While such battles were going on, Kuroki looked over at his staff, his True Arcanium, back at Amyris' house. They had all been told to stay put in there due to risk of danger, and yet, it was that very thought that was eating away at Kuroki.

  In the end, do we even do anything? Or are we just being a bother and being protected the whole time?

  Lately, that was what it felt like to Kuroki at least. At the ruins, it was all he could do to just let them know when he saw the mana move in a strange way. It was Riza and Ozlo who did all the heavy lifting. Back during their Rank Up exam, the attack that should have happened didn't, which meant someone interfered for them. It was Amyris and others who rescued them, and it was them who did most of the heavy lifting at that facility. The enemy did not care if they would be ready or not, they were attacking them or defending things with the intention of total victory.

  But that didn't mean Kuroki could just let things stay like that. One day, he would need to face his father. His father wouldn't wait for him, and Kuroki doubted everyone would be available by that point. It was only a dream, but it felt more foreboding like that, the recurring images of him facing against his father. Kuroki would need to be strong enough to be able to handle that. The fact that everyone kept stepping in meant he had been able to endure all these things, but also...it was something that Kuroki needed to face.

  Even if he lost. Even if he needed rescuing again. He had to keep getting back up and facing things on his own. He was Kuroki, an abnormally short fifteen year old boy who was not all that gifted physically. But he had his beloved magic now. He had the years he had endured before, he had friends new and old. He had someone who he considered a father now. And while he knew it would one day invite tragedy, he realized here and now.

  He didn't want to hide away in fright. He didn't want to let other people to fight his battles for him. And he did not want to be unprepared by the time he was fated to deal with his father.

  Grabbing his staff and his grimoire, he got up from the study floor. He opened it and stepped through, only to find the other three already there, geared up and ready to go.

  "...I guess I am a bit predictable huh?"

  "You aren't the only one with demons to face" Riku pointed out.

  "We have our own problems we need to be strong enough to handle" Kaede added.

  "Don't underestimate us just because we are younger than you!" Ryuu concluded.

  Kuroki was taken aback for a bit, but then nodded.

  "Alright. There is chaos all over the city, attacks happening. That said, everyone is keeping it out of public eye for now. Probably dont want people panicking too much, since they know this is probably just a precursor to Chianthias' real attack".

  "So this is meant to unsettle us?"

  "Unsettle and weaken. More than likely, she intends to cause a big trouble, and use the Shrouded as a way to her own advantage. The question is, what could we do to throw a wrench in her plans. What could we do to keep people calm, to give them hope, while also making sure they ready themselves".

  Everyone was at a loss. Kuroki was thinking about everything, but while he had heard much about this Devil from Amyris and the others, there was a lot he had yet to experience. But then he remembered what happened with Flopsy.

  "I see...so she is like him in that aspect".

  "Like him? Wait, you mean your father?" Riku asked.

  "Yes. He set himself up as a great guardian, a great helper and friend of law enforcement, helped train them. He strengthened this relationship further as he got more abusive with me. He did this with various gym teachers he felt he could use as well. Chianthias is the same that regard. She will use her connections to make things easier on herself, but she also just frankly prepares things in advance. That means, she has one connection we don't know of yet".

  He considered everything he was told from Ruka, as well as what he heard from Amyris, from Riza, from Ozlo, from everyone.

  Thanks to his recent practice in layering and deceptive spellcasting, he was learning a lot about how things can appear as one thing but were actually another.

  "Without a doubt, Chianthias has a connection to someone in this town. A connection she will use. And spells she will use as well, that she will have set up all over town".

  "Well, her connection has to be Sebas right? Or the Valiance family?"

  "At first, I would have agreed. However, I think that is wrong now".

  Kuroki used an illusion spell to show diagrams and images from his head. The names Chianthias, Valiance, and Sebas were written there at first.

  "These were the main three enemies we had. At first, it was reasonable to think Chianthias had a connection with both of them, or at least one of them. However, based on everything we have heard and were told, Sebas is connected to the Starfall. He worked with them, which completely contradicts Chianthias' goals. There is even a chance he worked with these Shaded things, not that we actually know much about them yet. But the fact they can trigger Compliance is...telling, to say the least. They are either the ones who triggered the Starfall, or connected to those who did".

  "So Sebas can't be working with Chianthias then".

  "Indeed. Normally, one might think that would leave Valiance then, and yet Valiance is a bit too rash and yet also too cautious. Easy to manipulate for some things sure, and staying on the board awhile despite their foolishness. However, think about it. They know the Devils want to take over the world for their Demon King. They know that they will bring the downfall of the Kingdom they want influence in. Its possible Chianthias is meeting with them in disguise, and yet if they have had a relationship for a long time, it sure as hell is not showing up in their haphazard support. Let me remind you, Valiance nearly had us taken out of the war all together and remained in the command tent, near him, while his son was out there being a half baked leader. No, not even half-baked. Would they have done that if they knew a Devil was in the mix, and was hunting us?"

