——As the cheers of the audience in the colosseum become loud, their sword becomes stronger as well.“Hmph! Parry this you filthy imbecile!”Using the thin yet long, serrated blade, Poppo started to attack the offensive, pushing Magi back as his distance to the side of the arena closes. “——!”He was being pushed back somehow, he wouldn't win a match of sword fighting. However, he had an idea.“Glazier. Ground Zero.”Unholsting his Grant, he would aim Glazier at Poppo as he parried the next attack. Poppo wasn't as surprised as before as he tried to break away, however, due to the serrated nature of his blade, it was stuck as Magi turned his blade nature. He fires away, creating a sudden rumble across the arena, creating a huge floor of ice as everything around it freezes around his area. Yet, Poppo was able to save himself from it at the last second.“Geh. Ice. You never learn, do you?”Poppo only had a disgusted face. Elemental Magic was just as pitiful and weak as he thought it w
With almost everyone preoccupied, Sabrine was done with the masks. All she had to do was to deliver them to everyone and call the signal in to have the others run in. Yet, it was where the problem began to show. “——Ngh?! The door's stuck?!”As she tried to push the glass door open, it was stuck and won't move.There was a metal screw that got loose after Baji shot it, locking the door altogether.She tried to shoot through the door with a point-blank shotgun, but it would only launch the shotgun back, creating only shallow craters from the pellets. The front door was unusable but it wasn't the only way out of the building.“——Tch!”As she sees Violet and Vincent get pinned on by three of their enemies who had the advantage, she quickly had to make a decision. She grabbed all of the makeshift masks she made, and went upstairs. Vincent would see Sabrine do so, confused as to why she came back up when he expected her to be done by now. However, he wasn't at the right time to think
“Where's Sabrine!? She's taking longer——!”“Where are you looking? Lose focus and you'll lose your head.”Pinned back by Baji, Vincent would lean his head to the side to dodge the gun's barrel. Baji fired only to miss, barely scratching Vincent's neck with it. It was a close call.Vincent would swirl his blade around, attempting to stab Baji by his leg yet he had also been able to avoid it by stepping back.“Tch. For someone your age, you move pretty quickly.”Vincent would click his tongue in frustration, complimenting Baji's agility despite his age.“I've been doing this job since I was young. If I can say so myself, I'm not in my prime anymore.”With those words that gave Vincent a sign of inferiority before him, he couldn't let such a remark slide. However, Vincent was at a disadvantage. Although he kept closing the distance between him to avoid getting shot, Baji's quick thinking and movement were far superior. Vincent was only able to keep up due to his tricks used with the
“——A win for Kira! That match was already decided since the matchups were announced! How I pity that random contestant!”By afternoon, the tournament would proceed as winners accumulate in the mezzanine. Kira would win her match easily with her power that ended the match in just 30 seconds, walking back to the mezzanine where Magi and Cian had waited. “Well, well, well, looks like we have the obvious runner-ups waiting on their lady.”Trying to walk with glamour, Kira arrived in style. She didn't have her usual uniform, instead, she had a red-military outfit lined with golden threads and chains. It was an appearance that screamed the name of the Red Trackers.“——Hmm. What's wrong?”Although, as she arrived, both Magi and Cian had a grim expressions plastered all over their face. In moments, they would take a corner of the mezzanine to keep their conversation more discreet as people began to arrive.“Violet called just now. The headquarters was attacked.”Magi would silently announ
After the siege on the headquarters ended, Vincent, Bahamut, and Saeko were left inside to care for Violet's body had been reconnected to the console. Several stab wounds prevented the synthetic skin from regenerating, and the hull of the exoskeleton torso was exposed.“Your body... is it——?”[It's useless now. All you can use it for is scrap metal. You can throw it away.]“——!?”Bahamut had been worried that her physical, yet artificial body would become unusable anymore, yet it would become a reality when Violet herself had said it. “But——?!”[The gasoline container was stabbed through, the temperature regulator had short-circuited, and the pressure fibers had been cut. I cannot use this body anymore, Bahamut. I have no use for it.]Bahamut somehow stubbornly wanted to keep the body. He had grown attached to it, seeing Violet's face on it as he brought it back.“———”He would make a small gasp, looking at Violet who had decisively spoken through the monitor of the console. Despit
——In a small private room that had been reserved by the daughter of the mayor, Cian was dragged along as he was requested by her.“Tell me, do you have some secret ability?”“Look, I have nothing to tell you. Your dad might be that one big shot, but I'm not obliged to tell you anything.”Cian casually sat on the luxurious sofa as he held that single pebble he had been holding before, avoiding eye contact with the young woman who tried to inquire him of his abilities.He wasn't quite sure of her intentions, but with the others telling him to be wary of even the mayor, she was someone he couldn't just trust as well.“Come on! Tell me already!”“Ngaah! I told you, I won't! Aren't you being stubborn for no reason?! Why are you even asking me that? Like hell, anyone would just reveal their abilities like that. I'll be leaving.”Annoyed by her nagging, Cian exclaimed as he stood, attempting to exit the room.However, the door would be just locked, unhinged even by his greatest attempt to ya
