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Chapter 514 115.12 - First Mission

The streets were silent, more so than usual. Veilcroft had always been quiet at this hour, but today, the stillness felt different—oppressive, almost suffocating. The recent disturbances had driven people indoors, their fear and unease palpable even in the empty spaces they left behind.

I stood beside Warden Shanks, the only other figure in the vicinity. The chill didn\'t seem to bother him, his imposing form a stark contrast to the cold, quiet dawn. Indeed, it seemed that he was a man accustomed to this kind of tension, his expression set in a cold mask.

\'As expected. Becoming a Warden would not be easy.\'

While not at the level of Dakota, the strength that Shanks possessed should be similar. That is why a simple plan was devised, though simplicity didn\'t mean it was easy. It was straightforward because it was better that way.

Jim\'s team would enter the underground tunnels from one side, leading the initial assault, while Shanks and I would take a different route. Our goal was simple—reach the heart of this operation and dismantle it before it could cause any more damage while the others are causing disruption.

But in reality, Shanks and I were the primary force.

Jim should also have been capable, no doubt, but Shanks was on another level. The title of Warden wasn\'t just for show; it signified power, experience, and an ability to command the battlefield. And with me acting as the navigator, our duo was designed to cut straight to the core of the enemy\'s operation.

Why do we do this? This is because if we all enter from the same place, it will be harder to move, and we will be slowed. And if the first entering team is too weak, they can easily suspect that there is another squad here. In the end, neutralizing other threats is also important.

Shanks glanced at me, his eyes sharp and focused. "Ready?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

I nodded, feeling the familiar weight of my daggers at my sides. "Ready."

He didn\'t say anything more; he just gave a slight nod of approval. We both knew what was at stake, but there was no tension, no anxiety. I was calm—almost too calm, considering this was my first mission of this magnitude.

But I already knew how this would play out.

We stood there in silence for a few moments, waiting. The air was thick with anticipation, the dawn\'s chill still lingering around us.

I could hear the distant hum of the city waking up, but down here, it felt like we were in an entirely different world.

Finally, Shanks received the signal through his communicator. Jim\'s team had entered the tunnels from the southern side, just as planned. Shanks nodded to himself, then turned to me. "Let\'s go."

With that, we moved toward our entry point, located on the opposite side of the underground network from where Jim\'s team had entered.

It was a calculated decision—by entering from different directions, we could strike from multiple angles, making it harder for the enemy to anticipate our movements and mount a defense.

Our entry point was well-hidden, a narrow passage that led down into the earth, just like the one I had discovered two nights before. The shadows clung to the walls as we descended, the stone steps cold and damp beneath our feet.

I could feel the energy growing stronger the deeper we went, a pulsating rhythm that guided us forward.

As we reached the bottom of the staircase, the passage opened into a wide corridor, its walls lined with more of those strange symbols I had seen earlier. They glowed faintly in the dim light, casting eerie shadows across the floor. The air was heavy with the scent of Earth and something else.

\'Blood.\' Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn

It was blood.

\'As expected.\'

Contrary to what one would think, this place did not have even an ounce of demonic energy. In fact, I was expecting a demon to be behind it at first, but that was no longer the case, as there were no traces of them.

The corridor ahead branched into several paths, each one disappearing into the darkness. Shanks paused beside me, his gaze sharp as he scanned the area. "Which way?" he asked, his voice low.

I didn\'t hesitate, pointing to the passage where I could see the strongest flow of energy. It was as if the very air was being drawn into that direction, converging on a central point deeper within the underground complex.

Shanks nodded, trusting my judgment. We moved forward, our steps silent as we advanced through the corridor. The atmosphere grew more oppressive with each step, the air heavy with anticipation.

As we rounded a corner, I felt it—movement in the shadows ahead. My [Eyes] picked up on the flow of mana, detecting the presence of both monsters and people. Their faces were obscured by masks, their postures tense and alert.

I quickly assessed their strength, noting the level of mana they emitted. They were strong, around intermediate rank-4 to high rank-4—a formidable force. It was clear they had been alerted, likely by Jim\'s assault on the other side.

Shanks tensed beside me, ready to strike, but I held up a hand, signaling him to wait. "I can handle this," I said quietly, my voice steady.

