129 Let Him Fight

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The two walked along a narrow path, talking as they went.

“So, where do we stand now?” Shunan glanced at the Black Knight beside him.

“We agree to their terms, then the three factions move together. No holding back—that’s the plan…” The Black Knight spoke as he pulled out a cigar, a thin wisp of smoke curling lazily into the air.

“So it’s going to be a head-on clash.” Shunan’s eyes flickered with hesitation. After a moment, he said, “I want to be part of this critical battle.”

“Of course,” the Black Knight raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t mean directing from the rear or supplying supernatural items. I mean fighting on the front lines, alongside the Holy Flame Society’s combat task force.”

Shunan looked steadily at the Black Knight.

The Black Knight took a drag from his cigar and saw the seriousness reflected in Shunan’s eyes—he wasn’t joking.

A pale smoke ring escaped his lips.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“I can’t make that decision.”

“Aren’t we heading to the conference room now?”

“Alright…” The Black Knight fell silent.

Moments later, the spacious conference room filled with the seven senior members of the Golden Spiral Organization. Each wore a silver necklace with a metal nameplate engraved with numbers shaped like water droplets.

Even before the meeting began, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Every senior member felt the pressure from the Holy Flame Society, especially the Black Flower Combat Task Force—a single unit equivalent to three entire teams.

The fact that the Black Flower Task Force had returned unscathed from an ambush to the Nirodo branch of the Holy Flame Society was a severe concern. No one could feel at ease.

Shunan sat to the left of the Black Knight, scanning the room. The Pugilist sat pallid and motionless, her juvenile face drained of color.

A pile of snacks lay before her, and she picked through them one by one. None of the council members objected; after all, she was injured, and eating well would speed her healing.

“You all should be aware of the situation by now…” White Smoke, draped in a cloak at the head of the table, spoke calmly.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

“Tomorrow at noon, the Icebird Holy Order and the Seduction Club will join us in advance and retreat. Each will contribute at least a third of their forces, including elite units. I have already coordinated this with the Icebird’s High Priestess and the Seduction Minister.”

“We still have a chance to fight. Even if the Nirodo branch of the Holy Flame Society has the Black Flower Task Force, the situation won’t be entirely under their control!”

White Smoke’s authoritative gaze swept the room.

Everyone sat upright; even the Pugilist, who had been chewing a snack moments ago, paused. Her youthful face hardened with resolve.

“This time, at least four of us will go into battle. The rest will remain at headquarters to prevent surprise attacks…”

White Smoke leaned back slightly in her chair.

“First, I will certainly go to prevent the Holy Flame Society’s president from intervening personally. Though injured, Haimeng should also be able to fight, aided by her self-healing badge and unique abilities…”

“Also, Platinum, you are to command the combat task force into action. That leaves one more…”

White Smoke’s eyes scanned the room and settled on the right side of Shunan.

“Black Knight.”

The Black Knight nodded upon seeing White Smoke’s gaze.

“As for the remaining three, none of you are combat-type Secret Ring users; it’s best you avoid the front lines…”

White Smoke glanced at Hong Shi, Mask, and Shunan.

Mask’s main ability was transformation—he could assume the appearance of anyone he had seen, making him ideal for spying or assassination, as well as intelligence gathering.

Hong Shi’s powers were unknown, but likely similar to Mask’s in being supportive, perhaps related to her mechanical metal hand.

As for Shunan, his last test revealed mid-tier Second Ring strength. Though powerful, his value was greater creating supernatural tools at headquarters than fighting directly.

Frankly, mid-level Second Ring power was strong but insufficient in a chaotic four-way battle. When the three factions once surrounded the Black Flower Task Force, many Second Ring Secret Ring users died quickly.

Tomorrow’s battle would be fiercer; Shunan might not survive long.

Thus, White Smoke had not seriously considered Shunan for front-line combat.

Outside, the breeze fluttered the white curtains. The Black Knight glanced sideways at Shunan.

“Any objections? If none, it’s settled.” White Smoke clasped her hands and addressed the group.

“I object.”

Suddenly, a hand rose.

“Hm?”

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Except for the Black Knight, everyone turned in surprise toward Shunan.

Five minutes later, inside a sealed training room.

The Black Knight also looked at Shunan with astonishment.

Behind him, a swirling cloud of gray-black smoke twisted rapidly. The gaunt, dark spirit figure, the Negative Tablet Wraith, was distorted, one arm gruesomely severed.

The jagged wound looked torn apart with brute force rather than cut by a weapon.

“…”

On the other side of the room, Shunan in Pale Knight form spread his right hand. A shredded forearm, crushed into a pulp, slowly dissipated into black smoke.

He had not used the Blood-Red Knight form, nor wielded a light sword enhanced by supernatural items, nor ridden the Ghost Warhorse. Merely the basic Pale Knight had decisively defeated the Black Knight’s Negative Tablet Wraith in direct combat.

“I didn’t expect your progress to be so fast…”

The Black Knight smiled wryly.

Outside the training room, the five watching the surveillance monitors displayed various expressions. White Smoke folded her arms, lips moving silently as if speaking, but no sound emerged.

Nearby, the Pugilist Haimeng clenched her fist.

“I didn’t think the shell of that knight was so tough!”

“I wish he could spar with me… not for long, just one full hour of all-out fighting…”

Her youthful face showed longing.

Platinum, broad-faced and muscular, shook his head.

The four Grade-A commanders of the Combat Division often sparred with Haimeng, including the most defensive, Rock Karn. Yet even Karn could not withstand Haimeng’s punches for more than ten minutes—with the Pugilist clearly holding back.

