On the other side, Lilia paused just before entering Night Town with Taylor.
"Mr. Taylor," she said, her expression shifting, "I just received a message from my teammate. I need to find him first."
Taylor's disappointment was evident. "Are you sure? You could ask your teammates to join us."
"Thank you, but I prefer to stick with my old team. I'm sorry." With a slight bow, Lilia's figure gradually faded from view.
Meanwhile, in the mayor's house, a trembling figure looked up, a mechanical mosquito flapping its wings in his hand. He surveyed the room, feeling a pang of regret. After three days of searching, he had found no clues about the core. But now, it seemed time to leave. The captain was calling.
With newfound confidence, he declared, "Goodbye—no, I hope I won't see you again," before disappearing.
Chaos erupted in Night Town. Members of the Dawn Squad attacked indiscriminately, killing anyone in sight and demolishing any building they encountered. Fires blazed throughout the wooden structures, and the town began to crumble.
"Article 45 of Night Town Law: Anyone who destroys a building will be imprisoned, fined, or caned!"
"Article 3 of Night Town Law: Anyone who kills without reason shall be punished!"
The aura of rules swirled around, and the Dawn Team's numbers dwindled one by one. Yet, with over 130 members, including more than 50 gold-ranked fighters, their scattered power remained formidable.
The Night Cultists fought back fiercely, but the Dawn Squad's superior numbers and coordination quickly overwhelmed them.
In the heart of the town, Pu Sheng rubbed his temples, overwhelmed by the chaos. Why had Charles launched a general attack? He was already a wanted man. With the Cultists of the Night on guard, how could he even hope to breach the rules?
Suddenly, the sound of steady footsteps drew his attention. From a burning house, an elegant young man emerged, pushing open the flaming door with a smile.
"What's going on? Is Charles insane?" Pu Sheng thought as he asked aloud, "Are you crazy?"
Nearby, two golden superiors eyed Charles warily, their power coiling in preparation.
Charles shrugged with a grin. "Maybe. But today, Dark Town belongs to me."
Pu Sheng was momentarily speechless. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a terrifying sense of danger gripped him.
"Retreat!" he shouted, enveloping himself in ethereal energy that whisked him away.
But it was too late. A monstrous force of rules descended, a gaping maw appearing in the void to bite down fiercely.
Boom! The sound was like tearing cloth as the two gold-ranked fighters unleashed their strength, obliterating the massive mouth.
Pu Sheng stumbled out of the void, shocked by the turn of events. He recalled that when Charles first approached him, he had intended to use the nightmare world to trap ancient gods. And now he realized—Charles was a shadow assassin, and today's rule was that shadows could not be stepped on.
His mouth twitched. This rule was tailor-made for Charles.
"Put your shadow away! He's a shadow assassin!" Pu Sheng managed to say, though he knew it would likely be futile.
Buzz! Another wave of rules enveloped Charles, causing his aura to plummet and his health points to drain rapidly.
Charles's confident smile faded. Why was he being targeted? He had clearly concealed his shadow. Who could step on it?
Meanwhile, in Sabah Palace, Bai Yi observed images transmitted by mechanical mosquitoes and flies, deep in thought. This was unexpected; he had anticipated Charles would come to him first. Now, a sudden decisive battle was unfolding.
"Captain, should I retreat?" Lilia's voice trembled with concern. "And Ryan hasn't returned yet. Should I find him?"
Bai Yi rubbed his temples, frustrated by the old villains' unpredictability. "Almost done. I've notified Ryan, but his mission differs from yours. You need to stay safe. If all goes well, I'll find you in an hour." He abruptly cut off communication with Lilia.
He shook off his worries. The power of Frenzy Bloom had exceeded his expectations. How could he possibly lose?
Bai Yi scrutinized the images from the mechanical devices. Even as he attempted to avoid the strongest threats, some still infiltrated. But the chaos on the battlefield worked to their advantage; they wouldn't be concerned with minor intrusions.
Once the first stage concluded and some of their power was depleted, he would unleash all the Frenzy Blooms to detonate Night Town. As for the other three rule areas, he was uncertain whether they would yield Tears of Rules. If Night Town exploded, this world would remain untouchable until all the rule areas were cleared.
If not, he would create three more Frenzy Blooms and experiment in other areas. Given the low explosion rate, selling them to the panel seemed prudent.
