Chapter 2 Prologue II First Mission

Chapter 2: Shadow in the Underworld 

The humidity of the Underworld seeped into my bones, and the smell of mold and decay permeated the air. I was in a shadowy place, hidden behind a small window, watching the events unfold in the room before me.

A group of guards dressed in black and red uniforms occupied the center of the space, but what really caught my attention were the guards with white details on their uniforms, clearly different. They were from the surface, and the way they conducted themselves made it evident.

My gaze was fixed on the central figure, a woman of imposing bearing who exuded authority and grace in equal parts.

Her long golden hair glowed even in the dim light, and her azure blue eyes seemed to pierce the darkness. Her presence seemed familiar to me, and I soon recognized Beatriz Fonix, the protagonist's older sister within the game.

Beatriz had been a key figure for the protagonist, a constant source of advice and support for the first act.

Now, seeing her here, in a moment prior to the events that would lead to her tragic fate, because she would perish in the final chapter of act 1 without the players being able to prevent it, filled me with an anguish that I did not expect to feel thinking that if the There would be a way to avoid his death in the future.

Without warning, Beatriz drew her sword, its blade shining with a blue flash that seemed to dance with the flames. The metallic sound cut through the air, making everyone present tense. With a firm voice, full of authority, he addressed the commander of the Underworld guards.

"I appreciate your cooperation in this case, Commander, but I don't understand why we can't lay siege to the thieves' base immediately," he said, his tone clear and determined.

We already know the number of their members, their escape routes, and we know that their leader and his key men are meeting right now. Why wait?

The commander, a man with a disheveled appearance and a tired look, put a cigar to his lips with a carefree attitude.

He exhaled a cloud of smoke, filling the room with its pungent odor, and responded in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

—You may be of higher rank than me, but down here in the Underworld, things are done differently. If you want our help, you will have to follow our rules.

We will attack at dusk, when they are most vulnerable. If you don't like it, you can try to catch them yourself, if you dare.

The Underworld guards laughed, their laughter echoing through the room, while the surface guards struggled to maintain their composure.

Beatriz, however, did not allow herself to be intimidated, remaining impassive in the face of provocations.

"Fine, we'll do it your way," he replied, before turning and leaving the room with his men, his expression unfazed.

From my hiding place, I heaved a sigh.

The situation was more complicated than he had anticipated.

If the guards attacked the thieves' base, my plans would be hampered.

I would have to act quickly and think of a way to sneak in without getting caught. While I was deep in thought, a conversation in the room caught my attention.

—Boss, what do we do with our deal with the Leeches? —One of the subordinates asked, his tone reflecting nervousness.

The captain, a man with a cold and calculating look, did not respond immediately. Instead, he unsheathed his sword and, in a single, fluid movement, decapitated the subordinate.

The head rolled on the ground, leaving a trail of blood. The other men looked at the scene in horror, unable to react.

"Get rid of him," the captain ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.

Without hesitation, the men obeyed, taking the lifeless body away. The captain finished his cigarette and then addressed the rest.

"Send a message," he said, handing a letter to one of his men. Tell them we will raid tonight, and to take the most important treasures to hangar B.

Prepare for the plan.

As the messenger ran off, a blue notification appeared in front of my eyes.

Mission Update :

Follow the informant and infiltrate the facility.

There was no time to lose. I knew I had to act quickly if I wanted to accomplish my mission. I crept out of my hiding place and began to follow the informant. The streets of the Underworld were a labyrinth of shadows and secrets, but I stayed close, hiding in the darkest corners and avoiding the guards who patrolled the area.

The informant moved restlessly, and finally stopped in front of a casino. I watched from a safe distance as he was taken to the back of the building. I knew that following him would be complicated, but not impossible. I approached a nearby wall and used a technique I had perfected over time: Magical Control + Mental Concentration. This ability allowed me to follow the trail of mana that people left behind, something I had learned to detect in this world.

Each person emitted a unique type of mana, and with enough concentration, he could track them even through obstacles.

As I concentrated, I sensed the mana trail of the informant, following him to a warehouse hidden between the neighborhoods.

He knew he wouldn't have much time before they moved everything valuable to safety. He had to find a way to get into the building without being detected.

