On the densely wooded path leading to the manor, Gang suddenly halted.
Just as Diamante was about to turn and ask what was wrong, Gang spoke first, a strange smile playing on his lips. "Lord Diamante, please proceed without me. I'll wait here for a bit. This is quite the ideal spot for an ambush, wouldn't you say?"
The advancing group set off once more, now short one bodyguard named Gang.
…
After receiving Dana's call, Wilder hesitated no longer. Gazing in the direction Diamante's group had taken, he abruptly accelerated.
His figure flitted through the treetops with incredible speed. Wilder's face was a mask of calm, but inwardly, a sense of urgency gnawed at him.
Before heading to the Bolu Kingdom, Wilder had casually mentioned the Power Spinach to Dana, asking her to investigate. At the time, it had been a matter of little consequence to him.
Yet, Dana had taken the request seriously and had managed to uncover some information.
Power Spinach: consuming it grants immense strength. This was the sole piece of information Wilder had previously obtained about it from that intelligence treasure chest.
He had initially dismissed it as something of little practical use, never imagining he would actually encounter it. Fate, however, had a way of orchestrating such coincidences.
Over the Den Den Mushi, Dana had relayed her findings on the Power Spinach, providing details far more granular than what Wilder had known.
"The Power Spinach is far more precious and rare than initially imagined. Not only does it grant strength as its name suggests, but this strength is permanent and can be incrementally increased."
"Meaning, if eating one serving of Power Spinach grants a ton of strength, then eating another will add another ton. Furthermore, and this is the most crucial part, it might be possible to artificially cultivate Power Spinach. If one could secure an unlimited supply, it would mean access to the world's greatest power."
Those were Dana's exact words. She had also indicated that the Power Spinach was very likely in the possession of someone within the Bolu Kingdom.
Wilder mulled over this as he raced forward. "From the current situation, it seems Vassalo is the one who controls the Power Spinach. However, the intelligence is likely exaggerated, or there are certain limitations to the spinach. Otherwise, Vassalo wouldn't have been defeated this time."
Soon, Wilder plunged into the dense forest.
An abrupt silence fell around him; even the sound of the wind vanished the moment he entered the woods.
Wilder's speed didn't falter in the slightest as he sped straight down the dirt path cutting through the center of the forest.
But in the next instant, a dark shadow shot out from the dense woods beside the path without warning. Wilder's expression shifted slightly. He planted his foot, his forward momentum instantly reversing into a swift retreat.
Thwack! The dark figure slammed into the spot Wilder had been about to occupy. The ground there instantly sank several levels with a tremendous crash, accompanied by billowing dust. From within the swirling cloud, a figure slowly rose, facing Wilder directly.
"You're here." Gang's figure was revealed, his expressionless eyes fixed on Wilder.
Wilder looked at him, his body suddenly relaxing.
"Hm?" Gang felt an inexplicable surge of irritation.
"Apologies…" Wilder's voice was calm, but a keen listener would detect an undercurrent of impatience. "I don't have time to play with you right now."
As his words fell, an endless torrent of swamp erupted.
"Do you truly believe… you are that strong?!" The voice was like the low growl of a malevolent spirit, and the surrounding temperature plummeted.
Gang's pupils contracted violently. "You are…!!"
Boom! The overwhelming tide of swamp bore down on him, giving him no opportunity to speak further.
Birds and beasts in the forest scattered in terror. Wilder, his face devoid of any emotion, retracted the swamp. He glanced ahead, his figure flashed, and he resumed his pursuit.
This delay had cost him precious time. A sense of urgency gnawed at Wilder. Ever since he'd learned that Diamante's target was the Power Spinach, Wilder knew he had to hurry. That item—he was determined to obtain it!
Therefore…
Pushing his speed beyond its previous limits, Wilder unleashed his absolute fastest pace, racing towards the manor.
…
Meanwhile, Diamante, carrying the unconscious Vassalo, had already made his way through the manor. Naturally, Vassalo's personal guard units were present. Seeing their master's condition, they showed no hesitation and charged forward to attack.
Swish…!
Diamante's wide grin stretched even further. The longsword in his hand seemed to unfurl and extend infinitely, like a fluttering banner. In an instant, it pierced through more than a dozen guards, completing its deadly cuts in a flash!
