Castle

The Boss of the Black Market replied in a low voice. "A member from the Mandated Punishers has lost control nearby. We have to finish him before he harms any commoners!"

Old Neil, who had experienced many incidents like this, immediately asked, "Where is the Rampager? What do you need us to do?"

Swain answered succinctly. "Be my support!"

He didn't explain why the person lost control or where the Rampager was. Instead, he quickly made his way to the exit.

This ex-captain of the Mandated Punishers was clearly an old alcoholic, yet Klein failed to keep up with the man's pace. He needed to break into a jog to ensure that he was not left behind.

He turned his head to look at Old Neil, only to see the old Mystery Pryer break into a run as well as the Custodian easily keeping up with the fast pace.

The four of them didn't pay any attention to the gazes of the guards on their way there.

They soon charged out of the billiard room and into Evil Dragon Bar, running across the road and entering the harbor district.

The ex-captain's voice rang out. "On that boat."

Swain slowed down and pointed at a cargo ship not far away. "Two Mandated Punishers are circling the Rampager, preventing him from entering the Tussock River. Help me influence him and bring him under control. Leave the rest to me."

Old Neil panted for air while saying. "Alright, b-but you have to give me a minute. Phew, a minute to recover."

Swain nodded and said nothing as he charged up to the ship and joined the fight.

Irina turned and saw Old Neil passing a silver charm to Klein. "Slumber Charm. The incantation to activate this amulet is the phrase 'Evernight' in ancient Hermes. After you finish the incantation, inject your spirituality into the charm and then throw it at the target after three seconds."

Klein extended his hand to receive the charm and felt moved. "Alright!"

Just as the Mystery Pryer was about to hand Irina a charm as well, she shook her head "Don't need it. I have no intention of getting close, I'll stay back and warn you if there's any greater danger."

I'm no fan of charms, even if I'm currently wearing one on my ankle. I prefer to use my own pathway's powers.

Old Neil seemed unsure for a short moment before nodding and holding it in his own hand instead.

He joked as he walked toward the cargo ship. "Do not be too nervous, relax and think about something else. For example, I lent you that charm. If you're going to use it, remember to make one for me in return. Of course, you can wait till next month, when you receive a new quota of materials before you do so."

Klein reached into his holster, taking out his revolver before making his way up the steps with Old Neil and boarding the cargo ship. Irina followed close behind, making sure to keep a safe distance.

I can also shoot now... my aim got better. But... they'll get suspicious if they find out I improved so much in such a short amount of time.

As the sounds of the battle intensified, they suddenly heard a loud noise amid the din while searching for a way to enter the cabin. They immediately jumped back after hearing Irina's warning. "Get back! He's right behind it."

The wooden cabin was instantly shattered, its fragments flying everywhere, as a figure fell through the hole, crashing onto the side of the ship.

A monster over 1.8 meters in height, wearing tattered clothes charged through the hole. Its ankles were covered with dark green scales, and a layer of skin had formed between its fingers and toes, resembling the webbed limbs of an aquatic creature.

Its head was covered in wrinkles, not unlike that of a human. Its scales were coated with a sticky dark-green fluid that continuously dripped onto the floor, corroding the deck, and leaving visible marks behind.

Swain punched the monster from the side, causing it to stagger two steps to the side.

Surprise attacks won't do much if you're too weak. She coldly analyzed the fight in front of her.

Even with his ridiculous muscles and, despite having his punches and kicks connect, they were unable to smash through its scales and cause any physical harm.

Swain was momentarily reduced to a wretched state as he staggered. If not for his astounding sense of balance and the efforts of the other Mandated Punishers to shoot and suppress the monster, this blue-eyed elder would've been beaten to death by the monster.

Before he could jump to retreat Irina warned them again. "He's going to jump into the Tussock River!"

The Mandated Punisher tried to obscure its vision of the river just as Klein lifted his right hand and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The silver demon-hunting bullet hit the monster on its scales, failing to fully penetrate its body. Irina shouted, "Klein duck to the right!"

The monster let out an ear-piercing shriek before it exerted strength with its feet and pounced at the seer. He easily rolled to the side as the ship shook and fragments exploded everywhere.

An old but deep voice recited an incantation in ancient Hermes. "Evernight!"

The piece of silver was instantly swallowed by a dark red flame and released the faint sound of an explosion.

A deep, serene power spread forth. The monster, who had almost destroyed the side of the shop, rocked. Its movements become sluggish.

Swain charged out from the cabin, approaching the creature, and pulling back his arm, hitting the monster like a jackhammer. His punches connect with the head of the monster.

The monster seemed to recover. It flailed its arm and made Swain take five steps back in retreat. Each of his steps caused cracks to form on the deck.

