We see our Alliance stepping foot into Ashmoor.
Much like the other locations, this was a small town situated far from the main city limits. It wasn't overly populated, though a decent number of residents lived here. Only a few scattered figures could be seen walking along the quiet streets. While the local market area seemed somewhat lively, almost every other part of the town—especially the desolate outer zones—lay mostly empty and still.
Tucked directly between these quiet zones, right near the industrial sector, stood one of SS PARTNERS' sub-divided branches.
VOLUME 3RD - CHAPTER 26 - BEGINS...!
Saito: "These bastards are extremely smart... Almost all of their Sub-Branches are strategically built in low-population areas to keep the public in the dark and avoid creating unnecessary, hectic situations."
Hollow adjusted his suit, looking at the surrounding industrial structures with a skeptical gaze.
Hollow: "I haven't really heard much about the Ashmoor sub-branch before... Are you sure we'll actually find anything useful here?"
Saito: "We'll definitely find something—no matter how small. And remember, everyone—stay close to each other at all times. If anyone gets separated or faces trouble, use the AI intelligence system immediately to send an emergency signal."
We see that even Hollow was wearing one of their newly upgraded tactical suits. Engineered to enhance physical output and combat response times, the suit made Hollow look even more formidable.
On the surface, the Alliance appeared stronger and more prepared than ever before...
But would their upgraded strength be enough to survive the deadly storm waiting for them in the shadows?
The scene shifts toward Kye!
Walking up silently from behind him was none other than the same unknown man—Grimm.
Grimm: "So, Mr. Kye... what are your intentions here? Though, let me warn you in advance—this entire sector currently falls under my jurisdiction. So don't even entertain the thought of pulling off anything stupid."
Kye didn't even bother turning around immediately, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Kye: "Just as I thought... I've been hearing your footsteps for a while now. Now tell me... even if I do pull off something, what the hell can you possibly do to stop me?"
Grimm: "You certainly carry an awful lot of arrogance," Grimm smirked, folding his arms. "After all, Master was right about you—you really are a monster who keeps getting stronger with every passing second. That is precisely why we need you, Kye Kurasaki. In such a short span of time, you managed to defeat... or rather, annihilate six Special Executives. That's quite a remarkable feat."
Kye: "I'm not particularly fond of hearing people praise me," Kye interrupted, his tone turning dead cold. "So let me get straight to the point—hand over every single piece of information regarding Dr. Z and Dr. X, and I'll quietly walk away from here without burning this place to the ground."
Grimm burst into a soft, mocking laugh.
Grimm: "Oh, really? And what do you think we're doing sitting here... watching anime?"
Grimm's smile widened—and in the very next microsecond—
SWOOSH!
He vanished into thin air!
Kye's eyes widened in mild shock as he immediately scanned his surroundings, but before he could even register the movement—Grimm reappeared right behind his back!
Relying purely on his god-tier reflexes, Kye whipped around and hurled a violent, full-force kick toward his head—
SWISH!
Surprisingly, the kick hit nothing but empty air.
Grimm: "What's wrong? Can't track my movements?" Grimm's voice echoed dangerously from the dense treeline. "This area is packed with trees, bushes, and thick fog. People around here call me the Master of Environment. I utilize the natural landscape at a top-notch level. In a forest terrain like this... even defeating me isn't an easy task for monsters like Null or Fang."
The perspective briefly shifted back to the high-tech war room, where Null was briefing Fang and Bansho.
Fang: "Hollow and Morrow were fine, but tell me something, Null—what's the actual deal with your other two Executives? They're literally among the oldest Executives in the organization, yet I've rarely seen them operating out in the open."
Null leaned back, a mysterious smile playing across his lips.
Null: "Who told you they don't work? They handle the dirty work that neither of the other two could ever pull off. Grimm and Cipher are siblings... and they possess so much sheer lethal potential that even if they were promoted to Special Executive Chiefs tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest."
Bansho crossed his massive, scarred arms, letting out a deep, heavy grunt.
Bansho: "Sounds like those two might be as strong as my own Executives... or perhaps even stronger. Watching them fight might actually prove to be entertaining."
The scene snapped violently back to the ongoing battle!
BANG!
A heavy, kinetic kick slammed directly into Kye's abdomen! The sheer momentum blasted Kye backward through the fog, sending him crashing hard into a massive oak tree.
