The chain's unique, inorganic coolness seeped through the fabric. I sighed and twisted my body from side to side.
"Stop doing useless things. The chain is a relic. Surely you've heard of Vine's Chain, right?"
"This is my first time hearing of it," I replied.
"If you behave, you won't get hurt."
His words suggested he had no intention of killing me. But for some reason, that fact didn't sit well with me.
A heavy voice rumbled from beneath the ground. "What are you two talking about?"
The man who had grabbed my ankles emerged from the dirt. Oddly, he wasn't wearing a robe. His head was shaved clean, and his rock-like physique rivaled Hariba's swollen, muscular frame.
Ugh, what a repulsive face.
His face suited a mercenary or bandit more than an assassin. That unpleasant visage turned toward me.
"You're not seriously thinking of taking this brat away, are you?" he demanded.
"That's the plan," the mysterious man replied.
"I object. He has only received one blessing. He's useless—even as an ingredient," the bald man barked.
"That's not for you to decide."
They aren't on good terms? I wondered.
Their sharp exchange hinted at the tension between them. I chose to stay silent.
"Still, he carries the Iron-Blooded Lord's blood. I wouldn't have brought this up if he hadn't received a single blessing."
"Even so—"
The mysterious man interrupted, "Then what do you propose? You invested so much in Hariba, yet he is dead now. Should I take back his corpse, now just a lump of meat?"
I didn't fully grasp their conversation, but it was clear they treated me as a trapped fish.
"What do you think?" the bald man asked the person behind me.
It wasn't like he was seeking a superior's opinion but rather deferring to a third party to break the stalemate.
"It seems good to take him with us," a woman's voice replied.
"Why?"
"We can't return empty-handed, and the kid's blessing doesn't seem weak. You saw it too—Hariba's defeat despite taking the poison," the woman explained.
After a brief pause, she added, "Besides, he still had enough strength to put on an act. That means he noticed us hiding. The Badniker family's failure has grown this much in a single day. His blessing must be exceptional."
They had it all wrong. Their interpretation made sense for someone unaware of Spirit Mountain. After all, many lives had been transformed by a single blessing.
"Yes." The bald giant paused before saying, "Even so, taking the Iron-Blooded Lord's son is too risky. It is completely different from capturing someone like Hariba."
"You don't have to worry about that either. The Iron-Blooded Lord is a person who doesn't care about those who have fallen out of his favor, even if they're his own blood."
I glanced up at the mysterious man. His voice was unfamiliar, yet it carried an inexplicable strangeness that unsettled me deeply.
"If you say so, it must be true." The bald man's tone drove the point home.
I closed my eyes briefly to gather my thoughts. Despite the tension, they were cautious with their words, and I managed to piece together the essentials—the mysterious man knew me, the bald giant had a short temper, and the woman was the most composed of the three.
Having made my judgment, I spoke. "Just one out of the three."
"What?"
"If you release the chain now, I will spare one of the three," I declared.
Their faces mirrored the shock of witnessing a talking dog. Of course, I couldn't see the expressions of the other two, but judging by the bald man's reaction, it was clear enough.
"What did you say?" the bald man demanded.
"Are you deaf? Release the chain, kneel, and apologize. Then I'll spare one of you," I repeated.
The bald man laughed, but it wasn't because of amusement. "You are insane."
"I'm not," I replied.
His lips twisted into a sneer. "Did hearing we plan to capture you alive make you feel safe? Do you think we'll treat you as a mere prisoner?
"You might not know this, but there are fates worse than death. I specialize in such work. With the right techniques, you can survive for a month without eyes, a tongue, or limbs. Τhough, I doubt you'd call it living.
"Understand, brat? Know who you can't mess with. Otherwise—"
"You talk too much," I interrupted. "First, you are out, baldie."
In an instant, the bald man swung his fist at me, aiming for my chest rather than my face. He didn't care, even though I was bound in chains.
"Mucard!" the mysterious man shouted as if to stop him.
So, the bald man's name is Mucard. Is it his real name or a pseudonym? Either way, this will give me a clue.
Mucard ignored the warning and struck me. The force of his blow sent me flying.
How strong is this ignorant fella?
Even with the chains serving as armor, the impact sent a sharp ache through my ribs. The familiar sting of a cracked bone flared—expected, but no less painful. Rather than resist, I embraced the momentum, kicking off the ground as I hurtled backward.
The man holding the chain let out a confused grunt as I twisted mid-air.
