The leader grinned with a mouth full of crooked teeth. "Let's see what you've got." he growled, lifting his hammer.
He charged forward with surprising speed for his size, bringing the hammer down in a horizontal sweep. But Shin moved like water—hands gliding through the air to meet the hammer's path. With precision and grace, he redirected the massive weapon with each swing, turning the force aside with deflecting palms and low stances. The clang of metal hitting stone echoed through the hall as blow after blow missed its mark.
The leader snarled. "Hold still!"
But Shin kept his calm, his movements fluid and economical.
"You're not even trying to hit him!" Vel called out from the sidelines, amused.
"Not my fault he's slow," Shin replied dryly.
With a roar of frustration, the leader stomped, glowing lines of mana igniting across his arms and legs. His muscles swelled, and a burst of air rippled outward as his body surged with enhanced strength and speed.
Shin's eyes narrowed. He didn't deflect now—he dodged. A single blow with that much strength could break bone. The hammer crashed into the floor, splintering stone, and Shin rolled to the side just in time. Another blow followed, then another, the swings faster and harder.
"I'm going to squash you like a bug!" the leader bellowed with a twisted smile.
Vel, still seated, munched on a snack and raised an eyebrow. "Hey Shin, want some help?"
Shin, still dodging with narrow escapes, replied through clenched teeth, "Just leave him to me."
Outside the main chamber, down a long corridor lit by flickering lanterns, the investigators carefully helped the last of the captives out of the holding cells. The rescued men and women moved slowly, many barely able to stand, supported on both sides.
One investigator adjusted his grip on a weak older man. "Easy there… almost out."
Suddenly, a deep thud echoed from the direction of the hall, followed by a low rumble—then another crash.
The group paused.
"…That sounded bad," one of them muttered, glancing back over his shoulder.
Another nodded grimly. "I think there's still more of them inside."
"Should we go help Shin?" one asked, concerned creeping into his voice.
The youngest of them, a sharp-eyed scout, shook his head with a faint smirk. "If it's them in a fight, they don't need help. Honestly, it's probably the other guy who's in trouble."
A distant, muffled boom followed by a crumbling noise made them all wince.
"…Still, let's just get these people out before the roof comes down."
"Agreed," the lead investigator said firmly. "Our focus is out here—let them deal with whatever's going on inside."
They resumed their careful retreat, guiding the weak and silent captives toward the alley exit as the echoes of battle raged deeper within the hideout.
The fight raged on in the main hall, the leader's hammer swings thundering through the room with brutal force.
The leader laughed, swinging with reckless abandon. "You're running scared!" he mocked.
Then he raised the hammer overhead for a crushing blow. As it descended, something changed—the hammer stopped mid-swing, frozen in the air.
"What?!" the leader gasped.
Dozens of thin, glowing blue threads shimmered into view, wrapped tightly around the hammer and the leader's limbs. His arms jerked, but he couldn't move. He was caught, suspended mid-attack.
Vel leaned forward, excited. "Oho! Now that's what I like to see."
The leader struggled, veins bulging as he tried to pull free.
"If you move too much," Shin said coldly, stepping forward, "those mana threads will slice right through your muscles. Think carefully."
The leader froze, sweat trickling down his temple.
Moments later, the other investigators returned through the hall. One of them nodded to Shin. "All captives are safe and secured outside. We're beginning a sweep of the perimeter."
"Good," Shin replied, eyes still on the leader.
The other lackeys—those who weren't already unconscious—were rounded up and bound with heavy restraints. The leader was disarmed and tied down, with chains locking his limbs.
Vel gave a slow, deliberate clap as he stood up. "Bravo, Shin. That was very amusing to watch."
Shin gave him a sidelong glance. "Let's search the place. I doubt he was acting alone. Someone bigger's behind all this."
Vel's grin faded slightly. "Yeah… I've got that feeling too."
Shin and Vel ascended the balcony. The upper level was dim, a narrow hallway leading to a room partially concealed behind a hanging tarp. As they stepped inside, their pace slowed—something was off.
The room reeked of chemicals and rusted iron. A makeshift lab filled the space—cracked vials, scattered notes, and strange contraptions littered the tables. In the center, a bed was bolted to the floor. A person lay strapped to it, motionless, a green liquid slowly dripping through an IV tube into their arm. Their eyes were open, conscious, but hollow. They couldn't speak or move.
Vel's brows furrowed. "What the hell…"
Shin moved quickly to the bedside, inspecting the restraints. "Still breathing," he muttered, then unfastened the straps while Vel carefully removed the IV. The victim barely blinked in response.
Shin stood. "Get one of the informants. Now."
Moments later, an informant entered the room. Shin pointed at the bed. "Take this one outside. Be careful."
The man nodded and began securing the victim for transport. As he left with them, Vel and Shin turned back to the room.
They sifted through the documents, Shin's fingers flipping rapidly through stained pages and incomplete diagrams.
"They were conducting some kind of experiment," he said grimly.
Vel picked up a vial still half-filled with the green fluid. "This liquid was in the others too."
Shin took a final look around, collecting a few folders into a leather satchel. "We'll hand this over to Shuri. She'll figure it out."
With one last glance at the room of horrors, they turned and walked out. The scene faded to black.