“...”“...”Trapped in a cycle of silence, Mia only stared at Cian who cooped himself up in the corner of the room.He fidgeted with a random marble that he found earlier.Ruriko was also in the room. She entered as soon as she thought it was enough humiliation for Mia to feel.Despite her presence, the awkwardness in the air was too thick to be ignored.“Cian. What are you doing——?”Ruriko would break the ice, referring to his habit.He was flipping the stone back and forth, catching it with the same hand as he faced the wall. “Waiting until you guys let me go——Don't tell me that she's one of the missions.”“No. That's not it.”Shaking her head, Ruriko slightly chuckled as Cian replied to her, who lifted his head only slightly.Mia wasn't anyone remotely important to the mission, for now, however, she was someone that will be a bridge for one.“I made a deal with her, and now I owe her some answers regarding what you can do if you can even truly win the tournament this time.”“——You
——At the next day, Kira, Magi, and Cian were once again called to the tournament for holding.Vincent, Saeko, Sabrine, and Violet were left once more in the headquarters as they anticipated Evan and Kurumi to join them later on. The attack wouldn't possibly happen today as the Sentient Guards were still patrolling the area, however, spies could still lurk everywhere and attack discreetly to weaken their defenses.Reinforcements from Violet Hex were to be expected also soon after the discord with Bahamut. It was an awkward personal problem that Vincent and the others couldn't put their hands on.Even with the said plan in effect, Violet and Sabrine continued to work on the defenses while Vincent was arranging documents regarding the damage report beside them.[Vincent. I'll be having a private conversation with Sabrine.]“——Huh? Oh, alright.”Taking the documents with him, Vincent would leave the room and slowly closes the door, leaving but a tiny crack as he took a peek back inside.
Chapter 161 "Go back to Newyark after this is done, huh? I suppose I'm being treated like a Deux Ex Machina."Whispering above the roofs of the building, Magi kept himself hidden from the eyes of those who were below him. The Brainless were everywhere as few of them survived, moving towards the office as a battle ensued right outside it, wrecking the place open.However, in his position, he could also see Cian, trapped in a barrier with Mia. It looked like it was because of their technology, however, that wasn't something that they would normally do. "An evil man like me cannot be the hero of this day."Cian fired his pistol, his bullet breaking the barrier instantly before Cian could attempt to stab himself with his bare hands. Cian was startled at first as Magi observed him, but his eyes immediately went in his direction, looking up with a look of gratitude. Even after all this, Cian was still nonchalant with his actions. He still cannot believe that they were twins in blood.T
Chapter 160: "Watch out!"Barely keeping up with Dokuji's speed, Sumire and the others couldn't get closer to force him into a close combat battle as they tried to dodge his attacks.His ranged attacks were too powerful for them to normally dodge as each slash would alter the terrain and create such a large breeze."I can't use my Blood Shackles on him. If anything else, I could use it if he was his normal size!"As Michael stood behind Kalina and Saeko, he was being protected by the ladies.It was far-fetched for a man like him to be useless right now, but he had to admit that he can't do the physical feats they can do right now. As he is now, he'll be a burden if he tried to help them."Tsk. We gotta close the gap somehow. Two people aren't enough to stop him."Sumire's assessment of the situation was right as all of them nodded in agreement. Sumire, Saeko, and Kalina might be able to stop him even by a moment if they worked together, however, that meant leaving Michael to his o
Chapter 159 "Tch!"Flying around, Sumire carried Saeko around as they tried to dodge the debris that Dokuji began to throw, firing and destroying the small ones, but dodging the hopelessly large ones.Sumire couldn't move all that well with someone on her back, and just as she thought Saeko could be the only one that could disable Dokuji, his transformation made it far harder."This is getting out of hand! If we spend too much time here, we'll lure the other Brainless in!"As they looked around, their battle was beginning to attract the other Brainleas that survived their battles, gathering up near them as they slowly walked up them.Their men had been slowly wiped out by the others. However."Boss!"As a voice called them from below, three surging arrows would whistle out as it splits the wind, hitting the other Brainless right into their eyes as they fall, defeated with one arrow each. Their heads were impaled through the eye. This was but an easy fit for someone capable of contr
