Today is a day for revolution, today the sun rises after a year of oppression.

A man with stern and cruel eyes marched through the castle yard on the break of dawn. His is a role crucial to the new rule that is to come. Yesterday’s fish poisoned all who consumed them, and so the numbers have turned.

With the courtyard empty, he headed to the gates. Sure there were some who didn't eat the fish purely by chance, but they could feel the ominous air.

The housing of the guards was filled with medics and maids with little training in nursing. Vomiting, diarrhea, and severe cold were the symptoms, and healing magic the medics and maids could do only gave a few moments of relief before the symptoms surfaced again. They could only prescribe rest, shake their heads, and leave the rest to time.

The castle was eerily quiet from its usual simmering of footsteps that usually followed the changing of shifts. He could hear few clashes of blades from somewhere and there. People had gathered outside the gates surprising few of the night shifts who stood to watch.

Confusion filled many as blades were thrust through their backs. When this man reached the gates a surprising but familiar face stood there.

"Gordo there are people out there, th-this could be a worst case scenario."

Upon seeing him the familiar face informed him, sweat dripping down his face.

"Did you not eat the fish?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

With those few words, Gordo pulled out his blade from its sheath, and in a single motion sliced the man’s jugular. In surprise, confusion and pain he collapsed to the ground, his eyes fixated on his partner and friend he had spent the last year manning these gates. He compressed his neck to stop the blood, which only helped the blood go back in the trachea. Choking in his own liquids, he convulsed till his heart beat no more.

The murderer had a key role; to open the gates, failure was not allowed, what he did was for the right of humanity.

♦♦♦

The alarm bells rang, the horns went off and I had the best seat to watch it all.

The NPCs finished setting up cameras; surrounding the castle, within the castle, everywhere.

"Master Verra, would you like some more butter with your popcorn?"

"No thank you, Zwanzig, but if you can add some pepper that'd be great."

"Of course Master Verra."

Viewing windows floating in front of me, showing me the multiple characters of interest, and I'm in a comfortably cushy seat. This is the closest it's going to get to a TV in this world, I never liked reality television when I was back on earth, but I get the feeling this is going to be good. Ku ku ku...

♦♦♦

The gate burst open and hundreds of warriors invaded the castle. The ones that could still fight and defend were few in number. The people they thought were their comrades had turned against them, they were outnumbered and many swords were stabbed through backs.

Arrows fell down on the invading warriors from watchtowers. The warriors responded by activating their magic scrolls. A barrage of magical lightning and fire hit the watchtowers instantaneously. Exploding into a giant torch of fire. The men upon the towers fell to their doom. The structure creaked and wailed for some fraction of a time before it crumbled to the ground. Many tried to run, but where in this madness lies safety. It was all too futile, the warriors caught them, and the sorcerers shot them; as the support they came behind the warriors healing and shooting.

The invaders split into two, some headed towards the soldier’s housing areas, while others head for the Red King. The groups were all planned by the Core Sorcerer himself, in fluid dynamism each moved towards their goal. An even number of sorcerers followed behind both giving support, buffs, heals, and attacks.

One group to burn the housings, with the sick inside, and as they run out, enough warriors to surround them and slay them with ease.

And another for a Golem and a Sorcerer to walk forward in safety, protected by a swarm of warriors. In the middle they remained as the swarm moved forward invading the castle like a pack of wild animals, killing even the maids and workers caught in the middle of it all. Soon they were closing in on the King's chambers.

Bang!

Bodies flung across the air, like shrapnels of a grenade, and in the middle stood The Red King.

♦♦♦

"Master Grayson!"

She hopped to his aid, her lop ears flapping. Stopping his fall, getting under his arm, supporting him with a shoulder.

"Lean on me."

"Burp* Oh god. Excuse me~" He wailed in pain. "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Don't worry."

A maid must take care of them through sickness and in health. So she rushed him to the bathroom as he needed. Got out, and closed it behind him. She waited outside to respond to anything that the man might need.

"What's going on outside?"

He asked through the door, as he waited for his body to explode and collapse.

"I'm not sure Sir... but a lot of people are having the same problem as you, Master Grayson."

The silence took over again, perhaps some strange screams from far away could be ignored.

"And what's that?"

He asked making sure his body wasn't going to collapse in the next few seconds.

"Food poisoning Sir, the fish was bad. Everyone who had it seems to have become sick."

"Is-"

He goes silent in the middle of his sentence, no, it's replaced by a soundless moan.

