The second floor exhibition hall was different from the one below. Three sides were floor to ceiling windows, and the only solid wall was the side Jace had entered through.
Bathed in moonlight, Lyria seemed to turn entirely white, like a moon spirit who did not belong to this world.
Sensing someone arrive, the girl opened her unfocused eyes and whispered,
Did they lose
Her voice was airy and soft, echoing faintly across the silent hall.
Jace recognized her immediately. His heart tightened for the first time tonight.
Was the world really this small
He had met her only hours earlier, and now she was here.
He wondered if someone had discovered his identity and sent her deliberately to test him.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
No one would pick such a striking girl for undercover work. She stood out too much.
And no one would station a supposed spy from a coffee shop at the final line of defense.
Lyria's bare feet touched the floor, and only then did Jace notice the rabbit marked slippers beside her chair.
So she really came barefoot
She even fought without shoes.
The moment her feet touched the ground, Jace felt his doubts melt away.
Her presence changed entirely.
Her right hand gripped the guide cane as if it were a sword.
Her mind became still as a mirror, and sword intent surged around her.
Strong.
Too strong.
Nothing like the guards or the three idiots from the Stormveil family outside.
Jace rasped, So you are the final guardian of the gemstone.
He glanced at the display, then back at her, chuckling softly.
Maybe you count as a jewel too.
Lyria tilted her head. What does that mean
Nothing. Jace waved it off.
Why not talk about the gemstone Look, earning a living is rough. You let me take it, and I will say the Stormveil family stopped everything. I am sure the museum director will not mind.
Lyria considered it seriously. It almost sounded reasonable.
But she quickly shook her head hard.
I cannot. Grandpa said that if they fail, I must protect it.
Jace shrugged.
Your grandfather probably said you are very naive too. No flexibility at all.
Tell you what, my family passed down a sword manual. I can trade it to you.
He is so smart. Grandpa really said that. Lyria blinked in surprise.
From their two encounters, Jace already sensed she had a three no personality. Emotion light, expression light, thought process very different from normal. If she could be bribed, great.
But Lyria still refused with clear resolve.
Thank you, but I do not want it.
You are right. I am not clever. I only know how to use a sword. But I still must finish Grandpa's task.
You cannot take it. Please leave.
Jace sighed inwardly.
Such a good girl. And she even thanked a thief.
But Grey Hat never leaves empty handed.
All right, all right. You are young, so I will let it slide. I am leaving. Do not call the police.
He used a coaxing tone like he was talking to a child.
The moment he turned his back, he activated Ghostreach Grasp.
The gemstone vanished from the display case and appeared as a dark jeweled necklace in his hand.
Tears of Sorrow.
Acquired.
Perfect. Fate blessed him tonight. They had put a blind girl in charge of the final defense.
He nearly laughed out loud. No fighting needed. Just exploiting her inability to see.
This was the easiest theft ever.
Lyria was delighted as well.
She had managed to make the intruder go away without fighting.
Grandpa always said people outside were dangerous. Maybe not.
Even thieves listen to reason.
Both of them were happy. A perfect ending.
If not for the alarm.
The shrill screech blasted through the hall.
It was awkward enough to trick someone.
Being the fooled one was even worse.
Jace slapped his forehead.
Damn it. I forgot most display cases have weight sensors under them.
No doubt the three no girl he just tricked would now hate him.
Wait, listen to me, I can explain
He turned around.
The words died in his throat.
Lyria was already at point blank range, her black cane cutting down toward his neck with terrifying force.
So fast.
He had known she far outclassed the three in the corridor, but he did not expect the gap to be this huge.
At a distance of less than two meters, Jace easily read her lips.
Liar.
I did not lie. I said I would leave. I never said I would not take the gemstone.
Just before her strike hit his neck, Lyria sensed something and instantly pulled back.
A slicing sound rang out.
A two centimeter cut opened across her chest where the fabric tore.
Lyria touched the shallow cut and murmured,
You have no sword, yet you have sword energy
Jace raised his hand. If one looked carefully, a faint air current shimmered there, condensed into a semi solid invisible blade.
Heaven Ripper Saga fifth form. Channel Shadow Rend.
Condense your internal force into an invisible blade of shifting form.
One of his main attacks.
Lyria attacked again, this time faster than before.
Bang.
The two sword energies collided, releasing explosive force.
Neither held back now.
The reinforced glass Gray bragged about shattered like paper.
Both floors' windows burst apart at the same instant.
The storm of energy made the three Stormveil youths outside tremble.
Oscar raised his sleeve to block the violent gust rushing down the corridor.
Lyria is fighting him
Kurt's voice shook. From the looks of it, they are evenly matched.
Eva stared wide eyed.
What level is Grey Hat to fight Lyria head on
Fragments of sword energy blasted everywhere, carving the walls with deep marks.
After that first devastating clash, the battle turned into a sustained exchange.
Lyria swung her black cane, forcing Jace into what felt like a sword formation.
Every move was simple, but impossibly hard to deal with.
So this is what a major clan's final defender looks like.
Blind and still this strong.
I need to get serious. Jace thought.
Though she seemed to have the advantage, Lyria sensed he had not shown his true strength.
He used sword energy, but no sword techniques. He only blocked.
Jace stepped softly, leaving no sound, and his form split into nine identical figures.
Each clone carried his aura.
He had pushed the seventh form Void Flash Steps far enough to create eight near perfect copies.
All nine moved at once toward the window.
Lyria could not help being intrigued again.
Why did he have so many strange and rare techniques
Just before Jace stepped out the window, she gathered her sword energy.
A layer of frost formed along the edge of her cane.
Cold prickled across Jace's back.
A surge of danger.
A combat technique.
Lyria exhaled a breath of white frost and stepped forward barefoot, the blade following her motion.
Centered on her blade, a circular wave of pure white sword energy spread outward over forty meters.
All eight clones were cleaved in half.
Combat technique Frost Dominion.