Chapter - 4 - Night Time Raid

We reached the fourth floor.

It was an open area full of tall grass as far as the eye could see.

Then I noticed a bridge built across a river, leading to a castle.

"Man…" I groaned. "Why do we have to siege a castle?"

Exe looked around, grabbed my hand, and pulled me down into the tall grass.

I looked ahead and immediately spotted guards moving in pre-made patterns, scanning the area as they walked.

Exe whispered, "My girls and I are going to attack first."

I looked at him from the side.

"Are you trying to be cool here?"

Exe shook his head.

"Just trust me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever you gotta do, just make it quick."

Exe nodded and ran through the grass with his main rabbit squad.

Then he made a demon hand sign and called out his skill.

"Demon Transformation."

Exe started shrinking until he was the same size as Tenka and the other rabbits.

He led the girls forward, his nose twitching as he tracked something ahead.

Ren took off, jumped, found a crack in the bridge, and slipped inside.

Tenka and Fubuki climbed the pillars of the bridge, then vanished into the darkness.

I watched as Exe stood on the bridge, acting like a random rabbit.

The sun had fallen.

The moon had taken its place.

Darkness covered the bridge, making it easy to assassinate anything that moved.

I waited for Exe to start.

Exe ran across the bridge rail within the darkness.

His golden eyes shone through the shadows, frightening one of the knights walking across the bridge.

Exe grabbed the knight's neck.

Crack.

Then he dragged him over the bridge and dropped him into the river, his teeth still locked in.

The girls started assassinating their targets one by one, dashing from the shadows.

I only caught glimpses of Ren, Fubuki, and Tenka attacking and running across the bridge.

I smiled as I watched my little brother take charge.

Watching him fight…

Watching him annihilate everything in front of him—

It set my demon heart ablaze.

I stood up and shifted my pose as moonlight fell over me.

My clothes began to change from my regular outfit into a black-and-white masquerade costume.

A mask formed over my face.

I call this—

Eclipse: Silent Requiem.

I reached out and used my Ichor to manifest my moon blade, but this time it took shape as something smaller, denser, and sharper.

I bowed.

Then I teleported to the front door.

Tenka opened it from the inside.

I took a peek and saw knights and soldiers scattered around.

Exe climbed onto my shoulder along with Tenka.

I smiled.

"Let the show begin."

I tossed one dagger into the ceiling light, shattering it.

The room went dark.

I entered the main lobby and closed the door behind me.

I moved.

Teleporting from target to target—

Slicing throats with clean, surgical precision.

Exe watched the room, intercepting anyone who tried to interrupt my flow.

Tenka whispered into my ear, marking my next target.

I kept teleporting, stepping, posing, raising my leg.

Each movement became a symphony as I cut them down one by one.

Moments later, Exe replaced the ceiling light.

I stood in the middle of the room, covered in blood.

My outfit returned to its princess-style dress, and the blood faded off me.

Exe climbed back onto my shoulder and pointed toward the door upstairs.

"What is it? Just say it."

Exe looked at me in his rabbit form and squeaked.

I hugged him tight.

"You're soooooo cute!"

Exe protested and kicked me with his fluffy feet until he broke free from my grip.

He hopped up the stairs.

I looked up and saw Ren waving her ears from the top.

"Oooo… that's what you were saying."

Exe reached the top, rolled his eyes, and headed through the door with Ren, followed by Fubuki.

Tenka stayed wrapped around my neck as I climbed the stairs, getting ready to see what waited beyond the doors.

I reached the door and opened it.

Exe jumped onto my face, kicking me with his soft little feet.

I almost fell, but I grabbed both of them.

"What the hell is wrong?!"

Exe pointed with his fluffy ears.

I looked inside and saw a group of knights walking through a short hallway lined with windows and small coffee tables.

Exe jumped off and followed Fubuki into a crack in the wall.

Ren followed after them.

I returned to my Eclipse: Silent Requiem form and entered the hallway, closing the door behind me.

I slipped behind the drape near the entrance.

I could hear movement inside the walls.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Exe and the girls were already moving.

A knight came close to my window.

I grabbed him, pulled him into the drape, and killed him inside it.

The other knights scanned the room.

I slipped under a coffee table and moved closer to the next window.

Then I slid into another drape from beneath the table.

I wrapped my long hair around a knight's neck and pulled it tight.

With the same hand, I covered his mouth and strangled him until he stopped moving.

I hid his body behind the window drape while it stayed connected to the window.

One more knight stood across the hall, staring at the wall.

He heard something.

He placed his hand and ear against the wall, listening closely.

Scratches came from inside.

Exe and Ren burst through the wall, scaring the knight straight into my arms.

I decapitated him as his body folded forward.

Then I tossed his head across the hall while Exe returned to his demon form.

I snapped my fingers, and my dress became clean again.

Tenka and the others climbed back into Exe's jumper.

Exe looked at me.

"You ready for this?"

I looked toward the obsidian door.

"Let's finish this dungeon already."

Exe and I pushed the doors open.

Inside was a throne room filled with royal carpets, tall pillars, and undead adventurers standing along the sides.

We haven't entered yet.

We looked around to make sure there wasn't anything else waiting.

There was.

I pointed toward the throne.

A human sat there.

Or something close to one.

Slouched on the throne, one hand resting against his face—

Like he was bored.

Exe pulled me back outside, and we closed the doors together.

He held the door shut and looked at me.

"We need to think of a plan."

Ren poked her head out from his jumper.

Exe continued, "I don't think I should bring Anthony out again."

I took a breath and sat on the floor, leaning my back against the wall.

I looked around the hall.

Then I looked at Exe.

"How many rabbits can you control?"

Exe looked at me as Ren and Tenka poked their heads out.

"About twenty demon rabbits, not counting my three girls… why?"

I looked at him.

"I need you to control all of them while I take on the undead Hero."

Ren squeaked loudly, like I was insane.

Fubuki came out of Exe's sleeve and squeaked back at Ren, as if telling her to trust me.

Exe said, "Gimme a moment so I can talk it over with the girls."

He sat down against the door and listened while Ren and Fubuki argued.

I rolled my eyes and waited.

Tenka came out and plopped herself on Exe's head, then squeaked at Ren and Fubuki like she was making the final call.

Exe looked at me while all three of them stared too.

"We're going to need some time to channel this."

I looked at him, still sitting, playing with my dress.

"How long do you need?"

Exe brought his hands together over his lap—thumbs pressed in, fingers interlocked into a sharp ritual shape.

His eyes opened wide.

A powerful golden glow burst from them.

"Gimme one minute."

I waited, watching him, still idly playing with my dress.

Exe took a deep breath.

Tenka stayed on his head, her eyes glowing bright blue.

Exe released the breath and shouted—

"Come to me!"

The room started to shake.

From the cracks, small, piercing red eyes began to appear.

I smiled.

I reached out my hand.

A baby demon rabbit jumped onto it.

Moments later, more rabbits poured in, surrounding us.

Big ones.

Small ones.

Heavy ones.

Dozens of them.

Exe had told me he could control twenty…

But now it looked like he was focusing on keeping the channel open with all of them.

Exe looked at me.

"I'm ready—but I can't help physically."

I stood up.

The baby rabbit jumped from my hand and rejoined the others.

"That's fine, little brother."

I manifested one of my moon blades.

"I'll handle it from here."