The aftershocks of the collapsing illusory realm had yet to fade. The entire Bureau was thick with tension, every agent rushing through the corridors, eyes flickering as if wary of one another.
Ethan leaned against the stone wall of the archives, lazily exhaling a cloud of smoke. Despite the lingering soreness from the illusory backlash, his expression remained as nonchalant as ever."Funny thing… yesterday I was dancing with monsters in a nightmare, and today I'm supposed to watch my back in the office."
Karl frowned, lowering his voice."You can't be careless. The fractures in the illusory realm weren't random—they were being deliberately guided. Since you got that key, factions inside the Bureau might already be watching you."
"What should I do then? Write a leave request saying, 'Reason—The entire world wants me dead'?" Ethan forced a grin but quickly scanned the surroundings beneath it. The corridor was empty, yet an unusual chill seemed to lurk in the air.
At that moment, the lights flickered.
Click.
A subtle metallic sound. Ethan's instincts screamed; he instinctively tilted his head—
Shhh—!
A slender dark blade sliced past his ear and embedded itself into the stone wall behind him, sparks flying. In that instant, the cold intent of death brushed his skin, almost making him feel like he was reliving the "Betrayer's Blade" incident.
"Nice try," Ethan murmured, a sharper smile on his lips. "Too bad my head has more than one angle."
The attacker gave no response. Their figure darted from the shadows, clad in a standard-issue Bureau trench coat, face half-hidden behind a mask. Their movements were impossibly fast, short blades stabbing with deadly precision.
Karl immediately drew his weapon, blocking one strike but staggering several steps back from the impact. The force was beyond that of an ordinary agent.
"He's… from the Bureau," Karl gritted his teeth.
"Obvious," Ethan sneered, "his shoes are as hideous as ours." He ignited his energy blade, meeting the attack head-on.
The corridor instantly turned into a narrow killing zone. Dark blades clashed with the energy blade, sparks and a low hum filling the air. The assailant moved silently and precisely; each strike carried lethal intent. Ethan, nimble as a cat, disrupted their rhythm with sarcasm and agile movements.
"Hey, friend," he quipped while parrying, "if you actually kill me, at least leave a will. Otherwise, the Chief will write in the report: 'Cause of death—just asking for it.'"
The attacker's eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, but their strikes grew even fiercer. Short blades sliced the air, whistling, aimed at Ethan's chest.
In a flash, Ethan ducked and countered with an upward strike, forcing the assailant back half a step. He seized the tiny opening and flicked his cigarette, sparks landing on the attacker's mask.
"Here's a little fireworks show for you," Ethan grinned.
As the assailant instinctively turned their head, Ethan swung his blade, striking the attacker's wrist and sending the short blade flying. But the attacker reacted just as decisively, slamming Ethan back with a palm strike and retreating into the shadows.
"Don't run!" Karl chased two steps, but found only an empty corridor.
The lights stabilized as if nothing had happened. Only the blade marks on the stone wall and sparks on the floor bore witness to the assassination attempt.
Ethan rubbed his numb arm, still smiling."I'll bet this guy is either a mad dog the Bureau keeps around or someone who doesn't want us seeing the archive."
Karl's expression darkened, voice low."Whoever it is, they came to kill. This isn't a warning—it's an intent to end you."
Ethan sighed but shook his head with a grin."See, that's my charm. Alive, people try to kill me; dead, nightmares still won't leave me alone. I hope someday I meet a problem that's a bit more… straightforward."
Though his tone was flippant, a steely coldness flickered deep in his eyes.
Someone didn't want him alive to see the truth.