Chapter 141: Nightfall’s Lair

"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Sasaki Kojiro completely broke down. In the face of absolute terror, all that samurai code nonsense turned into a joke.

"I was sent by the Black Dragon Society! The Society's president received top-secret orders to have me infiltrate Vienna and help the Gray Cloaks and the Rothschild family take you down!"

"As for who's really pulling the strings behind the Black Dragon Society, and what connections exist between those conglomerates... I honestly don't know! I'm just a warrior following orders—the organization would never tell me any of that!"

Sasaki sobbed pathetically, tears and snot streaming down his face. Not a trace remained of the so-called 'master' he'd once been.

"Top-secret orders?"

Leo's deep eyes narrowed slightly as he stared coldly at the man. "Who gave those orders? And who's connecting the dots between the Black Dragon Society, the Gray Cloaks, and the Rothschild family?"

"I... I really don't know!"

Sasaki screamed in despair. "I may be called a sword master, but in the Black Dragon Society I'm just a high-level enforcer who handles the killing! That kind of international power-play intel—only someone at the president's level has clearance for that! I swear I'm not lying!"

Looking at Sasaki's face, twisted with abject terror, a glint of understanding flashed in Leo's eyes.

"So it really is the Black Dragon Society."

A bone-chilling smile curved Leo's lips.

Just as Sasaki thought his confession might buy him his miserable life and started to breathe easier—

Leo had somehow produced a silver Desert Eagle, its barrel pressed directly against Sasaki's forehead.

"You... you said you'd spare me..." Sasaki's pupils contracted in horror.

"I said I 'might' make it quick."

Leo pulled the trigger without expression.

"Bang!"

A muffled gunshot tore through the night.

The large-caliber Magnum round instantly blew off Sasaki's skull. Blood sprayed across the snow in a grotesque bloom.

The man once hailed as Japan's greatest sword master collapsed straight into a pool of his own blood.

"Disgusting. Even his death dirties this snow."

Ivy shook blood spatter off her heels in disgust. Serafina and Charlotte coldly holstered their weapons.

In their eyes, Leo killing this backstabbing scum was as natural as crushing an ant.

"Boss."

Olivia slid her bloodied blade back into the sheath at her thigh and strode to Leo's side. "Sawyer and Wayne escaped. The Shadow Squad's perimeter snipers are requesting permission—should we launch a full assault on the Rothschild family estate?"

"No rush."

Leo slid the Desert Eagle back into his waistband and casually lit a fresh cigar.

"We're not killing them?" Olivia blinked. That didn't sound like the Reaper's scorched-earth approach.

"Right now, the Rothschild family is just a pack of terrified dogs."

Leo lit his cigar and exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "Sawyer may have run, but he's a scared rabbit now. He won't cause trouble."

"If we wipe them out now, whoever's hiding deepest in the shadows will sever all loose ends completely."

"Leave Sawyer alive. When he feels death breathing down his neck, he'll frantically beg his master for help."

"What I want is to drag every last puppet master behind this web out into the open."

"Pass the order. Next step: we go after Nightfall."

Leo turned, a cold gleam in his eyes. "Once I personally crush Nightfall and hang that 'Mourner's' head on the city walls, all those rats hiding in the dark will panic and crawl out into the light."

"Yes, Boss!" Olivia's eyes blazed with battle-hungry fervor.

……

Meanwhile.

Paris, France. A centuries-old hidden castle on the outskirts.

This was the headquarters of the true power behind Europe's underworld—the Valois family.

"Crash!"

A priceless antique crystal goblet shattered against the floor.

"Idiots! Worthless, irredeemable idiots!"

Louis Valois, current head of the Valois family, trembled with rage.

He was a man in his fifties with meticulously groomed silver-gray hair, wearing a bespoke three-piece suit worth a million euros. But right now, all that old-world European aristocratic elegance had vanished, replaced by twisted fury.

On the massive screen before him played footage of the carnage from Vienna.

"Those imbeciles at the Rothschild family! And those self-righteous wastes at the Gray Cloaks!"

Louis snarled through clenched teeth. "What were my orders? Absolute silence! Wait until I assembled elite forces from around the globe before striking the killing blow!"

"Are they deaf?! Did they really think their pathetic trump cards could take down the Reaper?!"

Standing beside Louis was his butler—a gaunt, pale old man now sweating bullets.

"Sir, please calm down..." the butler ventured carefully. "Perhaps Sawyer and Wayne were too eager to claim credit..."

"Claim credit? All they claimed was death!"

Louis slammed his fist on the table. "Perfect! Not only did they tip our hand, they also exposed our entire carefully laid plan! That Leo is definitely on high alert now. Ambushing him again will be ten times harder!"

Just then, an encrypted phone rang.

The butler answered, then turned to Louis. "Sir, Wayne from the Gray Cloaks is requesting to speak with you."

"Put him through!" Louis stalked back to his leather chair, face dark.

……

Switzerland, Geneva.

A Gray Cloaks safe house.

Wayne, who'd fled Vienna in disgrace, sat trembling in his chair.

When the encrypted call connected, Wayne spoke in what was almost a whimper. "Louis! Save us! Our Commander is dead, both Round Table Knights are dead, over three hundred elite operatives—completely wiped out!"

"The Gray Cloaks can only mobilize barely a hundred guards now... That Reaper won't let this go. He could come for us any second!"

"Reinforcements?"

Louis's icy voice came through the line. "Wayne, you dare ask me for help?"

"What did I tell you before? Maintain silence and wait for elite forces to assemble! Who authorized you to move against Leo?"

"Not only did you disobey orders, you completely disrupted our carefully planned operation! Now Leo's on guard—ambushing him just got ten times harder!"

"I... I..." Wayne couldn't get words out.

"Louis... I was wrong. Please, just this once..."

Wayne was practically crying.

Silence stretched on the other end.

It went on so long Wayne thought Louis had hung up.

Finally, Louis seemed to force words through gritted teeth. "Fine. I'll send protection. But remember—if you act on your own again, even if Leo doesn't kill you, I will."

"Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Valois!"

Wayne sagged with relief, nearly weeping with gratitude.

After the call ended, Louis turned to his butler with a dark expression. "Contact Nightfall immediately. Tell Mourner the plan's changed—he needs to accelerate operations!"

……

Norway, Arctic Circle edge.

A secret base buried in ice and snow. Perpetually frozen, completely isolated—this was Nightfall's most hidden headquarters.

Deep within the base's command center.

A tall man shrouded entirely in a black cloak. This was Nightfall's supreme leader—the underground world's dreaded "Mourner."

"Leader, urgent directive from Louis."

A deputy in black combat gear strode in and dropped to one knee. "The Rothschild family and the Gray Cloaks acted without authorization and were crushed by Leo. Louis demands we deploy all core combat assets immediately and eliminate this threat at any cost."

At the mention of "Leo," the temperature in the command room seemed to plummet to absolute zero.

Under Mourner's hood, his eyes blazed with killing intent.

"Leo..."

"So you've finally come. How long have I waited for this day!"

Mourner's hysterical roar echoed throughout the base. "Issue the order! I'm going personally to tear that man called Leo apart and offer his blood as tribute to my fallen brothers!"