In the slums, where narrow alleys and the heavy stench of chaos filled the air, Milo entered the troublemakers' headquarters.
He was not alone several of the most important members of the Agencies' Guild accompanied him, united by a single goal: to capture the troublemakers… and the Numbers.
The moment the raid began, the area was thrown into chaos.
A fierce battle erupted between Novara and the troublemakers, a violent clash of opposing forces, energy screaming through the air as the silence of the forgotten district was shattered.
Yet while that battle raged relentlessly, it was not the only battlefield.
Elsewhere, far from the noise of the alleys, another conflict was quietly escalating—deadly and intense.
This chapter focuses on what remained of the confrontation between Celestine and Selvara…
Against Number Two, Crystel...
Celestine stepped forward slowly toward Crystel, each step calculated, each movement deliberate.
The spheres around her rotated calmly, glowing in harmony with her movements, as if the air itself adapted to her presence.
Her unwavering eyes silently challenged Crystel, radiating resolve and complete focus.
Crystel, Number Two, stood still, observing her with sharp ash-gray eyes.
He didn't move, every muscle tense, every motion calculated.
He analyzed every detail of her energy, every shift in the glowing spheres, every signal from her body, as if reading her before she moved.
Selvara stood a little apart, watching the tension between them with piercing eyes.
In her mind, she thought: "Celestine using her ability now means she is serious… I should use my power on him just to support her."
Selvara closed her eyes for a moment, then focused on Number Two.
Her red energy surged, forming a second crimson eye on his abdomen, glowing like a deadly spark.
But Crystel paid no attention to her, completely ignoring Selvara's effect, focusing all his attention on Celestine's ability and movements.
In her mind, Selvara sighed sharply: "Even though I hate fighting just to support… I love close combat, face-to-face brawling."
Celestine held a white sphere in her right hand, a bold, confident smile forming on her lips.
She spoke calmly, a hint of provocation in her voice:
"My ability looks strange, doesn't it?"
Number Two replied in a cold, composed tone, his ash-gray eyes carefully analyzing her:
"Yes… I've never seen an ability like this before. But once I analyze it and understand what it does, that will be the end of both of you."
Celestine paused, a brief look of surprise crossing her face—then she smiled again, mocking him openly.
"Really?
Then why don't I make it easier for you?"
Selvara's eyes widened in shock as she shouted:
"Celestine?! What do you mean?!"
Celestine raised the white sphere, the energy within it pulsing with an eerie calm.
"I named my ability Debilitation.
These spheres apply a random weakening effect to my opponent."
She pulled her arm back, ready to throw, while Number Two tensed completely, prepared for her attack.
Celestine continued in a clear, steady voice:
"And that weakening… is something only I know."
The white energy sphere shot forward at blinding speed, tearing through the air with a sharp roar.
Number Two dodged it mere seconds before it could touch him.
He spoke silently in his mind, his focus never leaving her:
It's better to avoid this technique until I fully understand what she means by "debilitation"…
Celestine sprinted straight toward him, her movements sharp and determined, while directing the remaining three white spheres at him simultaneously.
The spheres flew through the air, but Number Two moved with precision, dodging and evading all of them without a single hit.
As he maneuvered, he felt it again—
his energy was still steadily draining.
He immediately realized that Selvara's ability was still in effect.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he formed a sphere of salt in his hand.
He hurled it forward, and the moment it left his palm, it shattered midair, breaking into dozens of tiny fragments that scattered and surged toward both Celestine and Selvara.
Celestine twisted her body, narrowly avoiding most of them…
but several small fragments managed to reach her.
One grazed her neck.
Another struck her shoulder.
A third brushed against her abdomen.
A sharp, burning sensation spread instantly, as if her skin were igniting from within.
Selvara, meanwhile, raised her arm to shield her face, momentarily losing sight of him.
Despite that, several fragments slipped through, striking her hands directly.
Pain surged through her arms dry, piercing, and unnatural
as if something had begun to slowly erode her from the inside…
Selvara focused on her arms, her breathing uneven as she winced from the painful burning sensation eating away at her hands.
She muttered through clenched teeth:
"It hurts… so much…"
Nearby, Celestine placed her hand on her neck, feeling a faint but sharp pain lingering beneath her skin.
At that exact moment—
the red mark on Number Two's abdomen vanished.
He seized the opportunity instantly.
In a flash, he dashed toward Celestine, his body moving like a spear, delivering a swift kick aimed directly at her face.
Celestine barely managed to raise her hand in time, blocking the strike with difficulty.
But the salt coating his leg made direct contact with her hand.
A sharp, searing pain exploded through her palm, as if a dry fire had ignited deep within her bones.
She spoke silently in her mind, teeth clenched tight:
Just touching him… is a crime against oneself.