  Riku pieced it together. "That is right. Valiance tried to take us out of play. We never would have encountered the Flopsy trap Chianthias set up for us".

  "Indeed. It would have been putting himself in danger if she did attack there, and no way he could just sell us off to her with so many nobles around, not to mention security. In other words..."

  "Valiance cannot be the one working with Chianthias. Neither of them even".

  "Exactly. But there is one person, one singular individual who has remained out of the spotlight. Someone who we should have met, but have not. Someone who avoided contact, and yet let various unwise things happen that he probably could have stopped. Who let bosses push around and dump work on their underlings like at the clerk's office with Mazri Booker, someone who is competent enough to manage the entire frontier city of Azralia without issues appearing in the public eye, and yet has let all this fester under the surface. Someone who would definitely know how to contact the criminal organizations of the city, who has access to its fortifications and secrets, who can easily have things moved openly or discreetly without much of anyone finding it odd, because naturally he would know his city the best".

  "No way..."

  "You don't mean..."

  "Woah woah woah woah woah".

  Riku, Kaede, and Ryuu all reacted and were taken aback as they understood what Kuroki implied.

  "What Ruka told us clicked the final piece into place. When he said 'or should I say her city'. Who would know how to manipulate the guards when me and Riku were abducted? Who would have been able to force Valiance to stop interfering with city defense, but didn't? Who allowed adventurers to be spread thin by dealing with the sewers, especially the noble sewers, first, and didn't get involved with negotiations at all but left it all to Valiance when they used a bit of leverage or influence? That is right. Chianthias' minion is..."

  The name then wrote itself on the projected illusionary screen for all to see.

  "Lord Nuunegal, the Lord of the City".

  "Wait what? But how? Shouldn't Amyris know of this then? Shouldn't he have warned us?"

  Ryuu brought up some good points.

  "The final clue came from Ruka, who literally spelled it out for us with that sentence. Besides, the lord of the city, Nuunegal, hasn't done anything even remotely overtly suspicious. He took zero active actions that would have drawn attention to himself, instead using Valiance to stir up trouble for him and keep himself isolated. He isn't some two bit villain like them, he has been playing the long game for a long, long time. How long has he had to win their trust? How much time has he put in, gaining their favor not through overt measures but slowly through time? How strong do you think those connections are?"

  Everyone began to shudder a bit. Kuroki kept talking.

  "Chianthias always has her eye on Amyris, she recognizes the threat of the forces gathered in this city, keeping various other things in check. There is much about the region we don't know that they probably do. I am sure Ozlo and Riza had some suspicion or foreknowledge of the civilization that came before and built these ruins. I am sure Amyris knew much about the Ancient Elves that built that facility and the magic they used for their soldiers. And I am sure the Guildmaster knows a lot more then he told us of the threat that rests deep within the woods. But this came with years and experience, something we are meant to gain over time, not all at once. But that also means they are far more distracted by these things as well".

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Kuroki wiped all the other names off the board, and focused on Lord Nuunegal and Chianthias.

  "These two are the threats. They used Valiance and Sebas as cover, let them fester using their criminal underworld contacts I bet. In fact, we already have proof it happened before, during the kidnapping case. I wouldn't be surprised if Higher Nobles and spies of enemy nations do it all the time. Actually, Valiance's supporter is probably an Imperial Spy, but that's a whole different conversation right now".

  He underlined their names, and then began listing off their assets on his makeshift visual display.

  "Chianthias has the Chaos. She manipulates monsters mainly, but also has her demon forces she has yet to deploy in force, and also has her mind manipulation magic. She probably has bandits and underworld contacts as well. Meanwhile, Nuunegal is the Order. He appears bright and shiny, but that just means no one raises much of notice when he does stuff behind the scenes. Its the frontier city, there are always secret threats and criminals. As such, he can manipulate the guards, the paperwork, the clerk's office, the budget, he can manipulate some criminals as well I am sure using that order. He also has his personal knights, and in an emergency, he could manipulate other noble houses to help him that he built connections with".

  Kuroki finished his display, and looked at the others.

  "Let me be clear. This means that our enemy could make use of guards to some degree, they can use law and order against us through manipulation. And they can attack the outside with an army of monsters. Goblins were weak, a way Chianthias could use to distract us. But if she can muster another force, say...the Orcs to the South".

  Everyone gulped.

  "So, that is what our enemy has access to. Which means, the enemy now has access to the Prince that arrived today, and his royal guards. And remember, everyone assumed all the missing magical supplies were smuggled by Sebas for his own use, and yet...what if that wasn't true? Who else would be able to skim from a skimmer without anyone noticing or batting an eye, when he commands the most dangerous Frontier City?"

