"So that is how it is. They are really planning to rescue someone after all."
"Just as we expected."
Covering themselves with the invisible veils, the group of Michael observed a suspicious group of people through the projection of the live feed of the situation from the other side of the forest across the premises of the prison.
From what they had learned, that suspicious group had been planning to execute a rescue operation and had someone detained escape from the bars. Michael and the others could not just watch and let it happen, they had decided to stop them no matter what.
((Do it, Clyde.))
((I understand, sir.))
"It seems like they are about to start."
Lucy uttered that as she saw the strongest person in the group ordering the slender man with black hair on the screen. Based on the man's stats and abilities, Michael and the others assumed that he was the rogue of the company.
"Alright. Let us intercept them once everyone moves."
"Yes, sir."
◆◇◆◇◆◇
After the man received the order, Clyde cast the Perfect Concealment skill to cover himself in nothing before rushing toward his designated spot—the main entrance of the Imperial Prison.
Once he reached his spot, he hid and ducked behind a tree a few meters from the gates to observe the surroundings. The gate was closed, and he could not see them all. But his detection abilities were telling him so.
On his internal radar, he counted six powerful-looking guards stationed at the main gate. Two were guarding the gates, while the other four were watching from the side towers.
It seemed that not a single guard detected his presence because only a more proficient Perfect Concealment user could detect a Perfect Concealment. He was only second to his superior in terms of stealthy conduct, so there were only a few who were capable of recognizing his unknown presence.
He concurred that everything was good and then grabbed something from his left breast pocket. In his hand, there were three glassy shards; those were actually loaded data crystals. He clasped his hand and then tossed the crystals at the closed metal gate.
Clank. Clank. Clank.
"Hmm?"
One of the men on the left tower heard the noise of the glass and metal clashing. When he looked down, he saw the data crystals on the pavement. The crystal had been out of the jurisdiction of Clyde's invisible cloak, so it became visible to the guard.
"Hey, what are those things?"
"Aren't those data crystals?"
"It seems so, and where did those come from?"
"I don't know, man. But we need to check them just to be safe."
The first guard to notice asked the other guard in the same tower about the thing that just hit the gate, to which he provided an accurate answer. But before they could inform the guards at the gate, Clyde was about to execute his next move.
◆◇◆
"Heave-ho!"
Screech.
After the information about the crystals was conveyed, the gatekeepers pulled the heavy gates and opened them to a certain extent, which emitted sharp, creaking noises that could wake up anyone if there were settlements nearby.
"Be careful, everyone." One of the gatekeepers warned. "Those could contain something dangerous, and the ones who threw them might still be around."
"Got it."
Fully equipped with their gear and weapons, the two then passed the gap between the partially opened gates and carefully approached the laying crystals.
Their radars, a person with the sharpest detection, perceived no one, but they could not take it lightly and remained cautious as they were sure that the suspect was still around because they could be very skilled at hiding themselves.
Once they reached the spot where the data crystals were, one of the guards ducked to have a closer look at the suspicious objects, while the other stood behind him and observed the surroundings and provided visuals and security.
"It is really data crystals, and it is confirmed that there each of them is loaded with a spell."
"Do you know what the spells sealed in it are?"
"I don't know; we need an appraiser to inspect them."
"Indee—?! Look out?!"
"Oh, shit!"
As they were inspecting the crystals, the lookout glimpsed something very fast in his peripheral vision—three flying needles were flying at almost imperceptible speed toward their location.
Thanks to his fast reflexes, he was able to see them and warn his companion. Instantly, the two of them managed to evade the needle and stumble on the pavement. But unbeknownst to them, the targets of the needles were not any of them.
"Phew. That was clo—?!"
Once they turned around, all the crystals that they had been observing had now broken into pieces; the needles had hit them with meticulous accuracy and broken them. When a data crystal was shattered, the sealed effect sleeping within it would activate.
After the crystals broke, a black and ominous mist was released from them. The two men instantly sensed its danger and ran back to the gates. Once they got inside, they immediately pushed the gates open and closed them back.
"What was that, man?!" The man who inspected the crystals yelled as he leaned against the gate. "What the hell were sealed in those fucking crystals?!"
"Don't ask me! I never seen something like that in my whole life!"
Both of the men were huffing and puffing against the gate. They had seen something they had not seen before, so they were overwhelmed by their fear and rushed inside, where they would be safe.
"Get ready, everyone!" The guard at the tower yelled. "Some things are coming out of the mist!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
His cry snapped the two back to reality. They soon realized they did not have to think about nonsense and stepped away from the gate to prepare themselves for an incoming attack.
Thud.
But as soon as they readied their spears, a thump of a falling object was heard nearby. Once they took a glance at the source of the noise, both of them were filled with terror as they witnessed something so frightening.
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