I walk through an empty street leading to the Elsis Ruins. The buildings in the area grow thinner the closer I get to the ruins.
After a few minutes of walking, I reach the place.
Wherever I look, I only see ruins—remnants of the structures that once stood proudly in this desolate area.
Soon, I stand before an abandoned house. Behind me is the abandoned church, and a bit further away, a mysterious building stands. It gives off the same feeling as the Pantheon—the Guild's main building.
The house is in bad condition. The roof has many holes, the floors are cracked all over, and though the rooms are intact, they're full of garbage. The bathroom doesn't function, and the kitchen is completely gone—like someone blasted it into rubble.
But the basement, on the other hand, is in pristine condition—no damage.
I look around the base for a while until I discover a hidden door.
If someone else tried to find this door, they wouldn't succeed. Its design blends perfectly with the wall—even tapping it reveals the same sound. There are no marks or traces that suggest there's a door there. But still, it didn't escape my eyes. I saw something that pointed out it was hidden.
Despite the expert design, I could tell by just looking at it—the hidden door and the wall used different structures, components, and materials. Besides, the hidden door was protected by magic—concealed from others and enchanted with unbreakable properties. Only gods of crafting or blacksmithing would be able to sense and find this door.
Using its mechanism, I opened the door and entered.
Behind it lay a vast room designed as a living room. This place had ten rooms, a kitchen, and a massive warehouse enchanted with anti-decay properties that could preserve food for over a century.
There was also a weapon storage room, a playroom holding various entertainment equipment—like a pool table, basketball hoops, table tennis, chess, and more. Lastly, there was a vault that contained only a painting—nothing else.
The painting depicted the owners of this house. Apparently, it previously belonged to a merchant who had no heir or family. He died a decade ago, and the place fell into the hands of the real estate office—until I bought it just a while ago.
"I got a good catch this time," I grinned as I returned to the surface.
The first thing I did was take out a huge hammer and begin demolishing the place. If someone passed by, they'd think a war had broken out.
In a certain part of the city.
In a dark alleyway.
A man in a robe and wearing a mask was waiting for someone.
Footsteps echoed suddenly.
After a few moments, another man appeared, only wearing a robe.
"You're late," said the man in the robe.
The masked man simply nodded his head.
The robed man gestured for him to follow.
He led the way while the masked man followed. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at an abandoned warehouse.
"This is it," the robed man said. Before them stood a carriage made of rare metals.
He was about to introduce the product, but before he could speak, a massive fireball flew past him and struck the carriage. Upon impact, a barrier enveloped the area where the carriage stood. Then, an explosion erupted. Thanks to the barrier, the blast caused no destruction to the surroundings.
A few seconds later, the explosion subsided, revealing a pristine and intact carriage—completely undamaged. The floor around it was scorched, and the temperature within the warehouse had spiked.
The robed man calmly approached the carriage and tapped its surface. "Anti-magic enchantment. Up to level 6. I'll show you the interior."
The masked man raised his hand. A magic circle formed under his feet.
"Anything that moves—a rat, a snake, or even a baby mosquito—you're eating a fireball for breakfast."
The robed man calmly opened one door, entered the carriage, then exited through another.
"Fishbait and firecrackers?" the masked man asked.
"In those boxes," the robed man said, pointing to the wooden crates.
The masked man opened one of them and checked the contents.
"Is everything as expected?" the robed man asked calmly, lighting a cigar and taking a long drag.
The masked man didn't reply. Instead, he tossed a sack at the robed man's feet.
The robed man calmly picked it up and opened it.
Countless gold beads glinted inside. He picked one out and bit it. His tooth bent the bead slightly—confirming it was real.
Hoisting the sack onto his shoulder, the robed man walked away without looking back, leaving the masked man alone in the warehouse.
The masked man took out a magic crystal and contacted someone.
Unnoticed by him, a mouse wearing a tiny black shirt was watching from the shadows. This mouse stood like a human and moved like one. On its waist was a miniature rapier, fitted perfectly to its size.
The mouse stared calmly at the man. Human-like wisdom glimmered in its eyes.
It watched everything the masked man did, memorizing every detail. After the masked man finished his communication and vanished into the distance...
The mouse shifted its gaze to the night sky, staring at the beautiful moon and the unimaginably massive purple planet. The mouse was already used to this breathtaking view—but even so, he never grew tired of it.
Especially when the day's haul exceeded expectations.
After a moment of quiet appreciation, the mouse let out a calm squeak. He pulled out a hat from seemingly nowhere and placed it on his head—with style.
Then, he walked into the shadows, vanishing from sight. But before he disappeared completely, he tossed something at the carriage—a small device that fit perfectly in his tiny hand.
Without anyone knowing, the masked man's secret operation was already in shambles.