Chapter 3: The First Night of the Hunt

Under the dim, waning moonlight, three figures in cloaks, wearing cold and emotionless silver masks, moved silently toward the Morgan ruins. More of them should have been on the hunt, but since this was another faction's territory, they couldn't act too conspicuously.

Upon arrival, they began to search for traces of their prey.

-Hey, are you sure about this? I've scouted the area and haven't seen a soul.

-It can't be wrong. The trace led this way.

-According to the intel, there are secret passages here. Let's split up and search.

They quickly fanned out in three directions. A short while later, a loud whistle echoed from the east. The other two immediately regrouped at a large, almost completely collapsed house. In the basement, behind an old cabinet, they found a long crack.

-You open it.

-Why not you?

-I need to keep watch.

-You damn fools, you want to die? Get out of my way!

The largest one growled, but despite his best efforts, the stone door seemed too old; he couldn't budge it alone.

-Ha, so weak!

-Putting on airs.

-Shut up and help me, unless you want The Head Measurer to take all three of our heads for his collection!

The other two immediately fell silent. It seemed they were just new recruits who, despite being trained, lacked real combat experience. The door only began to move slowly, with a horrifying creak, when all three pushed together.

-Damn it, how long has this place been abandoned?

-Probably six or seven years.

-It's too dark.

-Light a torch and let's go down. Be careful, I heard some "hounds" have already been killed by talented targets.

They cautiously descended, scanning their surroundings.

-Shit, there's nothing but cobwebs!

-Stay focused, or else... AHHHH!

Thump!

One of them, distracted while talking, had tripped and fallen flat on his face. Looking back, he saw a tripwire stretched at ankle height.

-Hah... Well done, our leader! You've just proven why we're all the same rank!

The fallen man scrambled up, his mask still emotionless, but his voice was laced with anger.

-Alright, there are traps. We'll split up. You two go together, I'll go alone to make the search easier.

Without waiting for a reply, he dashed into a passage as if he had intended to go that way all along.

"Alright, the hunt is on."

The remaining two also quickly ran off to search. Their speed was impressive. Before long, they heard the fierce clash of steel. They immediately pinpointed the location and rushed toward it. Halfway there, they heard the sound of metal piercing flesh, followed by a pained groan. They sped up, only to be repeatedly caught in tripwires, significantly slowing them down.

It took them five minutes to reach the source of the noise. All that greeted them were violent slash marks on the walls, a few small footprints, and a trail of blood leading deeper into the darkness...

-Looks like the fight is over.

-Is that arrogant bastard dead?

-Not sure. Could be the kids' blood from when they fled.

-Let's follow the blood. Maybe we can help him with the capture.

They cautiously followed the blood trail. The deeper they went, the sparser the trail became, making their nerves stretch taut. The last traces led to a dead-end room. Stepping inside, they saw nothing but a pool of blood in the middle of the floor.

-Why does the trail end here?

-I have a bad feeling...

Something warm and liquid suddenly dripped onto the head of the man standing near the pool of blood. He reached up to touch it.

"This is blood..."

He looked up and saw, to his horror, a cloaked body hanging upside-down from the ceiling. The silver mask fell off, revealing the agonized face and disbelieving, wide-open eyes of their comrade.

-Damn it, it's a trap, quick...!

Before he could finish, the only stone door slammed shut. The hanging corpse dropped, splattering into a mess of flesh and gore, and at the same time, a fine black powder began to fall from the ceiling like snow. The two remaining men quickly ducked, and the torches in their hands were extinguished, plunging the room into absolute darkness.

-What the hell is this?

-It's not poison... it's just coal dust!

-Damn it, why is it so thick?

-It's too dark, light a fire, let's get out of here!

-Alright, I'll do it.

One of them took out a fire magic talisman. And just as he dripped his blood onto it to activate it...

Four hours earlier...

After Lyne confirmed that they could kill the "hounds," Kaega asked her another strange question:

-Lyne, is there a coal storage here?

-There should still be some coal, but what for?

Looking at the map, only four houses at the center of the four cardinal directions had entrances to the labyrinth. Each entrance had a small resting chamber. Kaega pointed at the map, smiling as he told her:

-Take me there, and I'll tell you the plan.

