Chapter 125: Somehow, I Did It

-: That’s on you, bro.
-[OP]: lol what? What did I even do wrong? Go on, tell me. Since you apparently know what I did.
-: If something starts feeling even a little shitty, You’re just supposed to go, “Ah, so this is that kind of game,” and move on. But no, you tried to overcome the shittiness lol.
-[OP]: Ah…
-: You really thought you could achieve something inside a game? Avoid the bullshit plot twists? Take your L, man.
-: Every time I visit this place, I realize something… Y’all have an insanely high understanding of this game.

-: Devs: Be mad here.

Players: Ok.

Devs: Be frustrated here.

Players: Got it.

Devs: Now struggle in despair and hopelessness here.

Players: Yessir.
-: But for real, aren’t the real high-IQ folks the ones who tasted this crap of a game and noped out before it infected them?
-: stfu
-: Nah, we don’t need guys like that in our game. True comrades are the ones like OP, slamming their head into the void, wasting time and emotion for our sake.
-[OP]: Fuckers.

-[OP]: But seriously… is this really un-clearable? Now it’s just my pride. I have to beat it.
-: Set a password? < Whatever, he figured it out.

Have a token to prove your identity? < He got one.

Be as careful as humanly possible? < He poisoned him anyway and got the chance to steal the face. Also he can copy faces, voices, and abilities in real time. How do you even stop that? This guy’s just James Bond. And yet somehow… still succeeded.
-: James Bond scratching his balls at home suddenly going “oh shit” lol.
-: “Director, I’m afraid I can’t do that lol.”
-: Stop playing mind games with the devs and just send the Knight Order already. At least they let you kill him in the boss fight. That’s something.
-[OP]: Fuck sakes.

The Face Thief.

His infiltration was perfectly executed.

Even the earlier slip—when he briefly lost control, overwhelmed by the will inside the stolen sword—was rendered irrelevant by how flawlessly the rest played out.

As one player put it, his infiltration felt like skipping the entire process and jumping straight to a perfect result.

He shook off the sword’s lingering will, returned to the form of Brienne, and slipped into the Goose mansion where the Knight Order was stationed.

He broke through their alertness, blended in, and extracted intel.

He discovered that, at Drey’s request, Tua regularly met Risir to instruct him in swordsmanship.

He pinpointed the exact times and dates, approached Risir, poisoned his food, and left him defenseless.

Then he impersonated Risir and attended the training with Tua, gaining the opportunity to steal her sword technique.

It was an absurd infiltration, made possible by combining a master assassin’s skill with the constitution of the Faceless One.

If someone asked the Face Thief “how?”, his answer would’ve been set in stone, “Somehow, I did it.”

Absurdities like this aren’t meant to be explained or understood.

Which is why seeing through it, let alone stopping it, should’ve been impossible.

The Face Thief’s infiltration should have been perfect.

But something went wrong.

He was exposed, and now stood face-to-face with the worst possible outcome.

All because of him.

“How…”

The Face Thief couldn’t help but ask.

How had this been possible?

Risir answered the question with a serene expression.

As if to say, “Somehow, I did it.”

That calm face spoke louder than words.

“…”

It was the moment the Face Thief’s absurdity was outdone by something even more absurd.

Instead of a deep revelation, this sudden reversal gave the Face Thief a surge of raw emotion.

This damned bastard…!

The serene, composed expression of “Risir” he was mimicking twisted into rage.

He glared at Risir, seething with hatred.

He wanted to tear the man who ruined everything to pieces.

No, calm down.

But he wasn’t just anyone.

He was a master assassin.

Even now, he maintained perfect self-control and assessed the situation.

This was the back courtyard of Goose Mansion, an enemy territory.

Tua, the Knight Order commander, was standing nearby, watching him like a hawk.

Her hand hovered near the hilt of her sword.

The standoff had already begun.

The moment one side moved, combat would erupt.

No hidden presences nearby.

Not an ambush.

Just a straightforward exposure.

Meaning… only the commander and that freak are here.

The commander was a mid-7th tier swordswoman.

The freak was hard to measure but hovered at the latter half of 6th tier.

It was doable.

If he committed fully, he was confident he could take both of them down.

But it would take time.

And cause a huge commotion.

He was deep in enemy territory.

Reinforcements would arrive quickly.

By then, it’d be too late to escape.

He already knew the best option.

If I run now, they can’t stop me.

They can’t even chase me effectively.

It’s a shame I couldn’t steal the commander’s sword…

But it’s fine.

There’s no need to rush. As long as I have the constitution of the Faceless One, time is on my side.

