[91] Too Strong

Inside the Nomad command tent, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Fürst, acting as the temporary leader, stared at the monitor with a mix of awe, anger, and caution on his face. Kaoru, clad in his majestic armor glowing with the red light of a curse, slowly walked toward the main base, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

"Who is he...?" Maisie, the cold-hearted vampire with an icy aura, asked while gazing at the screen. Her crimson eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a small smile. "He's mesmerizing. That cursed energy... it's so intriguing." There was a slight seductive tone in her voice, clearly delighted by the destruction Kaoru was causing.

Valentia, the dark elf, crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "You're always drawn to things that destroy, Maisie." Her voice was elegant and cold, but it was evident she was wary. "He's not someone we can take lightly. We need to be careful."

"Careful?" Kiryu Sabato, the mad scientist with his maniacal laughter, chuckled from the corner of the room. "There's nothing to worry about. He's just one person. We have an army full of weapons and powerful creatures here." His hands gestured wildly as he spoke, as if always concocting some devious scheme. "I'm more curious... what if we capture him and use him as an experiment?"

Fürst raised his hand, signaling for silence. "All of you... quiet!" His voice was firm and commanding, cutting through the escalating argument. His eyes were fixed on the screen, where Kaoru was drawing closer to the main base. "He wiped out our first wave in mere minutes. Don't underestimate him."

Maisie gave a faint smile, glancing at Fürst from the corner of her eye. "So, what's your plan, Fürst? You seem... nervous."

"Plan?" Fürst turned, his gaze hard. "My plan is to stall him for as long as possible. Edwin Black still needs time to fully awaken. If we can't stop him, we at least need to delay him."

Valentia stepped up to the command table, her expression full of conviction. "We need to deploy the remaining executives immediately. If not, he'll be here before we know it."

Kiryu grinned, "What if we just blow up the base now? The destructive elemental blast I've prepared... twice the strength of the Tsar bomb." There was a mad glint in his eye as he laughed. "It'll all end in one big explosion!"

"Don't be reckless!" Fürst cut him off again, this time his voice sharp. "We need Edwin Black fully revived. If we blow up this base, we destroy our chance for his full resurrection."

There was a brief silence in the tent. All eyes were on the screen as Kaoru continued his relentless approach. The Clarent sword he held glowed red, radiating an aura of destruction that only heightened the ominous atmosphere.

Maisie finally spoke again, her tone low but full of dark excitement. "In that case, let me face him first." She licked her lips in a disturbing manner. "I want to feel his energy... his cursed sword... and maybe, have a little fun before we all explode."

Fürst nodded slightly, but his face betrayed his unease. "Fine. But remember, we just need time. Don't die too quickly, Maisie."

"Oh, don't worry," Maisie replied with a sadistic grin. "I'll take my time... playing with him."

On the screen, Kaoru continued his steady march, ready to confront anyone who dared stand in his way.

Inside the tent, the atmosphere suddenly shifted when Edwin Black, in his childlike form, slightly moved his hand, pointing toward the screen. His normally expressionless face now showed a rare hint of fear. His glowing red eyes fixated intensely on Kaoru's approaching figure.

"D-don't... too strong, he is..." His voice was weak, but full of fear.

Everyone in the tent fell silent. They exchanged glances, shocked by the fact that Edwin Black, their master who had only just been revived with extraordinary power, was showing emotion for the first time. Even fear.

Fürst stood frozen, his fists clenched at his sides. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "He's... too strong?" he muttered softly, almost inaudibly. "Master... you're afraid?"

Maisie, usually full of arrogance, looked slightly shaken. She turned to Edwin Black, who sat on her lap. "Master... this is the first time you've shown emotion since your revival..." Her voice was filled with awe and a bit of fear. "But this person... even you consider him a threat?"

Kiryu Sabato laughed loudly, but this time, it sounded a bit uneasy. "Ha! Don't be ridiculous! This is just part of the revival process. Lord Edwin isn't fully stable yet!" He glanced nervously at Edwin, trying to dismiss the unsettling expression on his master's face. "Of course, we've reinforced him with the strongest materials, there's no way a knight with a cursed sword could—"

Before Kiryu could finish his sentence, Valentia cut him off with her icy voice. "You heard him, Kiryu. If Lord Edwin says he's dangerous, we can't underestimate him. Forget your arrogance." She moved closer to the screen, narrowing her eyes as she watched Kaoru draw nearer, the red aura around his sword growing stronger.

"He's getting closer," Valentia said in a calm voice, though her words carried a clear sense of worry. "We need to make a decision now."

Fürst, his breathing steady despite his chaotic thoughts, finally raised his hand again, trying to maintain control. "Lord Edwin, what do you command? Should we retreat or stand our ground?"

All eyes were now on Edwin Black, who still appeared as a small child, sitting quietly with a blank, yet slightly frightened expression in his eyes.

He took a slow breath, then spoke, this time in a calmer, yet still weak tone. "B-buy time... avoid him... if we can't stop him... just blow everything up."

Kiryu laughed nervously again, but this time it sounded more like he was trying to escape the fear gnawing at him. "Ha! Finally! I can blow everything up! The destructive element explosion will take him down with us!"

Maisie narrowed her eyes at Edwin. "Master, do you truly want to sacrifice all this just because of one person?"

Edwin only stared at Maisie coldly before turning his gaze back to the screen, where Kaoru continued his unstoppable march. "There's no choice... he'll destroy us all... if we don't."

Silence filled the command tent. All the executives exchanged glances, realizing just how serious the situation was. They were no longer in control.

Valentia finally nodded, turning to Fürst. "We prepare a retreat plan. But first, we try to stop him with everything we've got."

Fürst nodded, his expression turning cold and resolute. "We'll buy time... but if the situation worsens, we'll follow Lord Edwin's orders. Prepare the destructive bomb."

With that order, they began their preparations. Kaoru, who would soon reach the main base, was ready to face anyone who stood in his way. But inside the command tent, fear had begun to creep into the hearts of everyone there, including their strongest leaders.

The destruction to come was already in the air.