A thunderous explosion erupted from the bowels of the Golden Baron Casino, shattering the veneer of luxury that cloaked its neon-lit corridors. The blast tore through the opulent structure, sending shards of glass, chunks of concrete, and twisted metal cascading into the streets below. The once-glorious symbol of excess and indulgence was now a maelstrom of chaos.

Zeke and Fredric leaped from a shattered window, propelled by the shockwave. They landed amidst the debris-strewn alley, rolling to absorb the impact. The cacophony of alarms and distant screams filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of smoke and pulverized stone.

"Well, that was expected," Fredric sighed, brushing dust from his red hoodie as he stood.

"Why didn't you just go along with it? She seemed cooperative," Zeke wondered aloud, wiping grime from the upper part of his mask with two fingers.

"You don't know Maki like I do," Fredric shook his head, a hint of exasperation in his eyes. "She's as cunning as they come—a true mastermind. If she tells you to go up, you go down. Trust me, any apparent collaboration is just a trap."

"Regardless, we're back at square one," Zeke said, shaking shards of glass from his hair.

"Oh no," Fredric corrected, raising an index finger. "Because of my... history with her, we didn't even start at square one. We began at square five, maybe six. Now we've progressed to seven. Square one would have been if we'd shown up yesterday clueless about who she was."

"Yeah, well, what do we do now?" Zeke asked, emptying pebbles from his shoe.

"Only one thing to do—we climb this building from the outside and confront anyone who gets in our way," Fredric declared, his gaze ascending the towering spire of the casino. The structure pierced the smog-choked sky, its chrome and glass facade gleaming ominously under the city's artificial lights. It stood like a monolithic sentinel amidst the labyrinthine cityscape—a beacon beckoning both the desperate and the daring.

Fredric handed Zeke a firearm he had retrieved from one of the fallen guards. "Here, you'll need this."

Zeke examined the weapon—a relic from the pre-Cataclysm era, designed solely for killing humans. In a world where conventional firearms were rendered nearly obsolete against contractors and demons, this gun was a stark reminder of a bygone age.

"I'm too tired for this," Zeke yawned, casting a weary glance up the colossal tower.

They began their ascent, moving swiftly along service ladders and scaffolding, using the shadows cast by massive neon billboards as cover. The city's cacophony faded beneath them, replaced by the hum of electricity and the whisper of the wind at such dizzying heights.

From a precarious ledge, Zeke paused to gaze upon the sprawling metropolis. The labyrinth of steel and circuitry stretched as far as the eye could see, a testament to humanity's desperation and ingenuity in the face of extinction. Highways threaded through the maze like veins, pulsing with the lifeblood of countless souls moving from one hollow destination to the next. Above it all, the ominous silhouette of the space elevator loomed—a stark reminder of the elites who had abandoned the world below.

Amidst this reflection, a sudden flicker of green light caught Fredric's eye. "Watch out!" he shouted, lunging toward Zeke and pushing him aside just as a bullet whizzed past, embedding itself in the metal railing behind them.

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"Snipers," Zeke growled, raising his weapon and firing toward the source of the muzzle flash. A distant grunt confirmed his hit.

"Nice shot," Fredric remarked, but his eyes widened as he scanned the surrounding rooftops. "We need to move—now!"

A hail of bullets rained down upon them, ricocheting off metal and slicing through the air with lethal intent. Fredric channeled his magic, enveloping them in a shimmering aura that accelerated their movements. They sprinted upward, scaling the lattice of steel beams and ledges with inhuman speed, finally diving through an open window into the building's interior.

They found themselves in a grand atrium dominated by a spiraling staircase that wound upward like the coils of a serpent. Without hesitation, they ascended, their footsteps echoing off the marble steps. The opulence of the interior contrasted starkly with the violence outside—pristine redwood panels adorned the walls, and a crystal chandelier cast fragmented light across the space.

At the top, they entered a circular room lined with multiple exits leading to exterior catwalks. Seated at a lone table was a man in a white suit over a black turtleneck. His face was a tapestry of scars tracing the outlines of his features, though his nose, cheeks, forehead, and lips appeared unnaturally untouched. Dark hair cut into a buzz framed his enigmatic expression.

"Look who finally showed up," the man said, rising with a surprisingly affable demeanor.

"I don't sense any demonic energy. He's not a contractor," Zeke whispered.

"You won't find any contractors here—only old dogs tired of how this world treats them," the man interjected, his gaze sharp.

"Hello, Jack," Fredric greeted, stepping forward and briefly lifting his fox mask.

"You again," Jack Le Dyhr sighed. "I see you've come to return the sword."

"Just as perceptive as ever," Fredric replied.

Zeke looked puzzled. "Who's this guy?"

"Jack Le Dyhr, also known as the Monster of the Revolution," Fredric explained. "He was one of the leaders of the Black Raven. Despite appearances, he's incredibly dangerous—even without cybernetic enhancements or a contractor's power. Those scars on his face? Every time he fights, he loses his face and has it artificially regrown. He's a mad bomber obsessed with conflict."

"How unkind of you," Jack smiled, the expression unsettlingly genuine. "But perhaps not inaccurate."

"Where's Maki?" Fredric demanded, his tone turning cold.

"Maki... she's quite different from ordinary people," Jack mused, his eyes drifting toward one of the exits. "She's like a spider—a seamstress weaving her web. No matter what, no prey escapes her. She's not evil; it's simply her nature to ensnare those around her. Even I am but a fly caught in her threads. You two are quite alike in that regard."

Without warning, Fredric drew his firearm and fired a shot straight at Jack's head. The man collapsed backward, his body hitting the floor with a thud.

"Why did you do that?" Zeke exclaimed.

"He wasn't going to talk," Fredric said flatly, approaching the body.

As they neared, they noticed Jack's eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling, a serene smile on his lips. Yet there was no wound—no blood. The bullet lay flattened on the floor beside him.

"I knew you'd do that," Jack's voice echoed, though his lips did not move. His body remained still, but the atmosphere grew heavy.

"What's going on?" Zeke whispered, a chill running down his spine.

"Your impatience always gets the better of you," Jack's voice taunted.

Suddenly, Jack's hand shot up, gripping Fredric's wrist with unnatural strength. The man's eyes snapped into focus, meeting Fredric's with an unsettling intensity.

"Fredric!" Zeke shouted, rushing forward.

"The time has come for me to display my magnificence once more," Jack proclaimed, his grin widening to an unnatural degree.

Before Zeke could reach them, a blinding flash consumed the room. The apex of the tower erupted in a cataclysmic explosion, a pillar of fire and debris shooting skyward before raining down upon the city. The blast shattered windows for miles, and a shockwave rippled outward, toppling nearby structures and sending civilians scrambling for cover, sending a bone-chilling symphony of chaos and fury echoing throughout the city.

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