Chapter 128: You Really Ran Away in the Battle Royale?_1
Following Sumitomo Mika's pointed finger, Iwasaki and the others glanced to their right rear.
This glance alone was enough to freeze the expressions on their faces.
This included the four armed bodyguards.
Everyone's attention had been focused on 007, causing them to neglect their surroundings. It wasn't that the bodyguards were too lax; the Iwasaki estate's defenses were simply too perfect. It would have been impossible for anyone to approach this place unnoticed under the surveillance of hounds, drones, and various security cameras.
But what if the other party isn't human?
This kind of question would have been laughable in the past, but now, it seemed to have become a reality.
The noonday sun was very bright. It clearly outlined the contour of a head.
DRIP. DRIP. Fresh blood from its neck fell onto the lush green lawn below. The "person," a mere head with no body, floated leisurely through the air, approaching them.
HISSS! Iwasaki Taro gasped in terror and almost instinctively shouted, "Fire!"
The four bodyguards beside him reacted instantly, pulling their triggers without hesitation.
RATATAT! A volley of gunfire erupted like firecrackers beside their ears.
A barrage of bullets struck the head, instantly mangling the face beyond recognition. It lost the power to remain afloat and plummeted to the ground.
"Haha! Whatever ghostly thing it is, as long as bullets can hit it, it's no problem," Mitsui Takeo said, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. He had been quite startled moments before.
Wait, his mind raced. He then said suspiciously, "Could someone be deliberately playing tricks on us?"
As he spoke, Mitsui Takeo's gaze swept towards Iwasaki Taro. This was, after all, the Iwasaki family's territory. If anyone could pull off such a trick, it would only be him.
Sumitomo Mika patted her ample chest and pouted, "Taro, that joke went too far!"
Iwasaki Taro wanted to explain that he hadn't set up this act at all.
"It has nothing to do with him."
"Right."
Iwasaki Taro subconsciously nodded, grateful that someone could vouch for his innocence... Who?!
He suddenly realized that neither the four bodyguards nor any of their group of six possessed such an alluring voice.
Startled, Iwasaki Taro spun around. The four bodyguards also turned, aiming their guns at the golden-haired man who had suddenly appeared.
Then, they discovered that the guns in their hands were gone.
Or rather, they had been transferred to the hands and at the feet of the golden-haired man standing before them.
His long golden hair was a wild, seaweed-like mane, and his features were sharply defined. His physique was extremely robust, yet his waist was slender. The way he stood, one hand on his hip, exuded a surprisingly feminine charm.
His skin was so pale it was almost transparent.
"Who are you?"
Iwasaki Taro's brow furrowed slightly. An inexplicable fear welled up inside him. The aura of this golden-haired man was unlike any ordinary person's, reminding him of the Angsa people from the Silver Hexagram Association.
"Dio."
He replied with a smile, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "I heard you wanted to play a game with me, so I came to you myself."
Iwasaki Taro's breath hitched. He inwardly cursed Mitsui Takeo for the terrible idea that had lured such a frightening individual here. He had forgotten how enthusiastically he had agreed.
"This is all a misunderstanding, please believe our sincerity," Iwasaki Taro forced a smile, not wanting to resort to violence. Dio's abilities far exceeded his imagination. The Iwasaki estate was heavily guarded, yet this man had easily bypassed all security and sneaked in unnoticed. He had also managed to disarm the four bodyguards without them even noticing. Iwasaki Taro couldn't fathom how such an absurd thing was possible. He only knew that if a problem could be solved with money, it was best to do so with money.
"We were presumptuous earlier, I apologize to you."
"Only death can prove the sincerity of your apology to me."
Aozawa tossed the AK-47 in his hand to the bewildered bodyguard, saying softly, "No need to be polite. This game is a battle royale."
"Die!"
After a moment of shock, the bodyguard roared and pulled the trigger.
RATATAT! A hail of bullets poured out.
Aozawa allowed the bullets to strike his body. He was in the Schrödinger's Cat state of existence, feeling not a hint of pain. To the others, it seemed as if his robust body absorbed the bullets; not a single one fell to the ground, nor did any blood spray out.
"You, you're not human!"
The bodyguard who fired the gun was startled, quickly dropping his weapon and turning to run. At that moment, he couldn't care less about his employer. Even if a mountain of gold were thrown behind him, he would run away without looking back. Without life, all the money in the world was useless.
"Bastard!"
Iwasaki Taro was furious. He often exploited his subordinates but could not tolerate their betrayal. At a time like this, the bodyguards should have fought the enemy fearlessly to justify their high salaries.
"You're really running?"
Aozawa scoffed, bent down to pick up the AK-47 from the ground, pulled the trigger, and sent a stream of bullets after the fleeing bodyguard.
