A flicker of confusion crossed Maki's face.
"The Collection Vault?"
"Yes!" Lantai did not dare hide anything and explained carefully, "There did not seem to be any difference on the surface, but the patrol said the layer of dust at the entrance to the Collection Vault looked like it had been disturbed, as if someone had walked through it!"
Maki's frown deepened.
The Zenin Family's Collection Vault stored the cursed tools the family had accumulated over a thousand years. It was an extremely important place within the Zenin Family.
The Collection Vault was always guarded by elite members of the Zenin Family's Kukuru Unit. If someone had entered, they should not have gone unnoticed.
"When was it discovered?"
"At around six this morning. The patrol saw it during their routine inspection."
Maki narrowed her eyes and sank into thought.
She had indeed left quite a bit of the intelligence Jie Jian had given her in the vault recently.
It was only a backup, but it recorded information on Ancient Sorcerers, Barrier distributions, and some speculation about Kenjaku. If it fell into someone else's hands...
She pressed her lips together and did not let herself continue that thought.
"Take me there."
Led by Lantai, Maki quickly arrived at the Zenin Family's Collection Vault.
The Zenin Family's Collection Vault was deep in the back mountain, built against the slope with half of it embedded in the rock face. A heavy iron door stood outside, hung with the Zenin Family's distinctive cursed-talisman seals.
Two Kukuru Unit guards stood on either side of the iron door. The moment they saw Maki, they bowed and stepped aside.
After entering, Maki swept her gaze across the Collection Vault.
The vault was much larger than it looked from outside. Rows of wooden shelves stood in neat lines,