Outside, on a rooftop overlooking the hideout, the informant crouched in place, eyes sharp. A light scuffle of boots across the tile made him glance sideways — two more informants arrived, slipping silently onto the neighboring roof. They exchanged brief nods, no words needed.
Together, they settled into position, scanning the area below.
Then came the noise.
CRASH.
The first informant blinked, tension creeping into his brow.
"…What the hell?" he murmured.
He ducked a little lower, peering over the edge. Another sharp thud followed. Muffled yells echoed up through the abandoned building.
His fingers twitched, ready to form a signal.
His eyes narrowed. "Did Shin get here already? Or… who the hell went in before him?"
He glanced toward the others, who looked equally confused, then remained still — crouched and waiting for the moment to make their move.
Then came a rush of wind and the sound of boots landing on the rooftop.
Shin had arrived.
"Report," he said curtly.
The lead informant answered quickly. "Someone or something is already in there."
Shin's brow furrowed. "What?"
He gave a silent signal, and all four operatives converged toward the hideout. Moments later, they breached from three sides—through a rear door, a side corridor, and an upper vent. Shin himself stepped in through the collapsed wall, his steps echoing across the cracked tiles.
Inside, Vel stood at the center of a shattered door. Dust and wooden splinters still hung in the air. He turned to the woman. The room behind her was lined with half-conscious captives—men and women shackled to the wall, drugged into silence.
"Stay here," Vel said gently, helping her sit. "Help will be here soon. Don't try to run. You'll be safe now."
She looked up at him, still shaken. "Who exactly are you..?"
Vel gave her a crooked grin. "Don't worry about it."
He stood, cracking his knuckles. His gaze drifted to a door at the end of the hall. "Time to wrap this up."
The main hall of the hideout was a tight space—barely more than a warehouse floor with crates and makeshift barriers scattered around. At least a dozen armed men stood there, alerted by the earlier noise.
Vel strode in without hesitation.
One thug pointed at him. "That's the brat they brought in!"
Vel tilted his head. "Brat? That's a new one."
Another stepped forward, sword in hand. "We'll handle this quickly."
Vel didn't even bother drawing a weapon. He muttered, "Too small to use magic. Walls might come down."
Instead, he dashed forward.
In a blur of movement, he closed the gap and slammed his fist into the first man's gut, lifting him off his feet and launching him into a crate. Another tried to stab him—Vel spun, caught the man's wrist, and slammed him headfirst into the floor. Bodies dropped one after another as Vel weaved through them, fists and feet moving like blurs.
In a matter of seconds, the hall had gone silent, the last man groaning as he crawled behind a crate.
From behind, a sharp voice cut through the aftermath of the brawl.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Vel turned, dusting off his hands as if he'd just finished some light housework. Shin stepped into the ruined hall, boots clicking against the stone floor. Three investigators in dark gear flanked him, their eyes scanning the carnage with barely concealed alarm.
"Oh hey, Shin," Vel said with a wide grin. "Took you long enough."
Shin's expression didn't shift. His eyes swept over the broken bodies sprawled across the room—groaning, unconscious, or buried under debris. "Why are you here?" he asked, voice edged with irritation.
"I was just strolling through the market," Vel said innocently, sliding his hands behind his head. "Saw something weird. Decided to check it out."
Shin narrowed his eyes. "And your idea of checking it out was punching a hole in the wall and wrecking half the building?"
Vel gestured vaguely at the two thugs he'd just knocked out. "Hey, they started it. I just defended myself. Self-defense, you know?"
One of the investigators muttered, "Some defense..."
Vel just grinned wider.
Shin sighed, running a hand down his face.
"Listen," Vel continued, pointing back over his shoulder. "The captives—they're in the left wing. Tied up, barely conscious. Some are really out of it."
Shin immediately turned to the three investigators behind him. "Go. Secure them. Prioritize anyone still mobile. Get them out fast."
The trio nodded and vanished into the hall.
As the last one disappeared, a heavy, metallic clank echoed through the chamber. From the balcony overlooking the main hall, a large figure emerged—broad shoulders, armor padded with reinforced leather, and dragging behind him a massive warhammer that scraped against the floor.
He stepped into the light. A jagged scar ran across his jaw.
"So," he growled, eyes locking onto Vel and Shin. "You're the ones making a mess of my business."
Vel grinned. "You must be the boss in charge of this garbage."
The man hefted the hammer onto his shoulder with a grunt. "I'm the one who's going to flatten you."
Vel cracked his neck and shifted his stance.
Shin stepped beside him, eyes sharp. "Let me handle this. You'll just end up destroying everything in here."
Vel shrugged. "Okay, he's all yours."
He casually strolled over to a nearby crate, dusted it off, and sat down with a grin.
"I'll just sit back and enjoy the show. Don't disappoint me, Shin."
he launched himself off of the balcony, landing with a thunderous crash that shook the floor. Dust exploded upward from the impact, the hammer already in his hands as he straightened slowly.
Shin's stance shifted, one hand extended forward, his fingers flexed in a controlled, calm manner. His feet planted firmly. He is ready to snap into action.