Strangely, it was almost therapeutic for Sero as his instincts took over, casting his usual skill rotation as he braced himself to fight. Before he was revived on Earth, Sero had never been in a real fight, but now that he had a packed month’s worth of battle experience, it seemed second nature to him.

His Rationality calmed his nerves as his Perfect Analysis scanned his targets. The Culling members seemed slightly on guard, as if they knew not to underestimate him, but were confident that they could win. That didn’t sit well with Sero though, causing him to feel a surge of annoyance at their lax nature. The cherry on top were their words of his guaranteed defeat at the hands of Liam.

The taller and bulkier of the two Culling members acted first, running towards Sero as his body became empowered with a noticeably corrupted energy. Sero conjured a playing card and threw it at the man, snapping his fingers as soon as it left his hands. Sting burst forth, meeting the man in a clash of blades as Moss and Lime growled out of their portals.

The woman had moved immediately after her partner, but Sero was one step ahead, launching a flurry of slashes and jabs with his blade as his pups provided support. Individually, the Culling members were weaker than he was, and he soon overwhelmed the woman using a combination of reverberating mana impacts from Resonating Spirit and a couple of nukes.

As he wrapped the woman in his Shadow Bind, he heard a pained cry from behind. Sero whirled around, ready to assist Sting but found that she had defeated the man and had plunged her rapier through his arm straight into the ground, pinning him on the other arm by standing on top.

"Goddamn," Sero muttered, admiring Sting's skill and ferocity. "I didn't think you had it in you." The two of them looked at each other for a moment, sharing a silent understanding of the situation they were in.

Figuring that the woman was secure, Sero stationed his pups to watch guard over her. He glanced over at the succubus, who was still wrapped in his Shadow Bind as well, though she struggled to break free, a terrified look in her eyes. Sero conjured a King of Clubs card, throwing at the succubus as the familiar burst forth.

In the back of his mind, Sero couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at how dominant he'd be at subduing the threats, but he pushed it aside for now. He jogged over to Sting and the man, who glared at the two with a spiteful hate.

"Let's make this short," Sero began, conjuring his blade and pointing it at the man's neck. "I know you're Culling. What do you plan to do at the tournament?"

The man simply stared back, keeping quiet. Sero sighed, pressing the tip of his blade into the man's neck, drawing a bead of blood.

"Talk, or I run this through your neck." Sero threatened, applying a tiny bit more pressure.

The man laughed, a cruel and harsh sound. "You wouldn't dare. You know what happens to those who fail the Culling, as well as those who oppose it."

"Actually, I don't," Sero licked his lips. "But, I assume you guys are beaten up or something? I don't really care. Just tell me what you plan on doing at the tournament, and I'll let you live."

The man laughed humorlessly again, looking into Sero's eyes as if he was sizing him up. "You're no one. You're just a tool. A puppet. Nothing more." He paused for a moment, as if considering his next words. "We have our own plans for the tournament. Plans that don't involve you or your little group." He smirked, a cruel expression that seemed almost mocking. "And you're right. If we fail, we're nothing more than a cautionary tale. But if we succeed... when we succeed, then the world will be ours."

"What do you mean by that? Who said I was working with a group?" Sero pressed the tip of his blade deeper into the man's neck.

Instead of panicking or pleading for his life, the man chuckled. "Those to be culled, have failed to devote," he chanted, his dark eyes glowing with a sinister energy.

"The fuck are you talking about-"

Sero realized too late as the man's body surged with magic and exploded in a cloud of black flames. If it weren't for Sting pushing him out the way, he would've been charred to a crisp from the attack.

Learning what had just happened, Sero regained his balance and turned around, running towards the woman.

"Those to be culled, have failed to devote."

"No, fuck!" Sero issued a command to Moss ordering her to absorb the attack, but the woman had already imploded in a black inferno. He felt a surge of anger and fear course through him as he turned to Sting. "What the hell was that about? Did they just blow themselves up?"

Sting blinked and nodded. "It would appear so, Master. The Culling seems to treat those who have failed them as dispensable."

Sero swore loudly and turned to the succubus, who had given up on escaping the shadowy ropes and instead was trying to inch away like a worm. A pressure lifted off of Sero's shoulders and he noticed civilians suddenly appear around them.

"Oh, shit," Sero thought to himself, realizing that the barrier the Culling members had talked about probably prevented other people from seeing what happened inside. "Sting, grab the succubus. We need to get to my place," he commanded as he dissolved into shadows and slipped away, shocked cries beginning to ring in the night.

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Later at his penthouse, Sero stood with his arms folded in front of the still-bound succubus who sat on a chair. He had recalled Sting and his dragons, but kept a King of Clubs out as a guard.

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The succubus nervously flicked her orange eyes between him and the King, straining against her Shadow Binds.

"First off, you seem different from other stray monsters that lurk after outbreaks. Why is that?" Sero asked her.

