Chapter 689: Anomalous Descent, Part One

"You... how did you find this place?"

So this was what it felt like to face his ability? Thales thought.

At such a close distance, it felt as if even breathing was going numb.

But at least he had not fallen into an illusion.

Lausanne II did not answer Thales. He first lowered his head and looked at Srimanny, who was murmuring dream talk on the ground, then looked toward Catherine, who had fainted again. His purpose was obvious.

Thales frowned tightly.

"What did he promise you? What could be worth a master like you being so loyal and coming to do this filthy work that cannot see the light, even crawling through sewers?"

Lausanne still did not answer. With his hand on his sword hilt, he circled Thales and stepped sideways.

Bad.

Thales, holding up his dagger, hurriedly turned with him, blocking the people behind him.

"Money? Official rank? Honor? Even a fief and manor?"

Thales could only try his best to shout. "Or... revenge?"

The moment his words fell, Lausanne suddenly looked at him!

Although the mask and goggles blocked him, in that instant, Thales vaguely felt the other party's sharp gaze.

Good. Hold him back.

Thinking this, Thales put away his tense sword stance and tried his best to look relaxed.

"That shallow?"

"I suggest you do not obstruct me, Your Highness," Lausanne spoke. "If you feel uncomfortable, you may turn your head or close your eyes."

Thales laughed softly.

"Then I suggest you learn from Chapman Lampard. Put aside your blood feud and look toward a brighter tomorrow-"

But before he finished speaking, the black-clothed killer before him moved, instantly sweeping past Thales toward the people behind him!

Fuck!

A master this strong still used sneak attacks?

Thales was still cursing inwardly, but his body had already thrown itself out involuntarily. The JC dagger stabbed fiercely toward Lausanne's waist.

Stop him!

But his attack did not work. Almost at the same time, Lausanne seemed to predict it in advance and turned back, shifting direction with an easy, freehand movement. He avoided JC's edge and, under Thales' incredulous gaze, circled to the other side.

Bad!

Thales was startled.

He subconsciously stopped and turned, but his body could not keep up with his mind. During the abrupt stop and turn, he lost his balance and fell backward.

Lausanne even had spare energy to turn his head and glance at him before sweeping toward Srimanny on the ground again.

As if strolling through a courtyard.

Or like making a fool out of someone on the street?

Messi making Boateng fall?

Fuck!

Thales cursed inwardly, but could only watch helplessly as he fell backward and watched the enemy draw closer and closer to Srimanny.

No.

What should he do?

How could he stop him?

No!

But at this moment-

[Not enough.]

Thales trembled all over. The Sin of Hell's River burned fiercely inside him and invaded his joints and bones.

Fuck!

Amid the crackling of his joints and the violent pain, Thales felt that his ankle, calf, knee... stretched to their limits, seemed to gain strength again.

This feeling was...

Thales' heart tightened. With the help of the Sin of Hell's River, he stomped hard against the ground, pushing his body backward like a shot!

This was fucking-

The Fold of Fate!

The boy roared, completed his turn, and spun the dagger through the air, stabbing toward the black-clothed man!

Clang! Clang!

Amid the sounds of metal clashing, Thales, swinging the dagger repeatedly, finally seized the position and blocked himself between Lausanne and the four unconscious people on the ground.

Lausanne II retreated several steps. The blade in his hand was already unsheathed, gleaming coldly.

He blocked him.

Thales supported himself on his knee and gasped urgently, feeling the sharp pain coming from the joints in his legs.

He had blocked him.

Although he had been affected by the ability earlier, his body stiff and each step difficult, once they truly began fighting, things were much better.

Only, the price was a little high. Thales had already "overused" the Sin of Hell's River today, and now he only felt the joints in his legs groaning in protest.

No, why was Dead Face's broken Power of Eradication so weak?

"Not bad movement. Awkward, but effective." Lausanne looked at the tired and pained Thales, his tone slightly changed. "What kind of Power of Eradication is that?"

Good.

Make him talk. Make him talk more. The longer he stalled, the better.

Still panting with difficulty, Thales forced out a smile.

"Guess-"

But before he finished speaking, Lausanne moved again, pressing toward Srimanny!

Fuck!

Thales cursed in his heart.

Too fast!

I have not recovered yet!

Mira actually said this fellow "was not that strong"?

