Chapter 63 - 10 - The Battle At The Black Market, Part 1 (3)

The blade inched closer and closer, not aiming for my vitals, indicating he wasn't trying to kill me with this attack. Still, it was evident that things were about to get really bad. I didn't particularly care if I met my end here, but the mission weighed heavily on my mind. Failing it meant disappointing Lord Mephisto. I had nothing in my arsenal to counter this impending attack.

Apologies, Lord Mephisto, but it seems I'm about to let you down. However, I vowed not to let this man lay a finger on me. If he made a move, I'd bite my tongue without hesitation.

As the blade neared my shoulder, an unexpected twist unfolded. Someone leaped in front of me, blocking the impending strike with a handgun. It was a woman with flowing purple hair.

"Silver Blades?! Why the hell are you here in my territory?!" Norman exclaimed, jumping backward. He seemed visibly flustered by the unexpected appearance of the woman.

The woman didn't bother responding to Norman. Instead, she turned her gaze toward me.

"Run now. I'm stepping into the ring with him," she declared, a fierce determination in her eyes. "That girl won't make it if you don't hustle her to a skilled healer soon."

"Hey, are you fucking serious right now? You really think I'll let them walk away with just you standing in my way?" Norman scoffed.

"I don't," the woman responded with an unwavering calm. "That's why I didn't come here alone."

Suddenly, four shadows materialized, encircling Norman like vengeful spirits.

"You've really done it now, Shredica," remarked another woman with a fiery orange mane. "Why dive headfirst into a fight with him in his own territory? Maybe dial down the battle hunger a notch?"

"It's just Shredica being Shredica," added another woman with a playful, pink short-cut hair. "That's what sets her apart, you know? I've never seen her shy away from a direct confrontation. It's just her style."

The other two males stood in stoic silence, their gaze unwavering on Norman.

Norman sneered confidently, "You think a few extra bodies will make a difference? I can handle all of you."

"Let's put that claim to the test," retorted the woman with vibrant purple hair.

Sensing that these individuals were providing my ticket out of this perilous situation, I decided to make a run for it. Scooping up the still-unconscious woman, I held her in a princess carry, hastening my escape. Yet, a sudden force gripped my foot. Glancing downward, I beheld a hand emerging from the ground, firmly clasping my ankle.

But you two," he licked his lips, eyes filled with insatiable lust as he scrutinized me and Miss Arianne, "look like something worthy of adding to my collections..."

I've heard whispers about Norman's penchant for kidnapping, an unsavory pursuit driven by his desire to amass a harem of women turned into mere possessions, enslaved to serve as prostitutes. As time passed, his notoriety elevated him to the position of a prime supplier in the Black Market, dealing in both human goods and the flesh of beastfolk.

His illicit empire flourished, crowning him with the notorious title of the Don of the Black Market.

Yet, if he believed this encounter would unfold seamlessly, he was sorely mistaken. That's because...

"You bastard..." a guttural growl echoed through the veil of smoke spawned by the explosion. "You won't get away with doing that to me..." It was Miss Neith. Her once serene blue eyes now blazed with a fiery red intensity. This was her skill, Frenzy – the more she bled, the more potent she became.

"She can still move after that explosion?" Norman clicked his tongue in frustration. "Well, it's not like you can slip away from my grip," he sneered.

He was wrong about that too. Miss Neith could now break free from that grip.

"W-What the...?!" Norman must have sensed Miss Neith slipping away from his grasp. I could feel the hold on my ankle fading too. It seemed like whatever he felt on one end, he could still feel on the other. I reckon he refrained from multiplying himself because it would make him more vulnerable. Each copy he made was a potential weak spot. So, even the hand gripping me could harm him.

"Something like this won't stop me!" Finally, Miss Neith managed to break free from his grip. All the hands that had restrained us ceased their hold. We were free to move. I swiftly grabbed my pistol, ready to engage in battle with him.

Miss Neith closed the distance, her fists a blur of furious strikes, yet Norman danced between them with uncanny skill, evading each punch effortlessly. My barrage of bullets seemed relentless, but Norman countered by manipulating portals, redirecting the projectiles back toward me. However, with a flick of my wrist, I harnessed the power of wind magic, stopping the bullets mid-air.

Simultaneously, Miss Arianne faced a similar challenge, her arrows returning to her after each shot.

"Fighting him in marksmanship is getting us nowhere, Shredica," she said. "I guess it's time for us to shift gears and engage in close combat." A press of a button transformed her bow into a sleek metallic staff, and she charged at Norman, determination radiating from her gaze.

Norman, the Don of the Black Market, proved to be a formidable foe, skillfully defending against the relentless assault from both of them.

I glanced at Mr. Seria and Mr. Herks. Unfazed by the explosives, they readied their weapons, joining the confrontation. After a quick dust-off to rid themselves of clinging gunpowder, they entered the fray against Norman.

Holstering my pistol, I approached the battlefield bare-handed. The battle between the Silver Blades and the Don of the Black Market had commenced.