Dizziness hit me, the world spinning into a blur. But I didn't stop. I kept rotating, letting the chain coil around me like a fishing line reeling in its catch.
"No way!"
They realized my plan too late.
A sharp snap echoed through the air.
The mysterious man lunged forward, but the chain was already out of reach. Even relics had limits. Instead of breaking free, I had used my spin to slip from their grasp.
Wasn't this too twisted? This wasn't just a tangled ball of threads—no matter how I looked at it, untangling myself quickly seemed impossible. But there was no time to dwell on that. I tore through the forest, the chain clanking behind me.
With both arms bound, I soon sensed a presence closing in.
"You are doing something cute, brat."
It was the bald bastard. He was chasing me with a look of twisted delight. He had opposed my capture, so killing me probably thrilled him.
"Seriously, you look like shit," I blurted out.
"What?" he barked.
"Shouldn't you be the one wearing a hood, you inconsiderate bastard? Not your companions," I answered.
" Hahaha...! " He burst into laughter, even as I insulted him.
Once again, he wasn't laughing out of joy. It seemed the angrier he got, the more he laughed.
A curved sword rasped against its sheath as he drew it.
He is so good with his fists, yet he carries a weapon.
Mucard was so massive that the curved sword looked like a toy sword.
He closed the distance swiftly and slashed at me. The strike was fast but avoidable.
I dodged the first attack, but the giant's onslaught had only started.
Despite his size, he unleashed a rapid barrage of strikes. The oddly shaped curved sword balanced power, speed, and killing intent perfectly.
He is pretty good.
He rivaled Hariba, and I was in worse shape than before.
Counterattacking was nearly impossible. With my hands bound, I could only use my feet. But kicking him risked leaving me vulnerable. I couldn't afford a fatal mistake.
The only silver lining was that his companions hadn't joined the chase. I doubted it was out of trust. Their relationship seemed more transactional than collegial.
The situation isn't good.
Stalling for time wasn't a bad strategy, but I'd be cut down sooner or later if this continued.
My thoughts raced, but I didn't have long to decide. I made my move and closed the distance.
The curved sword was hurled at me as if it had been waiting, but I pushed myself even closer.
I used the chain binding me as a shield.
"You bastard...!" Mucard seemed flustered but quickly regained his composure.
He has a lot of combat experience, I thought.
I'd have fought differently in any other situation, but time wasn't on my side.
I gathered heat in my head, a way to attack without using my hands or feet. My skull burned, tears welling in my eyes.
The White Sun Eclipse had no technique like this. It was just a simple headbutt.
Fighting Mucard will put me at a disadvantage.
The thought barely crossed my mind before I slammed my forehead into his face. The force of the impact was greater on him, and when I glanced over, his eyes had rolled back.
Unexpectedly, he still clutched his sword tightly.
I twisted my body and struck his hand with the end of the chain.
Hitting a finger bone with a chain hurt. No matter how firmly he gripped the sword, he had to let go.
I didn't miss my chance. The moment Mucard's weapon slipped from his grasp, I caught the falling hilt with my teeth.
The move was so smooth I almost admired myself. Then, as he staggered backward, I severed his head.
Blood seeped from my gums. Had my bite been any weaker, my teeth would have shattered.
My strength drained in an instant, and I collapsed, the sword slipping from my mouth, replaced by the taste of rotting leaves and dirt.
Without even spitting, I checked Mucard. He seemed dead.
Nothing about this was unusual. It was a desperate fight, and I had struck his vital point with precision.
" Ugh... " My jaw ached, but I had no time to rest. I slowly rose, struggling to lift myself using only my legs.
"Don't move," an eerie voice commanded.
The mysterious man appeared on a tree branch. He was peculiar. Despite my position below, I couldn't see inside his hood. Perhaps his robe was a relic as well.
Then another cold voice spoke from behind me. "You're making things troublesome."
It belonged to the woman accompanying them.
I sighed. Of course, they wouldn't leave it to the baldie. I already knew how meticulous they were. In any case, it was over for me. Defeating two more unknown enemies in my current state was impossible.
"I took one down," I said.
"So what?"
"I'm not talking to you," I replied, breathing heavily. "Will you help me now, family head?"
The two froze, their gazes shifting to one spot.
From the start, I had noticed a boy leaning against a tree.
"Did you say you'd spare one?" the Iron-Blooded Lord asked without looking at them. "You decide, Luan. Who should I spare?"