This world is already in my grasp.

He made a slight movement toward his sword.

Tua and Risir instinctively stepped back, widening the gap.

Easier for battle prep, harder to stop an escape.

Exactly what he wanted.

But just as everything was about to fizzle out—

—You ignorant insect! How long do you intend to wear that face?!

Summoned—or rather, released—by Risir,

An elemental of ash-white flame roared at the Face Thief.

—I want to bring you a mirror right now, just to show you what you look like!

—A fool trying to mimic the sun, burning himself to ash! Know your place!

—It’s time to wake up from your delusions!

—Grovel in the dirt where you belong, and be grateful for that miserable life!

—You’re nothing but a clown whose only trick is wearing masks!

—So now, wear your ugliest mask of all! Your true face!

The pseudo-devil elemental, enraged by the impersonation of its master, hurled curses like venom.

“…”

The Face Thief’s already-cracked pride shattered further.

His face flushed red, eyes bloodshot.

His spiritual world, already shaken by the sword’s will, was stirred again by this emotional blow.

Calm down!!!

He scolded himself inwardly.

He couldn’t be provoked.

Victory didn’t lie in mutual destruction, but in escaping this place.

Let them wallow in their paranoia and uncertainty.

He must not let pride ruin the plan.

Stick to the decision made while he was still rational.

Escape. Right now.

His reason screamed—

—Tch. Pathetic.

Another voice cut in.

Risir’s second elemental.

A girl with short indigo hair, she stared at the Face Thief with genuine contempt.

—From the looks of it, you tried to mimic Risir’s sword and got consumed by its will, making your spiritual world is in tatter. How fitting, that someone so oblivious to their limits would possess an absolute mimicry ability. Go ahead and enjoy that power while you can. In the end, it’s that very power that will kill you.

“GRAAAAH!!! YOU DAMNED BASTARDS!!! I’LL KILL YOU ALL!!!”

The pseudo-devil.

The Murderous Fiend.

Provoked by two elementals who knew exactly how to strike a nerve, the Face Thief snapped.

He drew his sword and charged.

Tua stepped forward to intercept.

Battle began.

“Commander Tua! I’ll cover you!”

Risir immediately channeled his mana and asked Dan’Galeon:

Dan’Galeon! Why did you provoke him all of a sudden?!

—I imagined what I’d do in that bug’s position! He was probably planning to escape! And what better way to torment a bug than by keeping it in your palm? His ability is most dangerous when unseen!

So you provoked him to keep him from running?

To create the best outcome?

—It’s child’s play to keep such a fool on a leash!

Whoa… you really sounded like a devil just now.

Risir was genuinely impressed.

—GAHHH!!! What high praise! The sheer joy—no, wait!!! Mastahh! I am not some filthy devil!

Yeah, yeah, got it. So tell me how do we deal with him?

Over the past few days, Tua had genuinely trained Risir in swordsmanship as part of the plan to bait the Face Thief.

Most of that training had taken the form of sparring.

Tua’s strength, having reached the mid-7th tier, was overwhelming.

Risir never once gained the upper hand.

“Ggh…!”

Yet now, even she was struggling against the Face Thief.

—Definitely a tricky opponent.

Clana, observing with arms folded, muttered.

—A late-7th tier mana level and the ability to use multiple sword styles. That’s beyond what Tua can handle.

Then he’s too much for me as well.

—Ordinarily, yes. But you have my sword. And with your enhancement ability added, your blade can reach him.

“…”

Risir looked grimly down at his own hand.

—Wait. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of—

Using the Breath Taker in enhanced state.

A technique that required Risir to go all-out in perfect condition to be properly executed.

But just earlier, he’d used that enhancement to activate the ‘password’ trick, now leaving him in overloaded state.

In his current state, using that move again would reduce its accuracy and control, and the side effects would be severe.

—Then instead of trying to do something on your own, call for backup first. That bastard is still too much for the two of you to handle. I should’ve mentioned this earlier… damn.”

Ah, if it’s that, don’t worry.

—What do you mean, don’t worry? Don’t tell me you’re about to spout nonsense about taking him down on your own?”

Not that. I already called for backup. I signaled Magnus, who was on standby nearby.

—What? When the hell did you—?”

Just now, when I said I’d provide a cover. While drawing his attention, I sent the signal.

Right then, Magnus appeared from across the backyard, quickly assessed the situation, and immediately drew his sword to charge at the Face Thief.

“What the—how is he already here…?!”

The Face Thief couldn’t hide his surprise at the faster-than-expected arrival of backup.

