Calios is a high-ranking Supremacy mutant.
His ability is to manipulate a force field filled with red energy.
The power of the force field is implemented in various forms according to Calios' will.
A force field sword that concentrates the physical energy of the powerful force field to the extreme at one point, raising its cutting power.
A force field body that surrounds the body with force field energy and protects it from external impacts.
These were typically the basic forms of Calios' abilities.
Though the usage itself was simple, Calios could become a high-level mutant due to the enormous physical power of the force field.
Osian and Calios collided in mid-air.
The light from the sword and Calios' force field sword clashed, sparking in the air.
With a sharp metallic sound, they exchanged a struggling gaze in a deadlock without an inch of movement."Not bad."
Osian was looking at Calios' force field sword with interest.
Calios, on the other hand, was puzzled that Osian wasn't being pushed back.
"What are you?"
The force field sword itself possesses tremendous cutting power. His force field has the power to turn even this sturdy Saint Tree research building into powder.
That force, compressed into a sword, was unable to pierce the mysterious white flames.
"What is this power? Are you a mutant too?"
The overwhelming energy contained in the sword was comparable to the force field sword he was using.
If it were just that, he wouldn't have been greatly surprised. The problem was that Osian wasn't budging an inch even during this power struggle.
"Being evaluated like that doesn't make me feel too good."
"...Insolent bastard!"
The force field body surrounding Calios' body was continuously emitting shock waves in real-time, effectively pushing away approaching enemies.
Even during this power struggle, the force field continued to scatter waves.
Yet Osian showed no sign of flinching.
'Does that armor also possess special powers like the sword?'
Calios couldn't contain his rising irritation.
He knew Osian wasn't a mutant from their close encounter and power struggle.
The power he possessed was different from a mutant's psychic ability.
Despite that, he had equal strength, no, looking at his relaxed posture, he seemed even stronger.
Calios couldn't accept this.
"How dare you! A lowly old human species!"
Calios extended his hand not holding the force field sword toward Osian.
Osian's body trembled and rose into the air. Calios' force field energy gripped Osian's body like a giant's hand.
"Die!"
Following Calios' gesture, Osian was flung, breaking through the wall and ejected outside the research building.
Calios, surrounded by his force field, rose into the air and pursued Osian.
Osian, landing on the ground after spinning in mid-air, stared at Calios approaching him.
"Your ability's versatility is impressive."
With the power of the force field, he was able to float in the air and move freely.
His force field energy was sprouting red currents over his shoulders, forming wing-like shapes.
Osian raised the output of the Nebula Silk. The cloak extended long, scattering white stardust powder behind him.
-Kwaaang!
Calios and Osian collided.
Their clash alone spread a massive shockwave around them. The ground split and flipped, and surrounding structures were completely shattered and scattered.
"Everyone run away! You'll be swept away if you stay here!"
"Mo-Monster!"
The Saint Tree guards who were trying to surround the research building could only scatter in panic upon seeing this scene.
Osian didn't even glance at those people, staring directly at Calios.
"Why? Did you think you could do something in a wider space?"
"You talk too much for someone who's been pushed back."
"I was pushed back on purpose."
When surrounded by the force field, Osian could have resisted.
He didn't do so because changing the battle location wasn't a bad choice for him either.
A fight with Calios would inevitably cause destruction around them. If Lucent got involved, it would be counterproductive.
"I also wanted to test my new power."
A ring rose above Osian's head.
"Don't break easily, experimental subject."
Supremacy is an organization with the ideology that mutants are a superior new human species.
They looked down on and ignored existing humans, calling them old human species, and naturally possessed arrogance by default.
Being treated as a sandbag or experimental subject by such old humans was like poking the dragon's reverse scale.
"You damn bastard...!"
The endlessly rising anger soon became strength.
With a crackling sound, force field energy sparked in the air.
"I'll make you regret saying that."
*
"Oh, will Mr. Osian be okay?"
Lucent was worried about Osian, who had disappeared from view. The power Calios wielded seemed impossible for an ordinary individual to handle.
It was natural, as Saint Tree's board had deliberately called in a capable person.
"You don’t need to worry about that guy. He's the strongest among us."
"Yes, yes?"
"From the beginning, I can't even imagine a scene where he loses one-on-one to someone. Right now, what's important is worrying about our safety."
Lorraine's eyes narrowed, shining sharply.
Having recovered the sniper rifle, Lorraine drew a pistol from the waist holster and fired towards the corridor.
Lucent's question about why she was shooting at nothing disappeared the moment sparks flew in the air with a clang.
"Wh- The bullet?"
What Lorraine had shot was a bullet. Lucent simultaneously had doubts.
Where on earth did she shoot from?
There was no sound of gunfire, and no shooter was visible in the corridor. Considering the nature of bullets flying in a straight line, it was impossible.
"Ah. An annoying guy has come."
Just as Lorraine was about to change bullets, she urgently kicked Lucent's leg, causing him to fall.
The moment Lucent fell backward, a bullet grazed where his shoulder had been.
Lucent felt a chill down his spine that made him forget the pain in his buttocks.
"What are you doing? Move quickly!"
Lucent entered an empty research room and hid under a desk, guided by Lorraine.
"Wh- What was that just now! How did you shoot it?"
"A shooter who hits from an invisible place. Seems like a famous gunslinger in our industry."
"Gunslinger, what?"
"A gunslinger. Literally a shooter who uses various bullets. And their biggest characteristic is that their bullets never fly in a straight line."
Such a person exists? No, more importantly, how did Lorraine shoot down a bullet in mid-air?
Lucent couldn't voice these questions. Beyond the wide-open research room door, curved bullets were pouring in indiscriminately.
"Tsk. How troublesome."
"Wh- What about Mr. Edgar?!"
