Attack on Home Turf

In the Badong -Liyue Lengneiluo Lower City, the stench of decay and the smell of rust swept across the edge of the rooftop in the night wind.

Chen Tian had his hands in the pockets of his trench coat, the hem of which fluttered continuously a hundred meters in the air.

In the distance, the shacks of the Lower City, like the remains of a giant beast, are piled crookedly in the narrow, canyon-like alleys, with only a few oil lamps flickering in the wind, as if they would be extinguished by the darkness at any moment.

"Natasha, how's the evacuation from the Lower City going?" Chen Tian asked Natasha, who was waiting in the fighter jet 'Silver-Winged Ferocious Star'.

(The Silver-Winged Ferocious Star, like Deathwing, is a new fighter jet created by Tony. Unlike Deathwing's transport capabilities, it is purely about extreme speed, with a top speed of Mach 8.)

(Yes, Chen Tian named both Silver-Winged Ferocious Star and Deathwing. Tony couldn't argue with him, so he had to go along with it.)

"The evacuation is about 70% complete, but many people are not cooperating. Most of these people are gangsters from the Lower City." Natasha's voice came through Chen Tian's earpiece.

"Then we can ignore them. Has the Badong government issued any notification?"

"They've been notified, but they've leaked the message to that religious group internally."

"It doesn't matter, we'll deal with them after we've settled things here."

He stood on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the chaotic Lower City, his eyes showing no emotion.

"Natasha," he said into the communicator, "The situation in Dewen County is more urgent; Tony and the others need backup."

"Understood." Natasha's voice remained calm, but a hint of tension could be detected. "Those Mephisto followers are not easy to deal with."

"Remember to wear the Scorpio Cloth," Chen Tian reminded him calmly. "Don't overexert yourself."

A soft chuckle came from the other end of the communicator, "What, worried about me?"

Chen Tian smiled slightly, "I just didn't want my sister to be bullied."

"Roger that, sir," Natasha said jokingly, then the communication was cut off.

A few seconds later, the roar of engines filled the sky, Silver-Winged Ferocious Star fighter jet accelerated instantly, transforming into a silver streak that tore through the night sky and sped towards the direction of Dewen County.

Chen Tian withdrew his gaze, still not turning around, and simply said, "Come out."

Behind them, the air distorted slightly, and three figures silently appeared.

Vergil held the Yamato in his arms, his blue robes motionless in the wind, his cold and stern face as calm and still as a frozen lake.

2B stood beside him, her silver hair gleaming coldly in the moonlight, her tactical goggles flickering as she scanned the Lower City that were about to become a battlefield.

Meanwhile, a bespectacled woman with her hair tied in a high bun and the ends hanging down to her ankles leaned lazily against the railing at the edge of the rooftop, her fingertips gently stroking the handle of a gun.

Her hands wrapped around his shoulders from behind, like a beautiful serpent, her soft body clinging to his back. Her red lips brushed against his ear, her breath sweet as orchids. "My lord is so cold~"

Chen Tian's lips twitched. He raised his hand and pressed down on her wrist, saying helplessly, "Bayonetta, we're getting ready for battle. Can you not be as relaxed as Dante?"

Bayonetta chuckled softly, her fingertips lightly tracing his chin before she nimbly flipped to her feet, her black leather jacket outlining her perfect curves. She touched her red lips with her pistol and said languidly, "Just a little devil, no need to be nervous~"

Chen Tian shook his head, too lazy to argue with her anymore, and turned his gaze back to the Lower City.

Let's take action.

As soon as she finished speaking, Vergil's figure vanished instantly, leaving only a pale blue afterimage of a blade. 2B locked onto her target through her tactical goggles, slightly bent her knees, and the next second she leaped off the rooftop like a white lightning bolt, her katana "Virtuous Contract" gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Bayonetta tilted her head to look at Chen Tian, a dangerous smile curving her red lips, "Aren't you coming along, sir?"

Chen Tian did not answer. He simply pressed one hand against the collar of his trench coat, leaped into the air, and his black figure plummeted into the depths of the Lower City like a meteorite.

Bayonetta chuckled softly, her high heels lightly touching the edge of the rooftop. She leaped down like a ghost, a dark red magic circle blooming beneath her feet, as if she were stepping on invisible stairs, gracefully yet deadly plunging into the battlefield.

Deep within the Lower City, a purplish-black energy vortex was twisting and expanding, and countless mutants corrupted by dark magic crawled out of the shadows, roaring as they pounced on the three.

The narrow alleys of the Lower City crisscross like a spider web, and the stench of decay and blood ferments in the darkness.

Chen Tian's boots rolled across the sewage-strewn ground, the hem of his trench coat billowing behind him.

The sound of bones breaking came from ahead— Vergil's blade flashed, and three Dormammu followers clad in star-patterned robes disintegrated in mid-air, their bodies crumbling into purplish-black energy fragments the instant of their death.

Bayonetta's gunshots rang out almost simultaneously. Two magically imbued bullets pierced the wall, instantly killing the serpentine cultist who was chanting incantations in the shadows. She landed gracefully in her high heels, chuckling into her communicator, "Little Vergil, you missed three."

