novelraw Chapter 141 : Chapter 141
Chapter 141 : Chapter 141
Chapter 141: The Viper Organization (3)
Viper.
A being that slithered through the darkest underbelly of the kingdom.
Like a snake, it moved through the shadows, unnoticed by anyone’s eyes.
After the death of Viper Stein, only his name remained, like a shed skin, used to address the current leader of the organization.
Yet, no one dared to treat them lightly.
The successive Vipers wielded influence comparable to that of a duke.
In fact, people often likened them to the “Viper Duke.”
Though it sounded like a jest, those words carried a truth far from trivial.
The reason they could command such authority was simple.
While their individual combat prowess might not have been the kingdom’s greatest, the collective strength of their organization was unmatched.
But then…
‘What’s with this guy? He doesn’t fear us at all.’
The Viper Organization had always been the hunter.
Anyone or anything that stepped into their domain was merely prey.
But Evan was different.
Like a crocodile gliding leisurely through the water, he was devouring Viper’s members one by one.
“Urgh!”
“Ack!”
With screams, the members fell one after another.
They desperately fired crossbows into the water, but all it did was expose their positions, bringing a backlash upon them.
―Splash!
The sound of water splashing became synonymous with terror, and the darkness, once their sanctuary, had now transformed into a hunting ground.
Watching this from the shadows was Viper Mei.
She spoke quietly.
“Rattle, Mamba. It’s time for you two to step in.”
Names called forth from the darkness.
The left and right arms of Viper, known as the final enforcers.
“Understood.”
“We will carry out the order.”
The two responded, and, still cloaked in darkness, began to move silently.
***
Moments later, Evan, swimming stealthily underwater, sensed something closing in behind him.
‘Fast. Their swimming skills are exceptional. In that case, there’s no need to drag this into an underwater fight.’
Evan swiftly propelled himself to the surface.
As if waiting for that moment, a figure—likely a member—swung a sword from the darkness.
―Clang!
The sound of sword clashing against sword.
Evan, retreating from the brief collision, muttered to himself.
‘Not bad. To aim precisely for a vital point in this darkness just by sound… These are some big players this time.’
Now, from behind, the sound of water and the glint of a blade approached.
Evan instinctively twisted his body, dodging mid-air like an acrobat, and leaped to the opposite side of the waterway.
―Tap!
The moment he landed lightly, two enemies mirrored his movement, blocking his front and rear, tightening their encirclement.
Evan straightened his posture and spoke leisurely.
“Stop sending your poor subordinates and tell Viper to come out herself. You’re just wasting valuable talent.”
“That person,”
“can only be met,”
“by those who surpass us.”
The two spoke in turn, raising their swords again.
And immediately, a fierce onslaught followed.
―Tap!
―Tap!
Their movements were perfectly symmetrical, as if a mirror stood between them.
Viper’s trusted lieutenants, Rattle and Mamba, moved as one.
But upon closer inspection, there were differences.
Rattle’s swordplay flowed with elegant, curving grace, while Mamba’s strikes were linear, exuding unyielding strength.
‘This level of coordination would trouble even most Sword Experts. I can’t underestimate them.’
The two shared the same thought.
Their opponent had subdued the strongest of the Kandahr Tribe.
He was, without exaggeration, one of the kingdom’s top fighters.
Knowing that giving Evan even a sliver of control would spell their end, they attacked relentlessly, without a moment’s pause.
Yet Evan didn’t allow a single opening.
‘This guy…’
‘How is he dodging everything without even looking?’
‘In this darkness?’
They couldn’t comprehend it.
But for Evan, this situation was familiar.
He had trained to fight with his eyes closed.
This battlefield was, in fact, an environment he was accustomed to.
―Clang-clang-clang!
A flurry of strikes rang against the dagger in Evan’s grip.
But seizing the moment, Evan abruptly grabbed both their wrists.
“Dark adaptation complete.”
At those words, Rattle and Mamba’s eyes wavered.
Unlike them, who had been accustomed to the darkness from the start, Evan had been fighting without vision.
But through the relentless combat, his eyes had gradually adjusted to the dark.
And now, he had fully adapted.
From that moment on, they were no longer a match for him.
“Your teamwork was impressive.”
Evan yanked both their wrists simultaneously, plunging them into the water.
―Splash!
The water churned violently.
As soon as they hit the water, Evan sprinted forward without hesitation.
“Damn it!”
“Move, now!”
Scrambling out of the water, Rattle and Mamba chased after him.
As they pursued, Evan was memorizing the labyrinthine structure of the sewers.
‘By now, Viper, shouldn’t you show yourself?’
The footsteps of the two lieutenants and the wet trails they left behind—
Evan used them as markers, ensuring he didn’t retrace his steps, gradually mastering the sewer’s layout.
