"So, this is the infamous headquarters of the Arad Company."

The night was dark, the sky blanketed by clouds that snuffed out the moonlight. It was a cold, pitch-black night—harsh even for those moving covertly.

But while the factory complex might have been freezing, it was far from dark.

"To think I'd see magical lighting stones, the kind only found in the Magic Tower or the Imperial Palace, here in the Far North..."

Between the factory buildings and along the streets, glowing mana stones were embedded, casting a steady light throughout the night.

"And this... feels like madness."

Hanging between the brightly lit streets and factory walls were portraits of Arina, the Duchess of the North, and Arad.

"What a bizarre world. I suppose you'd have to be this insane to create things like these."

Astra, the former leader of Sigma, the Empire's intelligence division, had successfully infiltrated the factory complex along with a team of twenty.

This specialized unit, composed of Sigma knights and dark sorcerers from the Dark Hollow, split into groups of one to three as they spread out across the factory grounds.

"Aside from soldiers and knights, the place seems empty."

Astra, using his internal mana to resist the frigid Northern air, carefully observed his surroundings.

The interior of the factory was eerily quiet. The workers seemed to have gone home, leaving only patrolling soldiers and knights visible at intervals.

[Arad’s location has been confirmed. He’s inside what they call Factory One.]

The voice of a dark sorcerer, who had successfully scouted using a familiar, resonated in Astra’s mind.

The communication was telepathic—a sixth-circle spell, indicating that the dark sorcerers accompanying them were high-ranking executives from the Dark Hollow.

"They’re oddly cooperative, as long as it involves the Renslet family," Astra mused, wondering just how deep the enmity between the Dark Hollow and the High Citadel ran.

The telepathic message had evidently reached everyone in the unit, as all the infiltrators began to move simultaneously.

The elite group—comprising 15 Sigma knights and 5 high-ranking dark sorcerers—converged toward their target.

[Wait! A message from Lord Isaac.]

Just then, the same dark sorcerer relayed another telepathic message.

[The operation at the High Citadel has failed. The Duchess of the North was not there.]

The unit halted briefly at the sudden update.

[Arad! The Duchess is with Arad. For reference, Balzac, Sun, and Isabel remain at the High Citadel.]

"!!"

[This means there isn’t a single Sword Master-level warrior protecting the Duchess right now!]

The brief hesitation ended as the unit bolted forward, their pace quickening with renewed purpose.

They regrouped in front of Factory One, all twenty members coming together for the first time since their infiltration began.

None of them bothered to hide anymore. Equipped with magical tools supplied by the Magic Tower, the Sigma knights moved with practiced precision. The dark sorcerers were similarly prepared.

"Remember, Arad Jin must not be killed. We need him alive. If he dies, it will be by our hands alone!"

"And the Duchess?"

"Do as you see fit."

"Didn’t the Empire also target the Duchess?"

"She’s not part of our current mission."

"Good."

Sigma and the dark sorcerers conducted a final check of their strategy and equipment.

"We will succeed."

Astra carefully examined Factory One. As a former Sigma leader, he quickly assessed the infiltration routes and defensive positions.

"They’ve put some thought into this, but it’s not enough."

The soldiers and knights guarding the factory weren’t particularly skilled, nor were their numbers impressive. It was clear most of the Northern forces were concentrated at the High Citadel.

"So this really is the place."

The presence of Frosthand knights around the factory confirmed it. While Balzac and Sun weren’t here, there were undoubtedly high-ranking knights stationed nearby.

"In this situation, it’s better to go through the front door."

If a Sword Master were present, splitting their forces would have been the smarter move. But without one, a direct assault was the most effective option.

"We must act quickly, before Balzac and Sun return."

The dark sorcerers quickly agreed to the revised plan.

"Everyone, drink the potion!"

At Astra’s command, the Sigma knights produced small vials from their cloaks and downed the contents in one gulp.

"Ahhh..."

Astra followed suit, drinking his potion in one swig.

The black liquid coursed through their veins, and within a minute, they felt a surge of power.

"I feel unstoppable."

The potions temporarily elevated their abilities, making them equivalent to high-ranking Northern knights.

"Attack!"

The unit, now bolstered by the potions, stormed toward Factory One with reckless confidence.

But their confidence evaporated the moment they entered the factory.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The first thing to greet them was a burst of white smoke from the entrance.

"Kuaagh!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"What is this... What is this?!"
"Aagh! My eyes!"
"I can’t breathe!"

The searing, acrid smoke assaulted their eyes, noses, and throats, leaving them incapacitated almost instantly.

[Dispel it!]
[Scatter the smoke!]

Had the dark sorcerers not quickly cast cleansing spells, the unit might have been captured on the spot. Without their enhanced physical abilities from the potion, some might have even suffocated.

"There’s a problem! The cloaks!"

"Was it the smoke?"

The Sigma knights realized that their invisibility cloaks had been rendered completely ineffective.

"It’s those magical lights on the ceiling. They’re nullifying our cloaks."

"Arad... he’s no ordinary foe."

The dark sorcerers examined the situation, their confidence now visibly shaken. Something about this entire operation felt ominous, as if they were walking into a trap.

The factory was brightly lit by mana stones embedded in the ceiling, making it even brighter and warmer than the streets outside.

