Chapter 95: Viper Beast Provisions
As the sun waned in the sky, casting a veil of darkness over the city, Ain and Sergeant Lunabrooke emerged from the shadows, standing across from Viper Beast Provision's base of operations. The building, with its five floors, was notably wider than the surrounding structures and also served as a warehouse.
Sergeant Lunabrooke observed the building with a faint smile before turning to Ain. "How do you want to proceed?"
Ain's gaze was fixed on the building, and he narrowed his eyes in contemplation of Sergeant Lunabrooke's question. Faint killing intent seemed to emanate from him as he considered their approach. Sergeant Lunabrooke sensed this change and continued before Ain could respond, "Historically, grudges between spirit tamers have seldom found peaceful resolutions. The consequences often involve destruction and extermination, with the strong preying on the weak. It's crucial for you to consider carefully to avoid unwanted consequences."
Ain looked at Sergeant Lunabrooke at the sudden statement, replaying it multiple times in his mind to decipher its hidden meaning. Was the sergeant suggesting that Ain should exterminate the entire Viper Beast Provisions, or was he cautioning against reckless actions? Despite being accompanied by Sergeant Lunabrooke, Ain's primary goal was to rescue the cat and the pups, even though he felt the urge to destroy the enemies.
Ain returned his gaze to the building with a faint frown and asked, "Aren't you from the Law Enforcement Agency?"
Sergeant Lunabrooke affirmed, "Yes, which is why you need to consider your actions."
Ain remained unsure of Sergeant Lunabrooke's intentions, but his anxiety for the cat and pups spurred him to make a quick decision. He chose to stick to his original plan, stating, "Let's sneak in and rescue them." Asking a law enforcement officer to eliminate spirit tamers on his behalf could lead to unpredictable consequences.
Sergeant Lunabrooke nodded before offering Ain two runestones, which he conjured with a twist of his palm. Ain's attention shifted from the storage ring on Sergeant Lunabrooke's finger to the runestones, and he inquired, "What’s this?"
At the same time, Ain held one of the runestones and used Scan. This action drained a significant amount of his spirit energy, but he was prepared for it.
[Name: Runestone – Ethereal Form]
[Attribute: Ghost]
[Rank: Intermediate Rank-3]
Sergeant Lunabrooke explained, "This is a runestone inscribed with Ethereal Form, a ghost spell. It can grant us invisibility and reduce our presence. By the way, even at Rank-1, you can use Rank-3 runestones and below."
Ain confirmed his ability to use Scan on Rank-3 items and nodded in response.
"Are you prepared?" Sergeant Lunabrooke inquired.
Ain affirmed his readiness with a nod, and in response, Sergeant Lunabrooke cast a mark on Ain, allowing them to detect each other after using the runestones. Sergeant Lunabrooke then activated the runestone in his hand, causing his figure to disappear from Ain's sight. The invisibility was so effective that Ain couldn't discern any traces of the sergeant.
"Such a useful spell!" Ain was impressed by the usefulness of the ghost spell and mentally noted it for the future. Given his contract with Nox, he would soon be able to use ghost spells.
Without further delay, Ain clenched the runestone in his palm and infused it with a trace of spirit energy. The runestone responded, casting Ethereal Form. A subtle veil enveloped him, making his palm disappear from view. He experimented by covering his eyes with the concealed hand, but the gray concrete slabs and deep shadows still remained visible.
Sergeant Lunabrooke's voice echoed in Ain's mind, “Ethereal Form can dampen our presence, but try to practice stealth.” Ain acknowledged the guidance and they embarked on their mission.
Under the darkening sky, the two invisible figures moved stealthily toward Viper Beast Provisions. They followed behind an unsuspecting customer, infiltrating the building.
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"Stay close," advised Sergeant Lunabrooke, his voice directly appearing in Ain’s mind. Ain detected the sergeant's position and silently followed suit. They explored the first floor, intended for sales, before locating an elevator that led to the upper levels.
As the cat and pups weren't expected to be on the first floor, the higher floors were designated as their target. At this moment, an Intermediate Rank-1 Spirit Tamer, likely a member of Viper Beast Provisions, awaited in front of the elevator.
With the familiar ding, the elevator door opened, revealing two other passengers within. Ain recognized them through his perception—a pair of spirit tamers, one Advanced Rank-1 and the other a Beginner Rank-1. Seeing the waiting man, the Advanced Rank-1 gestured for him to enter, saying, "Carl, you're just in time. The meeting's about to start."
