The trio dashed down a dimly lit corridor, their footsteps echoing off the metal walls. Joey stumbled, his movements growing increasingly erratic, a clear sign that the drug was still in his system. Tello and Rollin, both panting heavily, supported him, their faces etched with concern.

"We have no choice," Tello whispered urgently to Rollin. He received a glare in response, followed by Rollin's vehement refusal. "I already told you no. I'm not taking your experimental magic."

Tello's frustration was palpable as he abruptly halted, withdrawing his Vree-stone wand. With a determined thrust, he smashed the Vree-stone onto the floor, shattering the stone and grinding the remnants into a fine powder.

"Well, now we have no choice, so get over it!" Tello declared, his tone resigned. "I doubt we can fend off that many without the wand I just smashed. And anyway, my magic has reached its pinnacle."

Tello retrieved a small black box concealed within his robes as he spoke. He opened it and took out one of his orange vials. He carefully poured some Vree-stone powder into one of his transformation potions.

He downed the potion confidently; this time, there were no flames or adverse effects. Instantly, Tello transformed into a weathered 40-year-old man with a long, black beard. With a mere thought, he reverted to his proper form, demonstrating his complete mastery of transformation magic to Rollin.

Rollin, after a moment of reluctance, sighed in defeat. "Fine, give me one of those things."

Meanwhile, Joey began shrieking in fear upon witnessing Tello's transformation. Before he could create more chaos, Rollin swiftly incapacitated his friend with a deft strike from the back of his blade.

Rollin downed the concoction, his appearance morphing into that of an unassuming middle-aged man. Together, they hoisted Joey off the ground just as the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder.

In a hurried decision, they dropped Joey to the floor, stripping him of his bow, arrows, and armguard. They dismantled these items swiftly and concealed them within Tello's robe.

"Fuck! Can't you transform this thing into something else?" Rollin muttered in frustration, raising his colossal blade. To his surprise, the weapon abruptly shrunk back to its original size. Tello shrugged, shaking his head, signaling his lack of explanation.

As the footsteps drew nearer, Tello smashed the remaining Vree-stone and wand. He then pretended to indulge in sniffing rails of the powder while motioning for Rollin to join him.

Suddenly, four guards rounded the corner, catching Tello off guard. His eyes widened as he feigned surprise and exclaimed, "They went over there, boss!"

He pointed further down the corridor, successfully diverting the guards' attention. They were searching for a girl, a small, muscular man, and a man with a bow. These three didn't match the description.

Suddenly, a loud 'thud' echoed as one of the guards accidentally kicked Joey squarely in the stomach, causing him to regain consciousness. The force of the blow made Joey involuntarily empty his bowels, vomiting on both him and the guard's boot.

"Ah, you stupid bums! Can't you move out of the goddamn way?" The irate guard cursed, clearly displeased.

Despite his confused state of mind, Joey grasped the direness of his situation. He crawled to his knees, using his robe to desperately attempt to clean the guard's soiled boot.

"I'm so sorry, mister... I'm so sorry," Joey stammered, his voice quivering. In response, the guard kicked his hands away, and the group continued, leaving Joey humiliated.

The trio found themselves alone once more, with Joey showing signs of increased awareness. Tello handed him a vial of the refined potion.

"Here, drink this. You should also change your appearance; the woman saw your face, so she'll recognize you," Tello advised.

After a moment's concentration, Joey swallowed the potion and transformed into a bald man adorned with tattoos that covered every inch of his body, two formidable horns protruding from his forehead.

"Whoa, what the hell, Joey!" Tello exclaimed in shock, while Rollin burst into hysterical laughter.

"I don't know! I just thought about it for a second!" Joey protested.

Tello rolled his eyes. "Try envisioning a less eye-catching appearance, Joey. Come on!"

Joey closed his eyes and focused intently, but nothing happened. "It's not working. You must have given me a bad batch," he complained, which irritated Tello further.

"Oh, yeah, right, you wish, you stupid junkie! It's probably all those extra chemicals in your system counteracting my potion," Tello retorted.

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Rollin began to walk away. "Well, hurry up. Let's call it a night. It's been 'fun' enough."

Just as Rollin uttered those words, a mysterious man nearly collided with him before deftly sidestepping. The stranger was clad in a dark gray suit and wore a ghastly plain white mask that concealed his features.

He addressed them in a voice that rustled like the wind through leaves.

"Has it been a fun night? Why the hurry to leave?" The masked man's eerie presence left Rollin speechless, but Tello quickly interjected.

"Oh, we heard rumors about some weirdos going around killing people," Tello said.

Joey, catching onto Tello's intention, said, "Yeah, we think it's all just lies, but it's killing our vibe, man."

The masked man chuckled briefly before turning to Rollin, who nervously joined in with laughter and scratched his head. "Yeah, we think this is all a bit much," he muttered.

