At the Blackthorn Security Company.
As he headed to the reception, Klein's thoughts were racing with questions about about what had happened just half an hour ago.
Who told Aeron that there was something strange about me? He mentioned that "she certainly expected it" ... Apparently he did too... Aeron is anything but normal, so I highly doubt that anyone else he mentioned is...
Well... I still wonder why Aeron said those things
What is he? He called himself a Miracle Worker... Even if he helped me, I still don't know why or how.
It doesn't even make sense that he would deliberately want to talk to me... He even said that fate seemed interesting if he came here. He seemed like a charlatan, more so than usual...
Anyway, it's best to wait and see what he wants...
Suddenly, he began to hear illusory murmurs. These murmurs, instead of seeming harmful, were actually quite serene.
— The Fool...
— You are The Mysterious Ruler...
— You are The King of Yellow and Black...
Did the Tarot Club members attempt the ritual...?
Klein opened the door deep in thought and soon saw the captain with a poster that had the face of a young man.
Rozanne was listening attentively to Dunn's words, her brow even seemed to be slightly furrowed.
At that moment, Dunn turned to Klein.
— A dangerous man entered Tingen these days. His name is Tris, who is suspected of being the main culprit of the Alfalfa massacre.
Klein recalled the story of the Alfalfa massacre. It was not strange that Tris had already been identified after Joyce's suspicions about him.
— I was with one of the main witnesses this morning. Joyce Meyer, he cast his suspicions on Tris as well. — Klein said as he stared at the poster. — Tris was also seen at the Evil Dragon Bar a few days ago.
— I know. Your name ended up appearing in his dreams. — Dunn nodded calmly before continuing:
— We'll have a search mission for Tris together with the Machinery Collective Mind and the Order Hunters now and they have other Beyonders specialized in tracking, so you can go home.
Uh... Letting me go early? Well, I guess I can finally deliver those amulets I made to Melissa and Benson. They were built specifically with spirituality and were made above the gray mist so they should be good... — Klein headed towards a specific area outside Black's security company, the Rose Street.
As soon as he arrived, he noticed a very familiar person.
Loose black hair, a face covered in an enigmatic air and blue eyes seemed so dark that they resembled the bottom of a lake on a moonless night.
She was wearing a blue and black overcoat with some silver details as well as other layers of clothing that had various details. Her pants seemed a little loose and her boots were black leather.
Adhara, the woman he had met when Dunn and Leonard had taken him to the Midnight Church.
Klein suspected that she probably knew about the Beyonder world from the things she had said before and could even be a Beyonder. Adhara was also friends with Daly Simone, which was strange in itself.
The woman noticed him at the same moment.
— Young Moretti. I see that you managed to overcome the difficulties you had last time. Daly had said that your case was quite complicated. Well, it is not easy for others to come across a new perspective of the world. — She spoke calmly. Her thoughts could not be discovered behind her somewhat serene face.
— That day was a bit confusing, but I managed to adjust. — Klein replied politely.
— Very good, I'm glad you were able to move on... — The two stopped talking as soon as a young woman stopped in front of them.
Her naturally curly brown hair and her face looked quite adorable. She stared at them with her light blue eyes reflecting the light.
She wore a light yellow lace dress and a veiled hat with a ribbon.
A shiver ran down Klein's spine, who found her very strange for some reason.
— Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt the conversation... Do you know which way Howes Street is? I'm just a little lost... — The young woman, at least fifteen years old, made a confused expression.
— Howes Street is on the right. — Klein replied only out of politeness, after all, it seemed like a bell was ringing in warning, making him suspicious.
— Thank you very much. — The girl thanked him, taking two steps forward before starting to cough a few times.
She seemed to swallow her own discomfort.
— Are you okay? — Adhara asked in a calm tone. Her eyes seemed cloudier than before.
— Yes, I just caught a cold. — the young woman replied with a gentle smile before crossing the street.
When Klein touched one of his fingers and activated his spiritual vision, a carriage passed in front of his vision.
That girl had already left.
— My brothers are waiting. Have a good night, Miss Adhara. — Klein said goodbye politely.
— Return to your home safely. — Adhara said goodbye before continuing on her way to another street.
As soon as he returned home, Klein found Melissa sitting on the kitchen table doing her homework in front of a lantern.
— Where is Benson? — he remembered that his brother should be here at night.
