"Uh... same to you. Mr. Liver, may I ask what brings you here...?" Jackie's expression twitched slightly at Liver's so-called holiday greeting. Was that supposed to be a Halloween blessing? It seemed this year's Halloween was doomed from the start.
As the smoke cleared, Jackie caught sight of the violet-red Ninja Khan mask on Liver's face, his pupils shrinking. "That's the Oni Mask from Shendu's palace... Liver, you—"
Without a word, Liver turned slightly. In the next instant, countless Ninja Khan soldiers swarmed across the street, far outnumbering Paco's army.
"Kill them." With that command, Liver dashed off toward Paco's crash site—tossing an onion to Tarakudo as he passed.
He wasn't interested in trading insults. Why waste words when you could simply send your enemy to rinse his eyes?
"You dare to harm Paco, the Dark Destroyer?!" Paco roared, leaping out from the shattered shop he'd just crashed through, fury burning in his eyes.
"I've decided—I'll tear you apart limb by limb!" As Paco bellowed, countless Squid Khan soldiers surged from the shadows, clashing violently against Liver's Ninja Khan forces.
In an instant, houses and cars were reduced to rubble. Terrified civilians fled in all directions. Jackie and his group had become mere bystanders—the entire block was now a battlefield between Liver and Paco's legions.
"Die!"
Though the mask's enhancement had given Paco superhuman strength, he clearly lacked any real combat training. The little wrestling knowledge he had was laughable in the eyes of a battle-hardened general like Liver.
"Are you truly a warrior?" Liver tilted his head slightly, easily dodging Paco's claw swipe. His right arm tensed, muscles bulging as his right foot shifted back. Leaning forward, he channeled power from the ground up—hips twisting sharply as his fist shot forward.
The exaggerated force stirred the air, whipping up a terrifying gust.
Whooosh!
The howling wind echoed violently through the street.
A heartbeat later, the brutal right hook struck Paco square in the chest.
THUD! The impact reverberated through the air. Even the Bull Warrior, standing dozens of steps away, heard it clearly.
"WAAAH—!"
Hanging off Liver's massive fist, Paco's frail body folded like a ragdoll. The crushing pain in his gut forced bile up his throat as he vomited acid.
Using his own fist as the pivot, Liver sent Paco's body flying upward. The sheer difference in their physiques created a dramatic, almost pitiful contrast.
A violent shockwave burst outward, tearing through the air and shredding flowers and grass along the roadside into fragments.
Though it looked like Paco had already lost the ability to fight, Liver showed no mercy. He wasn't like Jackie and his companions, who always held back.
He had assumed Paco was some sort of warrior, but judging by his moves, the man was nothing but an amateur. Testing him further was pointless.
As Paco's body hung midair, Liver extended his right hand, the one adorned with the Black Marlin ring, and roared, "Water Dragon Ascension!"
Unlike the original Water Dragon Ascension technique, which would drain stamina severely, Liver executed it effortlessly.
Using Black Marlin's water manipulation, he instantly took control of every water molecule within hundreds of meters.
Crack, crack...! The asphalt road split open as countless water particles rose from the underground pipelines.
As they ascended, the water converged rapidly, forming dozens of vividly lifelike water dragons. Each one bore horns, sharp fangs glinting within gaping jaws, exuding overwhelming majesty.
More than a dozen serpentine dragons, each several meters long, spiraled into the sky before plunging down toward Paco, their maws wide open.
"Aaaaahhh—!" Paco screamed in agony as the enormous torrent smashed into him with unstoppable force.
Seeing the scene, the Bull Warrior shouted in panic, "Paco!"
Splurt! Paco's demon-masked face froze mid-expression as blood erupted like crimson petals scattering into the air.
When it was over, a light crimson drizzle began to fall over part of the street. The metallic scent of blood spread quickly through the air.
"Paco... what happened to him?" Jade asked in disbelief.
But before Jade could even finish her sentence, everyone—including Jackie—began vomiting uncontrollably. After all, no matter how many demons they had fought before, they were still ordinary people who had never actually killed anyone.
Only Liver remained unfazed. With Black Marlin's ability to manipulate water flow, not even a drop of blood or moisture touched his immaculate black butler uniform.
Surveying the scene calmly, Liver's gaze finally fell upon Paco's body, which was slowly reverting from its demonic form. He stepped forward, his stride steady and precise.
Wherever his feet landed, an invisible force swept the ground clean. The crimson-stained puddles parted on their own, forming a dry, spotless path toward Paco's corpse.
After all, the butler uniform he wore had been a gift from his mistress—it was not to be defiled.
"The ninth mask... hmm?" Crouching down, Liver reached for the Squid Khan mask, only to find that it wouldn't come off.
"Wait, Mr. Liver! The Oni Masks can't be removed just like that—you need a specific magical dissolution solution! If you're trying to take it off, we can help you!" Jackie shouted, his voice echoing through the smoke and chaos.
At those words, Liver pressed one hand lightly against Paco's chest, his tone calm yet chilling. "Hmph... a solution? There's no need for such trouble. There are simpler ways. When a person dies, doesn't the mask come off naturally?"
"What?! No—Mr. Liver, wait—!"
BOOM!
With a deafening explosion, the ground beneath Paco's body split apart and collapsed.
The next moment, all of the remaining Squid Khan soldiers that had been battling the Ninja Khan vanished instantly.
As the dust settled, Liver slowly rose to his feet, holding a mask in his hand. Though the smoke obscured his features, Jackie knew—Liver had succeeded.
"The ninth mask is secured! Shadowkhan Legion, retreat!" Liver commanded.
At once, he and all of the Ninja Khan soldiers began sinking into the ground, their forms gradually fading into the shadows until they were gone completely.
Freed from the Shadowkhan's suppression, the Bull Warrior charged forward like a madman. "Paco!"
Meanwhile, Jackie stood frozen in place, his mind replaying Liver's words over and over. "The ninth mask...?"
"That can't be right. Three masks are still stored in Section 13. With this one, that makes only two in his possession..."
Then realization struck him like lightning. "No, that's wrong! Liver hasn't appeared in over half a month. That means he must've spent that time tracking down the other masks—and it's very possible he's already found the remaining four..."
As the thought crystallized, Jackie's eyes widened in alarm. "He said it so confidently—the ninth mask...! Don't tell me... oh no! Liver's target is Section 13!!"