"R-Red?!"Before her, was the almost disgusting sight of Red whose body was half rotten. On his back, there was a tube that seemed to be suctioning something out of his neck, delivering it to a machine that seemed to produce material on a tube.It was a purple substance that dripped down into a tube that glowed, and as far as Kurumi knew about it, this could be the substance that that Brainless runs with as their blood. "Kekeke... You aren't supposed to be here...""—?!"From behind, a voice suddenly spoke, laughing silently as he lurked within the dark corner of the basement.His eyes glowed green and each of his steps sounded metallic as it stomped into the concrete floor.Kurumi had her guard up, her magic flowing in the environment as she was ready to cast magic."Sniff... Sniff... That's a sweet smell. Do you mind if I...?"Just as the crazed man stepped out of the shadows, he began to suck in air with his mouth, and just as he did, Kurumi felt like her magic was being sucked i
Chapter 157 "Just where the heck are they all coming from?!"Amidst their travel towards the red light, Michael and his mercenary companions encountered yet another group of Brainless.They've been seeing almost countless numbers of Brainless inside the city, and if they were to be released and known to the public, his image was good as gone. Rather, his image was already gone when the whole attack began. As the mayor of this city, he shouldn't have let those criminals fool him in the first place."Tch. Mayor! Go ahead, I'll have my team take care of this! You are to assist the Boss!"The leader of the mercenary group would wield their Grants, taking on the three Brainless with his other companions. He pointed in the direction where the red light originated, urging him to rush."Alright!"Michael nodded in response, following through with their suggestions.Their group of twenty became reduced as similar encounters would happen, leaving Michael with the last three mercenaries that
"Heh. What's wrong? You're making a sad face when you're winning. Are you pitying me?!"Looking at the skies, Violet stood there with a sad expression. Her expression kept quiet for a moment as if grieving someone."Oi! Face me when I'm talking to you—"Unsheathing her blade, Violet had already taken two steps past her. It was all too fast. Violet was just a few meters in front of Asa earlier, but now, she was walking past her, stopping before long.But only then she realized that something happened as Violet sheathed her blade away."GUAAAAAGH!"Her right arm fell off, rolling down as a lifeless limb. No blood came out, but only immense pain came with it as she saw the organic parts that were the inner parts of her limb. "You won't die even if I cut your limbs. This blade severs the limb but prevents the blood from going out of the wound. It was a blade for surgical operations, yet perhaps, for Gods."Asa rolled on the ground as she held her severed arm, crying out as it turned
"That's everyone.""Yep—. Pretty much."Dusting away his hands, Vincent would respond to Kira as they wiped the floor with the enemies. With Kira using her abilities more proficiently with range, Vincent didn't have to constantly teleport in and out, treating Kira as some kind of explosive whenever she attacks. "Let's go."After all that, they entered the backdoor, and just as they thought that things were going smoothly, the corridor was blocked by Sentient Guards."Oh no," Vincent muttered.There were five of them and with both Kira and Vincent blacklisted, they all fired on sight.With less than enough space to dodge, Vincent quickly held Kira by the shoulder and blinked past them."Run!"Both of them ran deeper into the corridor and took a turn, hoping that it would be the way to the office.The Sentient Guards dashed to follow them, but as soon as they took the turn as well, the two were already out of sight, proceeding to clear the corridors."..."Vincent and Kira were able t
Chapter 154 "You're not going out alive."Standing before Cian, Violet, and Mia was Asa Narasu. She was the only remaining enemy and with her absorbing the blood of the Brainlesses as her weapons, she might as well be the final boss of this fight. "That's stupidly overpowered!"Cian muttered to himself observing Asa wield that kind of power.The blood around her flossed and encircled her in a sphere and if any of them were to be caught in it, their powers would be disabled. "Oh? That's troublesome. I might have to put this one away."Although, as Narash had the Blood Shackles on, the flames that were enveloping her hands and the Gravity Magic that made her afloat became weaker, seemingly reacting to the Blood Shackles' ability to disrupt magic itself. They all knew that it was an ability that made a mage a normal person if they made contact with it, however, seeing Asa have trouble using it with other abilities meant that it wasn't built to be along with another.It made Cian thi
"Hup...!"Jumping out of a portal, Magi would end up on another roof again, avoiding confrontation with the others as he helped them from a distance. He was able to get an array of weapons from the helicopter before it exploded such as a pistol and an automatic firearm which was a type he never had used before. He knew weak weapons like this wouldn't work against wouldn't work on Brainless, but he had something that most of the people in the fight don't have. He had deadeye accuracy, and when it comes to the Brainless's weakness, it was the eyes.There was one problem, however. "This is troublesome..."As he aimed down on the surface, there was still a thick cloud of smoke coming out of almost everywhere. He could barely see Cian as he had his back against a building, facing three Brainless that were running after him. Considering the air and the distance, Magi estimated that the bullet would travel less than a second and hit the Brainless, but if he misses, the distance between