Sebastian darted upstairs, his instincts on high alert. Unfortunately, the guards were descending from the same direction.
His superior reflexes, increased by the mana that pumped into his body, allowed him to spot two of them in the nick of time.
In a fraction of a second, he acted, killing both guards with precise shots. Their bodies tumbled down the stairs, creating a macabre sound that echoed through the stairwell.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Sebastian couldn't contain himself. Once again, he burst into loud laughter. The remaining guards upstairs caught wind of his laughter, and fear tinged their voices. They weren't even trying to hush their words.
"Did you hear that? The intruder... he's laughing."
"This guy is crazy!"
Sebastian, overhearing their comments, couldn't help but wear an amused look. Then he had an idea.
"I'M COMING FOR YOU!" he said. He imagined the faces they had, and what they would be once he killed them.
Meanwhile, the guards communicated over their radios, calling for backup.
"We've got an intruder upstairs! He's... he's not like anyone we've dealt with. We need everyone back here now!" Their voices betrayed their lack of military discipline, the panic setting in as they realized they were fighting against a monster.
"Typical hoodlums…" These guys didn't even know what they were doing. In Sebastian's opinion, until now, those guys only played a little game. They didn't know what a proper fight was, and couldn't understand how they survived all this time, and even thrived in the slums. He grinned.
"Even better! I can get a better reaction from them."
Sebastian seized the moment of confusion. He conjured another poor illusion, sending it charging upstairs.
The illusion's presence sparked immediate gunfire, the sound of an automatic turret joining the chaos as it unleashed a barrage of bullets towards the phantom figure.
Amidst the tumult, shouts of "THESPIAN! THESPIAN!" filled the air. Sebastian didn't know how fast the illusion was, but it must have been really fast. Not having an actual body had its advantages, after all.
Sebastian wasted no time and raced upstairs, arriving just in time to see the turret and the guards still firing at the illusion, which was darting left and right like a phantom. From the guards' point of view, the intruder was simply fast.
With calm precision, he disabled the turret with a well-placed shot, then turned his attention to the guards, killing them before they could even register his presence.
As each guard fell, Sebastian felt the surge of mana flow into him, his reserves growing with each absorption.
The scene was chaotic, the sound of gunfire still echoing off the walls, but Sebastian stood amidst it all, a figure of calm in the storm.
In the skirmish's aftermath, the corridor bore the grim evidence of the confrontation.
Ten gang members lay scattered across the carpeted floor, now marred by dark stains of blood.
The remnants of the turret lay in ruins, its circuits fried and emitting occasional sizzles of dying electricity.
Sebastian's laughter filled the air as he took in the sight before him.
The blood sparked a visceral joy within him. There was something about the sight, the unequivocal evidence of his dominance and the downfall of his enemies, that thrilled him to the core.
With the immediate threats neutralized, Sebastian pushed forward, his confidence bolstered by the mana he had absorbed.
In front of the stairs, there was a small area, once protected by 10 guards and a turret. In front of him, just in front of the area, there was a crossroads, facing three possible paths: west, east, and north.
Sebastian eyed the northern corridor, suspecting it might lead him closer to the treasure room.
He sent his illusion to scout the path ahead, but as the illusion ventured forth, two automatic turrets, placed at the end of the west and east corridors, targeted it. If that thing was made of flesh, it would have been pierced by bullets.
The barrage was relentless, a storm of metal that would have spelled certain death for any living intruder. The illusion, however, remained unscathed, its ethereal form immune to the physical assault. Bullets passed through it, impacting the walls and leaving behind a testament to the lethal efficiency of the turrets.
"Well, if that isn't a colander, I don't know what is."
The illusion went through the other side successfully, and was now waiting at the beginning of the north corridor directly in front of Sebastian.
"What to do… what to do…" He thought for a bit, and then a grin appeared on his face.
Quickly recalibrating his plan, Sebastian called back the illusion. He needed to bypass the automated defenses.
For that reason, he directed the illusion towards the west corridor, drawing both turret's fire and attention to itself.
By doing so, he would have enough space available to get out of the eastern turret's line of fire and he could destroy it.
As the turret on the east diverted its fire towards the illusion, Sebastian seized the opportunity.
He positioned himself with a clear line of sight to the east corridor's turret, then he aimed and fired. The shot echoing through the corridors as the turret was destroyed.
But Sebastian didn't have time to savor his accomplishment.
The other turret shot some bullets toward him, prompting Sebastian to take cover. The turret then diverted its attention back to the illusion, and when that happened, another bullet destroyed the west turret.
"A job well done," he said, grinning.
Sebastian understood the need for swift action. There were still five guards inside the building, plus the five outside that had been called back by the guards he had just killed, and were likely approaching the headquarters.
It was time to reinforce his defenses. "Voxil," he said, casting another spell. Instantly, a semi-transparent, bluish shield materialized, floating around him, offering an additional layer of protection.
He was now entering the part of the building where the deadliest traps had been planted.
"That woman's information had been very useful."