166 THE REAL TARGET
The air thickened with malice as creatures from the depths of hell emerged. Shadowy scorpions, serpents, and crocodiles—summoned by Maelad and the other mages—charged toward the enemy lines, their forms twisting with dark magic.
The C.I.A. fighters responded in kind, summoning their own bestial army. Demon Nightprowlers pounced on the scorpions, tigers tore into the crocodiles, and sleek shadowy avians struck down the serpents.
The battlefield descended into chaos, a blur of clashing beasts, spells, and steel. The war between the Koresh Guild and the C.I.A. had truly begun.
"Where the hell is the city's guards? Why haven't they come to help us?" Majoure shouted, frustration and desperation thick in his voice.
"They either didn't get the message, or they're just letting us die," Magreen replied grimly.
"Damn it."
As the battle raged, a figure emerged from the C.I.A.'s ranks, striding forward with calm, deliberate steps. His very presence exuded an aura of fear and power, silencing the chaos around him.
This was no ordinary mage—this was a peak tier Svad, and his strength was undeniable.
"Feel the weight of Mountain Cheju," the man intoned, his voice steady and commanding.
With a sweep of his hand, a massive projection of a mountain appeared in the sky, its shadow stretching over the battlefield. Slowly, it began to descend, crushing the KGB under its oppressive force.
The Koresh brothers and their allies buckled under the overwhelming pressure, leaving them vulnerable to the C.I.A.'s attacks. Blood stained the ground as their ranks faltered.
Suddenly, Mendiace stepped forward, his expression calm but resolute.
"Looks like it's all up to me," he muttered.
He raised his hands, summoning a colossal spectral hand that reached toward the heavens, intercepting the mountain's fall. The impact sent tremors through the battlefield, but the hand held firm.
Mendiace, the strongest of the brothers, was himself a peak-tier Svad.
The enemy mage regarded him with cold curiosity. "What is your name? I, Li-San Cheju, do not kill nameless opponents."
"I am Mendiace, and I'm ready to take your fucking mountain. Jeez."
The two locked gazes, their auras flaring as their magic collided. The battlefield seemed to hold its breath as the mountain and the spectral hand clashed in a fierce display of raw power.
Around them, the other brothers fought desperately, but the duel between Li-San and Mendiace became the focal point of the chaos.
"Why aren't reinforcements coming? We can't hold out much longer!" one of the brothers shouted again with desperation in his voice.
"Forget reinforcements," Magreen said grimly. "If they haven't come by now, they're not coming at all."
"The city abandoned us? For these murderers of their own children?" Majoure spat bitterly.
"Something's not right," Maelad murmured, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the chaos.
Suddenly, the sky darkened, an unnatural shadow spreading over the battlefield. Out of the gloom, several figures emerged, moving like wraiths, their forms obscured in the shifting darkness.
"Finally! Someone's come to help us," Magreen said, a flicker of hope in his voice.
The hope was short-lived. One of the figures lunged at Maelad, driving a dagger into his chest. Maelad crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
"The Assassin's Guild? Why are they helping the foreigners?" Majoure gasped, his disbelief cut short as another assassin struck him down.
The tide of battle shifted violently. With the powerful assassins joining the C.I.A., the Koresh camp was overwhelmed. One by one, the brothers fell, their ranks decimated and their power crumbling.
The clash of steel and magic narrowed to one final duel—Mendiace and Li-San.
The two peak-tier Svads continued their fierce sparring, the battlefield trembling under the force of their clashing magic. But the balance shattered when an arrow whistled through the air, striking Mendiace in the shoulder.
The spectral hand he had summoned vanished, and the mountain projection came crashing down.
Mendiace staggered, blood staining his robes as Li-San approached him, his face impassive.
"You were a worthy opponent," Li-San said. "But today is the day you die."
"No… Jeez," Mendiace gasped, struggling to stay upright.
Before Li-San could strike the final blow, a thick fog rolled across the battlefield, swallowing everything in its murky embrace.
"Brother Mendiace, this way," a familiar voice whispered. Madoug appeared out of the haze, grabbing Mendiace and pulling him away from the chaos.
When the fog finally lifted, Mendiace was gone.
But the battle was far from over.
The C.I.A., bolstered by the assassins, unleashed their full might, slaughtering every last member of the Koresh Guild. Not a single soul remained to defend their base, and on that day, the Koresh Guild of Brothers was utterly destroyed.
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"Where have you been, Madoug? We've been searching for months for you. Jeez," Mendiace demanded, his voice a mix of relief and suspicion.
"I was imprisoned in the Court La Mood," Madoug replied, his tone grim.
"What? The brothel?" Mendiace asked, his disbelief evident.
"They're the ones who killed our brothers in the diner," Madoug said flatly.
"Unbelievable… not the C.I.A? Jeez. We were fooled all this time?" Mendiace's brows furrowed as the revelation sank in.
"Yes. Their leader is cunning," Madoug admitted.
"Who is their leader?" Mendiace pressed, but before an answer could come, a sudden whistle split the air. An arrow struck Madoug squarely in the chest, silencing him forever.
"Madoug!!! Who's there?" Mendiace growled, fury blazing in his eyes.
From the shadows emerged a figure flanked by a squadron of soldiers. Leo stepped forward, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"This is the end of the Koresh Guild of Brothers. You should never have attacked us in the first place," Leo said coolly.
"You… You're from the brothel?" Mendiace asked, his voice thick with disbelief. "It's not easy to kill a peak tier Svad like me. I will kill you all instead, Jeez."
"It's not easy to kill a fucking peak-tier Svad mage like you, I'll give you that. But you're wrong to think we came here for you. Madoug was our target. Enjoy your real opponent," Leo said, retreating into the shadows with his men.
The air grew heavier, and from the darkness stepped Li-San of Cheju.