The deafening blast that shattered the silence of the night resonated with a distinctive crack, a sound that bore a familiarity that immediately struck a chord within Lynn's memory.
Turning his head in a particular direction, his eyes narrowed as he swiftly located the source of the bullet. Across the dimly lit street, two figures approached, their movements a blur of extraordinary speed.
His lips twisted into a contemplative frown. Despite being draped in hooded attire, effectively concealing their faces and shrouding their identities, he instantaneously had an idea of who they could be.
He was almost certain the unexpected shot had come from the Dusklight Shotgun, the same extraordinary weapon wielded by the person from whom he had extorted information previously.
Which meant…
“Special Investigation Bureau,” he quickly realized. His suspicions were confirmed mere moments later when the weapon clutched in one of the silhouette’s hands became visible.
Even shrouded in obscurity, the unique design and slightly glowing intricate engravings on the barrel were unmistakably the signature of the same firearm he had encountered before.
His attention turned to the second person; a slender figure garbed in a dark cloak. Based on this individual's lithe frame and flowing strides, it was probably the other investigator, the woman with a high ponytail.
Before he could think of a reason for their appearance in the abandoned district, his thought process was interrupted by a spine-chilling howl, emanating from the lone surviving werewolf.
Seeing its companion fall lifelessly to the ground, the headless body writhing grotesquely in a spreading pool of blood, a hint of intelligence flickered within the beast's eyes.
For a fleeting moment, the frenzied bloodlust that had consumed its consciousness seemed to waver. The piercing crack of the shotgun blast pierced the veil of madness that shrouded its mind.
As Dusklight Shotgun swung in its direction, survival instincts finally overpowered its corrupted mind. Letting loose another long, baleful howl, it turned and bounded away down the street.
Each powerful leap carried it over a dozen meters in a single bound. With astonishing agility, the creature maneuvered its bulky body between obstacles and rubble. It moved with the desperation of prey fleeing a predator.
This sudden retreat took everyone by surprise. The gangsters were still in disorder from the surprise attack, weapons raised but unsure whether to fire after the monster.
Their leader eyed the two new arrivals suspiciously. "Who the hell are you?" he growled, keeping his assault rifle pointed warily. His men followed his lead, swiveling their array of firearms.
The duo ignored the threatening display of firepower directed at them. Amber's sharp eyes followed the mutating monster’s evading form, watching as it escaped away into the gloomy distance.
She knew that they couldn't afford to let the creature get away. Valuable insights could be lost, and it could claim more innocent lives if left unchecked. Her mind raced, quickly weighing options.
Being ignored, the gang leader's face contorted in anger. "I'll give you one last warning," he snarled through clenched teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. "Identify yourselves immediately or we'll open fire!"
His finger tensed on the trigger, and the dozen other gangsters flanking him mirrored his aggression. They brandished an assortment of firearms and blades, eager for the signal to attack.
Amber suddenly accelerated before they could do anything, crossing the distance between them. Within a blink, she appeared in front of the startled gang members
Staring directly at them, she maintained a composed expression. "Put down your weapons," she ordered, her voice carrying an unnatural resonance that compelled compliance.
The leader’s finger twitched on the trigger as he prepared to ignore the command and open fire. But try as he might, he found himself unable to pull it, something holding him back.
The gangsters shuddered as an abnormal chill that raised goosebumps across exposed flesh permeated the air. Before their eyes, wispy shadows materialized around and immobilized them.
Amber's gaze intensified, her eyes seeming to glow with an otherworldly light. "Your weapons," she repeated, her voice commanding and authoritative. "Drop them now."
This caused everyone’s face to contort in confusion as they lost control over their bodies. The leader’s assault rifle slipped from limp fingers, clattering loudly against the cracked pavement.
One by one, the gangsters relinquished their firearms and blades, releasing them from nerveless grips. As they hit the ground with heavy thuds, the suffocating sensation and shadows that overwhelmed them seemed to dissipate.
"Ethan, you stay here and deal with them," she said, her gaze fixed in the direction the mutated werewolf had escaped. "Keep them from fleeing until backup arrives, you have the authorization to kill if they don’t behave."
Before he could respond, she was already springing into action. Her lithe figure blurred, fading rapidly into the darkness as she pursued the creature with astonishing speed.
Within moments, her form had vanished completely from view, disappearing amidst the maze of dilapidated buildings. Only her swiftly fading footsteps provided any indication of the direction she had gone.
Ethan stood frozen for a heartbeat, stunned by Amber's abrupt departure. He had hoped to join her in the hunt. But he knew better than to defy orders, no matter how strong the temptation.
Suppressing his disappointment, he turned to face the gangsters, who were growing increasingly uneasy and afraid with the situation spiraling out of their control.
Watching the scene unfold with great curiosity, Lynn felt tempted to reveal himself and engage in a "friendly" conversation with his old acquaintance who was now alone.
He wondered if, with some persuasion, he could extort new information about the Special Investigation Bureau's activities in the abandoned district. However, he quickly dismissed the idea.
Exposing himself at this moment would only invite trouble, especially considering the intimidating captain who potentially might be on his way to provide backup.
Without wasting a moment, he immediately disappeared into the darkness. He continued in the direction that the werewolf and Amber had disappeared, tracking them easily thanks to his superior agility and perception that reached the limits
As he approached the destination, he found himself unexpectedly witnessing the woman in the dark cloak holding a large-caliber revolver. The faint crimson lines on the weapon gleamed.
Gunshots rang out, flashes of orange-red erupting from the revolver's barrel. The werewolf howled in pain as the bullets ripped into its back, igniting miniature firestorms that lit up the alley.
Blood mixed with flesh spilled everywhere as its back erupted in a gruesome mess. The force of the impact sent the polluted monster flying through the air, tumbling for two or three meters before crashing to the ground.
It lay still, a massive wound the size of a bowl having been blown clear through its back. Charred flesh hung in ribbons from the gaping hole, exposing bone and sinew beneath.
"Another extraordinary object?" Lynn thought to himself, stopping in his tracks to fade into the darkness, preventing the woman from noticing him. The large-caliber revolver was definitely an extraordinary weapon.
Observing the variety of extraordinary weapons utilized by these investigators, it seemed the Special Investigation Bureau had access to truly remarkable resources.
He mulled over the insights he had recently acquired, recalling fragments of knowledge gained from studying the Monster Whispering Manual about the intricacies of extraordinary objects.
According to the ancient tome, they were items that used spiritual energy to unleash powerful abilities and destructive power. They were created from extraordinary materials and characteristics through special and secret rituals.
This was the same process that allowed him to obtain new class skills. By absorbing an extraordinary characteristic, his abilities expanded - just as they had when he assimilated Dr. Stein's string manipulation powers back in the hospital dungeon trial.
However, this also meant that normally, ordinary people couldn’t use extraordinary objects. When wielding such artifacts, there will be some fluctuations in the concentration of spiritual energy within the user's body.
This resulted in negligible spiritual energy pollution, but for ordinary individuals lacking the fortitude to endure it, this could have fatal consequences. Their physical forms lacked the innate extraordinary essence needed.
Lynn deduced that this was likely why, even with access to extraordinary weapons, the members of the Special Investigation Bureau still struggled against supernatural threats.
