Volume 3: The Nameless Chapter 18 How can you demonstrate your boss's wisdom by doing the job so perfectly?
"This battle doesn't seem as difficult as I thought? Perhaps I should adjust my estimate of the strength of the members of the Star Society?"
In the burnt-out base of Team Amaterasu, Ertong wiped the blood off his sword while watching Zha Kang frantically searching for spoils in the surrounding boxes and cabinets.
He glanced at Mason who was "bleeding" the great wizard and said:
"The whole process took less than a minute. It was a complete waste of my mental preparation to prepare myself for death in battle... Why are these wizards so weak?"
"weak?"
Before Mason could say anything, Zha Kang said unhappily:
"You blind little fool, you knew they were weak when you met them head-on in the open field. Mason's hat sealed the talismans and summoning techniques that these Japanese wizards were best at as soon as the battle began, and the concentrated fear gas disrupted their senses.
I also used my own trump card.
I am risking being killed by my 'friends' 'down there'.
You just made a finishing blow, so of course it feels easy, because all the pressure is on me."
“John is right. These guys never thought that someone would attack them in Star Castle. This base has almost no protective magic, which gave us the possibility to successfully launch a sneak attack.
Just this once.”
Mason threw aside the body of the great wizard Tengu who had died.
The old man's throat was almost completely cut open, and his gloomy eyes were filled with strong resentment when he died. Mason ignored him and picked up the golden cup filled with blood.
After confirming that the seal on it had been unlocked, he shook his head and said:
"The destruction of Team Amaterasu will make other wizard traitors more vigilant. It will be almost impossible to launch a sneak attack when they are well prepared.
You just saw how troublesome it is for them to change their shapes and disappear. You can't hit them with bullets at all. Once you are at a distance, even an assassin like you will be tortured to death by the Cruciatus Curse.
Not to mention the Avada Kedavra curse that directly attacks the soul...
They're not weak at all, Jason.
It’s just that we were prepared and we are stronger.”
"Look at these precious talisman papers and summoning spells. We're going to make a fortune this time!"
Compared with Ertong's post-war summary, Constantine, who was still out of breath, was obviously more concerned about the rewards after his efforts.
He came back with a large box of various talisman papers in his hands, collected the magic bags of several wizards, and finally got a large-capacity magic backpack that looked like Mason's suitcase.
The black wizard who was good at cleaning up the battlefield threw several confiscated swords to Ertong. The weapons that could be placed in the base were definitely not ordinary weapons.
The magical fluctuations emanating from those neon-style blades indicate that they are all quite good magical items.
Now, Ertong, who likes all kinds of cold weapons, is also satisfied.
"What's next?"
As Zha Kang poured the stimulant into his mouth, he looked at Mason who was spilling the traitor's blood in the golden cup and said:
"The sneak attack was a complete success, but this is just the beginning of the trouble. What happened in the room may have attracted attention. How should we deal with the aftermath?"
"Simple, we won't deal with it, someone else will do it for us."
Mason placed the clean gold cup on the burnt table, poured the alchemical materials he carried with him into it, ignited the moving alchemist's holy grail with magic fire, and took the hair from the corpse next to it and threw it into it.
The Holy Grail made by the legendary wizard Ms. Hufflepuff was indeed powerful. The Polyjuice Potion that usually took dozens of minutes to make was now brewed in less than ten minutes.
Mason followed the same method and made three decoctions to give to the three people.
They packed the bodies at the scene into their bags and erased all traces, then drank potions to transform themselves into the captain and members of the Amaterasu team and took down the World Gate that was fixed in the base.
Following Mr. Hunter's instructions, Zha Kang made holy water on the door handle of the World Gate, which erased all the world coordinates and made it impossible to be tracked.
After doing these things, the three of them pushed the door open and left leisurely.
He greeted his colleagues along the way with the warm yet cold greetings unique to the Japanese, and only returned to Team K's base after making a tour around the third floor of the Star Castle to make his presence felt.
When Mason pushed open the door, he saw two members of Team Amaterasu chained to the ground. They had been fed the water of life and death and had fallen into an irresistible sleep.
"Is it settled?"
Catwoman, who was slowly savoring a glass of red wine, looked back at the three people's new appearances and said:
"Leaving now?"
"To prevent any more trouble."
Mason took out the legendary pistol from his waist and returned it to Judy, saying to her:
"This is a good gun. Today is probably the first time it has drunk blood. Congratulations, my dear friend. You now have a gun for killing."
