"Hehehe!" Mantis laughed as he danced around Emerald, kicking, cutting, and toying with her.
Emerald raised her case once more, barely blocking the barrage of attacks Mantis sent her way. She could hardly keep up with him.
Ever since he went through that strange transfiguration, his strength and speed had skyrocketed!
Emerald panted, her legs moving as she displayed her martial prowess, trying to maintain distance. But no matter what she did, no matter how she maneuvered, she couldn't outpace Mantis.
"Isn't this wonderful? Tell me, Bloodhound! How does it feel to be toyed with by me? How does it feel to be played with by a being so much greater than yourself?"
Mantis's eyes were wide, an eerie green light glowing within. Mechanical structures and rune-like figures intertwined in a complex pattern in his pupils, dazzling anyone who stared at them too long.
His lips curled into a cadaveric grin. He looked so different from before.
His robotic hands, from his elbows to the tips of his fingers, were no more. Instead, they had transformed into two sleek black blades with edges that gleamed with the same eerie green light as Mantis's eyes.
His legs now resembled those of a mantis, but thicker and far more powerful. Each step granted him speed unlike anything Emerald had ever seen.
Weird markings covered the rest of his body, especially around his torso. From his scapula, two large, multi-layered, almost transparent mantis wings sprouted out.
Although they didn't grant him flight, they gave him agility that made his speed even more dangerous.
He was like a completely new being, one that Emerald had never encountered.
The moment he transformed, she knew she had made a big mistake by not drawing her weapons. And she was right.
Bam!
A kick landed on Emerald's back, sending her flying forward. She hit the floor, immediately rolling to her feet and positioning her case to block the next attack.
"Too slow…" Mantis whispered into her ear from behind, his blade-like hand slashing at her torso.
The Spartan armor, known to be made from materials hundreds, if not thousands, of times more durable and malleable than steel, was cracking.
An armor that even a Major couldn't damage!
Emerald flew to the side, the force of the blade attack greater than expected.
He has become faster! And stronger! Emerald gritted her teeth as she skidded to a halt, her case in front of her.
"I told you to draw your weapons earlier, but you didn't listen… haha! What was it you said again?" Mantis mocked as he walked toward Emerald, a sly grin on his face.
"You're not worthy? Aha!"
"How the mighty have fallen!"
Mantis laughed maniacally, his voice echoing through the tunnel. His eyes were filled with a maddened light, his grin malevolent as he looked at Emerald with ghostly green eyes filled with disdain.
"Your team is dead, your efforts a waste, and now, my army is marching here. Even if you pull off a miracle, it won't matter. You are going to die! Hahaha!"
Emerald's eyes widened, various emotions flashing through them. Her posture slumped, her arms, already weakened, finally dropping to her sides.
"Dead?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes, they are dead. Torn apart, flesh from bone, by my children. Their cries were the most delicious meal ever! Even now, hearing it from my children, I can't help but moan in pleasure…"
Emerald suddenly filtered out Mantis's words, lost in her own thoughts. She pictured each and every one of her teammates, their goals and aspirations.
She had known them for so long; some had been with her since she joined the military, and even the youngest member of the squad was only five years old.
They were like family, and she couldn't help but blame their deaths on herself.
If only I had been more decisive, if I had fought better. Maybe we would have stood a chance if we fought together, or retreated together, or… Emerald was drowning in her thoughts, her defenses down even as Mantis approached her.
"Haaa… Let me tell you a little secret before I kill you off." Mantis sighed. He stopped in front of Emerald and bent down to look her in the eye.
"We know everything. The war, the pillars, and even the famed Godslayer of the military. The underworld is so much vaster than you can imagine, and the deeper you go into the underworld, the more you realize that compared to it, the Northern and Southern empires are nothing but infants."
Mantis stood up, walking around Emerald. He slammed his blade-like hands against each other, his ghostly green eyes glazed as he spoke. He seemed deep in thought and didn't even seem to mind that an enemy was right in front of him.
"I saw your reaction to my tattoo. How funny. The military is scared of that organization, but what do you think they would do if they realized that this organization is just a branch of another? One so ancient and mysterious that only its members know of its existence."
"An organization that is…"
"I don't care," Emerald suddenly spoke.
"Mmm?" Mantis looked down at her with a confused expression.
"I joined the special squad because I believed it was the only place that could make my blood boil. The only place where I could find the thrill I sought." Emerald slowly grabbed her case as she began to rise.
"But after making friends and colleagues, I've gone soft. Unknowingly, I became so scared of leaving them behind, so scared of death, that I lost the ability to place my life on the line in battle. I lost sight of my original goal, and this weakness led to the death of my squad."
Mantis's eyes narrowed as he looked at Emerald, the ghostly green light in his eyes glowing with amusement as he watched her struggle to stand.
Emerald suddenly let out a sad, self-mocking laugh.
"How pathetic…" she muttered before raising her head to look at Mantis.
"Let me ask you a question… do you know why even those in your organization are scared of the special squad?"
Mantis furrowed his brows, a condescending look of disdain filling his ghostly green eyes as he chuckled.
"Who told you we are afraid of—"
"It's because when we disregard our lives, for a moment, we reach the pinnacle of humanity. For a moment, we become demigods."
"Enough nonsense, time to die."
"Release armament!" Emerald chanted, her voice so low it sounded more like a growl than words.
Mantis suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as he hurriedly retreated a few meters. He felt fear and terror unlike anything he had ever experienced. He could smell death breathing down upon him and feel its scythe scraping at his neck.
Shit! I can't let her do whatever it is she wants to!
Mantis stopped mid-retreat and dashed forward toward Emerald, hoping to deliver the final blow before she finished whatever it was she was preparing.
Emerald's helmet retracted, revealing her face as the Spartan armor began to move, its bulky construct morphing into a sleek black armor that looked more like a bodysuit.
It hugged Emerald's figure, stopping just above her neck. Her wild red locks fell down her back, and her gray eyes turned black.
She glanced at Mantis, who had stopped in his tracks, cold sweat pooling on his forehead. With a slight flex of her wrist, the case, which had managed to withstand so many of Mantis's attacks, shattered immediately.
Emerald reached out, grabbing the weapons before gravity had a chance to act upon them.
"Come, let me show you why the Bloodhounds are feared by all."