As the emerald bars dissipated into nothingness, the woman gracefully stepped through the now open cell, her unwavering gaze fixed upon Atlas and Dante.
The atmosphere crackled with electric intensity, a fusion of apprehension and anticipation intertwining between them.
Atlas, intimately acquainted with the woman's prowess, couldn't help but feel a knot tighten in his chest.
Her mere presence summoned memories of past encounters, where her every movement exuded authority and her unrelenting pursuit of perfection pushed him to his limits.
He recognized her as Luna, a renowned assassin and an infamous figure within the clandestine realms.
"Atlas, and you little scoundrel... find yourselves standing at a pivotal crossroads," she spoke, her words imbued with an unsettling calmness.
"You have been presented with a rare opportunity to escape your confinement, but understand this: your freedom will come at a price."
Atlas met her piercing gaze, his eyes betraying a mix of trepidation and curiosity. "What do you desire from us, Miss Luna?" he inquired, his voice steady despite the lingering fear within.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Luna's lips, a glimmer of intrigue dancing in her eyes.
"Well, Arthur has already compensated me for my services, but as the beneficiaries, you would be required to pay. It is only fair, considering I am a merchant first and foremost..." she stated, pausing momentarily as if contemplating a change of mind.
"I shall calculate the cost, and you shall settle the debt at a later time."
"Miss Luna, please enlighten us regarding the cost," Atlas asked with apprehension, conscientiously addressing her with the respectful title she commanded.
Unlike Arthur, whom he had addressed directly without any formalities, Luna demanded a different level of deference.
"A wise decision. It appears you are familiar with my reputation," Luna's eyes sparkled, the first hint of a countenance contradicting her imposing and somber aura.
"First and foremost, it is evident that I have spared you from several nights of torment and agony. But before that, it was I who contacted Arthur, for he cannot reach out to you due to obvious reasons.
"Furthermore, I have been entrusted with the task of safely delivering the little scoundrel to the Oxford Institute, reducing the risk of exposing his true identity.
"This necessitates the elimination of a few Magic Knights who bore witness to your recent skirmish," Luna explained, pointing subtly towards Dante, consistently referring to him as the "little scoundrel" since her arrival.
"And finally, I must secure a fortified sanctuary for you, while establishing connections with a select group of my esteemed associates to aid your mission.
"Hence, that encompasses all my obligations, and as I mentioned earlier, the costs have already been covered.
"However, as beneficiaries, I expect a more substantial contribution from you. I shall contact you later for the fulfillment of my payment," Luna concluded, her grin widening across her face.
"But..." Atlas began, only to be swiftly interrupted by Luna.
"No... no... Do not disappoint me as your father did. He approached me to join his Hell Squadron, but alas, he could not meet the price.
"And now, here we stand. No excuses, for we do not have the luxury of haggling over trivial amounts," Luna declared, grasping both of them by their collars as they vanished into her shadow.
Atlas yearned to discern the precise cost, knowing well of Luna's notorious reputation for imposing additional charges upon her clients.
As she had previously mentioned, she was a merchant above all else. However, it was equally undeniable that she was an assassin, weaving a dangerous path through the shadows of her trade.
As Atlas and Dante found themselves enveloped by Luna's shadow, a moment of disorientation washed over them.
The world seemed to shift and twist, the boundaries between dimensions blurring, until finally, they emerged in a dimly lit chamber.
The air carried a heavy scent of must and secrecy, and the room itself exuded an aura of both danger and sanctuary.
Luna's penetrating gaze settled upon Dante, meticulously scrutinizing his every feature. Truth be told, she had gleaned much about the boy from the whispers that had reached her ears.
Even if Arthur had not explicitly instructed her to pay close attention to him, Luna would have done so regardless.
She had witnessed the footage of this year's academy trial, observing how Dante had faced the challenges before him.
Despite his apparent inferiority in terms of raw power compared to the other participants, the boy displayed remarkable tenacity and skill.
His prowess with a blade was undeniable, and it seemed that he had harnessed a unique reservoir of energy when his magical abilities were constrained.
