Chapter 41: The Mask Comes Off

Orson looked up at the burning building with a sigh, and he coughed out a mouthful of black blood. He looked up at the shadow. The bastard was powerful, and there was nothing Orson could do. Maybe find the government, but he looked at his body—he wasn’t even sure he could move. He looked back at the sword. Same thing.

The shadow just looked at him before sighing and looking back at the burning building. He let out a breath. She was not shouting or screaming for help. This was not part of the plan. He wanted her to suffer, but burning her without seeing her burn just felt hollow.

Orson coughed out another mouthful of blood before looking up. His daughter was still there.

Orson looked at her, and she smiled. "So what is the plan? Find help? Escape your responsibility and give it to someone else? Or use some of the tactics you used in wars?"

Orson looked at his daughter and really looked at her. She just looked back and smiled.

Orson was not sure. Was it because of the punch, or was his mind finally clear as he looked at her?

"You are not real, are you?"

"What do you think?"

He looked down at the blade he was holding, and then a display appeared.

Weapon Specification

Item Name: Storm Blade

Rank: Saintess

Class: Tier 5

Type: Weapon (High-Frequency Astral Blade)

Item Description:

Forged during the collapse of the atmospheric defense grids, this blade was synthesized from the remnant essence of an Emerald Calamity storm-type entity. Its translucent edge hums with a violent, compressed tempest that refracts ambient light into blinding starlight.

Astral Ability: [Storm Control]

Grants the wielder atmospheric domain manipulation, allowing them to ride gale-force winds, project localized hurricane barriers, and shape high-pressure shockwaves with every swing.

Astral Ability: [Starlight Transmutation]

Passively converts all kinetic and Astral energy entering its immediate space into dense, blinding starlight, completely neutralizing energy-based impacts and charging the blade for devastating thrusts.

Astral Ability: [Absolute Rebound]

When parrying or catching an incoming strike or kinetic projectile, the blade temporarily folds space around the blade’s edge, reflecting the force back toward the attacker with double its original velocity.

Astral Burden: [Mirror of Phobia]

The blade carries the maddening resonance of the Astral Void. While gripping the hilt, the wielder’s mind is bombarded with vivid, hallucinatory manifestations of their deepest psychological fears. Extended use threatens to break the wielder’s sanity.

Orson looked at the blade. "I guess you’re right about one thing," he said as he looked at the shadow. "I do not know how to use this blade."

With that, he threw it away before looking at the shadow in front of him.

The shadow looked back.

"You’re right, Corvin," Orson said, sighing as he got up. His body was in pain, but he just had to get up. "I cannot beat you no matter what I do or think or what tricks I can come up with. They are just that—tricks."

He said as he sat on the ground. The trees around them were already ashing. Some were still burning as he looked at the shadow with a sigh.

"So what now? That you have your revenge? What now?"

The shadow looked up at the house. "At this point, I’m not really sure."

Orson looked at the shadow. "You know, I have been pushing my head all around, trying to find out who you are and why. And with what you said, my thoughts went to my friends, but I do not know them much. And so I thought maybe it was all their power.

And thanks to the system, I know the user. But the only time the system is active is if a user of it senses killing intent toward a user under it. And I’m sure the system did not show my name or anything about me since I did not release any intent toward you. Since the system could tell what power I have, it could also show others as well. And you know this.

That was why you showed me. But then it got me thinking—I did not tell anyone about my opening my life gate, not even my friends. And even if you knew, it was a bit too soon and you were not sure. So we have been in contact since I awakened my life gate."

The shadow smiled. "And so what?"

"Everything makes so much sense, even though it was stupid. Why don’t you just remove the mask and show yourself?"

The shadow smiled and removed his mask. "So what gave me away?"

A man with blue cold eyes looked at him. He had black hair that caught the snow as it fell. He was young, almost the same age as Orson.

Orson sighed. "Let me guess—you knew about the sword’s burden, didn’t you?"

Corvin, the young man, smiled. "Yes."

"Since when have you been planning this?"

"Well, it’s been a while now. But the plan changed when you did, Orson. I know my best friend, and you are not him. Well, that was what I thought during our trip to District 12. I wanted to know who you are, with all the questions you were asking.

That was why I was on edge. The way you talked, moved, and you drank coffee—it was all a giveaway. And I thought you were a Dark One, and that was why I had to plan now.

But after you came out of the breach and started acting like your old self, and even on the trip to the fight, you were Orson. But the plan was in motion till I discovered you had a life gate too on the trip. But there was no stopping it."

Orson smiled, but it was hollow. "Well, I guess we both suspected each other."

Corvin looked at Orson. "What happened to you?"

"Well, let’s just say I received some special memories."

Corvin looked at him and asked, "So what gave me away?"

"Him." Orson paused. "You fight like General Elias—calm and cool, with hunger. Always able to anticipate your opponent’s attack. Even if the fight was staged, Elias took it seriously, and he could have won, but he used the opponent’s moves to challenge himself. That is how you fight. I just did not expect you could read me."

Corvin just smiled. "You know, I had this all planned out. The communication is undergoing restoration, so the feds will be out. I even installed jammers. And the resistant—there is someone already telling them not to worry outside. It was all planned, but you just had to bud in. And you know I will have to stop you."

Corvin sighed before holding a snowflake that was falling before melting it.

"But what if I insist?"

Orson did not say anything and just looked at the burning house.

Corvin looked at him before looking down. "I guess I have my answer then. Don’t I?"

Orson did not smile.

"You know, linking it from you using Lenora’s maid to give me the weapon, to making sure I use it in a fight against you, and making sure I will not know it was you since you have not awakened and you are always on about it. Why awakened now?"

"Just as the reason you want to save her, I also have to grow to kill her."

Corvin looked down at his mask. "I will leave, but this is not over, Orson. Lenora will pay for what she did to my family."

With that, Corvin disappeared, and the flames burning the house stopped.

Orson immediately got up and ran up, thinking about Lenora. Was she still alive? The house was already collapsing even without the fire, and it took a while, but Orson reached the room. The floor of the room collapsed down with Orson, back to the living room, so he had to go up the second time to meet Lenora.

Who was up. As he entered, there was a glowing bubble around her in the toilet. The toilet was already collapsing, but where she was standing was not.

Orson sighed and smiled at her before rushing toward and past through the bubble and hugged her.

"I’m so glad you are alive."