The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

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Chapter 144: True Face (2)

Upon probing the memories of my past life, a situation similar to the current foolish prince came to mind.

It’s what’s known as the Absolute Coma.

A state where one’s mind is exploited by the presence of another, moving not by their own will but by the will of others.

The presence referred to here signifies those superior to humans.

They are beings for whom the title of “absolute” fits best.

With eyes clear despite the loss of life, overflowing with tremendous vitality, exuding an alien energy unattainable by mere humans.

This is undoubtedly the state of absolute coma.

[Seems like things are getting interesting, master?]

Kaeram, with a slight furrow of her brow, chuckled.

I wanted to scrutinize every detail from one to ten, wondering at what point things were becoming interesting.

However, I quietly opened my mouth as if speaking to myself.

“Why is this happening?”

[It seems the owner of this dungeon is angered by someone defiling their dungeon.]

Whoever it is, they seem to be quite clumsy as an owner.

Honestly, there’s only one person that comes to mind, but I’ll refrain from speculating for now.

It seems irritation will mount if I continue to dwell on this.

“……”

He peered through Luna’s wall of resistance.

The wall, erected the moment the person who had been unconscious just a while ago woke up, was unbelievably solid and sturdy, akin to an iron fortress.

It would be impossible to break it down with brute force alone.

However,

– Hwoong

As if it didn’t matter, he raised his fist once again.

The moment a brownish aura surrounded his fist, I quickly pulled Luna close and threw myself into a corner.

– Kwa-jang-chang!

The wall, as solid as an iron fortress, shattered with a deafening roar, as if it were glass breaking.

It was a close call.

After the fist struck, there was a brief moment of silence before the rough desert wind brushed against our skin.

“I guess you don’t want me to die at the hands of someone else?”

“This isn’t the time for such ridiculous jokes, junior.”

“I know. But it’s a bit surprising. What kind of absurd power is this? It doesn’t seem like mana at all. Could it really be sheer physical strength?”

If I were to explain, it would be that his physical strength is somewhat augmented by the power of an absolute being.

To match this, I must also unleash a power of equal caliber.

– Wooduk

With a harsh sound of bones, he clenched his fist once again.

This time, there was twice the force compared to before, surging into his fist.

“Step back! As far as possible!”

Dodging won’t solve it this time.

After pushing Luna backward, I advanced forward and also clenched my fist.

The black mist emanating from within gathered into my right fist, shimmering with a dark aura.

At the moment the intended force accumulated, I extended my fist without hesitation.

– Kwang!

As our fists struck, fierce shockwaves erupted in both directions.

At the point of impact, a slight tremor occurred, and as time passed, stronger forces surged to overwhelm each other.

(You’ve tasted the blood of a demonic beast.)

A calm voice, like gentle ripples, stimulated my eardrums.

Of course, it wasn’t the voice of the foolish prince.

(It’s not just demonic beasts. You’ve also consumed the blood of a dragon. It’s not just the power of the black mist; your physical body has already surpassed that of humans.)

“If you’re going to babble to yourself, might as well keep it to yourself, right?”

The voice’s owner chuckled as if it were insignificant.

(Where on earth did you come from?)

“That’s what I was going to ask. Why did you suddenly appear out of nowhere?”

(Hmph! Explaining to someone who’s about to die is pointless. By the name of the Sand God Sabulom, I’ll bury you, the heir of Aer, in this land.)

“……!”

There was no time to get lost in the unexpected introduction.

His lips curled into a wicked smile, and simultaneously, the sand enveloping his fist stirred up a large whirlpool.

(You are an unnecessary being who should not be in the human world. Blame it on your master who tried to take you out of the world!)

– Kugugung

With a tremendous roar, the interior of the ruins reverberated wildly, and small cracks began to spread like branches on the walls.

Is he planning to destroy everything just because he’s angry about his mansion being defiled?

“Hey! Are you planning to bury even your lackeys with us?”

If a collapse occurs, it won’t just involve me and Luna.

This foolish prince will surely be buried with us.

(It is a sacred sacrifice as a tribe that worships me and protects this land. It can be considered a great honor for him.)

“Ha! You’re talking big, huh?”

In the end, isn’t it about using and discarding us?

Well, compared to mere humans, they are incomparable beings, so this level of temperament is probably just a whim.

Sorry, but I’m already fed up with such things.

I dare to predict that regardless of whether you’re human or a god, this insignificant pedestal will be thoroughly crushed today.

– Ssuaek!

With my free right hand, I immediately drew out Kaeram and slashed forward.

Set, taking a step back, immediately unfolded a magic circle while clenching his fist.

(Desert Blade…)

Eventually, a brownish blade resembling sand emerged from the magic circle.

The problem was not just one, but many.

I immediately assumed a defensive posture.

– Chaeng!

A sensation akin to being struck by a sharp iron poker was felt as the blade struck my arm.

