Funinna, please let me steal your heart!

"You are Montgomery?" Claurind asked.

"Yes! I am Mongot, the master of the Mythical Gem. Welcome to my workshop, uninvited guests!" Mongot opened his arms.

Navia lowered her voice: "So you're the one who turned people into gems?"

"To be precise, I am a processor."

Despite facing a formidable enemy, Mongot remained confident.

He rubbed his palms together: "I wasn't the one who discovered and utilized dissolution, you know. I just kept getting these things from that person."

He pressed a button on the remote control.

One by one, cylindrical water tanks rose up, and the liquid inside was clearly not seawater.

"What are these?" Xia Worei asked calmly.

"Girls. Or rather, beings who were once girls, dissolved into water, but their strong consciousness still lingers within, like an echo."

Montgomery extended his hand: "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Just as he was about to touch the water tank, the bullet whistled past his hand.

Xia Worei's eyes were sharp enough to pierce through people, but her tone remained calm: "Don't touch them."

"Hiss... What a brutal guy."

Montgomery touched his bleeding palm.

“These people are long dead. I'm just recycling corpses, Captain of the Special Patrol. But I understand your anger, and I'm willing to…”

He raised his hands.

"surrender."

It can't be that simple. Xia Worei thought.

Sure enough, Mongot suddenly reached into his robes: "You think I would say that! I'm going to melt you all down and make you my jewels... huh?"

Explore. Explore.

Where is the stuff?

"Are you looking for this?"

Looking up, Luna was tossing a small jar. Inside was the primordial water of the womb that he had carefully prepared.

That's impossible! How did she manage to steal it?!

Navia couldn't help but praise, "Well done, Phantom Thief White Cat!"

Xia Worei glanced at Luna, her face showing no sign of unease.

She knew that the phantom thief would never come empty-handed.

"The Phantom Thief White Cat..."

Montgomery took a breath and forced a smile: "Shall we make a deal?"

"A deal?" Luna asked with interest.

"That's right, don't you really like treasures?"

Mongot patted the small bag at his waist: "Look, I've prepared the treasures you want for you. All you have to do is throw the jars in your hands at them."

All four of them turned their gazes to Luna.

Montgomery raised his chin: "And after that, whatever treasure you desire, we can get it for you!"

Can we reconcile, Phantom Thief?

Xia Wore watched silently.

Luna smiled slightly: "That's a very good suggestion."

Chiori and Claurin frowned. What did this mean?

"Ah."

Xia Worei suddenly smiled.

“...What are you laughing at?” Montgomery felt uneasy.

"Have you noticed that your bag is much emptier?"

"What--"

Montgomery hurriedly opened the small bag.

It's empty inside!

How on earth did they steal that?!

Luna licked her lips: "Thank you for the treat. I am very satisfied with these three treasures. As for your suggestion, please allow me to refuse."

"Because the treasure I want most is right beside me."

Luna smiled and said, "Captain's shot just now was so beautiful, it really hit my heart."

"There's no need to say such things," Xia Worei said coldly.

Montgomery exclaimed angrily, "The special patrol team captain is actually colluding with the phantom thief!"

"So what if it is?" Xia Wore pointed the gun at Mengget.

Luna slowly raised her pistol: "Good guys and bad guys fight side by side for the same goal."

The gun was aimed at Montgomery.

"This kind of storyline is always entertaining, isn't it?"

So you knew you were the villain? Navia thought to herself.

Clarin glanced at Luna again.

The phantom thief, White Cat, was completely different from what she had imagined... but it's always good to have another trustworthy companion.

Even if it's just this once, we're companions.

Chiori sighed and said calmly, "Too much nonsense, just cut him down."

"Tsk, things have come to this point, I have no choice but to resort to my ultimate weapon!"

Rumble... The floor began to shake. Xia Wore, Luna, and Claurind immediately pulled the trigger, but the bullets were blocked by the rapidly rising platform.

A giant wind-up mechanism rose as the hatch opened.

Come again?

"How come so many of these clockwork mechanisms in Fontaine are being used by people?" Luna sighed.

Navia said with a headache, "...I wanted to ask that too."

“Let’s just consider it the fate of weapons,” Clarinde said softly.

Montgomery climbed into the cockpit of the giant clockwork mechanism, his voice coming through the loudspeaker:

"Even those of you with the Eye of God are no match for this clockwork monster!"

Xia Worei ignored her and asked, "White Cat, what time is it?"

"7 point."

"Then let's finish it in five minutes."

Luna closed her pocket watch and smiled, "Fifty seconds will be enough."

“30 seconds will do,” Claurind said.

Luna nodded: "Then I'll take 20 seconds."

“15 seconds,” Clarind said softly.

“What’s there to argue about!” Navia couldn’t help but say.

"Sigh..." Chiori sighed.

Mongot was silent for a moment, then shouted, "You guys... don't underestimate my invincible armored troll!"

What a lousy name, Navia thought.

“That’s so frustrating,” Luna said.

They actually said it out loud.

"...Phantom thief! I'm not finished with you!"

94: Jackpot.jpg (3rd update)

"You despicable phantom thief, witness the bond between me and the invincible armored troll!"

While chanting the power of bonds, Mongot activated the giant clockwork mechanism.

The chainsaw spun rapidly, scraping across the ground and sending sparks flying.

With the attack imminent, the five had no choice but to scatter and dodge.

The larger the mechanical creation, the more cumbersome its movements—but this colossal creation clearly defies this common sense.

The waist component rotated, and two sharp blades swept across.

Navia leaped up and swung a powerful blow at the cockpit.

"Defense mechanism activated!"

However, the countless small missiles fired surprised Navia, who quickly switched from offense to defense, using her rock element shield to block the continuous bombardment.

"Are you alright?" Clarind asked.

Navia wiped the dust off her face: "It's okay, but it's hard to get close like this."

"That's right, besides that, my invincible armored troll also has this!"

Two machine guns popped out from the sides of the giant clockwork mechanism, slowly rotating until they sped up, unleashing visible jets of fire.