The crisp sound of burst fire rang out, and Mogensha had vanished, having clearly found suitable cover. But the bullets from his Gold A screamed in without delay, and this time, faint traces of electrical energy could be seen flickering around the projectiles—Mogensha, having secured his own safety, was now deploying his abilities!

The sheer combat power unleashed by a gunslinger given free rein could easily surpass most melee Contract Holders at this stage. However, their vulnerability in close quarters was not a major issue for long. (Mobile Access:) First release.

Mogensha fired two quick bursts of electrically charged bullets, momentarily staggering the two Contract Holders caught in a pincer movement. Not only were they wounded by the shots, but they felt a pervasive numbness wash over them. They immediately broke distance from Fantra, who was lunging forward with a sweeping slash. At this moment, Greely advanced instead of retreating, a sneer playing on his lips as he met the incoming Flaming Greatsword with his shield!

A massive clang of metal colliding echoed, confirming Greely was no match for Fantra in raw strength, forcing him back five or six steps. But Fantra’s sword was simultaneously jolted away, and the flames erupting from it scattered, intermingling with the black miasma leaching from Greely’s shield.

Concurrently, at the very instant the sword and shield met, a powerful thwack resonated—the sound of a stout bowstring pulled to its absolute limit before snapping back with force. Deco, who had been hidden in the shadows, had seized his chance, drawing his bow taut and loosing an arrow into the thigh of another Contract Holder from the Banks Mob caught in the adjacent fray!

This arrow was devastatingly sharp, slicing through like a streak of black light. Caught completely off guard, the Contract Holder was sent tumbling seven or eight times, his entire leg rent open. The Symbiotic Association gunslinger he had been engaging was no easy opponent either; seizing the moment, he unleashed a rapid series of shots—pa pa pa pa—and capped it off with a grenade. It looked like even if the mobster didn't die, he’d be out of the fight for half his life. The gunslinger, however, did not press the advantage; instead, he swiftly retreated behind Greely.

Observing that the Symbiotic Association’s formation had largely regrouped, settling into a wedge or arrowhead shape, the point of the triangle occupied by the shield-bearing Greely. Behind Greely stood Vance and Number 3, wielding shotguns, with Deco positioned further back, providing rear support with his bow. The remaining gunslingers had already found cover, turning the darkness into a landscape thick with lethal intent.

The current situation was crystal clear: if Fantra couldn't swiftly break through the frontline presence of Greely, he risked being overwhelmed by concentrated fire from multiple gunslingers. His superior strength did not automatically equate to superior stamina; without that invisible, transparent armor coating his body, he would surely already be gravely wounded.

Yet, the probing attack they just witnessed demonstrated clearly that even with a strength advantage, Fantra stood little chance of breaking Greely—who boasted 18 Stamina points and a formidable shield—in a short timeframe. If the Symbiotic Association’s long-range firepower gained solid cover, frankly, even if the Banks Mob won, it would be a Pyrrhic victory!

Facing this grim prospect, Fantra nevertheless roared and leaped into the air! Flames surged and blazed around his dual longswords, embodying a desperate, mutually destructive resolve. Greely, newly appointed as the squad leader, intended to turn the tide here and cement his authority. A cruel smirk touched his lips; he had calculated things quite precisely: in a final, brutal exchange, though he would sustain heavy injuries, the firepower behind him would surely finish Fantra off right before his eyes! Next, Vance and Number 13 would move up to cover while he retreated to use bandages—the Banks Mob's victory would be inevitable.

Suspended in the air, Fantra was utterly exposed. Undoubtably, the long-range gunners, led by Mogensha, would not let such a prime opportunity slip by and began sweeping their fire toward him. Fantra’s semi-transparent mental energy armor, already fading to near invisibility, began to show cracks under the concentrated assault before shattering entirely! However, at that precise moment, he exhaled heavily and brought his swords down in a descending strike, infused with an aura of unstoppable momentum.

Just as Greely sneered and raised his shield overhead, the wooden door of a nearby building creaked open (zhi ya). A slender figure emerged, clad in a black magic robe and a pointed hat, standing out sharply. Cloaked entirely within the heavy fabric, his form was indecipherable, even suggesting a certain fragile, feminine delicacy.

But his action sent an icy dread crawling up the spines of every member of the Symbiotic Association.

An arctic chill!

The Contract Holder waved his wand, aiming directly at Greely, and bellowed:

" Expelliarmus!!!"

