Helluva Boss: The Better Boss

"Y'all better eat up," Joe said, gesturing to the table. "Ain't no room for weak stomachs in Wrath, and we got a long night ahead of us."

Millie's siblings were already digging in, their laughter and loud banter filling the room.

Moxxie hesitated, eyeing the spread with a mix of awe and mild terror. "Is that... Hellhog liver?"

"Sure is," Sally Mae said, grinning as she shoved a forkful into her mouth. "You ain't scared, are ya, city boy?"

"Of course not," Moxxie said quickly, though his voice cracked just enough to betray him. He grabbed a plate and began piling it with the least intimidating items he could find.

I, on the other hand, went straight for the biggest, juiciest piece of meat I could find. "Damn, this smells good," I said, taking a bite. "You guys really know how to cook."

Lin smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We do what we can. Ain't much else to do out here 'cept work and eat."

Millie sat down next to Moxxie, giving him an encouraging nudge. "Don't worry, babe. You'll get used to it. Just think of it as... rustic charm.

Loona, meanwhile, had already claimed a spot at the far end of the table. She picked at her food with disinterest, occasionally glancing up to glare at anyone who got too close. Joe watched her for a moment, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention back to me.

"So, Blitz," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Millie tells me you're some kind of big-shot assassin. That true?"

"Big-shot might be stretchin' it," I said with a grin, "but yeah, we handle our fair share of hits. Business is boomin', thanks to your daughter. She's one hell of a killer."

Joe's eyes flicked to Millie, who was busy tearing into a hunk of Hellhog ribs. "She always did have a knack for violence," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "Guess she gets that from me."

"Guess so," I said, raising my glass in a mock toast. "Here's to family."

The meal continued with a mix of awkward small talk and occasional jabs at Moxxie, who was doing his best to keep up. By the time we finished eating, the sun was beginning to set, casting the ranch in an eerie red glow. Joe stood up, stretching his arms.

The rest of the family began to head outside to put out the massive bonfire in the back erected to make all this food so quickly. Since I was the guest I decided to help out and make a lasting good impression on the family, only I didn't expect to me him.

As we gathered around the fire pit, Striker leaned back in his chair, his hat tipped low over his eyes. "So, Blitzo," he drawled, as I and the rest of millis family made our appearance. "heard you've got a real knack for gettin' into places you shouldn't. How'd you manage to sweet talk your way into the Living World?"

I stiffened for just a moment, my grin from the good meal faltering. This guy was sharp. "Let's just say I've got connections," I said, trying to sound casual. "I have an... arrangement."

Striker's smirk widened. "An arrangement, huh? Must be somethin' special to get a Prince of Hell to lend you his Grimoire."

Before I could respond, Moxxie who'd also had gotten up to help piped up, his voice tinged with a bit of frustration. "It's not just about brute force, you know. Strategy and intelligence win wars, not just muscle."

Joe who'd finally walked out snorted, taking a swig from his flask. "Strategy's all well and good, boy, but in Wrath, it's the strong who survive. Ain't no room for thinkers when the Hellhogs are chargin'."

I saw an opportunity to deflect and chimed in. "He's got a point, Moxxie. Sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty. Ain't that right, Striker?"

Striker's eyes gleamed as he leaned forward. "Damn straight. And speaking of gettin' dirty, how 'bout we settle this little debate in the Pain Games tomorrow? See who's really got what it takes."

The suggestion was met with cheers from Millie's family, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to see strikers strength compared to my own. "You're on, cowboy. But don't think I'm gonna go easy on you."

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Hours later the festival grounds were alive with energy. Demons from all over Wrath had gathered to witness the Pain Games, a brutal competition that tested strength, endurance, and sheer willpower. Stolas, perched on a grand stage adorned with her bright red cape, delivered a speech that was met with a mix of indifference and outright disdain from the crowd. Her attempts to flirt with me didn't go unnoticed either only added to the awkwardness, and I could feel every eye darting between us to even though I didn't respond.

As the games began, I made sure to keep an eye on Striker. If I was going to gain his trust or at the very least convince him I was trustworthy, I needed to prove I was just as tough, if not tougher, than he was. The first event was a Hellhog wrangling competition, and I threw myself into it with everything I had. I might not have been born in Wrath, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let some cowboy outshine me.

It was much more brutal than I had expected but was still fun and tested my strategy.

Striker and I quickly emerged as the top contenders. My unorthodox tactics and sheer determination kept me in the running, while Striker's precision and raw power made him a formidable opponent. Moxxie, on the other hand, struggled through each event, his smaller frame and lack of experience putting him at a severe disadvantage. By the end of the games, it was clear that the final showdown would be between me and Striker.

The crowd erupted as Wally Wackford announced the tie, calling both of us to the stage.

"Your good competition, maybe we could work together someday in the future," I offered, Striker only smiled and nodded as we headed u the stairs.