Seeing that the monster was about to turn around and jump off the cargo ship, Klein took out the Slumber Charm from his pocket in a hurry. After which, he expertly recited the phrase in Ancient Hermes. "Evernight!"

The fish-and-human monster had jumped into the air, but the dark red flames illuminated the surrounding darkness and the faint explosion was like a prelude to a slumber as it quickly radiated outwards.

The monster fell onto the dock, squirming into a ball, falling in a half-asleep state.

Swain charged out and jumped over, his navy uniform already long gone. He changed his posture in the air, his muscles tightening. He descended from the sky and slammed into the body of the monster. Straightening his back, he landed a heavy fist on its head.

The monster's skull shattered into pieces. Dark red blood and grayish brain matter laced with the green sticky liquid splattered all over the ground.

Ew. That's disgusting.

Irina and Klein stood carefully on the broken side of the ship, observing the scene while Old Neil held his left arm and leaned over to look at what had happened below.

Well. That was easy, I did basically nothing.

At that moment, Swain was standing straight as a statue. He stared tiredly at the monster under his feet that had just lost its life.

He took out a metal flask and opened the lid. He drank a good half of the liquor before tilting the flask, pouring the remaining liquor onto the monster.

After finishing this, Swain looked like he had aged considerably, his back hunching a little.

Old Neil sighed as he looked at the scene below. He whispered to Klein and Irina. "I know this Mandated Punisher who lost control. He had followed Swain for almost thirty years, once clearing water ghosts who had been killing people on the shore. He also captured evil Beyonders who were trying to escape through the Tussock River..."

This is the nature of this world—no, this story, she told herself. You give everything to grow stronger, to battle monsters—only to make one wrong move and become one yourself. Irina pushed down the emotions stirring within her chest, choosing instead to see these events as mere chapters in a novel. She knew the ending, her only task now was to ensure the story flowed smoothly with simple, but minor changes, as it was always meant to.

The three decided to step back, not wanting to disturb what essentially was the morning of a lost comrade.

Old Neil had a tiny, lightly bleeding wound on the back of his left hand while Klein's suit only bore minor scrapes. Irina, having kept her distance, was the only one to have left completely unharmed.

Old Neil chucked at a particular compliment from the Seer. "I'm an experienced Nighthawk. Among the dangerous things that I've done, what happened just now isn't even in my top ten. Once, when I was patrolling Raphael Cemetery with Dunn, I had no idea that a corpse had turned into a zombie and left its tomb to lie in ambush in the shadows of the trees. I passed by without noticing it at all since I was looking for some hidden spot. Heh, you know what I mean. In the end, he leaped onto my back and seized my throat."

Irina, pushing back the heaviness of her previous thoughts, bit back a grin, thinking, Kinky~. It was as good a distraction as any.

Judging by Klein's worried and lightly scared tone, she could tell their thoughts had taken entirely different paths. He asked, "And under such a situation, you were still calm enough to use a charm? Or did you use some spell that a Mystery Pryer could cast quickly?"

Old Neil stole a glance at him, then laughed. "No, Dunn managed to drag that zombie into a slumber in time. I'm telling you this story to tell you that, as a Nighthawk, you not only have to believe in yourself, you also have to trust your teammates too."

Klein fell silent for a few seconds. Then, he replied both sincerely and jokingly, "Mr. Neil, you are so wise today."

If only he could be in THAT situation as well...

Old Neil did a tiny hop and found his footing on the pier. He replied in disdain. "That's because you only get to know the most trivial side of me usually."

Why does he remind me of a cheerful grandpa...

The three of them left the harbor and walked towards Evil Dragon Bar.

Klein put away his revolver, set his cane aside, and took off his jacket. Under the light of the gas street lamp, he started checking for any and all damage.

He removed the splinters and roughly patted the dust away. Then, he put it back on. "How lucky. There are only a few splinters and a patch that got dirtied..."

Old Neil looked at him with a smile and mimicked his tone by adding leisurely. "What a pity, there's no way to claim compensation."

The seer was temporarily at a loss for words while Irina couldn't help but start laughing out loud.

After Klein left with the public carriage, Old Neil turned to Irina to ask, "Aren't you going home as well?"

The custodian's initial silence didn't seem to surprise him as much, as he turned to look towards the bar, he continued, not expecting a reply, "I don't undertand what I did wrong to anger you so much, I—"

Irina interrupted him. "It's something stupid, not something you can help anyway."

I guess it's partially the Hidden Sage's fault as well...

She continued. "I wouldn't be honest if I said I was sorry, because I'm very much still pissed."

Old Neil looked at her with a look of confusion mixed with hope as she carried on. "But I guess behaving like this won't help it, I even had an argument with Leonard not long ago because of it."

