Chapter 469: Those Who Smile The Brightest


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    ***


    Khari was rxing, or so it seemed, as she sat on rubble near the train tracks.


    The dim, flickering lights barely touched her figure, making it hard to tell where she began and the shadows ended.


    Only the faint outline of her body could be seen, and even that shifted and faded when the light moved.


    Her long cloak, as ck as Emir''s eyes, draped over her slender frame, concealing her features, as did her Specialization, bonding her with the surrounding shadows.


    Opposite hery a man shrouded in the same darkness, his eyes gleaming with anger.


    There was no need to guess what happened and what was currently happening.


    The truth hung between them as heavy as the night itself.


    He was being toyed with.


    If one could see Khari''s stuttering smile, that would be all but denied.


    Rather, it was apparent that she had found it quite funny.


    Even with all those years of preparation, Temr couldn''t manufacture a proper Shadow Binder. This Specialization was just that unique and difficult.


    So Khari, though amused, knew his plight all too well.


    Her Path wasn''t easy to obtain... it certainly wasn''t.


    Yet, none of that showed on her face, intent on riling the priest to death.


    She was seeding. However, that wasn''t what made him rage as such.


    It was the fact that despite all his efforts, he was just a wed attempt at what she truly was.


    And that, more than anything she had done, stoked his undying fury.


    "Shadow Meld."


    Seeing him begin to move, her form dissolved into the mist of shadows below, bing almost impossible to pinpoint.


    Her opponent mirrored the ability, and the two figures swam through the murk, circling each other, silent, hunting one another in the void.


    And then, without warning, they lunged.


    Both shadows collided, the force of their meeting ripping them from the world of shadow they had momentarily inhabited,nding them back into the material world.


    Khari appeared to have anticipated her opponent''s movement, as she was prepared, her daggers already slicing through the air the moment she appeared in front of him.


    The priest attempted to react, block her des with his own, but Khari''s quickness left him off bnce.


    Her des struck him, destroying his force shield, and sent him a few steps back, reeling.


    "You''re not quick enough."


    Khari said softly, her voice almost a taunt, as she advanced on him again.


    But before she could get close, the priest roared in a panic, just now processing how close he was to death:


    "Obscura Domine!"


    Shadows coalesced, bing shackles, then shot forth from shadow to shadow, nearing her. She scoffed, holding back a giggle.


    The reason behind her reaction was obvious.


    Though desperation clouded the judgment of the man before her, even then, he had to know that using shadows to shackle a literal Shadow Binder wasn''t the smartest of ideas.


    As she hadn''t tried to avoid the ability, it easily caught her shadow, wrapping itself around her legs.


    Yet, in the next moment, those very chains exited her shadow, bing a tangible object. She gave a firm tug on the chain, and the rest followed, leaving her shadow.


    The priest stared at her in clear shock, even through the white cloak.


    "It''s incredible, isn''t it~?"


    Her lips curled into a sly smile as she watched him struggle toprehend what had just happened.


    Besides moments where silence and shadows merged into one, making the world feel distant, almost forgotten, she liked watching someone realize toote that they were already trapped the most.


    To someone more attuned to shadow maniption, this turn of events wouldn''t have been shocking.


    But, again, the priest was no true Shadow Binder.


    This was to be expected.


    Khari had used Umbral Constructs on the chains, taking them as her own, transforming the core of the ability itself.


    They coiled around her like obedient pets, even as the priest tried to reim control over


    them.


    No matter how hard he tried, nothing happened.


    It was impossible.


    Before, the ability was far from his body, enabling her to manipte it more freely, but now,


    she turned it into a tangible object, close to her core.


    There was nothing he could do, and his desperation was almost pitiful.


    Even if she had let go of the whip, he would still be unable to take what was his.


    His Aether Core Purity was too low; his control shaky at best.


    He had neither the skill nor the foundation to match her in this domain.


    "You thought your shadows would obey you, hmm?... Not when Imand them."


    With a flick of her wrist, Khari sent the chains snapping toward him, drawing first blood.


    The priest was forced to retreat in a flurry of movement, barely escaping the chains as they ripped his skin apart.


    Offering a pained grunt, he tried to meld back into the darkness once more, his form


    shimmering.


    Noticing that, Khari threw away the chains and did the same, only much faster.


    She Shadow Stepped directly in front of him and dissolved into the shadow of nearby rubble. Once in the shadow world, she chased after him for a second, and that was enough to catch up. They emerged from the darkness, daggers shing in one sharp strike after another. Khari''s movements were rxed, almostzy, as she parried his desperate blows with


    ease.


    Each time their des met, a spark of Aether flickered in the air, illuminating their faces for the briefest of moments before plunging them back into gloom.


