Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Anyway, I Did It
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The Face Thief.
His infiltration was perfectly executed.
Rishir.
The momentary failure from being eroded by the imagery within the sword he'd stolen from that bastard seemed laughable by comparison.
As some had put it, his infiltration skipped the process entirely, yielding only perfect results.
He shook off the Four Swordsman's imagery, reverted to Brienne's form, and returned to the Gus mansion where the Special Task Force was stationed.
He slipped past the Special Task Force's vigilance, infiltrated their midst, and extracted information.
Information that Tuah, at Dray's request, was periodically meeting Rishir to teach him swordsmanship.
Once he'd pinpointed the exact schedule and times, he approached Rishir.
He fed him poisoned food, leaving him defenseless.
Thus, impersonating Rishir, he attended the meeting with Tuah and stole her sword.
It was an absurd infiltration born from a master assassin's skills combined with the faceless fluid's abilities.
If anyone questioned the Face Thief with a "How?", he had a set response from his perspective.
Anyway, I did it.
For that absurdity couldn't be explained or understood.
Thus, detecting it—let alone countering it—was impossible.
The Face Thief's infiltration was perfectly executed, and it deserved a perfect conclusion.
So why was this happening?
The Face Thief's infiltration had been detected, and he faced an utterly disastrous situation.
Rishir.
Solely because of his presence.
"How..."
The Face Thief voiced his natural doubt.
How was all this possible?
Rishir responded to the Face Thief's question with a nonchalant expression.
-Anyway, I did it.
His nonchalant face seemed to say as much.
"..."
The Face Thief.
It was the moment when the absurdity he possessed was overshadowed by something even greater.
This untimely role reversal gave the Face Thief not profound enlightenment, but intense emotional turmoil.
'That damn bastard...!'
The Face Thief's imitation of Rishir's plain demeanor crumbled.
He glared at Rishir with thick hatred.
He wanted to tear the one who'd ruined everything to shreds right here.
'No, calm down.'
However, he was one who'd risen to master assassin status.
Even now, he perfectly controlled himself and assessed the situation.
This was the backyard of the Gus mansion.
Their home base.
And Special Task Force Captain Tuah was right beside him, eyes blazing as she watched.
Her hand rested on the sword at her waist.
The standoff had already begun.
The moment one side moved, combat would start immediately.
'No other presences nearby. Not an ambush. Just plain detection. So only the captain and that mutant bastard here—two of them.'
The Special Task Force captain was a 7th realm mid-stage swordmaster.
The mutant's exact abilities were unreadable, but his realm was late 6th.
It's possible.
If he set his mind to it, he was confident he could take both at once.
'But it'd take considerable time. And it'd cause a huge commotion.'
This was the heart of enemy territory.
Once combat started, reinforcements would arrive quickly.
'By then, escaping would be too late.'
He already knew the best choice.
'If I seriously try to flee, they can't stop me.'
'They've got no way to pursue me either.'
'Too bad about not stealing the captain's sword—'
'No matter. No need to rush. With the faceless fluid, time is on my side. This world is in the palm of my hand.'
The Face Thief feigned reaching for the sword at his waist.
Tuah and Rishir backed away, widening the distance.
This made preparing for combat easier for them, but catching a fleeing Face Thief even harder.
Just as the Face Thief made to choose flight—the optimal option—and everything faded into obscurity.
-You clueless worm! How long do you plan to keep mimicking that form!!!
The ash-white fire spirit that Rishir had summoned—
no, pulled out—
shouted at the Face Thief.
The would-be archfiend, insulted by its master's impersonation, spat curses in rage.
"..."
The Face Thief's pride, already cracked from repeated shocks, suffered even greater damage.
His face flushed red, eyes bloodshot like soaked in blood.
The Four Swordsman's imagery he'd barely shaken off exploited the emotional turmoil, trying to erode him again.
'Calm down!!!'
The Face Thief berated himself inwardly.
Don't get provoked.
Victory wasn't mutual destruction, but escape.
They'd fret over his existence, living in endless anxiety.
Don't ruin it for momentary pride and emotion.
Stick to the decision made with a clear mind.
Flee. Right now.
His reason screamed.
-Tch. Pathetic worm.
Then another voice.
Another spirit Rishir had pulled out—
an indigo-haired bob-cut girl spirit.
She looked at the Face Thief with genuine contempt.
"Uwaaaah!!! You worthless scum!!! I'll kill you all, every last one!!!"
Would-be archfiend.
Murder ghost.
Needled perfectly in his reverse scale by the two spirits who knew better than anyone, the Face Thief's eyes rolled back completely.
He drew his sword and charged.
Tuah blocked his path.
Combat began.
"Lady Tuah! I'll cover you!"
Rishir immediately drew up mana and asked Dangaleon.
'Dangaleon! Why provoke him all of a sudden!?'
'So you provoked him to prevent escape? For the best outcome?'
'Whoa... That was straight-up demonic.'
Rishir was purely impressed.
'Got it, so from a non-demonic perspective, how do we handle that guy?'
Over the past few days.
To lure out the Face Thief, Tuah had genuinely taught Rishir swordsmanship, mostly through spars.
