"You seem to know about the soul-sigil compass," Alex said, looking at Shin.

"Y-Yeah... I heard about it from a demon," Shin replied.

Alex’s gaze lingered, unreadable. “Strange. Not many demons just tell you their secrets.” His voice was light, but Shin sensed the undertone.

"Well, anyway, even if we get the soul-sigil compass, it would still be hard. To locate a demon with it, we need to know the demon's sigil, and—"

"We know the demon's sigil, so don’t worry about it," Fiona interrupted, cutting off Alex's explanation.

"WHAT?" Alex exclaimed in shock.

"Are you kidding?" Ryan asked, pointing at Fiona.

Fiona took out a piece of paper with the sigil engraved on it and showed it to them.

Both Ryan’s and Alex’s eyes widened. The sigil of the cult leader was right in front of them.

"How did you even manage to get it?" Alex asked, his eyes still glued to the sigil.

"Got lucky, I guess. Anyway, we have the sigil, so all we need now is the compass."

"You really have to be that secretive, even with allies," Alex grumbled.

"I'm telling the truth. I don’t know how, but the sigil just happened to be there when I was investigating. It’s because the cult leader joined the mission to kidnap the children—a surprise since he usually sends his lackeys." Fiona explained.

"Okay, whatever," Alex said, waving it off. "So, did you investigate the sigil?"

"Yeah, I got some information, but I still need to go through a lot of books. Ugh, it’s so hard to do research without the internet," Fiona complained.

"Why can’t you use the internet for demon research?" Shin asked curiously.

"Misinformation, duh. Even though I found a lot of info, it’s only valid if I confirm it from books. And high-grade demons—those of high ranks like dukes, or sometimes even marquises—often have two names: their original name and a title bestowed upon them by a king of hell. You can’t find that information online, and it’s rare to find it in books, either," Fiona explained.

**The title...** Shin thought, remembering. Years ago, when he fought his father—a marquis of hell—the moment his father’s essence faded, his title also faded from Shin's memory.

"Once you exorcise a demon using its title, you and everyone who knew the title forget it as soon as the demon fades from the earth," Shin mumbled, almost unconsciously.

Alex shot Shin a serious look. "Hey, how do you know that?"

"I… I just happened to know," Shin stammered.

"Fiona, Shin, if you’re hiding something, tell me now." Alex looked at Shin coldly.

Fiona masked her concern. She wasn’t sure how Alex would react. The Holy Hands, the group they were in, had been formed to fight the Devil's Eyes cult, founded by those who had suffered at the cult’s hands. How would Alex react if he knew?

Alex’s gaze shifted between Fiona and Shin. "I knew something was going on."

Fiona glanced worriedly at Shin, who was sweating in the chilly evening air.

"I should ha—" Fiona began, but Alex interrupted with a loud voice.

"You two are dating, right? That’s why Fiona told you almost everything we’re generally not allowed to share." He smirked at Fiona teasingly.

Fiona and Shin both froze, flustered and shocked by his comment.

"Haha, master, you nailed it! I knew something was going on between them," Ryan laughed, enjoying the show.

"You idiot mentor!" Fiona reached for her sword, but Shin grabbed her hand, keeping the blade sheathed.

"Look at them! Already looking out for each other," Alex laughed. "Good choice, Shin. If she’d drawn her sword, she would’ve been decimated."

"You idiots, we’re here to discuss serious matters!" Fiona yelled at Alex and Ryan.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Alex pushed Ryan aside and put on a serious face. "Yes, we have to discuss the situation seriously now."

"Finally," Fiona sighed.

"So, are you two getting married after we rescue your daughter?" Alex burst out laughing, and Ryan rolled on the floor laughing, teasing Fiona.

Fiona snapped and tried to attack them, but Shin held her back, saving their allies from certain death that day.

"We have serious matters on hand, and you’re joking around?" Fiona shouted, fuming at Alex.

"Okay, okay, Fiona, don’t be so angry. And don’t worry about it now that I’m here," Alex said confidently.

"Tch, always so careless," Fiona muttered under her breath.

Alex looked momentarily wounded by her comment but chose not to respond.

"Right, now that we have the details, we just need a solid plan to get the soul-sigil compass. Ideally, we should do it without confronting the high-grade demon," Alex suggested.

"It’ll be nearly impossible. I have to suppress almost all my aura just to go undetected. If we raid them, we won’t be able to keep our powers hidden the whole time. If even one of them spots us, we’ll be discovered instantly," Fiona said.

"What if we lure one of them out and disguise one of us to infiltrate their den and retrieve the compass?" Alex suggested with a grin.

"That’s a good idea, and, conveniently, we have the perfect person for the job." Fiona and Alex turned to Ryan, their eyes gleaming.

Ryan gulped. "I-I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go there alone."

Fiona and Alex both grabbed his shoulders, preventing him from backing away.

