MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 429: Revelation

Shock rippled through the Executioner's gaze as he turned to face the new threat.

But the moment was fleeting, gone in an instant.

The shock vanished, replaced by the same chilling amusement that had dominated his expression.

And there, standing before him, was Anthony.

Anthony stood calmly beside Kingsley.

Even Kingsley, usually composed, was taken aback.

Seraphim, Dale, and Reynold were stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.

They had all witnessed Anthony's death before their very eyes, yet here he was, standing before them.

The Executioner slowly floated down, his feet landing with a soft but deliberate touch upon the earth.

He regarded Anthony with a cold, calculating gaze, as if studying an existence that defied logic.

The Executioner's voice broke the silence, smooth and almost admiring.

"You never cease to amaze me, Anthony"

With a single, casual motion, he raised his hand.

In an instant, 'Anthony's' corpse materialized in his grasp, the lifeless body held with almost no effort.

The Executioner didn't need to utter a single question.

Even the most oblivious individual would have understood the truth.

It was a clone.

But there was something wrong with this picture.

Clones, by nature, dissipated upon death, vanishing as quickly as they were created.

For Anthony's clone to endure for this long, even after death, meant it wasn't a typical imitation.

It was something far more complex.

The Executioner's gaze shifted, narrowing as it landed on the real Anthony.

Then, with an air of quiet curiosity, he asked a single question.

"When... and how?"

Anthony's smile was serene, his voice utterly calm as he replied.

"When you killed the demon, the moment we all took a step back, I created a clone and concealed myself in that instant"

The Executioner let out a soft, knowing hum, his eyes studying Anthony with renewed interest.

"Hoo..."

He mused, the amusement lingering in his tone.

"I'm sure I didn't give myself away. Did you begin suspecting me from the very start?"

"Indeed"

Anthony replied, his tone cool and unhurried.

"I suspected from the very beginning"

A faint smile played on his lips as he continued.

"From the outset, you could have simply handed the Severed Crown of Echoes to the demons, without waiting for us to reach the top floor"

He paused for a moment, his gaze steady.

"The demons were already on this floor before we even set foot on the first"

He went on, his voice smooth as ever.

"Yet, you didn't allow them to answer the riddle until we were present"

Another brief pause followed, and then Anthony's expression shifted slightly, as if revealing a deeper understanding.

"Of course, this could also mean you didn't want the artifact to fall into their hands. But I'm not so naive as to believe that's the only reason"

The Executioner remained silent, his gaze fixed on Anthony, as though searching for any hint of a misstep in his earlier performance.

"But how did you know I wanted something more?"

He asked, his tone now tinged with curiosity.

Anthony responded without hesitation, his voice calm and measured.

"It's nothing really. I've read my fair share of clichéd novels. Secret realms opening, treasures hidden within, an all powerful old man inside who praises the younger generation, eager to pass down his treasures and techniques so they won't be lost to time... blah blah blah"

His words were delivered without the slightest rush, his calmness unmoving.

The Executioner's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

"Hoo... So, you're mixing stories with reality now, huh?"

He mused, as if pondering this revelation.

"I just think the author is running out of ideas"

Anthony said with a sigh, his tone dripping with casual indifference.

"So, he's throwing in all these clichéd tropes, only to make them more elaborate in order to drag the story out across more chapters"

The Executioner stared at Anthony, clearly confused by his words, unable to grasp their meaning.

"Besides"

Anthony continued, his voice steady and deliberate,

"No matter how you try to hide it, you were just too pleased when I answered your question. I could feel the other emotions you were trying so hard to bury deep within your heart. But it's all futile"

The Executioner's expression faltered for a brief moment, his brows knitting together in a subtle frown.

He had always prided himself on his control over his emotions.

But under the piercing gaze of Anthony's All Seeing Eyes, that control was meaningless.

Every flicker of feeling, every hidden reaction, was laid bare.

"It doesn't take much to figure it out"

Anthony said, his smile widening as he spoke, the satisfaction clear in his voice.

"I don't know how or why, and frankly, I don't care to know. But you were imprisoned here, this realm suppressing your power. You can't leave with your own body, so your only option is to wait for someone, a body, that fits your needs. Then, you can simply transfer your soul and leave"

A slight grin spread across Anthony's face, growing ever wider.

"I knew I'd be the ideal candidate. My face, my intellect, my talents. But I needed a distraction to swap places with my clone without you noticing. Who would've thought you'd provide the perfect diversion, all by yourself?"

As his words hung in the air, an eerie silence settled in, the weight of Anthony's revelation filling the space between them.

No one could have anticipated that Anthony had planned so many steps ahead.

Even Kingsley furrowed his brow in disbelief.

The Executioner, once so confident in his position, now stood motionless, his amusement evaporating into thin air.

He had thought himself the puppet master, like pulling the strings of fate, toying with his prey.

But in the end, he realized the bitter truth, he was the prey.

In this intricate web of schemes, where he believed he controlled every move, it was Anthony who had triumphed.

The Executioner had lost.

Suddenly, the Executioner began to laugh, deep, rich, and without restraint.

"HAHAHAHA! It seems I've been sealed away for far too long, if even a mere child can outwit me" freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

He chuckled, his voice filled with genuine amusement.

The laughter echoed for a few moments, not the maniacal cackle of a cornered beast, but a simple expression of pure entertainment, as if he were genuinely impressed by the turn of events.

"Well, it matters not whether you figured it out or not"

He said, his tone shifting back to its previous calm, as he shook his head with a knowing smirk.

"That sneak attack of yours, the final card you played, was meant to end it all... yet in the end, all you managed to claim was a single drop of my blood"

A faint, almost admiring smile lingered on the Executioner's lips, his gaze never leaving Anthony.

"I must admit, you're impressively sharp, ridiculously so. To possess Sword Intent at such an age. It's an absurd feat in itself. But I wonder"

His voice lowered slightly, dripping with an air of intrigue.

"Can your intellect, your cunning, truly save you? Even though my power has been suppressed, it still remains formidable. After all, in the face of absolute power, everything else is but a fleeting illusion"

The amusement in his eyes was clear, unshaken.

He was still the predator in this encounter.

And in his mind, he was certain of his superiority.

"Indeed, in the face of absolute power, everything else is but a fleeting illusion"

Anthony responded.

As he spoke, his Sword Intent surged forth in its full, unrelenting force.

Kingsley, without hesitation, unleashed the full extent of his presence, his aura radiating with overwhelming intensity.

One wielded Intent.

One wielding Concept.

No words were necessary.

No signal was required.

An unspoken understanding passed between them.

And in that instant, they moved in unison.