༺ Say You Want To Live – 4 ༻

Adversity did not signal its arrival, nor did it come announced. This held true even if it took the form of a person.

The ability to read thoughts was a power especially tailored to avoid making enemies. It involved reading the mind and aligning with it, deftly weaving in and out to avoid clashing with the other’s emotions.

It was like dancing, so to speak.

However, Mind Reading was far from well-rounded, much less omnipotent. It could read minds, not predict the whims of the future and sudden accidents or disasters that occurred.

Moreover, even if the opponent was human, it could not prevent blatant hostility.

｢There’s an officer from the Military State who’s been investigating the back alleys, they say. She matches the description and appearance.｣

From beyond, a dark killing intent could be felt. A decision not born of emotion, but from cold, calculated logic.

｢All will be silenced. All will be killed.｣

The cold killing intent arose like mist. The shocked Captain had no time to assess the situation with her golem. Wolfen’s sight was already fixed on us.

After feeling him leap over this pitch-black darkness, I had no doubt about that.

As soon as I noticed this, I opened the carriage door and shouted.

“Sephi! Captain! Get inside the carriage. Senior, depart immediately!”

“Huh? Where to?”

“Anywhere!”

I pulled the Captain and Sephi into the carriage in one swift move. Senior, who had been attaching the horses to the carriage, hurriedly jumped into the coachman’s seat and spurred the horses on.

“Hyah!”

Neighhhh.

Along with a crack of the reins, the carriage started moving. Perhaps it was because of its noble breed, but the Lion Horse reached top speed in just a few steps.

Sephi and the Captain were still clueless as to what was happening; as such, the Captain asked.

“What is wrong?”

“It’s a long story! The Shadow is on our tail!”

｢Shadow? But from my field of vision, all I see is darkness….｣

The Captain synchronized with the closest golem using her Unique Magic. Her vision flickered, before a corner revealed a carriage sprinting at top speed; the Lion Horse, its mane fluttering with each passing streetlamp, was pulling it with all its might.

And then, behind it, the streetlamps flickered one by one. Almost as if darkness itself was racing down the streets….

｢Darkness?｣

Realizing the situation, the Captain urgently shouted.

“Something is following us! Considering the Qi Arts that envelop their entire body in darkness, it is presumably the Umbra…! Wolfen!”

“That’s what I’m saying. He’s on our tail!”

Despite our screaming, Sephi seemed unfazed because she had not sensed the danger we were in.

“Don’t worry. The horse pulling this carriage isn’t any ordinary horse. It’s faster than any human can follow. Also, the carriage itself has a Defense Level of 4. Most attacks can never break through it.”

“Please, stop saying things like that! It’s making me frightened just hearing it!”

“I was only trying to reassure you.”

｢I invested as much money into this carriage as it takes to build an entire building. There is no way I’d make a shoddy carriage for myself to ride in, right? From the framework to the covered cloth, everything is of Level 4 alchemic steel and alchemic threads. What in the world is there to be nervous about?｣

Now you’re accumulating karma with your thoughts! Please, just stop!

Suddenly, a faint hostility was caught by my Mind Reading. I hurriedly pulled Sephi and the Captain towards me, the two stumbling into my arms.

“Master?!”

“Sir?! What is the meaning of this?”

There was no time to explain. Wolfen’s intent to attack soon turned into reality.

The carriage jolted violently; a thrown dagger had pierced the joint connecting the carriage and the wheel. Simultaneously, another dagger penetrated the window diagonally and stuck itself into the front seat’s backrest. The daggers, exuding a dark, gloomy Qi, were embedded so deeply that even the handles weren’t visible.

The carriage that had lost its balance tilted dangerously. If I hadn’t pulled them in time, they would have toppled over the other way.

“KYAAAAAH!”

Sephi screamed before clinging onto me. Yeah, that’s right. I saved your life. So feel a bit more grateful and follow my le….

“How? Why? They said it was modified glass that could even deflect bullets easily! Who made this?! I’ll show them hell!”

“Now’s not the time for that, Sephi!”

I calmed the agitated Sephi and focused. From my Mind Reading, I could feel Wolfen’s thoughts in the distance.

A sharp and cold hostility, like a thinly frozen lake. At the end of it was our carriage, perilously rushing away. The distance between the two was gradually closing.

｢It’s sturdy. The aim was to cut the wheel off in its entirety, but did only the wheel’s axis become slightly misaligned?｣

Even if the carriage was sturdy, it couldn’t use Qi Deflection. Moreover, a carriage on wheels inherently moved in a predictably straight line.

Meaning, it was impossible to dodge a dagger filled with Qi.

｢A couple more hits should do it.｣

Damn it. If things continued like this, the carriage would definitely come to a halt. And once immobilized, there was no escaping.

The only way out of this situation was….

Tch, that means I have to take the fall, though.

“Sephi, You can ride a horse, right?”

“Not with that knife-throwing maniac right behind me!”

｢I’m Master’s disciple so of course I can ride a horse. However, I’ve never had to shake off a pursuer, so it is a bit worrying.｣

Huh, her true thoughts keep getting blurted out in her urgency. I tightly grasped Sephi’s shoulders and adamantly instructed her, as if coaxing.

