Chapter 98: Silent War
The music reached them long before the circus came into view.
♪♪♪
It rolled through the streets like a living thing, carrying with it the sound of roaring crowds, jubilant laughter, and instruments playing in perfect harmony. It was loud, vibrant, and overflowing with life a sharp contrast to the town surrounding it, whose weathered buildings and quiet streets felt as though they had long since forgotten what joy sounded like.
Then the Ash-En Circus emerged.
It towered over the district like a beacon against the night, its massive striped canopy rising above the rooftops while hundreds of enchanted lanterns hung from towering poles, casting rivers of crimson, gold, sapphire, and emerald light across the entrance. Colorful banners danced in the evening breeze, and masked visitors poured through the gates in endless waves, disappearing into a world of spectacle and illusion.
Stepping inside felt like crossing into another land.
The air buzzed with excitement.
Acrobats soared effortlessly from swinging trapezes high above the audience, twisting through impossible flips before catching one another with flawless precision. Fire-eaters sent blazing columns spiraling into the air, shaping flames into elegant dragons and blooming flowers that vanished into showers of harmless sparks. Jugglers manipulated glowing spheres that left brilliant trails behind them, while musicians filled every corner of the grand pavilion with energetic melodies that demanded movement.
Masked nobles laughed alongside commoners.
Merchants danced with wandering performers.
Children chased painted jesters through the crowd while illusionists dazzled onlookers with tricks that blurred the line between magic and deception.
No one cared who anyone truly was.
Behind a mask...everyone became someone else.
It was the perfect place to disappear.
And the perfect place to hunt.
* * *
Daito and his team melted into the sea of strangers without drawing the slightest bit of attention.
Elegant masquerade masks concealed their identities, while carefully tailored formal attire hid every weapon they carried. To anyone watching, they were simply another group of wealthy guests enjoying the evening's festivities.
Only the quiet voices flowing through their communication devices betrayed the truth.
"...Scanning faces," Wasabi whispered, her fingers dancing across the compact scanner concealed beneath her sleeve.
Her eyes swept across hundreds of masked guests, matching facial structures and body movements against countless stored profiles.
"...Nothing yet."
Wei-Wan drifted along the outer edge of the pavilion, his calm gaze never lingering in one place for long as he studied entrances, exits, blind spots, and crowd movement with practiced precision.
"...Too many variables," he muttered.
His voice remained composed despite the growing complexity of the situation.
"...She could be anyone here."
Aerin laughed softly as she allowed a masked noble to spin her into a brief dance before effortlessly slipping away again, her movements so natural that no one questioned her presence.
"...Or..." she said with a playful smile, "...she's already watching us."
Champagne adjusted the silver mask covering the upper half of his face before letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"...I hate missions like this."
Mardale Aranos stood perfectly still near one of the support pillars, arms folded beneath his cloak as his sharp eyes observed everything around him.
Unlike the others...he wasn't searching for a person.
He was searching for intent.
"...Stay focused."
His deep voice carried enough authority to silence any further complaints.
Then...everything changed.
Zachia stopped walking.
His body froze so suddenly that the people behind him nearly collided with his back.
Bump....
"Hey...watch it..."
His breathing slowed.
His expression hardened beneath his mask.
"...We have a problem."
The seriousness in his voice cut through every other conversation on the communication channel.
Daito continued walking naturally, never turning his head.
"...What is it?"
For several seconds...Zachia said nothing.
Not because he was hesitating, but because he wasn't entirely sure he believed what he was seeing.
Finally, he spoke.
"...Eleven o'clock."
"...Don't stare."
One after another...
The team shifted their attention with practiced subtlety, each using reflections, passing performers, and peripheral vision to avoid making their movements obvious.
Then they saw him.
A man stood near the central performance ring, towering over nearly everyone around him.
He wore dark ceremonial robes beneath an elegant masquerade mask, but the mask itself had fractured along one side, revealing a jagged crack that somehow made it even more intimidating. It looked less like damaged porcelain...And more like something beneath it was trying to break free.
Even standing perfectly still...He dominated the space around him.
The laughter nearby felt quieter as the air itself seemed heavier.
Mardale's eyes narrowed.
"...No way..."
Champagne's usual grin disappeared without a trace.
"...You've got to be kidding me..."
Even Aerin's carefree expression faded.
"...That's... really bad."
Daito remained calm, though his gaze sharpened ever so slightly.
"...Who is he?"
Zachia answered immediately.
His voice was low, controlled and slightly tense.
"...Savage Leader."
A brief silence followed.
Then he spoke the name.
"...Ragnarock."
The name landed like a hammer.
For just a fleeting instant...It felt as though the music itself had become distant.
Brandon slowly exhaled.
"...The leader from Whaley Saw..."
Wei-Wan clenched his jaw.
"...Why would someone like him be here?"
Fah-Jin's voice calmly entered the conversation.
"...The same reason we are."
A pause.
"...Target acquisition."
Daito's eyes narrowed.
"...You're saying..."
Champagne finished the sentence.
"...He's here for Nyx."
Silence answered him.
Across the circus floor, Ragnarock remained motionless.
His body never shifted, his posture never changed, only his eyes moved.
Slowly and methodically.
Scanning every face, every exit and every shadow.
He wasn't looking at people he was studying prey.
"...He hasn't noticed us yet," Wasabi whispered.
"...Good."
Mardale immediately shook his head.
"...No."
The certainty in his voice made everyone pause.
"...What do you mean?" Aerin asked.
Without taking his eyes off Ragnarock, Mardale answered quietly.
"...People like him..."
His expression remained unreadable.
"...They always know."
As though responding to those exact words...Ragnarock tilted his head ever so slightly.
Not enough to expose his attention but enough to alert the surrounding crowd.
Just enough.
Enough for every trained operative watching him to understand.
He knew.
Whether he recognized their identities or merely sensed another predator nearby...he knew he wasn't alone.
A chill crept through the communication channel.
Zachia's hand slowly drifted toward the concealed weapon beneath his coat.
"...Do we engage?"
Daito considered the question carefully.
Charging someone like Ragnarock inside a crowded circus would be suicide.
Not only would innocent people die....They would lose Nyx before the fight even began.
"...No."
His answer came without hesitation.
"...Not yet."
Aerin glanced toward him.
"...Then what's the plan?"
Daito swept his eyes across the enormous pavilion, carefully reading the movement of performers, spectators, guards, and staff alike.
Every possible escape route. Every potential ambush. Every opportunity.
"...We find her first."
His voice remained calm and resolute.
"...Before he does."
Champagne rolled his shoulders, the familiar confidence returning to his expression.
"...And if we don't?"
For the first time since spotting him, Daito looked directly toward Ragnarock.
Only for a heartbeat.
Only long enough to acknowledge another hunter standing on the same battlefield.
"...Then..."
His eyes hardened.
"...We take her from him."
Around them, the orchestra burst into another triumphant performance.
♪♪♪ !
♪♪♪ !
The crowd danced.
The lights shimmered.
Laughter echoed beneath the enormous canopy.
To everyone else...The Ash-En Circus was nothing more than an unforgettable night of celebration.
But beneath the music...Beneath the masks...a silent war had already begun.
Two predators had entered the hunt.
Neither intended to leave empty-handed.
And somewhere within the dazzling sea of strangers...Hidden behind a mask of her own...Nyx of the Hollow Gate watched the hunters draw closer.
A faint smile slowly curved beneath her mask.
The game...Had finally become interesting.
To be continued.....