“Can you see what is beyond the surface?”
The moment he asked that with his tone low but oddly intense, Valeria for some reason felt that something was different with this question.
The question hung between them, as sharp as his earlier intervention had been. She stared back at him, trying to decipher his meaning.
It was unlike him to speak this way, and it unsettled her, making her feel as though the ground beneath them had subtly shifted.
She could see no clear reason for him to provoke the Cloud Heavens Sect, no gain in drawing their attention and positioning himself as an obstacle.
“What exactly am I meant to see?” she asked, her voice steady despite the flicker of unease his words stirred within her.
Lucavion continued, “You know,” he began, his voice low, almost reflective, “for most people, life is filled with faces that come and go. Friends, rivals, strangers—always new ones appearing, old ones drifting away. There’s hardly time to truly understand anyone, even those closest to us. So we take shortcuts. We rely on instinct, on impressions that form in the first few moments.”
Valeria listened, feeling the weight of his words settle over her, even as she tried to maintain her guarded expression. His tone, usually laced with amusement, was now sincere, and it unsettled her even more.
“We meet someone,” he continued, “and before they’ve said a word, we already have an idea of who they are. Maybe it’s something we’ve heard about them, or something familiar we recognize, a similarity to someone we’ve known before. And so that impression settles in our minds.” He paused, glancing at her as though to gauge her reaction.
Lucavion continued, his gaze distant, as though he were seeing something beyond the walls around them. “And there are people who know exactly how to use that to their advantage,” he said, his voice tinged with a quiet edge. “They shape themselves carefully, presenting a face that’s flawless, almost angelic. For every one they meet, they find a way to reflect some part of that person’s struggles, that hidden vulnerability they’ve guarded so closely. They make people think they’re the same… as if they share a bond. A kinship.”
He glanced at her, his eyes piercing in their clarity, and Valeria felt the weight of his words settle heavily in her chest. The subtle hint of warning in his tone was unmistakable, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t speaking hypothetically.
“It’s how they pull people in,” he went on, his voice soft yet carrying an undertone that sent a prickle along her skin. “They present themselves as though they understand people’s every hardship, making use of that emotional vulnerability to make a profit.”
Lucavion’s gaze held hers, his expression shifting to one of mild curiosity mixed with a sharper intent. “Tell me something, Valeria,” he began, his tone soft but probing. “When you were talking to those disciples… you seemed uncomfortable. Why do you think that was?”
The question settled heavily between them, and Valeria felt her jaw tighten. She had been asking herself the same thing since her first encounter with the Cloud Heavens Sect disciples, the strange unease that surfaced every time they approached her. It was as though her instincts sensed something amiss, yet no concrete reason emerged to explain it.
“I don’t know,” she replied finally, the frustration clear in her voice. “I’ve been wondering that myself. There was nothing overtly wrong about them—they were respectful, polite, and yet… something about them made me feel…” She hesitated, searching for the right word. “Unsteady. Like there was a hidden intention, but nothing I could see.”
Lucavion nodded, his gaze unwavering. “Sometimes, that’s exactly how it works. They give just enough, and seem just relatable enough, that the logical mind can’t find anything wrong. But underneath, your instincts are telling you the truth.” He paused, watching her closely. “That’s often the case when people are hiding something. They’re so polished, so composed, that it’s almost too perfect.”
Valeria’s brows knit together, her mind racing.
Was that what it was?
The disciples had been all too willing to establish some form of bond with her, highlighting their similarities, and hinting at a shared journey. It had been easy to accept their admiration as genuine, and yet… that flicker of doubt, that tension she couldn’t explain, lingered.
“So what are you suggesting?” she asked, her voice low, reluctant but compelled to hear his answer.
Lucavion shook his head, his expression returning to its usual nonchalance. “I’m not suggesting anything,” he replied smoothly, his tone carrying a hint of dismissal. “You seem more than capable of finding your own answers.”