He literally pointed a gun at my face. I'm pretty sure that falls under the 'heated' argument category...

She tried to explain, "I've been sleeping so badly and have also been extremely occupied with something private recently. This also worsened my temper... so... I am sorry for exploding at you on that day, but I am still angry with you."

Old Neil smiled. "It's fine. But I guess I won't hear why you're still angry with me?"

She turned towards the city, taking a couple of steps away. "Not until I find a way to fix my personal problem. Once that is solved, I'm sure my anger with you will also disappear."

He was puzzled by her words. "I don't understand how the two things could be connected, but since you're working on fixing it then it should be fine. This old man will wait."

Irina didn't turn back to look as she waved him goodbye. She couldn't bear to feel, let alone see those annoying illusory eyes behind him. A constant reminder of what was to come.

The custodian was losing at poker against Royale when Klein entered the lounge. Irina lowered her cards to look at him. "What are you doing here? Didn't you have the night shift at Chanis Gate last night?"

The seer nodded before explaining, "I did but something happened. There's a new case that's not in the city. The Captain wishes for your assistance."

The case in that castle hmm...

Irina strangely beamed up at him. "Okay! I'm coming."

Just as she was about to stand up she heard Seeka sneer, "Lucky girl, you're leaving me alone with Royale here, don't you think I lost enough today?"

I swear you can't play against her! She keeps on winning!

As she reached the door, she turned around with a mocking smile, "Squeeze every last penny out of her dear Sleepless~"

The seer, custodian, and corpse collector waited by the sofa in the reception hall. The surroundings warmed up after another seven or eight minutes, as though the area was being exposed to sunlight.

Immediately following that, they saw Dunn Smith walk through the partition. In his hand, he held an ancient badge, about half the size of a palm.

Shit, I forgot the negative effects.

The badge had a dark gold luster and was engraved with the symbolic signs of the Sun and lines that extended to the edge. Sealed Artifact 3-0782 from the Intis Republic, originally named the 'Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem.'

I'll be sweating the whole day, will I not? Irina began to dread the upcoming mission.

Dunn spoke calmly, "Let's set off. Frye, you'll drive. Cesare can't withstand the purification of the Sacred Emblem for too long."

When the rays of the setting sun dyed the pinnacle of the town's cathedral, the Nighthawks' carriage finally arrived at Lamud Town.

After they stopped the carriage, Dunn looked at the hair salon opposite and said, "I asked one of the locals earlier. It only requires a fifteen-minute walk from here to the castle ruins on the mountain. It's said that it belonged to a feudal lord who ruled during the Fourth Epoch. However, no one knows what happened after that. Of course, their description is merely a local myth."

He continued without breaks. "Yes, let's go over now and deal with that wraith before the sky turns dark. Then, we can take turns to watch over 3-0782 and keep it away from commoners."

From the moment Dunn retrieved the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem, three hours had already passed. It was getting closer and closer to a Beyonder's limits. In no time, they would have to part ways and give each other time to recover.

Other than being very warm I don't feel such a high strain... hehe~ My protection is very useful.

Frye gave a succinct reply. "Okay."

Klein touched the Slumber Charms and Requiem Charms in his pocket. "I have no problem about that."

Irina also replied leisurely, "Fine by me."

The four Nighthawks in thin black windbreakers walked through the street in the town and headed toward the mountain when they reached a fork in the road. "Huh, it's definitely on the right, there are strange traces in the air."

The Captain nodded and the group moved on. Along the way, the road was overgrown with weeds and clustered with shrubs, but it was still spacious enough to let two carriages pass side-by-side.

It wasn't long until they saw the collapsed outer wall of an ancient castle. Green plants crawled all over it, while the exposed part was mottled.

Once they started getting closer, Klein felt a piercing chill, as goosebumps formed all over his arms. His gaze landed shortly on all of his teammates but neither reacted.

Frye said monotonously as he looked at the ancient castle. "There really is a wraith."

Yep. That would explain the mass of cold colors I'm seeing.

Dunn looked sideways, stealing a glance at the newly promoted Nighthawk, then he laughed and said, "Don't worry. We have both 3-0782 and Frye; the wraith won't cause too much of a problem. Our History Teacher looks more at ease than even him."

The only woman in the group replied. "Very much so, I'm actually very comfortable, if not for my Spirituality slowly depleting."

The Captain stopped in his tracks and looked back at her, "What do you mean?"

Irina looked at him with a confused expression before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh! I never told you, did I?"

Shit... why did I first talk?! Why can't I just shut up from time to time. 

Everyone's eyes were on her. She scratched the back of her neck nervously, "I started noticing it recently. If I concentrate, I can feel my spirituality draining, I believe it's because of my protection since there's a Wraith and a Sealed Artefact at play."

