Chapter 206
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The normal and special shooting modes switch seamlessly. The former cannot penetrate the defense, but the latter is powerful. Adam doesn't know which bullet will blow his head off, which is quite uncomfortable.
A pair of incredibly agile eyes scanned the surroundings, while the brain processed information like a killing machine:
It will take five seconds to take her down. Two-Gun Zhang pistols; he'll kill the one with the flying sword first.
Having taken the blow of the Death Knell head-on, her entire body leaned back. Before Hayasaka Ai could finish off the attacker, as her head drooped, a plasma ball was already in her mouth.
Singer's White Veil!
Without a second thought, Hayasaka Ai immediately activated her defensive item, only to see the plasma ball explode between them, the Roar energy sending her flying.
Adam was crazy; the plasma was practically sprayed right in his face, yet he suffered even more damage.
But Adam was quick-witted; he used the shockwave to turn around and threw his battle axe to the side.
Call out--
Like a circular saw, it whistled and cleaved a small building in half. Li Mo'an lay face down on the floor, feeling the Heat air rushing over his head.
It was so close! If it weren't for the Threat Perception, I would have been cut in half along with the building. Yet the special ability was still alarming, and things were even more terrifying.
His heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand, and he forgot how to breathe. The boy quickly got up and held up two fingers.
The sword is gone.
Four longswords, thin as cicada wings, flew out, blocking the enemy's attack route, but Adam, like a bull, pushed his way through, allowing the longswords to leave deep, bone-revealing wounds on his body.
How to kill? Ignore all attacks and start by killing the weakest among your immediate surroundings!
The boy's contracted pupils reflected his bald head, white teeth, and blood-red eyes, with a single hand obscuring his entire field of vision.
Smack
Adam pressed his hand against Li Mo'an's face, using the momentum of the forward thrust to pull his head and spine out together, but the sensation from his palm was strange, lacking the soft feeling one gets when pulling a head out.
He lowered his head and looked at the boy's head, his face filled with terror. It was indeed lifelike, but it was covered in cracks like a stone.
Click.
The head and body shattered together, scattering rich soul energy into the air.
A puppet? What are they trying to do?
Adam didn't understand, but then he raised his head and finally saw the person Yearning Dream. His face immediately lit up with excitement.
He's coming!
Yuki was in the distance. Without Adam needing to invite him, he raised his gun and pulled the trigger from a great distance.
Incendiary Bullets.
Boom--
The scattered Reishi were ignited, and a Crimson flame instantly rose up, covering the entire surroundings and capable of burning all living things to ashes.
So this time, Adam didn't wait around; he rushed out of the fire, and as the embers died down, his metallic bones were revealed.
In that brief moment of delay, Adam looked around and saw that not Yuki, but even Zhang Jin and the others had run away. The expression on the remaining half of his face changed, and finally he became straightforward and honest.
"Grass!!"
Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Dual-Line Strategy
Adam was in great pain, and so were the audience.
The giant 'broadcast screen' is fixed in Adam's perspective, and his madness and tyranny bring an immersive experience.
At the start of the battle, Adam fought five opponents single-handedly, unleashing his full firepower and sending Yuki and the others scrambling for cover, causing a sensation.
"Kill them!"
"Twist his head off!"
"Tear that woman to shreds!"
Such fanatical the Roar were incessant, and when combined, they shook the blood-red sky. The audience had reason to be fanatical; on the one hand, Adam did indeed fit the aesthetics of violence, and on the other hand, Yuki was indeed insidious, actually resorting to tricks to instigate a group fight.
But this fervor soon turned sour. Adam remained as tyrannical and direct as ever, but like an insect caught in a spider's web, he caused no real damage beyond ravaging the city.
Everyone just watched him bombard the enemy like a headless fly. Even when he was desperate, he still stepped into a trap and took a hard hit, allowing the enemy to escape.
So those bastards weren't just running around randomly after all...
From the apostles down, everyone realized that this was a very clever tactic: using teamwork to strike and retreat without getting entangled with Adam, and these bastards' abilities were also quite bizarre.
Just now, Li Mo'an's head was twisted off, and the cheers were almost in their throats, but they never expected that it was a false target, and Adam was burned all over his body.
"Mr. Yuki's tactical command and adaptability are unparalleled."
Shiina Hiyori watched the entire battle through the projector, and his emotions were like a rollercoaster, going from despair to relief in an instant.
"That pig-headed guy is really cunning. He always says things like, 'You can beat me, but you can't outsmart me; you can outsmart me, but you can't beat me,' so I've always been very confident." Mai Sakurajima said casually, though Adam's strength had indeed frightened her.
