"W... what? How did you-"
"I have to say you are smarter than you look. Though it is not perfect, your effort of staying alive was applaudable."
"L-look, Let's talk this out 'kay? Whoever paying you to do this, I'll double that offer!"
Ohh, that is a charming offer!
I can just say some unimaginable amount and he will double it up?
As expected of this kingdom noble, so corrupt yet so generous! I'm not even gonna ask where all that money come from.
"100 Million."
"W-wha?"
Yess! If he could pay me double that amount, my life of being a mob that operates in the shadow will finally be set. Imagine the possibilities that I could do with that much money!
He's a corrupt noble, surely he can afford it!
"100 Million?"
"Not a bad sum, wasn't it?"
The noble gulped down and start walking towards me.
"O-okay, I'll come to you and pay it right now. So don't move!!"
'Ohh, it's that easy? Then why am I even bother slaying bandit here and there, I should just blackmail some noble or something.'
Step after step, he approach me slowly.
'200 Million, here I come!!'
But what met me in my excitement was not gold, but a swing of dagger to my face.
I step back a couple step and dodged it easily.
'Geez, talk about disappointment. I guess I have to do this in the good ol' ways, huh?'
He strikes me again, over and over.
But the more he attacks, the more reckless he became. At this point, I don't even need to try.
He keeps slashing the air the more he swings his dagger, until he stumbled upon a pebble.
"Aggh!"
"You have to be kidding me, you really plan on getting rid of me with that so-called skill of yours?"
Hearing this, his ego become hurt and his face become redder with veins showing.
"DON'T YOU LOOK DOWN ON ME!!!"
He run towards me in blind rage, again and again without reward to his attack. He finally stopped to catch some breath.
"Hahh, Hahh-,"
"Are you done? If so, then it shall be my turn this time."
"You fool!! Do you know what will happen to you if you kill a noble in this kingdom, I'm an earl goddamn it!!
"Seriously, you really think I don't know what?"
Shit, he's an earl?
I thought he will be a Baron or something. I mean, he doesn't look that great. But, I guess noble title could be misleading anyway.
"Even though you know that, you think that the King will stay silent if one of his esteemed nobles goes missing? He will have your head, Assassins!!"
"Yes, yes. I'm becoming tired of this unnecessary speech. Let's just finish this, shall we?"
The nobles grit his teeth and start making weird noises pig would make.
"GRRRR--, Then Let's finish this shall we!!!"
Charging like a bull, he points his dagger to the front while closing his eyes. Scared of what's in front of him.
*Clang
I parry his dagger with swift movement and he fall down to the ground once more.
"Goodbye-, Hm?"
What interrupted me was a figure that appeared out of nowhere behind.
"Kghh-!"
The figure slashed my torso with a dagger thats imbued with water magic. It takes me by surpries so the damage is quite there.
"Tch, you supposed to die there!"
There, a copy of Mr. Nobleman standing with angry face.
"Another clone, huh?"
"Kghh--!!! No matter, you already injured, so killing you from here on will be easy!!!"
Well, this has become more troublesome than I thought.
"DIE!!!"
Now the two clone rushed at me, both holding their dagger.
I strenghten my Shadow blade aura and cast Inflict Fear on them both, making them stop at their tracks. With one full swing, dark aura with crescent shape goes flying towards them both.
"Agghh-!!"
"Kgghh--!"
One clone turned to mist while the other one holding his bleeding belly.
Looking at them like this, It's starting to bore me.
"Enough."
"W-what?"
"Enough with this Facade."
I swing my blade once more, so fast he couldn't even react.
*Poof
Another clone turned into mist.
"To be able to control two clones at once... I must admit I underestimated your abilities."
"... How do you know?"
Mr. Nobleman figure come out from the dark woods.
"No one can sneak behind me all of a sudden. The only explanation was 'that' someone actually appear out of thin air."
"I see. You have great insight."
He eyes me full of cautiousness, the foolish dumb noble act from before has gone completely.
"Thank you for the compliment, but now I wish to talk to the 'real'... ah, I haven't asked your name."
"Fufufu... to ask for someone's name without introducing yours? But, very well."
He removed his mask and the fake appearance he took was deactivated.
There standing a blonde man in his early 20s, standing tall and proud wearing a full-black suit, with a charming smile he waves towards me childishly.
"Demonic Cult Worshipper, Follower of Cardinal Johanne de Calumnia, Bishop Lucas Colter, It Is a Pleasure to Meet You!"
Wait a minute... Bishop?
What?
D-don't joke around!
Aren't you just a regular Earl?
Where is it? Where is the Earl title that you gloat so much before?
Goddamnit, don't just say something so unpredictable all of a sudden!
"Now Then!"
He pulled out two dagger from his sleeves, with a powerful jump he tried to land a kick on my skull.
S-stop! Can't you see you're assaulting a kid?
As I try to dodge by moving my face slightly, a blade come out from his shoes and graze my shadow mask.
Oh, damn. That one's actually cool as hell, where did you get that?
"Ohh~, you dodge that? Impressive, Splendid, How Ridiculously Vigorous!"
He starts to giggle like a little girl while covering his lips with one of his hands.
I land up on the nearby tree and start strengthening my dark aura around my cloak.
As the forest becoming colder and the wind tremble, cries of bird and small animals could be heard.
"My Name Is Phantom, I Dance Under The Moonlight, Hidden Away From The Sun."
