Chapter 71: 69th Adversary: Renacido
Flameheart Residence, Lushun. Luka Flameheart was inside the office of the Flameheart clan leader and her grandfather, Darwin Flameheart.
"A trial?"
"Yes. After three months, the Dragna clan has decided to hold a trial for Miko and we and the Saevus clan are invited, not only as guests but we'll be a part of the jury that decides his fate."
"A trial, huh? Is this their way of saying that they're willing to try and compromise?"
"That seems to be the case. I'll also be one of the presiding judges along with the Saevus clan leader, Markus Saevus. It's their attempt at keeping everything fair."
"But isn't Markus Miko's biological grandfather?"
"He is, but he isn't a man to put feelings first. He'll probably rule fairly to prevent any allegations of being biased and drawing his clan into this mess. In fact, I'm sure he's thinking of ways to avoid taking part in this trial."
"I see. The fact that they're holding a trial and asking all three clans to participate means that they're taking us seriously…..How did the others respond to this news?"
"It seemed to have subdued their bloodlust for now. They believe that if it's reached this far, Miko's execution is set in stone."
"Well, them believing that isn't wrong. It looks like the Dragna clan is willing to sacrifice Miko to keep the peace."
"…..You don't look happy though."
There was an obvious frown on Luka's face.
"It's nothing."
"You don't want Miko to be executed?"
"I said it's nothing, grandfather."
She showed a smile.
"....."
Darwin stared at her silently for a bit.
"You're really Lisa's daughter. She was bad at hiding how she felt too."
He said with a sigh.
"Anyway, the trial is next month. It will be like a real trial, meaning that people will be able to represent and defend Miko, while everyone else will try to convict him. But, we need to be careful. There are people on both sides who want a war to occur between the two clans. There's no telling what they'll do to make that happen."
"Are you saying that I might be targeted?"
"It's highly likely. I didn't want to say this, but you were already being tailed on your way here."
Luka was startled to hear this.
"I didn't know."
"Well, it's normal for you not to. The stalker is a very slippery person to handle."
"You know who was it?"
Darwin nodded.
"It was Aeon Dragna."
"The Gremlin?.....It sends chills down my spine knowing that such a person was tailing me."
Luka held her shoulders. Darwin laughed at her reaction.
"Don't worry, he isn't the type to harm you when you're not a threat. He'd probably mess with you a little, but that's it. The fact that you made it here is proof he doesn't see you as an enemy."
"Are you sure? I've heard some really disturbing stuff about him. It's said that his demonic hands can reach everywhere and torment anyone to death."
"Trust me, Aeon's just being cautious."
Darwin then became serious.
"If it was his father, Rihan, then it would be a different story though."
Darwin looked through the window.
"I'm glad…..I'm really glad that Joker isn't here. Because if he was, we would've been at war a long time ago."
The Royal Palace.
"I heard the crime world has gotten really hot lately."
Nova said to Nero. The two of them were playing a game of tennis in the throne room. However, it wasn't normal tennis. It was tennis using a giant iron ball and giant cyclops as rackets.
"Yeah, I heard."
*Bam!*
Nero used his "racket" to swat the ball towards Nova's left, far out of his reach.
*Swoosh!*
Just when the ball was about to hit the ground, Nova appeared in front of it.
"Ohhh!"
*Bam!*
He used his racket and blast the car-sized ball past his father's head.
*BOOM!*
The ball burst through the wall and flew outside the palace and into the distance.
"Hahaha! I win! Hand over the goods, old man!"
Nova pointed his racket at his father and shouted.
"Dammit….You win this time, brat."
He dug into his pocket and threw something at Nova, who caught it.
"That's a picture of a baby Momo and Sonia as promised."
"Hell Yeah! I finally got it back after losing that game of unicorn javelin!"
"Don't get cocky, boy. We still have armadillo bowling."
Nero stretched his hand out and some servants carried a gigantic armadillo-like monster and dropped it in Nero's hand.
"Hmph. Your defeat is already set in stone….Set up the pins!"
Nova shouted. A group of servants carried some cyclops that was tied up and set them up like pins.
"Today is the day I get that "Sacrificial Piece Ticket", old man. Once I get it, I'm gonna go out and play around with some attractive women, and blame it on you if Mother finds out. You'll have no choice but to take the blame!"
"Ha! You're really my son. I was thinking of doing the same thing!"
The two stood facing the cyclops pins with their bowling balls in their hands.
