A hand thrust out through the debris and rubble.

“Urk…”

The buried Illusion Master revealed himself. He brushed aside the dust and wreckage, hauling himself to his feet.

And his appearance was a mess.

His once spotless clothes were torn to shreds in places, blood trickling from his nape had pooled in the hollow of his collarbone. But what stood out most…

“Damn it all…!”

…was the breeze whistling through his left side.

The Illusion Master, Left Luminary, clutched the stump of his severed left arm, spitting curses. His arm had been cleanly lopped off.

Not within his Unique Barrier, but in reality itself. It had been so long since he’d last suffered a wound to his flesh and blood that he could scarcely recall.

And this level of grievous injury? It was a first in his life. Born frail by nature, the Illusion Master had never once engaged in close-quarters fisticuffs with anyone.

Yet here it was.

The target of this historic first fratricide was none other than…

“Left Guardian! Long time no see!”

A voice that rent the clouds asunder. Of all people, it had to be Monkey Bow Master.

The Illusion Master panted raggedly, head bowed.

The man stood atop the clouds as if surveying the City. He tapped his shoulder with his bow, grinning ear to ear—a wild, feral air about him that even his refined attire couldn’t fully mask.

“…It’s been a while, brother.”

“Kahaha! You mad bastard! Why would I be your brother? I killed your brothers and sisters myself!”

“We’ve spilled each other’s blood aplenty, so doesn’t that make us blood brothers? Don’t be too hard on me.”

“Well, well. Still got that silver tongue. But your words don’t add up. This is the first time you’ve ever bled like this. What gives you the right to play the tough guy? Everyone knows you’re a total pushover in a fight, Left Guardian.”

“…”

The Illusion Master gnawed his lower lip.

The Bow Master sneered, then took a step forward. The cloud beneath his foot punctured through.

His form shot forth like an arrow loosed from a bow. Faster than sound, he descended to the ground in an instant.

He dragged over a reasonably intact chair and leaned back casually.

While the Monkey feigned leisure, the Pig, Illusion Master, bristled with tension.

Just finished a battle in my Unique Barrier.

And not only that—he’d returned from his own world bearing wounds. He’d let his guard down, allowing the attack to land. A lapse in vigilance he never permitted, yet he’d slipped for that one fatal moment.

Which meant the enemy, Lee Taebaek, had baited him into lowering his defenses.

His severed left arm bore a handprint-like mark. His grip tightened on the stump.

Lee Taebaek.

That madman.

The gap in raw power was undeniable.

Mana reserves aside, the Illusion Master far outclassed him in manipulation finesse.

Even if it was Ice Magic—Lee Taebaek’s spells were one-dimensional. Pure offense, ignoring versatility entirely…

“N-No way.”

Even that had been deliberate?

His thoughts tangled into knots. Reality and deception blurred together.

Slippery serpent.

If one word summed up Lee Taebaek’s fighting style, that was it. His combat thinking specialized in striking at blind spots.

Like a viper waiting for the perfect moment to sink its fangs.

That little bitch was a wildcard too.

Perhaps even that fell under Lee Taebaek’s machinations.

That bastard’s battle instincts were monstrous.

The realization sent chills racing up his spine.

In terms of combat cognition, he’s surpassed even the Tower Master.

Speaking of which, where had the bastard fled? No trace even with Presence Detection spread wide.

Come to think of it, the moment the Unique Barrier shattered, the bastard had grabbed the little bitch and bolted.

No way…

That was part of your plan too…?

As the Illusion Master’s face drained of color, the Bow Master jeered.

“Yeah, yeah. Chew on it good.”

“…”

“When’s a shut-in wizard like you ever gonna get this kind of experience, Piggy? Savor this precious moment—you won’t get another.”

“…”

“Digest it well and put it to good use in your next life.”

The Bow Master cradled his head in laced fingers, propping one leg on his knee. He’d give the Illusion Master time to stew in his rage.

The twisted face of a strong man—one he’d deemed overwhelmingly beneath him—was a rare delicacy. And from a Ten Wing? You’d need generations of good karma for a taste.

The pale Left Luminary’s lips twitched.

“A shame about Siesta, Brother Hwang. To think they’d let a talent like that slip away.”

“Gutsy, provoking me in your state.”

The Bow Master reined in his swagger. The Illusion Master added calmly.

“Provocation? Perish the thought. I mean it sincerely. Your skills remain as sharp as ever, Brother Hwang.”

“I’ll take the compliment. But here’s the thing—I just heard you had a hand in my little mishap.”

Kang Hyeonseong and the Beggar Clan meeting had ripple effects. They’d deliberately gossiped about the Illusion Master in back alleys where the Bow Master’s info network prowled.

