Volume 3: The Nameless Chapter 81 Mr. Hunter loves you
"Barbara, don't run away. We've taken care of this. Come back and join me. Don't be afraid. The assassins behind you will escort you here. Don't get into conflict with them for now."
As the rain gradually died down in the dark night, Batgirl, who was fleeing in a panic, received a message from Mason. The captain's deep voice suddenly relieved her nervous mood.
It really doesn't feel good to be surrounded by a group of assassin saints who are full of murderous intent.
The embarrassment she felt tonight was second only to the despair Batgirl felt when Gotham's number one madman came to her house with a gun seeking revenge.
She took a breath and looked at the mysterious person who was already shaking beside her. This blonde girl had just dragged her all the way over. Without her protection, Barbara would have been caught long ago.
At this moment, Batgirl hurriedly supported the staggering Mysterio, told her the good news that she was safe, and wanted to take her back to reunite with Mason.
However, the secret guest refused.
"I can get out by myself, don't worry about me."
The blonde girl brushed her long hair, her face pale but still pretending to be cool and said:
"In fact, it's you, a newbie, who has been holding me back. You know what I mean? If it weren't for you, I would have jumped to the other side of the world by now."
“But the whole world is on lockdown.”
Barbara said worriedly:
"The World Gate cannot be used, how are you supposed to leave?"
"When they release you, the suppression effect of the strange device in this world will definitely weaken. Then I can take the opportunity to escape."
The secret guest looked at the kind-hearted girl in front of her, she sighed and said soothingly:
"In any case, don't worry about me. Don't forget that I have a backer! The extremely powerful and swift swordsman will not abandon her followers. I may be able to return to the safe area faster than you.
Come on, leave me your contact information, little girl.
We must get closer in the future."
A few minutes later, Barbara walked out of the building . In the light in front of her, the assassin saints in white and black robes, whose expressions could not be seen clearly and only their outlines were, shouted at her to put down her weapons.
In the shadow of the building behind her, the swordsman, leaning on his soul sword, watched Barbara being sent into a black helicopter before he was completely relieved.
She glanced up at the sky .
The rainstorm came and went away quickly, and it basically stopped as soon as Team K escaped, as if to highlight the thrilling level of the whole incident.
"Mason Cooper..."
The swordsman narrowed his eyes.
As she jumped away from the danger zone, she whispered:
"Oh, see you next time, funny little guy."
On the other side, in the underground temple of New York, several "artificial saints" who also had the biological information of Isu inventors were urgently adjusting the energy level of the aurora device.
In accordance with the request of Master Malaka...er, Master Cassandra, they had to adjust the Aurora device's coverage of the world to a weakened state in a few minutes so that Team K could open the world gate and leave.
In order to prevent further infiltration from the outside world, this energy trough will only last for a few seconds, but it is completely enough for Mason.
"How many golden apples are currently in orbit around the planet and are still operating in sync with the Aurora Device?"
Under the pale light projected by the Grand Temple's photon computer, Mason looked up at the complex and abnormal parallel world projection model floating above his head. He asked:
"You are so eager to risk a full-scale invasion to lure the stars into your world. I'm afraid it's because this device is unsustainable?"
"You know quite a lot."
Beside him, Sister Ka, who had put on her hood again, was playing with an Isu-style wine flask and answered casually:
"As expected of a fellow who has awakened the memories of the 'Godsmith', Hephaestus was once one of the designers and forgers of the Aurora Device. There is no point in hiding these things from you.
More than 70,000 years have caused this device to decay. Of the 220 golden apples that formed the planetary defense system in its heyday, only 48 are still in operation.
It works only barely, relying on the Isu's arcane knowledge of space and dimensions to isolate us from a dying system of parallel worlds.
To use the current popular term, it is a ‘sandbox’, but as you said, this kind of ‘hiding’ is no longer sustainable.”
Sister Ka shook her head and whispered:
"Yet it has protected us through three shocks. Can we ask for anything better?"
"three times?"
Mason turned around in surprise and said:
"There have only been two impact events recorded by the Star Society, and the third one is on its way but has not yet occurred."
"Oh? Then how do you think the Isu people, who were able to design such an ingenious and miraculous device, became extinct?"
Sister Ka smiled, took a sip of wine, and said:
“It’s indeed a triple strike, Mason.
It's just that because the first impact occurred too long ago and was different in form from the two subsequent ones, the "cosmic tremor" more than 70,000 years ago was not observed and recorded, but the Isu people were extinct because of it.
They called it the 'Toba Catastrophe'.
The Star Society has only been established for more than 20 years, but our world has been preparing for the impact event as early as 70,000 years ago.
