Chapter 254: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (47)

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Chapter 254: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (47)The blood-soaked clearing fell into silence.

The silence persisted even as the man flicked the blood off his sword.

It was an unbelievable outcome.

Mitram's "masterpieces" possessed power befitting their title. Even Seria, the second strongest in the vanguard after Ian, was caught off-guard and defeated in a moment.

They were monsters capable of regenerating even limbs that were severed.

Yet, these formidable foes were annihilated by the man without being able to understand how.

Their struggles and difficult battles of the past seemed laughable now. Moreover, the group not only failed to endure but also ended up being subdued by them.

In contrast, before the man, the test subjects were swept away like autumn leaves.

Even the immortal-like regenerative abilities boasted by Mitram had no effect.

The chopped-up bodies did not revive and Mitram showed no signs of coming back to life after her head was severed.

It was clear the man had employed some tactics.

Yet, no one dared to question him.

The group, while managing to stand up, only watched the man with wary eyes.

Their instincts were warning them.

He was different.

This man was somehow different from the 'Ian Percus' they knew.

Perhaps they might have overlooked it, if it were in the past.

Back then, their connection with Ian wasn't deep, and any oddities were brushed off as mere feelings.

After all, it was hard for any other possibility to be conceived..

A change in personality while retaining the same body.

Such a tale was unheard of until their encounter with Mitram.

Even if heard about, it was usually in the context of discussions about the monster’s mysterious abilities or powerful curses.

Those were rumours of uncertain authenticity. Moreover, even after the gathered information was pieced together, that man’s existence was impossible to explain.

Mind controlling sorceries tended to have significant side effects.

It was considered fortunate if even fragments of the original personality remained, let alone sanity. Yet, not only was this man thinking clearly but also adapted to the possessed body too naturally.

This was why Celine failed to notice, despite her long association with Ian.

At best, she felt a slight sense of unease.

If even Celine felt that way, for the rest of the group it was much harder to suspect the man.

But now, they had no choice but to realise.

The man before them was not the Ian Percus they knew.

If he were Ian, the many crises they had faced so far together wouldn't make sense. Nor was there any rational reason for him to have such skills concealed until now.

Following the Dragonblood Script, another facet of Ian was revealed.

As secret after secret came to light, the group couldn't hide their confusion.

The first to regain her composure was the Saintess.

She was a woman who had navigated the precarious political landscape of the Holy Nation. Regaining her composure and thinking strategically in the face of unexpected challenges were her forte.

Of course, even the Saintess had yet to completely recover from the shock, but she managed to steady her trembling voice.

To ask the man the most fundamental question.

"...Who are you?"

"Ian Percus."

His reply was utterly straightforward.

However, the prospect of getting her Master back silenced her, and the fear of provoking the man and endangering Ian held her back.

For now, following the man's advice, dubious as it was, seemed the best course of action.

Worried he might change his mind, Elsie hurriedly began packing, as did the rest of the group.

However, the man was the one to momentarily hesitate.

He turned around with a look of distrust in his eyes.

His furrowed brow testified to his discomfort.

"...But, 'Master'?"

"W-What! Why!"

Elsie stopped packing and brandished her tiny fist.

Her demeanour suggested she was ready for a confrontation.

Against a man who had single-handedly defeated ten test subjects, each with the strength of an expert or greater.

It seemed she particularly disliked the man who had briefly taken her Master away.

However, it seemed that the man was shocked about a slightly different matter.

He stood there, staring blankly at Elsie, then shook his head and swallowed a hollow laugh.

"...Ha."

After that, he no longer spoke to Elsie.

He only glanced at her occasionally, with a complex expression.

Once preparations for departure were completed, handling the aftermath in the clearing was left for the Rinella family's mage corps.

Reynold’s expression stiffened upon first entering the clearing..

The quantity and quality of the fallen test subjects made it clear.

That the test subjects of Mitram they had faced were merely bait.

"This was the real deal... How did you kill them?"

The man silently tapped his scabbard.

It was a silent signal, but its meaning was clear.

The only problem was whether his word could be trusted.

In any case, Reynold didn't have the luxury to immediately verify the truth of the testimony.

After a moment of hesitation, he sighed deeply and conceded.

"...Alright, we'll hear the details later. For now, we'll take care of this place."

The journey then continued towards the Percus Manor.

For about half a day, an awkward silence loomed between the man and the group.

Even Celine, who was the most sociable, was too intimidated to do anything but look around cautiously.

The man's demonstrated abilities were astonishing and, in some ways, frightening.

If he wished, turning the group into a puddle of blood didn't seem impossible.

Given the uncertainty about the man's identity, their unease was inevitable.

Surprisingly, it was the man who couldn't bear the subtle tension.

"...Aren't you curious how I killed them?"

As always, the question was devoid of emotion, making the intention behind it unclear.

For a conversation that transcended time, the topic was rather lacklustre.