"Now this is troublesome," Linda muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing. "What should we do now?" Sol asked with a frown, his voice carrying unease. Kael stood up slowly, his expression tense. He paused for a moment as if weighing the risks. "There aren't many forces stationed here," he finally said. "We can sneak in and burn the rations. But doing so will awaken the demon. It's an S-rank. Don't underestimate it. Without the proper means, it can kill even several S-ranks alone." His words hung heavily in the air. The thought of facing something like that made the air feel colder. Kael turned his gaze to Linda. "You have a hiding spell, right?" Linda gave a short nod. "Good. Stay here and when needed." "I will do that…In case of emergency you can fire a flare..You have it right?"she asked wearily. Linda then began chanting softly. The glow of her magic flickered around her, and her image slowly blurred until she was almost invisible, like smoke vanishing into air. Dıscover more novels at 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵 "Wait," Sol spoke up. His voice cracked a little. "How will we find you if you disappear ?" "I've already marked your mana and tracks," Linda answered calmly. "Don't worry. I'll be able to reach you." Her voice faded as her body vanished from sight. Kael adjusted the hood over his head. "Let's go." His tone was steady and cold. The group leaped down from the ridge and moved silently across the rough ground. The night was quite dark and the camp ahead glowed faintly with firelight. Shadows of demons flickered near the tents. They stepped in cautiously with nimble movement.Not a single word was spoken. Only the faint rustle of their cloaks and the soft crunch of dirt underfoot marked their presence. Kael hushed, waving his hand to draw attention and pointed ahead. Sol and Freya crouched down onto the ground, seeing a shadow trail on the ground. Kael made a signal saying he will take it down. His body slid through the ground nimbly without leaving any footsteps on the ground laden with snow. He came up behind a patrolling demon and, without a sound, drew his dagger across its throat while closing the demon's lips with his palm.Blood spilled as the creature collapsed with a faint gurgle. Kael then signalled them to follow. The three of them moved like shadows through the night. The campfires burned faint in the distance. Smoke drifted upward, and the stench of blood and burnt meat hung in the air. The ground felt damp,with every step pressing into mud and dirt. Kael raised his hand, signaling them to stop. His eyes scanned the area. A demon guard walked lazily near a tent, dragging a spear along the ground. Kael's figure melted into the darkness. He closed the distance in silence, his body gliding with ease. In a flash, his dagger slid out. He hooked an arm around the demon's throat, pulling it back. With one twist of his wrist, the blade cut clean across. The demon gurgled once before collapsing. Kael let the body sink into the shadows, wiping his blade with calm precision. Sol was stunned,and his breath caught in his chest. Freya's eyes flickered,in amazement They had seen kills before, but the speed and silence of Kael's strike left them stunned especially since they didn't know he had such kills. Kael didn't pause. Another demon approached from the other side. He crouched low, moved behind the creature, then drove the dagger upward through the back of its skull. He twisted the blade sharply, jerking it free as the demon's body fell limp. "That's awesome…"Freya whispered as her fingers tightened around her dagger. She stepped forward, mimicking Kael's silent steps. "Your assassin skills are quite good," Freya whispered, her voice hushed with awe. Kael wiped his blade on the grass and kept walking. "I just picked it up during my training," he replied flatly. Before Sol could speak, Freya's hand moved. A dagger slipped from her fingers with deadly accuracy. The blade buried itself deep into the throat of a demon that had stepped out from the shadows. Its eyes widened in shock, not even understanding how it had died. The bulky body toppled forward with a dull thud. They quickly dragged it into the dark, hiding the corpse among the rocks. Kael turned to Freya and raised his thumb in silent approval. For a fleeting moment, her lips curved faintly. Sol watched their exchange, his chest tightening. His thoughts stirred bitterly. 'Why am I feeling so useless here?' When a smaller demon turned the corner, she struck. Her dagger slid into its chest. She pushed harder, covering its mouth with her hand as it trembled. A final thrust ended its struggle. She dragged the body into the shadows, and then covered it with miscellaneous things kept on side. Kael glanced back. For a brief moment, his eyes met hers. He gave a small nod of approval. 'She had been trained quite well…Martina's people are quite competent on their own.' His eyes then turned around. 'With the camp already smelling rotten,they won't be able to notice dead bodies with smells; however , they might be alerted late still we can just run through as the camp only consists of remnants now.' Leaving hesitation,Kael just decided to kill his way through. More guards wandered nearby, but none saw their approach. Kael moved like water, slipping between the gaps of light and darkness. His dagger flickered again and again, each strike fast and final. One throat slit clean, another stabbed through the heart. He spun the blade in his grip, sliding it down into a demon's neck, then twisted hard before pulling free. Freya followed close behind. Her moves were not as smooth, but she learned quickly. When another demon came, she ducked under its swing, drove her blade into its side, and dragged it across. Blood sprayed, but she stepped back quickly, her eyes sharp and focused. Sol trailed them, with an uncanny look.He could only watch as two engaged.His heart raced faster as he saw how easily Kael and Freya ended lives, while he stood in the shadows, unable to act. Sighing,he patted himself. 'Cheer up Sol!Your time will come.'