"I always feel like you guys are a bunch of bad guys."
Judy took the gun and complained:
"You can be so calm after destroying a team without any hesitation. Mason, are you sure you are not a dangerous guy like a cold-blooded killer?"
"We are all in this business now, there is no practical point in worrying about these things."
The captain of Team K, who was wearing the appearance of a great wizard Tengu, smiled at his new friend and said:
"All I can say is that those guys deserved their death, that's all. Why don't you come visit our base world? Judy, I think you'd like it there.
You can live with Barbara.
Her house is very big.
When I get tired from playing, I just fall asleep. ”
"I'd love to, but not right now."
The tech girl shrugged, stood up and prepared to leave with her three bionic guards who had restored their original appearance. She said to Mason:
"Let's talk about it after the 'impact'. If your world still exists, I will definitely take the time to visit it. I must inform the captain of what you did today...
You must understand, Mason, that my captain is a cautious man."
"Go ahead, go ahead."
While Zack activated the World Gate to open the way back to Gotham, Mason sent Judy out of the station. In the background of Ertong dragging two unlucky guys tied up with chains away, he said goodbye:
"I believe that I will be able to meet your captain soon, and by then, we will both become true 'family' that is worthy of trust and reliance.
You're always welcome to visit my city, Judy.
Believe me, you will definitely be able to find the feeling of Night City in Gotham City, where the people are simple and honest, and where the people are outstanding. You will like it there, I promise!"
——
A few minutes after Team K left Star Castle, the door of Team Amaterasu's base was pushed open.
Mr. Hunter, wearing a mask and a robe, walked in with his subordinate Anna. She looked at the devastated traces of battle in front of her, then looked at the floor with bloodstains on it, and finally shook her head.
“So unprofessional!”
Miss Anna, the leader of Team Ex, who was standing beside Mr. Hunter, looked at the mess in front of her and complained:
"I thought Mason Cooper would be more cautious. You clearly warned him! But looking at the traces he left behind, anyone with eyes can tell that a murder has occurred here.
That is to say, Lord Warlock was not there, so he was unable to track down the battle immediately.
Otherwise, I don't think those three people would be able to leave here and would be caught red-handed. I mean, Mr. Hunter, why would you choose such a reckless person?
This doesn’t seem to be your style.”
"You call him reckless?"
Mr. Hunter chuckled and said:
"No, Anna, he was not reckless, on the contrary, he made the most correct choice.
The captain and main members of the Amaterasu team died, but the team was not destroyed. Two people were captured alive by Team K, and the captain's authority will fall on one of those two people.
Therefore, while being tracked by the Star Society, Team Amaterasu continued to operate normally. The capture of the captain also allowed Team K to successfully obtain the second usable World Gate.
And who do you think he left these things for?"
Captain Anna was stunned for a moment, then she reacted, stamped her feet in anger, and said:
"That bad guy knew you would come here to check, so he deliberately asked you to help him deal with this mess? This is too much!"
"It's nothing excessive. Subordinates work hard to realize the leader's will, even risking their lives. As a leader, you naturally have to respond to such noble dedication."
Mr. Hunter shook his head and said:
"Mason knew that I was the only one in Star Castle who had the ability to resolve this matter lightly, so he asked me for help instead of doing it himself.
That's the right choice, Anna.
That young man understands the relationship between "obligations" and "rights" very well, but you are far behind him in this respect.
You always want to get things done yourself.
But you don’t realize that if you do everything perfectly, then what is the meaning of my existence as a boss?
You have to give me some room to play sometimes."
Captain Anna curled her lips.
She knew that Mr. Hunter was making another unfunny joke.
After a few seconds, she frowned and said:
"Okay, I admit that what you said makes sense, but I still don't understand why Mason had to do such a dangerous thing in the Star Castle? He has only been in the Star Society for a month and has no conflicts with the Amaterasu team."
"In our line of work, conflict and contradiction are not the only reasons for doing things. Moreover, there are indeed contradictions between them, irreconcilable contradictions."
Mr. Hunter walked through the devastated station, and finally picked up a broken photo frame from the ashes of the flames and wiped it in his hand.
There is an old photo in the frame.
In the black and white photo, all the great wizards of Merlin's Order have smiles on their faces. This magical image perfectly presents the scene when the photo was taken.
The young great wizard Tengu was standing with the white-bearded old man Dumbledore, his face full of pride and honor of being a great wizard.
