No Escape Route

The sound of armored footsteps echoing through the tunnels cut their planning session short. Clara's face went pale as the rhythmic marching grew closer.

"They found us," she whispered, grabbing her small pack of supplies. "Darius must have had surveillance spiders in the tunnels."

Rina was already packing up her Life Sign Tracker, her movements quick and efficient. "How many exits does this chamber have?"

"Just the one we came through," Clara replied, pointing toward the tunnel entrance. "This was supposed to be a dead-end safe room."

Itsuki activated his [SYSTEM INSPECTION], and the tactical situation became immediately clear. Red dots were converging on their position from multiple directions.

[HOSTILE FORCES DETECTED] [COUNT: 12 ARMORED UNITS] [APPROACH VECTORS: TUNNELS A, C, AND E] [ESTIMATED ARRIVAL: 90 SECONDS] [ESCAPE ROUTES: NONE DETECTED]

"Twelve soldiers, coming from three different directions," Itsuki reported. "They've got us surrounded."

"Standard House Vaelthorne capture protocol," Clara said bitterly. "Overwhelming force, multiple approach vectors, no escape routes. Uncle Darius doesn't take chances."

Olivia was examining the chamber walls with her staff, looking for any hidden passages or magical weak points. "The stonework here is solid. No secret doors, no structural weaknesses I can exploit with magic."

"What about going up?" Rina asked, looking at the ceiling. "If I could blast through to the surface..."

"Too much rock," Clara shook her head. "We're at least thirty feet underground here. Any explosion big enough to break through would bring the whole tunnel system down on us."

The footsteps were getting closer. Itsuki could hear muffled commands being shouted in the distance.

"We need a way out that they can't follow," he muttered, thinking through their options. "Something they won't expect..."

[WARNING: HOSTILE FORCES - 60 SECONDS TO CONTACT]

"There has to be something," Rina said, frantically checking her equipment. "Some kind of phase-shift device or dimensional escape tool..."

"Wait," Olivia said suddenly. "I've read about ancient escape techniques used during the War of Three Houses. Methods for bypassing physical barriers entirely. But they required specific magical focuses that were incredibly rare..."

"What kind of focuses?" Itsuki asked, already reaching for his inventory.

"Something that could disrupt the boundary between solid and ethereal states," Olivia explained quickly. "A phase manipulation artifact of some kind. But those haven't been seen for centuries..."

Itsuki's fingers closed around something he'd been carrying for so long he'd forgotten its original source. A Cracked Glass Orb that had always seemed completely worthless, its surface covered in hairline fractures that made it look ready to shatter at any moment.

"Would this work?" he asked, pulling out the orb. "The description mentioned something about 'walking through walls' but I thought it was just flavor text."

Olivia's eyes went wide as she examined the orb. "Those fractures... they're not damage. They're intentional etchings! This is a Phase Walker's Focus from the Age of Ethereal Arts!"

"Phase Walker?" Clara asked.

"Legendary escape artists," Olivia explained rapidly, her voice filled with excitement. "They could temporarily shift themselves and anything they touched into an ethereal state. Completely intangible, able to walk through solid matter."

"But how does it work?" Itsuki asked, turning the orb over in his hands.

[WARNING: HOSTILE FORCES - 30 SECONDS TO CONTACT]

"Physical contact," Olivia said quickly. "Everyone needs to be touching you when you activate it. And whatever you do, don't let go. If someone becomes untethered while phased, they could become permanently ethereal."

The sound of armored boots was now just around the corner. Clara grabbed Itsuki's left arm while Rina took his right. Olivia placed her hand on his shoulder.

"How do I activate it?" Itsuki asked.

"Focus on the concept of becoming intangible," Olivia instructed. "Phase Walker artifacts respond to mental commands rather than magical energy."

Itsuki concentrated on the orb, imagining himself becoming like a ghost, able to pass through solid matter. The cracked surface began to glow with soft, ethereal light.

[SKILL UNLOCKED: NO CLIP] [EFFECT: TEMPORARY INTANGIBILITY FOR USER AND CONTACTED ENTITIES] [DURATION: 120 SECONDS] [WARNING: MAINTAIN PHYSICAL CONTACT OR RISK PERMANENT PHASE SHIFT]

The world suddenly felt... different. Itsuki could feel his body becoming lighter, less substantial. The others gasped as the same sensation washed over them.

