Dark Side (1)
A brilliant light covering the skies of the city.
With such brightness in the middle of the night, who could sleep? The whole city was buzzing.
Of course, it wasn’t just the light pollution causing the commotion.
The noise was a bigger culprit.
How many people could sleep soundly with a series of massive explosions in the sky reminiscent of a nuclear blast?
As those who awoke gazed out, they couldn’t shake the feeling they were still dreaming.
Few realized that an aurora-like veil of light protected the city from the aftermath of the explosions, but the angel radiating an intense presence was something they could feel even from afar.
“…What exactly have we been fighting?”
An, staring blankly at the sky like the rest of the citizens, murmured softly.
She was holding the unconscious Führer, Frey, tightly in her arms, letting out a deep sigh.
From the demon who played with time itself to the immortal fighting against him without retreat, and the sniper hitting targets from unseen corners with such mighty explosions, along with the angels who blocked attacks without much damage.
Is this what they call transcendent?
Seeing the astonishing battle unfold before her, even after witnessing all the chaos, she could hardly believe it.
An slowly surveyed her surroundings.
There lay the Buncheon Society’s strong fighters, who had needed all sorts of methods just to face one opponent, crumpled like discarded scraps.
Her gaze returned skyward.
An angel with wings wide open descended slowly.
Its presence seemed to attract the eyes of everyone around, leaving An in awe.
“I’ve heard of this. This must be the saint from another world…”
Watching that sight, she could understand why they called it a saint.
No, it rather felt like something beyond reality.
Wasn’t that an existence that had already long surpassed humanity?
“I heard a dragon actually appeared too? So, the existence of a real angel shouldn’t be surprising.”
But the remarkable feats weren’t exclusive to just that one.
The Executioner, matched for a one-on-one bout, couldn’t escape the clutches of a muscular man wearing a beast mask who effortlessly dealt with the transcendent beings that pounced on him…
And the helmet-wearing man who helped capture the Southeast Asia branch leader trying to slip away, along with the demon Ken.
It was a pity she had not caught the most threatening enemy, the Executioner, but there was no way to catch someone intentionally trying to escape.
Not to mention he had the ability to stop time!
How was she supposed to face an enemy with such capabilities?
“Yeah. I’ll need to consider that seriously moving forward.”
His survival would undoubtedly be a significant obstacle ahead.
If the Executioner, harboring a grudge against a failed mission, persistently ambushed them, even the Burning Flame, which had narrowly survived, wouldn’t last long.
“Still, the situation itself isn’t too bad.”
While the Burning Flame had suffered severe damage, they had formed connections with beings of even greater power.
A secret organization, Masquerade, that could face off against the Buncheon Society, which was determined to go all out.
Just learning of their existence was already a big win.
With that thought in mind, her steps toward them paused abruptly.
A sudden, unsettling sensation washed over her.
She looked around again at the members of Masquerade.
An angel draped in light and a battle-worn muscular warrior.
Beside them, a slumped helmet-wearing man watched over the captured enemies, while a demon gazed at them awkwardly.
After taking one more careful look, An finally grasped what this feeling of estrangement was.
“…Wait, wasn’t there one more person?”
The moment she realized that.
A chill ran down her spine.
“When did—? How did I not notice before?”
With no presence since the start, it wasn’t something she could easily overlook…
Had she subconsciously excluded him from her awareness as if he never existed?
“I clearly recalled information about Phantom! This isn’t mental manipulation, so what the hell…?”
Scanning her surroundings, she realized no one else sensed anything odd besides herself.
Even though they all seemed like capable individuals.
Perhaps if she hadn’t had her special ability to manipulate fate, she would have been like the rest?
“Then where on earth is he right now?”
Well, that was clearly unnecessary to ponder.
*
Creeeak—
The Executioner gritted his teeth, frowning.
Now back in human form, he adjusted the hood of his shirt deeply, covering the still-healing wound in his chest from his escape.
“Damn it, what the hell happened here…”
He was now in a mountainous region in Malaysia.
