Chapter 84: Illusion?
Everyone froze in fear.
Before them stood a terrifying figure, massive and distorted. Its face was covered in thick tentacles, and its entire body was covered in mysterious scales.
Things were completely out of control.
Chen Meiyue tried to call for backup and had her team tighten their formation, but there was no response, only static in the headset.
The buildings around them seemed to separate, and the sky appeared split by a shimmering line, like a mirror reflecting everything in a dizzying kaleidoscope.
The ground began to split as well, with floor tiles floating up as if on an invisible escalator.
A figure emerged from the end of the escalator.
He was dressed in a sharp black tuxedo, a bow tie, and a mask with a hypnotic swirl pattern. He carried a thick black cane.
He walked lightly across the floating bricks, as if stepping out of a dream, and traversed the battlefield with ease.
Several agents aimed their guns at him and fired without hesitation.
Later, when questioned, the agents said they didn't know why they shot; it felt like their bodies were acting on instinct, as if every part of them was telling them to shoot.
They were terrified of him.
Gunfire rang out from all sides, but the man in the tuxedo seemed oblivious. The bullets stopped mid-air, as if time itself had frozen.
The bullets hovered for a moment and then vanished. The man continued walking calmly, leaning on his cane, as if he hadn't noticed the shooting at all.
"Secret Service Nine," the man in the tuxedo said with a smile, "I've been wanting to meet you."
Before he could finish, Chen Meiyue threw a flashbang grenade at his feet.
The grenade was supposed to explode with a blinding light and deafening noise, temporarily blinding and disorienting anyone nearby.
But when the grenade went off, the man snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, the light and noise disappeared, and so did the grenade itself. Moments later, the grenade exploded on the other side of the agents, causing chaos and confusion among them.
Chen Meiyue was stunned.
What kind of power is this?
Meanwhile, the enormous tentacle creature above them was wreaking havoc, its powerful limbs smashing into the ground and causing destruction.
Buildings and the sky seemed to shift and warp as the infected swarmed around. Some agents fired at the infected, others fought hand-to-hand, and some struggled to shoot at the enormous black shadow in the air while avoiding the chaos.
It felt like the world was falling apart.
"I personally dislike violence," the masked man said calmly. "But humans choose to use force to face the unknown.
Humanity rejects what it doesn't understand, which is why the great gods of the world have deemed humans unworthy."
He paused, his eyes narrowing behind the mask. He turned slowly.
The bright moon shone down, casting holy light onto the earth. A figure descended from the sky, landing with a thunder.
Moon Knight.
"I was wondering when you masked heroes would show up," the man in the tuxedo said, unfazed by the new arrival.
Moon Knight didn't say a word. He leaped into action, his white cloak billowing behind him as he flew toward his opponent.
The masked man stood still, watching as Moon Knight rushed at him with unwavering calm. He seemed to have a plan. A huge black tentacle swung down from the air with immense force, aiming to strike Moon Knight. The impact created a massive shockwave, causing the ground to crumble and debris to fly everywhere.
"Ha, I don't know who you are," the masked man sneered, "but no one can stand before the mighty Lytos."
Before he could finish, Moon Knight darted through the smoke left by the tentacle attack.
Startled, the masked man quickly raised his staff to block. Moon Knight's punch struck the staff, creating a powerful gust that rattled the cloth and cracked the ground beneath them. The force sent the masked man crashing to the ground.
The masked man's eyes widened in shock. The speed and strength of Moon Knight were far beyond what ordinary heroes could handle. And the tentacle attack seemed ineffective.
As he quickly gathered his thoughts, the masked man landed lightly and drove his staff into the ground.
A wave of energy spread from the staff, and a line appeared on the ground, splitting the earth beneath Moon Knight. The ground on both sides of Moon Knight's position lifted sharply, trying to trap him.
But Moon Knight, unhindered, burst through the closing slabs of stone with a powerful force, like a silver bullet on a relentless path.
"This is impossible," the masked man muttered in disbelief; his calm demeanor vanished.
Spectators watched in awe. Why was this person so unstoppable? Had he unlocked some hidden power?
Even Chen Meiyue, seeing Moon Knight for the first time, marveled at the figure—his cloak like moonlight, radiant but deadly.
At that moment, a surge of energy erupted from the masked man's staff. The ground before him sank away, as if erased by an unseen hand, leaving only a void of darkness.
Despite the emptiness before him, Moon Knight continued his advance. The ground had vanished, but nothing could stop his relentless pursuit.
To onlookers, it looked like a classic cartoon scene where a character runs off a cliff but continues moving in mid-air. It seemed almost comical, but the unstoppable white figure appeared menacing and invincible.
The masked man raised his staff to strike, but Moon Knight blocked with ease. At the same time, the masked man threw a punch from an unexpected angle, which was also stopped by Moon Knight's open hand.
There was a tense moment of standoff. The masked man's eyes grew cold as he asked, "Can you see the'reality'?"