Chapter 213 Strong Magnetic Field
Although about Summer's sudden outburst, Elbert knew this wasn't the time for explanations. Four distinct killing intents were closing in, sharp and predatory.
After confirming he was unharmed, he rose, his gaze turning steely. "Quentin, get ready. They're here."
On a distant hill overlooking the sprawling white complex, four figures stood shrouded in the darkness. Their eyes, cold and hostile, were fixed on the target below.
"The others... where are the others?" one of them muttered, his voice a low growl.
The three others, identical triplets, sighed in unison. "Invictus, it seems our comrades are scared. It's just us now."
Invictus had his arms crossed, looking cold and sharp as he scoffed. "True warriors need no such crutches. Even you three are superfluous."
"Paul Three's head," he declared, his voice laced with icy confidence, "will be mine. Mine alone."
"Ha!" The triplets laughed, creating a chillingly harmonious sound. "No crutches, you say? We'll see about that. Once Paul Three is out of the picture, you're next."
"This ends tonight, Invictus," one of them hissed. "And your precious katana? It will make a fine trophy."
Invictus didn't even glance at them. "Fools. You call yourselves Chain Bridge? Let's see if you can still hold together after I dismantle two of your links."
"Paul Three first," he said, whispering. "Then, I settle the score with you."
A cloud of black mist erupted at his feet, and when it cleared, Invictus was gone.
The triplets, their eyes narrowed, followed in grim pursuit.
The bonfire outside Lab Graveyard flickered merrily, casting shadows on the surrounding trees. Invictus and the Chain Bridge triplets emerged from the darkness, arrogant.
Elbert stood calmly, his hands clasped behind his back. Quentin stood beside him, ready for battle with his trusty baseball bat.
"The Two of Diamonds." The triplets looked at Quentin, looking surprised and disgusted. "A traitor. We suspected you were involved in the deaths of our brethren. To think you would side with the target..."
"Your career as an assassin ends tonight," one of them snarled.
They turned with grim looks, forming a tight triangle with their arms on each other's shoulders.
"Invictus," one of them said, his voice low and urgent, "you take Paul Three. We'll deal with the traitor. Then, he's ours."
Invictus, however, barely registered their words. His focus was solely on Elbert. He moved with gracefully' cautious and calculating. The man before him, albeit relaxed, exuded a quiet strength that sent a shiver down Invictus' spine.
"Paul Three," he said, his voice deceptively calm, "I recognize a fellow warrior when I see one."
"But," he continued, his tone hardening, "tonight, you die by my blade."
He drew his katana, the polished steel glinting in the firelight.
Black mist billowed once more, and when it cleared, Invictus was no longer standing alone.
Multiple copies of the black-clad swordsman surrounded Elbert, each one identical and radiating a chilling killing intent.
"Paul Three," a voice boomed, echoing from all directions,. It was cold and deep, as if rising from the depths of hell itself. "I am Invictus, servant of the God King. And I have come for your head."
Ding.
Detected amphetamine intake. Initiating neutralization.
Elbert didn't flinch. Robert's voice, calm and analytical, filled his mind. "Smoke and mirrors, Elbert. He's using a vaporizer, releasing a hallucinogenic drug."
"Ten-meter radius, all an illusion. Those figures aren't real."
Elbert almost smiled. He'd hoped for a challenge, a worthy opponent. This... this was almost disappointing.
As the neutralizing agents took effect, his vision cleared. The samurai duplicates flickered and vanished, revealing Invictus, darting between illusory positions, desperately trying to maintain the charade.
"Ninja training," Robert noted. "He's good, but you're in a different league entirely."
"His voice..." Elbert said, curious. "What's he doing?"
"Modified vocal cords. Three-chamber resonance. Amplifies his voice, gives it that unnatural echo."
"A freak show, then," Elbert muttered.
His words reached Invictus' ears. He stumbled, his concentration momentarily broken. A freak? How dare he!
He lunged, emboldened by his illusions. But as he neared Elbert, his confidence evaporated. Fear overcame him, so intense it nearly paralyzed him.
He threw himself back, his heart pounding. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. For a fleeting moment, he had felt the icy breath of death on his neck.
He resumed his erratic movements, but the element of surprise was gone. He needed to be careful.
Elbert, however, had lost interest in the theatrics. He turned his attention to the Chain Bridge triplets. "What about them?"
"Interesting," Robert said. "They're magnetic manipulators. Weak individually, but together..."
Images flashed through Elbert's mind: spoons bending, metal objects flying across a room.
"They have to maintain physical contact to amplify their powers. It's a weakness, but..."
Elbert nodded grimly. Quentin was in for a tough fight.
And indeed, Quentin was struggling.
Metal objects, ripped from the ground itself, flew toward him with terrifying speed. He whirled his bat, deflecting the makeshift projectiles, but there were too many atacking relentlessly.
"Break the magnet!" he roared, charging forward.
He swung at the center of the formation, aiming to separate the triplets. However, he was stopped mid-swing by an invisible force.
The bat, like everything else here, was made of metal.
Quentin gritted his teeth, straining against the magnetic field, but the bat wouldn't budge.
The triplets, their faces pale with exertion, struggled to maintain their hold. They hadn't anticipated such brute strength.
More metal debris flew toward Quentin, forcing him to kick and dodge more desperately.
The metal poker card pinned to his chest vibrated, threatening to tear free and turn on him. He snatched it with his teeth just as it ripped loose, the metal cold against his lips.
He was outmatched, outmaneuvered.
And then, something unexpected happened.
Summer, roused from his sleep by the magnetic pull on the alloy in his arm, stirred.
His eyes snapped open, bloodshot and filled with anger. The power that had surged through him earlier, fueled by the alcohol and his unique physiology, was still there, simmering just beneath the surface.
He saw the three figures struggling against an unseen force, their faces contorted with effort.
"Who are you?" he growled, sleepy and confused.
He threw a punch in a simple, unrefined motion.
The magnetic field holding Quentin captive shattered like glass.
The air exploded, a shockwave rippling outward, sending dust and leaves swirling.
Silence descended.
The metal debris clattered to the ground, their magnetic tether broken.
The Chain Bridge triplets were gone. One hung limply from a tree branch, his neck broken. Another was embedded headfirst in a nearby trunk. The third, who stood at the front of their formation, lay in a mangled heap.
The Aces of Hearts, Diamonds, and Spades, extinguished.
Quentin stared, his jaw agape at the bloodbath. He turned to Summer, his eyes wide with awe.
"Kid," he breathed, "you're a monster!"
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