Chapter 68

The angel hovered high above the Rasanto estate, his keen eyes focused on the entrance where Xain swiftly incapacitated the four mercenaries. He narrowly avoided a stray bullet redirected by Xain before the teenager moved on to deal with the two house guards. "Damn, that kid's got some moves," he muttered, adjusting his sunglasses for a clearer view. "This is the first time I've seen him really fight. He'd give Heaven's Operators a run for their money in a fistfight," he remarked, impressed by Xain's skills.

Refocusing on his mission, the angel observed as several other mercenaries rushed to the front gates after hearing the gunshots. "They fell for the bait," he muttered to himself, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Retrieving a square box-like device from his jacket pocket, he pressed a red button on its side before speaking into it, "The kid's distraction worked. Quickly, get in, both of you."

"Got it," replied Grace promptly as she put away a similar device before turning to Zee and nodding. Positioned on a cliff behind the Rasanto estate, they had a clear view of the back garden. Seeing the mercenaries guarding the back garden rush to the front of the mansion, they knew it was their cue to move.

Grace pointed her index finger towards a cluster of stones scattered across the garden. "Move your finger ever so slightly to the right," instructed Zee, her voice barely audible beside Grace. Following Zee's guidance, Grace adjusted her finger, aligning it precisely before releasing a small beam of light that struck one of the stones with pinpoint accuracy. "Hmm, good eye," Grace complimented Zee before lightly touching her shoulder, and Zee started emitting a faint glow.

"Ready?" Grace asked, to which Zee nodded firmly. "Ready," she confirmed. Grace snapped the fingers of her left hand and blinked right next to the stone. Afterward, she snapped once more, and Zee also blinked next to the stone. Together, they surveyed their surroundings to ensure there was nobody nearby. Satisfied, they proceeded to the backdoor.

Zee kneeled down, preparing to pick the lock with a hairpin and her elven dagger. However, before she could begin, Grace simply grabbed the door handle and turned it. The door opened easily, as it was left unlocked. "What kind of thief doesn't check if the door's unlocked first?" Grace teased with a smirk, earning an embarrassed response from Zee.

"I usually do! But I'm really stressed at the moment!" Zee whispered, her tone a mix of embarrassment and frustration. Grace chuckled softly before stepping inside, Zee following closely behind.

"Wow, this place is run-down," remarked Grace as she took a look around the inside of the mansion.

"I wouldn't say it's run-down, more worn, and older than anything else," Zee replied as they both sneaked around the mansion, trying to reach the main hall.

"Can you ask the angel how Xain's doing?" whispered Zee from behind Grace, who sighed in response. "Come on, he can handle himself. Stop worrying about him for a second," she said, turning to look at Zee.

Zee met her gaze with pleading eyes. "Please? It would just take a few seconds," she urged. Grace hesitated for a moment, but seeing Zee's concern and feeling just a tiny bit worried for herself, Grace relented. Retrieving the device, she pressed the button and spoke into it. "How is Xain doing out there?"

The angel focused his gaze on Xain, his vision enhanced by his sunglasses. "He's doing just fine. Currently taking on about a dozen mercenaries and kicking their asses pretty badly," he replied back into the device.

"There, happy?" Grace asked Zee, who nodded in relief. "Alright, then let's move on," Grace said, pocketing the device as they continued their mission.

Reaching the main hall without encountering any opposition, Grace and Zee took another cautious look around to ensure they were alone. Nodding to each other in silent agreement, they split up—Zee ascending the stairs while Grace descended into the basement.

The angel had informed them that there were only two locations suitable for the summoning ritual: the basement and the attic. To save time, they decided to divide and conquer. If the ritual were taking place in the basement, Grace would inform the angel through the device. Conversely, if she found nothing in the basement, she would relay that information to the angel, who would then focus his attention on the attic.

As Grace descended to the basement floor, she was greeted with a long, dark hallway with a door at the end of it. Not that the darkness mattered; she could see in the dark due to her light magic affinity anyway. *This feels a bit too easy,* Grace thought to herself, a hint of suspicion creeping into her mind as she proceeded down the corridor.

Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, a thick, shifting shadow caught her attention. It slithered up the wall to her right with an unsettling speed, its movements predatory. Before she could fully react, an armored hand wielding a gleaming dagger emerged from the darkness, aiming for her head. With effortless grace, Grace leaned back, easily evading the deadly strike. She reached out to grab the hand, but it swiftly retreated into the murky depths of the shadow.

"Isn't this fun?" Grace remarked with a confident smirk, her voice laced with amusement, as the shadowy assailant continued its relentless assault. It moved with remarkable agility, darting from wall to floor to ceiling in a fluid dance of aggression. Grace effortlessly dodged each attack, her movements fluid and precise. "Someone with shadow magic affinity fighting someone with light magic affinity," she observed, her tone tinged with playful banter.

The flurry of stabs and slashes eventually ceased, and the thick shadow coalesced in front of Grace, revealing its source. Two armored arms emerged, followed by the emergence of a tall, lanky figure clad in full scaly-plated armor. "It's like we're meant to fight each other," Grace finished boldly, her arms spread wide open, her gaze locked onto her adversary, her expression confident and challenging.

(In a battle between light and shadow, who will come out on top!?)