What? I Actually Reincarnated As Stepping Stone In Another World?



His nod signified affirmation, yet his visage suddenly contorted in astonishment.

"Not good!" he exclaimed, his reflexes propelling him sideways.

"Boom!"

The sudden attack caused the sharp-faced man to flinch in surprise, and he quickly jumped to the side.

Fortunately, the attack missed him, and a cloud of smoke billowed up, obscuring the surroundings.

"Uhuk uhuk!" He coughed severely and struggled to stand up; his movements were sluggish.

However, he felt an overwhelming force pinning him down, rendering him completely immobile!

"What on earth!" The sharp-faced man muttered in fear, his mana unable to flow as if it were restrained by an unseen power!

"Shit! What's happening?!" He asked himself with growing panic, his face devoid of the confidence he once wore.

Gradually, the smoke and dust dissipated, revealing his two bodyguards, who stood frozen, their expressions blank.

Upon witnessing this, the sharp-faced man immediately called out loudly to the two.

"What are you two doing? Hey!" However, the two didn't respond; their expressions remained frozen.

A dark premonition gripped the sharp-faced man, and a cold sensation crawled up his spine.

"No, don't..." he muttered in disbelief, and in an instant, the two bodyguards collapsed, their heads severed.

"Whoosh!"

Blood gushed from the necks of the fallen bodyguards, causing the man to tremble with fear.

"Hiikkss!" His voice quivered with horror, as though he were witnessing something so gruesome for the first time, despite having killed before.

Lost in a mix of confusion and fear, a voice suddenly echoed from the hallway behind him.

"The leader of the Black Skull syndicate is quite the coward, isn't he?" The voice of a man who appeared out of nowhere snapped the sharp-faced man to attention, causing him to pivot and focus his gaze in that direction.

"Who are you?!" The sharp-faced man's voice trembled, devoid of the authority he had displayed before.

Authority and dignity crumbled in the face of impending death, and the sharp-faced man no longer cared about maintaining them.

"Clak! Clak!"

Yet, instead of a reply, only the sound of approaching footsteps resonated from that direction.

"Tskckck! I must say, I had high expectations for you." The voice echoed once more, this time emanating from a man cloaked in black, his face the only part visible, revealing him to be Rian.

Beside him stood a woman, none other than Carina.

Observing the sharp-faced man's overwhelming fear, Carina's face twisted into an expression of disdain and frostiness.

"Those who are feeble dare to defy those more powerful." Carina muttered in disgust, her words audible to the sharp-faced man and fueling his anger.

"What the hell! Who are all of you? Why the attack on me and the slaughter of my subordinates?" He bellowed, his voice intense, as he fixed a sharp gaze on them.

He couldn't fathom why two strangers had infiltrated his heavily concealed base. 

It had remained hidden even from the empire itself, leading him to suspect that these interlopers might have been dispatched by the empire to eliminate him and his organization.

His heart raced, a renewed fear gripping him—the second instance of fear after encountering the enigmatic black-cloaked figure who had proposed a sinister partnership involving slave trade.

Meanwhile, Rian, catching his question in a distant manner, advanced nearer, his head slightly lowered, an air of condescension about him.

"Knowing who I am isn't necessary, but you'd do well to grasp that your actions carry grave consequences. Are you ready to face them?" His faint smile resembled the grin of a devil to the sharp-faced man.

"Curse you!" The sharp-faced man howled in a frenzy, attempting to channel the mana within him. 

Unfortunately, he remained in the same incapacitated state, as if an invisible force had constricted him.

"Why can't I unleash my power?!" The man's frantic muttering reflected his desperation; he was unable to mobilize his abilities.

Observing his struggle, Rian let out a chuckle, shaking his head in mock sympathy.

"No need to waste your breath on that, for I've shackled your powers. At this moment, you're utterly powerless," Rian taunted, his tone dripping with derision, causing the sharp-faced man to freeze in terror.

Slowly, he directed a gaze of seething anger toward Rian.

"Tell me, who are you, and how much wealth do you seek to spare my life?" The sharp-faced man attempted to negotiate with Rian for his survival.

He was prepared to offer a substantial sum to secure his life—every last bit of his wealth, if necessary.