I can feel it simply because I advanced, that's part of a Sequence 7 skills.

Dunn spoke with a flat tone. "That's weird. Beyonders don't get new skills long after they advance."

SHIT.

She started laughing anxiously. "Haha, yeah... very strange..."

THINK OF SOMETHING. THINK OF SOMETHING!

Irina looked around quickly until her eyes landed on Klein, "Well... It's similar to what Klein told you Cap~"

I'M SORRY MAN.

Klein was confused as the Captain tried his best to recall what it was that the seer had told him.

Oh right, his shitty memory.

The seer's eyes widened slightly. "Yes, just like when I act like a true Seer at the divination club. Since you're a higher sequence it must have taken you a lot longer to realize the effects of it."

Irina praised him internally. "Absolutely, that's why I kept going to the library, at first it was to give a hand to people that simply wanted to learn, now it's to try and do what Klein did. I believe I'm understanding my Sequence a lot better!"

The number 7, not 8 though.

The Captain's blank expression morphed into one of deep reflection. "I see... it seems that his advice truly is helpful."

He bought it! Praise The Fool!

Irina smiled until her expression suddenly dropped, slowly processing her own thoughts.

... did I just... praise him—OMG.

A cold breeze howled in a way that could only be described as sad and shrill, seeming to reject the uninvited guests.

What a warm welcome.

The warm and pure feeling of 3-0782 gradually dispersed the chill and conquered the front of the ancient castle. Before they began scaling the pile of rocks, Irina used her sash to shorten the length of her skirt.

Forget about decency. The moment I'm leaving Tingen, I'm getting a much wider slit on the dress!

They passed through the collapsed outer wall before slowly entering the castle which had lost its main entrance and was filled with broken tiles. Irina's eyes fell on a particular colorful spot of energy.

Oh! Look over there! Our little headless friend wants to have a dramatic entrance!

The hall of the ancient castle was full of collapsed stone pillars and was covered with moss. It was spacious, but the windows were narrow and placed high on the walls, creating very poor lighting. Leaving the whole inside dim and gloomy.

Just then, an illusory yet piercing roar suddenly burst out. Out of nowhere, a thick cloud of black fog filled the air, resisting the infiltration of warmth and purity.

A tall figure suddenly surfaced amidst the black fog. He wore full-body, black armor and carried a broadsword that a commoner would have found difficult to lift.

Irina felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared, leaving her standing among the other Nighthawks, their eyes closed.

The Captain pulled everyone in a dream and I was left out... it's not the first time this has happened. But... oh. It does have a head, the skeleton doesn't. She shrugged, eh, minor mistake.

Two flame-like balls of red light shone through the gap of his helmet, appearing cold and staring at the four Nighthawks angrily yet unmoving.

Well~ What to do, they'll fight him in the dream while I stand here and do nothing, again.

Irina sighed before starting to look around with curiosity.

Hmm... Under those slates, there are hidden stairs, but that zone is filled with spirits.

Dunn was holding both his fists tightly as he bowed slightly. His gray eyes dark and deep.

Huh, so that's how he looks when he pulls everyone in a... dream? Nightmare? Is the definition even important?

Just then, the captain stood up straight and looked at the wraith that was moving again, ready to slash with his sword. He calmly said, "It's been more than a minute."

The wraith was stunned and let out a shrill cry. Its body started producing black steam, as though it had just received its death sentence.

Zombies or spirits that have yet to turn into evil spirits cannot stay within the fifteen-meter range of the Mutated Sun Sacred Emblem for more than a minute.

In the warm and pure feeling, the black steam evaporated quickly and the chill dispersed gradually. In no time, the knight became transparent, blending and disappearing into the void.

A black gauntlet fell to the ground, its surface covered with white frost.

What a way to ruin my mood. I wanted to enjoy the cool fight as well! This is not fair! The novel made it look so interesting too...

Irina turned and watched as Klein got ready to ask something to the Captain, but when he looked over in a particular direction, his spirituality was suddenly disturbed.

The seer said with a serious tone, pointing at the steps separating the living room and dining room, "There's some sort of problem there."

Huh. Where? I've been looking around this whole time and found no problems!

Dunn looked over, and similarly, with his high spiritual perception, he immediately sensed something wrong. He turned to look at Klein and instructed calmly, "Divine and see if we would be successful in our investigation."

Eh? Oh, that!

Irina slowly raised her arm, as if in a class, "There are stairs that go deeper into the castle over there. There's a small conglomerate of spirits as well, but if you throw 3-0782 in there it should be fine. They aren't stronger than the one we fought here."

Dunn blinked, clearly caught off guard by her swift assessment. "Oh. That was... fast."

Well, it's not like I had anything better to do while you all wrapped up an Oscar-worthy fight.