Chapter 119: All it took
The battle exploded into complete madness.
There was no longer any distinction between ally and enemy. The temporary cooperation that had existed only moments before had completely dissolved, replaced by raw survival instinct. Every combatant now fought for themselves, and the Underground Auction descended into a merciless free-for-all where hesitation meant death.
In the middle of the chaos, the Boss disappeared.
FWOOOOM!!
He reappeared directly behind Champagne.
Too fast, far too fast.
Even with his Mystic Dragon Form enhancing every one of his senses, Champagne barely had enough time to realize someone was behind him before a gloved hand gently rested against his forehead.
The touch was almost... harmless.
For a fraction of a second then everything changed.
"...Cognitive Subjugation."
The Boss's voice slithered into Champagne's mind like poison.
"...Kneel."
Immediately, Champagne's vision twisted violently.
The burning battlefield melted into an endless sea of distorted colors. Voices echoed from every direction, growing louder and louder until they became impossible to distinguish. Memories mixed with hallucinations. Faces of old friends appeared only to rot away before his eyes, while whispers crawled through every corner of his consciousness.
'You're too weak...'
'You were never a hero...'
'You'll fail them all...'
His own thoughts began turning against him. His heartbeat became uneven. His muscles refused to respond.
THUD!
His knees buckled.
Around him, the world felt unbearably heavy, as though gravity itself had multiplied.
The Boss smiled.
"It doesn't matter how strong your body is..."
"...when your own mind betrays you."
Champagne's breathing became ragged as his dragon aura flickered violently.
For one terrifying moment...He almost fell.
Then—
"...GET..."
The dragon energy surrounding his body suddenly trembled.
"...OUT..."
The aura exploded brighter than before.
"...OF MY HEAD!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A violent eruption of greenish-blue dragon energy burst outward in every direction, sweeping away dust, debris, and even nearby enemies. The mental prison shattered like fragile glass as Champagne forced himself free through sheer determination.
Without wasting a single heartbeat, he lunged forward.
CRAAAAASH!!
His forehead smashed directly into the Boss's face.
The impact echoed like a cannon blast.
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
Both men were launched backward, crashing through floor after floor of the collapsing structure as reinforced concrete exploded around them.
Elsewhere, another terrifying battle had reached a frightening conclusion.
The King was adapting far faster than anyone expected. Every exchange, every dodge, every strike. His body analyzed everything.
Zachia dashed through drifting smoke, his katana flashing with deadly precision.
SHIIIIING!!
The first slash cut only empty air.
FWOOSH!
The King leaned back effortlessly.
A second slash swept toward his ribs.
SWOOSH!
He sidestepped.
A third strike descended from above.
SHWIING!
The King caught the blade between two glowing fingers.
His golden aura pulsed.
"...Your movements..."
His calm eyes studied Zachia with unsettling focus.
"...are becoming predictable."
Before Zachia could react—
BOOOOOOOOM!!
An amplified palm slammed into his chest.
The force detonated instantly.
SWOOSH!
CRASH!
Zachia rocketed downward like a missile, smashing through three consecutive floors before disappearing beneath mountains of broken concrete.
The King calmly lowered his hand. But he never got the chance to follow up.
SROOM!
A violent surge of purple energy erupted overhead.
The Boss descended from above like a meteor.
"Quit analyzing..."
Purple Savage Energy gathered around his arm.
"...AND DIE!!"
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
His attack crashed directly into the King's raised forearm.
Golden and violet energies exploded against one another, producing a shockwave so violent that the already unstable auction hall groaned in protest.
CRAAAASSHH!
Both monsters were hurled across the battlefield, carving enormous trenches through collapsed pillars before finally crashing into opposite sides of the chamber.
The Underground Auction had begun dying. Ceilings collapsed. Steel supports snapped apart.
BRRRMMM!
Entire sections of the structure folded inward as explosions echoed endlessly throughout the underground complex.
VROOOOOOM!
Fire spread through shattered corridors and smoke swallowed entire hallways.
