Chapter 25: Big Battle Incoming
The hunt was progressing smoothly—or at least, that was what Sylas had thought.
Two more opponents had fallen to his hands, bringing his total count to four thought fragments. Both of them had been on the easier side of his estimations, offering little challenge.
But just as he was about to track his next target, the translucent map flashed again.
This time, only four dots remained—including his own.
Sylas narrowed his eyes.
"That means seven contenders are already out."
He exhaled slowly, scanning the remaining dots on the map.
"I can only hope that one of the extremely difficult ones has already been eliminated."
With that thought, he refocused. The closest dot was only a short distance away. He decided to take advantage of the element of surprise, slipping through the alleyways of Warheaven City.
The streets were still bustling, making it easier for him to blend in. As he approached his target's location, he stepped onto a crowded street, keeping his pace steady to avoid drawing attention. He was nearly at the alley entrance when—
A woman lunged at him from the crowd, aiming straight for his throat.
"What the—?!" Sylas barely had time to react.
He instinctively raised his left arm to block the attack, but—
CHOMP!
Pain flared through his arm as the woman's teeth sank into his flesh, tearing away a chunk.
"Ugh!" Sylas gritted his teeth. Blood dripped from the wound.
"Shit—I didn't reinforce my arm with mana in time!"
The pain was manageable, but the sheer insanity of the situation left him momentarily stunned.
The crowd erupted in screams. People scattered, running in all directions in panic.
The woman—who had seemed like an ordinary passerby just moments ago—was now hunched over, twitching erratically, her eyes blank yet filled with unrestrained aggression.
"Who the hell is this woman? She's not part of the hunt, so why—?"
Before Sylas could process it further, the woman lunged again, her jaws wide open, aiming for his throat once more.
BAM!
This time, Sylas was ready. His right fist shot forward, smashing into her lower jaw with brutal force. The impact sent her flying backward, her body crumpling to the ground, limp.
But just as Sylas was about to step forward—
Her body began twitching violently.
Then—she fell completely still.
Sylas exhaled sharply, trying to make sense of the situation. Then—
Something flickered at the edge of his vision.
It was fast—barely noticeable. But because he had already been enhancing his eyesight with mana to avoid sneak attacks, he caught a glimpse.
And then—everything clicked.
His expression remained neutral, but his mind burned with anger.
"So that's what this is."
A slow, dangerous thought formed in his head.
"Just you wait, you bitch."
His eyes scanned the chaotic scene. The crowd had started to calm down, and people were now gathered around Sylas and the unconscious woman. Some looked at him in fear, others in concern.
But Sylas didn't care. His mind was already working through the implications.
"This is the work of a Ring user—someone who can control people like puppets."
His gaze flickered across the crowd.
"Which means the real culprit is somewhere nearby. The question is—where?"
He clenched his injured arm, still bleeding slightly.
"The puppets themselves can't use Ring abilities. This woman, for example, didn't use any combat techniques—just raw aggression."
But then—another thought struck him.
"What if there's an exception?"
His grip tightened.
"What if the puppet is someone strong—someone who already has a powerful Ring? What if there's an 'ultimate move' puppet? Would that puppet be able to use their abilities?"
The unknown variables were piling up. And Sylas hated dealing with unknowns.
Then—
Two city guards arrived on the scene.
They were clad in light leather armor, built for speed rather than heavy defense. A stark contrast to the armored guards back at the bar.
Sylas's gaze flicked to their Rings.
Both of them were Blue-Ring users.
The crowd quickly filled them in on what had happened, pointing toward Sylas.
One of the guards stepped forward. His expression was calm but firm.
"I am Ross, Sub-Inspector of the Warheaven City Guards. You are being arrested under suspicion of assault."
Sylas barely acknowledged him.
His mind was focused on something else entirely.
The guards reached for a mana-eater rope, intending to bind his mana flow. But just as they moved—
Sylas suddenly turned his head.
His gaze locked onto a building 30 meters away.
And then—
A grin spread across his lips.
"Found you."
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End of Chapter.