Apparently, the manor’s guards had also noticed the commotion inside.

Many guards in tight-fitting, dark green leather combat uniforms ran from all corners of the estate toward the main building.

Marco summoned his Lamp Staff and asked, eager for a fight, "Should we make our move?"

"Let’s wait a moment."

Lisi didn’t answer. Instead, she scanned the guards emerging from the trees, the grass, and even from beneath the fountains, frowning as she said, "This is hardly the security force a typical noble should have..."

"All the families with a foothold in the Natali District are like this," Marco scoffed. "The Nascimento Clan alone has over 300 guards, not counting Attendants and Extraordinaries."

Wei’en silently calculated, "724."

"What?"

"There were 724 guards who just rushed into the main building."

A smirk spread across Marco’s face, full of schadenfreude. "The Ceres Clan has this many guards over the limit. According to Shetland law, the fine alone will be painful enough for them."

"Now the City-State Council and the Noble Committee will have something else to bicker about."

Wei’en nodded. He didn’t care if the City-State Council and the Noble Committee had their hands full; he was more interested in the secrets the Ceres Clan was hiding.

It was worth noting that many of these guards were Extraordinaries. For them, gold alone was not enough; they required a deeper foundation of support.

For example, equipment, knowledge, and all the resources needed to improve their strength.

"Young Master Rutger!?"

Just then, Collins’s panicked cry echoed across the entire manor. "Get them! Don’t let them escape!"

KRAK.

Following the sharp sound, glass shattered on the third floor of the main building.

Then, more than forty people dressed in the Ceres Clan guard uniforms jumped down, charging toward Wei’en and the others.

Lisi’s brow furrowed slightly. Her Two-Handed Axe instantly appeared in her hands. "Prepare for battle."

"Wei’en, take Tina and fall back a bit," Marco motioned.

"Alright."

Wei’en pulled Tina back a few steps without hesitation. He’d already noticed that his panel was being flooded with notifications again.

[You have been targeted by Modest Benavides’s killing intent. Evaluation: He’s appeared. You know what to do, right? Reward: Survival Points +1.]

[...]

[You have been targeted by Elno Vazquez’s killing intent. Evaluation: This is not someone you can handle. Reward: Survival Points +2.]

’Something’s not right.’

’Vasquez... Are these people working with Collins?’

As this thought crossed his mind, Wei’en silently connected with the ghost and the driver to cast his Magic.

The Ghost: "Diagurajia!" (Summon Undead!)

The Driver: "Abdeljalil!" (Mechanical Box!)

Two Rune Arrays flashed and disappeared. Miss Zombie, Shawa, appeared on the Summoning Array with a wooden expression.

Wei’en, meanwhile, had already reached into the Mechanical Gate, retrieved his gun, and was rapidly loading it.

Lisi noticed the fluctuation behind her and glanced back, a flicker of bewildered surprise in her brown eyes.

’Is that gate really the Mechanical Box Spell?’

’How could it be...’

"How can a Mechanical Gate be that big?! Wei’en, is there something wrong with your Mechanical Box Spell?" Marco blurted out, voicing her exact thoughts.

He had also glanced back and nearly popped his eyes out of their sockets.

If it weren’t for the inappropriate timing, he would have already reached out to touch it.

"Uh, is it that big?" Wei’en’s hands didn’t stop moving. He didn’t know the difference between his Mechanical Box and the ones cast by others.

’But this is the Death God version, so it’s bound to be a little abnormal, right?’

He had already noticed a faint black aura emanating from the gun’s frame. It was very weak, but clearly different from before.

’This must be what it looks like with the death attribute applied.’

"Big, very big, I..."

"Shut up," Lisi snapped. "Everyone, be careful. Something’s not right with these people."

Her gaze was fixed on the few people in the lead, especially the bit of tattoo visible on their necks. It felt familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

"Marco, Gentle Spirit Wind."

"You’re right, something’s off! There’s a captain-level fighter!"

Marco turned to get a clear look at the charging men, his expression hardening. He quickly swung his Lamp Staff. "Zack, Broo, Zack." (Gentle Spirit Wind.)

Immediately after, four small tornadoes appeared around him and instantly enveloped the four of them.

Wei’en felt an uplifting force from the whirlwind beneath him, making his body feel lighter.

’Marco’s amazing.’

"Their target isn’t us. Don’t engage unless we have to," Lisi added as a reminder.

"Understood."

Wei’en watched the men, the familiar feel of the gun in his hands gradually calming his heart.

It was as if the world around him had grown quiet, leaving only him, gun in hand, facing those "enemies."

Just like the Gunman he had seen in the Illusion Realm, a single man with a single gun was like an army unto himself. No monster could withstand a single one of his shots.

At that moment, Miss Zombie stepped in front of him, her body leaning forward. Several black glints of light emerged from her fingernails, making them look like sharp hand-blades.

Meanwhile, the two Xiaoxi were like spectators, watching the guards with excited expressions...

In fact, the men had noticed Wei’en’s group long ago, but they didn’t slow down at all, charging straight toward them.

"Damn you, Ominous Ones! Scram! This has nothing to do with you."

"Aino, don’t waste your breath on them. Just kill our way through."

"Charge!"

Just then, Collins also rushed out of the main building in the distance, shouting toward them, "Captain Lisi, please help us stop them! You’ll be well compensated!!"

’He’s putting on a pretty convincing act...’

Wei’en was now certain that the leader of the attackers was definitely related to Collins, who was behind them.

They didn’t look identical, but there were many similarities in their eyes and brows.

’Brothers? Or maybe father and son?’

"Lisi, make a decision, fast! Are we taking the job or not?"

"Asriel."

Lisi was clearly more a woman of action than words. She raised her Two-Handed Axe high and swung it horizontally, unleashing a massive Wind Blade.

Seeing this, Marco understood her choice. He immediately followed up, holding his Lamp Staff horizontally and drawing a circle with it.

"Apu, Elder, Lior!" (Blood of Chaos!)

As he shouted this phrase in the Gonzalez tongue, Marco’s body swelled. The red ponytail at the back of his head came undone, whipping forward like sharp blades to pierce his cheeks and wrap around his entire head.

???

Wei’en watched from behind. ’What kind of bizarre transformation technique is this?’

Then Marco’s body swelled again, until he was twice his original height.

In moments, his face had completely changed: a thick red beard, eyes as round and wide as bronze bells, and a broad nose and mouth.

"I’m going in, Lisi."

BOOM!

In just an instant, the giant Marco was already behind Lisi’s Wind Blade, following it as he charged into the crowd.

The leader cursed, "Dammit, it’s a captain-level expert! Aino!"

"Leave him to me. You take the others and keep breaking through."

The man named Aino didn’t break stride. He shattered the Wind Blade with his curved blade, then immediately followed with another slash, a diagonal upward cut aimed at Marco.

"Yenish." (Bone Shatter.)

Marco was fearless. Taking advantage of his height, he swung his Magic Staff downward.

KRAK KRAK, BANG.

A fierce gale erupted from the violent collision, sweeping outwards. Those with less strength were even knocked to the ground by the blast of wind.

The two then clashed, the curved blade and Magic Staff colliding fiercely.

But this time, no gale swept outward. Marco was consciously gathering the wind, forming several raging tornadoes that circled around them.

"Die..."