Timeless Assassin-Chapter 1075: Threats And Madness
(Planet Granada, Leo’s POV)
After gaining the upper hand, Leo finally let out a sigh of relief, as the fog covering the path to victory thinned ever so slightly more, while the storm around them continued to rage without pause, as if indifferent to the silent shift that had just taken place between the two players seated across the game board.
For the first time since the match had begun, the pressure weighing down on his mind eased just enough for him to think beyond survival, as his thoughts no longer revolved around merely staying in the game, but instead began to shape themselves around control, around dictating the next few exchanges rather than reacting to them.
And with that subtle shift came something else.
A decision.
Leo lifted his gaze and looked directly into Mauriss’s eyes, his expression calm, his posture relaxed in a way it had not been before, as he chose to step forward into a different kind of battle, one that extended beyond the board and into the space where Mauriss had been dominant until now.
"Oh... it looks like I have the upper hand now."
He spoke without hesitation, his tone steady, unprovoked, as though he were merely stating an obvious truth rather than attempting to provoke the God sitting across from him.
"What happened, eh?"
His eyes did not waver.
"Are your erratic tactics not working against a Cult Master... yet again?"
For a brief moment, silence followed.
Then Mauriss exploded.
"Hahahahahaha!"
The laughter came out violently, uncontrollably, as he suddenly pushed himself back from the game table, only to collapse onto the ground the very next second, rolling across the wet surface as the rain soaked into his trousers while he clutched his stomach in pure, unrestrained amusement.
"Hahahaha—! HAHAHAHAHA!"
He rolled again, his body trembling as though the words he had just heard had triggered something deep within him, something that he found so absurd, so entertaining, that he could not contain himself even for a moment.
For several seconds, he continued like that, laughing into the storm, his voice echoing against the violent winds before he finally slowed, pushing himself up onto one knee as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling as he looked back toward Leo.
"You..."
He took a breath, his grin stretching wide once more.
"You become more and more endearing to me every second."
He rose to his feet slowly, his gaze locking onto Leo with renewed interest.
"Be careful, eh, Skyshard..."
His voice carried a playful edge now, though something darker lingered beneath it.
"If I like you too much..."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I might imprison you here forever... just because it seems like an entertaining prospect.
You can become my singing parrot.
A pet I keep for entertainment, just because I can."
The words lingered between them, heavy despite the smile they were delivered with, as the storm seemed to quiet for just a fraction of a second around the weight of that statement.
Leo, however, did not react to the threat.
He simply shrugged his shoulders lightly, as if the statement held no real significance in the context of what lay before them.
"Win the game and you can ask me to do you one favor anyways," he replied calmly, his gaze steady.
"Just have to win first..."
For a brief moment, Mauriss stared at him.
Then he wagged his finger slowly, his expression shifting ever so slightly as his eyes narrowed with a different kind of intent.
"You do know, right, Skyshard..."
His voice dropped.
"That you’re just a mortal... and I’m a God?"
The air grew heavier.
"If I want..."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I can reach across this table and snuff out your life right now."
He said while gritting his teeth in anger.
"And you won’t be able to stop me..... because you’re too weak to stand before me."
He said, as killing intent began to leak from his body, his eyes turning maniacal, as he let Leo see that he was serious and that he could actually take such an action if provoked, as for a while, silence took over.
.
.
.
For a moment, the tension peaked.
Then Leo snorted.
"PFFT–"
The sound cut cleanly through the pressure, almost dismissive, as he leaned back slightly in his seat, his eyes still locked onto Mauriss’s without the slightest trace of fear.
"Yeah..." he said simply.
"If I die..."
He paused briefly.
"You won’t find entertainment like this ever again."
The words landed with quiet certainty, as Leo’s expression remained unchanged, his voice steady as he continued without hesitation.
"If you’re truly enjoying this game..."
He leaned forward just slightly.
"You won’t kill me."
A beat passed.
"You’ll take this challenge head on... and try to beat me in the four moves you still have left."
He declared, as silence followed.
For a moment, Mauriss weighed his words, before eventually deciding that they were indeed correct, as he receded his killing intent.
"HA... HAHA—-"
A wide grin spread across his face once more as he straightened up, his shoulders relaxing as though the moment of tension had never existed in the first place.
"HAHAHAHA!"
His laughter returned, loud and unrestrained, as he threw his head back slightly, clearly delighted by what he had just heard.
"YOU’RE RIGHT!"
His eyes widened, gleaming with excitement as he leaned forward once more, his focus snapping back to the board with renewed intensity.
"I AM HAVING FUN..."
His grin stretched wider.
"AND I WILL TURN THIS AROUND."
He said with a sense of surety, as he reached for his next card without hesitation, his fingers moving decisively as he slid it into the mechanism.
"SO LET’S PLAY!"
He encouraged, as across from him, Leo did the same, his movements calm and precise, as he selected his next card and slotted it into place without a word.
*Click*
*Click*
The board stood ready once more, as both God and Mortal waited for the next exchange to unfold with bated breaths, the excitement of this game now reaching peak levels, as the card choices shortened to the last few options.
