Chapter 1249
Runaan pursued the cloaked monstrosity, unleashing sword waves that shimmered with the intense chill of Silver Frost.
Paaang!
The hooded high-ranking member of Eden contorted his torso with the flexibility of a drawn bow to evade the icy strike, utilizing that very momentum to accelerate his flight.
"Ha..."
Runaan bit down on her lip, leaning her frame forward. Glacial mist erupted from beneath her feet, allowing her to close the gap with the robed creature in a heartbeat.
Chaaaak!
Forsaking ranged energy, Runaan surged to the monster’s immediate rear, bringing her blade down in a heavy vertical cleave. Since the target continued to slip away from her projectiles, she manifested a direct, lethal intent to pierce him through.
"Hup!"
The robed figure appeared startled by Runaan’s explosive burst of speed. He let out a sharp breath, pivoting his ankles and hips in a frantic maneuver. The steel missed him by a hair’s breadth, and he scrambled backward in desperation.
"This... will be different..."
Runaan’s expression was set in stone; she had no intention of letting her quarry vanish. She began a relentless deployment of her specialized martial arts.
The pristine white frost radiating from her cherished weapon spiraled upward in a reverse flow, effectively walling off the escape routes available to the Eden executive.
"Umm!"
The monster seemed pressured by the jagged shards of ice, which threatened to flash-freeze marrow and skin upon contact. He swallowed nervously, seemingly reaching a snap decision. Descending from the air, he slammed his feet onto the terrain.
As the robed figure stomped, fragments of stone and clods of earth tore from the ground, soaring upward to intercept Runaan’s frozen barrier.
He didn't waste the split second of interference. While the wall of frost was occupied by the debris, he employed a phantom-like footwork to pull away once more.
"Uh..."
A flicker of irritation crossed Runaan’s face. Her brow furrowed as she increased the velocity and power of her swings.
The frost, now fueled by her rising temper, surged forward with a predatory sentience, lashing out at every inch of the robed man’s body.
"Eek!"
Remarkably, the monster remained unscathed, navigating the gaps in Runaan’s ferocious barrage without losing a single strand of hair.
While his raw speed was impressive, the true genius lay in his constant, instinctive creativity in evasion.
"Huk! Huk!"
The robed figure panted heavily after weathering the tempest of Runaan’s strikes. Without even a hint of a counter-offensive, he abandoned the perimeter of Birdnew Village and began a dead sprint toward the Zieghart frontier.
"Where are you going..."
Runaan’s eyes sharpened as she gave chase, crossing beyond the Zieghart boundary. She maintained a constant stream of sword strikes even while sprinting, but the robed monster parried every blow as if he possessed eyes in the back of his head.
"Fight..."
Impatient now, Runaan gnawed at her lip, pushing her movement techniques to their absolute limit. She veered toward the monster’s left flank, attempting to cut off his path and force a confrontation.
However, the robed man anticipated her trajectory. The moment she closed in, he darted to the right to preserve the gap. It was a display of evasive mastery that bordered on the supernatural.
"Stop... and fight..."
Runaan continued to demand an engagement, but the monster remained singular in his focus on flight. He refused to let their blades clash even once, choosing only to retreat deeper into the distance.
The two remained locked in this cycle of pursuit and evasion, quickly leaving the Zieghart border behind as they entered the shadows of a thick forest.
"Absolutely..."
Runaan’s teeth were bared, her gaze never wavering toward the decaying remains of the fallen Zieghart warriors scattered nearby.
"I won't... let you escape..."
She plunged into the gloom, a dark, simmering heat igniting within her pale violet eyes.
"What am I even looking at...?"
Martha exhaled in disbelief as she watched the robed freak dance around Runaan’s blade.
"He’s dodging that sleepy girl’s frost sword with that much ease?"
Currently, Runaan’s technique was terrifyingly precise and frigid. Martha knew she herself wouldn't have the confidence to parry it so flawlessly, making the monster's evasion seem incomprehensible.
"Runaan’s mastery hasn't quite hit the state of Transcendence yet, but the sheer scale and potency of her strikes are already at that level."
Burren trailed behind Martha, his eyes narrowed into thin slits.
"Which means the footwork and dodging skills of that fleeing Eden executive are also firmly in the Transcendent realm."
He let out a ragged breath, sounding stunned.
"With that kind of combat power..."
Martha’s brow darkened.
"Why wouldn't he just stand his ground? Why keep running?"
The robed Eden entity was reading Runaan’s attacks perfectly without even looking back.
With that level of spatial awareness and agility, he could likely hold his own even if she, Burren, and Runaan all coordinated an assault. His refusal to fight made no sense.
"That’s the point."
Burren nodded slowly.
"If he truly possessed the martial might suggested by his evasion."
He gave a short, knowing snort.
"What are you getting at?"
Martha turned her head toward him, her eyes wide.
"Focus on the robed monster's feet."
Burren gestured toward the target of Runaan’s pursuit.
"His movements are exclusively dedicated to creating distance. There isn't a single motion intended to close in or engage."
He raised an eyebrow, highlighting the anomaly.
"A standard warrior, no matter how much they retreat, can't completely suppress their combative instincts. They naturally look for an opening to lunge or counter. But that guy..."
Burren’s finger stiffened with emphasis.
"He lacks that instinct entirely. Even when Runaan leaves herself wide open, he ignores it completely, focusing only on getting away."
He urged her to observe the mechanics of the movement while resting his hand on his hilt.
"The instinct to fight?"
Martha stabilized her breathing, narrowing her focus.
"Wait... looking at it like that, you’re right..."
When she stripped away the chaos of the scene and focused solely on the mechanics of the monster's feet, the picture changed.
Just as Burren observed, the creature showed zero inclination to strike back.
