"What are you talking about?" Basar asked in annoyance.
Alex chuckled. "Trying to act innocent?... Did you think I wouldn’t notice you trying to distort my sight?"
"You..." Basar trailed off before dropping his shoulders. "When did you notice?"
"Since the moment I decided to step into this study." Alex casually remarked.
"You are indeed worthy of being an Apostle." Basar praised though he didn’t mean it.
Alex replied. "No need for fake compliments, it won’t change the situation."
"I know that much." Basar didn’t bother hiding his true emotions any longer as he added. "But I didn’t lie about working together with you."
"It’s funny cause you called me an unknown piece and normally when a person of your caliber meets an unknown piece that could potentially ruin their plans, there are only two things they would do... kill them or place them under their command, however, you want us on equal footing.
"Hah, Basar, you consider me a fool, don’t you?"
Basar sighed. "Powerful and smart. I was right to come here tonight."
"I can’t afford any unknown piece interfering in my plans at the last minute so I will give you a friendly warning... do not get in my way."
Alex casually replied while snapping his finger. "Oh, I think we are past the stage of warning, aren’t we?"
As he spoke, a mixture of pulsating light and darkness rose from beneath his feet.
Meshing together perfectly, the two forces enveloped the entire area, creating a scenery reminiscent of the night sky.
Basar didn’t immediately respond as he remained silent, seemingly pondering on something.
"Cat caught your tongue perhaps?" Alex muttered.
However, the next words out of Basar’s mouth caused him to grow wary. "You are not an Apostle, are you?"
"... How can you be so sure?"
"Because you used a gesture to activate your ability, a characteristic of a Human Wheel Mystic."
This time, Alex remained silent as he glared at the other party.
This guy’s eyes were truly too sharp!
"A true Apostle doesn’t require anything to make use of his Abilities because they aren’t just mere Powers... no, what we perform are Miracles!"
With the last words out of his mouth, a large eye appeared in the space above Basar out of which a bright light burst forth.
Alex watched in shock as the night he created crumbled like a glass house.
It was at that moment he truly understood that his opponent wasn’t a normie or some weak Mystic.
The man before him was a true powerhouse!
As Alex digested his situation, Basar chuckled at his silence.
In classic style, he said. "Cat caught your tongue perhaps?"
"I underestimated you," Alex remarked.
"Oh no, you overestimated yourself." Basar shot back. "You are just a pathetic Mystic most likely performing a trial and you dare to act so brazenly in my presence!"
"How much can you see?" Alex was forced to ask.
"Shocked that I learned the truth so easily?" Basar chuckled. "The Eye of Truth is a benevolent deity that sees all things. She granted her powers to me with the single purpose of revealing the evils of this world and leading people to the light."
"I see." Alex nodded thoughtfully.
"Now then, decide quickly."
"Will you become my subordinate or die by my hands?" Basar asked with the large eye still floating above his head.
Alex shook his head. "No need."
"Made your decision already?"
"Of course," Alex remarked. "Die."
He disappeared from his position in a flash and appeared beside Basar with a revolver already drawn.
However, Basar quickly ducked out of the way like he already anticipated this.
Alex narrowly missed the shot before disappearing from the spot he appeared in.
"You are incredibly fast." Basar calmly judged.
Alex nodded. "You react fast as well."
"A simple action since I already ’saw’ you coming from a mile away."
’That damn eye again’
The current situation was one in which his opponent was able to see almost everything about him while he knew very little about the other party.
It was clear that he was at a gross disadvantage.
He pondered the chances of withdrawing for the time being.
Unfortunately, his opponent wasn’t about to wait around and watch him plan.
Alex watched as his perception of the area about him changed.
Space collapsed and he found that the left was right and up was down and the front was back.
His body seemed to be made of glass and the study he was in was long gone, instead replaced by a wide plain that stretched on for miles.
Before he could figure out what was going on, his danger senses went off.
A moment later, several light beams slammed into his position.
The dust cloud cleared to reveal Alex but his form was quite peculiar.
Switching between a shadowy state and a body of white light, he remained unharmed.
Glancing about, several eyeballs floated about him, waiting for a moment to strike.
Alex took a deep breath to get his bearings before slowly opening his eyes.
He moved without hesitation, crossing the boundary; he appeared before Basar in a flash, catching the latter off guard.
But Basar didn’t panic even as Alex regained his physical form and pulled the trigger of his gun.
A shot was fired but didn’t even manage to graze Basar as he quickly distanced himself from Alex.
Alex lowered his gun and upon inspecting the distorted space they were in, muttered. "It’s unbelievable that even my eyesight is affected by you."
"I told you, didn’t I... what I perform isn’t just a random Ability, it’s a Miracle!"
"Indeed... a true miracle but then tell me something... how long do you plan to stall for?"
Seeing as the latter wasn’t catching on, Alex explained. "It’s clear that you don’t plan to kill me. The overwhelming apprehensiveness you have toward me makes it very clear that you’d rather not fight me. You haven’t shown what you are truly capable of."
"You are scared that if you do so... you would reveal your presence but you don’t want that," Alex muttered.
Sighing deeply, he glanced at the grandfather clock placed in a corner of the study only to pause.
"So that’s how it is..."
Then, Basar said. "... Good morning."