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Chapter 827: Lance and Torliado's Enthusiastic Crowd (Part 2)
Chapter 827: Lance and Torliado's Enthusiastic Crowd (Part 2)
Preserving the Empire's dignity and crushing the conspiracy's lair was the most urgent task.
"Maquiel, get up."
At Montilio's command, the silver alchemical beast charged towards the Imperial agents.
"Finally, you're here."
Maquiel wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stood up, and smiled at Red Falcon Nicola.
These guys had been arrogant earlier, and soon they would be filled with despair.
Unfortunately, these agents from the Countermeasures Department wouldn't even have the chance to witness the true terror that lurked deep within the Empire.
Blind loyalty would only lead to their unjust deaths!
The sound of heavy weapons filled the air, and smoke rose everywhere.
The entire dock descended into chaos.
With Montilio's arrival, the battle situation underwent a dramatic change.
The spiritual leader of the cult seemed to bring the fires of hell, igniting the fanaticism of the Rebirth Church's followers.
They roared, brandishing their weapons like a pack of bloodthirsty beasts, charging at the Imperial agents.
"Top priority is to maintain the gravity field. Don't be greedy for the lives of the Decay grand priests. Focus on those two Seventh Rankers!"
Red Falcon Nicola clenched his teeth, commanding his men to engage the enemy.
Facing the numerous and ferocious Decay grand priests, the Imperial agents quickly fell into a fierce battle.
This wasn't the most critical issue. The most dangerous aspect was that Decay Son Montilio and his silver alchemical beast were overwhelmingly powerful against weaker opponents. Once casualties occurred, the situation would quickly deteriorate, leading to the alchemical beast splitting into more individuals and overwhelming the formation.
Red Falcon Nicola gazed at the acidic mist rising from the port ground.
Decay Son Montilio's corrosive magic was also large-scale, and even mage barriers struggled to block it completely.
Montilio waved his staff, and pale green mist snaked out like venomous snakes, corroding and distorting the air wherever it passed.
Amidst this corrosive fog, the agents' defense line began to cough blood in agony.
"You had fun attacking me, the leader of this action team, didn't you!"
The change in the situation provided Maquiel with an opportunity.
Taking advantage of the agents being attacked from both sides, Maquiel struck.
His steel-like fist slammed into the nearest agent, accompanied by the sound of shattering bones. The agent's body flew and slammed into a shipping container.
"Fill the gap."
Red Falcon Nicola knew something was amiss but had no time to deal with it. He could only command his combat agents to reinforce the line.
"Nicola, have you ever thought that you'd end up like this?"
Maquiel smiled sinisterly, his eyes gleaming with the joy of revenge.
"Small-minded..."
Red Falcon Nicola didn't want to pay attention to him.
The only thing to do now was to find a way to break through the encirclement.
If there was anyone who could help them at this moment, it was only the leader of the Brillada Black Hand Gang, Barton, deep within the Brillada Black Hand Gang.
A powerful figure like the former head of the Imperial Guard, Barton Hall, might be able to change the situation, but Barton had already broken ties with the military and would no longer interfere in their disputes.
"You're not expecting the neutral Black Hand Gang to step in and help you, are you?"
Decay Son Montilio sneered, and his mana transformed into a net, a corrosive tide crashing down on Nicola.
A desperate situation.
Red Falcon Nicola knew that continuing the fight would only lead to death.
He gritted his teeth and made a decision.
"Full retreat! Regroup!"
Red Falcon Nicola signaled to the surviving agents to evacuate the battlefield as soon as possible, breaking through to the city area to restore communication signals.
As long as they entered the city, they could call for reinforcements. Even if they couldn't rescue them, they might be able to contain these heretic cultists in the Gray Zone and eventually eliminate these lawbreakers.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave."
Montilieu chuckled, and more mist surged from his staff, chasing after the scattered agents.
Many agents were still affected by the mist, their bodies corroded by the toxic fog. Soon, they began to slow down, and the Decayed High Priests caught up, starting a new round of close combat.
"Nicola, even gods can't save you now."
Maquiel approached, his face full of mockery, relishing the spectacle.
After being surrounded for so long, he could finally approach Nicola without hindrance.
"..."
Red Falcon Nicola clenched his teeth, remaining silent.
He still had a few backup magic conductor weapons on him. Even if they couldn't pose a substantial threat to Maquiel, he would fight until the very end.
Surrender was out of the question.
Maquiel raised his fist, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Nicola.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rose behind him!
The next second, Maquiel felt the world spin, and his entire body flew out like a broken kite, slamming heavily into a shipping container.
The container cracked under the impact, collapsing like a row of dominoes and creating deep craters in the ground.
"Who's there?"
Montilieu also stopped in his tracks, looking warily at the unexpected visitor.
As the dust cleared, a man in black stood silently in the alley of the Black Hand Gang.
"I understand, I've caught up."
The man hung up the custom communication device for the Black Hand Gang's shielded zone, and no one knew who he was communicating with.
He stared at the Decayed Son and Maquiel, his back to the morning light, his face hidden in the shadows, only a pair of ice-blue eyes shining brightly in the snowy sky.
