"Problem?" Hadal questioned.
"Yeah—a big one," Michael replied. "It looks as if they've set up an illusion here—one that will prevent us from getting to the house by car."
"Hmm…"
It was to be expected that they would play it cautiously.
I looked to my right and saw a giant white mansion with a glass-domed roof. It was so enormous that it looked almost the size of a small town.
It was apparent that Tajudeen was forcing us into only one option:
Using the Cloud Chasing Step to run down the cliff and leap over the giant wall surrounding the mansion.
Hadal and Michael joined me, looking down at the mansion as well.
"Well…" Michael began.
"I suppose I don't need to tell you lads what needs to be done now, right?"
The two of us looked at Michael as he said this.
"Well, go on. Use the Cloud Chasing Step and run down the mountain!" he said with an encouraging smile.
"I was thinking that too, sir!" Hadal replied. "But Joseph isn't looking too eager to do that."
I turned sharply, annoyance flashing across my face.
"Well, obviously! Can't you see that this is clearly a trap? If we run down the cliff and try to jump over the wall, there's a high chance they have sensors, guards, or tra—"
"You're thinking too hard, mate."
Michael cut me off without the slightest regard for what I was saying.
"Use the Shadow Shroud Flow Art to cloak your presence while you run."
An awkward silence followed.
I tried to turn around and get ready to jump, but Hadal had a different plan.
"Now, now, Joseph—you should wait a second!" he said, his face twisting into a mischievously ugly grin. "That's no way to talk to a senior officer of the Pristine Lance Corporation. You should apologise."
"Isn't that right, Michael?"
I turned toward Michael.
He was clearly eager to play along.
"Yes, I think he should," he said, wearing an even more mischievous expression.
Damn it.
This must have been his way of getting back at me for what I did in the car.
What was even more annoying were their smug grins. If they smiled any harder, their cheeks would probably touch their eyes.
"Sorry…" I muttered under my breath.
"Wuttt? I don't think we hurd uuuu," Hadal and Michael said mockingly.
"IM SORRY FOR JUDGING TOO QUICKLY AND DISRESPECTING YOU!" I shouted.
They both burst out laughing.
"Holy shit, Michael! He's a total tsundere!" Hadal said, tears streaming down his face as he threw his head back.
"Damn it, let's go already! We don't have any time to lose!" I said exasperatedly.
Hadal wiped the tears from his eyes and came over beside me, getting ready to jump.
"Best of luck to you both. Chioma and Rose should connect with you soon, so put your earpieces on," Michael said.
He promptly left, leaving only the two of us behind.
Our earpieces sat firmly in place.
We bumped fists.
Then we put our masks on.
And jumped.
We were free-falling.
The air around me was cold and crisp, a pure contrast to the heat radiating from my body and the pounding of my heart.
I looked down.
Twenty meters below us was a narrow ledge.
That would have to be our foothold.
It was just enough space to activate the Cloud Chasing Step.
I signalled to Hadal, pointing toward the ledge I was aiming for so he knew my intentions. Knowing what we were both thinking during a perilous mission like this would be essential to ensuring a successful outcome.
I hit the ledge, landing gracefully.
Hadal followed shortly after.
I immediately assumed a runner's position.
Just as I was about to blast off with the Cloud Chasing Step—
A ringing noise sounded in my ear.
"Testing… testing… one, two, three."
Chioma?
Why are they doing this so early? I wondered.
"This is LCA-456. I hear you loud and clear."
"Good. Why have you switched course?" she asked without hesitation. "You were supposed to enter through the wall at the northeast. But you're currently at the southwestern wall. What happened, LCA-456?"
"They anticipated our route, so we turned around. But they anticipated the other route as well and cast what I assume to be an Aetherglyph illusion spell. It's forcing us into an endless loop the more we try to move forward."
"LCA-455 and LCA-456."
It sounded like Rose's voice now. I suppose they were taking turns communicating with us.
"You will split up and meet inside the library. LCA-455 will take the western wall, while LCA-456 will remain on the route you're currently taking. Wait for further instructions."
"Affirmative. We'll be on our way."
Hadal dashed off, cloaking himself in the Shadow Shroud Flow Art to avoid detection.
I also began moving along my intended route.
At breakneck speed, I reached the wall in two minutes, all while shrouding myself in the Shadow Shroud Flow Art—the Kage Clan's technique that had allowed us to get this far without detection.
Bzzz.
Bzzz.
"Good job, LCA-456. You'll need to climb the wall on my signal. When you reach the top, there will be an open window created by the housemaids as they perform their nightly duties. That will be your opportunity to infiltrate the mansion."
I listened carefully.
"Use your senses to scan for any open rooms. Once inside, stay there until further instructions."
Damn.
It was about to happen.
I was about to enter.
All I could do now was sit nervously, waiting for the signal to climb the wall and jump over.
My heart pounded against my chest.
My will burned brighter with every passing second, each one feeling like an hour.
I wanted to jump in.
I needed to jump in.
"LCA-456, do it now! You only have ten seconds!"
I charged my aura and accelerated up the wall, faster than I had ever moved with a Movement Art.
Five seconds left.
I took a gamble.
I charged my Flow, cloaked myself in the Shadow Shroud Flow Art, and launched myself toward the open window before someone could return.
I vaulted into the air.
Every moment I spent airborne stole another precious half-second from me.
The housemaid could return at any moment.
Five seconds passed.
Silence.
Nothing but silence remained after the final five seconds had elapsed.
Neither Chioma nor Rose said a word.
Chioma, especially, was growing increasingly worried.
She had given such a short window of opportunity to an inexperienced spy.
Had he been caught?
Or worse…
Had he died?
The thought forced her to grip her head as a cold sweat ran down her face.
"LCA-456."
Nothing.
"LCA-456, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"
Her heart sank further.
If he hadn't replied by now…
Maybe what had happened all those years ago had happened again.
The thought made her hands tremble.
"No…" she whispered, sweat running down her face.
"Please… t-this can't be happening again."
Her head sank toward the computer desk.
The people around the room, including Rose, could only look at her with pity.
They knew Hadal and Joseph.
If anything happened to either of them, it would deeply sadden them as well.
Then—
"This is LCA-456 speaking."
Joseph's voice crackled through the earpiece.
He was breathing heavily.
"I'm in…"
A brief silence followed.
"…waiting for further instructions."