Chapter 1287 Friends and Foes
...…
Bang! Bang!
Boom!
A few distances away from the battle, Samael and Huahua were staring blankly at the ongoing battle between Shin and the Lust Devils of the Pandemonium Troupe.
They knew that Shin was strong, but to think that his strength already reached this level. Samael could not help but become dumbfounded at this scene. He could already consider himself an expert, but to think that the gap between him and the top gods of the game was this huge was somewhat encouraging and demoralizing at the same time.
He wanted to be that strong too and fought against someone equally strong or even stronger. He wanted to grow as strong as these experts and stand at the peak of the game.
The fire within his heart started to ignite and grew stronger as he watched the battle progress. There seemed to be an urge that wanted him to join the battle and showcase his strength.
Unfortunately, he knew himself very well. He knew his limits and understood that he would not be able to help Shin in this battle. He would be a hindrance himself, so he could only stand at the sideline and watch the battle while clenching his fists.
"Someday! I will be fighting alongside him someday! I promise myself with it!"
Beside him, Huahua, his younger sister, was staring blankly at the scene. She could not believe that the game could also be played this way. She even started to doubt that they were playing the same game.
What Shin was showing them was beyond what she had learned about the game up until now. She had already worshiped his brother for his skills, but this level of gameplay was beyond anyone's imagination.
She had also watched quite a few battles between top experts of the virtual world online, and all of them were amazing in their own right. Her amazement reached another level when she witnessed what a real clash between these experts firsthand.
Her eyes twinkled brightly as she stared at Shin's silhouette that kept on flashing and dashing around the battlefield while fighting Asmodeus and Lilith. She was doing her best to keep up with the flow of the battle while subconsciously putting her hands together.
"He is so handsome!"
She was immediately converted into a devoted fan when saw watched Shin maneuver his body to dodge the spells that his opponents were sending him before engaging in a melee battle.
His sword-drawing techniques looked cool, making him more handsome in her eyes, while changing the forms of his left-hand sword was way cooler, making him more dashing.
She then said to her brother without taking her eyes away from the battle. "Big Brother! Didn't you say that he is part of an adventurer team? Can we join them? Can we play and do adventures with them?"
Samael gave her a sidelong glance before feeling a little uncomfortable. He was a fan of Shin and the rest of the Empyrean Talons too, but he could not help but feel a little strange when he saw his little sister look at Shin with that worshiping and fanatic gaze.
He used to be his little sister's only idol. But now, it seemed like he was going to be far behind the real experts.
Regardless, the idea of joining Shin and the rest of their team was quite an allure to him. He also wanted to join them and experience what it felt like playing with the top gods of the game.
Unfortunately, that decision was not for them to decide.
Shaking his head, Samael suddenly said. "I don't think that will be possible. They did not need us at all. Their team is already balanced enough and doesn't lack anything else."
"Moreover, the level of each member and their respective strength are way beyond ours, so don't get your hopes that high since it is most likely not going to happen."
Brutally crushing her fantasy that fast, Huahua glared at her older brother and snarled. "You are the useless one! I've just visited their page and see that they don't have any shaman in their team."
"The buffs that my totems can provide and the debuffs that I can cast to our opponents can be helpful too! My ghost summons can also cast a debuff of their own, especially when I've gotten my hands on a Banshee!"
"What about you? What can you provide them that they do not have? None! Whatever you have, their priest and knight can do it too! If we are talking about our chances of getting accepted, then you are most likely to be the one to be rejected!" she added in a provoking tone, waking up Samael in reality.
Now that he thought about it, what his younger sister had said was true. He could not provide the team with anything that they did not have, yet her kit was everything that the Empyrean Talons lacked!
It was a wake-up call!
"Wait! Why am I thinking about this? It is not like I am going to join them either," he mumbled when he realized this.
But when he turned back to Huahua, he saw that she was seriously reviewing the fan page of the Empyrean Talons while casting her gaze back in the ongoing battle from time to time.