— He's taking a bath. He's been everywhere today, so it was very sunny. — Melissa answered simply.
Klein looked at her, he thought he saw something different.
Melissa's dress was all beige this time. It had fashionable ruffles. The collar and edges of the blouse had thin ruffles.
— New dress? — Klein asked with a smile. He and Benson had insisted that she buy something for herself.
— I got it from Miss Rochelle. — she said.
Isn't she our former neighbor? — Klein was surprised to hear her name.
Melissa was quick to explain herself:
— She was very unlucky. A great seamstress who gave me half the price that others would charge like Harrods Department Store! She lost her home due to the premature death of her eldest daughter who provided much of the family's income. She worked in a candle factory, apparently had a heart attack on the way to work. A shame, she was a very kind young lady.
I understand that she did it out of pity… But there's nothing wrong with shopping at department stores. — Klein added in his heart.
After some small talk, Klein left the amulet beside her as she returned to her studies and found Benson sitting in the living room looking a little tired.
— How was it? Did you compliment her dress? — Benson asked with an excited look.
— Uh… I guess I forgot. — he apologized.
— She didn't put the dress down when she picked it up. She kept walking around with it and put it on immediately after taking a shower. — Benson laughed.
That's the kind of person Melissa is… She finally bought something for herself after so long… There's nothing wrong with wanting to buy things for yourself… — Klein gave a gentle smile unconsciously, like an older brother.
At that moment, Klein heard some knocking downstairs.
— Who's downstairs? — he asked. It could just be the neighbor, but he was asleep at this hour.
— It's Bitsch Mountbatten, the police officer for this area. He was putting up some posters of an eighteen-year-old or older with a round face around. He said the reward was generous. — Benson seemed a little lost on the subject. He didn't even know who the young man was, after all. — Did you see anything?
— No. — Klein already had an idea of what had happened.
The mission to capture the Instigator Tris in the Iron Cross Street area had failed, so the police were putting up posters looking for him.
That night, he was afraid that Tris might hide in his house or cause another massacre in that area.
With the crimson moonlight streaming through the curtain, his dreams were dazzling and strange. Even though he couldn't really sleep like usual.
...
In the Northern Borough, in an underground area of his own house, Solveig was dismantling a ritual altar. Her normally calm expression was now too thoughtful.
As he blew out the candles, he couldn't help but notice the details in that honorific name.
It doesn't belong to this era...
Young Sun spoke more or less about the other honorific name, even though he didn't remember much. His domain is about concealment and...
Well, I must wait until Mr. Fool says or gives hints... I can't be reckless and I mustn't disrespect him!
Uh... I wonder if it's connected to the Dark Ages...
...
Sea Sônia
After performing the ritual, Alger sat at his desk in the captain's cabin. In front of him there was still a lantern that illuminated him, reflecting in his blue eyes.
He took a deep breath.
Second Age... What is His connection to ancient history...?
In his deep reverie, the light suddenly went out.
...
Klein saw Rozanne behind the counter as soon as he entered the Blackthorn security company.
— Did yesterday's operation fail? — he asked almost certain of the answer.
— Yes! — Rozanne nodded, seeming to have heard everything about the matter.
— An informant from the Church of Storms was passing by the street when he recognized Tris. He managed to inform a member of the Mandatory Punishers that they had set up an ambush. However, the Intigator seemed to notice the siege and quickly left for another place. — she said without hiding her curiosity about the case.
— The captain had said before that Tris must have some connection with the Demonia Sect or one of the branches of the Order of the Hermit of Destiny.
Uh... I remember that in one of the documents that Old Neil made me read there was information about that... — Klein thought calmly.
— By the way, he remembered to say that all Nighthawks must go underground. Specifically the rest area. — Rozanne warned as she pulled the newspaper from the counter.
When he arrived at the underground rest room by the Cathedral of Saint Selena, Klein Sekka Tron seemed very thoughtful.
— Good afternoon, what's going on? — he asked a little confused.
Dunn was making some robotic movements by bending his arm and extending it, as were Leonard and Royalle.
— Training for the arrival of a Sealed Artifact. You'll probably participate since they put you on the mission. — Sekka replied with an expressionless look.
This looks like a robot dance... Klein almost frowned. Dunn suddenly approached Klein with a stern look.
