Joseph’s voice was loud enough for everyone present to hear.

Moon’s eyes glinted. ’We’re exposed. Well, no matter. Time to move.’

"Attack." He whispered.

Lightning crackled in his hands and arced across the gap. The bolt struck the Evolver holding the device square in the chest. His body seized and the device tumbled from his fingers, hitting the ground with Joseph’s muffled shouting still bleeding from the speaker.

"You! What are yo—"

The tank was already on him. He slammed into the nearest Evolver with his full weight, shield-first, driving the man off his feet before he could finish the sentence.

The remaining three scrambled for their weapons. Two of them managed to draw before Moon’s freed team was on them. The brute tackled one to the ground. The archer put an arrow through the leg of another. The two mages pinned the last with a combined wind and fire spells that sent him tumbling backward into the dirt.

It was over in seconds.

There was five more Evolvers. Restrained, disarmed, and pinned to the ground.

Moon walked over to the fallen communication device. Joseph’s voice was still crackling from the speaker, frantic and demanding answers.

Moon picked it up, held it to his ear for a moment, then crushed it in his hand.

It was too late to fool Joseph. Within minutes, he would piece it together and realize something had gone very wrong. The clock was ticking now.

Moon looked down at the man he had subdued. The Evolver was still twitching from the lightning, but that smug grin remained on his face. Frozen there by the electricity still coursing through his muscles. It made him look like he was laughing even now.

It irked Moon.

Lightning crackled in his hands once more. He pressed his palm against the man’s chest and let the current flow.

The grin didn’t fade. But the life behind it did.

[You have killed the Level 31 Rogue]

[You have gained 6,540 Lives]

The body didn’t disappear. It stayed on the ground, still and lifeless. He had died a true death after Moon had taken his entire lives reserves.

"Boss... why did you kill him?" The tank looked at Moon, his face pale with shock, still pinning down his own target.

"Yes, boss..." The archer nodded.

Moon’s expression was cold as he turned to face them.

"Because he was one of the woman’s close workers. He exposed our plan. He was beyond saving." His gaze moved to Frey, who was standing off to the side. "Right, Frey?"

Frey flinched at the sudden attention. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again.

"Yes." He nodded quickly. "He was one of her inner circle."

The tank and the others exchanged glances. Then, one by one, they nodded. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"He deserves to die then."

Moon said nothing more. He turned toward the four remaining Evolvers pinned to the ground.

"Let’s get to work. We don’t have much time left, they will likely start calling back their teams."

◇◇◇◇

Inside the underground base, Joseph stood motionless. The device in his hand was silent now. The connection had been cut.

His eyes shrank as the pieces began to fall into place.

From the moment Moon had arrived through the portal. The cold gaze that had pinned Joseph where he stood. The refusal to be followed. The way he moved, spoke, and carried himself. None of these traits belonged to a normal fresh Evolver.

The picture began to draw itself inside his mind.

Moon had taken Frey. The man who was supposed to plant the tracking inscription and deliver the boy to the master. And now Frey was working for him. The six-man hunting team had gone silent too, and a foot soldier had just called in saying they were escorting Moon as a captured prisoner.

But Moon wasn’t captured. He was the one holding the leash.

"He really isn’t normal." Joseph whispered in horror. "He managed to take Frey and the others under his wing."

He gulped the lump of saliva in his throat. This was not normal...at all.

For a fresh Evolver to do what he done...he couldn’t imagine how that was humanely possible.

The device in his hand felt heavier than it should have. He placed it in his inner pocket and turned toward the corridor leading deeper into the base.

"I need to tell the master."

Joseph rushed out of the chamber, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls as he made his way toward the throne room. Each step felt longer than the last. Not because of the distance, but because of what waited at the end of it.

Delivering good news to the master was a pleasure. Delivering bad news was something else entirely.

Joseph’s fist hammered against the door.

~Knock~ ~Knock~ ~Knock~

"It’s Joseph, Master! I need to speak with you urgently!"

The cold, feminine voice reached his ears a moment later.

"Enter."

Joseph pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was the same as it always was. Dim light from crystals in the ceiling. Dark fabrics draped across carved stone walls.

On either side of the throne, two men stood. Handsome, well-built, with chains around their wrists and necks. One held a platter of grape. The other held a cloth, ready to attend to whatever need arose. Neither looked up when Joseph entered, focused on serving their master.

Perfectly, utterly obedient.

The woman sat at the center of it all. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders and waist, all the way down to the base of the throne behind her. She wore tight leather body armor that hugged every curve of her figure, and her legs were crossed as she leaned to one side with her chin resting on her knuckles.

Her deep, vivid red ruby orbs found Joseph the moment he stepped inside.

"What is wrong, Joseph?" You seem out of breath." She uttered, her tone befitting her status.

Joseph lowered his head, not looking in her enchanting eyes. His chest was still heaving.

"Your Majesty. I have urgent news regarding the newcomer."

She plucked a grape from the platter without looking at it. Her red eyes stayed on Joseph.

"Speak."

"The boy. Moon. He has made Frey follow him. And likely two hunting team as well." Joseph’s voice shook despite his efforts to control it. "One of our men contacted me moments ago saying they had captured him. But the connection was severed before I could warn him. I believe the report was a deception. The boy is not captured. He is the one in control."

The woman chewed the grape slowly.

"So a boy who arrived on this island less than three days ago has dismantled my tracker, turned my Runesmith, freed my soldiers, and is now hunting my people across the flatlands."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Joseph spoke slowly, his heart pounding, sweat dripped down his forehead despite the cool temperature around.

The silence that followed was the longest of Joseph’s life. Seconds seemed to turn into hours. He could feel his master’s eyes glued to him, and her gaze seemed to pierce through him, revealing any secrets he had.

Then the woman uncrossed her legs, leaned forward on her throne, and smiled.

"How delightful."