Through the use of my ability, I managed to follow the informant to a hidden warehouse in one of the darkest and most secluded neighborhoods of the Underworld.

The building itself looked harmless from the outside, a ramshackle old structure that blended into the rest of the decaying landscape.

But I knew better than to be fooled by appearances. The movements inside were frenetic; something big was about to happen.

I approached a side alley, using the shadows to stay out of sight. From there, I could watch as several men entered and left the warehouse, carrying boxes and sacks that, judging by their appearance, contained something much more valuable than it seemed.

I knew I couldn't just walk in through the front door, so I opted for a stealthier tactic.

Carefully, I climbed onto one of the nearby walls, using the unevenness of the surface to propel myself upward.

The buildings in the Underworld were old, with many cracks and crevices that made climbing easier. I reached the roof without problems and began to move from one roof to another, always keeping my ears open for any sound that indicated the presence of guards.

Finally, I reached the roof of the warehouse. Unlike the rest of the buildings, this one seemed to have been reinforced, as if its owners had tried to protect something very valuable inside. But even the most robust protections have weaknesses. I found a small window, barely visible from the outside, and slowly forced it open until I could squeeze in.

The interior of the warehouse was plunged into darkness, illuminated only by a few oil lamps scattered around the place.

From my position at the top, I could see how the men continued to move quickly, focused on their tasks. Without making a sound, I slid down a beam and went down to the second floor, where the noises were getting louder.

A quick look around allowed me to locate what I was looking for: a large room on the third level, surrounded by armed men.

I crept closer, using every available shadow as cover. As I got closer, the tension in the air became more palpable. It was clear that this was the place where the thieves' most prized goods were stored, and where I would most likely find the objective of my mission. However, what I discovered upon entering the room left me perplexed.

The room was not filled with material treasures, as he had imagined. In its place was a series of large cages, each occupied by beings that, at first glance, looked human. But as I got closer, I could see that they were beastmen, creatures with animal features that mixed with human characteristics.

The beastmen were a nomadic race, known to live in tribes in the Great Wasteland, a vast expanse that divided the continent into three great regions. Yet here they were, locked up as merchandise, probably destined to be sold to the highest bidder.

I tried to look away, reminding myself that my mission had to be the priority. I couldn't let emotions cloud my judgment, especially in such a dangerous situation.

I moved quickly to the back of the room, where a red scarf rested on a wooden pedestal. This must have been the treasure that the thieves protected with such zeal. Just as I reached out to take it, a dull thud echoed behind me.

Someone was trying to open the door to the room. I felt my pulse quicken in my veins as I grabbed the handkerchief and quickly put it in my pocket. He had no time to think; I had to find a way to get out before they discovered me.

The door finally gave way, and three men entered the room. They seemed to be in charge, and one of them, a sinister-looking man with scars on his face, began to give orders in an authoritative voice.

—Take the younger ones. The rest… you already know what to do," he said, with a coldness that chilled my blood.

The men began to open the cages and remove the younger werebeasts, ignoring the older or injured ones. Panic began to take over me. I couldn't stay here and I couldn't intervene without endangering myself, but I also couldn't stand still while witnessing such cruelty.

Just as I was about to move, a deep, firm voice echoed in my mind, barely a whisper, but clear enough for me to hear.

"Hey, brat," the voice said.

I looked around, searching for the source, and found it in one of the cages at the end of the room. Inside, a beast-man of imposing size observed me with penetrating eyes although he was wearing bandages that should hide his sight, the feeling of how his gaze was observing me was clear.

He was in a deplorable state: burns covered much of his body, both arms had been amputated, and his legs were so mangled that it seemed unlikely that he would be able to walk again.

Despite his condition, there was a firmness in his voice that surprised me.

—Listen to me, I have a proposal for you. Get me out of here, and I'll help you escape. What are you saying?

His offer left me speechless. I could see that I was in a desperate situation, but I couldn't allow myself to hesitate.

The decisions he made at that moment could mean the difference between success and failure. I took a deep breath, knowing that my next move could change everything.

This is the end of chapter 2.

I will be posting the chapters twice a week.

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