— Sealed Artifact 2-049 is coming. In case something goes wrong and we need backup, everyone better train. Do these movements and don't stop.
As Klein joined in the strange dance, Dunn Smith added,
— If your arm gets tired, use the other one. Remember to never stop, it's for your own safety! —
2-049? It's a Grade 2 Sealed Artifact... An extremely dangerous... — Klein contained his curiosity in his mind.
After some time of waiting, Klein, Dunn, and Leonard ended up at the Chanis Gate, where the Guardians let them pass.
There were three more people that Klein had never seen before.
One of them was a man who seemed very calm, but impassive. There was a black-haired woman with an appraising look, as if she was reading Klein and Leonard at the same time, and the latter was a man who looked at everyone like an eagle.
There was a chest above a table that had a beautiful crimson moon carved into it. This symbol seemed more like a containment for what was inside.
The trembling chest from which came knocking and murmurs, apparently screams of horror.
Tum! Thum! Thum!
— A living Sealed Artifact? — Klein asked confused.
— 2-049 usually gets quite agitated when someone from the Antigonus family is present, even if it's just the smell. His powers increase and even his ability as well. You should be able to understand. — Lorotta explained without much detail.
What? I don't... — Klein almost frowned.
— However, I don't know why he's screaming. — Aiur Harson finished. In his robotic dance, the only thing that gave away his confusion at this question was his gaze towards 2-049.
Aiur Harson was quick to throw the mechanical switch to spiritually restrain the chest.
At that moment, Dunn pointed to Klein and introduced him:
— Klein Moretti, Seer. He has a miraculous connection to the Antigonus family notebook.
He turned to Leonard.
— Midnight Poet.
After that, he pointed to each of Backlund's Nighthawks respectively, only introducing them quickly.
— Everything about the mission is confidential, in fact, not even who is participating has been said. I only found out about it together with you because of the captain. — Leonard spoke nonchalantly with his frivolous manner.
Klein had no doubt that he would lean against the wall if this place wasn't the Chanis Gate.
— Actually, someone else had told me before. — Klein replied. His expression seemed a little thoughtful.
What would the Sealed Artifact 2-049 be? — since all the Nighthawks said nothing, the only thing Klein could do was wait.
On the trip to the carriage, the artifact ended up influencing Dunn and Lorotta respectively.
The driver was Leonard, after all Cesare of the civilian members was not a Beyonder and would probably get hurt.
Klein stood beside Dunn, while Lorotta, Borgia, and Aiur Harson stood on the other side. Aiur Harson's eyes were cloudy.
His arms and legs were like those of a doll that had lost its oil.
Lorotta pushed him, thus making him regain his senses.
Borgia looked at Klein. His gaze seemed impassive and reflected the dark glow coming from the carriage windows.
— You joined the Nighthawks because of that incident with the Antigonus family notebook, didn't you? — he asked, looking stern.
— Yes. — Klein answered calmly.
— I was there that day. They said that that Beyonder from the Secret Order was corrupted for some ulterior motive. Even Mr. Dunn Smith was injured. How were you doing well? — Ask Aeron that... Klein answered mentally in his heart.
— I don't know. — he admitted.
— I understand that it may seem strange, but your grace, Crestet Cesmirir, has stated that there is nothing wrong with Klein Moretti. — Dunn calmly intervened.
— Alright. — Lorotta and Aiur Harson simply nodded in agreement while Borgia looked skeptical.
— I do not doubt your grace's honor, but even you cannot disagree that it is strange. The things you saw seemed to have destroyed your mind at that moment, I have never seen you so disconcerted and out of touch with reality, you looked like a corpse. — Borgia replied in an impassive tone — That boy should be locked behind the Chanis Gate in the Holy Cathedral until we know for sure, he almost drove you mad.
Hey, I am not a living Sealed Artifact. Besides, aren't you blaspheming against the Goddess? Considering that Crestet Cesmirir was using Her sacred artifact, it is impossible for there to be any wrong judgment. — Klein thought in his mind.
— Mr. Borgia, I don't know what led me to that situation. I don't know why I tried to take my life, what happened in that dream or about the notebook, so I can't defend myself. But since Your Holiness tested me personally and confirmed that there was nothing wrong, I trust in the judgment of your grace. — he replied politely.
If Borgia wanted to argue or raise more doubts in the others, he was ready to retort with all the arguments possible and his vast experience in the era of information explosion.
