CHAPTER 181: FACELESS IMPOSTER VS ALICE [5]

It happened in an instant.

By now, Alice had realized that ordinary strikes wouldn’t be enough to bring me down. Anyone else facing her would have already been lying dead on the floor—or broken enough to beg for mercy.

But I wasn’t "anyone."

I was the demon, the Faceless Imposter. Well, not really... but in her eyes, that’s exactly what I was. And I wasn’t about to fall so easily.

That was why she shifted her approach.

—Swoosh!

The aura surrounding her sword wavered, no longer steady, but fluctuating wildly. My instincts screamed.

’What’s this? Aura release? Or... deliberate overload?’

Then it happened.

"Haap!"

Her aura burst forth from the blade—detaching completely. The shimmering light twisted midair, convulsing like a living thing, until it condensed into the unmistakable form of a sword.

—Swish!

My eyes widened. "This...!"

A technique I had never seen before. Not in our sparring, not in the fragments of game knowledge I carried. It meant one thing only:

She’s been hiding this from me all along.

The floating blade trembled as if eager for blood—and then lunged.

—Bang!

"Urgh... heavy!"

It wasn’t just some illusion or a fragile construct. Its weight, its sharpness, its killing intent—all of it was just as real as Alice’s own sword. Each clash shook my bones, my dagger barely keeping the phantom edge away from flesh.

Perhaps the only mercy was that the floating blade moved with simplicity—straight, brutal, direct. But even that was far from comforting.

Because then... another one formed.

And another.

Two, three, four... until more than ten swords hovered in the air, all pointing at me, their tips glinting like a halo of death behind Alice’s figure.

A chill slid down my spine. Cold sweat trickled down my back.

"This..." My throat was dry. "This could actually kill me."

Alice’s crimson eyes locked on me, unwavering. Her voice was cold, steady—like a judge handing down a verdict.

"Haah... Why don’t you try blocking them like before?"

I forced a smirk, though my grip on the dagger was slick with sweat. "...I respectfully decline."

Really?!

One blade alone felt like wrestling with a rampaging beast, and now she wanted me to handle ten? Ten blades, moving on their own, all while Alice herself stood ready to strike with her rapier.

It was absurd.

And yet, as I stole a glance at her, I noticed something.

Alice staggered ever so slightly, her breath heavier than before. The aura blades shimmered faintly, unstable at the edges.

So, this technique comes at a cost.

For the first time, a spark of hope stirred in my chest. She was pushing herself beyond her limits. And if I could endure just long enough, if I could exploit that weakness—

Then maybe the "Faceless Imposter" could survive tonight.

The first blade came at me without warning.

—Clang!

Steel shrieked as my dagger caught the strike, sparks spitting into the air. But before I could steady my footing, a second blade whistled past my ear.

—Swoosh!

"Tch—!" I ducked, barely escaping the slash, only for a third to drive straight toward my chest.

—Bang!

The impact rattled me to the core, forcing me a step back. These weren’t just conjurations—they carried the weight of Alice’s will, her fury forged into steel.

The air itself seemed to scream as the blades attacked in waves.

—Clang! Clang! Swish! Clang!

I twisted, rolled, and parried, every movement a desperate scramble. My arms burned from the recoil of each clash, my chest heaving as I struggled to keep pace.

"Gh... You’re insane..."

Alice didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. Her eyes alone said it all: I will not let you escape.

The blades fanned out behind her, forming a circle. And then, with a single flick of her wrist, they all moved at once.

—SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Ten blades shot toward me like arrows loosed from the heavens.

"Damn it—!"

I spun, ducked, twisted—parrying one, deflecting another, narrowly dodging a third. Still, one grazed across my shoulder—hot blood spilling instantly. Another nicked my thigh, the sting forcing me to bite down on a curse.

—Bang!

One slammed into my dagger dead-on, the shock jolting through my arm.

"Urk—!" My knees nearly buckled.

The pressure was suffocating. My mind raced, instincts screaming. If I stay on the defensive, I’ll be torn apart.

Alice’s voice rang cold and merciless through the clash of steel.

"Your tricks won’t save you. You can’t hide behind that mask forever."

"Funny," I panted, forcing a crooked smile even as sweat blurred my vision, "because I was thinking the same about you."

For a brief moment, Alice’s aura faltered. The swords flickered, just slightly—like candle flames struggling against the wind. Her mana consumption was gnawing at her strength.

This is my chance.

I tightened my grip on the dagger.

The blades closed in again, howling like wolves descending on prey.

—Clang! Swish! Bang! Clang!

And in that storm of steel, I lunged forward, straight toward Alice herself.

—Chang! Chaeng!

Blades clashed against my dagger, others tore at my clothes, and one even nicked across my arm.

"Ah, ssip—!" I hissed, gritting my teeth.

Skin burned, fabric ripped, but thanks to the relic on my body, only my hand throbbed with numbness. It could’ve been much worse.

When I broke through the storm of steel, Alice’s eyes widened for just a second.

"Compared to my servant, who didn’t suffer even a scratch, your skills are far inferior!" she declared, her rapier flashing as she snapped back into stance.

She wasn’t rattled. Not at all. She pressed forward, embodying the creed the best defense is a strong offense.

Her thrust shot out with precision, fast enough to split the air.

I could’ve dodged it. I should’ve dodged it. But evasion wasn’t my winning card against Alice.

If I kept retreating, I’d be cornered—her in front, her conjured blades at my back. One wrong step and I’d be carved apart.

So instead, I had to gamble. Resolve it now.

My grip tightened. My mind replayed old lessons.

—It’s about adaptation. Counterattacks aren’t just defense—they restrict your opponent, strike their weakness, and break their flow at the same time.

—That’s easier said than done. How do you satisfy all that at once?

—By being willing to take some damage.

"...Tch."

The cold bite of steel cut into me. Alice’s rapier tore into my left arm with a sickening rip of flesh. Pain flared, sharp and electric, but I held my ground.

"Damn that teacher," I muttered under my breath, sweat stinging my eyes. "Always so practical with the lessons..."

But the pain wasn’t in vain. My parry slipped perfectly into place. The opening I’d carved—bought with blood—was real.

Now it was my turn.