"Get up."

Mara shook me by both shoulders, her grip remarkably tight—a quick method to jolt someone from their slumber. More so when the harsh voice streams directly into my face, causing the entire sofa to shudder.

"The sun's not even out yet," I argued, twisting away from her. Not even a glimmer of sunlight was visible through those massive windows.

"There's someone in the building."

Urgency took over as my brain received the information, the night's hold on me fading completely. Tensing my midsection, I pushed her away, sprung to my feet, and searched for the backpack in my vicinity.

"Did you properly take care of the back entrance downstairs?" I muttered, a zipping noise followed by my smirk as I noticed the precious jewels Mara collected during her night watch. "They couldn't have gotten through the door at the front, so—"

She scowled, those tired pupils lacerating into the nape of my neck. "No one got in as a result of my inattention, Gray."

"Just saying..."

I pulled out the artifact, its paper-thin edge wrapped in a tailored sheath composed of what I believed was some monster's thick skin. Otherwise, it would have sliced right through it.

"No," Mara responded solemnly. "Don't even think about fighting."

I stiffened my grip on the tilt, an entire conflict raging in my head. Would it be alright for me to tell her? I'm not sure. What I do know is that I'd much rather tell her the whole truth than beat around the bush. Holding back when possible intruders could murder us would be absurd.

A dim cerulean light shone between us and under our chins, hardening my resolve. "This is an artifact, Mara."

"Fancy relic or not, you're not going to fight." Her eyes contracted.

"You knew about it."

"Duh."

Mara stooped near the door, and I followed, trying not to be seen through the peephole.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

She let a dreadful sigh escape through her chapped lips. "Listen. There'd be no reason for you to risk your life here if you could have sold your mana-filled weapon. Gray, I doubt you have the connections that might help you get rid of it, and I'm sure as hell you didn't find an expensive-as-shit hunting tool laying in a thrash can by chance. You most likely obtain it through proper methods, therefore the only realistic option you have left is to use it here, in this isolated area, away from prying eyes."

With that, Mara put her ear against the door, basically signaling me the discussion was over. Rising cautiously, she peered through the hole. No one was on the other side just yet. Due to the solitude, and sensing my suspiciousness, she clicked her tongue lightly, then gazed at me once again.

"I trust you," Mara said. "That's why I didn't question you up until now. You put your ass on the line to save mine, and that's more than enough to convince me you're on my side. Satisfied?"

I twisted my neck to the side. "A bit."

"Just put on the backpack. Follow closely—"

A meek growl paused her. The faint footsteps echoing down the corridor made me gulp. She zipped her lips, then took a few steps back and pulled out her saber, pointing at the wheel lock. Mara wants me to open the door for her.

A coordinated ambush.

I nodded, one hand on the wheel while the other clutched the artifact. She doesn't want me to fight, but I was more than willing to support her in any way possible. I tried to meet her eyes, but she had already moved her attention to the target outside.

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I unlocked it, then pulled the door wide open toward me, allowing her to burst out. Mara took a deep breath and tensed her muscles, delivering an explosive frontal kick to the goblin's chest, sending it flying against the wall. The greenish color of the emergency sign flashed across the blade. The toddler-sized creature raised its long claws and opened its mouth, but its hands fell as she accurately drove the tip of her saber into its jugular.

"Poor thing never stood a chance," I uttered.

Bloodstained, Mara barely offered me a fleeting glance before becoming aware of another goblin lurking at the end of the corridor, close to the staircase. Not bothering to say a word, she rushed in. The goblin followed suit, gathering speed on all fours before leaping toward her face. Mara came to an abrupt halt, sidestepped, and slashed her blade horizontally across its neck, severing its head off.

Its body landed with a thud, and its hideous mug rolled down to my feet. I frowned, disgusted. "Stop rushing ahead like that."

"Their muscles are enhanced by mana, but—" She swung her blade, splattering blood across the old carpet. "Their necks aren't nearly as sturdy as the rest of their bodies."

"Why are you telling me that?"

