Having watched over Grim ever since he participated in the magic knight exams 2 years ago, how could it be that Secre didn't know what he was thinking?
If anything, his intent was as clear as day.
But still, she had to ask-
"What Are You Doing?!"
Tilting his head to the side, Grim looked down at her from his high position. With a smirk adorning his face, he wrapped his arm around Vanica's waist and pulled her in.
"Can't you tell?" He grinned.
-I'm switching sides."
*BADUM*
Feeling her heart skip a beat from his confirmation, the worse case scenario she could of ever imagined had come to fruition.
"No..."
Watching as her eyes shook at the realization that he was serious about turning on them, Grim felt a strange sense of pleasure filling him.
Drenched in sweat and breathing heavily through her teeth. With the help of Noelle, Mimosa supporting her, Loropechka struggled to her feet. Enduring the immense pain of the curse coursing throughout her entire body, she bit her lip and looked at him with bloodshot eyes.
"You were supposed to kill them!"
"Oh?"
"YOU PROMISED!" She screamed as the pain ran rampant and brought tears to her eyes.
"You were supposed to destroy the devils not join them! To save the world not leave it in darkness!"
"If I knew *winces* If I knew this would have happened, I never would have asked for your help!"
"Loro..." Watching as the girl she raised like a daughter push herself past her limits, Undine felt her heart breaking.
"Its my fault." She whispered. "Because of my selfish desire to live, I've doomed the world."
With how powerful Grim was and considering that he treated a full powered 70% Vanica who had been buffed by Megicula like a punching bag. It wasn't a stretch to say that with him on their side, the Dark Triad had become near unstoppable.
And it was all her fault.
She had invited him here. Told him all about the devils. Motivated him to get stronger... All of this was because of her.
But while the guilt ate away at the Heart Queen, Noelle's fists were clenched.
"Why..."
"Hmm?" Grim raised an eyebrow hearing her with his heightened senses.
"After everything we've done... After everything we've been through..."
-WHY WOULD YOU BETRAY US NOW!!
Shouting at him, rage and bitterness swelled in her heart as she stared at him with a complicated expression. Forget the end of the world for a moment, the fact that he could stand next to the person who killed her mother without batting an eye-
IT WAS UNFORGIVABLE!
"Do you have any idea what she's planning to do!"
-If you help her there's no coming back!"
-You'll be humanity's greatest traitor!
"So what." He responded eliciting a laugh from Vanica.
"What?!"
Hearing his response, Noelle felt her whole world shake.
"So what if I betray humanity. Since when have I ever cared for them? If anything... I'm giving them what they deserve."
"What the hell are you talking about!" Loropechka screamed veins thobbing on her face. "Giving us what we deserve?! What gives you the right to decide that!!"
"...My blood." He answered staring down at Secre.
"Grim..."
" *Sigh* But humanity won't be destroyed by the devils, I won't allow that. No, if it is to be destroyed, I will do it with my own hand!"
*Clenches fist*
"Call it righteous retribution or whatever. Depends on how I'm feeling really. But right now, I'm feeling very VERY MURDEROUS. So if I haven't made it clear to all of you yet, let me say it now."
"I Will Open Up The Gates Of The Underworld! I Will Flood This World With Devils! And I Will Slaughter Each And Every Last One Of Them! I Will Soak This Land In Their Blood! I Will Dance Upon Their Mangled Corpses! I Will Revell In Their Misery! AND I WILL BATHE IN THEIR GOD FORSAKEN SCREAMS!"
"And You Will Not Get In The Way!"
*BOOOM!!*
Releasing his suppressed bloodlust, every word he spoke was like a knife slicing into their bodies as he forced them, even the Dark Disciple down to their knees!
*BAANG!!*
*BAANG!!*
*BAANG!!*
"ARGHH!!"
"W-What the hell!!"
Under the weight of his immense bloodlust, even the immortal water spirit could do nothing but listen to her instincts and shrink back.
-S-Such pressure!
-So heavy!
Feeling like every breath they took consumed a tremendous amount of energy, their limbs refused to listen to them as they struggle to raise their heads and meet Grim's eyes.
"Ohhhhh!!" Vanica's eyes shone feeling wisps of his bloodlust tickle her skin.
'He really is perfect~'
"Hmm." Megicula hummed.
'To think such bloodlust could appear from someone that wasn't a devil. Grim... What a curiousity you are.'
"Honestly." He descended from the sky and stood in front of the struggling girls.
"You should all be thanking me."
'What the hell is he talking about!'
"Its a win-win situation really."
-When I succeed, I will rid this world of devils forever.
-But on the off chance that I somehow fail, humanity will no longer have to worry about overpopulation, lack of resources and all that jazz. Y'know... because you'll all be dead.
"H-How is that a win-win situation!" Noelle forced out.
*Shrugs* "It just is. Humanity was gonna kill itself at some point anyway. But at least this way I can ensure that it won't be by the hands of devils."
"Besides." He grinned and crouched down. "If I kill the dark triad now, who's to say that some other idiots won't try to do the same thing in a hundred years? Don't you think it's better if I get rid of the problem from the source?"
"No more devils, no more devil hosts, no more end of the world. Your welcome."
Gritting her teeth, Noelle couldn't find any flaw in his words.
'...Dammit, that's some sound logic!'
"D-Don't do this."
Looking at Mimosa, he smiled and shook his head sadly as his expression suddenly turned sorrowful.
"I can't waste an opportunity like this." He said whispered so only the three of them could hear him.
Raising her chin, he stared deeply into her eyes and spoke in a sad manner as if he struggling with what he had to do.
"Everything that I do... Everything that I will do... Its all for the sake of future generations."
"Grim..." She whimpered seeing his conflicted expression.
"I know that what I'm doing is dangerous... I know that I don't know what the future holds, but if I can protect everyone now, I won't hesitate."
Hearing him speak as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, everyone in the palace felt his words pull on their heart strings.
Grim... He's playing the bad guy...
Getting up slowly, he began a dramatic ascent into the sky as a sad smile settled on his face.
"For the kingdom that raised me... For the friends that cherished me."
"GRIMMMMM" Secre screamed her face now stained with tears as she felt like she was finally seeing his true intentions.
Turning his back on them, in the eyes of the girls his figure suddenly looked small and pitiful.
"Even if it means betraying humanity..."
"GRIM STOP!!" Noelle cried.
"Even if I have to become a monster..."
"D-DON'T GO!"
"I will protect you all."
Rising higher into the sky, he gave them one final look.
"Be it sins or be it miracles, if it means protecting those I cherish, I will shoulder it all"
"GRRRIMMMMMM!!"
---
Disappearing behind a passing cloud, once he was sure that they could no longer see him, he was unable to keep the facade up any longer as the forlorn look on his face vanished and he burst into uncontrollable laughter.
'OH GOD!!!'
'They brought it! THEY REALLY FUCKING BROUGHT IT!!'
'Protecting them? Shouldering burdens? What BULLSHIT!!!'
"What's so funny?"
Having not heard the conversation since she was talking to Megicula at the time, Vanica tilted her head to the side and looked at him.
"Nothing." He laughed wiping the corner of his eyes. "Just discovering how fun it is to play the reluctant villain."
"What?"
"Nothing." He grinned and clapped his hands together.
"Now then, take me to the Spade Kingdom."