The forest was silent as night fell. At nearly ten o'clock, the guards changed shifts, creating a brief window of opportunity. The Sori group had waited for this very moment.
Oboro led his team of five through the gap in the security and deep into the restricted area. They moved with practiced stealth, following a predetermined route. While several patrol teams guarded the perimeter, this particular path had been carefully chosen because of its obvious vulnerabilities.
Rita pulled out her compass, channeling her Nen ability to guide them to the ruins. They moved in formation, Oboro in the lead, Anthony and two others in the middle, and Fant and Menchi in the rear. The team kept a deliberately measured pace, with Rita scanning for threats before each advance. In unfamiliar territory against unknown enemies, they couldn't afford to let their guard down.
"Our opponents come from different backgrounds and organizations," Oboro explained as he navigated through the untamed grass. "They all have the means to enter the ruins, but cooperation between them is unlikely. They'll probably operate independently, though if the Sori group proves too challenging, they may temporarily join forces."
The environment remained pristine, untouched by human traces. Even if there were footprints to follow, following their predecessors would only risk encountering enemies. Their priority was to stay hidden while they gathered information on the three remaining teams.
"According to our contact, one group has already left," Oboro continued, analyzing their situation. "The other three teams must be close to their targets. They could evacuate at any moment. If we can't dislodge them, we must at least salvage what they took from the ruins."
As Oboro briefed his team, a stranger with a distinctive side-swept fringe materialized behind them. The man approached with deliberate steps, a cold smile playing across his face as he studied his oblivious 'prey'. Though he made no effort to conceal his footsteps in the darkness, he approached Fant and Menchi unnoticed.
The stranger's eyes were fixed on Fant as he drew a dagger. This middle-aged man seems formidable, he dies first.
Oboro suddenly frowned and raised his hand to stop the team. The group instantly fell silent and looked at their leader with concern. In the next heartbeat, Oboro launched himself backwards, past his teammates, directly at Fant.
A silver blade flashed from behind Fant's head. The stranger, momentarily startled by Oboro's reaction, increased his attack speed. But Oboro was faster: with one hand, he pulled Fant away, while the other caught the descending blade in an iron grip.
Cold eyes met across the length of the blade.
"Oh?" The stranger's smile never faltered. "You must be the captain. You have skills."
Menchi and the others finally reacted, scattering into defensive positions. Fant broke into a cold sweat as he realized how close he'd come to death.
"How?" Rita stared in disbelief. Her ability had given no warning, the enemy had completely eluded her. What kind of ability could do that?
A brief exchange of blows followed before the stranger gracefully disengaged and retreated into the darkness with a playful grin. "You want to come after me?"
The provocation was blatant. This opponent was clearly exceptional - his melee skills matched Oboro's, and he hadn't shown a single opening. But even more worrying was his ability. It wasn't mere concealment or disguise, it seemed closer to 'assimilation'.
Humans naturally become blind to familiar elements in their environment, like not being able to find something at home even though it is right in front of you. This ability took advantage of that tendency, which explained why even Rita's recognition failed. It wasn't just powerful, it was sophisticated.
The stranger's familiarity with her team was suspicious. They'd just entered the restricted area without any prior contact. The only explanation was that someone had tagged the Nen users outside the perimeter with surveillance capabilities or installed spy devices. Their enemies were methodical and dangerous.
"Our infiltration route was secure, known only to insiders," Oboro realized aloud. "The restricted area is huge, it shouldn't be possible to find us so quickly. Someone in the Sori group has been compromised!"
The stranger's form began to merge with the night shadows, almost disappearing from sight. With his ability, even Oboro would have trouble tracking him down once he was completely gone.
This had been a show of strength. The enemy could have attempted an assassination, but instead, he chose to demonstrate his threat. The provocation was clearly meant to separate Oboro from his team.
"Not bad, but you can only protect them temporarily," the stranger taunted. "I'll be watching from the shadows. Show even a moment of weakness and your team will die."
The psychic pressure was intense. It would restrict their movements while tempting Oboro to pursue.
"I know it's a trap, but your plan still worked!" Oboro scanned the terrain, unable to find any other hidden enemies. He smiled at the stranger before taking off in pursuit.
"Hahahaha, abandoning your teammates? Some leader you are," the stranger's mocking laugh carried a note of triumph.
Behind them, Anthony and the others regained their composure. Their captain's departure left them vulnerable, but they trusted his judgment. Oboro's true strength lay not only in his fighting skills, but in his tactical mind. Every move he made was calculated.
"Stay alert!" Fant shouted, taking up a defensive position in front of the group. Menchi drew several knives as the team formed.
A new threat appeared: a stocky man with a long black braid and prominent nose hair approached from the direction Oboro had left. He eyed their defensive posture with clear disdain. After all, without Oboro, they posed little challenge.
"Have you ever played checkers?" the fat man chuckled.
Before they could process his strange question, light erupted from the ground beneath their feet. When their vision cleared, they found themselves in an unfamiliar room.
"Well, well, our package arrived right on time!" Laughter echoed around them. Menchi's heart clenched as he spotted four Nen users radiating powerful auras and watching them with amusement.
The ambush had been carefully planned. The route itself had been prepared in advance by the fat man's ability. The timing of the initial attack wasn't meant to thin their numbers, but to keep them in position.
This was the caliber of a truly experienced team. They were far beyond the Nen users outside the restricted area who had seemed so formidable only hours ago.