Chapter 961: Hidden Menace


    ?


    Erik and the others crouched behind an abandoned vehicle for cover. Shatterfist observed the situation.


    "They''re putting up a good fight," he said, referring to the attackers. Everyone understood that what the rebels were doing was way beyond anything they had ever done until now. "We need to reinforce the lines quickly before they''re overwhelmed."


    Brute Ape nodded in agreement.


    "Let''s move up and hit the rebels from the side. That should give the others some reprieve."


    "No," Erik said. He was already pumping his instability brain crystal power into the three to make them more likely to listen to him. He needed to be alone for what he was going to do. If the group attacked as a unit, it would be problematic.


    "Do not nk them; I''ve seen more rebel troops behind that building." Erik pointed in front of him. Of course he was lying; there were no other rebels there.


    "If you go, you will get ambushed."


    The instability brain crystal power''s effects must have been working because Missing Air nodded.


    "Thanks; I didn''t see that. If it wasn''t for you, we would have died."


    The woman didn''t even turn to look around. She didn''t care, as she just trusted Erik, or rather, Savage Blood.


    "Then what do you suggest?" Shatterfist asked.


    "We should go to the entrance and join the defensive line there. We''ll have a clear view of the situation from the front and can adjust our strategy based on how the rebels attack," he said.


    The effects of Erik''s instability power were already taking hold of the three because he could see from their tone and their posture that they were at ease with what the young man was saying.


    And with that, Shatterfist nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. Then, since there is no other alternative but to join the defensive line, we''ll do as you suggest."


    "We''ll hit them head-on!" Brute Ape said, while Missing Air also vocalized her agreement with a soft hum.


    "Let''s go then."


    The team made their way to the entrance, where the fighting was the most intense. ckguards were pouring mana,sers, and bullets into the rebel forces, trying to breach the defence line. Or better, make it look like they were having trouble doing it.


    There was no uncertainty in Erik''s mind about what was about to happen. The strength and speed of the Chimaeric Demons were unparalleled, making the breach of the defence line a foregone conclusion.


    The biggest challenge for the ckguards was the group of people wearing white clothes. They didn''t just stick out; they were simply unlike anyone else they had ever seen. Their fighting prowess could only bepared to them... the ckguards.


    These guys didn''t fight or do things like everyone else, even the way they moved was creepy. None of the ckguards'' offensive moves or strategic attempts to kill them worked at all.


    It was like they were trying to fight ghosts.


    Besides, they were using some weird brain crystal powers that allowed them to spew out some weird fireballs. The attacks weren''t that powerful, but fire was fire, and it was dangerous regardless.


    They often used it as a sneaky way to trick their enemies, making decoys to distract them and make them think something false. Their enemies would be caught off guard by this tactic, making them vulnerable. In many situations, this tactic led to their enemies meeting their end.


    Behind his mask, Erik grinned. His ruse was working, June''s n was too. Now, he only needed to enter unseen, and he would take care of Momentum.


    <If only I didn''t need to capture the mother fucker...>


    Indeed, if his only task was to kill him, he could have left during the night ande here alone to carry out the deed.


    Of course, things weren''t as simple. Erik was more often than not outside with the team. To leave wasn''t simple, and he would have to justify himself if he did.


    His Ben Fink persona was too important to risk because it was the only way he coulde into contact with the ckguards without having to carve a path among dead bodies.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Besides, the ckguards implemented many safety mechanisms to prevent shapeshifters from entering the organization. They knew Erik could shapeshift, so things were even moreplicated.


    But he was Erik Romano. He wasn''t so stupid to make a mistake that would give his identity


    away.


    A man started barking orders at the group, in particr at Shatterfist, the nominal leader of Erik''s team. But Erik wasn''t listening to what he was saying. He had more pressing matters to


    attend.


    <June, I''m here. Increase the aggressiveness. I need you to create chaos.>


    <Understood, master.>


    And that was exactly what happened.


    Erik watched as the rebels, led by the Chimaeric Demons, went into a ferocious frenzy.


    Their attacks on the ckguards'' defensive line intensified. What was funny was that they attacked mostly melee. The reason was that they still had little mana, as their brain crystals were still developing.


    But that unlucky coincidence made them even more terrifying. The Chimaeric Demons were as fast as Erik was when he made them, and he was quickpared to the average human. This meant they could avoid bullets, ranged attacks, andser rifles.


    Their Xeridon Anteris'' and Hais'' brain crystal powers made things even easier. But, of course, they had to be careful with their mana expenditure.


    Even after having killed a myriad of ckguards, there was still a speck of dust or blood on their white uniforms.


    And yet, they kept killing. As more and more ckguards arrived on the battlefield, more and more corpses piled up.


    Explosions erupted around the building as the ckguards struggled to repel the onught.


    The fuckers rallied and fought back, but there were only so many they could face at once. Blood and chaos reigned as the two sides shed in closebat. This was the worst thing that happened to the ckguards since their foundation.


    The ckguards, despite their training and preparations, found themselves in a situation they couldn''tprehend.


    Those rebels with the Chimaeric Demons were totally different from any enemy they''d faced. They had some crazy tactics, and they were super fast and strong.


    The jerks couldn''t figure out what was going on, couldn''t even n, because the attack carried out by the Chimaeric Demons was too intense.


    The defensive line was falling apart, and the ckguards started realizing they were losing.


    This wasn''t some minor issue, it was a major setback.


    Nope, this was a total disaster that might just mean they lose. Their faces went pale, not just from being tired, but from the overwhelming weight of this scary truth.


    They lost all motivation and started feeling scared, which was new to them.


    "The defensive line is copsing!"


    A ckguard said. It didn''t matter that more and more teams were arriving on the scene.


    <All of this is very theatrical.>


    The Chimaeric Demons then arrived right in front of the defensive lines. Then chaos erupted. Erik saw Missing Air being ripped apart by a clone, while Shatterfist followed a simr destiny soon after. Erik did not know where Brute Ape was, but he must have met a simr fate.


    Then one of the clones stepped forward. With a swift motion, he drove his foot into the massive boulder, obstructing the entrance.


    The impact was so immense that the boulder shattered instantly, breaking apart into countless fragments that scattered across the ground.


    As the dust settled, the clone stepped through the entrance. One by one, the other clones followed suit. Meanwhile, most of the clones remained outside, killing the ckguards like


    the maggots they were.


    <That''s my cue.>


    Erik activated his Phantom Veil''s brain crystal power and turned invisible. Nothing and no one


    was going to see him.


    He then slipped past the chaotic melee and went inside the building. There was no way Erik could leave the sounds of fighting behind, especially considering that the Chimaeric Demons were already inside and they were wreaking havoc. Death shadowed Erik like a faithful hound, trailing him through the chaos of battle.


    The man avoided a bolt aimed at one of the Chimaeric Demons. Since he was invisible and around him there was mayhem, he ended up on the firing line.


    He looked at the ckguards, who had just fired, with a shocked expression.


    <Fuck! Invisibility is not as good as it looks like!>


    Erik started searching around the building while invisible, moving at incredible speeds.


    His goal was to locate Momentum while the Chimaeric Demons eliminated all resistance.


    Then he had to call them, and make them abduct momentum, but that only after having killed every single ckguards in the area.


    He zoomed through hallways and rooms, taking in the sights of chaos and destruction around him. His clones were going all out, decimating any ckguards in their path. Blood and bodies littered the floors as the clones tore through defences with superhuman


    strength and speed.