109. Bascon Family vs Grander Family 1
Swish. Slash.
A horde of massive chimeras swarmed the 7th Division Centurion of the Red Death Squad, Chilis.
Thud thud. Crunch crunch.
Enormous claws and fangs tore into his body, and blood erupted into the air.
Spurt! Spurt!!
Despite their hulking frames, the chimeras moved with startling agility.
Just as they piled onto him, obscuring Chilis from view—
"You think I'll go down that easy?!"
Silver mana seeped out from between the chimeras' bodies.
And then—swish. Swish.
Chilis traced a Möbius strip in the air with his fingers.
His weapon, Mes, materialized in midair and began whipping around him in every direction.
Twang. Twang.
Suddenly, the chimeras' hearts were yanked out into the open sky.
Mes, swirling around Chilis, sliced right through them in an instant.
Swish. Swish.
Spurt! Spurt!
The hearts split open, black blood spilling from the gashes.
In that moment, countless chimeras collapsed.
Thud. Thud...
As the chimeras fell, Chilis came back into view.
His weapon gleamed silver, tracing the shape of a sideways '8' as it cleaved through the air in all directions.
This was the Opening of Red Death Squad 7th Division Centurion Chilis: Möbius Strip.
Chilis's body was drenched red from the chimeras' attacks.
He glanced down at his blood-soaked form and let out a mad laugh.
"Hahaha! Come at me if you dare. I'll rip your hearts out right now."
But the giant chimeras, infected with Medina Parasites, felt no fear.
"Grraaaah!"
"Groooar!"
The roaring beasts charged at Chilis like maniacs, hunger driving them mad.
"Come on! Come get some!!"
As Chilis bellowed and dove between the chimeras—swish.
A black shadow appeared right in front of him.
It was none other than Bin.
Chilis's eyes widened in shock at Bin's swift movements.
How... when did he...?!
Bin answered Chilis's stunned expression with the icy chill of Luminare.
"I've been a little busy."
A blue frost emanated from Bin's Luminare.
Hiss...
Before he knew it, blue currents swirled around Chilis.
A biting pain set in, his skin gradually losing sensation.
Tic. Tic.
Mes, circling nearby, clashed against the forming ice in the air.
Crack. Crack.
The ground beneath Chilis froze solid.
Damn...
Chilis glanced down darkly.
But the freezing wasn't over yet.
Crack. Crack.
Ice surged up from his ankles, climbing from ankles to shins, shins to waist.
It steadily encased him.
"Urgh..."
Chilis thrashed around.
But breaking free from the solid ice was impossible.
"You Bascon scum...!"
As Chilis strained, veins bulging in his neck, his pupils trembled.
The giant chimeras around him lunged.
Claws and teeth slashed through the air.
In the end, Chilis's body was shredded to pieces, blood gushing everywhere.
Spurt! Spurt!
And—crack.
Even the frozen Mes shattered.
Fragments of the dagger. White smoke rose from them.
The escaping smoke began to coil around Luminare.
Sss...
With that, Bin had cleaned up the 7th Division at the 2 o'clock position.
His eyes gleamed as he thought of the remaining groups at 12 and 4 o'clock.
Just two left. I'll sweep them all away.
* * *
Meanwhile, inside Plentel Castle.
Screams echoed through.
"Urgh."
"Grah."
Red-armored Red Death Squad knights were cutting down the Bascon family members inside.
One key difference from the past: Grander Family Vice Head Emma Grander was joining the raid.
This made all the difference.
In the past, they'd breached by toppling or leaping walls.
Now, using his gate ability, the Grander forces infiltrated Plentel Castle effortlessly.
The knights gripped their weapons, turning the surroundings into a sea of blood.
Swords, spears, and bludgeons lopped off family members' heads one by one.
"Ugh!"
"Gaaah...!"
The family members trembled in terror.
Red blood fountained into the air as people collapsed one after another.
Thud. Thud...
"Exterminate the Bascon Family!"
"Our troops are thriving out there. We can't just stand around."
As the soldiers rampaged, the Grander executives joined in.
Silver energy emanated from the bodies of those with red epaulets.
Swish. Swish.
Silver arrows whipped through the air.
They flew straight at the Bascon family members nearby.
Thwuck! Thwuck!
Those pierced through chest or head dropped dead on the spot.
"Urgh..."
Bodies shuddered in agony, flesh quivering.
But the real pain was watching family die right before their eyes.
Despite their pitiful expressions, the silver arrows showed no mercy.
They whipped through the air again, targeting others.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Familiar faces dropped to one knee amid the flying silver arrows.
Thud. Thud.
Blood poured from their guts.
It was Billy Bascon and Shirley Bascon.
"Y-You're Grander's vice head..."
"Urgh... Bro, we gotta dodge quick."
Billy and Shirley knelt in their black uniforms.
The massive Emma gazed down at them with a leisurely smile.
Then he chugged his booze.
Gulp. Gulp.
"A day like today wouldn't be complete without drinks. Especially when we're picking off you beast cubs one by one."
A red magic circle appeared in Emma's hand.
In that instant, a red gate materialized in the air.
Emma narrowed his eyes at Billy and Shirley.
"Farewell, you brats."
Soon after, a massive fist emerged from the gate, smashing down toward them.
"...!!"
Swish.
A gust of wind stirred, and someone yanked them away.
