He can feel the faint vibrations in the ground of the facility as he walks leisurely. Pinpointing his sister's scent through his enhanced nose is getting feeble due to the amount of blood that was sprayed on the walls from the lesser enemies.

He split up from the rest due to letting them handle from the main entrance as the foremost intruders while he dealt from the inside of the facility. So far, he killed over seventy wandering patrols and guards.

Just then, he heard a loud crash descending to his location, an impact sounded from the room in front of him on the other side. A malevolent presence.

Out came the room of an underground passage secret entry to the half he's in, a thirty-aged man with a large scar on his chest and fresh blood stains on the torn aristocratic clothing he's wearing.

Tatsumi immediately senses the high amount of magic power from his spot, determining him even higher than Alpha. It's visibly evident by the left red eye and veins over his body as well as a slight body muscle bulge.

"Dammit..."

The man also notices the standing Tatsumi on his way and stops a certain distance away. Recognition and vex passed his face, "You knew I was coming and forestalled me? But you're only one!"

In a fast swiftness, he postured and launched himself toward Tatsumi at a speed that made him disappear in the normal people's eyes while screaming in fury.

Meeting him midway, Tatsumi tilted his head sideways and swung his slime sword. The steel blade of his opponent whizzed past his head as it hit the air. The slime sword moved again, aiming for his back only for his opponent to counter the attack, slashing at Tatsumi repeatedly, each encountering an evasion.

Each of them is equally skilled at fighting each other as a couple of experienced professionals. With each strike and counter, the atmosphere of battle intensifies and grows more tense. Neither one would yield until their lives were claimed with both swords.

"Wha–!"

Tatsumi ducks from a horizontal slash and swings his feet to hit his enemy's own, making him tumble backward in a grunt. The noble then saw the black sword rushing to him, leaning to the side, and wasn't given a chance to completely dodge as his shoulder was pierced, causing him to wail in agony.

"Damn brat!" He yelled out. It wasn't his first time being wounded but he felt like there would be no end to the pain now. He had enough of these kids playing around with his life, just waiting for him to get caught off guard so they could kill him off with ease.

Grease never felt such disparity in strength before. Not even when he was fighting with those children led by that little elf who called herself Alpha, and even when he fought and lost to that red-haired princess at the Festival of the War of God.

Overwhelmed is the only word he could use at this moment as tried to fail to avoid several attacks, forming cuts on his body.

"Aargh!" He flew back harshly and received a strong punch to the face. Grease's opponent is a young boy who looks physically weak. Someone like him shouldn't be beaten. His overwhelming benefit in magic capability is being overturned by mere skill alone.

His current state comprises large gnashes, bones broken, and flesh sliced open adding the loss of a large amount of blood. Although he can heal all non-fatal wounds, he needs time for recovery.

"Why...? Even if you are strong, and even with all of you... no matter how much you try, you cannot win! The darkness of this world... runs much deeper than even you can imagine!"

Memories of his precious daughter ran through his mind. The way they walked through the kingdom, the way their hands held, the way they spent their time as family.

The world was filled with Power. Privilege. And hidden facades. There is no light of hope that will save them. Even, he, a noble, was used as a tool by those with higher positions. There was only one reason why he sought power. And it is for her.

Grease knows, that this young boy would too be broken. He will lose everything and will be plunged into despair. Yet, all he feels is jealousy. Because if he's strong, he would not be the cruel world's victim.

"Then we fight, and fight, and fight. It doesn't matter how deep the darkness is. We fight until we win." An unshakeable resolve was clearly heard from Tatsumi's confident voice.

With his eyes widened, the noble didn't accept this. "You say it so easily!"

He absolutely cannot accept this.

Because that is what he previously aimed for, but was broken in the way of his fight.

At this moment in his rage, Grease decides to cross the last line. He took out a lozenge from his chest pocket and then swallowed its contents.

He has already surrendered himself to the fact that he would not be able to leave this place alive. Therefore, he will use his own life to teach this brat about how deep this world's darkness runs.

The red pills he swallowed worked their way across his stomach and digested. A malevolent aura exploded around him, changing rapidly.

A vast amount of magical power rapidly increased inside his body, causing his body to alter. His muscles expanded more, blood vessels bursting, his skin turned brown and darkened, and the pressure he excluded cracked the ground.

With a beast-like outcry, his figure disappears in a crimson electric aura. Tatsumi's instincts urged him as he narrowly dodged a large black sword with a red vein in the middle that merged with the noble's skin.

Tatsumi jumped again, dodging once more from the large sword, sending debris everywhere. He straightened himself and bolted to his empowered foe with his sword.

The beast screamed in outrage as he crossed swords again with the boy. Sparks appeared along the two blades' surface, creating sparks to fly throughout the area. Tatsumi managed to block another blow as he jumped again toward his opponent. As they continued their duel, the sounds of metal crashing against metal, explosions, and screams reached every corner of the hallway.

