"Really? Then let's go for a walk—it's been a while," Alhaitham said, twisting his neck slightly.
The lazy glint in his eyes suddenly turned sharp, like a sword about to be drawn from its sheath.
"Lord An Ye is going into battle personally?!" Beta's voice trembled with surprise and excitement. "I'll gather the team right away!"
Though his tone was laced with fear, it was clear he was looking forward to witnessing his master in action. Alhaitham rarely took the field himself. But when he did, it was always a display of absolute power—he had saved them from peril time and time again.
After seeing that sword-like gleam in Alhaitham's gaze, the girl accompanying them felt her heart race with exhilaration. She retrieved a notebook from the slimes at her side and began sketching rapidly.
"Hmm, go on," Alhaitham said, casting her a brief glance.
Honestly, girls are amazing. Sister Agnes was the same. They always manage to pull things out from... interesting places. Skirts, chests—you name it.
As a guy, I wouldn't know, but still—do those places have their own built-in storage?
Within a few minutes, everyone had assembled.
"This enemy isn't worth dispatching all Seven Shadows," Alhaitham said calmly. "Let's spread out. Alpha, Zeta, and I will lead the rescue. Beta, Epsilon, and Delta, your job is to sweep the area and eliminate any threats. Leave nothing behind—not even a molecule."
"As you command, my lord!" came the synchronized reply of five elegant voices.
The five women bowed gracefully in unison.
Alhaitham didn't want to waste his full combat force—not that this mission required it. That said, it already felt like overkill.
The Seven Shadows of the [Dark Night Courtyard] were women who had undergone specialized training and enhancements under Alhaitham's guidance. Each had developed her own unique fighting style, all possessing exceptional strength.
Although two of them still lacked innate talent in direct combat, their abilities were far from ordinary.
Alhaitham had decided on a thorough purge.
Not only would the [Order of Diabolos] be targeted, but while one group rescued captives, another would eliminate every last remnant of evil in the surrounding areas.
Killing to stop further killing worked well in this world.
"Then... [Dark Night Courtyard], advance!"
Snap!
As soon as Alhaitham snapped his fingers, the space in front of them fractured like a broken mirror. What would've taken hours to traverse could now be crossed in a single step.
"As expected of Lord An Ye!" all the girls voiced their admiration in unison.
Such a powerful ability—they had seen it before. One stroke of his spatial magic had once cleaved a mountain in half.
It was an ability no one else could replicate. No, it was one only he deserved to wield. Majestic, mysterious—just like the man himself.
Alpha and Zeta stood confidently at Alhaitham's sides, with the rest of the girls standing in neat formation behind them.
Beta, Epsilon, and Delta had already formed their own strike group, prepared to eliminate all nearby threats.
With a shimmer, everyone stepped into the dimensional rift and vanished.
…
A medium-sized stronghold belonging to the Order of Diabolos.
"Tch! That damned little brat!" Viscount Olba hissed, pressing his bleeding neck.
He never expected to be injured by a kidnapping target, of all things.
"She's been restrained for days, yet she still managed to fight back like a beast—not a noblewoman at all."
Her name was Claire Cageno, daughter of Baron Cageno. She had parents and a younger brother. The Order had identified her as a suspected [Devil's Possession]—a potential descendant of a Heroic Bloodline.
But despite her noble background, she was anything but frail. Even bound by chains, she had almost bitten off Olba's neck with her teeth alone.
"Nothing's gone right lately, damn it!" Olba growled.
The Order had been making frantic moves recently—no, it had been forced into action. An organization called [Dark Night Courtyard] had emerged from the shadows and begun systematically hunting them.
And they were strong—terrifyingly strong.
Several strongholds had already been destroyed. Elite members of the Order had been wiped out.
Even worse, many valuable experimental targets—the [Devil's Possessed]—had been stolen by this mysterious group.
"Lord Olba, we've completed the blood analysis. It's confirmed—she is a Devil's Possession."
"Excellent. Prepare to move her immediately. There are wild dogs sniffing around us lately. If she gets taken too, the higher-ups will be furious."
"Yes, sir!"
But before the cultists could move—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the stronghold. Though the base was deep underground, the walls trembled violently as if struck by thunder.
Olba's heart sank.
"W-What happened?!"
"Bad news, Lord Olba! We've been infiltrated! The enemy is incredibly powerful!"
"Damn it! Take me there now!"
If it were mere intruders, the guards should've handled them easily. The Order's defenses weren't something ordinary rebels could overcome. Even in this stronghold, their guards rivaled elite knights in strength.
But when Olba arrived at the central corridor—
He was greeted by a nightmare.
Blood soaked the ground. The guards—men who had survived countless battles—lay motionless, slaughtered with single, clean strikes.
Not even one had time to scream.
The disparity in strength was staggering.
"They're all dead... Impossible! Who did this?!"
A calm voice echoed through the air.
"Hmph. We are the [NightGarden], slipping through the shadows to hunt evil."
It was Alpha.
She stood at the front, tall and regal, a long sword in hand. Her once youthful form had matured into a figure of awe—majestic, poised like a Valkyrie descended from heaven.
She was so beautiful, so fierce, that even Olba faltered.
Behind her, the remaining warriors of the [Dark Night Courtyard] emerged one by one, their presence suffocating.
This wasn't an attack. This was judgment.
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