The Devil’s Cage

Charlie Street, a street no longer than 50 meters and the small square mentioned was nothing more than a space under a cypress tree that was planted ages ago at the center.

The cypress tree was at least 30 meters tall. Its dense and concentrated crown was not affected by the season. Instead of turning brown and withering, the thin needle-like leaves were brilliantly green.

It looked like a huge green umbrella from afar.

Under the tree were four stone benches that surrounded the trunk in all four directions, providing a resting spot for the people and protecting the tree in a unique manner.

There were two four-wheeled wagons, wider than the common ones that were parked close to the stone benches. The carriages were covered tight and other than the wagoner on top, no one knew what was in those wagons.

Another wagon was slowly approaching the small square and it stopped when it was around 20 meters away.

”Well, here is the best I can do. Sir Herbert, you’ll have to talk to that person yourself from now on! As for you, Sir 2567… please stay here. I am fully aware of your courage and capabilities, so please don’t do something that we both will regret!”

Barso who filled in as the wagoner was speaking to Kieran and Herbert in the carriage.

Both of them didn’t reply after exchanging gazes. Herbert got off the carriage while Kieran stared at the elderly scholar’s back, moving further away.

Following Herbert’s appearance, the people on the street started to lessen up. Kieran could clearly sense that there were more eyes on them than before. They included those malicious gazes that were as sharp as blades, pointing right at them. Still, Kieran was cool as ice as he acted like nothing was out of the unordinary, at least on the outside.

However, he was anxious, his heart beating quickly and the gears in his mind spinning fast.

What will the enemies do to remove the greatest threat?

Since they had the options to kill the witnesses, no one would be spared, including him, Herbert, Pierre and the others. Everyone was on the enemies’ hit list.

Kieran knew it in his heart that if there were any differences among them as targets, Herbert was the most valuable one since he had to reveal the sealed location and incantations.

In simpler words, Herbert would be the last one to die.

As for Pierre and the others, they were already birds in a cage. If the enemies wanted to execute the captives, all they needed was a thought.

The only problem and threat that the enemies had were Kieran!

He knew that he would definitely remove the biggest threat first if he was in his enemies’ shoes.

”What will they do?

While staring at Herbert’s back, Kieran glanced slightly over the surroundings. He could clearly make out some men hiding in the shadows. There were also overlapping figures inside the windows of houses at both sides of the street. Although it was only what he could make out at those locations, the houses surely harbored more men. Those were the ones he thought that he should take note off.

”Sir 2567, we are here with utmost sincerity! Please don’t compare us with the Nights and Apes. Those products are failures. We have our own pride as well! In fact, before his Majesty sealed himself, we were the true nobles of that time, not the useless good-for-nothing scum that you know of! Even though the others addressed us as the Mutants, we have the honor and glory that others could only wish to grasp at the dust of our trails…” Barso said in an eloquent speech.

”Mutants?” The term peaked Kieran’s interest.

”This is how we were addressed with contempt. They envy us! They fear us! Because they never truly served his Majesty! They are nothing but some treacherous rebels! Whether they are men or failures, they are all inferiors. Even if one or two among them were noteworthy, nothing will change!” Barso displayed his pride and glory and before Kieran could talk, he continued.

”Bartos was one and the other was Edgar. Although Bartos’s strength was astonishing, he was just a crude beast who acted recklessly without thought. Only Edgar was different! Even as a failure, I have to admit that he really possessed some natural talents. Who would’ve thought that he mastered the technology of forging replicas!”

Barso’s words unconsciously related itself to some secret information that Kieran had concerns about. If it was some other time, Kieran would have definitely kept listening in silence but not now was not that time.

There were dim noises of a fuse being ignited that lingered in his ears. It was enough for Kieran to know what methods they would use.

Explosives!

The wagon that he was in was planted with an extensive amount of explosives.

”What a simple and quick way!” Keiran exclaimed in his heart.

Barso who was driving the wagon could have parked the wagon wherever he liked. After Herbert left, he had to use his skillful tongue to divert Kieran’s attention.

If Kieran was slightly more careless, had a lower rank of Intuition or the explosives were buried deeper, he would have taken a serious hit if he didn’t die from the blast.

However, such treacherous measures were deadly when it was it secretly done. Once exposed, it was rendered useless.

Bang!

Kieran didn’t change his sitting position. He launched a straight kick, firing his leg like a spear at Barso’s throat while he gave his eloquent speech. Kieran has no idea what caused Barso to be willing to sacrifice in this mission or what other methods he had under his sleeves to avoid the explosion but regardless of what the answers were, Kieran intended not to let him live anymore.

Not only was Barso an enemy, it was also because of the acts that he committed. Kieran would never take his words at Lander’s mansions as pure jokes. Since Barso said such things, Pierre and the others must have suffered many special treatments.

Crack!

The cracking noise of his neck sent Barso’s face into a vacant and unconceivable look while he laid back on the carriage seat. Until the moment of his death, he had no idea why Keiran was suddenly going to kill him.

A green glowing item came out of his body before Kieran grabbed it swiftly and leaped out the carriage.

As soon as Kieran jumped from the wagon…

KABOOM!

The explosion sent the horse and the wagon flying into the sky. The heavy smell of fire powder and thick black smoke spread throughout the street like the morning mist.

The shockwaves and trembling ground caused Herbert to fall to the ground. He then noticed the ground was wriggling in an odd way.

”Careful!”

Herbert suddenly thought of something before his face turned pale. He shouted at Kieran, reminding him. However, it was a little too late.

KABOOOM!

Just as Kieran landed on the ground, another thundering explosion erupted. It was not from the explosives yet it was louder than the previous explosion.

Thousands of vines erupted from the ground and directly enveloped Kieran entirely.

The 30 meters cypress tree from afar suddenly came alive as its vines sprouted out of the ground. It shook its trunk and a couple of robust branches like palms pressing on the ground, unrooting itself furiously. The moment the roots escaped the ground, it turned into a foot, allowing it to stand firmly on the ground.

ROOOOOAR!

An ear-deafening roar came out from the hold on the trunk.

It was moving forward with clumsy steps towards Kieran who was enveloped by the vines. Because of its height, it wasn’t slow at all.

It then slammed its robust branches down on the pile of vines like an oar smashing the waves.

KABOOOM!