Your organization's failure this time was not due to strength, but purely the result of arrogance and conceit.
Unfortunately, according to our observations and the calculations of the 'Three Goddesses of Fate' program on the World Tree host, after this impact is over, the Aurora device will gradually become ineffective.
We only have three months at most.
We will then completely lose our disguise and be exposed to the sight of the Star Society. Given the vengeful nature of that group of bastards, a horrific retaliatory invasion will be waiting for us.
Even a war of extermination.
They will stop at nothing to acquire the knowledge of the Isu, but I do not believe they will give that knowledge to worlds in need."
"Then let them come!"
Mason sneered and said solemnly:
"When the hounds set foot on this land, I promise you will never fight alone. This place will become their grave, and the war will never end until they shed their last drop of blood."
"You seem pretty confident in your world, Mason."
Sister Ka observed Mason's expression, she chuckled and said:
"Perhaps this is the confidence of the Beyond Grade A world? We tried our best to sneak attack and set an ambush to achieve victory, but for you, you can easily get it with just a hearty battle.
Oh, it's really enviable. "
"Don't think so lowly of yourself, Miss Ka."
Mason curled his lips and said:
"I have to admit that before I experienced this myself, I couldn't imagine that a B-level world could cause so much damage to the stars. You have fully proved the truth that fighting depends on brains.
But seriously, next time, tell me before you act.
With our cooperation, you can actually achieve greater results.
However, under the protection of the Aurora device, this world cannot obtain specific coordinates from the outside. How can I contact you after I return?"
“It’s a real problem.”
Sister Ka nodded seriously.
But then she smiled like a queen and said to Mason:
"But this is your trouble, Mason Cooper, and you have to solve it, and I think you have the power to solve it before this poor world of ours is destroyed.
It is no exaggeration to say that our lives are now in your hands."
"Sir, the energy trough of the Aurora device will arrive in three minutes!"
The staff on high ground shouted.
Sister Ka nodded, took a step back, and said to Mason:
"Well, see you next time, Mason and your K-Team."
Mason glanced at Barbara who was being sent over from behind.
Batgirl was holding the Phoenix egg that had saved everyone before, and there were Zha Kang and Er Tong who were supporting each other as they walked weakly, and Mr. Hunter who was placed in a biological cabin.
The starry sky mask was put back on her face.
Mason obviously didn't intend to let others know her true identity, lest the latter get angry and draw their swords to kill everyone in Team K after recovering.
The gate to the world is already being prepared, and we can just wait until the right time to cross over and leave this place.
"Mason, wait."
Just before they were about to leave, Sister Ka suddenly called them.
Mason looked back and saw John Wick, the assassin saint whom he had subdued before, walking towards him with an expressionless face, holding a dog.
"This is?"
He raised his eyebrows in surprise, and then heard Cassandra explain:
"Think of John Wick as our world's representative stationed in your country. After all, this is a major event of joining forces to fight the enemy, so it has to be more formal. He will represent us to discuss some specific matters with the person in charge over there.
After all, with your identities, if you want to stay hidden in the Star Club for a long time, you can’t get involved in this kind of thing too much.”
"Indeed, your consideration makes sense."
Mason glanced at the Assassin Saint who was holding the dog and had blood on his face. He squinted his eyes and said:
"But can we change someone? I'm afraid this guy will come to my city and one day his dog will be hurt by some drunk idiot and he will kill people with a pencil in a rage...
I've looked in your database and this has happened once before."
"Wick is the only one of all people who has no worries."
Sister Ka shook her head and said:
“He’s the perfect fit.”
"All right."
Mason did not object. He hooked his finger and said to the grim star:
"Come on, Johnny, it's going to be a little dizzy the first time you go through this door."
"Hey, go on."
At the moment the gate of the world opened, something was thrown over. Mason turned around and grabbed it, and he felt a cold touch in the palm of his hand.
Then he heard Sister Ka say in ancient Greek behind him:
"Mason Cooper, our friend, the master assassin, may the hidden blade protect you and may Mother Earth bless you."
——
"Buzz"
In a flash of light, Team K returned to the underground safe house in Miller Port.
Although it only took two days to complete the team mission this time, it was the most dangerous situation that Team K had experienced since its establishment.
Although no one died, almost everyone who returned except Mason was injured, not to mention Mr. Hunter who was lying in the bio-capsule waiting for treatment.
Mason glanced at the closed door to the world behind him. The coordinate scale on the brass door handle that recorded the assassin's world was quickly disappearing under the influence of some external force.
It was the protection of the Aurora device that made that world untraceable.
This means that even if the Star Society wants to retaliate, they cannot find a specific target. At least before the Aurora device fails, they can only suffer this loss in silence.
