The conflict was brought to an end under Revy's overwhelming show of personal strength.
After all, Reunion was still a fledgling force on Terra. On one hand, the sheer number of infected in Ursus provided them with a sizable fighting force — or cannon fodder, more accurately. But on the other hand, the rapid expansion had led to wildly inconsistent leadership quality.
In Revy's opinion, Reunion only had two real threats: Talulah, and FrostNova, who had appeared before. Faust, under the right conditions and with a stealth ambush, might land a critical hit — but aside from that? Skullsmasher, the Conqueror, and even Mephisto, who'd shown up back in Chernobog, were nothing but second-rate.
To put it bluntly, their combat strength wouldn't be enough to take on a top-tier nation like Ursus, much less even a second-rate one like Sargon — who, if they put their minds to it, could crush them with ease.
Talulah wasn't stupid. Which made the fact that she'd rallied such a massive rebellion all the more suspicious.
Revy glanced at the bound Skullsmasher beside him, his expression one of frustration. The latter simply snorted and turned his head away.
"Just another kid who's been brainwashed…"
Revy wouldn't kill him — not just because Skullsmasher was Misha's younger brother, but also because even Amiya wouldn't allow it. But still, he needed to fix Alex's mindset soon. If left unchecked, this blind devotion to Talulah could lead him to do something truly dangerous.
Suddenly — Revy's instincts screamed.
It was a pure, primal sense of danger — a threat directly to his life. Despite being surrounded by seasoned operators from both Blacksteel and Penguin Logistics, Revy felt completely exposed.
Without hesitation, he leapt into the air.
An explosion erupted beneath his feet, followed by a rapid chain of blasts, as if the bombs had eyes and were chasing him mid-air. But Revy, weaving between them like a shadow, emerged completely unscathed.
The explosions faded.
"Still with the cheap tricks, W… Haven't you learned any other way to fight?"
A young Sarkaz woman stepped out of the shadows of a ruined building, her smile brimming with malice.
"Doesn't matter if it's cheap — if it kills, it's effective."
"You talk big, but I didn't see you try to tank your own bombs."
"You're not a tank, you're a coward!"
Gunfire followed her words. W's grenade launcher had a slow rate of fire, but every shot was deadly. Revy, in turn, drew two pistols from his scabbard-sheath and fired back with relentless precision.
"Big bro Revy!"
The Rhodes Island squad had recovered from the initial blast. Liskarm and Croissant raised their shields, Exusiai took aim with her rifle, and Amiya began preparing her arts as she moved toward Revy.
"No — protect Misha. Watch the prisoner!" Revy barked without looking back."This woman can't beat me. She's only making a scene to distract you — so she can get to Misha!"
"Good analysis— but what if it's more than that?"
W didn't look the slightest bit panicked at having her plan exposed. Instead, she snapped her fingers.
In response, numerous figures emerged from surrounding buildings, forming a half-circle around the Rhodes Island squad and slowly closing in.
"You really think a few more mercs will make a difference?"
Revy tilted his head slightly.
"Numbers mean nothing to me."
"Maybe. But I've got more than just numbers."
A smug gleam appeared in W's eyes. Revy didn't know what trick she was playing, but he instinctively scanned the surroundings with renewed caution.
Suddenly — one of the mercs began accelerating, moving at a completely different speed from the rest.
"…Wait. You're—?"
Surprise flashed across Revy's face.
"Take this!"
A masked Sarkaz mercenary drew a rainbow-colored longsword from their waist. In a fluid motion, they also unslung a massive black blade from their back. With both swords drawn, the sheer pressure of their strike sent a scorching wave roaring toward Revy.
"Tch."
Revy clicked his tongue in irritation and raised his scabbard like a shield.
The twin blades came down with terrifying heat. Rhodes Island's scabbard-sheath, painstakingly crafted from layered alloys, only held for less than a second before being cleaved straight in half.
Along with it, the two pistols that had been stored inside were also destroyed.
But—
The twin blades were stopped.
A single blade, held horizontally, blocked them both. Revy had reached into the scabbard just as it split open and grabbed the handle of Yukihime.
The white grip was clenched tight in his hand. With one swift motion, he turned the blade sideways, holding off both the rainbow-colored sword and the massive black cleaver.
Revy knew exactly who these blades belonged to.
"Swordmaster. I'm honestly surprised that someone as proud as you would join W's band of mercs."
The Swordmaster — an infamous Sarkaz duelist, known throughout Kazdel for his terrifying sword skills. His real name was unknown; even those familiar with him simply called him "Swordmaster."
Revy was no exception.
"Hah! That woman? She's not worthy of commanding me!"
The man lifted his head. His eyes gleamed with admiration, obsession — and a wild, uncontained excitement. But Revy knew it wasn't from sentiment — it was bloodlust.
This was the joy of finding a worthy opponent.
"I only joined her for one reason— because she told me you'd be here. That I could fight you!"
His face twisted into a crazed grin.
"Come! Fight me! Kill me! Prove your strength to me again ——Master!"