"Viktor should be on the second floor…"
Baston leaned against a quiet pillar in the lobby of the Carpel Inn. He gazed onto several upper floors while his mind raced.
Fortunately, his strategy had worked exactly as intended.
From the moment he first got information about the target that day, he had already understood about the man's personality. Viktor was greedy, arrogant, and loud. Most importantly, he was short-tempered.
A man like that was easy to manipulate.
The man cursed constantly. Even during the casual conversation, he used foul language without restraint toward Luke. That alone revealed a great deal about his temperament.
Someone like him could never endure the humiliation and Baston had made sure such thing came slowly.
First, he allowed the hope to bloom before he destroyed it. Everything had been carefully arranged from the very beginning. The fight at the arena had never been meant to simply win. It was meant to provoke.
At first, the crowd believed that he would eventually lose. After all, he had chosen to fight using nothing but his fists. With no magic, no sword, and no sophisticated technique, he dared to fight against the veteran mercenary.
It was just a raw strength to decide everything.
By doing so, he planted a false assumption in everyone's mind.
If he had used magic or a sword, Viktor might have become cautious. But with a simple brawl that looked fair, predictable, and even entertaining, the man would surely see the bigger chance to win.
The battle turned into a test of stamina rather than skill. It was exactly what he wanted.
Slowly, Viktor's confidence had grown.
His servant looked experienced. The opponent which was only a fat young boy with awkward movements appeared to be running out of energy.
Every moment Viktor watched the match, his belief deepened that victory seemed inevitable. And when a man like him believed that he was about to win, he lowered his guard.
Baston simply waited for the right moment before he crushed the illusion. The final strike shattered not only the fight but Viktor's pride as well.
Just as he predicted, the man exploded in rage. The angry shouting from the upstairs echoed through the inn moments later. Even the guests in the lobby heard it clearly.
"What kind of useless trash did I hire?!"
The roar reverberated across the hall and people exchanged the puzzled glances.
Some laughed awkwardly while the others whispered among themselves. However, Baston merely smiled. The opportunity had arrived and he walked calmly toward the staircase.
Halfway up, he slipped into a shadowed corner where the light from the magic lamp barely reached.
Slowly, his appearance changed.
His face shifted and his body bent slightly. Even his clothes transformed following the order he wanted. At the moments later, he no longer resembled the guest who had been sitting in the lobby earlier.
Instead, he looked like an ordinary inn worker with simple uniform and plain expression. Someone that no one would bother to remember.
Walking with the tired posture of a low-paid servant, he stopped in front of one of the rooms on the second floor.
He knocked gently but there was no response. He raised his hand to knock again when the door suddenly opened.
A tall man who was wearing a leather armor stared down at him, "What is it?"
The guard's tone was cold and Baston quickly lowered his head respectfully.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sir…" he said in a humble voice, "The inn manager heard that the honored guest inside had a difficult day. As an apology, we would like to offer the complimentary food and drinks for today."
The guard frowned slightly, "Wait here..."
He closed the door halfway and the servant waited patiently. Inside the room, he could hear the faint murmurs before the guard returned.
"Stay here… I'll ask my lord…"
"Of course…"
The servant kept his head lowered. This first contact was crucial. He needed to see the situation inside the room first. More importantly, he needed to count the people.
After a brief moment, the door was opened wider.
A faint magical pulse swept across his body which should be a detection spell.
The servant remained calm since the puppet carried no weapon and no poison. There was nothing suspicious on him. Naturally, the scan found that he was just a worker at this inn.
"Come in…"
The guard stepped aside and the servant entered the room. The moment he crossed the doorway, he understood how furious Viktor truly was.
The broken plates littered the floor, the fragments of shattered vases scattered near the wall, and the wine stains spread across the carpet.
At the center of the room, Viktor sat while patting his chest. The fat noble's face was red with anger and his breathing was heavy. Two guards stood near him while a third leaned quietly beside the window.
