Minityrsa

The next day, the squad was summoned to a briefing room, where Evengarde stood waiting alongside Arcanos and another figure—a tall, imposing man with sharp eyes and an aura of absolute control.

"You've been assigned to a top-secret mission," Evengarde began, his tone grave. "The Ministry's prophets are planning a gathering in Minityrsa. This could be our only chance to uncover their plans."

He gestured toward the unfamiliar figure. "This is Lao Zhigou, one of the 13 Royal Commanders and an expert in stealth. He will accompany you on this mission."

Lao gave them a brief nod, his expression unreadable. "Ureshi has already located the meeting place. We move immediately."

Evengarde raised his hand, summoning a swirling portal. "This will take you straight into Minityrsa. Expect harsh conditions."

Without hesitation, the squad stepped through, feeling the familiar sensation of ether folding space around them before they were launched into the frozen wilderness.

The bitter cold hit them instantly as they landed in deep snow, the wind howling around them. Before them loomed a massive fortress, its dark stone walls towering ominously over the frozen landscape.

"That's our target," Lao murmured, pointing. "The Ministry's meeting place."

Even from a distance, the fortress was heavily guarded—Ministry soldiers patrolled the perimeter in large numbers, their armor reflecting the pale light of the overcast sky.

Lao motioned for silence and dashed toward the fortress, his movements impossibly quick and precise. In one swift motion, he took down a lone guard near the outer wall, barely making a sound. He gestured for the squad to follow, then pointed at a ventilation shaft.

"You're going in through there," he whispered. "I'll take another route. Stay hidden."

Without another word, he vanished into the shadows.

The squad crawled into the ventilation system, moving cautiously through the narrow space. The fortress was immense, and the vents stretched like a labyrinth above various rooms and hallways.

Meanwhile, Lao infiltrated a dimly lit chamber filled with shelves of books and scrolls. His eyes scanned the spines until one caught his attention—"The Arcana of Luminous."

He pulled it from the shelf and flipped it open, only to be met with unreadable script.

"Old Etrean," he muttered. He couldn't read it, but he knew someone who might. Moving quickly, he copied some of the pages into his notebook.

A sudden surge of dark ether rippled through the room. Lao froze. Someone was approaching.

With a flick of his wrist, he activated his Ninja Arts, melting into the shadows just as the door creaked open.

A tall figure entered. His piercing blue eyes had the same concentric rings as Evengarde's. He walked straight to the Arcana of Luminous and retrieved it, tucking it under his arm before leaving without a word.

'A Deepwoken…' Lao thought to himself, his mind racing.

Back in the vents, the squad navigated carefully, peering into various rooms as they went. Eventually, they came upon a grand meeting hall with a long table and five chairs, plus a single ornate throne at the head.

Lao suddenly appeared beside them in the vents.

"The meeting is about to begin," he whispered.

Moments later, six figures entered the hall. The prophets.

Each took a seat, except for one—a shadowy figure with piercing red eyes, swirling with circular patterns. He strode to the throne and sat with an air of absolute dominance.

"The time for action is upon us," he announced. "The Forge of Sin has finally been located."

The squad tensed, listening intently.

"The Duke of Erisia holds ownership of the forge. In three days, he will sacrifice all life on Erisia to fully power it. We must take the forge before he succeeds."

Another prophet, one with bright white eyes and similar rings, spoke up. "And what of the Forge of Virtue?"

The shadowy leader's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Already secured. It is only a matter of time before we initiate Phase Two."

Then, without looking up, he spoke again.

"The mice in the vents have been here long enough."

Every prophet turned their gaze upward. Their eyes locked onto the squad's position.