Chapter 145: The Specter of Reverk (1)
The suffocating tension enveloped the farmhouse.
Without further words, the two launched themselves at each other.
―Clang!
A clear tallic sound rang as their blades clashed fiercely.
For a mont, they pushed against each other, gauging their opponent’s strength.
Then, almost simultaneously, they deflected each other’s swords, and with the daggers in their other hands, aid precisely for each other’s throats.
―Swish!
―Swoosh!
The blades grazed past their necks, and both leaned back in the sa manner to dodge.
Imdiately after, like mirror images, they thrust their swords at each other’s lower bodies.
―Clang-clang-clang!
Their swords collided, sparks flying in all directions.
Their movents continued with such precision, like a perfectly choreographed dance, without a single misstep.
After several identical exchanges, Evan was the first to step back, creating distance.
‘i was right. He’s like .’
The sa surna.
A similar swordplay style.
Even the distinctive aura in his movents was eerily akin to Evan’s.
‘I’ve felt this before.’
In the Hell’s Path testing ground created by Ernst, he had fought a magical entity that perfectly mimicked his movents—a situation strikingly similar to this.
But there was a critical difference.
‘That entity learned and mimicked my actions in real-ti, so it struggled to launch preemptive attacks.’
The fatal flaw of a mimic was its inability to replicate moves it had never seen.
‘But this guy is different. He’s clearly using my movents, yet it feels like I’m the one mimicking him. This isn’t imitation—it’s as if he mastered my techniques long ago. The problem is…’
A question surged in Evan’s mind.
‘How did he learn the exact sa movents as ?’
He had never taught anyone outside his elite detachnt, the special task force that followed him in his past life.
And that detachnt had perished honorably in their final battle against Robern’s Knight Order.
‘He looks around my age. So how did he acquire my techniques?’
Evan had hoped eting this man would resolve his questions, but instead, he was sinking deeper into a labyrinth of mysteries.
‘Fine. First, let’s see how much he knows. Start with the basic swordsmanship I taught the detachnt.’
After a fleeting thought, Evan swiftly thrust his sword at the opponent.
It was the fundantal swordsmanship the detachnt had trained in.
―Clang-clang-clang!
The opponent naturally countered the thrust with a thrust of his own.
It was precisely the counterattack Evan himself had used in the past.
‘As I suspected. He’s using the detachnt’s techniques. So that’s the source of this familiar feeling!’
How he had acquired the techniques of the detachnt, which had perished with him, remained a mystery.
But at least now, Evan could gauge how deeply the opponent understood them.
‘What about the advanced techniques only a select few elites in the detachnt mastered?’
Evan held a dagger in his left hand, and coincidentally, the opponent held the dagger Evan had thrown.
Thus, Evan decided to employ dual-wielding with a longsword and dagger.
A staggered attack using two blades of different lengths.
It allowed for unpredictable strikes but was a high-difficulty technique, vulnerable to counterattacks if mistid.
―Clang-clang-clang!
Astonishingly, the opponent read the staggered rhythm perfectly and countered flawlessly.
‘Impressive. He knows even this.’
The opponent then began to press Evan with the detachnt’s advanced swordsmanship.
―Swish!
Now, even Evan risked losing his life with a single lapse, as swift and powerful attacks ca relentlessly.
The crumbling farmhouse trembled under the force of their clash.
The opponent continued his onslaught, as if in a trance.
‘But his experience is lacking. His awareness of his surroundings is still narrow.’
In the heat of battle, a small vial flew through the window gap, shattering upon hitting the floor.
―Crash!
The vial broke, and the liquid inside evaporated, releasing thick smoke.
Evan instinctively covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and swiftly kicked the opponent toward the shattered vial.
―Thud!
Caught off guard, the opponent stumbled back, reflexively inhaling a short breath, and so of the smoke from the vial entered his nostrils.
“Ugh!”
The smoke was a type of paralytic toxin.
Though minimal, it was enough to cloud the opponent’s mind.
‘It’s over.’
With their skills so closely matched, that small difference beca a decisive gap.
The man maintained his stance, thrusting both swords at Evan.
But his reflexes, including his dynamic vision, had significantly slowed.
―Dash!
Evan deflected the opponent’s swords with the flat of his blade, swiftly moving behind him.
Before the man could turn, Evan struck his head with the hilt, knocking him out.