Had the dignified Sword of Neverwinter of House Arunde started bragging too?

Cursing was cursing, but the exhausted Thales could only keep up with the other party's movement. His dagger closed in on Lausanne.

Clang!

In the next instant, Lausanne's longsword struck with precision, hitting the dagger in Thales' hand squarely!

Thales was shocked.

The force on the other party's sword was neither too much nor too little. It did not even scratch Thales' skin, yet it happened to make the boy's arm tremble and his weapon fly from his hand.

At that moment, looking at the JC dagger being knocked away, Thales' thoughts froze.

Fuck. That accurate?

Over these years, he could be considered to have seen many rare masters in this world. He had even crossed hands with some of them. Although most of the time he had been beaten badly, or in Cohen's words, fought fiercely and suffered a narrow defeat, Thales could responsibly say that among them, not a single one, not even one, could so exquisitely and accurately disarm him in the gaps of such an intense fight, yet not hurt him in the slightest.

Not even the Knight of Judgement, whose every move was full of calculation and whose every second was suffocating, had done that.

But Thales had no time to marvel at the other party's superb swordsmanship and exquisite moves.

Because after knocking away his dagger, Lausanne II's longsword did not stop. It continued pressing toward Srimanny!

Bad.

[Not enough!]

In that instant, Thales frowned hard.

Fine.

The Sin of Hell's River burned again.

He could not stop the other party's sword, but at least he could...

In the next second, the unarmed Thales roared and took the initiative to rush forward, charging toward Lausanne's blade!

Whoosh!

The wind whistled. The sword light abruptly stopped.

The tunnel fell silent.

Thales panted tensely. He half-knelt on the ground with both arms spread open, blocking Srimanny behind him completely.

At this moment, Lausanne II's sword tip had stopped before him, only an inch from Thales' chest.

The sword point did not move at all, steady as a mountain.

"When you charged over, your eyes were open the entire time," Lausanne said faintly. "It seems you truly are not afraid to die."

It... worked?

"Your sword is very steady, and you can withdraw and release it at will." Thales stared at the other party's goggles and squeezed out an ugly smile. "It seems you truly do not intend to hurt me."

The instant his words fell, Thales only felt his eyes sting, as if sharp knives were shooting out from behind the other party's goggles.

The tunnel was quiet for a while.

Lausanne II looked at Thales, then at Srimanny lying behind him. He stepped back several paces and withdrew his sword.

Only then did Thales breathe out.

Damn it. He had won the gamble.

He lowered his arms and took the chance to move his joints and loosen his muscles.

That was right. The stiffness and numbness in his body were much lighter than before.

In other words, I have become stronger. No, what kind of joke is that? It should be that the other party's ability effect... is indeed beginning to weaken?

Thales struggled to think.

Lausanne stared at the prince before him, thoughts moving nonstop.

It seemed that telling him in advance that he would not hurt him had not weakened this prince's will to fight, nor made him retreat wisely and preserve himself. Instead, it had given him a good card, even if he was unarmed.

If he continued going mad and used this kind of suicidal interception to block the target, while Lausanne himself could not hurt him...

Mm. This was a challenge, even for him.

This prince.

Truly stubborn and troublesome.

And cunning.

Lausanne II casually made a sword flower. The longsword in his hand moved with complete freedom, like a third hand.

"Enough, Your Highness. You have already fought."

The black-clothed killer, whose true face was revealed, spoke coldly. There was now more wariness in his tone.

"You have proven your attitude, displayed your benevolence, and established your image as a wise lord. This fellow can die without regret."

Lausanne II looked at Srimanny on the ground, his words cold.

"But if this continues, I will no longer be able to satisfy my employer's request. There is a very real chance I may accidentally injure you."

"In that case, it shows your employer is not that important either," Thales laughed softly and answered very quickly. "As for his request, it is not as if you cannot be flexible about it, right?"

Lausanne II frowned.

"Then why can you not be a little more flexible and report to Zayen that 'the defense lawyer ran away' or 'the prince saved him'?"

Thales' gaze sharpened.

"You should know that no matter what price he gave you, I, the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Stars, can give you double."

Mm. At least in the king's name.

But Lausanne only curled the corner of his mouth and laughed coldly.

Seeing that the other party was unmoved, Thales continued probing.