At that very moment, Celestine extended her finger toward him without hesitation.
A glowing blue sphere formed at its tip, then shot straight at him.
Number Two spoke in his mind with calm confidence:
I knew she would send one of those spheres at me… I'm ready for it.
The instant the sphere was launched, he stepped back, his body preparing to evade it just as before.
But what he hadn't anticipated—
was that this sphere was different.
Faster.
Far faster than the white ones.
It surged forward at blinding speed, faster than his expectations for a single instant—
and that instant was enough.
The blue sphere brushed part of his body.
And in the next moment—
it pierced straight through him, entering his body as if it were never meant to remain outside.
For the first time, his eyes widened, if only slightly
Number Two stood frozen for a few brief seconds, stunned, his body rigid as he tried to comprehend what had just entered him.
In those fleeting moments
Selvara moved.
A dense red energy gathered around her hand once more, pulsing violently as she charged toward him with decisive speed.
She clenched her fist and unleashed a powerful, lightning-fast punch, aimed straight at his salt-protected face.
The impact was massive.
Number Two slowly stood up, placing his hand over his face.
He opened his eyes in clear astonishment and muttered:
"…That hurt."
Celestine looked at him with a faint, confident smile, as if everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
She spoke calmly:
"That blue sphere…
its weakening effect makes you receive damage with greater impact, by a certain percentage."
Number Two stared at her, still visibly stunned.
"So that's how it is!"
Nearby, Selvara dropped to her knees, her breathing ragged.
Blood dripped from her fingertips where the salt from his face had clung to her hand during the punch.
She cried out in pain:
"It feels like my skin is… evaporating… Aah!"
At that moment, the four white spheres returned to orbit around Celestine once more.
The energy around her settled but her presence grew heavier.
Now
seven spheres surrounded her in total:
four white,
two blue,
and one golden sphere glowing with a solemn, ominous light.
Number Two stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the glowing golden sphere before Celestine.
He thought to himself with a serious edge:
"That would be a disaster if it touches me…"
Celestine responded confidently, her voice calm but firm:
"You'll find out for yourself."
Suddenly, she shouted at Selvara with clear concern:
"Selvara! Raise your head… he's right in front of you!"
The instant Selvara lifted her head, she had no time to dodge.
His foot struck her neck directly, a powerful blow that rattled her head and sent her flying near Celestine.
Celestine shouted in greater alarm:
"Damn it!"
She held another blue sphere in her hand, ready to launch it at lightning speed.
Celestine ignored the searing pain that pierced through her shoulder and arm, breathing heavily, but refusing to fall.
Number Two advanced toward her, each step deliberate and deadly, his presence pressing like a living weight.
The blue sphere she had launched at him had already exploded, leaving her only six spheres remaining to use.
With slow, painstaking effort, Celestine rose to her feet, her hands trembling from the strain.
She gripped the salt projectile lodged in her shoulder, dragging it painfully along.
Every time the salt touched her hand, it burned intensely, searing through her skin
Number Two smiled mockingly, placing his hand on the ground once again.
He created a small wave of salt, aimed swiftly toward Celestine and Selvara.
Celestine screamed with all her strength:
"In your dreams!"
"Tier 2 Technique: Barrier!"
A strong barrier formed before them, colliding with the incoming salt.
The barrier began to crack slowly, some shards piercing through, but it gave them enough time to remain standing.
Celestine pulled the salt projectile from her injured body and lifted Selvara with her uninjured hand, moving away from the danger.
The barrier shattered completely behind them.
Number Two laughed mockingly, observing their difficult situation:
"You still have a few tricks left… not bad."
Celestine was panting, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, the white and blue spheres surrounding her slowly draining her energy.
"The spheres are draining my energy a little… and I'm already exhausted… surviving against him is going to be difficult."
Suddenly, shockingly, the ground began to tremble all around them. Dust rose from the cracks, and faint rumbling sounds echoed in the distance.
Number Two paused for a moment, feeling the vibration beneath his feet. His ash-gray eyes widened slightly.
"Oh… it seems Number Deton has begun his work…" he murmured quietly, yet with a hint of satisfaction.
"That's good…"
Celestine and Selvara felt the shock of the tremor, realizing that something massive was about to happen.
Number Two sensed their movement and raised his head toward them, his ash-gray eyes piercing:
"Oh… you're still able to fight me? Haven't you realized the difference between us yet?"
"You're not weak… but I am very strong…"
Selvara, despite bleeding from her neck, arms, and fingertips, remained standing firmly, her red eyes burning with determination and strength.
"I don't care… I win!" she whispered to herself, ready to give everything she had left.
Celestine gripped the golden sphere tightly in her hand, its glow bright and intense, her eyes filled with confidence and resolve.