The fleeing figure didn't take more than a few steps before collapsing onto the lawn.
The remaining three bodyguards snapped out of their daze. Seeing Aozawa holding the AK-47, they realized his AK-47 likely didn't have enough ammunition for a third volley. Although they didn't understand why the bullets were ineffective, what about fists and knives? If bullets didn't work, perhaps fists and knives would. This notion defied common sense, yet it somehow seemed logical in the current situation. If science was useless, then theology was their only recourse. In movies and legends, weren't vampires and similar monsters only vulnerable to silver items?
The three men exchanged glances, a newfound resolve in their eyes. "Young Master Iwasaki, please retreat with the others for now. Leave this to us."
"Alright."
Iwasaki Taro felt a flicker of reassurance. So, this security company did have some loyal men after all. The six of them retreated, heading towards 007.
...
After retreating about ten meters, Mitsui Takeo recovered from his shock. To mask his earlier panic, he forced a smile and said, "Don't worry. Even if those three are useless, there's still 007. No human can be its match."
"Is Dio really human? Perhaps we should call for more support." Sumitomo Mika still felt uneasy. She wanted more people around her to increase her sense of security.
Iwasaki Taro nodded and discreetly pressed his alarm button. Bodyguards receiving the alert would quickly converge on their location, along with military drones capable of dropping bombs from above. He refused to believe that if bullets were useless, bombs wouldn't be able to kill Dio.
While they were busy with this, the three bodyguards had already exchanged glances, devising a tactic to attack from the left, right, and front.
"ROAR. So, you choose not to flee, but to approach me instead? Such courage is commendable."
Aozawa tossed aside the AK-47.
The three men drew their military sabers. Pushing off from the ground, their spines arching and straightening in a powerful surge, they launched themselves forward like hungry tigers, their movements filled with ferocious intent.
A gray filter swiftly enveloped their bodies, then the lawn, and even Iwasaki and the others in the distance. In that instant, even the sky turned gray.
Aozawa used Telekinesis to snatch the military saber from the bodyguard in front of him. He casually slashed at their major arteries, drawing the blade back to leave deep gashes.
Then he strode past them towards Iwasaki and the others.
Time began to flow again.
SPURT! SPURT! Blood gushed from the necks of the three bodyguards.
What just happened?
Shock surged through Iwasaki Taro. It feels like I'm using up a lifetime's worth of shock today!
He was certain he hadn't blinked and had been watching intently. Dio should have been surrounded by the three men.
So how did Dio just walk through them and head towards us?
And when did he use a saber to cut their arteries?
There were too many things his mind couldn't comprehend.
Iwasaki Taro completely lost his usual rational judgment and shrieked, "Dio! What on earth did you do?!"
"Calm down."
Mitsui Takeo appeared to be consoling Iwasaki Taro, but in reality, he was reassuring himself. He also couldn't comprehend what had just happened. It was only the ace he had up his sleeve that allowed him to maintain his composure.
"007, take him down!"
"Affirmative." The cold, mechanical voice soothed the panic in the hearts of Iwasaki and the others. This military robot could tear a one-thousand-kilogram brown bear to shreds with a single blow. As long as the man before them wasn't immune to physical attacks, he could not possibly rival 007 in strength.
Carrying their hopes, 007 advanced with large strides.
...
Aozawa stopped his approach towards the six people and stared at 007. Through the tears in its artificial skin, he could see the metal underneath.
So technology has advanced to this degree, huh?
Utilizing his Schrödinger's Cat state of non-existence, traveling from Tokyo to Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture required merely a thought. Looking down from the sky, he easily located the sprawling Iwasaki estate. Then, using his Catalyst sensing ability via the grass, he assessed the estate's security layout. First, he eliminated the personnel in the surveillance room, disabling all security cameras and drones. Next, using a silenced firearm, he eliminated the guards and hounds. Throughout this, Aozawa's Catalyst Induction remained active. When he was within a kilometer of this location, he had just witnessed how 007 killed the massive brown bear.
The advancement of technology was a surprise to him. Not long ago, he'd seen YouTube shorts of robots that could move and speak, and had found them quite impressive. He hadn't expected that somewhere in the world, such devastatingly powerful military robots had already been created.
Humanity's pursuit of weaponry is truly endless.
Aozawa spread his hands. "Let me witness these laser eyes of yours."
007 did not reply; it was merely a cold killing machine. Upon receiving its master's command, it had only one thing to do: annihilate Aozawa.
Red light gradually coalesced in its eyes.
The next second, twin laser beams shot from its eyes, striking Aozawa squarely in the chest ten paces away.
Iwasaki and the others watched, wide-eyed, hoping to hear the man's agonized screams.