"Anyone who dies in this house is a traitor, Anna."
Mr. Hunter stared at the magic photo and whispered:
"When Amaterasu, the Death Eaters, and the Lighthouse joined the Star Society, I looked up their background information. You know that their world was not destroyed by the Hounds alone.
There is a hidden story behind the fall of that world.
These wizards, who should have stood with their compatriots to resolutely resist the invaders, threw themselves into the arms of the enemy at the first opportunity.
I've seen the battle briefly.
It was they who helped release the virus and attacked governments around the world, and without their assistance, the world might have been able to resist longer.
At least a diluted zombie virus would not be able to destroy a world that was supposed to have great potential so quickly.
Team K has no grudges against them.
But perhaps in Mason's eyes, these traitors are his enemies!
Just like me back then...
This young man is doing what I did and what you are doing now. He is finding out the traitors who are more hateful than the invaders one by one and sending them to where they belong.
This won’t save the world, but at least we can breathe a sigh of relief.”
"But he's not from that world at all!"
Captain Anna sighed and said:
"He has no reason to do this. Is he going to risk his own destruction just to execute these bastards who will die anyway, just out of anger?
I don’t think he’s that great, and he doesn’t seem like a radical.”
"It has nothing to do with what he thinks."
Mr. Hunter put the black-and-white photo into the bag on his waist, and while using his Grand Master authority to reshape the devastated resident room, he whispered:
"In these complex and dark times, we don't have much time to pay attention to a person's heart, Anna. What he does is more important than what he thinks.
As for the reason…
Oh, when the sons of justice enter an evil place where black and white are reversed and order collapses, turning the place upside down is their only and innate mission.
They will definitely do it!
Even if it's just because of witnessing someone else's disaster.
Mason Cooper has a kind heart, and the best thing is that he is not pedantic at all. He knows how to fight darkness in an effective, decisive and even cold-blooded way.
Just witnessing today's 'Revenge of the Dead' is enough to make me happy.
I'm beginning to like that little guy."
Mr. Hunter smiled and said:
"Even though we only met twice, he seemed to have figured out my preferences behind the mask. He knew what I wanted to see, so he presented this scene for me.
The traitor's dying wail and the scattering of filthy blood were probably the 'reward' he left for me, to pay me for helping him deal with the mess.
Learn from this, Anna.
That would make me happier than if you had done every task I asked you to do perfectly."
"Please stop being so naughty, sir."
Captain Anna complained behind her back:
"Mason Cooper doesn't know what kind of dangerous thing we are planning yet. If he knew, he would probably be so scared that he would flee from your clutches at the first opportunity."
"oh?"
Mr. Hunter looked around at the station room which had been completely restored to its previous state.
She looked back at Anna and said meaningfully:
"Do you really think he didn't guess it? Perhaps. After all, the young man hasn't seen the scene of the 'impact' with his own eyes, but I believe he will make up for this shortcoming soon.
At that time, he will face a choice.
Or join us.
Or for various reasons, willingly become a...hound!"
"Then he becomes our enemy."
Captain Anna adjusted the gray combat gloves on her hands and said softly:
"If he dares to fail your expectations, I will execute him with my own hands! Just like what I did before, traitors are never worthy of forgiveness!"
"Let's not talk about this anymore."
Mr. Hunter opened a silver light curtain door and walked in, and asked softly:
"You haven't found your friends yet? It's been so long, maybe those people have already..."
"No!"
Captain Anna said firmly:
“They set out on a great mission, and in the dark night of the apocalypse, they carried the last hope for us homeless people.
I believe they will deliver those precious seeds to a safe world and then return to join us.
They must still be alive!
They may have returned to their hometown, as long as I can find the way back... Yes, as long as I can find the coordinates of that damn world! I will find it!
After seeing my homeland destroyed, I have vowed never to abandon any of my people again."
"You know how difficult this is, Anna. You are pursuing something more difficult than what Mason wants to do. Now he just wants to overturn everything, and you are trying to find the possibility of reconstruction."
Mr. Hunter also sighed.
She patted Anna on the shoulder and said:
"But hold on to hope and anticipation. In these dark times, that's all we have left. By the way, has the swordsman contacted you recently?"
“Who wants to contact her?”
Miss Anna snorted and said:
"She is no longer one of us. She is also a traitor. And I will do it myself in the end... I will definitely do it!"