Like a civilian who had never held a weapon, his entire consciousness was poured into the act of not being hit.
"It’s as if his footwork is composed entirely of escape patterns."
The robed man’s movement looked like a Supreme Martial Art, yet it was strangely hollow, lacking any offensive utility. It wasn't the behavior of a predatory monster; it was like watching a prey animal whose only survival strategy was flight.
"Exactly. It feels like we’re chasing a rabbit or a squirrel."
Burren concurred, having reached the same conclusion.
"How did you even spot that?"
Martha shook her head, impressed despite herself.
"I’ve been refining my perception during my recent sessions with my father."
Burren mentioned Karoon while gesturing vaguely.
"Actually, I think I just got lucky. I noticed it by accident."
He rubbed the back of his neck, appearing slightly sheepish about admitting to training with his father.
"Well done, Vice Palace Master! I knew you were worth bringing along!"
Martha offered a heavy-handed pat on his back.
"If our theory holds..."
She bit her lip, returning her gaze to the silhouettes of Runaan and the target.
"That means the bastard is baiting Runaan?"
Martha’s fist clenched as the pieces clicked into place.
"Correct. There’s no other explanation."
Burren agreed. He wasn't sure if Runaan was the specific target, but they were clearly being lured in.
"My gut was right."
Martha’s expression soured as she focused.
"The second I saw that guy, I felt a wave of nausea."
Watching Runaan chase that robed figure had sent a jolt of dread through her.
Feeling her emotions spike, she had immediately signaled Burren to follow, a choice that now seemed like the only thing keeping them from a disaster.
"We have to intercept her."
Martha signaled to Burren.
"We can't let that idiot follow him into a trap!"
"Stopping her won't be easy, but..."
Burren shared a determined look with Martha.
"If we work together, we can pull it off!"
Raon was seated upon the throne within the grand audience chamber, reviewing the final stack of paperwork.
Kuuuung!
The heavy doors were thrown open with force as Chad, the leader of the Shadow Agents, burst inside.
"Head of House!"
Chad waved a soiled envelope frantically while addressing Raon.
"It’s Temporary Head of House."
Raon sighed, dismissing the title with a wave. While others followed protocol, Chad insisted on the full title. It didn't feel like a slip of the tongue anymore.
"Ah, well, you're the one in charge anyway."
Chad gave a sheepish grin and scratched his head.
"Report."
Raon’s eyes narrowed as they fixed on the letter.
"Right! Word just came in from the agents dispatched to Birdnew Village!"
Chad tore into the envelope and produced a white sheet of paper.
"As suspected, Eden launched an ambush during the probe, but the Light Wind division neutralized them without taking any losses. Also, the warriors found dead at the border were all struck from behind, their bodies rotting as if plagued by dark sorcery."
He relayed the details with the vividness of an eyewitness.
"Furthermore, an Eden high-ranking member is retreating toward the border, with Runaan, Burren, and Martha in hot pursuit."
Chad beamed, confident that the trio was more than enough to handle a single fleeing enemy.
"I see."
Upon hearing the conclusion, Raon began a rhythmic tapping on the armrest of the throne.
'So, they finally took the bait.'
There was no scenario where Runaan, Burren, and Martha together would struggle to catch a single retreating executive.
The report confirmed his suspicion: Runaan was being systematically led away.
-Haven't I been screaming this from the start!
Wrath manifested, his spectral teeth grinding in fury.
-The Blue Ice Cream girl is walking into a meat grinder!
He shook a tiny, translucent fist, demanding they leave immediately.
-A true monarch prioritizes the safety of his hidden subjects over the ink on his desk!
Wrath glared at him, lecturing that greatness is found in the details, not just the grand strategy.
"It appears to be a lure."
Roenn let out a heavy, worried sigh.
"For them to witness the might of the Light Wind Palace and still attempt to draw 'him' out... the situation is grave."
His brows furrowed with concern for Runaan, having already been briefed on the context by Evelyn.
"I will accompany you."
Sheryl gave a sharp nod, prepared to mobilize the guard instantly.
"I’ve already coordinated with the magic tower as a precaution; the transit will be swift."
She clicked her tongue, having anticipated several possible moves Raon might make.
Both advisors had served Glenn for decades; their foresight and execution were flawless.
Swish.
Raon remained unmoved by the urgency surrounding him. He reached out and picked up the very last document on the pile.
-You... you absolute monster! Have you lost your mind!
'You just said a king needs to pay attention to the small things.'
He ignored Wrath’s outbursts, meticulously reading the final page and applying his signature with steady hands.
'That’s true, but my perspective is slightly different.'
-D-different? How?
'Yes. Watching over the small things is vital, but having faith in them is equally important.'
Raon replied to the inner voice while stacking the completed scrolls and passing them to Sheryl.
"Please double-check these for any oversights."
"Ah... understood..."
Sheryl took the documents, her hands trembling slightly. She was momentarily paralyzed by the sudden, overwhelming gravity radiating from Raon’s presence and swallowed hard.
"Huh..."
Roenn was similarly caught off guard by the sheer, majestic pressure emanating from Raon’s soul. He stopped his usual chuckle and simply blinked in surprise.
"Uhh..."
Chad bowed his head instinctively, a low groan escaping him as he shivered under the weight of the atmosphere.
-Regardless of your 'perspective,' get moving!
Wrath shrieked in desperation.
-If you hesitate any longer, they’re finished! What good is arriving at a graveyard!
He thrashed about, begging Raon to stop being so enigmatic.
"Enigmatic..."
Raon leaned his chin on his hand, staring into the empty air to his right, looking every bit like Glenn during his reign as the Destructive King of the North.
'There’s no need for such worry.'
Because this time, the curtain falls for good.
