Chapter 123 - Banquet (6)
-WROOM!
Countless sounds of whirling were echoing inside the room. There were screens illuminating the darkness, and before them stood the bulky man.
"They finished." He said as he looked at one particular screen.
-TAK!
At that second, from one of the portals, two figures emerged, one holding the other on her shoulder.
"Job is done." One of the figures spoke.
-THUD!
And following that, the figure dropped the lump of flesh to the ground.
"Hmm…." The bulky man approached the body lying and lowered his gaze. Squinting, he observed the body for a little while; his eyes were shining with a color of blue.
"Good." He nodded his head in response. "He is not injured." As he said that, he turned his attention to the veiled figure at the center of the room with countless different black tendrils spreading.
The bulky man's eyes met the veiled figure's, and it was clear that he was the one seeking cooperation.
"Your assistance is invaluable," he began, his voice filled with a sense of urgency. "We don't have much time."
As the bulky man said, he signaled the young man underneath. "I have provided my part of the deal. Now, you need to do your own as well."
The moment the bulky man finished his words, the veiled figure moved slightly. Even though shadows covered their face, and it was impossible to discern any of their features, it was an act that showed they were in the conversation now.
"Yes. It is now my part."
As they said that, suddenly, a special construct made by darkness started forming in front of his body. Slowly and one by one, the details of the construction started taking shape, and in the end, they formed a building.
FOOSH!
However, that wasn't the end.
The veiled figure extended a hand towards the miniature construct of the Blackthorn mansion. Slowly, details formed. Each wall, each window, and even the intricate designs of the building's architecture became vividly visible in the miniature replica.
"H-how?"
Suddenly, a voice came from the young man lying on the ground. He was now awake and looking at the miniature.
The veiled figure continued to shape the miniature, revealing inner chambers, secret passages, and hidden compartments. It was a flawless representation of the mansion, down to the smallest detail.
"There." The veiled figure pointed to a particular location within the model with a small arrow made by the darkness, a concealed chamber that was hidden from plain sight. "That's where they keep it."
The bulky man leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he examined the spot. "Good. Now tell me more about this item and the security surrounding it."
"There isn't much there." The veiled figure spoke. "You just need to take this." Following that, a small vial filled with blood was carried to the bulky man. "This will be enough for you to enter without any force."
The bulky man accepted the vial of blood, carefully storing it in a secure pocket on his uniform. He knew the significance of this small vial; it would serve as their ticket to access the Blackthorn mansion without triggering any alarms.
"You've been helpful so far," he stated in a businesslike tone, his blue eyes unwavering as he met the veiled figure's gaze. "But remember, this is a partnership of necessity. If anything goes wrong or if you double-cross us, you know what the consequences will be." With each of his words, immense amounts of pressure descended upon the figure.
However, the veiled figure didn't flinch. "You have your motives, and I have mine. This transaction is one of mutual benefit. Rest assured, as long as we achieve our respective goals, there will be no need for double-crossing."
"Good to know." As the bulky man said those words, he immediately turned his attention to the screens and tapped the microphone. "Team Fox, get ready."
The moment he finished his words, a huge amount of mana got sucked in, forming another portal behind the room. A group of black-clad individuals followed the portal and entered there without an ounce of hesitation.
"How can you know that?"
Kaiser Blackthorn was aware of the significance of what was happening. The fact that this person was aware of the location of 'that' was disturbing.
"You haven't understood it yet?" As the answer, a rather questioning tone came. "I always thought you were on the smart side."
However, the moment those words left their mouth, Kaiser's face lost its color.
"No...Y-you...Y-you should be dead."
A low, almost mocking chuckle emanated from beneath the veil. "Death, young Kaiser, is not always the end. There are ways to escape its clutches, to defy its finality. Let's just say I found a way to make a return, and here I stand before you."
As the veiled figure's cryptic words settled in, a chilling realization began to take hold of Kaiser. There was something undeniably familiar in the veiled figure's mannerisms, in the way they spoke, in the threads of their shared past that seemed to dangle before him.
Kaiser couldn't escape the sense of déjà vu, as if a ghost of his past was emerging from the shadows. The figure's words carried a weight of secrets and grievances, a hint of unfinished business that only deepened the mystery.
If this person was still alive, didn't that mean...
"I can't believe it," Kaiser stammered, unable to hide the tremor in his voice. "But why... How...You betrayed the family…..You were banished with them…..You….."
The veiled figure's voice remained as cold and distant as ever, but even then, a slight mocking could be sensed from his following actions.
"Heh….." The figure released a small mocking laugh. "The betrayal you spoke about…..Weren't you with father the ones who did that?"
Kaiser just shook on the ground, unable to keep his composure. "I-it...I-it was for the sake of family, you know that too."
The veiled figure's cold facade cracked for a moment, revealing a deep-seated anger. "You think this was about some family gains? About wealth and power?" His tone grew more intense, filled with a smoldering resentment. "Her life was worth more than all of that combined. But you never understood, did you?"
The revelation hung heavy in the air, leaving a profound silence in its wake. Secrets and buried emotions were resurfacing, weaving a complex and conflicted history between Kaiser and the veiled figure.
"None of that matters anymore." The veiled figure simply raised their head and looked at the ceiling. "In the end, I will bring her to life, and I will do whatever it takes to achieve that."
Kaiser couldn't shake the ominous feeling that he was in the midst of something far more dangerous and more profound than he could grasp.
It was as if an intricate puzzle of the past was unraveling before him, revealing hidden connections and deep-seated emotions that had long been buried.
His disbelief was evident as he looked at the veiled figure, struggling to comprehend the figure's intentions. "What are you going to do?"
Just like any other human being, he also wanted to know about the fate waiting for him in the future. He wanted to know what was going to happen to him the most.
