Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1013: Decoys and the Real Target ( 1013 )

After Alf walked away, Javier looked over the maids.

They really are all pretty. Let’s hope Liana and Gloria don’t go wild on me for this.

He exhaled and snapped his fingers. A single, sleek knight unit materialized beside him. From his dimensional storage, he retrieved a pair of high-magic-tech gauntlets, and slid them onto his wrists.

Javier channeled mana into the devices. His vision split; one eye saw the courtyard, the other began streaming live feed from the Sky Eyes and the mana satellite. Sound from the remote unit clicked into his hearing.

The knight stood motionless for a second, then its back ignited with a low hum. High-speed jetpacks propelled it skyward in a silent, swift ascent.

In his linked view, status runes flickered to life across his visual field.

Mana Rifle- Online.

Dual Mana Sidearms- Charged.

Mana Blade- Armed.

All Systems Operational. Mission Parameters: Reconnaissance. Engage at discretion.

A smirk spread across Javier’s face. ”Well... if I can’t go myself, my newest invention can go in my stead. Ehehehee...”

Javier snapped his fingers again.

A full squadron of his latest-model puppet knights materialized around him, each armed with a mana rifle, a sidearm mana gun, and a retracted mana blade at their hip.

”Command: Secure the perimeter outside the estate walls. Engage any target confirmed hostile by Sky Eye or by our own battle and scout drones.”

A single, synchronized pulse of blue light flashed across their visors.

Affirmative. Command acknowledged.

The knights turned, their leg units humming to life. They launched into the air, clearing the estate walls in a single fluid leap before fanning out into the surrounding forest, moving with silent, lethal precision.

Javier rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. Hmm... Maybe I should deploy the heavy combat drones too. The ones with enhanced sensors, mana gatling guns, and missile pods. We still don’t know what we’re dealing with.

The maids remained standing at a respectful distance, watching as Javier clearly lost himself in the joy of deploying his magic-tech arsenal.

He glanced over his shoulder after a moment, noticing they were here with him.

”Ah... sorry, girls. Could you bring chairs for all of us?”

”Prince Javier?”

”I don’t want you all just standing there. This might take a while, so you should relax and have something to drink too, right?”

”Is that a command, Prince Javier?”

Javier smirked, rubbing his chin as he glanced between them. ”Yes. That’s a command. Bring enough food and drinks for everyone.”

”As you command, Prince Javier.”

Four of the maids bowed in unison and moved efficiently toward the nearby pavilion, while the remaining two took up quiet, watchful positions a few steps from Javier’s side.

”Now, let’s see who this mysterious individual really is,” Javier smirked.

Through the puppet knight’s feed, he watched as Hesbeirn led the veteran squad toward one of the marked locations.

Hmm... I don’t see the shadow unit or their commander anywhere. This group really is the best of the best.

”Well, while they check the four decoy points from the satellite feed... I’m going to the real one.” His eyes narrowed on a fifth, quieter signal. ”He’s not showing up on any visual feed, but the mana ping suggests someone’s definitely there. Probably using a high-grade invisibility skill... or something else entirely.”

Meanwhile, near the huge lake.

A figure crouched low in the shadows, scanning the surrounding forest before pulling a small bottle from his pocket.

With this, I’ll keep Armand’s security busy long enough to slip through and reach my target.

His fingers tightened around the lid, ready to twist the cap when a heavy thud shook the ground behind him.

The figure spun around. A fully armored knight stood there, resting a mana rifle casually against its shoulder.

The intruder’s eyes went wide. ”How did you find me?!”

”Hmm? It was easy. This is Armand, not some backwater nation. Have you been living under a rock?”

The intruder smirked, sharp fangs glinting. ”You think that heavy armor lets you fight me head-on? Are you high?”

A low chuckle came from the knight’s helm. ”Heh... high? I think you’re the one who’s been eating too many poison mushrooms.”

The intruder’s grin turned wicked, vanished in a blur of motion, zipping between trees, leaping from branch to branch, then streaking past the knight at impossible speed.

”See how fast I am? You can’t fight me! In that clunky armor, you’ll never match my speed!”

”Heh... speed, huh? Cute.” Javier’s voice was a lazy drawl from the knight as he tracked the figure still darting around him in mocking circles.

The intruder stopped on a thick branch overhead, squatting with a smug grin. He dug a pinky into his nose. ”What’s wrong? Can’t even turn your head fast enough?”

Javier chuckled. ”Actually, that kind of speed is too slow for me. I was just thinking how boring this is.”

”Heh... talk big for someone who...”

Before he could finish, the knight vanished. A heavy tap landed on his shoulder from behind, followed instantly by a punch that connected squarely with his cheek.

THWACK.

”Guaaahhh!!” The intruder flew off the branch, crashing hard into the ground below.

Javier’s knight landed lightly a few paces away, the mana rifle already secured across its back. ”Speed isn’t everything... especially when you’re predictable.”

The intruder snarled, fangs bared as he lunged forward, slashing with a strange, pulsating blade flesh-like with blinking eyes embedded along its edge straight at Javier’s chest.

Javier didn’t move, letting the blow land squarely on his chestplate.

A shower of sparks erupted on impact, but not a single scratch appeared on the armor.

”Are you dumb?” Javier asked, his tone almost bored. ”This armor is made from a special alloy of mithril, adamantite, and white ore. No way that...” He glanced down at the blade.

”Ewww!! What kind of disgusting blade is that?”

”Why does every enemy I meet have to use some weird, disgusting weapon like this!? Do you people have no class? No taste?” Javier leaned back, his armored form radiating disgust. ”Not just the weapon, even the armor! What’s with all the eyes? Do you think they make it sharper? Boost the magic? Seriously!”

”Shut up! I’ll kill you right here, right now!” The intruder pulled out a second blade, identical to the first, and channeled his power. A sickly, violent aura erupted around him, twisting the air into a localized, swirling storm of dark energy.

Javier’s disgust deepened, sharpening into cold disdain. ”What a pathetic, ugly weapon.” His voice dropped, a note of genuine judgment cutting through the chaos. ”You know, they say a weapon reflects its user. A disgusting blade means a disgusting wielder...”

He rested a hand casually on the sleek mana blade across his waist. ”While a cool weapon?” A faint smirk touched his voice. ”Now that makes the user look cool.”

( End Of Chapter )