Najenda sprinted forward with all her strength.
Unfortunately, after enduring a long battle and escape, her stamina had already been nearly exhausted.
The screams of the crowd and the Air Manta's agonized shrieks pierced through the night.
Najenda quickly discovered the source of the Air Manta's frenzy.
That savage claw-shaped wound on its body.
Rolled flesh surrounded it while dark purple blood continuously seeped out.
The gigantic body that blotted out the sky was now less than four meters from the ground.
The foul stench of blood had already filled everyone's nostrils.
"This wound. Was it attacked by another Danger Beast?"
Najenda felt somewhat puzzled.
But her movements did not pause in the slightest.
Najenda raised her right arm and aimed it toward the Air Manta above.
Irregular shadows covered half of Najenda's face.
The people fleeing in every direction wore expressions of despair.
The chances of surviving beneath such a massive object were slim.
Not to mention it was a berserk Danger Beast.
Najenda stood in the center of the crowd as her dark green mechanical arm launched outward.
Compared to the Air Manta's enormous size, she looked as tiny as an ant.
Like a praying mantis trying to stop a carriage, falling from hundreds of meters in the air.
That terrifying speed was no joke.
Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of danger struck.
The world abruptly became quiet.
Tiny crimson points of starlight flashed through the night sky, exceptionally eye-catching.
A blade sliced through the air as a blood-red slash burst forth from the center.
The gigantic shadow split apart, and before the sound arrived, the shadow beneath the moonlight had already changed.
A crisp tearing sound like fabric being ripped followed immediately after.
Like prey butchered by a slaughterer, the Air Manta's body slowly split apart from the center.
A sudden gust of wind appeared before Najenda.
The force blew against her so hard she could barely open her eyes and could not clearly see the person before her.
The Air Manta's body slid apart to both sides as massive amounts of blood mixed with internal organs spilled out.
Boom!!
With a thunderous crash, the shadow looming over the crowd instantly disappeared.
What followed was a rain of blood covering the sky. The Air Manta's blood possessed extremely strong corrosive properties.
To ordinary people, it was equally deadly.
Pitter patter.
The blood droplets fell onto the ground.
As though controlled by spirits, they avoided every single person and all poured onto the earth instead.
As waves of white smoke rose up, the people finally realized what had happened.
Uesugi Ryu stood sideways facing Najenda with a faint smile on his face.
"Come back and have some tea with me, Boss~"
Najenda's pupils shrank slightly as the corner of her eye landed on the riddled ground beneath her feet.
Not a single person had been injured. The surroundings were silent like the end of the world.
The only thing capable of such precision was probably Black Marlin.
Even with a Teigu, that level of control was absurd.
Najenda's emotions became somewhat complicated.
The sound of cables retracting rang out as the missed mechanical arm slowly returned.
Click.
Najenda raised her head and looked at the Uesugi Ryu before her.
"How is Chelsea?"
Uesugi Ryu walked toward the distance.
"No rush. You'll see her soon enough."
Najenda did not make any meaningless resistance and wisely followed his footsteps.
The little boy raised his head and looked at Uesugi Ryu's back with admiration.
"So cool. That big brother is amazing!"
The man in priest robes let out a huge sigh of relief.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a helpless smile.
The little boy snapped back to his senses and immediately thanked him.
"Ah, thank you very much!"
The people freely enjoyed the joy of surviving disaster, while the Air Manta's corpse quietly lay nearby.
Leaving the crowd behind, the two arrived beside a building.
Uesugi Ryu leaned against the wall and looked at Najenda with interest.
"Let's talk. How many good things do you still have?"
Najenda did not answer, as though thinking about something.
A moment later, she asked in return.
"Isn't Susanoo enough?"
Uesugi Ryu raised an eyebrow and replied calmly.
"That's my war trophy."
Hearing that, Najenda confirmed the answer in her heart.
A trace of relief flashed through her eyes.
At least those words proved Susanoo had not been destroyed.
A broken Teigu could not be considered a war trophy.
As Susanoo's owner, Najenda had a certain level of perception toward him.
But judging from her intuition.
Uesugi Ryu did not seem to be carrying Susanoo's core on him.
Najenda sighed inwardly. "I never expected my first use of Manifestation of the Calamity Soul would also be the last."
"Not carrying it on him. Is that caution, or...?"
As for naming a price, Najenda had never even considered it.
What kind of thing could possibly exchange for two Night Raid members and their leader?
Najenda had appeared here already prepared to die.
With someone important enough like her remaining behind.
Tatsumi and Leone would have a chance to escape.
Just as Najenda was preparing to spout nonsense to stall for time.
Uesugi Ryu suddenly raised his head and looked into the distance.
The corners of his lips curled upward slightly as he muttered softly.
"Forget it. We can talk after everyone gathers."
Najenda froze slightly as a terrible premonition suddenly surged into her heart.