When they reached the storage, it was filled with old wood charcoal. Kaega looked at it, his expression growing even more confident. Lyne didn't understand why he was so self-assured. She acknowledged he was smart, but she didn't think someone as frail and sick as him could survive until the Blood Feast. Yet, for some reason, when he had offered his hand and asked her to follow him, she had unconsciously done so. His arrogant demeanor when he deliberately provoked The Head Measurer, though baffling, had a strange allure. It was the look of someone who confidently knew the rules of the game.

-Can you help me grind this stuff up?

-How much?

-12 sacks, 10 kilograms of coal dust each. It needs to be done in two hours.

-It's possible, but why...?

-I'll explain after the plan succeeds.

With that, he quickly gathered a lot of rope and left. Lyne didn't know what he intended, but she decided to follow his instructions. After all, if he succeeded, she might get her chance for revenge. If not, she could still escape on her own.

Two hours later, he returned and asked her to carry the sacks of coal to the designated rooms, tie them to the high ceiling, and connect them with an intricate system of ropes.

"So many tripwires, but they seem designed to lead someone down a predetermined path."

-Lyne, can you handle one "hound" in a one-on-one fight?

-I can.

-If one comes tonight, stay at this spot. Fight while retreating. If there are more, run straight into the room, put out the torch, and get out as fast as you can. Then, close the door and keep running.

-What if I manage to kill one?

-Simple. Bring his body into the room and hang it up. Then you still have to run.

Even now, she still didn't understand his plan. Night fell. After a short rest, she heard the deafening sound of the secret door being forced open.

-"I have to thank the decrepitude of these ruins. Alright, let's head east."

Not long after, she heard a loud thud, followed by the hurried footsteps of three people. Standing at the spot Kaega had designated, about half an hour later, a man wielding a longsword, reeking of bloodlust, charged at her. He seemed to have lost control.

-YOU BRAT! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SET THIS UP, AREN'T YOU?!

He attacked wildly, his slashes erratic. As instructed, Lyne quickly retreated but "accidentally" got caught in a tripwire set by Kaega himself.

-Damn...!

-HAHA! CAUGHT IN YOUR OWN TRAP? HOW FOOLISH! NOW DIE WITH YOUR STUPID TRAPS!

He swung his sword back, intending to cleave her in two.

Clang!

A piercing metallic sound rang out. His blade had unintentionally struck a stalactite jutting out in the darkness. The force of the blow was reflected, sending the sword flying from his hand. While he was still stunned, Lyne, quick as a flash, stabbed him in the throat. Blood gushed out like a fountain. Kaega immediately signaled, urging her to drag the body into the room before his comrades arrived. She quickly complied, hung the body, and left. Right after, the other two entered.

-Is it done?

-You didn't say there would be a trap there.

-It was part of the plan.

-If it happens again, your neck will end up like his.

Kaega said nothing, just looked at the sealed room and asked:

-Do you know about the news article on the mine collapse in North Aquila three years ago?

"Why is he bringing that up?"

-People assumed the explosion was caused by a dark mage. But to me, a dark mage would never target a worthless cave. The cause was something much simpler.

Hearing this, Lyne suddenly realized something.

-Don't tell me it was...?

-You've figured it out... coal dust.

Just as he finished speaking...

BOOM!

A terrifying explosion erupted. The stone door of the room was blown away, revealing thick black smoke inside. A cloaked figure, severely burned, was thrown out, while the one who used fire magic had been incinerated on the spot.

-I can't believe... they all died exactly according to your plan...

-It was just luck. We happened to run into some fools hunting us tonight.

The last survivor was still gasping for breath. His body was severely burned, blood and pus oozing from the scorched wounds. Every breath was an agony.

-Please... kill... me...

He groaned, begging for release.

-Karizanis... Kari... zani... s...

He finally managed to rasp out a strange name before dying.

Looking at the corpse, Lyne thought to herself: "If I fought him one-on-one, I wouldn't lose, but it would have been a tough fight. Against three of them, I stood no chance."

"But from calculating how to make one of them attack blindly in a rage, to the trap that was deliberately flawed, the arranged fall, and the fateful blow against a pre-selected stalactite... He had orchestrated everything. He even used his only ally as bait to achieve his goal..."

At this thought, she looked at Kaega, who was still calmly observing the scene. The ripples in her heart had stilled, replaced by a new understanding.

"This man... is someone you should never make an enemy of."