Ch 33: Reinforcement

Unmoved, he enjoyed the scene. He watched the battle that was unfolding before him… like an excited spectator who was at a gladiatorial arena, watching the show full of anticipation.

The Ascendants fought heroically against the shadows. Their presence was a stark contrast to the chaos that surrounded them—Fight for light against the darkness.

Yet, his gut was telling him that something was quite not good for the heroic team.

'Hmm'

Lucifer pondered, not that he was helping them to figure out things, he was just doing it for fun—he felt like he was undercover.

Lucifer, why but… couldn't shake the feeling that their arrival might only complicate matters even worse. The Shadows should not be underestimated, and the reinforcement involvement might only draw their full wrath, escalating the conflict to dangerous heights.

It was for sure, in the heroic team there was no one at the Peak-Level Earthbringer, while Shadows had one. Still, the Peak-Level shadow had not taken any action yet, which was good for them.

Lucifer was not madness Frick who only knew how to beat others, if he became calm and thought throughout the situation, he could figure out things. Well, it was just that sometimes, when he was madly angry, his mind could not process like it should have.

Watching the show and remained hidden, like a silent observer, his curiosity piqued by the unfolding events. There was something more to this attack—something that gnawed at the edges of his mind, urging him to dig deeper, to uncover the true motives of the Shadow faction.

But just as he was pondering, the world around him suddenly erupted into chaos.

BOOM!

A sudden explosion rocked the street below, transforming the night into a hellscape of fire, which made the devastating scene even more calamitous. The ground trembled violently, sending shockwaves that shattered windows and rattled the very foundations of nearby houses.

Thus, the burning houses started billowing thick black clouds of smoke into the sky.

The cries of people sounded like a haunting symphony of terror and despair. The hope that had just begun to rise was extinguished like a candle snuffed out by a gust of wind.

The aftermath of the blast scene was the most grotesque scene one might witness right now; bodies of common or Ascendant, hero or villain, all lay strewn across the pavement. Some were twisted and some were contorted in unnatural positions and others were mere shadows of their former selves—charred and unrecognizable like a lump of coal.

The remnants of clothing fluttered like tattered flags in the wind, while remnants of lives were abruptly cut short with just one explosion.

But, it was hard to tell that what thing they used as an explosion.

'Fuck!'

The rooftops where he was currently taking a resting place started to rattle with the shockwave. The night was momentarily illuminated by the brilliant flash of fire.

"Damn it, can't even take a rest heartily, why am I always caught up in this shit?" Lucifer cursed under his breath.

He then got up on his feet as he scanned through the area. The explosion had originated from none other than a nearby building, close to where he was standing right now.

Now the place was engulfed in flames and the sudden temperature started to rise, turning the cold night into a hot night.

The smoke was thick and suffocating.

Through the haze, Lucifer caught sight of a figure moving, their silhouette outlined against the flames.

'Who is this mouse now?'

Obviously, they were a member of the Shadow faction, their face obscured by a mask-like always. But there was something different about the person in lead—his aura and authority —more intense compared to other shadows, making him apart from the rest.

Lucifer's instincts screamed in warning—this was no ordinary assassin.

[Detected: Peak-Level Earthbringer]

'Oh… this mouse turned out as a wild cat shit… shall I follow?'

He was quite curious about what they were up to. Though it was an idiotic choice to follow them, he decided to follow them from far away.

'Well, they won't detect me right if I follow them from afar?' He thought smirking.

Reaching Low-Level Earthbring, his sight vision was also high compared to a regular man, so with a stealth art, he moved silently across the rooftops, his steps calculated and deliberate, a shadow among shadows, maintaining his distance from them. They were moving towards the west side now.

After reaching some point he stopped by one of the rooftops, crouching down, he began to observe the scene. The part of the western side of town was also now transformed into a battlefield, the reinforcement clashed with the Shadows in a brutal dance of death. Sparks flew as swords met, and the air crackled with different energies—they were Earthbringers who could utilize their core energies after all.

The very ground seemed to tremble beneath the weight of their conflict.

Lucifer couldn't help but relish the spectacle, his lips curling into a wry smile. The bloodshed, the destruction, the skill, the power they were displaying—it was a symphony of chaos, like a dark ballet that resonated with his twisted sense of enjoyment.

But amidst the turmoil, a new development caught his eye. A group of survivors, desperate and huddled together, stumbled upon an abandoned warehouse. They entered, their faces etched with fear and hope, seeking refuge from the violence that raged outside.

Unbeknownst to them, the warehouse was a trap—a carefully laid snare by the Shadows, designed to lure in the unwary and eliminate them with ruthless efficiency.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, a predatory glint sparking within them. The survivors were walking into a death trap, and if he didn't act, they would be slaughtered. But to intervene would be to risk exposure, to reveal himself to the Shadows and the Ascendants alike.

'Could I even win against the Peak-level Earthbringer? Am I dumb?'

He weighed his options, his mind racing. Was it worth the risk to save them? Or was it better to remain hidden, to continue observing the unfolding drama from the shadows?

In the end, Lucifer made his choice. He wasn't foolish enough to risk his life for strangers. He would remain hidden, a silent spectator to the tragedy about to unfold.

As the warehouse doors slammed shut behind the survivors, Lucifer settled back into his position, his gaze cold and detached. The screams that followed were a mere backdrop to the chaos, a part of the dark symphony that played out in the burning city of Lumiera.