"It's working," Clara breathed, her voice sounding slightly hollow.

"Everyone stay connected," Itsuki warned, then looked toward the solid stone wall behind them. "Here goes nothing."

He stepped forward, pulling the others with him, and walked directly into the stone wall.

◇◇◇

The sensation of phasing through solid rock was indescribable. Itsuki could see the internal structure of the stone as they passed through it - layers of sediment, mineral veins, even the magical reinforcements that had been built into the tunnel system centuries ago.

"This is incredible," Rina whispered, her voice echoing strangely in the ethereal state. "I can see the engineering behind the tunnel construction. Look at those support matrices!"

"Stay focused," Olivia cautioned. "Phase Walker artifacts have limited duration, and the mental strain of maintaining intangibility increases over time."

They emerged from the stone wall into a completely different section of the tunnel network. Behind them, they could hear muffled shouts as the soldiers reached the empty chamber.

"Where are we?" Clara asked, looking around at the unfamiliar passage.

Itsuki checked his [SYSTEM INSPECTION]. Their ethereal phase had carried them through nearly fifty feet of solid rock and earth, depositing them in what appeared to be an older section of the tunnel system.

"Different level," he reported. "Looks like we're in the original tunnels - the ones built during the war period."

"Pre-unification architecture," Olivia observed, examining the carved stone work. "These passages predate the current noble house agreements. They're not on any modern maps."

"Which means Darius's people won't know how to track us here," Clara added with the first smile Itsuki had seen from her.

Rina was studying the Phase Walker's Focus with obvious fascination. "How long do we have before it needs to recharge?"

"Phase manipulation artifacts usually require substantial rest periods," Olivia replied. "Probably several hours before it can be used again."

"Then we need to make this count," Itsuki said, pocketing the orb carefully. "Where do these tunnels lead?"

Clara looked around, getting her bearings. "If these are the original war tunnels, they should connect to the Old City foundations. That means we could potentially reach the Noble District from below."

"The Noble District?" Rina's eyes lit up. "Where Darius lives?"

"Where the family archives are kept," Clara corrected. "If we're going to challenge his succession claim legally, I need to access the official inheritance documents. They're stored in the Vaelthorne House vault."

"Breaking into a noble house vault," Olivia said thoughtfully. "That's... incredibly dangerous. But if the documents prove Darius is acting illegally..."

"It could invalidate everything he's done," Clara finished. "Force the family council to recognize my legitimate claim and cancel any succession ceremonies conducted under duress."

Itsuki felt his old guild instincts kicking in. This was exactly the kind of high-stakes political maneuvering that required careful planning and perfect execution.

"What kind of security are we looking at?" he asked.

"Magical wards, guardian constructs, alarm systems," Clara listed. "Plus whatever personal security Darius has added since taking control of the house."

"Standard noble house defenses," Rina mused. "I might be able to handle the technical systems, but those magical wards will be a problem."

"Leave the wards to me," Olivia said confidently. "I've studied protective enchantment theory extensively. With the right approach, most ward systems can be bypassed or temporarily suppressed."

"And if we run into guardian constructs?" Clara asked.

Itsuki thought about his Wraith Lord techniques and the various "worthless" items in his inventory. "I'll handle those."

◇◇◇

As they made their way through the ancient tunnels, Clara began filling them in on the family politics that had led to her current situation.

"My parents died in what was officially called an expedition accident," she explained, her voice carefully neutral. "They were exploring ruins in the Eastern Wastes, searching for pre-war artifacts. A magical feedback explosion supposedly killed them instantly."

"Supposedly?" Itsuki asked.

"The official investigation was conducted by Darius himself," Clara replied. "He claimed that as the surviving senior family member, it was his responsibility to determine what happened. No outside investigators were ever allowed to examine the site."

"Convenient timing," Olivia observed. "Right when you would have been approaching the age of inheritance."

"Exactly. I was seventeen at the time - one year away from being able to formally claim the family headship. Under noble law, Darius became my legal guardian until I reached majority."

"And he's been trying to control you ever since," Rina concluded.

