Deception: A Tactician's Card

Confirmation

"[Deception]."

With that, he disappeared in front of me.

What the heck just happened? Is it [Invisibility]...? No, it's not. He just said [Deception]. I don't know the identity of that card. It's not in the market, so the thing that I could only think of this is that it's an Original rune card.

"Stop this cowardice and fight me!"

"Oh come on. Why would I fight against you according to your terms? I already granted your wish. I'm afraid I can't do that twice. I'm not a genie, after all."

His voice reverberated within the space. Even with my enhanced body, I can't detect his presence. I could no longer trace his blood -- an ability that I'm proud of since it gives me the opportunity to hunt down enemies. It's pretty useless against this guy.

Where would he be?

Where—

"I'm over here."

"Hah!"

I turned my hand into a spear and ought to stab the source of the sound behind my back. However, all I hit is air and nothing else.

"Tch. You trickster. Show yourself!"

"Oh yeah. Sure thing."

He appeared in front of me, carrying a cricket bat, of all weapons one could wield, and charged recklessly towards me.

He's underestimating me, alright. I'll kill you and prove Hero that I am worthy of becoming their member!

I scattered some water droplets around me and turned it into needles, stabbing the pitiful creature.

It's finished? That's easy. Only that rune card that made me hear those horrifying voices in mind is the dangerous thing. I removed the control of those water needles. It dropped as how the Law of Gravitation agreed to act. To my surprise...

"Oh, did I say that you shouldn't believe what you see?"

"What!?"

How come you're still alive!?

A new one -- a version of him -- was still standing atop the body I just stabbed. What the f**k is this? Is he immortal?

Now, he's walking towards me so casually that his previous reckless action is a fraud. I shaped my arm into a blade, dashed towards him in an agile manner, and cut his head off. Blood splattered from the severed head and neck. As I was about to triumph over my victory, his voice could be heard again. He's at my left, still walking casually with the bat resting on his left shoulder.

"Try again."

"Damn! What are you!"

He paused and raised one of his eyebrows. He then made the tip of cricket bat touch the ground to his side, supporting his weight.

"Huh? That's rude. I'm a human, through and through. Is something wrong about it?"

"That's impossible! There's no way a mere human could attain such strength! Rune cards... Yes, that's it! If it weren't for yur Original rune cards, you're pretty damn useless!"

"Well, I can't deny that. But being able to create rune cards and use it at my disposal is a normal thing of my life. Now", he said as he started walking towards me again. "Are you already contented for killing me twice? That's a pity. I might kill you after all and you just stand there, looking shock? Ah, you don't have a face anymore but your body gesture says so. Attack me already. Who knows? You might kill me for real this time."

"Raggggggghhhhhhh!!! I'm gonna end you!"

I plunged my arm, currently in a spear form, straight at his heart. He dropped dead after that, but there's another replacement, coming at my other side. I hacked him into two.

Yet another one appeared once more.

I killed him by cutting all of his limbs before cutting the head.

He reappeared again.

I kill.

He resurfaced from the shadows.

I kill.

The same process repeated again and again.

I could see that his own blood stained my arms, which were now red in color. On the ground our numerous copies of him, all dead by my hands.

And yet he keeps on spawning.

Why is that?

Is it because of that rune card he used before our fight?

He appeared. And I slayed him again.

But then another one came, bearing the same body features.

This isn't like [Mirage] or [Illusion] rune cards. If he had made illusions out of either of those rune cards, the result would've been different, since I could sense his real body and kill him in an instant, thus ending the battle.

But why?

Why do you keep on spawning!?

"Stop this!"

"Eh? Aren't you enjoying the show? You killed me too many times already. I thought psychos love to kill."

"S-show yourself!"

"I am already. You blind?"

"Don't play dumb! Show yourself, coward!"

"Oh, I get it. You're looking for the real me? Sorry but I'm already am. See?"

"Motherf—"

I then felt a gentle top on my head. The sensation I felt is not from a smooth one, but rather from a blunt, hard object. I leaned my head and saw a cricket bat plunged to head, the tip touching a part of my brain.

How?

My body made out of water shouldn't be penetrated easily like that. I should've detected it before it could touch my brain.

Just how?

"You see. You're already dead. But I couldn't care less about it. It's just you who forgot about that and you just thought that you're still alive all this time."

"As if a mere cricket bat could kill me!" I screamed with all my might as I pushed him away from me with tremendous water surge.

"You think?"

I gasped after hearing his response. His voice is coming from my back.

"You see here. In the real world, we're still staring at each other. Your companions are still with you but fled immediately, carrying your brain. It's all for naught though...or perhaps not. They'll just extract your rune cards just like what they're doing upstairs."

"W-what are you saying? Me? The great Jaxonn? Dead?"

"Yep. And yes, this is the end of the show. Well, let me give you a cute little hint about what I did. The truth is, that [Nightmare Requiem] I use and [Deception] could have their effects mixed into one act. Just rack your brain of how I actually did it. I bid you farewell. Ah, that was rude of me, a dead person could never use his brain, right? Well, except if you're an Undead, that is. But that doesn't matter to be honest. Whatever the race you're into, anyone will drop dead if I wanted to."

He then disappeared without a trace. Even those bodies on the ground went with him. My vision started to get blurry before it went completely blank.