The value of his riches paled in comparison to the value of his life's thread.

After all, even the entirety of his treasure trove would hold no significance if his own life were to vanish.

Furthermore, the power wielded by this enigmatic figure before him was staggeringly potent.

As an early-level elemental saint, he found himself unable to discern even a hint of this man's true strength.

Rian burst into laughter upon hearing this, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Money? Do you think I have any use for your ill-gotten wealth?" Rian's expression turned steely, and his voice turned icy.

The sharp-faced man was rendered speechless, unsure of how else he could bargain for his life.

Growing weary of the situation, Rian initially expected this man, the head of the most powerful syndicate in the Balka Empire, to put up more of a fight, perhaps employing his original powers.

However, he was now confronted with a reality that fell far short of his expectations. 

The leader before him appeared disconcertingly feeble—a mere early elemental saint.

"Well, I'm growing tired of this, and it's probably best to end it now." Rian's voice remained impassive as he lifted his right hand, seemingly ready to terminate the man's life without hesitation.

"Wait!" Carina, who had maintained silence until now, suddenly interjected, halting Rian's intent to execute the sharp-faced man.

Hearing Carina's interruption, Rian turned to her, a hint of bewilderment in his gaze.

"What business could you possibly have with him?" Rian's inquiry spurred a rapid headshake from Carina, her expression riddled with disdain.

"No, but allow me to end his life." Carina's voice turned icy, her demeanor radiating a potent intent to kill.

She held particular contempt for individuals like the sharp-faced man—feeble characters who lacked genuine power yet resorted to repugnant methods to achieve their desires.

In her view, even David was more worthy, possessing genuine strength alongside his ruthlessness.

In this world, after all, the strong prey on the weak.

Rian's swift agreement prompted him to take a few steps back, ceding the initiative to Carina.

With an air of frigidity, Carina advanced toward the man.

Witnessing her approach, the sharp-faced man quivered, sensing the looming specter of death.

"Cursed hell! Damn it!" He erupted in a frenzied roar, attempting to muster the mana within him despite its futility.

Realizing the inevitable, his countenance turned resolute, as if he had resolved to a grim fate.

"If you leave me no choice, don't expect mercy from me!" The sharp-faced man bit down on his tongue until it bled, a thick, dark fluid oozing from the wound.

"Glup!"

He ingested the black liquid, and in an instant, his aura underwent a substantial surge.

"Boom!"

Rian's constraining influence abruptly dissipated as the sharp-faced man emitted an exceptionally potent aura!

Observing this, Rian squinted, a sensation of familiarity washing over him from the man's aura.

"The aura of a Light Eater organization member!" Rian's exclamation held surprise, prompting him to signal to Carina to withdraw momentarily.

The adversary's strength had unexpectedly escalated to that of a mid-level elemental saint!

"Step back!" Rian quickly tugged at Carina's hand, but she evaded his grasp.

"Don't fret over me; this is a golden opportunity to sharpen my dulled abilities." Carina's retort caught Rian off-guard.

He couldn't help but gaze at the sharp-faced man who was rising, an aura of darkness cloaking him.

"Are you certain?" Rian wasn't driven by fear; the released aura of the sharp-faced man was undeniably formidable, nearly brushing against the high of elemental saint strength.

Rian was puzzled by how this surge in power had been achieved, given the clandestine and enigmatic nature of the Light Eater organization's techniques.

Carina's response held no trace of fear or apprehension; instead, a subtle smile graced her lips.

"Absolutely! Leave it to me." Carina's resolute answer prompted a small, involuntary sigh from Rian.

"Very well, I'll step back and abstain from interfering in your combat. However, if your situation becomes perilous, I will intervene directly," Rian struck a deal with Carina.

He had a prior agreement with Arthur to protect her from danger, and he couldn't allow Carina to meet her end.

Without delay, Rian vanished from his spot, reappearing within the room where the two elves had been present before. 

Erecting a protective shield, he sheltered himself and the two elves, insulating them from the repercussions of the impending battle.

As Rian departed, the sharp-faced man, now surging with newfound strength, couldn't resist a sharp taunt aimed at Carina.

"Hehehe! I'll end you!"