Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆58 The Fate of the Twins ⑦

☆58 The Fate of the Twins ⑦ 

‘A red-haired female swordsman with such immense mana— 

She must be the famous adventurer, Lilith Starseeker. 

However, I know nothing about her abilities. 

What will she do? 

—Well, it doesn’t matter. 

No matter what she brings to the table, my power remains the same.’ 

With that resolve, Yuhak made his decision. 

“Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Yuhak. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this kind of tension.” 

The smile disappeared from Yuhak’s face. 

His sharp, narrow eyes locked onto Lilith. And dark mana began to gather in his right hand. 

—As he focused, a black, bubble-like mass seeped out from his index finger. It started drifting in the air. 

Meanwhile, Lilith didn’t look away for even a second. 

She carefully observed her opponent’s movements. She raised her beautifully crafted sword adorned with starry patterns. 

Even an onlooker could tell—the atmosphere had shifted. 

She adjusted her stance, her movements becoming sharper as she measured the distance between them. 

Then— 

Yuhak was the first to move. 

He flung the black sphere high into the air, then clenched his fist tightly. 

—Pop! 

With a dry explosion, the black sphere burst into countless tiny mana fragments. 

Like fireworks, they spread across the sky before raining down toward Lilith. 

—Of course, she had anticipated this attack. 

She immediately unleashed her mana, wrapping herself in a radiant aura. 

“Precept of Command.” 

Yuhak extended both hands forward. He focused his mana even further before unleashing it at Lilith. 

“Power Control!” 

The surge of darkness intertwined with the remnants of mana from before. It created a gray mist that surrounded Lilith. 

The mist coiled around her. It was wrapping her body as if trying to ensnare her. 

“Now then, let’s see how effective it is.” 

Yuhak muttered with a composed tone. He slowly drew the sword from his waist. 

Lilith took a step back, inhaling deeply as she tried to assess the situation calmly. 

The gray mist clung to her skin. It wrapped around her like a curse. 

She tried to shake it off, but it was as if the mist had fused with her own mana— 

She couldn’t dispel it. 

Then, Yuhak’s words echoed in her mind— 

“Power Control.” 

Was it affecting her strength? 

Her stamina? 

Or maybe… both? 

She sharpened her senses, searching for any changes in her body— 

But she felt nothing unusual. 

Amidst the tense silence, Yuhak suddenly vanished for a moment— 

By the time Lilith noticed, he was already in her range. 

With a swift motion, he swung his sword. 

Her beloved blade—Circular Blade—clashed violently against his. 

The metallic impact echoed sharply through the air. 

—An overwhelmingly powerful strike. 

Lilith barely managed to block it. But a sharp numbness surged through her hands. 

(…Heavy! ) 

She instinctively took a step back to regain her footing. 

There was no doubt—she couldn’t overpower him in terms of raw strength. 

She immediately understood the reason. 

It was the gray mist. 

Her power was significantly weakened. 

She didn’t feel any issues with her movements, 

but there was an unsettling discrepancy between her senses and her actual strength. 

It felt off. 

“How does it feel?” 

Yuhak smirked slightly. 

“I assume you’ve figured it out by now—your power is heavily restricted.” 

He casually spun his sword in his hand before continuing. 

“But I’ll admit, I’m surprised. Normally, this would weaken someone’s strength to a tenth of what it was…” 

His voice carried both confidence and admiration. 

“But judging from how you blocked my attack—it seems yours is only halved.” 

His words weren’t meant as provocation. 

Rather, they acknowledged her strength— 

His gaze held a faint hint of curiosity. 

Lilith, maintaining her sharp expression, responded calmly. 

“I see… Maybe it’s because my mana shielded me before your dark mana fully took effect.” 

“So, do you think you can win with half your usual strength?” 

Yuhak slightly adjusted his stance, readying his sword. 

“You don’t seem like a mage, and regardless of what ability you have—” 

Suddenly, his form flickered. 

In the next instant, he had closed the distance again. He launched another sharp strike. 

“With your power suppressed, its effectiveness is limited.” 

Lilith read his movements perfectly, dodging swiftly and counterattacking— 

Her blade grazed Yuhak’s left arm. 

A thin cut appeared on his sleeve. 

But Yuhak simply glanced at the wound and smirked. 

“Hmm. Normally, that should’ve been a deep, flesh-tearing slash. But instead, this is all you managed?” 

“…Seems that way.” 

Lilith responded without any change in expression. 

“But you’re not much of a swordsman, are you?” 

Her voice remained calm, but her eyes glinted sharply. 

“Your movements are fast, but they’re wild—completely unrefined.” 

Hearing that, Yuhak’s smirk widened. 

“Refinement? I have no need for such a thing.” 

Yuhak’s voice burned with intensity as he continued. 

“I like absolute domination! Why bother with trivial techniques when I can crush everything with overwhelming power?” 

With those words, he swung his sword wildly. He unleashed another barrage of attacks. 

—A relentless, ferocious onslaught. 

Though his strikes were forceful and reckless, they carried a heavy pressure. They were amplified by his controlled mana. 

Each swing trembled the air, relentlessly pushing the red-haired swordswoman back. 

Yet— 

Lilith remained calm. 

She analyzed each incoming attack with precision. 

She blocked, deflected, and fluidly maneuvered, all while searching for an opening. 

The more aggressive Yuhak became, the sloppier his movements grew. 

Then— 

A clear gap in his stance emerged. 

Seizing the moment, Lilith’s blade moved like a flash of light. 

—Another shallow wound carved into Yuhak’s arm. 

As if she had fully seen through his movements, Lilith switched to offense. 

Her sword strokes were precise and graceful. It was as if she was painting on a canvas. 

With each swift motion, Yuhak’s skin was nicked. The small wounds were multiplying. 

—And then. 

It wasn’t just wounds that Yuhak suffered. 

A strange unease began to take root in his chest. 

(What is this…? My stamina is draining faster than usual.) 

(And… is it just my imagination, or is her attack power increasing?) 

Doubt flickered through his mind— 

In that very instant, Lilith’s blade sliced past his cheek. 

A bright red line of bl00d streaked through the air. 

(…This is no longer just a scratch!!) 

“Have you realized it yet?” 

Lilith’s voice carried an air of calm confidence. 

“I’ll spare you the details. But with each hit I land on you, my power grows.” 

Her smile was taunting. 

“This is the power of the technique you so easily dismissed. My strength is nearly back to full.” 

For the first time, Yuhak’s expression tightened. 

A cold sweat ran down his back. 

He needed more time to reactivate Precept— 

But even worse— 

His body felt heavier than ever. 

—At some point, even the sword in his grip had begun to feel unbearably weighty. 

Before he could process it, Lilith closed the gap in a flash and swung without mercy. 

Yuhak’s instincts screamed at him to dodge— 

But his movements were too slow. 

The blade tore deep from his shoulder to his chest. It sent a searing pain ripping through his body. 

(Hot… No, this is—!) 

Bl00d sprayed outward. 

A splash of red danced at the edge of his vision. 

(…Is this the end?) 

Lilith’s sword came swinging down. 

In Yuhak’s eyes— 

For the first time— 

A glimmer of resignation surfaced. 

All he could do was watch as the deadly blade rushed toward him.