Adventurer of Many Professions-Chapter 147: Waiting in Patience!

Raymond was already within a dozen meters of the Red-Eyed Crows’ dwelling.

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Every step demanded absolute precision. He had already avoided the sight of the Red-Eyed Crow on the roof, but there was another risk, a second house just to the right, where more Red-Eyed Crows lurked within.

If one of them peeked through a window at the wrong moment, the entire mission would fall apart in an instant.

He moved carefully, his hunter’s instincts keeping him alert. The key was to watch the shadows.

Even if a Red-Eyed Crow approached a window, it wouldn’t be able to see him right away. But its presence would alter the lighting inside the house; subtly, almost imperceptibly. A lesser-trained eye wouldn’t notice, but Raymond’s heightened senses could detect even the faintest change in contrast.

Right now, he wasn’t just relying on his Assassin’s stealth. He was using every skill at his disposal, his Hunter’s sharp observation, his Assassin’s soundless movements, and his innate patience.

A tiny shift in the shadows.

He froze.

A second later, the unmistakable shape of a crow’s head appeared in the window. Its beady, crimson eyes scanned the outside world, shifting left, then right.

For a brief moment, its gaze fell directly on him.

Or rather, what it thought was a small, unremarkable tree beside the house.

Raymond remained completely still, his Disguise skill ensuring he blended perfectly with his surroundings. The crow cocked its head, its expression vaguely puzzled, as if trying to remember whether that tree had always been there.

But its intelligence was limited. After a few seconds, it lost interest, shifting its attention elsewhere.

Raymond remained motionless, counting the beats of his own heartbeat.

Then, and only then, did he move again.

The Red-Eyed Crow at the window lingered a moment longer, its scarlet gaze sweeping across the scene. Then, without any apparent suspicion, it turned away and strutted off into the darkness of the house.

Raymond exhaled slowly, careful not to let even the sound of his breath break the silence.

He didn’t know exactly what the crow had perceived him as, just another piece of debris, a shadow, or perhaps a forgotten remnant of the village before its fall. But none of that mattered. As long as he remained unnoticed, the mission was still on track.

Taking advantage of the moment, he moved swiftly and silently, closing the final stretch of distance to the first abandoned house.

The place had been ravaged. The wooden door and sections of the wall had been completely destroyed, jagged splinters and gaping holes marking where the Red-Eyed Crows had torn their way in. It was clear that the creatures had modified the structure to allow for easier access, no longer a house, but a nest.

Inside, the destruction was even worse. Broken furniture lay scattered across the dust-covered floor, deep claw marks etched into every surface. Feathers, some black and glossy, others tattered and worn, littered the ground. The air carried the acrid scent of disturbed earth and something else; a faint, musky odor, perhaps from the creatures themselves.

Raymond moved deeper, his sharp gaze scanning the remains of what had once been a bedroom. The bed, positioned against the far wall, stood out amid the chaos. Its once-thick quilt was shredded beyond repair, its surface marred with deep depressions, clear imprints left by something heavy and unmoving.

His instincts flared.

"A nest this ruined… and yet the bed remains the most intact piece here? That means…"

His eyes narrowed as realization dawned.

"This is the leader’s spot."

The most dominant creature in a pack would always claim the best resting place. A bed, with its cushioning and warmth, would be the most comfortable place available. If the leader of the Red-Eyed Crows had a preferred resting spot, this had to be it.

A perfect ambush point.

Raymond’s mind sharpened into action. Time was running out, the crows had been eating for a while now. They would return soon.

Without hesitation, he scanned the room for the best vantage point. His hunter’s instincts quickly identified it: the wardrobe, positioned next to the bed, its doors hanging slightly open with remnants of tattered clothing still inside. The mess of garments provided perfect natural cover. If he positioned himself right, the leader wouldn’t notice anything amiss when it returned.

He moved swiftly, slipping into place, pressing himself against the side of the wardrobe. His fingers tightened around the hilt of Dark Moon, the blade’s edge gleaming faintly in the dim light.

Then, as a precaution, he reactivated Disguise.

