Eldritch Horror Theatre

An overly ornate design wasn't practical for a Rapier, and it made for an even worse throwing knife.

Coupled with Fu Qian's complete lack of throwing technique, the sudden strike was sluggish—it even spun elegantly through the air.

Clang!

Yet the next moment, the crisp ring of clashing metal sounded a second time.

The Rapier that had spun into the thick fog flew back at a much faster speed, as if it had struck a speeding target.

Without another word, Fu Qian moved almost in tandem with the Rapier, crossing several steps to rush toward where it would land.

"Something is there!"

Only then did Reginald cry out in alarm, his body flashing with light.

However, someone else was faster.

So this was the difference between field agents and desk jockeys!

Fu Qian marveled inwardly as he watched.

Compared to the hunter he'd encountered before, Simon's methods were clearly different.

The most obvious difference was that the Lead Flame on his weapon wasn't a molten blob.

Aside from the lines of bright radiance on both edges of the blade, the Lead Flame climbed in zigzags across the pitch-black sword, tracing an ornate and bizarre pattern.

It looked just like the phenomenon on the members of The Order when a commandment was invoked.

Just a moment ago, he had thought the man's weapon was overly practical and lacked flair, but now its sheer splendor obviously far exceeded expectations.

It was easy to imagine that a strike from this weapon carried far more technical sophistication.

Clang!

Reality proved that assumptions still needed to be tested.

The next moment, amid an even louder crash, Simon's stepping cross-slash followed the exact same fate as the throwing knife—it was deflected right back the way it came.

The target of his strike had been the empty space above the path. The scene made it look as if a speeding target had already charged right in front of the three of them.

And yet, there was no sign of anything.

There was no rampaging monster to be seen; not even the rolling thick fog showed any trace of a disturbance.

This excessively fierce impact seemed to have taken place in some incomprehensible manner.

But one thing was certain: the result was highly visible.

After his interception proved fruitless, Simon—clearly unburdened by maintaining appearances—rolled on the ground with the reflexes of a highly experienced fighter.

Though he looked slightly battered, he successfully evaded the potential brunt of the attack.

However, not everyone possessed such tactical awareness. The next moment, metallic flames exploded outward; Reginald's freshly formed Serpent of Lead Flame was smashed apart.

Along with the barrier surrounding his body.

The protective blessing Amira had unleashed with all her might offered not a hint of resistance, shattering instantly like an eggshell.

The next moment, the cries of pain from the two desk workers nearly blended into one as both were sent flying.

Given the speed and power, it evoked the sheer helplessness of being run over by a heavy truck.

The relatively frail Amira almost mirrored the Rapier's trajectory, tumbling all the way to Fu Qian's feet. At a glance, her mouth and nose were stained with blood.

"Looks like a collision of pure force."

Offering a brief critique, Fu Qian turned back, looking as if something were currently plowing a path straight through.

"Excellent. Find anything else?"

Hunter Simon had already stood up by now. Showing absolutely no intent to check on his colleagues, he walked right up, the glowing flames on his Broadsword unextinguished.

"There is something else. This sword might have been stuck in the ground exactly like this back then."

Fu Qian mused, pointing in front of him.

The knocked-away Rapier was stuck in the ground at a slanted angle, looking remarkably similar to when they had first found it. He didn't rush to pull it out.

"...What was that thing?"

Though his deduction seemed nonsensical, it was hard to refute at the moment. Right then, Amira struggled to her feet beside him, gasping for breath with lingering fear.

Just as Fu Qian expected, they were elites of The Order after all. Taking some internal injuries was unavoidable, but how could they be instantly killed by a simple traffic accident?

"Judging by the posture in which you two were just sent flying, it seems to be some fairly large vehicle. And very fast, of course."

Fu Qian evaluated Reginald, who was also getting up, offering casual commentary.

"That's exactly what I'm curious about. How did you know that thing was coming?"

His Excellency Reginald had clearly taken a harder hit; his voice sounded somewhat muffled.

As soon as he asked the question, the others' gazes noticeably sharpened.

"Not only did it have the thick fog for cover, it didn't even leave a trace. How were you able to notice it first?"

"It truly is a chaotic shroud, and the form of that thing's existence is quite unique."

Fu Qian shook his head. Reaching out to gently stroke the fog in front of him, he surprisingly chose to give a direct response.

"But I actually already told you the answer, didn't I?"

"Under the guidance of the moonlight, I shall never be lost again."

Looking up at the sky, Fu Qian's expression was pious and entranced.

"I just know it's there, and that it's getting closer."

It really was what he had said before, but the problem was...

Fu Qian's answer left the trio speechless for a moment.

"You wanted me to notice it, but not in this way?"

Fu Qian didn't mind the silence and continued.

"I could feel it. When I threw the weapon out just now, there was a considerable surge of excitement from you, as if a long-awaited scene was finally playing out."

"And yet, hearing my explanation now, that excitement seems to have vanished."

"To me, it's obvious that aside from reaching the destination, this journey itself was a vital part of the plan."

While speaking, Fu Qian finally pulled the Rapier out once more and inspected it from top to bottom.

The quality really was top-notch; there were still no signs of it breaking.

"Honestly, this makes me a little curious about what answer you wanted to hear... You aren't entirely clueless about that thing from just now, are you?"

As Fu Qian methodically laid out his reasoning, Amira and Reginald's eyes clearly flickered. By the end, they both looked squarely at Hunter Simon.

"They are called discarded pieces."

After considering for a few seconds, Simon slowly spoke, forever maintaining his emotionless tone.

"Hard to perceive, taking all sorts of bizarre forms, they clearly have an unusual relationship with the Mist. And what I need to confirm is your relationship with them."

"Understood. You suspect I'm the same kind as them, so you threw me into the Mist as well to see how I'd react?"

Fu Qian let out a sound of realization, looking as if he instantly grasped the situation.

"Exactly. The result is that your performance is indeed different from an ordinary person's, and your explanation clearly lacks proof."

Simon assessed the situation, doing nothing to hide his hostility.

"Do you have any other way to prove yourself? To reduce the necessity of being purged."

"This is the charm of honest communication."

Faced with this rather difficult-sounding proposition, Fu Qian gladly agreed.

"I can prove it right now. For example, have you ever considered that since it's a vehicle, it travels back and forth on the road?"

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