Chapter 621: Interference

Sshhh-!

“Why are you summoning me here?!”

“You scumbag!!!”

Captain Hook and Ewan, who suddenly appeared beneath the River Sem, shouted.

They all aimed their criticism at Oliver.

However, very few people actually heard them.

That was because a massive pirate ship suddenly appeared from the river.

The sight was so shocking that even the superhumans with heightened senses missed their words.

Not that it mattered even if they had heard.

Since Captain Hook and Ewan didn’t clearly state who they were addressing, only someone in the know would understand they were talking to Oliver.

In any case, Captain Hook and Ewan’s outburst wasn’t really the point to those present.

What mattered was that a third party had suddenly appeared, and with a ship no less.

The absurd scene of a pirate ship emerging in the middle of Randa was followed by a brief yet stretched silence.

“Sink it!”

The Druids soon shattered the silence.

It was indeed a splendid decision. In this situation, anyone who isn’t an ally is an enemy. If you can’t distinguish between them, you should attack first.

Once someone gave the order, the Druids, as if on cue, left only a minimal force surrounding Wallace and surged toward the ship.

They moved to sink the unexpected intruder.

Each of the Druids unleashed their spells, glowing with the green light of nature.

They would use the power of nature to enhance their bodies, create giant trees, and shape those trees into clubs; eventually, they would even intertwine the trees into human forms, controlling them like golems to smash the ship.

And the mages who came with Druid support were no exception.

They didn’t just pour their magic into swords and axes but also infused firearms like rifles and bazookas to prepare a massive strike.

It was a fitting response against a large enemy, but this time, they picked the wrong opponent.

“Commence firing.”

Drenched in the foul-smelling water of the River Sem, Captain Hook drew his rapier and issued the command.

Click. Clunk. Rattle-BANG!

The moment Captain Hook gave the order, dozens of cannons popped out from the side of the Wendy, and machine guns emerged.

It was a terrifying sight, a war machine collection that made one’s knees buckle.

The Druids and mages froze for a split second at this abnormal sight, and Wendy’s crew wasted no time unleashing their firepower.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM━━!!!

The simultaneous barrage of dozens of cannons, dozens of machine guns, and dozens of personal firearms created an inexpressible roar and shockwave.

It was as if lightning had struck, and the earth was shaking, but the power behind it was no less forceful than a bolt of lightning or an earthquake.

Proof of this was that the dozens of Druids and mages who had charged to sink the Wendy were swept away without even being able to put up a proper resistance.

The giant trees formed by the Druids splintered under the massive cannonballs, and the bodies of the Druids hiding behind them were shattered to pieces.

The shrapnel from the grapeshot and bullets from the machine guns turned the mages into literal beehives.

The overwhelming firepower obliterated the dock, dismembered limbs scattered into the air, and the ground was coated in a fresh layer of blood.

It was the inevitable outcome. Wendy’s greatest strength was its instantaneous firepower.

And just as that power demonstrated, the Druids who had cornered Wallace and his men and had been basking in the victory a moment ago were plunged into panic, unable to act.

This was the power of overwhelming firepower. It could incapacitate enemies not just physically but also mentally and emotionally with its sight and sound.

Hook, who had roamed the seas as a pirate for decades, didn’t miss this chance.

“Capture our guests!”

At Hook’s command, his crew, who were waiting at the rear, cheered and landed on the wrecked dock, plunging into melee combat.

Though heavily damaged by the powerful firepower and their morale shattered, the Druids and mages hesitated only for a moment before reflexively retaliating.

Fortunately for them, the individual crew members weren’t strong enough to stand against the Druids. A couple of swings from a Druid’s arm were enough to crush their skulls.

But that didn’t matter.

Hook’s crew were not ordinary beings; they were Creatures tied to the Wendy.

Even when crushed, the crew seemed to melt like ice, only to re-emerge from the deck of Wendy and launch themselves back at the Druids, relentless in their assault.

As long as the life force and emotions that made up the Wendy remained intact, the crew would continue to resurrect endlessly.

They resembled an undead army.

Though not overwhelming, their persistent assault kept the Druids and mages from pushing them back, leaving them stuck in defense.

Just then, Hook issued an even more despairing order.

“Commence firing.”

He commanded another round of firepower, this time targeting the Druids and mages locked in melee.

The only problem was that Hook’s crew would be caught in the crossfire.

