Chapter 676

Yuder's straight drilling from the underground left the path downwards in disarray, with many parts shattered and collapsed.

In the darkness, devoid of even a lantern, the situation of treading an unfamiliar path was hardly favorable for the Cavalry. However, their rigorous training and abilities, ingrained in their bones, allowed them to swiftly overcome these obstacles, significantly aided by the cooperative efforts of the Southern Army's Awakener Brigade.

The most invaluable assistance came from Sunz, a vision ability user. Initially, when Yuder first encountered him, his ability was merely to see something that was obstructed. Now, it had evolved to discern the layout of paths enveloped in impenetrable darkness and even count and locate hidden enemies.

Leading the way, Sunz surveyed the surroundings, discerning and pointing out the presence and location of hidden foes, enabling the others to prepare preemptive responses. The ability to react first, regardless of where the enemy appeared, was incredibly advantageous.

Emon, standing beside Sunz, also drew attention. His rapid, precise bursts of flame, like sparks from a flint, were remarkably efficient in combat.

Although the Cavalry members, with their longer training and varied experiences, were more seasoned as a group, the individual prowess of the Awakener Brigade was equally formidable.

Intrigued by the reputed skills of the Awakener-only special force, the Cavalry members couldn't help but admire the Awakener Brigade's prowess.

Similarly, the Awakener Brigade members were continually astonished by the capabilities of the Cavalry, only previously known through hearsay.

They wondered how the Cavalry could so efficiently engage in combat without verbal communication, perfectly discerning friend from foe, as if they had trained intensely to respond in any situation with their eyes closed.

Considering the Awakener Brigade's recent formation, the Cavalry members initially thought that they would be worse than them. Seeing how amazing the Awakener Brigade actually was, the realization dawned on the Cavalry members that complacency could lead to intensified training if Yuder noticed them falling behind.

As they advanced swiftly, keeping an eye on each other's capabilities, Nathan Zuckerman, arguably the most powerful among them, silently followed.

Kishiar allowed Nathan Zuckerman to use his strength only when the Cavalry's power alone seemed insufficient against formidable enemies. Otherwise, his role as the adjutant was to observe and act as Kishiar's eyes and ears in his absence. To an onlooker, it appeared as though he was being protected, but in reality, the opposite was true.

"Hmm?"

Leading the way, Sunz suddenly halted, tilting his head as if sensing something amiss, and squinted into the distance. Emon inquired:

"What's wrong? Is someone hiding ahead?"

"No... Not ahead. But..."

His eyes, veiled in a faint mist, scanned the darkness beyond human sight.

"It seems someone is approaching from beyond the wall."

"Beyond the wall?"

"A secret passage, perhaps."

Kurga muttered to himself. Continuously scanning the wall, Sunz slowly nodded.

"Yes, that's right. It seems to be a secret passage. Several layers of walls inside this one made it hard for even my power to detect at first. Now that I can see the figure, I understand."

Sunz approached the wall and, without hesitation, closed his eyes to concentrate. His hands trembled slightly, and sweat formed on his brow. He revealed crucial information: to enter the passage, they had to breach a very thick wall, and those using the passage to approach their location would still need some time to arrive.

"There are quite a few escaping through the passage, at least 20, I'd say. Their slow and disorganized movements suggest they're untrained. There are guides leading them at the front."

That was all Sunz could discern. Exhausted, he withdrew, gasping for breath. The Cavalry members discussed how to deal with those ascending through the secret passage.

"It's obvious who they are bringing up through the secret passage in such a situation. They must be the ones the Commander told us to capture, right?"

"Breaking through the wall is easy, but who will do it?"

"Me. I'll do it!"

"Your power causes too much aftermath. Do we need to collapse the entire building just to break a wall? This is my specialty."

After a brief discussion, one of the Cavalry members approached the wall. Astonishingly, as he tapped a few spots on the wall, the stones at the touched points vanished as if they never existed and reappeared behind him, clattering to the ground.

The Awakener Brigade members couldn't hide their amazement at the effortless creation of a human-sized hole without any shock. Kurga briefly explained:

"He has the ability to relocate objects he touches. Initially, he could only move a leaf from front to back, but now his skill has improved significantly. He can even dislocate limbs to unnatural positions with that power. It's quite painful, I must say."

The unnecessary addition to the explanation made them wince, imagining the pain.

'It sounds like he's experienced it firsthand. Do they really train so ruthlessly, attacking each other like that?'

'That's chilling... The Cavalry really is relentless.'

"It's done! Let's go!"

The Cavalry member who had made the hole cheerfully announced. Pushing aside their thoughts, they promptly entered the passage.

They soon encountered the escapees in the passage that Sunz had foreseen.

"Who are you!"

The subordinates of Nukijo, escorting the VIPs, shouted in alarm.

The VIPs, being carried up by their servants with strained faces, were startled. The Cavalry members greeted them with smiles.

"Ah, you look like distinguished people, but to take a stroll in such a place. It seems the trend for walking paths has shifted to dust-filled secret passages."

They were no longer the people who once feared the nobility and remained silent. Hearing their mocking tone, Nukijo's subordinates couldn't hide their confusion and shouted again.

"Who are you!"

"We are the Cavalry. We received a report of an illegal gambling ring involving Awakeners here, and we've come for a rescue."

Their faces changed dramatically upon hearing Kurga's calm reply. One of Nukijo's subordinates bit his lip and turned his head.

"Protect the VIPs! Make an escape route!"

"That won't be possible."

In the narrow passage, Nukijo's subordinates and the Cavalry clashed. Although the Cavalry members anticipated an easy victory, this time, there was an unexpected variable they hadn't foreseen.

The unforeseen variable emerged when Sunz, who had overexerted his powers, gasped for breath at the back and suddenly appeared before everyone, shouting a warning.

"Emon! Watch out behind!"

"What?"

Reacting to his friend's shout, Emon instinctively turned around. Immediately, his shoulder and chest were sliced as if attacked by something sharp. Fortunately, the sturdy leather vest he wore protected his chest, but his arm inevitably bled.

"There was nothing there before... What is this...!"

"Fall back! To the right!"

Following Sunz's cry, a Cavalry member to Emon's right yelped in pain from a stabbing attack. In the blink of an eye, several others were also wounded by these sudden, seemingly airborne attacks in the cramped and dark space. The short duration of these unexpected assaults resulted in considerable damage.

"Damn it!"

"What the hell is this?"

Sunz's eyes glowed bright blue, veiled in a mist-like energy. He quickly identified the nature of this mysterious assault.

"There's someone else here who can use abilities! You can't see them, but I can! However, they're too fast... Argh!"

He abruptly rolled to dodge an incoming attack, narrowly escaping harm. Others quickly surrounded and protected Sunz.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes! Thank you. Anyway, it's certain there's another Awakener here! They can attack even while hidden, so everyone be careful!"

Tension surfaced on the faces of the Cavalry members. However, none showed any signs of retreat or fear. Kurga quickly assessed the situation and spoke.

"Our first priority is to prevent them from escaping. Captain Sunz and the Awakener Brigade will cover our rear and block the path, informing us of the enemy's location. We'll handle the rest."

The Awakener Brigade members were significantly injured due to the unexpected attacks. In contrast, the Cavalry members, thanks to their deep-rooted training, were almost unscathed.

Everyone deeply felt the true value of their arduous training in such a situation and swiftly moved to positions as per Kurga's orders. Tension filled the passage, alert to the invisible attacks that could come at any moment.

Once again, Sunz, sensing something, looked up and shouted.

"Someone else is coming from that direction!"