"Barton...?"
Nicola's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the figure.
This dangerous man from Brillada—
The leader of the Brillada Black Hand Gang.
In Brillada, he was the underground emperor, feared by smugglers and avoided by the police.
Why would he break the rules and come to help this agent?
"I'll explain later."
Barton didn't turn to look at Nicola; there was no need to let the enemy on the other side hear their conversation.
He walked slowly, and the faint sound of metal clinking reached everyone's ears.
It was the sound of various knives hanging from his waist, their cold glint flickering in the wind and snow.
Slowly, the shadows on Barton's body dissipated, revealing his deep gray hair and merciless eyes.
He wore a pure black windbreaker robe, tied with a brown leather belt, and underneath, a black shirt and vest, with a dark red pattern on the cuffs and hem, allowing him to ignore terrain and pass through any obstacles.
That black cloak and coat likely concealed numerous custom-made magic conductor vibrating blades.
Before he could finish speaking, the figure of Barton, the leader of the Black Hand Gang, had already magnified in the enemies' eyes.
In the next frame of their vision, Barton was right in front of the Decayed Son, his movements silent and without any wind-up.
Barton struck, his speed dazzling, and without even drawing a weapon, he relied solely on his combat experience to press down on Montilieu's staff and Maquiel's fist.
Barton's hands crossed, and two small knives drew a cross in front of him, replaced by a chilling sword aura that crisscrossed in the air, slicing towards their chests.
The deafening clash of metal reverberated through the port, shaking the ground.
Maquiel and Montilieu were sent flying, gouging long trenches in the ground and tearing countless cracks in the concrete.
Barton, however, remained unmoved, standing in place surrounded by faint blade shadows, even cutting distinct notches in the falling snow.
"You shouldn't have intervened..."
Montilieu, the Decayed Son, leaned on his staff, barely defending against the previous slash with a shield.
Maquiel was clearly not as composed as Montilieu.
A hideous knife wound had already appeared on his body.
Maquiel couldn't afford to rest; he mustered all his strength to counterattack, his fists moving like lightning, almost creating afterimages in the air as they slammed towards Barton.
Barton and Maquiel clashed again between the shipping containers, each clash accompanied by the loud sound of containers being cut, jarringly loud in the peaceful winter festival outside.
Not far away, Montilieu's face was as dark as water.
His gaze had turned cold as he stared at Nicola, and emerald mana gathered in his hand, forming a spinning vortex that emitted a corrosive blood aura.
"..."
Nicola's heart raced with alarm; he could tell that the Decayed Son's target was only him.
The Decayed High Priests, who had been struggling against the Imperial agents, were gradually gathering towards Montilieu's side.
Disregarding casualties, they surrounded the agents layer by layer, cutting off support for Nicola! If they could behead Nicola, the commander, the elite forces of the Imperial Special Operations Division would suffer a significant drop in combat effectiveness.
"Maquiel, hold Barton back! Everyone else, cover me while I kill this Imperial dog!"
Montilieu, the Decayed Son, issued his orders.
This leader of the Black Hand Gang, Barton, was indeed too strong.
But it didn't matter; his goal was to kill Commander Nicola.
There was no way Barton, the leader of the Black Hand Gang, could hold both of them alone.
"Alright!"
Maquiel responded, his anger evident.
It was already good enough that Barton didn't backstab Nicola.
There was no reason for the Brillada Black Hand Gang to help a leader of agents like Nicola! Maquiel frantically launched intercept attacks at Barton, each punch carrying the force of wind and thunder, aiming to overwhelm Barton.
The Decayed High Priests also rushed forward, suppressing the agents and giving Montilieu time to kill Nicola.
"..."
At this critical moment, Barton glanced expressionlessly at Nicola's situation, then raised his arm and drew a semicircle in the air, and dozens of sharp blades flew out from his cloak.
Wherever the blades passed, the shipping containers were cut in half.
The rusty steel plates crumbled like tofu, falling to the ground with a clatter.
Maquiel was also cut by the air blades, his body covered in wounds and dripping with blood!
During the fight, Barton threw out a string of flying blades, forcing Maquiel and the distant Decayed Son back, and among them, a crystal card flew towards Nicola.
Red Falcon Nicola caught the Black Hand Gang's crystal key with a steady grip.
In that brief moment, Nicola understood Barton's intentions.
With this key, Nicola could access the Black Hand Gang's headquarters at the Haser Harbor Tower.
Within the core area protected by a Forbidden Barrier, Nicola would have a better chance of evading his pursuers.
Without hesitation, Red Falcon Nicola changed direction and sprinted towards the Haser Harbor Tower.
Staying here wouldn't significantly aid Barton, but by running, Nicola could potentially lure the enemy away, leading them on a wild goose chase, and giving Barton the advantage to protect his subordinates.
Regardless, Nicola had no choice but to trust Barton's instructions.
"Thinking of running? It won't be that easy!"
Decay Son Montilio let out a cold laugh, and with a gust of wind beneath his feet, he pursued Nicola relentlessly.
Barton, while fending off Maquiel's attacks, threw three spinning blades with pinpoint accuracy, locking onto Montilio.
