A thick tension filled the air. Blood dripped from Lucien's blade, pooling at his feet as the last Daggerbone assassin collapsed beside him. The room was silent—except for the faint sound of Evelyn's restrained breathing. But Lucien's eyes were locked onto the only man still standing before him.
A man he never expected to see again.
"It's been a while... Lucien."
Lucien's grip on his sword tightened. His expression remained unreadable, but his stance shifted slightly. A calculated adjustment, preparing for a fight.
"Vance."
Evelyn, still bound to the chair, looked between the two men, confusion evident on her face. Whoever this Vance was, Lucien clearly knew him well. And from the way they spoke, this wasn't just any rival—this was personal.
Vance smirked, twirling a dagger between his fingers. "Ah, so you do remember me. I was starting to think I didn't make much of an impression."
Lucien said nothing. He simply observed. Analyzing. Calculating.
Vance let out a low chuckle. "Come on, don't look at me like that. We're practically family, aren't we?" He gestured vaguely. "Well... were."
Evelyn stiffened. Family?
"Stop talking." Lucien's voice was ice-cold. "What are you doing here?"
Vance sighed dramatically. "Straight to the point, huh? You never were much for conversation." His smirk widened. "Alright then, how about a trade? I answer your question... and you tell me why the infamous Lucien Falkner is playing the role of a high school student."
Silence.
Vance's grin sharpened. "See? You don't like questions either."
Lucien had no patience for this. His fingers twitched, barely perceptible—a signal that he was ready to strike.
Vance caught the movement. His eyes flickered with amusement. "Relax. If I wanted her dead," he nodded toward Evelyn, "she would've been by now."
Lucien didn't move, but the air around him grew heavier.
Evelyn's mind was racing. Lucien Falkner? She had never heard him say his full name before. But the way Vance spoke it—like it meant something dangerous—sent a chill down her spine.
And then, something clicked.
Vance. Daggerbone. The assassins Lucien had fought against.
"...You were in the same group as him, weren't you?" Evelyn's voice cut through the silence.
Vance turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Smart girl." He glanced at Lucien. "I like her. She's got spirit."
Lucien moved.
Faster than a bullet.
His sword sliced through the air, aiming straight for Vance's throat—
—only for the man to step back at the last possible second, avoiding the strike by mere inches.
"Woah there, Falkner. We haven't even caught up yet."
Lucien followed up with a second attack. A sharp, precise thrust.
Vance parried it with his twin daggers, the clash of steel ringing through the room. He twisted, countering with a low sweep kick, but Lucien jumped back, narrowly avoiding it.
Evelyn could barely keep up with their movements. They weren't just fighting—they were testing each other.
Each attack was calculated. Each counter was instinctual. Like two predators who knew each other's every move.
Lucien feinted to the left, then pivoted sharply, aiming a downward strike—
Vance ducked, spun, and lashed out with his dagger.
Lucien blocked it mid-air, twisting his wrist to redirect the attack.
And for a split second—they locked eyes.
Vance grinned.
"Still predictable."
Lucien felt the shift too late.
An explosion of smoke filled the room.
Evelyn coughed violently, her vision completely obscured. A second later, she felt something cut through her bindings.
A hand gripped her wrist.
Before she could react—
She was pulled into the smoke.
Lucien lunged forward, slashing through the haze, but the blade only met empty air.
The smoke cleared.
Vance was gone.
And so was Evelyn.
---
Lucien stood still, his sword lowered but his posture rigid. He glanced down.
A small, folded piece of paper lay on the ground.
He picked it up, unfolding it with steady fingers.
Only five words were written inside:
"Catch me if you can."
Lucien crushed the paper in his fist.
His eyes burned with cold fury.
Evelyn had been taken.
And he was going to get her back.
---
End of Chapter 24.