Chapter 266: Movement Gear ’Is this a military town or a criminal den?’ Azel wondered, shaking his head as he watched the smoke fade from the recent gunfire. Everyone had already evacuated the streets like regular citizens and the gunners were looking through the old man’s clothes... did they not care that they were right berfore the wall? "There are shootings every day?" he asked, turning to Naelia. "And nobody does anything about it?" With a Grand Mage supposedly stationed here, and guards patrolling the walls with mages being here as well, he found it hard to believe that chaos like this could happen so openly. Naelia sighed and brushed dust off her dress. "The soldiers do try," she said. "But there are a few gangs in the town. They can’t root out the main forces. Whenever they take one down, two more appear." Azel’s brows furrowed. "So, the military town doesn’t even control its own streets." As if the world wanted to prove her words right, there came a sharp zip! from the distance... followed by another, and then a third. Azel turned just in time to see two soldiers drop from the sky. They weren’t falling, though. They looked like they were flying. Steel hooks burst from the bulky devices on their waists and long cables trailed out of them, attaching themselves to rooftops and the nearby walls. With precision, the soldiers swung through the air, twisting and rolling mid-flight before flipping over the heads of the gunmen below. The hooks retracted, pulling them forward like arrows shot from a bow. "Drop your weapons!" one of them shouted. The two shooters froze in panic, hands fumbling with their guns. Alas they were too slow. One soldier flipped again, landing in a crouch directly in front of them. The second soldier shot his hooks into the ground behind the shooters, reeling himself forward in a spinning motion that ended with a brutal kick to one man’s gut. The shooter flew into a wall, his weapon clattering away. The second tried to escape, but a flash of steel met him first... the soldier’s sword slicing through the barrel of his gun. Before either could react, both were face-down, arms twisted behind them as cuffs locked around their wrists. "Targets subdued!" one soldier shouted up toward the walls. "Medic team, one casualty!" Another soldier landed beside the fallen old man and silently pulled a white cloth from his pack, draping it over the body. He muttered a short prayer before waving off some people who had made their way outside upon hearing the zips. Azel stood there, watching the smoothness of their teamwork. It was genuinely impressive. ’It’s like watching Attack on Titan,’ he thought, ’except without the titans.’ For mundane humans without aura or magic, their movement was admirable. Those movement gears were a technological marvel... they turned regular men into fast, agile fighters. Naelia tugged gently on his sleeve, snapping him out of thought. "Come on," she said quietly. "They’ve got it handled." Azel glanced one more time at the soldiers now carrying the arrested men away and sighed. "Alright." ... As they walked deeper into Karan Town, Azel couldn’t help but notice how strange the place was. At first glance, it looked like any other prosperous town... there were stone buildings lined with metal frames and glowing lamps lighting the streets even during the day. As well as a marketplace filled with shouting merchants. Yet that was all there was to it. The people avoided each other’s eyes. Children were nowhere to be seen, as if even laughter had been outlawed here. ’A military town filled with fear,’ Azel thought. ’How fitting.’ Soon they reached the heart of Karan, where the streets widened into a main road that ended in front of an enormous mansion. The building was far larger and cleaner than any other structure in town. Naelia walked right up to the door without knocking. "I’m back!" she called as she pushed it open, her voice echoing through the massive entrance hall. Azel followed, his boots tapping softly on the marble floor. Ravik, still in his human guise, trailed behind. The strong scent of mana in the air made his wolf instincts twitch uncomfortably. "My lord," Ravik whispered, leaning toward Azel. "When are we heading to the Gravegrounds?" Azel didn’t stop walking. "Two days," he said calmly. Ravik’s eyes widened slightly... He wanted to complain but he realized. "Understood." ’Surely my lord is very wise,’ the werewolf thought with a smile. It made sense to stay hidden for a while. Vanishing immediately after arriving would only attract attention. Azel glanced up toward the staircase as two figures descended. Ira Valein and Elizabeth Starbloom. The sight made him pause. It had been over a year since he’d last seen them, but both had changed. Ira had grown taller and more confident. Her black hair glowed as it caught the light, and her smile... which was bright made her almost unrecognizable from the haunted heroine she was meant to be in the game. ’So she can still smile,’ Azel thought, and a small weight lifted off his chest. The tragedy that would have turned her into the emotionless heroine hadn’t happened. She was still great. Beside her was a younger girl with golden hair and sharp, intelligent eyes... Elizabeth Starbloom. She looked like a miniature version of Naelia, but Azel knew better than to be fooled by her innocent appearance. Even if her original villainess route had been avoided, she still had that calculating glint in her eyes. The girl was dangerous in her own way and he didn’t want to find out why. They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Ira’s soft smile widened the moment she saw him. "Azel," she greeted with a warm voice. "Long time no see," he replied, matching her tone. Before he could say more, Elizabeth walked right up to him, tugging gently on his sleeve. Azel crouched slightly so she could speak. "Is my mother alright?" she asked, whispering... 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 Azel’s expression softened as he replied in a whisper as well. "Yes. Lady Edna is doing well. I’m taking care of all her needs." Elizabeth blinked innocently. "Even the weird ones?" He hesitated, then sighed. "...Even the weird ones."