#018. What Lies in the Basement (1)
“…….”
“What… what have I done?”
Ray didn’t expect that even this was possible through magic.
There wasn’t any time to ponder it deeply.
Time was slipping by, second by second, even as he stood here.
*Creak—Clunk.*
He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
Ray scanned the space with a calm, scrutinizing gaze.
*’It’s bigger than I thought.’*
The basement was more spacious than expected, roughly the size of several small rooms combined. Being deep underground, the ceiling was unusually high, adding an oppressive air to the space.
*Fizzle—Crackle.*
From the ceiling, a single frayed cord hung down, supporting an old bulb that buzzed intermittently. Its flickering amber light cast faint shadows across the room, barely illuminating its contents.
There were a desk, a bed, a wardrobe, and a small sink.
As the intel suggested, this appeared to be the living space of the man in the coat.
Ray wandered through the basement and stopped at the desk.
There was a notebook lying open amid several spent pens.
Its pages were filled with cramped handwriting, the edges worn and full of tears where they’d been roughly ripped.
Crumpled papers littered the floor around the desk, as if the writer had repeatedly torn out and discarded pages that didn’t satisfy him.
Ray picked up the notebook and started reading.
*”Boss. Like the fierce flame of my life… the Boss… after being expelled from the… organization… it has been… already….”*
The handwriting was crude and hard to decipher.
*”Although… my skills are… this too must be the Boss’s will… my respect and awe remain… despite my pitiful abilities….”*
The word “Boss” appeared over and over.
It seemed clear that the man in the coat had been part of an organization.
*”The redstone issued to me… I can feel myself growing stronger with time….”*
Was the “redstone” referring to the red gem embedded in the ring?
*”Living on the streets… using orphans as sacrifices… No one notices when they disappear… Sixty-six of them… This proves my decisiveness and boldness…”*
The last line of the letter made him pause. Just then, the light bulb began flickering violently.
*Crackle—Flicker—!*
After a few seconds, the dim amber light returned to normal.
Was the bulb dying?
He crouched down and picked up a few crumpled pieces of paper, smoothing them out to read.
The content was similar to what was in the notebook, but some of the previously illegible parts became clearer, helping him piece together more of the meaning.
A sense of clarity began to form.
He stared at a point in the air, organizing his thoughts.
It seemed almost certain that the man in the coat was the one who had been searching for Kedrick.
The mention of “66 people”—a specific number—was something only the involved party would know.
But something didn’t add up.
*”The executive from Murcred comes directly to check on our group regularly,”* Kedrick had said.
The man in the coat didn’t seem like an executive.
If anything, judging by the letters, he seemed to have been expelled from the organization.
Ray considered a few possible explanations.
If this man had been impersonating an executive, could it have been to assert authority over Kedrick?
And why was he gathering 66 people?
The word “sacrifice” came to mind instinctively.
But he didn’t yet know what the word meant.
*Crackle—Flicker—*
Under the flickering light, he resumed his exploration.
*Creak.*
Ray checked the wardrobe and bed, then opened the desk drawers one by one.
*Rattle. Thunk.*
*Rattle. Thunk.*
The upper drawers contained nothing but miscellaneous junk.
*Rattle.*
In the final drawer, he found a square tin box.
He pulled it out and opened it.
Inside were small gems, each no bigger than a fingernail. They were reddish and transparent, faintly glowing.
“……”
Ray took one out, holding it between his fingers. The tin contained over twenty identical gems.
*‘It’s just like the gem from the ring.’*
The faint red mana emanating from the gem stirred a memory—when the mana in the ring had connected to Kedrick’s heart.
*‘It’s definitely mana. The quality feels different from the ambient mana, but it’s still mana.’*
He instinctively reached out with his palm, drawing the gem’s mana toward him.
*Vwoom—*
It flowed smoothly, far more so than ambient mana. It felt like a delicate thread of crimson weaving toward him.
A flicker of awe passed through Ray’s eyes as he watched the mana.
What kind of magic would this mana create?
The question planted itself firmly in his mind, impossible to ignore.
