He can see us!
The moment Lynch saw that smile, a chill shot straight down his spine.
It was a primal alarm screaming within him—danger was imminent.
With no time for conscious thought, Lynch's instincts took over. While their gazes were still locked, he lunged forward and threw his arms around Natalie.
Forged through numerous life-and-death encounters, their mutual understanding allowed the female officer to activate her ability even as a flash of confusion crossed her eyes.
【Authority, Protection, Ability, Escape】
With a sudden flicker, the two vanished, reappearing ten meters away just as a piercing screech tore through the air behind them.
A burst of light erupted where they had stood. Before Lynch could even turn his head, the corner of his eye caught the glint of a flashing blade, followed by a fleeting, teeth-grinding screech.
It all unfolded too quickly. Only now did their minds catch up, both turning their heads in unison.
The man with the eerie smile was still standing in place, his expression morphing into shock. Directly above their previous position, a sword-wielding man hung upside down from the ceiling.
Though his blade was still three or four meters from the floor, dozens of slashes had already carved into the spot where Lynch and Natalie had just been standing. Spanning an area of three meters across the thick cashmere carpet and the hard marble beneath, the deep gouges—at least as deep as a pinky finger—were densely packed and terrifying to behold.
Only then did their hearts begin pounding furiously, muscles trembling faintly. They had brushed that close against death; a single split-second delay would have reduced them to minced flesh.
Since you failed to kill us, it's our turn now.
Courtesy demands reciprocity; vengeance must be repaid.
“Hurry, hurry, necklace number six! Quickly!”
“Your Highness, in a moment you will start from this spot. Step forward with your right foot first, and keep an eye on the dot on the floor. Stepping directly on it will give you the ideal posture...”
“Your Highness, please remember to look toward the left more often. The lords of the Duran and Wolfman families are all on that side—make them feel valued...”
“Why hasn't the report from Observation Point Three arrived yet? It's already thirteen seconds overdue! Go check on it...”
“Squads Four and Five, move those two umbrellas on the left side away! Someone moved them earlier; someone could hide underneath them now.”
The hall was in a flurry of motion. Everyone was bustling about, wholly focused on Her Highness the Princess's upcoming appearance. None of them realized that right beside them, in the very space they paced through, a fierce battle had abruptly erupted.
The two ambushers—one above and one below—still hadn't recovered from their shock.
How could a surefire ambush have missed?
Lynch and Natalie's lightning-fast reflexes had caught them off guard, causing the grinning man and the upside-down man to lag half a beat behind. When the two assailants turned their heads toward Lynch and Natalie a moment later, what met their eyes was a green-glowing skull grinning eerily back at them.
The retaliation had begun; the skull was their declaration of war.
The grinning man raised a palm in front of himself. The air before him distorted strangely, as if an invisible force was swirling in the atmosphere.
【Authority, Atmosphere, Ability, Air Wall】
Mere rank two rookies dare to fight back? We're rank three, just one step away from mid-tier. Your attack is utterly meaningless.
Clang!
The upside-down man flipped down from the ceiling, landing right behind the grinning man. Flicking his one-handed sword, several arcs of lightning danced up and down the blade. Sword in hand, he leaned forward, ready to lunge the instant the skull shattered against the air wall.
【Authority, Lightning, Ability, Speed】
Yet the skull never touched the invisible air wall.
Just before impact, Lynch crooked his finger. The eerie skull suddenly detonated on its own, exploding into a cloud of filthy power thick with the aura of death. Brilliant green light instantly flooded the two assailants' vision.
What the hell?
Blinded by the blinding green glare, they couldn't see what was happening behind the burst. By the time the green radiance dispersed a heartbeat later, their contracting pupils caught sight of a ribbon of sword light flashing right before their eyes.
Judgment of Vigen—slash!
The distortion in the air deepened sharply as the sword struck the air wall.
With a crisp shatter like breaking glass, the air wall couldn't withstand it for even an instant before exploding into pieces. Without losing momentum, the rapier swept cleanly through both enemies standing one after the other.
A clean cut at the waist, bisecting them both.
Their bodies offered no resistance, as if they didn't even exist.
No—they really didn't exist!
The severed figures twisted abruptly, dissolving into thin air. Nearby, the two figures materialized again, standing one in front of the other.
【Authority, Atmosphere, Ability, Mirror Image】
The moment they reappeared, lightning flashed. Arc light flickered across the upside-down man, and he vanished, instantly reappearing right before Natalie. His sword moved like rushing lightning, practically skipping across physical space; the moment the flash ignited, the blade was already pressing against Natalie's throat.
Yet Natalie, who had still been charging forward, defied all laws of physics by abruptly shifting from forward momentum into a backward retreat without warning. The lightning-fast thrust only pierced through her lingering afterimage.
Lynch had reeled in his cane, which had transformed into a segmented whip. The other end was gripped firmly in Natalie's hand, allowing her to pull back safely the moment her strike missed.
Their four gazes locked in midair. In this first exchange, neither side had gained the upper hand.
Without wasting a single breath, the moment sparks flew between their clashing gazes, both sides lunged simultaneously once more.
“Hurry, hurry, the music is nearly over! Aren't you ready yet, you useless fools? You all deserve the gallows!”
“The doors! Check the balcony doors once more!”
“One minute left! Saluting cannons in position, cue the orchestra! Where are the flower boys and girls on the fourth floor? Get into position!”
“Your Highness, the speech script is slipping! You there, can't you see Her Highness is sweating from the heat? Apply some more powder to Her Highness!”
Her Highness the Princess had already begun walking toward the balcony, surrounded closely by dozens of staff members. Under the bright chandeliers, Her Highness looked radiant and majestic, wearing a dignified smile amid the cheerful music drifting from outside. Like the brightest star in the night sky, she commanded everyone's attention.
The fourth dance was drawing to a close; the balcony doors were about to open.
The eyes of the two ambushers lit up with evident glee. “It's about to succeed—hold them off!”
Hearing this, Lynch and Natalie's expressions darkened, their gazes meeting.
Damn it, they have accomplices. We must end this quickly. Round two—go!
Beyond the light, sword glints flashed like snow, every step laced with deadly intent. The second round escalated toward a climax the moment it began.
The hall suddenly turned hazy as dense swathes of white fog rapidly filled the massive, plaza-sized room. Visibility plummeted, and the air grew freezing cold and damp.
【Authority, Fog, Ability, Hunter in the Mist】
Blinded by the thick mist, Natalie swung her sword, slashing in a frontal arc. Yet nothing was there; her strike pierced only empty fog.
As her attack whiffed, the female officer's face sank just as Lynch's voice echoed from behind: “Move from your position, don't stay still!”
Grasping his meaning instantly, Natalie bolted from where she stood.
Yet right after Lynch spoke, a sinister voice whispered right beside his ear: “Surprise.”
Dense fog was a hunter's paradise. Within the grinning man's mist, the upside-down man not only concealed himself but also appeared to gain a teleportation-like effect. Lynch hadn't even heard footsteps before the enemy was already behind him.
A lightning-fast enemy wielding a sword crackling with lightning.
With a swing of the blade, the edge had already reached his neck.
Bong! Bong! Bong!
A majestic, resounding swell of music suddenly rang in everyone's ears as the balcony doors on one side of the hall slowly swung open.
“Long live the Princess!”
Tidal cheers roared in through the open balcony doors.
Rate on N.U.
