The leaked video of the city mayor's versation with his assistant quickly spread throughout the city. The footage exposed not only the mayor’s past crimes but also his pn for yet another murder, a revetion made even worse by his clear mention of Zara’s name.

  The news ignited an immediate storm of e across the city. For years, the former mayor's supporters had suspected foul py, but now they had the proof to validate their frustrations.

  Edrik capitalized on this opportunity. He discreetly funded several groups to amplify the video’s exposure, spreading it far and wide while stoking the fire of publiger.

  Withihan an hour, a growing crowd surged toward the city mayor’s residence. What began as a handful of angry citizens quickly snowballed into a massive mob. Fueled by bhteous fury and years of pent-up frustration, they marched through the streets, verging on the grand gates of the mayor’s estate.

  “Justice for Zara!”

  “Down with the corrupt!”

  People pounded on the heavy iron gates, fists and improvised ons alike striking the etal, demanding answers, demanding blood.

  The mayuards and higher-level awakeners were caught off guard by the sheer iy of the protest. The walls of their seemingly imperable stronghold were now surrounded by an unstoppable tide of anger arayal.

  Ba the room where the city mayor was, the cloaked figure was her than Kurogasa, who had spent the entire day hidden there. Silently , he had recorded everything that happened in the room. Without dey, he sent the footage to Edrik to be distributed as widely as possible.

  Kurogasa dreords. His cloak cealed most of his body, ensuring that his true form as a Rat Beastkin remained hidden.

  The city mayor's face paled with panic as he smmed a button on his desk, triggering an arm. Within seds, ten guards stormed into the room, their ons drawn and eyes locked oruder.

  “Capture that intruder!” the city mayor barked. “Break his legs and arms so he ’t move ht. But leave him alive!”

  As the guards encircled Kurogasa, one of the mayor's assistants hurried over, pached across his face

  “Sir, there’s a rge crowd gathering outside.”

  “What happened?!” The mayor snapped.

  The assistaated, visibly nervous. “It’s the video, sir. The rec… it’s spreading.”

  “Damn it!”

  He turned back to the guards. “Take care of him. Ohis is done, we’ll tell everyohe video was nothing but a fake—aed lie.”

  With those words, the city mayor slipped behind his guards as he made for the exit. Leaving the chaos behind him, he pushed through the door, abandoning the se to his men as they closed in on Kurogasa.

  Kurogasa quickly readied himself as ten guards, each with an average level over 40, surrounded him. It was an overwhelming number, ohat would have spelled trouble for most people fag them alone.

  But not for him. Kurogasa was far more experiehan they could imagine, and not a trace of fear crossed his face.

  The guards stood ready, armed with swords, spears, and shields, a testament to the city mayor’s immense wealth and ability to hire elite fighters. They closed in, their formation tightening, preparing for what they believed would be an easy victory.

  Two swordsmen lu him first, swinging their bdes wildly in an attempt to overwhelm him with brute forbsp;

  Kurogasa deftly deflected every strike with his twin swords, the sharp g of steel ringing through the room. Then, in a burst of agility, he vaulted backward into a perfeersault, nding right behind anuard.

  Before the man could react, Kurogasa disarmed him effortlessly, sending his sword cttering to the ground. Using the momentum, he spun his bde and sshed ly across his neck, dropping the man in an instant.

  The remaining guards froze for a brief sed, stunned by how quickly one of their own had fallen. That hesitation didn’t st long—they charged in unison, attag with reckless brutality, determio overwhelm him.

  Kurogasa darted to the wall and kicked it to soar over their heads. He nded gracefully behind the group, thrusting his swords into the back of the rearmost guard with deadly precision. The man colpsed with a choked cry, and chaos erupted as the others scrambled to adjust.

  The fight tihe guards attag with all their might, but Kurogasa was too fast, too fluid. He flipped, vaulted, and twisted through the air with impossible agility, evading every strike that came his way.

  His movements were almost effortless, as if he were dang through the chaos. Each time he found an opening, he struck with precision, nding fatal blows without a hint of hesitation.

  A, despite the overwhelming skill he dispyed, Kurogasa held back. He didn’t use the Shadow Element or any advanced skills, relying only on basients and fual teiques to keep his identity hidden. To the guards, it seemed as though they were being systematically dismantled by an oppo who had mastered the art of bat down to its very core.

  One by ohey fell—until only the sound of Kurogasa’s steady breathing remained in the room.

  ***

  In another part of the massive building, four cloaked figures moved through the halls. From their postures, it was clear—two women and two men.

  At the front, a woman moved with lethal grace, wielding a sword that sshed effortlessly through everything in her path. She dashed forward, her bde striking with blinding speed, severing necks ly as she passed. Each victim fell instantly, their lifeless bodies crumpling to the ground.

  Ats walked with the group, sighing softly as he kept pace. He knew Manna used moments like this to let go of her darker emotions. The way she moved, made it clear she found a strange fort in the violence, as if it was her way of finding peace.

  Edrik led the group, guiding them swiftly through staircases and winding corridors. They moved, navigating the chaos as guards fell before they could raise arms.

  Finally, their target came into view—the city mayor. He was running frantically, apanied by a woman clutg a frightened young girl who looked no older than her early teens. Five guards surrouhem, trembling as they turo face the approag figures.

  The mayor’s eyes widened in panic as his gaze locked onto Ats and the others.

  “Who are you? What do you want?!” he shouted.

  He shoved one of the guards forward, “Kill them! Face them! Do your job!”

  But before the guards could react, a new figure stepped into view at the other end of the corridor. He stood perfectly still, with two blood-soaked swords in hand.

  “Protect me, you cowards! Fight them!”

  Three of the guards rushed toward Kurogasa. But the Rat Beastkin moved with agility, dug low to evade their strikes. With precise and fluid movements, he targeted their necks and knee joints, delivering crippling blows. As they colpsed to the ground, he fihem off with swift thrusts to their vital points, ensuring they ood again.

  The final two guards barely had time to react before Manna desded upon them. Her sword sshed through the air with terrifying speed, effortlessly decapitating them both in a single, motion. Their bodies crumpled lifelessly to the floor, the sound of their heads hitting the ground eg through the corridor.

  Now, only the city mayor, his wife, and his young daughter remaiheir faces pale and stri with terror. The woman clutched her daughter tightly. The city mayor, oher hand, stumbled backward against the wall, his body trembling. His clothes were drenched i, his posure shattered.

  Ats stepped forward just a few feet from the mayor. Zara moved with him, standing at his side. Both wore white masks that cealed their identities, leaving only their eyes visible.

  The city mayor’s voice quivered as he stammered. “What do you want? Money? I’ll give you money!”

  He snatched his Awakener Devid hurled it to the floor, the device skidding to a stop near Ats’s feet.

  “Take it! There’s plenty of mohere. Take all of it! Just let us go!”

  The man responsible for the death of Zara's entire family now stood before them, trembling, his back pressed against the wall as if trying to disappear into it. His terrified eyes darted between Ats and Zara, searg for any traercy. There was none.

  Zara stepped forward. For years, this man had evaded justice, living freely without sequenow, as he stood trembling i and despair, the reing he had always avoided was finally here.

  There would be no escape. No redemption. Only judgment!

  "He killed your family, him!" The sudden scream shattered the silence.

  All eyes turoward the city mayor’s wife as she pointed a fi her husband.

  “He’s the one responsible! Not me, not my daughter!”