As soon as Luke and Theo entered the underground chamber, they could feel it—the dense concentration of mana in the air. It was unmistakably the mana of monsters. Rows of iron bars lined the room on both sides, and behind them were various types of monsters, each confined in its cage.
The sight of this typical monster-smuggling operation made Luke frown instinctively. Even though these were low-tier monsters, they were still dangerous creatures that threatened human lives. The idea of keeping and selling them in such a space left a sour taste in his mouth.
"What type of monster would the young master like?" the owner asked, spreading his arms wide like a proud collector showing off their prized possessions.
"Can I really choose by type?" Luke asked, feigning a spoiled noble’s curiosity. Internally, he was already calculating how much the reward money for capturing this operation might be. Though, given the low-tier monsters, he figured the payout wouldn’t be much.
"Of course! With the military cracking down so hard these days, it’s rare to find a place like this," the owner replied.
There were more monsters here than Luke had expected. It was clear they’d been illegally imported or purchased through black-market channels.
"Something small and cute would be ideal," Luke said, continuing his role. Their main objective was to confirm whether the smugglers were dealing with monsters similar to the fluffy creature Theo was hiding in his coat. If they found a match, the case could be wrapped up as a simple mistake—a monster accidentally escaping from the smugglers. It would make their cooperation brief and straightforward.
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Theo appeared to be scanning the cages, likely searching for a match as well.
"Those are all over here," the owner said eagerly, leading Luke further into the room. His tone grew more enthusiastic, likely spurred by the prospect of making a sale. The section he brought them to housed smaller monsters, but none resembled the fluffy creature they were looking for.
Luke glanced at Theo, who gave a slight shake of his head. It was a signal—this place wasn’t connected to the creature.
"Hm, is this all the monsters you’ve got?" Luke asked.
"Yes, that’s everything."
"None of these really catch my eye... There’s no rush to decide, is there?"
The owner’s expression briefly showed a flicker of irritation, but he quickly masked it. "Of course not," he said.
"In that case, I’ll think it over and return later," Luke said, preparing to leave.
They had enough information now—the layout of the place, the number and identities of the smugglers, and how the transactions were conducted. Once they reported this to the western division, the soldiers would be able to plan an efficient operation to capture everyone involved.
With that thought, Luke and Theo turned toward the stairs, ready to ascend.
But then—
Beep!
The fluffy creature hidden in Theo’s coat let out a loud, sudden noise and sprang up. Both men froze mid-step. Could it be reacting to the mana of the other monsters here?
"Wait a moment," the owner called out. His voice had dropped, laced with suspicion. The two smugglers near the door, who had been about to open it, exchanged glances and shut it firmly instead.
"Didn’t the young master say earlier that he had never raised a monster before?" the owner asked, his tone calm but menacing.
"...That’s true," Luke replied, exchanging a glance with Theo and nodding subtly.
"Then why," the owner continued, his footsteps echoing ominously as he approached, "is there clearly a monster in your possession? Why lie about it?"
Behind him, the two subordinates also advanced, cheap daggers now glinting in their hands. Their demeanor had shifted completely, and the tension in the room thickened.
"Who are you, really?" the owner growled, his expression turning feral. He must have sensed that Luke and Theo were not ordinary customers.
"Is there an escape route in this place?" Luke asked, seemingly to no one in particular.
The owner frowned, confused. "What?"
But Luke’s question wasn’t directed at him. It was meant for Theo.
"Doesn’t seem like it. A perfect trap," Theo said coolly.
In an instant, Theo whirled around, grabbing the wrist of one of the advancing men and yanking him forward.
"What—?!"
Before the man could react, Theo flipped him effortlessly, slamming him to the ground with a resounding thud. The impact was so severe that the man coughed up spittle and lost consciousness on the spot, his eyes rolling back to reveal only the whites.
The second subordinate, witnessing his comrade’s swift defeat, let out a furious yell and charged at Theo, aiming his dagger straight at Theo’s throat. But Theo sidestepped gracefully, grabbing the man’s arm and tripping him in one fluid motion.
"Stop!" the owner shouted, his voice booming across the chamber.
At the sound of the owner’s furious shout, Theo twisted the arm of the remaining subordinate behind his back and glanced upward.
The owner, with his thick, muscular arms, had locked Luke in a chokehold. In his hand was a blade slightly longer than the cheap daggers the other men had wielded. His smug grin spread wider as he sneered, “Move a muscle, and this pretty boy here takes a one-way trip to the afterlife.”
Luke, now a hostage, remained unnervingly calm, which only fueled the tension. Theo released his grip on the subdued subordinate and stepped back slowly.
“Good. Stay still,” the owner chuckled, mistaking Theo’s retreat for submission. His grin was the overconfident smirk of someone who believed they’d already won.
