The first figures emerged from the darkness, their footsteps echoing through the ancient ruins. Hikaru counted at least a dozen at first glance, but he knew better than to assume those were all. The air was too thick, too heavy with unseen threats. They weren't just dealing with soldiers or mercenaries. No, the way they moved… these were people who didn't need to be seen to be dangerous.
Budi exhaled sharply. "So, do we have a plan, or are we just winging it?"
Hikaru grinned. "Budi, please. Have some faith in me."
Budi didn't blink. "That wasn't an answer."
Selene's silver eyes flickered as she studied the incoming figures. "They're not from the Magisterium."
Aldric didn't move, but his posture shifted ever so slightly. "No."
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. Secret cult?"
Aldric's eyes didn't leave the approaching group. "Something worse."
Budi scoffed. "Why is it always something worse?"
The figures finally stepped into the dim light of the chamber. Their armor was mismatched—some wore dark leathers, others had enchanted robes woven with symbols that looked disturbingly similar to the seals on the door. Hikaru's mind immediately began piecing things together.
One man stepped forward, a tall, gaunt figure with deep-set eyes and a slow, deliberate gait. He wasn't dressed like a warrior. He was cloaked, his robes moving unnaturally, like they weren't entirely bound to this reality.
And when he smiled, Hikaru knew they were in trouble.
"Sir Aldric Vaelmont," the man greeted smoothly, his voice too calm for someone walking into a fight. "I see you're still playing your little role."
Aldric's grip on his sword remained firm. "You shouldn't be here."
The man chuckled. "And yet, here we are."
Budi leaned slightly toward Hikaru. "I hate when people steal your lines."
Hikaru whispered back, "Me too."
The cloaked man turned his gaze toward Hikaru's group, his sharp eyes lingering on Budi. "Ah. The ones causing such a mess above. I was wondering when we'd meet."
Hikaru flicked a card between his fingers. "I'd say it's an honor, but you seem like the type of guy who'd stab someone mid-handshake."
The man chuckled. "You're not wrong."
Selene stepped forward, her magic humming at her fingertips. "Who are you?"
The man placed a hand over his chest in mock politeness. "You may call me Marrow."
Budi muttered, "That's a terrible name."
Hikaru nodded sagely. "Very villain-y."
Marrow smiled, unfazed. "You stand before something greater than yourselves. You do not belong here."
Aldric spoke, his voice low. "Neither do you."
Marrow tilted his head. "On the contrary. We are the keepers of the lost. We are the ones who understand the truth of what lies beyond this door."
Hikaru smirked. "And let me guess. You want to open it?"
Marrow chuckled. "Of course. We are merely finishing what was started long ago."
Aldric's voice was colder than before. "What you seek will not serve you. It will consume you."
Marrow spread his hands. "Perhaps. But that is a risk worth taking."
Hikaru sighed dramatically. "Ah, great. Another 'knowledge is worth any cost' cult. I swear, you guys need a new marketing strategy."
Budi raised a hand. "Yeah, quick question. Let's say, hypothetically, you do open the door. Then what?"
Marrow's smile widened. "Then we return what was taken. We restore what was forgotten."
Selene's fingers twitched. "You mean unleash it."
Marrow tilted his head slightly. "You make it sound so… negative."
Hikaru exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Okay, I've had enough of the ominous monologuing. Either fight us or go start your creepy ritual elsewhere."
Marrow chuckled. "Very well."
He raised a single hand.
And the shadows behind him exploded.
Figures rushed forward, faster than they should have been, their movements distorted like something had twisted the air itself. They weren't just humans—they were enhanced, their forms flickering between reality and something else.
Hikaru's mind clicked into action. Illusions, spatial distortions, layered combat. He'd dealt with worse.
He flicked a card into the air. [Skill Activated: ♣10 – Trick Shot]
The card vanished.
A second later, it reappeared—right in front of one of the charging enemies, solidifying into a wall of force. The man slammed into it, crashing backward like he had run into an invisible wall.
Budi moved next, his mask shifting, his presence warping. He wasn't dodging—he was making them miss. Their eyes flickered, their attacks landing on empty air because he wasn't where they thought he was.
Selene's silver sigils lashed out, binding two of them in place, locking them in magical restraints before they could react.
Aldric moved like a ghost, his greatsword cleaving through their forces with perfect, controlled strikes. He wasn't fighting desperately—he was executing.
And yet, for every one they cut down, more kept coming.
Hikaru exhaled. "Well, this is annoying."
Budi deflected another strike. "Understatement of the year."
Selene sealed another attacker. "There's too many."
Hikaru flicked another card into his palm. "Then we change the rules."
He threw it. [Skill Activated: ♥A – The Long Con]
The moment the card landed, the battlefield shifted.
Not physically. Not magically.
But mentally.
For the enemies, things no longer made sense. Their footing felt unstable, their strikes landed where nothing existed. The ruins twisted just slightly—enough to make them second-guess their own actions.
That was all the opening they needed.
Budi struck, his masked form flickering between styles. His hits landed clean, his opponents never fast enough to react.
Aldric's blade sliced through another, his movements precise, efficient.
Selene trapped the final one in a silver cage, locking them in place.
And then—
Silence.
Marrow stood at the far end of the chamber, smiling.
Hikaru adjusted his glasses. "I feel like you should look more disappointed."
Marrow chuckled. "Oh, you misunderstand."
He gestured toward the chained door.
The seals were fading.
The battle wasn't the real goal.
It was the distraction.
Budi exhaled sharply. "Oh. That's bad."
Selene's silver eyes darkened. "The seal is breaking."
Aldric's grip on his sword tightened. "We're out of time."
Hikaru smirked, flicking a card into his fingers. "Alright, then. Guess it's time for one last trick."