Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 125

125 Chapter 29.8 - Banquet

"Team Fox! Team Fox! ANSWER ME!"

Inside the same space filled with portals opening all around, the bulky man was shedding sweat.

As the urgency in the bulky man's voice intensified, he repeatedly attempted to establish contact with Team Fox, his fingers frantically tapping the microphone. But there was nothing but silence as the signal remained frustratingly broken.

"Team Fox! Respond, dammit!" he barked into the microphone, his eyes darting between the screens that displayed the ominous darkness within the room where the veiled figure stood.

"Czzzt….."

However, only a broken and disturbed signal came as a response, as if to mock him. He wondered, how did this happen?

Was there a jammer that would block their communication?

His face turned to the veiled figure, his eyes bloodshot. Had he been betrayed? He asked himself.

"It is not the Blackthorn Family."

At that second, the veiled figure's voice came just to answer his question. "The mana-eating property of the walls wouldn't block the signal, and you know it."

"THEN WHO IS IT, DAMMIT!"

He shouted, his voice echoing in the darkness of the veiled figure's chamber while the screens and whirling sounds continued, though there was no response from Team Fox.

It was as if a shroud of secrecy had descended, separating them from the world outside.

And for them, the members of the most crucial part, that was something that couldn't be overlooked no matter what.

"DELTA!"

The bulky man immediately shouted, his face turning to one of the screens. There, he could see one of the attackers clashing with the forces of the Blackthorn Family.

[What is it, leader? CLANK!]

A composed voice came from the speaker as the man clashing with one of the guards stood up.

"Retreat from your position and return immediately."

[Are you sure, leader? The planned time hasn't come yet.]

"Yes, we don't have any choice."

[Understood.]

As the bulky man clenched his fists from one of the portals, a black-clad individual with blood spluttered all around his body appeared. It was as if he butchered countless animals.

From the tip of his spear, blood was spilling to the ground.

"I need you to look for Team Fox."

"Team Fox? The ones entering the vault?"

"Yes. Something must have happened there."

"Tch. I knew those thief bastards wouldn't be able to do the job properly, didn't I-"

"SHUT UP! We don't have much time to waste."

"Understood."

Without even talking much, the man with the spear suddenly disappeared, leaving a gush of wind behind his back. It was a truly inhuman speed belonging to a high-ranking awakened.

<nulli>-WROOM!

In a matter of seconds, the man entered the portal, leaving everyone alone.

******

Delta, one of the black-clad individuals of the shadowy organization, obeyed the leader's orders without hesitation.

He retreated from his current position, leaving behind the chaos of battle in the Blackthorn Family's stronghold.

The plan had been to keep the guards, and the forces of the Blackthorn family occupied for a certain time, but the unexpected turn of events had forced a change of plans.

"Tch, that is why I said he should have sent me."

He was one of the strongest members of the organization and knew such an important task shouldn't have been left to random thieves.

As Delta passed through the portal and arrived at the vault's location before him stood a scene that he was very familiar with.

What lay before him was a gruesome scene of death and destruction. The lifeless bodies of Team Fox were strewn about, their blood pooling on the polished floors of the vault.

It was a classic tableau of violence that he himself lived all his life. He spread his senses with mana into the vault using his unique skill [Radar]; he could sense no life aside from himself.

Four lifeless bodies and a bunch of artifacts belonging to the vault.

He just stood there for a second, as he immediately realized they were too late.

Since the fact that the item they were searching for was not even there. The amount of energy that the <nullb>Mana Nucleus should have contained was something that he would never miss, no matter what happened.

"Tch."

He clicked his tongue as he lowered his hands. He started searching for the body of one of the dead Team Fox members.

Delta carefully inspected the lifeless bodies of Team Fox.

<nulli>CLICK!

With a click sound, he found the thing he was looking for.

His experienced eyes quickly discerned that the special device they had planned to use to conceal the energy of the Mana Nucleus was indeed missing from each of the fallen members.

"This?"

The moment he realized that fact, he immediately understood one thing. Whoever had orchestrated this last-minute disturbance was well-prepared and well-informed.

The fact that they knew the organization had the necessary equipment to secure the Mana Nucleus meant it was known to them.

"There was a rat."

He mumbled to himself as he realized that fact.

They knew the value of the Mana Nucleus and had taken the necessary steps to secure it.

The shadowy organization had not only failed in its mission but also lost a valuable asset.

[Delta.]

At that exact second, from the earbuds inside his head came the voice of the leader.