"Because, unlike the last time, I want you to target only their weak points from now on," Mara remarked cynically as she descended the stairs. "That way, your weapon won't be caught in their dense and reinforced muscles."

She knows I wanted to prolong that monster's anguish.

"I'd rather gather jewels than hear you admonish me."

"We'll find the others, then return here and look for more. Now shush!" Mara gazed over the rail, grabbed it with her available hand once she confirmed her prey was down, and hopped over.

My eyes widened as I closed in to see what happened, barely catching her figure as she stabbed the saber into the back of a goblin's neck, putting it out of its misery. I almost pitied it. With the element of surprise on her side, Mara led us toward the exit at a terrific speed.

Two other shadows short figures squirmed in the darkness, reaching toward her, their pointed ears twitching. "Watch out!" I warned, realizing we couldn't take them by surprise anymore. Their guards were up now.

One of them leaped toward her. Mara thrust forward, this time missing the neck but piercing its chest. Unconcerned by its kin's fate, the other one seemed appeased by this opportunity. It shrieked triumphantly, but unlike before, Mara let go of the tilt and turned around, whacking the goblin's jaw with a roundhouse kick.

"Gray," she called.

Already downstairs and into the lobby, I moved in, plunging my relic through the disoriented goblin's eye. It went through like a hot knife through butter, reaching its brains and swiftly killing it.

"Here," I said, rotating the artifact and pointing its handle toward Mara. She took it, knelt, and dug it into the convulsing goblin's temple just as it was about to seize her.

"Incredible," Mara noted as she returned it to me. "Cuts through these monsters like tofu."

"You're being way too reckless," I complained as I yanked it back. "You have to be more careful."

Mara grasped the tilt of her blade and put her shoe onto the corpse, pulling it out like some sort of fabled weapon, her eyes still glued onto the glowing azure runes. "Just where the hell did you find something like that...?"

"The Underworld," I replied honestly. "It's often referred to as the Black Market around these parts—"

"Oi, you're suddenly dumping a lot of trust on my fragile shoulders—" She scratched her cheek, interrupting me. "I mean, I totally understand. I'm incredible—cool, savvy, and all that. Of course you'll confess everything on your heart without any reluctance to me, that's only logical. But still... It'd be better if you just kept your mouth shut, Gray. Don't tell anyone a lot and don't put your faith in others. In this line of work, keeping a secret or two is advantageous. I'm saying this for the sake of your safety. Take it as advice from your senior."

My lips curled.

"You're the only exception."

Mara strode past me toward the back exit. "S-saying sweet nothings like that..." She coughed as she opened the door, allowing the frigid air to flood in and cool down the heated corridor and her burning cheeks. "Ahem. You've still got a lot of things to talk about, I suppose. How about you tell me the whole story over dinner somewhere nice? If you want to, obviously..."

Mm? You just told me not to trust easily. Still, I guess I wouldn't mind indulging the idea. Having a good meal before parting ways sounded appealing.

"I think I have a satisfactory place in mind—"

A dull splash reverberated throughout the whole structure, cutting me off as the metallic blade of her saber clattered against the ground.

Large claws punctured Mara's torso, erupting on the other side of her spine. The gigantic wrist in her abdomen lifted her off the ground effortlessly. There were no screams, only a cough as blood poured out the corners of her mouth. Her pale face twisted into a terrified grimace, her sunken eyes desperately searching for me as scarlet drops kept falling.

Her lips twitched but to no avail. None of her words reached me.

I couldn't peel my quivering gaze away from her, whose corpse had been hurled into the corridor, resembling a puppet whose strings were severed. In contrast to Mara's inanimate eyes, its blazing golden pupils pierced through the darkness with nefarious glee, its figure standing well over two meters tall and casting a lengthy shadow on the floor and over my partner as it unveiled itself, stooping drastically to enter the building.

I pressed my lips together, unable to swallow the knot in my throat as I saw it lean on all its powerful limbs, gaining momentum as it charged toward me, jaws wide open, displaying rows of razor-sharp teeth and ready to rip the skin from off face.

Death.

My death was coming.