Ashtarot scrutinized himself in the mirror. His appearance was as immaculate as ever, but he still felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. Running a hand through his black hair, he contemplated, trying to style it differently.
"Hm... I think it's getting too long. I should get it cut," he muttered, brushing his hair with care.
He smoothed down his tracksuit, ensuring there were no wrinkles. Once satisfied with his perfect appearance, he turned to leave his room.
His quarters were a baroque masterpiece, adorned with intricate wood carvings, dominated by dark wood with touches of ivory.
The ceiling was a canvas depicting devils soaring toward hell, painted in soft, almost serene colors.
The room's refined elegance contrasted sharply with the terrifying image he presented to others—a fearsome devil with menacing crimson eyes and an aura of darkness.
As he made his way out, a sudden movement caught his eye. A fat black cat with long, thick fur jumped in front of him, rubbing against his feet and meowing sweetly.
"Oh, Mr. Void, you must be hungry," Ashtarot said, a faint smile touching his lips.
He picked up the cat, cradling it in his arms, and attempted to kiss it. However, Mr. Void placed a paw on his mouth, rejecting the gesture.
"How long will it take for you to let me kiss you?" Ashtarot sighed, lowering the cat.
He walked over to a cabinet, retrieved some cat food, and filled Mr. Void's dish. The cat began to eat like a glutton.
After tending to Mr. Void, Ashtarot left for his duties. Today was a special weekday: Sports Day!
On this day, all the access to floor bosses was closed and marked by maintenance. It was once for every two weeks event, so they used it as a way to bond and interact with other workers.
This event gathered all head divisions, floor guardians, floor bosses, and regular workers—except those on overtime. They would participate in various exercises, one of which was an aerobics dance.
As the lead dancer, Ashtarot stood on a high stage. Before him was a magic circle that acted as a loudspeaker, amplifying his voice to all the participants.
"Everyone, move with spirit! Raise and lower your hands!" he shouted, moving in sync with the background music.
In front of him was a diverse assembly of monsters in various forms: werewolves, undead, vampires, sirens, and more.
They ranged from giants to small creatures. They were all gathered in a vast black room with no discernible limits, like a void, illuminated only by stars from distant galaxies.
Ashtarot began walking in place, then moved forward and back with enthusiasm. He followed this with a series of frog jumps.
"ZAEK! DO YOUR MOVE PROPERLY! JUMP HIGHER WITH YOUR FEET!" he yelled, pointing at Zaek, who was operating the Enigmata Genesis.
"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS MACHINE DOESN'T HAVE LONG LEGS!" Zaek screamed from inside the pod, reluctant to move.
The mecha lazily moved its hands up and down.
"I DON'T CARE! Why would you use that thing on Sports Day, you dumbass!"
Ashtarot exclaimed, transitioning to jumping jacks. He raised his hands over his head and jumped, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
"If you don't move, I will cut your pay!" Ashtarot shouted.
He was annoyed by Zaek's use of the mecha, that thing's maintenance was high in cost, and using it for aerobics was insane. He wanted to give him a lesson.
"ARGGHHH! YOU!" Zaek wanted to curse but couldn't under the boss's intimidating gaze.
He reluctantly moved the Enigmata Genesis, making it lift its body on its small legs, trembling like a newborn kitten trying to balance.
Laughter and whispers filled the air, making Zaek's face redden with embarrassment.
He had chosen to stay inside the machine because he felt self-conscious about his appearance.
Surrounded by beautiful, handsome, and terrifying colleagues, his thin, frail body felt out of place.
'I will kill you one day!' Zaek vowed silently, his face contorted with annoyance.
While the participants of the aerobic dance struggled to keep up with Ashtarot, several workers watched from a distance.
Among them was a group of three beast-women, their faces half-human, half-tiger, with fur-covered skin.
The blonde with long hair giggled, "Ahhh~ Mr. Ashtarot is handsome, but he can be shameless at times."
Her friend, holding a drink, elbowed her. "Shameless? He's just being silly! It's adorable, you know!"
"Awww~ look at that sweat on his body! I wish he wore a tighter tracksuit so we could see those abs!" the short-haired one said, her face reddening.
"Right!" they all chimed in unison, laughing again.
Unbeknownst to them, the three dragon sisters stood behind, glaring with sour, hateful expressions.
"How dare those venomous mouths talk about our Ashtarot," Sorrel spat, tearing the doll in her hands apart.
"Those bitches need to be punished!" Sarissa shouted, unable to contain her anger. She started to approach them but was held back by Sorrush.
"If we do that, we'll look like whores, just like them! I have an idea," Sorrush whispered, gesturing for her sisters to come closer. She laid out her plan in hushed tones.
The two sisters smiled as they listened. Sorrel, the key to their plan, moved her hands, directing them toward the Enigmata Genesis.
Invisible red strings attached to the mecha's body, manipulating it. She began pulling it toward the three beast-women.
Zaek panicked, trying desperately to balance the machine, but there was a stronger force at play, dragging it down.
The three beast-women fell realizing what was in front of them. The machine was falling in speed, they couldn't run in time so they closed their eyes and braced for impact. However, they felt no pain or crushing weight.
Opening their eyes, they saw a sturdy figure before them. Ashtarot, in his unique white tracksuit with blue stripes, had stopped the Enigmata Genesis with one hand.
He turned to the women and said, "Move."
Blushing, the three beast-women nodded and quickly moved to safety. Ashtarot gently laid the mecha on the ground.
No victims today.
However, his eyes then fixed on the three dragon sisters. Noticing his glare, Sorrel averted her eyes and hummed innocently, Sarissa fiddled with her fingers, and Sorrush simply waved and smiled, her face full of joy acting as innocent as usual.