"Lorenzo is here!"
The shout was like a torch being lit in the dead of night, drawing all eyes to its source.
"Dammit, Lorenzo, hand over the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood!"
After a volley of arrows, Sam quickly reloaded under the cover of his subordinates while shouting angrily at Lorenzo.
Things had escalated to this point, and there was no room for holding back anymore; securing the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood was now the only priority.
"Lorenzo!"
On the other side, Schurz smashed a member of the Red Flame Gang to death with his cane. His face twisted viciously, his bloodshot eyes revealing a murderous frenzy as he led his thugs in a direct charge toward Lorenzo!
Regardless of who had originally sparked the grudges, once the chaos began, the allure of the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood had made Lorenzo the target of a faint yet persistent siege.
Even opportunistic strays unwilling to miss out joined in the fray, but what infuriated him most was that shadowy figure that had been hovering on the edge of his vision since moments ago, lurking around amidst the crowd.
In less than a minute, he’d taken several sneak attacks to the back of the head, even enduring despicable moves like groin kicks. If not for the incredible endurance of his magical armor, he would’ve certainly "lost something" crucial already!
"Goddammit!"
Lorenzo, on the verge of exploding with rage, shoved the metallic container in his hand into the arms of a loyal subordinate. "You hold onto this for now. I’m going to hunt down that underhanded scum!"
"Got it!" The subordinate grinned, baring his pearly white teeth.
Lorenzo felt an inexplicable twinge of uneasiness but dismissed it in the chaos, charging into the melee with a sword in hand!
The tide of battle quickly stabilized with Lorenzo’s overwhelming power added to the fray. Although he still hadn't located the elusive culprit, his sheer presence punched a clear path forward for his side.
Nearby, his subordinate kicked away a sneaky attacker and caught up to Lorenzo, panting as he asked, "Boss, what’s the next move?"
"The next move? Obviously, we make sure to protect the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood—"
Halfway through his sentence, Lorenzo suddenly stopped. His wide-open eyes locked onto his subordinate’s empty hands, his face going blank. "Where’s the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood?"
"The Ancient Dragon Heart Blood?" The subordinate looked bewildered. "Isn’t it with you?"
"Bullshit! I just handed it to you!" Lorenzo grabbed the subordinate by the collar, shaking him violently. Seeing the other’s innocent expression, realization dawned grimly on Lorenzo’s face.
"Shit... It’s a trap!"
Spinning around, he scanned the rippling crowd. Through the gaps, he caught sight of a slender figure wriggling away like a slippery eel. The figure yanked off a headscarf, revealing a pale face, and took off at full speed.
Fast. Absurdly fast.
"Stop right there!"
Lorenzo’s head buzzed as fury boiled over. He immediately abandoned everything else, pivoting to chase after the fleeing thief.
"Lorenzo! Where do you think you're going?!"
At that moment, Schurz rushed forward with his group of feral thugs, all stained with blood. Their eyes rolled with madness as they charged recklessly at Lorenzo without minding the disparity in strength.
"To hell with you—get out of my way!"
Blue light flared fiercely from his armor adorning Lorenzo's body, amplifying his speed and strength exponentially. With a powerful punch, he sent the attackers flying.
But just as he was about to push forward, an overwhelming sense of danger erupted. The sound of crossbows being cocked filled the air—Sam and his men had once again aimed their magical crossbows directly at him.
"Lorenzo, hand over the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood!"
"Dammit, I don’t have it anymore!" Lorenzo bellowed back. "It’s been stolen!"
"Do you really think I’d fall for such a ridiculous lie?" Sam sneered. "There’s no thief capable of snatching something from someone like you, not with your strength."
"I’d like to know where that bastard came from too! But the truth is, they’ve already run off with it!"
"A bald-faced lie like that? Save it for the devils in hell when you meet them!" Sam’s eyes narrowed in contempt, and he prepared to unleash a barrage of enchanted bolts.
"Shit!" Lorenzo clenched his fists in rage, so furious he nearly spat blood. Muttering under his breath, he said reluctantly, "I’m relying on you now."
In the next instant—
The air in the alley shifted chaotically, an unseen force slowly gathering. Beneath the cacophony of battle, a faint chant rose, culminating in a sudden explosion.
With a thunderous boom, everyone reflexively looked up.
A giant fireball leapt into the air, blazing as brightly as a small sun, instantly illuminating the entire street.
"Shit."
Looking dumbfounded at the fiery spectacle, Sam cursed, "Lorenzo, you goddamn bastard! You actually hired a mage? And would you really let them cast magic this flagrantly? Aren’t you afraid the city’s guards will swarm you?"
"Relax. I greased some palms—they’ll turn a blind eye," Lorenzo replied bitterly, wincing at the thought of the enormous price he’d have to pay to smooth things over later. But he didn’t dwell on it now. Pointing furiously, he shouted, "Look at what that person’s holding!"
In the light of the fireball, the fleeing figure had nowhere to hide. The metallic container they carried gleamed unmistakably, betraying its owner.
Everyone followed Lorenzo’s direction, locking onto the glimmering object. Slapping their thighs in frustration, they bellowed, "The Ancient Dragon Heart Blood really was stolen!"
No time to lament now.
With the sought-after prize escaping, any hesitation was out of the question. They had to chase after that!
The mob of thugs, minions, and mercenaries surged forward wildly once more. Their momentum, however, bottlenecked in the confined alleyway. As the rear ranks shoved forward, accidental injuries stacked up quickly. Bloodlust consumed them; with no patience for apologies, scuffles erupted instantly.
Chaos reigned. Blood sprayed.
By the time it was over, bodies already littered the ground.
"Stop this nonsense! Get your asses moving and chase that thief down!" Lorenzo yanked his own men from the turmoil and resumed pursuit of the elusive figure.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of his tactical position, Sam raised his crossbow, took aim, and fired a relentless volley.
Amid the dimming light of the fireball, the figure swayed momentarily, narrowly dodging the bolts. Then, like a rocket propelled by a miniature explosion, they shot forward with startling speed.
"Whoa! They’re crazy fast!"
"Can we track them?" Lorenzo growled under his breath, eyes fixed on the ever-diminishing silhouette.
The red haze of conjured blood threads trickled into the air, weaving faint trails that vanished into the gloom. Grinding his teeth, Lorenzo sheathed his blade, his face like stone.
"Chase them!"
The brief illumination faded to nothing. Night enveloped the scene even darker than before.
Chaos and madness refused to wane as the battle raged.
Dawn was still far away.
...
...