Baston quickly counted them which should be only three guards plus the one at the door, resulting four in total. There was also one wizard around by judging from the faint magical aura near the corner.
In the end, there were six visible enemies inside the room. It was more troublesome than he expected.
However, he did not immediately lower his guard after counting them. After all, the numbers were only the surface of the danger.
He allowed his eyes to wander slowly around the room like a simple servant who was looking for a place to stand, but in truth, every small detail was being recorded in his mind.
The guards looked disciplined. Their stances were relaxed yet their hands never strayed far from the hilts of their weapons. Even the one who was leaning by the window appeared casual only on the outside.
Baston noticed the man's eyes who were constantly scanning the corridor behind him through the reflection of the glass.
These were not ordinary hired guards. They were really the trained experts.
The wizard who was standing near the corner worried him even more. The man wore simple robes and said nothing but the faint ripples of mana drifted around him like invisible mist. From time to time, the wizard's fingers moved slightly as if he was adjusting the threads of a spell that only he could see.
Perhaps, it was a silent alarm network. Perhaps, it was a layered detection magic.
If he had entered this room with his real body, he suspected the wizard would have sensed something immediately.
Fortunately, a puppet had no heartbeat, no breathing pattern, and no emotional fluctuations. To most magical detection spells, it was nothing more than a harmless human presence.
Still, he could not shake a strange feeling. Something was missing or perhaps, someone who was supposed to be here.
His puppet kept its head lowered while pretending to observe the broken plates on the floor yet his senses stretched outward as far as the puppet could reach.
There was nothing unusual appeared. There were no hidden footsteps and no concealed aura. And yet, the uneasiness remained like a thin needle that was pressing against the back of his mind.
He suppressed the thought.
Even if there were hidden dangers, his plan would end everything in a single moment. One explosion was all he needed and he soon bowed deeply to resume his identity.
"My lord…" he said politely, "What would you like us to prepare for you?"
"That idiot mercenary I hired couldn't even beat a fat boy," Viktor muttered bitterly before he slammed his fist on the table, "Fine! If the inn wants to make me feel better, then bring the best dishes you have!"
His finger stabbed randomly at the menu, "This and this and that one..."
The servant kept his expression neutral. Inside, however, he was cursing.
Since the food was free, Viktor chose only the most expensive items. Even if all six people ate together, it would still be too much. It would be a waste but he nodded obediently.
"Understood, my lord..."
After memorizing the order, the servant left the room. At the downstairs, the kitchen soon became busy. Baston only requested a few dishes so it would be just enough to make the illusion believable.
Carrying a tray that was filled with aromatic food, he then returned to the second floor. He knocked and the door opened again. Another magical scan passed over him and everything seemed normal.
The servant entered and placed the dishes carefully on the table.
"My lord, the rest of your order is still being prepared," he explained politely, "Please enjoy these first so you do not have to wait."
Viktor nodded. The smell of roasted meat filled the room that even the guards swallowed unconsciously.
The servant began opening the dishes one by one. The steam rose from the plates and the aroma grew stronger. Then suddenly, he stumbled.
His foot struck the edge of the table, making the tray tilted. Before anyone could react, his body lurched forward straight toward Viktor.
He grabbed the fat noble tightly and shouted, "EXPLODE!"
The flare spell ignited instantly and the mana surged through the puppet's body. Everything should have ended in that moment but something moved faster.
A black chain shot through the air.
Before the spell could fully detonate, the chain wrapped around his waist before it yanked him violently. The puppet was dragged across the room and hurled through the window.
The glass shattered and the cold air rushed in.
For a split second, Baston's puppet hung in the open sky outside the building. At there, standing near the broken wall was a figure that he had never seen before.
A man who was dressed entirely in black. His face was hidden beneath a hood and only darkness could be seen beneath the shadow.
Baston's mind froze since he hadn't sensed this person earlier, not even once.