And oh, Luna knew that energy all too well. It was a power that had once cast the world into a maelstrom of conflict, a time when she was just a child.
The heroes of that era had valiantly risen to quell the devastating war ignited by that very energy.
To now discover that this young boy not only shared blood ties with one of those heroes but also possessed the very essence of their former enemy presented a perplexing enigma.
The boy held within him the potential to shape the fate of not only their mission but the fragile balance of power in the world itself. A flicker of intrigue danced in Luna's eyes, a glimmer of the secrets she yearned to unravel.
(Author's Note: Luna was certainly not aware of the complete scope of Dante's abilities, including his Cursed Brands and unique skills like Immersive Editor.
However, the knowledge she possessed about the Abs Race was sufficient to evoke such a reaction. It's important to note that Luna does not possess any divination powers or similar abilities.)
Meanwhile, Dante unbeknownst to the real powers of the world and his formidable lineage looked at the woman who had just basically saved their lives.
Luna's attention refocused on the present, her gaze meeting Dante's eyes. At that moment, Luna's gaze softened a bit, and a hint of something akin to empathy flickered in her usually emotionless eyes.
For a fleeting instant, memories of her childhood trapped in a tumultuous world resurfaced within her.
She recognized that the slums were an unfitting environment for a young child to thrive, and she understood that only a handful of supports could shield individuals from straying off the "right" path, with money being one of them.
Consequently, the explanation for her insatiable greed for money, but that story belongs to another time...
"Hey... little scoundrel. How much do you know about swordsmanship? I have other obligations, but I can spare some time for you, and you will compensate me for it," Luna stated, idly twirling her pistol on her finger, her finger on the trigger.
"Well, I know what I've been taught, but I don't have all the answers. Lately, it feels like I've been at a loss for words," Dante replied, scratching his head awkwardly, uncertain about the significance of adding that extra piece of information.
Perhaps his earlier conversation with Atlas had left him a bit confused.
"Who was your teacher?" Luna inquired, spinning her pistol with her finger still hovering near the trigger.
Dante considered responding with a vague "I'd rather not say," but the click of the firearm when Luna's mana surged dissuaded him.
Truthfully, Dante didn't feel ashamed or anything when it came to revealing his teacher's name—Magnus.
The issue lay more with Magnus himself, a person who would nonchalantly appear in a forest with a gourd of alcohol in hand, paying no mind to a bleeding boy while engaging a group of thugs.
He wasn't exactly the best role model. Granted, he did save Dante, but still, Dante had reservations. However, any reservations quickly dissipated as he uttered, "Magnus." Unfortunately, what he had hoped wouldn't happen, happened.
"Hmmm, that bastard. I see... that explains the hairstyle and the dark aesthetics..." Luna remarked, a creepy grin forming on her face. Dante instinctively recoiled, sensing the shift in her demeanor.
"Hah, so you're a fan of his, huh? Then I suppose you'll have to pay for his crimes..." Luna added, a dark thought crossing her mind.
However, she knew she had to set it aside for now, as per her agreement with Arthur. She needed to inform Dante about the circumstances surrounding his chosen path of wielding weapons.
"Well, it doesn't matter. It's not like you're going anywhere, and none of us are meeting our end anytime soon. Well, maybe you later on, but let's not dwell on that. Let's get down to it," Luna declared, revealing all the necessary information to Dante.
This time, there is no theatricality to my words. Dante listened intently, absorbing every detail. Meanwhile, Theia giggled with delight, observing how her plans were progressing faster than anticipated.
The brat was inching closer to her ultimate goal, providing her with endless amusement and fulfilling her primary objective, a goal that had compelled her to defy the cycle of death and place her faith in a human...
Meanwhile, amidst these various occurrences, Atlas stood in his dim surroundings, his demeanor mirroring a dark cloud.
His melancholy stemmed not from his earlier encounter with the Mage Knight, which he had already forgotten.
What saddened him was the fact that he would remain confined to this somber room until their mission was accomplished.
As he stared at Dante, he realized that the young man had taken his usual position of direct contact with the "big guys." Surprisingly, though, Atlas found himself unfazed, his thoughts consumed solely by this gloomy space...