"Ahhh!"
The scream came from the short man, still stuck in the thick metal of the vault door. His body trembled violently, and sweat poured from his face like rain.
"Shark, go deal with that pest. Now!" the butler snapped coldly, not sparing a glance at the suffering man. Then he turned and narrowed his eyes at the short man on the gate. "What's wrong with you?"
The short man gritted his teeth and shook his head, still forcing a pained smile. "I'm fine... I'm almost through. I just need a little more time."
But just then, there was a dull sound behind them.
The butler turned his head, and what he saw froze his blood.
The tall man who had been guarding the door was now a corpse, slumped lifelessly against the stone wall. A large, gaping hole had been punched straight through his abdomen.
"!?"
It had happened in the blink of an eye.
In that brief moment when the tall man tried to charge the Bearded Master, a surge of energy had ignited in the master's fist.
The tall man, sensing danger, attempted to intercept the blow. But it was far too late.
His powerful hands—hands that had crushed advanced opponents with ease—had met their match. They shattered the moment they collided with the Bearded Master's punch. Not just his hands—his forearms, elbows, and finally his entire abdomen caved in as the brutal impact ruptured every organ inside him.
He was dead before his body even hit the floor.
But instead of panicking, the butler merely sneered. "So it was you… That irritating little bug who just won't die."
Yes, the Bearded Master, whose strength surpassed most third-rank fighters, had once been a celebrated warrior—now undercover as a mere instructor at Ravenshade University.
He had followed this butler's trail across regions. And this hunt had lasted five long years.
In fact, he had blended in so well that over time, he really had started to enjoy the quiet life. He even grew fond of driving his own private car, something that began as a necessity for surveillance and eventually became a quirky hobby.
Now, finally standing before his long-time prey, the Bearded Master chuckled coldly. "So this is where you've been hiding all along. The most dangerous place, but also the safest."
His eyes narrowed. "I've searched for you for five years. So tell me, butler—how will you repay me for the years of my youth you stole?"
He flicked blood and shredded organs off his fists like someone casually washing their hands. But as casual as he appeared, he didn't strike again.
He knew too well—this wasn't just any opponent.
This man had escaped him for half a decade. He wouldn't go down with just brute strength.
The two locked eyes, standing deathly still. Neither moved. Neither blinked. They simply waited—both aware that reinforcements could arrive at any moment, and neither wanted to be the first to misstep.
Finally, the butler broke the silence. "If you're not going to move… then the little rats inside will die."
The words shook the Bearded Master.
"Fairwind and Ethan!"
He'd forgotten them. So focused had he been on the butler, he'd lost track of the two boys inside the vault.
But that second of distraction was all the butler needed.
Shhhhh—
Suddenly, dozens of dark green darts launched from the butler's sleeve, heading straight for the Bearded Master.
He cursed under his breath and dodged, but a few darts still pierced his side and shoulder.
Without a second thought, he brought his hand to the wounds and dug out the poisoned flesh with his fingers, slicing into his own muscle like it was nothing.
His face didn't even flinch.
When the darts clattered to the floor, the flesh turned a sickly green, emitting a foul, rotting stench.
But even in pain, the Bearded Master never took his eyes off the butler. He knew that any lapse in attention could mean death.
He was torn.
Should he attack now? The butler might escape.
Should he wait for reinforcements? The boys inside might die.
Ten years of hunting. This was the chance he'd been waiting for.
And yet… his hesitation held him back.
Suddenly—
"Ahhhhhh!" another scream came from the short man at the vault door.
This time, it was the butler who turned, distracted by the cry.
And this time, the Bearded Master struck.
With a roar, his muscles exploded outward, his body growing taller and broader in an instant. Veins bulged like steel cables under his skin, and his clothes tore apart from the sudden growth.
He lunged forward like a missile.
The marble beneath his feet cracked into craters as he launched a charge. But then, just before impact, he saw it—
A smirk on the butler's face.
Trap!
The Bearded Master slammed his feet down, halting his charge mid-motion, his muscles tearing slightly from the sudden stop.
But it was too late.
A dark lotus of energy bloomed beneath him, wrapping around his legs like thorny vines. In seconds, he was trapped inside a black lotus cocoon, unable to move.
He was unharmed—but firmly imprisoned.
He snarled in frustration. "If you've got guts, fight me man-to-man! IVL duel, now!"
But the butler wasn't even looking at him anymore.
Instead, he turned toward the vault.
The Bearded Master followed his gaze.
The short man was no longer stuck in the gate. He'd fallen out, face pale, both hands trembling.
Still, the butler didn't show panic. "Useless fool. Give me the ring. I'll do it myself."
The Bearded Master raised a brow.
Ring? What ring?
Before anyone could answer, the short man turned and ran.
The Bearded Master blinked in disbelief. "Wait—he's running? Did they just… turn on each other?!"
But it wasn't that simple.
Just as the short man turned his back, a series of black runes burst from his abdomen, spreading across his body like wildfire.
In two steps, he was entirely covered in cursed symbols.
He fell like a statue. Face first. Eyes dead.
Poof—
Just like that, he was gone.
The Bearded Master, whose full name was Charles, winced. "Some kind of curse. Ruthless."
For the first time, the butler showed visible panic.
He ran to the corpse and flipped it over.
The short man's palm was missing. And more importantly—the ring was gone.
"No… no no no!"
He scanned the body again. Nothing. He looked toward the vault, trembling with rage.
The Bearded Master smirked behind his prison. "Seems your little plan failed."
But the butler didn't respond. He simply turned and walked away.
Charles shouted after him. "Running already?! Afraid of a fair fight?!"
But the butler didn't even flinch.
He had no reason to stick around. Not when the ring had already been taken—by Ethan.
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End of Chapter 58
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