"He started subtly," Clara continued. "Arranged engagements to politically useful families, restrictions on my education and travel, gradually isolating me from independent advisors. When I turned eighteen and refused to accept his succession arrangements, he became more direct."

"Forced ceremonies and assassination attempts," Itsuki said.

"The assassination attempts only started when I began investigating my parents' deaths," Clara corrected. "I found inconsistencies in the official reports. Evidence that suggested the magical explosion might not have been accidental."

They had reached what appeared to be a major junction in the tunnel system. Ancient carved markers indicated directions to various parts of the Old City.

"Noble District is that way," Clara pointed down a passage that sloped gently upward. "But we'll need to be careful. Even these old tunnels might have modern security additions."

"I can scan for surveillance systems," Itsuki offered, activating his [SYSTEM INSPECTION].

[TUNNEL NETWORK ANALYSIS COMPLETE] [MODERN SECURITY DETECTED: MINIMAL] [ANCIENT WARD SYSTEMS: ACTIVE BUT DEGRADED] [RECOMMENDED ROUTE: NORTHWEST PASSAGE] [ESTIMATED TRAVEL TIME: 45 MINUTES]

"Northwest passage is clear," he reported. "Minimal modern security, though there are some old ward systems still active."

"Ancient wards are usually maintenance protocols rather than security measures," Olivia said. "They shouldn't interfere with passage as long as we're not trying to damage the tunnel structure."

As they began walking toward the Noble District, Itsuki couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something much bigger than a simple inheritance dispute. The careful timing of Clara's parents' deaths, the extensive surveillance networks, the professional assassination teams - it all pointed to a conspiracy that went beyond one ambitious uncle.

"Clara," he said carefully, "do you think Darius is working alone? Or could there be other forces involved in this?"

She was quiet for a long moment before answering. "I've wondered about that. Some of the resources he's been using seem beyond what House Vaelthorne should be able to afford. And some of his political connections don't make sense given our traditional alliances."

"Outside backing," Rina suggested. "Someone with deeper pockets and broader influence."

"But who would benefit from destabilizing House Vaelthorne?" Olivia asked.

"Any number of rival houses," Clara replied. "Or merchant cartels looking to break our trade agreements. Or even foreign interests who want to weaken the city's political structure."

Itsuki filed that information away for later consideration. First, they needed to survive the vault infiltration and get their hands on those inheritance documents. Then they could worry about larger conspiracies.

But as they approached the Noble District through tunnels that hadn't been used in centuries, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to uncover something much bigger than they'd bargained for.

◇◇◇

Above them, in the Vaelthorne House study, Darius stared at the empty chamber where his soldiers had expected to find Clara and her companions.

"Impossible," he muttered, studying the surveillance reports. "Phase Walker artifacts haven't existed for three centuries."

He activated his emergency communication crystal, connecting to a heavily encrypted channel.

"We have a problem," he said to the shadowy figure that appeared in the crystal. "Clara has found allies with capabilities we didn't account for."

"Improvise," came the cold reply. "The ceremony must proceed as scheduled. Too much depends on Vaelthorne falling under our control."

"And if they reach the family vault?"

"Then make sure they never leave it."

The crystal went dark, leaving Darius alone with his increasingly desperate plans.

◇◇◇

As the group settled into a safe chamber deeper in the ancient tunnel network, Itsuki felt a strange sensation wash over him. The Phase Walker's Focus in his pocket pulsed once with warm light, and suddenly new information flooded his awareness.

[SKILL PERMANENTLY ACQUIRED: NO CLIP] [EFFECT: PHASE SELF AND CONTACTED ALLIES THROUGH SOLID MATTER] [COOLDOWN: 6 HOURS] [MASTERY LEVEL: NOVICE] [IMPROVEMENT POSSIBLE THROUGH PRACTICE]

He blinked in surprise. The ancient artifact had done something to him, permanently unlocking this ability.

"Everything alright?" Clara asked, noticing his expression.

"Yeah," Itsuki replied, pocketing the orb carefully. "Just... processing everything that's happened."

But as he looked at his companions - Rina with her boundless enthusiasm, Olivia with her vast knowledge, and Clara with her determination to reclaim her birthright - he realized that gaining new abilities was the least remarkable thing about this situation.

