NOVEL NEXT Chapter 568: Battle in Rome-01
— Meanwhile - New Atlantis —
In the evening, Daniel sat in his personal lab at his new home, monitoring the progress of his secret project, New Atlantis. The project was already 80% complete, with only 20% remaining until he could safely reveal it to the world without fear.
This project would guarantee the safety of his city and his loved ones living within it, while also alleviating many of his headaches caused by insignificant political players.
Beep Beep Beep
Three sharp beeps echoed from the monitor, signaling an emergency. Daniel minimized the project window to check the source of the alarm.
"Master, the tracking chip within Father Richard went silent five minutes ago. I've sent several signals to confirm his life signs, but each response has been negative," said the electronic voice of Nexus Prime.
A new screen displayed the data transmitted by the chip: a flat heartbeat line, no oxygen, and the current location showed movement from the Vatican toward the Tyrrhenian Sea coast. Based on the detected speed, it seemed the body was being transported, likely to be disposed of.
A pang of sorrow hit Daniel. He had only regarded Richard as an employee, and with him working far away in the Vatican, there was no close bond or friendship. Still, he felt sad for Richard.
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Richard had been the first person he had actualized from the card and had played a crucial role in managing diplomatic relations with the Vatican, helping Daniel avoid issues with the world's largest religious power. Though Richard wasn't as unique as Michaela or Penthesilea, he still held some significance.
Daniel stood from his seat and walked out to the balcony. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag.
Cough! Cough! "Ahem… f*ck... f*ck," he muttered, gritting his teeth. He had quit smoking years ago, even before he died, but this time... he couldn't resist.
He needed it to calm his nerves, unsure of what he might do otherwise.
He crushed the cigarette and used fire magic to burn it to ashes, then gazed out at the night view of New Atlantis, trying to sort through his complicated feelings. He usually stayed out of politics and scheming, preferring to live a carefree life with his loved ones.
That's why he left the management of his organization and company to professionals like Aryan Sharma, Odysseus, and Cao Cao, keeping his hands free of such matters. But... maybe he was wrong. Maybe he needed to be more resolute, more… aggressive.
"So... Prime, do you know who's responsible?" Daniel asked.
"There are many possible suspects, but based on the gathered data, there is a 98% chance that the mastermind behind this is the current Archbishop residing in the Vatican," Nexus Prime answered.
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"According to the information I retrieved from the Syndicate Union server, various mage families, and the data gathered by Primate Albert, I conclude that the Hightower, the Archbishop's faction in the Vatican, and the Hephaestus Institute have some form of cooperation and dealings with each other.
However, based on my analysis, the Archbishop's actions against Father Richard were likely incited by someone else.
After running a series of calculations, there is a 65% chance the inciter is from the Qing Empire, a 15% chance they're from the Hightower, a 10% chance they're from the Hephaestus Institute, and a 10% chance they belong to unknown forces we have yet to identify," Nexus Prime explained.
"I see…" Daniel nodded, falling silent as he pondered for a moment before asking, "And what about the Pope? Where is he?"
"The Pope is currently on a mission to uncover the source of the anomalies allowing ghosts to roam freely outside their bound locations. Based on my estimates, the Pope is in London, as the last place where Whispering Hall was built before it was destroyed was in London." Nexus Prime replied.
"London, huh?" Daniel muttered, deep in thought. "After I've officially established the Order of Ember and dealt with those damn cultists in Greece, I'll make a trip to London. I want to see what the Pope is up to."
"Also, send some SD-I Series units to hunt down the Archbishop. He dared to kill my people… he'll need to face the consequences," Daniel instructed.
"Yes, Master," Nexus Prime acknowledged, immediately beginning the construction of several SD-I Series killing machines at the robotic foundry.
— Night - Rome —
Under the night sky, in a secluded alleyway cutting through the heart of Rome, far removed from the ancient beauty the city was known for, the air was thick with the stench of decay and dampness, mingling with the acrid smoke of cigarettes and the faint, sickly-sweet odor of alcohol.
Graffiti scrawled across the walls, bold and chaotic, like the markings of unseen predators who claimed this place as their territory. The laughter of gang members and criminals echoed through the darkness, their presence warning off any who dared to trespass.
Suddenly, the crunch of broken glass underfoot shattered the uneasy silence. From the shadows emerged a man with a scarred face, slumping against the wall for support. His right arm was burned black, and his breathing quickened as he struggled to stabilize himself.
He was none other than Christopher Ward, the Grand Paladin of the Vatican's secret Exterminator Unit.
After escaping an ambush, Christopher had been hunted from dawn until dusk. He had only moments of rest, now using this seldom-trespassed alley to avoid detection.
The arrival of Christopher startled the criminals in the alley. They eyed him, curious as to why this stranger had appeared in their domain. From the looks of him, he was injured, likely on the run. Maybe he was a criminal from elsewhere.
But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was a stranger… someone who didn't belong here… and he seemed to have a lot of money on him.
"Hey, old man! Why are you here? Get lost on your way back from church?" one of the thugs sneered, drawing laughter from the group.
Seeing them, Christopher smiled faintly, as if he had just found hope. "Your phone, your wallet—hand them over. Now."
"Huh?" The thugs were taken aback by his unexpected response, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Old man, are you so scared that your brain's gone rotten?" one of them jeered, but their laughter was short-lived.
Christopher suddenly lunged at the nearest thug, grabbing his face and slamming it into the wall, knocking him unconscious instantly.
"You!" The other thugs quickly pulled out their weapons—knives, brass knuckles, and steel batons.
Christopher smirked, feeling right at home. "Oh, you brought out your toys first..." he said in a cold tone, pulling a blessed blade from his trench coat. "Don't blame me if you lose a limb or two."
The thugs swallowed nervously, their confidence draining. They could feel it—the tension in the air. They were bullies, not fighters, and the man before them seemed unhinged, more than ready to strike. They also saw it—the blessed blade, longer and deadlier than their makeshift weapons.
"Are you ready?" Christopher muttered before charging at them.
The fight lasted five minutes, filled with agonizing screams and desperate pleas for mercy that echoed through the alley until everything went quiet. Some of the thugs had lost limbs, though their lives were spared, while the luckier ones had only been knocked unconscious.
Christopher collected the phones and wallets from the thugs, sorted through his "earnings," and used one of the phones to contact Daniel. After a few rings, Daniel picked up.
"Your number isn't familiar. Who is this?" Daniel asked from the other end.
"It's me, Christopher Ward. Listen carefully." Christopher then recounted everything—the ambush, Richard's death, his own escape, and his current situation. It took him about half an hour to finish.
"I see... I already know about Richard. What's the situation on your end after the ambush?" Daniel asked.
"Not good. The Pope took all the skilled paladins from the Exterminator Unit with him to London. As for those left behind, they've been bought by the Archbishop. They've even teamed up with the Archbishop's people to hunt me down," Christopher replied, glancing around the alley, staying alert for any potential ambush.
"Do you need me to send a team to extract you?" Daniel offered.
"That'd be great. I'm low on supplies, and the armor in my trench coat has been worn out for a while. My power's nearly depleted, and I need to rest, but they're not giving me a chance," Christopher admitted.
"Hold out for at least three hours. I'll send an elite team to get you out," Daniel assured him.
"No problem," Christopher answered, then quickly hurled his blessed blade in a specific direction. A man fell from the upper floor, the blade embedded in his neck.
"Don't turn off the phone; it'll be harder for us to find you if you do," Daniel instructed. Christopher nodded in agreement and retreated from the alley before more hunters could arrive.