After the three A-rank Witch Hunters disguised themselves and left behind their black cloaks and equipment, they immediately departed for Sunpeak Town.
“What about us, Lord Death Blade?” another A-rank Witch Hunter in the group asked.
“Cover up the supply bunker. We are relocating,” Death Blade commanded before moving ahead of the group and settling on a spot roughly two hundred yards away from the original location.
“Two of you, stay here and watch the spot,” Death Blade instructed another two A-rank Witch Hunters from his group after they caught up with him. “If the others don’t return within twenty-four hours, assume they are dead and return to Group C.”
“The rest of you, follow me.”
“Understood, Lord Death Blade.”
After the two A-rank Witch Hunters complied, Death Blade brought the remaining three members with him and left the region.
Sometime later, Death Blade’s small detached group temporarily returned to the central command center of their operations, located in another part of the forest roughly sixty miles southeast of the Red Goblin Mountains.
Similar to the supply bunker, the central command center was also concealed underground.
However, Death Blade already knew its general location. Thus, his group did not waste any time searching for it.
“You’re back so soon, Lord Death Blade? Have you already figured out the situation in the Sunpeak Region?” another S-rank Witch Hunter greeted inside the underground command center.
The person’s features weren’t concealed. Thus, his burly and hairy appearance was revealed. He didn’t look much different from a topless grey wolf with yellow eyes that could stand on two feet.
Nevertheless, his most defining feature was the long scar that ran through his left eye and down to his shoulders, which gave him an overall domineering and oppressive aura.
“Lord Steel Jackal,” Death Blade acknowledged the S-rank Witch Hunter’s presence with a nod before replying, “Not yet. However, I need to make an important report to the leader. Group A and Group B had likely been wiped out.”
“Group A and Group B?” Steel Jackal’s laidback gaze turned serious before he asked, “And Lord Dream Streak and Lord Smiling Knife?”
“Most likely dead, too. The situation will only be clearer after my men gather information from Sunpeak Town,” Death Blade answered.
“I see… The leader won’t be happy hearing about this, but alright. Go on, then.”
Steel Jackal stepped aside, letting Death Blade pass to use the long-range communication-type magic tool to contact their leader.
…
…
…
Holy Knight Empire’s northern border region, Equinox City
Inside the lord’s castle, a middle-aged-looking man was sitting inside his study room, going through a pile of documents related to his city.
The man had a very pale complexion and skinny build, making him look quite sick and devoid of body warmth.
However, his short blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, and golden-patterned white robe radiating with holiness negated his sickly image; it painted him the picture of being healthy and full of vitality.
The person was precisely Elrich Salazar, Marquis and Lord of Equinox City.
No one from the Holy Knight Empire would have ever thought he would have anything to do with the six Devil’s Contractors, let alone be one of them.
While going through his paperwork, Elrich’s ruby ring suddenly lit up, causing his pen hand to pause in their place. His eyes narrowed slightly before he placed his feather ink pen down and stood up.
“I’ll be entering the isolation chamber for holy meditation and training. Do not disturb me until I come out.”
“Understood, Lord Salazar.”
Shortly after servants in the lord’s castle noted Elrich’s instruction, he entered his isolation chamber on the underground floor and sealed the door, locking himself in.
Afterward, he walked up to a bookshelf, rearranged a few enchanted books in a specific order, then rotated a gold vase around halfway.
Click!
Something clicked behind the bookshelf, causing the bookshelf to loosen and drop an inch. Then, Elrich slid the bookshelf to the left side, revealing the plain rock wall with dozens of socket holes.
The rock wall did not appear any different from the rest of the wall in the isolation chamber.
However, Elrich raised his left hand, embedded his ruby ring into the middle socket, and then twisted it.
Click!
A hidden compartment in the wall was revealed, storing a single manual called Salazar’s Holy Circulation Method.
Without a doubt, it was a priceless treasure to many holy knights in the empire.
However, Elrich didn’t show any care as he grabbed it from the hidden compartment and swapped it out for a white enchanted book on the bookshelf.
After the white enchanted book replaced the manual’s original spot, Elrich pressed down on it, activating another hidden mechanism.
Soon, a door-sized wall slab with the hidden compartment dropped to the ground, revealing a new entrance leading to Elrich’s secret room.
After Elrich entered the secret room, the door-sized wall slab rose, closing off the entrance. At the same time, the bookshelf slid back into place and concealed the rock wall behind it.
Elrich had taken multiple steps just to reach his secret room.
Even his signature aura circulation method was used as bait to divert his enemy’s attention if they ever breached his isolation chamber.
However, it made perfect sense why the secret room was so strictly hidden and guarded. Countless treasures were found inside.
Whether they were mana stones, rare minerals, magic tools, secret manuals, or potions, they were all high quality.
Such a level of precaution was necessary in order for Elrich to keep his wealth and secrets safe.
Nevertheless, inside the secret room, Elrich picked up a seemingly ordinary black mask on the table and wore it.
However, his outward appearance immediately transformed into an indiscernible shadowy figure that didn’t seem human.
Afterward, he removed the ruby ring from his finger and inserted it into another socket on a cubic magic tool on the table.
A crimson hologram immediately appeared, revealing Death Blade’s face.
“Quickly state your matter, Death Blade,” Elrich demanded in a raspy, cold, and menacingly low voice.