The veiled figure's gaze remained fixed on the ceiling as they spoke, their voice carrying an eerie sense of purpose. "I have found a way—a path guided by holy power and ancient prophecies. I will do whatever it takes to bring her back to life, even if it means confronting the strongest family that pushed me to this pit of hell."
As the veiled figure said that, they turned their attention to Kaiser.
"And you…..You will be the first piece in that path…" In their shadowy face, two green eyes shone at that exact second filled with emptiness. "And then it will be the 'Saintess' of prophecy. The chosen one of sun."
As his cold words echoed in the room filled with darkness, Kaiser could only gulp and wait for the future awaiting him…..
******
[Team Fox, Report.]
In the heart of the Blackthorn Mansion and narrow corridors, hidden beneath layers of powerful magical wards and guarded by immense quality artifacts, four figures could be seen walking.
Each of them had their body covered by a black cloth.
"Team Fox, reporting. We have arrived at the designed destination." The man standing in the front spoke with a serious tone as he reached a small door.
The door was shining, and countless different lasers could be seen behind it. Normally, they would use mana disturbance to destroy the artifacts, but this door was different.
Instead of working with the mana in the environment, these artifacts were supplied by the mana source underneath the mansion. A special technology that only the highest-ranking families had access to.
That was also the reason why they were unable to directly open a portal just before the vault, even though they knew the exact location of it since the walls were made of the world's most expensive material with [Mana Defiance] property.
[You have three minutes left.]
"Understood."
As the man replied, he reached into a concealed pocket and withdrew a vial of dark crimson liquid. With a practiced motion, he dropped a single drop of blood onto the small circle beneath the door.
The moment the droplet touched the circle, the intricate wards and laser defenses surrounding the door started to deactivate one by one.
[Deactivation in progress. Scanning...]
The mechanical voice in the room announced their progress.
The rest of Team Fox watched with bated breath as A continued to feed the circle drops of the blood.
They knew the importance of the bloodline recognition system. It was the Blackthorn family's last line of defense, a final safeguard to protect their most precious secrets. Even coming here alone showed
[Authorization confirmed. Access granted.]
-TAK!
The moment those words resonated through the chamber, the towering doors swung open, revealing a pitch-black passage leading into the heart of the vault.
"Team Fox reporting. We have access to the vault now."
As A reported, he gestured to his members with his hands. Even though, according to the information they had received from the veiled figure, nothing must happen, they knew he wasn't trustworthy enough.
[Good. Make sure to secure the artifact, but don't lower your guard.]
With the command coming from the earphone, he immediately signaled his team to enter the vault.
-THUD!
With fast steps, the members entered the vault rapidly without wasting any more time.
SWOOSH
Though little did they know, behind them, a shadowy figure followed their steps.
Chapter 124 - Banquet (7)
-TAK!
Team Fox moved in a coordinated manner, each of them knowing their roles and responsibilities well.
The Blackthorn family's vault was vast, with rows upon rows of display cases, shelves, and secure containers holding priceless artifacts, relics, and treasures.
A scanned the room, his eyes behind the mask analyzing the layout and figuring out where they should start searching.
Since they didn't have any information regarding the location of the 'item' they had been searching for, they needed to operate as fast as possible.
He whispered orders through the communication device in their ears, ensuring that they covered the most ground efficiently.
"Z, head for the eastern section. X, west. Y, take the central area. I'll go straight for the safe in the back," A commanded, his voice calm.
The team split up as they began examining the contents of the vault. The artifacts ranged from enchanted weapons to rare spellbooks and intricately crafted magical trinkets. Each one held immense value and power, but they were not here for them.
Even though they were all valuable, it was as if they were here to confuse those who didn't know much about the thing.
'And that is the goal.'
I thought, slowly moving in the shadows.
'As expected, they didn't send their strongest members.'
My eyes observed every bit of their movements, picking up the small details that were giving away their strength.
My trait [Perceptive Insight] was doing its work. The members were all fast and precise at analyzing, continuously looking for small details. But their posture and the weapons they held weren't strong.
It was because they were not focused on combat but rather originated as thieves. Professionals who stole artifacts from vaults.
The combat-oriented ones were probably focusing on the attack on the banquet hall right now to make it seem like this was just a terrorist attack, but in fact, it wasn't.
It will later be revealed that Kaiser was abducted, but that isn't my concern.
'I should start moving.'
I had been trailing them from the moment they made their appearance by the portal, and that was how I found the location of the vault.
I started moving in the shadows, masking my presence as much as I could.
The item they were looking for was something that would break the grounds of magic engineering and the ethics of higher-ranking families if it was known.
The Project of Mana Nucleus.
In other words, the project of using human bodies as sources of energy.
Truly an inhuman act for power. But that wasn't even surprising. Which superpower in the world didn't have the ambition to be the absolute power?
The desire to become a god? Wasn't this the reason why we humans are waging wars on others?
So, those who are strong and the ones whose words count as history don't need to have the ethics we normal humans have.
And this applies to not only humans but also demons.
This is one of the reasons why I was here in this place.
'I will never let it go into the hands of demons.'
In the game, this moment marked the first appearance of him, even though it was implicit.
Even then, as one of the highest-ranking villains and one of the most dangerous ones, even his implicit appearance had a vast effect on the story of the game.
Because the moment the incomplete Mana Nucleus was stolen with all the research materials, demons would get their hands on one of the most dangerous future weapons in the game.
Even though the research was stopped for the time being because of the lack of 'brains,' however the demons didn't have that problem at all as they did have the Mad Scientist on their side.
And, thanks to him, the research would be completed, which would lead to immense amounts of destruction.
"A, I think I have found something."
Just as I was thinking about that, suddenly, my ears perked up as I looked at the black-clad guy before me.
