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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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Chapter 185: Family Vacation (3)
***
They were carefully concealing their dark mana but it was not enough to evade Damien’s senses.
The two individuals strolling down the street were undoubtedly dark mages.
‘Those motherfuckers have appeared again.’
Damien sighed, a wave of weariness washing over him.
He had finally gotten a chance to enjoy a family vacation, and why did these vermin have to show up now?
He’d rather ignore them if he could. After all, Damien was enjoying a rare moment of happiness.
But he couldn’t. These weren’t just any dark mages.
‘Two high-level dark mages.’
High-level dark mages were not to be taken lightly, even though they lacked power in comparison with Grand Dark Mage.
Even a single one could easily turn an entire city into a hellish landscape.
He couldn’t allow such dangerous beings to roam free. If he wasn’t careful, his family could be in grave danger.
“Victor.”
Damien called out to Victor, who was nearby. Victor had accompanied them on this trip to assist the family.
“Yes?”
Victor responded.
“I need to step away for a bit. If Father or Mother asks about my whereabouts, tell them I’m sightseeing around the city. Understand?”
“Another errand… I understand, sir.”
After relaying his instructions to Victor, Damien leaped off the building’s edge and soared towards the ground.
Gently landing on the pavement, he set off in pursuit of the two figures.
***
The Grim Brothers, Laks and Akas, vanished down the tiny alley. Not a soul stirred within its depths, only trash and stray cats catching their eyes.
“This looks good.” Akas, the elder brother muttered. He dug a fist-sized black stone from his robes. Laks, the younger brother mirrored his action.
Both began engraving magic circles onto the building’s exterior using black stones. The intricate patterns materialized swiftly, revealing the practiced ease of their movements.
“Be careful, brother. This magic circle is highly unstable. The slightest mistake and it won’t activate.”
“Don’t worry, brother. I practiced all night like you asked.”
The task wasn’t lengthy. Within minutes, over ten magic circles adorned the building’s wall.
“Perfect,” Akas smirked, his gaze lingering on the completed circles. “Flawless.”
“Sucré truly is a genius. How did she even create such dark magic?”
“They say it burns people alive.”
Akas explained, a hint of morbid excitement in his voice.
“Not just burns them. It cooks them slowly over an hour. Keeps them alive while they suffer.”
Burning a person was easy. But slowing down the process to an agonizing hour? That was dark magic of a caliber beyond their imagination.
“Impressive, sure but why such a drawn-out method? Wouldn’t a quick explosion be more efficient?”
“I want to watch them burn while I eat.”
Akas replied, his eyes glazed over with a disturbing fantasy.
“But if they die too fast, the fun ends. They need to stay alive at least until I finish my meal.”
Akas’s gaze returned to the magic circles, his expression a chilling mix of hunger and sadistic anticipation.
“Such beauty and genius, Sucré is a combination of beauty with brain. No wonder I can’t resist her.”
“Brother, enough of that talk,” Laks countered, a hint of worry in his voice.
“Remember what Winston did to you last time?”
“So what if he beat me? He didn’t kill me, did he?” Akas chuckled darkly.
Laks could only grimace at his brother’s words.
“And brother.”
Akas continued, his voice turning serious.
“What’s the first rule of Hedoniac? Do whatever your heart desires. I won’t give up on Sucré, no matter what.”
Laks sighed, the weight of Akas’s impossible dream settling on his shoulders.
“And who are we anyway?”
Akas pressed, his voice laced with a hint of pride.
“Right now we’re Sucré’s assistants, but weren’t we once the fearsome Grim Brothers?”
Before Sucré’s intervention, the brothers were notorious dark mages, the Grim Brothers.
They took on jobs like building demolition and assassination, their skills highly sought after in the criminal underworld.
Then, Sucré appeared out of nowhere, kidnapping them both.
She saw potential in them and offered them a position as her assistants, promising them access to powerful dark magic in exchange for their service.
Despite the forceful recruitment, they couldn’t complain much.
Working for Sucré gave them access to powerful magic, a steady flow of funds, and ample resources.
“There was nothing I couldn’t have before. That’s why I won’t give up on Sucré either.”
“Alright, alright, let’s move. We have another location to hit.”
As Laks started walking, Akas grumbled from behind.
“Why do you have to rush off? You knew I wouldn’t stop talking otherwise.”
The brothers continued down the alley, their black robes billowing behind them, their faces hidden in the shadows, a chilling reminder of the dark magic they wielded.
“So much for a famous festival’ Seems there were quite a few skilled knights around.”
