Aldric rolled one shoulder loosely before speaking.
"Now we just need bait."
His crimson eyes drifted lazily toward the alley entrance beyond the illusion layer.
"Anybody got a coin?"
The cultist gave him an immediate flat look.
"…No one carries loose coins anymore."
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"Damn modernization."
The cultist ignored the comment entirely and instead reached into her sleeve.
A thin silver bracelet appeared between her fingers.
Simple.
Unremarkable.
The kind of object someone might actually pause to pick up if they spotted it on the ground.
"This will work."
She crouched briefly and placed it just outside the edge of the formation, near the alley entrance where it would be visible to anyone passing by.
The bracelet landed with a faint metallic clink against the stone.
Then she stepped back inside the circle.
"…Now we wait."
Aldric leaned back against the wall.
"Make sure the one you lure in is human."
The cultist frowned faintly.
"I already know that."
Aldric continued anyway.
"If it's another race, pull them back out. Too many species have sharper senses. Their tastes are… not suitable. Beastmen especially."
The cultist folded her arms.
"I said I understand."
"Yeah," Aldric muttered lazily. "I'm sure you do."
Silence settled over the formation.
Outside the illusion, Blackwater continued its relentless motion without them.
Footsteps passed.
Voices echoed.
Steam hissed through overhead pipes.
Nobody noticed the hidden figures standing only a few steps away from normal reality.
Then—
a woman slowed near the alley entrance.
Human.
Young.
Dressed in worn work clothes stained with forge ash and soot.
Her gaze immediately locked onto the silver bracelet.
She hesitated.
Looked around once.
Then stepped into the alley.
Inside the formation, nobody moved.
The woman bent slightly and reached down to pick up the bracelet.
The moment her fingers touched it—
an arm erupted out of the darkness.
GRAB—
A hand clamped around her head with brutal force.
Her eyes widened in shock.
She barely had time to inhale—
before she was yanked backward into the illusion layer.
The world broke.
Reality folded.
One moment she stood in a normal alley.
The next—
everything vanished.
No market.
No street.
No sound of the city.
Only darkness and unfamiliar figures surrounding her.
Her mouth opened instantly to scream—
Aldric was already in front of her.
He held her suspended effortlessly by the head, her body dangling as her feet kicked wildly in the air.
"…See," he said calmly, almost conversationally, "I really don't like screaming."
The woman struggled harder.
Aldric's expression flattened slightly.
Then his mouth opened.
Too wide.
Too unnatural.
The woman's eyes filled instantly with terror.
Fangs flashed in the dim light.
SHHK—
He bit directly into her neck.
Deep.
Violent.
The scream collapsed into a choking gasp.
Blood surged instantly.
Aldric's crimson eyes brightened faintly as he drank.
The woman's resistance weakened almost immediately.
Her hands clawed weakly at his arm.
Then slower.
Then weaker still.
Inside the illusion, the sound of struggle faded into something disturbingly quiet.
Only swallowing remained.
Nia watched without expression.
The cultist turned her gaze away briefly, though her face remained composed and unreadable.
Draven stood motionless beneath the cloak while the black cat observed quietly from his shoulder, eyes half-lidded but attentive.
The woman's body slowly deteriorated as blood was drained from her system.
Her skin paled.
Her limbs slackened.
Life left her in visible stages.
Aldric finally pulled away after several long seconds.
A thin line of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
The woman hung limp in his grip.
Dead.
Aldric studied the corpse for a moment.
Then exhaled.
"…Still hate the screaming part."
The cultist spoke quietly.
"You killed her too quickly."
Aldric glanced at her.
"…Yeah?"
"She could have remained conscious longer. The extraction would be more efficient."
Aldric gave her a disgusted look.
"…What kind of horrifying thing was that supposed to mean?"
The cultist blinked once.
"I meant the blood flow remains fresher if—"
"Stop."
Aldric raised a hand immediately.
"I've heard enough. Don't finish that sentence."
The cultist frowned faintly.
"…You asked."
"And now I regret it."