The most potent lies blend truth with fabrication.

Framed as rumors, they’d laced in insider details no outsider could know, drawing attention. On Lee Taebaek’s orders.

“A frame job, Brother Hwang. Kergel has zero ties to Siesta.”

“Kergel might not, Piggy, but you do—and I know it. That grubby trick of yours is magic fused with tech, isn’t it?

“Cyber Surfacers… whatever the name, not my concern. Point is, I got intel days ago that Siesta tech’s involved.”

“Even picking up such trivial scraps.”

The Bow Master clicked his tongue. Blood from the severed arm had slowed to a trickle.

“Know your enemy, win a hundred battles. I’ll hoover up every scrap on them.”

“Brother Hwang, how ugly you’ve become.”

“Shut your trap!”

His roar stirred the air. Veins bulged around the Bow Master’s eyes.

“You’re the ugly one, Piggy! Betraying the Tower we bled together for, colluding with Siesta from the shadows—and you dare speak of ugliness?!”

“Mere rumors.”

“No smoke without fire.”

Regaining composure, the Bow Master rose from his chair.

“And I wonder if that Rabbit bitch will buy it hook, line, and sinker.”

On that point, the Illusion Master had no mask left to wear.

If word reached the Tower Master, death was certain. Her temperament demanded it.

Suspicion alone warranted execution before verification. Even the Left Luminary was no exception.

To her, he was just one of many, many replaceable cogs. Next in line for his seat? Over five already.

Ten Wings title? Mere window dressing for balance. You couldn’t rank him with the Heavenly Demon. Monkey included.

“Kahaha! Priceless expression. Too good to keep to myself.”

“Enjoy the show alone, you thunder bald-ass.”

No sooner had he said it than the Illusion Master chanted a space translocation spell.

The scenery flickered by like film frames. The Bow Master blinked, then scanned wide.

“Gotta admit, your magic’s impressive.”

The two had teleported to an abandoned factory. Tattered plastic sheets fluttered like the lungs of a lung cancer patient.

“Fifty kilometers via space jump. Not bad.”

As if the scene had been cut out with scissors around just the two Ten Wings and pasted into the factory. Despite the ribbing, the Illusion Master’s spell drew genuine admiration.

Not a Ten Wing for nothing.

The Bow Master chuckled—

Shiver.

Gooseflesh prickled his spine. The Illusion Master sensed it too. Instinctively, they spread Presence Detection and pinpointed the killing intent’s source.

A middle-aged man stood silently atop a rust-dripping rebar, clouds at his back.

“Long time no see, boys.”

Sichuan Corporation Chairman.

Alongside Great Master, one of only two Ten Wings not affiliated with a Megacorp.

Yu, Poison Master.

“Mind if I join the fun?”

He spat the words laced with icy fury.

Lee Taebaek loaded Jasbi into the sidecar, then tore down the elevated highway. He’d parked Red Hare near Eunko Bar for quick access.

Vrooooom.

Far enough from the blast zone (Eunko Bar) to mount up without issue and escape.

Though my house is totally trashed.

Escaping two Ten Wings? A bargain. Time to contact 31st District Branch Leader Jin Sobang for a rebuild.

Two months since the remodel—due for an upgrade anyway.

Anyway.

Lee Taebaek revved Red Hare while buffing his Life and Mental stats.

He shook off the battle’s fatigue.

As he focused on driving, Jasbi, eyes still glazed, spoke up.

“Hey, Creator, got a question.”

“Save it for someone who survived tangling with Ten Wings.”

He clicked his tongue once out of habit.

“But yeah, Jasbi—you were key to it. Ask away. I can guess what it is.”

Praise the subject. Gaslighting 101.

Jasbi’s eyes shimmered with awe. With that burdensome gaze fixed on Lee Taebaek, she asked.

“Actually, how far did you plan? Ditching me? After Illusion Master showed? Bow Master too? I can’t gauge where your plan began.”

“Does it matter?”

“Surviving’s priority, sure… but it doesn’t add up. No matter how I crunch it, too many variables. Unrealizable on paper. Yet it unfolded exactly according to the plan in your head, at just the right timing. Just… uncanny.”

Tell me about it.

Lee Taebaek himself was most curious.

He’d framed it as “plan,” but honestly? It worked? Pure luck, no real strategy—just leaning on fortune, yet it clicked flawlessly.

Am I actually OP?

Gotta ride that high sometime.

The wind slapping his cheeks only fueled the hunch.

“Someone told me once.”

After deliberation, he gave a plausible reply.

“Called me Lord of Chaos.”

“Lord of Chaos…? What’s that?”

“Beats me.”

Lee Taebaek shrugged.

“Something like today, probably.”