Chapter 387: Doomsday for the Owls (3)
Barbara's Respite
Barbara wasn't a weak person; the day she decided to become a superhero, she prepared for sacrifice. Yet, she never imagined death would come so quickly.
Two Talons stood left and right, one wielding a knife, the other a sword. The black blade and black sword flashed tungsten light in the darkness. Every strike pierced her armor's defense, leaving long, thin cuts.
Barbara felt she was about to collapse. Facing one Talon, she might have had a chance to win, but in a two-on-one fight, she was utterly outmatched.
Wounds accumulated on her body, and her power armor was severely damaged.
The girl staggered backward. The electrical pulses from her hands were intermittent, a clear sign that the damage to her suit was affecting many of its functions.
The two Talons showed no mercy for their opponent's weakness. They stepped forward, their eyes filled with killing intent.
Death felt so close that Barbara could barely breathe.
"Am I really going to die?"
"I hate this."
"Damn it!"
Barbara didn't regret her decision, only her lack of skill. If she had trained properly, possessing even one-fifth of her master's ability, she wouldn't be in this desperate situation.
Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded from the front.
A figure wearing a white mask rushed over, urgently shouting,
"You two, return to the Grand Hall immediately! Hurry!"
The figure turned and ran off, apparently needing to deal with an emergency.
The two Talons silently put away their weapons. They didn't even glance at Barbara, obeying the command like puppets, and disappeared into the deep shadows.
"I made it."
Barbara slumped onto the ground. As her focus broke, waves of pain rushed over her. She had a total of seven wounds, the ones on her abdomen and legs being the most severe; they were still bleeding heavily.
Overwhelmed by exhaustion, the girl struggled to remove her armor and apply medical gel to stop the bleeding. Having done that, she collapsed against the wall, utterly spent, and passed out.
Luke's Ultimatum
At the Court of Owls headquarters.
The sounds of fighting from outside quickly ceased, settling into silence. The gathered members looked at one another and then, in unison, stared at the massive entrance.
The heavy marble door slowly opened. A cold breeze blew in, carrying a faint scent of blood.
Ten strangers in power armor appeared in the doorway. Their armor was different from the MAX Power Armor, it was smaller, more refined, and possessed a unique, elegant curvature.
The ten men walked into the hall, splitting into two columns.
Behind them, a young Asian man, barely seventeen or eighteen, wearing a white fitted suit and a slightly flippant smile, strolled in.
"Luke Shaw?"
"How is he here? What does he want?"
"Is this about the robbery case?"
Low murmurs spread through the hall. The members eyed the figure before them with a variety of complex expressions, and those who sensed danger nervously reached for their concealed weapons.
"Gentlemen!"
Luke spread his hands and gave a slight nod. "It is a pleasure to meet you at this special moment. I am Luke Shaw. No need for an introduction; I trust you are all well aware of who I am."
"To arrive uninvited is somewhat abrupt, but then again, you and I have a small score to settle." He paused, his gaze lifting toward the front. "I heard the Court of Owls has two Grandmasters. Which of you is His Excellency the Grandmaster?"
The members instinctively looked up. Sir Black Hawk and the Red-Robed Grandmaster appeared at the top of the stairs, staring intently at Luke Shaw.
"Perfect. Both of you are present. It seems I won't have to make a second trip."
Luke took a few steps, stopping directly in front of the crowd. "Your Excellencies, the Grandmasters, who can offer me an explanation?"
"An explanation?"
Sir Black Hawk descended the stairs. Loyalists and Talons were rushing from various posts, and he needed to buy time.
"You break into the Court's headquarters and kill our people, yet you have the gall to ask us for an explanation? That's ridiculous."
"Your Excellency truly knows how to twist the truth. It was you who stole my merchandise and sent assassins to kill me. If not for my luck, I would have died at Wayne Manor."
Luke sighed, feigning exasperation. "I've never understood this. I have no grudge against the Court of Owls, so why would you do this to me?"
"Your Excellencies, can you enlighten me?"
Silence.
A deafening silence fell over the hall.
The members whispered amongst themselves, casting suspicious glances at Sir Black Hawk. The Night of Revenge had been a joint decision, but Luke Shaw's name was not on the list. Where did the assassination attempt come from?
Sensing the growing suspicion, the Red-Robed Grandmaster immediately stepped forward, harshly snapping,
"If you want to oppose us, then come! Stop inventing these ridiculous excuses! The Court of Owls fears no foe."
Luke burst into laughter, clapping his hands as he did so.
"This gentleman in the Christmas attire has the mouth of a politician. Facts witnessed by so many social elites at the banquet are somehow turning into lies in your mouth."
"No wonder the Court of Owls is getting worse every day. The problem starts with the leadership. I'm curious: how do liars like you ascend to the top position? Certainly not by wit, I presume. Was it... thanks to your backside?"
Luke looked the Grandmaster up and down, clicking his tongue. "It is quite prominent, yes. Round and large. I bet it looks very fine when you stick it out!"
"..."
The crowd was stunned, completely frozen. In such a high-tension moment, he had the nerve to make a joke.
The men behind Luke were less "reserved." They pointed and gestured at the two Grandmasters' lower bodies, some even making vulgar motions.
The Red-Robed Grandmaster's face flushed crimson instantly, his chest heaving. He looked ready to explode.
Sir Black Hawk's face was equally grim, his fists clenched tightly. As Grandmasters, they had never been so thoroughly humiliated.
"Alright," Luke said, waving his hand. "Enough of this nonsense. I, Shaw, always repay my debts. Since you tried to kill me, be prepared to be killed. The Grandmasters are the masterminds, and I only want your lives. As for everyone else..." He pointed to a corner, drawing a circle with his finger. "Stand over there. Do not make any move, and I will pretend nothing happened. If you refuse..."
His gaze, filled with chilling intent, swept over the room. No one dared meet his eyes.
"Then you will die!"
"You're the one who will die!"
The Red-Robed Grandmaster pulled out a submachine gun and sprayed bullets wildly. The hail of gunfire hit an invisible wall about half a meter from Luke, ricocheting in all directions. A faint, white barrier shimmered in the air, shielding Luke's body from every attack.
Luke didn't bother to react to him. He simply raised his index finger and stated, word by word,
"Ten seconds."
"In ten seconds, if you are still standing where you are, I will assume you reject my kindness."
"Ten..."
"Nine..."
"Eight..."
"Seven..."
"Six..."
When the count reached "six," some people couldn't take it anymore. When the count reached "three," they broke from the crowd and rushed toward the "safe zone" Luke had designated.
As soon as they ran, the entire Court descended into complete chaos.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!