The sound of half solid liquids falling burst out, farting and sharting, mixed in with the sudden grunts made the bunny take a step back. She waited for a minute in hope the sounds would die away, but a bursting echo broke the camel’s back.

"I'll go get some ginger, Sir!"

She yelled it out to block the sounds and hopped away.

♦♦♦

I found it strange when my partner didn't show. I looked down to see a few hundred warriors standing, facing the castle gates, for a moment I couldn't place their intention but only for a moment.

Are they crazy I thought, don't they know of the king? They weren't attacking, they lined up like they were waiting for something. No one else was here on the watchtower, it was strange, I would run to the king to tell the news but there was no one else to man the tower.

I looked to the watchtower across me, I could see two men watching the same scene as me. I am reviled one of them can go tell the king. Then they surprised me by ringing their bell and sounding their horn. I looked down to find one of the gatekeepers in a puddle of his own blood, and the other unlocking the gates.

Then I saw that the guards on top the wall were fighting, they were fighting each other. I couldn't tell why, or even who was good and bad; who is defending, who is attacking.

The gates burst open in the middle of my daze and brought my attention to the ground below. A few mere arrows were fired at the swarm of warriors and sorcerers. In panic, I readied my own, before I could fire a shot, the tower across mine burst into flames. I watched the collapse with a bow and an arrow in my hand, I couldn't understand how this could happen; a force of this many shouldn't be able to defeat us. I heard a sound behind me; someone was climbing up the tower, I turned and fired my arrow. It was sudden, and it hit him before he even noticed, he fell from the ladder down the tower.

Was he with me or against me, I don't know. He was a knight like me, but uniform meant nothing anymore.

I jumped across to the wall, this was the only escape I saw in my mind. I slid down the castle wall, trying to get some grip using my dagger. I did not land without a sprain. By some luck my escape was not noticed, I escaped while others died in front my eyes. Now only the King can stop this madness. Only the King who can single-handedly take down an army.

♦♦♦

They rammed with their bodies to push the doors open. Inside, there are already men wielding spears, fighting each other. As one of the spearmen-guards saw the number of warriors he broke out sweating, while the other screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Long live The Core Sorcerer!"

A clear sign to the warriors, the invading warriors instantly knew who to kill, and went at them with their swords.

In front of them is a hallway stretching out far, with an elegant red carpet, at the end, is the throne room. At the sides of this hallway are two wide stairs leading up to the second floor.

The warriors here numbered about 80 since they split up from the main group. Their goal isn't the throne room.

"Everyone we're all going up."

Zejimal let them know pointing to the stairs. Their goal is the king's chambers, his bedroom, and office.

The bells and horns must have alarmed them, because as soon as they beat the spearmen more started coming out, running out from where ever, but what is 1 against 10. The warriors beat them on the left, beat them on the right, and beat them on the stairs and above.

The 2nd floor is the same with a large hallway stretching out to a room that the Sorcerer knew well.

Forward they run, crushing the few separated ducklings that came to stop them. The maids who were unfortunate enough to be caught up in this were either killed with a single strike. Or if they were lucky, beaten down by a warrior desiring a slave of their own, grasping chance, to maybe get a free slave. The more beautiful they were, the chances of their survival went up.

The warriors at the front separated further and further ahead from the sorcerers without their noticing, as they got closer and closer to the Red King’s chambers. Under the guidance of the Core Sorcerer, the sorcerers prepared themselves for the real fight to come, while they let the barbaric warriors go ahead and scout for them.

Suddenly the warriors at the front exploded, as the sorcerers watched safely and timidly from the back.

♦♦♦

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The king is always late to his office, and I'm always on time. Which gives me a lot of time to clean up the folders on the floor, and whatever mess we made the day before. I arrange the folders in order of difficulty since I want to get rid of them first, but sometimes his Majesty will ask me to read him specific files.

The door opened with a clicking sound as the handle twisted, I tried to take a pose suiting a servant quickly. The person popping in is just the new maid, she's a catman, and she just recently immigrated to Tengai.

"Ma'am would you like some tea?"

She learned that I always come here early - on time - and so she brings me tea every now and then if she isn't busy. I think the other maids - passively - drive her away.

"Sure, and there's no need to call me Ma'am; just Emali will be fine."

I told her this before, but she gets nervous after a bit and goes back to calling me, Ma'am.

"Ah- I-I'll try."

"Haa~" I can't force her if she doesn't want to.

She poured me some tea, and I took a small sip.