This place was hundreds of kilometers away from the small town where the battle had taken place in Thailand.
Thanks to halting time, he could reach this spot in the blink of an eye; he slowly collected himself and closed his eyes.
“…I owe that idiot a debt now.”
In a moment of desperate foreboding, when he thought things might go terribly wrong.
He narrowly escaped thanks to a long-range shot from above.
That woman who he mocked for only being able to sneak around far away had actually helped him.
“Tsk!”
Of course, he couldn’t claim it was entirely thanks to her assistance.
The subordinates who had to distract attention due to his “orders” would have made escaping impossible if he hadn’t had that ability to stop time.
But since the angel, who was his greatest opposite, had to retreat due to that bombardment, he couldn’t deny he owed her.
“Masquerade… I won’t forget this. Same goes for those resistance fools. Next time, I’ll make sure to tear them all apart.”
He would make her regret her misplaced compassion.
Whether the city vanished entirely from the bombardment or the remaining forces of the Burning Flame, which had exhausted most of their strength, were slaughtered, he should have prioritized capturing that one.
In his dying moments, he couldn’t help but dwell on that.
“This time I pushed it a bit. I’ll need to hide and adjust my condition for a bit. Still, thanks to that monster, putting down my fighting spirit shouldn’t be too difficult.”
The issue of mental corruption had been a fate that came naturally since accepting the devil’s legacy.
No matter how much his essence had risen, as long as the circumstance of overcoming barriers through demonization existed, it was inevitable.
“Once I’m adjusted, I’ll return the favor. I’ll show what it means to turn the master of time against you…”
As his thoughts trailed.
Pause—
His lips curled slightly.
Then, slowly, his head turned backward.
“Ha!”
Letting out a wheeze, his face twisted again.
At first unsure, but now he was certain.
“…I didn’t expect to be followed from behind.”
As if responding to his low murmur, a cold voice emerged quietly from the shadow of the bushes.
“Good instincts. Better than I expected.”
From the darkness of the forest emerged a well-dressed man, looking quite neat compared to the Executioner, whose form was a mess from his relentless battles with Harley.
“Phantom…”
Using the Existence Denial, it had stealthily trailed behind him, the apex of the white-masked vampire—Heinz II.
Yet, even facing him directly, the Executioner could only feel one thing.
“How on earth did you track me down?”
He had stopped time and thoroughly erased every trace of his escape.
Moving in frozen time left no magical waves, making it far more covert than simply using spatial movement.
The instant his position changed in the blink of an eye made sense.
Of course, it didn’t mean it was the most convenient for travel, but it was irrelevant for him, possessing the body of a great demon.
He had indeed leaped across hundreds of kilometers into Malaysia in a mere moment of halted time.
So how had this guy managed to catch up to him so quickly?
“Who knows?”
Of course, Heinz had no intention of answering that question kindly.
There was no need to give information to the opponent.
‘No matter how much you erase presence, once you secured blood through Harley, the game’s over for you.’
For the pureblood vampire, who regarded blood itself as the foundation of the holy, pinpointing the location of those secured was a trivial matter.
Of course, as both were of similar stature, the distance would make it harder, but several hundred kilometers wasn’t an impossible range.
“Anyway, it’s unfortunate. I was hoping that if I left you alone, I might find something useful.”
“You bastard…”
“I would have liked to gather information without being detected, but it seems things aren’t going as I’d hoped.”
Heinz looked at the Executioner with a look of disappointment.
He had maintained a certain distance, fearing he might be completely dealt with if he got too far like the Doctor.
It turned out following a being that had partially transcended the world’s framework was difficult even for him.
“Well, now that I’ve been spotted, there’s nothing I can do.”
Heinz shrugged lightly.
And, at the moment he flicked his finger lightly.
The Blood Mystery began to manifest, quietly paired with the Existence Denial he had prepared in secret.
A realm unique to Heinz II, created to counter the enemy’s ability to stop time.
The particles of his own blood, almost like part of his own body, swirled violently through the air, isolating the world from the outside.