"Damn it…"
The spell could no longer be stopped and the explosion soon happened in the air.
"BOOOOM!"
The explosion tore through the atmosphere. The flames erupted outward from the puppet's body and the shockwaves slammed into the walls. The buildings nearby trembled and the windows shattered but the damage stopped there.
Luminos City was protected by the powerful defensive enchantments after all. The barriers absorbed most of the destructive force.
Still, the sound of the explosion thundered across the district. The people soon screamed, thinking an accident had happened somewhere.
"What happened?!"
"Was that an attack?!"
"Is the city under assault?!"
The panic spread quickly through the streets. At the moments later, the alarm bells began ringing across the city.
The guards shouted the orders and the magic lamps were lit up along the roads. However, Baston could see none of that since his puppet had already been destroyed.
Several streets away, he sat quietly on a dark alley and he could only sigh.
"In the end, my strategy failed…"
The plan had been flawless yet someone had interfered which was the black-hooded man. He thought rather than confronting Viktor directly, it was better to ambush him with flare magic. Still, his guard was faster than him.
He replayed the scene in his mind from the chain, the speed, and the hideous presence.
"That man is not ordinary wizard…" he muttered.
The aura felt familiar and it felt dangerous. It was very similar to the dark wizard he had encountered before. By then, a thought suddenly struck him.
Baston's eyes brightened, "Wait…"
If that man truly was related to dark magic, then he might be able to turn the entire city against the wizard. Even if he wasn't certain yet, it was still worth trying.
He quickly switched his consciousness to another puppet which was the one who had been still sitting quietly at the coliseum.
Without warning, he grabbed Luke's wrist and the noble boy jumped slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"Keep the fake Viktor busy," Baston whispered quickly, "Anywhere will work. Either the arena or the hallway, it doesn't matter. Just don't let him return to the inn."
Luke frowned, "What happened?"
"There has been a complication…" Baston released his hand, "I have to go..."
Luke studied him for a moment before nodding, "Alright, be careful. My uncle may look like a greedy pig but he's cunning when cornered."
"I know…"
With that, the fat boy disappeared into the crowd.
Meanwhile, Luke remained where he stood, watching the place where Baston had vanished. Only few minutes later, the fake Viktor approached him again. The nobleman's expression was already twisted with anger.
"You humiliated my servant," he said coldly, "I challenge you to a death match."
Luke sighed inwardly.
It was a ridiculous excuse but if this fake uncle believed that killing him would be easy, then perhaps the man deserved a harsh lesson.
"Very well…" Luke said calmly, "Let's settle it today..."
*****
At the same time, Baston hurried through the streets. He entered a public restroom, and at the moments later, his real body emerged from the shadows.
One puppet had been destroyed. That meant the situation had become far more dangerous. He needed to act carefully now.
Rushing through the streets, he soon reached the Carpel Inn. A crowd had already gathered at the outside.
Fortunately, the surrounding buildings were still intact. Only Viktor's room had suffered major damage where part of the wall had collapsed. The interior of the room was now visible from the street below.
He narrowed his eyes because Viktor was still alive. The fat noble looked pale and terrified.
Several guards surrounded him protectively and standing near the broken wall was the black-hooded man.
He was silent and still, watching the crowd below as if they were insects.
Baston hid behind a nearby building before he summoned another puppet.
This one transformed into an elderly nobleman who was dressed in luxurious robes decorated with gold and gemstones.
The old man quickly joined the gathering crowd. He slowly approached the inn, then he pointed a trembling finger toward the hooded figure.
His voice shook, "Dark wizard…"
People nearby turned to look at him, "What?"
The old man's voice grew louder, "He's a dark wizard!"
The crowd gasped and the fear spread instantly.
In Luminos City, those words carried enormous weight.
Baston's puppet stepped forward and its eyes were wide with terror, "I saw his magic… I know it…!"
The old man's voice cracked as he shouted, "That man is a dark wizard!"