Chapter 233: Kezli Dons the Mask
"I had planned for us to sneak in after the crowd dispersed, but now John..." Mike watched John fighting on the stage, his implication clear: John had derailed the plan.
Matthew rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "So, are we just supposed to wait for John to finish?"
"Definitely. Lieutenant John is desperate to settle things with Kezli himself," Jenny said, watching John trade blows in the ring.
The Match
Both sides were giving their all—one driven by a thirst for revenge, the other by a simple desire to kill.
"Oh? You didn't bring that little girl along?" While fighting John, Kezli was distracted enough to use his Squid Ninjas to scan the audience.
John kicked Kezli back. "To deal with you, I'm more than enough on my own."
"I hope so." Kezli ignored all rules of sportsmanship, aiming all his attacks at John's lower body and vitals.
Bam! Kezli launched a side kick toward John's head. John raised both arms to block, barely stopping the impact. During their fight, Kezli's combat techniques seemed to improve in real-time.
"It looks like our Lieutenant John is reaching his limit," Kezli taunted. He noticed John's arms were trembling.
"You talk too much during a fight." John shook out his hands. Is the talent of a Shadow General really that important? Jenny, the Shadow-Eater General, had made it very clear: John didn't have much natural talent for this.
"Fair enough. It's time to end this." An arena employee handed Kezli a blade. Kezli swung the knife toward John's chest.
Shocked, John narrowly dodged the blade. "Classic Kezli. You really are despicable."
"Despicable? I call it efficiency." As Kezli spoke, the Squid Ninjas that made up the elastic ropes of the ring suddenly extended tentacles, pinning John's limbs.
The audience, who had been watching with rapt interest, were suddenly being driven out by gang members. This was no longer a normal match.
Watching the crowd leave, Jenny whispered a command to summon several small Shadow-Eaters to follow them. They were all bad people; she might as well "recycle" their shadows.
The Ring
"Ugh!" John struggled against the tentacles, staring at the approaching Kezli. "Kezli, I don't know why you're acting like a madman, but you were the one who summoned the Shadow Corps first!"
Snap! Two Razor Shadow Ninjas suddenly appeared behind John, their sharp talons severing the tentacles. The severed pieces fell to the floor, writhing like worms before dissolving into black smoke. The Squid Ninjas simply regrew their limbs instantly.
"I see. No wonder you had the courage to find me—you've awakened your Shadow Corps," Kezli chuckled. "But even if you have an army, you still can't play at my level."
Kezli swept his hand wide. Dozens of shadows pooled behind him, and Squid Ninjas emerged, glaring at John.
"I... I should be able to call more, right?" John said, his confidence wavering. He tried to summon more Razor Ninjas but found he couldn't bring out any more.
"You've just awakened; your numbers are limited. Didn't you even know that? Moron," Kezli mocked loudly.
"Even so, I can still beat you." The Razor Ninjas behind John sharpened their talons, unafraid of the numerically superior Flexible Shadow Corps.
"Hahahaha! You have two ninjas, and I have a hundred! How do you fight me?" Kezli roared.
"What if you add me to the mix?!" a crisp voice rang out.
Rumble! Massive shadows grew until they hit the ceiling. Five Shadow-Eater Ninjas, each ten meters tall, looked down at Kezli.
"So you all came," Kezli noted, realizing his henchmen were already unconscious on the floor. In the stands, three figures remained: Lieutenant Mike, Daredevil, and another Shadow General.
"Kezli, you're under arrest!" Mike pulled out a weapon from beneath his clothes.
"Believe me, you'll be getting the death penalty," Matthew said, pulling on his Daredevil mask.
Jenny leaped down first, a Shadow-Eater appearing right beneath her. She landed steadily on its head. Since this ninja was five meters tall, she was able to look down on Kezli.
"Well prepared. If you have the guts, come fight me in the Shadow Kingdom!" Kezli instantly vanished into the shadows. Staying here was unwise. He couldn't understand how this little girl had grown her Shadow-Eaters to such a massive size. His ninjas couldn't handle them; the best option was a duel in the Shadow Kingdom where armies were restricted.
"Just as expected. He's hiding in the Shadow Kingdom." Mike tried to attack, but the Squid Ninjas followed Kezli into the shadows one by one.
"Now, the real battle begins," John said, determined not to let Kezli escape again.
"Be careful, Jenny," Matthew whispered, walking to her side.
Jenny nodded. From here on, she couldn't rely on her ninjas; it would come down to the Generals themselves.
"Take these," Mike said, handing weapons to John and Jenny. Although the Shadow Corps were restricted inside, they could still bring physical weapons.
"Thanks, Captain," John said.
Jenny weighed the pistol-like weapon in her hand. She hadn't expected Mike to give her one.
"Hmph. If it weren't for the fact that you're the only ones who can enter the Shadow Kingdom to deal with him, I'd never give a weapon to a little girl," Mike said stubbornly.
"I'll take that as a 'thank you,' Lieutenant Mike," Jenny replied. She and John then entered the Shadow Kingdom.
Once they vanished, Mike and Matthew stood waiting, filled with worry—especially Matthew. Stay safe, he prayed silently.
The Shadow Kingdom
In this endless crimson void, Kezli sat on a chair, waiting for them.
"You have nowhere to run, Kezli. Surrender," John said, his eyes locked on him. The Shadow Kingdom could lead to any marked corner of the world; they couldn't let him slip away.
"Don't worry, I'm not running. This is the perfect place to settle our scores." Kezli looked up, his gaze becoming predatory.
Jenny felt a chill. The current Kezli felt... different.
"Let me show you what a true Shadow General looks like!" Kezli touched his tattoo. The ink flowed and materialized into a mask in his hand.
"Stop posturing!" John prepared to charge.
"Wait, Lieutenant John! It looks like he can already use the General's true power!" Jenny warned.
Kezli donned the mask. When he spoke, his voice was a dual-toned demonic echo. "You certainly understand the Shadow Generals better than John does!"
Kezli swung his arms, and his own limbs transformed into the lashing tentacles of a Squid Ninja.
"Run!"
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