Tuah's skill, having advanced from early 7th realm to mid, was overwhelming.
Rishir had never once gained the upper hand against her.
"Urk...!"
Even that Special Task Force captain was being pushed back by the Face Thief.
Klana said, arms crossed, observing.
'Then too much for me too.'
"..."
Rishir looked down at his hand with a grave expression.
Footwork in enhanced state.
It was a technique Rishir could only fully execute by pouring everything in at peak condition.
And right now, he'd used the enhancement (password?!) and was suffering overload.
Attempting it now would lack precision and completion, with massive side effects.
'Ah, no worries there.'
'Nah, backup's already called. Signaled Mangnus waiting nearby.'
'When I said I'd cover her. Drew attention with cover, actually requested backup.'
Right on cue, Mangnus appeared from the far side of the backyard, confirmed the scene, drew his sword, and charged the Face Thief.
"How already...!"
He couldn't hide his shock at the faster-than-expected reinforcements.
For a moment, his breath and sword wavered.
They didn't miss the opening.
The Face Thief, who'd been pressing Tuah with superior realm and erratic swordplay, was suddenly on the defensive.
Klana muttered in dismay, glancing at Rishir.
Rishir immediately joined the pincer attack.
Providing cover with sand winds while closely observing the battle.
'Damn, his level's insane.'
His expression twisted.
That speed. Power.
Mana infused in sword and movements.
7th realm swordmasters' combat unfolded in a dimension literally one step above Rishir.
No way to intervene.
Best to leave close combat to them and end it with ranged cover—but
'What a real monster.'
The Face Thief crushed Rishir's hopes.
Tuah and Mangnus's swords relentlessly pressured the Face Thief from both sides.
The two experts, sparring countless times, moved as one.
Yet the Face Thief didn't get caught easily.
Whenever their combo gained momentum, he switched sword styles, breaking their flow.
As exchanges continued, his disruptions grew more cunning.
He'd stolen Tuah and Mangnus's swords, now interfering in their combo.
From defense, he was regaining momentum.
Even while sandwiched.
"Urk—"
"Monster...!"
Temporary deadlock.
Tuah and Mangnus groaned amid it.
Rishir sensed it.
This would turn into attrition.
By the time reinforcements arrived and they fully subdued the Face Thief,
one of them would fall. Definitely.
They needed a decisive blow.
A decisive blow to break the Face Thief's unreasonable countermeasures.
"!!!"
Then it happened.
Rishir's pupils dilated.
His senses caught the Face Thief's opening.
'Now!'
Rishir cast aside all thought, drawing every ounce of power.
Thud!
His mana rampaged, pulling power beyond limits.
Step.
Step.
Rishir closed the distance matching the enhancement speed.
The moment preparations ended.
"You two, get out of the way!!!"
Tuah and Mangnus simultaneously stepped aside, clearing a path between Rishir and the Face Thief.
Rishir's body sliced through the air down that path.
Breath-Stealing's full sequence unfolded perfectly.
In an instant, reaching point-blank, Rishir swung at him.
"Cough!"
Blood poured from his mouth.
The moment he tried infusing sword aura, the limit hit.
"Urk...!"
The Face Thief clutched his throat and kicked Rishir away.
Rishir's body flew.
Mangnus and Tuah rushed to catch him.
Meanwhile, the Face Thief checked his throat-clutching hand.
A smile crept on his lips.
'Shallow.'
Rishir's strike failed.
And—
"Rishir, you okay!?"
"Cough...!"
Blood poured from every facial orifice.
Severe overload symptoms.
The biggest threat was neutralized.
"Kuhahaha!!!"
The Face Thief burst into mad laughter at Rishir vomiting blood in Tuah's arms.
It wasn't just joy at an enemy's pain.
He felt boiling euphoria.
The enhancement power backing Rishir's prior strike.
The faceless fluid had finally stolen even that inscrutable ability.
'Yes!!! This is it!!! This is the faceless fluid!!! He's nothing before this power!!!'
He recalled being eroded by the sword's imagery.
But now, he surrendered to instinct over reason.
The Face Thief was instantly intoxicated by its omnipotence, welcoming all it brought.
"Ahh..."
The Face Thief fell into ecstasy.
Power boils up.
Power boils and boils.
Power boils and boils and boils and boils and boils and boils and—
"...?"
The ecstatic Face Thief's expression changed abruptly.
Something was wrong.
As he belatedly sensed the incongruity and tried to act—
Drip.
Boiling-hot liquid flowed from his eyes.
Then ears—
Then nose—
Then mouth—
"...???"
Clueless, blood poured from every facial orifice.
Something was wrong.
He looked at Rishir to grasp the cause.
Rishir, dying from the same side effect—
"Huh?"
He casually rose, muttering.
Blood flowed from his facial orifices too, but his expression was serene.
"..."
Rishir scratched his head while looking at the Face Thief.
-Anyway, that's how it happened.
His demeanor seemed to convey that.
Soon, as if nothing happened, he assumed stance.
Fresh blood overlaid the dried stains on his face.
He quietly said to Tuah and Mangnus.
"Let's finish him before he regains his senses."
Tuah and Mangnus, still dazed, couldn't respond.