章 125: Shattered Pawns: Uncovering the Hunters
"Clean up, what are you talking about?" Scorch asked, but the only answer he got was silence.
The three villains glanced at each other in confusion as Carl had suddenly stopped talking to them. Right away, they sensed that something was off, and their auras flared up. Suddenly, the place they were at changed.
The entire area started twisting and turning as they felt a weird power influence the entire area.
Suddenly, it wasn't just the weird power, but multiple.
Frost appeared on the ground as they were attacked by a wave of freezing energy from one side.
Multiple sword waves were sent from one another, as well as laser fire. A gust of green wind passed through them from another side, causing them to feel weaker than they were, and right after the wind, bone spikes were launched at them.
It was only the left side that was void of any attacks, thus all three of them charged there, only to stumble around as they tried doing so. Still, they all used their powers and managed to survive the first wave of attacks while fleeing to the side, only to suddenly hear a sound beneath the ground.
They all had a bad premonition about it, and then, an explosion took place from beneath them. Even with their powerful bodies and powers, they were sent hurling around before being captured by what seemed red chains that pulled them back, causing the three to hit one another before more attacks were launched at them.
The sudden onslaught caught Scorch, Mirage, and Siren off guard. Chains of red energy held them firmly in place, preventing any attempts to escape. As the dust settled, the figures of their attackers emerged from the shadows.
Carl, flanked by Isabella, Blorg, Nacht, and Rex, stood with an air of authority. The once trusted handler now wore an expression of determination, his gaze piercing through the disoriented villains.
"Surprised?" Carl asked, his voice dripping with a mix of disappointment and resolve.
Scorch struggled against the chains, flames flickering erratically. "What the hell is this, Carl? You were our handler!"
"You three were playing a dangerous game," Carl said, his expression stern. "We knew about your infiltration attempts from the start. The VSA suspected that something was off, and we've been monitoring your every move."
Siren, still holding the stolen VIP badge, sneered. "Well, well, looks like the villains finally caught on. Took you long enough."
Blorg cracked his knuckles, a sinister grin on his face. "You underestimated us. We knew something was fishy when you started getting too successful with your missions."
Mirage, who had prided themselves on their illusions, found themselves caught in a web of reality. "How did you figure it out?"
Nacht, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light, spoke, "Not the first time our team deals with hunters, not to mention you were a bit too hasty in the start, you might think you had fooled everyone, but honestly, your tools that the VSA decided to use from the very start."
Scorch, surrounded by flames that had now dimmed, struggled against the red chains. "So, what's the plan? Lock us up? Kill us?"
"Even though it is regretful that we didn't succeed in our mission, don't think that we will tell you a thing."
Carl sighed, the weight of the situation evident in his eyes. "That is true, but as far as your mission goes, you were never meant to succeed, just pawns in a game you weren't aware of."
Mirage, their illusions shattered, glared at Carl. "You mean that the HA betrayed us?"
Isabella, arms crossed, smirked. "Betrayal implies trust. You were always expendable, they don't care about some hunters that were too unstable."
Nacht, with a dark aura surrounding him, stepped forward. "Don't take it personally. It's just business."
Rex, who had planted the explosives, grinned menacingly. "Hope you enjoyed your little charade."
The truth hit Scorch, Mirage, and Siren like a tidal wave. They were never villains working against the Hero Association. They were merely three hunters who were sent by the HA to infiltrate the VSA.
Siren, her eyes narrowing, spoke defiantly. "If you think this changes anything, you're wrong. We won't go down without a fight."
Carl shook his head, a tinge of regret in his expression. "It's not about what we want. Both the HA and the VSA have their own agendas, and you were just a means to an end. But don't worry, your deaths will be quick."
With a signal from Carl, the onslaught resumed. Isabella unleashed her freezing powers, encasing the villains in a layer of ice. Blorg's massive sword swung with deadly precision, cutting through the frozen air. Nacht's red energy suddenly fell down on them, causing them to feel immense pressure, leaving them vulnerable. Rex, in a mechanical suit made by Blorg and Cypher, fired lasers with deadly accuracy.
Despite their formidable powers, Scorch, Mirage, and Siren found themselves overwhelmed. The illusionist struggled against the bone spikes summoned by Carl, Scorch's fiery aura dimmed under Isabella's freezing touch, and Siren's sonic powers were drowned out by Nacht's relentless assault.
As seconds passed, the once-confident trio realized the futility of their resistance. They were not just facing individual heroes; they were facing a coordinated team with a depth of strategic planning that surpassed their every move.
Carl, his disappointment evident, approached them as they lay defeated. "I told you, it's just business. You were tools, nothing more."
Mirage, weakened but defiant, managed a smirk. "If we were tools, at least we were tools of order, not chaos."
Siren, her voice strained, added, "The VSA might have ended up using us, but they won't control what happens next."
As their vision blurred, and the weight of defeat settled upon them, Scorch whispered, "Heroes or villains, it doesn't matter. In the end, we were just players in someone else's game."
The last remnants of resistance faded as darkness claimed them.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, the forest echoed with the fading words of Scorch. Chains of red energy still wrapped around them.
Carl, now standing amidst the fallen villains, contemplated the consequences of their actions. The HA had manipulated Scorch, Mirage, and Siren, but in doing so, they had unwittingly created a force that refused to be mere pawns. The line between hero and villain blurred, leaving behind a bitter taste of moral ambiguity.
Isabella, her frosty demeanor unchanged, spoke up. "What now, Carl? The VSA will want to interrogate them. Extract every bit of information about the HA's plans."
"No, that is not needed, they are hunters that were raised by the Heroes Association, their memories were sealed the moment they took this task, the VSA has tried interrogating such people before, but they never managed to get any info as the hunters would die before giving anything away, their souls would shatter, leaving empty husks."
Carl glanced down at the three unconscious hunters before sighing. Three long bone spikes suddenly came out of his body, each one piercing through the hearts of the three, claiming their lives.
"In the end, they were nothing but pawns, perfect for infiltration, without anyway of giving away information if getting caught."
"The HA's methods truly make them seem even more evil than the VSA at times," Carl said before his arm started changing. It became demonic, but only one hand.
He pointed at the three dead bodies before using his hellfire to burn them to ashes in an instant, leaving no traces.
"At least we used them well, the council and the rest of the VSA are happy with what they managed to get for us."
Isabella glanced at him before shaking her head.
"The HA sent them to infiltrate us, and in the end, we used them to get info of the HA without risking a single thing."
"That is just how things go, it's not as if the VSA doesn't do similar things after all, we do have our own spies planted in the HA," Carl added before looking away.
The aftermath left a bitter taste, a reminder that in the world of heroes and villains, the lines between right and wrong could blur into shades of gray. The forest, once witness to the clash of powers, now stood silent, absorbing the echoes of a conflict that had unfolded beyond its leafy confines.
As the ashes of Scorch, Mirage, and Siren scattered in the wind, Carl's demonic hand reverted to its human form. The remnants of his hellfire dissipated, leaving behind only the unsettling memory of his otherworldly abilities. Isabella, still encased in an aura of frost, observed him with a mix of curiosity and wariness.
"What now, Carl?" she asked, her voice cutting through the quiet tension that lingered in the air.
"Now, we return to the VSA and report our success. The information we gathered from the hunters will be valuable in dealing with the Hero Association's plans," Carl replied, his tone devoid of emotion.
"They were tools, Isabella, just like any other asset we use. But unlike others, these hunters couldn't be turned. The HA made sure of that," Carl explained, his gaze distant, as if contemplating the broader implications of their actions.
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