"P… please stop this!"

Gil quickly stepped in between Cynthia and Xinyan. The temperature of the air around them suddenly began to lower as Xinyan's steps insisted on moving forward towards Cynthia, even with Gil buffering in between them.

​​

"You were part of the Circle this whole time!?" Xinyan could not help but raise her voice. As soon as Cynthia revealed herself to be a part of the Circle, her blood boiled, almost mirroring the cold air that now permeated the air. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"...We're not really friends for me to tell you such information, girl," Cynthia could not help but furrow her eyebrows as she looked at Xinyan, who was being awkwardly blocked by Gil, "And who even are you?"

"T… that…" Seeing the confusion in Cynthia's eyes, Xinyan's eyes could not help but twitch. It was true that even after a month in the Pit, the only person she was close with was Gerald. But still, she could remember talking to Cynthia from time to time as she was part of Van's group.

"She… she's the one from China," Gil stuttered as he glanced at Cynthia while still trying his best to calm down the situation, "The one whose comrades and brother got killed by the Circle."

"...I see," Cynthia squinted her eyes as she looked at Xinyan with a slight nod.

'Now you know!?' Xinyan screamed in her mind.

"Enough!"

Before anything can start between the two again, Latanya's voice drowned the rest of their words. "We need to learn something from this guy as soon as possible," she said.

"Is this Circle really that big of an enemy?" Latanya then voiced out as she looked at the rest of the group. She was starting to feel left out as she was the only one in the group right now who wasn't from this world originally.

"They… are probably the biggest organization in the world," Nisha, who has been quietly watching the situation on the side, was the one to answer Latanya's query as she stepped closer towards Van.

"...How big?" Latanya breathed, "Like more than ten thousand members?"

"...More like a couple of hundred million, their followers consist of almost half of the population in the whole world."

"W… what!? That's…" Once again, Latanya felt herself in disbelief. Even with all the stories she had heard all her years in the Pit Encampment, she still had no idea how big this world truly is. A hundred million… she could not even fathom how many that is.

Even their population, if they all added up the other minor Cities, would probably only be at a million.

"How… will we be able to face such a number?" Latanya could not help but feel nervous.

"Oh, you misunderstood," Nisha quickly shook her head, "They have more than a hundred million followers. But the ones that are truly involved in their inner circle are probably not even a percent of that."

"I… I see," Latanya let out a sigh of relief as she heard Nisha's words. She then cleared her throat before turning her focus back towards the enhanced human, Mike.

"You… how many more of you are coming?" She asked.

Mike, however, did not respond as he just continued staring at Cynthia.

"How many of you are coming?" Latanya once again asked, but this time, the coldness of her tone could be felt even with the low temperature lingering in the air.

But still, once again, Mike did not answer.

"We can do this the hard way," Latanya let out a tiny scoff as she slowly raised her hand.

"Wait," but before she could do anything, Cynthia grabbed her hand and stopped her. "He won't talk no matter how much you torture him."

"I have heard that line a thousand times before," Latanya scoffed as she pulled her hand away, "But everyone eventually squeals."

"I have seen your methods, Boss," Cynthia shook her head, "But this one will be different. He is already branded by the Circle," Cynthia let out a long and deep breath as she pointed at the Circle-shaped burn mark that adorned Mike's forehead.

"...Branded?"

"Hm," Cynthia nodded, "Even if you peel off every inch of his skin and flesh from his bones, he won't talk about anything that would go against the Circle. Those branded…

...have already been fully indoctrinated by that abominable cult."

"The Circle is not an abominable cult!" Mike quickly roared as his head struggled to move from the ice, "How dare you say that even though the Circle have fed and clothed you!?"

"See what I mean?" Cynthia let out a solemn voice before letting out a sorrowful sigh, "I… My husband and I were lucky enough to be thrown away before they could brand us. Solomon, however, was not so lucky."

"...Solomon?" Latanya's ears perked as soon as she heard Solomon's name being uttered.

"The branding of the Circle was ineffective against him… but still, it did something to him, as I know you are fully aware of," Cynthia said as she looked Latanya straight in the eyes, "They… made him almost like a puppet, a literal puppet that can not move without someone's orders."

"This Circle… is capable of doing something like that?" Latanya not help but furrow her eyebrows.

Van, who was listening in on the side, could not help but furrow his eyebrows as well. Was that why Solomon's soul was an Orange Flame, a Neutral Soul? Because he had no will of his own in the first place?

