Cyn and the others were cloaked in blue robes, their faces covered. They appeared like a band of hired assassins.

They stepped out of the carriage fully prepared.

Kassal exhaled nervously. Miguel placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded to him, but Kassal felt an ominous unease. Still, they had come this far—there was no turning back.

Several figures began gathering around the building, encircling it from all sides. The tension in the air was palpable. Most pedestrians in the surrounding streets changed direction and fled, while several shops hastily shut their doors.

Behind the glass walls of the building, the women wore expressions of fear, confusion, and panic. They had no idea what was unfolding outside.

Without warning, the masked men launched their assault—smashing the entrance and cutting down the two guards stationed there.

Cyn and the others stormed inside.

Bodies already littered the ground, even before they themselves had done anything.

Kassal felt something was wrong.

"Damn it… what are we doing? We're just killing. There's no resistance at all!"

Whoosh!

His sword cleaved a naked girl clean in half, blood spraying everywhere.

Cyn, too, was unsettled—but his confusion differed from the others'.

Kassal shouted,

"Damn it! We're killing unarmed people! There's no resistance, no guards, none of their men! We shouldn't have trusted that man's information—he set us up!"

Cyn replied calmly,

"It's impossible for him to lie. I told you already."

From the side, Miguel barked orders to the subordinates to secure the entire building.

"It doesn't matter. They probably abandoned the place and fled when they sensed us coming. The entire area has been searched—no one else is here."

Kassal cursed,

"Damn it, we killed—"

Miguel cut him off.

"It doesn't matter! We'll burn the place so they can't return. We destroyed an important stronghold. Now we leave and prepare for the next strike!"

Kassal nodded, but noticed something else.

"What the hell are you doing, Cyn? Why are you turning over the corpses?"

Cyn was searching for something.

Miguel, Kassal, and the others watched Cyn's strange behavior. It was as if he was hunting for something specific.

Miguel urged him,

"Cyn! We need to leave! What are you doing? We should burn the place and get out before the knights arrive!"

Cyn answered quietly,

"He's not here. Tear up the wooden floor. Search for anything suspicious. Move everything—tear out anything you find."

They were all confused, unable to understand what he meant.

Cyn turned to them, his voice cold.

"A man wearing a suit and a hat entered this place. He disappeared. He's not among the bodies. The building was completely surrounded. Move—now."

Instantly, everyone began destroying everything in sight—candelabras, furniture, chandeliers, desks. Miguel tore up the wooden flooring, only to strike a piece of iron barely visible beneath.

Cyn saw it and stopped him.

"There, Miguel. Stop. You'll damage the hidden lift. We need to find what activates it."

Everyone searched for what Cyn described, but to no avail.

Cyn examined the floor carefully, studying the pattern of the planks—until he found it.

A single wooden piece that did not match the rest. A small, square plank among long boards.

Cyn stepped closer, pressed it.

Beeeeeg!

Something shifted.

A hatch opened in the center of the reception hall—a passage leading downward. It was not a complex mechanism, merely a door opening beneath them.

One of the men tried to look inside.

A massive hand shot up from below, grabbed him, and dragged him down.

"Got you! Come here!"

Bones cracked. Flesh crushed. A muffled whimper followed—then silence.

The body was hurled back up, landing lifeless before them.

Cyn observed calmly, then moved.

He approached the open hatch. Everyone else retreated instinctively.

Kassal warned him,

"Don't lower your guard! Be careful, Cyn!"

Cyn advanced without hesitation.

As before, a gigantic hand lunged up and seized his leg.

"Got another one! Now come here—huh? What is this?! What the—?!"

It couldn't pull him in.

Cyn looked down coldly at the hand trying to drag him inside. He bent forward and grabbed it.

A voice echoed from below, panicked.

"Damn it! Let me go! No—what is this?! You—hurry, go warn—!"

A sharp scream followed.

Cyn's fingers pierced flesh. He gripped as if holding bone.

With a faint chuckle, Cyn said,

"Alright. Let's pull you out."

Screaming echoed as Cyn dragged him upward with immense force.

The giant struggled. His massive body barely fit through the hatch.

But the power flowing from Cyn's scar forced a passage open.

CRASH! CRASH!

Cyn ripped him out in a thunderous display, shattering the floor and leaving a massive crater.

