Klaus stared at Xhin in horror, unable to believe the words she had just uttered.

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

For a moment, he stood silent, Xhin's smile almost mocking him. Then, with a surge of anger, he rushed forward and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off her feet.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his rage evident in his voice.

Xhin met his furious gaze with mesmerized eyes, her expression almost romantic despite the threatening situation.

Link and Trent arrived just in time to witness the scene. They had followed a message from Quinn, guiding them to Klaus's location. As they approached, they were met with the sight of immobile monsters and a massive blood-red gate adorned with black designs.

Amidst the chaos, they saw Klaus with an unfamiliar figure.

"Is that... a demon?" Trent asked, noticing the figure's resemblance to Drake.

The two demigods rushed to Klaus, ready to assist him. As they got closer, they witnessed her face and realized that she was female.

"Let him go, you... hot... demon... baddie," Link said, momentarily awestruck by Xhin's appearance.

Trent shot him a confused look, but Link just shrugged, realizing he had nothing more to say.

"It seems it's Klaus holding onto her, though," Trent observed.

"Oh," Link replied, understanding the situation better.

Their confusion grew as they tried to comprehend what was happening. But one thing was clear: Klaus was not happy.

"Don't do this, Xhin," Klaus pleaded, his grip on her neck softening. "Please."

Xhin maintained her gaze for a few moments before responding.

"Every second counts, my love," she said softly. "I wouldn't want you to end up losing them both, you know."

Hearing her words, Klaus dropped Xhin in frustration. The choice she was forcing upon him was unbearable; it meant sacrificing one life to save another. He couldn't accept such a cruel reality.

"Xhin," Klaus began, his voice softer, almost pleading, "it's not too late to stop this. If you truly care about me, please, don't do this."

Xhin's eyes grew sorrowful. Klaus's words had clearly struck a chord with her, and she remained silent for a few moments.

"I really do care," Xhin said softly, her innocence apparent. "That's why I have to rid you of these insignificant creatures."

Klaus's frustration intensified. He placed his hands on his head, grunting in mental agony as he slouched forward. Xhin moved closer, gently placing her palm on his back in an attempt to soothe him.

"Don't worry, my love," Xhin whispered, "You will thank me for all this later when we are together."

As Link and Trent approached, the surrounding monsters began to rush at them, preventing them from reaching Klaus and Xhin.

"What is happening to Klaus?" Trent asked, noticing Klaus's anguished actions from afar.

Distracted by the oncoming monsters, both demigods struggled to both understand the situation and regroup with Klaus. Klaus, meanwhile, was paralyzed by his dilemma, knowing that inaction could mean losing the two people he loved the most.

"Klaus!"

His name echoed through the area, causing Klaus to turn toward the voice. Glancing there, Klaus' eyes met Shade who had finally arrived at their location.

"Run to Avalon," Shade called out, causing Klaus's eyes to widen in confusion.

Shade had been monitoring the conversation through the shadows ever since bidding Klaus farewell, ready to intervene if necessary. And upon hearing Xhin's ultimatum, he knew he had to interfere so he began to rush towards their location.

"Run to Avalon," Shade shouted again. "I'll get mom."

Xhin's expression darkened upon hearing Shade's words.

"No, no, no, don't ruin the game," Xhin said angrily. "If you do that, I'll have to speed up the monsters to their destination."

This was precisely what Klaus feared. Xhin's intellect was undeniable, and he knew her plan was likely foolproof. This was why he hadn't asked Trent or Link to do what Shade had just suggested. But it appeared Shade had a plan.

"Because I marked our home before, I can use my transportation ability to get to her side immediately," Shade explained. "But you have to get to Avalon with haste."

The moment Klaus heard Shade's voice, he took off without hesitation, sprinting towards Avalon's home. He knew every second counted, and he couldn't afford to waste any.

Xhin, furious at Klaus's sudden departure, reactivated the monsters around them. They surged towards Klaus, attempting to slow him down. He dodged and slayed the beasts with swift precision, not wasting a moment. As he ran, Klaus spotted the blade of darkness he had received from Shade and quickly picked it up, wielding it to cut down the monsters in his path.

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Meanwhile, Shade had already activated his transportation ability, diving into the Abyssal Pit and disappearing into it instantly, a prerequisite for the ability's activation.

As Klaus continued to fight his way through the horde, a towering wall of water suddenly rose up on either side of him, blocking more monsters from reaching him. This was Trent's doing, his palms pressed to the ground as he manipulated the water to assist Klaus. A few monsters attempted to attack Trent in his vulnerable state, but he enveloped himself and Link in water, shielding them from harm.

The remaining monsters in Klaus's path were swiftly taken down by a swarm of needle-like objects, revealed to be Link's nanobots, slicing through the creatures with lethal efficiency. With their help, Klaus finally broke free from the onslaught and sprinted towards Avalon's home with renewed determination.

Klaus's expression remained stern, his mind focused on a single goal. He tried calling Avalon on her phone to warn her, but she did not answer. This only spurred him to run faster, covering as much ground as he possibly could.

Frustration and anger filled him. He desperately wished he could use his Burst Speed, a power unavailable to him in daylight. But dwelling on this regret was pointless. He had to keep moving.

Arriving at Avalon's home, Klaus saw the monster approaching her doorstep. Rage surged through him. He stretched out his left hand and conjured a second-grade Solar Ball in nearly a second, hurling it at the creature.

