Frostfire Legacy

After wiping out their potential pursuers, Faeloria's team managed to escape smoothly. Nobody was there to block their path until they left the perimeter of Juviel City, reaching the forest where they first arrived.

"Nobody went to the plaza, right?"

The plaza was their gathering point, but only if they failed to escape safely. Thankfully, there was no SOS signal sent yet, meaning none of the other two teams were in danger.

Still, Faeloria was worried, especially for Zena's team, who had the highest probability of going around "assassinating" key figures just because.

"Oh, you're finally here!"

But thankfully, the one who welcomed them was the said problematic team, already waiting in the forest beforehand.

"You were fast." Faeloria smiled, praising them lightly.

Zena slithered toward her and shrugged. "Well, our target was a bust, so it's no wonder we got out fast."

Of course, there was no need to report how they wiped out every single sentry back there. Even if she reported what they did, Faeloria herself did something similar, so she couldn't really blame the sneaky lamia.

"I see. Then, let's wait a bit more for the Beta Team to arrive," Faeloria announced before sitting down, leaning against a random tree nearby.

She was tired, but more than that, she was worried about Orinfeld City. Her hunch rarely missed, but this time, she hoped her intuition was mistaken.

About three more minutes passed before the Beta Team finally arrived. Given that their location was furthest from their starting point, it was reasonable they were also the last to arrive. However, they also brought bad news with them.

"We found documents in the general's office, probably left by the enemies. The Aracelli Race is planning to attack Orinfeld City tonight!"

"What?!" Zena gasped in shock.

Right now, the Hit Squad was left with seven members. Even if their "head" was there, it would be hard for that person to hold back a dozen Aracelli on their own.

"Fae!" Zena turned to Faeloria with a panicked expression.

Faeloria nodded her head firmly as if understanding her worries. "I know. We should hurry back. Ellen, can you warp us all back to the city?"

As they were going on a far-off mission, they had a mage with them capable of Warp. The mage, Ellen of the Beta Team, nodded immediately.

"I saved my mana for this, chief! But I can't bring us all straight to Orinfeld. My limit is the outskirts, right outside the wall."

"That should be good enough." Faeloria sighed before facing the others. "Everyone, as soon as we drop on the other side, prepare for immediate battles!"

After that, she also took out a few of the loot they got, passing one to each. "And exchange the prototypes with these. It would at least increase our defenses, even by just a little."

Everyone quickly removed the prototype anti-brainwashing masks and wore the newer versions. Thankfully, the design and usage were mostly the same, with the only difference being that the protection against brainwashing increased by 200% compared to the prototypes.

After their preparations were over, Ellen began casting her warp skill. The wind around them started to stir as a portal appeared in front of them.

"Let's go!"

With Faeloria at the lead, they didn't waste any time and entered. All ten of them slipped through in just three seconds and quickly lowered their stances while watching the surroundings.

"... Oh god."

Zena was the first to notice what was going on, with the others quickly following her gaze and seeing the same thing shortly after. The dark skies above Orinfeld City were tinted a deep red hue. Flames burned, raging endlessly around the city as if to represent the ongoing chaos.

When they sharpened their senses, they could smell the scent of burnt flesh, and hear the faint screams filled with despair and terror, along with sparse, crazed laughs from far away.

"...!"

Faeloria felt her heart tighten. Her worst fears had come true! However, she forcefully calmed herself down and turned around. She was the leader of their team, so she couldn't lose her cool!

"Everyone, let's head to Gravene Tower first! Ellen, focus on recovering your mana. Kelek, cover for her. Zena, I'll leave hunting the enemies to you. Remember, don't harm the residents, only the enemies!"

Currently, the populace was divided into two groups: those who were brainwashed and those who weren't. Killing those they were supposed to protect was putting the cart before the horse. As such, they were faced with a difficult situation where they couldn't easily neutralize the enemies before them.

"Don't worry, I know!" Zena muttered before her figure faded into the shadows.

Her stealth was a different breed than Faeloria's. Faeloria's was a magic-based skill, while Zena's was more of a "talent." If she got serious, even Faeloria wouldn't be able to detect her until the moment she attacked.

After making sure Zena had left, Faeloria turned to the remaining eight and nodded. "Echelon formation! Let's go!"

With that signal, they quickly ran toward the gate and burst through. As they did, the scene they could only imagine from the sound and smell finally entered their eyes. Burned corpses lay by the road, residents ran around in panic, and crazed civilians under brainwashing ran after them like psychopathic killers.

Faeloria bit her lip at the scene, frowning hard and commanding, "Neutralize those fuckers, but don't kill them!"

"Yes, chief!"

Everyone responded quickly, using skills and spells. Various non-lethal attacks flew, mostly to restrain the enemies, while Faeloria moved with her wand, jabbing it into the captured enemies' napes or diaphragms.

One after another, they eliminated the threats, but the situation wasn't getting any better. It was like a drop in a bucket, barely contributing to the situation. However, they could only do what they could without minding anything else.

"Save as many citizens along the way as you can!" she ordered. "And let them follow us from behind! Plato, you're in charge of watching over them!"

"Roger that!"

With the anti-brainwashing gear, their vision could differentiate between those brainwashed and those who weren't, making it relatively safe to allow the refugees to follow them. Non-brainwashed residents weren't a threat... or so they thought.

"W-What?!"

"S-Sorry, I'm sorry, mister!!!"

One of the refugees, a woman who didn't seem too strong, managed to pull the helmet off one of them. It was Plato, who was tasked with guarding the refugees, and consequently located closest to them.

"Give it back!" he roared, about to reach for the woman in panic, but was a step too late.

A shadow fell and stared him straight in the eyes. He reflexively forgot all the warnings about not staring anyone in the eye, even with the gear on.

It was a simple trick of leading someone's gaze through visual cues using clothes and face paint, but Plato fell for it.

"Well done, woman." The man, who fell from the sky, grinned viciously. "As promised, I will free your daughter from my control." He said.

Then, he snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, a teenage girl about sixteen or seventeen walked out of an alley and... plunged a knife through her own heart.

"N-NOOOOO!"

The woman, who was most likely her mother, cried. However, even if she ran toward her now, it was already too late. It was an instant death for her daughter!

"YOU SCUM!" Faeloria growled, her face warped in anger. "HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH SOMEONE'S LIFE!"

She rushed toward the man, who had wing-like appendages behind his ears. Her wand glowed brightly, like a saber about to reap his neck.

*TING!*

But she was blocked... by the Defense Specialist of Black Numbers, Plato.