The Anime Trope System: Stone Vs. The Viper, A LitRPG Novel. Chapter 375

Midafternoon…

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Clyde and the attacking force of Team Stone set off to the square, Kaguya's appearance being the cause of the grand plan change. Support Team stayed back with Chika for their own safety and to flaunt connections and divert media attention. The young man still felt the chill of Seth's words. That the Viper AND DIRE walked this city while he was distracted. To think that the final boss was so close to him.

Clyde frowned at the fires, the destroyed property, buildings looted by opportunists, and just the general chaos. Kaguya told the party about Maverick, the man pulling the strings behind the black-robed wizard. What froze his blood further was that every leader of the provinces stood behind him, seeking to benefit greatly.

Alon was a nation of seven provinces, keeping a royal family at the head and six mayors, which reminded Clyde of the dukes of most fantasy books he read. Unless a prompt made him do it, the young man had no intention of traveling around the provinces to do something as time-consuming as taking out each of their leaders. That responsibility will remain with the queen. With Maverick out of the picture, she shouldn't have any problem ordering authorities to arrest them for treason.

When the team arrived at the city square, they set their eyes on the scene of people attempting to force their way into the palace, protesting with signs that displayed many messages, and others arguing with the guards behind the main gates.

Wizards were divided into cleaning crews, rallying crews to make chaos with the people, and the others seemed to be looking for someone. Clyde?

Downtown…

As Tessa walked downtown, using her magic to put out as much of the fires as possible, as well as blowing away the smoke, she noticed someone casually walking toward the square. Black robe, dragon mask. Him. Rage exploded into the young woman as the thought of so many people dying to this criminal flooded her mind.

"You!" Tessa said, immediately gaining his attention. "You're dead."

She didn't give him time to speak, launching a burst of wind at the wizard. The Black Mask jumped over it.

[Tessa has entered a Boss fight!]

Andrew, the Black Mask, Ki-Wizard of Kindas and Disciple of Maverick.

Level: 217

Type: human, spellcaster.

Work under: Kindas.

Special: ??? Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

Weakness: ???

Resistances: ???

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Secret: blocked.

With a hand aimed toward the bolt, Tessa cast.

[Tessa activated Silver tier skill: Indignation!]

Multi-colored lightning erupted from the hand of the young woman, colliding into the opposing Ki. The forces of power and energy exploded. Tessa wind-walked, a speed-rush skill like the flash step, and planted her foot firmly in the face of the Black Mask. The force of the enhanced blow propelled him toward a building, but the Black mask stopped himself shortly before impact. He even put up a barrier as Tessa fired more magic at him.

"I don't have time for this," the Black Mask said.

"The chaos is your fault!" Tessa snapped. "Your organization drove a destructive stake into the heart of this nation." The aura intensified around the woman. "I don't know how you've lived so long, but my G.o.ddess has ordered your execution. As much as I hate killing people, I will take pleasure in your destruction."

Tessa wind-walked to his side, hand aimed, but Black Mask leapt to a rooftop.

Tessa jumped out of the path of the enormous fiery Ki blast, but when she looked up, her opponent was gone. It didn't matter. She knew his destination. The Black Mask's fate was sealed.

City square….

"Should I make myself visible?" Kaguya said, her voice just holding back her fear.

"I do not recommend it just yet," Dera said softly. "The timing needs to be right, according to my calculations, Mother."

Clyde scanned the crowd, the guards, and waited. His team looked to him, curious, some perhaps a little anxious. Yet, the people grew worse. Visible waves of red and gold aura leaked off the young man.

"What the h.e.l.l is wrong with these people," Clyde said. Harumi squeezed his hand, which jolted a much needed calming effect into the young man.

Suddenly, Black Mask appeared before the crowd. Harumi placed a hand in front of Clyde, before he could step forward to obliterate the public figure. He realized that she had a point. The Black Mask could no longer escape them.

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"People, please give me your attention," the Black Mask said. "I have a confession to make. I lied in order to test you. To quench what is dark, I became an even greater darkness, yet you people did nothing. You turned against the only form of leaders.h.i.+p that actually cared about something other than money. Why do you not think for yourselves? What happened to a dose of healthy skepticism? The princess was placed under a spell given to me by a cru—"

At that moment, the Black Mask's head literally exploded into a b.l.o.o.d.y goo. Everyone froze as silence danced through the air.