The impact was explosive, obliterating the monster in a burst of force that shook the entire area. But Klaus didn't care about the destruction; his only concern was Avalon.

As the light particles settled and the force dissipated, Klaus finally caught his breath. He had made it just in time. Without wasting another moment, he rushed into the house to ensure Avalon's safety.

"Avalon?" Klaus called out as he entered the dark, silent house. The power was out due to the ongoing monster crisis, casting an eerie stillness over everything. As he made his way through the rooms, he heard a soft noise coming from upstairs. It sounded like it was coming from Avalon's room. With a sense of urgency, he began to climb the stairs.

Reaching the top, he headed straight for her room. The door was ajar, and the noise grew louder, more distinct. Klaus strained to make sense of it, his heart pounding. When he finally reached the doorway, he froze.

His face turned ashen, his expression void of any emotion. It felt as if his soul had left his body. Before him, a horrifying scene unfolded: a monstrous creature was devouring Avalon's torso, treating her like a gruesome meal.

Avalon's eyes were directed upward, nearly lifeless. Upon hearing the sound at the door, she slowly turned her head and locked eyes with Klaus. They stared at each other in mutual horror. Avalon took a deep breath, but she didn't exhale. Klaus watched in agony as the life left her eyes.

The monster, sensing Klaus's presence, turned its attention away from Avalon and charged at him, intent on making him its next victim. Klaus, however, was unfazed. His eyes remained fixed on Avalon's lifeless face. When the creature reached him, he grabbed its neck with lightning speed and crushed it, snapping its spine without ever diverting his gaze.

The monster collapsed at his feet, but Klaus hardly reacted to it. He staggered forward, each step feeling like a nightmare. When he reached Avalon's body, he fell to his knees beside her, inching closer. The sight of her bloodied, mutilated form was more than he could bear. Tears began to gather around his eyes.

"Avalon?" he called out softly, a desperate hope in his voice. "Avalon?"

He gently lifted her head, cradling it in his hands. His sorrow was overwhelming as he struggled to accept the reality before him. He couldn't bring himself to look at her ravaged torso, focusing instead on her eyes, now empty and unseeing. Tears fell freely down his cheeks.

"Avalon... please wake up," Klaus whispered, his voice breaking. "Don't leave. Please."

His tears and terror were unmistakable, his gaze fixed on her face, refusing to acknowledge the truth.

"Please."

As the word left his lips, his face began to change, draining of all emotion.

"Please... don't go..."

"There are a lot of factors that can make someone stronger than another both in general and at a given moment..."

Xhin felt the last vision of the dying monster, placing her palm over her right eye. She had seen Avalon's death, and it brought a smile to her lips, followed by a giggle. Trent and Link continued their desperate battle against the swarming monsters, more of which kept spawning from the ominous gate. It felt like an unwinnable fight, but surrender was not an option.

"While it is correct that both experience and commitment to improving oneself are influential factors in making a demigod more effective in combat, a shift in mindset can also be a decisive factor that can turn the tide of battle..."

Xhin's smile widened at the thought of Avalon's demise. "Yes, Klaus," she murmured, "it's just you and me now."

"Happiness, fear, pride. These are typical examples..."

Klaus' tears rolled down his cheeks, accumulating at his chin before falling to the ground.

"But there is one particular emotion that holds more significance for demigods than any other..."

As Klaus' teardrop inched closer to the ground, time seemed to slow down before freezing entirely. Everything lost meaning, use, reason. Klaus' mind was a storm of emotions, but one singular emotion consumed him more than all the others.

"Rage."

As Klaus' tear hit the ground beside Avalon, the world resumed its motion. The palm of his left hand was suddenly on Xhin's face, his grip unyielding.

Filled with pure rage, Klaus lifted Xhin off her feet and slammed her head into the ground beneath them with such force that the earth trembled. The sudden impact drew the attention of Link, Trent, and every monster in the area.

"Is that... Klaus?" Trent asked, his voice filled with shock. It was astonishing to see Klaus already back after rushing to Avalon's home.

Klaus had just moved from Avalon's side to Times Square at the speed of light, a feat previously impossible for him in the presence of sunlight. He and Xhin remained at the center of the massive crater created by the force of his slam, Klaus still holding on to the demon's face on the ground. If not for the demon race's durability, Xhin would have been reduced to nothing but brain matter and guts.

As the eyes of everyone turned towards them, Klaus slammed his foot onto Xhin's torso, kicking her away with immense force. She crashed into a distant wall, leaving a deep impression from the impact.

After a few seconds, Xhin regained consciousness, revealing she had been knocked out by Klaus' initial slam. She slowly rose from her fallen state, staring at Klaus in shock.

Link and Trent, along with every monster around, were transfixed by the unfolding events. It was as if the very air had shifted in the entire area in response to the force emanating from Klaus. As he walked out of the crater and into view, the demigods saw Klaus enveloped in radiant light.

Klaus' eyes glowed with an intense, hollow expression as if his mind was elsewhere. Light particles danced around his body, forming a brilliant Aura. His luminescence was as brilliant as it was radiant.

Klaus walked slowly toward the fallen demon, his expression unchanged. To Trent and Link, this was the most frightening version of Klaus they had ever witnessed upon seeing his gaze. They couldn't grasp what had transpired since he had left to meet Avalon, but one thing was clear to them.

"Klaus has conquered the sun."