Surrounded, Nicole and Billy felt a chill run down their spines. These Hollow Raiders were ruthless criminals, and who knew what they were capable of.
For a girl like Nicole, falling into their hands could mean a fate worse than death. As for Billy, his high-tech armor was probably the most valuable thing the Cunning Hares owned. If they got their hands on him, he'd be stripped for parts in a heartbeat.
...
"Crap, Nicole and the others are surrounded. What do we do?" From behind a nearby pile of boxes, Mo Wang and the others watched with worried expressions.
"Jeez, how did you manage to piss off so many people?" Mo Wang grumbled, looking at the hundred-plus Raiders. "This is a major criminal organization. In a game, this would be a main quest."
Anby and Nekomiya had no answer. It seemed like they always managed to attract trouble.
"How are we supposed to save them? Are we going to fight all one hundred of them?" Nekomiya asked, her face pale.
Even Anby, with her skills, couldn't guarantee a victory. "I have a plan," Mo Wang said. "I'll take care of the hundred of them. You two grab Nicole and Billy and get out of here with Belle."
"Brother! You can't!" Belle's voice yelled through his earpiece. "We agreed you wouldn't do anything so dangerous unless it was absolutely necessary!"
"We're already here. This is the only way to save Nicole quickly. It's a risk worth taking," he said, and then turned to the others. "Don't worry, I'll take precautions this time. If worse comes to worse, I'll just have to leave them all here."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Nekomiya whispered, seeing the sinister grin on his face.
...
"This is it. It's really over this time~" Billy was already thinking about his last words.
"Stop right there!" a voice boomed from behind the Raiders.
"That voice! It's the Proxy!" Nicole and Billy's eyes lit up with hope. But when they saw the figure that appeared, their faces froze.
"What the hell is that?" the Raiders muttered, turning around.
Mo Wang was clad in a dazzling white armor that shone so brightly it was almost blinding.
"Who the hell are you?!" one of the Raiders yelled.
"The heavens are calling me! The earth is calling me! The shining light is illuminating me!" Mo Wang declared, a fiery explosion erupting behind him. "I am the hero of justice who just happens to be passing by! Super Quant! White Layer! Remember my name!"
The cringe-worthy introduction left everyone, including Nekomiya and Anby, speechless.
"Is he... okay?" Nekomiya whispered. "And where did he get that armor?"
"Ahaha, it's probably just my brother's hobby. He's been watching too much Star Knight lately..." Belle's voice crackled through the earpiece.
"Super Quant White Layer? Is that a new Star Knight character?"
"Never heard of him. Is he a chuunibyou?"
"A chuunibyou with a sense of justice? How did he even get into a Hollow?"
"Uh, is no one going to ask about the explosion just now?"
"Proxy, what is he doing~" Nicole was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole and hide.
"Wow, that armor is so cool! Where did the boss get it?" Billy, on the other hand, was ecstatic.
"What a lunatic. Go take care of him," the Raider leader ordered.
An Raider with an iron pipe rushed forward. "I don't know who you are, kid, but you'd better stay out of this."
CLANG!
The iron pipe was stopped cold by Mo Wang's gauntlet.
"What—"
A flash of white light, and an uppercut sent the Raider flying.
The rest of the Raider charged forward. Mo Wang dodged and weaved, his movements a blur of white. He was a whirlwind of destruction, taking out Raider after Raider with precise, powerful blows.
"Open fire! Open fire!" the leader screamed.
Bullets sparked against Mo Wang's armor. He activated a hexagonal energy matrix on his chest, and the bullets were deflected back at the shooters.
"My turn," he said, his voice deep and menacing. Three plasma claws extended from his gauntlet, and he charged into the crowd, a blur of blue and white light.
"He's... so strong, meow~" Nekomiya trembled, watching the one-sided massacre.
"I told you. He's the strongest person I've ever met," Anby said, a strange look in her eyes.
In just three minutes, all one hundred Raiders were on the ground.
"You monster... die!!!" the leader screamed, and swung his giant fist at Mo Wang.
A flash of white light, and the leader's chest caved in.
"Really, villains shouldn't use heroic lines. It's just weird," Mo Wang said, and then walked over to the stunned Nicole.
Thwack! He flicked her on the forehead.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"For being a dumbass," he said, and then proceeded to lecture her about her recklessness.
"I'm sorry~" she whimpered.
"Well, I guess there's nothing left for us to do," Nekomiya said, looking at the pile of unconscious bodies.
"I guess so," Anby said. They'd have to call the police to clean up this mess.
But just then, the Raider leader got back up. "You think you've won?! I won't let you have your way, even if I have to die here!"
"He's not dead yet? Is he a super boss with a second phase?" Mo Wang muttered, and then his eyes widened.
In the Raider leader's hand was a strange-looking syringe...