Axel
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Chapter 550: Infinite Mirror World vs. Infinite Mirror World
🕑 Added 2025-07-07 15:10:01 +0000 UTCA faint hum echoed in Charlot Mecklenburg's mind. Despite his instinctive disdain for the elderly chancellor who orchestrated the siege on Zimourman Axel Robin, leading to the downfall of the Fars Empire, he couldn't help but raise his guard to the highest level when facing him directly.
After all, anyone capable of rising to the position of an imperial chancellor could never be an ordinary person.
Simple people could not have accomplished what Wood Brandon had.
Charlot showed no fear or hesitation. Instead, he asked with curious composure, "How can vampires have children?"
Wood Brandon smiled faintly and replied, "Adoption."
Charlot's expression froze momentarily, and after a long pause, he said in a quiet voice, "Couldn't you have had a few before becoming a vampire?"
Wood Brandon hadn’t expected Charlot to focus on this issue. Taking a small twig from his sleeve, he said, "My children are all dead. Don’t misunderstand—they would’ve been five or six hundred years old by now if they, too, had become vampires."
Charlot refrained from asking why he hadn't transformed his children into vampires. Life had its complexities. He also wasn't shocked by Wood Brandon's true age; having met a few proper vampires, he was no stranger to such matters. Instead, he asked directly, "Was it because of Byron that you infiltrated Fars?"
Wood Brandon chuckled softly and replied, "No, I was just pursuing a carefree life."
"You probably don’t know how dull the lives of Byron’s blood ancestors are. They gather every day for banquets, but they can’t drink wine—only blood. They invite groups of vulgar, hideous women…"
"But life aboard the Radiant Holy Kingdom ship was far more entertaining!"
Charlot’s demeanor stiffened slightly as he asked, "You’ve been aboard the Radiant Holy Kingdom?"
Wood Brandon nodded. "I even went to sea with you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have waited for your return to the Old Continent to launch this rebellion. I was with the fleet. Logistically, the best timing would’ve been while Brittany was at the frontlines and you were away."
"Your Twenty-Two Centime Campaign this time was truly eye-opening."
"I have always prided myself on unparalleled strategies. Across the continent, few can rival me. Yet, I never expected to be forced to abandon my identity as Wood Brandon by you."
"Those fascinating novels of yours—how do you come up with them?"
Thinking about those novels, Charlot could only say, "It was a collective effort."
Wood Brandon shook his head. "It’s impossible for such brilliance to come from a collective. I can believe in one genius, but the emergence of so many is absurd."
Charlot wasn’t interested in discussing third-rate novels with him. Changing the subject, he asked something he was genuinely curious about: "Why did you provoke Axel into besieging Zimourman?"
Wood Brandon responded nonchalantly, "Personal grudges."
Charlot was about to retort that sacrificing the Fars Empire’s potential and the Axel family’s future over a personal grudge was absurd. But he quickly remembered that the man before him wasn’t human, nor a Farsian. Why would he care about the rise and fall of human nations or families? Besides, his "disguised age" was nearing its limit, and this identity was on the verge of becoming unusable.
Moreover, he was a vampire. It was entirely plausible that he harbored a Byron complex. Undermining Fars would benefit the vampires significantly.
Charlot made a show of preparing to ask more questions, his expression indicating further curiosity. However, instead of speaking, he abruptly drew the Red Viper and Blue Viper, pulling the trigger without hesitation.
The Arthurian marksmanship he had learned from Juno Arthur was brought to its peak in that moment.
With a flick of the twig in Wood Brandon’s hand, an invisible force deflected the two bullets at an angle, the precision of his technique astonishing.
Without pause, Charlot switched to the Berserker Blade, merging with the weapon to unleash the 77 Movements of Heaven’s Wing in a fierce onslaught. His strikes, as agile as a soaring dragon, demonstrated the full mastery of the Asilo Swordsmanship.
Wood Brandon, however, merely twirled the twig in his hand. Each strike of Charlot’s was deflected effortlessly, his movements calm and unhurried. From the moment Wood Brandon drew the twig, Charlot had suspected it was a high-level extraordinary artifact—possibly even a Saint-level one. Otherwise, it would never withstand both his techniques.
Charlot closed the distance further, switching to the Blood Rose. His swordsmanship surpassed his marksmanship, and with Swiftstep Technique ×32—five enhancements coming directly from the Red and Blue Vipers—his enchanted rapier flashed like lightning.
With the Swiftstep Technique boosting him, Charlot’s pure swordsmanship alone was enough to challenge even a twenty-second-rank warrior. Yet, with a shake of the twig, Wood Brandon began mirroring the same swordsmanship.
The two exchanged a flurry of rapid strikes, their swords clashing in dazzling arcs. Sensing his Stardust Battle Energy beginning to wane, Charlot pulled back, shouting, "Mirror Technique?"
