*****Hearing Hunter’s words, Lucius and Augustus exchanged puzzled glances and searched his expression, trying to determine whether this was merely empty bravado or genuine confidence.After several seconds, they reached the same conclusion.‘He wasn't joking.’Unfortunately for Hunter, that realization didn't frighten them in the slightest.Instead, both father and son burst into laughter.Lucius even wiped the corner of his eye dramatically as though Hunter had just delivered the funniest joke he had heard all year."Tell me something," Lucius finally said, struggling to suppress another laugh. His expression became mockingly serious, though amusement still danced in his eyes. "Has being hunted these past few days relentlessly finally damaged your brain?"He didn't even wait for Hunter to answer."You already knew we were hunting you throughout the entire city..." He spread his arms theatrically before looking around the mansion. "...and your brilliant solution was to walk straight

*****Augustus halted as soon as he heard his son’s question.For a brief moment, he blinked. Then he lightly slapped his own forehead.“Oh?” he laughed. “My mistake, son.”He shook his head with exaggerated embarrassment.“You're absolutely right.”“I had almost forgotten we're dealing with nothing more than insignificant trash.”He turned back toward Hunter, his eyes overflowing with contempt. “My son has reminded me of something important.”His smile widened. “You're beneath me. So congratulations.”He slowly spread both hands with theatrical generosity.“I've decided not to lower myself by personally killing you.” He deliberately paused to let those words sink in before adding with a sneer,“After all... we have more than enough ranked fighters throughout this estate.”“They've probably been bored anyway. Consider it my gift to them.”Lucius couldn't resist laughing again.“What incredible luck,” he mocked. “Imagine being so worthless that even the person you're trying to kill ref

*****Without hesitation, Lucius pressed the alarm button again.However, this time, neither of them spoke again, and as such room fell silent once more.Before long, five minutes had passed, yet there was nothing.Not even hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway.The enormous estate remained eerily silent.Realizing this, Lucius's confident smile finally began cracking. A strange feeling slowly crept into his chest.He pressed the button again… harder this time.Again...Silence.The atmosphere abruptly became painfully awkward, the kind that could make someone hear their own heartbeat.Witnessing this, however, Hunter's smile widened another fraction.The expression on his face became even more unbearable.It was the quiet smile of someone who already knew the ending while everyone else was still confidently reading the wrong chapter.Lucius stared at the watch, then at the hallway, and then back at the watch.His expression slowly shifted from confidence to confusion… then to

*****Meanwhile, Augustus and Lucius remained completely motionless, their brains desperately trying to make sense of the impossible reality before them.Seconds passed, each one feeling unbearably long.Finally... Augustus managed to force a few words past his dry throat."Wha… what..." He swallowed hard. "What... is going on here?"Even he barely recognized his own voice. It sounded hoarse, unsteady, and heavy with disbelief now.In fact, the commanding authority that normally accompanied every word had vanished completely.Instead, his question carried the helpless confusion of a man whose entire understanding of reality had just collapsed.The instant those words echoed through the courtyard, the suffocating silence hanging over the Scoan Estate seemed to ripple.Lucius finally snapped back to himself.Then his eyes darted frantically across the crowd.He recognized every face.The eastern patrol squad, the hidden guards stationed beneath the villa, and the elite F-rank fighters.

*****"They wanted to call for help, so... I allowed them the opportunity."The casualness in Hunter’s voice made the statement feel even more disturbing.It wasn't an apology or explanation, but instead… the kind of mockery delivered by someone who had already won.The instant Hunter's voice echoed through the courtyard, the kneeling guards reacted almost instinctively.They all raised their heads, and immediately, pain surfaced across their faces.Several looked ready to cry, while others clenched their teeth so hard that their jaws trembled.Although nobody had noticed Hunter standing behind the father and son duo all this time, none of the guards appeared surprised.Instead, their expressions suggested something entirely different. They already knew that Hunter, who had disappeared for days now, was here.Meanwhile, the ordinary servants reacted quite differently.Several blinked in confusion, some opened their mouths in a daze, and the others just stared."Huh?" One maid covered