“Stop,” Theo said flatly.
“Trying to negotiate now?” the owner jeered. “Whatever you’re after—our secrets, our operations—you should’ve planned better. Walking into my lair without even bringing weapons? What a joke.”
“I told you,” Theo said, his voice calm but icy. “I said stop.”
“What?” The owner’s grin faltered for a moment as he met Theo’s gaze.
“It was advice for your sake,” Theo said, his tone dripping with quiet menace. “But I guess you didn’t want to listen.”
The owner’s brow furrowed. Something was off. This was a situation where Theo and Luke should have been at a disadvantage. They were surrounded, their cover blown, and Luke was a hostage. Yet neither man showed any fear. Theo’s expression carried an air of pity, as though he was mourning the owner’s poor choices, while Luke—despite being held at knifepoint—seemed more annoyed than frightened.
“Hey,” Luke finally spoke, his tone casual yet sharp enough to cut through the tension.
The owner instinctively tightened his grip, his attention drawn to Luke’s steady voice.
“You smell,” Luke said, wrinkling his nose. Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet the owner’s eyes. The intensity in those silver irises made the man freeze.
“I was trying to be nice because this was kind of amusing,” Luke said, his voice dangerously low. “But I think I’ve reached my limit.”
Suddenly, the owner’s body stiffened. A strange tingling sensation spread through his limbs, quickly escalating into searing pain. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air.
It was too late by the time the owner realized what was happening. The violet sparks dancing across Luke’s body leapt onto the owner, crackling and burning as they spread.
“Luke,” Theo said, stepping back calmly. “Try not to bring the whole place down.”
“Sure thing,” Luke replied, his lips curling into a wicked smirk.
“Arghhh!” The owner screamed as the purple electricity surged through him. He tried to push Luke away, but Luke tightened his grip, refusing to let go. The crackling intensified, and the owner’s massive frame began to convulse as smoke rose from his skin.
The last thing the owner saw was the dazzling silver hair shimmering like molten light, and Luke’s twisted, villainous grin looming above him.
“Urgh...” With a final gasp, the owner collapsed to the ground, his weight hitting the floor with a resounding thud.
Theo, unfazed, tied up the two unconscious subordinates with some nearby ropes. The fluffy monster, which had been trembling in the corner, was swiftly retrieved by Theo.
“You know,” Luke said, brushing himself off, “we could’ve done this from the start.”
“There’s a difference,” Theo replied, inspecting the scene. “Gathering information before eliminating them is far more efficient. Though,” he sighed, glancing at the incapacitated owner, “I did ask you to go easy. Now he’s useless for interrogation.”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Luke quipped, nodding toward the other two subordinates, both thoroughly unconscious.
“...Fine. They’re just weak,” Theo admitted.
At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs. Someone was rushing toward the room. Luke and Theo exchanged a glance, a wordless agreement passing between them.
“Looks like we forgot about the guy upstairs,” Luke remarked.
Theo nodded. “Let’s get some answers from him.”
The panicked subordinate, clearly worried about what might have happened to his comrades, burst into the room—only to be swiftly subdued and tied up alongside the others.
“Who the hell are you?!” the man shouted, struggling against his bonds.
“You don’t need to know that,” Theo said, crouching down to meet the man’s gaze. “I just have a few questions.”
“Ha! You think I’ll talk?” the man spat defiantly. Despite his bravado, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes as he glanced at Luke, who was nonchalantly inspecting his nails.
Luke tapped the man’s shoulder, making him flinch. “Hey, look over there,” he said, pointing to the scorched and motionless figure of the owner.
“What about him?” the man snapped.
“That ‘pig,’ as you called him, was your boss,” Luke said with a smirk. “Recognize him now?”
The man’s eyes widened as he finally registered the sight of his charred leader lying lifeless on the floor. A shudder ran through his body.
“Do you want to end up like that?” Luke asked, his tone casual but laced with menace.
“N-no! Ask whatever you want!” The man’s attitude shifted immediately, fear overriding his earlier defiance.
Theo glanced at Luke, momentarily annoyed by his theatrics, but chose to focus on the task at hand. “Do you know anything about this monster?” he asked, holding up the trembling fluffy creature in his palm.
The man’s eyes darted to the creature, then back to Theo. “I-I’ve never seen anything like it before! I swear!”
“You sure?” Luke pressed, his voice sharp.
“Yes! I’ve worked in this business for years—smuggling, black markets, you name it. But I’ve never seen a monster like that. Is it even from the Empire?”
Luke let out a frustrated sigh. He had hoped for a quick resolution, but this was starting to look more complicated than expected.
“One more thing,” Theo said, tucking the creature away and pulling out something else. “Let’s see if this jogs your memory.”