Chapter 184
“Hahahahahaha!” Vito’s insane laughter permeated the air of the grassland as a brutal ballet of clashing blades began in earnest.
The resounding crashes of metal sent showers of sparks scattering like fiery embers into the twilight as Alise, Lyra, and Kaguya launched one relentless attack after another at their foe.
It started with the elegant sweep of Kaguya’s slightly curved blade, followed by the gleam of Alise’s sword carving through the air, and climaxed with the whirling, unpredictable flight of Lyra’s boomerang blades.
Yet, amidst the flurry, Vito moved with a savage, almost animalistic grace.
Wielding his single dagger like a lethal fang, he parried every furious strike with an ease that defied belief, each deflection proof of his skill.
Seizing fleeting openings, he counterattacked with equal vigor, turning the duel into a dizzying exchange where every moment was a rapid-fire dance of death—a spectacle of speed and precision that would stun unseasoned eyes.
Amidst the chaos, a troupe of fervent evilus members cried out in unison, “Lord Vito, we will help!” they said.
Their voices, brimming with fanatic zeal, rippled across the grassland as they rushed in to back their leader.
Vito, however, hardly needed their assistance.
The combined prowess of Alise, Lyra, and Kaguya made additional interference a potential hindrance rather than a boon, though the allure of more bloodshed was too enticing for him to refuse any offer, even from his own ranks.
Unfazed by the sudden influx of allies, the three fierce girls maintained their relentless assault, carving a path through the clumsy reinforcements with agile precision.
Slicing through ranks with every calculated strike, they left a trail of fallen foes, turning the clearing into a grim canvas painted in sparks and spilled blood.
Vito, in the midst of it all, danced with their blades, his eyes alight with a dangerous thrill as he savored each moment of resistance from his determined opponents.
“Hahaha! I see, I see,” Vito bellowed, his voice echoing over the raucous clamor.
“You girls fight with incredible strength. It appears there’s more hidden within you than I ever imagined.” he added.
His words, a mixture of genuine admiration and dark excitement, underscored by his delight at facing adversaries who refused to perish quickly.
Rarely had his prey held out this long when he truly fought back—with every parry and riposte deepening his lust for the unique challenge.
In a voice as calm as it was cutting, Lyra responded, “Enough chatter— you should just die already.” she said.
Her gaze locked onto the chaotic melee, every movement measured and assured as she surveyed the shifting lines of battle.
Once the evilus reinforcements had fully arrived, she withdrew strategically to the rear, launching her boomerang blades and precise, explosive bombs into the heart of enemy formations.
As the controlled chaos unfolded, she couldn’t help but think, ‘Tsk, this guy is something else. Facing both Alise and Kaguya at once without so much as a crack in his guard is truly extraordinary.’
Amid the clamour, Lyra pressed on, her tone curious and edged with tactical insight, “Are you perhaps one of the evilus leaders? I’ve never heard of someone with your kind of mystique.” she asked, probing for information.
With a nonchalant shrug, Vito responded, “I am often told that my face is forgettable. Because of that, my friends call me ‘Faceless’.”
Beyond his shockingly vibrant blood-red hair, nothing about him struck one as particularly unique—a permanent, eerie smile and narrow, calculating eyes that gave him the look of a living mask, perfectly echoing the nickname he wore like a dark honor.
Kaguya, her tone dripping with disdain, muttered bitterly, “To think someone like you could have friends.”
Not missing a beat, Vito shot back, his voice laced with cold amusement, “You sure love to hurl harsh words. Tell me—are you really an aspiring hero?”
Before Vito could savour the exchange further, Kaguya lunged in with a ferocious slash aimed to end him.
But, with deliberate precision, he parried her attack effortlessly—a calculated move by Kaguya meant to expose a gap for Alise to exploit with her own rapid strike.
In that split second, fate twisted the unfolding drama, as Vito’s minions interposed themselves, forming a barrier that thwarted Alise’s oncoming assault.
A frustrated click of her tongue punctuated the interruption, yet Vito’s focus remained unshaken as he pivoted his attention back to Lyra.
“Another reason why no one truly remembers me,” Vito said, his scarlet eyes glinting in the dim light.
His calm voice carrying a chilling edge.
“What reason?” Lyra asked, her voice filled with cautious curiosity.
Vito slowly widened his burning red eyes, as if he were exposing a dreadful secret.
“It is very simple,” he said softly, his tone soothing yet sinister.
“The few individuals who have seen my face never live long enough to tell the tale.” he revealed.
The shock in his statement was clear.
His unnerving gaze combined with that cruel, wild smile made the girls shudder in disgust.
All in that moment, they felt once again the dark nature of Vito.