Vergil flicked the blood off his blade and sheathed Yamato. A hundred meters away, the blade flashed across the twisted hands of three believers, and their bodies were dismembered into hundreds of pieces.

2B's white silhouette weaved through the alleyway battle, her katana precisely shattering the gangsters' weapons. "Give up the fight," she said coldly. "You can still be saved."

The tattooed, muscular man grinned maliciously as he tore open his robe, revealing a throbbing third eye on his chest: "For Eternity darkness—"

2B spun around and delivered a decapitation strike, "Nonsense."

Chen Tian stopped in front of the rusty iron gate. The inverted pentagram on the gate was shrouded in black mist, and the moment he touched it, it suddenly opened up into countless tiny eyes. He slashed out with the Red Queen sword, and the iron gate shattered into pieces.

The scene inside was no longer the venue where Bucky had come before, but was now filled with thick, purplish-black fog.

"It stinks." Chen Tian waved his hand in front of his face.

The moment the fog dissipated, the scene inside the hall became instantly clear.

Hundreds of Dormammu's followers knelt around the twisted altar, their skin crawling with purplish-black runes, their eyes sunken, and their pupils burning with ghostly fire that was not of this world.

A beating black heart floated in the center of the altar, each beat causing the air to tremble, as if the entire space was breathing in response.

As the fog dissipated, all the believers turned their heads in unison, hundreds of burning eyes fixed on the two people at the door.

Bayonetta peeked out from behind Chen Tian, a playful smile curving her red lips. "Oh dear~" She tapped her chin with her fingertip, feigning surprise. "So many people are staring at me, do they want to ask me to dance?"

The believers did not answer, but inhuman growls emanated from their throats, like countless Beast grinding their teeth.

Chen Tian glanced around expressionlessly, his gaze finally settling on the black heart on the altar. "What's that? A rotting heart?"

Bayonetta chuckled softly, taking a step forward in her high heels. Her black leather jacket gleamed coldly in the dim light. "Looks like it~" She tilted her head to look at Chen Tian, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Sir, would you like me to play with them for a bit?"

Chen Tian glanced at her. "Don't go too far."

"Don't worry~" Bayonetta's red lips parted slightly, her tongue lightly licking the corner of her lips. "I'm a professional."

Before she finished speaking, her figure vanished abruptly, and the next second, a huge dark red magic circle appeared on the ceiling of the hall!

"Let's dance, boys!"

Her voice came from all directions, tinged with a mocking laugh. Before the believers could react, countless chains suddenly shot out from the magic circle, instantly wrapping around the necks of more than a dozen believers and hoisting them into the air!

Bayonetta moved like a ghost among the chains, her high heels landing on the head of a believer, using the momentum to flip herself over, her twin pistols, "Love is Blue," aimed downwards.

"Bang."

The bullet whistled through the air, piercing precisely between the eyebrows of three believers. Their heads exploded the instant they were hit, scattering purplish-black energy like fireworks.

The believers finally rioted, roaring as they lunged into the air, dark magic coalescing into claws and spikes in their palms, attempting to tear Bayonetta apart.

However--

"Too slow~"

Her figure vanished again, reappearing on the other side. Her high heels gracefully landed on a believer's shoulder, and with a push, the believer's spine snapped instantly! She landed on her feet, her two guns crossed, and bullets rained down like a storm!

"One~ Two~ Three~"

As she fired, she twirled gracefully, as if truly performing a dance of death. Her followers rushed towards her in a frenzy, but couldn't even touch the Kakuzu of her garment; instead, they tore at each other in the chaos, their black magic accidentally injuring their companions.

Chen Tian stood at the door, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the Red Queen sword, its tip touching the ground, calmly watching Bayonetta's "performance".

"Have you had enough fun?" he asked casually.

Bayonetta executed a backflip, landing gracefully on the head of a believer. Her high heels slammed down, and the believer's head exploded like a watermelon. She tilted her head, looking at Chen Tian with a slight smile, "What, is Master impatient?"

Chen Tian didn't bother to answer, but simply raised his chin, gesturing for her to look at the altar.

Bayonetta followed his gaze—

The black heart on the altar had swelled to twice its original size at some point, its surface cracked with countless fissures, and purplish-black energy pulsated like blood vessels, as if something was about to burst forth.

"Oh my~" Bayonetta squinted, "Looks like the main character is about to make her appearance."

The believers suddenly froze, kneeling down in unison with their foreheads pressed to the ground and emitting devout sobs.

From within the cracks of the black heart, a gigantic, purplish-black eye slowly opened—

Dormammu's projection Descent.

Dormammu's giant eye was fixed on Chen Tian, and purplish-black energy surged in its pupil. The air in the entire hall seemed to be sucked out, and even the light was distorted and swallowed up.

"Chen Tian--!"

His voice was like the roar of a million dead souls, shaking the walls and making the ground tremble.

"How dare you show your face in front of me?! I'll tear you and Diablo to shreds!"

"Oh? Really? Then you can talk to him yourself."