“They say it’s packed with tourists from other kingdoms. Even high-class knights? How sad, coming to a festival out of sheer loneliness.”
“Even more pathetic. Not a single one of them noticed us.”
Laks said with a cruel chuckle escaping his lips.
The brothers shared a dark laugh.
There was a reason they were called the Grim Brothers.
Their years of experience combined with their expertly in dark magic made this look easy.
Hiding their dark mana from mere knights was a breeze.
“Indeed. We are Hedonists.”
An unfamiliar and chilling presence sliced through the air from behind them. Both brothers outstretched their hands and were ready to unleash a torrent of dark magic at a moment’s notice.
Standing in the center of the narrow alley was a young man.
Dark brown hair framed a face that held a hint of defiance.
He was taller than average, and even beneath the loose clothing, the taut lines of a well-trained body were evident.
The brothers stared, a flicker of confusion crossing their features.
They had just passed from the very spot where the young man now stood. There had been nothing, absolutely nothing, just seconds ago. Now, he was there, seemingly materialized out of thin air.
“Who are you?”
Akas asked with his voice laced with suspicion.
“Following us, perhaps?”
Laks added, his tone equally wary.
“Hedoniac.”
The young man replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
“Never seen you before, but the name rings a bell. A criminal organization active during… those times, wasn’t it?”
He offered no further explanation, leaving the brothers filled in confusion.
“Even a nobody like me knows your reputation.”
the young man continued, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.
“Seems the Church wasn’t exaggerating when they chased you down with such fervor.”
The brothers exchanged glances, a peculiar mix of pride and amusement playing on their faces.
“You are well-informed, aren’t you?”
Akas said, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
“Yes, we were Hedoniac. But it seems your reasons for confronting us go beyond mere recognition. Who are you really?”
Again, the young man remained silent, his gaze fixed on them with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines.
“I figured you were dangerous, but planning a city-wide terrorist attack? That’s a very serious issue.”
He didn’t yell or threaten. He simply stood there, his expression a twisted mask of barely contained rage.
“That’s why I can’t let you people live. You disrupt everything. My happiness, my peace. You shatter it all.”
A suffocating aura, heavy with violence and death, emanated from the young man.
The Grim Brothers, notorious for their cruelty, had never encountered such a potent presence before.
“Well, that’s a stroke of luck. At least you showed up before things got messy.”
Akas said, trying to sound nonchalant despite the tremor in his voice.
The young man began to close the distance, a predator stalking its prey.
The Grim Brothers’ hands were overflowing with dark mana as they summoned their dark magic after the sensing impending danger.
“Don’t come any closer.”
Akas warned, his voice laced with a newfound urgency.
But the young man ignored the warning, his steps purposeful and unwavering.
With a flick of their wrists, the Grim Brothers unleashed a torrent of dark magic, the signature destructive power of the Doom sect unleashed from their fingertips.
The dark magic blazed enough to engulf the target in flames and reduce it to ashes in a blink.
It was one of the fastest and most difficult spells to dodge that they could use.
Yet, nothing happened. The young man didn’t burst into flames. Not even a single ember can touch his body.
“Slow.”
The young man remarked, casually slinging his longsword over his shoulder.
The bewildered brothers could only stare.
“When did you even draw that sword?”
It was only then that the horrifying truth dawned on them. Their wrists were severed, their spellcasting hands lying useless on the ground.
“Ah, ah…”
A strangled gasp escaped their lips as agonizing pain erupted.
Their mouths gaped open, a scream threatening to tear from their throats.
But before their cries could reach the outside world, the young man slammed his hands over their mouths.
It felt like iron tongs were crushing their lips, squeezing the flesh and shattering bones.
Ugh… Ugh!
Their screams were muffled, trapped within their own bodies.
The brothers’ eyes welled up with bloodshot fury, their bodies thrashing wildly in a desperate attempt to break free. But the real torment had just begun.
Mana turned into sharp needles came out from the young man’s hands into theirs, spreading like wildfire throughout their bodies. The excruciating pain brought tears streaming down their faces.
When the young man finally released them, their bodies crumpled to the ground in a heap.
Free, yet utterly helpless. Their dark mana was stagnant, their bodies immobilized and unresponsive.
“I’m going to ask you two some questions.” the young man said while rolling up his sleeves.
There was a strange, undefined fear in the air, despite the fact that he had no weapons in his hands.
“You can stay silent if you want to, Of course, that’s only if you can handle what comes next.”
The deserted alleyway echoed with the muffled screams of the once-feared Grim Brothers.
***
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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