Striker, ever the showman, pulled out a guitar and began to sing a taunting song directed at Moxxie, who sat in the stands, humiliated and defeated. I tried to lighten the mood by joining Moxxie and Millie, casually mentioning that I'd offered Striker

Moxxie's face fell seeing and presumably guessing what I had told Striker. "You hired him? After everything?"

I shrugged. "He's got skills, Mox. We could use someone like him." Although I was sure striker was deadly maybe I could salvage something up and he wouldn't constantly try and get in our way in the future or go after moxxie. I'd need to stop him from killing stolas but otherwise things could work out better than they did previously 

Millie, sensing Moxxie's distress, suggested he head back to the ranch to clean up. As Moxxie trudged away, Striker's mocking laughter followed him, echoing in his ears.

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Back at the ranch, I knew something was off. Striker had been too eager to leave after the announcements of the winners on stage and I wasn't about to let my guard down. As I pretended to clean up after the games, I kept an eye on him. Sure enough, he slipped away from the group, heading toward his room.

with our updated coms I quickly went up to loona who'd been bored almost all day "Hey Looney, could you turn on moxxie's location I need it for just one second." She shrugged and pulled out her phone, a glowing red dot revealed Moxxie had already arived back at millie's folks place. 

"Loo Loo come on we've gotta get their quickly" I said, almost demanding. she gave me a weird look noticing the slight worry in my eyes but nodded anyways.

I quietly made contact with Millie who'd be talking with her family although we no longer used the ear buds as our main communication just in case of emergencies we kept them on us. Me and Loona had already made our way to the house and hastily entered going into a concealed plan of action as we usually did in infiltration missions.

Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw Moxxie standing in front of an open gun case, his face pale. Inside was a sleek, Carmine-crafted sniper rifle—its barrel tipped with a blessed round capable of killing demon royalty.

Before Moxxie could react, Striker appeared, his expression dark. "Shouldn't be snoopin' where you don't belong, city boy," he growled, advancing on Moxxie.

But suprising everyone Millie jumped in through the window burst in just in time slightly out of breath, stabbing Striker in the shoulder with a knife. But Striker was quick, overpowering them both and tossing them into the wall. 

I quickly gave Loona a signal and entered the room by myself confronting Striker. Turing his head he saw me and gave me that same sly smile.

"Thought you'd be busy baskin' in your victory," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Striker smirked, revealing his true intentions. "You're wastin' your potential, Blitzo. Fuckin' royalty, workin' for sinners, it's beneath you," Looking in the direction of his gun he continued, "We could be takin' down Overlords, startin' with that bitch Stolas."

I pretended to consider the offer, buying time as Moxxie who snuck in and grabbed the sniper rifle. But he was prepared, sending Moxxie flying to the door with a swift kick, I stepped in but Striker quickly gained the upper hand his technique and ferocity overwhelmed me so much so I'd ended up on the ground in a chocking match that I was currently loosing, Just as he was about to finish us off, I whistled for Loona. She arrived moments later, kicking open the door and accidentally knocking Moxxie into the wall again. Striker seized the opportunity to escape through the already busted window seeing as he was getting out numbered, but before he could grab his weapon Millie awoken once more prevented his attempts with a stab to the hand, sending him reeling and leaping out the window and disappearing into the crowd.

"Final," I huffed catching my breath once more. "He's gone."

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Back at the ranch, Lin bandaged Millie's wounds while Joe watched silently. Moxxie, emboldened by the night's events, stood up to Millie's parents just like in cannon "Millie's the strongest person I know," he said firmly. "And if you can't see that, then you're the ones who've failed."

Joe gave a curt nod, a rare acknowledgment of Moxxie's courage. As we prepared to leave, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. We'd faced down a deadly foe and come out on top—mostly.

My fighting was somewhat lacking, and he managed to ragdoll all of us even when three people where jumping him. 

I was left contemplating as the sun rose over the jagged horizon of Wrath, we regrouped at our van. The sniper rifle, now safely in our possession, lay across Moxxie's lap as he stared at it with a mix of awe and unease.

"So, what now?" Loona asked, leaning against the van with her arms crossed. "We've got a weapon that can kill royalty. That's gotta be worth something."

I grinned, my usual bravado returning. "Oh, it's worth a lot more than somethin', Loonie. This little beauty is our ticket to the big leagues. But we gotta be smart about it. Can't just go around offing princes without a plan."

Moxxie adjusted his glasses, his expression serious. "We need to figure out who else might be after Stolas. We don't know who Striker was working for, there's no telling who else is involved."

Millie nodded, her usual cheerfulness tempered by the night's events. "And we gotta make sure we're ready for whatever comes next. Striker ain't gonna let this go easy."

I clapped my hands, my grin widening. "Then it's settled. We've got a new mission make sure we come out on top. And if we play our cards right, we might just come out of this with more than a fancy gun."

As the van rumbled to life, we set off, the weight of our new mission settling over us. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear, in Hell, survival was just the beginning. And for me and my crew, the real battle was just getting started.