The mood around the tables immediately grew tense. The air felt heavier, the usual chatter replaced by a wary silence. Eyes flickered between members of Joker Roulette, all waiting for the next move.
"Which one?" Liam asked, unlike the others, he was still as calm as ever.
Noah said, "The one with curly hair. He was Daniel." His voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it carried enough weight to sharpen the attention of the group.
Not far from them, a group of four sat at an empty table. One of them had curly hair, just as Noah had said. They seemed relaxed, unaware of the watching eyes. Laughter passed between them, casual and careless, as if they hadn't a clue they were being hunted.
"Owen, don't stare too much," Ridley warned quietly, nudging him. His eyes stayed fixed on his coffee, pretending disinterest even as his muscles tensed.
"I know!" Owen replied, turning his head away sharply. His jaw clenched, irritation flashing across his face. "Don't treat me like an idiot!"
Ridley held back from saying that he kinda is, instead he picked up his cup and drank his coffee. The bitter taste did little to settle his nerves.
"So what's the plan, Boss?" Milo asked, keeping his voice low. He leaned forward slightly.
"We will wait until they make a move," Liam said, his gaze fixed on the group. His expression gave nothing away, but the stillness in his posture spoke of readiness.
"Waiting again..." Owen grumbled, slumping slightly in his chair, losing his spirit. His fingers drummed impatiently against the table, restless energy begging for release.
"Stop complaining," Ridley said, glaring at Owen, starting to lose patience with his friend. His grip tightened around his cup, knuckles whitening.
"The moment they move, we will break into two groups," Liam explained. "Me, Milo, and Willow in the first group, and the rest in the second group. Each group is in charge of eliminating two people."
They nodded in understanding. The plan was simple, but the execution would be anything but.
The group of four from Arcane Keepers acted naturally enough, with Joker Roulette watching them in silence from their tables. The café buzzed with oblivious patrons, the clink of cups and idle chatter masking the tension.
Daniel was drinking a coffee. The guy with dark skin was talking to the waitress nearby, flashing a charming smile. The one with a bald head was talking to the last person, a boy wearing a hat, their conversation too quiet to overhear.
Not long after that, a guy with a scar and a girl with a ponytail appeared, walking near the groups. Their steps were casual, but their eyes darted around, scanning.
But the moment they got close, they suddenly stopped dead in their tracks.
They looked at each other, eyes wide, and suddenly started running in opposite directions.
"What? They know?" One of Arcane Keepers member said, the dark-skinned one. He immediately stood up, knocking his chair back. The wood screeched against the floor, drawing startled glances from nearby customers. "But how?"
"Must be their ability," Daniel said, standing quickly. "But don't worry, I've already marked them."
"Alright, let's go," the bald guy said, immediately standing. His bulk made the movement swift, decisive.
The hat guy scrambled up and followed him, nearly tripping in his haste.
Daniel suddenly cursing, his friends glanced at him.
"Damn, of course they decided to split up!" Daniel said, concentrating as he used his detection ability. His brow furrowed, frustration clear. He looked at his friends and asked, "What are we going to do?"
"Let's split up too," the dark-skinned guy said decisively. "I will chase the girl; she must be slower at running, so I don't need Daniel's detection, while Daniel and one of you follow the guy."
"I will go with Daniel!" the bald guy said quickly, cracking his knuckles.
"Alright, enough talking, and go!" the dark-skinned guy commanded.
They split up and started running out of the café area, their footsteps pounding against the floor.
At the tables where Joker Roulette sat, they were instantly alert and eager to move. The waiting was over—now was the time to act.
"Finally, some action!" Owen said, practically vibrating with excitement. He shot up from his seat, nearly knocking over his chair in the process.
"The bald guy seems tough," Noah said out of the blue, watching the targets split. His tone was casual, but his eyes tracked their movements like a predator.
"Hah! Are you scared? I can deal with him easily!" Owen said proudly, puffing out his chest. His grin was all confidence, no hesitation.
"Really?" Noah smiled faintly. "Then I will let you handle him."
"Hey!" Ridley said. "Boss didn't even decide yet which group we're going to chase!"
"It's fine," Liam said, making a quick decision. "We will chase the dark-skinned guy's team. You handle the other."
"Alright! Thanks, boss!" Owen laughed, his spirit instantly back. He cracked his neck, already hyping himself up.
"But stay alert," Liam warned. His voice was calm, but the edge in it made them all straighten. "We might outnumber them for a moment, but they can still call for backup."
"Got it," Ridley said firmly.
Right when everyone was ready to move, Noah didn't wait any longer.
"Well, I'm going first, then," he said right before he vanished in a flash—teleported immediately.
"Hey, unfair!" Owen yelled, jumping up from his chair in frustration. But Noah was already disappeared, no longer able to hear his complaints.
He gritted his teeth. "Hurry, Ridley, Asher!" Owen yelled as he started running. "I will be pissed if he steals my hunt!"
"Okay, okay, geez, Boss, we're going," Ridley sighed, immediately running after the impulsive Owen. His long legs ate up the distance, but Owen's reckless speed was hard to match.
Asher stood up silently and moved last, following them. His expression was unreadable, but his steps were sure.
"Such a chaotic group," Milo said, shaking his head as he watched them go. "Are you sure about this, boss?"
"They will manage," Liam said, already turning his attention toward the direction the dark-skinned guy and the girl had run. His voice held no doubt. "And we have our own hunt to worry about."
"True," Milo conceded. "Let's go then."
And with that, Liam, Milo, and Willow started moving quickly, heading out in pursuit.
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