  Naturally, the fifteen year old mage had no idea that Riza had already proven that by doing his own skimming from Sebas, but that was besides the point.

  Kuroki then changed it up, and showed a map of the city. Notably, the most detailed parts was where they had been in the city so far, but that was besides the point.

  "During the chaos, the Prince is attacked. When that happens, guards flock to the lord's mansion. Even if Ruka somehow keeps it a secret, they would have to be gone from the mansion, which again, gives the Lord an excuse to gather up the guards..."

  "And that is when his agents, or Chianthias' agents, start to put whatever magical preparations from the smuggled supplies in place. Now, this is something I think we can stop, even with the other fights going on and the fact we are targets".

  "Explain" Kaede stated.

  "As Starfallen, we may not be super OP protagonists, but we are stronger and more magically inclined then a good amount of people. Fact is, we can't go around wrestling seasoned adventurers, but the average guard who doesn't actually fight most days? They still train I am sure, but I think we are stronger than the average guard. Above average...maybe not, but you get my idea".

  "I see. If they think it's better to do it when the guards aren't around, that means the guards can stop them and disrupt their plans. They patrol in groups of two typically. With four of us, we should be able to beat them".

  "Exactly. And even if it will be a tough battle for us...its one we have to do. We can't stand here and do nothing. Not anymore. Its time we take our stand".

  Everyone nodded, understanding and agreeing.

  "So it's finally our turn to go on the offensive and crush the Demons and Devils who have treated us so wonderfully, huh?" Riku asked with a devious grin.

  "They have been keeping us on edge and apart for far too long" Kaede added.

  "It's hero time!" Ryuu declared.

  "Exactly. They think they have everyone distracted. They think their plans have won. Now, lets go upset the scales a bit".

  As Kuroki said that, two other figures showed up from the stairway. It was Amyris' other two apprentices, Lyrian Bell and Saphiril Danes.

  Kuroki locked eyes with the two of them. Neither side gave in.

  "Do you plan on stopping us?"

  Silence trailed after Kuroki's question, but it was not met with inaction. Kuroki, Riku, Kaede, and Ryuu just headed towards the stairs to leave.

  Finally, as they began to pass, Lyrian answered.

  "No, not today".

  "What? But Lyrian, he..."

  "Yes, Amyris said that. However, in this situation, Kuroki is right and Teach is wrong. This is something they need to do. Besides, this is something we have to do as well".

  "It defeats the point if you come with us to babysit..." Kuroki growled.

  "No no, actually what I mean is that there is no way your group can cover the entire city alone. Me and Saph will go around in other areas, this will let us find more of them before they finish what they are up to. That said, if it looks like you are about to be killed, then we will try and jump in if we can...but remember, this is your decision to take the risk. I cannot guarantee we will be there in time. Are you sure you can live with the consequences?"

  "I don't think we can live without trying. Our hearts might beat, but if we don't do this now...we might never be able to be ready in time".

  Lyrian nodded.

  "The right answer. Then go. You can cover the downtown areas. We will cover the midtown. Considering all the actions and guards going around uptown, its doubtful they are active there right now...or they already finished their plans in those areas already. Just make sure you remember everything Amyris taught you, and keep a cool head. This will be the most danger you four will have been in, because this time you will truly be on your own with no plans made ahead of time. And Chianthias already managed to ambush you the last time that happened".

  "You don't die either. We can't let a repeat of Anna happen. We all have to come back alive, despite the fact we must all dive into danger" Kuroki responded.

  "Well said!" Saph declared. "Alright, now I can agree! Lets do this everyone! Let's show them what we can do!"

  And so, the six of them headed out and then split up.

  A few demons were working in secret, carefully drawing and preparing a magic circle into the ground in a way it wouldn't be seen or detected.

  "It was smart to do this during the royal arrival. Lady Chianthias used the enemy's reinforcements to her advantage, thanks to this foolish festival".

  "Soon they will know the tragedy of despair. So many more humans gathered, more ripe for the sacrifice".

  "Kehehehe, this will be glorious. Even though they tried to keep it under wraps, that only helped add to our advantage further. No one panicked or rioted, which meant the guards could successfully focus their efforts on Uptown. What fools".

  "Hey, you two! Hurry up!" a third demon called out, who was watching from the rooftops above.

  "What is it? We have plenty of time don't we? Those shaded freaks are focused on Uptown and the Adventurer's Guild leader for this city right?" she questioned, worried.

  "They should, but we have four brats, all armed, heading right for us! All of them on Lady Chianthias' target list!" the other demon confirmed as he kept working as a lookout.

  "What?! Four Starfallen coming right at us?!"

  The Demons were startled, but they were certain their magic had kept them hidden. And yet, as if it mattered for absolutely nothing, the group of them turned right into their allies and immediately attacked without hesitation.