At that very instant, a new figure stepped into the open clearing.
“Alise! Lyra! Kaguya!” The voice rang out with genuine worry.
It was Ryuu, arriving with urgency.
Ryuu, along with the rest of the Astraea familia and the Bahamut familia, had just secured all the adventurers on the 18th floor.
Vito’s eyes flicked over the newcomers as he remarked, “Ah, your companions have finally arrived.” his voice held no hint of fear as he watched the newcomers arrival.
With an exaggerated sigh, Vito added in a mocking tone, “I do not fancy my chances against you lot.”
One of his minions, clearly anxious as their opponents reinforcement had arrived, whispered urgently, “Lord Vito, we must retreat. Do not forget our objective.”
Vito scoffed with a slight shake of his body.
“Tsk, I already know the plan,” he muttered.
“It is too bad that the special target did not show up. I would have loved to see him in person. Tsk— that crazy woman is going to be very angry when we return.” His words betrayed an inner tremor as he thought about a certain person.
Lyra overheard the mention of a “special target” and her mind raced with questions.
Who could be so important as to be called this by someone like Vito?
“Well then,” Vito continued, his tone turning mocking once more as he addressed the girls.
“To you all, who dare dance to the tune of justice, I bid you farewell.” With that, he turned toward the forest in the east and began retreating slowly, his minions following at a measured pace.
Not willing to let him escape, Alise shouted, “As if we would ever let you go! You are not going anywhere!” Her determination to chase him rang clear in her voice.
But before she could give chase, Kaguya cautioned, “Wait, Captain! It might be a trap. They may want us to follow, leading us right into an ambush. We would not be ready to defend ourselves if we hurried into that forest.” she said.
Kaguya had watched Vito’s slow, casual retreat very closely.
There was nothing hurried about his departure; he walked away as if he had no fear or rush. Every step he took felt suspicious.
Considering how dangerous Vito was on his own, Kaguya worried what might happen if another foe just as skilled or worse appeared suddenly from hiding.
Although Alise and Lyra felt eager to chase after him, they also saw the sense in Kaguya’s careful words.
In the recent years, the three of them had grown painfully aware of just how low the evilus could go in order to achieve their dark goals.
Soon, Ryuu was standing in front of the group with concern written on her face.
“Are you three alright?” she asked, while her eyes scanned the edge of the forest for any signs of the retreating enemy.
“All is fine here,” Lyra replied softly, stretching and cracking her neck as if to relive the tension. “Not even a scratch on me.” she added energetically.
Neze stepped forward to provide the next update.
“We have gathered all the adventurers in Riveria and then came straight here to find you. The Bahamut familia, along with the others, are now keeping watch over them.” she reported.
Alise’s eyes narrowed with worry.
“That is good to hear, but what about the casualties? Tell me, how many were lost?” she asked.
Neze’s tone turned somber. “More than fifty percent succumbed in the attack. We only managed to save as many as we could.” she revealed.
The girls took a quiet, painful glance at the grassy plain in front of them.
There lay many fallen adventurers, their bodies scattered across the field, the vibrant green grass now stained a grim shade of crimson.
Ryuu’s frustration erupted into a curse, “Damn it!” Her words burned with righteous anger.
“If only we had arrived just a few minutes sooner…” she said, her voice heavy with sorrow and regret.
Kaguya was quick to cut in, her tone harsh and severe.
“Know your place, cocky elf. Do you really think you are some legendary hero? No one could have saved them all, and deep down you know it.” Her words brought Ryuu back to reality, halting her self-pity.
Ryuu’s response came in a roar, full of passion and defiance. “Just because I cannot reach perfection does not mean I should stop striving for it, Kaguya!” she exclaimed.
"How can you possibly save the people who need saving if you write them off before you have even begun?" she added.
"Save it, Ryuu! Now is not the time for this," Neze cried out in an attempt to dissuade the two girls from fighting.
"So you're taking her side now? It's okay to tell me off but not her, who started it?" Ryuu argued, pointing at Kaguya.
"I am not..." Neze's reply was cut off as Lyra interjected.
"Come on, haven't we heard enough?" Lyra interjected, fiddling her finger in her ear, not bothering to look at them.
"I know you two are great friends and all, but can't you have your debate somewhere else? Come on, captain, say something," Lyra remarked.
But Alise was kneeling over the body of a fallen adventurer.
She had seen the adventurer's dead expression, the emotions before their death pouring through to her.
Gently, she swiped her hand over their eyes, closing them before turning to Lyra.
"First, we need to carry the bodies of the fallen adventurers. We will return them to their parties and loved ones, let them decide what should happen next," Alise said, her voice solemn.