"So... This is despair... I couldn't say if it's...good or not but... He's way more psychotic than I am."

These are my last words, before my consciousness fades permanently.

•••

"Are you alright, Leen?"

"Ah, yes... Yes, I am. Thank you for uhh, extracting the [Eternal Slumber] out of my system. It's been great to not sleep for eternity, you know."

"Actually, no one of us here did anything to help you out with that."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I don't know either. It just disappeared without us knowing how it happened."

I am together with my sister Michaela, alias Rose Crimson, in Yukti's house. We're sitting next to Leen, who just got up from her bed, holding her head with her right hand, as if she had experienced a terrible headache. She was carried by a Bureau supervisor named Annie Leblanc, who's waiting in the living room. She's tending to an unconscious man, which she said is her subordinate.

They're the ones who accompanied Yukti to save his sister, Leen.

All seriousness aside, it's the first time I came to Yukti's home. It's not as glamorous or luxurious as my sister's home; it's a simple house, with a decent amount of rooms -- only two got occupied. We're inside Leen's room. As of why we know where to put her, there's a nameplate stapled on the door. Next to her room is Yukti's, but I wouldn't dare to go inside a room without getting permission. I mean I want to, but— wait, that's not the point! I prefer not to enter because he's a guy! Yes! T-that's what it is!

"Uh, are you alright, Snow?"

"Ah! A-ah, er... Yes. Sorry."

I unconsciously nodded up and down while arguing with myself inside my head. Ugh, that's ridiculous of me.

"Miss Chairperson, why are you here? I know it's rude to ask and all, but I'm curious as of why you and my brother knew each other to such an extent that you came here to monitor me? S-sorry, wrong phrasing there."

Yes. I am curious as well. How did she and Yukti get in such good terms?

"Ah? That?"

My sister chuckled nervously. She started scratching her head while trying to put into words what she wanted to convey. Leen leaned her head sideways, puzzled.

"You see... You know Cory Dexterity, right?"

"Eh? Ah, yes... That's right. But does she have anything to do with this?"

She knew about my sister Cory? How come?

"Cory Dexterity, or Cory Lore in real life, is my sister."

"WHAT?"

"Allow me to formally introduce myself. My real name is Michaela Lore, the younger. This girl beside me is Snow, the youngest."

"W-wait... Does that mean that my brother knew about this?"

"No. Not until I summoned him for a request. Anyways", my sister took a deep breath before lowered her head. "I am deeply thankful for all those years that you made my sister happy. I truly am", she continued with tears shedding from her eyes.

I couldn't help but cry as well. Cory as a sister is a bliss. She's cheerful at times and helped me out whenever I'm in a pinch. Her misfortune made me and my sister Michaela depressed of course. This bedridden girl who's more or less have the same age as me, who's not even blood-related with us at all, is weeping after she heard my sister's sincerity.

"Sniff... No, me and my Broki should be the ones thanking her", Leen said as she tried to wipe her tears with her hands. "She's like an older sister-figure to us, and treated us as if we're a family. I loved the memories we have, and it's really saddening to know that she's gone. My brother got the heavier blow, and couldn't forgive himself for not being able to save her. He then searched for clues without stopping, but it never come to fruition. Seeing that all of his efforts were naught, he decided to leave the Bureau. He thought I didn't know, but I've been always checking his well-being. His emotions are all over the place, even now. Maybe that's why he got attached to you the instant he knew that you're Cory's sister, but he also felt burdened by the intense feeling of disgust towards himself. I could even hear him monologuing on how to aplogize to someone. I didn't know who's he's trying to apologize to but I heard Cory's name, so that gave me a hint that he might've found Cory's family."

"No... He shouldn't have. As what I've said earlier, we're thankful. Even though Cory's life could never return back from the dead, he did rescued my only living sister", replied my sister, while looking at me.

Puzzled, Leen squinted her eyes. I closed our distance and started telling the story of how his brother saved me.

Yukti. I thank you with all my heart.

But, I couldn't do anything in return.

I know I can't replace my sister Cory. However, I won't give up to try and make your smile.

I'll save you from your sorrow and loneliness, just as how you saved me that day, illuminating my life and removed the fog of doubts and insecurities.

There's nothing wrong with falling in love to your savior. I don't know if this is still under the "like" category or not. However, as a maiden, I hope that this love blossoms.

•••

"Hey! Jaxonn! Jaxonn speak up!"

"Jaxonn. Dead. Nefario. Confirmed."

"Goddammit. What was that human? He's unlike anyone I've ever seen!"

The three of them, plus a brain, were in an uncharted place. It's a forest covered in fog so thick that there's zero visibility. They were able to escape thanks to someone who came to teleport them away. He's wearing a bloodstained cloak and a mask. He's pretty silent at all times even when asked by Hero why did he appeared late.

The brain that Hero's been carrying all this time is Jaxonn's. As what Nefario stated, the brain ceases to function.

"Even though I just got a friend... Damn!"

"Nefario. Request. Move. Base."

"Yeah, that's right Nefario. That base is no good since it's already been discovered. For now, let's plot another plan. Oh well, where should we strike next?" said Hero in a cheerful tone as he threw away Jaxonn's brain.

The masked guy picked it up and sighed. He then put his hands on the two and teleported to one of their bases.