The red mark appeared on Number Two's abdomen once again, a clear sign of Selvara's determination.
Selvara charged toward him, red energy surging in her arms, shouting:
"Haahhhh!"
From her sides, Celestine's four white spheres shot forward at incredible speed, aiming to strike Number Two from every angle.
Number Two advanced as well, his mind analyzing every movement:
"This madwoman… she doesn't care that I've covered my body with salt… she just keeps coming at me without fear."
He placed his hand on his cheek, where he had been struck before, feeling the pain amplified by Celestine's weakening technique.
The white spheres neared him but in the blink of an eye, Number Two sent out threads of salt that exploded midair, shattering all the white spheres before they could reach him.
Selvara reached him and threw a punch, but he immediately pushed her back, using salt to create a barrier between them, blocking any close-range attack.
Selvara, with a shocking and wild demeanor, shouted:
"Tier 1 Technique! : Armored Fist!"
Her hands were wrapped in an additional layer of energy on top of the red aura, amplifying the power of her strike.
She smashed through the salt barrier, landing a direct hit on Number Two's nose.
The impact sparked red lightning, forcing him to stagger backward, his nose bleeding heavily.
Selvara's right arm trembled, her fingers dripping with blood, but she didn't retreat.
She gritted her teeth, bit her lower lip, and shouted fiercely:
"Take that, you bastard!"
Number Two felt his anger surge, and the barrier between them vanished instantly.
He advanced toward Selvara, intending to strike her with all his might.
But something shiny appeared above him, making him pause.
Suddenly, the golden energy sphere descended from the sky, heading straight for him.
For the first time in a long while, he looked terrified.
"Since when…?!"
At that moment, Celestine moved through the sky, her presence shadowed but still visible.
She spoke softly, calmly, with unwavering confidence:
"Tier 4 Technique: Shadow Step…"
Number Two realized the situation too late.
"Oh… she was hiding her presence using that ability!"
Selvara stepped back swiftly, while the golden energy sphere plummeted at an astonishing speed, far faster than the previous blue sphere.
Celestine was ready to strike, but Number Two hadn't anticipated this.
He raised his hands toward the sky, and an immense amount of salt gathered around him.
The salt covering his body surged forward as well, moving straight toward the golden sphere.
Salt Storm!
A massive storm of salt trapped the golden sphere, trying to engulf and destroy it before it could hit him.
Selvara tried to disrupt his focus, sending a red energy sphere straight at him, hitting him completely.
Yet Number Two stood firm, refusing to let the golden sphere reach him at all costs.
The golden sphere suddenly exploded, releasing immense energy, scattering the remaining salt in all directions.
Number Two stood tall near the remnants of the salt, smiling confidently, having successfully destroyed the golden sphere without being hit.
Suddenly, in a shocking move, Celestine appeared behind him.
"You've let your guard down!" she said, her voice sharp and confident.
She immediately pressed the blue energy sphere against him, and as he turned to strike her, she hit his abdomen with a powerful blow.
Since the salt no longer fully covered his body, the impact landed directly, painfully and effectively.
Number Two's vision blurred slightly after being struck by the second blue sphere.
"So, this is how it is…" he muttered, holding his head to steady himself.
The weakening effect of the other sphere caused him noticeable disorientation.
Celestine fell to the ground from his strike, but quickly got back up, approaching him slowly and deliberately.
"Your fight is truly difficult… but not impossible," she said, her voice low yet confident.
Number Two noticed that the disorientation appeared and faded intermittently.
"Lucky for me, this effect isn't permanent," he thought to himself.
Behind him, Selvara charged red energy into her hand, merging it with her Tier One Technique, aiming for a strike.
But in a swift, precise motion, Number Two struck her aside, keeping her away.
Then he turned his gaze fully toward Celestine.
"Even if you hit me with two weakenings, you've lost six in return… including one golden sphere," he said, his voice calm and icy.
Celestine let out a quiet, mocking laugh, as if she were enjoying his reaction.
Number Two felt embarrassed and provoked for the first time in this battle.
"What's so funny about this?" he muttered internally, remaining silent for a moment.
Celestine began charging the remainder of her energy into her spheres.
"The funny part is… you have no idea that I can create more of these spheres," she said confidently, her eyes gleaming with excitement and challenge.
Number Two was taken aback by her statement, leaning back slightly, silent for a moment as he processed her words.
Around Celestine, six new spheres began to materialize.
Five of them glowed pure white, shining with their usual light, while the last one constantly shifted color: white, then blue, then golden, and finally became a dark, glowing red, larger and more radiant than the previous golden sphere.
Celestine smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with excitement and command.
