Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 688 "Klein's Arm" (Part 2)
"Atlanca, can I take your actions and statements as a declaration of war against the 'Dark Night Investigation Team,' the 'Dedication Group,' and the followers of Commander Nebrius?" Hoshino Shota's calm demeanor gradually overshadowed his inner fear of the "silver bullet."

He quickly mobilized the limited magical energy within his body, channeling the power of darkness into every cell of his body.

Immediately afterwards, the familiar music belonging to the "Erythian" style floated once again between the increasingly bright and clear "magnificent building".

Hoshino Shota's figure, like scattered atoms, merged with the air, transforming into wisps of black mist too thin to be seen with the naked eye, moving among the "Nebusk Guard members".

"Grab him, don't let him get away!" Atlanca was like a mad beast, his arms outstretched as if to "embrace" everything, but his tone was anxious and hoarse.

His eyes, which had initially been smug and calm, quickly turned anxious and frantic. He shouted wildly, trying to grasp these elusive dangers with words.

However, Hoshino Shota's strength was not weak after all. In a few seconds of fighting, he quickly drew a powerful "Nebria Hand Cannon" from the waist of a member of the "Nebusk Guard".

Then, he withdrew all the demonic energy that was escaping outward, and his body quickly returned from a state of nothingness to its previous physical form.

Meanwhile, Atlanta, the head of the "temporary cooperation council" who intended to concentrate power in his own hands, was kidnapped by Hoshino Shota in that moment of panic.

“Krusd’s power always drives people mad. It was like that with Vasily, and it was like that with Shaneva when we only had half our territory left. Now, we only have this pitiful base in the east left, and you, Atlanka, still want to stir up trouble in the ‘Chaos Group,’ trying to destroy the important pass of Nebsk by instigating internal strife.” Hoshino Shota threatened Atlanka with a 45-kilogram “Nebria Hand Cannon” in one hand, while his other arm was tightly wrapped around his throat to prevent him from struggling.

However, from beginning to end, Wright and Darke acted as if they were watching a satirical play about the steam age, neither expressing their opinions nor offering help, and of course, they did not leave.

As [Orderers], holders of red magical energy, and [Chaos Initiators] whose fates are intertwined with those of the [Orderers], Wright and Dark only wanted to purchase supplies in Nabsk to prepare for crossing the Eventlay Wasteland. As for the power struggle and the invasion of the "Chaos Group," they had decided to remain completely detached from them.

“I can kill you anytime, Atlanca. The ‘Dark Night Investigation Group’ and the ‘Dedication Group’ were not human-created organizations to begin with. We can announce a merger at any time and form a new Lost Organization to control Nebusk. Moreover, Ato, he is not only a ‘New Human,’ but also the ‘New Human’ that Professor John wanted to create back then.” Hoshino Shota said, half threatening and half advising.

"Do you...do you want to join forces with them and become a new...new puppet of the 'Chaos Group'?" Atlanca asked, panting heavily.

However, at that very moment, a rapid and intense burst of light machine gun fire erupted from the small door of the "Truth Chamber," extremely piercing and exceptionally violent. Soon, the pitch-black area, illuminated by twinkling starlight, began to rapidly lighten, returning to a relatively normal, dim yellow hue amidst bursts of fire.

A few seconds later, accompanied by painful and rapid groans, strands of green light representing "life energy" transformed into a ribbon that could only be made of a physical form and drifted outwards, like ghosts and demons in myths and legends bound to hell, attempting to escape this realm that bears death and pain.

"What have you done, Atlanca!" Hoshino Shota roared angrily upon seeing this. Anger and pain completely consumed his reason. His throat seemed to be filled with countless wriggling maggots, and the arm holding the "Nebria Hand Cannon" began to tremble slightly.

Bang!

The enormous hand cannon slipped from Hoshino Shota's fingertips and fell to the ground with an unusually crisp sound, like metal colliding with each other.

boom! boom! boom!
Just as everyone was momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events, Atlanca swiftly broke free from Hoshino Shota's grasp, drew his "Boscia" pistol, and pulled the trigger, aiming it at the head of the "Dark Night Investigation Team's" number two. Clang! Clang! Thud!
Surprisingly, Hoshino Shota's head was exceptionally hard, like a steel alloy, perfectly withstanding the first two "silver bullets." When the trigger was pulled for the third time, Atlanca's arm drooped slightly by a few centimeters due to tension. It was this unexpected "mistake" that caused the last bullet to graz Hoshino Shota's neck, leaving a striking red scar.

