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Chapter 97: Conditions of Power (7)
From the mont Lindsay first saw the boy during the match with Gunther, she could tell.
His smooth movents, almost as if cutting through space, the light yet powerful gestures.
Within them, there was even a rcilessness akin to ice.
Those who could display such prowess were rare on this continent.
‘Mist…’
The place she had belonged to, where she gained her power, and the place she had abandoned in her mind.
A place where they persisted in the aningless waiting for a successor, despite possessing the unmatched ability of divine power.
That boy was undoubtedly of the Mist.
Why would they, who usually keep themselves hidden, be here in Lambert?
Lindsay could easily grasp the reason.
They had co to kill her.
As long as there existed soone other than themselves capable of wielding Aeru’s power, she was well aware that they would eventually co to eliminate her.
But just a single boy?
She pondered.
Silica, that woman seed to be underestimating her too much.
It was laughable, really, that they would attempt to assassinate her with just one high-ranking mber.
It was so pathetic it was almost unbelievable.
However, there was one intriguing aspect.
It was the sword the boy had used.
The crimson blade exuding a sinister aura and the black jewel embedded in the hilt.
On the surface, it bore a striking resemblance to the Aeru’s demonic sword known as Kaeram.
But she soon shook her head.
To think that such a demonic sword would be here, it just didn’t seem plausible, did it?
The presence of a demonic sword ant that its wielder was the successor, but Lindsay never thought for a mont that the boy could be the successor.
To her, the idea of a successor was akin to a nonexistent entity in this world.
In fact, she had even entertained the thought of taking on the role of the successor herself.
But now, standing before her, was soone she never expected to encounter— the wielder of Kaeram, the one who had been bestowed with Aeru’s mark, the successor.
* * *
The mist that had escaped from Kaeram enveloped my entire body.
-Swirl-
In a situation where two incompatible spaces coexisted, the mist within the Mist Space, which had imprisoned , surged violently.
There’s a misconception among people that the power of the black mist is so grandiose that it can destroy everything in the world.
But in reality, it rely neutralizes whatever it encounters.
It’s like soothing a crying child, rendering things quiet and subdued rather than causing destruction on a massive scale.
That’s the essence of the mist’s power.
-Crack-
“What… What happened to my mist?”
With the sound of shattering glass, a rift appeared in the space.
Her mist, without any resistance, dissipated helplessly.
Technically speaking, it wasn’t disappearing but rather being absorbed into my mist.
I shouted at her as she finished getting ready.
“Shadow Arts 6th Form: Mist Space!”
It was the sa technique she had cast.
However, the power behind it wasn’t quite the sa.
Still, shouldn’t she make sure to confirm?
To see what kind of power the successor, whom she has hated so much, possesses.
“Do you really think I’ll submit to your mist?!”
She didn’t retreat, roaring loudly as she embraced the Mist Space head-on.
In reality, there was no escaping it.
This place was an alternate space created by the power of the mist.
There was nowhere to flee from the mist’s power.
“Urgh!”
She was desperate.
Her gaze showed a strong determination, as if she wouldn’t be consud by my mist no matter what.
But can things in the world really be resolved through willpower alone?
Struggling within the increasingly oppressive mist, just when she thought it would end without any major changes,
-Rip-
The Mist Space vanished.
“Haah… Haah….”
She had finally broken through.
Montarily surprised by the unexpected outco, she soon narrowed her eyes and shouted at .
“That gaze! Those disgusting eyes that seem like they’re going to crush ! You’re no different from her!”
I didn’t expect to hear such words.
Since when did my eyes resemble those of the leader?
“Why won’t you vermin just get out of my way? I am the true successor who should inherit the power of Aeru…!”
[Then prove it.]
Lindsay’s gaze turned to Kaeram beside her.
[Everything will be shown by the outco. If you truly are the rightful successor who can inherit the power of that accursed god, then why not kill that successor right here and now? There’s no better proof than that, right?]
The demonic sword, Kaeram, taunts again.
Perhaps it’s teasing her to see more amusent, but staying silent in such a situation seems even more strange.
“….!”
When our eyes et, there’s nothing more to say.
Simply raising my eyebrows as if to say ‘do as you please’, her eyes filled with anger once again.
“Mist, successor… You’re of no use to .”
-Swish
At the sa ti, a dagger appeared in her hands.
“So, I’ll kill all of you and stand at the center myself! No one can stop !”
-Slice
Do you know one of the things an assassin should never do?
It’s rushing in recklessly fueled by emotions.
