Perched atop a towering roof, a muscular man named Nico and a woman named Mia stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the imposing silhouette of a grand mansion nestled against the backdrop of a small mountain in the distance. The mansion loomed large, its opulent architecture suggesting secrets hidden within its walls.

The woman, who wore glasses that glinted in the fading light, broke the silence with a question that had been bothering her. “Nico, is that where the Black Souls are hiding?” Her voice was laced with curiosity and concern.

Nico glanced towards the mansion; his brow furrowed in contemplation. “Yeah, but I can’t sense any Black Soul energy coming from there. Instead, I’m detecting considerable energy from three other locations nearby, which is quite peculiar,” he said, using his index finger to point out the various spots of interest.

Mia followed the direction of his finger, her gaze landing first on a bustling supermarket with mindless puppets. A little further down the street was a Bank, and finally, her eyes settled on a luxurious hotel that stood tall around that area. The confusion and desperation in her tone was palpable as she pondered their next move. “I don’t know what to do. Should we wait for her, or should we infiltrate on our own?”

Nico turned to her, his expression softening as he spoke reassuringly. “You don’t have to worry, Mia. I’ve already attempted to infiltrate these places while I was here, but unfortunately, I didn’t uncover any leads on the Black Souls. They are definitely in the mansion. From what I can discern, there are likely between 200,000 and 250,000 souls that have been captured.”

Mia’s eyes widened in disbelief as she processed the staggering number. “So many? Is there no way to save them?” Hope flickered in her voice, suggesting that despite the dire situation, she clung to the possibility of redemption.

Nico’s reply was measured and devoid of emotion. “There is a way, but first, we need to release their souls from the Soul Box. That will allow them to find their own bodies and regain control.” His tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious as he reminded her, “Mia, don’t forget the task that the temple has assigned to you. You need to focus on honing your skills and leave the other matters to me.”

The urgency in her heart battled with Nico’s authority. “But...”

“I don’t want to hear it,” he interjected firmly. “These people are already half dead. There’s no harm in using this situation to improve your skills. Now, get ready and start using your wide-scale healing. I’m going to make my move on that Bank now.”

Though hesitant and anxious, Mia nodded in agreement. “Okay.” She concentrated, activating her ‘Harmony.’ Skill. A brilliant white fog began to envelop her feet, and with each step, she ascended towards the sky, harnessing the energy around her. Meanwhile, Nico leapt from the building, landing on the ground.

An exclamation of frustration escaped his lips as he looked down at his legs, which had suffered from the impact. “Ah! Shit. I forgot I’m in this small world.” Pain and anger bubbled within him as he looked at the broken leg, but soon, the white fog gathered around him, mending his broken legs. He took a moment to look towards the sky, noticing that the clouds had thickened and enveloped the entire area surrounding the bank. With a nod of respect to the clouds, he took off, weaving through the alleys beating down any civilians on his way, as he rushed towards his target, ready to face whatever awaited him.

Mia observed him from a distance, her figure partially obscured by the swirling clouds that hung in the air like a thick, rolling mist. She felt uncertain about this approach, doubting whether ‘it was truly the right way to handle the situation at hand.’ As she healed the civilians who got injured.

‘Perhaps this is why I can’t seem to create a clone of ‘Will’; I sometimes find myself envying ‘Thieving Maiden’,’ she murmured, a heavy sense of dejection weighing down on her.

Meanwhile, Nico entered the bank, his mind focused on uncovering the source of the insidious black energy that enveloped this place and injure some people so Mia could heal them to improve her skill. However, as he moved deeper into the building, his progress was abruptly halted when two bank guards confronted him.

“Huh! Didn’t everyone get their souls captured? Why are they stopping me? I haven’t posed any threat to the Black Soul user,” Nico exclaimed, taken aback by their presence.

One of the guards smirked, “Hmm, I also wonder who suggested that I can’t control my puppets.” Without warning, he swung a powerful punch towards Nico’s gut, catching him completely off guard.

“Ahh! What?” Nico shouted in disbelief, instinctively retaliating with a punch of his own, landing a solid ‘bam’. Yet, to his astonishment, the guard didn’t bother to evade the blow.

“Hahaha, I didn’t expect you to be this naive; good luck now,” the other guard taunted. With that, they both turned and ran away, leaving Nico surrounded by the mindless puppets scattered across the floor.

Nico scanned the area, his frustration bubbling over. “Damn that Black Soul user; he actually can control some of his puppets. I’ve been so careless,” he cursed under his breath, anger and regret surfacing simultaneously.

Determined to turn the tide, he activated his ‘Liberty Spear’ skill, crafting a spear that he wielded with ferocity, slashing through the disoriented crowds like a whirlwind. Blood splattered, and gruesome cuts appeared on the bodies of those mindless puppets as his rage fueled his every movement.

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Just as chaos reigned, Mia employed her ‘Harmony’ skill, casting a soothing aura that healed the injured and lulled them into a deep sleep. This cycle of violence and healing continued for about ten minutes until Nico began to notice something strange.

‘They aren’t attacking us themself. What’s going on? Oh no, are they trying to wear us down? If they get us in one hit, we’re done for,’ he thought, anxiety creeping in. Acting quickly, he called out to Mia, “Pull me up!”

A white fog enveloped Nico’s muscular figure, lifting him off the ground and propelling him toward the clouds above. As he rose, he took a moment to gather his thoughts, readying himself for any sudden attacks.