"Don't go back on your word and not take the blame when I use the ticket, brat!"
"Of course, we created that ticket for this purpose!"
The two put on serious faces.
"Let's go!"
"…..You two have too much free time on your hands."
The two, who were about to have their intense battle, stopped when they saw Momo enter the room.
"My adorable granddaughter, did you come to look for this lonely old man."
Nero threw away the armadillo.
"Or did you miss your uncle?"
Nova did the same. They both approached and circled around Momo like sharks.
"Neither. I'm here to talk to you about the state underworld currently is in."
The outlaw country, Gael.
The country which was already seen as a den of criminals and a sanctuary of violence was now in a tense state. Since the death of Nebulous, there has been a rise of new criminals and crime lords who all want to take the vacant spot of king. All those who believe that they have what it takes to reach the top all came to this country to prove their might. This led to the country becoming a literal war zone.
*Bam!*
A man's headless body fell to the ground after having his head crushed by a huge fist.
"Hahaha! What Don?! I just smashed his head like a melon!"
A burly man that was covered with snake tattoos laughed joyfully. His hand was covered in blood and flesh. Behind him was a large group of men with snake tattoos on their faces.
"Listen here, fools! The one who will stand at the top is me, Cobra, and my Serpent Gang! Defy us and die!"
He shouted.
"Oh? You said something very interesting just now."
A man dressed in white and wearing a gas mask walked out of the crowd watching Cobra.
"Who are you, Little man?"
"Renacido."
"?!"
Shock spread through the crowd.
"Renacido? That group of maniacs?"
"So they finally came here?"
"Heh. Do they think that this place is like the rest? They'll be wiped out in a week!"
Those in the crowd started discussing among themselves.
"Renacido, huh? I heard you guys have been going around wreaking havoc and forcing all the kingpins around the empire to submit to you or die."
Cobra burst out laughing.
"Do you think that you're hot shit or something?!"
He spread his arms wide.
"Look around! This Gael! The den of criminals! We're different from everyone else you've crushed!"
He approached the man.
"You groups of fanatics seem to be remnants of Nebulous and are preaching of the Crime God's of a second coming. We're not a religious bunch! We don't care for anything like-"
*Bam!*
Cobra's words were interrupted by a kick to the neck from the masked man. His neck bent in a < shape and he fell lifelessly on the ground.
"Man, I heard you had bad breath that's why I wore a gas mask instead of my usual one, but damn."
The man stepped on his head.
"The gas mask stopped working when you came closer. Haven't you heard of mouthwash, you son of a bitch?"
*Bam!*
He stomped down and squashed Cobra's head.
"Ah, I forgot to ask him to submit. Oh, well."
The man looked at everyone around him.
"Ahem. Listen up, you bastards! You'll only be given one chance. Submit and live, rebel against God and die!"
"You bastard!"
"Don't get cocky!"
"Go submit your mama!"
The crowd immediately got angry.
"Well, I expected as much."
His body started glowing with a blue light.
"Character Change: Gunner!"
His appearance completely changed. His body became a bit more muscular, his skin darkened like he got a tan, his orange hair grew wild, and tattoos of twin revolvers appeared on his shoulders. He was wearing a military-style uniform with ammo strung up across his chest in the shape of an X, combat boots, and guards; as well as the gas mask.
"Die!"
Two large chain guns appeared in his hands. It started spitting fire.
*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*
Bullets bombarded the crowd and ripped people apart without mercy. Bodies were filled with holes. Turning them into strainers. Blood and body parts flew about and the sounds of gunshots drowned the screams of the dead.
After nearly a minute, the two monsters of guns stopped spitting fire. The man dropped the guns. They disappeared the moment they touched the ground.
"As expected of Gael."
He stretched his hands out and two Glocks appeared in them. He looked around at those who still stood strong even after his onslaught of bullets.
"It's really filled with fun people!"
He ran towards the crowd and dove at them. They did the same and a huge brawl broke out in the middle of town.
Elsewhere, a different battle was occurring in the small town of Gael.
*Bam!*
A girl with brown hair, wearing a mask, and dressed in white avoided a bullet by twisting her body out of the way. She pounced at her attacker. She jumped over him the moment he shot at her again.
"Ugh?!"
Her attacker groaned and found himself unable to move. He looked and saw that his body was entangled with some thin wires. The more he struggled the more wires cut into his body.
"Die."
The girl pulled the wires that were attached to her gloves.
