Chapter 39 Chapter 39 You can try to use the unstoppable method on them...

The next second, the blade of the Great Caste wrapped in flames cut off the monster's claws, leaving a bright tail in the darkness; the severed claws turned into blood and splattered everywhere, and just as the monster showed signs of fear, the Eagle of Sujie, which was flying towards it, burst out with a captivating golden light and beheaded it neatly.

Suddenly, blood fell everywhere in the air, as if it were raining.

The lights went out completely. In the darkness, flames and golden light shone together.

"You know, when you told me this might involve magic," Red Hood pointed the Great Caste Blade at the pool of blood on the ground, where something seemed to be struggling to stand up again, "I was actually expecting Harry Potter, not Bloody Mary."

"You can try using the Unforgivable Curses on them," Elio said. "I promise I won't laugh."

Red Hood tutted loudly at his suggestion. A smile crossed Elio's face, then quickly vanished. The assassin carrying Suger's Eagle turned, and behind them, footsteps echoed down the hallway.

"That sounds like human footsteps." Red Hood stared at the monster that was gradually taking shape in front of him.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of them." Elio made a sword flower. "You have a pretty good sword, by the way."

The monster rose up. Red Hood, no longer waiting, raised his sword, "Yours too!"

At the same moment, the assassin ducked and lunged forward—the guards, charging around the corner, couldn't brake in time and were slammed into his blade. Flashlights fell to the ground, gunfire rang out, monsters howled, and Elio even heard Red Hood yell "Avada Kedavra."

The assassin couldn't help but laugh. The guard in front of him suddenly shook his gun in fear, and his flashlight illuminated the battle in the magical realm at the other end of the corridor.

"What is that?!" he cried.

"I was hoping you'd tell us," Elio said casually.

The assassin slashed him to the ground with a single blow of his sword, and the guard collapsed, his phone slipping from his pocket. The assassin, unnoticed, stepped on the gadget, and after a series of error messages, it automatically opened a music app and began playing a rhythmic tune.

As Red Hood and Elio were talking about "what is that thing" and "whose phone did I just step on", the phone sang softly, "'Between those revelry days, we prefer the whole night..."

The assassin punched the guard in the Adam's apple. Without a sound, the guard fell straight down, revealing more guards behind him, more gun barrels, and glaring flashlights. But without hesitation, the assassin continued forward.

"'We stoke the flames and dance on the embers...'"

Red Hood chopped the monster in the dark with great force, and the flying flames looked like a small meteor shower.

"'Between those sweet promises, there are tears rolling down the corners of my eyes...'"

The eagle of Sujie chopped off by the assassin flashed a blinding golden light. The guard who subconsciously blocked his vision paused for a moment and immediately fell into a coma and darkness.

"'The love in my heart has left some scars on me...'"

The clanging sounds of cold weapons colliding with hot weapons continued incessantly, and the French singing became more and more passionate, "'Dance! Dance! Dance! Let me tell you, my dance steps started because of you!'"

The assassin advanced through the narrow corridors without pause, just as the guards before him offered no resistance. The Suger Eagle, wielded by the descendants of the swordmaster Arno Dorian, cried out in high pitch, as if excited for the prospect of another bloodbath a century later. Swordsmanship was an art, a dance, and Elio perfectly embodied this blood-soaked splendor.

"'My love, let us dance and dance, circling each other!'"

The sound of swordsmen continued incessantly, and Su Jie's eagle flashed a brilliant golden light. The swift-footed assassin darted and twirled among the guards, as seamlessly as a fish swimming through the current, as if he was born to fight with swords.

"'Despite the dangers of this game, perhaps together we can triumph...'"

At the other end of the corridor, monsters slain by the Great Caste's blade crumbled and scattered, blood dripping. More monsters rose before Red Hood, but before they could howl in protest—air surged, a storm gathered—his sword whistled towards them!

"'But my love, we dance and dance, circling each other...'"

The final bullet pierced the phone. The music and the battle ended, the chopped monster falling to the ground, blood splattering. The lights came back on, and the Great Caste Blade, no longer sensing evil, returned to Red Hood's body.

He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the other end of the corridor. Elio was standing there with his head lowered, the sword in his hand raised to the chin of the last conscious guard.

“…Are you sure you know nothing about those monsters?” the assassin said.

"I swear!" The guard's horrified eyes flicked back and forth between the assassin and the approaching Red Hood. "I swear they never showed up!"

"Or maybe they did appear," Red Hood came over, "but the noise was too quiet and you didn't see it."

But the guard trembled and insisted that he had never seen anything here that was out of the ordinary, not in his entire life. The assassin had no choice but to accept the result and knocked him unconscious with the spine of his sword.

The guard didn't say a word and fainted in the sea of ​​blood and corpses at Elio's feet.

"Something's wrong." Elio put away his sword and turned to Red Hood and said, "Our informant didn't say there would be such a thing." He made a gesture to put the sword back into his waist - at least, it looked like that - but magically, Sujie's Eagle disappeared into thin air.