His breath and sword faltered for a moment.

And they didn’t miss that opportunity.

The Face Thief, who had been overwhelming Tua with superior skill and erratic swordplay, was suddenly pushed onto the defensive.

—…What the hell is this guy?

Klana muttered, stunned, as she stared at Risir.

Risir joined the coordinated attack immediately.

While covering them with a sandstorm, he kept a close eye on the battlefield.

“Damn. Their level is insanely high.”

His face twisted.

The speed. The power.

The mana flowing through their swords and movements.

The duel between 7th tier swordsmen was, quite literally, on a different level from Risir.

There was no way he could jump in.

Ideally, he’d leave the close-range combat to the two and end things with long-range support…

But—

“What a monster…”

The Face Thief crushed that hope.

Tua and Magnus pressed him with relentless coordination from both sides.

The two masters, having trained together countless times, moved as one.

And yet, the Face Thief refused to be swept up by their flow.

Every time their teamwork gained momentum, he shifted his swordplay and disrupted their rhythm.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more deviously he interfered.

He even began mimicking Tua and Magnus’s sword techniques to break their synergy.

Once again, the one who had been on the defensive began regaining his momentum.

Even while being attacked from both sides.

“Ghhk—”

“That bastard…!”

A brief stalemate.

In that moment, groans escaped from Tua and Magnus.

Risir realized it instantly.

If this continued, it would turn into a war of attrition.

By the time backup arrived, and the Face Thief was subdued,

Someone on their side would already be down.

They needed a decisive blow.

Something powerful enough to break through the Face Thief’s absurd adaptability.

“!!!”

Just then—

Risir’s pupils dilated.

His senses caught a gap in the Face Thief’s defense.

Now!

Risir pushed all other thoughts aside and summoned every bit of strength he had.

Thump!

His mana surged, forcing out strength beyond his limits.

Step.

Step.

Risir accelerated, closing the distance between him and the Face Thief in sync with his enhancement technique.

And when everything was ready—

“Clear the way!”

Tua and Magnus simultaneously leapt aside, opening a path between Risir and the Face Thief.

Risir dashed through it, cutting through the wind.

Every motion of Breath Taker unfolded perfectly.

In an instant, Risir was right in front of the Face Thief and swung his sword.

Spurt!

Blood poured from Risir’s mouth.

However, his limits caught up to him.

“Urgh…!”

The Face Thief grabbed his throat and kicked Risir away.

Risir’s body flew through the air.

Magnus and Tua rushed in and caught him.

Meanwhile, the Face Thief glanced down at his hand, which had clutched his neck.

A smile crept across his face.

Shallow.

Risir’s strike had failed.

And then—

“Risir, are you okay!?”

“Kugh…!”

Blood gushed from every orifice on Risir’s face.

It was a clear symptom of severe overload.

And with it, the greatest threat had been neutralized.

“Grahahahaha!!!”

The Face Thief burst into manic laughter as he looked at Risir coughing up blood in Tua’s arms.

It wasn’t just joy at his enemy’s suffering.

He was elated.

The enhancement technique that empowered Risir’s last strike,

The Face Thief’s had successfully stolen even that power.

Yes!!! This is it!!! This is what the Face Thief’s true form is!!! That freak is nothing before this power!!!

He recalled how he’d been mentally devoured when he stole Risir’s sword.

But now, he’d given up reason and let his instincts take over.

He was intoxicated by omnipotence, ready to accept everything that came with this power.

“Ahh…”

He sank into ecstasy.

The power surged.

It surged and surged—

Surgedsurgedsurgedsurgedsurgedsurgedsurged—

“…?”

The rapture on his face suddenly vanished.

Something was wrong.

He felt it too late.

Drip.

A scalding-hot liquid flowed from his eyes.

Then from his ears.

Then his nose.

Then his mouth.

“…???”

Blood poured from every opening on his face, and he didn’t understand why.

Something was wrong.

He turned to Risir, hoping to find an answer.

That guy should be dying too, crushed by the side effects of this power—

“Huh?”

Risir, with a completely calm expression, stood up.

Blood still ran from every opening in his face, but his eyes were peaceful.

“…”

Risir scratched the back of his head, looking down at the Face Thief.

“Somehow, I did tt” That’s what his expression seemed to say.

He then straightened his posture as if nothing had happened.

The dried blood on his face was now smeared over by fresh blood.

He quietly said to Tua and Magnus,

“Let’s finish him off before he gets his mind back.”

Tua and Magnus, still stunned, couldn’t respond.