Above ground, civilians poured into the streets, screaming as the district continued collapsing beneath their feet.
Champagne slid across a crumbling staircase, barely keeping his balance as another support beam gave way beneath him.
Chunks of burning concrete rained from above.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Zachia by the arm just as an enormous slab crashed into the spot where the swordsman had been lying.
BOOOOOOM!!
The staircase collapsed behind them.
Champagne pulled him clear.
"You alive?"
Zachia coughed violently, a stream of blood running from the corner of his mouth before he forced a tired smirk.
"...Unfortunately."
Champagne couldn't help letting out a short laugh.
Then...both men suddenly froze.
Their instincts screamed. They looked up simultaneously.
Two overwhelming auras were rushing toward them.
Fast.
The Boss.
The King.
Charging together.
Champagne blinked in disbelief.
"...Wait."
His eyebrows knitted together.
"They're teaming up again?!"
Zachia stared at the approaching monsters before letting out a long, exhausted sigh.
"...I hate rich people."
The two monsters descended upon them like twin meteors.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The battlefield disappeared beneath another earth-shattering explosion.
* * *
Everything...the betrayal. The free-for-all. The destruction of the Underground Auction. The battle between monsters.
It had all happened...Within a single minute.
Just one minute.
Sixty seconds.
That was all it had taken for one of the richest districts in the kingdom to descend into complete catastrophe.
The Underground Auction collapsed floor by floor. Towering pillars snapped like dry branches. Flames climbed through the shattered structure, consuming everything in their path.
Outside, terrified civilians flooded the streets while emergency sirens wailed without end.
The once-glorious symbol of Playmore's wealth had become nothing more than a burning grave. And standing calmly in the middle of the devastation... Was the Boss. He casually adjusted his sunglasses before brushing dust from the shoulder of his jean jacket.
Not a scratch. Not even a wrinkle. Around him, the battlefield told a different story.
Royal Guards.
Members of The Stars.
Elite bodyguards.
Savages.
The ground was littered with unconscious fighters and broken bodies.
Even the King himself had vanished beneath an enormous mountain of collapsed debris only moments earlier.
The Boss clicked his tongue.
"...Boring."
His voice carried effortlessly through the smoke.
Then he slowly raised one hand.
"Silver Moon."
Almost instantly Three shadows responded.
Mirage.
Shogun.
Baekho.
The three brothers vanished without a word.
FWOOOSH!!
Each shot off in a different direction across Playmore, moving across rooftops like black lightning.
The Boss smiled faintly.
"Carry out the plan."
Shogun headed toward the eastern side of the city.
His destination...The Political District.
The briefcase.
Behind him, nearly half of The Stars erupted into motion.
Hundreds of black-clothed Savages raced across rooftops, walls, and streets like an incoming storm.
Their target...Stimuleigh.
Meanwhile, Baekho raced toward the residential districts.
As he moved, specially designed containers dropped from his men onto roads, alleyways, and intersections.
The metal canisters burst open.
HISSSSSSS!!
Grotesque creatures crawled out.
At first glance...They looked human. Then, people noticed the glowing crimson eyes.
The unnaturally pulsating flesh. The twitching limbs. Their movements were faster, sharper, and more violent than ordinary Freakers.
But the true horror became clear only seconds later.
One scratch. One bite. One splash of infected blood.
That was all it took.
The corruption spread almost instantly. Victims began transforming within minutes. Their screams echoed through the city as Playmore's nightmare grew even worse.
Those very monsters were now heading straight toward Wei-Wan and his team.
The final Silver Moon brother Mirage disappeared toward the western outskirts.
Beyond the city stood Playmore's enormous hydroelectric dam.
Miles upon miles of reinforced pipelines carried enough water to sustain the entire kingdom.
Destroy the dam...And an unstoppable tsunami would swallow Playmore whole.
His mission was terrifyingly simple.
Flood the city.
The true invasion of Playmore...Had only just begun.
To be continued....