Chapter 826:The Secret Hideout

Chapter 826: 826:The Secret Hideout

A group of black-cloaked figures moved through a narrow secret passage beneath the ground. Their faces were hidden beneath their hoods, and their footsteps were kept as quiet as possible as they advanced deeper into the darkness.

They had spent a great deal of time searching for this place. The information about the hidden passage had only been obtained after putting one of the captured members of the Devine Family through so much torture that he finally revealed its location.

Now, the Black Thorns had come to investigate it.

The passage was old and poorly maintained. Cracks covered the stone walls, while a few old candles had been placed inside small holders. Their weak flames flickered whenever the group passed, making the shadows move across the walls.

The person leading the group suddenly raised his hand.

Everyone immediately stopped.

He looked down at the floor and carefully examined the tiles ahead. Nothing seemed unusual, but the place had already proven to be dangerous.

One of the Black Thorns carefully moved forward and placed his foot on a tile.

Crack!

The moment the tile broke beneath his foot, a series of mechanisms suddenly activated.

Several openings appeared along the walls and countless arrows shot toward them.

"Everyone be careful..Who knows how many traps have been laid bare out here."

The Black Thorns immediately reacted.

Several people raised their hands and activated their defensive magic. A layer of dark energy quickly spread across the passage and formed a shield in front of them.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The arrows struck the shield one after another and fell onto the ground.

The leader’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the arrows scattered across the floor.

"Don’t lose focus even for a moment." The one leading them spoke.

Everyone nodded and became even more cautious.

They continued moving forward while carefully checking every step. Some tiles looked different from the others, while a few sections of the wall contained tiny holes that could easily hide another trap.

No one dared to move carelessly.

After traversing the passage for some time, they finally reached the end.

A large wooden door stood before them.

The leader looked at the others and nodded.

One of the Black Thorns stepped forward and kicked the door open.

Bang!

The wooden door slammed against the wall.

What greeted them was a grim prison.

Rows of cells stretched across the large chamber. The dim candlelight barely illuminated the surroundings, while the air carried a heavy and unpleasant smell.

Inside the cells were people wearing fully dressed garments. Some looked exhausted while others stared at the intruders with fear and confusion. Their clothes were dirty and worn, but they still looked like members of the Devine Family rather than prisoners.

The sudden noise immediately attracted their attention.

"Intruders!"

The people shouted in alarm.

Several of them immediately raised their hands and shot out spells one after another.

Fireballs, blades of wind, and bolts of lightning flew toward the Black Thorns.

The leader’s expression remained calm.

"Black Thorns moved."

As soon as the command was issued, the Black Thorns moved swiftly.

"Lousy mages..." Hall spoke as he stepped into the air and glided swiftly, avoiding the incinerate spells that passed beneath him. His body moved through the gaps between the attacks with precise movements, showing the experience of someone who had survived countless dangerous missions.

The mage at the front was startled for a moment. He immediately raised his hand and formed a barrier around himself.

But Hall had already disappeared.

The mage’s eyes widened as he looked around.

A faint movement appeared behind him.

A dagger shot forward.

Hall appeared behind the mage and swung his dagger without hesitation. The blade passed through the man’s defense and cut him apart.

The mage collapsed to the ground.

Hall didn’t even look back.

"Move."

The Black Thorns rushed forward.

They were not ordinary soldiers. Each member had been trained as an assassin and had spent years learning how to kill their targets quickly and silently. They moved through the prison in small groups instead of charging forward together.

One Black Thorn threw three small blades toward a mage. The mage raised a barrier to block them, but another assassin had already slipped around his side. He struck the mage’s throat before disappearing into the crowd.

Another mage raised his staff and sent a wave of fire across the chamber.

Two Black Thorns jumped in opposite directions. One rolled across the ground and came up behind a pillar while the other used the prison bars as a foothold and leaped over the flames. He landed beside the mage and drove his short sword into his chest.

The mage screamed and tried to grab him.

The Black Thorn twisted his body and pulled the sword free before kicking him away.

At the same time, another group of mages began chanting together.

The air suddenly became heavy.

Several magical circles appeared beneath the Black Thorns.

"Scatter!"

Hall’s voice rang through the chamber.

The assassins immediately separated.

A series of explosions erupted across the floor, sending pieces of stone flying through the air. One Black Thorn was caught by the edge of the blast and slammed against the wall.

He quickly pushed himself up and wiped the blood from his mouth before throwing a blade toward the mage responsible.

The mage raised a barrier.

But the Black Thorn had already reached him.

He grabbed the mage’s arm and twisted it behind his back before driving a dagger into his side.

The mage went limp.

Another mage suddenly shouted.

"Fire!"

A strange cannon-like object mounted on the floor turned toward the Black Thorns.

Hall’s expression changed.

"Move!"

The cannon fired.

A powerful beam tore through the prison.

One of the Black Thorns didn’t have enough time to escape.

The attack struck him directly.

His body disappeared in an instant and was completely incinerated, leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust.

The surrounding Black Thorns froze for a fraction of a second.