I standing still while pointing my shadow blade towards him, this is the pose that I've trained countless times on the mirror.
How is it?
Do you feel the Intimidation?
"I see! Phantom! I shall remember that name to write it on your grave! Hihihi!"
Wha-, You dare to laugh at my introduction?
You're Dead!!
Lucas raised his hands and summoned five of semi-invisible arrow in the air.
Tch, to think I have to fight another Bishop just a month after I met Santiago.
Talk about bad luck.
But it is too late to retreat.
The semi-invisible arrow flew straight at me with unbelievable speed.
I activate shadow step and teleport behind the other trees to hide while summoning my shadow clone behind Lucas to strike him.
With a swift kick and maniac smile on his face, the clone head flew out of its body, leaving a black liquid as the clones crumble.
"Now is Hide and Seek?"
Looking around scanning the forest, Lucas can feels that his feet got locked up with something.
"Hm?"
Looking down, the black liquid start grappling Lucas feet, locking them against each other.
"Oh~, How tricky! Fitting for an imbecile!"
Lucas begin chanting his magic, wind starts surrounding his body and with one strong push, the black liquid flew away like its nothing.
"Ah~, now that I think about it. A month ago, that old Santiago was killed by an unknown group. Was it perhaps, it was your doing?"
...
"Well, even though I do not like that old man, he still one of us, you know? Wouldn't it be rude to not avenge a dead co-worker? Hihihi."
He talks alot don't he?
A sign of confidence.
Still, one kick from that maniac was able to decapitate someone. So his arrogance was not misplaced.
I threw my shadow blade towards Lucas from the shadow, as expected he lower his upper body with the same maniacal smile he has before.
"Hihihi!"
Within a quick second, I cast shadowstep behind him and grasp my thrown blade to swing it towards his neck.
*CLANG
Lucas block my attack with both of his dagger as a clash of steel be heard, Lucas tried land a kick aimed at my abdomen, with a knife planted on his shoes.
*CLANG
Hit after hit traded, my attacks deflected by his weapon and kick, we're pretty equal for now. But, since Lucas dual-wielding his dagger and both of his shoes were planted with knives, even I will having myself at a disavantage if this keep goes on.
*Clangclangclang
"What's wrong Phantom? Running out of moves?"
Slowly but surely, Lucas closes in. Even though I have better range with my blade, Lucas fast dual dagger can pierce my defense easily.
"Hahahaha! This is what happen when you tries fighting the cult! Now, pay your judgement!"
Small typhoon-like wind starts engulfing one of Lucas dagger. And with one swift swing, he deflected my shadow blade to the side, leaving me with open to an attack.
Lucas did not hesitate to end this battle, as he raises up his leg for another kick to my head.
*STAB
*...! What-"
An arrow lands at Lucas kicking leg as his eyes went wide.
Stepping back a few feet to regain his focus, I charge at him with another summoned shadow blade and swing it to his another leg to completely immobilize him.
"MERE INSECTS!!!"
Another deflect at my shadow blade, his kicking speed is even faster than my swing.
With an eye bloodshot filled with annoyance, he took another stepback and prepare a counter-attack.
"YOU DARE!!!"
Positioning himself on all four like a leopard hungry for the kill, he ready his dagger to bled me to death.
But my Shadow Clone already waiting.
"...! What?"
From behind the trees, the clone that I've casted right before I threw my shadow blade at him came out.
With a blade pointed forward, my clone lunges and manages to stab Lucas from behind.
"Aghh!!"
The blade missed his heart barely, even taken by surprise, I believe his survival instinct came in at the right moment.
But with him injured this badly, I have a chance now.
"Annoying Pest! One after another!!"
Another 360° kick landed to the clones neck, making its head flew again once more.
"Hahhh, hahh!"
He's gasping for breath, this my chance to go for full-offensive!
Boosting my speed with a burst of mana at my feet, I lunges towards Lucas with all I got.
I have to finish this before he managed to get back to his fighting stances!
"DON'T JOKE WITH ME!!!"
Flaunting both his arm wide, Lucas standing proudly and he scream.
"DIE!!!"
*SWOOSH
"...? Aggh-!"
A strong shockwave coming out from his body, pushing me flying a few meters behind.
*Thud
"Kghh-"
What stopped me from flying further was a big tree, as the impact of it makes me barely could stand out of concussion.
"Allow me to show you..."
Pulling out a blood vial out of his pocket, Lucas makes a grin even more wider from before.
"AN ABSOLUTE DISPLAY OF POWER!!!"
Drinking the blood with one single gulp, Lucas body starts moving around frantically as his body starting to adapt to its new change
"HAHAHAHA!!!"
Still trying to get back up at my feet, Lucas body slowly transforming.
His fair skin turning into pure white, as his arm and legs starting to grew crystal scales. Giant Dove like wings appeared on his back, and his head becoming much of a monster.
With a face like a human-octopus and eight tentacles moving and curling around its head, a mouth with a grin so wide that the mouth were slitted open, and its white flesh and white blood could be seen pouring from the slitted wound.
It's six-eyes like spiders looking straight at me, accompanied with his sharp shark-like teeth and creepy smile.
"Let the curtain raised as a new show is about to begin, a new color of battle..."
*SCREEECHH
"Kgghh-, agghhk!!"
A scream so loud it made the air trembled, I was forced to bend down to my knees and covered my ears while staying awake and forcing myself to not faint from its sound.
"PURE TERROR AND ANNIHILATION!!!"