The news of the Laughing Phantom's defeat and Niki's death spread like wildfire. It was the talk of the town, the nation, and eventually, the whole world. Everyone was in disbelief. The most dangerous criminal organization in history had finally met its end, and the world's most feared criminal, Niki, was gone.
The reactions of the public were extreme. Some were relieved that the danger was over, while others were terrified of what might come next. The news channels were flooded with reports and discussions about the event.
In the streets, people were talking about it, sharing their thoughts and opinions with each other. Some were cheering, while others were in shock. The police were out in force, trying to maintain order and prevent any possible outbreaks of violence or chaos.
In the world of criminals, the news was met with mixed reactions. Some were afraid of what Fein might do now that he had become the new number 1, while others saw it as an opportunity to seize power and rise to the top themselves.
In one of the most dangerous criminal groups, known as the Black Fang, the news of the Laughing Phantom's defeat and Niki's death caused a stir. The group's leader, a man known only as the "Black Dragon," was watching the news on his television with a look of disbelief.
"Can you believe it?" he said, turning to his second-in-command, a woman named Raven. "The Laughing Phantom is gone, and Niki is dead."
Raven nodded, her expression grim. "It's hard to believe, but it's true. This changes everything."
The Black Dragon nodded, his mind already working on a plan. "Indeed, it does. We need to be careful. With the Laughing Phantom gone, Fein is now the most powerful degu user in the world. We need to keep our distance from him."
Raven nodded in agreement. "I'll make sure our people are aware of the situation. We need to be on guard."
Meanwhile, in Fein's house, he was watching the news with Melissa and Kidd. His expression was unreadable, as always.
"So, I'm officially the number 1 now," he said, more to himself than to anyone else. "But we all know that I'm actually an SS-rank."
Melissa and Kidd nodded in agreement, both of them looking relieved that the danger was over. But Fein's mind was already moving on to the next challenge.
"I wonder what's next," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There's always something else waiting around the corner. I need to be ready for it."
Melissa put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "You'll be ready," she said, her voice full of confidence. "You always are."
Fein smiled at her, a rare moment of warmth and softness in his usual cold and indifferent demeanor. "Thanks, Mom. I couldn't have done it without you and Kidd."
Kidd, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Don't mention it, Fein. We're your friends, and we'll always have your back."
Fein nodded, his mind already working on what was to come next. The world may have changed, but his mission remained the same. Become infinitely stronger and nothing, not even becoming the number 1 degu user in the world, would ever change that.
As news of Niki's defeat and death spread like wildfire throughout the world, fear and dread began to spread amongst the top degu users. In the Central Plains, three of the former top degu users in the S-rank list were gathered, discussing the recent turn of events.
The first degu user, a tall man with a stern expression named Takashi, spoke up first. "Did you guys hear the news? Niki's been defeated by Fein. I never thought I'd see the day."
The second degu user, a woman with short black hair and a scar across her left cheek named Kira, scoffed. "As if that's something to be surprised about. Fein has always been a force to be reckoned with. And now that he's taken down Niki, he's officially the number one degu user in the world."
The third degu user, a man with messy brown hair and a nervous expression named Ryan, interjected timidly. "B-but Niki was the strongest degu user in the world. If Fein could defeat him, what chance do we have?"
Takashi glared at Ryan, his voice sharp with annoyance. "Are you saying you're afraid of Fein? You're supposed to be one of the top degu users in the world."
Ryan flinched at Takashi's words, his eyes darting around nervously. "I-I'm not afraid. It's just...if Fein could defeat Niki, then he's on a completely different level than us."
Kira rolled her eyes, clearly impatient with her fellow degu users' fear. "Fein may be strong, but he's not invincible. And even if he were, what does it matter? We're not his enemies. We have nothing to fear from him."
But even as Kira spoke those words, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear at the thought of Fein. She had heard stories about his battles, and the rumors of his true strength being beyond even the S-rank were impossible to ignore. She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, other criminal organizations were reacting to the news of Niki's defeat and death. The Bloodthirsty Demons, the Crimson Blades, and the Midnight Shadows were all in a state of shock and disbelief. Niki had been their idol, their hero, and their leader. And now he was gone, defeated by the one degu user they had always feared.
The leaders of these organizations were gathered in a dark, dimly lit room, their faces twisted with anger and fear. "This is unacceptable," growled the leader of the Bloodthirsty Demons, a large, muscular man with a scar across his chest. "We cannot let Fein get away with this. We must take him down and avenge Niki's death."
The leader of the Crimson Blades, a slender woman with piercing blue eyes, spoke up next. "But how? Fein is too strong for any of us to take on individually. We must gather our forces and attack him together."
The leader of the Midnight Shadows, a man with a fedora pulled low over his face, snorted in derision. "You think Fein will be afraid of a few measly criminal organizations? He's on a completely different level than us. We need a different strategy."
"Are you guys stupid? Have you forgotten how his shadow army wiped out almost all the criminal groups when his mother went missing? Don't seek death now and don't fucking involve me with this! I still want to live, damn it!"
The three leaders fell into a heated discussion, their voices growing louder and more desperate as they tried to come up with a plan to take down the most feared degu user in the world. But even as they spoke, a sense of dread settled over them, the realization that they were facing a foe that could take them down without much effot.
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com