The red mana condensed into a single point at his will.
*Whoosh!*
A flame ignited—a vivid red, far clearer than any flame Ray had conjured before.
*‘Normally, it takes more time to spark a flame like this….’*
The speed was extraordinary. It felt as if the magic responded instantly to his thoughts.
The mana from the gem was not only easier to control but of a higher quality.
It felt like ambient mana had been refined and stored in the gem.
*Crackle—Flicker—!*
Just then, the light flickered again.
*Clack—Clack—*
Footsteps echoed from outside the door.
Was he back already?
Not even 15 minutes had passed.
Initially, Ray thought it might just be someone passing by. But the footsteps were unmistakably heading straight for this room.
There was only one exit—a staircase connecting to the ground floor.
If the door opened, he would have no choice but to face whoever it was.
His mind raced, yet he didn’t panic.
Ray swiftly pocketed a few gems and closed the drawer, returning everything to its original state.
He moved with the efficiency of someone who had anticipated this exact scenario.
*Clack—Clack—*
The footsteps stopped just outside the door.
Ray squeezed into the corner right next to the door, holding his breath.
*Clink.*
Ray heard the sound of a key being inserted into the lock.
Then came a low mutter from outside.
*”Huh? Did I forget to lock the door?”*
*Thunk—Thunk—Click!*
The key turned again, followed by the heavy screech of metal as the door opened.
*”Damn it… left my wallet behind. Shit… I’m losing my mind these days. No wonder the Boss threw me away.”*
*Creak—Thud!*
The door swung open and hit the wall, leaving Ray hidden in the narrow triangular space between the door and the wall.
The man muttered to himself as he rifled through the room.
*”I wasted so much time. I could’ve written a few more lines for the Boss in that time.”*
Ray couldn’t see him, but his voice and movements carried through the room.
*”It’s fine. It’s fine, Walter. Just focus on the mission. Once this is over, the Boss will take you back. The Boss *has* to take you back. Haha… ha.”*
His voice was unstable, his laughter reverberating through the basement with a hint of mania.
*”Right. The wallet’s here. I should buy some extra food this time. No point in going out for a while.”*
His searching stopped. The footsteps approached the door.
Then—
*Clack.*
The handle turned.
Ray held his breath tighter.
*”Wait a second. Didn’t I need something else? Oh, yeah, that’s right. I almost forgot. It was—”*
*Creeeeak!*
*”Rat bastard! You little rat, did you think I wouldn’t notice you hiding here—?”*
The door swung open, and his face twisted with rage as their eyes met.
Ray exhaled the breath he had been holding and slashed upward with the knife he had drawn, aiming diagonally.
Ray had already pulled his hood low and covered his face with a mask.
*Screeech—!*
*”Gahh!”*
The man’s blood spurted from his nose as he staggered back, clutching his face with his hand.
Despite the blood dripping between his fingers, his gaze remained locked on Ray.
*Thud!*
He slammed the door shut, blocking Ray’s escape.
His bloodshot eyes flared as he shouted.
*”Shit. Who the hell are you? I thought you were one of the organization’s assassins, but you’re just a kid? How did you even get in here—?”*
Ray didn’t answer the question.
Without hesitation, he launched his next attack.
This wasn’t the situation he had anticipated.
Still, it didn’t change his objective.
It was merely a small variable in the path to achieving his goal.
*Subdue him. Extract all the information.*
With that, he could resolve at least some of the questions crowding his mind.
*Screech!*
*Thud!*
The knife slicing through the air was stopped.
The man had caught it barehanded.
It was a stunning sight.
Not a single drop of blood flowed from the hand gripping the blade.
However, his hand trembled as he wrestled with Ray’s knife, his strength boosted by enhancement magic.
*Crackle! Zap!*
The flickering light revealed glimpses of the boy and the man’s faces, appearing and vanishing in the shadows.
“You little punk… ignoring an adult’s question… Damn it, why are you so strong?”
Ray’s gaze wasn’t on the knife—it was on the man’s ring.
The mana in the ring was moving, coursing through his veins and spreading throughout his body.