"Some biscuits would go great with this."

I said just to make some conversation going, not thinking too deeply.

"I'm sorry Ma-Emali, I'll get snacks. Biscuits."

"Tha-" t’s not necessary.

She ran off before I could stop her. That girl needs to relax, and that's coming from me.

I heard the sounds of bells ringing and horns trumpeting. I felt unsure of what to do, and simply drank my tea. It got louder, I feel confused and isolated, perhaps it would have been better if she was here to alleviate some of that isolation, but then it suddenly stopped. The silence again.

I understood at an unemotional and intellectual level that this meant the castle is being attacked. Who? Where? How? Isn't this king the strongest in the history of all the kings, no maybe all of humanity. His strength is something I’ve only heard of in myths or legends, feats only those known as half-gods, or heroes can achieve. How could anyone attack here, who would dare? I did find today to be eerily quiet. I didn't pass the many soldiers I usually do on my way here, and even some maids who are usually up before me were missing in the kitchen today.

Shouldn't she have returned with the biscuit by now?

I slowly and reluctantly went out the office. I hear the sounds of metal clashing. I'm sweating and my hands are shaking at this point, but I go closer to the sounds. I hear screams of what might be the maids. I am getting closer to the king's bedroom when I hear a loud bang. I draw close enough to see what's going on, and there is the king standing in the middle of some dirty warriors. They and their swords were covered in blood and sweat. There are warriors collapsed on the floor all around him. As his eyes glaze over the ones standing in front of him, they take a step back.

But his eyes are not focused on them. What's he looking for?

While some froze in fear at the sight of him, others backed away slowly feeling the immense pressure he gives off. Finally, he seems to have found what he was searching for.

"So you've decided to remain a villain to the end."

♦♦♦

I woke up to the ringing bells and the horns. The girls aren't beside me so I'm worried, I know someone is attacking. Grayson isn't here, no messengers are here.

Who's attacking?

From what we know there could be two groups trying to attack. Could the Omron Church be trying for a sneak attack, or is the Sorcerer stupid enough to challenge me? In either case, how do they expect to beat me? Or is their objective something else. Grayson isn't here, what's wrong with him, he's been waking me up every day for the last week before the sun comes up, and today he doesn’t show.

I open the doors to my bedroom, and there's Obella. Her waterfall blond hair, her cute pointy little elf ears. But she looks a bit too pale.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a stomach ache, nothing to worry about."

She gives me a pained smile while holding her stomach. I'll have the healers look at her later.

"Alright, get some rest. I'm going to go check out what's going on."

She must have heard the warning bells as well.

She slips past me into the bedroom. I walk down the large corridor when I hear fighting from one of the side rooms. The sounds coming from a staff area with an always open door. Inside there is a human maid, beating on a rabbitman maid.

"What're you doing!?"

The human maid spins around throwing herself into vertigo.

"Y-yyyourrr Ma-Majesty!"

"What's the meaning of this!?" She looks tongue-tied, and the demi-human maid is crying. There's no one around, I can't even leave them to someone else. What's going on today? I’ll ask the human here, she looks like she knows what’s going on.

Placing my hand on her head I activate one of my Echo skills.

"[Echo: Hypnotic]. Now tell me why you were fighting her?"

Her blank eyes stared into space as she spoke.

"She's a demi-human. Demi-human's shouldn't be walking around with humans, they're meant to be slaves."

If she believes that then why's she still in this country, I allowed them to leave, didn't I? Even if she choose to stay, for whatever reason, she could have gotten a job that doesn't need her to always be around demi-humans. But that's not something I want, I rather you all just get along.

"Haa~ then why are you attacking now?"

Why not earlier, why not later? Does it have something to with the attack?

"Today the Red King dies, so now is the best time to kill his allies. She is with The Red King, she's not with us."

"Haa~ so I die today huh?"

Who fed her this idea? And thank you rabbit girl for being my ally.

"Yes, you will die today."

"And who told you that?"

"The great Core Sorcerer, Master Danial. He sent messages through the guards and Sorcerers who are still loyal to him and the old king."

So it's him.

"Is he the one attacking right now?"

"Yes, it is the great Core Sorcerer, Master Danial who has come to claim your life."

Is that so? Well, he can try if he wants to. It looks like I wasted too much time here. I can hear the clashing of swords and many boots running down the hallway. The rabbit girls forehead looks like its split open, but I think it's just the flesh.

"I'll call the healer as soon as I'm done with them."

