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In Hell's Kitchen, in front of a seemingly ordinary high-rise building.
The four members of the Shield Squad, dressed in suits and carrying suitcases, swaggered toward the entrance.
However, as soon as they stepped into the lobby, they were blocked by several burly security guards.
"Hello. Do you have an appointment? We don't accept visitors without one."
Although the attitude was polite, there was no room for negotiation.
Fortunately, Shield was prepared. He took out a business card from his pocket and spoke directly.
"We're here to see Madame Gao. You can go announce us first."
As he spoke, Shield moved to hand over the card.
However, just as the guy who looked like the head of security was about to take it, red lights flashed and alarms blared throughout the lobby.
"Alert! Alert!!"
Instantly, both of their hands froze in mid-air.
Clearly, neither side expected this.
Shing-shing-shing~
The security guards, who had seemed relatively normal a moment ago, drew their pistols in unison and aimed at the Shield Squad. Further away, numerous men in suits pulled long katanas from nowhere, staring tensely in their direction.
At the same time, Longbow's voice rang in the squad's hidden earpieces.
"The Haros detected another intruder in the Hand's building."
Currently, on the roof of a nearby building with a good vantage point, Longbow was set up with his sniper rifle. Next to him were two sturdy laptops.
And on a strange-looking dock between the two computers sat two Haros—one black, one white—their eyes flashing red.
Since Wrench had actively transferred to the R&D department, these two Haros had replaced him for logistical support, becoming members of the Shield Squad.
Right now, it was the two Haros that detected the source of the commotion inside the building.
"Just our luck!"
Shield cursed under his breath upon hearing the situation.
But the security guards in front of him didn't know what was going on. They just cautiously kept their guns trained on the group.
"Put down whatever you're holding! Cooperate with the inspection!"
The head security guard took a step forward, seemingly intending to forcibly take the suitcase from Shield's hand.
Shield ignored him completely and issued a direct order to his team.
"Execute Plan B!"
Hearing this, Green Bull grinned.
"Heh~ Should've done this from the start. We can get the intel just the same by fighting our way in~"
As they spoke, Green Bull and the other two reached into their jackets.
Shield, standing at the front of the squad, pressed the mechanism on his suitcase directly.
Click.
The silver-white outer shell of the case popped open instantly, revealing the pulsating demonic flesh connected to the handle.
Naturally, the armed guards didn't stand idly by at these strange movements.
The head of security pulled the trigger immediately.
"Fire! Take them down!"
However, these armed guards were ultimately just outer members serving as a front for the Hand. Their reactions were half a beat too slow.
Even the real ninjas behind them had already charged with swords or thrown shurikens before the first gunshot truly rang out.
Before the rat-tat-tat of gunfire could merge into a roar...
The "Demon Quinque" in Shield's hand instantly expanded into a massive shield.
THUD.
It slammed into the lobby floor.
The next moment, a ring of magma erupted, swallowing all incoming bullets and rapidly solidifying into a solid lava shield wall, protecting all his teammates behind it.
Then, before the Hand members could even show their horror and confusion, a series of POOF explosions came from behind the lava wall.
As clouds of white smoke spread, the mechanical sounds of clack-clack-click assembling gears echoed from within the mist.
By the time the smoke cleared, the original lava shield wall had quietly receded.
In the center of the encirclement stood four pitch-black, semi-open giant metal cabinets, nearly three meters tall and resembling upright coffins.
"Captain, if you ask me, you really didn't need to raise the shield~"
At this moment, Green Bull's slightly teasing voice came from the black metal "standing cabinet" on the left.
Immediately after, the semi-open door of the giant black cabinet was pushed fully open from the inside.
On the outside of these metal cabinets, an inconspicuous, semi-transparent protective barrier seemed to recede like a tide.
Stepping out of the cabinet was Green Bull, fully suited up in matte black heavy armor, holding his long-handled Giant Axe Quinque.
BOOM.
The heavy, mechanical armored foot stomped onto the ground, instantly sending spiderweb cracks through the smooth marble floor.
This relatively quiet noise somehow made all the Hand ninjas and security guards step back in unison.
"Shut up! You talk too much!"
Shield scolded in a low voice. He also stepped out of his "Changing Locker," raising his right hand lightly to redeploy the Quinque shield he had just retracted.
However, this movement clearly snapped the last thread of sanity in the already tense minds of the Hand members.
In an instant, gunfire erupted.
Countless bullets, mixed with kunai and shurikens that hit as hard as small-caliber rounds, rained down on the four of them.
But facing this tidal wave of attacks, this time Shield didn't counterattack or defend.
Instead, he let the ranged attacks ding-dang harmlessly against his armor.
He quickly took a step forward, picked up the "Quinque Suitcase Shell" he had dropped outside the locker, shoved it back into the locker, and closed the door.
Although according to their young master:
"Magical Girls are invincible during transformation sequences."
So Luca had specifically added energy shields to the Changing Lockers when they deployed from the Universal Capsules.
But for safety's sake, Shield had prioritized deploying his own shield to cover his teammates first.
This meant the other teammates' Quinque cases were left safely inside their lockers, while his was dropped outside.
Only after securing the Quinque case and ensuring it wouldn't get lost did Shield breathe a sigh of relief.
With a backhand swing of his shield, he swatted away an idiot ninja who had rushed up to him, waving a katana around trying to find a gap in the armor.
Only then did Shield issue the order again.
"Alright, finish these guys off. And let's see who exactly is causing trouble for us right now!"
The next moment.
Magma pulsed, gales howled, bloody blades danced, and gun barrels roared.
There was no need for tactical squad coordination—just pure stat-checking domination.
In an instant, the lobby was transformed into a tableau of slaughter.
And the ninjas of the Hand became the cheapest decorations in this painting.
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