    The priest tried to regain control, pushing back with a shower of shes, but Khari dodged each one with seemingly effortless grace.


    She was ying with him, testing his limits, savoring the fear that radiated from him.


    Her opponent was skilled, at least whenpared to the average Celestial on Earth, but hecked the finesse, the connection with the shadows that came so naturally to her and those


    like her.


    "Hey~."


    With swift movement, Khari spun behind him, her dagger inching close to his neck.


    He barely managed to block the strike, his own de trembling from the force.


    Sheughed softly, a sound that echoed in the dark, further angering him.


    "DIE YOU CRAZY BITCH!"


    Heshed out wildly, his dagger slicing through empty air as Khari Shadow Stepped away


    once more.


    She circled him like a predator, appearing in and out of material existence, watching as he struggled to keep up with her erratic movements.


    His eyes darted around, trying to predict where she would strike next, but Khari was always


    one step ahead, literally.


    All of a sudden, she chose the least expected spot of attack. directly above him, falling like a


    spear.


    The priest attempted to meld into the shadows, but she interfered, using the same chains she previously threw to hold him in ce.


    CLANG!


    Their daggers shed in a burst of Aether as his feet dug into the ground, barely withstanding


    the impact.


    Gritting his teeth, he put all his strength into his legs, trying his best to stay upright, but it


    was all for naught.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Khari was relentless.


    She disappeared, reappearing to his right, attacking from an angle that he was unprepared


    for.


    He blocked at thest moment but was unable to contain the force behind her attack.


    The priest was pushed back, falling onto the ground as the chains pulled him forward.


    "Urgh..."


    His head hit the ground hard, and he paused, catching a breath that he desperately needed.


    At that moment, Khari could''ve easily killed him, but she remained still, looking down on


    him with eyes that gleamed with amusement.


    He was her new toy, and she didn''t like to break them so quickly.


    "DAMN YOU WITCH!"


    He roared in frustration as he pushed himself up, summoning multiple chains that went


    forth, rushing towards her shadow.


    Unlike earlier, she showed no particr reaction to his attack, taking it a bit more seriously.


    It seemed that even she wasn''t able toe out of such an attack unchained.


    "Walls."


    Many shadows conjugated as if forced together, forming walls upon walls in the shadow


    world.


    Then... well, his chains didn''t put up much of a fight.


    Though not tangible, they still somewhat followed thews of physics, and chains certainly


    weren''t sharp and pointy.


    "How unfortunate~."


    Khari, not giving him a moment to breathe, struck back.


    Her daggers danced, and each time he tried to counter, she effortlessly deflected his blows,


    herughter growing louder with each failed attempt.


    Their des locked again, the force of the sh sending a shockwave through the air.


    Khari leaned in close, her face inches from his, her voice dripping with mockery.


    "Is this all you have? How disappointing."


    "RAH!"


    His response was a growl of fury as he shoved her back, trying to regain what little remained


    of hisposure.


    But Khari was already on him, her daggers moving faster than his eyes could track.


    Shended another strike, this time carving a deep gash into his side.


    "Ugh..."


    He staggered back, clutching the wound, his breathing in ragged gasps.


    Khari tilted her head, feigning concern.


    "Oh dear, did that hurt? Maybe I should end this before it gets any worse."


    But just as she was about to continue torturing the poor bastard till he begged for death, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.


    She nced to the side and saw Southern Cross approaching with a surprisingly glum face.


    He met her gaze and gave a small nod, signaling that it was time to wrap things up. Khari''s yful smirk faded, reced by an icy expression, one that mirrored the cold,


    unfeeling demeanor Lyra often disyed to her enemies.


    This was no longer a game.


    She stepped forward and gave her opponent no time to react.


    In a blur of motion, she drove her dagger deep into his chest, piercing his heart.


    The priest gasped, his eyes widening in shock as he crumpled to the ground.


    Khari watched him fall as she stepped back, then flicked her fingers.


    "Spikes."


    At hermand, dozens of sharp, shadowy spikes, each the size of her fingers, erupted from the surrounding darkness, impaling the priest from all sides.


    His body jerked violently as life was drained from him, his final gasps barely audible.


    Her expression remained impassive while watching that gruesome scene, as though she had


    simply swatted away an insect.


    There was no satisfaction, no cruelty, only the efficientpletion of a task.


    ...One truly could not judge from appearances.


    Those who smiled the brightest, acted the nicest, often hid the darkest truths.


    Well, at least, they had no less a chance of being the worst.


    It was a lesson all hunters had learned well over the years, and now, Khari embodied that


    contradiction entirely.


    Without another word, she turned and walked away, her silhouette melding into the shadows, disappearing as though she had never been there at all.