Chapter 145 Black Christmas (IV)
Panic gripped the hallway as guests fled in terror for their lives. Several guards yelled, directing the panicked people to leave the mansion. Amidst the chaos, a couple clung to each other. Despite being protected by four large bodyguards, the woman was visibly trembling.
"Why is this happening? Why are they attacking us? Did we do something wrong?" Anna couldn't hold back her tears.
Steve bit his lip, trying to comfort his wife by holding her tighter. Today was supposed to be their son's birthday party, a joyful occasion.
The wife pulled away from her husband's embrace as a guard with sweat on his forehead approached them.
"Where are the children? Did you find them?" Anna asked with hope.
But the guard shook his head, fading the hope on Anna's face. She then returned to her husband's arms.
"Steve... What if something bad happens to them? What if the attackers harm our kids?" Anna sobbed into his chest.
"Calm down, Anna. Everything will be fine. Klaus and Joanna are powerful awakeners. No dungeon can stop them. These bad guys won't be able to harm them," Steve reassured his wife. However, his hands clenched silently.
Although every day they saw news about Klaus and Joanna's success in conquering dungeons, they couldn't rest easy when their kids were in danger. Steve and Anna were still parents after all.
As the couple worried, a red-haired woman in a black approached them. The guards intercepted her, but Anna gave her permission. She recognized who this woman was.
"You're Klaus's girlfriend, right? Is he okay?" Anna asked, gripping Sylvia's shoulders shakily.
"Don't worry. Klaus is fine. He sent me here to ensure your safety."
Hearing the news about her son, Anna smiled with relief, as did Steve. They could breathe a little easier.
"Where is he now?" Steve inquired.
"He's taking care of some things. But you don't need to worry. Klaus said he will make sure Joanna is safe. For now, you need to leave the mansion as quickly as possible."
Steve and Anna exchanged looks, silently communicating their thoughts. They nodded in agreement, indicating that they believe Sylvia.
"Alright. We will do as you say," Steve replied.
Sylvia smiled. "Good. Let's go!"
They joined the other guests in running towards the mansion's exit. One of the bodyguards ran ahead to lead the way, while Sylvia and the remaining four surrounded the couple.
As they ran down the hallway, there was a sudden explosion from the right side. Fortunately, Steve and Anna were unharmed, though shocked. Their guard were also okay.
"What was that?" Steve wondered to himself, and soon got his answer.
From the wall perforated by the explosion, a group of armed men dressed in black emerged from the dust. One of them, a man with short brown hair and a scar across his eye, drew closer to Steve and Anna.
Naturally, the guards took a defensive stance, protecting their employers from the terrorist group.
Holding a photo in his hand, the man with the scar looked at Steve and Anna, comparing their faces to the picture.
"Damn, my eyes are a bit blurry. Are you Steve and Anna Lee, the owners of this damn mansion?" the man asked.
"Run!" Sylvia exclaimed.
As she said, Steve and Anna quickly ran, but the terrorists opened fire, and one of the guards used his talent, turning his body into dirt and blocking the incoming bullets.
"This guy is a pain in the ass," muttered the scarred man, scratching the back of his head. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared and reappeared behind the guards.
Splat! Splat!
Blood splattered on the wall. The man killed two bodyguards by ripping out their hearts with his bare hands. He then licked his bloodied hands.
"Kyaaaaa!"
Anna screamed hysterically at the horrifying scene before her eyes, and Steve quickly hugged her to comfort her.
"Sir! You must leave quickly!" shouted one of the guards.
"Hehe, I won't let that happen," said the man with the scar in his eye, disappearing from view once again. But this time, he reappeared in front of Steve and Anna, terrifying them to the core.
Splat!
The man with the scarred eye widened his eyes, finding Sylvia blocking his attack.
A grin appeared on his face. "You're quick too, huh?"
The red-haired woman gritted her teeth. "Run! Now!"
The guards knew the words were directed at them. After nodding, they escorted the shocked Steve and Anna.
"What are you waiting for? Go after them!" The scarred man ordered his henchmen to chase their targets.
Now, only Sylvia and the mysterious man remained. They locked eyes, waiting for the other to make the first move.