  "Chain Lightning!"

  "Brilliant Flash!"

  "Double Tap!"

  "Heroic Slash!"

  The Demons tried to raise their weapons and attack back, but they couldn't even do the latter in time as they were suddenly cut, skewered, electrocuted, and eviscerated all at once. The scout tried to flee, but then found himself under the effects of three times gravity and fell to the ground, where Kaede slit his throat and finished him off. Another Demon came out of the shadows and tried to stab Kuroki from behind, but he suddenly felt himself cut through air, followed by a staff being pushed up against the back of his head. Instantly, a spike of ice went through it, and he died.

  In truth, none of them put up much of a fight, but also none of them had the time to put up a fight even. Kuroki's current plan was to locate strange groups of people with echomapping, or strange absences of being able to sense things which was harder to find and focus on but still something he could do, and then go around to those locations. Basically they would rush in and immediately attack when they saw demons or devils, but so far it had only been the former. Additionally, he was also using a map of the city Amyris had. One that had rather particular details about the city's magic based defenses.

  Had the demons had time to put up a fight, they would be much harder to defeat like this. But they were rushing into the group and immediately attacking before they got their bearings, essentially doing a rush surprise attack. Normally, they had to keep strength in reserve to run away back to the city, but in this case they were already in the city...and they were purposefully pushing themselves anyways.

  "Let's keep going! There is another one nearby. A few more people, and they might have noticed a few groups were taken down by now. But we can't stop! We have to get rid of as many as possible!"

  As Kuroki said that, there was in fact someone watching them through a familiar. Chianthias was twitching, as she watched the group of shorties continue to cut her men down.

  "What the actual fuck? How?! How did they know to look for that?!"

  The Advisor was quiet as well. He often was, but this felt different.

  "You don't know?"

  "No, I don't. This was...not within any of what I thought might happen with your plans, and I took consideration of the fact you might fail and die".

  "Shit. Its not like it was all that essential, but...the map they have. It is top secret. No one knows we have it yet. Or at least, no one should know".

  "That map was the most optimal way to plan things. Additional considerations will need to be made from this. But Chianthias, if they have that map..."

  "Aye. There is a good chance they know who my inside man finally is. And yet...Amyris is not making a move right now when he could. Perhaps...only the brats figured it out?"

  "Then you know what to do. What you always have had to do".

  "Eliminate them. I can't go myself, but...even with the heroic aura, they are far enough away to send something a bit strong. Id much rather go myself, but with the heroes inside of the city...this will have to do. I cant even bother to stay and watch anymore. I need to make more preparations".

  As Chianthias watched that, she sent a message to her minions.

  Kuroki was running right towards the next group, when he sensed a surge of magical energy. He quickly raised a barrier, and blocked a magical volley of projectiles made of pure magic. He then swung his staff around and returned his own volley back at the attackers, which consisted of four demons and two devils.

  "Hostile ambush! Looks like this is where we fight for real now!" Kuroki declared. "I call upon the Astral Codex. The Seekers of Knowledge and Truth, I beseech thee. Do not let those who would use violence persevere. Do not let knowledge lose to such barbaric might. Show them the power of the calculations, the mystic. Show them the efforts we undertake! Show them the fury of the small and the educated! Arcanic Retribution!"

  A spell that takes extra power from a size difference, one meant to strike against bullies from those who have been bullied. Perhaps a bit symbolic then literal in a few of those cases, but for Kuroki, it was a spell that allowed him to unleash a far more powerful volley, followed by a powerful beam of arcane energy. This beam seared through one of the Devil's barriers, although another tried to block it with a shield. However, to focus on the beam meant to ignore the volley, which meant they had to spread themselves a bit thin as the Demons came after the rest of them. Weapons out and already prepared for combat, this group was ambushing them for a change. And yet, they all knew it had been a possibility. As such, they didn't show as much surprise or as big of an opening as their opponents had.

  Riku immediately pivoted and using Brilliant Flare, cutting through his opponents with a fiery blade and leaving a trail of ash in his wake. Ryuu unleashed his heroic aura which startled them as they tried to go forward, messing up their attacks, and Kaede got around them in the confusion and stabbed their necks and other vital points. However, magic seemed to protect some of them from harm, and others were able to block the attacks. One however at the front got the worst off and did die, but the others counterattacked, proving how dangerous they truly were. One of them managed to get around them and go after Kuroki, but Kuroki had an ice spike shoot out of the ground. It should have skewered him, but one of the Devils managed to block it somehow, though it still caused him to stumble from the shock. Kuroki unleashed a few more magic attacks at close range, focusing on speed and power over accuracy and range with them being so close. The Demon retreated, but he suffered several hits which would certainly impact his fighting ability.

  The resolve had been found. Now it was time to show the efforts of their training.