He was pointing to a peculiar display case with a subtle grin behind his mask. The case had an ornate design, just like the other containers in the room.
However, it was as if he knew something I didn't, as his hands immediately started moving precisely.
-TAK!
And, in a matter of seconds, suddenly, the shelf started moving upwards.
Revealing a small corridor.
"This is it."
The leader and the strongest member of the group, A, immediately came to the location they had discovered.
'This is really it.'
The energy that was being released from the corridor was so enormous that I could feel my skin grazing.
'I guess that marks the wait.'
With that thought, I slowly reached for my gun stored in my bracelet and also grabbed my daggers, putting them on my belt.
Thanks to the fact that this bracelet had the unique property of not being detected, I could bring whatever weapons I needed, even as a waiter. And, I could also bring some necessary items I would need.
Like a jammer to block the signal going outside.
And that was the most crucial part of the plan.
"Let's go."
The leader, A, motioned for the other intruder to proceed. That was my cue.
Eyes of Hourglass.
I activated my skill, Eyes of Hourglass, and time around me began to slow. The world moved at a languid pace as I assessed the situation.
'I shouldn't waste any more time.'
I recognized the weaker of the two intruders, the one who had found the hidden corridor. They were momentarily distracted, and I seized the perfect moment. With a deep breath, I aimed my gun with the silencer, steadied my hand while also putting my mana into the gun, and fired.
-PIU!
A silenced gunshot echoed.
However, I was yet to be done.
-PIU!
Immediately, I fired another bullet without wasting any time. Even though my body was also moving slowly, at the very least, I could process the information a lot faster thanks to my skill.
-SPURT!
The moment I had deactivated my skill and time returned to its normal flow, the sound of blood splashing echoed, followed by a thud sound.
"Grrr..."
As the weaker intruder collapsed, a bullet wound in their chest, A gritted his teeth, feeling the wound in his shoulder.
The bullet found its mark, but it didn't infect too much of a wound since A was a higher-ranked Awakened.
'I knew that would be like that.'
He was the leader of the group that was sent to the vault; there was no way a bullet, even coated with mana, would be enough to pierce his skin.
SWOOSH
Before A could react to the unexpected attack, I sprang into action, drawing my daggers.
With uncanny speed, I closed the distance between us. A turned to face me, his mask hiding his surprise.
Eyes of Hourglass.
Time slowed down once again, as I could also see the weak points with my skill.
The skill allowed me to move with unparalleled speed and precision. I aimed for vital spots, seeking to incapacitate the opponent rapidly.
But it was only for a second, as mana consumption was high.
"Code D," A muttered into his earbuds as my first dagger descended towards him.
CLANK!
In that instant, his sword rose to meet my attack, blocking it with precise timing. His training and experience were evident as he parried my assault, his mask concealing any expression.
'He is a professional.'
Even though his strength wasn't that high, the way he parried my blow showed he was at least on the level of academy cadet, and that itself was an achievement and danger.
-SWOOSH!
However, I was still at an advantage.
'He is injured.'
Because he was injured.
I pressed that advantage, with my movements fluid and deliberate, as I aimed for his exposed areas.
SWOOSH!
A tried to remain calm and composed.
He deftly dodged and blocked my strikes, his movements calculated and efficient. Each blow I delivered was met with a swift counter, as A used his sword both for defense and offense.
But then again, he wouldn't be able to keep that for too long.
CLANK
"Hkk…."
As he deflected another one of my attacks, he spilled blood from his mouth as the momentum of my attack put a strain on his body.
SWOOSH!
At that exact second, I could feel a projectile coming from the sides. My highly developed [Intuition] parameter enabled me to sense the projectile.
SWISH!
With a unique footwork, I immediately avoided the attack coming my way. It was a compressed lightning bold.
CIZZT!
As it went past my face, the bolt hit the wall.
"Tch."
I could see the other two had already reached this place.
CRACKLE
'Lightning will be troublesome.'
One of them was using lightning psions around them, and the other one had his sword clad with mana.
They were here to reinforce their leader, A, but I had no intention of allowing that to happen.
With a swift, practiced motion, I retrieved a smoke bomb from my concealed bracelet and hurled it to the ground.
PUFF!
The bomb burst with a hiss, releasing a thick cloud of smoke that quickly enveloped the vault.
A dense, obscuring fog now concealed the battlefield, blocking their vision and disorienting the intruders.
"What?"
"Be careful."
I could hear their voices, as my traits enabled me to see a lot better, even in the smoke.
Activating my [Shadowborne], I masked my presence and started moving rapidly, grabbing my gun again.
-PIU! -PIU! -PIU!
Bullets tore through the hazy air, a barrage of surprise attacks. The intruders were forced to rely on their instincts, unable to see their assailant clearly.
And that was what exactly I was aiming for.
The sound of suppressed gunfire echoed in the vault, making it a terrifying battlefield for those who had ventured into my domain.
"Where is he?"
CRACKLE!
The lightning wielder's powers crackled.
SWOOSH!
However, before he could even move at any moment, I immediately dashed to his face and raised my gun.
SPURT!
Quick and precise shots found their mark on his forehead before he could react.
"He is here!"
SWOOSH!
The mana-clad sword user attempted to retaliate; however, with my eyes, I could already see the trajectory of the attack on the way.
With the smoke covering their sigh and them being not good enough, I sidestepped the sword swing in a matter of seconds.
STAB!
And then my dagger stabbed the man by the neck, and blood spurted from the wound.
-THUD! -THUD!
The intruders crumpled to the ground, one by one, incapacitated by my calculated and unexpected assaults.
But the battle was not over yet. A had healed himself with a potion, and he was now closing in, his sword still radiating with dangerous mana. However, I had a final ace up my sleeve.
