Chapter 7:
Chaos' Game
Distraught by the ambient madness, the folks were fluttering here and there. The place was loudly buzzing, Ling Zhen shooting on people even after landing on the central square. An unfortunate child strayed into the mob brought to a stop while sobbing, soon hustled by pedestrians. As he fell on the path, he barely rose up on his hands that a woman stepped on his fingers pulling him out a cry, followed by other random people hurrying to vacate the place.
While Kiseki and Lucy where running off the square, they suddenly stopped as they found themselves faced with Woodle. Standing in front of them, he stared at Lucy with arrogance.
“Into chaos finding its new kingdom
A whirlwind gathering the remaining ashes
They shaped into a bird full of wisdom
Black Phoenix!”
“Oh, you're already leaving? Didn't you wish to spend this so particular day with Asperian people, Mrs Merlish? Hmm, sure it may be kind of difficult when they actually want to ambush you.”
“What you did to them either to me is unforgivable. I swear to discard Asperia of all of you. You want to make me your enemy? Very well. But you'll live to regret it.”
Her sky blue eyes filled with determination, the mayor didn't look the other way for a single instant. She proudly stood in front of him while her husband immediately pointed his service firearm at the Players' leader.
“You are quite shameless to confront us as you do. Don't forget I am a police inspector. Make a single move and you're a dead man.”
“Heeh, you almost gave me chills, inspector.” Woodle replied, rubbing his shoulders whilst his arms crossed. Yet a peaceful smile had remained on his face.
Then he looked back at the mayor. His intention wasn't to assault her by himself. Not directly, not today. It would be premature. No, what he wanted was only to clear the situation and … maybe to make her worry a little bit.
“I've only said the main lines earlier about our motivation. Do you wonder why we especially target you?
“Villains like you always have nefarious reasons. I don't even need to know yours.”
“Enlightenment will arise from darkness
They will escape the delusion
Blessed by the moon, eager to make a mess
They will shed tears of malediction”
“Oh, really? Then I will save the surprise for later. Despite that, keep in mind that we know a lot about you.” he added with a suggestive voice.
The young fellow intended to step back but Kiseki instantly unlocked the trigger, ready to fire. Hence Woodle had to freeze. What didn't last long as all of a sudden a piece of construction literally fell between them, more flabby than such a concrete wall is expected to be.
“Come on leader! Don't deprive mayor's fans of her presence.”
Grasped with one hand against a low block missing a vertical part of it in its corner, he was holding a saber in its other hand. The Player with rusty and short hair.
“Thank you, Koff!”
“Into chaos finding its new kingdom
A whirlwind gathering the remaining ashes
They shaped into a bird full of wisdom
Black Phoenix!”
Taking advantage of the confusion, Woodle promptly flew away with him after he had slipped down the building. Koff seemed to encounter no difficulty in slaying whatever he wanted. He just put his blade into the wall to come down, this one sliding in it as a knife into butter. This was all thanks to his supernatural skill, Maleability.
“No problem.”
Without losing any more time, they regained discretely a manhole, getting off in the sewers. When Kiseki could finally get around debris, he didn't achieve to follow their lead.
“Accursed scoundrel…”
Meanwhile, the police squads struggled with the Player's holograms. The original Reisig, under his turtle form, was taking himself for a bowling ball. After landing with a crash on the road, policemen surrounded him with their vehicles. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to put him under arrest and he rushed into the police cars as if they were mere pins.
“Haru, do it faster big brother! The helicopter is heading there.” Marnie informed the Player with long colourless hair while he was running, the lassie sitting on his shoulders.
Jumping from roof to roof with a scandalous easiness, the arabesques he drew in the air made it rather resemble an elegant dance.
“Count it as done.”
While he was avoiding the machine gun fire surging from the cockpit, he spotted an opened window at the last floor of the adjacent building.
“Hold tight Marnie.”
At the moment she looked ahead of them Haru jumped into the vacuum aiming to pass through the window.
“Hiiiiiiiii!!” Marnie shouted, grasping closely the Player as they narrowly succeeded, vanishing in the building.
For her part, Ling was presently holding by his hair a young officer. She was caressing his throat with the edge of her gun whilst the victim gazed desperately at his coworker who held Silver Bullet at gunpoint.
“Let him go immediately!”
“Otherwise, what? You really think you're skilled enough to save anyone? No way…”
She would keep on playing with them if she didn't receive a notification on her connected watch, asking for retreat.
“Tchh…” she railed against the message before suddenly hurling the young officer on his partner. “You lucky bastard.”
The two policemen collapsing on the ground, Ling Zhen faded out.
Though the Players had leaved the stage for now, the whole Mobelius's Square was upside down and victims increased as if they were nothing but collateral damages.
***
“Kiseki. It is your duty to ensure such a mess won't happen again. You are Asperia's symbol of justice, don't deceive people's expectation.”
On road to her mansion, Lucy Merlish was contemplating the city glistening lights, her fingertips gently caressing the window.
“Yes, Madame.” he answered in an inexpressive tone.
Driving safely on the road, he didn't think more than necessary. The sole thing he had to do was, after all, to follow the orders. Anything else was superfluous.
However, though inspector Idonosoko remained a brilliant agent of the public order, could a man devoid of will compete dangerous criminals overflowing with determination?
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