"Ahhhh!"
The man screamed out as his body was sliced apart by the wires. The girl stood up and turned and faced a group standing not far away from her.
"Renacido owns you from now, got it?"
"Screw you!"
The men all attacked her simultaneously.
"Then you all will die!"
She rushed at them. She kicked the one at the front. He was blown into the air. His body forcibly halted midair. His limbs were caught by the wires. The girl dragged him out of the air and slammed him into his comrades. She pulled the wires and sliced him into pieces.
"?!"
The girl jumped back to avoid two blades that came at her from both sides. She ducked to avoid another from behind her. She turned a half circle towards her attacker, while still stooping down.
*Bam!*
She slammed her fist into her attacker's stomach. He was forced back with burst organs. She rolled out of the way to avoid a shot. She looked and saw that there were several men pointing guns at her.
"Kill her!"
The men opened fire at her. She leaped into the air and swung her hands with the wires. The wires wrapped around some heads. She pulled her hands and plucked the heads like grapes. Blood sprayed from the headless bodies and rained down on her and her attackers.
With her white suit stained red and blood dripping from her wires, she approached her enemies.
"Ekk!"
The men started to retreat little by little.
"It's nothing personal."
The woman pounced at the men and appeared right before their eyes.
"It's just business."
"Ahhhhh?!"
Terrified screams echoed through that town as blood stained the earth.
*Bam!*
Another part of Gael, dozens of men dressed in red and black wearing the same mask stormed a building belonging to a crime boss and his family.
*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*
They quickly slaughtered the gang members inside and found the room the boss was in and surrounded it. They, however, didn't rush in and instead stepped to the side and made a path. Soon Layla Song walked into the building with Jason and another masked man at her side.
"Is the family captured?"
"Yeah. They're in a different room."
Jason answered.
"I see."
The three of them walked down the path and stopped in front of the room.
"Resound!"
The masked man beside her slammed his palm on the door and blew it off. He walked in and the sound of gunshots and screams could be heard. After everything died down, Layla walked in.
"...…"
She looked around and saw 6 dead bodies on the ground with blood leaking from their orifices. She turned her head and saw a chubby man cowering behind a desk.
"Triple L, it's good to see you again."
Layla smiled and approached the desk.
"You….Who are you?"
"Oh, I forgot. You never saw my face before, huh?"
Layla smiled and placed her hand on her chest.
"I'm the remaining half of Nebulous along with Darius Flameheart, Layla Song. I'm the one who used to talk to you over the phone."
"Nebulous?! Then you're the leader of Renacido?"
"Hahaha!"
Layla burst out laughing.
"You're kidding. I'm only a mere subordinate."
Layla stabbed Triple L's right hand with a knife and lodged it into the desk.
"Ahhh?!"
He screamed out in pain.
"I find it quite insulting when the person I'm trying to talk to is attempting to draw a gun on me."
Under his desk, Triple L let go of the gun that he was holding. Layla brought her face closer to his and stared into his eyes with a sharp gaze.
"?!"
Triple L felt like he was staring into the eyes of Medusa. He couldn't move a muscle.
"Now then, Triple. You should know why I'm here."
"Y-You want me to work for you again, right?"
He answered with a painful expression.
"As expected, you're quick to catch on."
Layla started playfully patting his cheek.
"Gulp."
Triple L found himself covered in cold sweat. Despite only meeting her for the first time, he could tell.
(This woman….She's the real Nebulous. Her cold demeanor with her playful smile….This woman is the devil.)
He thought to himself.
"W-Where's my family?"
"Don't worry. They're fine. Well, for now. But I gotta say, your daughter must be scared. She's only five, right? But don't worry, it's against my policy to kill children."
Layla showed him a warm smile with her eyes partially closed.
"I prefer to torment their parents who stupidly put them in danger."
Layla stepped back leaving Triple L breathing heavily.
"I submit! I'll work for you again!"
"As I said, I'm not the boss anymore."
"Then who is?"
Layla placed her hand on her cheek and showed a lovely smile.
"Don't worry, everyone will soon know whose era this is."
Demon Nest.
The door to Miko's cell opened and the prison warden walked in with some guards behind him.
"Men, look at this man long and hard. Burn his image in your eyes."
All the guards stared at Miko intensely.
"Remember this figure well…. This is the figure of the man whose trial tomorrow might lead to this empire's very demise."
The warden smiled.
"Remember him well."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone