Curious statue

She decided against taking on the thankless job of actively rescuing any hostages, fearing she might encounter another brainless individual. The mere thought sent shivers down her spine, as she detested conversing with fools. Scanning the entire building with her keen senses, she stopped abruptly when she noticed something unusual. It appeared there was someone else with the same ability, scouting the fourth floor for something. What could it be?

Placing a contemplative hand on her chin, she curiously observed the unsuspecting individual, her eyes tracking his every movement. The seeker—what they were called—began to look around cautiously, as if sensing a threat, then relaxed when he saw nothing. Leona scoffed; this guy was really too sensitive.

She masked her presence, becoming nearly invisible as she continued to spy on him. Although not completely invisible, her concealment was sufficient to evade the senses of the half-baked seeker. After about an hour, the seeker eventually began to move, calling to his companions about his discovery.

They marched toward the elevator, with the stealthy Leona trailing behind. After a quiet ride, they reached their destination on the 14th floor. Under the lead of the seeker, they approached an unremarkable-looking statue.

With a flash of brilliance, Leona teleported into a secluded room on the 13th floor, her eyes locked onto the exhilarating chaos unfolding on the 14th floor. Intrigued, she scrutinized the massive statue, feeling the thrill of curiosity course through her veins. Despite the ordinary facade, a frown of perplexity crossed her face as she considered her next strategic move. Determined, she swept the entire floor with a keen sense, ensuring no unwanted presence lurked in the shadows.

Once satisfied, she conjured a shimmering shield barrier, her pulse quickening with anticipation. Closing her eyes, she began weaving her spell, her hands moving in a blur that left captivating afterimages in their wake. Then, with a powerful motion, she brought her hands to a halt.

Suddenly, her aura erupted into a tempest of energy, unleashing a whirlwind that whipped through the room and tousled her hair, sending a thrill down her spine. A blissful exhilaration surged within her as a barrier restricting her powers shattered, propelling her aura from Tier 3 to a staggering Tier 4. The winds settled, and with a contented sigh, she gracefully rose from her crouched position, her eyes flashing a brilliant purple for a fleeting moment.

As she stretched, newfound strength surged through her body, igniting a euphoric rush she could hardly contain. She relished this exhilarating power. Refocusing on the task at hand, she redirected her senses back to the 14th floor, disregarding the frenzied clowns flitting around the statue, who were busy affixing mysterious devices. Now, her gaze scanned the statue meticulously from top to bottom, and this time, she spotted the anomaly instantly. Her vision pierced through the stone façade, and then there it was—a face emerged, sending shockwaves of excitement coursing through her.

She smiled, amused, as she now understood what was happening. This had to be the person they were looking for, though who would have guessed he was hiding within a stone statue? He could have fooled her if she hadn't upgraded her abilities. Then came the question: how was the vision mage, who was clearly a Tier 2, able to sense his presence even when she, at Tier 3, could not?

She directed her questioning gaze back to the seeker and scrutinized him from head to toe, not missing any details. It didn't take long for her to spot the culprit: a nondescript ring sat on his right thumb. It was a cleverly designed piece meant to disguise its true purpose. The ring was an ability-enhancing instrument with an uninterrupted energy supply that could assist its wearer in unimaginable ways, potentially breaking through their level barriers. She also sensed that the seeker's secondary ability, which allowed him to detect life, must have played a significant role in uncovering the life force hidden beneath the clever camouflage of stone.

As she observed, the group worked tirelessly to unlock the stone binding before ultimately giving up and calling for more powerful assistance. Within a minute, they welcomed new help—a stream of water flowed gently from the 6th to the 14th floor, transforming into a handsome mage with blue hair and a masked face, his effortless charm captivating.

From his aura, it was clear he was a Tier 4 water mage. Leona frowned as she gazed at the masked figure, whose disguise could not contain his allure. Were Tier 4 mages really so common?

An excited smile crossed her face as she thought about how much more thrilling Aurora was going to be. Observing the unfolding events, she watched the mage cast a Tier 4 spell to break the binding, causing the unyielding rock to melt away and reveal its frightened inhabitant.

He was promptly seized and dragged away to a private chamber, regardless of his struggling and protests. At least, they handled him more gently; he was neither elbowed nor held at gunpoint.

Leona was taken aback when she saw the water mage look around in confusion, as if he sensed something. Tsk—how sensitive. It seemed she needed to rethink her previous notions about the Enlightened abilities. From what she had observed in this brief exchange, it appeared they possessed hidden abilities unknown to the public.

The water mage shook his head in doubt and then followed the others. They tied the young man to a chair and began their setup before reporting to someone she guessed was their superior. A familiar red-haired woman, whose face had appeared on numerous wanted posters, arrived in a fiery blaze. Every movement she made was enchanting as she casually strutted toward the bound individual. She dismissed the respectful greetings of her subordinates and examined the young man's face, turning it from side to side with a finger on his chin, presumably to get a good look at him. Satisfied, she gave a nod.

The others quickly received her signal and initiated a live broadcast. Leona remained silently on the 13th floor, watching them. She had decided that she wanted whatever it was that compelled the Enlightened to deploy such a powerful team, heedless of the risk they might come across.

Sorry for the late update, was going through a minor writer's block but please let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Xoxo.