Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives-Chapter 387: Too Fast

Warlock Ch 387. Too Fast

Damian didn't answer. His mind was already ten steps ahead, racing through contingencies. If Lysandra had said his true name out loud... the mask was slipping faster than he'd thought. And if she was here for more than diplomacy?

Then it was only a matter of time before things exploded.

Literally.

Damian stood still, silent as stone. One hand absently gripped the amulet hanging from a cord around his neck, the cool metal pressed to his chest like it might hold him together. It was an old artifact, simple in design, carved with faint lines of dark silver and smoothed with use. Its magic was subtle but effective—a suppression tool that masked presence and power.

But even now, standing in the middle of the manor's living room, he could feel it… fraying. The threads of concealment were starting to strain.

Too much power. Too fast.

He hadn't expected to level up this quickly. To push through skill thresholds, shatter limitations, and emerge with enough force coiled beneath his skin to warp attention around him. The amulet wasn't meant for someone like him—not anymore.

He sighed quietly, fingers still holding the artifact. There'd be a time when this thing would become completely useless. Just a charm. A memory.

But he didn't think it would be this soon.

Cassius watched him closely, lips drawn in a thin line. He glanced toward the shadow servant still kneeling near the hearth. "If there's nothing else, you're dismissed."

The servant bowed low and melted back into nothing, like a ripple sinking into still water.

And then Cassius exhaled through his nose, muttered something that sounded halfway like a curse, and walked over with a slow, measured pace. "I know what you're thinking."

Damian didn't look up.

Cassius sat down on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees. "This is bad. Sure. No one's denying that. But it doesn't mean it'll end like last time."

Damian let out a soft huff—more breath than laugh, more disbelief than agreement. "No. It won't end the same as the past."

He finally looked up, eyes distant. "I mean… they know I'm Kaelan. And I'm still breathing. That's… good. I guess."

He didn't sound convinced.

Not even a little.

Cassius frowned. He'd seen that look before—years ago. Different battlefield. Different name. But the same storm behind the eyes. Like Damian was already bracing for betrayal even before it arrived.

"You don't believe it," Cassius said.

Damian gave a one-shoulder shrug. "I want to. But you know how it went last time. Same thing. Same silence. Then a knife in the ribs when I finally stopped looking over my shoulder."

Cassius nodded slowly, eyes narrowing just slightly. "Yeah. I remember."

A pause.

"You know what I hated most?" Damian said, suddenly quieter. "Not the betrayal. Not even the pain. It was the way they made it look justified. Like they were saving the world from some monster. And everyone cheered."

Cassius looked at him for a moment longer, then leaned back slightly. "We're not there anymore."

Damian scoffed. "We're close enough."

"No," Cassius said, firmer now. "We're not. Because this time, people know. They've seen what you're doing. What you've built. You're not hiding in the shadows anymore."

Damian turned to him slowly. "That's what scares me."

Cassius blinked, caught off guard by the honesty in those words.

But then Damian straightened, rolling his shoulders. His eyes sharpened again, shifting from doubt to focus. "Either way," he muttered, "we can't sit still."

Cassius nodded. "Exactly."

He stood, brushing his coat back into place with a smooth motion. "We need to thin Ralvek's people more."

Damian stood too, posture more grounded now. "Another hunt?"

Cassius smirked. "A very polite one. Leave the usual chaos at home. We don't want to spook the fence-sitters."

Damian crossed his arms. "Any targets in mind?"

"We've marked three," Cassius said, pacing slowly now, thoughtful. "Two are minor council aides, both have been redirecting funds from magical stabilization programs. The third? A city patrol commander. Just got promoted last week. Too clean. Too fast. And way too informed for someone with no magical background."

Damian tilted his head. "So basically, another puppet."

"Exactly," Cassius said, voice grim. "They're all deep in Ralvek's pocket. No markings. No affiliations on paper. But their movement patterns match known informants."

Damian's fingers twitched at his side, the faint pull of mana swirling under his skin. "What's the risk?"

Cassius stopped pacing and gave a long, low sigh. "High. They're baiting us. Hard. We've hit too many nodes in too short a time. Ralvek's not stupid—he's expecting retaliation. This smells like a trap."

"So it's a trap," Damian repeated, eyes narrowing.

"Definitely."

"And we're walking into it anyway?"

Cassius gave him a toothy smile. "Of course."

Damian exhaled through his nose. "You're insane."

"Right back at you," Cassius said, and this time, his voice was lighter—teasing, but with a sliver of seriousness underneath.

Damian walked to the window, gaze sweeping over Haven City. The rooftops were dusted with fog, streetlamps casting blurred halos in the thickening mist. It looked quiet. Still. The kind of quiet that only came when something was holding its breath.

"We'll go tonight," he said.

Cassius nodded, straightening. "I'll prep the crew. Quiet team."

Damian tapped the window frame with one finger, the cold glass slightly fogged beneath his touch. "Keep Victoria and Evelyn in reserve. If this is a trap, we'll need someone to break it fast. No hesitation."

Cassius gave a low chuckle. "You're assuming Victoria will wait if things go sideways."

"I'm assuming you'll convince her," Damian said, half-turning to meet his gaze.

Cassius rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Fine. I'll try. You know they only listen to you."

Damian looked back at the city again. His voice dropped. "We won't get another clean shot after this. If we hit tonight, it needs to matter."

Cassius's usual smirk faded. "I know. We won't make mistakes," he repeated, firmer.

Damian glanced back, expression cool and focused, but his voice held weight. "We can't afford to."

And just like that, the next move began.