In a dimly lit, rundown room on the underground floor of a quiet inn, Marcus sat on a worn-out sofa, his legs crossed casually. He glanced toward the woman standing near the cracked wall.
"So, Eve," he said, voice low and calm, "don’t you think it’d be better if you waited at the inn? This place... it’s not exactly safe for women, you know."
Evelyne’s eyes narrowed. "Marcus, you can’t think like that. We women can go wherever we want."
"It’s not about that," Marcus replied, his tone firm. "It’s just... if a fight breaks out, you’ll only hold me back."
That blunt answer made Evelyne’s jaw tighten. A flicker of frustration crossed her face, but she held her composure. "Don’t worry," she said, "I won’t get in your way."
Marcus looked at her for a long moment, perhaps about to say something more—
—but the door creaked open before he could.
An old man with a sly smile shuffled into the room, brushing dust off his cloak.
"Sorry, sorry," he said, "I was a little busy."
Marcus didn’t react much. "It’s fine. Anyway, do you have the information we asked for?"
The old man gave a knowing grin. "I have it. But..."
Evelyne stepped forward. "The price? Don’t worry. We’ll reward you handsomely."
"Ah, price," he repeated. "Yes, yes—money too. But before that, I want to know just one thing..."
He leaned in slightly. "Who is Leria? Or should I say—Elia Seraphine?"
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. His voice turned cold. "You know who I am, don’t you?"
The old man’s smile widened. "Yes."
Marcus’s aura flared faintly. "Then stay in your lane and hand over the intel."
The old man raised his hands innocently. "I think you misunderstood me. Apologies if I crossed the line. I only asked because I came across something about her—something you might find interesting."
Marcus stared at him silently for a moment, then gave a slow nod.
They had requested detailed intel on the Crimson Guild—both their current movements and any hidden activities. And, as expected of the largest information network in the Human Federation, they’d uncovered everything.
"She’s the girl we’re supposed to escort safely to the Academy," Marcus said. "My friend Ezra’s already gone to meet her."
The old man’s grin sharpened. "Then you’d best be careful. Someone far more dangerous is after her."
Marcus’s expression darkened. "You know who?"
The old man hesitated for the first time. "Eitan," he murmured. "That’s his name. He’s a Rank 6 Vampire."
Marcus’s face hardened. He reached for the drive the old man offered, transferred the payment, and said quietly, "Thanks for the info."
The old man simply nodded, silent now.
Outside the inn, as they stepped into the pale daylight, Evelyne finally spoke.
"Marcus... we should inform Ezra and the others."
"I already messaged them," Marcus replied, not breaking stride.
In another part of Blackridge, Daelen and Lyria were visiting the Crimson Guild’s headquarters. They had been hoping to meet the guild’s elusive leader and get some answers—but so far, the man hadn’t shown himself.
That’s when Marcus’s message arrived.
"We have to unite. I received intel—someone named Eitan is also after Elia."
Daelen showed the message to Lyria. Their eyes met.
A silent agreement passed between them.
Moments later, they left the guild building and hailed a cab, heading toward Blackridge High Sector 7.
On the hills behind the Academy, Elia had led Ezra and Dravis to a secluded, grassy ridge. The air was still. Birds chirped in the distance.
Elia’s intentions were cautious, even dangerous. If something felt off—if they tried anything—she could kill them here without drawing attention.
Ezra knew it. And still, he followed.
He also knew Kael was nearby, silently watching over them. That gave him just enough peace of mind.
"I need your help," Ezra said honestly. "A friend of mine... he’s been afflicted by miasma. I want to cure him."
Elia’s gaze sharpened. "First, tell me—how do you know about me?"
"I can’t tell you that," Ezra admitted. "But please trust me—I mean no harm."
Elia studied him in silence. Then she said quietly, "Sorry, kid. But I don’t trust you."
Ezra nodded solemnly. "I understand. That’s why I’m telling you... I know how kind you are, Miss Seraphine. So please—if it’s even a little possible—accompany us."
Before she could reply, Ezra’s phone buzzed.
He glanced at the message, eyes narrowing. He looked back at Elia and asked politely, "Miss Seraphine... do you know someone named Eitan?"
Elia’s entire body tensed. Her expression turned serious.
"What do you mean?" she asked carefully.
Ezra didn’t press further. "So you do know him. That’s all I needed to confirm."
He stepped back with a small bow.
"I’ll come visit again tonight. Please, think about whether you want to help us or not. If you do... you’ll be protected under the Sword Saintess herself."
With that, Ezra and Dravis turned and walked away, leaving Elia behind with the wind brushing through her silver hair.