"I do not want to hear your excuses," a familiar voice said as she stepped in front of the crowd. Tessa. "He and his organization caused this mess, they cast a mind control spell on your princess, and with his words, he planned to do the same to you all in the name of his twisted justice." Tessa spat on the fallen body. "I hate people like this. They live inside their heads, blaming everything on reality. We have freewill for a reason. If you don't like something, then don't just sit there and take the beating. Make a change, no matter how small." She shook her head. "I wasn't going to sit there and listen to another moment of garbage spilling from the mouth of that filth." Her eyes hardened. "The Black Mask is just a puppet to an even bigger filth. Wake up." Tessa vanished in a spectacular Jump, leaving the crowd stunned. Leaving Team Stone stunned.

"She…blew his freaking head off," Kitome said softly.

"I have a feeling this may scar some people, Meanie girl," Natalia said.

"I'd hate to p.i.s.s her off," Toru said. Yusuke and Seth nodded in agreement.

Smaller city, Alon…

Tiffia woke up, s.h.i.+vering. That's when she realized that someone stripped her down to bra and panties. She yelped, realizing she was out for Great Ones know how long, in an isolated section of an abandoned parking lot. Her memories of the previous night flooded back to her. Terrance knew martial arts and simply attacked her like a brute. She took a heavy hit in the head, but just managed to teleport away, before pa.s.sing out. The woman huffed.

"Someone doesn't know how to treat a lady."

Tiffia Jumped back to her hotel room. She let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Hideo taught her that technique a few months back. Not everyone was compatible with teleportation or warping magic, but for those able to use it, life felt great.

The woman took a nice, long shower before contacting Pillar Palona using a spare phone. She made poses, flaunting her large b.r.e.a.s.t.s, while looking in the mirror. Palona wished she had them this large. She shook off the impure, but hilarious thought. The leftover succubus magic from a recent hunt still hadn't worn off quite yet.

"Why didn't you answer your phone last night?" Palona snapped, her voice b.i.t.c.hy as usual. Tiffia rolled her eyes. She wouldn't be able to do that in a face-to-face conversation—that was suicide even for a researcher. Not many people knew about the Pillars, believing the researchers to be the pinnacle of authority. They were not fully there yet. The four Pillars were in the way.

"What—"

"Never mind that," Palona interrupted. "Take your c.r.a.p and leave the city now. Maverick's idiot apprentice ruined seventeen years of planning and now he's dead. I don't have faith that he can dig us out of this one, so we're leaving. "

Tiffia snarled. How dare this b.i.t.c.h speak to her that way? Tiffia was still a researcher, a respected high-ranking member of the crusaders, and in fact an authoritative figure. She held her tongue, wis.h.i.+ng someone would just stab Palona in the neck.

"And where do you want me to go?" Tiffia said.

"Go to the safehouse in Ring City," Palona said. "And I hope you're showered. I planned to vent out a long night of frustration."

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"The h.e.l.l you will," Tiffia said. "Just because—"

Palona hung up, infuriating the woman until cold rage remained. She heard about Palona's famous "frustration" vents or even "pleasant talks" normally with the younger, naïve women of the crusaders. In order to keep them silent, they ended up as lackies in her clique. Tiffia would not be the first researcher, humiliated in that place. She would not!

She dialed a number.

"Yes, I would like to report as an anonymous tipper and I swear on the magical Alonian oath that is true." The magic slammed against her like an electric punch. "Palona is a traitor. She's been plotting with Maverick the entire time behind the queen's back."

"You're a naughty girl, whoever you are," the voice on the other line said. "You're lucky I don't recognize you or I'll have your head for plotting against lady Palona." The feminine voice chuckled. "I'll let this slide. You're a teenager, playing a prank. Don't do it again."

Tiffia slammed the phone onto the bed. Palona was steps ahead of her. Well, against anyone who would discover her ident.i.ty before her plans set off. If Tiffia went back to the safehouse in Ring City, she'd lose her respect as everyone would know she took the nonconsenting tea of that b.i.t.c.h.

