26 25. Saved by the bell

The temperature in Verdant plummeted further, prompting residents to retreat into their homes, hastily lighting fires for warmth.

Drake, seeking solace, entered his kitchen to brew a cup of tea after the ordeal with Hajun. Sipping the hot liquid, he strolled toward the parlor, hoping to gaze out from his veranda.

Yet, on the way, a subtle movement caught his eye. Drake turned to see a knife trembling on a table, seemingly pushed by an unseen force. "You're here." He called out, addressing the mysterious man in the corner.

"Here I was attempting to surprise you, but those perceptive eyes of yours catch everything," The figure emerged from the corner, approaching the table.

"Let's skip the pleasantries, IX." Drake's hands trembled slightly as he addressed the faction member. "We both know you didn't come because you felt like it."

"Well, busted." IX casually hopped onto a chair, retrieving his blade. "You're skating on thin ice, Drake. The leader hasn't been pleased since X's demise."

"I've done everything within my power. I reported to Hive all I knew," Drake defended, but IX swiftly threw a knife at him, shattering the cup in Drake's hand, staining the carpet with tea.

"Well, that won't change a thing, will it?" IX twirled a knife, examining it closely. "So, why did you call me here?"

"It's about a presence in the Fledplains, matching the description I was warned to watch for."

"An Unknown," IX applauded softly. "Good work, Drake. Your vigilance is commendable."

"If only... if only you had arrived a few hours earlier," Drake mumbled, walking around.

"What do you mean?"

Drake, momentarily confused, tried to recall his words. "No— It's nothing, just some personal reflections."

"I'm all ears."

"No. It's nothing."

IX sighed, a blend of contempt and disappointment evident on his face as he focused on his knife. He slowly raised his gaze, locking eyes with Drake. "You know, I've always hated liars."

"What are you talking about?" Drake inquired, fear slowly welling up within.

"Do you fear Hajun more than us?"

"Pardon?"

"Pretending you don't know will only worsen things." IX leaned forward in his chair, spinning a knife on his index finger. "I overheard your conversation with him. I was there the entire time."

Drake gulped, his heart sinking as he attempted to concoct a story, but all that came to mind were empty words. "It's not what you think—"

"Protecting someone who doesn't deserve it. It's not fear, it's guilt." IX tossed his knife, catching it by the blade.

"How did you know it was him?"

"Hajun? Please, did he really believe wearing X's mask would make him suddenly invisible?" IX chuckled. "On the boss's orders, I should've killed you by now. Yet, I still see potential in you. So, how do you plan to make up for your mistake?"

"I'll tell you everything you need to know!" Drake dropped to his knees, pleading on the ground.

"Good," IX smirked, watching Drake prostrate. "Begin."

"He wore a diamond tag around his neck, and he was traveling with a party from the Roosevelt guild. Though their primary target is a Grey Stalker, they should be at the Rashid Ice Forest as we speak!"

"Diamond, hmm." IX pondered, still fixating on Drake. "You can stand, you've made up for your mistake."

"Thank you." Drake smiled, getting to his feet. "But wait, didn't you hear me convey this information to them yourself? If you were eavesdropping on our entire—" His sentence was abruptly interrupted as a blade was hurled into the wall directly behind him, narrowly missing his face by millimeters.

"I've always hated liars." IX yawned, rising and walking up to Drake. "I've always hated myself."

"You didn't know..." A bead of sweat trickled down Drake's face.

Hajun's adversaries were the faction, which is why he wanted to conceal the whereabouts of his location, hoping that one day he'd dispose of all of them and free him from their shackles.

"You did well, Drake."

"Please! I can still do more. I can find more Unknowns; I can lure him here, lead him into a trap! Please!" Drake pleaded, attempting to save himself, while IX stared into his eyes.

"Good." IX turned aside, heading out, tapping Drake's shoulder as he passed by.

"You don't have to do this," Drake begged, but before he could say another word, a knife impaled his neck, forcing him to the ground.

"You brought this upon yourself."

"You— Bastard." Drake managed to utter, his hands and clothes stained with crimson.

"We planned on killing you since X died. He was your ticket for survival. After he died, you went along with it."

"Hajun— He'll kill you, just like... he did... X." Drake's eyes bled, his voice raspy as he gasped for air. "You're... Next!"

"Pinning your hopes of vengeance on the very man you betrayed? Attempted to murder? You truly are an intriguing man, Drake." IX hopped onto the chair again, kicking his feet up as the spectacle unfolded.

Seated, IX observed Drake writhing on the ground. The strike itself was lethal, but his knives were infused with a neurotoxin that prolonged the torment. "Gradually, the soul departs, leaving behind a lifeless shell," IX mumbled, salivating as he watched Drake squirm.

"All this while— I thought... power changed you." Drake coughed up blood as he held his neck. "But it didn't— you've always been a sick bastard."

"You sound like my therapist." IX laughed as the true show began.

What unfolded thereafter could only be described as gruesome:

Drake started foaming at the mouth, stifling any screams that sought escape. He clawed at the ground, breaking his fingers in pain yet he couldn't move. Gradually, his body disintegrated into putrid flesh, the neurotoxin acting as an acidic agent devouring him from within.