The skill only lasted ten minutes at a time, and he couldn’t afford for it to wear off at the wrong moment, especially not when the crows were just about to return. If they spotted him too soon, the entire mission would be thrown into chaos. Sylph’s explosion magic would be wasted, the Red-Eyed Crows in the square might flee, and their contract, requiring the elimination of at least ten crows, would be in jeopardy.

Even worse, failing this job meant failing two commissions at once. The second contract required them to collect the sharp beaks and talons of ten Red-Eyed Crows. Technically, they could still hunt for them in the Sgla Forest, but that would mean extra effort, extra danger, and a missed opportunity.

Best to handle it here. Best to finish it in one clean sweep.

He took a slow breath, steadying himself.

Then—

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

The sound of powerful wings cutting through the night air.

Raymond didn’t move.

Bang!

A massive form landed just outside the house, its impact shaking the wooden floor beneath him. The leader. Nearly two meters tall, its wings partially spread as it surveyed its surroundings.

Then—

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

More arrivals. Four additional Red-Eyed Crows followed, their talons clacking against the broken wood as they landed in quick succession.

Raymond remained motionless, hidden within the folds of his disguise, waiting for the perfect moment.

A faint shuffle of bricks and tiles above signaled movement on the roof. Raymond didn’t need to look up to know, a Red-Eyed Crow had landed, keeping watch over the surroundings.

But something was off.

He quickly recounted their numbers. The first wave of Red-Eyed Crows had included seven. Now, only six had returned.

"The one that was eating on the roof before hasn’t come back yet…"

His mind raced. If that crow was still out there, it could complicate things. And then there was the matter of the second wave, the ones still inside the neighboring house.

A harsh, guttural caw shattered the silence.

"Caw! Caw!"

The leader of the Red-Eyed Crows was calling to those inside.

Moments later, an unpleasant, raspy chorus answered from the next house.

"Gah! Gah! Gah!"

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Then dull, dragging footsteps.

Raymond’s instincts sharpened. Years of experience as an assassin had trained him to gauge weight and numbers just from sound alone.

"Five of them. Five more inside."

His mind did the quick math.

"Seven outside, five inside. That makes twelve."

A sudden rush of flapping wings interrupted his thoughts. From the sound, Raymond could tell, the second group was leaving, flying off toward the square to feed.

The moment they were gone, the leader of the Red-Eyed Crows sauntered inside with four of its subordinates in tow. Their gait was lazy, their movements unhurried. They swayed from side to side, full and sluggish after their meal.

Raymond remained perfectly still. Hidden. Silent.

The leader strutted straight toward the bed. The others scattered, each picking a spot to settle in, some perched on broken furniture, others resting against the walls, their heavy wings draped over their bodies like cloaks.

Then, with a light hop, the leader landed on the mattress.

Crunch.

The wooden frame groaned under its weight, but the creature paid no mind. It had clearly done this many times before.

And from beginning to end, it never once glanced in Raymond’s direction.

His Disguise was holding.

The leader shifted its weight, its massive body settling into the dented quilt. Its red eyes slowly drifted shut, though not completely. A sliver of crimson remained visible, as if it lingered between wakefulness and sleep.

It wasn’t worried. None of them were.

Perhaps it was because one of their own was still on the roof, acting as a sentry. Or maybe it was the pattern the villagers had unknowingly set, feeding them, retreating, showing no signs of resistance.

Either way, they had let their guard down.

That was a mistake.

Raymond resisted the urge to stare at the leader. Some creatures; especially magical ones, were unnervingly attuned to being watched. Even a subconscious sense of unease could trigger their instincts. Instead, he lowered his gaze, committing the positions of every Red-Eyed Crow to memory before focusing on the dust-covered floor beneath him.

And he waited.

But his mind was still working.

There were twelve enemies. Five in this room, seven outside. And once the fight started, the two stationed on the roof would be the first to react.

Sylph’s Explosion Magic had an effective range, but those two? They’d be out of reach. They would attack from above, diving straight for Sylph and the others.

Lorene had Blessing of Courage, boosting their strength and resilience to warrior levels. But strength alone wouldn’t be enough.

Sylph had some close-combat training, but Lorene and Arya? They were untrained in melee. Their enhanced strength would only let them hit harder, not fight smarter. Against fast, aerial opponents, they could still be overwhelmed.

A misstep, a poorly timed attack, and things could spiral out of control.