"Hm?"
Inside the biopharmaceutical research institute affiliated with Heliopolis Life Sciences, Kalpas, who was "sparring" with Kevin, suddenly showed a puzzled reaction.
Although Kevin could not see Kalpas' face, he sensed the decrease in his destructive urge and stopped as well. "You felt it too, Kalpas?"
Through the iron security shutter that had descended after the safety system was triggered, Kalpas looked toward Taixu Hospital and clenched his fist tightly. "There's decent prey over there. Worth killing."
Kevin nodded. If they could sense such an aura from this far away, the enemy over there was indeed difficult to deal with.
That sense of danger was already approaching the level of a Judgment-class Honkai Beast. Even if Kevin went there personally, he might not come away unscathed.
"I'm leaving."
Kevin shook his head. He raised the greatsword in his hands and resolutely blocked Kalpas' path. "You can't leave."
"It isn't time for any of you to go outside yet. You don't want Charles to be put in danger again, do you?"
"Get lost!"
Kalpas snorted coldly and growled, "Where I go is none of your business!"
Although Kalpas said that, he did not deny that he wanted to prevent Charles from encountering danger again.
That was precisely why Kalpas had not fought Kevin with his full strength.
Otherwise, Dr. Mobius' workshop would have been reduced to ruins long ago, just like Charles' former home.
"Big Brother Kalpas—"
The little boy Charles stood nearby... watching the duel between the two older boys with excitement all over his face. "Big Brother Kevin is so cool! Big Brother Kalpas, you can do it! You have to win! I'm rooting for you! Kamen Rider always wins! Rekka Battou!"
This was far more exciting than any tokusatsu show on television!
Behind Kevin, Dr. Mobius wore a speechless expression. "Hmph. Vill-V really did send me a troublesome one. He can't even read the situation."
MOTH's upper echelon clearly did not regard Kevin, Kalpas, and the others as insiders. They had directly admitted that they intended to imprison them... forever.
Whether that was due to arrogance or an attempt to provoke discord was unclear.
Mobius was more inclined to believe it was the former.
Judging from the outcome, however, they had indeed provoked Kalpas' fury.
Being trapped here, unable to do anything at all, had already left Kalpas seething with frustration.
Even hanging from a cross and bleeding would have been more comfortable than staying in this dark, damp place that resembled a nest of snakes.
He wanted to slaughter something! He wanted to burn everything before him.
After being provoked by MOTH's upper echelon on top of that, how could Kalpas possibly continue to endure it?
What kind of wretched place is this? I'm not staying here anymore!
I'm taking Charles and leaving right now. I'll annihilate every last bastard who dared run their mouth, then go back to Aponia's sanatorium and chop down trees!
Mobius was thoroughly exasperated. "You were the one who said you were coming, and now you're the one saying you're leaving. You really do whatever you please. I didn't care when you wanted to leave before, but now it's too late! Thanks to the commotion caused by Vill-V and the Taixu Gang, the entire Dusk City has already gone into lockdown."
Because Vill-V had spread false information everywhere, every gang in Dusk City had fallen into chaos. The super-gang known as the Ghostfire Syndicate had suddenly wiped out two major gangs, and when that was combined with the Treasure-Stealing Gang's abrupt dissolution, all the other gangs assumed the Ghostfire Syndicate intended to unify Dusk City.
Even gangsters understood that when the lips perished, the teeth would grow cold.
And so, the gangs united in response to the Taixu Gang leader's call and began helping the Taixu Gang counterattack the Ghostfire Syndicate.
As for the newly emerged mid-sized Taixu Gang being stronger than the Ghostfire Syndicate? Who would believe that?
Anyone who believed it had already joined the Taixu Gang.
Although Mobius was confined inside the biopharmaceutical research institute and did not know the exact situation outside, the intelligence she had gathered allowed her to understand the general state of affairs.
"And the district we're in is under even tighter security. Heliopolis' AI has taken control of every armed force in the Shi District. Patrol drones are everywhere. The instant they spot any violation, they open fire and kill the offender without the slightest hesitation."
Bang!
Kalpas smashed a nearby research-assistance robot apart with one punch. Pulling his sparking fist free, he retorted, "What? You think I can't handle it?"
"Heh." Mobius sneered, her tone carrying three parts helplessness and seven parts mockery. "I believe you. I absolutely believe you. The fact that you can suppress Kevin already proves you possess that ability."
Mobius ground her teeth. "But the consequence would be exposing every arrangement I spent an entire month painstakingly establishing here while enduring humiliation and biding my time..."
"What the hell does that have to do with me?!"
Clearly, even after spending more than a week together, Kalpas would not show Dr. Mobius even the slightest bit of respect.
In his eyes, Dr. Mobius was a freak. Merely staying around her made Kalpas feel disgusted.
Even more disgusted than Aponia made him feel!
After being repeatedly talked back to by Kalpas, Mobius laughed from sheer fury. "Good. Very good."
Had she not known that Vill-V had sent Kalpas here, she would never have been this patient while trying to reason with him.
But now, her patience had run out.
She patted Kevin on the shoulder. "You have my permission to use that form. Don't worry about the aftermath. I'll make MOTH reimburse me."
"Now beat this disobedient white-haired rat into bubble wrap!"
...
Asura Demon Dragon charged straight through the Forest of Mist, tearing open the roof of the stage.
The audience outside noticed what was happening as a result.
At that moment, Magician had already "arranged" all of them into the "premium seats."
As for how they had been arranged there—
"Move your hands and feet and find high ground yourselves! The ground is slippery, so watch your step!"
Conductor's announcements echoed through loudspeakers in every direction.
Gurgle!
"Where is all this water coming from? It's flooding!" someone in the crowd cried out.
"Something went wrong at the waterworks east of here that supplies the Shi District amusement park! All the water is coming from there!" someone else explained.
A person who could not swim panicked. "Help! I can't swim!"
"Are you stupid? The water only reaches your knees. How could you drown in that?"
"Take off your heavy equipment unless you want to drown!"
The water surging backward extinguished the flames of battle and left those who had been fighting fiercely moments ago with no room to act.
There was nothing they could do. They could barely move, and their guns and artillery had all fallen silent. How were they supposed to keep fighting?
Not only could they no longer fight, but everyone also had to find some high ground to escape the water. Otherwise, they would be "swept away by the flood."
Those who reached high ground saw the black mist burst through the fog.
Someone cried out, "Look! What's that?!"
"Let me put on my glasses and see... It's Azure Empyrea! The one facing her is the leader of the Ghostfire Syndicate!"
"Is this a showdown between kings? Hell yeah!"
"Hey, stop throwing rocks at the Taixu Gang and come watch the commander's decisive battle against the enemy leader!"
The stage formed from mist and the audience seats created by flowing water were ready.
All that remained was the spectacular performance of the leading actors upon the stage.