Kye coughed, his eyes gleaming with raw irritation as he pushed himself back up.
Kye: "You motherfu*ker... You've just been taking cheap advantage of the heavy fog this entire time, haven't you?"
Grimm: "Well, everyone has their own distinct
combat style, don't they?" Grimm's voice mocked from within the mist. "Not everyone is blessed with insane physical power like yours. But... I must admit, I'm genuinely curious about something—between you and my brother Cipher... whose raw strength actually reigns supreme?"
And with those cryptic, dangerous words echoing through the woods, the scene shifted naturally toward our Alliance!
We see Saito standing right below the SS PARTNERS base. The entire surrounding area lay completely deserted—resembling a dark, long-abandoned industrial zone.
Saito: "Industrial zones are almost entirely shut down during nighttime, except for a few facilities. That makes this the absolute best time for us to infiltrate."
Hollow adjusted his suit, looking up at the ominous structure.
Hollow: "This base feels a lot like the one in Vorington Village... except Vorington was completely abandoned, while this town has a decent population. Still, there's something extremely unnatural about this base too."
Elena: "Hollow, you worked for the Organization. You must know at least some inner details about their base security, right?"
Hollow: "If I'm being completely honest, every base operates with different variants of security protocols. But if they're actively hunting Kye, there most likely shouldn't be anyone stationed here—"
Suddenly, a cold, mocking voice interrupted him from the shadows.
"Oh, really? And who told you that we're only hunting Kye?"
The voice echoed through the desolate zone, sending chills down their spines.
"Anyone who dares to stand against our Organization and the government is our enemy... whether it's an entire foreign country or our own rogue agents. Got it?"
Everyone's expressions instantly shifted. Tense and alert, they scanned the surrounding darkness.
Hollow immediately stepped in front of the group, shielding them as he shouted into the night.
Hollow: "Who the hell is there?! Show yourself!"
Stepping slowly out from the dark, cavernous entrance of the building came none other than—Cipher, one of the oldest Special Executives of SS Partners.
The moment Hollow laid eyes on him, his voice choked. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Hollow: "You...? How the hell... are you here?!"
Arisa: "What happened, Hollow? Who is this guy? Do you know him?"
Cipher smirked, stepping into the dim moonlight.
Cipher: "Hahaha, why wouldn't he know me? After all, we belong to the exact same squad! But yeah, the real point is... Grimm and I don't usually operate on minor missions like he does, so he doesn't know us that well yet."
Hollow: "LISTEN TO ME, EVERYONE!" Hollow yelled, sweat dripping down his face. "This guy is insanely dangerous! Master Null warned me about him—he's easily one of the strongest Special Executives in the entire organization! His raw power might even surpass Kye's! Watch out for his raw physical strength!"
Cipher smiled warmly, almost mockingly.
Cipher: "Aw, look at that... the little kid has grown up."
In the literal blink of an eye—
SWOOSH!
Cipher vanished and reappeared right in front of Hollow's face! He reached out his hand, about to grab Hollow by the head—
SHOT! SHOT!
Saito fired a rapid volley of high-tech laser bullets straight at Cipher! As expected of a high-tier executive, Cipher casually tilted his head, dodging the energy rounds effortlessly.
Cipher: "Oho? So you normal humans are planning to jump me together? Let's see how long you can last! I genuinely love a good fight, so please... put up a decent show for me. Oh, and if you don't mind... can I take those two pretty girls with me when I'm done?"
Hollow: "YOU BASTARD! KEEP YOUR FILTHY MOUTH SHUT!"
Hollow charged violently at Cipher, wielding his Special Death Blades—now heavily upgraded with Saito's tech enhancements and a lethal bio-poison coating!
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
Hollow's poison-coated blades slammed against Cipher's bare-fisted strikes, generating massive shockwaves that blew away the surrounding dust and wind! Hollow unleashed a continuous, desperate barrage of slashes, knowing full well that giving an opponent like Cipher even a fraction of an opening would mean instant death!
However—
BOOM!
Cipher found an opening and drove a brutal, kinetic punch straight into Hollow's stomach! Without giving him a single millisecond to breathe—
PUNCH! KICK! KNEE!
Cipher delivered a terrifying combo—a brutal right hook to the jaw, a heavy kick to the ribs, and a devastating knee strike straight into Hollow's chin!
