With Bringer captured, King Crimson deleted the next few days, and we flash forward.
What? You want to know why we skipped ahead? Because the middle part was just a bunch of boring filler, that's why.
What you thought the final battle would be: Bringer, possessed by a Progenitor, is defeated by Mo Wang, then enters a second phase, turning into a Grotesque and wreaking havoc on New Eridu before finally being defeated by Mo Wang.
What the final battle actually was: Mo Wang didn't even give Bringer a chance to enter a second phase. He just beat him to a pulp. (It's not that the author thought this plot was boring and just wanted to skip it, of course not.)
As for what happened to Bringer after that, what with the military, the HIA, HAND, and the T0PS all squabbling over him, Mo Wang couldn't care less. He figured the guy wouldn't last long anyway; someone would probably silence him.
Besides, he had already gotten the information he wanted.
...
Ting-a-ling~
"Welcome! Oh, Lycaon, Ellen? What brings you here?" Belle, who was manning the counter at the video store, asked, surprised. "Did something happen with Bringer? Was he killed, or did he escape?"
"No, no, it's not that simple," Lycaon said, shaking his head.
"Then what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Is Mo Wang upstairs?" Ellen interjected.
"Yeah, he's been up there for three days. I don't know what's wrong with him, he's just... completely unmotivated."
"So, you're here to see him? Now that his true power has been revealed, are you here to ask him to take on some difficult mission?"
"Well, that's part of it, but we're actually here to see both of you," Lycaon explained.
"Oh, okay. I'll go get him."
"I'll go with you," Ellen said.
...
"No, I don't want to get up," Mo Wang whined from under the covers, even as Belle and Ellen tried to drag him out of bed.
"Has he been like this the whole time?" Ellen asked, intrigued. She had never seen him so... listless.
"Yeah, I think he's just been under a lot of stress lately," Belle said with a sigh.
And then, she turned to find that Ellen had disappeared... into Mo Wang's bed.
"W-wait! Miss Ellen, what are you doing?!"
"Mmm... it's just as warm as I imagined..." she purred, snuggling up to him.
"That's not the point! Why are you so comfortable getting into another person's brother's bed?!"
"What's going on up there? Need any help?" Lycaon called from downstairs.
"No!" they both yelled back.
...
Ten minutes later, Mo Wang dragged a sulking Belle and Ellen, both with bumps on their heads, downstairs.
"Let's make this quick, Lycaon. What do you want? And just so you know, I'm not taking any commissions right now. I'm not in the mood."
"Ahem, sorry to bother you at a time like this, but... our master would like to speak with you."
"Huh? You have a master, Lycaon?" Belle asked, her head popping up.
"No, I mean, the master of Victoria Housekeeping."
"Victoria Housekeeping has a master?" she and Mo Wang exchanged a look.
"First of all," Lycaon said, his composure cracking slightly, "what exactly is your impression of Victoria Housekeeping?"
Mo Wang: A mercenary group that always fights for justice?
Belle: An illegal organization that uses child labor?
Mo Wang: A gathering of weirdos?
Belle: A bunch of people who seem to have a lot of free time?
Even Ellen couldn't help but sigh.
"Ahem, anyway, who is your master?" Belle asked, trying to change the subject.
"Our master is the head of the Mayflower family. And also, the mayor of this city."
"Oh, the mayor... wait, the mayor?!"
"Oh," was all Mo Wang said.
"Brother! That's the mayor! How can you be so calm?!"
"After everything that's happened, are you still surprised by something like this?" he said, giving his sister a strange look.
"Well..."
"It seems you're not surprised at all, Lord Mo Wang," Lycaon said.
"Nope. After finding out that several T0PS members were part of that organization, a mayor getting involved just seems logical."
The city of New Eridu had been founded by the Mayflower family and the T0PS corporations. If the mayor was the king, then the T0PS were the nobles.
But the sheer weight of it all—the money troubles, the harem management, the constant commissions, and now a conspiracy involving the city's elite—had finally crushed his spirit.
"Ahem, anyway, the mayor has been waiting. Please take his call," Lycaon said, and placed a communicator on the table.
[I'm glad to finally meet you, you two children of the Helios organization.]
The mayor's voice came through, and he immediately dropped a bombshell, revealing their most hidden secret.
There was a long, awkward silence.
"Um... Lycaon, can you hear me? Did the signal drop?" the mayor asked.
"Hmm? Shouldn't you be the one to speak first?" Mo Wang asked, confused.
[Heh, you're a special one, just as Carole described.]
"So? What do you want from us? You're not planning on using us for something, are you?"
[Heh, no need to be so tense. I'm here to thank you for what you've done for New Eridu. And also, to help you with your... physical problems.]
"So you're giving us an award?"
[Unfortunately, no. This matter involves too many powerful people. We have to keep Bringer's transformation into a Grotesque a secret for now.]
"Then just give us a few million Deni."
[Ahem, Lycaon has told me everything. I was going to help you remove the restrictions the HDD has placed on your bodies, but it seems you've already taken care of that.]
"So, what do you want from us?" Mo Wang said, his patience wearing thin.
[I'm the mayor of New Eridu. Can't you be a little more polite?]
"Oh, dear mayor, is there anything else you'd like to say?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
[You two want to investigate what happened to your teacher, don't you? I can help you. So... shall we cooperate?]
"Cooperation? Sure. Then, Mr. Mayor, how about you give us some financial assistance first? I don't need much, just a hundred million to start," he said.
The others were speechless.
[Hahaha... Carole was right, you're an interesting one,] the mayor said, a hint of amusement in his voice. [A hundred million is a bit much. How about fifty million Deni, as initial operating funds?]
"Deal," Mo Wang said, instantly revived from his listless state. "Cash or transfer?"
"Brother!" Belle groaned, and buried her face in her hands.
"The mayor needs muscle, and we need money and information," he said. "Why beat around the bush with pretty words like 'for the future of the city'?"
"I think he has a point," Ellen said.
[Indeed,] the mayor chuckled. [I'll have Lycaon fill you in on the details. But... you need to be careful of the T0PS, especially... 'that lady'.]
The atmosphere in the room turned tense.
"Ah, of course," Mo Wang said with a smirk. "I knew those capitalists wouldn't just let this go."
"Wait! What are you all talking about?" Belle asked.
"You don't need to know. All you need to know is that your brother has money again, and the mayor is on our side. From now on, we can pretty much do whatever we want in this city."
That's not what I meant, the mayor thought, but decided to keep his mouth shut. This boy was more trouble than all the capitalists and politicians he had to deal with combined. And he was stronger than an Ethereal Hunter.
My old friend, he thought, where in the world did you find a kid like this?
(End of Volume VII: Leisurely Demon Lord Life: New Eridu Edition)