Raze and the rest of the Pagna warriors moved swiftly and silently toward their designated location. This was no mere skirmish; they were preparing for a decisive, surgical strike intended to deal a significant, crippling blow to Gizin and his insidious people. Raze's strategy hinged on a risky assumption: he was confident that leaving one key person alive this time would allow them to be tracked directly back to the supply of the Masks, and that, in turn, would lead them straight to the mastermind, Gizin.

They needed to be ready for the final fight. This confrontation wouldn't just be against the enhanced members of Gizin's faction; it was practically a direct war against one of the Strongest Guilds in the region, along with the terrifying power of a Grand Magus member. This immense, two-pronged threat was exactly why Raze had swallowed his pride and reached out for help from Allen and the Dark Guild. Their plan demanded speed and precision, they needed to take out the target quickly, brutally, and efficiently before the other Grand Magus members even got wind of the operation.

However, when they arrived near their target location, caution prevailed. Safa, always the pragmatist, offered a critical suggestion.

"The last location we attacked, they were already waiting for us. They were fully prepared for our ambush," Safa said, her voice laced with wariness. "There is a high chance that the same defensive setup is waiting for us this time. Rather than attacking them with brute force or attempting a blunt surprise attack, which clearly failed last time, why don't one of us check the area first?"

The question hung heavy in the air: who would be best for this infiltration? The area was likely crawling with traps. Before Raze could weigh the tactical options, one particular warrior volunteered without hesitation.

"I can go check it out," Beatrix offered, stepping forward, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword. "I did a good job at sneaking around the other facility last time, and with the Phasing Sword, I will be able to move in and out relatively quickly. I can assess the setup and see if they have any surprises waiting for us."

It was as solid a plan as any. The risk was mitigated by her unique skill. Even if Beatrix were spotted or caught in a trap, her established strength gave the entire group confidence that she could handle herself against most conventional threats and escape quickly.

Heading toward the building with a burst of speed, Beatrix engaged the power of the Phasing Sword. The subtle shimmer allowed her to pierce the defenses with her vision, and immediately, she saw it: just like the time before, the Cerberus Guild was waiting. They were completely ready for them. Their combatants had their arms pointed in a very particular, strategic direction, indicating a pre-planned formation or spell-casting array. This time, they also seemed to have equipped themselves with specialized enhanced items, glowing with defensive or offensive enchantments, indicating a much higher state of readiness.

Beatrix quickly backed out of the vicinity, deactivated the sword's ability, and headed back to report her findings to the others.

"I hate to say it, but I think Marcus might have been right," Kelly said grimly after hearing the report. Her voice was taut with disbelief and rage. "There is someone in our group that is betraying us. With how much they have set up as well, it's not a disorganized defense, it's a tailored trap, it's unlikely to be one of the lower-ranking members. This takes high-level access and knowledge."

A cold sense of reality washed over Raze. Out of everyone, he truly had no idea who was behind such a devastating leak of information. The inner circle was small, the stakes were impossibly high, and the identity of the traitor remained hidden. However, Raze's priorities immediately shifted. He did know a few things for sure.

For one, the other members of the Dark Guild who had been working on a parallel mission might now be in imminent danger or trouble if they were to be faced with this exact, prepared trap a second time. Raze immediately felt it was best that he and the Pagna warriors head out to try and help them first.

Then, a second, more urgent thought entered his mind, recalling a dark suspicion that had been relayed to him by Londo.

Harvey was already pretty sure there was a traitor, Raze recalled grimly. And he committed those reckless, deadly actions against Varkos and the others before knowing this final, irrefutable information.

If Harvey is set up for a second time, if he is caught in a trap and loses another ally, he won't forgive them, no matter what, Raze realized. He will act before answering questions, his rage turning him into a weapon of pure chaos. I have to hurry to the others to see if they're okay and stop Harvey from destroying everything.

This urgency was what led Raze to check out the closest allied location near them. He ended up arriving right in the messy, violent middle of a confrontation between Allen and Harvey.

"Out of my way, Raze!" Harvey shouted, his face contorted in a mask of desperation and fury. He was wounded and frantic, pushing past his limits. "He killed Mordain and his entire crew, and then right in front of me, I saw him kill Varkos as well! He needs to be stopped! He's just killing everyone, and I need to take him down now!"

Allen, surprisingly, knew Raze. He trusted him to a degree because of Raze's efforts in helping his sister. This established trust was why, even despite the situation having erupted into this murderous fight, Allen never once blamed Raze for the chaos. Instead, he was focused entirely on stopping the bloodthirsty rage of Harvey.

Allen calmly flicked his fingers, and a massive gout of flames ignited out, forming a destructive fireball. Before it could hit Harvey, however, Raze swung his hand down with a burst of Dark Magic, hitting the fire and extinguishing it on the spot, smothering the light and heat instantly.

"Wait, Allen! I don't think this is what it looks like!" Raze shouted, stepping between the two enraged men.

"He's right!" Harvey roared, seizing the small opening of sanity Raze provided. He was too weak to fight Allen effectively now, and if the Dark Magus were to turn on him, he was finished. "I told him already, but that damned fool won't listen! Varkos was the one that betrayed us! He was the traitor, the one selling us out to the Cerberus Group!"

At that moment, for Raze, the truth of the situation crystallized. Everything fit into place: the pre-planned traps, the enhanced Cerberus warriors, the high-level knowledge needed, it really was someone close, and Harvey, in his blind, lethal rage, had actually gotten to them first.

"Lies!" Allen countered, his voice booming with denial and fury. "How can I believe someone like that, Raze? How could you believe someone like that? I saw the bodies, I saw the blood! If you don't get out of my way right now, then I'll take you down as well and do whatever I can to eliminate him!"

****

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