Portraits of the Duchess and Arad lined the walls in almost obsessive abundance.

But the infiltrators had no time to dwell on these oddities.

"Charge!"

Having been discovered, the unit abandoned subtlety and rushed deeper into the factory.

Inside, they were met with gruesome sights—monster limbs and viscera strewn across the manufacturing lines, making the place feel more like a demonic lair than a factory.

Shhhhht—Zap-zap-zap!

And amidst the chaos, arrows and spears began to rain down from the gaps.

"Attack!"

The Sigma agents drew their swords, prepared to deflect the incoming projectiles. Despite the speed and threat of the attacks, their doping-enhanced strength and reflexes gave them confidence in their ability to fend off the assault.

Clang, crack!

"Crack?"

But their confidence shattered when the weapons they used to deflect the arrows and spears broke apart.

"What the...!"

Thunk! Splat!

One Sigma agent, staring in disbelief at his broken sword, was impaled through the head by a spear in the next instant.

Thunk! Thud! Crack!

In mere moments, four Sigma agents and one dark sorcerer fell, killed by the relentless barrage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The projectiles came in overwhelming numbers, far too many to dodge entirely. In the confined space of the factory, evasion was nearly impossible, especially with the dark sorcerers at the rear needing protection.

"Infuse your weapons with mana to deflect them!"

Astra quickly coated his second blade with mana and shouted. Using mana this early was costly, especially with their enhanced state already draining stamina and magical energy. But dying to mere traps was an unacceptable alternative.

"These aren’t ordinary arrows! They’re made from monster bones!"

Astra inspected the arrows and spears embedded in the floor. The projectiles, which had shattered Imperial steel swords and killed knights of Sigma, were crafted from the bones of monsters.

"How can bones be this strong?!"

One Sigma agent, examining the bone fragments, struggled to comprehend their durability. The thought that even with doping and mana reinforcement, these projectiles were only barely manageable was beyond unsettling—it was terrifying.

"They’re not just bones. They’ve been heavily enchanted."

A dark sorcerer offered an explanation.

"The shields are ready. You can move in now."

While the Sigma agents deflected the projectiles, the dark sorcerers layered shield spells for protection.

Clang! Clang!

The hellish rain of bone spears and arrows subsided. Not because of the shields, but because the ammunition appeared to be exhausted.

"Each spear is lightly coated with mana stones. This must be the infamous Arad-style enchantment."

"I’ve heard the Magic Tower uses similar techniques."

The ground was littered with at least a thousand bone arrows and spears, each painstakingly enchanted.

"Who would go to such lengths for disposable traps?"

"This level of dedication... even as a dark sorcerer, I’ve never seen anything so deranged."

The enhanced monster bone projectiles were undeniably effective, and the infiltrators regarded them with grim admiration.

The original 20-member unit had already been reduced to 15. Despite this, their resolve did not waver. Each of them had come here prepared to die—whether to restore a fallen family, reclaim lost honor, or save loved ones by proving their loyalty.

The Sigma agents pressed forward, cutting through the sporadic bone attacks.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Behind them, the dark sorcerers muttered incantations, reinforcing barriers and wards.

The dark sorcerers, too, had reasons for their unwavering dedication—centuries-old grudges against the Renslet family or unbreakable contracts forged with the Dark Hollow.

"Forward! Keep moving!"

There was no retreat. Capture meant only brutal torture and death. A glorious death was preferable.

"For the Emperor!"
"For the Eternal Empire!"

They could see their target just beyond an interior wall. Close yet so far. Every step was grueling, but none hesitated.

Finally, they reached the alchemy production line, where the Frosthand knights and Northern knights revealed themselves, waiting for them.

"There! Arad and the Duchess are there!"

The statement confirmed the proximity of their target.

A silhouette resembling Arad’s could be seen among the alchemical apparatus. While the Duchess was nowhere in sight, it didn’t matter.

Killing the Duchess was the Dark Hollow’s goal. Capturing or killing Arad was Sigma’s mission.

"Haaaah!"

Astra and the Sigma agents charged. The dark sorcerers unleashed their full power, preparing devastating spells.

But something was off.

The Frosthand knights and high-ranking Northern knights merely drew their weapons, making no move to engage.

Vuuuuuummm!

The reason became clear moments later.

"Magic circles?"

Large and small magic circles suddenly appeared throughout the factory—on the floors, walls, and ceiling.

Swish. Swish. Swish.

The waiting knights and Frosthand soldiers donned peculiar-looking glasses simultaneously. The glasses appeared to be crafted from dark-attribute mana stones.

Fwooooosh!!

At the same time, the already-bright factory became blindingly radiant as the lighting mana stones flared to their maximum intensity.

"Close your eyes!"
"It’s a flash spell!"

Losing vision in such a critical moment was tantamount to a death sentence.

"Hurry! Use dark magic to counter it!" Astra shouted to the dark sorcerers behind him, keeping his eyes tightly shut.

"Gah!"

But all that came in response were the pained groans of the sorcerers.

Drip, drip, drip.

"Rain?"

With his eyes shut, Astra felt water droplets on his face and hands.

"Holy water! It’s holy water!"

The groans of the dark sorcerers and the sensation of the droplets confirmed it. The source of their agony—and the substance falling from above—was none other than holy water.