"She is seriously considering joining them!" Samael felt a little betrayed by his younger sister.
To think that she would abandon him just like that just to follow her idol.
Where was the justice here? Where was the justice for the big brothers who raised their younger sister by himself?
Samael sighed helplessly while shaking his head repeatedly. All he could do right now was to support this adorable sister with what she wanted.
He was about to turn his attention back to the ongoing battle that was close to its end when he suddenly sensed something.
Casting his gaze toward the direction where felt it coming from, he squinted his eyes and focused his senses.
It was at that moment that he felt an overwhelming presence rapidly approaching them. He could also feel that the owners of those auras were much stronger than the two who were currently fighting Shin.
"This is bad!" Samael immediately panicked when he realized the target of the incoming auras was most likely be Shin given the aggressiveness and killing intent that they were emitting.
Unfortunately, he was already too late to make his move as the two newcomers already arrived before he knew it.
…
Shin was currently in the middle of an intense battle against Asmodeus and Lilith and about to finish one of them off when he sensed a dense killing intent directed at him.
Before his sword could cut Asmodeus down, a sharp sensation suddenly appeared right beside his face, seemingly threatening to pierce him if he dared to continue with his strike.
"Tsk!"
Clicking his tongue, he quickly retracted the [Yamato] before swinging the [Longsword Summit Shaper] toward the assailant that ambushed him.
Clang!
Sparks flew in the air as the two swords collided.
Shin did not even bother to look at that assailant as he quickly retreated and appeared in front of Samael and Huahua, protecting them.
"Tsk! I guess I played a little too much," he mumbled as he realized that the reinforcements of the two finally arrived.
Casting his gaze in front, he saw two new faces.
One of them was the guy who attacked him. He was a fierce-looking person with a square face and thick brows.
This person was constantly wearing a deep frown that made him look much fiercer. There was also a vertical sword scar at the corner of his left brow which continued down to his chin.
His crimson eyes were so deep that they felt like a crimson abyss. They were sharp and full of rage, which also gave anyone a feeling that they were on constant watch of a savage beast.
There was also a pair of thick horns on his head, which were slightly hidden by his brown air. This indicated that he was a demonic player just like Asmodeus and Lilith. But unlike previous demonic players that Shin had encountered, this guy seemed to be a 'real demon' or a 'true demon' in comparison.
He was donning a set of light armor that was constantly emitting a black miasma, indicating that it contained a considerable amount of demonic mana. On his right hand was a long sword that was covered with raging flames that seemed to come straight from hell.
Looking at this basic profile, Shin instantly recognized this person after comparing them to the information that Zero had provided to the secret expert channel.
"'Wrath Devil' Amon," he mumbled as the expression on his face became more serious.
Based on the information that they had gotten; this guy was one of the leaders and top experts of the Pandemonium Descendants and a stronger member of the Pandemonium Troupe.
"Looks like we are in serious trouble," he mumbled with a slight frown but still wearing a calm demeanor.
He then turned his attention to the other person that came with this troublesome expert.
It was a person with long crimson hair. He had a pair of black horns on his head, which were curving upwards and resembling goat horns.
The fierceness of his crimson eyes did not lose to the Amon, who was standing beside him, but they also carried a hit of savagery and craziness. If not for that expression, then he would pass as a handsome man, especially with that sharp jawline.
He seemed to be itching to fight but was still somewhat able to hold his urge back due to the presence of Amon.
This person did not wield any weapon. Aside from the set of armor that he was wearing, he was not carrying anything.
But based on his hands which were covered with thick and smooth black scales, Shin got a rough idea of what kind of class this person had. However, he could not be that sure either since he could tell that these guys from the Pandemonium Troupe had a unique fighting style and strange classes.
What made Shin frown even deeper was the fact that he had no idea who this person was. He was not in the database that Zero had provided for the members of the Righteous Churches and Light Faction.