— Even our high command and that of the Order Hunters, who were investigating this case together, said that this was a matter in which we had no say and should not spy either. — Aiur Harson paused for a moment as if remembering something. — Borgia, I agree with your point, Mr. Moretti's case is very bizarre and I understand Mr. Moretti's words. But even if your grace or others forgive you for discovering something, the Order Hunters are not usually so understanding. They can accuse you of heresy or treason if you go out trying to find out things like that, and the high command trusts them, they would not spare you.
— You are right, most of the ones I met are very different from each other. They are still the military alongside the Churches, following their distorted and confusing "orders." — Lorotta laughed heartily.
At that moment, the box began to shake uncontrollably, diverting everyone's attention.
Borgia seemed to go numb, his movements starting to falter as if they were completely rigid.
Klein, on the other hand, began to partially see threads above him. These threads covered in a thin layer of gray mist connected above him seemed to be standing still unconsciously.
However, other black threads coming from the box tried to break through his own control. Even trying, they were unable to permeate his influence.
Is this the influence of 2-049?
Aiur pushed Borgia, who seemed to regain the almost non-existent sparkle in his eyes.
As soon as they were further away from the cathedral, Aiur Harson looked out the window to check that there were no passersby within a five-meter radius and pulled out the mechanical switch to release the spiritual restraints of the chest.
Tum! Thum! Thum!
Amidst violent and nervous screams, the noise of the knocks grew louder. Something indiscernible was trapped inside the trunk.
— We can confirm that Ray Bieber is an Antigonus. — Lorotta said thoughtfully. She seemed to grow more cautious, as if she was looking around suspiciously.
Klein looked on with a bit of fear, almost holding his breath. His robotic movements never stopped.
Creak!
With a thud, the trunk shattered on the ground.
A slender brown arm extended out, its length probably about the length of a little finger.
As the two long arms slowly came out, Klein could see their clear joints with a brown cloth stained with oil on the elbows and thin fingers.
Crawling out completely with his arms completely stiff, his face painted in clown colors—blue and red— appeared.
Turning his head, he turned to stare at Klein with a blank stare, with a black liquid like oil dripping from the gaps.
His indescribable smile widened, trembling.At the distorted, oscillating smile that showed the doll's dark, empty mouth, Klein felt all the hairs on his body stand on end with a lingering fear in his heart.
In its empty gaze, there even seemed to be some kind of indiscernible recognition.
2-049 quickly looked away as if he was avoiding a terrible plague.
He violently slammed his head against the ground repeatedly, leaving a trail of dark oil on the walls and floor of the carriage.
— He must have gone berserk. — Lorotta said, her voice sounding a little uncertain.
— Berse... berserk... — Dunn spoke very slowly in a whisper, almost his voice was lost.
His joints seemed to be firmly glued together with a strong glue.
Aiur Harson began to lose his movements. A thick fog seemed to envelop his eyes in confusion.
Klein pushed Dunn away while Lorotta gave Aiur Harson a blow, who quickly regained his senses.
Borgia couldn't help but look at Klein, the only one who hadn't fallen into a confused state and when he apparently ended up being influenced, he only seemed calmer and didn't even need to be pushed to return to normal.
— He seems to be getting stronger. — Klein said in a calm tone.
— He's very agitated, but that's normal. — Aiur Harson said, keeping his cool.
Lorotta laughed.
— He seems to like you? Well, maybe that's because of the strange influence inside his mind. It's not necessarily bad in any case.
Toc.
Toc, toc.
Leonard knocked on the window a few times, informing them that they had already passed close to the Bieber brothers' house.
As Klein looked out the window, he could see a government symbol on the door of the house that indicated that only members of the police, military or strictly authorized people could enter.
This vision quickly passed, with other different buildings appearing as the carriage moved.
The doll stood up with its joints visible, it crawled to the other side of the carriage almost walking as if a machine had lost its lubrication.
He began to slowly stagger toward the other side, but when he got even a little closer, he didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, just continuing in a fixed direction on the other side of the carriage.
His gaze remained fixed on the wall as he began to forcefully punch his head with his thin hands again.
He didn't seem to have any interest in turning back. Suddenly, Klein began to see the blurred threads again on the puppet that was still beating itself against the ground.
