"I knew the moment you started asking Dakar about my stats."
Camille, seated gracefully in a chair, set down her teacup. Nearby, Wally was checking his inventory, boxing up weapons one by one. Arrogance crouched beside him, silently supervising.
These past few days, Arrogance hadn't lifted a finger for anything, he simply kept watch over Wally, ensuring not even a moment of slack.
If Wally could beat him, he would've fought him by now.
But that giant lizard was just too damn oppressive!
"Then come in and have a look," Duke said, casually flicking the damp towel from his shoulder.
He extended the invitation to Camille, who rose with refined ease, her hands folded in front of her. With poise and elegance, she followed Duke into the forge.
"This is the armor I made for you," Duke explained. "Time was tight, so this is just a prototype."
Camille walked slowly to the suit, eyeing the dormant armor with keen interest, especially the terrifying leg blades designed to fit her own like a second skin.
Just as she bent down to test the sharpness of the leg blades, Duke stepped in.
"Don't touch those so casually. The metal I used for the blades is extremely volatile. Even the smallest cut won't stop bleeding."
Hearing the warning, Camille straightened up and circled the armor.
"Does it have a name?"
"Of course."
"Let's hear it."
As Camille faced the helmet, her eyes fixed on the crystal visor, Duke lit a cigar, took a long drag, and answered:
"Hangman."
"Not a bad name," Camille mused, her fingers gliding over the visor. Then she pointed to the curved horns mounted at either side of the helmet.
"But in your heart… am I the same as a demon?"
"Uh…"
Noticing the playful look on her face, Duke gave an awkward laugh. "You don't think it's… intimidating?"
"And cool?" he added, almost sheepishly.
"Men and their childishness," she scoffed, shaking her head as she continued studying the armor.
"…Still, I like it."
Bilgewater.
The Nine-Headed Serpent Tavern.
"What's the situation now?"
Miss Fortune rubbed her aching temples, dark circles under her eyes betraying her exhaustion. Raven brought her a cup of hot tea and replied softly:
"More than half the factions have submitted. Some are still watching… but the rest…"
"Hah. I know what they're thinking," she said coldly. "They want to see if a mere woman like me really has what it takes to carry the weight."
She stared into the murky tea. Over the past few days, she'd unified half of Bilgewater's power. Some forces never got the chance to resist, internal strife saw them eaten alive by dockside rats, river sharks, or razor eels.
But it didn't matter.
After tonight, they'd all understand, this city would never be the same.
She would prove, with her strength, that she could rule it.
Duke's vision was etched clearly in her mind: when the Hextech portals were fully deployed, the era of pirates would be over. A new Bilgewater would be born.
"But Captain… do we really have to use Thieves Square as the battlefield?"
Raven sounded uneasy. "It's too open… and not exactly ideal."
"If we want to show our strength, it has to be there."
Miss Fortune's voice was firm. "If we want this city to recognize us, we need to demonstrate overwhelming power."
"Besides, Duke's given us so much. If we still hide behind some barricaded building and wait out the night like cowards, "
", those bastards will just become bolder."
"Tonight, at Thieves Square, we fight the Soul-Erosion Night head-on!"
"Well said."
A voice of praise came from the door.
Miss Fortune looked up.
A silver-haired noblewoman stepped inside, her tailored tailsuit clinging to her frame. Her presence was regal and composed, if you ignored the pair of deadly leg blades she carried.
Raven instinctively reached for the hilt at her waist. The woman entered the tavern like it was her own garden.
Glancing at the decor, Camille commented coldly, "Not bad… but still a bit uncivilized."
"That won't do."
"And you are?" Miss Fortune asked, standing from the table.
Camille was already before her, scanning her up and down.
"You're decent enough."
"You are…?" Miss Fortune asked again, but the answer was already in her heart.
This must be the inspector Duke had warned her about.
She's younger than I expected…
She looked barely older than Sarah herself, yet the aura she carried triggered deep, instinctual fear.
"Seems like you already know."
Camille brushed some dust from Sarah's shoulder, gently adjusting her coat.
"A lady must remain elegant at all times."
"You still have a ways to go."
"This is Bilgewater… a city of chaos," Miss Fortune replied, forcing calm into her voice.
But Camille's presence was overwhelming. It wasn't something that could be cultivated overnight, it was forged through decades of precision and control.
Sarah was still too young.
"But soon," Camille said, withdrawing her hand and taking a seat nearby, crossing her legs as the twin blades hummed with quiet menace.
"This city will no longer be what it was."
"Right?"
She offered Sarah a faint smile.
Sarah exhaled slowly and sat back down. "You're right. Duke already told me his plan."
"I know, little one."
Camille cut her off, her eyes sharp and discerning.
Under that gaze, Sarah resisted the urge to reach for her gun and instead met her eyes head-on.
After a pause, Camille nodded.
"Prepare well. I look forward to what you'll do."
With that, she stood and walked out with calm grace. Sarah watched her leave and let out a deep breath.
"What a presence… No wonder Duke warned me."
She gave a bitter laugh and turned to Raven, who was still frozen in place.
"Raven!"
"Y-Yes, Captain!"
"Get ready. Her arrival means Duke's back."
"He promised to supply us with the weapons for tonight!"
"Take the boys and go get them!"
"Yes!"
Raven rushed out, leaving Miss Fortune alone. She stared at the teacup in front of her, then suddenly drew her gun.
"I've survived this long…"
"No way I'm dying tonight!"
BANG!
The cup shattered. Steam and mist rose through the air.
Thieves Square.
To Bilgewater locals, Thieves Square was a sprawling area formed by the patchwork rooftops of floating shacks. Connected end to end, they swayed gently with the tides.
Beneath the jagged overhangs, strange shadows drifted in the water.
Beyond the square was a sea of floating debris, driftwood scattered without order, their surfaces covered in strange carvings.
With Soul-Erosion Night approaching, every household had barricaded themselves in, boarding up windows and doors. Hanging basins filled with queen's grass smoked gently outside.
The faint incense filled the square with a hazy fog.
"Everyone, form a line! No pushing!"
"Each of you will get a weapon provided by Master Duke, don't use it until instructed!"
"There are also exoskeleton suits available!"
"If you perform well tonight, not only are these yours to keep, but you'll each earn five gold sea serpents!"
Next to Raven stood crates of sonic weapons, strange contraptions that looked like giant horns attached to metal rods.
These were Wally's masterpieces, built from Duke's schematics. If Wally had hair, he'd be bald by now.
The sonic disruptor looked absurd, like a fire poker glued to a megaphone, but its power was tremendous. A light trigger pull could shatter a wall.
Makeshift defenses were already in place. Everyone was busy. Everything that could be used was ready.
Even the queen's grass, an entire ship's worth.
The sky darkened further. Though only three in the afternoon, the sun was gone. Even without storm clouds, the heat should've been intense.
But not today.
Not on Soul-Erosion Night.
Southeastern Bilgewater.
Black waves slammed against the pale shore. The beach, lifeless and gray, was buried with bones beneath the sand.
Black mist drifted across the island, pierced by sharp wails.
Then suddenly,
The dead fog stirred like it had a will of its own.
Threadlike tendrils floated toward the sea, and the black mass began to spread outward, covering the waters around it, drawing all things toward the world of the dead.
And within that mist, a cold green light flickered,
A lantern.
As the fog moved toward Bilgewater,
Soul-Erosion Night had begun.
End of chapter...
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