Tatsumi was blown away by a large smack from the sword from his left that he managed to shield. He jerked backward and gritted his teeth. Fine then.

His legs poised themselves from the ground, and in a sudden burst of speed, exploded from the ground to his enemy who widened his eyes. The noble didn't have a second to react before his sword was intensely struck by Tatsumi's sword in a reverberating noise.

The shock impact blows from the crash through the underground. Gusts of air and clouds of dust cover their eyes as the explosion doesn't last until a minute later.

"!?"

Blood suddenly spurts from Grease's chest as he tries to stand up to recover. When did the boy snuck up in front of him?

Roaring again, he swung his large sword around him, cutting the ground, the walls, the ceiling.

"Everyone is fragile! This is reality! Face it for yourself!"

Tatsumi didn't respond or show any emotion on his face despite knowing that the other was trying to provoke him. Instead, he continued to dodge each attempt and parried all of them before striking back again. His sword moves fluidly and powerfully, yet fierce like ocean waves in a storm while the enemy seems to be stuck in a sludge, unable to move forward.

As they continued moving in circles around each other in fast-paced combat, the noble barely felt his adrenaline starting to kick into action under his madness, which gave his movements extra energy. The two continued exchanging blows without slowing down but this time, Tatsumi used a different strategy against the noble. He suddenly ducked under an incoming swing to deliver a blow to the opponent's abdomen.

The enemy grunted in pain as his stomach was pierced. Tatsumi quickly took advantage of it and struck the enemy on his chest, pushing him backward and sending him sprawling and kicking the sword away hard. The momentum from the force pushed the sword away from his hand and went straight away.

Stopping himself using his feet, Grease bellowed and ignored his pain to tackle the boy. Tatsumi managed to roll to the side as he tried to defend himself from the sudden assault. He stood up in a hurry as he faced his opponent with his sword, using it to swiftly block another attack and slash again.

This time, the sword met his enemy's fist. Gritting his teeth, Tatsumi attempted to push back but was stopped by a huge hand that grabbed his wrist before he could do anything. He was lifted, dangling from the arm like a doll as the other punched downward towards him.

Tatsumi felt the tough force on him that would've broken his bones if not for the suit's durability. He felt his other arm being squeezed. Even with the slime suit, his arm will be sharply twisted and breaking his wrist.

Thinking quickly, he mentally willed his suit to produce a slithering spike in his enemy's eyes, blinding his left eye. Grease grunted loudly and dropped the boy.

Tatsumi instantly raised his sword, however, he found himself flying off his feet by an enormous shockwave that came from within the noble.

The impact caused Tatsumi to cough as his head was thrown sideways and he slammed into a wall hard breaking the stone. There was no blood as his hood protected him.

He had enough of this. Tatsumi got up and moved forward in a blur. The ground beneath him snapped up from the pressure. His magical power flowed from his body, surrounding him as a way to enhance it. Originally, he wanted to fight his enemies using his skills and not use magic in the raid, but seems he had no choice in this last attack.

He dashed into Grease's sight, centimeters away from him. His eyes widened and just before he could react, Tatsumi's blade penetrated his chest, piercing through his heart, causing him to gasp in blood. The blood splattered from the twisting of the sword.

Grease remained still and convulsing. A soundless gasp escaped him.

Tatsumi swung the blood from his sword away, his legs almost wobbling underneath his weight. He looked at his fallen enemy as the blood slowly dripped down his body from the gash in his stomach. He turned to leave the room when his ears caught a voice.

"M–Millia..."

His fallen enemy's voice croaked a name, fondness, and desperation leaking. There was sadness in his eyes mixed with regret and sorrow. That alone causes Tatsumi to stop and listen to him carefully.

"I'm sorry, Millia... I failed you..."

It is not long before he falls lifeless onto the floor, the rays of life leaving his eyes.

The assassin stared for a while at the dead body, then picked up a golden locket that fell from his opponent's neck. A miniature picture of his enemy with a little girl. Both smiling genuinely.

"He has a daughter..."

They say, there is beauty in all things.

All the colors of flowers, and birds, the sound of water flowing. All the people, and places, can be seen with just a glance. And yet, no matter what beauty there is, it cannot compare to what lies within the hearts of men.

There was no longer anyone to kill. The assault was won and the mission was almost accomplished. All that is left is to find his sister.

With a grimace, Tatsumi pocketed the locket and continued forward.

After he met up with the others outside, they found Claire unconscious in her cell and freed her there. While he intends to leave her at the manor, they can't make it too obvious that someone saved her. He'd rather Night Garden stay anonymous for the time being.

Thus, the rescue mission went successfully.

Alpha and the others stayed behind, busy investigating the Cult and cleaning up the leftovers of their assault.