It looks like they got this far pretty fast, I can see them from the door.

[Berserker: Cannonball]

I shoot myself straight at the mass of warriors, bashing anyone I touch. I land in the middle of them all, just flinging everyone off of me in all direction.

Where is he? Is he not with them, is he somewhere else? There are sorcerers here, ah~ there he is. I was hoping for better from you if you changed you could have brought on a whole new era. People follow you, and you could have shown them the right way. Instead, you choose greed. Humanity makes mistakes, but it changes always to better itself, and you could have been that change.  

♦♦♦

The warriors froze at the sight of The Red King. His line of sight is fixed on one person, in particular, wearing a dark green robe with lighter markings around the sleeves and edges. The king spoke with great disappointment.

"So you've decided to remain a villain to the end." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Using Zejimal's pupils for the upcoming war will be impossible now it seems." He finally looked around at the panicked warriors. "Don't worry I'll try to hold back as to not kill."

"What the hell are you idiots waiting for!?"

Yelled Zejimal, who was mixed in with the crowd. He jumped in with his sword raised high, with all his strength swinging for the king's head. The sword is caught with ease, between the king's index and thumb. But Zejimal didn't show fear, he grinned broadly,

"Poison Lightning."

Sparks of green lightning burst out from the sword and struck the King.

"Too bad I have levels in Crank, and Poison Blood." The man didn't even flinch at the attack and took it all. Zejimal grin froze on his face. "Here take some of it back, [Crank: Electric Pulse]"

Zejimal’s thrown into his own warriors, shocking the people he fell on as well.

"Uno! Kill that man!"

The Sorcerer shouted pointing to The Red King. Until now the Golem has been on the corner of his sight, but hearing its name 'Uno', it got his full attention.

"That is a strange looking thing. Is that what made you think, you can fight me? Well, then I'll just have to destroy it."

The King disappeared in front of their eyes. Then suddenly the side wall collapsed with a bang, dust from the cracked, and falling walls filled the air. Some noticed that one of Uno's legs were in the air as if he had just finished a kick. Emerging from the hole in the wall, and the dust that clouded it, is the Red King, with blood dripping down his forehead. He wiped away the blood dripping down his face.

"I didn't want to break the sound barrier indoors... but I don't think I can afford to hold back against you."

BTOOOOM!

Instinctively they covered their ears and ducked down; they felt the entire air shift as if they stood at the center of a storm as it began.

BOOOM!

BTOOOM!

BOOO!

Like an out of sync pulse, the air broke above the warriors, the spectators. They looked up to see the hazy blurred figures of red and blue clash. The walls and columns cracked, and those branches spread more and more as the pulses vibrated through the air.

The Red King crashed to the floor creating a small crater, "AHAW~" a low groan escaped him. As everyone watched the king in pain, he still managed to jump out of the crater to avoid a knee drop. Like slithering snakes cracks spread out through the ground, and there at the center, a Golem that looked to be genuflecting to the spectators.

Gaining a few meters, the king stood up, ragged, his hands shaking, with his fur coat damaged, and his red hair clinging to his sweaty bloodied face.

"Aa~ Ha~ Aa~ Ha~ [Poison Blood: Venom]"

Breathing heavily he activated his skill. The white of his eyes turned blood red, the veins on his face became visible as they turned dark and black. The venom provided the boost he needed to dodge the bolt of stone launched at him. The flurry of kicks and punches aimed at him. But the poison which coated his skin did no damage to the Golem at all. He jumped back to keep distance and yelled.

"[Poison Blood: Crystal]"

Everywhere he had touched the Golem with the poison, red beautifully shining crystals came out, impeding its movements, encasing it in crystals of blood.

"Aa~ Ha~ Aa~ Ha~ I knew it wouldn't hold."

The crystals were cracking, the encasing fell apart under the sheer strength of the Golem. Strength he understood well after exchanging blows.

"[Ouroboros: Devour]"

Unclenching his fist, a sting runs down the flesh broken knuckles, pain in his aching bones spread through his arms, longer this goes the heavier he feels. He opens his stiff fingers, and there on his left palm appears a mouth. The mouth of the devourer, he takes a few deep breaths, reading to jump in again. Few more crystals break, he can't afford to hesitate, the Golem moves an inch.

BATOOOM!

He thrusts his left hand forward, grabbing at its exposed round head. Uno's head disappears into his hand, it eats like a black hole, with an unquenchable appetite it tries to guttle more.