But nothing happened, and he arrived next to Mia safely. The mindless puppets scattered as they lost their target on the ground.

Nico observed his surroundings, first casting his gaze down towards the bank, then shifting his attention to the left where the supermarket stood, and finally glancing to the right at the hotel. He concluded his survey by looking straight ahead towards the imposing structure of the mansion, conducting a thorough assessment and confirmed nothing was strange. He gave a sigh of relief.

In the building behind Nico’s back, there were three people standing near the window and looking at the unfolding event.

“Why didn’t we make our move just now?” Henrik enquired; his voice laced with frustration.

“Right! We could have at least taken out that male White Soul while we had the chance,” Shambu chimed in, clearly eager for action.

In response, Anbu turned to face his companions, his expression serious and thoughtful. “It is not the right moment for such actions,” he asserted. “Although we deceived him, the truth will be out if we take action prematurely.”

Shambu’s expression shifted as a realisation dawned upon him. He spoke cautiously, “You are correct, brother. We still have not encountered ‘Thieving Maiden’. It is indeed unfortunate that you only succeeded in acquiring thirty puppets from the multitude of mindless puppets available to us.”

Henrik, unable to contain his thoughts, raised a suggestion. “Should I go and try to lure her out then?”

Anbu looked at him incredulously and replied, “Sometimes I question whether you truly are the Lord’s son. Have you forgotten that you possess all of our pure souls? It would be best if you remained quiet and observed instead.”

For a brief moment, an uncomfortable silence enveloped them, as each contemplated the implications of their situation. Shambu eventually broke the stillness, stating, “By the way, I was really taken aback when I heard Rajiv was using his custom asteroid here.”

Anbu scoffed, a hint of jealousy creeping into his voice. “He’s just showing off; there’s no reason to focus on him. We have made far more progress. If it weren’t for the lack of black beads, I would have completed my tasks within a week and returned home.”

“Huh! What is that?” Henrik exclaimed; his surprise palpable.

Anbu’s expression shifted as he realised what was happening. “Hmm, Is it her famous ‘Treasure Identifier’ skill? It’s a clever move to use this skill to find our Soul Box in such a way, it not only tracks us but also bypass the traps I set in those three buildings.”

“Stop praising her; our position is now compromised,” Shambu said, a hint of dread in his voice.

“Indeed! We must relocate immediately; it is unlikely that she can execute such a wide-ranging skill in such a brief time frame,” Anbu instructed, decisively leading the group as they prepared to move from their exposed position.

…

Dhruv and Tara found themselves in a unique situation as they arrived near the luxurious hotel, each embodying their own distinct forms. Dhruv, a muscular man in his thirties, carried an air of confidence and experience, while Tara, youthful at just 25, exuded an energetic curiosity. Both are Dhruv’s ‘Star Clone’ but they showed the embodiment of their respective individuals.

“Here, and at two other locations, I can sense the presence of black bead energy,” she stated, her tone serious yet composed.

Dhruv sought clarity, replying, “And the Black Soul is not in either of these places, am I correct?”

“That’s right,” Tara confirmed. “At least we’ve had the chance to witness the capabilities of the White Souls. Now, we have a clearer understanding of what we are up against.” Her assurance brought a slight ease to Dhruv’s mind, despite the gravitas of their situation.

However, he was again preoccupied with an unsettling thought. “That is undoubtedly true, but what could have triggered these unconscious puppets to take action? Is it possible that they encountered Black Souls within the Bank?”

Tara hesitated, her brow furrowing as she considered his question. “I can’t say for sure, but instead of speculating, let’s put my ‘Treasure Identifier’ skill to use and locate them directly.” With that, she knelt and touched the earth with her right hand, channeling her abilities into the ground.

Dhruv watched intently as a translucent, white fog began to ripple outward, sweeping across the landscape as though nothing could impede its passage. The effect was captivating and somewhat reassuring, giving them insight into their surrounding environment. But as she opened her eyes, a flicker of confusion crossed her face.

“They’re back in that building,” she reported, her brow furrowing slightly in concentration. “And it looks like there are three of them right here with us. However, by using my skill, I’ve inadvertently alerted everyone in this vicinity to my presence.”

Dhruv quickly dismissed her worries, pointing upwards as a large, snow-white cloud began to descend towards them. “It’s alright. Look, they’ve already taken notice and are heading our way.”

Tara followed the direction of his gaze, “So, does that mean our plan commences now?” she enquired, the gravity of the situation evident in her voice.

“Indeed,” Dhruv affirmed, his expression resolute as they braced themselves for the unfolding events.

“Wasn’t she alone? Why are there two of them now?” Mia asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she observed the scene before her. The sudden appearance of a second figure alongside the notorious thief raised several questions.

“Who cares! If she trusts him to be by her side, then he is an ally,” Nico replied dismissively, waving a hand as if to brush aside any concerns. His tone suggested a certain level of arrogance.

“Do not underestimate the Thieving Maiden,” Mia cautioned, her voice carrying an edge of seriousness. “Although she may be a clone, her craftiness and resourcefulness are not to be overlooked. Moreover, this new figure is an unknown entity, which makes him a potential threat. It is imperative that we gather information about him before proceeding,” she advised, underscoring the importance of caution in the face of uncertainty.

“Yeah, yeah, I understand; let’s go,” Nico responded with a confident tone, attempting to convey that he was undeterred by her warning. And together they descended the terrain, making their way toward Dhruv and Tara, determined to assess the situation and formulate a strategy.