[…You dare? You think you can challenge me properly with just this? Alone?]
The Executioner let out a low growl, already reverting to his demonic form.
Though it was true he had suffered considerable damage in the successive battles, he never once considered that he would fall to just that Phantom.
If need be, he could simply retreat again.
No matter how equal the opponents were, they couldn’t stop him if he planned to escape.
He just needed to wait for the right moment, break the barrier and use the halted time again…
“Is this going to be enough? I’m too greedy.”
But unfortunately for him.
This wasn’t all his preparations.
“Indeed, it wouldn’t feel right not using what I set up. I’ve already gained plenty, so I might as well pursue efficiency a little.”
From the moment the bombardment began in the city, the moment he realized the support from the Buncheon Society, he had hastily prepared something.
He had gone through tremendous trouble to ensure he was ready, worried that an equal-level support might join or perhaps even the Head of the Buncheon Society would show up in person!
It was too regretful now to dismiss it as if it never happened.
Swiiish—
Suddenly, the temperature within the space dropped dramatically.
The brightness of the world dimmed several shades as if a filter had been placed over it.
[…What is this?]
The Executioner stiffened.
Then slowly turned his head in the direction of the sudden presence that emerged.
[This is a rare specimen! I’ve felt blocked by walls lately. Studying you could yield some results.]
What kind of method had allowed this presence to appear without any prior signs?
There stood the existence.
If one were to point out who could be considered the catalyst for this “Masquerade.”
[…Hahoe Mask!]
[Hahhaha! A demon of the Demon King level to dissect and study? Fantastic! How delightful! I can research the differences and commonalities across dimensions—this is like a pumpkin rolling in unexpectedly!]
Hans, who had not shown himself on Earth for a long time, burst into laughter at the sight of the fresh offering.
But the newly appeared figures did not end there.
“Heh, is that another dimension’s Demon King? Well, seeing it like this is refreshing.”
A captivating voice that could erode the senses just by hearing it.
Despite the opaque veil covering the lower half of her face, a woman with a mesmerizing beauty that could charm even another woman grinned and glanced at the Executioner.
At the same time, the darkness of the Abyss emanating from the skull scepter in Hans’s hand enveloped the isolated space, overlapped by Hela’s Realm of the Heavenly Gate.
At this point, it was safe to say they were no longer in Earth’s realm.
Naturally, all connections to the outside world had been severed.
What is this?! What the hell is going on?!
Given such circumstances, it was no wonder the Executioner began sweating coldly.
Before him stood three beings—not just one who were all comparable in strength.
And if he included the angel he first encountered and the immortal monster…
This is absurd. I didn’t realize the existence of these guys or how they were all collaborating?! What a load of crap! Oracle—! Isn’t there a limit to dereliction of duty? What the hell are you doing?!
The moment the entire Dark Side of Masquerade descended onto Earth.
Given their power, which was far from positive energy, it would have been inappropriate to unleash them in a populated area, yet in a place isolated from the outside, that was no longer a concern.
“Perfect timing. I’ve been wanting to measure how well I can counter the stasis with my gaze. And also…”
Hela, whose eyes shone with brilliant colors, leisurely continued her words.
Flitting between domination, annihilation, suspension, and foresight, her jewel-like eyes stared directly at the Executioner.
With a gaze seemingly laced with greed.
“This is actually a good opportunity. Instead of killing you clumsily and having you resurrect like the Doctor, better to extract everything and leave the finish to the experts.”
Heinz II nodded lightly and stepped forward slowly.
The droplets of blood hovering around him started to spin violently.
[As you said! I am indeed the master of death!]
Behind Heinz followed Hans, proclaiming in a mighty tone, his voice echoing within the isolated space like a king’s decree from the underworld.
[You cannot escape death!]
His essence of the holy was based on ‘death.’
For him, who was a specialist in that field, reducing someone to a state akin to death without literally killing them was a piece of cake.
…Of course, he couldn’t literally eat them.
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