The Realm In Between. Shortened as RIB. For it was a rib that birthed mankind. Vinter was making his way inside, walking in with his cane. Looking at the thousands of people who wished to help Raven. Spread all around in this grand lounge where they could take a moment to see what Raven was doing. Humans, angels, demons, gods and many non-humans who were present.

"Ah, Supreme One!" An angel was about to bow but Vinter stopped him.

"How are they?"

"Fine, Supreme One... But is this wise to allow them to enter his world?"

"It's the only way I can honor my deal with him. He took my trial and unsealed me. Not even my best servants would dare to do so. Yet he did. Then there's also the fact that his enemies are going to be numerous and more aggressive. He could use the aid." Vinter said as he walked on over to take a seat beside two of the Valors. The Commander of Valor and the Cry of Valor.

"Oh, Vinter. Want some popcorn?"

"Thank you. So how's he doing?"

"He just hit the ten thousand count for The One Who Rips..." The Commander spoke up, then turning to the allies of the One Who Rips. Clad in armor, they all just stood in front of the large TV by the wall. Not saying a word. Gray armors with helmets that covered their heads. Only the white plume could be seen. Turning to see the men and women wearing fitted slacks and simple short sleeve shirts.

"Keep the Gorefast Empire bastards in the books. When boss calls on us, make sure we're ready." The woman with the pixie cut spoke as she smoked her cigar. Seeing one of the men holding his hand as an ash tray.

"Yes, Ma'am!" To another side, Vinter could see a group of figures in colored outfits. Long coats, dusters, fur coats over the shoulders and the like. Then seeing masked figures sharpening their knives, they wore different masks that signified a number of things. A smiling clown, a tearful clown and one wearing a top hat that signified their position as a ringleader.

"Be patient. All of you will have your chance." Vinter spoke as they watched Raven sit in a theatre with the three Valors. All of them were hearing the resounding voice of the Valkyrie who was performing on stage. An opera being sung that soothed the fatigue of all. Even those who were present within the RIB.

"What a wonderful voice. I do hope I can have the chance to bless her. Would that be possible Vinter?" A woman with golden hair spoke, eyes gleaming with enthusiasm and excitement for the answer.

"You all have the privilege of being Constellations. My wife states that the Valkyries are under her protection but they may be blessed by others who have viewed them as worthy. But you cannot make contact with Raven. At least not yet. You'll need to wait a little longer Ynera. I'm sure you must be excited at the prospect of meeting with your husband."

"Of course. Raising two children without him has been difficult but I understand why he left." She spoke softly as she held the heads of her two teenage sons closely.

"Mom! You're embarrassing us."

"Oh come now. Just be excited to meet your father." Vinter chuckled as he turned to the Sword Saint, Yennifer who was with her daughter, Ciara. Midnight hair that swayed thanks to the air conditioning. Poised and stoic in their ways, the pair simply sipped on their tea and ate the biscuits as they waited for the time.

"Father is truly powerful, mother. I hope I do not disappoint him, if I am ever to appear." Ciara held her fist tightly, placing it to her chest. When it was over, they could see Raven heading to another dungeon. Whereby the allies of The One Who Rips, his servants had stood to observe. Watching Raven go after vampires and their army of ghouls. Clenching his fists as he went for the attack. Manifesting javelins of wood to stake the vampires when the time was right. Swinging his fists, jabs that turned the ghouls headless. A vampire knight swung their blade at him, a step to the side. Evading the attack, three hits to the chest and a throw where the vampire had been impaled.

"The One Who Rips is improving. His technique is reaching its optimum perfection soon." the one with the horned helmet spoke.

"Yes, Fang." They were observing Raven the entire time. They were his Claws that rip through the enemies, all of them were equipped with metal gauntlets with blades that were designed to shear through their foes. On their backs, they had javelins that were used as a means to place into the ground. Some had shields that had spikes on the front, with a machete in their hand. The sight of Raven facing the vampires and ghouls alone was magnificent in their eyes. He left the last vampire alive on purpose, forcing the ghouls to come back to life. A strategy for Raven to grind his way to get the One Who Rips faster.

"Mom... Dad looks like he's in trouble." The blonde haired teenage boy spoke, only to be given kisses on the cheek by their mother.

"Idar, Iskra. Your father is not that weak. He's doing this because he wants to get something."

"Kids, your father beat the Gods in Eden for your mother. You think a vampire scares him?" They turned to the handsome purple haired man in an equally dazzling purple suit that was an eyesore.

"Ubus."

"Come now, Risyn. There's no need for that sharp glare. Your husband had beaten all of us senseless just to get you out of the prison we made. I'm just telling them the facts. He must be desperate." Ubus pointed at the TV screen as they watched Raven shove ghouls into it.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

"I will ensure that your children will die, human. Your loved ones and the like. I will b-" In that moment the vampire's words had been cut off by Raven ripping the arms and legs off.

"SHUT UP! For fuck's sake can't you fucking vampires shut up and try to kill me?! LIKE WHAT IS YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM!? EVERY FUCKING VILLAIN AND VAMPIRE I MEET KEEPS SPOUTING THE SAME OLD BULLSHIT! You know what!? Fuck this." Raven removed the vampire's jaw and bashed the head with it.

"Keep resurrecting these ghouls. Before I start ripping out your ribs and use them to skewer you over and over again." Raven's threat was enough to make Ubus and the gods of Eden shudder. Vinter glanced over to the ones in the corner, the Horrors and Eldritch who were watching. One of them was lacking a head with eyes by the neck and a large gaping mouth. Gnawing on a human leg that was barbequed with herbs.