But based on what he could see, this person was slightly stronger than Asmodeus and Lilith together. He might even be as strong as Amon based on aura alone.
Shin slightly frowned as he looked at the four enemies in front of him. But despite that being the case, he remained calm as he was pretty much confident with the current strength that he had.
Moreover, he knew that he was also not alone.
And right on cue, they arrived!
"Oh! Do we arrive late?" said Owen as he appeared from the other side carrying his round shield and unsheathing his sword.
Ithilien was walking beside him with her huge bow hanging on her back and a quiver full of arrows behind her waist. "We have yet to miss the most exciting part, haven't we?"
There was also a girl walking with them. She had a deadly and seductive figure. That voluptuous chest along with hourglass body could already remind Shin of a certain person. Even the military suit that she was wearing, which was specially made for the soldier class or any gunner-related class of the Human Race, could not hide her alluring figure.
Her hair was tied into a bun so that they could not hinder her.
She was wearing a respirator mask on the lower half of her face, but Shin could already guess her identity, especially when he saw the rifle that was resting over her shoulders.
That was Lorraine without a doubt. The girl that was head over heels for Leonard.
"So, she went for the Gunslinger Class, huh?" commented Shin as he saw her in a tactical suit and carrying a sniper rifle and a pair of pistols holstered on each side of her waist.
It was just a regular class, but it suited her perfectly, especially when she was an expert of guns herself in the real despite her young age.
It was to be expected for the heiress of the Goldstein Family, a family of gunsmiths and gun experts.
Lorraine waved at Shin with her free hand as a greeting.
These three were the only ones to arrive, but Shin believed that they were more than enough, especially when he could feel the changes in Owen and Ithilien.
Moreover, there was also Samael and Huahua to help them.
Shin gave the pair of siblings a sidelong glance before turning his attention to Amon. In his opinion, this guy was the greatest threat that they had, so he had to face him himself.
But he suddenly noticed Asmodeus giving them a mocking smile, which bothered him a little.
It was at that moment that he noticed a large number of auras from every direction. Turning his head around and sweeping his gaze in the surroundings, he suddenly noticed that they had been surrounded by their knowledge.
He then directed his gaze at Amon and the mysterious expert who was accompanying him. He immediately realized that these two were purposely releasing their auras to the fullest earlier so that they could hide the presence of the others who were coming along with them.
If it was any other occasion, then he would not be worried since he was confident that with Lorraine's assistance, Samael and Huahua would be able to handle this many Sweepers.
Given her background as the Commander of her own Adventurer Team, her strength should be something that cannot be ignored. She was without a doubt an expert in her own right.
As for Asmodeus and Lilith, he believed that Owen and Ithilien were more than enough to deal with them. Moreover, those two were already close to exhaustion due to their previous battle against Shin.
The problem was either Amon or the mysterious expert would be free to do whatever they wanted. He could only keep one of them busy at most, and more than that would be risking himself.
That was when Shin suddenly turned his gaze at space a few distance away. It was the same for Amon and Mephisto as their face suddenly grew solemn.
The others were slightly slow to react as they could already see someone 'materializing' out of thin air.
Seeing the familiar face, Shin could not help but ask. "So, which side are you on this time?"
"The same as before. I am against them," Diablo, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, glanced at him before turning his attention to Amon. "And I have a few words that I want to discuss with this old friend."
He indirectly said that he would be working with Shin and the rest, but also informed him that he was still not on their side.
Shin smiled slightly while saying. "That is more than enough for me."
Diablo hesitated for a moment before warning Shin about Mephisto with full seriousness. "You can't underestimate that guy. He is Mephistopheles, someone that even 'Pride', their leader can't fully control when unleashed."
Shin gave him a skeptical look. "You don't have to tell me about that since I can also clearly see it."
"But thanks for the heads up nevertheless," he added before fixing his grip over his swords and looking straight into Mephisto's eyes.
"I just finished my warmup. He just came at the right time."
...….
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