Hollow was blasted backward, crashing hard onto the concrete. Bleeding heavily from his head and mouth, with his suit visibly cracked, Hollow forced his trembling body back onto his feet through sheer willpower.
Cipher: "Impressive... You actually managed to survive that entire combo?"
Before Cipher could even process Hollow's resilience—
BLAST! BLAST!
Saito launched a cluster of M67 hand-grenades combined with specialized poison-gas bombs!
A massive, suffocating cloud of smoke and poisonous mist swallowed the entire battlefield, completely blinding Cipher's vision!
Taking full advantage of the chaos, Elena and Arisa stepped forward, unloading a relentless storm of high-caliber assault rifle rounds straight into the smoke!
Arisa: "I... I can barely control... THIS RECOIL!!"
The violent kickback of her upgraded weapon vibrated through Arisa's entire body, but she grit her teeth, pouring all her strength into keeping the trigger held down!
For a brief moment, the momentum seemed to be shifting in favor of the Alliance...
When suddenly—the scene shifted back toward Kye!
The second the perspective snapped back to Kye, a devastating kick struck him straight in the chest!
BOOM!
The brutal impact launched Kye through the air, smashing him right through the main entrance of the Organization's building and slamming him hard into the receptionist's desk behind the counter!
The sheer force of the kick shattered the heavy entrance doors into splinters and crumbled the concrete wall behind the reception desk. Blood began trickling down Kye's forehead from the raw impact.
Grimm stepped casually through the destroyed entrance, his voice echoing cold and loud through the chaotic lobby.
Grimm: "Everyone, evacuate to the emergency safe zones immediately if you value your lives. Otherwise, stay right there and die."
The terrified employees scrambled in every direction.
Kye pushed himself back up onto his feet, dusting off his shoulders. He glanced behind him at the same female receptionist he had spoken to earlier. From the crushing debris, her body was heavily bruised and bleeding profusely.
Kye unbuttoned his dark coat, taking it off and gently placing it over her wounded body.
Kye: "I don't know how or why you ended up working in a place like this... but I'd certainly like to find out. That's the only reason I'm leaving you alive."
Leaving her behind, Kye turned around, his lifeless eyes locking directly onto Grimm as he began walking toward him.
Grimm: "Oho? How unexpected! I genuinely thought Kye Kurasaki was a heartless monster who leaves no one alive in his path. Could it be that seeing a defenseless girl awakened your pity? Or did you perhaps take a liking to her?"
Before Grimm could even finish his mocking sentence—
SWOOSH—BANG!
KICK! PUNCH! KNEE!
CRASH!
In a terrifying blur of raw speed, Kye closed the distance and unleashed a brutal, unrelenting barrage of full-force strikes directly into Grimm's body, slamming him violently into the concrete floor!
Kye stood over him, his shadow towering over the crater.
Kye: "Watch your filthy mouth, you sewer worm," Kye growled, his voice stripped of all humanity. "I hold zero feelings for humans. Especially now... not a single damn piece."
Grimm lay battered in the cracked floor, yet a sinister grin broke across his bruised face.
PTUI!
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Grimm pushed himself back up, dusting his silver hair out of his eyes.
Grimm: "You really are remarkable, Kye..."
On the surface, Grimm looked like an ordinary young man with neat silver hair and an athletic build. But the terrifying lethal power hidden beneath that calm exterior was something everyone on the battlefield was witnessing firsthand.
Kye reached behind his back, unclipping a pair of small, specialized daggers concealed near his lower back.
[Flashback]
A brief memory flashed back—the moment Hollow had handed Kye a brand-new, re-forged set of Special Death Blades, replacing the ones that had been shattered during their previous life-and-death battle against Fang's squad.
Kye: "Next time we meet... I hope you've gotten even stronger. Take care of everyone."
[Back to the Present]
Kye tightened his grip on the twin Death Blades, a faint, dangerous smirk curling on his lips.
Without another word, Kye dashed forward at full speed, breaking the sound barrier once again!
Grimm threw his head back, laughing like a maniacal devil as dark aura flared around his body!
Grimm: "COME AT ME THEN! THE REAL FUN IS JUST GETTING STARTED!"
And just as the two unstoppable forces were about to collide in an explosive clash... the chapter came to an end!