Chapter 304 – Niel

Chapter 304 – Niel

Kai gulped.

I’ve found him…

The realization sank in like a rock, slow and bulky.

Since Niel had been abducted, the scene at the misty docks had replayed countless times in his head. If only he had reacted faster, kept an eye on their surroundings, adapted to the kidnappers’ nullifying abilities.

The failure to protect his companion gnawed at him for a month. Kai reexamined the glowing world of Mana Observer—there was no mistaking it. The network of veins was a perfect match for his memories except for the murky tangle around the torso, but he felt certain that man was Niel.

Whatever twisted experiment the cultists had performed on him, he could reverse it once they got him out of there. If his Alchemy wasn’t enough, he had enough gold to buy his way to a solution.

As long as he’s alive—

“Mat?” Kea poked his back, voice laden with tense anticipation.

He realized he had gone silent without sharing the news. “He’s here.” There was no need to say more.

Kai couldn’t see her reaction through her Camouflage skill except for her fluttering aura.

“Are you… sure it’s him…?” Her voice quivered.

“I am. He’s in there.” He gestured at the figures in the chamber. Derrell’s intel and his memories both matched. More than that, he felt certain.

Is this…

He took a moment to recognize the ephemeral murmurs of Hallowed Intuition, so long they had stayed silent. The Lake of Myst dampened the skill, but this time it had been different. He had followed Caeli into a trap without receiving a whimper of warning.

Caeli knew I had a Fate-based danger skill.

Despite trying to hide the exact details, slips were inevitable over weeks.

Spirits, I feel so stupid.

Kai clenched his fists to control his boiling temper. Even at sea, the cultists who boarded the Intrepid had messed with his Intuition. With prior knowledge, they must have prepared tighter countermeasures.

When I get my hands on that traitorous—

The soft brushing of Kea’s arm on his shoulder dragged him back to the present. His sister took half a step forward before looking at him. “What’s the plan?” Urgency to act dripped from her tone—not the slightest hesitation for the danger.

Kai stifled a smile. If he were to lead, he had to be level-headed enough for both of them. “Give me a moment.”

At the end of the brightly lit corridor, past the black-painted door layered with wards and a polished handle, seven auras shone inside. Ideally, they would have rescued Niel when he was alone, but the world rarely cared for his preferences. Each second, the chances someone would find the guards they killed increased.

Keeping his touch light, Kai sifted the mad cultists from the victims who sported inky blotches of twisted mana. “There are four of them inside. All fully at Yellow,” he said dryly.

This many foes would have been a challenge in the best of conditions. Now, his mind and body were still reeling from the imprisonment, yet there was no time to rest.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

There wasn’t room for error if he wanted to walk away alive. Five minutes had already passed since leaving the others, which left just ten to get back in the agreed timeline. Even taking into account that Flynn would delay departure, he had little time to ponder.

Go keep an eye on them, Hobbes. I’m counting on you to get them out. I can handle it here.

Kai scoured the depths of his ego to radiate self-confidence through the bond. Despite Hobbes’ apprehension, his sense of duty toward Kai’s companions—or at least Flynn—won out. The furball commanded him to avoid silly human whims before his presence skipped away through the tunnels.

Thanks, buddy. You take care too.

If the rescue went awry, the familiar bond was the quickest way to tell Flynn to run.

Whatever happens here, they can make it out.

Relieved of one weight, he turned back to the black door. “We’ll have to fight head-on. Are you sure you want to—” Kai scratched his neck, hesitating.

Kea lowered her Camouflage and glared at him for an answer.

I expected that.

“I had to ask.” He raised his palms to placate her. “I know you’re determined, but bridging the gap between grades isn’t a matter of willpower.”

“I’m willing to take the chance for Niel.” Kea bit her lip, expression souring. “He would do the same for me. He did when he stayed in Limgrell to save a traitor. We’d all be safe if I—”

Kai squeezed her shoulder. “We’re all good at acting in hindsight. Let’s get Niel out of there before arguing who’s to blame.”

“But—” Kea scrunched her face and breathed out through her nose. “Okay… do you have a plan?”

“Obviously, I’m going to knock and ask them to let me in.”

His sister stared at him for a long while before realizing he wasn’t joking. “That’s your plan…?”

He grinned. “They’ll never expect it.”

“Yes. Because it’s stupid.”

“Well…” Pressed for time, Kai quickly shared the rest of his idea. “Knocking is just the first part…”

Once he finished explaining, Kea shook her head and checked the daggers he lent her. “It’s a gamble, but it’s better than any idea I got. Can’t I be the one to knock?”

Did she admit I’m better at something…?

“You must trust me to do my part,” Kai said, his voice colder than he intended. “No matter what happens, you stick to the plan. I can’t worry about what you’ll do on your own once we start.”

Stolen story; please report.

“I understand. And I’m glad you’re here…” Kea looked away, begrudging but determined. “Anyway, this is not my first time fighting people on the mainland.”

Uh…? We’ll talk about that later…

“I’ll trust you with my back.” Kai gave a slight nod before stepping into the lit corridor. His boots sounded uncomfortably loud on the flattened rock. He felt exposed but suppressed the instinct to watch his back and continued onward to the door.

They couldn’t beat four cultists in a fair fight, so they had to get creative. The chamber had a single entrance engraved with inky runes—the tightest protection Kai had encountered here. A week might not be enough to crack it, let alone minutes.

He considered blasting an opening with Earth Magic, but it would reveal his presence without any assurance of success. The cultists inside might not carry beads to raise the alarm like the guards, but the less time he gave them to plot, the better.

Knock. Knock.

Kai rimmed his knuckles on the painted wood, his knocks echoed in the eerie silence. No one would suspect an intruder to announce themselves deep into their secret lair, right?

Let me be lucky for once.

If the cultists checked who was at the door or asked for a passcode, his chances of success would plummet to the depths of the sea.