Where's Sykes?" Mike turned to Reinhardt and asked.
Even Sykes's identity was exposed?
Originally, this was one of Reinhardt's proudest parts, thinking he would mock Blade after revealing the mystery.
The Joker was me all along?
"It seems he escaped, quite perceptive. The rest is up to you."
It was obvious who "the rest" referred to.
Reinhardt, being treated as "the rest," was exceptionally furious. He was already an arrogant Vampire. He stomped his foot against the wall, using the momentum to slash down at Mike.
Mike was unmoved.
As Blade had said before, Reinhardt's thoughts and actions were too easy to predict, so Blade was faster than him.
One slash blocked Reinhardt, another knocked his weapon away, and the final slash cut Reinhardt directly in half.
Three slashes… Reinhardt's pride and two years of training were easily shattered by Blade.
So, trash-talking is good, beneficial for physical and mental health. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many "Don't leave after school" and "Meet me on the rooftop."
But trash-talking is also a skill.
If you can go hard, go hard. If you can't, you should run after showing off. The worst is not recognizing your type; if you can't go hard but still try to, you'll just end up broken.
Reinhardt couldn't reflect; how could he reflect after dying?
Norma threw the family's unique ring to Nyssa, completely shattering the worldview of this Vampire girl who valued family and honor.
It turned out that in her father's eyes, power, profit, and status superseded the ideals she had always believed in.
It felt like the World was collapsing.
So Nyssa decided to take Norma to confront her father face-to-face.
The security level of Maginus's building was like an impenetrable fortress. To be honest, without an unexpected situation, it would be very difficult for Norma to break in alone. Even if he did, by the time he reached the top floor, he would either be exhausted or could only watch Maginus calmly escape by plane.
That's why Norma created other mutants, not only out of appetite but also to create subordinates to fight Vampires.
Therefore, there were hundreds of Reapers in the sewers.
With Nyssa's help, the Reapers successfully entered the building.
The battle erupted instantly, with loud gunshots.
Looking up from downstairs, one could vaguely see gun muzzle flashes and hear the Vampires' screams.
"Are we just going to watch?" Blade's expression was complex.
He was a little worried about Nyssa.
It wasn't love at first sight or affection. It's just that following Blade's path is destined to be lonely.
Most lonely people don't enjoy solitude; they are just forced into it. So his feelings for Nyssa were quite complicated.
Perhaps for Blade, Nyssa dying at the hands of other Vampires or Reapers would be the best outcome.
"Let's go."
After sensing the situation in the building with Observation Haki, the Vampires were mostly cleared out, and all the Reapers were gathering on the top floor.
Going up, there were bitten Vampires everywhere.
These Vampires would also mutate after twenty-odd hours, so they needed to be finished off.
Blade had been killing Vampires for so many years, but this was the first time it felt so easy.
All the way up.
Top floor.
Norma was holding Nyssa, his proboscis plunged into her neck. And the Grand Duke of the Vampire Kingdom, Maginus, lay on the ground, his expression very painful, with dark green liquid flowing from his body.
Apparently, the neurotoxin secreted by Norma had the function of directly killing Vampires.
"I personally ended this dark, filthy family, but the pain hasn't stopped…" Norma's face was ferocious, his eyes bloodshot, like a frenzied Beast.
It seemed only slaughter and feeding could alleviate this pain.
"It's simple, your existence is a curse. Only death can truly free you."
Mike drew his swords, a silver katana in each hand, and a nichirin blade clenched between his teeth.
"Three-Sword Style Swordsman, here to end your lives."
Mike's tone was very showy.
"Come on, let's see who dies first!" Norma casually tore out a few steel bars and twisted them together.
Mike slowly advanced, chanting with each step:
"Nine mountains and eight seas make one World."
"Gather a thousand Worlds to form a Small Thousand World."
"Multiply this World by three, and there is nothing I cannot cut."
"What is Mike doing?" Whistler asked.
"I don't know, maybe some kind of ritual." Blade guessed.
Blade's guess was very close to the truth; this ritual was called: "Manifesting before others," also known as "showing off."
Black Armament Haki covered Mike's hands and the three Blades.
His sword-wielding hands rotated the twin swords, fast as fans.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique. One Great, Three Thousand, Great Thousand World!"
The three slashes merged into one.
The circular Blade light swept past.
Clang!
Half of the steel bar in Norma's hand fell.
"It's strange, the pain is gone." Norma felt an unprecedented sense of ease.
"Of course, this slash cut off your pain, and also…"
Mid-sentence, Norma's upper body fell to the ground.
"…your life. Never mind, you can't hear me."
Looking at Norma, who had turned to ash, Mike slowly sheathed his swords.
Also turned to ash were all the Reapers present.
Mike's slash not only killed Norma but also cleared out the other Reapers.
Blade and Whistler… Blade was better off, having witnessed Mike's Nine-Sword Style, but Whistler was utterly disheveled. The Blade light had flown past his head, and his scalp still felt cold.
Mike: "…"
That slash had shaved off a clump of Whistler's hair, making the old man bald in the middle, so the cold feeling wasn't an illusion.
"Ahem…"
Mike felt he should quickly slip away before Whistler noticed.
"Blade, my mission is complete."
"Thank you."
Blade said solemnly.
"No thanks needed, I'm getting paid."
Mike watched soul energy and destiny energy float from Blade's body, and he added in his mind, "As long as there's energy to collect, it's fine."
As for money…
The Zoro Possession Card and nichirin blade Item Card were used for a total of six hours, and after deducting the system's inhumane commission, only fourteen thousand U.S. dollars actually reached Mike's hands.
How much can a worker earn?
Isn't the bulk of it still going into the boss's pocket?
Before leaving, Mike said, "Almost forgot, that slash just now also cut through a load-bearing wall, so… you guys figure it out."
Blade's mouth twitched, but it was impossible to tell what expression was behind his sunglasses.
Helplessness, or disdain?
"I want to see the Sun."
This was Nyssa's last wish. Blade held Nyssa, watching her turn to ash in his arms under the morning Sun.
As for Mike, after going downstairs, he leisurely walked towards Hell's Kitchen. On the way, he encountered a few taxis; perhaps because he had just slain Reapers, he naturally exuded a murderous aura, causing those taxi drivers, who were about to pull over, to instinctively step on the gas and speed away.
Mike: "…"
He finally managed to stop one, but as soon as the driver heard the destination was Hell's Kitchen, he immediately looked troubled, saying he either needed more money or could only drop him off nearby.
What could he do?
Pay more, of course.
But it still felt really low-class.
He envied money-based powers.