The succubus hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I am... I was sent out by my mistress, to conquer this world for our kind." She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. "But when I saw what you and your kind were doing... who you were... I realized that perhaps I was in the wrong. My mistress is cruel and uncaring. You, on the other hand, seem to care for your kind." Her orange eyes flickered up to meet his gaze. "I wish to defect. To join your cause, if you'll have me."

Sero blinked in surprise. He already knew that succubi were well-spoken, but he figured that they were just like other monsters that came through the outbreaks, solely focused on the goal of wreaking havoc and the like. But hearing the succubus's words just now made him rethink everything he knew about the invaders. Were some monsters of the same mind as this creature?

"You mentioned that you haven't done any harm," Sero continued, unsure if he trusted her words. "And that you wanted to live a peaceful life. What did you mean by that?"

The succubus smiled softly. "I wish to live as a normal person, free from the burdens of my kind's cruel ways. I want to make up for the harm I've done, to help those who have been hurt by my kind." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And... I find your presence, your strength... I find it attractive. You're nothing like any other man I've ever met."

Sero held up a hand. "Don't do that, your queen already taught me I'm ugly to look at."

The succubus smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. It was worth a shot. But, I did mean everything I said prior."

Sero scowled. "Ok, but why?"

"Because," the succubus began, "I know what it's like to be used and manipulated. To be nothing more than a tool for someone else's gain. I want to make amends for that. And," she hesitated, "I think you and your kind are on the right path. You care for each other, you fight for your world. I want to be a part of that."

"Well, not all of us do that, but I see your point," Sero slowly replied. "But how can I believe what you're saying?"

The succubus paused for a moment before bowing her head. "My name is Luna," she said softly. "If you'll allow me, I'll prove my loyalty to you and your cause. I'll help you any way I can. I know I can't undo the damage I've done, but perhaps I can make a difference, starting now."

Sero studied her for a moment, her sincerity seeming genuine. No doubt, she was very attractive, but he was wary of trusting her completely. He couldn't just ignore the threat she represented, even if she claimed to have changed her ways. He needed time to think, and to discuss this with the others.

He sighed, flicking a hand and dispersing the shadow chains that restricted her. "Fine, I'll trust you for now. But, I'll be keeping a watch on you. Step out of line, and I won't hesitate to kill you."

Luna bowed her head in understanding. "I understand. Thank you for giving me this chance."

Sero grimaced. "So, have you been living alone or something? You've been keeping a low profile from what I'm guessing, right?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, I've been living in the shadows for several weeks now. I've avoided contact with any other monsters, and I've been trying to blend in with your kind as much as possible." She glanced around at Sero's luxurious penthouse. "It hasn't been easy, but I think I've managed it."

"It is impressive," Sero admitted. "But onto the bigger question: Why were those Culling members after you?"

Luna hesitated before speaking. "I believe it was because of my past actions," she said quietly. "As I said earlier, I was once used as a tool by my queen to manipulate others. There were... incidents where people died as a result of my influence. It's possible that the Culling members are wanting to use my power for that purpose."

"Huh," Sero grunted, obviously thinking. "So, that's what this is all about. Well, I guess we can't have that. We'll keep you safe, for now."

Luna gazed at Sero curiously. "How?"

"Stay here," Sero made a face. "Try not to go out as much. I'll figure something out after the conclusion of the tournament tomorrow."

Luna nodded, understanding. "Thank you, Sero. I'm grateful for your trust and your help. I'll do whatever I can to repay you."

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Shortly after, Sero laid on the couch in his living room, unable to sleep while Luna took his bed in the other room. He knew he should rest before his match against Liam, but the recent events of the night weighed heavily on his mind. He certainly wasn't expecting to run into succubus who stole his gold, and definitely not members of the Culling in one go.

"Ah," Sero mumbled, reestablishing the connection with Aphiel in his thoughts. He figured that she might have some insight over everything that happened.

"Aphiel?"

"Oh, there you are, champion. I was growing worried after I couldn’t see what you were up to after you left the hospital."

"Yeah… about that," Sero began, recounting the events up until now. After he finished, Aphiel was silent for a while.

"Are you sure you weren’t bewitched?" She finally said.

"Yeah, I’m pretty sure," Sero thought back. "My Rationality kicked in right after she tried to charm me."

"So you just blindly trusted her?"

"I sensed no malice or evil intent from her. Not to mention she didn’t try anything after I freed her. Besides, she was being chased by members of Culling. ‘An enemy of the enemy is my friend’ or something like that, right?"

"That’s… right." Aphiel admitted. "But still, you're not the least bit cautious about her?"

"I am, but what else can I do? I’m more worried about my match tomorrow than some succubus who stole my gold. At any rate, it also seems like she’s not hostile to humans, otherwise I’d be hearing about it."

Aphiel sighed in his thoughts. "Ok. I’ll support your judgment, but don’t blame me if things go wrong."

"I won’t. Night, Aphiel."

"Good night, champion."