It was 11:47 p.m., and the convenience store had officially become a battlefield.
Arthos, still drunk from earlier "team-building" drinks, was trying to restock shelves in perfect formation but kept knocking over soda towers. Garruk flailed a broom like a spear, attempting to guard the perimeter from imaginary intruders. Lunaria floated above the floor, her robes tangled in a mop bucket, muttering spells to keep the freezer humming. Seraphine floated between aisles, blessing each cup noodle as if it were a sacred relic.
Nyx cackled behind the counter, tossing Pokémon cards at passing generals.
Bella, arms crossed, leaned against the counter, silently judging. "…I survived dungeons, dragons, and demon armies. Why am I terrified of a night shift?"
The Demon King, holding a cup of noodles like a chalice, shook his head. "Even I am impressed by this level of chaos. And I've conquered kingdoms."
From the shelves, Yuwen had set up a magical barrier using the snack racks, declaring, "This aisle is mine!" Varkos had started a dramatic duel with a rolling cart. Selene melted into the shadows, appearing behind Nyx repeatedly to make her jump. Drogan was howling with laughter while tipping over a pyramid of instant noodles. Ilyra floated above the candy section, freezing small patches of floor whenever someone got too close. Kael scribbled notes on optimal shelf angles while Morvane wiped down every surface obsessively.
Arthos swung a stack of magazines like a sword. "Hold the line! Do not let the snacks fall!"
Lunaria cast a minor fire spell, overheating a microwave slightly. "Oops," she muttered, floating backward.
Nyx clapped her hands. "Perfect! The entire store is a battlefield, and we're winning!"
Bella sighed, picking up a stray cup noodle and setting it back on the shelf. "Winning is subjective. Surviving is the goal."
A loud crash echoed as Garruk collided with the freezer, sending ice cream tubs flying across the floor. Drogan howled, Nyx screamed with laughter, and Seraphine tried to bless the flying tubs midair.
The Demon King sighed and slurped his noodles. "Perhaps conquering the world was simpler than this."
Suddenly, the store's automatic door opened. Everyone froze, expecting an intruder, only for a lone customer to peek inside. The customer raised an eyebrow at the chaos, then slowly retreated.
Nyx waved cheerfully. "Welcome to the night shift!"
Bella leaned against the counter, exhausted. "This is why dungeons are safer."
Arthos collapsed onto a pile of boxes, mumbling about "team strategy." Lunaria untangled herself from the mop bucket. Garruk patted the fallen sodas back into a vaguely vertical position. Seraphine whispered a final blessing over the store.
Yuwen, Varkos, and the rest of the generals stepped back, surveying their "victory."
The Demon King sipped his noodles. "Tonight, we survive. Tomorrow… we conquer… retail efficiency."
Nyx laughed. "And somehow, this counts as a training mission."
Bella simply groaned, already imagining the horrors of the next night shift.
The store was a mess, the heroes were drunk, the generals were chaotic, and yet somehow… everyone had survived.
For now.