The guards' bodies stiffened for less than a second. The next moment, with a series of sickening ripping sounds, their bodies split apart.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Guards opened fire on him. Diamante neither dodged nor evaded. To him, this was all like a game, bringing him a twisted sort of pleasure. A playful smirk remained plastered on his face.
His red cape suddenly billowed out. A metallic sheen seemed to flash across its surface. A staccato ding-ding-ding rang out as bullets struck the cape, sending sparks flying before falling harmlessly to the ground.
Swish…!
The pliant longsword once again sliced through another dozen guards. Simultaneously, the casino guards Diamante had brought with him were also firing upon Vassalo's men.
Men from both sides continuously fell. The only constants were Diamante's unceasing advance and the guards who, attempting to stop him, found themselves utterly powerless against his attacks.
"Honestly… I don't have time to play with you grunts!" Diamante suddenly bared his teeth, his mouth stretching into an exaggerated grin that reached his cheeks. He bent his knees slightly, looking up at the guards rushing towards him with brandished swords, his smile growing wider.
He touched one hand to the ground! The earth beneath them began to ripple and heave like waves!
"Ah!"
"What's happening?!"
The guards cried out in alarm. The undulating ground made it impossible for them to maintain their footing, and they stumbled and fell one after another.
Slash! Diamante's sword began its harvest.
He cut a swathe through them as if they were melons and vegetables, blood spraying through the air!
Until no one was left standing before him.
Diamante extended his tongue and lightly licked the blood from his sword. Sheathing it, he continued forward.
Soon, they reached the far end of the manor. In Vassalo's room, they opened a hidden door.
It was a back door, leading out to a rear courtyard with sparsely planted flowers and shrubs. The courtyard was enclosed by a dilapidated fence, so rotten that a mere touch would send splinters વરસાદfalling.
A narrow dirt path led straight from the fence's wooden gate, stretching out of sight between two dense rows of tall, straight trees.
Diamante didn't linger in the courtyard. Passing through the wooden gate, the group proceeded directly down the path.
In a small, dilapidated hut hidden deep within the woods, they found one key. They also found another key on Vassalo's person. With both keys in hand, they pressed onward.
They continued until they stood before a massive structure built primarily of metal.
Diamante took out the two keys. Matching them to their corresponding color-coded keyholes, he inserted them and turned them simultaneously in opposite directions.
Kachunk…!
With the sound of grinding gears, a slight tremor ran through the ground. The heavy metal door gradually slid open.
"Heh… they really went all out with the security, didn't they?" Diamante remarked, hefting Vassalo, who was still like a sack of dead weight, and stepping through the doorway.
Beyond the door was a featureless, empty room. Apart from another door set into one wall, there was nothing else.
This inner door was unusually tall, perhaps designed to prevent water from entering. It had no lock but was sealed tightly, requiring considerable force to open.
Diamante pushed it aside with little effort. He turned to the guards behind him. "You all wait here for me."
"Yes, sir!" the guards affirmed with a nod.
Behind this door lay a flight of stone stairs, descending into the earth. Diamante, still carrying Vassalo, quickly descended the steps and arrived before a door that pulsed with an aura of advanced technology.
Clang!
The sound of rattling chains echoed. Vassalo, his hands bound behind him with iron locks and chains, was brought forward. Diamante looked into his eyes, his wide mouth splitting into a grin. "Now then… it's time to make use of you, Vassalo."
Beside the high-tech metal door was a device resembling a sensor. Diamante positioned Vassalo in front of it and easily pried open his slightly closed eyelids.
The door emitted a sharp click, then slowly slid open to either side.
Inside was a spacious underground chamber. Rows of shelves held transparent cultivation vessels. Most contained only soil; a few showed tiny, withered sprouts, looking on the verge of death.
"It seems your cultivation efforts weren't entirely successful, were they?" Diamante commented, looking at the few remaining sprouts.
With that, Diamante walked towards the most prominent cultivation vessel in the center of the room—a large, circular container connected to countless fine tubes.
The vessel was massive, its interior filled with a thick layer of rich soil. Myriad tiny tubes extended from it, some connecting to the smaller vessels, others to peculiar-looking nutrient bottles lining the surrounding walls. Nutrient solution flowed through these tubes, feeding into the central circular container.