At full strength, perhaps five minutes? Or three?

“Chief?” Mask looked at the screen, about to speak.

“Forget it. Let the knight take the Black Knight’s place…”

White Smoke tapped her forehead.

“If he wants to fight, then let him fight.”

****************

Atop a mountain peak within the Holy Flame Society.

From here, looking down, one could see a crystalline lake resembling a drop of water. The wind stirred the countless red maple trees, shaking them like a rolling sea of scarlet.

A black boot crunched on dry maple leaves.

A tall man in combat gear slowly approached. His uniform was jet black except for a blooming flower emblem on the left chest.

He had short golden hair and eyes as dignified as a lion’s. More strikingly, his eyes were heterochromatic—one gold, one red.

He gazed silently downward. A pendant hung from his right ear—a golden flower slowly blooming in a spiral pattern.

“Red Leaf Mountain’s scenery isn’t bad, Akane.”

A voice came from the dense forest behind him.

Soon, a man cloaked entirely in black emerged. He moved silently, as if floating midair.

“Yes, Minister Kevin. It’s very beautiful here…”

The blond man squinted, surveying the view.

“Tomorrow at noon, your Black Flower Combat Task Force will be the main force. The Nirodo branch’s Blue Flame, Amethyst, and Blizzard task forces will coordinate with your actions, obeying your orders unconditionally…”

The black-cloaked man moved beside Akane.

“Minister’s trust is a great honor.”

Akane bowed slightly in thanks.

“Hahaha, no need for formalities. Those with talent should wield more power. If you achieve great merit this time, I will commend you directly to the headquarters chief. If your achievements are significant, you might even become deputy chief of a large sub-branch…”

The black-cloaked man’s voice carried a tempting promise.

Though Akane was a loyal member of the Holy Flame Society, raised from childhood within the organization, he belonged to another branch.

To ensure the Black Flower Combat Task Force fought with full effort in the coming battle, Kevin naturally made grand promises.

If he didn’t, he would feel uneasy himself.

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“Thank you, Minister Kevin. But if our Black Flower Combat Task Force truly accomplishes great deeds, please credit the rewards and merits to every member of the entire task force…” Akane lowered his head slightly, eyelids falling.

Kevin was momentarily taken aback, then laughed heartily.

He agreed to Akane’s request outright.

Moments later, the black-cloaked man stood atop the mountain, watching the bulky figure descending the mountain path.

“Minister, isn’t Akane a bit foolish? He actually rejected the merit you reserved for him…”

Nearby, a figure emerged from the forest.

He was the captain of the Blue Flame Combat Task Force, once transformed into a flame figure to duel the Black Knight.

“Foolish? No… He’s far shrewder than you think. If all merit went to him alone, he’d earn a deputy chief’s post. But if merit is shared across the team, what he wants is far more than a mere deputy position…”

The black-cloaked man shook his head slightly, almost imperceptibly.

“He knows exactly where his foundation lies. There are many combat forces like the Black Flower Task Force, trained from youth by the organization. Each is an absolute elite, even a trump card…”

“And these units lack a model to follow. Such task forces need independent organization and a senior officer at headquarters…”

Kevin’s tone was tinged with regret, seemingly surprised by Akane’s far-reaching ambition.

Clearly, Akane was unwilling to remain a deputy or even chief of a branch. What he desired was to be the top leader of a department at Holy Flame Society headquarters, managing special task forces worldwide.

Of course, here the task forces refer to those trained from youth, not the majority formed later. The Black Flower Combat Task Force is among the most elite and battle-hardened.

Loyalty, coordination, experience, technique—they possess all in abundance.

Controlling these task forces is tantamount to commanding nearly half of the Holy Flame Society’s combat division.

“Sigh…” Kevin sighed deeply.

He admired capable subordinates like this, but Akane was not his man, nor was the Black Flower Combat Task Force under his command. Frankly, Akane would not be content to remain subordinate long-term.

Even if under Kevin’s wing, he wouldn’t stay.

He could only be a facilitator riding the tide…

“Minister, so tomorrow we all obey his command?” The Blue Flame captain tentatively asked.

“Of course.”

Kevin glanced at him.

“The Black Flower Combat Task Force’s reputation is formidable along the entire East Coast. It’s not that I want to deny you opportunities; it’s just that in such a critical battle, stability is paramount…”

“Yes!” Blue Flame’s unspoken thoughts were exposed.

He lowered his head, saying no more.

“Let’s go. This lousy view isn’t worth lingering on.”

Minister Kevin stepped forward and leapt from the cliff. His black cloak flared like a dark cloud, rolling as he descended.

With a whoosh, a black shadow skimmed the red maple sea, flying swiftly away.

“A Sublimated One…”

A longing glimmered in Blue Flame’s eyes.

“But so distant.” His expression darkened.

The wind stirred the vast red maple sea into waves, rustling through the mountain forest.

Blue Flame waited a moment longer, then withdrew into the woods.

He pulled out his phone and dialed.

“How’s the situation?”

Voices responded from the other end.

“Same as before, just as we expected. No changes…”

Blue Flame’s expression grew cold.

“Damn it! So we have to obey this outsider tomorrow and beyond? Damn!”

“Why’d he leave the Jonteau branch to volunteer for Nirodo? Always stealing credit… We could’ve won just fine without him…”

Two voices argued on the other end.

“Sigh, let’s watch and wait.”

Blue Flame retreated, vanishing into the maple forest.