"Oi…"
Thus, Kali rested her Mimicry E.G.O over her shoulder. Like the calm before a fierce storm, the explosion waited merely for that brief instant… Alberto quickly glanced at Da'at beside him, then turned back toward Kali, rapidly speaking up:
"Wait, I think—"
"No. You don't think anything."
But Alberto's words were instantly silenced by Kali's single curt response. Her Mimicry flew from her hand, hurtling forward, and in the blink of an eye, it was already at Alberto's throat.
At that very instant, Alberto's pupils shrank sharply.
He saw Death itself before him.
Would Kali, engulfed by fury, truly listen patiently to Alberto's full explanation?
Would Kali, consumed by rage, urgency, and anxiety… genuinely allow Alberto to finish speaking?
The answer seemed painfully obvious—No, Kali would not.
Right now, for Kali, there was only a single task at hand:
"Give Da'at… back to me!"
Lowering herself into a predatory stance, Kali lunged forward explosively, instantly crossing over half the battlefield to appear directly before Alberto. In a single, smooth movement, she grasped her Mimicry, raised it, and roared with fury.
Then, wrenching the blade upward from the ground amidst a violent spray of dirt and shattered stone, the crimson glow of her Mimicry flashed through the air, decisively ending everything.
With one stroke, Alberto's severed head fell from midair. Blood erupted from the clean, smooth wound.
Yet, as Kali once again raised her Mimicry, glancing around in all directions, she suddenly realized that Da'at—who moments ago had been standing by Alberto's side—had vanished, gone without a trace. She urgently scanned her surroundings, only to discover Da'at had somehow already moved into the midst of the Saluzzo Family forces.
Dammit, when exactly did she…?
Gritting her teeth, Kali raised her Mimicry again without hesitation—
—Then I'll just kill.
Until I get Da'at back.
Thus, her E.G.O manifested. A blood-red coat draped itself over Kali, and the single-eyed helmet appeared, emitting a sinister red glow.
Instantly, Kali dashed into the crowd of Saluzzo troops. Bodies quickly began piling up, lives harvested at terrifying speed…
At precisely this moment, T Corp. rapidly entered the battlefield from the sidelines, becoming the last faction to join this chaotic clash.
At the same time, they were very likely to gain the most from it.
Those who barely clung to life were swiftly spirited away by T Corp. Amid the rain of blood, T Corp. pulled many from the battlefield, as Kali finally reached Da'at's side. By then, the surrounding area had been completely cleared.
Partially releasing her E.G.O form, Kali's face emerged from beneath the helmet. She planted her Mimicry firmly in the ground, looked at Da'at, and her lips trembled faintly before slowly extending a hand.
"…Da'at?"
"Mm, I'm here."
Da'at's gentle reply followed immediately.
Upon hearing Da'at's voice, Kali finally released the breath she'd held. A rare, relieved smile appeared on her lips as Da'at approached her, softly grasping Kali's hand.
Kali's fingers briefly stiffened, then obediently allowed Da'at to hold onto her.
This simple gesture also caused the question Kali had prepared—to die quietly within her throat.
Those insignificant questions… can wait for later.
Kali silently decided.
Regardless, the important thing was that Da'at was safely back. Those mysteries could be resolved at another time. Right now, the priority was to take Da'at away from here quickly.
"Let's go."
Thinking this, Kali immediately took Da'at's hand firmly, speaking as she prepared to leave—but Da'at paused slightly, raised her head, and gently shook it in refusal.
"…Our mission here in Siracusa isn't completely over yet."
Da'at softly spoke these words, eyes fixed in one direction. Following her gaze, Kali turned her head and saw clearly the three figures still locked in fierce battle:
Zaaro, Little Red Riding Hooded Mercenary, and the Big and Will be Bad Wolf.
"…I don't really know what's going on here, but if beating all three of them down ends this entire mess, then that's simple enough."
Sighing lightly, Kali's gaze regained its former intensity. She cracked her knuckles loudly, lifted her Mimicry from the ground once more, then looked at Da'at and paused briefly in consideration.
"Wait here for me… Three minutes. I won't keep you waiting any longer than that."
Leaving these words behind, the Red Mist turned fiercely toward the remaining Saluzzo Family troops who had yet to flee, yelling harshly:
"What the hell are you still looking at? Scram already!"
Before she'd even finished shouting, the Saluzzo Family members scattered like frightened animals… But, unfortunately for them, their torment had only just begun.
Or rather… it was nowhere near finished yet.
As they ran halfway, T Corp. forces abruptly blocked their retreat. From afar, watching everything unfold through monitors, Hugh's lips curved upward slightly.
"As if we'd really let you escape that easily…"
Hugh murmured softly:
"The Saluzzo Family's destruction in this conflict won't be linked back to T Corp. at all. Then, why not conveniently reap some extra benefits along the way?"
As T Corp. cornered the surviving members of the Saluzzo Family, Kali's face once again became concealed beneath her E.G.O. Holding her Mimicry, she entered the three-way battlefield—
And promptly transformed the chaotic fight into a one-sided beating and desperate resistance.
After slamming Zaaro violently into the ground, Kali swung her greatsword horizontally, sending the Big and Will be Bad Wolf tumbling away. She followed up with rapid, ruthless thrusts, stabbing it into something resembling a large, round egg. Having dealt decisively with the Wolf, Kali turned sharply toward Little Red Riding Hooded Mercenary, who stood nearby with violent scarlet flames flaring wildly around her.
With absolute composure, Kali flicked her Mimicry lightly.
"…I already told you, I won't keep Da'at waiting."
She murmured softly, eyes calmly glancing toward Zaaro lying battered on the ground nearby. Then, slowly, she closed her eyes.
"In the next minute, I'll finish the rest of you."
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T/N: guys... theres only oine more chapter...