Operation: Escape, Failed

It was a normal day. Eira spent the early hours of the day at work and returned home to cultivate before noon.

She seemed to really enjoy cultivating, a feeling shared by many, minus the process of gathering and absorbing energy from spirit stones, which can be quite monotonous.

But with Jarek's help, she naturally doesn't have to go through that experience.

What made cultivation enjoyable is law cultivation.

When one cultivates a specific law, it feels as if they are comprehending the mysteries of the universe, which is the case.

Eira was deep into her cultivation as usual when she heard the sound of the door being opened.

Awakening from her meditation, she saw a familiar face, which she had been expecting to arrive just as usual.

She rose from her meditative posture, warmly greeted him as they walked to sit on the living room seats.

She was completely unaware of the presence hidden inside her house, waiting to strike when the opportunity presented itself.

In the middle of their conversation, a group of vampires budged their way into the house through the front door.

She was startled by their forceful entrance, and just like any person would react to a surprise attack, she was ready to fight back as she drew her sword.

However, she then saw Jarek raise his hand as his shadow extended forward and divided itself several times, latching onto the shadows of the attackers, completely immobilizing them.

Before she could make sense of the situation, Jarek made a strange request. "Can I borrow your sword?"

Although she had some questions about the situation, she readily fulfilled his request, handing her sword to him, wondering what he was planning to do.

She was then flabbergasted by his following actions.

Picking both his and Eira's swords, he hit both swords together, surprisingly producing an echo sound of dozens of weapons clashing.

'Is this sound laws?' She raised her eyebrow, finding Jarek's actions quite incomprehensible. 'Why is he...'

She didn't get the chance to finish her thoughts when she noticed Jarek's cold gaze looking towards her, or more specifically, behind her.

She turned around to see another vampire near the staircase.

When she got a closer look at the new enemy, her eyes darkened as she recognized this familiar face.

How could she not?

Seeing this face stirred up the wounds of the past, and a desire to drive a sword into his chest surfaced in her heart.

---

"You... How are you...? You are only an Advanced Stage cultivator!" Mir was shocked and terrified, wondering what magic this boy was using to bind his movements.

He didn't think that Jarek was stronger than he was for a moment.

Jarek's cultivation was clear as day, at the Advanced Stage.

'Is it a treasure?' Mir thought, trying to identify the cause of whatever restricted his movements.

However, he didn't find anything of that sort. Jarek was holding a sword in his hand, having already returned Eira's sword to her.

Seeing no sign of the use of any treasure, an unsettling thought emerged in his heart.

Could Jarek be restricting himself with his own strength?

Looking down, he saw a long, dark line extending from Jarek's shadow connecting to his own.

Noticing this, beads of sweat started rolling down his back and head, and a chill went up his spine.

'What sort of monster is this?' Mir wondered in his heart.

How could someone grow from a common mortal to become a cultivator who can overpower a Master after only three weeks of cultivation?

He, of course, knew that Jarek posed a certain threat to him.

In Jarek's possession was a Medium Grade treasure cage.

A hit from such a treasure would pose a significant threat to him.

That was why he chose to use a sneak attack rather than a direct confrontation.

He didn't want there to be any chance of a repeat of the two past events where he underestimated Jarek and suffered humiliation at his hands.

But the same thing is happening again despite all his preparations.

Jarek had neutralized every single obstacle he had thrown at him.

His minions were immediately immobilized before they could attack, and Jarek, using sound laws to draw him into attacking, only to end up like the other vampires.

And this time, Jarek was using nothing but his own strength to completely overpower him.

It was ridiculous.

As a vampire, he also practices shadow laws, but even with all his efforts, Jarek's hold over his shadow wouldn't budge.

That could only mean one thing: Jarek was stronger than him and overwhelmingly so.

Seeing Mir's scared look, Jarek revealed a small mocking smile, revealing his true cultivation.

Mir's eyes widened in disbelief. "Master stage? Impossible! There's no way!"

He even wondered if all of this was a dream, a nightmare.

Yes, it has to be.

[

Name: Mir

Age: 340 years

Race: Vampire

Cultivation: Master (Initial)

Talent: Low Grade (Rank 1)

Physique: None

]

"Eira," Jarek called to her, "isn't your sword intent still at the ninth level of Elementary intent? This might be your chance to improve your swordsmanship."

Mir, who heard this, felt a metallic taste rising in his throat, almost spitting blood as he felt he was being insulted.

'Now you want to use me as a whetstone? I will gladly take death rather than this.' To Mir, he felt like they were intentionally demeaning him.

These two were playing the pig to eat the tiger.

One presents himself as an Advanced stage cultivator, and the other completely hides her cultivation, appearing as nothing but a mortal.

He was certain that Eira was as strong or even more so than he was.

Truly hateful! These wolves in human skin were!

But after calming down, he realized that this might be an opportunity.

Eira walked forward, ready to face him with a sword in hand.

'Maybe I can use this chance to escape.' Turning his eyes to look at Jarek, Mir thought with a nearly imperceptible smile, 'As soon as he releases me from his bind, I can create a chance to slip away. Can you stop me if I want to escape?'

As Jarek watched Mir, how could he not realize what the vampire was thinking?

When faced with two Masters, there was only one logical path to choose, and that was to escape.

Normally, that would be the soundest move, but this situation was not a normal one.

'You can try, but you'll soon realize there is no hope in escaping.'

Mir remained oblivious to the fact that to Jarek, his thoughts were clearly written on his face, and finally felt the grip on his shadow loosening.

Without any second thoughts, he made a mad dash towards the staircase with a crazy expression.

Eira, who saw the vampire turn tail and run, was speechless at his actions, finding them worthless.

Doesn't he know it is useless?

Oh? Maybe he doesn't know.

Meanwhile, Mir was inwardly gloating, thinking, "Hehe." You wait you two, your deaths are inevitable once I return with the boss.'

When his foot landed on the first step, Jarek's shadow stirred, and when he was on the fourth step, he experienced a familiar and unsettling sensation take over his body.

Part of Jarek's shadow had stretched at incredible speeds, and before Mir could notice, he had once gained hold of Mir's shadow.

'T-this...' Mir was taken aback as he found himself unable to move again.

Realization soon dawned upon him. 'I can't escape.'

Before he could think any further, his body started to move on its own.

He found his legs were moving back the way he had come, and he stood at his original position, his body under the control of Jarek's new ability, Shadow Puppet.

Mir felt a deep sense of horror as his body assumed a stance as if he were ready for battle.

Jarek and Eira were both looking at him with mocking expressions, finding his actions ridiculous, thinking he could escape from Jarek as a Master.

Let alone a Master, even a Grandmaster couldn't successfully flee from him.

Jarek's demonstration of his abilities completely crushed his will to escape.

It was useless.

'He is even more terrifying than she was.' Jarek's unnatural strength seemed to remind him of someone.

Seeing that Mir had given up all thoughts of escaping, Jarek once again released his restrictions over Mir's movements.

'If I can't escape from here alive, then I'll at least take one of you down with me.' Mir was filled with determination as he looked at Eira with a gaze full of battle intent.