A particularly large amount of mana was concentrated in the hand gripping the knife.
Ray instinctively understood.
The man was using magic to prevent himself from being cut by the blade.
*So, magic like that exists.*
Ray’s brief moment of admiration faded quickly.
His eyes naturally discerned the combination and ratio of the mana colors used in the magic.
He hadn’t consciously tried—it was as effortless as breathing.
“This strength…!”
The man, who had been gritting his teeth and straining, suddenly let go of the knife.
Ray’s stance didn’t falter.
He had anticipated this and maintained his balance.
“Damn it! I was holding back because you’re a kid! I’ll kill you!”
The man moved swiftly.
Ignoring the blood dripping from his nose, he pulled something from his coat and swung it like lightning.
A curved, crescent-shaped blade—a *kukri*.
It was a weapon notorious for being difficult to wield.
*Swoosh!*
The menacingly sharp blade aimed for Ray’s face.
*Thud!*
Something struck upward from below.
“What the—! What are you…!”
The man froze in shock as he saw the boy’s bare hand gripping the *kukri*.
He couldn’t comprehend it.
He didn’t want to.
After all, *Metalization* was a unique magic he had developed himself—one he had never revealed to anyone.
“What are you?! You little—!”
Ray didn’t miss the man’s moment of panic.
He launched a relentless assault.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
The underground room filled with the deafening clash of metal.
Ray had the upper hand in the skirmish.
The man’s coat was gradually shredded, his body forced deeper into the basement.
Even his fedora tumbled to the floor.
*Clang!*
“Gah!”
The man was drenched in sweat, grunting as he struggled to block Ray’s attacks.
But strangely, there was no fear in his eyes.
Instead, a bizarre mix of heat and exhilaration gleamed within them.
“You… you’re the one, aren’t you? You’re the assassin the boss sent. I’d heard there was someone who could mimic magic… Haha…”
The man let out a sinister laugh.
Ray paid no mind and continued his assault.
*Thud!*
The man couldn’t hold out any longer and collapsed to the floor.
Ray’s knife didn’t stop.
It struck the back of the man’s hand, piercing it vertically.
*Squelch!*
“Argh!”
Ray kicked the *kukri* far out of reach.
He stomped on the man’s other hand with his strength-enhanced foot.
*Crunch!*
The sickening sound of bones shattering echoed.
The man’s body convulsed violently.
He was completely immobilized.
Ray placed his knife at the man’s throat for good measure.
He didn’t let his guard down.
His opponent was a mage equipped with a ring.
The man had yet to cast a full spell.
He might still have a trick up his sleeve.
The moment the ring’s mana stirred, Ray was ready to suppress him further.
Lowering his voice to conceal his identity, Ray spoke.
“I have a lot of questions for you. I hope you’ll answer them properly.”
The man didn’t respond.
Lying with his face against the floor, he quivered with laughter and muttered something incomprehensible.
“Haha… I never thought the assassin from the rumors would be such a kid.”
The man appeared mentally unstable.
His shaky tone and erratic gaze suggested he wasn’t in his right mind.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. If I kill you, the boss will have to acknowledge my skill… Haha…”
From experience, Ray knew it was pointless to have a proper conversation with someone like this.
How should he extract the information he needed?
And if he couldn’t, wouldn’t it be better to kill him here and now?
That way, there would be no loose ends.
He could always gather information about magic from a bookstore later.
As Ray deliberated—
Suddenly, the mana in the man’s ring stirred.
*Shhheew!*
Ray slashed his knife in a flash, but flames erupted from the man’s entire body.
*Snap!*
Ray quickly stepped back, widening the gap between them.
With his emotionless eyes, he stared at the roaring flames.
He had felt his blade cut through the man’s neck.
But it was clear the man wasn’t dead.
“Tell the boss this: Red-Eyed Walter will come to visit soon. If, of course, you manage to leave this place alive.”
The man stood amidst the fire, his entire body engulfed in flames.
Ray couldn’t comprehend why his heart was pounding so fiercely.
The mana composing the flames seemed to draw his gaze, as if pulling him in.
