Allen stood atop the highest cooling tower on the edge of the abandoned industrial district, his crimson eyes calmly overlooking the chaotic battlefield below.
The wind howled, blowing his fringe, but it couldn't disperse the deep thoughts in his eyes.
Gouketsu's roar, Centipede Elder's shriek, the booming of explosions, the heroes' shouts... all sounds mingled together like noisy background static, yet they couldn't disturb him in the slightest.
The plan was proceeding step by step.
Gouketsu and Centipede Elder's frontal assault had attracted most of the Hero Association's attention, Black Sperm's underground forces were on standby, and Muzan and his demons were firmly positioned near the Association's higher-ups, like a sword hanging by a thread.
Everything was going smoothly, too smoothly.
But this was not his ultimate goal. Eliminating the Association's corruption was one objective, but more importantly... his gaze seemed to pierce through layers of ruins and fierce clashes, directed towards a more distant, more ethereal existence. He was sensing, searching, waiting for an ancient and powerful being far beyond the current battle.
God.
The chaos and energy fluctuations caused by this full-scale war, which he had orchestrated and which had engulfed both the heroes and the Monster, should have been enough to attract the attention of the God hidden in the shadows.
However, above the battlefield, Apart from the smoke and dust, besides the green glow of Telekinesis and the fiery trails of burning cannons, there was nothing; no abnormal spatial distortions, no anticipated prying eyes.
"Is it still not enough?" Allen murmured to himself. Was it because the weight of this war was not enough for It to appear? Or was Its attention drawn elsewhere? Or was his judgment wrong?
He frowned slightly, his mind beginning to calculate precisely, analyzing various possibilities.
Below, the battle seemed to have taken a new turn.
Under the strong restraint of Tornado's Telekinesis and the continuous fierce attacks of the S-Class Heroes, Centipede Elder's struggles clearly became increasingly weak. Its hard carapace extensively fractured, and green blood splattered like a waterfall, corroding the ground into pits. Its shrieks also carried clear pain and weakness.
Gouketsu's situation was equally grim.
Facing the encirclement of four top powerhouses—Bang, Atomic Samurai, Flash, and Superalloy Darkshine—at the same time, even with his astonishing defense and formidable regeneration, he was already covered in wounds.
Bang's Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist always precisely dismantled his power, Atomic Samurai's blade continuously cut at old wounds, Flash seized opportunities to target vital points, and Superalloy Darkshine directly bore the brunt of most of his impacts while delivering heavy counterattacks.
He was like a beast trapped in a quagmire, full of strength yet unable to effectively exert it; his defeat was already sealed.
The Monster army's morale visibly plummeted, their offensive grew increasingly weak, and small-scale collapses even began to appear, despite Hellfire Flame and Gale Wind still desperately urging them on.
The Hero Association, on the other hand, was greatly boosted in morale, and all battle lines intensified their output, attempting to resolve these two Dragon-Level executives in one go.
"Allen-sama!" Gouketsu, after taking a heavy punch from Superalloy Darkshine, staggered back, sending an anxious call through their mental link, "We can't hold on much longer!"
Allen's gaze withdrew from the empty sky, returning to the battlefield, his eyes still as calm as an ancient well.
"Hold on for ten more minutes," his command, clear and cold, reached Gouketsu and Black Sperm, who was waiting underground, through the mental link.
"In ten minutes, Black Sperm, proceed with the second plan. Target: the underground structure of the command center."
"Gouketsu, upon receiving the signal, you are permitted to break through with full force and gather at the designated location."
The order was given without the slightest hesitation.
"Yes! Allen-sama!" Black Sperm's countless small heads simultaneously showed excited smiles.
Gouketsu's heart tightened, but he dared not voice any objection: "Understood!"
Gouketsu gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain, and relayed Allen's order to Centipede Elder.
Centipede Elder let out an unwilling shriek, but its massive body stopped its futile struggles, instead concentrating energy on defense, enduring Tornado's Telekinesis restraints and the heroes' relentless bombardment.
Time passed by minute by minute.
On the battlefield, the heroes' offensive grew even fiercer.
Tornado let out a delicate cry, and the green Telekinesis light surged again. Dozens of massive reinforced concrete slabs were forcefully torn from the ground, smashing consecutively like meteors onto Centipede Elder's already severely damaged carapace.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each impact made Centipede Elder's body shake violently, with carapace fragments and green blood splattering everywhere.
Atomic Samurai's sword light was like a sudden storm, focused on cutting the same joint wound.
Flash's figure was like lightning, constantly pushing into the cracks of Centipede Elder's carapace, accurately stabbing kunai into the soft tissue beneath.
Bang and Superalloy Darkshine completely suppressed Gouketsu.
The Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist neutralized Gouketsu's every desperate counterattack, while Superalloy Darkshine's heavy fists continuously left new dents and the sound of bone fractures on Gouketsu's body.
"They're almost done for!" Child Emperor's voice rang out in the communication channel, with a hint of excitement, "Concentrate fire! Prioritize taking down Centipede Elder!"
More artillery fire and energy beams focused on Centipede Elder.
It let out a painful wail, its massive body convulsing, its attempt to burrow underground completely interrupted, leaving it to become a giant target.
Inside the command center, Sitch's tightly clenched fist slightly relaxed, a hint of joy appearing on his face: "Very good! Let's finish them off in one go!"
But a trace of doubt still lingered deep in his eyes. Allen had not appeared until now, which was too abnormal. He subconsciously looked at the screen on the main display showing the left flank; Muzan still stood there elegantly, as if enjoying a performance unrelated to him.
"Drive Knight, closely monitor Muzan and the others on the left flank, as well as the energy fluctuations underground. Don't relax for a moment!" Sitch ordered.
"Understood, there are no signs of large-scale movement underground for now," Drive Knight responded.
Deep underground, Black Sperm's countless split-off small heads were whispering.
"Five more minutes~"
"Those two big guys up there are screaming so miserably~"
"Lord Allen is really patient~"
Black Sperm's main body yawned lazily, and countless small heads simultaneously showed expressions of anticipation.
At the top of the cooling tower, Allen's gaze swept across the battlefield again, confirming that although Gouketsu and Centipede Elder were in a sorry state, with their tenacious vitality and regenerative abilities, they wouldn't be completely killed within the ten-minute limit.
His perception was like an invisible radar, meticulously scanning every inch of space around the battlefield, especially for abnormal energy points and spatial fluctuations.
However, apart from the chaotic energy flows generated by the battle, he still hadn't captured any unique aura or traces of interference belonging to God.
"Is the scale still not large enough? Or is It waiting for a more suitable time?" Allen mused inwardly, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly.
Time was up.
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