But then, just as she relaxed a fraction, he gave her a look—one that made the air between them go cold. His lips curved into a smirk, but this one was different, laced with something dark and unsettling. It held none of his usual amusement, none of the teasing arrogance she was used to. Instead, there was a calculated edge, a quiet promise that sent a faint shiver down her spine.
Her muscles tensed instinctively as his gaze held hers, sharp and unwavering. “But you’ll see, soon enough,” he said, his voice almost a murmur, though each word carried a chilling weight. “You’ll understand why I stepped in today.”
The words settled over her like a shadow, and though she tried to dismiss it as more of his typical mystery, a part of her couldn’t shake the feeling that something was shifting beneath the surface—something she hadn’t anticipated.
For all her careful judgments of his motives, she realized, she was still unprepared for whatever game he seemed to be playing.
Her gaze remained on him, searching for a hint of his intentions, but he offered her nothing further, and instead, his usual smile returned.
Lucavion’s smirk shifted, easing back into something more familiar, though it was clear he was steering the conversation elsewhere. “Now that I think about it, your performance today was impressive,” he remarked smoothly, his gaze flicking to her as though he hadn’t just left her hanging in icy suspense. “Your basics are solid, and your strength—well, that was no joke. You didn’t leave that guy a single opening.”
Valeria raised an eyebrow, still tense but now with a hint of wary curiosity.
Just like that?
He had shifted topics so effortlessly as if he hadn’t just laid out a dark premonition for her to dwell on.
“And that final move,” he continued, a glint of amusement reappearing in his eyes. “I have to wonder… did you get that from me? A little inspiration, perhaps?”
At that, Valeria let out a soft
hmph
and turned her head away, a slight smile pulling at her lips despite herself. “Who do you think you are?” she replied, her voice touched with faint mockery. “I did that on my own. It has
nothing
to do with you.”
Lucavion chuckled, undeterred. “Oh, is that so? So you didn’t borrow my technique and polish it up just a bit?” He raised an eyebrow, leaning in as though ready to dissect her every move with that same smug curiosity.
Valeria shot him a quick, defiant glance. “I didn’t ‘borrow’ anything,” she retorted, her voice firm. “What I did was my own—and if it
looked
impressive, that’s because it was. I don’t need anyone’s help to put someone in their place.”
“Heeeee…Reeeeally? Is that really the case, I wonder?”
Valeria crossed her arms and sighed, choosing not to rise to his bait. “I’m not going to argue with you,” she replied, her voice cool yet with an edge of amusement. “But since you’re so insistent… I watched your fight too. You weren’t bad, I’ll give you that.”
Lucavion’s smirk widened, a glint of satisfaction sparking in his eyes. “Not bad, you say?” he echoed, leaning in with a playful arrogance. “Didn’t you confirm my strength and technique firsthand? I seem to recall you had a front-row seat to that.”
Valeria rolled her eyes, refusing to let him get to her. “You always talk so fraudulently,” she replied, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “How am I supposed to believe anything you say?”
“Oh? Fraudulently?” he repeated, feigning shock as he placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Valeria. I speak nothing but the truth—when it suits me.” freёweɓnovel.com
She let out another
hmph
and shook her head, though a reluctant smile escaped her as she continued down the hall. His words, though laden with bravado, held a truth she couldn’t ignore. She had indeed experienced his strength and skill up close, whether she liked admitting it or not. But he didn’t need to know how much it lingered in her thoughts.
“Well, let’s just say I’ll believe it when I see it again,” she shot back, glancing at him with a playful spark in her eyes.
“Oh? Let’s hope that you won’t meet me too early in the tournament. That would not end too well for you.”
Valeria’s smile widened at his words, her competitive spirit flaring. “Oh, is that so?” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, I can handle myself just fine. Besides, maybe it’s you who should hope not to meet me too soon.”
Lucavion chuckled, the sound low and rich with amusement as he matched her pace down the hall. “Confident, aren’t we? But let’s be realistic—if we clash, you’ll have to bring more than just bravado.”
“We’ll see about that.”
She said, though she inwardly knew that, with this guy’s strength and talent, his words were indeed true.