“Sephi. Take the Captain to headquarters. Captain Bbey is on a very important confidential mission, so once it’s completed, she can come to assist me.”

Sephi immediately retorted.

“What about Master?”

Look how sharp she is. As I hesitated slightly in my response, Sephi immediately glared while interrogating me.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to fight that thing? If you’re spouting nonsense about buying time or whatever, just know that I won’t treat you as my Master anymore, you hear me?!”

｢Even nonsense should have its limits! To think of doing such a thing without a plan! If you die, I won’t even give you a single coin from now on!｣

It seems like these days, even a disciple can scold their master, huh? Wow, the world has turned upside down. How does this make any sense?

Moreover, she was faulting me, both in thoughts and words. Being stabbed from the inside and the outside was no less painful than most torture.

I urgently grasped Sephi’s shoulders.

“Sephi. Don’t you trust me?”

“Obviously not.”

｢No. Obviously.｣

Where did all the empty words go? What happened to all the Sephi Points I carefully saved up?

Hoo, pacifying her is tiring. I firmly held Sephi’s shoulders and pointed to the Captain.

“Look. There’s a Captain. If it’s a Military State’s Captain, she can bring in reinforcements before I get done in. That’s our only chance of survival.”

“Do you think such a hastily made plan will convince me?!”

“It’s not hastily made. In fact, I originally intended to use the Military State’s strength to clean up the Shadow.”

Honestly, the plan went awry. It was a bit late to say now, but I intended to pull in the State first.

My plan was as follows.

Market, Shelter, Family. I would lead the organizations targeting them a day early. And at the same time, hand over secret information to also draw in the Military State.

Then, the Shadow would join the battle and, just in time, be wiped out by the State’s Military Police…was my perfect plan.

It was named ‘Operation Why Are You The Only Ones Who Get To Use The System. I’ll Use It Too’.

But the Military State did not move at all. Despite throwing out such an enticing bait, their response was slower than usual. Almost as if they had sent all the forces within Amitengrad someplace else.

I shouldn’t have trusted this damn nation. If there was any mistake, it was mine.

However…

“It’s still the Military State. Even if it rots. Even if it looks like a circus. They are still the State. They must have stationed forces in advance to deal with this series of disturbances. If the troops encounter Wolfen while I hold out, it’s my victory. So, the more Sephi or Captain Bbey hurries, the more likely it is that I live.”

Thud. The carriage shook violently once more. The trembling of the wheel was transmitted all the way to the inside of the carriage.

While barely maintaining my balance, I looked at the Captain with full trust.

If it’s you, you’ll understand, right, Captain? That this method is the most rational?

“You understand, right, Captain?”

“Danger! That is unacceptable!”

“Ah, what now?”

The Captain’s expression was no longer frozen stiff. With huge eyes filled with worry, the Captain methodically refuted my words.

“The opponent is an escapee from Tantalus. Even if you are the Magician, you cannot overpower him with your own strength! You are…! Weaker than expected! Isn’t that so?!”

“Saying I’m weak right to my face kinda hurts my pride. I know that! But I’m strong enough to buy some time, you know?”

“Did you not tell me to survive?! To live?! Yet why is it that you are throwing yourself into danger?! When you are the one who said that?!”

“I really, truly don’t want to do this, okay? Sacrifice isn’t my style! But this is the best option!”

This wasn’t some noble sacrifice. It was the only method to survive after meticulous calculations.

At best, I was just a petty criminal who had been arrested to be a laborer. However, the Umbra, Wolfen, was the real deal; a truly dangerous man who had even returned from the Abyss.

Well, I mean he’s severely lacking compared to Tyr or Azzy or the Regressor, but his ambiguous strength was honestly more lethal to me. After all, it was often the small differences that were the most sensitive to measure.

“Rather, if I become the bait instead!”

“HAHAHAHAHA!”

I laughed aggressively, thus drawing her attention in an instant. I abruptly cut off my laughter, turning my expression chillingly serious as I replied.

“Seriously, don’t make me laugh. Bait is only valuable if it can be used to lure and catch. You, Captain, wouldn’t even qualify as the biscuit crumbs scattered in a pond, okay? You’d just add another exploit to Wolfen’s feats with a single stroke of his blade.”

“Then are you trying to say you are able to stop him?”

“If the Captain brings reinforcements in time!”

But sadly, this was the only option. It was seriously lamentable that this was indeed the best we could do.

The opponent was the Shadow of the Kingdom, specializing in stealth, ambush, and psychological warfare.

I was just a petty criminal with Mind Reading as my only weapon.

Even if our abilities differed significantly, I was the most advantageous opponent in terms of affinity. We had already long crossed the threshold where other solutions could be considered.

“Master. This is absurd! Criminals locked in Tantalus are notorious enough to be recorded in history. Even if it’s you, Master, to stand against them is!”

There was no more time to persuade them. I spoke to Sephi with a low voice.

Whether it was warmth or affection. Pretense or key points. I disregarded all of that, infusing my words with a cold determination.