Although it’s been a long ti since leaving the organization, forgetting such basics of being an assassin and trying to take the center stage bewildered .
Didn’t she say you need qualifications to possess power?
That’s correct.
You should use the given power generously without hoarding it.
That way, you won’t regret it later.
-Swipe
The sensation of limbs being severed was distinctly felt.
One movent was enough, and I slowly exhaled while bringing down the sword.
-Thud
Soon the mist cleared, and from above, crimson blood poured like rain.
[Wasn’t that a bit anticlimactic?]
Kaeram asked with a dissatisfied expression.
“I didn’t see the need to make it more complicated…”
I replied indifferently, as usual.
* * *
While watching the battle between Lindsay and the boy, Lisa could do nothing.
In fact, calling it a battle was ambiguous.
It was more like one-sided dominance.
Just like in the arena, the boy effortlessly overwheld his opponent.
She felt disheartened.
At least she thought Lindsay was among the strongest people she had ever seen, yet here she was, facing such a pitiful end.
Beyond disappointnt, a sense of helplessness and misery weighed heavily on her.
“…!”
The boy looked at her.
Lisa still held the sword in her hand, but there was no trace of caution in the boy’s face.
She thought it was natural.
To him, she was like a bug he could crush at any mont.
-Clomp, clomp
He finally started approaching her.
All Lisa could do was et his gaze.
Three seconds of eye contact with those sinister eyes.
Lisa silently closed her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
The boy asked, and she replied resignedly, “If possible, please let go without suffering…”
In reality, it was a forced plea disguised as a request.
“I know. It’s shaless to make such a request after trying to kill you. If you don’t want to, I understand. I’ll just accept it calmly.”
The boy chuckled briefly, then squatted down in front of her and asked,
“Do you think I’m going to kill you?”
“It’s obvious. I tried to kill you, and I saw your secret that no one else should know. There’s no reason for you to spare . Even if just to keep quiet, it’s only right for to die…”
“I’m not going to kill you.”
Her narrowed eyes widened in an instant.
* * *
This manager, she’s making quite a fuss.
Even though nothing is as precious as life, is it right to give up on it so easily?
“W-What did you just say…”
“I said I’m not going to kill you.”
“T-That’s… right! Y-You’ll torture by cutting off my limbs one by one until the end…”
“I have no intention of doing that. I’m just going to let you go with all your limbs intact.”
“…?”
She looked at with a strange mix of confusion and astonishnt.
I, in turn, accepted her gaze calmly.
There’s another misconception people have: Mist’s goal is assassination, not slaughter.
Once the target is eliminated, the mission is over. There’s no point in further bloodshed.
It didn’t take long for her to speak up again.
“D-Don’t lie to ! You shouldn’t joke around like this! You’re an assassin! What assassin would spare soone they tried to kill! What kind of assassin does that!”
I replied calmly, “It wasn’t intentional anyway.”
“W-Well, that’s true, but…”
I could tell from the mont she clashed swords with .
Alongside the determination to kill , there was a subtle agony mixed in, acknowledging the impossibility of it.
She rely clashed with out of necessity to fulfill her owner’s orders.
“B-But I know you’re an assassin working for Mist…”
“So? Are you trying to spread rumors?”
“N-No! I would never!”
Well then, isn’t that settled?
There’s no one around here who will rember my face even if I say sothing.
“A-Are you really not going to kill ?”
“Are you going to keep talking until your mouth hurts? How much more do I need to say?”
Judging by her expression, it seed like I would have to repeat it a hundred tis for her to believe it.
“It’s strange to see an assassin so lenient…”
I couldn’t deny it, so I chuckled.
“Just one question.”
She, who had been silent for a mont, blinked once again.
“I couldn’t wrap my head around it, so I had to ask.”
“W-What is it?”
“Why did you tell to leave?”
Despite being in a position to obey Lindsay’s orders, she seed to show unnecessary acknowledgnt by telling to leave if I wanted to live.
Was there really a need for that?
We were just a guest and a shopkeeper, after all.
Her gaze, pondering repeatedly, soon turned to the grueso sight of Lindsay’s mutilated body.
This kind of situation occurred more often than one might think.
After dealing with the target, being around others who were still present.
It might seem puzzling, but Mist’s goal was strictly assassination, not massacre.
Once the initial target was dealt with, that was it; there was no need to eliminate unrelated bystanders.
“Ah…”
Whether it was a feeling of disappointnt or relief, she sighed.
“I-I’m not sure if this will explain anything, but…”
I’d have to hear it before I could judge.
“It was around the ti when I was just a guest. When Gunther and I ca in here…”
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