Chapter 242: Who is the Truly Battle-Hardened One?
'Rebellion' is a world-class criminal organization that is notorious worldwide.
The organization's strength is extremely powerful, to the point that in private, many people would put 'Rebellion' on par with the world's two major factions, the 'League' and the 'Alliance/Union'.
That is the so-called Three Great Factions of the world.
The core ideology of 'Rebellion' is viewing Blazers as 'new humans chosen by God', while ordinary humans are defined by them as 'inferior humans'.
They intend to use this classification to destroy the current world structure of 'Blazers protecting the people', creating a new world where Blazers rule over inferior humans.
In the new world, ordinary people who want to gain power and status must join the Rebellion to become 'honorary citizens'.
Simply put, they must rely on Blazers to live better.
And the ones occupying the entire shopping center at this moment were exactly a squad subordinate to the Rebellion.
"Director, we've run into trouble."
At the same time the commotion appeared on the first floor, Ikki and Arisuin, who had evaded Rebellion's search, first contacted Director Kurono using the emergency communication function of their student handbooks.
"I already know what happened."
Kurono's opening sentence saved Ikki from having to explain anything.
"Currently, 'Kurogane Ikki', 'Stella Vermillion', 'Kurogane Shizuku', 'Arisuin Nagi'... and 'Luke Ashburn', the above five students are permitted to use their Devices."
When saying Luke's name, Kurono clearly paused for a moment, but ultimately, she still approved of Luke using his Device off-campus.
Luke might be able to fool others, but trying to fool Kurono was not that easy.
As early as the moment of their first meeting, Kurono had detected the bloody scent buried deep within his heart.
"Right, Kurogane, is Luke beside you? Pass the phone to him."
"Uh... sorry Director, Luke is not with me. Currently, only Alice is by my side."
"Alice? Who is that? Never mind, let's talk business first. Anyway, when you see Luke later, make sure to remind him to leave the 'Apostle' alive."
Every piece of intelligence on Rebellion was extremely important.
This opportunity with a total of five Blazers inside the shopping center was simply a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
If it were just Ikki and the others, Kurono believed that even against criminals, they wouldn't deliver a killing blow, but Luke was different.
That heavy killing intent made Kurono truly somewhat uneasy.
"Apostle? Is that the name of the mastermind behind this incident?"
"This incident was caused by the Rebellion. Within that organization, Blazers are called 'Apostles', and ordinary people are called 'Believers'."
"I will send you the detailed intelligence via email later. Their goals are the ransom for the hostages and the shopping center's assets. This is their customary method of periodically acquiring funds."
"There is only one 'Apostle' leading the team, a Blazer with the codename 'Smile'."
...
Smile's mood was exceptionally good at this moment.
He particularly loved this kind of work.
Not because it made money, but because he particularly enjoyed this feeling of plunging others into fear and having them under his control.
Looking at the inferior humans around him squatting with their heads in their hands and shivering, Smile's mood grew increasingly joyful.
Right at the moment he intended to laugh aloud.
Boom——!
Then, he was sent flying out...
"Ptooi! Who is it! Who did that?!"
Spitting out the rubble and dust he had gotten in his mouth from crashing through the wall, Smile looked furiously at where he had originally been standing.
After seeing the boy's appearance clearly and discovering it was a student, he immediately stood up from the ruins and walked toward Luke.
"Brat, you're the one who sneak-attacked me just now, right!"
"It really was an effective tactic, but you're still too young."
"If you had directly killed me with that strike just now, perhaps you would already be the hero who saved this shopping center by now."
"Your naivety and soft-heartedness will be your downfall. Next, I will make you regret not killing me just now!"
Looking at Smile, who was continuously talking while walking over, Luke sighed in somewhat of a disappointment.
"To be honest, you are far weaker than I imagined."
After suspecting Arisuin's identity, Luke had wondered if there might be another reason behind this incident.
Aside from him as an anomaly, in the original work, Ikki was also likely a factor outside of their 'plan'.
Therefore, Luke had considered whether this incident might be a probe arranged by Arisuin.
If that were the case, under his intervention, the strength of the person leading the Rebellion team this time shouldn't be so weak.
After all, Luke had deliberately given Arisuin plenty of stimulation and pressure in advance; if a probe were truly arranged, it definitely wouldn't be a weakling.
Just now when eating crepes, he had further confirmed that there was a problem with Arisuin, so he became even more expectant of this 'probe'.
That was why he had impatiently rushed forward the moment the other party appeared.
However, looking at it now, it seems he had overthought it.
Let alone a battle, this piece of trash in front of him couldn't even serve as a warm-up.
"Sigh, how could it be a guy of this level? Did I overthink it..."
Luke did not hide his lament from the other party.
Hearing Luke's 'mockery', Smile froze.
"Weak? Of this level?"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, are you talking about me???"
Blazers held a ruling position within the Rebellion, and Smile hadn't felt this kind of humiliation in who knew how long.
Was the great Lord Apostle actually despised by an ungraduated student?
"Brat... drop dead!"
The furious Smile did not waste any more time.
With a single stride, he very swiftly approached the boy, then clenched his left hand into a fist and ruthlessly blasted it toward Luke's face.
The power of this strike was ample and the speed was fast, at least proving that this Lord Apostle of Rebellion wasn't a total good-for-nothing.
Unfortunately, for an attack of this level, Luke could give an evaluation of 'ordinary' at most.
"At best, you're just a C-Rank Knight..."
As the saying goes, the higher the expectations, the deeper the disappointment.
The moment he realized his opponent was trash, Luke lost a bit of his motivation.
This could be said to be the only time in so many years that he had been careless in battle.
The Starfall Sword materialized in his hand instantly.
A flash of sword light swept past.
Luke intended to slice the guy who wasted his expectations cleanly in two, right along with his left hand.
No matter how weak, he was still a member of a criminal organization who licked blood from the edge of a blade.
The 'battle-hardened' Smile immediately seized this brief moment when Luke's guard was relaxed.
Meeting Luke's blade with his left hand, he shouted loudly: "Judgment Ring!"
Bang——!
The blade of the Starfall Sword was blocked in place by a peculiar force, unable to advance even half a step.
"What terrifying speed and power, and the weapon's sharpness is top-notch."
"But unfortunately, you still don't understand that there are people beyond people and skies beyond skies!"
"Hahaha, I'm returning this strike to you, drop dead you brat!"
Smile swung his right hand with a maniacal laugh.
His right hand seemed to transform into a blade, slamming heavily into the boy's stomach with the exact same speed and power as Luke's sword strike just now!
Bang——!
The muffled sound of a fist slamming into a body echoed throughout the entire floor.
Not far away, witnessing this scene, Stella couldn't help but cry out in worry.
"Luke!!!"
It wasn't just Stella; beside the princess, Shizuku and Ikki, who had just moved over and hidden in the shadows on the third floor, also almost cried out in worry.
"Hahaha, how is it, brat? How does it feel to take your own full-powered strike... huh?"
Halfway through his arrogant words, Smile felt that something was not quite right.
He looked at Luke, whose face was full of helplessness and showed no signs of injury whatsoever, a little at a loss.
"That's why I said you are only 'of this level'."
"Pinning your hopes for a one-hit kill on your opponent's carelessness... just how scarce is your combat experience for you to make such a foolish decision?"
"Didn't it occur to you that this was an opening your opponent deliberately exposed to you?"
Saying so, Luke clenched his left hand into a fist and ruthlessly smashed it into Smile's face.
Boom——!
So, he was sent flying out again...
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