But it wasn’t much of a problem. As explained earlier, Hook’s crew were Creatures, tied to the Wendy no less.

Even if they were heavily damaged, as long as Wendy remained intact, they would revive countless times.

In other words, the real casualties would only be the Druids and mages.

When the overwhelming firepower rained down upon the immobilized Druids and mages, they were torn to pieces, leaving only the ones who fled as the rest of the Druids surrounding Wallace were turned into minced meat.

Swish-!

Stunned by how quickly everything had happened, Wallace turned to look at Oliver. Oliver also met Wallace’s gaze, and the two understood each other.

Having exchanged looks, Wallace led his comrades and dashed toward Captain Hook, who they were seeing for the first time; Hook’s crew provided cover for them.

The few surviving Druids and mages could only stare dumbfounded.

After all, their spirits had been broken by the two barrages of cannon fire; furthermore, even if they approached, they would only be met by the undying crew and cannons, so everyone gave up.

Well, except for one person.

“I’ll lead the way, cover me!”

Pierce, who arrived a step late while moving with Oliver, requested help.

He seemed determined to carry out his mission, even after witnessing Wendy’s firepower and Hook’s undying Creatures.

With Oliver’s help, if he could just aim for one target, he believed they could at least capture the ‘kidnapped’ Druid.

Or maybe there was an important reason he couldn’t let go.

“Hey?! Are you just gonna stand there?!”

Pierce snapped at Oliver, who seemed lost in thought. At his words, Oliver moved. Since he was here, he at least had to pretend to help.

If he refused, there could be trouble later, with people accusing him of deliberately letting them fail.

But it was fine; he had already given Wallace and Captain Hook a heads up, so there was no issue.

He just needed to pretend to do his best and act like he was being pushed back by Wallace’s flames and spirits or Hook’s cannon fire, and everything would be fine.

-Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.

Oliver’s personal communicator rang. Judging by the signal, it was from the Redevelopment Union.

Even in such an urgent situation, Oliver stopped and answered the call.

Pierce, who was in a hurry, bared his fangs and growled at him.

“What the hell do you think you’re-…?”

But when Oliver put his finger to his lips in a gesture to be quiet, Pierce’s face turned pale, and he shut up.

He was overwhelmed by the sudden pressure radiating from Oliver.

More precisely, it was the aura of shadow that Oliver had been suppressing that had overwhelmed him.

Since consuming the shadows of Neverland and Fen, Oliver’s shadow had been radiating an unknown pressure, something Oliver had tried to suppress ever since he became aware of it.

As a result, there hadn’t been any issues in his daily life, except for when he first returned to Randa. But whenever his mind wandered, the pressure would leak out, creating unnecessary tension in those around him.

In other words, something had caught Oliver’s attention right now.

Pierce, who was momentarily frightened by Oliver, froze in place, unable to move.

Meanwhile, Wallace, the kidnapped Druid Phaidelm, and the eight Kel Independence Army under Wallace’s command boarded Captain Hook’s ship.

After boarding his guests, Captain Hook’s ship tilted forward and then dived straight into the murky brown waters of the River Sem, disappearing with a bubbling splash.

“Wait a minute?! I need to return to Randa-Glub glub glub!”

It seemed like Ewan, who had been adding firepower with the Gatling gun, screamed, but nobody paid attention.

The surviving Druids were busy lamenting their failure to capture their target, and Oliver was preoccupied with his call.

“······.”

“······.”

Having completely lost track of Wallace, the remaining Druids, now numbering fewer than ten, silently stared at Oliver.

Pierce, who had momentarily feared Oliver, stared at him the most.

But Oliver continued the call, finishing up a short yet intense conversation.

Just as Pierce cautiously tried to ask what was going on, Oliver spoke up first.

“I’ve just received information that the prince is at a meeting which has been attacked by intruders.”

Oliver shared what he had heard from Joe. This confirmed what he had inferred from the emotions of the Druids.

“As I thought, you already knew.”

***

Exhaustion.

Albert, the prince of the United Kingdom, and the second in line to the throne, had been thinking that for the past few weeks.

He was exhausted.

Well, it was only natural. He had spent an incredibly exhausting time in Randa.

As soon as he arrived in Randa, he was bombarded with spectators and camera flashes; after that, he was subjected to a relentless stream of events.

