The Wild Cat, as the middle-aged man insisted on being called, looked at his team with a hint of contempt in his eyes. In his opinion, these people didn't deserve to be called 'thieves' like him. In fact, they weren't even in that line of work.
They had only come together due to circumstances beyond their control. However, the Wild Cat decided not to dwell on those circumstances. Instead, he focused on solving the problems closest to him using all the available options.
Mitch was a mage. Although The Wild Cat disliked this 'cowboy's' personality and demeanor, he had to accept that his magic was useful.
He forced himself to tolerate Mitch and intervened in the constant, seemingly inevitable arguments that broke out because of him. He always had to resolve them so the other two companions wouldn't team up to beat him up.
Björn always provoked Mitch with biting remarks that were, in The Wild Cat's opinion, accurate and funny. However, he had to remain as neutral as possible.
He didn't know much about the burly man except that he was a Berserker, a Resonant. He had heard many stories about this profession from the frozen north of the Iron Continent.
They were formidable and extremely skilled warriors. Björn, with his strength and agility, took out several security guards who stood in the group's way during the heist with Kirara's support.
A ninja is a profession similar to a thief or assassin, but with a different focus, such as combat. He had to admit it: Kirara had a look and a set of skills and techniques that made the experienced Wild Cat feel envious.
The interesting part? He was pleasantly surprised by the face behind the black mask when he saw it for the first time. Kirara was the person he trusted the most, although he kept his distance, knowing that these companions would only be temporary.
Together, the four of them, an orthodox thief among them, formed a rather motley and exotic group. Under different circumstances, they would never have come together, and a heist like the one they pulled off would have been impossible, but it happened nonetheless.
'At least we're strong, so we can escape whatever the Tower sends after us. I hope there aren't any problems. That agency has some troublesome figures,' thought the Wild Cat as he approached the living room window facing the street.
'And I don't want to run into that witch's student. Why did she have to come to Blume? Why did she have to come to Blume? How annoying,' the thief grumbled to himself. His movements were somewhat stiff as he felt fear toward the witch, whose last name he didn't dare mention.
The Wild Cat shook his head, trying to shake off that bad feeling, but when he looked out the window curiously, his attention was inevitably drawn to a pair of green eyes shaded by a wide witch's hat.
Those eyes had a special gleam that made him want to lose himself in them. He ignored the warning signs that his instincts, honed by years of experience, were sending him.
He ignored the sensation of being scrutinized to the depths of his being. In fact, he was fascinated by the feeling that those eyes were penetrating his essence and dissecting his soul.
He was only able to snap out of this trance when he felt a hand on his shoulder pull him back. Björn stood before the thief, looking at him seriously, while the other members of the group surrounded him, alert to any change.
"What happened? You were gone for way too long," the burly man said.
The Wild Cat's dazed mind finally cleared. He was brought back to the present and was able to process what had just happened.
"Shit! We have to get out of here! A witch...!" The door to the apartment where they were hiding was smashed open by a force greater than normal. Suddenly, Élodie stepped through the doorway, her war hammer resting comfortably on her shoulder.
"You are all under arrest!" shouted the warrior, her skin shimmering with blue light from the aether enhancing her physique to superhuman levels.
"Ah, a female cop. Nothing important..." Mitch ignored her and began his typical speech. Suddenly, a thin beam of energy floated over the blonde's shoulder, heading straight for the mage. Reflexively, the mage cast a defensive spell.
The cowboy thrust his arm forward, fist clenched, as if holding a shield. The boiling aether surged from his soul, circulating through his body and projecting outward in the form of a circular shield.
However, the shield's glow was unusually bright. The aether was emanating uncontrollably, slightly raising the room's temperature and affecting the hand holding the shield, scalding the cowboy in the process.
Mitch's movements were fluid and quick enough to summon the shield just as the bolt was about to strike him, protecting him. He was a man with extensive combat experience and sharp reflexes, which allowed him to do so.
The impact of the projectile, however, affected the mage. He stumbled backward several steps until he tripped over the sofa where he had been sitting, causing him to abruptly plop down on it. Yet he held the shield firmly in front of him, slowly regulating the overflowing energy.
Beads of sweat trickled down the man's forehead. He was nervous about nearly being injured and about using more power than necessary for the previous spell. This caused a certain amount of aether to be wasted. He had quickly begun to remedy this.
"Ah~. Maybe this silly cowboy can make Tania smile tonight," Séraphine said in an unusually charming tone. As she entered, every movement she made was deliberately sensual.
The witch looked at the four men present before focusing on the Wild Cat. She gave him a soft smile and winked, causing him to look away, not wanting to be caught in that unusual trance again.
'I didn't expect that spell to have such a strong effect. It seems it needs to be cast on people with weaknesses in their mental defenses. I never expected to find such a perfect test subject!' The witch licked her lips as she adjusted her hat, partially covering her forehead and hiding her eyes.
