Chapter 223: Their Own Agendas!
The Tables Turn
Zatanna truly lived up to her reputation as a DC powerhouse of magic. A single Dispel Charm not only wiped out a group of Snake Kings but also healed the Swamp Monster's injuries, essentially killing two birds with one stone.
With the Snake Kings dead, the tide of the battle instantly turned.
The FBI side was left with only eleven combatants, counting the injured. The Serpent Spirit Society was down to just their leader.
Twelve against one—it was a clear advantage.
The gray-robed figure looked expressionlessly at the people surrounding him. For some reason, he suddenly let out a hissing laugh.
"Jack Harvey, Director of the FBI. Luke Shaw, heir to the Hongmen, the godfather of the West Coast underworld. I never thought the police and a gang leader would join forces, hiss, hiss, hiss!!!!"
"This is truly fascinating."
Jack Harvey roared furiously, "I've seen countless bastards like you, you pathetic wretch, trying to use the power of a demon to change your life and then enslave others. People like you belong in hell."
"Old fool, what right do you have to lecture me? Think about the shady dealings you committed to reach your position. How are you any different from me?"
"I am the victor, and you are the loser. That is the difference."
Jack Harvey raised his submachine gun.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!!
Bullets rushed out of the barrel and struck the gray-robed figure, like hitting solid steel. Sparks exploded, glaring brightly in the heavy rain.
The gray-robed figure gently wagged a finger.
"Bullets are useless against me, you idiot."
Stan Darloff stepped forward, his telekinesis transforming into an invisible shockwave that slammed heavily into the gray-robed figure. The dissipating force briefly paused the surrounding rain, yet the figure didn't take a single step back.
His clothes shredded, revealing skin covered in black scales.
The gray-robed figure tore off his robe and tossed it to the ground. His body, over two meters tall, had near-perfect muscle definition. His limbs were thick and powerful, lacking human skin, covered only in black scales and sharp claws. His thick tail swept back and forth, leaving an indentation every time it struck the ground.
His head was a terrifying fusion of human and serpentine features, yet it carried an inexplicable, evil charm. This thing was no longer human; through some unknown method, he had turned himself into a hybrid of three creatures: human, snake, and dragon.
The Cold Heart of a Gangster
Seeing this, everyone was stunned, unable to hide their shock.
The gray-robed figure seemed captivated by his own body and couldn't resist showing off.
"You ants, behold! This is power! Incredibly powerful, indestructible power! Power enough to dominate the world!"
"Compared to this power, your attacks are nothing more than toy guns in a child's hand."
Zatanna swallowed hard, mumbling, "This guy is insane. He turned himself into a patchwork monster. Isn't he afraid of a magical backlash?"
The Swamp Monster said gravely, "He possesses the power of the demon Ghast, enough to suppress the magical backlash."
Luke whispered, "Is there any way to defeat him?"
Zatanna shook her head slightly.
"His magical power is too immense. He will be very difficult to deal with."
"It looks like we'll have to fight brute force with brute force, then."
Luke gestured. Emily raised her left hand, and the surrounding rain rapidly gathered in her palm. A blast of cold air shot out, instantly freezing the rainwater into three ice javelins.
"Go!"
The javelins pierced the air with sharp whooshes. The gray-robed figure didn't bother to dodge, allowing the javelins to fly toward his chest. Unexpectedly, just before reaching him, the javelins suddenly exploded, shattering into countless ice needles that shot toward his eyes.
"A pointless attack!"
The gray-robed figure raised his arm to block his face. The scales were hit by the ice needles but didn't suffer a single scratch.
"His weakness is his eyes! Attack his eyes!"
Before Jack Harvey could even speak, the group sprang into action. Becky and the two remaining senior agents continuously fired at the gray-robed figure's head. Roy hid to the side to grow plants. August and Zatanna were low on magical energy and could only observe the battlefield and strategize.
"Ridiculous humans."
The gray-robed figure pushed off the ground. The terrifying power translated into incredible speed. Like a charging tyrannosaurus, he tore through the layers of rain, rushing toward them.
Such speed!
Luke was secretly alarmed, but his expression remained unchanged. He manipulated the Hummingbirds while retreating with Emily.
"Die!"
The gray-robed figure roared like a beast about to devour its prey. Just then, a green shadow rushed in from the side and slammed heavily into him.
The two monsters tumbled to the ground, locked in a ferocious struggle—equal power, equal destructive force. Every blow exploded with a turbulent vortex of air.
This level of combat exceeded the limits of ordinary humans, and the rest of the group couldn't intervene. Maeve quietly retreated to the side, clenching her fists. Her skin turned crimson, and her body temperature rose rapidly. Raindrops hitting her instantly turned to steam.
Stan Darloff stood behind her, telekinetic energy surging in his palms. The two had worked together countless times and were absolutely confident in their attack. Apart from a biological aberration like Hector, no one in the world could withstand Maeve's Inferno Blast.
Roy cultivated a patch of wooden vines to provide cover for them. Simultaneously, the other agents spread out, firing continuously to distract the gray-robed figure.
Zatanna asked suspiciously, "What are they doing?"
Luke sneered, "What do you think?"
The girl froze for a moment, then immediately realized and couldn't help but curse,
"They're insane! The Swamp Monster is our ally, how can they—"
"Who told you it was an ally?"
Luke interrupted her bluntly. "Professor Holland's contact person is me. They have nothing to do with him. The old man is hoping they'll destroy each other."
"But..."
"No buts. Your concern is unnecessary. Professor Holland's identity is the Guardian of the Forest. As long as the trees live, he cannot die."
Zatanna fell silent, a look of extreme complexity flashing across her face. She had worked in the circus for a long time and wasn't a naive girl, but she still struggled to accept this.
A group of people cooperating against a common enemy, yet before the fight was over, they were planning to attack their partner. Weren't they afraid of failing?
And Luke Shaw—he had so many Hummingbirds. If he threw them all into the woods, they could certainly blow the Snake Kings to pieces, yet he chose not to, standing by idly in the crowd and refusing to intervene even when FBI agents were being fatally bitten by snakes.
This guy might be good to those close to him, but to everyone else, he was utterly cold and devoid of any sympathy.
Are all powerful figures so cold-blooded?
Zatanna asked herself but found no answer. She disagreed with Luke's methods, yet she had to admit that he looked after her and never let her fall into danger.
"Ah! What a terrible adventure!"
The girl sighed softly. Just then, a flash of fire appeared in the corner of her eye. Maeve, enveloped in flame and steam, looked like a blazing furnace. The heat radiating from her was clearly perceptible even from dozens of meters away.
Jack Harvey signaled a throat-slitting gesture to Stan Darloff. The latter closed his eyes reluctantly, using his telekinesis to control Maeve's body, and hurled her with full force toward the grappling gray-robed figure and the Swamp Monster.
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