556 Violent Beating
556 Violent Beating
Lugano gripped Ludwig’s hand and raised his eyes to the green vines entwining the cloister’s spire, with the Sacred Emblem of Life at its center. A simple depiction of a baby amidst wheat ears, flowers, spring water, and other symbols. Turning to Noelia, he uttered, “I was attacked. Just wrapped up my statement at the police station.”
Noelia, adorned with a black hat adorned with white patterns, blending religion and combat, furrowed her brow and inquired, “Where’s Louis Berry?”
Rather than delving into the specifics of Lugano’s assault, she honed in on the whereabouts of Louis Berry, the great adventurer.
Lugano shook his head and replied earnestly, “I don’t know. He told me to come here after giving my statement and inform you that I was attacked.”
Noelia’s expression shifted to solemnity.
…
In the bustling port district, standing before the robust grayish-black edifice of the Fisheries Guild,
Lumian, now garbed in a white shirt, black vest, and brown pants, topped with a golden straw hat, casually strode to the building.
The two guards stationed here lacked guns, carrying only straight swords on their backs and daggers at their waists, blending in with the multitude of passersby.
“Who are you looking for?” Both guards extended their hands simultaneously, halting Lumian’s advance.
Lumian couldn’t “comprehend” Highlander. Without hesitation, he drew his revolver, pointed it towards the sky, and squeezed the trigger.
Amidst the gunshot’s echo, he slipped between the two guards, entering the castle-like abode of the Fisheries Guild.
The guards exchanged uncertain glances but refrained from intervening.
One of them dashed towards the port’s police station, while the other hurried into the grayish-black building, aiming to report to his superior and seek guidance.
Clutching his revolver, Lumian advanced at a measured pace. Beneath the puzzled stares of the staff, who hastily sidestepped, he traversed the hall and ascended the stairs leading to the committee member’s office.
Just as he approached the second floor, a figure appeared before him.
Bronze-hued skin, broad and sturdy physique, black hair, and blue eyes characterized the young man who had aided the Fisheries Guild’s president, Juan Oro.
He was Fernandez Oro, the old man’s grandson.
Fernandez glared at Lumian ascending step by step, gritting his teeth.
Lumian paid him no heed. He maintained a steady pace, neither hastening nor slowing as he approached the entrance to the second floor.
Suddenly, Lumian sensed a significant dimming of the ambient light.
Simultaneously, an intangible force descended from above, entwining around his feet, making him feel shorter and causing his body to sway. Fernandez, in contrast, seemed to grow taller, casting dense shadows that engulfed the corridor’s meager light.
Thud!
Advancing, Fernandez swung his right fist towards Lumian’s head.
A gusty wind permeated the space, propelling the fist with hammer-like force, guided by an unseen magnet.
Lumian gazed upward as something within him erupted, shattering the binding force.
His thighs swelled suddenly, and his loose brown pants constricted. He grew taller seemingly out of thin air, sleeves and pants tightening around bulging muscles.
Bang!
A left punch from Lumian met Fernandez’s incoming fist in a thunderous collision, causing the stairs to quiver and sway.
Fernandez, forced back two steps, bore no fear but a hint of joy on his face.
Retreating, his eyes darkened with a touch of brilliance.
Raising his left hand, a dark-green light swiftly concentrated on his unusually rough fingertips.
The light transformed into a ray, silently hurtling towards Lumian, momentarily immobilized by the collision.
Fernandez chose close combat from the start, creating an opening for the ray, capable of disrupting the human structure and inducing swift internal injuries.
The dark-green danger ray matched the speed of light. Lumian, unable to dodge in advance, could only watch as it struck between his chest and abdomen.
Yet, the dark-green ray pierced through, striking only an illusion.
Leveraging the Ascetic’s accumulated strength in clashing with Fernandez, Lumian had seized the chance to arch his back and stand in place like an arc, deftly evading potential sneak attacks.
In this intricate dance, he even employed the Niese Face, creating an illusion of himself still standing upright!
Gradually, the dark-green ray dissipated, vanishing around the corner of the stairs.
Suddenly, a crimson fire, nearly white-hot, erupted from Lumian’s body.
Transformed into a fireball, he hurtled towards Fernandez, who had just regained his footing.
Fernandez’s pupils constricted, seemingly challenged by the blaze.
Swiftly, he sidestepped, clenched his right hand into a fist, and yanked it down.
Clang!
His massive form stomped heavily, causing the building to sway. In a single stride, he stood before Fernandez, who had just risen. His left fist, wreathed in crimson, nearly white flames, collided with Fernandez.