Chen Tian sneered and lightly snapped his the Snap with his right hand.

"Smack."

A crimson light exploded beside him, and space was torn apart like silk. From the twisted rift, a petite figure landed lightly.

--Leah, the incarnation of Diablo.

She tilted her head, a naive yet wicked smile playing on her lips. "Oh my gosh~ Isn't this Dormammu?"

Dormammu's pupils suddenly contracted, and his purplish-black energy surged wildly. He clearly recognized her—even though her appearance had changed, that pure aura of fear was unmistakable!

"Diablo...!"

Leah chuckled softly, her slender fingers lightly tapping her chin as if she were considering the dinner menu. "Great, there's something delicious to eat~"

Before she finished speaking, she vanished!

The next second, the ceiling of the entire hall suddenly collapsed, and countless chains burning with Hellfire shot out from the Void, coiling around Dormammu's giant eye like giant pythons! Leah's figure appeared on the chains, her red hair flying, and her dark gold vertical pupils flashing with greedy light.

"Dinner's ready!"

She yanked the chain sharply, tearing a chunk of purplish-black energy from Dormammu's giant eye! Leah opened her small mouth and swallowed the energy as if savoring a dessert, even licking her lips with a hint of lingering satisfaction.

"Ahhh--!"

Dormammu roared in agony, and the entire hall began to collapse. The bodies of the believers exploded, turning into purplish-black energy that he absorbed in an attempt to repair the damage.

Chen Tian remained standing in the same spot, one hand in his pocket, the other gripping the Red Queen, the tip of the blade lightly touching the ground, as if everything before him was irrelevant.

Bayonetta had somehow landed beside him, her red lips slightly upturned. "My lord, are you releasing a demon to bite another demon?"

Chen Tian glanced at her indifferently. "This is called resource recycling."

Hearing their conversation, Leah turned around and glared at Bayonetta, muttering in dissatisfaction, "I'm not an ordinary demon!"

But she was quickly drawn to Dormammu's energy, her vertical pupils lit up, and she pounced on him again!

Dormammu roared, his purplish-black energy transforming into countless spikes that pierced towards Leah! However, her figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the energy, each dodge accompanied by the binding and devouring of hellish chains.

"Not enough!" Leah complained with a grin, waving her little hand as more burning chains shot out from the Void, binding Dormammu's giant eye tightly. "Give me a little more!"

Dormammu's roar gradually turned into a terrified howl—he discovered that his projection was being frantically devoured by the Lord of Terror!

Chen Tian suddenly Teuchi his the Snap: "Leah, stop for a moment."

The girl, who was enjoying her meal, pouted in dissatisfaction, but still obediently released her chains and gracefully landed back beside Chen Tian. Her dark golden vertical pupils still gleamed with a hint of lingering enjoyment. "What's wrong? I'm not full yet..."

"Don't rush." Chen Tian gazed at the Dormammu projection struggling in agony. "Have you found its physical coordinates?"

Leah licked the lingering purplish-black energy from the corner of her mouth, closed her eyes, and pondered, "Hmm... I've been searching for their location for the past few years..." She suddenly opened her eyes, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Want to lead the way? I know a shortcut~"

Bayonetta elegantly twirled her pistol. "Charge straight into the Dark Dimension? What a crazy idea!"

Vergil had somehow appeared behind Chen Tian, Yamato slightly drawn. "A waste of time."

2B's tactical goggles flashed rapidly. "Master, we need to equip everyone with Dimensional Stabilizer."

"No need." Chen Tian inserted the Red Queen behind his back. "Leah, open the door."

"Alright~" The girl clapped her hands cheerfully, her dark red hair moving without wind. She drew a strange symbol in front of her chest with both hands, and the space instantly distorted like a torn curtain. A scarlet spatial rift slowly unfolded behind her, from which came chilling whispers.

Seeing the rift open, Chen Tian turned to 2B and said, "2B, let's get out of here first. Your combat skills might not be well-suited for magic-based combat."

2B nodded. "I'll wait for you at the Arbitrator Tower."

Chen Tian rubbed 2B's head, then turned to look at the rift. "Ready?"

Bayonetta licked her red lips. "The ball can start anytime~"

Vergil nodded, and azure magic began to flow across the Blade.

Leah skipped and hopped to the crevice, then turned back and waved to the crowd. "Come on over there! There are lots of snacks over there!"

Chen Tian took a deep breath and stepped into the crimson rift first. The moment he crossed over, he felt the familiar dizziness of dimensional shift—then, the world spun around him.

(Regarding Bayonetta's identity.)

Bayonetta is the protagonist of the action game series Angel. She is a black-haired witch who awakens in the modern world hundreds of years in the future. She can use incredibly powerful magic and has been hunting messengers from the heavens ever since. She fights using two pairs of guns attached to her limbs. She makes contracts with powerful monsters, which she can summon from the underworld to devour Angel.

(Ultimately, he's a big shot in the industry.)

(Her style in the game is similar to Dante's, with a flamboyant fighting style. Interested players can Search for her, especially the scenes where she summons monsters, hehehe.)