Endless Debt Chapter 1086 - 114: The Frenzy of Madness (Part 3)

Bologne's form was swift, like a passing breeze, vanishing and reappearing amidst the swirling mist at will.

Corpse after corpse toppled and disappeared into the fog, while Bologne's dwindling Ether slowly replenished through the continuous hunting. He acted as a scavenger, sustaining his combat prowess by preying on the fallen.

Gradually, the King's Secret Swords grew conscious of a disturbing anomaly—their numbers had thinned too rapidly, unnoticed. They swiftly deduced the presence of an assassin lurking within the mist. In this oppressive environment, Bologne's infiltration intensified the pervasive sense of dread.

Bologne moved with unrestrained fluidity through the haze, shadowing his adversaries, dispatching them silently before vanishing ghost-like once more.

His actions were remarkably stealthy; the eliminations on the battlefield occurred almost without a sound, leaving his targets utterly defenseless.

With a flick of his wrist, Bologne unleashed a dagger fashioned from the Deceitful Snake Scale Liquid. Amidst the shimmering cascade, the blade unerringly found its mark, piercing an enemy's ankle.

This precise strike was merely a diversion, yet the enemy's field staff immediately exploited his momentary falter. They unleashed a volley of fire, striking his chest. Blood erupted from his back, accompanying the gunfire as he plummeted to the ground.

His spectral form drifted rapidly, agile and swift, only to instantly dissipate without a trace.

Amidst the current maelstrom of battle, the highest echelons are occupied by Red Dog and Lebius, the two Defenders. They now faced each other, refraining from rash movements. Consequently, as the Negative Power User, Bologne stood as the most formidable entity. Any individual targeted by Bologne was destined to fall under his inescapable grasp.

Within this realm of absolute darkness, the timing of reinforcements from the Order Bureau remained unknown. Should they arrive, the King's Secret Swords would confront an even graver peril.

Under such grim circumstances, morale became paramount, while Bologne's relentless assassinations insidiously corroded their fighting spirit. Faced with the specter of unknown demise, even the most valiant warriors succumbed to fear, aware that Bologne was their harbinger of death, poised to seal their fate with a single, fatal stroke.

Bologne moderated his breathing; at this juncture, his Ether had been restored to its optimal levels. He ceased his direct assassinations of enemy combatants. It was clear that the King's Secret Swords had adapted their strategies. Any impetuous assassination attempt now risked immediate encirclement.

As long as he remained concealed within the shadows, he could continuously apply psychological pressure upon them.

While maintaining his stealth, Bologne felt a flicker of apprehension. This marked his inaugural participation in such a large-scale conflict involving extraordinary powers since assuming his current role. The convergence of disparate Secret Energies transformed the battlefield into a landscape of utter chaos. No one could ascertain whether any given action might inadvertently trigger an opponent's Secret Energy, leading to instant death.

The fog-shrouded battlefield, permeated by the mingled scents of blood, the echoes of wails, and the eerie whisper of the wind, imbued the surroundings with a profoundly sinister and terrifying aura.

With their nerves stretched to the limit, many were weary, yet they were compelled to persevere; any lapse in vigilance meant certain death.

In this atmosphere of crushing despair, this battlefield transformed into Bologne's personal domain, where he surprisingly found a measure of solace.

This situation evoked memories for Bologne of his initial internship year; back then, he was much like this, lurking in the darkness, instilling persistent dread in his enemies, severing their lives amidst their desperate shrieks.

Due to the intensity of the ongoing skirmishes, the entire area was expanding, with Condensers gradually dispersing. Despite their attempts to maintain formations, they could only cluster in small groups. Some found themselves pushed to the periphery in continuous engagements, not to mention those making their way towards the Iron Coffin, striving to claim the battlefield's most coveted objective.

Bologne's gaze fixed upon them; merely by observing the exterior of the Iron Coffin, he could surmise its contents.

Xilin, the central enigma of this tumultuous vortex.

…

Dan Tai strained to breach the defense line established by the field staff, successfully guiding several Secret Swords perilously close to the Iron Coffin. As one of the select few Negative Power Users, he carried a mission of critical importance—to secure Xilin's corpse.

Now, the Iron Coffin lay within arm's reach, defended solely by two Prayer Believers. As for Mamo, the ancient Seeker of Glory, Dan Tai paid him no heed.

Mamo was afflicted by more than mere physical senescence; his Alchemy Matrix had deteriorated significantly. He resembled an archaic, rusted mechanism. Despite wielding the power of a Seeker of Glory, in this era that had surpassed him, his abilities appeared feeble, particularly as his Ether had been depleted to combat the encroaching blight.

Believing he might seize the opportune moment to eliminate a Seeker of Glory in his weakened state, Dan Tai could not suppress a surge of exhilaration. Success in this endeavor would undoubtedly capture the attention of the royal court and, eventually, secure him a prestigious position, perhaps even that of the Supreme Secret Sword.

Fueled by his burning ambition, Dan Tai pressed onward with vigorous strides. At this juncture, not even Lebius could impede his path. While the majority of the Blade-Biting Wolves had indeed stirred, they maintained a unified formation around Red Dog. Red Dog himself would refrain from engaging as long as Lebius remained uninvolved. However, should that delicate equilibrium be shattered, a conflict between Defenders could escalate this unfolding chaos into absolute mayhem.

For Dan Tai, this precise situation presented an unparalleled opportunity.