______________________
Ezra stepped out of the school grounds, his gaze sweeping across the street until he spotted Marcus and the others waiting near a parked mana-bike.
He walked over, giving a small nod. "Got something."
Marcus returned the gesture with a quiet nod of his own.
Without delay, they all turned and began heading back toward the inn.
As they walked, Era pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message:
"Sir, we need your help. Where are you?"
He hit send and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
What Ezra didn’t know...Was that Kael his mentor, their silent guardian was already neck-deep in a life-and-death battle of his own.
A While Later – Back at the Inn
Everyone was seated now, the room quiet except for the faint hum of the ceiling fan. Marcus stood near the window, his arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"We got intel on the Crimson Guild," he began. "And it’s worse than we expected."
The others leaned in slightly, the mood tense.
"Their current leader... is nothing like the righteous image they once portrayed. Over the last few years, they’ve been involved in extortion, abductions—and most importantly—human trafficking. Specifically, enslaving people from the slums."
Evelyne’s eyes narrowed. "Why ?"
Marcus shook his head. "We don’t know yet. But here’s the real problem—awakeners who’ve entered dungeons in the past month... many of them have disappeared. Vanished without a trace. And all leads point back to the Crimson Guild."
Daelen clenched his fist. "Are they... sacrificing them?"
Dravis replied darkly, "That’s possible. But why isn’t the government doing anything about it?"
Ezra leaned forward, voice calm but serious. "Maybe the government is ignoring it. Or worse—maybe someone inside the government is involved. A mole."
He looked around the room. "The Crimson Guild still gets praised wherever they go. They’re seen as heroes. That kind of reputation doesn’t just survive corruption—it’s protected."
Lyria crossed her arms, frowning. "Should we inform the Dungeon Management Council?"
Ezra nodded. "Yeah. We can’t deal with this alone."
Then he turned to Dravis. "Contact someone trustworthy from your side. Tell them everything—every detail. If they move fast enough, they can put pressure on the DM Council to act."
Dravis nodded. "Understood. I’ll reach out now."
Marcus leaned in. "What about Elia?"
Ezra didn’t even pause. "We don’t have time. Tonight, we go to her. We’ll ask—once. If she refuses..."He looked at them, voice cold. "...we’ll take her."
Evelyne immediately pushed back. "We can’t force her! Even if we try—what if she fights back? What if she refuses to come no matter what?"
Ezra glanced at her, unblinking. "Miss Grace, I respect your ideals. But the real question isn’t what if she resists. It’s how we’re going to stop someone stronger than all of us combined."
He stepped forward, voice lowering. "And the answer is simple. Everyone has someone they care about. Everyone has a weakness."
Daelen’s voice turned sharp. "Are you threatening her now?"
Ezra’s eyes flashed. "I said I’d fulfill my promise to Xavier. I don’t care what it takes."
"But don’t worry," he added, turning away. "We’ll have help."
Marcus frowned. "Whose help?"
Ezra smirked faintly. "You really think the Academy would send top First Year students into a city without a bodyguard?"
Daelen raised a brow. "So we do have backup?"
Ezra nodded, stepping toward the window. "Yes. Professor Kael."He raised his voice. "You can come out now, sir."
The room remained silent.
Ezra blinked. "Professor Kael?" His voice lifted slightly. "We... we need you."
Ezra stepped closer to the window. "C’mon. We’re done talking. We need you now. Stop playing."
No response. No sound. No presence.
Marcus shifted in his seat. "Ezra... no one’s there."
Ezra turned. "He has to be."
He activated his mana-sense, eyes glowing as he scanned the inn, the rooftops, the nearby alleyways, the city block—
A sudden cold washed over him.
Ezra’s fingers trembled as he fumbled for his phone, dialing quickly.
Third time. Straight to voicemail.
"...No. No no no no no—" Ezra whispered, panic rising in his throat.
He spun around, eyes wild now. "Professor Kael! Where the hell are you?!" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
Dravis stood slowly, the tension in the room snapping taut. "Ezra... what’s going on?"
Ezra backed away from the window, as if the room itself was closing in.
"He’s... he’s gone."His voice cracked—barely more than a whisper. "He’s really gone."
Evelyne took a step forward. "Are you sure? Maybe he’s just hiding—"
"He’s not hiding!" Ezra shouted, the words ripped from his throat. "He wouldn’t leave us—not without a reason! He never—"
His legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, staring at the floor in disbelief. His phone slipped from his hand, clattering against the wood.
Ezra whispered again, broken this time."...What the hell happened to him?"