Even though it was late and everything was dark, with no one in sight, one glance was enough to see this place was in even worse shape than the Iron Jackals' territory.
Debris was piled up everywhere, and most of the houses looked like they were on the verge of collapsing. There were even stains of dried blood on the ground… in almost every spot my eyes landed.
The dust and filth were suffocating. You could feel them in your lungs with every breath.
Alice and I looked at Aiden.
"I thought the Shadow Fangs were the most powerful group in the center," I said.
"They are," he replied, his tone somber.
"But…"
"I told you. Even though they have the most food and resources in the center, they keep nearly all of it for themselves. They leave barely any scraps for the others… most of whom are relatives of their own members. Still, they follow Jacob's orders to the letter. Even if it means watching their loved ones suffer."
I caught a glimpse of Aiden clenching his fists as he spoke. Each word seemed to cost him.
"Why don't people move to other zones, where other groups are in charge?" Alice asked, frowning.
"They can't. Since the Shadow Fangs hoard the majority of the food, the other groups are barely surviving. They can't take in anyone else."
"And," Aiden added, lowering his voice, "Jacob wouldn't let them leave. If they did, he'd lose potential servants born from those people."
This place…
Its condition is comparable to the outer zones. It's insane to think this area has the most resources in all the slums.
Jacob...
Now I understand why Aiden sees him as the greatest evil in the slums and why he's so determined to stop him.
We kept moving between buildings for several minutes until Aiden stopped us with a gesture.
"See that abandoned building, a few meters ahead?" he pointed. "That's the Shadow Fangs' base."
"Is Jacob there?" I asked, lowering my voice.
"At the top," he said with certainty. "Every time I eliminated someone near this zone… I could feel Jacob's mana flowing from there, approaching me."
"I see… Then, just like we planned, we'll go in while masking our mana as much as possible. He mustn't sense us," I said.
Alice and Aiden nodded.
We suppressed our presence as much as we could and entered through a second-story window of the ten-story building. The window led into a wide, empty room.
It was without a doubt the best-maintained building in the entire area. Possibly in all the slums.
It was obvious where the resources were going.
As we moved quietly, Aiden explained that the important members lived here. The higher their power and rank, the higher their room was located. Remo and Reuben slept on the ninth floor. Jacob was the only one who stayed on the tenth.
We advanced quickly down the hallways. If I had to guess, I'd say this used to be a luxury hotel, probably one of the finest buildings in the city, surpassed only by George's properties… which were completely destroyed after the revolt.
Even though it wasn't perfectly maintained, you could still see echoes of its former grandeur the structure of the walls, the floors, the stairs… it was all beautiful. The halls were high enough for the three of us to move comfortably.
The higher we climbed, the more artistic the design became animal figures carved into the walls, black wooden floors, doorknobs that looked like they were made of gold. Worn, yes, but still imposing, like the shadow of what once was.
Finally, we reached the doors to the top floor.
We teleported, bringing Aiden with us, because unlike the rest of the building, these doors were locked. Opening them would have made too much noise, alerting Jacob.
We made sure to hide our mana as best we could while using the skill, so a rank 3 like Jacob wouldn't notice us immediately.
The tenth floor was completely different.
Instead of a hallway with rooms like the lower floors, it was more like a grand, almost palatial hall. Wide, open. There were no doors or divisions. It was as if the entire floor was a single room.
Maybe this building wasn't just a hotel… but the property of someone immensely wealthy. Maybe this was their personal suite.
There were pillars holding up the ceiling. I signaled to Alice and Aiden. They nodded and we split up. Each of us took position behind a pillar. We climbed and began moving forward, using them as cover.
Within seconds, we were only a few meters from the far end of the floor.
That's when we saw it.
A massive bed, draped with a canopy that blocked our view of what was inside but someone was definitely sleeping there.
I focused with all my might. I could sense a faint mana. Whoever was there… was asleep.
That must be Jacob. But we can't be a hundred percent sure. We can't get any closer. If we do, he might sense us even if we're hiding our energy.
After all… he's a mid-rank too.
Should we attack?
The odds that it's anyone other than Jacob sleeping there are nearly zero.
Looks like Alice and Aiden think the same.
I see them getting ready.
Alice grips her spear. Aiden extends his hand, aiming at the bed. I begin to do the same.
But… something's bothering me.
A bad feeling.
Like we're making a terrible mistake.
I look at Alice and Aiden. There's no doubt in their eyes. They're ready. Just waiting for my signal.
Alice glances at me and frowns. She can read me easily. Her eyes ask without words, "What's wrong, Ethan?"
There's no choice.
At any moment, Jacob might feel the fluctuations caused by Alice and Aiden. If we stop now, he could wake up. Escape. Or worse, alert the others sleeping in this building. If that happens and Jacob still has his strength… things could get very dangerous.
We have to do it now.
I raise my hand and whisper,
"Gravity."
In an instant, gravity around the bed multiplies tenfold. The target won't be able to move quickly.
That was the signal Alice and Aiden were waiting for.
Without wasting a second, Alice unleashed a slash empowered by her spear. The attack shot forward at nearly invisible speed toward the bed.
At the same time, Aiden whispered,
"Light beam."
A blinding burst of light lit up the entire room. The beam fired straight at the bed, almost simultaneously with Alice's attack.
The impact shook the building. The tenth floor practically exploded. All that remained was a thick cloud of dust.
Any rank 3 caught off guard would've been seriously wounded.
I rushed into the smoke, intending to find Jacob and heal him if needed. I had to keep him alive.
Within seconds, I saw a figure on the floor, soaked in a pool of blood. It was mangled.
Jacob… is he dead?
That shouldn't be possible. He was supposed to be a mid-rank. With the amount of mana a rank 3 possesses, his body should've been far more resilient than a novice. Even if we caught him by surprise… his body should've survived the attack. Wounded, yes but alive.
I approached the body.
I saw what little was left of his face.
And in that moment, the bad feeling peaked.
This man… doesn't look anything like Aiden's description.
I sensed Alice and Aiden approaching.
When they arrived, Aiden looked at the corpse.
And suddenly, his expression changed completely.
Within seconds, he was pale.
"Who is he?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
My eyes widened in shock.
In that instant…
A sharp pain shot through the side of my stomach.
Before I realized it…
I was flying toward one of the pillars.