Ray Chu only smiled faintly at Kars' threat, utterly unfazed.
The lives of a few human soldiers meant nothing to Kars. With a casual wave of his hand, he ordered the German soldiers to release Lieutenant Ryan and the others.
A short while later, Ryan approached the trio.
"Thank you, all three of you. Please come with us—we'll leave together."
Ray Chu shook his head. "They'll never allow us to leave, and we still have scores to settle with them. Lieutenant Ryan, report everything that happened here to Lisa Lisa. She'll know what to do."
He paused, then added, "Oh—and one more thing. Tell Lord Gort that the German army will suspend its offensive for the next two days. Whatever plans he has, he'd better move quickly."
Ryan's expression filled with gratitude. He snapped to attention and gave a formal salute.
"Sir, thank you for saving the lives of so many soldiers. I will personally report your deeds to the commander."
Ray Chu waved the thanks away with a mysterious smile.
"No need. Just consider it a small contribution from someone who happens to belong to one of the Allied nations."
Watching Ryan and his team hurry away, Joseph and Caesar stood on either side of Ray Chu, both inwardly overwhelmed with admiration.
"So that was your plan all along," Joseph murmured. "Using the Red Stone of Aja to rescue Lieutenant Ryan's squad—and buying the Allies two precious days to evacuate."
"…And not just that," Caesar added quietly. "Your original strategy was to ambush the Pillar Men. Once exposed, you immediately used the Red Stone as leverage to force a fair duel. That level of tactical insight—and your ability to manipulate their psychology—is beyond anything I could imagine."
Meanwhile, inside Ray Chu's own mind—
So this is how it's going to play out. If a Pillar Man wears a Stone Mask embedded with the Red Stone of Aja, how exactly do they evolve into the Ultimate Life Form? I'd really like to see it with my own eyes. In theory, that kind of bloodline might benefit me as well… definitely worth studying. Though if the transformed Ultimate Life Form ends up too powerful… I might accidentally unleash something I can't control…
Each of them had their own thoughts.
And Kars was thinking as well.
"If we're to duel, we'll naturally need the proper time and place," Kars said calmly. "As you mentioned earlier, we'll set the time two nights from now, on the night of the full moon. As for the location—Wamuu, state your preference."
Battle lust flared across Wamuu's face.
"The location shall be Amiens Cathedral, ten kilometers from this hotel. It stands on the boundary between our two armies—a relic built in the thirteenth century. Beneath the gaze of 'God,' we will decide the future of our two races."
Joseph blinked in surprise.
"Wait—Pillar Men believe in human gods?"
After all, the Pillar Men had existed far longer than the so-called "Holy Trinity."
Unexpectedly, Wamuu showed genuine reverence.
"That man… is someone worthy of respect."
Even Kars offered no objection.
Their experience is unbelievable… Joseph and Caesar both thought silently. No wonder they're the Pillar Men.
With lifespans stretching tens of thousands of years, they themselves were walking encyclopedias of history.
Unfortunately, they were enemies. There could be no reconciliation.
Once the time and place of the duel were settled, Kars used his authority to contact the Führer in Berlin directly. Clearly, the Pillar Man held extraordinary status within the Nazi command, because the German forces promptly halted their offensive against Dunkirk at his request.
For the next two days, both sides gathered within Amiens Cathedral, watching one another closely while awaiting the appointed time.
A three-kilometer perimeter around the cathedral was cleared to ensure no outsiders would interfere with the coming battle.
Finally, on the evening of the second day, the roar of a motorcycle echoed from the distance, rapidly approaching.
"They're here."
Ray Chu and Kars opened their eyes simultaneously from meditation.
Through the cathedral's main entrance, a lone rider streaked down the broad street like a bolt of black lightning. The motorcycle carved a sweeping arc before screeching to a stop in front of the cathedral.
The rider removed her helmet.
A cascade of glossy black hair fell free, framing a pair of deep, melancholic eyes.
Lisa Lisa had arrived.
"Excellent. Did you bring the stone?"
Lisa Lisa reached into her chest and withdrew a crimson gem. As the setting sun shone upon its surface, the Red Stone of Aja erupted with dazzling crimson brilliance, projecting a beam of light over a foot long.
"Good. It's authentic." Kars smiled with satisfaction and waved his hand. The three Pillar Men rose to their feet.
They glanced up at the sky.
The final ray of sunlight vanished behind the clouds.
Freed from the sun's restraint, the Pillar Men could now unleash their full strength.
Kars suddenly tore away the headband across his forehead, revealing a wild mane of black hair whipping through the air as his sinister smile widened.
"After tonight, only one side will walk out of here alive. Since you have four people, we've brought an additional helper for fairness."
A figure stepped out from the shadows.
It was a man in a Nazi officer's uniform.
"Just as I thought—Stroheim," Joseph said grimly, clenching his fists.
With a sharp rip, Stroheim tore away his upper uniform, revealing the fully mechanized metal body beneath.
"JoJo! The Reich's most advanced technology has transformed me completely. Even you might be killed if you let your guard down!"
The strange camaraderie between men worked that way sometimes. Though they had only met once, they had left lasting impressions on one another.
But standing on opposite sides of the battlefield meant they were destined to become enemies.
"Good. Now it's four against four," Kars declared. "Tonight we settle everything and decide the fate of the Red Stone. To prevent any rash interference, I propose that all four duels begin simultaneously."
The suggestion stunned everyone.
They had assumed the duels would proceed one at a time, but Kars clearly had no intention of giving the Hamon warriors time to prepare.
That means no supporting each other, Lisa Lisa thought grimly. Each of us must fight for our own survival. And without observing the others' battles, gathering intelligence on the Pillar Men will be nearly impossible…
The Pillar Men knew the Hamon warriors' abilities well, having battled them for thousands of years.
But the Pillar Men's own powers remained shrouded in mystery.
Still, they had already extracted several concessions from Kars. Refusing again might push him into outright hostility.
Lisa Lisa drew a slow breath, pulling on a pair of gloves woven from the same material as her scarf.
"Very well," she said calmly. "But how will the matchups be decided?"
"For that," Kars replied with a faint smile, raising a single finger and gently shaking it, "each of you may choose for yourselves."
"After all… whoever you face tonight, your fate has already been decided."