As he lunged toward me, we clashed once more. A's blade met my daggers, and we engaged in a swift and deadly dance of strikes and parries. But I knew that this battle wouldn't last long.
SWOOSH!
Just to prove my point, the moment I swung my daggers coated with crimson mana, I could feel A stagger for a second.
CLANK!
He managed to block my attack, but that made him lose his balance more.
THUMP!
"Burgh-"
As suddenly blood spilled from his mouth, A fell to the ground.
"Hrrrrr....What did you do?"
He tried to stand up, but he found no strength in his body.
"Don't you know?"
With a simple tone, I slowly approached him, with my gun pointing at his head.
"It was poison, wasn't it?"
"It was."
PIU!
And fired the gun.
Chapter 125 - Banquet (8)
"Team Fox! Team Fox! ANSWER ME!"
Inside the same space filled with portals opening all around, the bulky man was shedding sweat.
As the urgency in the bulky man's voice intensified, he repeatedly attempted to establish contact with Team Fox, his fingers frantically tapping the microphone. But there was nothing but silence as the signal remained frustratingly broken.
"Team Fox! Respond, dammit!" he barked into the microphone, his eyes darting between the screens that displayed the ominous darkness within the room where the veiled figure stood.
"Czzzt….."
However, only a broken and disturbed signal came as a response, as if to mock him. He wondered, how did this happen?
Was there a jammer that would block their communication?
His face turned to the veiled figure, his eyes bloodshot. Had he been betrayed? He asked himself.
"It is not the Blackthorn Family."
At that second, the veiled figure's voice came just to answer his question. "The mana-eating property of the walls wouldn't block the signal, and you know it."
"THEN WHO IS IT, DAMMIT!"
He shouted, his voice echoing in the darkness of the veiled figure's chamber while the screens and whirling sounds continued, though there was no response from Team Fox.
It was as if a shroud of secrecy had descended, separating them from the world outside.
And for them, the members of the most crucial part, that was something that couldn't be overlooked no matter what.
"DELTA!"
The bulky man immediately shouted, his face turning to one of the screens. There, he could see one of the attackers clashing with the forces of the Blackthorn Family.
[What is it, leader? CLANK!]
A composed voice came from the speaker as the man clashing with one of the guards stood up.
"Retreat from your position and return immediately."
[Are you sure, leader? The planned time hasn't come yet.]
"Yes, we don't have any choice."
[Understood.]
As the bulky man clenched his fists from one of the portals, a black-clad individual with blood spluttered all around his body appeared. It was as if he butchered countless animals.
From the tip of his spear, blood was spilling to the ground.
"I need you to look for Team Fox."
"Team Fox? The ones entering the vault?"
"Yes. Something must have happened there."
"Tch. I knew those thief bastards wouldn't be able to do the job properly, didn't I-"
"SHUT UP! We don't have much time to waste."
"Understood."
Without even talking much, the man with the spear suddenly disappeared, leaving a gush of wind behind his back. It was a truly inhuman speed belonging to a high-ranking awakened.
-WROOM!
In a matter of seconds, the man entered the portal, leaving everyone alone.
******
Delta, one of the black-clad individuals of the shadowy organization, obeyed the leader's orders without hesitation.
He retreated from his current position, leaving behind the chaos of battle in the Blackthorn Family's stronghold.
The plan had been to keep the guards, and the forces of the Blackthorn family occupied for a certain time, but the unexpected turn of events had forced a change of plans.
"Tch, that is why I said he should have sent me."
He was one of the strongest members of the organization and knew such an important task shouldn't have been left to random thieves.
As Delta passed through the portal and arrived at the vault's location before him stood a scene that he was very familiar with.
What lay before him was a gruesome scene of death and destruction. The lifeless bodies of Team Fox were strewn about, their blood pooling on the polished floors of the vault.
It was a classic tableau of violence that he himself lived all his life. He spread his senses with mana into the vault using his unique skill [Radar]; he could sense no life aside from himself.
Four lifeless bodies and a bunch of artifacts belonging to the vault.
He just stood there for a second, as he immediately realized they were too late.
Since the fact that the item they were searching for was not even there. The amount of energy that the Mana Nucleus should have contained was something that he would never miss, no matter what happened.
"Tch."
He clicked his tongue as he lowered his hands. He started searching for the body of one of the dead Team Fox members.
Delta carefully inspected the lifeless bodies of Team Fox.
CLICK!
With a click sound, he found the thing he was looking for.
His experienced eyes quickly discerned that the special device they had planned to use to conceal the energy of the Mana Nucleus was indeed missing from each of the fallen members.
"This?"
The moment he realized that fact, he immediately understood one thing. Whoever had orchestrated this last-minute disturbance was well-prepared and well-informed.
The fact that they knew the organization had the necessary equipment to secure the Mana Nucleus meant it was known to them.
"There was a rat."
He mumbled to himself as he realized that fact.
They knew the value of the Mana Nucleus and had taken the necessary steps to secure it.
The shadowy organization had not only failed in its mission but also lost a valuable asset.
[Delta.]
At that exact second, from the earbuds inside his head came the voice of the leader.
[What is the situation?]
Delta took a deep breath before responding.
"Leader, things went south. Team Fox is down, and the special concealment device for the Mana Nucleus is missing. Someone knew about our mission and our target."
A heavy silence followed his words. The leader knew the significance of the Mana Nucleus and the lengths they had gone to secure it. The failure of this operation was a significant setback for the shadowy organization, and there would undoubtedly be consequences.
[FUCK!]
Following that came the loud shouting of someone angry. It was the expected response; even Delta knew how important this mission was.
[Get out of there, Delta. We are done here.]
As the order came, Delta stood up once again. He wanted to look for more clues about who did it, but he knew he didn't have much time.
