The masked man, who was now standing with his back leaning against the building's pillar, had rain blowing into the building through the window on his left, along with flashes of lightning illuminating the pitch-black parking lot.

  Casting his shadow onto the ground where small puddles had formed, making him, who stood panting heavily, and his cloak sway slightly in the wind.

  He looked down while placing his right hand on his right thigh, sending a jolt of pain like an electric shock surging through his entire body, causing him to flinch slightly.

  Before lifting his hand to look, revealing fresh red blood on his black glove when the lightning flashed once again.

  It caused the bright red blood to reflect the lightning's glare, making him, upon seeing it, tilt his head back and close his eyes.

  While his chest slowly rose and fell, he opened his eyes and shifted slightly to his right until his body reached the edge of the pillar. He turned his face to the right and spoke.

  "Do you really think your gun can do anything to me, cowboy? Can't you see that even if you press that gun right against me, the bullets won't do a damn thing?"

  Looking up slightly, he glanced around before returning his focus to the last spot he had seen Ark.

  With his right hand pressing down on the wound on his right thigh, seeing that the opponent didn't answer made him stand in silence for a moment, and right then, a crack of thunder roared!

  Prompting him to immediately leap out!

  As a result, his body launched out from the pillar he used for cover, landing by an adjacent pillar before he quickly sat up and pressed himself tightly against it.

  That led him to use his right hand to tear off his own right sleeve, using the torn fabric to wrap around his leg. He gritted his teeth while pulling the cloth taut and tying it tightly.

  The skull-masked man took a deep breath as he slowly rose from the floor, using his left leg to support himself while keeping his right foot off the ground.

  Then he reached his right hand inside his cloak before pulling something out.

  Turning to look at the object in his right hand, he found a tube resembling a syringe, revealing a green liquid inside.

  Seeing this, he immediately stabbed the needle into his right leg! Before pressing the top button, causing the green liquid inside the tube to lower until it completely vanished.

  And in that very second, the sound of his deep inhale was heard as his right leg returned to normal, allowing him to stand properly. This prompted him to speak.

  "Wouldn't it be better to just give up? The outcome isn't going to change anyway. You lose, and I get the goods."

  He shifted slightly and leaned out from the pillar to look outside.

  Revealing the pitch-black parking lot with large concrete pillars situated not too far from where he was.

  He stared at the spot where they had separated, then looked at the surrounding pillars, whether the one directly opposite or the one on the right.

  But because it was shrouded in darkness, making him barely able to see anything but the pillars, he slowly crouched down, and at that exact moment...

  The thunder roared once again! Along with a bright light that illuminated the entire space in the blink of an eye!

  In that instance, a small magazine flew right past his face in a split second, making his eyes lock onto the magazine as it sailed by.

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  That caused him to spin backward and immediately lunge out from behind the pillar to his right! With both arms spread wide!

  But the sight before him was nothing but sheer darkness! And right then, a shadow appeared in the right corner of his eye, making his golden-yellow eyes dart in that direction instantly!

  The image of Ark sliding across the floor, raising a gun aimed at him right as they aligned parallel to each other. The sound of a gunshot rang out as the muzzle flash from the pitch-black gun barrel illuminated the darkness!

  A massive impact slammed into his right shoulder, causing his body to jerk to the left immediately! As his forward-lunging body careened right into a concrete pillar!

  A violent thud echoed as Ark, having slid across the ground, grabbed the fallen magazine, stood up, and slammed it into his gun.

  Before racking the slide all the way and standing tall, aiming the gun at the spot where the skull-masked man had crashed into the concrete pillar.

  Approaching the man, who was now lying on the ground shaking his head back and forth, he saw this, took aim at his legs, and pulled the trigger twice in rapid succession!

  Resulting in the left and right legs of the man lying on the ground being shot! Causing a guttural cry to escape his throat! Before Ark walked right up to him and kicked him in the face with his right foot! Sending him sprawling flat on the floor instantly!

  The man tried to raise his left hand to grab his own face, but Ark's left foot kicked that hand, smashing it against the concrete pillar! And the sound of gunfire rang out again as his hand was shot!

  Causing bright red blood to spurt from his hand! Accompanied by a brief shriek from his mouth before it was stifled!

  But Ark, standing right in front of him, paid no mind and dropped down, driving his left knee into the man's chest and pinning him to the ground immediately!

  Making the struggling man slam back down as Ark grabbed his head with his left hand, slammed it against the floor, and ripped off the mask! While using his gun-wielding right hand to shove the barrel straight into his mouth!

  Making him thrash around from the heat of the gun barrel stuffed in his mouth! Seeing this, Ark yanked the gun out and pistol-whipped him across the face!

  His face whipped to the right as the gun was violently shoved back into his mouth once again!

  Even so, he clenched his fist, twisted his body, and threw a punch straight at Ark's face, who was currently pinning his chest with his knee!

  Ark let go of his head and struck back at his wrist, bringing the punch to a dead stop! Before pulling the man's left arm down and locking it in his grasp!

  His eyes widened at the sight, and in that very second, Ark jerked his arm sharply upward! Resulting in the loud crack of snapping bone!

  A scream erupted from his mouth even as it remained gagged by the gun barrel. Ark released his arm, grabbed his head with that hand, slammed it into the floor, and spoke.

  "Scream one more time, and this last bullet in the chamber will drill you another breathing hole."

  The screams of the man in front of him were swallowed down his throat for dear life, while his golden eyes locked onto the golden eyes of Ark, who was currently sitting atop him.

  Seeing that he had finally stopped screaming, he spoke up.

  "Tell me where the base is."

  The man said nothing, staring unblinking into Ark's eyes. Consequently, the gun was shoved deeper into his mouth as Ark spoke again.

  "Where is the base."

  After remaining silent for a moment, he tried to speak, but only muffled grunts came from his throat. Ark pulled the gun out of his mouth, leaving him to cough violently for several seconds before speaking while staring into his eyes.

  "On 43rd Street, downtown. The tallest building."

  Hearing this, Ark immediately aimed the gun at his head, but before he could pull the trigger, the man rushed to speak.

  "I have a deal!"

  Ark frowned slightly at those words. Seeing that the man in front of him hadn't pulled the trigger yet, he quickly continued.

  "I can get you inside."

  "If that's all, then I can find my own way in."

  "Wait!"

  Ark, who was about to pull the trigger, stopped abruptly, prompting the man to keep talking.

  "No matter how reckless you are, you don't actually think you can storm a skyscraper guarded by hundreds of men, do you?"

  "And then what."

  Ark pulled the gun back from his head slightly, making the man sigh in relief and speak.

  "Inside the boss's personal vault, there's a high-tier fruit and other valuables. Only the boss can open that door. So, if you want that high-tier fruit, you have to get in there. Otherwise, there's absolutely no way you're getting it."

  "And if I agree, then what?"

  "Then what? Well... we get the stuff out. After I hand you and the goods over to the boss, we make our escape."

  The gun was instantly raised back to his head the moment he finished speaking, causing him to hurriedly yell out!

  "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!!"

  "Speak."

  "We can go in through the sewers! Once inside the sewers, you take someone out and infiltrate the boss's vault. Wait for me there, and I'll bring you the code."

  Ark remained silent for a moment upon hearing that, while the man stared at Ark, whose eyes seemed to drift away for a second.

  Before those eyes snapped back to him, and right then, Ark pulled the gun away from his face.

  "But I have a better plan."

  The moment he finished speaking, he raised the gun and slammed it down! Causing the man to tightly shut his eyes!