"All right. If what you fear is that he gave you a free ticket to the high seas..."

At this moment, from the unconscious people behind him, he heard the sound of someone turning over.

Thales' spirits lifted.

Excellent.

They were starting to wake up!

He only had to hold on a little longer, attract Lausanne's attention, make him busier, make him focus more, give him no time to use his ability...

"...then I, I mean the royal family, can provide you with sufficient protection..."

But in the next second, Lausanne II coldly interrupted his thoughts.

"What I seek, Your Highness, is something the current you cannot give."

"Then wait until I am crowned king!" Thales shouted.

Lausanne II said nothing. His gaze gathered on the dagger in Thales' hand.

"Of course, if you cannot wait, if you cannot afford to wait," Thales took a deep breath, raised his dagger, and smiled pleasantly, working hard to draw the other party's attention. "Then why not come help me and speed up the transfer of the throne?"

Lausanne closed his eyes. He was silent for a long time before opening them again.

"Interesting, North Star." In the faint firelight, the black-clothed killer stared at him. "You are somewhat different from those peers of yours who grew up in fine clothes and jade food. Whether they are shrewd and self-serving, pretending to 'play a great game,' rotten and old-fashioned, or those who think themselves pure, rebellious, and unruly."

"And you, Lausanne II, you are also different," Thales followed along. "You are not like a leek. You are not doing this job for wealth and glory, nor out of foolish loyalty and blind obedience. Then why are you so serious? Would it not be better to slack off occasionally and fish a little? Why willingly be exploited and used? Why risk offending the future king to wipe the ass of the Tricolor Iris-"

Before the prince's loud speech ended, Lausanne suddenly closed in!

But Thales was prepared. The Sin of Hell's River surged, and the JC dagger shot out like lightning!

Ha. He had learned now. A sneak attack at this level...

Lausanne II's longsword went straight for the dagger in the air.

But in the next second, the black-clothed killer's figure strangely shifted sideways by one meter, letting the dagger miss completely!

Thales' heart tightened. The other party's movement had suddenly become this much faster?

Clang!

The JC dagger fell to the ground, ringing clearly.

Lausanne continued rushing toward him at high speed!

Damn it.

Thales took a deep breath, stepped forward, and swung his left hand. The JC dagger miraculously appeared in his palm again and flew toward Lausanne, who had changed direction!

This time, Lausanne II abruptly shifted sideways again. The dagger skimmed past in front of him and shot into the darkness.

The black-clothed killer turned around.

Thales raised his right hand warily. The dagger appeared in his hand for the third time out of thin air.

Lausanne narrowed his eyes.

It was not duplicating the dagger. It was not changing its trajectory. It was not a visual illusion. It was...

Good. Next time, he knew how to deal with this troublesome prince.

At this moment, Thales finally heard someone wake behind him, breathing repeatedly.

But unexpectedly, the voice that came was clear and female.

"No, Kehame, I have no interest in that... Huh? How did I get here..."

Hilley?

Thales frowned lightly.

Glover and Ralf still showed no sign of waking. There was also that female boss...

You so-called battle-hardened fellows are not even as good as a pampered young lady?

Hilley struggled to sit up from the ground. Her tone shifted from confused to shocked.

"Ah! What happened? Who is he?"

Thales sighed, but he had no choice.

"Do not panic, Wyana. Listen to me." He held up the dagger, staying alert against Lausanne before him while reminding Hilley behind him. "Wake those two up, no matter what method you use."

Hilley stared with wide eyes, looking at Thales, then at Lausanne II, unable to believe it.

"You are killing them, Your Highness," Lausanne said faintly. "I only promised not to hurt you."

Thales gritted his teeth hard.

Fuck.

Of course he knew that!

But...

Thales snorted softly and lifted his chin backward.

"Hurt? Do you know who she is?"

Lausanne said nothing.

"I understand."

Hilley quickly understood the current situation. She took a deep breath and stood.

Thales felt relieved.

"Right. Wake Ralf first. I mean that mute. Then have him hurry and ask for..."

But in the next second, Miss Covendier ignored the unconscious Ralf on the ground, jumped to her feet, turned, and ran!

"Good luck!"

In the dim firelight, Hilley pattered away in a quick little run toward the dark tunnel, not forgetting to wave behind her on the way.

"Do your best!"