Uh… Is this the effect of 2-049… Does it assimilate the living beings it controls with the threads? Isn't that like a puppet?
Does the Seer pathway have such power? If 2-049 really managed to control Dunn or any of the other Nighthawks, would they turn into puppets, like the Barbie doll?
Is it because of the space above the gray mist that I can see this?
He didn't try to touch the wires, apprehensive that it might cause some kind of strange and unthinkable effect.
Dunn pushed Aiur Harson, who almost went completely limp for a moment.
— That way! — Aiur Harson bent his arm as he pointed out to Leonard where 2-049 was unconsciously heading.
Since he had already passed the building, Leonard turned around and continued on his way gradually as the doll walked to the edge of the carriage and was pulled by Aiur Harson, restarting the process. Each time, 2-049 affected those around it.
Seeing this, Klein almost burst out laughing.
Uh... As I recall, 2-049 was raised by the Antigonus family... Is this a feat of loyalty or the perfect example of how to screw up? — he quipped, his tension quickly disappearing.
They passed through that area quickly, heading towards the port, where the warehouses were grouped together.
There was a huge warehouse with a wooden roof and on the other side a relatively medium-sized warehouse, forming almost a huge dead end with an entrance to the two abandoned warehouses.
The huge wooden crates seemed to be piled up everywhere.
Aiur Harson bent down while still moving his arms. With great difficulty, he injected his spirituality and activated the star and crimson symbols.
— Let's get down here. — Dunn said as Leonard tied the horse in a corner.
Everyone in suits walked in sync in a strange way, giving a comical tone of ridicule to that tense situation.
The closer they got, the more apprehensive Klein became with the growing doubt in his heart.
No one knew what effect the notebook had had on Ray Bieber!
Even though he wasn't sure if it had been the notebook or the gray mist that had influenced him, he bet it was the second option and his vision of the peak of the Hornacis mountain range had been caused by the first.
— Klein, guess if there's any danger in the warehouse. It would be better if you said approximately the level. — Dunn said. His gray eyes showed neither despair nor fear, only calm.
— Okay. — He took his topaz pendulum from his pocket and began to mutter the divination to himself.
— There is danger in the warehouse.
— There is danger in the warehouse...
After a few times, the pendulum began to spin rapidly clockwise until Klein picked it up again.
— There is danger, a lot of danger. — He stated with certainty.
Leonard turned around with a frivolous look, but amidst his normal behavior there was a bit of an indiscernible feeling.
— Also guess if there is danger around. — He asked, breaking his silence.
Dunn agreed:
— Yes. Even if the Secret Order has given up on going after you after the failed attempts, I fear they haven't given up on going after Ray Bieber. They may have placed trackers or observers around us. Furthermore, the Order of Mysteries may be lurking waiting for a chance. This could even be an ambush.
The pendulum stopped turning and Klein began to repeat the divination with good ethereality:
— There is danger surrounding us.
— There is danger surrounding us...
Once it was finished, the pendulum shook slightly for a moment before moving in a clockwise direction.
— There is danger surrounding us. — Klein said as he carefully put away the pendulum.
There was someone trying to intercept his divination, but they had failed.
— Too close.
Not a moment later, a fist-sized ball of flame flew towards them!
Klein and Leonard went to the same corner on a different side of the fireball, even if the attack was not aimed entirely at them, the damage could be great.
Dunn, who had his gun in hand, did not hesitate to pull the trigger.
Bang!
The silver shot pierced the fire in vain, having no effect on the ball of flame that continued to advance, forcing them and the other Nighthawks to scatter in an orderly manner to the sides.
Klein realized that the biggest threat wasn't a Secret Order tracker or Ray Bieber in the warehouse, it was 2-049!
He could control others and have unthinkable effects on them, but fortunately there was still a safe distance.
When the ball of flame landed on the ground, it simply disappeared without raising any dust or burning anything.
An illusion? — Klein remembered the description of the Seer pathway.
Cunning and deceitful!
— A Clown? — Klein narrowed his eyes as he reached for his revolver under his suit.
Leonard looked at him, seemingly not understanding the words he had said, but he didn't have time to think about it.
Aiur Harson lifted the chest with a crimson moon and threw it away with all his strength.
— Get away from the chest! Take care of it!" he shouted.
Before he could even finish speaking, Borgia and Leonard were already seven meters away from the chest to prevent anyone from getting close.
