Boom! Boom! Boom!

The resounding noise of countless bullets blanketing the sky like clouds reverberated with much vibratory action.

"Somebody take care of those annoying gun turrets!" The leader of the Bastian Bandits, a masked woman with a sexy body as well as a menacing decorum, screamed at her gang to act at her behest.

"We've got it, sis!" They broke away from the group, some circling above to destroy the Skyward Sentries. Their Bastians shot streams of searing flame at some of the gun turrets, melting the metal and rendering them useless.

Meanwhile, the leader and the others lowered their altitude to circle the side of the vessel. “Keep up, we’re going to ram our way through!”

The Skyship was in a state of disarray, smoke billowing from the destroyed turrets as well as the engines as it struggled to maintain its altitude. Inside, the passengers were a hectic mess, clutching at their belongings and each other, desperately seeking safety.

"Break through the glass now!" The leader of the bandits commanded, and her minions assented.

BOOM!

As the glass shattered, Hao's ears perked up, and he thought, "Hmm... that voice." somehow it sounded familiar to him.

“Go! We’re hijacking this bitch!” The bandits expertly manoeuvred their Bastians closer to the broken windows, leaving them hovering outside while they dove inside like livid hoodlums. They had to leave their ride outside because the creatures were too large to navigate the narrow aisles of the passenger cabin.

“Now, where’s that little shit stain!” The menacing aura from one of the bandits startled the passengers. They screamed upon seeing the bandits inside. The paleness on their faces portrayed how frightened they were.

"Captain, we're being boarded!" An engineer screamed while drawing his sword and preparing to fight.

Boom! Boom!

More Bastian Bandits entered the Skyship and without much delay, they engaged in fierce combat with the vessel's defence force. The metallic clash of swords and the cries of pain marred the air as the battle raged on.

"We should also help out." Mentos turn to Hao and spoke while unsheathing his sword. Without waiting for Hao’s reply, his noble heart compelled him to dash down the aisle at the sign of trouble. He skillfully prevented an innocent lady from being chopped to bits by one of the murderous bandits who also had a mace attached to his body.

"How dare you aim your sword at a defenceless woman!?" Mentos engaged the bandit in both a physical and verbal battle.

"You think you can stop us, kid?" The bandit boasted about his strength before swinging his sword at Mentos.

"You bet I can," Mentos replied confidently, parrying the bandit's strike with his own weapon.

Meanwhile, Hao stood steady, scanning the Skyship with his Vibe Sense. The blue-beat tones he was picking up were of multiple varieties. "Hmm, that is strange." He realized that most of the bandits weren't breaking into the passenger area, but the cargo hold present at the back and that was also where he zoomed in on the leader. "What is this?" Hao saw the bandits thrashing the crates while moving towards the beast cages at the back end of the cargo hold. "They're going after the Bastians? Then..." He continued to scan the scene, focusing on the leader's shapely figure, "I recognize that ass and that sword... it's her!"

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Hao realized that the mysterious Bastian Bandit leader was none other than the woman he fought and bested in the Hallows—Kiera! "She must have caused this distraction to retake her beast. Sneaky girl... I won't allow it!" Hao dashed ahead like the wind.

“Huh?” Mentos caught a glimpse of him soaring overhead as he locked swords with the bandit. "Vee, where are you going?" he called out.

"To the cargo hold. That chick from the Hallows is trying to steal my prize," Hao replied as he continued to race forward.

"So this is her doing..." Mentos murmured, momentarily distracted.

"Pay attention fool!" The bandit kicked Mentos in the gut which sent him tumbling into a group of passengers.

“Are you ok youngster?” An old man was helping him to stand, at the same time, the bandit was standing by waiting for his opponent to get back up so he could properly cut him to pieces the manly way.

Whoosh!

Hao swiftly made his way towards the cargo hold, jumping over obstacles and flipping over people's heads acrobatically while avoiding any confrontation with the unimportant bandits who were terrifying the passengers. Suddenly, one of the bandits confronted Hao in a rather dramatic manner that he couldn’t afford to ignore.

"Wait up, you punk!" The bandit shouted, brandishing a long, rusty sword that seemed to have seen better days. The weapon was covered in scratches and dents, giving it an eerie, sinister appearance. The bandit grinned menacingly as he grabbed a young girl who was cowering nearby, pulling her close and holding the edge of his sword to her throat. “You want to save this little girl, don’t you? I know punks like you can’t resist being the hero. Well, what are you waiting for? Come and save this chick before I slit her throat.” He was in the process of pressing the blade firmer against her neck.

"Get out of my way, scum!" Hao sounded cold and commanding. In a blink of an eye, he utilized his Quick Draw ability, slashing ahead with such speed and precision that the bandit barely had time to react. He easily disarmed the bandit and send the rusty weapon clattering to the floor. He then grabbed the girl, pulling her away from the bandit and setting her gently back on her feet.

"There, you're safe now," he assured her, giving her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

The girl looked up at him with wide eyes and gratitude etched across her face. Then her eyes widened, “Mister behind you!” She warned of the bandit trying to get a sneaky stab in on Hao’s rear, but Hao was already aware of his deceitful actions.

“Not this time mate.” With a swift twirl, Hao kicked the man directly through the side door.

“Kyah!” He got carried away like a fart in the wind.

Making sure no other bandit was close by to terrorize the little girl, Hao continued his sprint towards the cargo hold, weaving through the panicked passengers and effortlessly leaping over obstacles in his path. He kept his focus on reaching his destination, determined to stop Kiera from reclaiming her Bastian. As he ran, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the prospect of facing her again in combat.

Screech!

Hao rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a trio of bandits who had witnessed his takedown of their comrade back at the arena. Their faces were twisted with anger as they brandished their weapons threateningly.

"There's the blind punk that made big sis cry. Get him!" The tallest of the three yelled, lunging at Hao with a wickedly curved knife. The other two followed suit, their weapons slashing at their target with lethal intent.

Hao's sword shivered then his instincts kicked in, and he immediately sprang into action. Utilizing his Shadowstep Slash, he disappeared from sight for a brief moment, leaving the bandits bewildered. He reappeared behind one of the attackers, delivering a swift, powerful strike that sent the bandit crashing to the floor.

“Kyah! He got me!”

“There he is! Don’t let him teleport again! Cut the bastard!”

Seeing the other two bandits charging at him, Hao expertly parried their blows, the sound of their metallic edges was ringing melodiously. He twisted and spun, ducking under a wide swing and countering with a precise strike of his own. The second bandit crumpled to the ground, leaving only one remaining.

“I won’t be done in so easily, you cur!” Despite acting bold, the last bandit hesitated for a split second, fear flickering across his face as he took in the sight of his fallen comrades. Seizing the opportunity, Hao lunged forward, using his Twin Portal Slash to create two narrow portals within a short range. He stepped through one, emerging from the other behind the bandit and delivering a devastating blow.

Slash!

“That should teach you not to get in my way ever again.” With the trio of bandits defeated, Hao continued his race towards the cargo hold with unwavering strides.