Karl stood with a cold, stiff gaze, his posture locked as if his spine had frozen. His eyes narrowed into blades of suspicion. How did he get here? The question echoed in Karl's mind like a warning siren. Roof had appeared too suddenly, too soundlessly, as if he materialized from the gaps in everyone's vision.
Jaz instantly stepped forward and stopped Roof with a sharp scolding glare—an older-sister kind of intensity mixed with the fury of someone restraining a notorious criminal.
"Roof. Stop it. Not here."
Roof simply raised his hands as if surrendering, though the smugness never left his face. His eyes—those thin, predator eyes—gleamed with amusement.
John hissed, glancing around.
"Hey! There are cameras here. What if they see you?!"
Boss finally sighed, a heavy exhale that carried annoyance, tiredness, and a hint of resignation. He stepped beside John, facing the group.
"He's safe from cameras," Boss explained. "Roof doesn't emanate aura because this isn't his real body you're seeing. It's a projection. Invisible even on surveillance."
Karl, still sweating despite his smug facade, crossed his arms. "Then where's the real Roof? If he's not here, then where is he?"
John looked around as well, stretching his senses—not a single trace of mana. Not even a flicker in the air.
Boss shrugged. "He's around. Somewhere close. We just don't know the exact position. To defeat him, you'd have to blow up the whole area and hope he gets caught in it."
Before anyone could digest that, an image of Roof suddenly slid into existence right in front of Boss—silent, slick, serpent-like. Not a footstep. Not a sound. Just there. Like he had always been there.
"Don't be so brutal, Boss," Roof said, tapping Boss's shoulder. "You always have my respect."
Boss did not take kindly to that. Through clenched teeth, he raised a hand—and instantly froze the entire area except Roof. Cars. Wind. Pedestrians. Even Karl's hair mid-flutter.Everything stopped.
"Then why," Boss asked, voice dangerously calm, "did you tell them where I currently live?"
Roof chuckled nervously, though he kept his usual deadly swagger.
"Woah, I didn't expect you to get that angry, but I swear I'll make it up to you. And besides… they don't see the need to interfere with your plans."
"You think that makes me feel better?" Boss muttered.
For all his unpredictability, Roof was one of Boss's oldest allies—but also one of the most irritating. His decisions were often brilliant or catastrophic, rarely anything in-between.
Boss continued, "Have you told them about the dungeon?"
Roof shook his head. "Of course not. I'd like to practice there too. I must say, Jaz is quite the idealist… being able to make you follow her. Impressive."
Boss lowered his hand slightly, maintaining the frozen state. "I don't care about killing mages. But building a less-violent dungeon for training and mining is more peaceful. I need peace, Roof. Not bloodshed."
Roof grinned. "Well, murder brings peace to the killed. And sometimes, peace to the killer."
Boss groaned loudly. "Why am I friends with you…"
And with another flick of his fingers, time resumed. Everyone blinked back to movement, having no idea about what just happened.
Skinn took a step back, staring at Roof. "So… uhh… Roof, right? Does that mean your real body is somewhere around this area, but we're only seeing your image?"
"I technically am just repositioning my image," Roof replied with an almost bored tone.
Karl, trying to act braver than he was, forced a grin. "Then how are you holding me?" He gestured toward his shoulder—Roof's hand still tapping it.
Roof's eyes narrowed into slits."Why would I tell you?"
Their conversation extended into strange, half-threatening, half-humorous exchanges. Roof explained nothing while teasing everyone with hints. Karl tried to pry answers but Roof shut him down with death stares. Jaz kept intervening to stop Karl from provoking the illusionist further. Boss watched with the patience of someone used to chaos. John simply tried not to get dragged into Karl's questions.
Eventually, the bus rolled in.
Skinn noticed immediately. "Roof's the only one without a ticket."
Roof didn't move. Didn't gesture. Didn't indicate he was coming. He just stood there outside the bus like a ghost, hands in his pockets.
John looked at him. "Roof, aren't you coming in?"
Roof smiled—a slow, chilling smile. Karl and Skinn climbed in, looking almost like children on a field trip. John hesitated at the door.
Jaz pulled John's arm sharply. "He's already in the bus. Don't bother."
The door slammed shut.