Aldric dropped the corpse casually onto the ground.
It hit the stone with a dull, heavy thud.
Silence returned to the illusion layer, while Blackwater continued roaring outside without any awareness of what had just occurred.
Aldric crouched beside the body without hesitation, searching it with practiced efficiency.
"…Let's see."
The cultist watched with clear disapproval.
"You are robbing a corpse."
Aldric didn't even look up.
"Yeah."
A pause.
"Welcome to survival."
After a moment, he pulled a small pouch free from the woman's coat.
He stood again and let the corpse fall fully to the ground behind him.
THUD.
The sound felt strangely final.
Aldric opened the pouch.
Inside were a thin credit card, two silver coins, and several scattered copper pieces.
He stared at them for a moment.
Then laughed.
A genuine laugh.
"…And who says nobody carries coins anymore?"
The cultist folded her arms.
"That proves nothing."
"It proves I'm richer than I was five minutes ago."
He pocketed the coins without hesitation, then held up the card between two fingers.
"Though this is the important part."
His eyes shifted toward the cultist.
"You should figure out how to access this as well."
The cultist frowned slightly.
"That is not something that can be done immediately—"
Aldric cut in instantly.
"Means I've got two cards now."
He waved the stolen one lightly.
"So you'd better figure it out quickly."
The cultist's eye twitched faintly.
"…You are treating murder like accounting."
Aldric shrugged.
"Efficient people tend to survive longer."
He slipped the card away and leaned back against the wall again.
"Now we just need more feed for the children, and we're done."
A pause.
Then, quieter—
"And I want extra for Lyriana."
The cultist glanced at him briefly.
Aldric noticed.
"What?"
"…Nothing."
"Say it."
The cultist hesitated.
"…You care for her more than I expected."
Aldric stared at her for several seconds.
Then scoffed.
"Of course I do."
He looked away.
"She's my little sister."
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then he rolled his shoulder again, easing the tension from it.
"So let's make this quick."
His crimson eyes drifted toward the alley entrance beyond the illusion.
"Now that I've fed, standing around here is getting boring."
Outside, Blackwater continued its endless movement, unaware that only a few steps away from its streets, something far more predatory was operating beneath its attention.
Moments later—
heavy footsteps approached.
A large man stumbled into view.
Human.
Drunk.
Very drunk.
His clothes were stained with alcohol and industrial soot, and he steadied himself against the alley wall as he swayed unsteadily.
His blurred gaze fell directly onto the silver bracelet.
"…Huh?"
He lurched forward.
Bent down.
Reached for it—
The alley swallowed him instantly.
SHHK—
Aldric moved the moment the man crossed the threshold.
A blur of motion.
One clean strike.
THUK.
The man's head separated instantly from his body.
For a fraction of a second, the corpse remained upright out of inertia.
Then it collapsed heavily onto the stone floor.
Blood burst outward—
and then froze midair.
Aldric raised a hand.
Crimson mana flared.
Every drop of blood halted in place, suspended unnaturally.
Then reversed direction.
The blood lifted from the corpse in controlled streams, drawn upward like threads pulled by invisible force.
The body rapidly withered as the blood was extracted.
Skin tightened.
Limbs thinned.
Color drained until the corpse looked hollowed and dry.
Aldric held the floating mass of blood calmly in front of him.
"Bring out the containers."
The cultist moved immediately.
Three sealed storage vessels appeared from her sleeve.
Aldric flicked his fingers once.
The blood divided into three precise streams, flowing neatly into each container in turn.
First.
Second.
Third.
The cultist sealed each vessel with practiced formation locks, ensuring containment.
A thick metallic scent lingered heavily inside the illusion space afterward.
Aldric studied the filled containers for a moment.
Then nodded once.
"…Good."
He wiped a thin streak of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Just one more."
Nia quietly glanced down at the newest corpse lying near the wall.
Then toward the unseen flow of Blackwater beyond the illusion.
Silent.
Observant.
Still.
Outside—
the city continued breathing as if nothing had changed at all.