“Cough... Cough——”

Everything was covered by smoke. The concrete ground has shattered, and the fountain that was once there had crumpled into nothing but a pile of degrees with water leaking around it.

The twin was able to be shielded from the massive explosion, caught by Bahamut who withstood the blast with his barrier and his body.

He exhausted his magic from protecting the two, granting Violet's last wish.

He knew that Violet was reminded of the twin brothers she had before, who were killed by a man from an unknown organization and wanted to exact revenge by looking for him.

It was the sole reason she became a member, only to die before she could ever exact her revenge.

“——Bahamut! You're injured!”

Cian would be the first to notice Bahamut's state. His mouth and nose were bleeding, and his skin was pale. They were symptoms of Mana Deprivation that could lead to paralyzation, or worse, death.

“Geez. You guys act like her brothers...”

Bahamut would only smile at them, confusing both Cian and Magi who were supposed to be strangers to them.

“——Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck! What the hell did you bastards do?! SHE WAS EXPENSIVE!”

Running towards what was left of the Brainless that Jack had sent against Violet, he picked up the metal plates that were almost burnt out.

“She's gone, Jack'ole! You won.”

Despite being injured, Bahamut moved towards Jack'ole, beginning to search for Violet's remnants as well.

There was almost no chance that there would be any remains as there was a large crater at the point of explosion, leaving but a sizzling hot soil along with burnt metals around.

Flesh and bones would be disintegrated from that magic explosion, but there was one thing that Bahamut knew Violet would leave behind.

“Damned kid planned... You shouldn't have taken your life lightly...”

On the ground, there was but a small chip that glowed. The label was there but most of it was burned. He could only kneel and pick it up, reminiscent of the memories he had with her.

She was like a daughter to him, and they were always partners in crime.

“Just... what were you thinking?”

Violet had used the unstable Mana Stone in her gauntlet to create a Magic Explosion, which would disintegrate all living things around it.

However, metals such as Zinc can survive such explosions with ease. It was what the chip was made of.

“——You're still standing, aren't ya, Bahamut?! Don't worry, I'll make it quick!”

Bahamut didn't move a muscle, letting Jack'ole charge in with his weapon.

However, just as Jack came closer, two bullets would be fired simultaneously from behind Bahamut.

One had pierced Jack's head, and another pierced his heart.

“——Uagh!”

There was no time for Jack to react, and Bahamut could only be shocked by it.

The barriers placed within Jack's body were pierced. From those two bullet holes, Jack's corpse would begin to light on fire from the head, and his body became frozen in ice.

“You two...?”

Bahamut was ready to accept his fate and join Violet, but before he could stand up, Cian knelt.

“I'm sorry... we were too weak to protect you guys.”

Cian knew that it wasn't their job to protect them. It was just to deliver something.

Magi had taken the liberty to secure the suitcase, and with the money still being with them, the trade could still go on with Bahamut being the representative instead.

“What's the point...? I can't even face the boss like this anymore. I just lost... I just lost her. She was the rising rookie of the Violet Hex. That was supposed to be hers! I was supposed to make sure that she'll grow stronger so that she couldn't be killed!”

Bahamut only took off the tinted glasses he had, throwing them into the ground.

The twin would be taken aback as Bahamut reveals his eyes to be of different colors, with one being a bright hue of blue and the other that complimented it as gold.

His pupils were sharp, and just like the origins of his name, his eyes looked like a dragon's.

“Agh. I——”

But soon, darkness would begin to cover Bahamut's eyes.

His legs began to be limp, ad the burning sensations of his nerves would begin as if they were drying up.

Finally, his body snapped, losing consciousness.

“...Ack.”

**

“...So, were they successful?”

“We were able to eliminate one, but there was a variable that interfered.”

A man's voice would loom in from the dark, drinking from a golden chalice on a broken and concrete throne, asking the woman.

The woman who stood in front of the man spoke slowly, as if her voice had a weight, lazily sighing as she was filled with disappointment.

She was holding a crystal ball that recorded the whole event that happened in the Central Park. It was a portable magic recorder, a small eyeball-like device that would record everything from a remote distance.

On it, were images of not only Violet and Bahamut but also Magi and Cian wearing their masks.

“If these variables decided to leave, we could have been successfully able to eliminate everyone. Bahamut is still alive, and the Philosopher's Stone is still at their hands.”

The woman would take one step forward, into the only ray of light from the small rectangular hole that the ceiling had.

“Did you at least have your men attempt to take the stone?”

“——No. The explosion had gathered the attention of some Sentient Guards, attacking them while they are around would be suicide for my men. It was rather unfortunate but they had to retreat.”

The woman had sharp and long ears, clad in a black dress and light armor. She would only wear but a frown over her face, dissatisfied with the news that she had said herself.

Sentient Guards, despite being just golems, are metallic robots made to withstand SSS Grade Grants and Mages. It can also identify and copy the enemy's magic, nullifying it in the process.

They replaced most of the jobs of the police, with only a few human resources put into a dangerous task, and they were able to clear streets away from violence.

However, due to its recent discovery, there are only a few numbers of them left to operate on the surface.

They were more than just a threat to criminals, but they had been feared to be used to dominate the world of some people.

“Damned Sentient Guards. It's only a matter of time before they would create enough to cover the continent. If they do, they'd just play King!”

Throwing the chalice towards the corner of the small room. He grunted out of frustration, expressing his greater disappointment and anger.

“Klaus. They would begin investigating that soon enough. Although we expected them to get killed normally, Violet was dumb enough to erase anything that could lead to us.”

Hearing that, he would only stand up and take a few steps near the woman, facing her closely as he whispered.

He was extending his hand past her as if reaching for something.

His arm, instead of an organic flesh was made of black steel, riddled with wires inside, sparkling with lightning.

It was an artificial arm. Just as he extended his arm, it would wind up, as if instead of emitting electricity, it was attracting it, grabbing the golden chalice that he had thrown to the distance.

It was a magnet-like skill.

“Then, do something about it, Fae. Pin the blame to them. That way we can track them down and corner them.”

Giving her the golden chalice, Klaus would only lower his voice more, walking back to his throne after handing Fae the golden chalice.

His eyes only looked at her with great expectations, not wanting to fail again.

But despite that being mere pressure on the lady, she had treated it as an honor instead.

“Of course. That was what I had in mind.”

Placing the Magic Orb into the chalice, it was a perfect fit as it slid in without just the right amount of resistance.

She would carry it back as she turned her back, walking towards the door.

“The Black Skulls will remain on top.”

She whispered under her breath.