He had cast the Disarming Charm! This spell held immense significance throughout the world of Harry Potter magic, famously used by Harry Potter in the final confrontation against Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra to secure victory (I always found that ending rather absurd, truly. It creates the illusion that no amount of genius training can surpass a bottle of universal adhesive that glues wands to one's hand.)

As the incantation finished, the Contract Holder began coughing violently, stooping over, blood gushing from his mouth.

But simultaneously with the spell’s utterance, Greely found he could no longer grip his shield securely. The solid handle suddenly felt like a slick eel, and the entire shield was flung skyward! In that fleeting instant, the greatsword, wreathed in fierce flames, sliced down toward his head! A harsh gunshot echoed from the distance. Greely instinctively looked up, and in his eyes, wide with terror, he saw what looked like an old-fashioned Mauser rifle, its blackened muzzle aimed squarely between his brows! And beneath it, a pair of ice-cold eyes.

"D... Damn it! Even Darth has been bought off by the Banks Mob."

Greely was dead.

Despite having consumed a potion that instantly restored his health to full.

Despite the shield returning to his hand three seconds later.

Despite Fantra instantly being riddled with severe wounds from concentrated fire.

Despite Vance and Number 13 firing desperately to support him...

Greely still died.

If only Fantra had been attacking him alone, Greely would have had a strong chance of survival, but Darth’s involvement made his demise certain. It must be noted that Darth was a character severely underestimated; the sheer destructive power he could wield was matched by few present. In the battle against the Troll, Darth’s damage output accounted for nearly seventy percent of the total assault! The most terrifying aspect of his attacks was encapsulated in two words: stability! It was precisely this dependable lethality that made Greely’s death so bitter.

In fact, signs that Darth had torn up the agreement to join the Banks Mob had been visible earlier. Unquestionably, the Metal Mentor had begun suspecting him of positioning himself to be the ultimate opportunistic beneficiary. Though Darth was cold and aloof, he was no fool; the Mentor's suspicion was practically obvious. In that light, his previous conflict with the Banks Mob meant little—one was a clash of pride, the other was rooted in the fear of massive material loss. It was just that the Metal Mentor likely never anticipated the Banks Mob could breach the spatial barrier for emergency reinforcements! Otherwise, he wouldn't have displayed his distrust of Darth so overtly.

With Greely’s death, the Symbiotic Association’s newly organized defensive line immediately fractured. At that moment, Finley, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, unleashed his attacking willow tree again, churning the ruins into a chaotic mess of dust and debris, effectively deploying ten smoke bombs at once.

This situation was undoubtedly advantageous for the melee Contract Holders. It must be noted that Finley still refrained from directly attacking the Symbiotic Association personnel; he clearly refused to incur the terrifying backlash of violating team protocol—though no one was foolish enough to attempt to sentence him under these disadvantaged circumstances right now. If Finley fought without restraint, the current plight would become exponentially worse.

Screams erupted continuously; Contract Holders fell one after another in this brutal engagement. Both sides were trading lives. Some attempted to flee, but the four members of the Magical Department stationed on the periphery had already joined forces to weave a massive barrier, completely sealing off the battlefield. It blocked the line of sight from the Muggle world outside while simultaneously preventing anyone inside from escaping. Furthermore, as soon as the fighting began, these four Department members had likely used magic to move nearby residents away, making collateral damage to innocents impossible.

As both sides fought themselves into a frenzy, no one noticed that in a nearby building, not far from the main conflict, Fang Senyan was signaling the three Contract Holders behind him, assigning them targets. The directions Fang Senyan indicated pointed directly toward the second-floor room of the building opposite them.

The specialized support Contract Holder within the Banks Mob was busy inside that very building.

It is worth mentioning that the Banks Mob's Team Level was clearly higher than the Symbiotic Association's. Compared to the Symbiotic Association’s team ability, 'Sudden Life,' which increased evasion chance, the Banks Mob possessed 'Fighting to the Last.' Upon being instantly reduced to a gravely wounded state, they gained a shield with 100 HP, inheriting the protector's defensive power. Evidently, this ability was vastly superior to 'Sudden Life' in the early stages, significantly reducing the rate at which Banks Mob members were killed off.

The primary reasons for the Banks Mob's formidable success this time were twofold: first, the defection of Finley, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses; and second, the powerful support abilities of that one Contract Holder: Mental Energy Armor, Flame Blade Enchantment, Disarmament... And it now seemed this person might even possess medical skills, as every Banks Mob member who sustained grave injuries, upon being rescued, universally retreated toward that single building.