blueteamnovel Chapter 103 Reflective Escape
Chapter 103 Reflective Escape
Darian didn't answer.
But for the first time, Ivaim thought he saw something flicker in the man's cold, resolute expression—something almost human.
A faint trace of sorrow lingered there, like a man burdened by a path he hadn't chosen but one he was determined to follow nonetheless.
"I don't want to do this, Ivaim."
Darian said softly, flicking his hand.
A shimmering white whip materialized, snapping toward Ivaim with precise but restrained force—not to harm, only to hold him back.
Ivaim didn't hesitate.
[Lucky Leap] activated, propelling him backward just in time to avoid the crackling strike.
'Close one...'
Ivaim muttered, eyes narrowing.
Flipping a coin between his fingers, he infused it with ominous energy and hurled it toward Darian, activating [Whisper].
"Catch it."
Darian's brow furrowed slightly, but the command was difficult to resist.
His hand rose involuntarily, fingers closing around the spinning coin.
A surge of dark misfortune pulsed through his body, like venom seeping into his veins.
Ethereal chains materialized around him, twisting to bind his limbs.
Darian gritted his teeth, tugging at the bindings.
"I don't want to hurt you. Please, just step aside."
He urged, his voice strained but sincere.
Ivaim vaulted forward, baton raised high to capitalize on the opening.
The enchanted metal gleamed, poised for a decisive strike.
But Darian moved with quiet determination.
With a smooth motion, he conjured a polished, ethereal mirror from thin air.
Its surface shimmered like liquid silver.
"Forgive me..."
He murmured as the mirror shattered into countless fragments.
One shard reflected Ivaim's attack perfectly, redirecting the blow back toward him.
A dull, bone-jarring impact struck Ivaim's back.
He stumbled forward, biting back a curse.
"Dammit..."
Ivaim hissed through clenched teeth.
'He's got the same skills as the Master of Cruelty... just a lot nicer about it.'
Darian tugged fiercely at the chains wrapped around his waist, shattering them with sheer will.
The links dissolved into shimmering sparks.
"You don't understand..."
Darian said quietly, stepping forward.
"I have to go. If you keep stopping me, this will only get worse for both of us."
Ivaim's eyes narrowed.
"Yeah, that's not happening."
The whip flickered between Darian's hands like lightning.
Its every movement echoed with controlled, deliberate energy, meant to subdue—not harm.
Ivaim danced backward, narrowly avoiding each lash as it gouged deep scars into the ground.
"You really need to learn some restraint..."
Ivaim quipped, flipping his baton with casual defiance.
"I'm trying."
Darian said earnestly, his voice steady but tinged with weariness.
"But you're making this difficult."
The whip lashed out again, angling low toward Ivaim's legs.
Blood trickled from the wound, but Darian's mind was clear again.
He flicked his hand, summoning a gleaming mirror rimmed in silver light.
Its surface shimmered like rippling water.
"I'm sorry..."
Darian said softly, his voice tinged with sympathy.
The mirror expanded, forming a gateway filled with swirling light.
The veil's oppressive tendrils lashed out, sensing his attempt to escape.
Darian spun the mirror, its surface absorbing the dark energy like a shield.
With one last glance at Ivaim, still bound by the crushing force, Darian stepped into the shimmering portal.
The mirror folded in on itself, vanishing with a burst of radiant sparks.
The crushing force around Ivaim suddenly dissipated, dropping him to his knees. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire
He gasped for breath, his chest aching.
"Damn it,]..." Ivaim muttered, forcing himself to stand.
His muscles ached, and his mind raced as his eyes flicked toward the faint residue of energy where Darian had disappeared.
The air still felt heavy, charged with the tension of their encounter.
Above him, the Black Veil Master emerged from the swirling black veil, stepping silently as though she were born of shadows themselves.
She was impossibly calm, her presence chilling in its quiet intensity.
She stood next to Ivaim, her long cloak flowing like liquid darkness.
Her voice, when it came, was a soft whisper.
"He escaped..."
Ivaim exhaled sharply, shaking his head.
"Yeah, looks obvious enough..."
His voice was low but edged with frustration.
He glanced over at her, eyes narrowing as he tried to piece together the puzzle.
"He knew about the curse from the start. He wasn't surprised at all when I tried to intervene."
The Black Veil Master didn't respond at first.
She was still, like the night around them, studying the space where Darian had vanished.
Ivaim's frown deepened as he tried to make sense of everything.
"But what puzzles me even more is that.."
He continued, his voice gaining a touch of impatience.
"Why would Neli be willing to sacrifice her son like that? I know she's desperate, but this... it doesn't make sense. Is her husband really so important to her that she'd rather let the child she raised bear this curse?"
The Black Veil Master turned her gaze to him, her eyes like dark pools, reflecting the faintest hint of sorrow.
She let the silence linger for a moment, as if pondering the weight of his question.
"The human heart..."
She began slowly, her tone almost mournful.
"Has always been complicated, Ivaim. People don't always make sense, not in ways we would understand. Sacrifice is not always about logic. It's about desperation, fear... love in ways we can't always see."
Ivaim clenched his jaw, frustration building again.
"But it doesn't add up. She's letting her son be cursed for someone who—what?—might not even make it out of the Coliseum alive? Is that the kind of world we're living in now?"
The Black Veil Master's eyes softened, but only for a split second.
"The heart isn't bound by reason. It's messy, unpredictable. Some would call it selfish, others would call it selfless. You're asking questions that don't have answers, Ivaim."
Ivaim exhaled sharply, his gaze hardening.
"I don't care about those answers right now. I care about stopping this. We need to get to the Coliseum, fast."
He stood up straighter, his mind already calculating their next move.
"We've wasted too much time here. Trying to convince Darian to help... it's useless. He's already made up his mind. He plans on accepting the curse willingly. He's going to face whatever comes, regardless of what we do."
The Black Veil Master tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.
"You're sure of that?"
Ivaim clenched his fists, trying to steady his thoughts.
"I saw it in his eyes. He's not afraid. He's resigned to it..."
His voice dropped to a low murmur.