“Sephier Bakiya. As your Master, this is both a request and a lesson. Do not turn away from what needs to be done.”

“But!”

“If you keep being stubborn, this will be my last request as your Master. Whether I live or die.”

After being chastised in a cold voice, Sephi swallowed her breath. A suppressed, resentful sound akin to a sob escaped from the lips of the sternly scolded disciple.

But even that was only for a moment. Sephier unfolded her suit jacket and draped it over the Captain. The jacket, effective against bullets, blades, and magic, was draped over the Captain’s shoulders.

The Captain, covered in the suit, asked with trembling eyes.

｢Are you truly going to face him alone? But you are…!｣

“If you want to save me, then survive. Go to headquarters and call for reinforcements! After all, that’s the only way I can live!”

I shot back intensely and then immediately shouted towards the coachman’s seat.

“Senior! Prepare to escape! We’re abandoning the carriage!”

“Got it!”

And then, once again, another jolt. The staggering, somewhat airborne carriage had reached its end.

Screeeeeech. The tilted carriage rubbed against the ground, erupting in a scream. Through the half-broken window, I saw the carriage’s wheel overtake the carriage itself.

“Well then. I’ll see you soon!”

I opened the door on the opposite side and climbed onto the tilted carriage.

Beyond it, I saw the pitch-black darkness. Wolfen, who was hiding with his Black Shadow Qi Arts, was glaring at me intently. And I, facing him directly in the light, could clearly perceive his thoughts.

｢A man? Is he a guard? It does not matter. All will be killed anyway.｣

Who gave you the right to decide who lives and dies? You think anyone will die that easily just because you said so? Keep dreaming.

Why don’t we give him a little greeting, huh? With a leisurely smile, I pulled out the 3 Of Diamonds from my pocket. After folding it in one hand, I aimed it at Wolfen.

Alchemic Transmutation. The card swiftly transformed into a large bow. It wasn’t strung since it had been shot once already, but arrows were originally meant to be drawn and shot anyway. I carefully glared at the darkness, aiming precisely at Wolfen hiding beyond it.

“Fahrenheit!”

Blaze. Flames sprouted from the arrowhead’s tip. Then, with a Ting, the sound of it being drawn could be heard; a single arrow split the darkness in the straight street.

The arrow was aimed precisely at Wolfen; the edge of his eyes twitched.

｢An arrow is nothing much. But to think he saw through the Black Shadow Qi Arts?｣

Why is an arrow nothing much, huh? I put all my strength into shooting it, you know? Hoping it would make you feel at least a bit threatened.

｢Qi Deflection.｣

Tch. Of course he uses that.

The Qi Arts swelled. As the flames were swallowed by the darkness, the arrow I shot with all my might was futilely deflected.

But either way, the main objective was achieved.

After finishing the greeting, I jumped off the carriage. I almost lost my balance and fell, but the slowing speed due to the detached wheel allowed me to barely stand.

Behind me, the carriage slowed down even further. Somehow, Sephi and the Captain managed to move to the front of the coachman’s seat and climbed onto the horse.

Turning my back towards them, I stood firm and faced Wolfen.

“…Do you mean to buy time?”

The voice was heard from my right ear. But his thoughts were coming from the left.

Who do you think you are to play mind games in front of me?

I put away the bow with a smirk and pulled out the next card.

The 4 of Diamonds, Short Spear. As I extended the harpoon-like spear blade in his direction, Wolfen halted his steps.

A brief silence ensued. In the distance, the Captain, Sephi, and Senior galloped away on horseback, side by side. The Lion Horse, freed from the carriage, was swift and the distance was now too great for even Wolfen to catch up.

In the eerie street, there were now just the two of us. Perfect.

But that didn’t seem to bother Wolfen. He intently gazed at me, showing not even a hint of lingering attachment for those who had escaped.

“It is not a coincidence then. To think you are able to see this Umbra accurately through the darkness….”

“Perhaps our meeting here, in this state, is also not a coincidence.”

I removed my hat and bowed deeply.

Even though it was an opportunity for a surprise attack, Wolfen did not make a move. Was it caution or was he merely indulgent towards this kind of formality?

｢Abilities, unknown. Identity, unknown. Exceptionally keen Qi Senses perhaps? Or maybe some other unknown power?｣

It’s probably both, ain’t it?

Just like me, Wolfen was also the type to thoroughly utilize psychological warfare in combat.

Very well then. Now, it was a battle against time.

If I could stall, I would win. And If I died before that, it was the end. A very simple battle, indeed.

“Hello, Wolfen Fenshtein. I have heard the rumors about you. About how you are the Shadow that had existed since the days of the kingdom, symbolizing the very darkness of this nation.”

“And who are you?”

After once again pressing down the Magician’s hat, I slightly lifted the brim and smiled.

“Pleasure to meet you. I was once the top student of my entire secondary school, as well as a rising star in the host scene. A tailor-made home tutor, as well as a matchmaker. A legend among pickpockets, as well as a gambler who had never tasted defeat. An idol for children, a benevolent caretaker, a man with only a single blemish shining on his criminal record. I am the Magician, Hughes.”