"Understood," Delta replied, his voice tinged with disappointment and frustration.
THUD!
However, he wanted to vent his anger, and he did it by kicking the corpses of Team Fox.
"Useless bastards."
He mumbled, looking at the rolling body.
TICK!
However, at that exact second, he found something shiny on the ground. It was a small object that was shining even in the dimly illuminated room.
"Bullet?"
He thought to himself as he grabbed the small object. For some reason, his intuition told him that he should take this piece with him as a clue.
And he did just that, putting the small metallic piece into his pocket.
SWOOSH!
Then, he left as he entered without even wasting any more seconds. Just like the wind he came and the wind he left.
RUSTLE!
Though because of that, he missed the silhouette that suddenly appeared out of the shadows, with an outfit whose golden engravings were shining.
Even the mask covering his face was unable to mask the purple eyes shining underneath.
*******
"That was close."
I mumbled to myself, finally moving from the spot I was in.
"If not for this artifact, I would be dead."
There were two reasons why I came to this place and spent this much time and resources for today.
The first one was to disturb the plans of the demons and the organization.
And the second one was to make myself stronger.
How could I become stronger? When this question was asked, there were several answers that could come.
You could train and increase your stats by pushing yourself to the limits.
Or you could be born with a silver spoon.
And, now inside the vault of the Blackthorns, here I was, meeting the second requirement in my own way.
The moment I had killed the intruders, the first thing I did was to secure the Mana Nucleus. Since they came here knowing its properties, they already had the device to seal the energy coming out of it.
Of course, if they didn't know how to seal the energy being released, that would undoubtedly make them a target, as if to show others what they were doing.
Moreover, it was also impossible to put such unstable material energy-wise into the spatial bracelet without stabilizing it.
Those were the reasons why they would need a different device. And I knew what that device was.
Thus, grabbing the small higher technology suitcase, I immediately secured the Mana Nucleus and put it into my spatial bracelet.
However, that wasn't the end. I knew the fact that another member, probably one of the highest-ranking ones, would be sent to this place, and that alone was enough to threaten my life.
And, I was sure that my [Shadowborne] trait wouldn't be enough to conceal my energy from the eyes of high-ranking awakeners.
At that time, inside the Nexoria City Museum, the reason why Kaya wasn't able to find me was that she didn't have the direct opportunity to look for me. If she had the chance, she could easily find me and locate me.
However, that didn't mean I was hopeless.
I knew one of the things that I had been lacking was the fact that I needed armor. A suit that I could use to defend myself.
A special armor that needed to be flexible, enabling me to move stealthily, and also a good defense.
If there was such an armor, the Blackthorn Family would certainly have it, and in fact, they did.
[Unknown's Armor]
In the game, Victor gave one of his lackeys that armor later times.
A special armor that was found in one of the dungeons as loot and then later stored in the Blackthorn Family's Armory way in the past. Though the previous Blackthorn's did use it a little and enchanted it, it was still something that even most of the Blackthorns were not aware of since the item was left behind on the shelves and was already forgotten.
Considering the amount of things that the Blackthorn Family had and created, it was pretty normal that this armor was left to rot on shelves of one of the random vaults.
Also, most of the items here were actually things that Blackthorn's didn't care about or things they had abandoned as projects.
However, that didn't mean it was useless. It just didn't have the opportunity to shine.
The armor's innate ability was pretty simple but useful.
It had the ability to block the mana detection abilities, making it impossible to be located by mana sense. And, to add more, it also improved the stealth-related traits of the wearer.
I didn't know how the stealth improvement worked exactly, but the nerds of the game always advised the assassins to wear this armor in later stages as their main gear since it basically made the game a lot easier.
But that wasn't all there to it.
Thanks to the enchantments that were carved onto the armor by previous Blackthorns, the armor also had the ability to increase one's stats according to their limits when worn. Moreover, since it was a mana artifact, it had the ability to adjust its size and how it looked, just like most of the armor.
This was what made it a very suitable item for me and a good catch.
And there I was, eating the fruits of the armor hiding in the shadows. Thanks to the armor's unique ability, I was able to go undetected by his mana expansion, and that saved my life.
"Now, I have at most two minutes left."
I mumbled to myself, looking at the shelves.
"I guess this is the time to secure some good money….."
Chapter 126 - Banquet (9)
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
Amid the chaos and battle in the banquet hall, the six youngsters fought bravely. It was not because the security of the Blackthorn's were lacking.
It was because the six disliked the idea of watching while a battle was unfolding before their eyes. Each of them had their own pride, and they refused to become a liability.
Being a member of high-ranking families came with talent, but it also brought the ego of their own.
"This is four." And it soon turned into a competition on its own.
CLANK!
As another clash of weapons echoed, the young man with blue hair pushed back.
"Hey, Ethan. Are you okay?" "Julia shouted over the clash of steel of her own as she looked at her friend.
SWOOSH!
Ethan parried an incoming blow and responded, "Huk! I am fine."
However, even though he replied by saying he was fine, blood was spilling from his hand holding his spear. It was clear that the blow he had just blocked put a strain on his body as if it was something that was above his league.
SWOOSH! SLASH!
"It doesn't look like to me," Julia replied with her sword flashing, and instantly, the guy before him fell to the ground, blood spilling from his guts.
As she turned back to Ethan, a teasing smile played on her lips, even amidst the chaos. "Should I lend a hand?"
Even though she extended her sword, the slightly teasing smile on her lips scratched Ethan's pride. That pride wouldn't let him accept help so easily.
He shook his head, determination burning in his eyes, as he looked at the guy.
"I've got this, Julia. I don't need your help."
"Look at this guy, trying to act tough." At that second, another cheerful voice came looking at Ethan. The owner's white hair was dyed with crimson color, with his sword also having some of it.
SWOOSH!