Logically speaking, anyone below the Transcendental Grade level should have been instantly killed, but unexpectedly, the weakest Kaguya played a decisive role.
"That's Mr. Yuki's style." Hiyori glanced at her senior, not exposing her earlier anxiety, and chuckled, "Thanks to his attraction, things have been going very smoothly."
If the intense battles are breathtaking, then Adam's impotent rage is even more gripping.
From the Cult to the audience, including the apostle, everyone wanted to see how Adam would blast the shameless Yuki to pieces, and every impact made them crane their necks.
Hiyori and Mai Sakurajima weren't watching the fight; they took this opportunity to begin their operation. In addition, with the battle starting earlier than scheduled, some of the Cult's forces were trapped inside the arena, so they began searching for weaknesses in the arena's defenses.
"The Arena IV is now installed. Fortunately, all deathmatch arenas have the same structure, so there's no need to look for architectural blueprints."
"Not enough. The explosives placed on the outside can't destroy a deathmatch arena. At most, they can kill a thousand or so spectators." Mai Sakurajima pursed her lips. After Directed Demolition to the 'excellent' level, she was already able to simulate an explosion scene.
Hiyori glanced at the Arena III not far away. The giant building supported the light screen, and on the outside were many members of the Cult dressed in black suits, most of them cursing and swearing, craning their necks to look at the projection.
There are also Cult members patrolling inside, making it very difficult to sneak in; at most, ten explosive charges can be placed.
Compared to explosions, secrecy is more important. On the one hand, it must not arouse the vigilance of the Angels; on the other hand, let alone the two of them, even if Yuki herself came, being discovered would mean certain death.
Perhaps it wasn't as dazzling as a deathmatch in the city center, but the two were still walking a tightrope, with bottomless Abyss Grade on either side.
Moreover, they had other tasks to complete.
"The ripples in the sky are getting bigger; we need to hurry." Hiyori looked up again, popping a few Comfort Pills into her mouth. "I'll continue to infiltrate using the 'Void Puppet'."
"No, you still need to read the sky. Let's both act at the same time; we need to cover at least one-fifth of the people." Mai Sakurajima decisively changed the plan. To ensure safety, the order should have been sequential, since no one knew which deathmatch arena the Apostles were in.
If you run into them head-on, you're doomed.
"You mean you're worried about unexpected events? At least on the surface, Adam's chances of winning are constantly decreasing." Hiyori immediately understood and quickly went through the entire plan in her mind.
Yuki and Adam have decided their match, and logically they should have returned as champions, but neither of them bet on that.
The reason is simple: who would dare to bet that the final winner of the player competition will be the champion? If they guess wrong, they will be exhausted and have no chance to fight back.
Mai Sakurajima's mission is to disrupt the ritual, and the key to disruption lies in the 'audience'. She doesn't know how much redundancy is needed, but of course, the more audience members she kills instantly, the better.
"Yuki cannot win. If he shows any signs of winning, I fear the Apostles may have some backup plan."
"Yes, given the current situation, it seems the Apostles have nothing left to lose, so they can go all in." Hiyori nodded immediately; she hadn't forgotten that this instance was full of single-minded lunatics.
The entire city was in ruins. Even if the two of them didn't move and let the battle continue, the cycle would be enough to exhaust the 'spectators'.
"Then I'll go to number three, Hiyori- kun, you go to number five. Be careful, everyone." Mai Sakurajima decisively changed her plans. Seeing Shiina Hiyori walk away silently, she touched the Fool's Mask on her face.
At least Hiyori has the Void Puppet, but I'm on a real personal adventure, and even my LV3 ability is struggling.
She was terrified, but remained calm. Using the Fool's Mask, she disguised herself as a member of the Cult and circled the massive arena. As before, several burly men in black suits guarded the entrance, ready to initiate a deathmatch if anyone approached.
They were looking up at the projection, cursing as they watched Adam's impotent rage.
'Thank goodness for the Fool's Mask and storage space, otherwise how could I possibly get in carrying a bunch of explosives?'
The Cult's attention was focused on the battle, and no one came to check. Mai Sakurajima circled around to the side, activated her 'Flying Boots', and slowly floated up, quickly flipping onto the roof and sticking half her head out to peek.
In the center of the oval-shaped deathmatch arena rose a pillar of light, surrounded by figures. Besides the spectators, there were also members of the Cult patrolling back and forth. To be honest, this level of security was sufficient.
