Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 929 - 738: Magic

Beneath the deep night, the mountain road was pitch black, with only the crisscrossed high beams illuminating countless intertwined shadows. Amidst the piercing screams and roars, the relentless outlines of sinister shadows were reflected on the blood-stained asphalt.

It took less than half a minute to knock down the first ten people. Those who were struck flew out, screaming, hitting the ground and convulsing, unable to get up. Then, it took forty seconds to knock down the next ten.

And then, one minute, two minutes...

"Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three! Forty-three..."

Forty-three fully-powered punches, ignoring the bats and blades hitting his forehead and body, Ueno struggled to breathe, looking up at the enemies before him.

They swayed in the cold glow of the car lights, encircling him, like monsters baring their fangs in the darkness.

Seeing no one clearly, only shifting shadows continuously flashed before his eyes.

"Die, monster!" Someone jumped up, wielding a baseball bat with nails, striking his forehead, causing a slight dizziness amidst the turmoil.

Then, the bat was caught.

Ueno raised his hand, lifting the bat along with the person on the other end, looking at that bewildered face, grinning, "So you’re here..."

In mid-air, the bat withdrew, aimed at his forehead, and chopped down.

The sound of the bat and the breaking of bones overlapped together.

Forty-four!

Ueno roared.

"Again!" he howled: "Again!"

Then, forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven!

The brutal counting continued!

Yet, those roaring sounds gradually receded, as if they blurred together with the world turning into a haze before his eyes.

In the end, only the monotonous and persistent counting remained.

"Sixty-one... sixty-two... sixty-three... sixty-three... sixty-three..."

From the dazed stupor, Ueno moved forward stiffly, his bloodshot eyes losing focus as he stared at the enemies before him, at those pale, twitching faces.

But the sharp sound of tires against the ground was heard, lights approaching rapidly, and then, heaven and earth began to rotate and sway swiftly.

The earth suddenly jumped up, striking his forehead.

He rolled, fell to the ground, hearing distant screams, someone opened the car door, excitedly cheering, "He’s dead! He’s dead! That monster is dead!"

He stared wide-eyed in confusion, unsure what had happened.

Am I dead?

"Not yet, Ueno." The one sitting beside him said, "You’re still alive."

Am I still alive?

"Yes, aren’t you still breathing?" That person lowered his head, looking at him with approval, "It’s not over yet, you can’t fall here."

Did I fall?

"Yes, the enemies are still ahead of you, Ueno."

The voice filled with anticipation came, "Can you keep fighting?"

In the midst of confusion and dizziness, Ueno listened blankly, unable to resist laughing.

No reply.

Only the twisted fist with the knuckle-duster slowly lifted, dyed in blood, exuding a cold light from the screams and roars, illuminating every eye filled with fear.

"Come on."

Ueno grinned, revealing shark teeth, giving everyone a fierce smile — to tell them it’s not over, I can keep fighting!

Sixty-four!

That was a decisive punch.

Half-time ended, everyone... the brutal counting started again!

Afterwards, there was no sound, roars vanished, wails unseen, only the fracture sounds of bone and bone clashing, and the fine hum of blood merging with blood.

"Ninety-one... Ninety-one..."

At the very end, the blood-covered man stepped forward, his hollow eyes locked onto the last enemy, revealing a chillingly fervent smile.

Ignoring him, kneeling on the ground, fearfully begging for mercy.

The final iron fist fell.

A shrill scream spread out, piercing the deep night, the kneeling enemy desperately closed his eyes, yet the anticipated terrifying impact never arrived.

When that person opened his eyes, they saw the fist suspended before them.

The last of his power failed to touch the final opponent.

Only a strand of blood dripped from the shattered knuckle-duster, fell on his face, bringing down the last thread of reason.

The man collapsed on the ground, twitching, water spreading from below. In front of the opponent like an Asura, he had no courage left to raise a weapon.

"Ninety-two."

The voice from behind Ueno put the final halt to this struggle. When he turned around in confusion, he saw the smile from the leader.

"Congratulations, Ueno." Huai Shi said, "You’ve made it on your own."

Ueno was stunned for a long time, wanting to say something, but he was too weak to even support himself, staggering and collapsing.

Huai Shi reached out, grabbing his arm to prop him up.

Turning around, he saw the cars parked in the distance on the mountain road behind.

Those alliance members returning after the banquet...

In the distance, the leaders silently smoked, standing quietly in the darkness, witnessing the beginning and end of this struggle.

Soon, a crisp applause arose, from nowhere, but soon, it spread around.