"Hehe... Seems like the Most Evil Being seems to be agitated." the one next to them was a pale skinned man who was more like a living corpse with a twisted neck and eyeballs that were hanging loosely from the sockets.

"I cannot wait for him to call upon us. Those Gorefast Empire fellows would surely be something fun to handle."

Vinter turned to the other corner, where he could see the men and women wearing uniforms that had a longsword insignia to the shoulders. The members of Durandal who were not wearing their armors.

"Sheesh, the Chief is batshit insane."

"I mean he's always been insane. You remember the time he walked into a terrorist hideout with nothing but a sledgehammer?"

"Right... He smashed their heads in.... But... Think he's going to be okay with us coming over there?"

Everyone here, owed their lives to Raven and some seats were vacant. Because they were busy doing something in the other world. Right now, he was their core links that tied them to RIB. Then seeing how Raven handled it. Perhaps a day or two days pass in the dungeon as Raven killed the vampire. The number of kills he had? It was now at 35 thousand.

"He must be exhausted." Yennifer spoke, only for them to see Raven grab his rewards which were 1 ally summon ticket with another 5 being given as a bonus.

"I wonder how old are my kids now? Damn. I missed out being a dad, I missed out being able to spend time with them. I need to think about how do I explain this to my brother. Should I just say, oh yeah. Vinter gave me a trial. Which made me live some lives and I have kids. God, how do I explain that to him. And am I considered a cheater because of the fact that I had multiple wives? Am I in a polygamous relationship?" Yennifer chuckled as Ciara held a weak smile on her face.

"Mother?"

"He must truly want to see us and I can imagine him being on his knees trying to explain this. Risyn, what do you think?"

"Oh I'm sure he would. He's always been a one woman for himself. I spent years trying to court him or get him to look at me. Since he always seemed so distant. But what was he like in your life?"

"Gentle and kind. When I was married to him, I knew he had a weak body at the time. He was more of a house husband while I was busy fighting on the frontlines. When I was pregnant with Ciara, I spent more time at home. Trying to cook was difficult for me but he made sure I was safe. Though I finally saw him for who he was when threats came for my family. Assassins coming at us in the ballroom, he just stopped their attacks with a butter knife. Then gutted them with it. What about yours?"

"Oh similar. I spent three thousand years just enjoying myself while he just went into war after war. I remember seeing him once when he returned. Beautiful ashen hair, blood stains on his armor. I never seen a man so gallant in such a way! When Ubus wanted to reward him, he just ignored Ubus and headed home. I gave chase and that was how we met. Then he became the God of the Underworld. I for once decided it was time for me to search for him. So I spent my time meeting him and openly suggested marriage." A beaming smile on Risyn's face, she touched her lips. Remembering the taste of Raven's lips at the time.

"And I'm sure he was nervous."

"On the contrary. He just spat out his coffee and panicked. Flustered far greater than a young maiden meeting her crush. But enough about me dear, please continue the story."

"After he gutted the assassins, when one went after me. He simply used his palm to take the blade, then gouging the assassin's eyes out. Another noble brought out a gun, firing at him. That was when I saw how he marched over, turned the gun into a pretzel and glared at the noble. He said 'If you go after my wife and her family again. I will use your head as a cup and drink the finest wine with it. Because that's all your empty head's good for.' The noble then pissed himself. It was interesting. After that day, he went to war on my behalf. Every time he came back. He would be bloodied. He ignored the King's order to report to the palace. Merely saying 'I miss my wife and I need to cook for her.'" the ones who enjoyed the bits of romance could not help but be swooned by those words.

"Ah, such a romanticist." The others were trying to figure out what to say.

"That he is. When there was a rebellion and I was giving birth to our daughter. He went outside with a stick. Beat up the rebels and the loyalist, marched over to the palace. Beat up the ones who led the rebellion and the king. Shouting at them 'My wife is giving birth. If you're going to rebel pick another day damn it!'" Yennifer mimicked Raven's voice as Risyn was chuckling. Seeing Ubus who seemed to shudder at the thought.

"What's wrong brother in law?"

"Oh no. I'm just reminded of that time when you two went on a honeymoon and the someone tried to cause chaos in the Underworld. We were trying to control it and hope that he wouldn't find out..." Ubus spared the thought while Risyn and Yennifer were expecting him to complete the story.

"Complete the story. I as a Fang am curious to what The One Who Rips had done."

"Instead of a fit of rage, he just grabbed a frying pan and swung it at the one who caused chaos. Despite the one being our father, I was made to watch how he made our father sit on his knees and his constant berating over how he was going to have a child and that our father must not be troubling him. I remember spending a few days easing the welts on my father's head because of how much pain my father had to endure from the hits." They all turned to the TV screen, watching Raven beat a bunch of orcs with a frying pan.

"Come back here! I'm going to cook all of you!" the orcs who were in the room shuddered at the thought, perhaps because they too were watching their kin being turned into savory dishes. Which appeared on their laps. It was a rule, whatever Raven had made. All of them would have a chance to feast upon it. Savoring the taste of spices and herbs, the tenderness of orcmeat being easily sliced with just a butter knife.

They continued watching Raven kill more orcs with his fists and impaling them on spikes made of earth. He was chuckling the entire time, calling the orcs 'Walking Meat' as he continued his beast like behavior. Eyes gleaming with recipes in his head for what to eat next after he tenderized the orcs with his fists. By the time Raven was done he was at 50 thousand but he needed to stop. A bonus of 10 tickets.

The next day came along as Raven went into the dungeons again. He was going to go at this until he gets his Persona. It was a tedious endeavor but one he will do without a care in the world. Desperation fueled his veins and it was enough to keep him going. The ones in the RIB will watch over him. Patiently waiting for the day that he calls them.