"I don't have time to care about that. Another guy has shown up."
As Lorraine said, Edgar, who had confirmed the appearance of the gunslinger, was about to move to deal with him.
Edgar stopped in his place and stared at the black-robed figure blocking his path.
"Hey. Who are you?"
"Are you Edgar Lowe? You're younger than I heard."
"I asked who you are. Are you deaf?"
Despite Edgar's rude tone, the other party chuckled with a low laugh.
With a skull-shaped mask on her face and a black robe wrapped around her body, she resembled a grim reaper.
"Living to see a black magician come like this."
"How did you know?"
"How can I not know when you're emitting such a dirty, foul energy? I don't know who you are, but since you've come looking for me, it seems you want to fight."
"Actually, the original purpose was just to capture a researcher through a commission. But I got interested when I found out you were the opponent."
The black magician extended her hand forward. Dark magic rose on top of the dark leather glove covering her forearm.
The sluggishly rising dark magic soon transformed into the shape of a massive scythe.
"Ha."
Edgar bit a candy and swallowed it whole, then spat out the empty stick.
"A black magician in the dark magic school who engages in close combat. I've heard of such a school."
"Yes. It's similar to the [pure magic] used by ordinary magicians."
With a whoosh, the scythe spun skillfully.
It wasn't just for show, but a movement that genuinely showed she knew how to handle the scythe in her hand.
"But I've always been curious. When magicians and black magicians of similar schools meet, who would win? Which side is stronger? Right? While the public perception is of magicians, I believe black magic is stronger."
"Right. That's why you use such a school of magic with such a nonsensical mindset."
A black magician using magic to create weapons for close combat?
It was an action that anyone would consider the act of a madman.
At Edgar's provocation, the black magician laughed, shaking her shoulders.
"Right. It's hard to do this in a sane state. But isn't that the same for you?"
The pointed remark left Edgar speechless. Instead, a savage smile formed on his face.
It was a response like a predator who had found a worthy opponent.
"Right. That's the look in your eyes. This is why I couldn't stay away. No matter how intelligent the brain is and how rationally one perceives everything, the inner nature of wanting to fight cannot be hidden."
"But isn't that natural?"
"What is?"
"The reason to hide one's nature."
Edgar raised his right hand, creating a blue hammer.
"Why should I care about the feelings of weaker beings when I'm stronger?"
A red light burst large within the black magician's skull mask.
As if his words had resonated with his soul, black haze flickered around the black magician's body.
"Black Magician School, [Grim Reaper] member Andrena."
"Hitman [Violet Fox] member Edgar Lowe."
"Let's fight cleanly."
Andrena and Edgar rushed toward each other without anyone taking the lead.
As the two beings collided, the research building shook greatly.
Feeling that vibration, Lucent raised his head above the desk, only to have his head pressed down by Lorraine's tenacious hand.
"Idiot, don't raise your head. Want to get holes in your body?"
"The impact just now..."
"Edgar is fighting. Didn't I say another formidable opponent would be engaged with him? Don't worry about that and focus on our current situation."
"Do you have a way to deal with this?"
Lorraine chuckled at the question.
"Hey, think about it. The opponent is a professional hitman who is skilled at curving bullets from invisible places to eliminate targets. We don't even know their identity properly. Even the bullets."
Lorraine pulled out a grenade from her waist and threw it outside.
With the explosion, the bullets reacted, causing numerous fragments to scatter with a chain reaction.
These weren't ordinary bullets, but special ammunition that explodes midway and sweeps the surroundings.
"They use all sorts of things like that. It's the epitome of money-throwing. In a gunfight, the victory is as clear as the quality of ammunition you use, right?"
"I think I understand now."
"Anyway, I have to fight and win against such a guy while protecting you here. Do you think that's realistically possible?"
Lorraine thought the answer was impossible.
But after a moment of contemplation, Lucent spoke with trust in his eyes.
"But if it's you, you can do it."
"..."
Lorraine, looking like she'd been hit once, gave a satisfied smile.
"Looks like I've developed some trust after spending a few days together."
-Click.
Lorraine drew a shotgun.
"I'll show that even a bullet master can't move in front of a witch."
"Ms. Lorraine was a witch?"
"No. It's a metaphorical meaning. The real witch is someone else."
While having a pointless conversation, Lorraine pulled the trigger.
*
Inside the conference room, thoroughly destroyed by one intense battle, among furniture reduced to unrecognizable state, only the man in white clothing and a mask, and Diolan who had transformed into a giant cat, remained intact.
'What the hell is this guy?'
From the moment he noticed his hiding spot, he knew something was unusual, but he didn't expect him to endure this well.
His clothes were scratched by claws, but there were no definitive critical wounds. This wasn't Diolan being merciful, but indicated the man's exceptional skills.
However, as time passed, the advantage would be Diolan's.
Diolan rushed to cut off the man's breath with this momentum.
At the moment his sharp teeth were about to pierce the man's neck, a strange liquid burst from the man's body.
"...!"
Diolan was bewildered after being hit by the translucent, sticky liquid.
He tried to bite without hesitation, but his teeth slipped before touching the man's body.
'What was that just now?'
While Diolan was confused, the man exhaled and removed the mask from his face.
"What are boys made of?"
His face, uttered with these words, resembled an amphibian's, similar to a frog, rather than human.
"Made of frogs and snails, and puppy dog tails."
An incomprehensible song, or a nursery rhyme verse.
Hearing this, Diolan's eyes widened dramatically.
"I never expected to meet a fellow here."
The man with an amphibian face spoke to Diolan.
"Isn't it? Children of the same mother, cat."
Upon saying this much, Diolan could only realize.
This man was the same kind of being. A familiar created by the witch [Mother Goose].