As for Dunn and Lorotta, they stood with their revolvers drawn while Aiur Harson drew a silver sword with a moon symbol carved into the cold metal of the blade.
They walked in a crescent formation, scouting for the locations where the fireball might have come from.
Klein had no doubts about the strength of Aiur Harson or Dunn Smith, as the captain had technically managed to fight a Sequence 5 for several minutes and come out alive.
A chill ran down Klein's spine as he immediately identified icy gazes in his direction, as if he were seeing from two directions. Seeing a moving figure, he turned his gaze to a rooftop, aiming his revolver.
Above him stood a man dressed in a black tuxedo and half top hat. His face was painted in three pastel colors: red, yellow, and white.
The corners of his mouth curved into a comical smile.
Bang!
The bullet went through the middle of the clown's head, which disappeared in the wind.
Illusion... — Klein concluded, turning his attention to the other Nighthawks.
Aiur Harson had a serene expression on his face, his voice sounding as calm as the night:
— When the sun sets in the west.
— And dewdrops pearl the bosom of the afternoon.
— Almost as pale as the moon's rays....
Klein felt an air only coming from the sight under the crimson moon hanging in the sky, however only his tension was still great.
The huge wooden crates stacked against the wall of a large warehouse seemed to ripple like water.
The clown in the black tuxedo and half top hat appeared again, his gaze serene as if he had never had any violent desire.
Tud! Tud! Tud!
Lorotta stepped forward with her gun in hand and clenched her left fist. Approaching the tuxedo clown in a few steps, she punched him in the face.
Bang!
The air crackled as the clown instantly shattered into fragments, scattering into nothing until it disappeared.
The clown in Aiur Harson's poem was an illusion! It was an act!
Bang!
the noise rang out loudly near Borgia who soon rolled on the ground, however it was an illusion!
In the shadow of another crate near the large warehouse, the tuxedo clown appeared with a ridiculous smile on his face.
He pointed his finger like a gun and appeared to fire.
Bang!
A loud sound rang out from the finger gun and Lorotta rolled across the ground to the right, however nothing happened.
The shot was fake.
Klein, who was watching the fight, suddenly felt a shock run through his body.
He rolled across the ground and stopped in the corner.
Seeing his movements, Leonard did not hesitate to move away from the direction he was in.
Bang!
A silver bullet shattered the crate near Klein and pierced the wall on the other side of the warehouse, barely missing him and Leonard who were in the same direction.
Did the force increase? — Klein realized the difference at once.
— Clown or Seer? — The tuxedoed clown's comical smile widened as he stepped back behind a wooden crate.
Klein quickly pulled the trigger.
Bang!
His shot, which should have been horrible, hit the clown's chest, which began to burn in the air.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dunn and Aiur began to shoot at the clown who was near Lorotta, who skillfully dodged, once to the side and then to the other like a professional circus acrobat.
With her agility, Lorotta advanced in a surprising movement.
Since she couldn't dodge, the tuxedoed clown grabbed Lorotta's heavy fist with his hands.
Bang! Bang!
Aiur Harson raised his gun and began to shoot at the clown.
At that moment, the clown's left fist ignited in a ball of red-orange flames.
This fireball extended, engulfing the tuxedoed clown and rising towards Lorotta.
Dunn and Aiur Harson shot at the fireball, reducing it to ashes along with the wooden crates that were nearby.
The clown in the tuxedo shot with his fingers.
Bang!
This time, Lorotta, who was ready to advance, stopped abruptly. The mud in front of her was lifted, as was a crate with a large hole in it.
It was impossible to tell what was illusion or reality!
Bang!
The bullet hit Borgia's gun. If it weren't for his strength, his revolver would probably have flown.
Lorotta raised her other hand, raised her dull gold gun, pulling the trigger in the clown's direction.
His half-top hat fell to the ground with a bullet hole, but the clown in the tuxedo twisted his waist and rolled behind other crates, disappearing again.
The clown continued shooting at Dunn, Aiur, and Lorotta from several different directions. Sometimes, he even aimed at Leonard, Borgia, and only sometimes at Klein.
Seeing this, Aiur Harson stopped. Her face gradually became more like a reflection of the moon that threatened to appear over the already darkened skies.
— Waste your beautiful flower during the night.
— Who, blindfolded by your affectionate caresses...
