A week had passed since Vell's takeover, and the city was beginning to show signs of real change. The rubble from his battle with the Guild Leader had been mostly cleared away, with new construction already underway in the ruined districts, but more importantly, the entire atmosphere of the section had shifted.

People walked taller now, their shoulders unburdened by the constant fear of guild harassment. The training grounds, once exclusive and restrictive, now buzzed with activity as fighters of all levels practiced openly, sharing techniques and sparring with a newfound sense of community. Even the marketplace had a different, more vibrant energy, with merchants freely trading their goods without the crushing weight of "protection fees."

Vell observed it all from the rooftop of the former guild hall, his eyes tracking the movement below.

[Alert: Detecting increased movement at section borders]

[Warning: Multiple unauthorized gatherings detected]

[Recommendation: Implement countermeasures]

"Let them gather," he muttered to himself. "They will learn soon enough."

"Talking to yourself again?" A familiar voice called out from behind him. Yenna landed gracefully beside him, her movements as fluid and feline as ever, and he noticed that blood still stained her fingertips.

"More cleanup?" he asked, not looking away from the city below.

She shrugged, a playful smile on her lips. "Just some rats who thought they could keep playing by the old rules. They will not be causing any more trouble."

"You are as efficient as always, huh." He finally turned to face her. "Though I do not recall asking for your help."

"You did not have to." She stretched lazily, looking more like a cat than ever before. "Besides, I was getting bored just watching from the shadows. And you know how dangerous I get when I am bored."

Before he could respond, Master Chen appeared at the rooftop entrance, looking slightly out of breath. "Lord Vell, we have a situation."

Vell's eyes narrowed at the title, but he let it pass for now. "Report."

"The other sections have sent representatives. All of them. They are waiting for you in the grand hall."

Yenna's smile turned predatory. "Oh? This should be interesting."

"Hmm…" he began walking to the hall, his mind already working. 'So they finally decided to move, good. This is the best opportunity to learn more about 'them.''

The grand hall was packed with figures in elaborate robes, each one representing their section's various interests. The air was thick with tension and poorly concealed fear, and when Vell entered, all conversation died instantly.

He took his seat at ground level, deliberately casual. Yenna stood behind him, her very presence making several of the representatives shift uncomfortably.

"Well?" he asked into the silence. "Who wants to speak first?"

A woman in deep blue robes stepped forward. "We have come to discuss the… changes you have implemented."

"Changes that affect us all," added a man in red, his voice sharp.

Vell's smile did not reach his eyes. "And why would my section's internal affairs be of any concern to you?"

"Because," the woman continued, her voice steady, "your actions have inspired similar… unrest in other sections. The common people are questioning the established order, and some are even demanding reforms."

"Demanding reforms?" He leaned forward, his smile widening. "How terrible for you."

"This is a serious matter!" the man in red burst out. "Centuries of tradition-"

"Centuries of exploitation," Vell cut in, his voice suddenly hard. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. "Centuries of crushing the weak to benefit the strong. Centuries of hoarding knowledge and power."

Dark symbols began to flicker around him, making several of the representatives take a step back. "And you are right, it is serious. Because what happened here? It is just the beginning."

The woman in blue paled. "Is that a threat?"

"Not at all." He stood, and even without his limiters released, his presence filled the entire room. "It is a promise. Change is coming, whether you choose to embrace it or fight it. The only question is how painful you want it to be."

"The marked ones will not stand for this," someone in the back called out. "They will-"

"They will what?" Yenna's laugh was like the sound of silver bells with edges of steel. "They have already given their blessing. Or did not you hear about their little visit?"

That caused an uproar. Voices were raised in argument and denial, until Vell's power pulsed once, silencing them all.

"You have a choice," he said quietly, but his voice carried to every corner of the hall. "You can resist, like your friend the Guild Leader did. You can plot and scheme, like those who even now gather at your borders. Or…" his smile returned, sharp as a blade, "you can learn from their mistakes."

The representatives looked at each other, then back at him. Fear warred with centuries of entrenched power on their faces.

"We will… need time to consider our options," the woman in blue finally said.

"Take all the time you need." He turned to leave, then paused. "But remember, the people have gotten their first taste of freedom. How long do you think they will wait for you to 'consider' giving them more?"

He waited for a few seconds before speaking again, paying close attention to their expressions. "Do any of you know of an organization that corrupts the human mind using corrupted mana?" He waited, seeing their confused expressions.

None of them seem to know anything, until, [Master, the one in red, scan him.]