As the bus began moving, John exhaled. So this is what S-Type mages can do…
Roof's body gradually faded away like smoke as the train moved farther away.
"Hey."
John jolted. Roof appeared beside him—sitting like he had been there the whole time.
"You should rest," Roof whispered. "I'm watching things. Just enjoy the trip."
John couldn't tell whether it was comforting or horrifying.
The hours passed with conversations, brief introductions, light teasing, and Roof popping in and out like a glitch. Eventually, they dozed off one by one.
The sun was warm when they opened their eyes.
Skinn stretched and looked out the window. Tropical trees. Beaches. Vendors. Bright storefronts. The air smelled like saltwater and grilling seafood.
Indorussi was bustling with life.
As they stepped off the train, eight hooded people stood waiting near the exit—lean, dark silhouettes with an aura of delinquent confidence.
"There they are," Boss said, pointing at the hooded pair while giving Karl a warning look. "Our partners."
Karl squinted at one of them."That guy with the red hat. Who is he?"
Jaz sighed."That's Red Cap."
Karl scoffed. "Seriously? Naming yourself after your outfit? Corny."
John raised a hand timidly. "You mean like the redcap goblins that dye their hats with the blood of their victims?"
Boss snapped his fingers. "Bingo. You're sharp, John."
John and Skinn instantly felt a wave of revulsion crawl up their spines.
Karl gulped. "So… you mean that hat is colored with—"
Roof cut in.
"Yep. He paused his killing to meet Boss. Gives Boss special treatment and respect, after all."
Jaz clenched her fists. That 'red cap' man clearly disgusted her.
Karl tried to continue. "So how does that connect to his magic? The blood—"
Roof's arm blurred.
Cold steel pressed against Karl's neck.
"Brother." Roof's voice dropped into a whisper colder than death. "No one would see you die here. Shut that babbling mouth for one second."
Karl froze. Jaz exploded.
"ENOUGH! Both of you! Boss—do something!"
Before Karl could finish a stuttered word, he abruptly collapsed—Boss had already flicked his wrist.
"Carry him," Boss said to Roof. "As a favor. Then we're even."
Roof swung Karl over his shoulder with ease."Okay, Boss. You can trust me. Wink."
Jaz and Boss sighed simultaneously.
Introductions followed as they walked. Roof explained the territory. Red Cap nodded like an obedient but murderous soldier. He explained to the people that the satisfaction of coloring his hat bright red keeps his killing instincts at bay, and so he keeps it thoroughly 'painted'. The second hooded guy, named Bone, waved casually but said very little. Skinn found him more terrifying than Red Cap—quiet ones usually were.
The other ones looked less significant than these two people. Girl with purple hair, bald guy, another bald guy, and a third bald guy. The other two just diligently wore their hoods and talked with each other non-stop.
Eventually, they entered the turf.
It was an abandoned three-story building sprawling across an area comparable to a massive hospital. Rusted walls, cracked windows, and a faint scent of metal lingered in the air.
Inside, the halls echoed with footsteps and shouts. Several shady figures moved in and out of rooms, handling crates, checking weapons, arranging papers—clearly a covert base of operations.
But beneath it…
…echoes.
Distant screams.
Skinn stiffened. "What… What are those screams?"
Boss didn't bother hiding it. "The torture chamber."
He looked at Jaz knowingly.
"Bear with it, Jaz. Just for now. We need this alliance."
"I know," Jaz muttered. "I used to be part of this slapdash clan. I got used to it."
Her voice quivered ever so slightly.
They climbed the stairs, passing graffiti-marked halls and the stale stench of old blood. They reached the third-floor lounge.
A lone figure waited on a couch.
White hair. Slim build. Handsome face. A mellow, almost gentle smile.
But the aura around him was unmistakably sharp—like a blade hidden inside silk.
The President of the Spartacus Clan stood up calmly.
"Welcome again, Boss. Jaz." His voice was warm, almost soothing. "And welcome to everyone with you. I've been informed of your arrival. Please—relax."
Boss kept a straight expression.
Roof lowered Karl onto a couch.
John swallowed softly.
Skinn exhaled, feeling the tension sink deeper into the room.
And just like that, the air grew heavier—not from danger, but from anticipation.
The meeting had only begun.
And the darkness of Indorussi had just opened its doors to them.