on a facade."

Throughout his stay, Xhin desperately attempted to impress Klaus while still maintaining a natural demeanor. But his character made it difficult to tell if it was working or not. Xhin was furious at the idea that Klaus would have to leave the next day. She couldn't let such perfection slip through her fingertips like she always did.

All her life, Xhin had been more of a genius than a fighter. Her intellect was almost, if not completely, unmatched throughout all of Nyxia, a tremendous feat given that demons naturally had a higher intellect than humans. Xhin always preferred books to brawls. But she wasn't allowed to show this to others. She had to keep the facade because of her family's reputation.

After her fight with Klaus, they walked into the medical room, where she noticed he was bleeding. She handed him a towel to wipe off the blood and suggested taking their used towels to the bin. But upon her exit, she kept his in her pocket.

After saying their goodbyes at the Facility, Xhin returned to her room, her mind swirling with thoughts of Klaus. She pulled out the hand towel he had used, bringing it to her nose and inhaling deeply. The scent of his blood sent her into a trance, and she suddenly began touching herself inappropriately, unable to resist the overwhelming urge.

She laid on her bed, eyes blurred, continuing to sniff the towel, her actions growing more fervent.

"K-Klaus," she moaned, lost in her ecstasy.

The aroma was intoxicating, heightening her pleasure. To her, he was perfection incarnate. But then it happened. She heard those words. Those special words, spoken to another.

"I love you."

Klaus stared in shock at Xhin, struggling to comprehend her twisted idea of "help" to humanity. Seeing his confusion, Xhin smiled, trying to clarify.

"You know," Xhin began, "I spent weeks perfecting this plan. I always believed that monsters deserved to reclaim the lands they once ruled. So, I decided to resurrect them. And since I have access to the realms of souls, it wasn't difficult. After all, my brother and I hold the highest positions on Lord Nekro's council."

Klaus's horror grew as Xhin casually elaborated on her schemes as if they were normal.

"Using non-perceivable sounds and vibrations, I created a chip that could allow me to control all the monsters in a large radius," she explained, pointing at her head to indicate the chip implanted inside. "It's surprisingly simple. I could even make one for humans if you wanted me to."

Klaus remained silent, his mind reeling. Xhin, sensing his distress, tilted her head with a sad smile.

"Why are you so frightened, my love?" she asked, feigning concern.

Klaus's voice was low and defeated as he ignored her question. "How did you know when to attack? How did you know the demigods would be in Higher World today?"

Xhin sighed, stepping closer and placing her talon-like fingernail on his chest. "The bug is still in you, dummy," she said with a smile.

Seeing Klaus's confusion, Xhin explained further. "The night before our spar, I created a bug and placed it on you."

She had been desperate to keep a connection with Klaus but was too shy to give it to him directly, so she opted for a more discreet method. She considered various ways to ensure the bug stayed with him. Clothing could be removed, ingestion would eventually lead to expulsion. It had to be inside his skin.

Knowing demigods had incredible regenerative abilities, Xhin realized she could embed the bug into Klaus's body, where it would heal quickly and remain unnoticed.

"When I found out we were to spar, I was thrilled," Xhin continued. "It gave me the perfect opportunity to inflict a tiny bit of pain without arousing suspicion. So during our fight, I found the opening I needed and embedded the bug into your chest."

Klaus's disbelief and horror deepened as Xhin's words sank in.

Klaus recalled his fight with Xhin, pinpointing the exact moment she mentioned when he was caught off guard. He pressed his palm against his chest, feeling for the unfamiliar lump she had spoken of. This was the source of the nagging pain he had felt since departing from Under World.

Determined, Klaus dug his fingers into his chest, ignoring the searing pain as he pried the bug from beneath his skin. Finally, he pulled it out and examined the tiny device. He turned to Xhin, disgust evident in his eyes, while she smiled innocently.

"You heard everything I heard and said since I left Under World?" Klaus asked, his voice laced with anger.

"Yup," Xhin replied with a smile that quickly faded. "And I also heard the conversation. It was supposed to be me, not her."

Klaus stared in confusion as Xhin continued, her tone dripping with bitterness.

"Who the hell even is she?" Xhin spat. "Just a measly human."

Realization dawned on Klaus; she was talking about Avalon. Xhin had overheard when Klaus confessed his love for Avalon.

"That was what settled it for me," Xhin said, her voice cold. "Humans really MUST die if that's what it takes to have my dearly beloved."

Klaus struggled to comprehend her twisted logic. Before he could respond, Xhin stood up, her demeanor shifting.

"The plan is going smoothly," Xhin declared. "I intended for all humans to perish, but I care enough to make an exception for my beloved."

She began pacing, her voice eerily calm as she elaborated.

"After a few weeks of listening to you, I noticed there were two humans you cared about," Xhin continued. "Your mother, Natalie, if I remember correctly... and that bitch, Avalon Smith."

Klaus's eyes widened as he realized the implication of her words. He rose to his feet, ignoring the pain, his voice barely a whisper.

"Xhin..."

"So, I decided to give you a choice, since I care so deeply about you," Xhin said, her tone almost affectionate.

"Xhin, don't," Klaus pleaded, his horror growing with each word she spoke.

"I knew I had to strike in the afternoon to make this plan work because of your power," Xhin added, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "But it was worth it."

Klaus's face was a mixture of worry and shock as he took a step back, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Two different monsters, assigned with two special tasks," Xhin said, her innocent smile returning as she delivered the final blow verbally to Klaus.

"Slay Natalie Walker... and slay Avalon Smith."