He seemed to find my reaction interesting, flashing a smirk.

(Yes, as the heir of the gods, it will be a worthwhile death for you to resist until the very end. Pour out all your strength and die gloriously. I, Sabulom, will watch your end closely!)

I can’t decide whether his kindness and mercy are overwhelming or contemptible.

Ignoring it, I firmly grasped Kaeram and muttered quietly.

“Shadow Style 9: Manifestation of the Demonic Sword.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Luna, observing the clash between Cyan and Set from behind, thought to herself.

Magnificent.

Yet truly intriguing.

What on earth is the identity of this strange and mysterious power?

The only thing that seems certain is that the energy felt between them right now isn’t mana-based.

It felt like observing two powers with the same fundamental essence but different attributes.

While Set is Set, she couldn’t help but be drawn to the black mist emanating from Cyan in particular.

The black mist of ignorance seemed to contain the negation of the entire world.

There was only one place within her knowledge where the origin of that black mist could be.

“Is that senior’s true nature? Then, could it be…?”

Before a particularly unpleasant thought could fully form, she quickly shook her head.

She needed to focus on something else now.

Judging from Cyan’s appearance, it didn’t seem like he was struggling against Set.

Rather, with each passing minute, he seemed to be increasingly overwhelming, so it appeared there was no immediate need for her to intervene.

So, what needed attention wasn’t them but rather this ruin.

– Kugugung

Not only were small fragments falling one by one above her head, but the cracks in the walls had already become so severe that they would crumble if touched.

They needed to get out of this ruin as soon as possible, but they were already so focused on each other that they didn’t even pay any attention to their surroundings.

At this, Luna calmly closed her eyes and placed one hand on the ground.

She needed to calculate everything necessary for casting magic: the flow of mana from the sandstorm, the amount of air, the temperature of the ground, and so on.

They were currently about 30 meters below ground level, and the pure distance to the exit was roughly over 1 kilometer.

Considering the fact that this was an underground ruin, they needed to perform even more delicate and precise distance calculations.

Actually, the calculations weren’t difficult.

She had already completed over 95% of them in her head, as she had done even more difficult calculations as easily as eating a meal.

However, there was a separate issue.

The mana remaining to her was woefully insufficient.

Even the mana she had left from creating the barrier of resistance moments ago had been exhausted.

The situation was such that scraping together every last bit of mana would barely exceed 5%.

Attempting it might be impossible, but still, it would be better than giving up.

With a determined heart, Luna drew out the mana.

“Ack!”

Immediately, a sense of helplessness overwhelmed her.

To attempt a magic that had little chance of success even at full condition in such a dire situation.

But what choice did she have?

If she didn’t do it herself, the precious person before her eyes would be buried in the sand along with her.

They would be left there forever, where no one would ever find them.

“Actually, that might be better in the end….”

A trace of serious contemplation appeared on her momentarily stunned face.

– Hwoong

Suddenly sensing a strange aura from behind, Luna quickly turned her head.

“….!”

The unknown figure disappearing as abruptly as swirling smoke.

It disappeared too quickly to determine exactly what it was.

However, along with the unfamiliar sensation, there was a familiar feeling that seemed to have been seen somewhere before.

In addition, she felt her mana, which had been exposed just a moment ago, slowly rising.

“What, what is this?”

It wasn’t just mana.

Another force was flowing vigorously around her heart, like a torrent.

Although she didn’t know the identity of this energy, she could be sure of one thing: with her current state, she could definitely succeed in the magic she intended to cast.

With determination, Luna immediately chanted the spell.

“Against the chaos that defies the order of space, we shall escape….”

As she chanted the spell, a small magic circle formed beneath her feet.

The magic circle quickly spread out and soon expanded to where Cyan and Set were.

Upon noticing the magic circle beneath their feet, the two men, who were engaged in fierce combat, turned their attention to it.

“….?”

Both of them seemed to have recognized the nature of the magic circle, as their facial expressions noticeably changed.

“Spatial transition!”

Suddenly, a bright blue light emanated from the magic circle, enveloping the surroundings.

Swoosh!

Without any resistance, those engulfed by the light disappeared.

Thud!

In the blink of an eye, as soon as the light of the magic vanished, it was replaced by the welcoming warmth of the sun.

“Did… did it work?”

Still unable to believe whether her magic had truly succeeded, Luna was momentarily bewildered.

Suddenly, Cyan approached her.

“What were you doing!”

His eyes showed rare confusion and astonishment.

“I did what I could do best.”

She responded with her usual indifferent gaze.

“That’s not what I’m asking! Did you really perform a spatial transition…!”

“Goodness gracious!”

As a voice, light-hearted but relieving the tension that had been hanging, was heard, both the man and woman instinctively turned their heads.

Set lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his head with one hand.

The eyes that had been full of vitality moments ago were now clouded and hazy, reminiscent of the true foolish prince.

———