"If you ask me," Red Hood glanced at his waist but didn't ask any further questions, "I'm used to the constant surprises. It's part of life."

Elio wished he hadn't felt too deeply about that. But, alas, it did. Elio looked at Red Hood in silence for a final moment, then nodded.

"Let us go," said the assassin, "we are not far from the Ring."

Perhaps because the entire institute's guards were already lying at their feet, nothing could prevent them from reaching the deepest room. Flashes of golden light shone through the crack in the door. Elio was the first to kick it open, but when he saw the room inside, the assassin's expression changed immediately.

The high, shining golden light was being taken off by Mitchell and put on his wrinkled fingers.

"I thought they could hold you back for a while longer," the Templar said, throwing down the syringe he had just injected. "But it doesn't matter now."

Red Hood fired immediately, but even faster than him was the speed of the Ring responding to its master's call. Golden light rippled towards him, and all the bullets were deflected back; Elio quickly grabbed Red Hood's shoulders and threw him behind the workbench.

A burst of magical light swept through them, sending drafts and record papers flying overhead. Worse still, Red Hood found that the Blade of the Great Caste within him was trembling again. He pulled out his flaming sword, and sure enough, the roaring monster emerged from the shadows again.

It was clear they couldn't remain hidden here forever. To make matters worse, Mitchell's golden light and voice approached. The assassin and the vigilante exchanged a brief glance and quickly decided on a division of labor. Red Hood remained focused on the magically conjured monsters, buying the assassin an opening. Elio leaped in front of the Templar, then quickly vanished behind the next obstacle, drawing his attention away.

"Is this how you deal with me?" Mitchell asked loudly. "I was expecting more resistance, Elio. I've always thought of you as a smart guy."

"Seriously? Elio?" Red Hood yelled. "You know the reincarnation of Denethor?"

"He interned with my company, young man," Mitchell said, glancing over at the battle on Red Hood's side. "My son, Leopold, spoke highly of him."

Elio, who was leaning against the workbench and counting the ammunition, paused.

"I once had the same opinion of you as he did, Assassin," Mitchell said, looking for him. "A talented young man, Elio! I'm sorry you've chosen this path. You know, if these things hadn't happened, you might have already joined my company."

"And become part of your crime!" Elio cried. "I'm glad I didn't end up like that."

Mitchell immediately looked towards his hiding place. His magic power immediately poured over, but even faster than that, the assassin threw a flash bomb backwards - that of course couldn't have the slightest effect on the great magic ring, but it was enough to hurt Mitchell's mortal eyes.

The Templar cried out in pain, his attack forced to break. The assassin seized the opportunity, scrambled out from behind the workbench, and attacked Mitchell. But the cunning Templar, having heard the assassin's advance, raised a finger, creating a barrier. No matter how hard Elio swung his sword, he couldn't break the magical protection.

"…What a shame," Mitchell regained his vision, "you chose to go against us."

The assassin calmly retreated into the shadows. He was certain that Sujie's Eagle had damaged the barrier; he simply needed more time, more opportunities, which Mitchell, unable to find the assassin immediately, was providing him.

"Leopold has always admired his father," Elio said, not answering Mitchell's question. "I can see that he and his father have a deep relationship."

Mitchell raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

"He said his father raised him personally," Elio said, pulling out his next smoke bomb. "He said his father was the best role model for him growing up, personally teaching him what tolerance, kindness, and virtue are."

When the smoke bomb exploded, Mitchell closed his eyes, thinking he was prepared. But when he heard the smoke rising, he had already missed the best opportunity to attack the assassin. From the layers of blurry white fog, Elio emerged, his blade aimed at the Templar's throat.

"I really want to know if you are the person he said you are." He stared at Mitchell and said, "Or are you a monster corrupted by power?"

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Author's Note: *This chapter's soundtrack: Sharing the single "Et si c'était nous deux?" (If it were you and me at that time?) by Molière l'opéra urbain/Sha? na Pronzola/VIKE

**Unforgivable Curses: The three major spells in Harry Potter, including the Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra), the Cruciatus Curse and the Imperius Curse.

***Suger's Eagle: A legendary sword once wielded by Arno Dorian, it emits a powerful light upon attack, stunning its foes. Crafted in the mid-12th century by Suger, Abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Denis, based on knowledge gained from the Golden Apple, it is one of the Artifacts of Eden.

**** Denethor: From The Lord of the Rings, father of Boromir and Faramir, he was the twenty-sixth and final Steward of Gondor. He ascended the throne in 2984 of the Third Age, during the War of the Ring. For years, he battled the will of Sauron, his pride and despair growing simultaneously. Ultimately, during the Siege of Gondor, he collapsed in despair, succumbing to madness and self-immolating at Lasdinon.

ps I put Oreo's commissioned work in the character card, please enjoy it~ [star eyes][star eyes][star eyes]