After all, aether is a rather hot energy capable of burning the bodies of those who use it under certain circumstances, and her eyebrows and eyelashes had been slightly singed by the previous spell.
The warriors? If they used too much of this energy or with great intensity, they could suffer the same fate. However, if they kept their usage at normal levels, like Élodie was doing, they would only endure the discomfort caused by the ether's inherent heat.
Séraphine would likely see the effects of this on her companions in this fight. Luckily, they had Sophia by their side. She was capable of healing them and resolving any ailments resulting from combat, whether caused by their enemies or by their own hands.
Speaking of companions, Francisca entered the apartment. Her arrogant demeanor was quickly recognized by the Wild Cat, whose expression changed radically. He even turned quite pale.
That short redhead was Lady Zhang! How could I not recognize one of the most famous figures in the Blume underworld? You absolutely had to go through her to survive in that world.
She wasn't known as a front-line fighter, but no one doubted her skill. She had held her position for many years. Every time someone tried to challenge her dominance, a bloodbath ensued that never directly involved her.
Blume's most famous alchemist, who knows how many ways she had to solve her problems? With wealth, alchemy became the deadliest weapon and the strongest defense. Never fight an alchemist with money!
Both Björn and Kirara noticed the change in their companion's expression. They raised their guard as they watched the unknown redhead. With her chin raised and an arrogant smile in her eyes, she spoke.
"You barged into my territory without warning and caused so much trouble that you paralyzed all our 'friends.' Do you know what that means?" Francisca ignored everyone present except The Wild Cat, whom she stared at intently with her red eyes.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding, ma'am. I won't admit to anything in front of the police, but I'm a rule-following worker." Faced with the imminent threat, the Wild Cat quickly took a step forward, wanting to explain the situation, though he didn't really get to the heart of the matter with his words.
He wasn't a fool. He could see the police badge on the blonde woman, who looked familiar. He recognized Séraphine Rohan as the witch detective who appeared in the newspaper every so often, thanks to her support of the police.
Besides, how could he not recognize the nun's habit worn by the blue-haired woman? Only one institution wore that type of attire in Shattercrown, the source of part of his current nervousness: The Tower.
The Wild Cat trusted in his ability to escape. Part of his reputation stemmed from that skill. But could he complete his assignment if these four women intervened? Not to mention the potential harassment from the police, who had wanted to capture him for a long time.
"Tsk, why are you making excuses? Let's just go after them all!" Mitch, annoyed at having been ambushed by a spell he recognized as the Bullet Spell, had reached the limit of his short patience after hearing his temporary leader's words.
He stood up with his gun in hand and pointed it at Séraphine. The situation was already bad enough with the tense atmosphere, but it deteriorated drastically. However, the brunette he was pointing the gun at simply smiled with disdain.
"For a mage, you have very little discernment. Can't you see what your companion is trying to do? No wonder no one came to your defense when I attacked you. You're unbearable," the witch declared, causing Björn, her enemy, to burst out laughing.
"Exactly! Witches always notice the details! Just for making me laugh, I won't rip your guts out when I split you in half; I'll eat them slowly." The man began his speech cheerfully, laughing and smiling, revealing his excessively white teeth. However, it soon degenerated into a sinister remark, and that expression remained on his face the entire time.
Something emerged from Björn's body that could be called an aura or an impulse: an ominous sensation filled with blood, death, and murderous intent. But there was something else that unsettled even his temporary companions, lust.
The man reached for a barely visible necklace around his neck. When he pulled it out, everyone gasped in shock and horror at what hung from it: severed human ears. Some still had earrings or piercings.
"Your ears look lovely. I've never been able to find a pair like a witch's. You'll be perfect for me." Taking advantage of the shock he had caused, the man activated his aether with his index finger, sending it to the necklace and accessing its hidden compartment.
That grotesque garment was a spatial device! Soon, a double-bladed axe appeared in Björn's hand. Each blade was shaped like a crescent moon, and there was a brown substance on the sharp edges. It didn't take much to figure out that it was dried blood.
Thus, the berserker finished arming himself. His eyes focused on Séraphine as he carefully examined her body. The witch generally didn't care about the looks people gave her. After all, she was used to them. Any woman who wants to pursue her profession must adapt to that situation.
But when she felt Björn's eyes on her, she felt a chill. He wasn't merely looking at her breasts or hips with desire or lust, but with hunger. It was as if he were mentally calculating her weight and how many pieces he would chop her into before cooking her.
Yes! She could feel the hunger in his eyes! He wasn't licking his lips because he was imagining fucking a woman like her; he was salivating at the thought of her flesh and blood. This guy was a cannibal!
