Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1705: The Second Wall (Part 2)

The outer circle of the Noble Guild was still operating in a state of eerie, false normalcy, but everyone in Raze’s group knew it would only be a matter of time before someone discovered something suspicious. Mages were constantly moving between the various barracks and shifting positions along the wall. Eventually, someone would realize that an entire rotation of personnel had simply vanished.

If people were missing, the higher-ups might assume something had gone wrong with a specific assignment for a while, but it wouldn’t take long for them to get to the bottom of the issue. The group needed to move fast before the silence in the barracks became an alarm in itself.

As they traveled through the narrow streets of the outer ring, they quickly slipped into one of the residential houses located close to the inner wall. It was empty, the occupants were likely either working in one of the many magical facilities in the city or were among the mages the group had already eliminated. It provided a temporary vantage point where they could speak freely.

"So, that’s the second wall?" Lambo asked as he peered out through a window. From this distance, he could see the silhouettes of mages standing guard on top of the fortifications. "Do you have any idea how to get through this one? We could have Kelly use the mask to transform into Natty again. Since she was originally from the second ring, she should be able to walk right through the gate, right? Once she’s inside, she can find a way to let the rest of us in."

"That won’t be possible," Raze answered, his voice low. "When I was posing as Natty earlier, I was spotted by someone who reported that she had been killed. If that information has already reached the outer ring, you can be certain that the higher-ranking members of the Noble Guild inside the second wall know it too. Posing as her now would be a death sentence. Furthermore, the mask can only transform us into people we have actually seen. we can’t just invent a persona and hope for the best."

The group sat in the dim light of the abandoned house for a while, the tension thick as they brainstormed their next move. After discarding several options, they realized they only had a few realistic paths forward.

"One of us needs to get to the other side using the mask," Kelly suggested. "Either someone sneaks to the top of the wall and gets rid of a guard, or we replace ourselves as one of them and open the way. Or, we try to pose as one of the outer commanders and claim we have urgent news to spread. They might let us in then, and we can work from the inside."

"There is also the option of just attacking the place head-on," B stated bluntly. She leaned against the wall, her hand resting on her sword. "It feels like we’re going to get caught eventually anyway. If we launch a large-scale attack from the get-go, we can do a massive amount of damage before they can react, right?"

Raze considered the thought. As a nine-star mage, he was a walking disaster. He remembered his war against the Behemoth Guild; he was more than capable of raining down a storm of magical terror on the fortifications. However, the costs were too high. A direct assault of that magnitude would drain too much of his mana too early and immediately attract the undivided attention of the Grand Magus. They weren’t ready for that fight just yet.

"Alright, fine. Since you don’t like the idea of a frontal assault, I have another suggestion," B said. "I’ll go through. I’ve gotten used to using this sword; I can simply phase through the physical barrier of the wall. From there, I can take out one of their people and use the mask to pretend to be them. Once I’m established, I’ll let the rest of you in."

It sounded like the most viable plan they had, but there was one glaring issue: the person volunteering was B. Out of everyone in the group, she was the person they trusted the least. She had no real reason to ensure the plan went perfectly other than her own survival.

"I know that look," B said, noticing the hesitation in their eyes. "Haven’t I helped you guys enough already? You are waging a war and causing mass destruction. The more blood that is spilled, the more I can feel my own powers growing. Besides, I have my own goals. After all of this is finished, I intend to be back on Pagna."

The others looked at each other. They could have simply taken the sword from her and sent someone else, but it was true that B was perhaps the best suited for this specific task due to her raw strength and her familiarity with the weapon’s phasing abilities.

"In a lot of ways, she has no reason to work for the Grand Magus or switch sides," Raze noted. "They can’t give her what she wants, at least, they wouldn’t do so willingly. She’s a wildcard, but her interests align with ours for now."

"If I joined the other side, I would only be getting rid of you idiots," B replied with a sharp grin. "So, I’ll do what I can."

Raze reached into his robes and tossed a communicator over to her. B caught it out of the air without looking.

"These wristbands aren’t the same as the ones they use on the second wall, but they will allow us to stay in touch," Raze told her. "Keep it hidden. If you are caught, or if you encounter something you can’t handle, you have to let us know immediately. We move on your signal."

B nodded, her expression uncharacteristically serious as she began to prepare for the infiltration. The group watched as she approached the wall, knowing that the fate of their mission now rested in the hands of their most unpredictable ally.

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