Suddenly, Bai Yi noticed something and directed a mechanical mosquito toward the town. A serious expression crossed his face. "Rule area. Law system?"
"The wanted fugitive, Fudong, has violated many laws of Night Town and is now being forcibly arrested," an old voice echoed.
Charles snapped back to reality. Without hesitation, he stomped down hard.
With a bang, darkness spilled forth, and the mayor froze mid-motion, caught in a conflict of rules. His dull eyes hinted at struggle as the mayor faced the consequences of his own laws.
Pu Sheng's eyes widened in helplessness. "Go, kill him!"
Buzz! A monkey with scarlet eyes surged into existence, charging at Charles with ferocious energy.
Simultaneously, curses rained down, further weakening Charles.
Clang! A brilliant sword light sliced through the air, targeting Charles directly.
Above, a hexagram magic circle materialized, shrouding the town in darkness, while a scarlet eye loomed from another dimension, fixing its gaze on Charles.
Three golden superiors descended with unimaginable force, prepared to deliver a fatal blow.
Charles's smile faltered as darkness enveloped him. "You think you can escape?" he taunted.
"Night Town Law House!" Pu Sheng shouted.
Buzz! The rules struck again, interrupting the mayor, and the conflict continued.
From a broader perspective, the Dawn Team held a decisive advantage. The outskirts of the town had been breached, and strong defenders were dwindling. They ruthlessly decimated buildings and townsfolk alike.
Even in the central battlefield, Charles appeared to lead, manipulating the rules at will.
As time passed, Pu Sheng's ally, a wizard, fell in battle, and the swordsman faced peril.
The punishment-type rule monster had been crafted to match the strength of its target, making it capable of obliterating the three gold superiors upon its birth.
Pu Sheng's expression darkened. "Are you insane? Do you think you can outstrengthen this monster? Bai Yi is still lurking in the shadows. Do you want to end up as his pawn?"
Emerging from darkness, Charles stepped on the mayor's shadow once more. "Let him come. If he dares to show his face, today will be his last."
Just then, the sky trembled violently, and an overwhelming wave of spatial energy surged into the heart of the city.
Pu Sheng couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh wow! Familiar transmission wave, how delightful."
Charles's expression soured. Was he truly about to be a victim of fate?
"Ahhhhhh!" A hysterical roar echoed, unleashing chaos and terror.
Both Pu Sheng and Charles froze, their eyes drawn to the source of the teleported energy.
There, a slave-like man was shouting and expanding, exuding seemingly endless power.
Modify weapons? Both men thought simultaneously.
Boom! "Ahhhhhh!"
Boom! "Ahhhhhh!"
Boom! Hysterical cries resonated, drowning out the turmoil of Night Town.
The remaining members of the Dawn Team recoiled in fear, recognizing the terrifying power emanating from the familiar slaves.
Nine massive figures emerged, each towering over nine meters, their presence overwhelming. Tentacles writhed, and countless frenzied eyes scanned their surroundings.
"Shit!" they exclaimed in unison, exchanging glances before fleeing instinctively.
Right from the outset, these colossal beings unleashed their devastating strength.
Boom! The very ground trembled beneath them, while the night town erupted into chaos.
Screams and roars filled the air as the Dawn Squad found themselves caught in the whirlwind of destruction.
Nine frenzied blooms indiscriminately annihilated everything in sight. Only the gold-ranked fighters stood a chance against such monstrosities, but these creatures showed no regard for life, leaving the more fearful at a disadvantage.
The nine colossal figures showcased absolute destructive power.
"Article 45 of Night Town Law: Anyone who destroys a building will be imprisoned, fined, or caned!"
"Article 3 of Night Town Law: Anyone who kills without reason shall be punished!"
The old voice echoed over the chaos, resolute.
"Ahhhhh! Why? Let's die together!" One Frenzy Bloom paused, unleashing a hysterical scream as its power surged.
When these monsters are suppressed by a stronger force, even for a moment, they unleash power that exceeds their limits in a desperate fight for survival.
For the first time, the mayor's decrees faltered in direct conflict.
Boom! A thunderous roar resonated across the battlefield, echoing beyond its borders.
"Captain, did you orchestrate this?" Lilia's voice trembled with fear, sensing the chaotic energy from miles away.
Bai Yi responded calmly, "They're just rule monsters. Don't worry. Let's move. They won't last long."