Metropolis VI: Their Satanic Majesties

Metropolis VI: Their Satanic Majesties

Night had completely shrouded the coastline.

The salty tang of the sea breeze grew stronger, mingling with the scents of diesel and rust as it billowed through the open car window.

He glanced at the navigation—

Only eight hundred meters remained to the rendezvous point.

"Phew."

Locke let out a breath.

Dio should have safely reached Luthor Manor by now. He only needed to hold on a little longer.

"Click—!"

He touched the blue ladybug on his chest. Relaxing slightly, Locke casually switched on the car radio, letting a cheerful voice fill the cabin.

"Good night!"

"This is Metropolis Radio Station, and I'll be at your service again today~"

"Your friendly neighborhood Fletcher Francis~"

"What a refreshing night."

"Let's listen to a song that suits a day like this. Tonight's tune begins right here..."

"Why don't we sing this song all together~"

"Open our heads let the pictures come~"

"Oh~"

"This is from The Rolling Stones' 1972 album—Their Satanic Majesties Request!"

The Devil's Request?

The familiar classic intro made Locke freeze.

Honestly, that album title sounded like some kind of ominous premonition right now.

Bzzzt—!

Two blinding headlights suddenly exploded in the rearview mirror, making Locke's vision blur.

His brows drew together. A pitch-black SUV appeared like a ghost tearing through the night, less than fifty meters behind the Lamborghini! Without the slightest hesitation, its tires let out a deep, savage roar, and it charged straight at the Lamborghini like an arrow loosed from the string, carrying an aura of crushing ferocity!

"So you've finally come?"

A curve lifted at Locke's lips.

For three days, the cold sensation of being watched by a venomous snake had followed him everywhere.

In the chilly antique shop, in the fragrant Western restaurant, at the bustling technology expo.

Those eyes hidden behind a mask had never left him.

That man had been observing, evaluating.

Like the most seasoned hunter, waiting for the best moment to strike—the moment least likely to alert certain presences!

And this dimly lit riverside road leading to the docks was exactly what he wanted!

"You want to play? Then I'll play with you!"

A cold glint flashed through his eyes as Locke slammed his right hand onto the paddle shifter behind the steering wheel!

Clang!

A sharp metallic crash rang out from the engine bay!

Like a startled venomous snake, the tachometer needle shot from the high-RPM range to the edge of the red zone!

Vrooom—!!!

Violent power surged into the rear wheels like floodwaters bursting through a dam!

The Lamborghini let out a deafening roar and lunged forward! The immense force crushed Locke into the composite-fiber seat, while the streetlights and coastline outside blurred into streaks of color racing backward!

The numbers leaped wildly:

180, 220, 230, 260!

"Pictures of us beating on our drum~"

"Never stopping til the rain has come~"

The shriek of the wind tore through the air, intertwining with The Rolling Stones' cheerful voice drifting through the cabin and that psychedelic, faintly sinister intro.

The Lamborghini's tachometer soared to the redline, veins bulging on the back of Locke's hand as he gripped the steering wheel.

But who could have expected it?

"Damn it. How is this possible?!"

Locke stared in disbelief.

In the distorted view of the rearview mirror, the black SUV clung to him like a festering parasite. Not only had the violent acceleration failed to shake it off, it was actually closing in!

Its massive body displayed unbelievable stability at extreme speed. The roar of its tires through the turns even drowned out the Lamborghini's engine and the music on the radio, growing clearer and heavier like Death's breath!

Bang!

The violent impact sent the Lamborghini instantly out of control.

Clang!

Locke practically roared as he pulled the paddle again!

The engine revved toward its limit once more! The Lamborghini let out an even sharper shriek, trying to squeeze out every last bit of its potential.

But it was useless! Those two blinding headlights were like Death's eyes, rapidly swelling in the rearview mirror!

The icy pressure seemed to pierce the glass and press directly against the back of Locke's neck!