Shanks raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he nodded, stepping back to give me space.

It seemed he knew what I was capable of, though this was the first time he\'d seen me in action.

\'Let\'s put everything to the test.\'

It was also a test for me in a way, as I had never used my abilities against real people in a while.

I focused, raising my presence just enough to draw the attention of the enemies ahead.

There were five of them, their mana swirling with tension. Two of them were hiding—one behind a wall, the other on the ceiling. They thought they were concealed, but my [Eyes] saw through the barriers, revealing their positions with crystal clarity.

In a single, fluid motion, I moved. My body became a blur as I activated [Shadowborne], blending seamlessly with the shadows. I ascended to the ceiling in a breath, my daggers drawn.

Normally, I would not use [Shadowborne], but since we are no longer in that domain, I doubt that they can see through it. While it was possible if they were there, in such a remote place in the outside world, it should not be possible.

SWOOSH! Before the man hiding there could react, I struck. My blade sliced cleanly through his neck, the movement so swift that he didn\'t even have time to gasp before his life was snuffed out. His body slumped against the wall, the sound barely audible in the silence.

I didn\'t stop. Using the momentum of my leap, I launched myself toward the second hidden figure, the one behind the wall. My movements were precise, as I had been practicing acrobatics and such movements for a while already.

[Eyes of Hourglass]

SWOOSH! Time seemed to slow as I leaped through the air; my senses heightened, and my [Eyes of Hourglass] allowed me to perceive every detail. The dagger in my hand flew with deadly precision toward the figure below, its trajectory set to end his life in a heartbeat.

At the same time, I closed the distance to the man I had targeted behind the wall. My blade flashed as I descended upon him, slicing cleanly through his neck. His head fell forward, severed from his body, and his lifeless form crumpled to the ground.

Landing with practiced grace, I didn\'t waste a moment. My eyes flicked to the remaining two enemies, who were already moving, likely trying to alert others of our presence. But they wouldn\'t get the chance.

Activating [Shadow Leap], I vanished from my spot and reappeared right before the one who was furthest back.

His eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, my palm struck with the precision of the [Gale Stance].

–THUD! The impact was swift and brutal, shattering his sternum and sending a shockwave of force through his body.

As his body slumped to the ground, I reached out with my other hand, the thread already coiled around my wrist. With a sharp tug, I retrieved the dagger I had thrown earlier, guiding it through the air with deadly intent.

The dagger streaked toward the final enemy, who had barely begun to turn in response to the chaos. It pierced the back of his neck with a sickening crunch, severing his spine and ending his life in an instant.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! And just then, the sounds of five bodies hitting the ground sounded at the same time. The entire encounter had lasted mere seconds and ended before the first one on the ceiling could fall to the ground.

"Not bad...."

I took a deep breath, steadying myself as the rush of adrenaline subsided. The room was silent once more, save for the faint hum of energy that permeated the underground complex.

I could sense Shanks behind me, his gaze heavy with a slight sense of surprise on it. It seemed I had made quite an impression.

Shanks\'s voice broke the silence, carrying a tone of both surprise and approval. "I knew you had skills, Adept Astron. The headquarters gave me a heads-up about your capabilities, but they didn\'t even prepare me for this. That spatial teleport… you have a skill like that?"

I turned to face him, my expression calm despite the adrenaline still coursing through me. "Yes," I replied simply. "I awakened it recently after advancing my trait. It\'s been… useful."

Shanks nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. "I see. That kind of ability can change the tide in a battle, especially when you can strike from angles the enemy can\'t anticipate. Impressive."

There was a moment of silence between us, a shared understanding of the weight of the mission ahead. Shanks was clearly pleased with what he had seen.

\'Let\'s hope that they won\'t give me annoying missions like this where I need to work under others.\' It was not preferable, and that is the reason why I was showing this much.

"Let\'s keep moving," Shanks said, his voice steady and commanding once more. "We need to reach the core of this place before they realize we\'re here. If they haven\'t already."

"They haven\'t. No signals had been transmitted."

"I see. That is good, then."

We continued down the corridor, our footsteps echoing softly against the cold stone. The energy in the air grew thicker as we advanced, a palpable tension that signaled we were drawing closer to our goal.