How had the intruders breached the Fusetsu hideout without passing through the gatekeepers' post?
Several possibilities came to mind.
With no reason to linger on the surface, Rei asked Seto to stand guard above, then returned to the hideout alongside Crow. They exchanged theories as they made their way through the passageways.
"Crow, given that this is the Fusetsu—an assassin guild's hideout—couldn't there be a hidden passage somewhere other than the main entrance? Is it possible they came through one of those?"
"That's... I won't deny the possibility of a hidden passage. But I don't even know where one would be. If even I, a Fusetsu member, have no idea, how would assassins from a rival guild know?"
"Then the next possibility is a traitor. Someone in the upper ranks with knowledge of hidden routes."
"Guh..."
Crow opened his mouth to argue, but the reality that this was a likely scenario was something he couldn't refute.
"Moving on—if the Dolan Workshop orchestrated this incident... well, no point being coy about it at this stage. The Dolan Workshop is definitely pulling the strings. And if they're involved, they could deploy golems that dig underground, couldn't they?"
Rei had heard that golems capable of burrowing were used during the construction of the Fusetsu hideout.
He didn't know exactly when it had been built, but it hadn't been just a few years ago.
With that much time, golem technology would have naturally advanced, and burrowing golems with better performance than the ones used to dig the hideout wouldn't be unusual.
Although, from what Rei had heard, golem technology had stagnated for several years before the Dolan Workshop emerged onto the scene.
"I see. That's entirely plausible."
For Crow, the theory that they had tunneled underground using new golems was far easier to accept than the idea of a traitor.
(Though in the worst case, that means they could also dig thoroughly enough to collapse the entire hideout. But since I'm inside right now, that's probably not a concern.)
The Dolan Workshop's highest priority should be the altar Rei had stored in his Misty Ring.
If he were crushed to death deep underground, recovering his corpse—or more precisely, the Misty Ring on his right arm—would become extremely difficult. That would defeat the purpose entirely.
"Other than that... the lowest probability, but the alchemists of the Bestia Empire developed a Teleportation Stone, a Magic Item. There's a chance someone got their hands on one. That said, Teleportation Stones can't cover much distance, and they require setup—a magic circle at the destination."
"Which means someone planted a magic circle inside the hideout... meaning a Fusetsu member betrayed you?"
"In that sense, it's the same as the hidden passage scenario—someone leaked information. But while only the upper ranks would know about hidden passages, anyone can set up a magic circle. It doesn't have to be someone from the upper ranks."
Rei explained this, but Crow still looked displeased. From his perspective, whether the traitor came from the upper ranks or not, a comrade had still betrayed them.
Even so, he kept his dissatisfaction to himself—likely because he was carefully weighing which scenario was actually the best given their circumstances.
"So, which do you think is most likely?"
"I wouldn't go so far as to say 'don't worry'... but I'd bet on burrowing golems. They forcibly created a new entrance."
At Rei's words, Crow showed a faint look of relief.
Whether it was the upper ranks or his own colleagues, the fact that no one in Fusetsu had betrayed them was welcome news.
"I see... I see."
Having likely concluded from Rei's earlier words that a traitor was the strongest possibility, it was only natural for Crow to show relief when told otherwise.
"Hate to spoil your good mood, but the problem isn't solved yet. If my guess is right—that they carved a new entrance into the hideout from somewhere else—then we first need to find where that entrance is."
The Fusetsu hideout sprawled underground across a considerable area—large enough that Rei couldn't possibly map every corner.
Finding the point where it connected to the surface would be no easy task.
Crow understood this all too well. His expression, which had brightened at the news of no traitor, darkened again with a bitter look.
He knew far better than Rei, who had only just arrived, just how vast the underground complex was.
What's more, there were areas within the hideout where even Crow was forbidden to enter. If enemies had breached through one of those, tracking them down would be extremely difficult.
Even so, what Crow needed to do now was clear.
"Anyway, I'll sweep through the hideout. When we find intruders, we push toward wherever they're concentrated."
It was a choice that sat only half-well with Crow. After all, the plan he'd just proposed was one that hinged entirely on having Rei—a powerful combat asset—at his side.
...Though Crow even wondered whether "plan" was too generous a word for it.
Still, it was undeniably the fastest and most reliable approach.
Between wounded pride and driving out intruders even a moment sooner, the choice was obvious. For that, he was willing to let his pride as a Fusetsu member take whatever beating it needed.
Perhaps sensing Crow's resolve, Rei nodded without objection.
