The next few hours were hectic. The groups were split on where to go. They knew that they needed to be close by to set up traps and grab as many demons as possible to upgrade themselves in the period they had. Unfortunately, six hours was not enough to be blessed with such a short time.

They all agreed to stay present instead of going out but refortifying the building around themselves.

Gerald pushed for a spot not even a few blocks away from the factory, holding themselves up in four different buildings to filter down the demons coming straight at them.

Alexus and Timothy took on point with Jones, clearing out the building. It didn't take long for them to take out the small fries that barely had any coordination they had to deal with compared to what they had just gone through.

Timothy leaned against the wall, picking up an old cigar that he had found scouring through the building. Clumsily, he clipped the edge,

"Bro, what the hell. Blow that crap in some other direction." Jones replied, waving his hand in front of him, trying to get the smoke away from his nose, but failing.

"You got to try it," Timothy stated; he coughed a few times from incorrectly smoking. "This is my first time trying this out. What else can one do when you don't know that you can die tomorrow."

"There are plenty of things one could do," Jones replied, annoyed. "I think you just want an excuse to smoke."

"Yea, sure. Whatever you want to say." Timothy shrugged. He then gazed over towards Alexus, showing him the cigar he had found. "Do you want to try it?"

Alexus held up his hand. "I'm good. I don't want my lungs causing any problems when we fight."

"You're lost." Timothy shrugged; he went back to smoking but still inhaled it incorrectly and started to cough a few more times heavily. Eventually, he gave up, throwing it on the ground to smoother it out.

Jones raised up his radio, "Come in. This is Black Panther. Team 4 had cleared the whole building and got the trap set."

The radio buzzed, "Team 4, this is Team 3. We have finished as well."

"Team 2 cleared and is still setting up the traps." Crystal's voice rang out clearly

"Team 1. Ready and positioned."

"Copy that," Jones replied. "We should get ready as well." He pulled up his wrist, where a digital watch appeared on his dragon suit.

"We have less than twenty minutes until Gluttony comes with his entourage," Jones replied.

"We'll be good," said Timothy. "You guys got me." He proudly spoke up, sticking out his chest.

"Which is the problem," said Jones, shaking his head at Timothy.

"I'm the solution, bruh." Timothy stood up, smacking his chest at Jones.

Jones rolled his eyes, turning his back to him.

"Enough, Tim." Alexus spoke, "we get better things to do than let your airheadedness fill you up."

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"I'm just making light of the situations, you know." Timothy shrugged.

"If you say so," said Jones.

The energy around both of them had always been complicated. Ever since Timothy had gotten a huge upgrade, Alexus was more on guard around the two. There were times when he had to butt in numerous times to calm the situation between the two.

"Let's go, guys." Alexus turned around, heading back into the building that they had finished locking down. He lightly hopped over the invisible wires, walking up to the door. Pushing it open, he entered and went straight towards the emergency exit, where the stairs were.

He climbed up the stairs, making his way to the seventh floor. Alexus walked over towards the edge, leaning against it.

A few more Ouroborous were present on the walls, watching the distance.

Daisy meowed, catching Alexus' attention.

"Where have you been?" Alexus asked, picking up Daisy. "I thought you left."

"Meow," Daisy replied with her nose held up high.

"You did leave me out there to die, didn't you." Alexus gave Daisy the eye, which Daisy scrunched up her face as if she was offended by his statement.

"Uh, huh. Don't give me that face." Alexus flicked her nose.

Daisy meowed, wiggling out of his arms. Then, she cackled and meowed, her tails straight up.

"Your cat has quite the personality." A young female Ouroborous with red hair and a fantastic figure spoke up next to her.

"Flor, you startled me."

"Did I?" Flor smugly replied. She reached out, petting Daisy on the head.

"Yea, you and Crystal have a knack for doing that."

"What?"

"Walking up on people quietly."

"Well, that's how I am."

"Right….at this rate, you're all like Daisy."

"We are. She's a beauty. The rare few cats still alive today live in the Seventh Sanctum. The others had been wiped out."

Alexus agreed. "Demons don't like them at all."

"I agree. In Egyptian culture, cats are looked upon as guardians of the dead. This is because their eyes can see the dead and the supernatural. No demons would want their covers blown."

"They don't work for sure. It's probably why they were hunted down too close to extinction."

"Which is quite a sad thing."

"Yes, it is. But I'm glad to see some pets still alive today."

Alexus couldn't agree with her more. Daisy had been with him in the ups and downs of his Ouroborous life. He would never ever trade Daisy for any other pet companion.

Daisy snapped her attention to the side. She arched back, hissing.

"Do you guys feel that?" Jones spoke. He squatted lower, looking around, trying to find the source.

Alexus also felt the shiver of his body, running up and down as the ground rumbled. The buildings groaned, and a few car alarms went off in the distance, alarming everyone about what was to come. He looked over; not too far away from them, he could see blooms of creatures rushing out from the streets and into open space.

They were ugly beings. All hairy from head to toe, walking on goat legs with a human body. Their eyes were furrowed deeply, scowling at the world. Two pairs of goat horns jutted out of its head. Large white teeth jutted out of their mouths, snapping at them.

"Krampuses." Flor spoke, "I hate those demons."

"Krampuses? Wait, those demons that come out during the Christmas years and terrorize children?"

"Yes."

"It's not even Christmas, nor do we have children out here….. But, wait, are there kids in the city somewhere?" Alexus looked around, hoping that there weren't any children holding up somewhere in the city that he didn't know about.

"I wouldn't know, but they were quite a pain to deal with in Europe. They usually like to come out during those times, but after the world ends. They don't care who they hunt anymore. Adults have been ferried away for a meal these days." Flor stated; she hoisted out her sniper rifle, getting it set.

Alexus got ready, pulling out his own rifle. He adjusted it, getting ready to use it.

Flor and a couple of other Ouroborous squeezed the trigger. Letting out a torrent of silent energy bullets.

A few of the Krampus fell to the floor dead. Still, the numerous Krampus running around on the floor were a stampede. Not too far behind them were twenty Cyclops the size of a three-story building bumbling towards them with heavy steps.

"We need to take out those cyclops!" Jones shouted. He was already firing off his rifle as the bullet case fell.

"On it," Flor spoke; she carefully aimed. A loud bang followed right after.

The bullets smashed into one of the foreheads of the cyclops, right into its eyes. It faltered as the cyclops staggered.

Another bang was heard.

A second bullet smashed into the chest cavity of the Cyclops, followed by a blast of burning blue fire that erupted all over his chest.

"Nice shot," Alexus spoke.

"Thanks."