The echoing screams filled the entire field. People ran, desperately trying to save their lives as the clown hooligans terrorized with their magical attacks. Fire bursts consumed campaign materials, and public facilities soared through the air. The police swiftly evacuated civilians.
"Everyone, run! Run quickly!"
"Head to the east entrance! Go go go!"
The villains wreaked havoc, turning the peaceful campaign into chaos. Many were injured due to their actions. The police were powerless, being ordinary humans, they had no chance against them.
However, it didn't mean there was no force that could stop these masked clown hooligans. A group of men dressed in black suits and black sunglasses dashed into action as the turmoil spread. Some of them erected massive earth walls, blocking attacks aimed at civilians, while others extinguished spreading fires with water elements. The rest confronted the hooligans directly.
"Block those people! Don't let them chase the civilians!"
"Officers! Quickly get this person out of here!"
These men in black attire were special security personnel. They were awakeners hired by the campaign team to handle unforeseen situations. During the campaign, they were mere guards on the sidelines. But when riots like these occurred, they transformed into a group of superheroes who saved the day.
The clash of powers between the two sides was inevitable.
Strong winds entwined among the attacking clowns and the security personnel, creating a tornado that collided with different elements with extraordinary force. Fire licked the sky as counterattacks blazed, while ice froze the surrounding area. The ground trembled as shockwaves from opposing waves collided, creating vibrations felt deep in the bones.
Amidst the epic battle, two figures central to the campaign remained on the stage. Observing the destructive scene, Richard appeared resolute in the face of his grand campaign turning into chaos. The same could be seen in Jonathan. The man didn't show a hint of fear even though he could be damaged. After all, he was just an ordinary human.
Two security personnel approached them.
"Mr. Richard, Mr. Jonathan. We need to get out of here quickly," one of the security personnel said.
"No," Richard replied. "We won't leave until all my people are safe. I can not abandon them."
"But—"
"Didn't you hear what he said?" Jonathan interrupted the security personnel. "We're not leaving until all our supporters are evacuated. What kind of leader would run away from the battlefield first?"
The security personnel lowered their heads.
Richard gave them a stern look. "Give me your weapons."
Confused expressions crossed their faces as the personnel looked at each other, then they handed their tonfas to Richard. For a moment, they thought Richard was going to join the battle, but changed their minds when they saw Richard channel mana into their weapons. Behind their black sunglasses, they saw the black tonfas change color to metallic. Then, Richard returned their weapons.
"Use these weapons to fight them, and bring me more. I've strengthened these weapons so they're not easily destroyed."
One of the security personnel looked surprised. "Wow. Is this [Enchantment]? I didn't expect to see the legendary skill of the House of Blacksmith's guild master with my own eyes."
"What are you waiting for? Quickly do as I instructed."
Taken aback, both security personnel responded in unison. "Yes, sir!" They hurriedly descended the stage.
Richard sighed as he shook his head. "These people are so incompetent. If only I could bring my men. Everything will be resolved quickly."
"Ridiculous accusations would come at us if you did that," Jonathan said.
During the campaign period, Richard had temporarily relinquished his position in the House of Blacksmith. Apart from following the rules, he didn't want any unnecessary media coverage. Richard didn't really care about the nonsense created by the media, but right now he was diving into politics. Reputation and image were of the utmost importance.
As they were conversing, suddenly an explosion occurred. It was so powerful that it shook the stage. Richard and Jonathan fell, losing their balance.
"What just happened?" Jonathan mumbled through his teeth.
No words came out of Richard's mouth except for the grinding of his teeth. His eyes were glued to the battle before him.
The security personnel appeared relatively unscathed, but some were affected by the previous explosion. Blood flowed from their mouths as they groaned in pain, clutching their chests. The civilians hadn't escaped the destruction either. Many of them lay unconscious on the ground.
Among these clown hooligans, there were two who stood out from the rest. One was a tough fighter with gleaming iron gauntlets, and the other held a staff with green hair flowing in the wind. Their faces remained hidden behind eerie masks.
