When all the debris settled, a large object could be seen in the former position of the tree.
The masked man and Gustav's eyes widened a bit as they stared at the object in front.
It was about three feet in length, cylindrically shaped with a pyramid-shaped tip and yellowish frame.
Gustav and the masked man moved closer to observe it at a closer angle.
"Isn't this the device you were searching for?" Gustav muttered as they closed in on it.
"It is... Looks like it got activated while being here... But I wasn't given any information about it being capable of doing any of these," The masked man said as he squatted slightly and placed his hand on the device.
Some silver snake-like electric arcs were still moving across the body, but they had no effect on the masked man even when he placed his hand on it.
'Something doesn't add up...' Gustav said internally before asking, "How long did you say this has been missing?"
"It's been over three months," The masked man replied.
"Not up to a year or longer?" Gustav asked.
"According to the client who issued the mission, it hasn't been that long," The masked man replied before pulling the device from the ground.
'The neighborhood has been experiencing this situation for a way longer period than the device has been lost... So how is it responsible for the opening of the border?' Gustav wondered with a contemplative expression.
"Hey, come see this," The masked man called for Gustav while staring at the hole created on the ground from blasting the tree away.
The hole wasn't very visible before, but after the masked man moved the device, rays of sunlight penetrated it, making the space underneath visible.
Gustav moved a few feet forward and squatted on the other side of the hole.
"Hmm? What is that?" Gustav asked with a confounded expression.
They could see a metallic looking stage-like object underneath the ground.
It had steps on all sides, and it extended beyond how far they could see underneath the ground.
In its middle, there was a pointed red pole.
"Just what is that thing?" Gustav wondered out loud. It was structured in a way that didn't make sense to him, so he had no idea what he was looking at.
"Whatever that thing is... It must have been drawing power from the device which is used in opening the border at specific times," The masked man voiced out.
Gustav also figured that this must have been the case.
"Either way, this means our colla..." Before the masked man could complete his sentence, he suddenly sensed something and squinted his eyes.
Fwooommm!
He suddenly grabbed hold of Gustav in one hand and the device in the other as he jumped backwards.
Boooooomm!
A loud explosion resounded at their previous position as smoke and fire spread across the place.
Sshhhhsssshhh!
Luckily Gustav and the masked man were able to escape the explosion as they found themselves several hundred feet behind their initial position.
They were still even sliding backwards due to the masked man immense speed.
"As expected of the red shadow. Not only did you manage to dodge my surprise attack, but you also protected the kid and the merchandise. Your reputation truly precedes you," A loud feminine voice could be heard coming from within the explosion.
A feminine stature in a black combat uniform and brown helmet walked out of the flames like it was nothing.
"But you're right where I want you!" She voiced out next.
Before the masked man could wrap his head around that, a yellowish streak, the size of a thumbshot through his left arm from behind.
Splurt! Plop!
His entire left arm was severed from his shoulder, causing the device to fall along with it.
Gustav's eyes widened as he saw blood splatter across the place, 'I couldn't even sense it, neither could I sense her presence before she appeared...'
"Ugh!" The masked man voiced out in pain as he let go of Gustav and used his right hand to grab hold of his left shoulder.
'A trap... She was here from the start, and I was unable to sense her,'
His eyes turned fierce as he stared at the feminine stature approaching, "Vamp witch," He muttered.
"Thank you for getting the T67 device for me. I'll be taking that off your hands now... Oops, my bad, you only have a single hand now," She voiced out while stylishly walking forward without a care in the world.
The masked man quickly grabbed hold of the device with his right hand as he stood upright with speed.
Blood was still oozing out of his severed arm like a fountain, but he totally ignored it.
"Run!" He shouted out as he turned around with Gustav as his right leg tapped on the ground creating a red light in the form of a pair of red wings upfront.
However, before Gustav clould move two feet forward, she arrived in front of him with an outstretched hand.
"I know you still have some fight in you even with just a single arm, and I don't want to go through the trouble, so I'll just hold this kid a hostage instead," She voiced out as she reached to grab Gustav.
'Too fast, it would be impossible to dodge,' Gustav said internally but still tried to dodge.
[Size Manipulation has been activated]
Gustav suddenly shrank in size and became half of his original height, causing him to easily dodge her arm and keep running forward.
The feminine figure was surprised for an instant, but she quickly regained her composure and went after Gustav again.
The masked man had arrived in front of the red pair of wings, but when he noticed the feminine figure closing in on Gustav, he threw the device into the light within the pair of wings and dashed backwards.
Fwooosh!
He arrived in front of the feminine figure and grabbed hold of Gustav before jumping backwards, but the feminine figure did not give up pursuit this time for an instant.
"Go!" He shouted out as he threw Gustav into the light within the pair of wings.
Bam!
Before the masked man could go in, she slammed into him, sending him tumbling towards the side.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
He slammed into several trees, toppling them in the process.
The feminine figure had already dashed towards the pair of wings, but before she could arrive in front...
Troooiinnn!
It disappeared.
"Where did you send them!?" She asked with a condescending tone as she dashed towards the masked man.
Fwooommm!
She instantly arrived before him, and a battle started.
Trrroooiinn!
Gustav found himself outside the border after being thrown into the light and landed before a massive tree.