"Oh, Ryan, do you know how brave you are? Your disguises are nearly flawless.Nobody can see through your disguise, of course, I am the only exception," Fiona said with a grin.

"You’re my disciple. If I say you can do this, you can do it," Alex said, patting Ryan on the back.

"You both want me to get killed," Ryan muttered, quickly hiding behind Shin.

"Why are you being such a coward?" Alex chided.

"Yeah, you coward," Fiona teased. "No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend."

"Guys, please stop. Let’s discuss this. I’m sure Ryan will understand," Shin tried to calm everyone.

"No!" Ryan, Fiona, and Alex shouted in unison.

"Hey, you don’t get a choice. I decide what you do," Alex said firmly.

"Not fair, master! I’m young. I have my whole life ahead of me! Shouldn’t the elders protect the young?" Ryan protested.

"Ugh, let’s just throw this kid in the forest already. He’ll do what he’s told when he has no choice," Fiona suggested.

"Yeah, let’s do that," Alex agreed, moving toward Ryan.

"Enough!" Shin shouted, stunning everyone. "All of you, stop this nonsense. Let’s discuss this rationally."

Everyone settled down.

"Now, Ryan, I know you hate it, but at the moment, you’re the only one who can create a flawless disguise. If you can infiltrate the enemy’s area, we’ll gain a huge advantage. Don’t worry—Fiona will be watching you from the sidelines," Shin explained.

"Wait… what?" Fiona looked at Shin in surprise.

"We need to ensure Ryan’s safety. You’re the best at hiding your presence. We can’t leave him alone. In case of an emergency, someone has to signal us and hold off the enemy until Alex and I can join."

"Ugh, fine. I’ll do it."

"Okay, here’s the plan. First, we’ll lure out a low-grade demon and take them down. Ryan will disguise himself and infiltrate the forest while you stay at a distance, keeping him within sight." Shin reached into his pocket and handed Fiona a charm. "Burn it with your aura in an emergency. Alex and I will be on standby while eliminating the demon hounds. Once we get the signal, I will teleport with Alex to your location."

"The plan sounds good," Alex said, approving of Shin’s idea.

"I’m gonna die," Ryan mumbled, sulking.

"For now, let’s observe the cult and try to determine when the branch leader is typically out. Then we’ll strike," Shin suggested.

"But wouldn’t it be a waste if we attacked when he’s not there? He has the compass," Ryan asked.

"I doubt he keeps it on him all the time. It’s likely secured somewhere in the branch, so it’s safer to attack when he’s gone."

"Yeah, Shin’s right. Even if the compass isn’t there, we can at least eliminate the other demons without the leader, and then it will be easy to take him out with the four of us." Alex agreed.

"Alright, we’ll attack in two weeks. Everyone okay with that?" Shin asked, and they all nodded.

"One more thing," Alex said. "Lately, I’ve had a feeling we’re being watched."

He looked around here and there, and suddenly his eyes focused on the window. Walking over, he examined it but found nothing. Disappointed, he returned to his seat.

"Anyway, the plan’s in two weeks. Be prepared. Ryan, Shin, you should spar with me. I heard you’re a strong fighter, and our last match didn’t have a satisfying conclusion." Alex gave Shin a smile.

*He’s such a fighting freak,* Shin thought. "Alright, let’s train together and keep discussing the plan to avoid any surprises."

"Alright, it’s late. Let’s call it a night. Good work, everyone," Alex said.

They each bid farewell and went to rest.

Night had already fallen. The moon shone bright in the sky, surrounded by countless stars. In its silver glow, a lone figure stood near a cliff, gazing up as though admiring every aspect of its beauty. He was surrounded by dense forest, trees stretching around him in every direction. After a while, having taken in the scene, he turned and moved deeper into the woods.

Within the forest, he walked for several minutes until he reached a clearing amidst the trees. Here, many tents had been set up, encircling a campfire in the center. Around the fire sat four people.

A woman in a purple robe sat to one side. Her pale skin looked almost ethereal under the moonlight, her soft pink lips moving in a silent, rhythmic melody. Her dark eyes gazed lovingly at the doll she cradled, as though it were her own child.

Across from her sat two young girls of around fourteen, dressed in black robes. They appeared to be twins, with identical brown hair styled the same way and light brown eyes. The two seemed to be deep in argument.

On another side sat a man in his early twenties, also dressed in black. His hair was dyed green, and piercings adorned his ears, nose, and upper lip. His pale skin had a faint layer of makeup, and though he was slender, he appeared fit.

Finally, there was the man approaching them. He wore a white robe, his muscular frame towering over the others. His face was hidden behind a black mask.

As he came closer, the four others stood and greeted him respectfully before settling down around the campfire once again.

After a moment of silence, the man spoke in a deep, intimidating voice.

"Let’s start today’s meeting."