Chapter 132
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 132
"Yes. An explosive went off behind the wall, and she just… somehow seemed to know."
"And how exactly does someone 'somehow' know that? Not even Karl would have known. His Excellency didn't know."
As Thebes smirked and muttered to himself, the Backup Team Leader fell silent. Taking a long drag from his cigarette, the leader exhaled a plume of smoke and murmured, "Then it's not a matter of 'how.' It's an ability. That's what power is."
Following Thebes' lead, the Wolves perched in the trees descended one by one, creeping toward the mountain cabin like a slow-moving lava flow. The eyes of these rough, fierce men flashed menacingly. They had been dying of curiosity, but with Thebes holding his ground, none had dared to move first.
As Thebes strode relentlessly toward Seo-ah, a sudden whim struck him. He grinned at a subordinate who was puffing on two cigarettes at once.
"I'm bored. Shall we test her?"
"Test what, Senior?"
"Let's see how fast she reacts. You know, that thing we do when we recruit new members."
At Thebes' words, the subordinate tapped the dagger at his waist.
"You want me to throw it?"
"Yeah, that. Hide yourself properly and throw it with real killing intent. Got it?"
"What if I end up killing you, Senior?"
"Then you get to take my spot."
"I'll give it my all, then."
The subordinate chuckled and slipped back a few paces as Thebes stepped out from the dense forest.
It was the hour when the setting sun painted the world crimson.
The closer he got to the woman standing before the cabin, the more she exuded a strange, ethereal aura. The Wolves guarding her—especially Abel Sting—bristled at the sight of the Combat Teams approaching like a tide of black lava.
"Abel, pretty boy."
When Thebes cackled Abel’s name, the combat wolves following him burst into snickers.
"Hey, pretty boy, heard you're changing positions. Our team could use a pretty face. How about it? Want to work under me? I'll treat you real nice, eh?"
"Yeah, join our team!" the other Wolves whistled and jeered.
Fire flared in Abel's eyes, but he stood his ground, shielding Seo-ah with his body. As Thebes drew closer, a heavy pressure—different from Oscar's, but no less suffocating—weighed down on Abel's shoulders.
Abel was well-built, but Thebes was massive, almost like a different species entirely. Standing well over two meters tall with hulking muscles, his sheer presence was overwhelming. Peering at Thebes from behind Abel's back, Seo-ah was reminded of a demonic Yaksha.
"I recall His Excellency forbade smoking in this vicinity, Senior."
At Abel's words, Thebes deliberately blew a thick cloud of smoke right into his face.
"He's not here, is he?"
The Backup Team watched Thebes with dumbfounded expressions. Thebes believed he offered Oscar absolute loyalty, but he was a natural-born rebel. If he deemed one of Oscar's orders trivial, he would dismiss it just like this. It was no wonder people said he was utterly uncontrollable by anyone but Oscar himself.
Perhaps it was precisely that temperament that had made him the leader of Combat Team 1.
Closing the distance in a few short strides, Thebes smirked down at Abel.
"Move it, pretty boy. Let's get a look at the lady's face."
"And what good would that do, Senior? One look at your face and she'll faint from shock. You'd better step back—"
"Abel!"
Before Abel could finish, Seo-ah yanked him back. In that split second, Thebes' fist flashed into Abel's vision. Reacting a beat too late, Abel threw his head back, but the lightning-fast punch still grazed his lips.
"Oh!"
Thebes and the combat wolves jeered in unison. Though the punch had only grazed him, Abel's lip split open. Had it landed squarely, it would have shattered his jaw.
Abel spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes burning with rage, but Thebes only laughed. Sensing Abel was about to lose control and lunge, the Combat Team 3 Leader quickly stepped between them.
"Thebes, stop it!"
"I play nice and call him pretty, and now he's glaring at his senior? Come here, pretty boy. Let me gouge those eyes out for you."
As Thebes curled his finger in a menacing beckon, members of Combat Team 4 stepped in to hold Abel back.
"Back down."
"You know you'll only get hurt if you fight him."
Abel wiped his split lip with the back of his hand and turned to Seo-ah, his concern for her overriding his anger. She had been asking for the time repeatedly, pestering the physician until she knew the exact hour. Then she had stared out the window before finally stepping outside. Even now, her gaze was fixed on something in the distance.
"Seo-ah, let's go inside."
