Rorschach heard his senior’s call for help and imdiately activated the magic in his staff.
However, the targets were already several ters away. In his haste, Rorschach didn’t have ti to aim directly at them. Instead, he targeted the road in front of them and cast Activation, turning the stone into soft mud under his control.
Unexpectedly, the attackers were well-trained, noticing the ground beneath their feet even as they ran. With a tacit understanding, they both leaped at the sa ti.
’Hmph, trying to escape?’ Rorschach commanded the activated road, which surged up into an earth wall.
The n’s trench coats billowed as they took two running steps up the wall, preparing to vault over it with the practiced movents of soldiers. Rorschach wasn’t about to let them get away. Just as he had in the experintal greenhouse, he leaped into the air, gaining a better vantage point. Then, using his Air Cannon to propel himself forward, he instantly closed the distance between them.
A Slowdown Skill shot out, hitting one of the attackers.
"There’s another Caster!" The man who was hit reacted quickly. He knew there had to be more than one Mage—with Pascal’s previous speed and accuracy, a hit like that would have been impossible.
The new Mage who had joined the pursuit was a ruthless one; the spells he cast and their frequency were significantly greater than the first’s. Being controlled by the Slowdown Skill was a strange experience, like being plunged into thick custard. All movent was forced to slow, including his freefall from the wall.
"Ru... un..."
However, by the ti he got the word out, his companion was long gone.
Rorschach continued casting spells in mid-air. Although it was a narrow alley, thankfully no one had hung laundry out to dry, so he had a clear view of both n’s every move.
An invisible, giant hand seized the second man, who was still trying to escape. Pascal arrived just then and took charge of the man ensnared by the Slowdown Skill. Two activated hemp ropes wrapped themselves around the attacker’s limbs, binding him securely.
Mist rose in the alley, and passersby, sensing sothing amiss, quickly steered clear. The second attacker, held fast, was still struggling. He beca soaked through in the mist, and the Mage’s Qilin Arm gripping him glinted with a cold light.
The feeling of plunging from sumr into an ice cave wasn’t refreshing. Instead, goosebumps erupted on every inch of his skin. As the cold penetrated his body, his muscles began to tremble and spasm. Before long, both the thug’s body and his consciousness were freezing over.
Rorschach canceled the Floating Skill on himself and landed steadily. This chase and capture had more twists and turns than catching a common market thief, mainly because there were two targets who seed to have superhuman fitness and speed, on top of being trained.
"Thanks." The effects of Combat Motivation faded, and Pascal began to gasp for air. He glanced around at the mist and the frozen target, then prepared to go back and find Maxim.
"No, wait. I’ll contact Master Kano and have the Magic Guild send a carriage to pick them up." Rorschach took out a portable scroll and briefly reported that they had caught two ard attackers.
"Alright." Pascal was reluctant to let Kano get involved in the club’s affairs, but since Rorschach had already acted, he didn’t object.
Maxim was still further behind. He and the other club mbers had lost the targets. After splitting up to search, he found himself alone at a street intersection, feeling lost.
After looking around for a mont, the club leader decided to give up for now. He was more worried that Thor, who had been a step ahead, might have gotten into a fight with the thugs and been hurt.
Fortunately, Thor soon arrived, still out of breath. They were both relieved to see each other.
"Are you okay, Thor?" Maxim assud no fight had occurred. "It’s fine if the villains got away with their tails between their legs. As long as you’re not hurt."
But Thor brought an unexpected reply, "Mr. Maxim, we captured the attackers." He held up a hand to stop Maxim from moving forward. "Don’t go any further. Mages got involved during the chase, and now the Magic Guild is here."
Maxim froze for a mont. He looked at Thor and nodded. "Alright. We’ll tell the other mbers to leave the area."
Before turning away, Maxim glanced at the mouth of the foggy alley, mulling over a phrase: "Magic Guild."
...
The Magic Guild’s carriage picked up the two unlucky souls who had run into Mages. They were now in a basent that no hunting dog could ever sniff out...
Powerful music began to play from a device called a phonograph. The prisoners’ gazes were drawn to this novel contraption. Four Mages entered, swallowing the light from the doorway and casting a shadow over the impending interrogation.
Rorschach and Pascal, being the ones who made the capture, were two of the four. Of the remaining two, one was there to take notes, and the other to cast the spell.
"Why play music?" Rorschach recognized the piece as Symphony No. 5 in C minor.
The interrogator used the Communication Skill to explain, ’It’s a technique we’ve developed through practice. It distracts the subject and weakens their ntal resistance before the spell is cast.’
"I see."
There was no psychological warfare, no appeals to reason, no need for separate interrogations or a prisoner’s dilemma. A simple Truth-telling Skill was cast, and they confessed everything they knew.
The two were retired Hunters. The attack was a commission: the employer had only one requirent—kill as many of the designated targets as possible at ixie’s morial service.
Sketches of the targets were found in their trench coats. Pascal recognized the club mbers at a glance. The first drawing was, of course, of Maxim.
"Do you know the employer’s identity?"
The two shook their heads.
Rorschach toyed with the Balan’s Pearl in his hand. Indeed, the pair hadn’t taken any precautions against magic. Their employer, however, was extrely mysterious. They had first accepted a series of commissions from the Adventurer’s Guild, which eventually led to this dangerous directive.
But from start to finish, the two never knew their client’s true identity, only that he was soone generous and quick to pay. The final commission bypassed the Guild. They had arranged to et in a private room at a teahouse but never saw anyone. All that was left for them were the guns, the portraits, and a deposit.
Pascal theorized, "The earlier commissions were probably tests to screen candidates. The fact that they were only chosen for the attack at the very end ans this has been planned for a long ti."
"The guns are custom-made, not standard-issue." Rorschach picked one up and weighed it in his hand, admiring the elegant curve of its body. It even had exquisite engravings.
"The mastermind is either rich or noble."
"And they know our club quite well." Pascal looked at the portraits, and his face went pale—his own face wasn’t among them!
’Should I be happy or sad about that?’
"Should we investigate at the Adventurer’s Guild?"
Pascal thought for a mont, then rejected the interrogator’s suggestion. "There are too many commissions at the Guild. Instead of wasting ti, why not let Rorschach give it a try?"
’Huh?’ Rorschach hadn’t expected the task to suddenly fall to him.
"Can’t you try using your invincible Divination? Just like when you were looking for Andre." Pascal grabbed the portraits. "These should work as material for the Divination, right?"
"I suppose..." It was indeed possible, so Rorschach could only agree.
Rorschach took the stack of crumpled portraits. As he did, Pascal, who was still staring at them, suddenly had a flash of insight—Maxim, Kalar... these people all had one thing in common:
They were all lawyers!
And the attack had taken place at the funeral of another lawyer, Mr. ixie!
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