Chapter 282: Arde's Fury

"Boom!" "Boom!"

The first explosion echoed in the dark, cramped basement, causing the stone walls to begin cracking. The vibrations felt like a small earthquake, enough to make the ceiling tremble.

Explosion after explosion followed, growing stronger with each blast, shaking the foundations of the place and sending debris and dust flying through the air.

The walls, once sturdy, began to crumble, opening large gaps that connected the corridors. Chunks of stone fell incessantly, creating barriers for those trying to escape. Thick smoke mixed with dust started to fill the air, making breathing increasingly difficult.

The light from the active Explosive Paper created bright flashes amidst the darkness of the basement, adding to the sense of inevitable chaos.

Explosions continued to occur, destroying not only the walls of the basement but also the spirits of those inside.

The ground in the Southern District began to tremble violently, large cracks appeared in the streets, and eventually, the surface began to collapse. Below ground, the dark spaces that served as the headquarters for the Soul Collectors were slowly revealed, as if inviting destruction in mercilessly.

Panic immediately enveloped the Soul Collectors. The sounds of screams, clashing orders, and hurried footsteps filled the narrow underground corridors. However, their attempts to escape seemed futile.

Explosions kept hitting, shaking the underground structure that was starting to crack. The once-solid walls now shattered, raining heavy debris down on the Soul Collectors.

It wasn't just the Soul Collectors who felt fear. Those who had previously dismissed the warnings from Anbu now began to regret their decisions.

In a rush, they fled from the Southern District, jostling for a safe place before total destruction swallowed the area.

Below ground, the atmosphere grew increasingly chaotic. Explosion after explosion caused the ceilings to collapse, creating a deadly rain of debris. Landslides blocked escape routes, turning the place into a death trap.

The Soul Collectors tried to run in various directions, but many failed to escape. Their bodies were crushed by large rocks or buried alive under the rubble.

Screams of pain mixed with the sounds of collapse and explosions, creating a horrific symphony of destruction. Some of the injured tried to crawl out, only to be struck by the next wave of debris. The place that was once a stronghold now turned into a mass grave for those trapped inside.

On the surface, fires continued to blaze, illuminating the night sky with bright orange and red hues. The Southern District, once a center of poverty and a hiding place for people to conceal their identities, had now transformed into a scene of total devastation.

...

...

...

Meanwhile, somewhere in the basement that served as the Soul Collectors' headquarters, a room was filled with eleven people. Tension filled the air. The sound of explosions continued to echo in the distance, shaking the stone walls and making the floor beneath their feet tremble.

In the center of the room, a man dressed entirely in black stood with a look of pure rage. The long cloak of the man billowed every time an explosion felt closer, the hood covering his head almost completely concealed his face, except for a pair of deep black eyes that glinted sharply. The blood-red hair of the man protruded from the fabric that enveloped his face, giving an intimidating impression.

"...Who?! Who dares to attack this headquarters?!" The man's voice, heavy and filled with anger, resonated in the already tense room.

As the man spoke, several people in the room exchanged nervous glances. One of the squad leaders mustered the courage to respond, though his voice trembled. "We... We don't know, Lord Arde..."