Minutes later, his entire form transformed into an unrecognizable mush, oozing through the cracks and eventually seeping into the apartments below. "How anticlimactic. Perhaps I should have opted for the psychosis blade, at least that would have been entertaining."

IX rose, stretching as he prepared to depart Drake's residence. With his mission accomplished, he now had the luxury of engaging in his personal experiments. "Well, Hajun is still alive. I can't wait to share this with III, his reaction will be priceless!"

[System Wide Notification, Broadcasted to all players.]

[Hajun has killed The Unknown- Silver Fang.]

[Time: 2,49.]

"Well, there goes my surprise, but wait—" IX muttered in disbelief as he witnessed the notification popping up. "By himself? No, that's insane... in under 3 minutes? Who the hell is this guy?"

IX smiled nervously, goosebumps surfacing on his skin. As he exited the house, he swiftly adjusted his plan. Instead of reporting to III, this was a case he needed to bring to the leader. If he could single-handedly defeat Silver Fang, he might be more than just a job.

.

.

.

The night was dark

And merging with that darkness

Was Hiakam's manifest.

Swiftly, Hajun pushed Erra out of the manifest's zone. Unlike his own, which created a zone-like area around him, amplifying his abilities, Hiakam's manifest belonged to a different category.

It was a chamber-type manifest, forming a secluded space enclosed by a barrier. Within this area, the user experienced the effects of the manifest, while the designated enemy slowly had their mana drained.

Harvey observed as the barrier sealed, completing the manifest. He surveyed the empty space with a false moon overhead.

Panting, Harvey stood in contemplation. In this realm, he couldn't overcome Hiakam, and to make matters worse, he was unable to use mana or any of his techniques. Harvey gripped his daggers awkwardly, eyeing Hiakam on the opposite side.

"You have no mana to drain," Hiakam remarked. "You used your manifest against the Unknown, didn't you?"

"Mhm," Harvey replied in thought, scanning his surroundings.

"As much as I would've liked to face you at full strength," Hiakam charged toward Harvey. "A hunt is a hunt!"

Instantly, Harvey raised his guard, sensing an unsettling shift. The moonlight, once distant, now appeared to draw nearer. When Harvey looked up at the seemingly hovering moon, he heard Hiakam mutter words that would alter the course of the battle: "Strip."

Harvey's world plunged into darkness—no sight, sound, or scent. A complete sensory void. Gradually, he felt a strike to his chest, propelling him into the barrier enclosing the manifest. As his senses returned, Harvey coughed and stood up. "He said something... was it connected to the moon?" Harvey remained vigilant.

"Hmm?" Hiakam mused, rushing toward Harvey. His opponent plugged his ears, and Hiakam grinned in surprise. "You've already figured out one part of my technique. However, there's more to my manifest than that!"

Chamber manifests, like many others, represented an elevated version of the user's innate technique. In Hiakam's case, his innate technique involved a sensory strip triggered by the word "Strip."

This effect could be countered if the opponent didn't hear it. However, within the manifest, the moon above that moved autonomously could also strip the opponent of their senses.

Harvey found himself stripped of his senses, taking a step back, puzzled about the other facets of the ability. Once again, Hiakam delivered a punch to his gut, this time accompanied by a form.

Hurled into the barrier, Harvey bounced off and was thrust into it once more by Hiakam, who relentlessly continued his assault. "Shame that you joined the faction, maybe we could've been friends!" Hiakam landed another punch, witnessing Harvey collapse to the ground as he withdrew his fist.

"Manifest end," Hiakam declared, observing the barrier deactivate, signaling the forced conclusion of his manifest. "I see you took care of the slave," He remarked, noting Erra's battered but not fatally injured state.

"Is he dead?" Halo inquired as she approached Harvey, her dog sniffing around him.

"No." Sven, with his blade in hand, walked toward Harvey, aiming the weapon at his neck, poised to strike.

"Who told you to act by yourselves?" A commanding voice resonated, prompting everyone to kneel with bowed heads.

Emerging through a portal crafted by Emirus, Blair stood alongside it, while Emirus observed everyone bowing, his slight snicker betraying a sense of amusement.

"Ms. Blair," Sven acknowledged. "I didn't think New Order would come until later today."

"Is that Hajun?" Blair focused on the masked man on the ground.

"Yes."

"And you wonder why Micah is chosen as the second leader." Blair spat on the ground as she walked through the portal. "Emirus, teleport both him and his... companion to the guild."

"Yes, ma'am." Emirus executed the teleportation spell, whisking Harvey and Erra away. "Don't know what you guys did, but the guild leaders sure are going to give you an earful."

"Shut up, Emirus," Sven muttered, grinding his teeth, reflecting on Blair's words.

"I can't hold this portal forever, and unless you want to walk back to Frosthaven, you better get in, now!"

Sven observed as everyone entered the portal, eventually stepping through himself. He steeled his mind, preparing for the inevitable reprimand from the guild leaders. "Tch!"