However, it was Élodie who reacted most strongly. Was she feeling indignation, jealousy, or anger? Perhaps all three. The aether within the warrior's body burned more intensely in response to her negative emotions.
"It looks like we can't fix anything," The Wild Cat sighed, shrugging before swiftly drawing the dagger he had hidden on his person and lunging toward Francisca.
'If I wound her, I'm done for. If I kill her, I might survive. If I distract her, I can escape freely. I shouldn't have taken this job!' the thief thought, his figure blurring due to his high speed.
However, the alchemist was prepared for this kind of eventuality, someone taking advantage of the distance and narrow space to ambush her, so even before entering the room, she held a small object in her clenched fist, which she dropped.
It was a sphere that released a blinding flash of light when it hit the floor, startling the thieves. The women were already prepared for it, though, thanks to a potion administered by the alchemist.
With their enemies temporarily blinded, the four women went after their targets. Of course, they couldn't fight in such a small apartment. Once again, Francisca held something in her hand, this time taken from her spatial device.
It was a plain, black ball, but she threw it at the wall facing the street. Then, she opened her mouth and covered her ears with her fingers. Sophia raised her golden staff and created a wall of milky white light that shielded them from what was to come.
The explosion caused by the ball shattered the wall completely, revealing the outside of the building. They were on the third floor. On the street, several police cars blocked the road several hundred meters away.
Furthermore, armed police squads manned every nearby rooftop, ready to act. As the criminals, reeling from the explosion, regained their composure, Élodie charged at Björn, her hammer raised high.
"Sophia! Deal with the ninja; I'll take care of this bastard!" the blonde shouted, bringing her weapon, shrouded in a blue glow, crashing down. The berserker managed to raise a brief defense, which spared him from serious injury but not from damage.
Björn then used the force acting on his body to leap into the street, followed by an enraged Élodie. Despite her extreme emotions, the woman's blue eyes remained calm and alert, clearly not letting herself be blinded by what she felt.
"I'll take care of this guy," Séraphine whispered before making a shooing gesture with her left hand. A gigantic blue hand appeared and slammed Mitch's body onto the street. He screamed, either from the pain or because he suddenly had to face the imminent impact with the ground.
Séraphine then made another gesture, mimicking someone walking down stairs. An ethereal staircase appeared, allowing the witch to descend safely. Although it was somewhat of a burden, she felt confident. If the magic failed, she had her pistol and focus as backup.
Kirara remained silent the whole time with only her ninja sword in hand. She was least affected by Francisca's flash, and the subsequent explosion didn't bother her much either.
Sophia stared intently at the ninja, who removed her black mask caked in dust and grime. A delicate Asian face with black eyes, fine hair, and feminine features was revealed.
Her black hair covered her forehead, where she had tattoos that were barely visible due to the strands of hair hiding part of them. They appeared to be characters from her country's language.
Kirara didn't put her mask back on after shaking it off. Instead, she tucked it away as she crouched down. The blade of her weapon glowed with the faint, warm radiance of the aether and emitted a soft hum.
"Are you like the Miko of the Sanctuary? Troublesome enemies," said the ninja. Despite having nothing covering her face, her voice remained fairly neutral. Her question made Sophia flinch slightly. She glanced sideways at the shattered wall, not daring to take her eyes off an enemy whose profession was swift assassination.
"Something like that. Different names for the same profession, I suppose," the blue-haired woman replied before pointing at the opening. Kirara took a quick look and understood what the nun meant, so she nodded.
The two women jumped at the same time. Kirara descended slowly, while white wings emerged from Sophia, slowing her fall. Thus, only The Wild Cat and Francisca remained in the ransacked apartment.
"Now that we're alone, stop pretending, Michael. Would you like us to talk about what really matters here?" Francisca looked at the thief with an amused smile. He appeared lethargic.
Upon hearing the redhead's words, however, his figure quickly straightened, showing none of the sluggishness caused by the alchemist's actions. He simply offered a polite smile and performed an oriental bow with a deep curtsy.
"It's good to see you haven't lost your touch, boss," Michael said. Francisca burst out laughing as she bent down confidently to pick up one of the pieces of jewelry she was supposed to recover. It was badly damaged from the earlier explosion.
"Come on, Michael. You haven't worked for me in years. You have your own business now. Have you taken to stealing jewelry? I'd like to know your motives. We have time, and I'm under no obligation to arrest you. I'll let you go if you spill the beans," the alchemist declared, causing Michael to breathe a sigh of relief as his hunch had been correct.
Knowing what Lady Zhang was like and how meticulous she was, he had decided to stage an ambush. He spoke unnecessarily before feigning an attack.
His goal was to give the redhead a chance to split up the team using alchemy. It was a gamble, but as a thief, he was used to it. His gamble paid off! Now, he just had to talk his way out of this as he always did. Nothing could go wrong from here on out, right?