"Who are they?"
"Carefully, the clown with iron gauntlets caused that explosion."
ραndαsΝοvεl ƈοm "I lost two teeth, damn it!"
As the officers were still in shock from the explosion's effects, the two powerful aura-bearing clown figures separated from the crowd. The security personnel quickly formed a strong defensive line. The leader of the clown fighters raised his iron-clad hand and slammed his gauntlet onto the ground, creating shockwaves that vibrated the earth and shattered the ground around him. Dust filled the air, creating a foggy screen that heightened the tense atmosphere.
"Aarrgghh! Watch out!"
Boom! A tremendously powerful explosion occurred.
Simultaneously, the green-haired clown swung their staff with graceful movements. A magnetic field quickly formed, disrupting the security personnel's control over their weapons and shields. Heavy metals around them were lifted, floating in the air like pieces manipulated by an unseen force.
"My weapon! My weapon!"I think you should take a look at
"Shit! Watch out! Watch out!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Iron objects rained down on the security personnel. The sound of torn flesh echoed in the air as blood began to stain the soil. Some officers were pinned to the ground with metal objects embedded in their bodies.
"Argh! My leg!"
"My hand! It's fucking hurt!"
"My chest! Can't breath! Goddamnit!"
The presence of the two clown hooligans added more destruction to the devastated campaign field. Like a nightmare, they brought tears and fear as people watched in horror. There were still civilians trapped in this chaos. Some of them fainted at the sight of blood.
"Don't be afraid! There are only two of them! We can still beat them!" One of the security personnel shouted at the top of his lungs, trying to rally his comrades' spirits.
Unfortunately, the opposite happened.
The gleaming gauntlets rained down on the security personnel relentlessly. Each strike produced a loud thud that sent shockwaves through the ground, creating powerful explosions. The security personnel tried to fight back but were hindered by flying metals that disrupted their movements.
The green-haired clown created a magnetic field across almost the entire field. They pushed and pulled the security personnel through their weapons and shields, disrupting formations and causing confusion. Park benches, trash cans, lamp posts; various iron objects whirled through the air, sweeping the surrounding area with massive damage.
Gradually, the security personnel began to retreat. One by one, they fell to the ground, while the masked clown hooligans began to take control of the campaign field. And they began targeting the stage.
Yes, Richard and Jonathan were still standing there. Dozens of super-powered clowns ran toward them.
"Richard, they're coming for us," Jonathan trembled.
"Calm down. Everything will be fine," Richard said, unwavering.
"But, what if something—"
"Calm down," Richard snapped. "If you want to leave, then go. But you'll only make things worse."
Jonathan clenched his fists. Despite his fear starting to overwhelm him, he tried to control himself. Meanwhile, the clowns were getting closer. Seeing them rush toward him, his courage began to waver.
On the contrary, Richard stood tall, facing them.
"Kill those two bastards!" A masked clown shouted.
As they were only three meters away from the stage, the clown mob leaped simultaneously, attacking the gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates. Suddenly, there was a whistling wind.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Arrrggghhh!"
Several clowns fell to the ground before writhing in pain. However, it didn't stop the other clowns. They swarmed the stage, disregarding their fallen comrades.
And the same thing happened again.
"Arrrrrgh! My chest!"
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
They fell to the ground like autumn leaves. Despite being only a few centimeters away from the stage, it all happened so quickly that they couldn't react. They didn't see anything, only feeling an excruciating pain sensation as if an invisible object had struck them.
Jonathan's eyes widened. He didn't know what had just happened. Then, his gaze turned to Richard.
"Was this your doing?" he asked, his face contorted.
"Not me."
Of course, Richard's answer only puzzled Jonathan further. There was no one on the stage other than Richard who was an awakener.
As he tried to make sense of the situation, he heard footsteps. A man with emerald green eyes and black hair ascended the stage.
"Klaus?"
"Sorry, I'm late."
Klaus stood in front of them both. Twisting his arm, he was ready to kick some more clown ass.