Veterans’ events, women’s association events, business meetings, events, events, and more events…

Just thinking about all those countless events made Albert feel nauseous.

Especially since every time he attended an event, he was overwhelmed by numerous gazes, each filled with varied emotions.

Not that he intended to complain.

As the prince of the United Kingdom leading the golden era of both magic and industry, this was a duty he was obligated to bear.

It was just that he was a bit tired.

He knew it was nothing compared to the children working in factories, but still, Albert couldn’t dismiss the exhaustion that sometimes crept up.

Especially when he had to smile for so long that his facial muscles cramped, maintain a rigid posture until his back went numb, and recite lines he didn’t even believe in.

Was he being a brat?

Maybe he was.

Even his wayward older brother had now come to his senses and was fulfilling his duties, so what’s tiring about just this much?

He should just endure a little longer; if he kept pressing on, he’d be okay.

With that self-assurance, Albert attended his last event.

The Randa Economic Summit, or something like that? He was so tired that he couldn’t remember the name, but in any case, it was a gathering of countless business figures, representing the flower of Randa’s economy.

What was unusual was that in addition to the traditional capitalists and entrepreneurs, members of a new class were also present.

This new class consisted of superhumans—mages, dark mages, and street sorcerers—who had amassed capital through force, forming a new capitalist class.

‘This new class has only recently emerged in Randa, so even here they’re somewhat alien. That’s why Randa hopes that with the prince’s attendance at this event, the two classes might achieve some harmony,’ Albert’s secretary had told him.

Albert’s first thought upon hearing that was simple.

How am I supposed to do that?

But Albert soon figured out the reason.

No matter how poorly they got along, they wouldn’t dare cause a scene in front of the prince of the United Kingdom.

It was a common practice, using the royal family’s authority to force harmony, even if just barely.

And as expected, Albert observed tangible results once he attended the event.

Perhaps due to the prince’s presence, both the traditional capitalists and the new class fully attended without any absences, and they refrained from clashing.

They simply stood apart like oil and water and took turns talking to Albert.

Even Albert, who was used to so many events, found the atmosphere so suffocating that it was hard to breathe, but as time passed and alcohol was added, the atmosphere softened up considerably.

At least to the extent that Randa’s organizers had hoped.

Just as Albert was getting ready to leave after fulfilling his role, an incident occurred.

The first report was that an armed group had been discovered.

A mob armed with guns had been found 100 meters away from where the event was taking place.

In a city known for its wealth and violence, people initially responded casually.

After all, Randa was a massive city with countless people, and just as many crazies, so this kind of thing was considered fairly routine.

Some even bragged that they would take care of the intruders if they showed up, and since these claims came from new class members, they probably weren’t lies.

But right after that, a second incident occurred.

An explosion took place just a block away.

Even though the event was indoors, the explosion was still audible, and soon after, a large armed group attempted to force their way inside.

At that point, the smirks disappeared, replaced by murmurs of concern. Some even began cursing, questioning what kind of security was in place.

Though they hadn’t even finished venting their frustrations, they had to stop halfway as the armed group attempted to breach the hotel entrance, making it clear that this was a targeted attack.

Some people tried to leave, but the royal secretaries and the Randa officials organizing the event opposed this.

They assured everyone that this was the safest place to be, and that the Randa police, Randa Defense Force, and the Security Bureau would arrive soon and handle the situation.

Albert also judged that to be reasonable, but it was a mistake.

The fact that an armed group was trying to raid an event attended by a prince was already beyond the realm of reason, so a rational judgment was useless.

This was proven true when it was reported that the police, defense forces, and the Security Bureau heading to the scene had been intercepted by another armed group.

As a result, the event’s security personnel who were just waiting for reinforcements began to deplete rapidly.

Seeing the situation deteriorating, the new class, who had gained capital but were still fundamentally superhumans, began to move.

These superhumans couldn’t afford to let the ruling class of Randa, especially Albert, the crown jewel of Randa’s elite, be put at risk.

So, the new class members attending the event left only a minimal force behind and went outside, while a few who remained inside the hotel betrayed the other guards and lunged at Albert.

“You brat. Die!”

It was a surreal situation, impossible to comprehend.

Right then, a light shone from inside Albert’s suit.

The light came from the piece of paper in his left breast pocket—

“Are you alright?”

Dave, Randa’s top problem-solver, emerged from a purple portal and asked, looking at Albert.