Without a moment to activate his superpowers, Fernandez raised his arms hastily to block.
Boom!
Flames erupted as Lumian’s punch sent the young man flying, crashing into the partially open side office, demolishing the wooden desk.
Capitalizing on Fernandez’s disorientation and pain, Lumian followed, rushing into the office and delivering another punch with his left fist.
Boom! Crimson flames, nearly white, illuminated the room as the punch explosively struck Fernandez’s chest.
The flames were contained by an unseen force, preventing them from entirely obliterating Fernandez’s chest. Instead, they crumpled, clouding the target’s vision.
Expressionless, Lumian halted, gazing at the semi-conscious Fernandez. He raised his left hand.
A colossal crimson fireball, nearly white, condensed rapidly, poised to act as a Reaper.
In the next instant, the fireball shot forth, homing in on Fernandez.
Abruptly, it ascended, passing the target, and collided with the wall behind the desk.
Boom!
Blazing white and red flames burst through the glass window, the wall, and ignited outside the Fisheries Guild building, creating fiery clouds in the air.
Almost simultaneously, Lumian felt as though he entered a dark and profound void. Distant, resplendent stars blinked like vigilant eyes.
Once more, he confronted Juan Oro, an elderly man with deeply etched wrinkles.
At that moment, Noelia had rushed to the square where the statue of the waves stood, shouting towards the building with a fallen window frame,
“Stop!”
At the sound of the combat nun’s voice, Lumian sighed with regret, swiveled his revolver, and holstered it under his armpit. Juan Oro and the surrounding void vanished.
A few minutes later, Juan Oro emerged from the grayish-black building of the Fisheries Guild with his walking stick. In a deep voice, he addressed Noelia, “He attacked Fernandez. You must apprehend him!”
Noelia cast a cold glance at the president of the Fisheries Guild and retorted, “Should I then invite Fernandez to the police station to assist in the investigation of the Aquina Street shooting?
“All of you, calm down and jointly maintain order in Port Santa. Otherwise, do you think the Church can’t handle any of you?”
In the final words, the combat nun shifted her gaze to Lumian, issuing a warning as a gesture of fairness.
Juan Oro fell silent for a moment before stating, “I don’t know anything about the Aquina Street shooting.”
With that, he turned and limped back to the Fisheries Guild with his cane, where many employees rushed to assist him.
Observing this, Noelia led her combat team to “escort” Lumian away.
Once out of the port district, the combat nun instructed her team members to slow down and create some distance, walking alongside Lumian herself.
“You’re making things difficult for us. Order, understand? Superficial order must be maintained.” Noelia raised her hand, pinching both sides of her forehead. “Fortunately, you didn’t really kill Fernandez. Otherwise, I would have had no choice but to carry out the arrest.”
Lumian chuckled and remarked, “If I truly wanted to kill Fernandez, he wouldn’t have survived until your intervention or Juan Oro’s rescue.”
His words held undeniable truth.
Noelia was taken aback. After a few seconds of contemplation, she spoke, “Are you displaying your attitude, strength, and confidence for the onlookers? Simultaneously, do you wish for Juan Oro to misjudge your capabilities based on this encounter?”
Lumian remained silent. With a smile, he looked ahead and remarked, “Where did the former Governors of the Sea end up?”
Noelia fell silent for a moment before answering, “On the surface, they were dispatched to various locations. However, according to our observations, it takes at least four to five months, or no more than three years, for these Governors of the Sea to mysteriously vanish without a trace. There are often no signs of a struggle at the scene, and their families remain unharmed.”
Did they return to the sea voluntarily? Lumian smiled and said, “See, didn’t I gain something from dealing with Fernandez just now?”
The Church of Earth Mother now seemed more willing to share information.
Noelia wasn’t upset. She smiled and added, “No one reveals all their cards from the start. Once your investigation reaches a certain point, we’ll provide more.”
Lumian stared at the azure sea beside him, contemplating for a moment.
“You haven’t disclosed the intentions of your Earth Mother Church in this matter.”
Noelia’s eyes flickered. Suddenly, she raised her hand and pointed at the arguing pedestrians ahead, shouting, “Street brawls are prohibited!”
Before completing her sentence, she sprinted over with her team, leaving Lumian alone.
Lumian scoffed and slowly shook his head.
…
Late at night, as Lumian was about to retire for the night, he heard the deep and hoarse voice of the Knight of Swords, as if suppressing something.
“Clues to the whereabouts of the two targets have been found.”
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