There is resistance from the Golem, as it shakes the ground with its colossal strength. Devouring such a large magical weight provides its own problems.

Hellish blue fire flares forth from Uno, cracking and melting the crystals at a rapid rate. His hand feels hotter, but before the flames could attack him they're consumed by the mouth. He endures the heat as he thrusts forward to devour it all.

The crystals break, Uno's hands clutch his, putting an end to its meal. His arm catches fire, and so he struggles to free himself from its grips.

The struggle erupts as he throws himself around the hall, at walls and columns, while Uno refused to let go. As some of the levels of Immortal tries to heal, and rejuvenate the burning flesh, the blue flames spread further and deeper into his body. While Uno has managed to free himself from the mouth, the king's attempts to free himself from the grip turn sluggish. As he still struggles the flesh burns brighter and brighter, giving a glow of red around the blue, as poison blood start to boil and ignite.

The king lands a few good hits on Uno, but it refused to let go. He raises his feat for a straight kick; with only one foot on the ground, Uno uses this opportunity pull him off his balance. Bringing him to the ground, Uno twists his arm as to aim the palm away and delivers a few stomps of his own to the fallen king. The blue flames had spread through his entire body, his wounds won't heal with the flame destroying any progress. The Red King is doing well not making a sound in that painful state, only the crackling sounds of the fire came off his flesh. With a few more stomps his HP was at its end.

The Immortal class will stop death from loss of Human levels, but not death from HP depletion. His last shallow breaths were filled with the stench of his own burning flesh, and the painful fire which gave his vitality no chance to recover. Struggling to return to his feet, struggling to get in a few more hits, and struggling he drew his last breath.

♦♦♦

"That was a good fight."

"Yes, Master Verra."

Everyone seems to be nodding along with me, satisfied.

Yeah, it was the expected result, even I wouldn't be able to win against Uno, a level 600 Golem. Maybe with my clones all working together...? No, I would perform a lot better but it would’ve still been a loss. That given, the king put up a good fight with such a low level.

I would need at least a few 300 level NPCs to back me up to win against Uno and some other powerful items from the treasury like the Gun... Or... Something. None the less that was a good fight, maybe if he had time to prepare before the fight he would have done a lot better.

Is it because I'm just watching. I just killed a player but I'm fine, well I need to be fine to achieve my goal. And it doesn't look like he's going to respawn, well in the game you can't log-in for 3 days, but it doesn't look like that's what's happening. He's good as dead, which was also the expected result. If you die here, you're done, that's it.

That makes the game more serious but nothing has really changed. Really the problem would be if he could respawn; I'd have to figure out a way to lock him away, instead of killing. It would be bad if I could respawn too... Well, there's some good and bad to that.

I put a few more popcorn in my mouth and offered some to Stella.

"Thank you, Master Verra."

She grabbed some, so I offered some to Zwanzig as well. She took some and said her thanks in the same way. I had arranged for their seats beside me to watch the show. There are some others sitting around us as well, NPCs who worked in the surveillance department who decided to watch the show with me. I’m not going to get up to offer them, it's too much of a pain in the ass; Stella and Zwanzig are right beside me.

"Let's keep watching, I want to know what they're going to do now."

"Yes, Master Verra."

♦♦♦

"AHHHHH!"

The Golem finished its stomping. The warriors watched the scene in amazement, the castle guards came to despair and fell to their knees. They watched in horror as their king laid on the ground motionless burning brightly. Their last hope burning bright blue.

The scream came from Emali, she was on her knees watching the whole fight. This was something she couldn't accept. She looked around her to see the warriors who attacked, guards who defended on the floor dead and injured, and the maids crying and whimpering.

Even the invading warriors seem surprised at the scene, the scream had brought her to their attention. And one of the warriors asking calmly for they knew they have won.

"What should we do about her?"

The soldiers stumbled back confused and afraid. Few ran but no one gave chase, the chaos that was there a moment ago was all gone. The maids who were ex-slaves fell to the warriors’ feets and begged.

Emali wondered if she should do the same, she was a slave just like them, she is a slave. Tears flowed out like a broken dam, she could only feel sadness to the core. She could do nothing but weep.

The other soldiers started asking similar questions.

"What should we do with them?"

"Should we kill them?"

"Get off my feet!"

And they were all answered by a stern old man.

"No, if they've given up gather them here. Search the castle, if anyone resists you're allowed to kill. And as for the injured warriors bring them to us sorcerers, we'll heal them."