'Oh, you are awake. The one in red, you say.' He activated a new type of eyes. 'Let us see what you are hiding.' Immediately, he spotted corrupted mana infused deep into the man's brain, something that not just anyone could sense.

"I am sorry, but we do not know what you mean. We have never heard of such an organization," the woman said, her voice filled with honesty, but Vell's attention was still on the man in red.

"Interesting," he said, his voice deceptively casual as he tilted his head toward the man in red. "Your mana signature seems… different from the others. Almost as if it has been… altered."

The man's face remained impassive, but his fingers twitched, a tell that did not escape Vell's notice.

"Tell me," he continued, each word carefully measured, "how long have you been carrying that corruption in your mind? The way it is wrapped around your neural pathways… must have been years."

The chamber went deadly silent. The man in red's composure finally cracked, his eyes widening just a fraction.

"I do not know what you are—"

"Oh, but you do." Vell's smile grew sharper. "Corrupted mana is quite distinctive, similar to what I have seen in certain… individuals. The kind who seem to act against their own interests. The kind who serve masters they have never even met."

The man's control finally snapped. With a roar, he lunged forward, dark energy crackling around his hands, but he never reached his target.

In a blur of motion, Yenna appeared behind him. Her hand gripped the back of his neck with crushing force, driving him face-first into the marble floor. The impact cracked the stone.

"My, my," she purred, applying more pressure as he struggled. "Someone is eager to prove their guilt."

The other representatives backed away, horror and confusion warring on their faces. The woman in blue raised her hands. "We knew nothing of this, I swear!"

Vell walked over to the pinned man, crouching down to examine him more closely. The corrupted mana patterns in his brain were becoming more active now, pulsing with an unnatural rhythm.

"Who did this to you?" he asked softly. "Who marked you with their power?"

The man's only response was a pained laugh. Then his eyes rolled back, and a black fluid began to leak from his nose.

[Warning: Detecting unstable mana fluctuations]

[Caution: Subject showing signs of forced neural degradation]

[Recommendation: Maintain safe distance]

"Yenna, move!"

She leaped back just as the man's body began to convulse. Symbols, different from Vell's, appeared on his skin, burning through his red robes. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. The man lay still, the corruption in his brain now completely inert.

"Well," he said into the shocked silence, "that was informative." He turned to the other representatives, who were pressed against the walls. "Is anyone else feeling unusual today?"

No one moved.

"This meeting is over," he announced. "Return to your sections. And do be careful on your way back, it seems there are more dangerous elements at play than simple political unrest."

As the representatives hurried out, Yenna moved to his side. "That corruption pattern was new," she said quietly. "It was more sophisticated than what we were under."

"Yes." His eyes remained on the body, where Chen's people were already moving in to examine it. "It seems you guys were nothing but toys, hmmm…," He crouched next to the man. "The question is, why here? Why now? Are they keeping an eye on me? Hehehe, interesting." He grinned.

[Alert: Analysis complete]

[Corruption pattern logged]

[Scanning for similar signatures, expanding search zone by… 2 miles]

[Match found: Section 7 incident, 3 months ago]

"Finally, a real lead."

Later that night, Vell examined the data his system had compiled. Holographic displays showed the corruption patterns they had discovered, comparing them to previous cases.

[Analyzing Section 7 incident correlations]

[Similar mana signatures detected in 3 other recorded cases]

[Pattern suggests systematic implementation]

[Warning: Data potentially compromised]

"Section 7, was not that the weapons manufacturing district?"

[It was, until it mysteriously shut down three months ago. The official story claimed it was due to resource depletion.]

"And the unofficial story?" he gestured at the displays.

[The entire management team disappeared overnight. When they were found a week later… they were just like our friend in red. Their minds were corrupted, but in a cruder way. Almost like they were test subjects.]

Master Chen entered, carrying a thick folder. "The preliminary autopsy results," he said, placing it on the desk. "You were right, the corruption had spread throughout his entire nervous system. But there is something else."

He pulled out several photographs, laying them out. They showed strange markings on the dead man's spine, visible only under a special light.

"These were not made by magic," Chen said. "They are surgical scars. Someone physically modified him before applying the corruption."

"They are mixing technology with their mana manipulation?"

"Not just mixing, they are enhancing it. The hardware lets them implement more sophisticated corruption patterns."

He looked up at Chen. "Are there any identifying marks on the equipment?"

"None that survived. Whatever they used… it was not meant to leave any evidence."

[Alert: Cross-referencing technological signatures]

[Match found: Underground facility, Section 12]

[Warning: Location data potentially outdated]

Vell smiled. "Section 12. Now that is interesting."

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