The car moved quietly along the highway.
The sound of the tires was steady, and the city slowly retreated behind the windshield.
Sooho was driving, one arm relaxed on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road.
Beside him sat Investigator Park, unusually silent, scrolling through a digital file on his tablet.
Sooho's phone rang.
"Hello."
"Sooho."
The calm, deep voice of Director Eldir came through the line.
"It seems you're on your way to a gate mission."
"Yes. But it's fine—I have more than enough time to finish it."
Eldir was silent for a moment.
Then he spoke in a firm tone:
"Cancel the mission. Focus on the other one."
"…The other?"
"This mission is critical. Head to the Association President immediately."
The call ended.
Sooho slowly lowered his phone.
"…Strange."
He glanced at Park.
"What did you find in the file?"
Park exhaled, as if he had been waiting for that question.
"It's… far bigger than we expected."
He paused, then continued:
"It's not an isolated incident.
It's an entire organization."
Sooho pressed lightly on the brakes.
"Contact the team the Association prepared," he said calmly. "Cancel today. We're returning to the Association immediately."
Park nodded without argument.
The Association President's office was unusually quiet.
Everyone sat around the table.
The President at the head, Investigator Park beside him, and Sooho across from them.
The file lay open in Sooho's hands.
Lengthy reports.
Faded photographs.
Names carefully crossed out.
He finally closed the file.
The President raised his gaze.
"You really are a trouble magnet, kid."
Sooho didn't smile.
"What did the investigation reveal?"
Park replied:
"It revealed a connection to what's known as the Demonic Sect."
Sooho frowned.
"You mean the Heavenly Demon Sect's trainees? Rituals? Deviants?"
Park sighed deeply.
"No.
It has nothing to do with Murim, nor the Heavenly Demon."
He straightened in his seat.
"This sect first appeared a few years ago in the Kingdom of Irenval."
Sooho's gaze hardened slightly.
"It spread rapidly across the other planet, but…
when traces reached Arkan, the Supreme Commander and the Head of the Magic Council intervened personally."
Park paused.
"Valkan Drakur."
Sooho's thoughts raced.
Valkan Drakur…
He had heard that name many times.
They say he stands at the peak of Eight Stars.
And the Chairman of the Magic Council.
Park continued:
"As for their branches in Jianghu…
the Heavenly Demon annihilated them completely the moment he learned their name, so no one would assume any connection to his sect."
"Their total eradication there has been confirmed."
The President spoke:
"But they resurfaced two years ago."
He closed the file with his hand.
"And things were far more complicated than we thought."
He looked directly at Sooho.
"Your mission has changed.
Reconnaissance and information gathering are the priority.
Combat is discouraged."
"The search area will be the border regions between Irenval and Arkan."
Sooho lifted his head calmly.
"There's no need."
A sudden silence fell.
"…What?" the President and Park said in unison.
Sooho spoke steadily:
"The investigation should be conducted here.
On Earth."
Shock was evident on both their faces.
The scene shifted.
The following evening — Netherlands
Drenthe Province
A dense forest. Humid air. Heavy silence.
A concealed figure hid among the trees, body carefully camouflaged, observing an abandoned factory through binoculars.
Time passed.
Then one of the rusted doors opened.
A large group of masked individuals emerged.
They wore long, dark-black garments with no insignia.
Their faces were covered with black cloth masks, from whose centers hung a single red thread—resembling a ritual mark.
Blood stained their sleeves, hems, and boots.
Before them stood a man in luxurious attire—a gray robe embroidered with golden threads, his appearance strictly religious.
Beside him…
A young man who looked very much like Martin.
The binoculars froze.
Martin was hiding among the trees, his face pale, eyes trembling.
"…Damn it. I knew it."
He grabbed his phone with a shaking hand.
The religious-looking man spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Well done, Erik Griffinmark."
The young man bowed.
"Thank you, Bishop.
This is nothing if we are to achieve our dream."
The bishop placed his hands on Erik's shoulders.
"The power you longed for… is close now."
Then he said slowly:
"Place the remaining sacrifices at the time of the rift."
"Between two and four before dawn."
He turned and left.
Erik stepped away, a strange sensation creeping over him…
as if someone were watching.
But in the background…
There was another presence.
A masked figure, dressed in suffocating black assassin attire, moving like a shadow, slipped into the factory unseen.
Inside the factory, at an elevated position.
The masked figure stood concealed among the steel beams.
He spoke in a low voice:
"I passed the tower's trials specifically… to increase agility."
He raised a hand to his mask.
The face beneath was revealed.
Sooho.
His gaze swept across the area.
Blood-drawn engravings covered the floor and walls.
Twisted symbols that seemed to pulse with life.
The corpses of children and women… countless.
At the center…
Five men, bound and sedated, their auras weak but unmistakable.
Five B-rank Hunters.
Reported missing two weeks ago.
He glanced at the bodies—the number was close to the missing persons listed in the investigation.
Sooho clenched his fist.
How in the hell did they bring people from different countries and transport them without anyone noticing?
He descended silently, approached the captives, and began undoing their restraints carefully.
But—
One of the children screamed in terror.
Everything froze.
Sooho placed a hand on his ear and spoke through the communicator:
"Martin, did you inform the Association of what you've seen so far?"
Martin appeared, hidden, breathing heavily.
"Yes… they'll arrive within half an hour."
"Good."
Sooho scanned his surroundings.
"That's enough."
He whispered reassuringly to those nearby and prepared himself.
One of the followers entered, his long black garments brushing the ground, his mask hiding every feature except two cold eyes.
He inspected the place.
Moments passed.
Then he left.
"Anything?"
"No."
"Move."
End of Chapter.