However, before the two could tease Ethan any further, suddenly, a bunch of black tendrils attacked them from the side.
CLANK! CLANK!
"Tch!"
"These are too annoying."
As they deflected the tendrils, they were still pushed back.
Following that, before them stood a new group of adversaries. They were also shrouded in black, and the aura of demonic energy that radiated from them was unmistakable.
"DIE!"
SCHLINK!
As one of them immediately jumped on Julia's face, a clear light flashed for a second.
CLANK!
The demonic energy was confronted by the mana on the sword as sparks flew to the surroundings.
"We need to be careful," Lucas said while confronting the guy as well. "The demonic energy around us is thickening."
"Yes."
As the two twins continued their fight, Ethan was also fighting his own.
'This is dangerous.'
He thought to himself, seeing the individual before him. Even though the man wasn't excluding the aura of an overwhelming fighter, the mana disturbance and the demonic energy were making it very difficult for him to deal with the enemies.
Also, his strength was still not sufficient, and now he was clearly feeling the disparity.
SWOOSH!
As the black-cladded man before him closed the distance immediately, the sword in his hand flashed.
CLANK!
However, the spear was still there to confront it directly.
"Kurgh!"
But even then, as the momentum of the attack was transmitted to Ethan, he couldn't help but be pushed back.
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
The dark-cladded induvial was relentless, and most importantly, he was ruthless.
SLASH!
Different from Ethan's past fights or spars, this time, he was directly fighting with someone who wished to kill him.
The enemy's sword wasn't honorable or anything. He was swinging his sword like he just wanted to kill him.
It's like he just wanted to spread despair.
Continuously, the man attacked, aiming at his vital points.
'Should I look for help?'
Ethan thought, feeling the pain of the enemy's attacks.
SLASH!
Wounds continued to accumulate on his body as the swordsman before him relentlessly attacked.
'No. I won't.'
However, he refused. Even though he knew the enemy was stronger than him, he refused to seek help.
His pride didn't allow him to do so.
SPURT!
"Huk-!"
Still, despite his determined demeanor, Ethan was pushed on the defensive by the relentless strikes from the black-clad swordsman.
The sword whirled and slashed with precision, and Ethan had to parry and dodge while being gradually forced back.
And for a fighter, Ethan knew the importance of the momentum. And now, it was on the enemy's side.
'I need to do something.'
Ethan thought to himself. Even while he was in pain and was getting pushed back, he was still able to keep his head calm.
SWOOSH!
The demonic energy on the sword of the enemy surged forward, aiming to injure him.
He tried to dodge, but he was unable to do so. The attack was too fast for him to dodge and evade.
SLASH!
As the demonic energy-infused blade made contact with Ethan, he felt the piercing pain as it sliced through his defenses and cut across his chest.
THUD!
Blood sprayed from the wound, and he staggered back, clutching the injury.
'This is the power of the Devil.'
At that moment, the grim realization of the demonic humans' formidable strength hit him directly, and he knew that his pride might have led him into a dangerous predicament.
'This is why brother always hated the demonic humans.'
He understood the difference in terms of strength. All those people taking the power of devil took the easy way to get stronger.
While people with humanity left were working hard to improve themselves, they sold themselves to the devil in exchange for power.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
The steps of the demonic human approached with a chilling aura.
As Ethan staggered back, clutching his chest wound, he realized the dire situation he was in. The dark-clad enemy was unrelenting, displaying no sign of mercy or restraint.
'I am going to die?'
He asked to himself, looking at the approaching figure.
The panic, fear, and countless other emotions threatened to overtake him, his eyes darting around the banquet hall.
His companions were engaged in fierce battles of their own; their youthful energy pitted against the demonic attackers.
But it was the sight of the attackers' swords piercing through some of the guests that struck him with a potent mixture of despair and anger.
He watched helplessly as innocent people were caught in the crossfire, falling to the ground in pain.
It was as if the time had been slowing down, as he could see the figure was approaching. But strangely, the fear and panic started leaving his heart.
'What am I doing?'
Anger took its place. Anger towards those vicious bastards, slaughtering humans like they were some sort of pigs.
Anger towards himself, pathetically lying on this ground.
'Who am I afraid of?'
He looked at the approaching figure. The demonic energy spreading from him was something that was sending shivers down his spine.
It was obvious that the murderous intent that had accumulated over countless murders was mixed into that energy.
He could see the smirk on the face of the man. As if to mock him in his face, the man was showing how he killed countless different people with his sword.
'I am Ethan Hartley.'
He grabbed the spear lying on the ground.
STAB!
Stabbed it onto the ground and held onto it.
'I refuse to bow down to bastards like you.'
His eyes started shining, his blue hair slowly fluttering. The aura around him slowly changed.
At that exact moment, Ethan felt something inside him changing. The way he saw the world slowly changed.
"Bring it down, you bastard."
He stood up, blood spilling from the wound on his chest.
"Heh…..Little boy….Did you grow up now?"
The man before him talked for the first time, and the creepy smile on his face widened.
"It will be fun to gouge those eyes."
SWOOSH!
That man rushed to him in a matter of seconds, his speed exceeding the one he showed before.
'I can see it.'
However, in that crucial moment, as Ethan's anger and determination surged, something extraordinary occurred.
His perception shifted, and he found himself 'seeing' the enemy's movements in a way he had never experienced before.
The black-clad swordsman, with his demonic energy-infused sword, prepared to strike.
But Ethan, his blue hair now flowing gently around him, could 'see' the enemy's intent. It was as if the very air around the attacker revealed his next move.
It was a new thing for Ethan. Something that he was feeling for the first time.
'So this is how they see things.'
Ethan thought, remembering his brother's words.
"When you battle enough, at some point, your body will tell you what you need to do."