Warmth flooded Cyn's body. His heartbeat thundered. His scar did not bleed as usual—only a few drops of blood seeped out.

The giant lay on the ground, his body utterly destroyed by the extraction. Cyn unleashed a barrage of brutal punches upon him.

Many wanted to flee—the sheer violence of Cyn's blows shook the building like an earthquake. The giant was long dead.

Miguel shouted,

"Stop! You'll bring the whole building down on us!"

Cyn turned and ordered them to descend and explore. Now they would see where this path led.

Kassal refused.

"No. Absolutely not. We don't know what's waiting down there. It could be a trap."

Cyn replied,

"Didn't you hear him screaming to warn someone? They weren't expecting us. Our surprise attack worked. We finish this now. I decide here."

"Only the six of us go down. The rest scatter, hide, and observe—knights, church, anyone approaching. Do not engage. Blend into the crowds."

"As for us—

we're going rat-hunting in their nests."

Kassal looked at Miguel, silently asking him to intervene.

Miguel shook his head helplessly. There was no changing Cyn's mind in situations like this.

Kassal pulled out a silver flask filled with alcohol, breathed out his frustration, and drank it all.

"Fine. If that's how you want it—then let's do it your way."

Kassal jumped down first. The others followed.

The subordinates dispersed.

Cyn entered last—as always—and ensured no one could escape behind them.

He destroyed the support beams before their astonished eyes, watching their expressions carefully, searching for something.

The entire building collapsed above them.

They hurried through the underground passage.

Kassal cursed,

"Damn it! Now we're trapped underground!"

Cyn mocked him from behind.

"Afraid of enclosed spaces? You won't be buried here. They have other branches—and other routes leading to the same place. Multiple exits, especially in the eastern district."

"I wanted to ignore this at first. But now I can't anymore. How much did they pay you, Mainz? Just answer. No need to act shocked—I already know."

"Something this big happens in your territory, and you know nothing? Even blind and deaf, you wouldn't be this oblivious."

Miguel thought to himself,

I had my doubts too. Cyn is right. Something like this can't go unnoticed in his area.

Mainz was trembling—so badly that the first thing he recalled was how the giant had died moments ago.

The fear of suffering the same fate paralyzed him.

The others stared at him in disbelief.

Mainz… Mainz himself… betrayed them?

Cyn continued,

"When I destroyed the supports, everyone showed hesitation. Everyone except you, Mainz. Do you know why? Because you knew there were other exits."

"I don't know if that was courage or stupidity—but your act is unconvincing. And your excuse that everything happened too fast?"

"Things like this don't happen fast, Mainz."

Mainz closed his eyes, shaking.

"They have my family… they threatened me… I—I had no—"

Cyn placed a hand on his shoulder.

Mainz froze, breath trapped in his lungs. When was the last time he felt real fear?

Cyn spoke softly,

"Mainz. You should know—your family has been dead for a long time. The moment they got what they wanted."

Kassal clenched his fist and punched Mainz in the jaw, sending him to the ground.

"When did it start?!"

Mainz answered, trembling,

"S–six months…"

"Idiot," Kassal spat.

Cyn looked at Miguel.

Miguel understood. He drew his sword.

"Unfortunately, I didn't want to be the one to do this, Mainz. But you knew the rules when you joined."

"No matter the reason for betrayal—the punishment is death. I'll make it quick."

Cyn and the others moved on, leaving Miguel behind.

Mainz's voice echoed down the corridor:

"They've built an underground black market! Public auctions! People from noble houses, clubs—even scar bearers!"

"Don't fight there! Everyone will turn against you—they're not people you can deal with!"

Cyn, leading the way, simply smiled.

Behind them, Miguel held a long, light sword—its edge sharp enough to cut steel.

Mainz closed his eyes, quietly singing as he clutched the raven pendant at his neck.

"Fly… black-winged one…

Carry me to my final home…

Through hollow winds… where no light dwells…

My heart has fallen, carved into stone…"

Shhhhk!

A cutting sound echoed.

Miguel sheathed his sword. Blood stained the floor.

Softly, he continued the song under his breath:

"Fly, black-winged one…

You are no longer alone…"

Dim light cast shadows on the wall.

There were not two shadows—

but three.

And when Miguel left,

there was no body.

No blood.

Nothing remained.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.