Montilio grunted, halting his steps to dodge the three tracking magic blades, and finally, the Silver Alchemical Beast shielded him, transforming into metal armor to block the blades.
"Barton... Just wait for your Black Hand Gang to be wiped out by us."
Montilio's intent to kill was clear, but he knew this wasn't the time to confront Barton head-on.
As he watched Red Falcon Nicola's figure grow smaller in the distance, Montilio pursued without hesitation.
Nicola weaved through the maze of containers, exerting every ounce of strength to escape the Grim Reaper behind him.
Decay Son Montilio relentlessly pursued, his Corrosive Mana transforming into a ferocious beast that rampaged through the containers, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake as it tore through steel like paper.
Within a mere ten seconds, the container area had become a hellish landscape, littered with debris and ruins.
Decay Son Montilio finally stopped atop a container, his silver robe billowing in the cold wind.
He stood motionless, his deathly gaze scanning the steel forest for any sign of his prey.
Indeed, their previous battle location was not far from the plaza where the Black Hand Gang's headquarters, the Haser Harbor Tower, was situated, which explained Barton's swift arrival. Nicola, known for his agility as an Imperial Assassin, was also swift on his feet.
"Nicola, you're like a trembling rabbit, trying to hide from the hunter," Decay Son Montilio spoke in a chillingly calm tone, laced with a hint of bone-chilling pleasure.
Normally, it was Red Falcon Nicola who pursued them, the Decay Branch.
Now, their roles were reversed, and Montilio was both delighted and resentful.
"Do you think hiding behind these scraps of metal will save you from my capture?" Decay Son Montilio asked as he strolled forward, his boots crunching on the debris.
Wherever his Corrosive Gas reached, steel turned to dust, and containers crumbled.
Although unleashing such a wide-range, indiscriminate attack was mana-consuming and not as lethal, if Nicola kept up the fight, he would eventually tire, and then, like a rat, he would scurry out from his hiding place.
The Silver Liquid Alchemical Beast also rampaged, searching for Red Falcon Nicola.
"Nicola, the game ends here. This plaza is your final destination," Decay Son Montilio said, slowly raising his hand and pointing towards the distant, faintly visible Haser Harbor Tower.
The towering building stood tall against the snowy backdrop, exuding an air of solemnity and reverence, almost like an unattainable) redemption.
He was well aware of Nicola's plan.
With the Black Hand Gang leader's crystal key, Nicola might have a chance to turn the tide by reaching the headquarters, the Haser Harbor Tower, and seeking aid from the Imperial Special Operations Division.
But for Nicola, this distance was like a chasm, and Decay Son Montilio was determined to prevent Nicola from reaching the Black Hand Gang's headquarters at the Haser Harbor Tower.
"There's no need to hide anymore. I'll finish you off before Barton deals with Maquiel," Decay Son Montilio said, not bothering to look up as he calculated the time with his fingers.
Maquiel, a seventh-rank warrior, possessed exceptional vitality, and even if Barton couldn't count on Maquiel to defeat him, it would take time to get past Maquiel.
Just waiting made him feel restless.
Red Falcon Nicola's struggles only amused him.
If his Decay Split Beast could split further, it might have been faster to force Nicola out.
Unfortunately, there wasn't even a patrol from the Black Hand Gang around.
If there were some Black Hand Gang lackeys, they could have been devoured and transformed by the Alchemical Beast, creating new Alchemical Lifeforms to track Nicola.
Or perhaps Barton hadn't sent his subordinates to their deaths.
He couldn't even find suitable living materials to turn into artistic sculptures.
Since arriving in Brillada, Montilio had endured much, watching happy families and feeling the emptiness within as he couldn't transform them into something more beautiful.
"All things decay, and only by becoming art can they achieve eternity. Why can't you understand me? Why do you label me as a lawbreaker..." Decay Son Montilio's voice carried an intense, impatient desire to kill Nicola.
With no opportunities for a grand feast, he had to settle for this tasty dish to quench his thirst.
The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow caught Decay Son Montilio's attention.
He looked towards the Haser Harbor Tower, the Black Hand Gang's headquarters.
"..."
Montilio's eyebrows slowly furrowed.
Two young men, seemingly lost, emerged from the Haser Harbor Tower, looking like ordinary citizens who had accidentally wandered into the Black Hand Gang's territory.
Their walking postures were awkward, as if they were trying to disown their own family.
One had his hand in his pocket, his arm swinging casually.
The other had both hands in his pockets, bowing slightly as he looked at the ground.
They seemed to be trying hard to impersonate Black Hand Gang members.
"I'm on duty today, feeling like I'm visiting a graveyard. I hope no one bothers me," one of them said.
"Serving the people, helping others, excelling in your profession, and specializing in your field—that's our virtue," the other added, paying no attention to the distant Decay Son Montilio.
"..."
Decay Son Montilio narrowed his eyes.
You two are treating this place like your living room? Perfect.
Two more dishes to send to the afterlife.
"You two are it," Decay Son Montilio grinned menacingly as he approached them.
(End of Chapter)
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