In the dim light, Sylvia could clearly see her opponent's appearance. He moved at lightning speed, attacking her without warning. Sylvia launched quick punches and kicks, hitting her target and managing to avoid some counterattacks from Victor.
However, the man only laughed as he blocked her attacks. "Hahaha! Is that all you've got? Give me more!" He laughed loudly.
Sylvia remained composed. She focused on launching attacks.
"Oops! You missed! Hahaha!"
She continued her relentless assault. Sylvia patiently waited for her opponent to make a mistake. When she launched a punch towards his head, the man ducked while laughing. Realizing her opponent fell into her trap, she struck him with her knee.
Bam!
The man was pushed back a few steps. Fresh red blood flowed from his nose, and he seemed surprised.
"How was that? My knee felt nice, right?" mocked Sylvia.
Instead of getting angry, he laughed even harder. His ambiguous behavior puzzled Sylvia.
"Good. Good. You're not bad either," said the man. He rubbed his hand. "I'm Victor Malone. Who are you?"
The red-haired woman snorted. "I'm not giving my name to my enemy."
Victor sighed. He seemed disappointed with her answer. "Well, can't do anything about that. I'll..."
Bam!
Before he could finish his sentence, Sylvia unexpectedly punched him in the face. Unfortunately, he managed to block her hand.
"Impatient, aren't you?" he murmured with a smirk.
The battle continued, with Victor disappearing and reappearing suddenly in front of Sylvia, launching various attacks. However, Sylvia deftly avoided the strikes, using her agility to outmaneuver him.
She countered with quick attacks, trying to catch Victor off guard. However, Victor skillfully blocked Sylvia's assaults, showing that he was also a skilled fighter.
As they fought, Sylvia realized that her opponent had yet to use his true power.
"I need to change my tactics," she murmured.
As Victor casually blocked every incoming attack, Sylvia quickly generated a bright light from her hand. The intense light dazzled Victor as she stared straight into his eyes.
"What?" Victor mumbled.
BAM!
A powerful punch landed on his face. Victor tried to regain his balance but was pushed back. Sylvia didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. She used the element of surprise to launch a flurry of punches.
Bam! Bam! Bam! A series of punches struck Victor. One punch hit his chest, sending him flying into the wall.
"Hah, I'm just getting started. Don't tell me you're already give up," Sylvia said, smiling. She deliberately provoked her opponent, who was now measured within the ruins.
However, the smile didn't last long.
Laughter echoed through the hallway. Victor got up, covered in dust. His wounds on his face healed on their own. Bruises from the punches disappeared, and torn skin was covered.
At that moment, Sylvia realized that the opponent she faced wasn't an ordinary awakener.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Victor applauded as he drew close to her, but Sylvia instinctively took a step back.
"Because you managed to surprise me, as a reward, I'll get a little more serious," Victor said, smirking.
His black clothes tore apart. Victor grew larger, transforming into a terrifying creature with long black fur covering his body, and his eyes glowed red.
Sylvia was stunned as she witnessed his new form. The man had transformed into a werewolf.
"Hehe? Surprised, are you? I actually don't like this form. But this is the real me."
"Monster," muttered Sylvia.
"Nah, nah."
After saying that, Victor disappeared from sight.
With her eyes wide open, Sylvia swiftly turned her body and covered her head. And then, a powerful blow landed on her body.
Swoosh! Bam!
Sylvia was sent flying, her body crashing into the wall.
"Cough!"
Fresh blood spurted from her mouth. She suffered internal injuries from just one attack. At the same time, Victor, in his werewolf form, unleashed a thunderous roar that shook the mansion, showing that he would not show any mercy.
"Hehehe... I hope you don't die too quickly," Victor said.
However, this didn't mean the battle was over.
Suddenly, Sylvia emitted a green light. Mana surged in large quantities from her body, filling the entire hallway with a magical aura. The scattered debris transformed back into walls. The holes in the ceiling were sealed. Wall scratches vanished.
Then, Sylvia bathed in floating light. Bruises on her body disappeared, and the space around her distorted.
Seeing the phenomenon before him, Victor grinned. "So, you're hiding your trump card too, huh? Hm, interesting."
Sylvia didn't respond. Her face was serious, and her eyes focused sharply. This time, she would not hold back in this battle.