He looked down at the gift in his hand again.
A hidden blade made of a special leather and Isu metal, it is a symbol of the Master Assassins' status and their famous assassination weapon.
Using this thing obviously requires extremely high melee skills, and Mason, who has never put in the effort to practice melee combat, is not suitable for it.
This is just a symbol of recognition by the other party.
But it is not useless.
"Here you go."
Mason threw the Master's Hidden Blade in his hand to Ertong. The latter, a master of cold weapons, fell in love with this thing the moment he saw it, and started playing with it regardless of his injured body.
"Don't look for me in the next few days!"
Zha Kang, with a pale face, covered his stomach and yelled:
"I'm going to get drunk and dream! I'm going to have a good time! I'm going to have a lot of fun and I don't want to pay! I really don't want to go through this shit again, Mason.
Don't forget the serum you promised to give me!
Bastard, I went through hell and got nothing good out of it."
"Go ahead, go ahead. I definitely won't disturb you. I desperately need a rest myself."
Mason rubbed his forehead and really didn't have the energy to argue with Zha Kang.
He arranged for Er Tong, who was still able to move, to send the nearly fainted Barbara home, and asked Zha Kang to take John Wick to the Iceberg Bar to stay there first, so that they could get familiar with the environment before meeting the heroes of this world.
In the end, he put away the phoenix egg and stayed alone in this underground safe house. He didn't plan to go back to his shop and just rested here.
Physical fatigue comes second.
It was mainly the mental dullness that made Mason feel that this was no longer a problem that could be alleviated by stimulant potions.
Before he fell into a deep sleep on the sofa, he did not forget to put his Isu cloak that could heal wounds on the hunter lady in the bio-capsule.
After leaving the assassin world, the force that prevented her injuries from healing began to dissipate.
It seems that it is still a "regional BUFF" and it will be ineffective once you leave there.
Mason slept soundly and had many strange dreams until he felt a chill on his neck and opened his eyes.
Then he saw the hunter holding the bloody knife against his neck.
It wasn't that she didn't want to chop it down.
Facing this subordinate who was so bold as to attack and backstab his boss, no matter how many times she chopped him, she could not vent the anger in her heart. She spared his life purely because Mason was holding a golden apple in his hand.
And that thing was emitting a faint golden light that interfered with the hunter's thinking.
"Are you awake?"
Mason had absolutely no intention of backstabbing his boss and getting into trouble. After seeing the hunter wake up, he grinned, not caring at all about the sharp blade against his neck.
He even took away the golden apples that he used for self-protection.
The moment the power that interfered with his thoughts disappeared, he was lifted up by the neck and slammed against the wall disguised as a container next to him with a bang.
Under the starry sky mask in front of him, the pair of big eyes shone with a cold light.
"I think you should calm down."
Mason, with his legs in the air, relaxed, with no intention of resisting.
He felt a little uncomfortable with his neck being pinched, but he still spoke intermittently to the silent woman in front of him:
"We came back alive, no one died, and the matter was resolved satisfactorily. No matter from which angle you look at it, you have absolutely no reason to be angry."
"You sneak attacked me!"
The hunter gritted his teeth, the sound almost coming from between his teeth.
She said:
"While I was protecting you!"
"Yes, I am really touched that you risked your life to rescue me and my team. I take back my suspicions that I shouldn't have had before. You are indeed a five-star good boss.
I shouldn't have done that.
But you know the situation at that time, I don't think you will listen to my explanation and do what I want to do. "
Mason sighed and said:
"I just chose the most direct way of persuasion, and it turns out that my method is very effective. And rather than dwelling on the past, I think there are more troublesome things waiting for us to deal with now.
The Star Castle will not give up.
As the only team that escaped from the assassin world, I knew with my heels how many headache-inducing questions I would have to face. It would be fine if I had a clear conscience, but I am a real traitor.
Tell me, what should we do now? "
"I'm not dead yet."
The hunter was so angry that she couldn't swallow it, but she finally threw Mason back onto the sofa. She tidied her robe and mask while saying coldly:
"No one will attribute this to a small C-level team. Your apparent weakness is the best protection. But I have to go back to Star Castle now. I will talk to you next time if there is anything.
Mason.
I don't have time to ask what kind of deal you made with those assassins to get us back safe and sound, but before I come next time , you'd better make up a decent excuse."
The silver light turned on, and she walked into it and disappeared.
Mason shrugged, fell on the sofa and continued to sleep. He was really tired, and it was really great to have someone tall to support him when the sky fell.
Tsk, Cirilla Fiona Ellen Lillian, Her Royal Highness the Princess of Nilfgaard, Daughter of the White Wolf...
You are such a good boss.