Upon the soil, a dense cluster of lush, mature spinach plants thrived, their leaves a vibrant, dewy green, radiating life and vitality.
It was evident that some leaves had been recently harvested, as newly sprouted ones were still small and tender.
"So this is the Power Spinach, huh? Doesn't look all that impressive."
"Still… if it can grant strength, then it's worthwhile."
"Leaving such a fine thing here would be far too wasteful, don't you think, Vassalo?"
Though he was the only conscious person present, Diamante spoke as if carrying on a conversation.
He was unaware that Vassalo, whom he had tossed aside like a piece of trash, had slowly opened his eyes. Vassalo stared at Diamante's back, his eyes filled with a venomous hatred.
Vassalo was consumed by unwilling resentment. He couldn't believe that his most loyal guard had turned out to be a mole.
Recalling the events in the casino, only bitterness remained. He wouldn't have ended up like this. He had been wary about attending the meeting, but he never expected them to have planted a bomb in the room beforehand! And Gang… Gang had been an unforeseeable disaster!
I'll kill him!
Gang's image flashed through Vassalo's mind, and the malice in his eyes intensified.
"Oh? You're awake?"
Diamante's voice, however, quickly plunged him back into the depths of despair.
Vassalo's body stiffened. He looked up to see Diamante grinning broadly at him.
…
"Almost there! Almost there!"
Meanwhile, Wilder had already entered the manor grounds and was making a beeline for Vassalo's room.
He moved so fast his figure was a blur. Soon, he discovered the courtyard behind the room.
Crash!
The wooden gate of the fence was blasted apart by a powerful gust of wind as Wilder's figure shot down the narrow path like an arrow!
The trees on either side flew past in a blur. Wilder's face was impassive. As he ran, his Den Den Mushi rang.
Wilder frowned, casually retrieving the Den Den Mushi from his pocket and answering the call, his pace never faltering.
A steady, deep voice came from the other end. "Boss, this is Korosar, Brother Ashin's deputy. We have arrived at the location you specified."
"Understood. Go find Dana at the Rose Restaurant. She will arrange everything for you."
"Yes, sir."
"They're finally here." Hanging up the call, Wilder pushed his speed up another notch, reaching his absolute physical limit.
…
"Di! A! Man! Te!" Vassalo ground out each syllable through clenched teeth, his fury palpable in every word.
By now, Diamante had gathered all the Power Spinach, bundling the plants together with their soil, which was soaked in nutrient solution and wrapped in bags. They would remain viable for a short period.
Vassalo, however, had just been kicked squarely in the abdomen by Diamante, sent flying backward to crash heavily against the hard wall.
Diamante was about to finish him off when he sensed a surge of danger. His eyes narrowed coldly as he looked at Vassalo.
"Today… I will definitely kill you!" Vassalo slowly pushed himself to his feet, his eyes burning with a murderous glare fixed on Diamante.
His body began to swell. In the blink of an eye, his clothes ripped and tore. Most significantly, his arms, still bound behind him by chains, bulged alarmingly, the grotesque muscles pulsing and writhing.
Klang!
Klang!
Under the immense force exerted by his arms, the iron chains began to strain, tightening to their utmost limit before finally snapping.
One iron ring shot off first, followed by a rapid succession of others as the remaining links were torn apart!
"Hey, hey… you've got to be kidding me. What terrifying strength," Diamante muttered, his wide mouth agape, his eyes flickering as he took in the scene. He felt a stirring of unease.
"Can't let… you continue this, now can I?" Diamante decided to strike first. He pressed his hand to the ground!
The floor beneath them instantly softened, rippling and undulating like a fluttering flag!
"Urghaa!" With his hands still somewhat restricted behind his back, Vassalo couldn't maintain his balance. He roared in frustration as he toppled backward.
Swish…! Diamante wouldn't let such an opportunity pass. The longsword in his hand flew out!
"Damn you!" Vassalo twisted to avoid a fatal blow, but his arm was pierced through. The searing pain only fueled his rage. The remaining chain fragments on his back shattered completely!
"Go to hell! Hahaha!" With a final clang of metal hitting the floor, Vassalo's hands were completely free. He stomped his foot, and the solid ground beneath him visibly sank. His body then shot towards Diamante with a speed that was almost invisible to the naked eye!