Like a giant shark hunting its prey, the black SUV's front end bore down on him with suffocating pressure. In the next instant, it was almost about to press against the Lamborghini's low rear wing again!

"Then we will see where we all come from~"

Amid the piercing screech of tearing metal, Jagger's voice seemed to carry a mocking note.

The cold gleam of metal was right before his eyes!

The heat pouring out from beneath the SUV's hood was already licking at his rear bumper!

Resolve flashed in Locke's eyes.

"Vrooom—!"

The next moment—

The music abruptly stopped.

The Lamborghini shot through the guardrail like a meteor streaking across the night sky!

The car tumbled toward the beach twenty meters below, until the instant it struck the ground—

It exploded into an enormous fireball!

Flames shot into the sky, dyeing the entire sea blood-red. The scorching shockwave even uprooted nearby palm trees. Illuminated by the firelight, a tall figure wearing a ceramic mask slowly walked to the edge of the guardrail.

He bent over and stared at the blazing wreckage below, the pupils beneath his mask trembling slightly—

No screams. No struggle.

Only the twisted, mangled frame slowly collapsing in the flames, letting out metal groans that set one's teeth on edge.

The sea breeze carried burning banknotes out of the inferno.

It was the emergency cash Lionel had prepared, now turning to ash and scattering in the wind.

"..."

"Hah."

A dull gasp came from beneath the ceramic mask, and the figure stood frozen.

"Why..."

"Bane survived. You can survive too. You can... live."

His voice seemed gripped by some invisible force, trembling and broken.

It was as though he were questioning fate—or trying to convince himself.

However—

"Are you ready, then?"

A cold voice sounded behind the man, low and rough, carrying undisguised killing intent!

"Get ready to pay for wrecking my son's birthday present, Mr. Stalker."

"Now—"

"I'm going to use calves as thick as logs to kick your balls into mush."

"?!"

Durance's entire body jolted. Before he could turn around—

Bang!!

A whip kick powerful enough to snap a steel pipe split upward like a battle-axe!

Time stopped here.

Before his body could even fall, fists rained down on his face like meteors!

Crack!

The ceramic mask shattered at once, revealing half a twisted face.

"Ora!"

The second punch smashed brutally into his abdomen, sending his internal organs violently shaking beneath the shockwave!

"Ora ora ora!"

A purple meteor followed with a barrage of strikes, hammering into the man's spine like a pile driver!

Bzzzt—!

Time resumed.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of bones shattering rang especially clear through the silent night!

The burly body twisted and deformed like a rag doll!

The terrifying impact sent him flying backward, gouging a twenty-meter trench through the road! The shattered embankment burst into a shower of stones, falling beneath the moonlight like silver rain.

But—

That was not enough to quell Locke's rage!

Star Platinum glowed with cold purple light beneath the moon. Locke slowly approached. "Do you have anything to say now?"

"Th-thank... you..."

The hoarse, warped voice seemed forcibly squeezed from the depths of a ruined throat, carrying a hollow quality that made one's skin crawl.

He was actually thanking him? Thanking me for nearly beating him to death?!

Clearly...

Rather than bringing even the slightest warmth, the bizarre gratitude sent a chill crawling up Locke's spine!

"Not dead... that's good... thank... thank you..."

The muttered words continued, even filled with a sick sort of relief at having survived a disaster.

As if Locke's incomparably violent assault just now had not been harm to him, but rather a kind of...

Salvation?

Could this be some kind of psychological stimulus Locke simply could not understand?

And just as Locke's mind reeled—

"Hah... hahahah..."

The words of thanks were replaced by beastlike, agonized gasps.

"Ugh... Aaaah—!!!"

An inhuman howl of agony suddenly erupted from the man's throat!

This was not rage, but pure, unbearable pain!

His body, which should have been utterly ruined and shattered beyond repair, was actually driven by some incomprehensible, terrifying power to force itself upright inch by inch, defying the laws of physics!

It was as if an invisible giant hand were brutally piecing together and wrenching apart a broken doll!