The masked man regarded the three of them one last time before wordlessly walking away, leaving an unsettling aura lingering in his wake.

The trio retraced their steps, hastily returning to their previous location. Once they believed they were out of earshot, Tello turned to Rollin, his face a mix of shock and concern. "That was..."

Rollin immediately interrupted him, his voice a tense whisper. "Yes, now shut up!"

They arrived at the colossal room where the party had been in full swing, only to find it eerily empty. "Wait, we have to gather more information. That was no coincidence, and we should make the most of my potions before the effects wear off," Tello insisted.

Rollin paused, his eyes locked onto Tello. He pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. They sprinted down the tunnel that the mysterious woman had entered earlier.

After a few minutes, they encountered people sprawled out, evidently strung out on the tainted electricity and crystals. A few guards were busy collecting the unconscious partygoers and dragging them away.

Fortunately, the trio found cover behind the turn they had emerged from, observing the guards as they carried a limp man over their shoulders. Rollin glanced at Joey and quietly instructed, "Follow my lead."

Rollin transformed into the appearance of one of the guards and effortlessly slung Joey over his shoulder. Tello, adopting a guardsman's appearance as well, approached a disheveled, elderly man still clutching a pipe in his fingers who was passed out. He hoisted the man over his shoulder and joined Rollin, who was heading in the direction the guards had taken.

As they ventured further, a sinister, glowing red light emanated from the path ahead. They entered an extended room that stretched out ominously before them.

The sight that greeted them was horrifying lifeless bodies hung from hooks, their throats gruesomely slit. Blood cascaded down into vats, filling them to the brim. These abhorrent hooks were attached to a relentlessly moving line that functioned like a bloody assembly line of death.

The guardsmen they had previously encountered spotted Rollin and Tello holding the two bodies. "What are you two waiting for? Come on, hurry up and hook those two pigs!" one of the guardsmen barked.

Reluctant to expose their true identities, Rollin and Tello obediently complied. They walked along the rail, ascending the stairs toward the ghastly hooks.

In a sudden, shocking move, the man Tello was carrying sank his teeth into Tello's lower back. Tello involuntarily released him, and the man's anguished screams filled the air. Desperate, the man attempted to flee, only to be swiftly captured by the other guardsmen.

In a sickening display, they beat him mercilessly until his movements ceased entirely.

Rollin whispered something to Joey, who had been pretending to be passed out. He immediately feigned, striking him with a knee before dashing away. One of the guardsmen gave chase, his heavy footsteps echoing in pursuit.

Seizing the moment, Tello activated a carefully drawn sigil on the wall, unleashing a potent light beam that obliterated the guardsman atop the elderly man.

Simultaneously, Rollin sprang into action, stealthily trailing the guard chasing Joey. Rollin's lightning-fast movements outpaced the hired guards, and with a swift, powerful motion, he struck the guard's head, causing it to explode like a hammer striking a pumpkin.

Turning his attention to the old man, Tello saw that his face had been reduced to a gruesome mess, clearly indicating his demise. "Guys, we need to get the hell out of here," Tello urged urgently.

However, their chances of escape were slim. A chillingly familiar voice suddenly cut through the air, sending shivers down their spines. "Oh, it's too late for that! I recognize your scent. It seems you can transform..." The ominous words hung in the air, filling the trio with a sense of dread.

Without warning, a white spectral figure materialized before Joey, swiftly launching two projectiles in his direction. Joey leaped into the air in a daring display of agility, spinning sideways to evade the deadly onslaught.

It was the man in the white mask. He emitted an annoyed exhale and redirected his attention towards Rollin.

He thrust his fist forward with an abrupt motion, but a misty haze enveloped him, and he reappeared directly in front of Rollin. His fist landed with bone-crushing force in Rollin's chest, a devastating blow that would have incapacitated most, but Rollin stood firm. He seized the masked man's wrist, ready to snap his arm, but the man transformed into mist once more before he could.

Appearing behind Tello, the masked man aimed to deliver another punishing strike. Tello, however, responded with a condescending snap of his fingers. Instantly, the ground beneath the masked man transformed into a gravitational abyss, compelling him to his knees. Tello had drawn an intricate magical formation precisely where the man had appeared.

Tello began crafting another spell formation to conclude the battle, but sensing the danger, Rollin pulled him back. In a split second, luminous needles streaked toward the spot where Tello had stood, and a clone of the white-masked man emerged. The clone advanced toward the original and effortlessly wiped out the spell formation, freeing the masked man.

By the time he regained his freedom, the trio had vanished into thin air. The masked man, visibly annoyed, sighed and walked away as a swarm of guardsmen rushed to deal with the chaotic situation.

Meanwhile, Rollin and Tello had once again altered their appearances, blending into the crowd. They sprinted as fast as they could, their thoughts racing, but none uttered a word, their minds consumed by the recent encounter.