His brother's words echoed in his mind.
'I can now understand, brother.'
With newfound clarity, Ethan moved his spear with swift precision. He parried the incoming strike, and his movements flowed effortlessly as if guided by some unseen force. The enemy's blade whirled harmlessly past him, missing its mark.
"Huh?"
The sinister grin on the attacker's face faded, replaced by a look of disbelief.
He couldn't comprehend how Ethan, who had been on the defensive just moments ago, was now not only holding his ground but counterattacking with unexpected precision.
"Is it fun?"
Ethan asked, dodging another strike aimed at his neck with a unique footwork. It was as if he was evolving while he was battling with his enemy.
"What?"
The man now looked annoyed, the creepy smile on his face no longer to be seen.
"Selling your soul to the devil, trampling over the weak. Slaughtering like they are some sort of animals."
SWOOSH!
Ethan's eyes, shining with an intensity born from anger and newfound insight, continued to read the enemy's intentions. He sidestepped incoming slashes, deflected strikes, and countered with expertly aimed thrusts of his spear.
The demonic human, his attack thwarted by Ethan's newfound perception, laughed hysterically, his voice dripping with cruelty.
"Heh, you think you've become something, little boy? You're nothing compared to the power we possess. You humans are weak, and we are your reckoning."
Ethan's eyes remained fixed on his adversary, unwavering in his resolve. Slowly, the battle started turning, as Ethan was now pushing the man back.
"You call this power? I call it cowardice," Ethan retorted, his voice filled with conviction. "You've lost touch with your humanity, and in doing so, you've lost your soul. You are nothing but a monster."
The demonic human's twisted smile returned, but it held no warmth. "Humanity is a weakness, a disease. We've transcended it and embraced our true potential. I am simply cleansing the world from a disease, that's it."
As Ethan heard the demonic human's words, the anger in his eyes soared.
"You are simply cleansing the world from a disease..."
He wanted to say a lot of things, but those countless words got stuck in his mouth. Because he realized it was meaningless for him to try to understand this guy.
"It is sad….."
"What is?"
"That you are made to believe that bullshit from your heart."
As those words left Ethan's mouth, he took his position. The mana disturbance field was already losing its effect, and the mana was returning to its normal position finally.
'Spear of Hartley. Dragon's Seal.'
"Yo-!"
Before the dark-clad man could refute it, he suddenly felt the mana surging to the tip of the enemy's spear.
A shiny yellow aura appeared on the tip.
SWIRL!
"Wha!"
He concentrated his demonic energy on his body to meet the blow.
SWOOSH!
However, it wasn't enough.
With a final, precise thrust, Ethan struck true, his spear piercing through the man's chest.
THUD!
The demonic human's cruel laughter was silenced as he fell to the ground, defeated and broken.
"May you find peace in your next life."
With those words spoken, Ethan raised his spear and looked at the banquet hall. It was clear that the enemies had yet to be defeated, and he had much to do still.
Chapter 127 - Banquet (10)
"Huh….This was hard…."
After Ethan had his own awakening, the group of youngsters was able to deal with the enemies coming into them with a lot more space to spare. Adding the fact that the mana disturbance was also about to go down, the battle reached the point where demonic humans were losing.
Thanks to the Anti-Demon Team that also arrived as support, the situation was already under control.
And because of that, they now had the chance to look around. Since the enemy's strength wasn't something to scoff at, all of the members were busy themselves.
SWOOSH! BOOM!
Though, there was a girl who now had the chance to show off.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Irina, with her red hair fluttering between the ashes of her fire, was taking her anger out of the demonic humans, using her fire magic.
"She is mad," Ethan said as he looked into the figure of the girl.
THUD!
"Yes, she is," Lucas added immediately, leaving himself on the table and lying there. His clothes were tattered, and there were some bleeding wounds, but even then, he looked fine. "She probably felt useless when the mana disturbance was around. Contrary to us, she is a mage, so without mana, she is quite a baggage."
"You know, you better not say it into her face, right?"
"Of course, man. Do you think I have a death wish or something?"
"Lucas, don't slack off." At that second, a man with a bulky build came. He was carrying a Warhammer in his hand.
"Yeah, yeah…. Just leave me alone, Carl."
"We can't stop now; the enemies are still there." Contrary to Lucas' dismissive tone, Carl didn't budge in. His serious expression and eyes were piercing through the young man lying on the table.
"Man, can't you see the battle is already over? Just cut me some slack."
Just as Carl said, there were still some sounds of fighting that could be heard, but most of the demonic humans were retreating back to portals, and those portals were closing one by one.
"DON'T LET THEM LEAVE! ATTACK!"
"ATTEND THE WOUNDED!"
Like a battlefield, some of the Blackthorn Family's forces were trying to pursue the retreating enemy, while clerics that were called were attending to the wounded.
"Yeah, we can afford to rest a little now." Julia also approached the group, in her hand, a broken sword.
"You broke your sword?" Ethan asked.
"It was just a random crap. Our family's swordsmanship can not be used with any normal sword." Julia replied, shrugging off.
Just as she said, both she and Lucas needed to change their swords frequently in this fight, and that almost cost them their lives.
"I guess that is true." Ethan nodded as he also watched the fight. His body was also tattered, and the injuries he had sustained were a lot more severe than others.
"You know, you need to get treatment," Julia said, looking at his wounds. "This is not something that you can ignore."
"Treatment?" Ethan looked clueless for a second, but as his eyes followed Julia's fingers, he finally realized the wounds he had accumulated.
"You were into fighting, weren't you? The fact that you are not even feeling the pain."
"..." Ethan didn't answer, but he only looked at the dead bodies that were carried by the personnel. He remembered the words that were spoken by the demonic human at that time.
'Humanity is a weakness.'
