[Vol. 8] Chapter 136: Shadow and Shadow
“Ah!”
“Waaah!”
A cold flash of steel suddenly sliced through the air.
The black-haired girl, who had just been about to step closer, was so startled she quickly jumped back.
She moved with a speed that didn’t match her outfit or her body size at all, barely dodging the sword strike aimed straight at her neck. Shocked and angry, she stopped in her tracks and stared furiously at the "young man" who had suddenly attacked her, yelling loudly.
“Hey hey, what are you doing, Little Shadow?! This isn’t the time to joke around! Outside, things are already—”
“You’re not Lady Violet at all.”
“…Huh? What?” The girl froze for a moment.
“First of all,” the “young man” said coldly, “Lady Violet may seem casual, but she would never call me something like ‘Little Shadow.’ She always addresses me by my full name. That’s how she shows respect for my work. She may act light-hearted on the surface, but in truth, she’s a very kind and understanding leader.”
She continued, “I don’t know how you got information about our relationship, but clearly, it’s incomplete. That’s your first mistake.”
She pointed her thin, elegant sword forward and stared at the girl calmly, her expression completely unreadable, like a cold machine:
“Second, based on what I know of Lady Violet’s strength and background, yes, it is possible for her to appear in this trial space created by the goddess, even if it breaks the rules. But she would never let herself be discovered by accident before choosing to appear. That woman has methods so mysterious and powerful, they’re nearly divine. And me? I’m just an ordinary person with a few special skills.”
“From you… I don’t feel any of that unreachable power or mystery.”
“Oh?” The black-haired girl’s angry expression slowly faded. She stopped trying to move closer or explain herself. She simply stood there in silence, waiting for Shadow to keep talking, letting her break down the disguise piece by piece.
Miss Shadow continued, “Of course, knowing how unpredictable that woman is, I can’t say for sure she wouldn’t use some strange nickname just to tease me. She might even reveal a bit of her power on purpose to test how alert I am.”
She glanced at one of the two swords in her hand, already drawn without her even realizing it.
A strange light passed through her eyes, unusual for someone who normally preferred action over words. But for some reason, today, she chose to keep explaining.
“The most important thing is this. If that had really been Lady Violet just now, she definitely wouldn’t have dodged my sword out of fear. She would’ve blocked it directly, using a simple but overwhelming move. But you couldn’t. You were afraid, and you stepped back instead of facing it head-on.”
“That only means one thing.”
"You're nothing but a pathetic fake who's too flawed and full of holes."
“Tsk… That’s a harsh way to put it. You’re making me feel kind of embarrassed~”
The fake “Violet,” whose disguise had been completely exposed, let out a cold laugh and curled her lips in annoyance. She didn’t bother pretending anymore.
“Well, I was listed as one of the top-priority targets to eliminate, so I thought if I acted a bit friendly, you’d lower your guard, and it’d be easier to take you out. But now? Hmm... I guess you’d say I just shot myself in the foot, huh?”
The fake “Violet” continued, “As expected of the top fighter from the Human United Kingdom’s Shadow Guard. You're not easy to deal with. Looks like those people didn’t mess up the rankings. But if this is all you’ve got, the outcome won’t change~”
Miss Shadow didn’t react to the arrogant words. Her face was cold as she calmly raised her thin sword, her expression still as calm as ever.
“Who are you? Where did you get the secret information about Lady Violet? Were you the one who killed those people earlier? Tell me everything clearly, and I’ll give you a quick death.”
“Pfft, give me a quick death? You?”
Like she had just heard a hilarious joke, the fake “Violet” suddenly smirked with amusement.
“Tell me, you didn’t really think I attacked this way because I wasn’t strong enough, did you? There are plenty of hidden powerhouses in the capital of the Human United Kingdom, and that idiot Tarillin is just an arrogant fool. It’s no surprise she failed her mission. But…”
“She and I are completely different.”
Hearing this open and shameless statement, a strange glint flashed in Miss Shadow’s beautiful eyes.
“I see now. You’re also one of the [World Sustainers], a servant of that group stirring up chaos across the world, even attacking Her Majesty the Queen… You disguised yourself as Lady Violet to sneak into this trial. You people really have some nerve.”
“Heh. So what if I am? Still acting calm when death is right in front of you? It seems you don’t understand just how big the difference is between our power, you foolish human!”
A fierce wind roared as the fake “Violet” suddenly turned into a shadowy blur, like a huge curtain of darkness rushing straight toward Miss Shadow!
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”
But Shadow stayed calm. With one hand, she swung her thin long-handled sword and unleashed several shadow blades that looked just like it.
They clashed mid-air with the enemy’s dark curtain, but were quickly swallowed up. Only slowing the enemy down for a brief moment.
Feeling the overwhelming and unreasonable strength in her opponent’s attack, the Shadow Guard narrowed her eyes and immediately jumped upward to the branches above, dodging the attack at the very last second.
“Shhrrraaa!!”
The giant shadow swept through the air. Wherever it passed, leaves and branches exploded into pieces under its deadly force.
Clearly, this unknown enemy was incredibly fast, missing its target didn’t slow it down at all. In an instant, it bounced upward again, chasing after her like a wave of darkness, ready to swallow her whole!
“Shadow Fusion... Technique.”
As if she noticed something, Miss Shadow whispered softly and leapt backward again from the tree branch. While still in the air, she merged into the darkness of the forest, completely blending into the shadows like a chameleon disappearing into its surroundings.
Shadow Fusion Technique, this is a required skill for all Shadow Guards of the Human United Kingdom. It is the secret technique that their name comes from. By merging completely with shadows, they can hide, assassinate, or move quickly in almost magical ways.
And Miss Shadow, the ace of the Shadow Guards, personally chosen and trusted by Queen Lilya, had long since mastered this skill to its highest level.
Once activated, even powerful warriors, legendary heroes, or mythical beasts far stronger than her would find it almost impossible to detect her location. After all, this is the Shadow Guards' signature technique.
If it could be easily seen through, the Shadow Guards would not have become the world’s number one intelligence force.
However...
As she disappeared into the darkness, an even deeper, sharper shadow swept toward her, like it was being drawn straight to her hiding spot.
It perfectly found where the first Shadow was hiding. These two shadows, unseen, twisted and collided, creating a sharp, harsh flash of light, just like swords fiercely striking each other!