“I’ve said it before, the ‘Dark Night Investigation Team’ has lost all legitimacy in Nabusk City. Moreover, you are the Losers. According to the regulations of the Federal Council and the city management regulations of Nabusk, all members of your organization should be executed. The Losers, ah, the Losers, heh heh.” Atlanca’s expression became ferocious and comical, with a victor’s smile on his face. Even as he passed by Dark and Wright, he didn’t forget to gloat for a second.

Then, he quickly stepped back, putting distance between himself and Hoshino Shota, but still stared at Hoshino Shota with a convulsing smile and said:

"In many cases, the Lost Ones, as a new race that exists between humans and 'heartless people,' are not as resilient as the 'heartless people.' As long as the human body exists, they will inevitably be pierced through the heart or brain by firearms and die in humiliation. So-called magic, oh no, magical energy, is nothing more than some kind of energy that has existed on this planet for hundreds of millions of years. To eliminate you, all it takes is a single bullet."

"You... executed everyone in the 'Dark Night Investigation Team'? Including Leader Kazama Zero!" Hoshino Shota roared, staring fiercely at Atlanca, his eyes revealing a ferocity and rage he had never shown in this world.

Seeing this, Dark tried to help Hoshino Shota, but Wright held him back tightly.

"Observe first." Wright's low advice brought Dark back to his senses, but Hoshino Shota remained defiant and angry.

Before Atlanta could react, he raised the pistol he had just stolen and fired it repeatedly at Atlanta's head.

Click! Click! Click!

"Empty?" Hoshino Shota stared at Atlanta in surprise, instantly understanding everything. This cunning old man was wicked; even at the decisive moment when he had an absolute advantage, he still devised countless schemes.

“Ivan XXII once warned his successor: it is best not to load any bullets into the pistol you carry, and even if you need to defend yourself, you should put the bullets in the inside pocket of your coat.” Atlanka said, gesturing for the “Nebusk Guard members” beside him to come forward.

Immediately afterwards, the fully armed soldiers swarmed forward and instantly and completely overwhelmed Hoshino Shota, pinning him to the ground with brute force, rendering him unable to move.

“A leader’s guns are always just decorations, not real weapons. Not to mention they could be stolen by the enemy, even if they could be fired normally, their power wouldn’t be comparable to those hand cannons and rocket launchers. Besides, a qualified leader should never be forced to take matters into his own hands.” Atlanca said, putting on the mask again, which was stained with a few splattered bloodstains, making it look particularly dark and eerie.

He walked up to Hoshino Shota again, stepped on his head, and rubbed the spot on Hoshino Shota's head where he had just been shot with the tip of his boot.

Even though his head had undergone multiple "evolutions" and "tempering" with magical energy, making it physically indestructible, the "soft" yet brutal friction still caused blood to gush out, flowing from Hoshino Shota's hair to his right eye, and then dripping down his cheeks, turning his youthful face into that of a vengeful ghost from the mythology of the Khitans!
“Wise people never question what is destined to happen, much less confirm what has already become reality. Clearly, the ‘Dark Night Investigation Team’ has completely lost its organizational structure. Its core members have been executed by me, the leader of the ‘Temporary Cooperation Committee’ in the city of Nebusk. As for the remaining peripheral members, I may not exterminate them all, but…” Atlanca said, stomping her foot on Hoshino Shota’s head, one hand on her hip, the other pointing to the increasingly bright and clear sunlight penetrating the “magnificent building” overhead, and continued:
"Humans and the Lost Ones are destined to never reconcile. I cannot tolerate this last major human city, Nabsk, becoming a den of iniquity defiled by the Lost Ones. Choigler, Karlov, Ivan, Novayask, Icefield City, and Belogersk—these cities that originally belonged to us humans have either fallen or been destroyed. On this last quarter of our territory, in this last sanctuary near the extreme cold, I will absolutely not tolerate the existence of the Lost Ones."

"So...so you're going to team up with the 'Chaos Group' to deal with...to deal with your own people?" Hoshino Shota roared, but was immediately kicked in the mouth by a "guard team" soldier next to him, knocking out a front tooth.

Instantly, blood gushed forth, staining the ground red. As the mist dissipated, the blood transformed into a beautiful pattern of spider lilies.

"Lord Atlanca, something terrible has happened! 'Eternal Light' has been slain by the 'monster' Ato."