Abel tried to reach her, but Thebes was faster. As the giant stepped forward, Seo-ah recoiled. Thebes let out a long stream of smoke with a chuckle.
"Hello there."
At the same time, he shoved the lunging Abel by the shoulder. Abel was a formidable fighter, easily qualified to be a combat wolf, but he was no match for the leader of Combat Team 1.
"Careful, pretty boy. That face is your only asset."
Thebes cackled and struck Abel across the face as he tried to charge again. Standing nearby, Seo-ah gasped.
"Abel!"
As Seo-ah tried to run to the fallen man, Thebes casually stepped into her path. Already petite, she had to crane her neck all the way back just to look up at him. It was the perfect image of a thug looming over a helpless woman. Knowing Thebes' volatile nature all too well, the members of Combat Teams 3 and 4 grew increasingly pale.
"Why… why are you doing this?" Seo-ah couldn't comprehend why he had struck Abel, who had done nothing wrong.
"Thebes, stop. You'll regret this."
"Senior, seriously. You're going to regret this."
Even with the leaders of Combat Teams 3 and 4 warning him, Thebes merely curled his lips into a smirk.
"Look at you all, acting like house pets. Since when did we start trembling over something so minor?"
"The problem is that this isn't minor! Have you been completely oblivious for the past two weeks?"
"Felt what?"
"How could you not? He summoned Team 1! Does this look like the kind of situation that calls for Team 1?"
Ignoring them, Thebes kept his gaze locked on Seo-ah. She had been looking down at the fallen Abel, but then, as if sensing something, she tilted her head slightly, her eyes darting around. She turned her head to look directly behind Thebes—toward the forest where his subordinate was hiding.
Thebes' grin widened.
She can sense something that even team-leader-level combat wolves struggle to detect?
"Well, well. You really are something else, aren't you?"
Seo-ah looked up at him.
His blood boiled with anticipation. With a glint in his eyes, he subtly flicked his finger behind his back. At the signal, his subordinate would draw the dagger like a bowstring, channeling mana into the blade.
In the next instant, the dagger hurtled toward Thebes' head with lethal intent and terrifying speed. Infused with dense mana, the blade sliced through the air like a diving sparrowhawk.
"L-Look out!" Seo-ah gasped, jumping back in shock.
"Thebes!"
"Deflect it!"
The other team leaders, realizing what was happening a moment too late, shouted in alarm.
A thrill of pure exhilaration bubbled up from deep within Thebes' chest. A split second before the blade could pierce his skull, he twisted his body and deflected the projectile with his own blade.
Clang!
An ear-splitting shriek of clashing metal echoed through the clearing.
The ringing sound pierced Seo-ah's eardrums and rattled her brain, leaving her frozen, unable to even blink. The demonic man who had drawn his blade without a moment's hesitation showed not a flicker of agitation on his fierce face.
A heavy silence fell.
“……”
“……”
The leaders of Combat Teams 3 and 4 were utterly speechless. Abel, who had been frozen in shock, spat out a mouthful of blood and roared, "Have you lost your mind?!"
The attending physician, who had witnessed the entire spectacle, began crawling toward Seo-ah, trembling violently.
"Y-You can't… If she gets hurt, I-I'm…"
But none of it registered to Thebes. To the leader of Combat Team 1, a man who worshipped raw strength, the only thing that mattered was this woman whose senses were sharper than even Oscar's.
"So it's true. You're the reason he made it out of that tunnel alive."
As that terrifying face—one that made even fellow wolves shudder—loomed over a woman not even half his size, the physician waved his hands frantically, looking on the verge of fainting.
"P-Please, step back! Get back!"
Ignoring him completely, Thebes leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming.
"Come on, speak up. How did you know? Huh, Lady?"
But the silent woman suddenly turned her head.
"I asked you a question. Why aren't you answering? Where are you looking?"
Grumbling, Thebes followed her gaze. And for the first time, the smug grin vanished from his face.
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
"Argh! Your Ex— ack!"
A choked scream echoed from the forest and was abruptly cut short. A faint groan was instantly drowned out by the heavy, dull thud of a brutal beating.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.
The combat wolves surrounding the cabin like spectators didn't dare move a muscle, even though it was clear their comrade was the one being beaten. The cigarettes in their hands burned down, sending up idle trails of smoke. Through the drifting haze, a low, venomous murmur cut through the air.
"Cigarettes… Fuck."
A completely different kind of silence descended upon the clearing.