"I'm lucky today…" she murmured softly, almost whispering to herself.
Number Two watched the scene, astonished, a sense of unease creeping into his mind.
Number Two quickly crafted a small salt knife and hurled it toward Celestine with deadly precision.
At the same moment, Celestine launched the massive red sphere at him.
The sphere was insanely fast—so much so that Number Two barely had time to react.
His vision momentarily blurred, but he leaped to the other side to dodge. Yet, the sphere grazed the tip of his little toe and penetrated deep into his body, causing sharp, unexpected pain.
Meanwhile, the salt knife struck Celestine's other shoulder, knocking her to the ground with force.
The battle intensified, each strike carrying the potential to change the course of the fight completely.
As he leapt, he rushed straight toward Celestine, gray energy violently surging around his body.
His mind focused on a single thought:
I have to finish her before the red sphere's effect fully activates…
But
His vision blurred again.
Stronger than before.
His next step never landed.
Suddenly his body froze.
The gray energy destabilized, cracking as if it had lost all cohesion.
His muscles refused to respond.
What?!
Number Two slammed into the ground, his body hitting the earth with no ability to resist.
For the first time since the battle began…
He was completely unable to move.
Selvara was breathing rapidly, her eyes glowing with red energy as she advanced toward Number Two without hesitation.
Her steps were firm, each movement precise and deadly:
Selvara: "Pathetic…!"
Number Two tried to rise, but his body betrayed him; his muscles refused to move, and the gray energy surrounding him flickered and dissipated slowly.
Selvara: "My right hand still radiates energy… I'll take every ounce of your strength."
Celestine staggered to her feet, struggling, panting heavily, and removed the dagger from her other shoulder. Blood dripped from her hands and shoulders, yet she still smiled mockingly:
Celestine: "You didn't expect this, did you?"
Number Two stood at the last moment, dodging Selvara's punch with lightning speed, then landed a strong blow to her face, sending her backward.
Despite everything that had happened and the long fight, he still retained his full energy, unlike Selvara and Celestine, who were on the brink of exhaustion.
Selvara panted heavily, her eyes weary, the red energy around her hand fading:
Selvara: "No… not yet!"
Selvara advanced with the last of her strength, landing blows and taking hits in return.
Number Two dodged every attack, then suddenly stood behind her:
Number Two: "Get away from meeeeee!"
Selvara staggered back slightly, toward her jaw, yet still refused to surrender, her eyes burning with determination.
Celestine, unable to stand, watched helplessly, focusing all her remaining energy on the weakenings in number two body, ready to assist Selvara from afar.
Selvara landed a powerful punch on Number Two, hitting his stomach, chest, and sides. All her red energy collided with his body, the pain intensified by Celestine's weakenings… yet he did not yield.
In a lightning-fast move, faster than her, he returned the same blows to Selvara, piercing her side with salt.
Selvara bled and fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
Number Two pushed her with his foot, sending her crashing to the floor.
Number Two's body went paralyzed again, collapsing onto his stomach.
He screamed inwardly: "No… not now! It's not over yet… get up, damn body!"
Celestine poured all her remaining energy into the weakenings:
Celestine: "Selvara… get up! This is your last chance!"
Number Two screamed internally: "No… do not riseee!"
Suddenly, he panicked. He saw Selvara standing, trembling, almost falling again, yet she looked at him with disdain.
She charged her last remaining red energy into her foot and raised it high.
Her foot descended rapidly, aimed straight at his head:
Selvara: "This… is the end of you!"
In the blink of an eye, the paralysis effect ended.
Number Two stood up in a swift motion, fearing defeat.
Selvara struck her foot against his shoulder, while he countered with a quick blow to her jaw.
Number Two fell to the ground.
Selvara floated above the ground for a few seconds, then fell a short distance away, unconscious.
Celestine stood, shocked, watching the scene:
Celestine: "Selvara!"
All the weakenings on Number Two's body shattered, and Celestine's energy was depleted.
Number Two stood on the ground, looking at Celestine, his expression radiating victory and malice.
Celestine realizes the situation is no longer in her favor.
She struggles to stand, her hands betraying her, yet she manages to pull out her phone.
Number Two watches her calmly, not interrupting, waiting to see what she will do.
Celestine calls Krain.
A few tense minutes pass in taking with him, strained conversation…
Then the call ends.
The phone slips from her hand and falls to the ground.
She lifts her head and looks straight at Number Two, her eyes steady despite her exhaustion:
Celestine: "Go on… kill me."
Number Two stands silently for a moment, then moves with cold precision.
He forms a sharp sword from salt, blazing with radiant heat, gleaming in his hand.
He raises the sword high…
Then lunges toward her with lightning speed, light and heat dancing around him.
At that instant
the chapter ends.