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Chapter 21: The Act Of Bluffing
I stood my ground, keeping my stance loose and relaxed. The spear wielder's movements were deliberate, his eyes sharp as he analyzed me. He wasn't just charging blindly—he was testing me, trying to gauge my reaction.
"Stay still and make this easy," he growled, his spear tip glinting as he closed the gap.
I let out a long sigh, tilting my head as if bored. "You're awfully determined for someone who thinks I'm stalling."
The words were bait, but he didn't bite. His focus stayed locked on me, his grip tightening on the shaft of his spear. I couldn't afford to underestimate him—or the two who had flanked out of sight.
He thrust his spear forward, aiming for my chest.
I sidestepped, the attack grazing past me.
"Fast reaction." His tone held grudging respect as he adjusted his stance, readying for another strike.
This time, I didn't move. Instead, I tilted my body slightly, letting the spear skid harmlessly past my side.
"You're too tense," I remarked casually. "If you keep attacking like that, you'll wear yourself out before you hit me."
The subtle taunt seemed to hit a nerve, his jaw tightening as he pulled back for another thrust.
But before he could strike again, a sound behind him made him pause.
Crunch.
His eyes darted back, just for a fraction of a second, but it was enough.
"Gotcha," I whispered, stepping into his range.
With a swift motion, I grabbed the shaft of his spear and twisted it sharply, throwing him off balance. His grip faltered for an instant, but he recovered quickly, yanking the weapon back.
"Nice try," he spat, his face set in a snarl.
"Wasn't trying," I replied evenly, backing up a step. My goal wasn't to disarm him—it was to buy just enough time.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the stocky sword-wielder reappear on my left, while the third member of their team circled in from the right.
"Cornered," the sword-wielder sneered, hefting his blade. "You're not bad, but you can't take all three of us."
I smirked. "Who said I was alone?"
As if on cue, a loud crack echoed through the ruins. A chunk of debris tumbled down from above, smashing into the ground between us.
Lyria's shaky voice rang out from somewhere in the shadows. "S-sorry! My hand slipped!"
The three attackers instinctively turned toward the noise, their attention momentarily diverted.
I didn't waste the opportunity. Darting forward, I closed the distance between myself and the spear wielder, shoving him hard into the sword-wielder. The two of them stumbled, colliding awkwardly and nearly dropping their weapons.
"Retreat!" I yelled, bolting toward the rubble where Lyria and the meek girl were hiding.
The girls scrambled to their feet, Lyria's face pale but determined as she followed my lead.
"Back to the fallback point," I ordered, not daring to look back. The sound of angry shouts and hurried footsteps told me our pursuers weren't far behind.
But we had the advantage now.
I glanced at the meek girl, who was already scanning our surroundings, her sharp eyes picking out a path through the ruins. She nodded at me, a silent acknowledgment of the plan.
We dashed through the crumbled cityscape, weaving between shattered walls and overgrown debris. The sound of pursuit echoed behind us, their shouts growing louder with every passing second.
"Take a left!" the meek girl hissed, pointing to a narrow alley barely wide enough for us to squeeze through.
I nodded, gripping Lyria's wrist as we veered sharply. The alley was a tight fit, the jagged edges of the broken walls scraping against my shoulders.
"Keep moving," I urged, glancing over my shoulder. I caught a glimpse of the spear wielder emerging from the ruins behind us, his eyes locking onto mine. He snarled, pushing himself to close the gap.
We emerged from the alley into a small clearing surrounded by the remains of ancient buildings. It was the perfect spot for what we needed—a choke point.
"Here," I said, stopping abruptly and releasing Lyria's wrist. "This is where we make our stand."
Her eyes widened in alarm. "Y-you're going to fight them?"
I shook my head. "Not fight. Outmaneuver."
The meek girl immediately understood, her lips pressing into a thin line. "We'll funnel them here. They won't expect an ambush in such an open space."
I nodded. "Exactly. Lyria, hide behind that column." I pointed to a sturdy stone pillar half-buried in rubble. "Stay out of sight no matter what happens. You're the priority."
"But—"
"No 'but,' Lyria," I interrupted firmly. "If they get their hands on you, it's over."
Reluctantly, she nodded and ducked behind the column, her small frame disappearing from view.
The meek girl and I exchanged a glance. "We'll give them a reason to hesitate," I said.
The footsteps grew louder as the three attackers closed in. The spear wielder was the first to appear, his weapon ready and his expression furious. The sword-wielder and the third member followed close behind, their eyes scanning the clearing.
"There you are," the spear wielder growled, his gaze narrowing as he spotted us. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."
I raised my hands lazily, feigning surrender. "You caught us. Congrats. But I should warn you…"
"Warn us?" the sword-wielder sneered, taking a step forward.
I smirked. "This spot? It's rigged."
The three attackers froze, their eyes darting to the ground and the surrounding rubble.
"Rigged with what?" the spear wielder demanded, his voice sharp with suspicion.
"Oh, nothing fancy," I said, taking a casual step back. "Just some debris that's ready to collapse. One wrong move, and the whole place comes down."
It was a bluff, of course. There was no trap, no rigged debris. But their hesitation was all I needed.
The meek girl seized the moment, stepping forward with a loud clatter of broken tiles under her foot. Her hand flicked out, sending a small rock sailing through the air. It struck the ground near the sword-wielder's feet, causing him to jump back instinctively.
"Careful," I said with mock concern. "You wouldn't want to trigger it."
The spear wielder's grip tightened on his weapon, his eyes narrowing as he tried to discern the truth. "You're bluffing."
"Am I?" I tilted my head, letting the silence stretch.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then, with a low growl, the spear wielder motioned for his team to hold position. "Spread out. Don't step anywhere unstable."
Perfect. The more cautious they were, the more time we had to think.
I glanced at the meek girl, who gave me a subtle nod. The first phase of the plan was working. Now we just had to keep the pressure on and wait for our opportunity to strike.