The others who were also listening in on the conversation looked at each other. Just what exactly was the Circle cooking, they all thought.

"..."

"..."

"So, what do we do with him?" Gil broke the sudden silence, "Imprison him along with the surviving City Guards?"

"No!" Xinyan hollered as soon as Gil's suggestion reached her ears, "We need to kill him for what he did to my brother!"

"I agree with the ching chong," Gerald nodded as he stood beside her.

Xinyan's eyes instantly twitched as she heard what Gerald called her. If he wasn't on her side, then she would have probably hit him with the biggest [Frost Driver] she could muster.

"I was just on my way to do just that before this beggar appeared out of nowhere," Gerald clicked his tongue as he glanced towards Van, "Since we already know he won't tell us anything, let's just kill him and get this over with."

"..."

Hearing the opinion of the others, Latanya placed her hand on her chin in thought. But after a few seconds, she then turned towards Van.

"What do you think we should do?" She asked.

"...Why are you asking me?" Van quickly replied.

"You're still the President of this new… nation," Latanya muttered, "The final decision will be up to you."

"...But I just told you I am stepping down," Van let out a long and deep breath, "I am not cut out to be--"

"That's not in effect yet. For the citizens that are within this New Wall, you're still the President that led them to victory."

"..."

Van could only furrow his eyebrows as he scanned the group, only to see that everyone was now looking at him, except Gerald, who clicked his tongue in displeasure as he looked away.

Xinyan, on the other hand, stared at Van with pleading and almost begging eyes.

Seeing that everyone seemed to be expecting him to make a decision, Van could only let out a long and deep sigh. He then turned his head towards Cynthia and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Is… he your friend?" Van gestured towards Mike.

"...No," Cynthia paused before answering, "He is--"

"!!!"

Before Cynthia could even finish her words, she felt something warm violently splash on her face, completely waking her up from the cold breeze that lingered in the air. She slowly looked towards Mike, only to see the block of ice that he was encased in now becoming a waterfall of blood; his head, no longer attached to his body.

"...He used to be," Cynthia whispered before walking away without any more words.

"Van!? Why would you--" Gil did not even finish his words as he chased Cynthia.

"..."

"We need to fortify our defenses," seeing as no one seemed to have anything to say, Latanya let out a loud breath, not even minding the fountain of blood near them.

"More people will come," Latanya said before looking towards Gerald and Xinyan, "And you two… It is up to you whether or not you'll stay, but I expect you to earn your keep."

"O… of course," Xinyan stuttered, still a bit shocked with what just happened.

"You seem strong," Latanya turned towards Gerald, "Coordinate with Rick so we can put your muscles to good use. He's with the old general, go and find him."

"As for you…" She then looked at Xinyan, "You can do whatever you want. Mr. President, are you coming with me or--"

Before Latanya could finish her words, she realized that Van was no longer there, "...Is he going to make a habit of doing this?" She muttered as she let out a sigh.

***

"What in the… don't do that!"

Nisha could not help but let out a loud gasp as she felt her insides turning and almost giving out. No… they really probably were trying to go out, she thought as she coughed up due to the extreme nausea climbing up to her head.

Although she was not able to see it clearly, her vision suddenly shifted as the only thing she could hear were the sound of the wind piercing her ears; and that could only mean one thing-- Van carried her.

Nisha looked around the place, it would seem that Van brought him to one of the City Guard's quarters.

"Miss Nisha," Van, who was behind Nisha, let out a short breath. He was currently looking at Mike's Orange Soul; and then, without even a slight hesitation, sent him to the [Fields of Punishment]. Like with the first Orange Soul he sent wrongly, another window popped out in front of him asking him if he was sure.

But still, even knowing what would happen next, Van still sent Mike's soul to the [Fields of Punishment].

"Protect me."

"Protect? What?" Nisha furrowed her eyebrows as her confusion was reaching its peak, "What are you even trying to say--"

"Gah!"

"Van!?" Nisha has not even fully turned her body before she heard Van's sudden cries of pain. "...Van!?"

Nisha could not help but rush towards Van as she saw him suddenly groveling on the floor.

"W… what's happening!? What do you want me to do!?" Nisha said, her hands seemingly not knowing what to do, "You…

...could have grabbed someone else!"

[Commencing Penalty of Hades]