The reason why he remembered those words was not because they were meaningful. It was because they conveyed how distorted these people were, if you could call them even people.
"You don't need to think about it too much." At that moment, Julia spoke. She was also looking at the same place.
"..."
"Demonic humans," Julia said, echoing Ethan's thoughts. "They're nothing more than monsters. People who've abandoned their humanity in exchange for power."
"….."
"So, you don't need to think of them as humans anymore. They are nothing but thrash that lost their own purpose in this life." She said as she slowly touched the metallic part of her blade. "This is the only thing they deserve."
"Yeah, you may be right," Ethan said, slowly standing. "But, I don't believe every evil in this world is irredeemable."
"Redeeming…..They won't ever want to redeem themselves, and you know it too."
"Yeah….But, it is the 'humanity' that makes us at least try, isn't it? Some people are just misunderstood or broken, and if we had just discarded them, this would make us no different than them."
As he said that, a certain gloomy boy came into his mind.
'What would he say if he was here, I wonder?'
Ethan thought as he started walking, with a slight smile lingering on his lips. For some reason, he wanted to exchange punches with him right now while talking. Those practical lessons were something he did enjoy.
'I guess I will talk to him when I return to the academy.'
However, right now, it was a little hard for him to do that since the pain in his wounds slowly started coming back.
"Please come here." Just as he was walking, a clerk came to him and immediately started attending to his wounds.
"Please drink this." First, she gave him a potion, and then she accelerated the healing process using her healing trait.
"You can leave now."
"Thank you."
With a nod of gratitude, he prepared to leave. However, as he turned, his attention was drawn to a commotion between the estate guards and the head butler.
The way they were talking to themselves and the way the head butler was looking angry was something that he couldn't ignore.
His intuition was telling him that he was about to hear something important.
"You can't contact young master Kaiser?"
"Yes. There is no reply coming from them."
The moment Head Butler heard that, suddenly, his eyes opened wide.
"Don't tell me!"
He knew the procedure that would be followed when one of the heirs was in danger, so he knew Kaiser was being escorted to the safe room.
SWOOSH!
And immediately, the head-butler disappeared from space as he rushed to the location he had in his mind.
'This will make things quite complicated.'
Ethan thought as he started returning to where everyone was standing. After all, the fact that the heir of the Blackthorn family was missing would mean the Blackthorn family was going to look for revenge, and a possible annihilation was about to occur.
*******
"Shocking News."
Inside my room, I was listening to the words of the news reporter while I was looking at the artifacts in my bracelet.
The news anchor on the television screen adjusted his tie and cleared his throat as he prepared to deliver the latest report. The headline read "The Heir of the Blackthorn Family Missing from Grand Banquet."
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," the anchor began, his voice filled with a mix of urgency and gravitas. "We bring you a breaking news story that has sent shockwaves throughout the city. The heir of the prestigious Blackthorn Family, Kaiser Blackthorn, has gone missing during the family's grand banquet, an event that was attended by the city's elite."
As I heard the news, I nodded my head.
'Just as I expected, this still happened.' The event of Kaiser Blackthorn's disappearance or abductance was something that would inevitably happen.
Since that person was the one who was hunting him down, it was something that would sooner or later happen and something that I wasn't even planning to interfere with.
After all, for me, Kaiser Blackthorn was just a random nobody, and it wasn't my responsibility to save him.
While I was thinking that, the camera shifted to show images of the opulent banquet hall, with a backdrop of the sprawling Blackthorn estate.
The hall had been transformed into a scene of chaos earlier in the evening, with reports of an organized attack by an unknown group of assailants.
"Earlier today, the Blackthorn Family's grand banquet was thrown into turmoil as a group of unidentified intruders launched an assault," the anchor continued. "The security forces and the estate guards were quick to respond, and the situation is now under control. However, in the midst of this chaotic event, the heir, Kaiser Blackthorn, has gone missing."
The screen displayed a striking image of Kaiser Blackthorn, his confident and poised demeanor contrasting sharply with the current crisis.
"The-"
Just as the news reporter was about to continue, I shut the channel down. From this point on, the words they would speak would be simply rubbish to control the public reaction, and that wouldn't be helpful at all.
"The Blackthorn's will be mad."
I mumbled as I looked at my loot.
The things that I had taken from the vault were things that were rare, but at the same time, they weren't extremely valuable.
The reason for that was to play it safe simply.
Considering the fact that the Blackthorn family had an immense amount of influence and they would be madly looking for clues about the attackers, I didn't have the luxury of looting everything down.
They will probably think that their belongings were stolen by the ones that had kidnapped Kaiser and attacked the banquet.
Because of that, they will also search the market using their resources since finding anything related to those items would possibly lead them to Kaiser.
This was the reason why I didn't take things that were incredibly rare and things I was not going to use.
Since the moment I sell those things, I am going to put myself in a position of danger. But this role doesn't apply to things that I will personally use or things that were hard to track by normal means.
[Armor of Unknown] was the first one. Since I am personally going to use it, I don't need to keep it safe.
"This is the second one." Mumbling like that, I grabbed the second thing that I would use for myself.
[Returning Blades]
A special type of blade that was designed in a specific Aerodynamical way and enhanced by the runes.
A bunch of throwable daggers that would return to their owner whenever called. That was their property. The connection between the daggers and the user won't go down unless the mana is being supplied.
This was a pretty sought item in the game since they opened a bright new way of playing the game.
Lastly, it is one of the most sought-after materials in the game.
A material that could be solely obtained by the Blackthorns and no one else.
[Morphium.]
The material which can open countless different possibilities for a weapon.
The material that would enable one's weapon to change its form.
Aside from those, the rest were nothing but a bunch of rubbish to me.
Thus, I did what was the best.
[Horde]
Contacted the special team that I hired….