NOVEL FROG Chapter 128 Against the clock
128 Against the clock
"Did you really think the Count would go out on an expedition to kill some lousy beast right before reaping the fruits of his plan? You really are one naive kid, haha!" Kilian immediately started mocking Alex, as he knew that he had truly one upped him this time.
Those moments of torture back in Bertram's office all seemed worth it to him now just from seeing the look on Alex's face.
Alex took his sword and lit it aflame, slowly moving it through the air, pointing it at every guard present.
"I'll give you all one chance. Whoever reveals the Count's location to me first gets to live, while everyone else will die a slow, painful death bathed in flames."
Alex completely ignored what Kilian said and focused on the more pressing matter at hand — where on earth the Count was.
But regardless of his threat, none of the people present came forward.
They all stood in silence with smug smiles on their faces, like they had already won whatever showdown this was.
However Alex wasn't going to give up this easily.
Choosing one of them at random, he slashed his sword through the air, not even using his flames this time, and one of the older looking guard's head was lopped off.
With Alex's current strength, the sheer force of a swing of his sword tore the air apart and carried this force on for dozens of metres before the effect dissipated.
His choice of guard to kill first wasn't at all random though. He had chosen one of the older looking guards for two reasons.
Number one being that the older people get, especially people like these awakened guards who have higher willpower than normal, the more stubborn they become.
The older ones were much more unlikely to tell him any info about the Count — they'd rather lay down their lives than stop being so stubborn.
Reason number two was to show that Alex wasn't kidding about killing everyone there, and he used the old guard as an example to show to the younger and more inexperienced ones present that he meant business.
They were much more likely to spill the beans on the Count.
However before he could begin his second round of selections, Kilian spoke up from the rear once again.
"There's no use. You're already too late, Count Desmond had already started his plan nearly 18 hours ago. Within the next 6 hours, all of the residents of Monty town will be dead whether you like it or not, and the Count will achieve his goal of becoming a Variant."
Kilian blabbered on and on about how superior the Count was to Alex, but Alex completely filtered these words out.
He instead focused on one thing Kilian had just let slip.
'Monty town. The Count is in Monty town!'
"Hahahah!" Out of nowhere Alex started to burst out in a maniacal laughter, stunning and confusing all of the people present.
In their eyes, Alex had already given up when he heard that he was too late, and had broken down.
But Kilian felt like something was off.
He knew Alex better than these people, and he knew that his mental willpower was way too strong to let something as minor as this break him down.
'Why is he laughing?'
Slowly, Kilian started to become more and more concerned as he heard Alex's laughter become louder and louder until it garnered the attention of everyone at the gates.
The merchants, the mercenaries, the travellers. All of them turned to look in Alex's direction as they wondered what the hell was going on.
Soon after, Alex's laughter died down, and his expression turned into a condescending smile.
"Ahh Kilian, you really are so arrogant aren't you. Casually letting the name 'Monty town' slip out in your act of trying to show off."
Alex's words made the guards start to sweat a little, as in truth none of them actually knew where the Count was located, only Kilian did.
And Kilian had just so happened to have told Alex.
"So what? Like I said, you're too late anyway."
However Kilian still played the 'too late' card, the unconcerned and confident look still sitting on his face.
But inside, that strange feeling that something was wrong started to grow.
"That's where you're wrong. You're still thinking in the perspective that I'm an E rank, in which case you'd be right. But what if I wasn't an E rank anymore? Haha."
Now, Kilian's feeling burst out and he couldn't keep his composure anymore. If what Alex was implying was true, then things had just taken a turn for the worst and Alex might really be able to make it back to Monty town on time.
Behind his back, Kilian threw up a few hand signs towards the guards, while at the same time his female companion let go of his wheelchair and held her hand tightly behind her back, where her sword sat nicely in her waist belt.
However what Kilian didn't expect was that Alex saw through everything he had just set in motion.
His Soul core wasn't the only thing that upgraded when he absorbed all of those soul orbs.
His spatial perception had also received a bountiful upgrade too.
Now, his range was 50 metres.
Everything within this 50 metre radius was revealed before his eyes.
"From your reactions and how you're desperately trying to coordinate an attack against me, I assume you were telling the truth about the Count being in Monty town, which means I already have all the information I need. You know what that means for you guys, don't you…"
Alex held his sword in front of him, his gaze looking over every guard and mercenary under the Count's command.
For just a split second, a very faint spark could be seen trying to light a flame on Alex's fingers, but Alex hadn't noticed a thing.
Nor had he activated his Flame talent yet…