And then, Viper’s leader, Mei, who had been analyzing his movements from the shadows, realized something.
Evan was turning this maze-like sewer into his own domain.
‘I thought he’d be a bit worn out after the war… but this guy’s a monster.’
A creeping sense of dread began to gnaw at her, the feeling that she might have provoked the wrong opponent.
As she prepared for battle, sensing it was time to step in, a member rushed toward her with urgent news.
“Viper, we have a guest outside.”
“A guest? Do we look like we have time to entertain in this chaos?”
Mei’s voice was icy.
But the member’s next words changed her expression.
“It’s… a friend of that troublemaker, E- that guy.”
In that moment, a subtle spark of interest flickered in Mei’s demeanor.
“Is that so? Then we must welcome them properly.”
“Yes, I’ll guide them immediately.”
The member’s presence faded into the darkness, and Mei, with a meaningful smile, muttered to herself.
‘Heh… It wasn’t part of the plan, but things are falling into place.’
***
Evan, navigating the darkness of the sewers, had expected Viper to reveal herself by now.
But she remained hidden.
More accurately, it felt as though she wasn’t even present—no trace of her could be sensed.
‘Hiding and being absent are different. Could she have… left the capital? Abandoned her subordinates?’
Though their encounter had been brief, Mei didn’t strike him as that ruthless.
Which made the current situation all the more perplexing.
But stopping here wasn’t Evan’s way.
If his opponent wouldn’t show themselves, he would dismantle the entire organization to achieve his goal.
―Tap!
In an instant, Evan spun around.
He charged toward Rattle and Mamba, who had been pursuing him.
―Clang-clang!
Their swords clashed in a flash.
But Evan effortlessly dismantled their coordinated attacks, twisting their arms and subduing them.
“Ugh…!”
“Argh!”
Rattle and Mamba staggered, falling to their knees.
Evan looked down at them coldly and spoke.
“You know where Viper is, don’t you? I kept you alive for a reason. Answer my questions, and you’ll be fine.”
Evan planned to use them to pinpoint Viper’s location and confront her directly.
But he soon realized there was no need for such effort.
Viper Mei appeared in person.
“Let’s stop here.”
A calm voice.
At that moment, familiar faces entered Evan’s vision.
“Jack? Jaina…? Why are you there?”
Jack and Jaina were held by members, swords pressed against their throats.
And standing before them, Viper Mei spoke leisurely.
“Even you wouldn’t abandon these two, would you? So, how about we have a proper talk now?”
She had already deduced that Jack and Jaina were Evan’s closest allies.
And she intended to use that fact to force a negotiation.
“…”
Evan quietly met her gaze, then slowly released the arms of the two he’d been holding.
“Fine. If they behave, nothing will happen.”
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
“Hm?”
In an instant, Evan’s expression turned frigid.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Rattle and Mamba’s heads and slammed them together.
―Thud!
With a dull impact, the two collapsed, unconscious.
Evan tossed them into the waterway.
―Splash!
Then, he turned to Mei and spoke slowly.
“Those you’re holding are Executor trainees. Aren’t you underestimating that fact a bit too much?”
As soon as he finished, Jack and Jaina, biting the blades held to their throats, twisted their bodies and subdued their captors.
“Young Master!”
Jack gave a slight nod, signaling they were safe.
In that moment, Mei silently drew a dagger from her sleeve
and lunged at Jack with lightning speed.
Seeing this, Evan sprang forward without a moment’s hesitation, grabbing her wrist.
“How dare you!”
But in that fleeting gap, Mei flicked a small vial from her belt, letting it fall to the ground.
―Crash!
The glass shattered, spilling a toxic liquid that released thick smoke.
“Jump into the water!”
Evan shouted.
Jack and Jaina immediately dove toward the waterway, and Evan moved to follow—
but Mei’s hand wrapped around his arm, pulling him back.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Simultaneously, she activated a magic scroll hidden at her waist.
The scroll unleashed a freezing spell, not aimed at Evan but at the waterway.
―Crackle.
The surface of the sewer water froze over.
In other words, there was no escape from the toxic smoke.
“You’ll get poisoned too.”
“I’m the leader of Viper. Unlike you, I’m immune to all poisons.”
“Fine. Then I’ll just take you down and leave.”
The smoke rose to his waist, and Evan held his breath.
Time was not on his side.
“If you can’t defeat me in one minute…”
Before she could finish, Evan’s dagger flashed toward her throat.
Mei barely dodged, but a thin red line appeared on her pale skin.
‘…My reaction was slow! I couldn’t avoid it?’
Her confidence in her reflexes made her panic even more.
Meanwhile, Evan looked at her and silently beckoned with his finger.
‘Come on. Or I’ll really kill you.’
His eyes held no emotion.
Only the task at hand—nothing more, nothing less.