Nine minutes before Amelie pounded the disguised restaurant owned by the Shadow Guild with the Spade Cross of Penitence.
"According to Maya's parents, they were coming back from visiting the grave of Maya's father's parents. Then, the last place they visited was one of the restaurants, specifically that one."
Amelie said as she and Russell scouted the area where a two-floor restaurant had its lights off. The restaurant looked like something one would see in the countryside, it's not too luxurious from the outside, but it's somewhat decent, especially since it's located near the Western Border of Olympia, the region bordering the major country, Alastor of the West.
"Black Cat Pub... it's a fancy name I'd say."
Amelie said as she read the physical, not digital, signboard of the two-floored restaurant.
Russell didn't make any remarks about Amelie's bubbling, rather he gave an order to her to scout the area and inspect discreetly the Status Window of the employees, especially the manager of the restaurant.
Although Russell could do the same, it's safer for Amelie to do such a job for one reason. It's that Amelie's Shade Transformation was something that's unique, and could only be seen by 'special eyes', but Russell's Shadow Encroachment through the Mask of Night was somewhat rare, but not that unique, and he could be seen physically if the other party has excellent perception.
Amelie nodded as her pink hair quickly turned into deep black, it was the same for her ruby eyes. Then, she vanished from her spot, unseen by the naked eyes.
...
'One manager, three chefs, two dishwashers, two janitors, two cashiers, and there are two more... probably assigned to official finances?'
Amelie initially checked from quite a distance, while hovering in the air as though she was a poltergeist, if the people inside have something that would make her visible while using the Shade Transformation skill, but after some time of inspection using the Eye of the Darkest Spade (EX), she concluded that there's no problem.
She identified the jobs of the employees not through their professions because most of them were assassins going undercover and had built a base on this region, rather Amelie checked where they woke up just now; some in the kitchen, some in the back exit of the restaurant.
She also heard what she presumed was the manager of the Black Cat Pub talking to someone he called 'boss' through his smartwatch.
'It seems the branch manager of the previous underground facility is the strongest stationed here...'
Amelie judged based on the ranks of the employees inside the Black Cat Pub, they were scattered with cautiousness and not flocking near the manager, probably taking their stations naturally due to the explosions that they have connections with in some way.
<Russell, I've confirmed everything. Only in C+ rank is the strongest one here, then about the rest, are ranging from D+ to C- ranks, most of them are assassins, the presumed manager is a negotiator which is an unusual profession, but not that rare, and the two that presumably work in finances are trackers... 12 people in total.>
She reported what was necessary, and waited for Russell's reply via telepathy while he was waiting from the outside.
<...If you can take care of them, do it, I'll follow up right away.>
<Alright... by the way, It'll be a mess.>
...
Boom-!
Russell's mouth was agape as he looked at the towering dark cross at least 30 meters in height that fell from a spade-shaped horizontal portal that appeared above the Black Cat Pub.
During their fight inside the underground facility, he didn't know how Amelie took care of the employees who ran away, the wardens who chased after her, as well as those who secured the carts of Urum.
'What the hell is that? That's too conspicuous!'
The Black Cat Pub, although wasn't at the center of Western Olympia, it has infrastructures near it. It's a few blocks away from the expensive hotel that Maya rented for her parents.
<...They're all dead. What's next, Russell?>
Amelie's casual voice sounded in Russell's head as if she became a holy punisher that just punished some sinners.
<...Amelie... what about that huge cross?>
Russell asked how would they take care of it, then after pondering a little, Amelie said still in a casual way.
<It's one of the Intrinsic Effects of my staff... and Russell, let's forget about it. Let people speculate for some time...>
Although it's dangerous, they couldn't just bring the huge, dark cross, and Russell realized that there might be more of it at the scene in the underground facility that was earlier destroyed through Urum's explosive power.
Russell quickly arrived at the scene, wearing the Mask of Night without using the Enchantment to change his physique.
"It's cryptic. By the way, let's go. The neighborhood probably woke up, and the authorities are certainly on their way here right now."
He began to analyze the future possible effects of this exposure, but with the existence of Constellations, most people would think that this was something sacrificial or ritual, but those who know the Shadow Guild, an information guild, their guesses would be narrowed down.
"...Alright. let's go, Russell. They won't be able to trace us, you know."
Although the culprit would be narrowed down, through their Nihility trait, it's almost impossible to catch them post-operation, unless they're caught personally.
Russell nodded slightly at Amelie's words and was about to go back when Amelie randomly said in a relaxed tone.
"Black Cat Pub... but it's like an expensive two-floored restaurant..."
Russell stopped moving upon hearing Amelie's words, prompting her to also stop using the Spade Warp.
Amelie was just about to ask what was wrong when Russell's loud voice quickly registered in Amelie's auricular sense.
"Run!!!"
Boom-!
...
Amelie — in her Shade Transformation that Russell's able to see — quickly run without asking why as she saw the grave expression painted on Russell's face.
Russell, while wearing the Mask of Night, blended in the shadows and leaves the area as soon as he felt something ominous.
Boom-!
A loud explosion was heard from inside the Black Cat Pub, then a burly man with short, messy gray hair, fierce yellow eyes, and a height of at least 184 cm jumped out of the ground of the supposed Black Cat Pub.