They were about to break into a noble house vault, challenge centuries of political tradition, and potentially uncover a conspiracy that threatened the entire city.

"Actually," Itsuki said, standing up and checking his soul energy reserves, "there's something we need to deal with first."

"What do you mean?" Clara asked.

"Those soldiers are still searching the tunnels," Itsuki replied. "As long as they're down here, they'll eventually find us. And when we make our move on the vault, we can't have them tracking us."

"So what do you suggest?" Olivia asked.

Itsuki activated his [SYSTEM INSPECTION], tracking the hostile signatures moving through the tunnel network above them. "We draw them out. All of them. Into open ground where I can deal with them properly."

"All twelve of them?" Rina looked concerned. "That's a lot of professional soldiers."

"Not if they're in the wrong terrain," Itsuki said with a grim smile. "Rina, can you create some kind of distraction device? Something loud enough to draw them to a specific location?"

"Sure," she replied, already reaching for her equipment. "Where?"

"The surface plaza above the old Market District. Wide open space, multiple exit routes for you three to stay clear."

"What about you?" Clara asked.

Itsuki felt the familiar weight of combat anticipation settling over him. "I'll be fine. Trust me."

◇◇◇

Twenty minutes later, Rina's Sonic Amplifier exploded in the center of Merchant's Plaza, sending a ear-splitting shriek echoing across the district. Within moments, all twelve of Darius's soldiers came charging out of various tunnel entrances, converging on the source of the disturbance.

From his position on a nearby rooftop, Itsuki watched them spread out in a standard search formation. Heavy armor, enchanted weapons, coordinated movement - they were definitely professionals.

Too bad they're fighting on my terms now.

He launched himself from the roof with a Phantom Dash, his body moving like black lightning across the night sky. The first soldier barely had time to look up before Itsuki's Soul Rend struck him in the chest, dark energy coursing through his armor and dropping him instantly.

Before the unconscious soldier hit the ground, Itsuki was already animation-cancelling into his next attack. Spectral Chains erupted from his fingertips, wrapping around three more soldiers and yanking them into a tight cluster.

"Soul Burn!" Dark flames washed over the grouped enemies, their armor providing no protection against soul-based attacks.

The remaining eight soldiers tried to coordinate their response, but Itsuki's aerial mobility made him nearly impossible to target. He dash-cancelled between rooftops and building facades, moving like a living shadow that struck without warning.

"There!" one soldier shouted, pointing his enchanted spear skyward. "He's using movement techniques!"

But Itsuki was already behind him, having frame-cancelled his Phantom Dash into a ground-slam attack that sent soul energy rippling outward in a devastating shockwave. Four more soldiers went down, their nervous systems overloaded by the ethereal assault.

The last four tried to retreat, but Itsuki's perfect positioning had already cut off their escape routes. He appeared in front of them like a bolt of dark lightning, his Wraith Lord techniques flowing together in a seamless combat chain that left all four unconscious before they could even raise their weapons.

The entire fight had lasted less than thirty seconds.

Itsuki landed softly in the center of the plaza, surrounded by twelve unconscious soldiers. Not one of them was seriously injured - his soul techniques specialized in incapacitation rather than permanent damage.

"Impossible," Clara breathed as she, Rina, and Olivia emerged from their hiding spots. "You took down an entire professional squad by yourself."

"Aerial superiority," Itsuki replied simply. "They were trained for ground combat and tunnel fighting. Put them in three-dimensional space against someone with unlimited mobility, and their formation tactics become useless."

"That was like watching lightning fight," Rina said, her eyes wide with amazement. "I could barely track your movements."

"Frame-perfect execution," Olivia observed. "You didn't waste a single motion or attack. It was like... like you were reading their responses before they even made them."

Itsuki checked his soul energy reserves. Still plenty left for the vault infiltration. "Years of PvP experience. You learn to optimize everything when you're fighting skilled opponents regularly."

"Well," Clara said, looking at the unconscious soldiers scattered around the plaza, "I think it's safe to say Uncle Darius wasn't expecting this level of resistance."

"Which gives us the advantage for the vault mission," Itsuki replied. "They'll be regrouping and reassessing their approach. That buys us time."

Just another day in this world, he thought with dark amusement. At least now I can walk through walls.