Her intuition is strong enough to see through invisibility cloaks and similar items. Only her special abilities and the Void Puppet can barely infiltrate her territory, but even then, they dare not get close.
"Place the explosives as close to the steel frame as possible, so that the falling roof can kill more spectators."
Mai Sakurajima transformed herself into a demolition expert, activating her special ability to erase her own presence, and quietly leaped into the deathmatch arena, preparing to place explosives on the steel beams.
Beside me was a pillar of light shooting into the sky; standing tens of meters in mid-air, looking down, I saw a sea of people.
Mai Sakurajima's heart started racing. She took a few steps, then suddenly lay down, using the steel beam to shield herself.
As the searching gazes fell upon them, the Cult members who had been watching the spectacle suddenly became serious, scattering to examine every corner.
"Senior, the puppet has been discovered. We can't go to the Arena V. I'm changing targets." Hiyori's urgent voice came through, accompanied by the sound of chewing pills.
The Void Puppet can't fly; it can only sneak in through the main entrance. If it's unlucky, it will be discovered by the patrol team.
"Okay, I'll take care of the rest." Mai Sakurajima didn't blame her, but secretly glanced down and gently pursed her lips.
The effect lasts for a limited time, so sneaking over like this would waste a lot of time, and the news would soon reach the ears of the apostles, causing unpredictable consequences.
We need to divert the guards' attention and hurry.
Without hesitation, Mai Sakurajima immediately made a judgment. "You idiot, it's time for you to move around."
"Okay, senior."
Yuki didn't hesitate either; the two storylines complemented each other, and his battle with Adam was highly anticipated.
They'd been maneuvering for over an hour using tactics, and the onlookers were getting tired of watching. He needed to add fuel to the fire and recapture their attention so that Hiyori and Mai Sakurajima could act freely.
I have to move, otherwise the apostles will divert their attention and they'll both be dead.
Yuki doesn't usually hide behind women. Besides, her senior's analysis makes sense. Adam is currently in a sorry state, showing signs of defeat. If the Apostle has a backup plan, things could get very dangerous.
"Its patience is certainly running low, and these madmen are even more unpredictable."
Yuki narrowed his eyes, stroking the hilt of his sword. Meanwhile, he was running out of tricks.
Kaguya Shinomiya barely managed to crawl out of the ruins, with three arrows left in her special ability; Li Mo'an also used his trump card for survival, while Zhang Jin simply used up all his reserves from two whole dungeons.
Even he himself felt dizzy and lightheaded from the intense calculations.
Now, let's talk about Adam.
Yuki looked at the shooting star streaking across the street. The monster's movement speed had increased by fifteen percent since the start of the battle, and it didn't seem to be holding back.
He gets stronger and braver with each battle, but his speed doesn't increase when we try to avoid combat. Also, when facing Death Knell, he lets himself get torn apart by normal shooting, but when it comes to using bullets, he blocks.
The same applies when facing Zhang Jin; he remains calm in the face of truly powerful attacks, but blindly charges in when the attacks are not powerful enough.
Could it be that...
Yuki had some guesses, and since his senior had asked for help, he went to verify them himself.
"Hayasaka, keep him occupied, don't waste Death Knell's bullets. Kaguya, find a sniping position. Zhang Jin, Li Mo'an, flank from both sides, and join the battle only on my orders."
The crowd perked up; their commander was finally going to take the field. After such a long and arduous struggle, they were exhausted.
Call--
Yuki took a breath, jumped from the tall building, and landed steadily on the ground.
"Everyone to your positions, I'll start the raid."
Adam was determined to get rid of Hayasaka Ai this time. Death Knell made him feel a deadly threat, and he made up his mind that no matter what tricks Yuki played, he had to kill this blonde woman first.
No one could match his speed. Hayasaka instantly transformed into a ghost, letting the sweeping shockwave pierce through his body. Looking at Adam floating up from the pit, he felt no fear, only numbness.
She had been hunted down by him several times, but each time she managed to escape with Yuki. Gradually, she gained more confidence.
Bang!
He pulled the trigger, but it did nothing to stop the charge. Adam burst into flames and was in front of Hayasaka in a second.
He was stubborn, falling into so many traps without any intention of learning from them, nor was he flexible or adaptable; he still relied on the most violent and brutal direct attacks.
The prey repeatedly escapes for only one reason:
"I'm not strong enough! I'm not fast enough!"
Like a madman's the Roar, the halberd was engulfed in flames, and a purple Gravity Aura covered the surroundings.