Then Amelie felt like she was hit in the head upon realizing that the Black Cat Pub wasn't the restaurant above, but rather a pub underground!
Russell and Amelie instinctively scanned the Status Window of the burly man, then chills ran down their spine as they saw his rank and profession of him, who was darting around for some time before his sights stopped at the huge, dark cross.
<Russell, he's an S rank! and... what?>
Amelie blurted out in telepathy, but Russell calmed her down by saying...
<It's not necessary to engage in combat with him, we ain't even a match, let's go back.>
Russell said as they arrived at one of the rooftops of a higher infrastructure.
"But what's that profession... He also has a contracted Constellation, and we never experience fighting someone with a Constellation."
Amelie spoke with her mouth this time and not through telepathy.
'Shadow Crusader...'
Russell thought about the profession of the burly man who was now thoroughly observing the structure of the huge, dark cross. Then after some time, his eyes widened and hurriedly told Amelie again to run for their lives.
...
The burly man looked around and saw the pile of bodies of the weak*ss employees managing the front of the Black Cat Pub.
He looked at the towering dark cross that was used in killing the 12 employees of the Shadow Guild. It's something he never saw in his life and he didn't dare to touch the cross, continuing to maintain his cautiousness.
'Their presence vanished huh.'
He was sleeping in the Black Cat Pub, the underground pub managed by the Shadow Guild when he heard an impact from above, and when he felt that it was more serious than he thought, he didn't hesitate to jump out of the ground which led him to discover the current scene.
"It's always a mistake to observe the crime one just committed."
The gray-haired, burly man muttered as his yellow eyes contained a luster as if gold was glittering.
[Activating Skill: Hammer of Shadows]
...
Boom-!
A gigantic black hammer, more massive than Amelie's Spade Cross of Penitence slammed itself at the rooftop that Russell and Amelie were just standing on earlier.
The gigantic black hammer that came from a torn space continued its hammering as if it has a life on its own.
"Unholy sh*t! Isn't that man not concerned about civilians!? At least I calculated first my attack if it'll cause collateral!"
Amelie cursed as they quickly flee from where they were just before the hammer hit. The hammer's size was at least 100 meters in length, and 10 meters wide.
"It's f*cking enormous..."
Russell muttered, somewhat feeling sweat on his scalp on this cold night.
"The civilians here are probably associated with the Shadow Guild, or forced to live here and be used as collaterals in case something like this happens..."
Russell said to Amelie his guess, then Amelie looked at him with a blank expression, that suddenly turned to anxiety.
"Maya~"
Both of them said at the same time as they quickly left to reach the hotel.
...
"...Why are you doing this?"
Maya said at the hotel maid who delivered the food they ordered previously, who was also accompanied by two men in suits.
"It's just a protocol ma'am."
The hotel maid spoke while standing at the door, blocking the way of Maya and her parents.
"Protocol? Can you tell us the reason?"
Maya felt that something was off, as she was hearing other complaints through other hotel rooms.
"...But... can you tell us first about your other two companions you are with earlier? Where did they go?"
The hotel maid spoke, though, with politeness, it contained an underlying sharpness as if she was under interrogation.
Maya slightly flinched at the question, but it was a reaction that was barely noticeable.
Creak-!
"What's the problem? What happened?"
Amelie said as she came out of the bathroom of the hotel room, it was the same with Russell who came out of another bathroom after a minute or two after her. There were two bathrooms at this expensive hotel, and due to this reason, it's the plausible way that they came up with to avoid suspicions.
"..."
The hotel maid looked at the two, seemingly cleared of suspicions.
"...Nothing... By the way, Ma'am, Sir. Sorry for the inconvenience."
The hotel maid said before she and the two men in the suit left Maya's rented hotel.
...
"Russell, what happened?"
Maya asked in concern while her parents who were sitting on a slightly long, gray couch alternatively looked at him and Amelie, waiting for their answer.
"It's fine, by the way, Sir, Ma'am, I have one more question... I'm certain that you might have heard something while inside the underground facility... did you hear if some people there were residents of this region? Or they came from another place?"
Amelie took a guess based on Russell's question to which Maya's mother responded, seemingly to remember some conversation she heard among the other slaves.
"As far as we remember... there's no person there that came from this region."
"I see... thank you, ma'am. By the way, we need to get out of this place quickly. I think everyone here is affiliated with the Shadow Guild."
Russell said in concern, but Maya and her parents didn't question him, especially Maya's parents who vividly remember their horrible experience in this region.
"Russell... should we walk through the door? Or use a portal...?"
Amelie asked as she judged that it was better to walk through the door and find somewhere secluded before using the Spade Warp.
Russell pondered for some time at Amelie's question who made sense.
"Hmm..."
Russell fell into a dilemma at Amelie's question because he thought that it was better to use the Spade Warp, but the hotel maid would surely remember them as they were presumably part of the Shadow Guild donning a disguise. His anxiety and overthinking personality seemed to overlap at the moment. It's either they used the Spade Warp and garner more suspicions later, or walked through the door and leave the hotel, but might turn out into something dangerous.
"Sigh... let's check out of the hotel first."
After some time, he decided and chose to walk out of the hotel instead of instantly vanishing from their hotel room via Spade Warp.
...
"Eliminate any unaffiliated people with pink hair or deep blue eyes."
The hotel maid read an order from the burly man with gray hair.
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