CHAPTER 247: OPERATION WOLF SLAYER. (PART 35)

The door wasn’t supposed to be opened—that much was clear from the way the attendants and Romano mobsters reacted. The instant the first crack showed, they all turned around and looked for the one responsible, their guns aimed and their fingers on the trigger.

Realizing what was about to happen, Rose switched her focus and turned to those on her side of the barrier, starting with the attendant right beside her. She snatched the pistol attached to his belt and pressed it under his chin.

BANG

The man’s brain didn’t explode from the top of his head as one would expect, showing that he had a reinforced skull. Instead, his eyes burst out of their sockets along with a stream of blood and brain matter, making for a rather gruesome scene.

Rose moved her hand and squeezed the trigger three times, each one finding its way to the brain of an attendant or a Romano goon. Her lucky streak soon came to an end, however, and she was forced to move as gun barrels turned to aim at her.

She moved with sudden bursts of speed, confusing the shooters as she used some as cover, causing some friendly fire. Kirk had switched his target and was firing at the attendants as well, targeting those who went after their purple-haired teammates while tanking a number of shots that ripped through his skin.

After weaving between some of the still-standing shooters, he grasped the last one and twisted his neck, snapping it in a single motion. Instead of letting him fall, however, she grasped him by the collar and held him up like a shield as she ran toward the Kirk. Once she was behind the giant, the two of them retreated toward the exit, following after Mr. Pike.

"So much for a heist." Rose chuckled, checking the ammo in her pistol before firing from behind the giant.

"You got the relic?" Kirk asked, acting as if all the bullets he took were nothing.

"Yeah, about that." Glancing at Mr. Pike, Rose smiled wryly. "Sorry, couldn’t get your sword."

"I have noticed." Said Mr. Pike, keeping his expression neutral while firing into the mansion. "Do not worry. I will find a way to retrieve it later on."

"Then why did you go through all that trouble?"

"So I wouldn’t have to."

Just then, something seemed to change inside the mansion. People twitched to a halt, turning into statues for an instant before catching on fire. Several small explosions threw body parts around and a shower of sparks rained on the surroundings like fireworks.

As the confusion spread, the gates to the mansion pulled together once more, sealing the entrance with a muffled click. The three stood there, staring at for a moment as the sound of gunfire gradually quieted down. That was when they received a message.

[Finn: Move it!]

The area outside seemed so peaceful that it made one forget they were only a couple of meters from a battle zone, and the message helped remind them of that fact.

"The elevator?" Rose asked.

"This way."

It wasn’t that the other two didn’t remember the location of the staff elevator they used during their first visit. Mr. Pike just happened to be the calmest and composed among them, and for that reason, he led the way.

A violent wind blasted them from afar, like a raging hurricane quickly approaching. Glancing in the direction it came from, Rose spotted a large white figure in the distance, moving around as if trying to swat a fly. Something exploded, creating a dome of light that scattered white flames.

The four heroes of Team Silver Wind were easy to recognize from afar. Rose’s heart almost jumped out of her chest thinking they were coming after her, and though she quickly noticed that they were fighting something, that did little to calm her. They needed to reach the elevator and fast.

The forest line was drawing closer by the second. Loud rustling followed each blast of wind that blew through the enclosed floor, creating an eerie symphony that fueled the tension weighing down on the three. As if to add to it all, the sound of glass breaking reached them from behind.

It could have been anything. A battle was taking place between the walls of that ivory mansion so it wouldn’t have been strange for some of the windows to suddenly break. Nevertheless, Rose couldn’t suppress the feeling that something had escaped, and that something was currently chasing them down like a hawk plunging into the darkness, its talons poised to catch prey.

"Watch out!"

A large hand shoved Rose aside, sending her rolling on the grass. She managed to get back on her feet and was about to continue running when the sound of something piercing the ground reached her ear. A wave of chilling cold washed over her the next instant, and when her instincts won and forced her to check, she saw several white crystals lodged into the dirt, a thin layer of frost quickly spreading over the surrounding grass.

Everything seemed to slow down at that moment, and as she struggled to grasp what was happening, Rose noticed the same white layer gradually forming on her arm. A short distance away, Kirk was on the ground, his right leg encased in ice that was spreading upward, all of it springing from a single icicle that pierced his leg.

Mr. Pike seemed unharmed, which is why Rose took her bag and tossed it to him.

"Go!"

Completing the mission was their first and foremost priority, and if only on of them could escape, they had to ensure that it would happen. Rose tightened her grip on the pistol she had stolen and turned around, spotting someone running in their direction.

Though they appeared to be wearing normal winter clothes—A white coat with a large furry hood, thick pants and leather boots— the selection made it appear as if they were on a snow skiing trip, and the ski mask wasn’t helping. Going by the design and knowing all the outstanding individuals participating in the police raid, Rose immediately recognized their assailant, and that caused the cold on her skin to seep deep into her heart.

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