Wood Brandon nodded slightly. "While Duke Mecklenburg is extraordinarily gifted—likely aided by divine power—and your progress in cultivation is astonishing, I have spent more years exploring the Infinite Mirror World. Naturally, my understanding runs slightly deeper."
The Mirror Technique could replicate an opponent’s combat skills. However, its mimicry was superficial, limited to form, and could never replicate the essence—let alone imitate Charlot’s Swiftstep Technique.
Charlot Mecklenburg managed to accomplish this feat; it must mean he had some unique insight into the Infinite Mirror World, or his speed was simply unparalleled.
Charlot did not want to analyze how Wood Brandon managed to do it. When one tactic failed, he immediately shifted to another. Wielding the Blood Rose, he launched another assault. His second wave of Swiftstep Technique swordplay was even faster than before. Flames flared from both hands as he gripped the Red Viper and Blue Rattlesnake, firing over a dozen rounds at the very moment of his charge. Each bullet targeted Wood Brandon’s openings with uncanny precision.
The former Imperial Chancellor finally revealed an odd smile and stepped into the Mirror of Power. Despite his mastery of the Infinite Mirror World surpassing Charlot’s by a great margin, he could not withstand the combination of Arsilo Swordsmanship and the Arthur Clan's Gunsmanship.
Charlot dared not follow Wood Brandon into his mirror world. Every member of the Van Gogh Clan received immense power boosts within their own mirrored dimensions.
Turning, Charlot also retreated into his own mirror world. He was immediately met with a startling sight: outside his Mirror of Power, hundreds of mirrors appeared, their magical surfaces exuding a violent, domineering force. This overwhelming power tore at the void, attempting to invade his mirrored domain.
Charlot was slightly taken aback. He had never faced a Van Gogh Clan member before and hadn’t anticipated that they would possess such powerful techniques capable of breaching a mirror world.
Wood Brandon was trying to use his mirrored dimension to intrude upon Charlot’s.
Charlot unhesitatingly retreated one step further, reappearing beside Antonio a moment later. With such a formidable ally, how could he not make use of him?
Antonio appeared to have just awoken. Seeing Charlot, he asked in surprise, “What brings you here?”
Charlot’s hair stood on end. With a sharp thrust of his blade, the Blood Rose, Antonio’s expression morphed into one of astonishment. He reached out to grab the sword, asking, “How did you see through my Shadow of the Mirror?”
The Shadow of the Mirror could replicate any enemy—or even the caster themselves—manifesting as an illusory figure with strength comparable to the original, though it could not surpass the caster’s limits.
Charlot did not answer. He would never reveal how he had uncovered the opponent’s secret. If Wood Brandon learned this, he might adapt, and Charlot would surely be ambushed next time.
Charlot leapt rapidly between mirrors, but Wood Brandon pursued relentlessly. No matter what Charlot did, he could not escape.
He had left Yishemierlen behind in South Seraph to oversee the fleet, but he still had other means of survival. In a low voice, he called out, “Sage of the Mirror! Appear!”
A seductive woman materialized with an ethereal grace. Her revealing magical robe barely covered her, resembling a battle bikini. Her long, elegant legs now wore black stockings, and silver, intricately designed high heels adorned her delicate feet, amplifying her allure.
Charlot hurriedly asked, “Why can he pursue me through my mirror world?”
The Sage of the Mirror’s voice was like the most enchanting melody, every word a siren’s call: “This is the work of a Spirit Hound, awakened when the Mirror Spirit reaches the sixth level or higher.”
Charlot was taken aback. “The Mirror Spirit can evolve like this?”
Her mesmerizing tone continued, though her explanation remained precise. “Each time a Mirror Spirit advances, it can birth a new mirror creature. Each of these entities possesses extraordinary abilities, enriching the ecosystem of the mirror world and serving their master’s will. The Spirit Hound originates from the void and can track targets across dimensions. Once marked, there is no escape.”
Charlot had focused on mastering the Swiftstep Technique to level 27 with rigorous training but had neglected deep specialization in his other abilities.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He spotted dozens of wolf-like, shadowy figures, ethereal and smoke-like, in hot pursuit. The Sage of the Mirror promptly elaborated, “Spirit Hounds are conceptual beings. If no one is aware of their presence, they do not exist. However, the moment the prey becomes aware of them, they manifest and pursue their target to the bitter end.”
Charlot wanted to curse aloud. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he shouted.
Before the Sage of the Mirror could respond, Wood Brandon’s voice echoed through the void, carrying a chilling amusement. “If she didn’t, I would’ve. The result would be the same.”
“Go, my beloved hounds.”
Dozens of Spirit Hounds lunged at Charlot. He activated Berserker Blade, but when the Blade of Emptiness slashed through the hounds, it was as though cutting through mist—there was no resistance.
Charlot dared not let the pack come close. He was entirely certain that if these entities, impervious to his Berserker Blade, managed to bite him, the damage would be real and lasting.
Sheathing the Berserker Blade, Charlot drew another weapon—the Blood Rhinoceros.
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