―Thump!
Inhaling the smoke and taking a blow to the head, the opponent collapsed unconscious.
‘Should I get out? This smoke is going to knock out too, damn it.’
Leaving the fallen man behind, Evan hurriedly exited the farmhouse to escape the smoke.
Outside, i stood nonchalantly.
He approached her, deliberately snapping at her for interfering in his fight.
“Did you think I couldn’t handle it?”
“Of course not. I just thought a prolonged fight might draw attention. So I lent a hand.”
“Even with no one around?”
Evan gestured to the silent surroundings.
Her excuse was utterly nonsensical.
“Heh, honestly, it was for his sake. The fight was getting too heated, so I stepped in. I was worried you’d kill him.”
“Overly kind of you. The intent wasn’t bad, though.”
Had Evan fought with full intent, the opponent could’ve been gravely injured or killed.
In that sense, i’s intervention was perfectly tid for the current need to capture him alive for interrogation.
“I knew you’d understand. We ca here to get answers from him, right?”
“Fine, it’s done, so I won’t dwell on it. But don’t ever interfere in my affairs without permission again.”
“Got it, Duke.”
“Thanks to you, subduing him was easier, so interrogation should be smoother.”
But that was Evan’s clear miscalculation.
What was about to unfold would defy his expectations entirely.
“Damn it, what’s wrong with this guy?”
***
The real problem erged the mont the man regained consciousness.
“…”
Realizing he was bound and facing an enemy, the man didn’t hesitate to bite his tongue in an attempt to take his own life.
Had Evan not rushed forward to grab his jaw and force his mouth shut, he might have succeeded.
“Damn it, what’s wrong with this guy?”
“This one’s not going to talk easily.”
“What a ss.”
But the true issue was the man’s eyes.
They didn’t show hostility or anger—only a hollow emptiness.
He looked like a puppet on strings, devoid of will.
i, observing closely, spoke with certainty.
“Hold on. This guy… he’s been thoroughly brainwashed. Those are the eyes of soone under control.”
“Brainwashed?”
Hearing i’s words, Evan recalled the man’s actions.
His near-emotionless movents and imdiate suicide attempt aligned perfectly with her claim, and he nodded.
“Indeed, moving solely for a purpose and attempting suicide upon capture is typical of a brainwashed individual.”
“We’ll need to break the brainwashing before we can ask anything. In this state, he’ll probably just try to die.”
i stared into the man’s vacant pupils, muttering.
“Does your organization have anyone who can undo brainwashing?”
“Sadly, no. To brainwash soone of this caliber so perfectly would require a high-level mage’s skill.”
i shook her head, troubled.
“We don’t have anyone of that level among our mbers. It’d be convenient if we did.”
“What about expanding the search to the entire kingdom? We’re near the capital, so there should be options.”
“True. If we could contact royal advisory mages, they could undo the brainwashing. The problem is…”
i hesitated, looking at Evan, and he finished her thought.
“To have a high-ranking kingdom mage undo his brainwashing, we’d inevitably attract the attention of the royal family and nobles.”
Evan needed the information this man held.
But if he sought official help from the palace, he wouldn’t be able to control the man’s fate or monopolize the information as he wished.
“Royal advisory mages are all directly under the royal family. The royals would learn everything.”
“Maybe there’s one mage I know who isn’t.”
“What? A mage you know in the kingdom?”
i knew nearly all the kingdom’s hidden figures.
The idea of a mage she didn’t know deepened her curiosity.
But Evan already had soone in mind.
‘It has to be the princess.’
Princess Anna Kaien.
One of the kingdom’s top genius mages.
She was the only solution to this situation.
“Duke, that’s easier said than done. If the princess moves, it could draw even more royal attention.”
“That’s why we’ll bring her out quietly, at night.”
i’s face stiffened instantly.
“…Are you saying you’re going to kidnap the princess?”
Evan smiled nonchalantly and shrugged.
“Depends on how you phrase it. And with you, it shouldn’t be hard, right?”
At that mont, i realized she was already part of this insane plan.
“Wait, I’m included in this now?”
“I’ll pay you well.”
“Pay isn’t the issue! We could get executed!”
“Ten tis the rate.”
i paused, then swiftly changed her tune.
“…Let’s go. Right now.”
For Viper’s leader, i, even death was no match for money.
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