"Sure, I know. I was heading there," the man named Carl replied as he stepped into the elevator car.
Viper Beast Provisions catered to spirit beast materials, and their elevators were spacious enough to accommodate their needs. Ain and Sergeant Lunabrooke discreetly entered the car, maintaining a bit of distance from the three other passengers.
With another ding, the elevator door closed and began its operation. As the car moved, Ain noticed an anomaly. He glanced at the display panel on the side while sensing the weightlessness that contradicted their supposed upward movement.
"We're going down. It appears they have a secret basement, where they're likely holding your spirit beasts," Sergeant Lunabrooke conveyed, confirming Ain's suspicion.
Though it seemed like a casual observation, the use of the word "captive" in Sergeant Lunabrooke's explanation was contrary to his suspicions regarding the spirit beasts' survival. After all, Viper Beast Provisions specialized in spirit beast materials.
This thought naturally crossed Ain's mind when he learned of Viper Beast Provisions, further fueling his anxiety and the earlier sense of killing intent.
"I hope we get something this time. We've been completing all the tasks assigned to us." The three passengers began conversing.
"That might be why the boss is gathering all of us for this meeting," speculated one of the other passengers.
The conversation continued briefly as the elevator reached its destination with another audible ding. The group of three, along with Ain and Sergeant Lunabrooke, exited the elevator. They found themselves in a dimly lit hallway with a bright light at its far end. The three spirit tamers headed toward the light, and Ain's gaze followed their movements.
Ain scrutinized the floor beneath him, listening to their echoing footsteps. He noted that the runestones were effective not only at making them invisible but also at muffling the sounds they produced. After about twenty seconds, the group of three arrived at a door at the end of the hallway.
"I think we're the last ones," one of them remarked.
"Doesn't matter. It's not time yet. The boss won't mind as long as the guests haven't arrived," another replied.
With those comments, the three spirit tamers opened the door and entered the room. Ain and Sergeant Lunabrooke followed them, revealing a brightly lit hall with several doors along the side walls. Twelve spirit tamers, all belonging to Viper Beast Provisions, were already present. The newcomers nodded in silence to their colleagues and respectfully greeted a thin man seated in the center.
Sergeant Lunabrooke explained, "That's Gavric Sorn, the owner of Viper Beast Provisions. He's an Advanced Rank-2 Spirit Tamer. The two beside him are at Beginner Rank-2."
Ain stared at Gavric Sorn. He then assessed the ranks of the other spirit tamers in the room, his eyes shifting to the culprits he had observed in the surveillance footage.
"Given their conversation in the elevator, everyone seems to have gathered here. This is our best opportunity to rescue the little ones," Ain thought. He resisted the urge to confront them directly and began exploring the hall visually. Aside from an abundance of sofas and tables in the center, appearing to serve as an area for gatherings, nothing particularly noteworthy caught his attention.
"They're likely behind one of these doors," Sergeant Lunabrooke said before suggesting, "We can't open the doors ourselves. Let's wait for them to do it, and we'll follow behind.”
Ain quietly nodded, suppressing the impatience that was bubbling within him. The effects of the runestones had a time limit, and they would eventually need to take action. Though Ain wasn't fully aware of Sergeant Lunabrooke's strength, he deduced that the sergeant was more than capable of dealing with all the spirit tamers present based on the events so far.
As they waited, two minutes slipped by quickly. Ain's patience was wearing thin, but a change occurred at that moment. One of the Rank-2 Spirit Tamers beside Gavric Sorn said, "They're here."
The other members of Viper Beast Provisions quickly stood up and shifted their focus to the door directly across from the elevator hallway entrance. There was only one door on that side of the hall.
Gavric Sorn, the owner of Viper Beast Provisions, also rose to his feet and positioned himself at the forefront of the group. He prepared for the impending arrival of the guests. They didn't have to wait long, as the door opened shortly thereafter. Four figures silently entered the room and shut the door behind them. The one at the front nodded to Gavric Sorn before joining his colleagues from Viper Beast Provisions. He was responsible for leading the guests here.
Ain scrutinized the newcomers, particularly the three figures standing across from Gavric Sorn. They were cloaked in black attire, revealing only the lower portions of their masks. Perhaps due to their cloaks, Ain's perception seemed to be somewhat hindered in their vicinity.
While Ain observed the three figures, Sergeant Lunabrooke focused on the newcomers as well. His eyes narrowed, and unbeknownst to Ain, a predatory smile crept across his invisible face. "What do we have here?"