Thanks to that, Billy and Shirley escaped the giant fist.
The man who grabbed them—one at his left side, one at his right—had an 'X' scar on his forehead and long hair.
It was Willie Bascon, the fourth of the Bascon seven siblings.
Willie tilted his head arrogantly, glaring at Emma.
"Got some nerve, touching my family."
At Willie's icy glare, Billy and Shirley's eyes widened.
"B-Brother..."
"B-bro..."
But even with Willie's arrival, Emma's face remained relaxed.
Sneer.
Willie furrowed his brow and pressed on.
"A sneak attack, huh? Were you that scared of our family, Grander?"
His arrogant tone dripped with confidence.
Emma, meanwhile, grinned.
He couldn't hide his delight at facing an old opponent.
"Kuhahaha! Looks like you're mistaken. This is the wilds. Whether the deer stands guard or sleeps, does a starving lion care? It's pure hunting instinct, you foolish pups."
"With that gut hanging out, you don't look starving to me."
Emma urged the cocky Willie on.
"Let's see how long that attitude lasts."
As Emma spoke—heavy footsteps approached Emma and Willie.
Thud thud.
The massive footfalls revealed another heavy hitter.
It was Bascon's second son, Silva Bascon.
"Looks like you're my opponent."
Silva fixed his fierce eyes on Emma.
They burned with the urge to clash right then and there.
Willie scowled at Silva.
"This is my fight. Step aside, bro."
But Silva wasn't one to back down easily.
"He's mine. So you yield."
As they traded glares—
Emma's lips curled up.
Even facing two of the Bascon seven siblings, he looked utterly at ease.
It hinted at the vice head's true caliber.
"One by one or together, doesn't matter. Let's get started. Show me what you've got. Hic."
As the hiccupping Emma taunted them, silver light rose from Willie and Silva.
Wind swirled around Willie's claws.
Flames flickered from Silva's gauntlets.
The Bascon family's innate powers: wind and fire.
Willie and Silva spoke in unison, glaring at Silva.
"You sure about that?"
Their meaningful expressions made Silva throw his head back again.
He glanced between them and spoke.
"This might actually be fun."
As Emma finished, another red magic circle spun in his palm.
Soon, yet another red gate appeared in the air.
And with it, Plentel Castle filled with explosions and silver smoke.
BOOM!
* * *
Meanwhile, at Danel's mansion...
The place was half-collapsed and ablaze, its former state gone.
A man with a red epaulet on his shoulder faced Danel.
It was Red Death Squad 6th Division Centurion, Kran.
He'd come from the 4 o'clock position around Plentel Castle, thanks to Emma's help.
Whirr. Whirr.
He spun a ring-shaped weapon on his index finger.
A throwing weapon: the chakram.
A throwable artifact with blades on its outer edge, spinnable by finger.
Kran leered at Danel.
"Pretty face, nice figure. Shame to kill you all at once..."
He flashed a sleazy grin.
"But no choice."
Kran stopped spinning the chakram and hurled it at Danel.
Whirr. Whirr.
It sliced through the air toward her neck.
But then—
Clang!
Not on my watch.
Queen's eyes narrowed from hiding, a purple barrier enveloping Danel.
And—thud. Thud...
Five massive figures appeared, surrounding Danel.
The O-Fang Knights Bin had stationed for emergencies.
Danel stared at them in bewilderment.
"...!"
Kran, meanwhile, scowled.
Whirr. Whirr.
"Let's see what breaks first."
Moments later—
Clang! Clang...
Kran unleashed a barrage of chakrams at Danel.
But the O-Fang Knights' defense was no joke.
They blocked every one.
One O-Fang Knight spoke to Kran.
"Please withdraw at once."
Kran frowned at that.
The knights were tough, but something else nagged him: the purple barrier around Danel remained intact.
Whirr. Whirr.
His chakram boomeranged back, powered by mana.
Kran smirked at the O-Fang Knights.
Sneer.
Cracked shields. He was sure they'd shatter soon.
"This one's the finisher."
Whoosh.
Silver energy poured from Kran's body.
The chakram on his finger grew larger.
Mana of Strength.
Finally, the chakram overwhelmed the shield-bearing O-Fang Knights, sending them flying.
Thud, thud...
As they fell, Danel was pushed back too.
Thud.
But it couldn't pierce Queen’s purple barrier protecting her.
Queen warned Kran.
"Can you bear the king's wrath?"
Kran brushed it off lightly.
"None of my business."
As Kran yelled, another chakram flew at the fallen Danel.
Whirr. Whirr.
Now twice as big as before—its power would be immense.
It might shatter the purple barrier and harm Danel.
Just as the ring-shaped chakram met the fading purple barrier—
Swish. Slash.
A black shadow dropped from above.
A greatsword cleaved the chakram in half.
The one who smashed it was none other than Bin.
Bin turned to check on his fallen mother.
Mother...
His gaze shifted to Queen.
Understanding, she bowed her head.
"As the king commands."
Queen swiftly lifted Danel by neck and legs, carrying her away.
Swish.
Bin, meanwhile, advanced on Kran.
Thud. Thud.
Black smoke billowed massively from his body.
He fixed Kran with a murderous glare.
"You're dying here today. And remember one thing: it won't be quick or easy."
Kran's pupils shook at Bin's killing intent.
"...!"