Taking the Mafia to the Magic World

Chapter 1119: Rescuing the Companions V

Vicente gave the Valley of Shadows two hours to bring Barnet to him—the man who the high-level Sorcerers from the auction who sold Lyra and Rex had said had bought them. However, in less than 10 minutes from his ultimatum, the strongest of this sect showed themselves on the outskirts of where only Vice and Larissa were on this dark night.

Dozens of Grand Magus, accompanied by a few lower-level Sorcerers, had taken position atop the wall guarding the headquarters. Just as the imposing red metal door before Vicente swung open, a group of six emerged—five men and one woman—each showcasing the cultivated aura of someone at the end of the 9th stage.

Their expressions were solemn, their pale complexions unadorned by arrogance despite the high rank they bore. However, none of them carried any detainees for Vicente, a fact that led him to suspect his previous words might not resolve the predicament involving Lyra and Rex after all.

”May I ask who is the senior?” inquired the woman, glaring intently at him as she rubbed her palms together.

The woman exuded an unmistakable odor—distinct, not overly sweet, but repulsively sharp enough that anyone unaccustomed would swiftly recoil.

Reacting instinctively, Larissa brought a hand to her nose, her stomach churning as the foul scent overwhelmed her senses. Just before she could succumb to her nausea, however, Vicente’s energy enveloped her, shielding her from the full brunt of the deadly aura emanating from the woman.

With a measured smile, Vicente raised a hand to gently restrain Larissa from drawing too near. Addressing the question, and despite the woman’s unspoken acknowledgment of Larissa’s reaction, he replied, ”My name is Vicente. That’s all you need to know. Now, tell me—why isn’t Barnet before me yet?”

Silence fell over the area for nearly twenty seconds, causing the armed men atop the wall to tremble in anticipation. Yet the six experts remained statuesque, their only reaction being the slight expressions they’d shown upon first meeting Vicente and Larissa.

Taking charge as if she were their leader, the woman spoke. ”He’s not here.”

Larissa exchanged a glance with the others before turning to Vicente. She noted the trace of surprise in his eyes, as though he found the unfolding situation both expected and unexpected. ’They’ve realized something...’ she thought.

Vicente’s tone remained calm. ”I see. And where is he? You know, your companion purchased two individuals—an elf and a lion—from a coastal slave market. These two are my companions, and they should never have been sold.”

At these words, the six elders exchanged worried looks, their expressions betraying a growing unease. One of them broke his silence in a subdued voice. ”He left... in search of new ’workers’...” He swallowed hard, sweat beading on his face.

Vicente didn’t need to ask further. He could sense darkness in their hearts—something more potent than anything he’d ever encountered outside Hell.

They clearly understood what he represented!

Here they were, face to face with a Devil—yet also an unlikely emissary of light. These people had not come to stand against Vicente, but to avert the worst likely outcome for their cult.

’Shit! If we don’t get these two safe and sound, we’re finished,’ thought one of the six as he looked at his companions, each of them having understood what Vicente represented the moment they heard his voice earlier.

The darkness in their hearts seemed to revere Vicente’s existence as if he was the deity they had never thought they would meet. Even without acting more forcefully, he made them all feel like they were standing on the edge, each of their lives at risk if he so chose.

But not only did they realize what Vicente was, he also understood that they were aware of his position in the underworld. Also, he clearly saw that they were inclined to please him.

They were afraid for their lives, but also had greed in their minds. Contacting a Devil was an opportunity they would never waste for an ordinary Sorcerer—as was the case of Barnet.

”Senior, give us a chance to resolve this problem!” one of the experts pleaded. ”We’ll find out where your two friends are, and we’ll make the culprits pay with their lives!”

Another added, ”Our sect never intended to acquire them in our numbers.” A third voice continued, ”Our Sorcerers are free to act on behalf of the sect without orders from the council.”

And yet another chimed in, ”We would definitely not approve of the situation with your friends.”

Each of them spoke up passionately, defending not only their cause but also the sect’s commitment to impartiality. Finally, the woman spoke in a clear, resolute tone, ”As proof of our commitment, we will lower our defenses for you, senior. You can inspect our sect on your own terms.”

She signaled to their men, and one by one, the defenses surrounding the headquarters began to collapse.

As the protective barriers fell away, Vicente was granted an unobstructed view of the grandiose Valley of Shadows sect—part of which he couldn’t see in its entirety until now.

His eyes roamed over the area until they came to rest in a particular place, where near a vast magical resource production zone, an elf was diligently at work.

”Lyra,” Vicente murmured, recognizing the elf who had spent months traveling amidst the Sea of Stars by his side.

Even though she appeared to be alright at first glance, it was clear that a slave mark was branded onto her forehead, and part of her essence was sealed away.

Unlike Larissa—a prodigy hailing from another plane, whose limits were as enigmatic as they were formidable—Lyra did not possess any unfathomable, latent power. So, once the cult had acquired her, she was swiftly integrated into their workforce.

Vicente couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for his companion’s plight, but he exhaled in relief. Rex’s situation should be essentially no worse than Lyra’s—perhaps even slightly better—considering that the Flaming Lion came from an inferior race in raw talent compared to the elves.

’He should be fine. Good. That means I can proceed with my other plans without too much delay,’ he thought.

Then, he issued his command, ”I see one of my companions inside your headquarters. Release her immediately and remove the seal imposed on her. Also, start searching for the Flaming Lion and anyone connected to my companions’ entrapment.”

As soon as his orders were given, he sent out precise magical signals to each of the six experts, endowing them with the necessary information to locate Rex.

Out of the six, four of the specialists promptly moved, fading into the shadows as Vicente began his deliberate walk toward the interior of the force’s compound. Larissa, though following closely behind, maintained a wary vigilance, her eyes continually scanning for any members of the Valley of Shadows—and for any traps or plots that might unfold against them.

Yet beneath the composed exterior, Vicente’s mind was already at work. ’The conduct of these locals is rather intriguing,’ he mused silently. ’Once I find out Rex’s situation, I’ll see what can be done with them.’