The Rise Of A Shadowsmith

Chapter 150: Lunarisite Mine (3)

Frustration and realisation crossed the guard’s face. He had underestimated Shinon’s abilities, and now he was about to pay the price for doing so.

However, it was too late for the guard to back down, and he lunged backwards, creating space between them before charging right back in with a baton.

As the guard lunged forward, swinging his baton with force, Shinon swiftly evaded the attack, his reflexes honed from countless battles. He assessed the guard’s movements, anticipating his next strike.

With a swift, fluid motion, Shinon stepped to the side, grabbing the guard’s arm and twisting it behind his back. The guard winced in pain as Shinon expertly disarmed him, effortlessly taking control of the situation.

"Now, now," Shinon said, his voice calm yet commanding. "There’s no need for unnecessary violence."

The guard grunted in frustration, his face contorted with anger and defeat. He struggled against Shinon’s grip, but Shinon’s strength proved superior.

Realising his resistance was futile, the guard relented, his body slumping slightly. He stared at Shinon, a mixture of defiance and resignation in his eyes.

"I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t let you go any further," the guard grumbled, his voice laced with frustration.

"Those are quite bold words coming from your mouth," Shinon shook his head in dismay. "I don’t think you can do anything to stop me at this point."

As Shinon and the first guard stood facing each other, a second guard emerged from behind, his eyes wide with surprise as he took in the scene before him.

"Hey! What’s going on here?" the second guard exclaimed, attempting to sound authoritative but failing to mask his nervousness.

Shinon barely glanced in the second guard’s direction, his attention fixed on the guard he had disarmed. The second guard puffed out his chest, trying to assert his presence.

"Put that guy down, or you’ll have to deal with me!" the second guard proclaimed, brandishing his own baton with shaky hands.

The first guard, who had been rendered powerless by Shinon’s swift disarmament, looked at the second guard with disbelief and amusement. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for his comrade’s misplaced bravado.

Shinon finally turned his gaze toward the second guard, his expression a mix of bemusement and mild annoyance.

"Look, buddy," Shinon said, his voice tinged with amusement. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I’m afraid you’re a bit outmatched here."

The second guard bristled at the implication, determined to prove himself. He took a step forward, swinging his baton in an attempt to intimidate Shinon.

Undeterred, Shinon effortlessly sidestepped the poorly executed attack, causing the second guard to stumble forward, nearly tripping over his feet. The first guard couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle.

Shinon shook his head, a tiny grin playing at the corners of his lips. "You might want to work on your technique there, my friend. It’s not very effective."

The second guard flushed with embarrassment, realising that he had underestimated Shinon’s skills. He glanced at the first guard, who shrugged in resignation, silently acknowledging that they were no match for the resourceful inventor.

Even then, the second guard, unwilling to accept defeat so easily, gritted his teeth and regained his footing after his embarrassing stumble. Determination flashed in his eyes as he launched himself at Shinon again, his baton swinging through the air.

"You never learn, do you?" Shinon sighed before raising a finger in the guard’s direction.

A moment later, shadows coalesced and swirled beneath the guard’s feet, forming a dark tendril that snaked its way around his ankle.

In an instant, the guard’s confident assault turned into a calamitous stumble. His foot caught on the shadowy tendril, causing him to lose his balance and careen forward. Arms flailing, he crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, much to Shinon’s amusement.

The fallen guard groaned in frustration, his pride taking a severe blow. He struggled to push himself up, only to slip on the remnants of the shadowy tendril still lingering on the ground. The comical cycle of tripping and falling continued.

"Stop it. Get some help." Shinon quipped, his voice filled with playful mockery.

The second guard glared up at Shinon, a mixture of irritation and embarrassment across his face. He muttered a string of curses under his breath but begrudgingly acknowledged Shinon’s control over the situation.

With a smirk, Shinon extended a hand to help the guard regain his footing, his amusement evident in his eyes. "It seems we’ve had our fair share of missteps tonight. Perhaps it’s time we call it a truce."

Reluctantly, the second guard accepted Shinon’s gesture, accepting the help to rise from the ground.

As the guards regained their composure, they exchanged glances, silently acknowledging that they had met their match in Shinon.

With a newfound respect for his abilities, they decided it was best to let him continue without further interference... at least, they wanted to do so but couldn’t.

"Well, you certainly know how to handle yourself," the first guard admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We couldn’t just let you go alone, you know. The mine is off-limits, and we have orders to keep people away from it."

The second guard nodded in agreement, his earlier hostility replaced with a more amiable demeanour.

"Right, so here’s the deal: we’ll accompany you to the vicinity of the mine, but you must promise not to cause any trouble or get in the way of the rest." the second guard added. "Also, you’ll have to be blindfolded till we reach the mine, for obvious reasons." freёweɓnovel.com

Shinon raised an eyebrow, considering their proposal. It wasn’t exactly what he had in mind, but having an official escort could provide some advantages. Besides, he was eager to uncover the secrets of the mine, and a little cooperation wouldn’t hurt.

As for the blindfold, well, that was useless because, with his map, Shinon would have known exactly where the guards were taking him.

"Fair enough. I promise to behave myself and not cause any trouble. But," Shinon replied, holding up a finger. "I get to observe everything, no matter what I see. Deal?"

After a moment’s contemplation, the first guard shrugged. "Deal. But remember, you’ve got to keep your end of the bargain too. We won’t hesitate to restrain you if you try anything funny."

"You can try, but... you know how that’ll end," Shinon chuckled. "But I promise to behave. You don’t need to worry about me."

"One more thing," the first guard chimed in. "Do not tell the phoenixes or anyone that we willing showed you around. Better yet, don’t even drop our names."

"Does it looks like I know your names?" Shinon rolled his eyes. "Just get going, we don’t have the entire day."