A few days later.
In a town on the border of several great nations.
In a gloomy underground corner, moldy bread drew several filthy rats. Dirty water flowed across the ground.
Just then.
"Tap!" "Tap!" "Tap!"...
As soft footsteps slowly rang out, two figures in black robes, one tall and one short, gradually appeared.
Their arrival made the rats secretly nibbling on the bread prick up their ears. They stared at the two with bright, beady eyes, on guard.
Of the two, the taller figure in black slowly looked toward the rats.
Beneath his robe, his pale eyes were faintly cool, like a still lake. He simply watched the filthy rats in silence, and they immediately grew tense.
The rat seemed far more intelligent than an ordinary one. It actually raised its front half in a remarkably humanlike gesture.
It clasped its forepaws before itself and bent slightly, as if bowing.
Seeing this, the black-robed man with pale eyes gave a slight nod and walked on.
The shorter black-robed figure followed close behind him.
At his signal, the filthy rat seemed to let out a great sigh of relief, its body relaxing.
After resting for a moment, it quickly scrambled to its feet, swished its tail, and scampered toward a hidden hole nearby.
From behind, it looked less like a rat and more like a fawning merchant.
The two black-robed figures continued through the underground passage, where dirty water ran everywhere and the air was damp and gloomy.
At last, they reached a battered, mottled wall.
Cobwebs covered it, and filthy water streamed down from above. It looked disgusting.
And yet.
The two seemed not to care at all as they continued walking toward the wall.
Just as they were about to run into it,
"Fss..."
A sound like a