Tiffia could only hope the Pillar would succ.u.mb to injury or even die. She'd have to order a few crusaders loyal to her to stop their current jobs in order to live with her at the Ring City base. That risky maneuver would probably alert the local supernatural. She really didn't enjoy the idea of living in the vicinity of the filthy dragons, but Tiffia had no choice under a direct order.

However, not even the Pillar would be able to order her loyal crusaders around. Kill them, yes, but the nonconsenting tea wasn't worth becoming a traitor to the organization. Or if they swept it under the rug, suspicion by literally everyone not in the Order, would spread until causing conflict and chaos among themselves.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Tiffia said sarcastically.

Nation's seat, Alon…

City square…

"The Queen…She's on the rooftop," someone said.

"I'm still angry! That girl was full of s.h.i.+t. Let's get the queen," another idiot yelled. Some agreeing with him, advanced toward the weakened gates.

"Mother!" Kaguya said.

At that moment, Clyde's annoyance with these people had maxed out. He teleported in front of the crowd and the raging G.o.d chant erupted from his mouth.

"IF ANY OF YOU DARE MAKE A MOVE AGAINST THE QUEEN, YOU WILL DIE. I WILL MAKE SURE YOUR DEATH IS AS PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE. So go on, try me."

Buildings shook, winds raged, billboards fell to the ground, and cars flipped to the side. Clyde's pressure was so strong that unbeknownst to him, the Viper felt it fifty miles away. Even if the citizens were stupid enough to want to move, they couldn't. The young man released the pressure and continued to speak in a normal voice. "As Tessa said, the Black Mask is just a puppet. A figurehead. The real person behind the strings is a man named Maverick, along with the corrupt province mayors."

Clyde turned to the queen to see her hardened expression. Then he noticed a woman behind her, raising a dagger.

"Palona please don't!" Princess Kaguya cried, revealing herself.

Clyde Jumped in front of Palona and delivered a swift backhand, spiraling the traitorous woman into unconsciousness.

[HYPER-CRITICAL! Palona's HP has dropped to 1%]

The crowd just stood, frozen in silence, stunned at the princess's appearance, an attempt a.s.sa.s.sination by someone they trusted for a very long time, and Clyde, someone who clearly was not just some man.

"Guards, take her into custody," the queen said after taking a second to restore her bearings. Frustrated tears fell from her face and she seemed to struggle with her next words. "Prepare her for execution."

Clyde walked over to the unconscious woman, taking notice of the cross symbol on her left breast.

"Crusader. Sorry Queen Tarine, but I'll have to take the burden for you."

He aimed a hand at her, charging it with magic. Palona's eyes suddenly snapped open. She vanished a millisecond before Clyde's magic could make contact with her. The energy blasted a large hole in the roof. "Son of a b.i.t.c.h." He examined the hole without moving. "Just how f.u.c.king low will these crusaders sink."

Kaguya appeared before her mother. As they shared a hug and teary moment, the young man motioned for Team Stone to join them on the rooftop. The human guards began to clear out the people, some with weapons drawn. Many of them wanted to stay for the scene, they wanted answers for the princess's appearance. Her ghost.

Clyde turned to address the queen. He nodded, as Natalia, the person missing from the rooftop, easily eliminated the fleeing wizards by herself. Naoko watched her back, even though the loli-witch didn't need the support.

On a helicopter nearby for her annual visit was Maya and her half-pixy a.s.sistant, Nuri. Her friend Tarine invited her, but even Maya couldn't miss the chaos below. Fortunately, the guards seemed to be finally doing their jobs.

Maya's eyes spotted a familiar group. Team Stone. A spark of mental pain ignited in her chest, but she forced it away. She didn't have time to think such things. She was a freaking billionaire after all…

Except riches didn't make people happy, especially the lonely.

"Nuri, go check us into the hotel."

"Sure thing, Lady Maya," Nuri said cheerfully. Despite her perky att.i.tude, Nuri's eyes hardened as she scanned the area, aura surging around her. She grinned at the sight of Seth from afar.

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