The clown scratched his ears as Aiur Harson sang. His smile was comical and ridiculous at the same time.
Did he cover his ears? A Clown is really strange... — Klein thought before instinctively rolling on the ground again.
Bang!
This time, the shot almost grazed his leg. That could have prevented him from giving it for a long time!
Bang!
A silver bullet flew through the air, heading towards Borgia who dodged backwards while still observing the 2-049.
— Ah!
A chilling scream came from behind one of the crates near Leonard, but when he looked with his attention focused on the fight and his caution high, there was nothing there!
Suddenly, the clown in the tuxedo appeared next to him with a ridiculous smile.
Instead of shooting him, the clown rolled around on the ground before kicking the mud that was on the ground, throwing it straight at Leonard's face and consequently into his eyes without him having a chance to react.
Rubbing his eyes, Leonard raised his gun, though he didn't know exactly which direction to shoot.
Klein shot at the clown in an attempt to help Leonard, but suddenly stopped.
He had understood the clown's plan in this situation.
— Direction! — he shouted.
Borgia, who was focused on the other clown in a tuxedo who was fighting Dunn, Aiur Harson and Lorotta, seemed to understand, because he quickly grabbed Leonard by the collar and threw him away from the chest.
He was only twenty feet away from 2-049!
If he took a few more steps, he would probably end up in control of the Sealed Artifact and become a puppet since everyone else was focused on the clown and Klein was also dodging shots.
When the clown finally disintegrated into flames, Leonard managed to completely clear his vision.
Suddenly, Klein ducked before doing a somersault, or at least he tried and ended up succeeding.
The mud fell into a huge wooden crate.
The clown didn't want to kill him because it would take too long with so many others, so he would make him lose his sight so he wouldn't be able to help the others.
Of course, this wouldn't erase his senses and he could perhaps survive with his Seer instincts; he could even shoot if the target was aiming at him or something, but it would still leave him unable to fight normally.
Klein stood up and looked at a figure wearing a dock worker's outfit, running towards the back of the warehouse where Ray Bieber was hiding.
The clown in the tuxedo's plan was to distract everyone while someone else went to get the notebook? — he thought as he took the gun in the same direction where the man was.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Leonard and Borgia were already aiming at the man. Klein aimed and a bullet pierced the wind.
Bang!
The figure gritted his teeth in pain as he looked at him in shock. He just held back his own pain and continued advancing.
Leonard and Borgia were close behind Klein, but they didn't hit. Klein had already understood their thoughts before he shot them, but he deliberately shot him to make him go without suspecting.
Of course, it took him a while to come to this conclusion and he wasn't sure about it, but it worked.
The plan was for that man to serve as bait to see what state Ray Bieber was in!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Klein started shooting into the sky, urging the man to go faster.
As soon as the man reached the inner parts of the warehouse, Lorotta's eyes went dark, making a strange pulling action.
The clown in the tuxedo stopped. His ankle seemed to have been grabbed by something unknown.
Dunn's eyes reflected his calm, his voice seemed as ethereal as it was imperturbable, coming from a mysterious world:
— Thus it blooms when night comes.
— When the day appears with open eyes...
The clown's eyes contained no feeling, they were empty. He became limp as if he had lost his will, perhaps even his thoughts or emotions.
His last action was to throw a ball filled with flames at Dunn and Lorotta along with a shot that made a bang.
Boom!
That was a firework!
That... — Klein felt a shiver and immediately turned around.
In the back of the abandoned warehouse, a deep wail of terror could be heard.
—Ah!
A loud lament immersed in melancholy along with unimaginable horror rang out through the warehouse, it seemed as if an indescribable being was lurking.
That scream made all of Klein's hair stand on end. When the screams of horror stopped, they were covered by a chilling silence.
— Haha!
A hollow laugh echoed from an unknown place, on the opposite side of the scream, breaking the silence in two different places!
Aiur Harson, disturbed by the screams and laughter, shot the tuxedo clown in the belly.
Haa... Haa...! Haaa...!
A soft breath sounded, almost filled with an unattainable peace. At the same time, it sounded terrifying as it broke the silence once more, sending a shock of tension through everyone.
Tum! Tum! Tum!
2-049 went into a frenzy.
Tum! Tum! Tum!
A thin wooden hand full of joints came out from inside the chest.