The Hunter’s Pride Shattered (Part 2)
The Queen’s breathing became uneven.
For someone who had survived countless life-and-death battles, every movement of her body had long since become instinct. She trusted it completely.
Now, for the first time in years...
That trust shattered.
She willed herself to step forward.
Instead, her feet slid backward.
A flicker of panic crossed her eyes.
She immediately tried to regain her balance.
Her body leaned the opposite way, nearly throwing her off her feet.
No...
Again.
Every command she gave her body was answered with the exact opposite movement, as though something invisible had hijacked her senses.
A cold bead of sweat rolled beneath the collar of her fitted black leather jacket.
Moments ago, those piercing blue eyes had been calm, steady, and impossible to read.
Now they were filled with genuine disbelief.
Impossible...
I’ve fought countless masters of the Old Martial Arts.
I’ve escaped opponents who were far stronger than me.
So what... is this?
Her mind raced.
As one of the world’s foremost experts in poison, her instincts immediately searched for the most logical explanation.
Poison.
It had to be.
But...
How?
When?
She hadn’t seen him make a single suspicious movement.
She hadn’t smelled anything unusual.
She hadn’t tasted anything strange.
Nothing.
And yet...
Somehow, she’d already walked straight into his trap without even realizing it.
Not far away, Julian slowly rose to his feet.
The frail, poisoned appearance he’d been putting on disappeared as if it had never existed.
In its place was the same lazy, infuriating grin that had a habit of getting under his enemies’ skin.
He casually dusted off his clothes before looking at the blonde assassin with amused eyes.
"The Chaos Mirage Mist..."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"It really does live up to its reputation."
Its effects lasted only a single minute.
Normally, that wouldn’t be enough to decide a battle.
But against an opponent whose greatest weapon was her overwhelming speed...
Sixty seconds was an eternity.
Julian silently counted the time in his head.
About twenty seconds have already passed.
That leaves me forty.
More than enough.
No point wasting them.
Without the slightest hint of urgency, he strolled toward her.
Every step was slow.
Relaxed.
Almost leisurely.
The Queen’s pupils contracted.
Instinct screamed at her to retreat.
She immediately tried to leap backward.
Instead...
Her body lurched forward.
She stumbled several steps toward Julian before barely managing to stop herself.
"...Damn it."
She bit her lower lip.
Panic finally surfaced beneath her icy expression.
She reached for her butterfly knives.
Or rather...
She intended to.
Instead, her fingers relaxed.
Clink! Clink!
Both butterfly knives slipped from her hands and landed on the ground.
Her expression changed dramatically.
Without her weapons...
Without control over her own movements...
She had never felt so helpless.
Julian stopped directly in front of her.
He folded his arms and smiled.
"I already told you."
"We could’ve sat by the reservoir, admired the scenery, and talked peacefully."
"You insisted on trying to kill me."
The Queen glared at him.
"You..."
"...shut up."
Julian laughed.
"You still have quite the temper."
Seeing that she still couldn’t control her body, Julian knew this was his chance.
He had no intention of killing her.
She had come for his life, yet ending hers wasn’t something he wanted to do.
Instead...
He decided to leave her with a lesson she would never forget.
Without warning—
Smack!
A loud, crisp sound echoed across the quiet reservoir.
Julian’s palm landed squarely on her butt.
The force wasn’t enough to injure her.
But it was more than enough to shatter her composure.
The Queen’s entire body froze.
For a brief second...
Even the breeze seemed to stop.
Her beautiful face instantly turned bright red.
"You...!"
Her blue eyes widened in humiliation.
"You shameless bastard!"
She instinctively tried to swing a punch at him.
Instead...
Her arm moved in the opposite direction.
Julian stepped aside effortlessly.
Still smiling.
"You really should stop trying."
"Your body isn’t listening to you."
The Queen ground her teeth so hard they nearly creaked.
Humiliation surged through her chest like wildfire.
She had imagined countless ways she might lose a battle.
Being wounded.
Being captured.
Even dying.
Never...
Never had she imagined being treated like this.
Her pride suffered a heavier blow than her body ever could.
Julian glanced at her again.
About fifteen seconds left.
Better make sure she remembers today.
Before she could regain even a fraction of control—
Smack!
Another clean slap landed across her butt.
The sharp sound echoed once more.
The Queen trembled with fury.
"You...!"
"If I ever recover—"
"You’ll kill me?"
Julian interrupted with a grin.
"You’ve said that several times already."
"I don’t think it’s working."
The Queen’s breathing became heavier.
Her murderous intent practically overflowed from her eyes.
If looks alone could kill...
Julian would have died hundreds of times already.
Yet the more furious she became, the more chaotic her movements grew.
She couldn’t even take a proper step.
Julian shook his head helplessly.
"I spared your life."
"You should be thanking me."
"Thank you?"
Her voice almost cracked with rage.
"I’ll remember today for the rest of my life!"
Julian chuckled.
"That’s the idea."
He glanced at her once more before silently counting the remaining seconds.
Less than ten seconds.
Once the effect ends... she’ll become troublesome again.
His smile faded slightly as he stepped backward, widening the distance between them.
The playful teasing disappeared from his face.
In its place was quiet vigilance.
No matter how embarrassing this encounter had been for the Queen...
Julian never underestimated the second-ranked assassin on the Dark Web.
The moment the Chaos Mirage Mist wore off...
This battle would begin all over again.
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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!
With love,
Saturn_Virgo_777
Creator of Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System
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