The Black Hermit City had never been so quiet. What once thrummed with the pulse of abyssal commerce and power now lay under an eerie stillness.

The vast metropolis, carved from blackstone and veined with crimson crystal, stood shrouded in half-light.

The eternal night above was split by flashes of distant red lightning from the direction of the mines, staining the skyline like bleeding wounds.

The spires that once shimmered with authority now flickered dimly, their sentinels gone. The patrol routes that normally teemed with armored guards had thinned to shadows.

Every capable expert, every Abyssal Guardian and Abyssal Lord, every commander had been summoned to the mines to assist the Dread Duchess's command or to contain the spreading corruption.

The castle that anchored the city, the grand fortress of Khazar, City Lord of Black Hermit, was a fortress in name alone tonight.

The barriers remained intact, the walls un-breached, the runic wards still glimmering faintly with defensive Qi, and yet the hands that could wield them were lessened by more than half.

Inside, silence reigned. Only the whisper of faint currents passing through the abyssal crystals broke the stillness.

Right at that moment, from one sealed door deep within the guest wing, came a sound, it was a faint, metallic creak.

The sigil on the door shimmered once before dimming completely, and a sliver of darkness split across the threshold. It was a sign of disarmament by someone from the inside, opening the door.

If it were from the outside, it would've been impossible without bypassing the formation, but from the inside, no key was required, nor was there any chance of an alarm going off.

From within that darkness, two shadowy silhouettes slipped into the corridor like wraiths. They moved without breath, without sound, their presences melted perfectly into the dim.

The air didn't even stir as the first figure was tall, cloaked, his steps measured and light, and his aura sealed so thoroughly that even the spatial ripples bent around him.

The second followed close behind, her form sleek and lithe, the faint glint of amber eyes visible beneath her hood. Even under suppression, her presence exuded danger.

At that moment, Ace's Avatar of Holy Twilight and Zaria had finally left their hidden spot, which was none other than the guest room that Ace was allocated!

The corridor stretched long and silent, its walls inlaid with faintly glowing sigils and lined with statues of past City Lords. Typically, each intersection would have two guards on patrol, but tonight they were gone.

The castle's strength had been siphoned away to face the chaos outside. The elite sentinels who once guarded every corridor now stood at the city's edge, awaiting orders that would never reach them in time.

No one could have imagined that danger would bloom from within the heart of their lord's own stronghold.

No one could have guessed that an intruder had already been here, hidden in plain sight, right under Khazar's nose.

Not to mention, Khazar didn't even consider that Ace would have the ability to carry two living beings, and then he dared to plan something like this!

Ace's gaze flicked forward, eyes like molten dusk, as a faint smirk curved beneath his hood as he used the spirit transmission, "See? Didn't I say the city is distracted? The castle's defenses are skeleton-thin. Even the inner wards are sluggish without their controllers. It's the perfect time for us to do our thing!"

Zaria's eyes gleamed, the faintest thrill flashing through her usually calm expression. Her pulse raced with an anticipation she couldn't suppress. For all her experience as a 'Lady Boss' who used to 'extort', this was different!

The silence, the risk, and the knowledge that one wrong step could wake a fortress,

It was strangely… intoxicating for someone like Zaria, who used to be revered and feared for her strength and status.

At this moment, she took a steadying breath as she replied with a snort, "Although I don't know how you managed to gain this avatar, it's sure useful. However, are you sure this will work?

"Even if the castle's security is low, it doesn't mean formations and all the defensive means are disabled as well. And that city lord, Khazar, doesn't strike me as someone careless enough to leave his treasury exposed, even in a crisis.

"After, once your body left, he sent two Abyssal Lords to inspect the room, and if not for my ability and your strange talismans, we would've been exposed.

"I still think it's better just to leave this place like we initially planned instead of going after its treasury. It's too risky a gamble, especially when you are not present with your real body, and I can't use my full power!"

Ace remained silent for a moment before he smiled slightly. "He may not be careless and might be confident. But you see, that's worse actually, for when someone believes no one would dare, and when they think their superior's shadow is their shield, they stop watching for thieves like us!"

Zaria's lips twitched, "You sound awfully pleased about this. I guess I have no choice but to go along with your suicidal plan. But don't even think for a second I'll save your avatar if things go south!"

"Heh, you don't need to actually. I prefer you choose your safety over me because I have ways to escape even faster than you." Ace confidently replied.

However, at this moment, he glanced at Zaria profoundly, and his tone turned solemn, making Zaria's heart skip a beat under his stern gaze, "But I will advise you to take this seriously now because this isn't just a theft. It's your debut, Zaria. The Black Hermit City is about to remember your name!"

Zaria knew Ace wasn't joking anymore, and her expression softened just slightly, though she masked it with a scoff, "Then let's make it worth remembering. Oh, and don't fight me for those House Points, I need them more than anyone else. I want to get rid of this annoying suppression as soon as possible!"

Ace's lips curled up slightly as he nodded, "Don't worry, I'm just your guide in this theft, you are the main performer, I hope you have finalized your Thief Name because after this, that name will be the first one to reverberate throughout the Evernight Council!"

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