Discarding prejudice and displeasure, these men of the extreme path offered their congratulations in the most straightforward way, celebrating the completion of this brutal trial.

The birth of a true man.

"See that, Ueno? All this applause is for you." Huai Shi turned back, earnestly telling him, "Today, you were remarkable."

It’s true, the Crow of the Yin Soul could enter Ueno’s body through the Soloist’s power, making his strength multiply, fearless. But this power wasn’t infinite.

Starting from the fortieth person, the Source Substance and power given by the Iron crow were already exhausted, leaving only a robust vitality behind.

From then on, everything Ueno did... came from his own will.

This is a miracle belonging solely to him.

When Ueno woke up again, it seemed a long time had passed, he was back in the car, as if he had a long dream, opening his eyes not knowing what happened.

This time, it was Huai Shi driving, with him sitting in the passenger seat.

In the haze and fatigue, he watched the neon lights gradually pass by outside the window.

"Boss, what just happened to me?" he asked softly, "I seem to have gained a great power..."

"Magic, Ueno." Huai Shi replied.

In confusion, Ueno couldn’t help laughing, "Is the boss like a magician?"

"Well, more or less? Believing is magic..."

Huai Shi casually said, rummaging through the plastic bag by his side, handing things over: "Want a beer? It’s still cold, specially left for you..."

"Sure."

Ueno took the beer, enjoying the cold touch in his hand, smelling the malt aroma, and laughed.

And like that, from an unspeakable exhaustion, he fell into deep sleep.

.

Before dawn, explosive news spread across the alliance.

Just a few hours ago, under the witness of all the alliance bosses, the previously unremarkable ’Shark Man’ Ueno Shiro single-handedly took down the entire Kuroda Group’s men, one versus ninety-two.

Even the big boss of the Arakawa Family was moved, praising to his entourage: "You all need to see clearly, this is a real man."

For a time, Ueno Shiro was at the pinnacle of attention.

Even within the Huaizhi Gang, it was hard to believe that the Ueno who drank and bragged with them could be so brave, with visitors coming in an endless stream.

And there, with bandages wrapped around his hands and feet, Ueno leaned on the bed, animatedly recounting his heroic deeds from the night before, reaching for the beer on the nightstand at the exciting part about when the boss encouraged him, then having someone add more ice.

Always giving the impression that he could drink that can of beer for a whole year.

"Hey, right, where’s Boss Huaizhi?"

After retelling his brave fight against the Kuroda Group eight times, Ueno slapped his head, finally remembering.

"Ah, Boss Huaizhi is still in the office, came quite early today." a junior said: "Seems there are important matters to address, talking one by one with people in the gang today."

"I just went there!" someone beside interjected, holding a banana, boasting excitedly: "Boss Huaizhi even knows my name, asked about my family, knows I have two younger sisters. Oh my, even those two little brats Naka and Tomoyoshi got gifts."

Saying this, he dug out a box of luxurious crayons to show off, reluctant to let anyone touch it.

Overjoyed.

"I bet they gave you a raise too!" someone looked over suspiciously, then slapped the table: "No wonder you’re so happy, damn it, you’re treating tonight!"

"Tonight?" the speaker snorted, "You dare to come if I treat tonight?"

"Ha, if you tightwad dare treat, do I dare not eat?"

"Don’t you know? Mr. Takuma already reserved a place, tonight the boss is treating all the elder members of the gang to drinks." the middle-aged smoker flicked his cigarette ash, turned to pat the shoulder of the young man behind him: "Being senior has its perks huh, Ushijima, doesn’t matter if you’re jealous, just wait a few years!"

Called Ushijima, the blond young man awkwardly scratched his head, laughed, quickly waving his hand to refuse, not daring to compare with the seniors.

Seeing the topic move away from him, he laughed along with them, but his eyes couldn’t hide the disdain within.

Jealous? Jealous my ass!

Speaking like he’s so jealous you idiots can eat, and that Aso guy, mixed in this scene for so many years, bloodied and risking his life, the leader might’ve changed luxury cars several times, yet receiving crayons makes you this happy, are you brain-dead?

How are this bunch of fools even in the extreme path?

He began to doubt sincerely, realizing profoundly he couldn’t connect with this bunch of fools in the Huaizhi Gang.

His phone slightly vibrating in his pocket, he found an excuse to go to the bathroom, leaving the room. Once in the bathroom, finding no one inside, he went to the innermost part pretending to urinate, and answered the phone.

"Why did you take so long to answer?"

The voice in the call demanded.