Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Betrayal... Or so I thought{Edited}
"How did you find out?" Uren's voice, laced with a venomous edge, sliced through the tense air. He slowly unmasked, revealing a face etched with suspicion.
Leo met his gaze unflinchingly, a smirk playing on his lips.
"It was rather elementary, Uren. You left trails as blatant as a madman during a robbery. I would be dead blind not to notice something was amiss."
"Trails? Do enlighten me, oh great detective." Spoke Uren, his tone dripping unveiled sarcasm.
"Oh, where to begin?" Leo chuckled, savoring the shift in power.
"First, your nervousness during your initial visit after my coma. You practically sweated anticipation, praying I wouldn't remember. It spoke volumes, wouldn't you say?" Leo ended with a grin.
Uren's eyes narrowed.
"Interesting observation." He said.
"And then… your story, what you said about the incident… certain thing just didn't add up, and that confirmed my suspicions – you were solely there to patch a leak you desperately hoped wouldn't burst." Leo leaned forward, his voice dripping with predatory amusement.
Uren, momentarily caught off guard, recovered quickly.
"I see your mind hasn't dulled in your sleep, Leo. But that's merely the tip of the iceberg."
"Indeed," Leo agreed, his own voice turning serious.
"While examining my map, I stumbled upon the Masel duchy's ambitious project - the artificial mana forest. Blowing up a mountain for aesthetics? Impressive, but illogical. The mana accumulation process didn't add up. Tourism was clearly the goal, but attracting adventurers requires mana beasts. Unfortunately, those finicky creatures only flock to areas saturated with compressed mana, which doesn't just appear out of thin air."
He paused…
Letting the weight of his words sink in.
"Your plan would take decades for them to show up naturally. Then it struck me – what if you could force them in? That way, the forest becomes operational much faster. And what better way to acquire mana beasts than to… borrow them from a neighboring duchy, shall we say?"
Leo's smirk widened.
"Something happened that day, Uren. Something that led to my disappearance, something you have a hand in."
Uren, surprisingly chuckled.
"Sharp as ever, Leo. You've indeed unraveled most of the tapestry. So be it. As a final courtesy before sending you to oblivion, I will unveil the rest."
"Spare me the dramatics," Leo countered, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"Just spill it."
"Everything I told you that day," Uren began, his voice devoid of emotion, "was a carefully crafted lie."
"Shocking," Leo deadpanned, rolling his eyes.
Uren ignored the sarcasm.
"The truth is, you never invited me to the library, I did."
Leo's amusement evaporated, replaced by a flicker of confusion. "What?"
Uren took a menacing step forward, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "I remember calling you that day, claiming I was headed to meet Camelia that day. It was your reaction that set the wheels in motion."
"That… makes no sense," Leo stammered, his mind struggling to grasp the revelation.
"Oh, it does," Uren countered, his voice laced with an almost predatory glee.
"While opinions may differ, one thing about you has always been constant – your razor-sharp intellect and a healthy dose of paranoia. You never truly trusted me, not one bit. Your friendship was a calculated move, a classic 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer' strategy. You knew I had ulterior motives, and you kept me under your watchful eye."
A wave of shock washed over Leo.
His carefully constructed reality was crumbling around him.
"You and Camelia were childhood friends," Uren continued, his voice a chilling whisper.
"So when I mentioned the library, your mind conjured sinister plots, and rightfully so. I did have an agenda – and that was… you!"
"A trap?" Leo whispered, the word thick with dread.
"Precisely. Camelia was never the intended victim. It was always you. We manipulated her memories through dark magic, painting you in a false light. It played out better than expected, allowing us to proceed with the next phase – the sacrifice."
The word "sacrifice" sent a jolt through Leo, a vague echo resonating from the depths of his fractured memories.
"Curious, aren't you?" Uren taunted, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. "But your thirst for answers ends here."
With a ferocious snarl, he lunged, a dagger flashing in the dim light, aimed straight for Leo's heart.
But Leo was no longer the unsuspecting pawn.
With a lightning-fast reflex, he twisted, the blade whistling past him harmlessly.
"The game's over, Uren," he declared, his voice cold and resolute.
"Mel," Leo's mind whispered.
[Yes?,] came the disembodied reply.
"Do it," Leo ordered, his eyes locked on the approaching Uren.
*Stump-stump-stump*
[With pleasure,] Mel hummed, a malevolent edge creeping into its synthetic voice.
[Autopilot…. Activating….] it continued, sending a surge of energy through Leo.
In a blink, a metamorphosis washed over him.
His jet-black hair shimmered, transforming into a dazzling cascade of silver-white. His eyes, once a dull red, ignited with an inner fire, glowing a vibrant crimson.
An otherworldly aura swirled around him, and in his hand materialized a sword – a masterpiece of gleaming metal and intricate designs that pulsed with an energy beyond mortal comprehension.
Uren stumbled back, his face contorted in a mix of fear and awe.
"What in the..." he stammered, his mind refusing to process the impossible sight.
Leo smirked, the gesture devoid of warmth.
*Whoosh*
With a burst of speed that defied the laws of physics, he vanished and reappeared before Uren, the tip of his blade singing through the air.
*Whizz!*
Uren barely managed to parry the blow, the clash sending shockwaves radiating outwards.
*Sparks*
The ensuing battle was a whirlwind of steel and shadows.
Leo, empowered by Mel and fueled by vengeance, moved with inhuman agility, his attacks precise and brutal.
Uren, a seasoned swordsman himself, fought desperately, but….
He was outmatched.
The air crackled with the force of their blows, and the forest floor thrummed with the impact.
Uren, recognizing his glaring disadvantage, attempted a desperate escape.
He activated a shadow step, teleporting himself to a nearby branch high above. But Leo was relentless. He followed suit, appearing beside Uren in a blink.
This time, Uren wasn't so lucky.
Leo's blade found its mark, sending him plummeting towards the ground.
*Thud!*
Uren crashed through the undergrowth, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He tried to scramble to his feet, but a boot pressed onto his chest, pinning him down. Leo loomed over him, his glowing eyes burning with fury.
"Tell me," Leo's voice was a low growl, "What's the sacrifice?"
Uren coughed, blood trickling down his chin.
"It… it was for the greater good," he rasped, his voice laced with defiance.
"The mana beasts… we needed them for a purpose… If we didn't do it, THEY would have destroyed everything."
Leo scoffed. "Lies. ALL LIES!," he roared, "Tell me what the sacrifice is, or else!"
Uren's eyes flickered with something akin to fear. "No… you don't understand… WE HAD NO CHOICE!"
Before he could finish, a blinding light erupted from Leo's chest, engulfing them both.
"Then die,"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
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Secretly_A_Villian
Secretly_A_Villian I really tried to make it profound this time, if you like.
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