Shadows in the Deep Night

After dinner, as night gradually enveloped the land, Allen and Laxus stumbled back to the inn. They planned to rest briefly in their room before quietly awaiting the arrival of midnight.

Time ticked by. When the clock struck two in the morning, silence reigned. The entire world seemed to have fallen asleep. At that moment, Allen's eyes snapped open. He gently nudged the sleeping Laxus beside him. The two quickly got up, efficiently changing into all-black outfits.

With everything prepared, they silently approached the window, opened it, and leaped out with practiced grace, melting into the vast darkness of the night.

At this hour, the streets of Rainbow Port were deserted and desolate. Only the occasional patrol team remained on duty, but judging by their expressions and movements, they were hardly "on duty" and more likely just slacking off. In the dark alleys and side streets, a few late-night residents could be seen hurrying home.

Allen and Laxus had a clear objective, heading towards an alley that Allen had marked as suspicious that afternoon.

Along the way, they treaded as lightly as possible, avoiding any sound that might attract attention. As they neared the alley entrance, both slowed their pace in unison. After exchanging a glance, they began to cautiously and slowly enter the alley.

The alley looked ancient, its walls covered in the mottled marks of time. Various kinds of trash and debris were scattered everywhere on the ground, making the already narrow path appear even more chaotic. A complex, indescribable odor filled the air, a mixture of decay, dust, and the scent of rotting seafood.

Allen and Laxus paid no mind to these details. They quietly approached a house deep within the alley. Earlier that afternoon, Allen's keen senses had detected mages with deliberately concealed magical power fluctuations frequenting this area. Because of this, Allen had unhesitatingly designated this place as his top priority for investigation.

As they drew closer to the mysterious house, Allen suddenly felt a strange sensation. With his sharp perception, he sensed that the people inside were still active. Allen exchanged a look with Laxus, and they both understood each other, becoming even more cautious.

Like ghosts, they silently circled to the side of the house. Here, they found a window offering a view into the living room. Allen dared not be careless. He quickly cast a subtle silencing spell, ensuring his next actions would make no sound. Then, he tiptoed to the window, opened it a crack, narrowed his eyes, and peered inside through the narrow gap.

In the living room, five mages in black robes sat in a circle. In the center, a crystal ball emitting a faint blue light stood out prominently. Around the crystal ball, countless strange runes and patterns were densely drawn.

At this moment, the five mages were intently channeling their Magic Power into the crystal ball. As the Magic Power was continuously injected, the crystal ball, which already emanated a faint blue aura, began to change. The entire sphere gradually emitted a somewhat eerie purple light. However, due to a powerful Magic Circle the five had meticulously set up beforehand, the strange purple light was completely contained within the house. This was why no one outside could detect the abnormal activity taking place within.

Laxus, who had been closely watching the situation inside, couldn't help but lower his voice and say, "It looks like they're performing some kind of ritual."

Hearing this, Allen was about to reply, but his gaze suddenly sharpened. He had spotted a familiar figure among the mages. After a closer look, he was astonished – it was Caitlin, the very same attendant who had hosted them at the inn!

Allen's heart leaped. He hadn't expected an inn attendant to have so many secrets. Allen turned to Laxus beside him and whispered, "We'll find a safe entrance into the house later. Once inside, our primary objective is to subdue them immediately. Keep the commotion to a minimum; the silencing array I set up outside can block some sound. But remember one thing: absolutely do not use any large-scale magic with a wide area of effect, and try to avoid causing any explosions. Do you understand?"

Laxus nodded grimly. Then, the two cautiously circled around to the back door of the house. They quietly opened the window next to the back door and silently slipped inside.

They moved stealthily, inching forward step by step. However, at this critical moment, the previously quiet crystal ball suddenly began to shake violently, as if struck by some intense stimulus!

Seeing this, the mages in black robes all showed expressions of panic. Caitlin abruptly stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with vigilance as she scanned their surroundings.

Allen's heart sank. He knew something had gone wrong. He suspected that their Magic Power fluctuations had been detected by the eerie crystal ball, triggering this warning reaction.

Allen and Laxus exchanged a look and decided to accelerate their actions. Taking advantage of the black-robed mages' confusion, they charged forward like phantoms. Laxus struck first, subduing two mages near him with lightning speed. Allen lunged for Caitlin, but she skillfully dodged him.

Caitlin looked at their faces with surprise, but it was quickly replaced by coldness. "Are you two brats here to die? My master needs sacrifices, and you two look quite delicious!" Before she could finish speaking, Caitlin drew a dagger from her person and lunged at Allen.

Allen didn't dodge Caitlin's attack, letting her stab towards his chest. The moment the dagger touched Allen's chest, Chrono-Adamantium suddenly emerged from his skin, blocking the blow.

Caitlin was startled and tried to distance herself from Allen, but he didn't give her the chance. He grabbed her wrist with his right hand and twisted forcefully. The dagger fell from Caitlin's hand, and Allen then controlled half of her body.

Seeing that she was about to be captured, Caitlin gritted her teeth. Ignoring her right hand, she gathered purple flames in her left and hurled them at Allen.

This time, Caitlin had learned from her previous mistake. She didn't attack Allen's body but aimed directly for his head.