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In that instant, it seemed as though the throats of everyone in the criminal organization known as "Deadlock" had been seized. Not a single person spoke another word.
Even their apparent leader remained silent for quite some time, showing no reaction.
Shokuhou Misaki also remained quiet in this situation.
Only Fang Li continued to speak in his blunt, straightforward tone.
"Because the existence of Super Ability users causes sacrifices among Low-Rank Ability users, they must be eliminated... right?" Fang Li looked at the silent bikers and said indifferently. "If that's the case, then wouldn't the leveling up of any one of you Lv. 4 high-level Ability users also cause sacrifices?" When that happens, should you kill your former comrade? Or perhaps make them commit suicide so they won't cause others to be sacrificed?"
These words struck straight at the heart of the issue, and an atmosphere of unease gradually spread among everyone affiliated with Deadlock.
After all, it was an absolutely impossible theory to refute. So long as they continued to cling to their beliefs, that is.
Moreover...
"Don't put yourselves on a pedestal, thinking that just because you cloak your actions in the name of 'justice,' what you're doing is right," Fang Li said sarcastically. "Look at yourselves. You never considered that you might cause others to be sacrificed if you became super Ability users because you don't care about that. All you care about is leveling up."
"But when you can't level up and are trapped in self-righteous despair with nowhere to go, you direct your anger at those super Ability users and falsely accuse them of crimes just to vent your frustration."
"Perhaps among you, there are people harboring a fantasy?"
"A fantasy that says: 'As long as I kill the super Ability user who affected me and stopped me from improving my Ability, I'll be able to level up.'"
"In other words, you're just killing people who might stand in your way. Making you all nothing more than selfish, despicable lowlife scum."
The crowd was instantly enraged by the words of contempt.
"Huff... huff..."
The man suspected to be their leader began breathing heavily. Yet he calmed himself down, gritted his teeth, and shouted to everyone:
"Don't be fooled by that guy! He must already be affected by the 'Mental Out' ability! He's under that woman's control right now! She wants to make us waver. Don't believe what he says!"
By this point, they weren't just putting tall hats on themselves; they were slapping black hats on their opponents.
This made Shokuhou Misaki furious.
In the end, Fang Li was the one who spoke up for her.
"Yeah, maybe I have been affected by the 'Mental Out' ability," Fang Li said lightly. "But what about you? Are you really so sure that none of you has had your mind, or spirit, controlled by 'Mental Out'? For all you know, the person standing next to you might suddenly stab you in the back."
This piercing remark caused unrest to erupt once again among those who had only just managed to steady themselves.
"Calm down!" The opposing leader roared. "Calm down at once! Follow my orders!"
"That's right. You should listen to your leader's orders," Fang Li added with a cheerful smile. "Because if the one being controlled by the 'Mental Out' ability happens to be your leader, then dealing with you will become much easier for us."
Like the final straw that broke the camel's back, the entire group descended into chaos.
On top of that, they unconsciously began distancing themselves from one another and became wary of their own companions.
Shokuhou Misaki, who was being carried on Fang Li's back, was genuinely astonished by this scene.
Fang Li had fought an extraordinary psychological battle.
(Even without a psychic- or spirit-type Ability, it's possible to interfere with other people's minds.)
In this way, Fang Li taught Shokuhou Misaki a valuable lesson.
"Damn it!"
Realizing that the situation was beyond saving and that the seeds of suspicion had been planted deep in everyone's hearts, the leader erupted in rage.
"Since you ignore our goodwill and refuse to choose life, then go die with that woman!"
As he shouted this, the engine embedded in the leader's body suddenly roared to life.
Boom!
The next second, the leader turned into an arrow released from a bow, driven by the jet-like engine, charging straight toward Fang Li.
Seeing this, his companions also remembered their original purpose.
"No matter what, we have to go in!"
"That's right!"
"If we want to prove that we're not being controlled, we have to attack!"
"Anyone who doesn't charge is a traitor!"
"Charge!"
One by one, the members of Deadlock ignited the engines in their bodies. They transformed into sharp, elongated spears in rapid succession, rushing forward like a dense and deadly barrage. Accompanied by the ear-piercing screech of wheels scraping the ground and the sound of air being torn apart, they attacked Fang Li from all sides.
"Not good!"
Shokuhou Misaki gasped in alarm.
At the same time, however, Fang Li set her down and pushed her off to the side.
"Wait here."
His back was turned, so she couldn't see his expression as he said this.
Yet, she understood perfectly what kind of expression he had right then.
It was an unshakable calm.
Then, as if walking toward his own death, Fang Li lifted his feet and headed straight toward the oncoming Queen Divers that blotted out the sky and covered the earth. He started out slowly, gradually picking up speed until he broke into a full sprint.
On one side was a legion of Queen Divers, charging like cavalry with unstoppable long spears.
On the other was a lone, unarmed student.
Yet both sides charged at each other simultaneously.
Then... suddenly... they clashed.
…
No one knew how much time passed before the battle finally ended.
"Ugh..."
"Ah..."
The bikers collapsed one after another around the area, their bodies covered in injuries, accompanied by pained groans.
These wounds were caused either by smashing into buildings at terrifying speeds or by being knocked down by brutally heavy punches.
Thus, after half an hour of one-sided beatdowns, the enemy could no longer stand.
The one who defeated them... was just a single ability-less person.
Like a boxing champion, he moved through the deadly group with exceptional perception, turning his opponents' astonishing speed against them. He lured the bikers one by one into crashing into buildings, slamming into their own comrades, or simply finished some of them off with a clean, powerful punch. He swiftly and decisively dealt with every last enemy.
Looking at Fang Li, who was standing in the center of the bikers sprawled all over the ground, not even flushed or short of breath, merely dusting off his hands, Shokuhou Misaki didn't even realize, that her hands were already clenched tightly in front of her chest.
In her eyes,
There was only him.
(End Of This Chapter)