"Understood. Let's go with that, then. First, we need to figure out which direction the enemies are in."
"Right. It would be ideal to link up with other Fusetsu members and share what we know... but that might be tricky."
Crow muttered, visibly disappointed. Fusetsu had plenty of members, most of whom lived inside the hideout, but finding them at will was no simple matter.
After all, Rei and Crow were currently far from the main battlefield where the intruders were likely engaged. Locating that battlefield first was essential.
"If contact is difficult, then we need to make it happen as fast as possible. Where should we head? You'd have at least a rough idea, wouldn't you?"
"I suppose... no, it's definitely better for me to lead than you, Rei—you barely know this place. In that case, I'll pick up the pace. Follow me."
Crow surged forward, running even faster than before and guiding the way.
His speed showed zero consideration for whether Rei could keep up—a pace that almost dared him to fall behind.
Part of it was urgency to find the intruders' entry point for his comrades' sake, but more than that, having witnessed a glimpse of Rei's ability during the mock battle with Lindy, he simply couldn't imagine Rei failing to keep up at this speed.
And indeed, Rei matched his pace without falling behind at all.
(Tch. And here I was proud of my speed.)
Crow ranked himself among the fastest in Fusetsu. He didn't claim to be the absolute quickest, but he was certain no ordinary member could match him at full sprint.
Yet here was Rei, keeping up effortlessly.
His current inadequacy stung, no doubt about it.
Even so, there was no denying that Rei was an immensely reliable combat asset. In that sense, there was no need to wallow.
Mid-stride, Crow glanced back briefly. Rei caught the look immediately.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing... no, actually, something. I'm sensing a fight ahead."
Crow tried to brush it off, but the signs of combat ahead made him correct himself.
"Seems that way."
Rei had sensed the same thing from right behind Crow. Even as he replied, he drew the Twilight Spear from his Misty Ring.
For someone who wielded long-handled weapons like scythes and spears, the narrow corridors they were in were a serious handicap.
But a difficult environment just called for a different approach. The same cramped space that prevented him from freely swinging his weapon also meant his enemies had to fight in those same confines—and that they'd have little room to dodge his thrusts.
In truth, there was enough room that dodging wasn't entirely impossible. The corridor was wide enough for a sufficiently skilled fighter to engage. The difference also stemmed from the fact that assassins and adventurers, while both combatants, fought in entirely different ways.
"Got them in sight!"
Crow's shout carried back to Rei. He followed Crow's gaze and saw it: a group of three fighting a group of two, all appearing to be assassins.
The problem was that Rei couldn't tell which side was friendly.
If he'd been alone, he would have been completely lost as to who to attack. In that sense, having Crow with him had been the right call.
"Crow, which is the enemy—the two or the three!?"
"The three!"
Crow shouted without hesitation: the two were allies, the three were enemies.
Both sides wore masks to conceal their faces, so exactly how Crow had distinguished them was beyond Rei—but since he had identified friend from foe clearly, there was no room to hold back.
"Wha—!? Tch, reinforcements!"
"What!? Then... wait, that's Rei! He's the target!"
"Alright, the bounty is ours!"
With that exchange, the trio half-forced a blow that sent the two Fusetsu members flying, then charged toward Rei.
What they were thinking was immediately clear to Rei, who had caught every word with his sharp hearing.
(A bounty. So it really is the Dolan Workshop.)
Rei didn't assume the Dolan Workshop was the only party with a grudge against him. Even just in Egginis, there could be Blood Blade remnants, people coveting the Gryphon Seto, those after his Magic Items—or even someone targeting him for a reason he couldn't begin to imagine.
Still, the Dolan Workshop had the strongest motive of all.
"A bounty for taking me down? If you think you can collect that easily, you're dead wrong!"
Rei kicked off the floor and instantly overtook Crow, who prided himself on his speed.
Among the three charging toward him, the lead runner faltered for a split second as the distance suddenly closed.
That the hesitation lasted only a moment was a testament to his skill—enough to be selected for the Fusetsu hideout infiltration. But against Rei, even a single moment's hesitation was fatal.
In that instant, Rei closed the gap and unleashed a thrust with the Twilight Spear.
A strike so swift that even a skilled assassin could only register it as a flash of light.
The thrust cleanly severed the man's right arm at the shoulder—and in the same breath, took his left leg at the knee. He crumpled to the floor.
"Wha—!"
"Next."
The followers behind couldn't process what had just happened to their point man. In the end, they too had their arms and legs severed by Rei's spear and tumbled across the floor.