Claire showed up back at the house the next day in very bad spirits, looking for him with a wild gaze, and fussed over him. His sister is excessively resilient, so her hand injury, which he suspects she inflicted the injury herself, had already healed up after just one night.

After that was a whole week of recovery and investigation before she finally left for the royal capital as if she wasn't kidnapped in the first place.

The royal capital is a great city with a population higher than a million. Although it was less impressive than the imposing heights and widths of his world's Empire, the capital was still nifty.

He just has to bear for two more years until he visits.

Right now, on an early sunrise, he and his group are perched alone on a castle crenel. Earlier, Alpha and the 6 others requested to meet with Tatsumi together.

This was their last meeting before they separated.

Alpha proposed to bolster their organization's resistance, which included looking for more recruits from all over the world. As Tatsumi is anchored to his home and civilian self, he can't follow them. It will be a long time before he sees his childhood friends again.

He learns a lot from reports from their investigation into the Cult and the results of their research into the Curse. The largest percentage of those who manifest the Curse are elves, then beastkin people, and finally, humans, since it is related to the lifespans of the races.

The blood of the heroes flows thinnest in Humans, that is why they have the shortest lifespans, and makes it difficult for the Curse to manifest. Elves have the longest lifespans, so it is the contrast for them. The beastkin people are in the middle of the spectrum.

It was already confirmed the Cult was a massive organization that had spread out all over the entire world. Their main headquarters, or the center of operations of the Cult, came up with no results as they extended their location around nations. They also kept many laboratories that were able to create the curse.

Their bases were beyond the size of a military encampment, with resources of advanced technologies. According to information collected from his members, the cult had recruited several hundred thousand men and women over centuries. Among those were the heads of the group, the Twelve Knights of Rounds, each knight the leader of their respective elite group.

The more they learn of the Cult, the more powerful and problematic they are.

The Cult calls those suffering from Demon Possession 'Matches', and prioritizes the capture and execution for them. That is why to mount a resistance against the Cult, Night Garden also has to scatter across the world, leaving a single member to stay with him on a rotation basis. The rest will focus on reaching out to and sheltering those other victims and also continue scouring for more information.

It will be later until he has to go back home and continue his routine, but now...

"Tatsumi..."

It will be a very, very long time until he sees them again.

Tatsumi wiped the sentimental leaks from his eyes and turned to face them. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, and Eta. Each looks lovely in their civilian dresses.

They stand quietly, gazing at him with their eyes full of sorrow and longing.

Beta, dressed in her simple and elegant light clothes, looked sweetly at him with her small smile. Tatsumi noticed how sad she looked right now, though. Her hair is short and her glasses red. It matches her perfectly.

As for Gamma, the fourth member, Tatsumi saw how she pouted at him and the situation itself. She has a mature inside a youthful glow, from the elegant posture she was struggling to hold and not run to hug him. She reminded him of the clumsy Sheele.

Sara, or as she prefers to call herself, Delta, the fifth member, dressed in dark clothes. Her expression was openly silent, in contrast to her talkative self. Her skin was flawless, her eyes glowing, her dark hair smooth and shiny despite being a natural wild one of a Therianthrope Wolf Beastkin. She is the excitable among them and is the brute of the team. Her eyes were tearful, and as she looked at Tatsumi, he could see how she desperately wished they could return.

Epsilon, the sixth, in her pink clothes, and light blue hair tied in pigtails blowing in the air. She was looking away from him, but he could see how her lips shook. He preferred her not to cry, as her tears would only shame her pretty smooth face.

He looked at Zeta, born as Lilim, and the seventh member. A Cat Beastkin of the Therianthrope. Her young blond feline ears flattened from the girl's dejection. A smart child like her anticipated this separation to come to pass, so she's hiding her emotions from all her fellow members. But it didn't do any better even with her lips thin, Tatsumi could see how her eyes blinking back tears.

Finally, the eighth and last member, Eta, an elf with long puce violet hair that reached her legs, and bangs above her purple eyes. Her eyes appeared tired, almost bedraggled, as ever depleted and sluggish, and just like others, tears were open to him.

Tatsumi looked at the second founding member, the first to join him, and his partner, Alpha. Someone who greatly aided him in curing the others and saving a lot of people along the way. She was a mix of Akame and Mine. Tender, selfless, determined, and cold but kind. She was essentially his first childhood friend and the girl he cared enough to even have a crush on.

"It's time... Tatsumi..."

It was only recently that Tatsumi began developing some affection for the people around him outside his manor. They are all like family. No matter what, these girls are his family. Without these girls and the rest of the team, he wouldn't know how he got here in the first place, to this point in the past.

They all knew they were more than friends and allies. Childhood friends that love each other without any doubt or hesitance. They're loyal, brave, strong, loyal, courageous, determined, kind, caring, and compassionate. They're the best of all, the kindest, warmest, and most loving individuals he could ever ask for.

"Yes... This is goodbye."

And he loves them.

He loves every single one of them.