Chapter 69: The Underground Trouble, part 1/2

One hour later:

In a vast cavern as expansive as ten football stadiums side by side, with a vaulted granite ceiling held up by towering pillars, luminescent orbs floated gracefully like celestial stars, bathing the subterranean world in perpetual golden daylight.

A slender girl, cloaked in black, descended a spiraling staircase connecting the ceiling to the vibrant, zigzagging streets below, only the streams of her platinum hair peaking from beneath her hood.

'So this is the place the enforcers mentioned. I expected something less impressive.' Immediately after obtaining the information, Tia rushed there, wanting to see what this world's magic offered, 'With the amount of platinum I sent my vessel's family, that should take care of the second part of the contract once the package arrives.'

Houses, streets, and mansions filled the cavern floor like countless mushrooms, arranged into chaotically winding streets with distant human figures below resembling tiny ants.

'Mages built their entire town beneath the city above their heads. That is an impressive feat!' With wide eyes, she ogled the dozens of spellcasters crowding the streets. It was like a fulfilled dream to her—a place with a concentrated community of magicians, making it trivial to shop for supplies and information.

With her mind in the clouds, she finally reached the bottom of the staircase, her feet greeting the uneven cobblestone pathway.

She moved forward, her eyes sparkling like stars, filled with wonder and amazement as she took in her surroundings. The crowd was a mosaic of individuals adorned in loose robes and old-fashioned suits, a blend of styles so diverse that even her coat, bearing an imperial insignia, seamlessly blended in.

Even she, who witnessed the wonders of her previous life and the galactic era, was impressed: 'The two distinct and separate societies simultaneously exist side by side. One based on science and the second on magic. Truly unusual.'

Abruptly, a woman's shriek cut through the bustling crowd, "Ahhh! The Masks are attacking!"

Ding!

New quest: Blend in!

Blend into the crowd and survive the upcoming attack without attracting too much attention to yourself. Remember, a stealthy witch is a happy witch!

Rewards: 2 x WP; 2 X Point to a random stat

Beep!

<<<<<<>>>>>>

New mission:

Objective --> Repel the terrorist attack and destroy the attackers

Rewards --> 2 x esper point; 2 X Point to random stat

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Tia froze mid-step, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest as she quickly processed the sudden alerts. She frantically scanned her surroundings, yet found no immediate sign of danger.

'I think you, Witch System, are the sane one here! I don't want to be dragged into some conflict I don't care about. I want to keep both sides neutral.'

Before she could rationalize further, a blinding burst of light erupted in the midst of the crowd, swiftly followed by a gut-wrenching scream.

"AHHH!!!"

Tia's alertness skyrocketed as a woman garbed in a brown robe, a few steps before her, collapsed to the ground, her bag of groceries scattering across the pavement, fruits rolling in different directions.

In a heartbeat's span, the tranquil street erupted into pandemonium. Five shadowy figures in black robes darted out from an adjacent alley, their faces masked by plain brass masks, the eye holes radiating a malevolent green glow.

Shouts of alarm and terror reverberated in the air as the masses scattered in all directions.

"They're here!"

"Run!"

"Masks are attacking!"

Tia found herself rooted to the ground, a lone figure that remained calm amidst the turmoil, her eyes wide with surprise at how quickly it happened, the crowd leaving her alone.

'I should run too!' Just as she turned on her heels and prepared to sprint away, a yellow light flashed behind her, making her hair stand in alarm.

Time seemed to slow as Tia's mind raced, 'Dodge.'

With adrenaline pumping through her veins, Tia propelled herself sideways, yanked by invisible forces. In the fast move, her hood slipped off, unveiling a cascade of platinum hair that streamed behind her.

Simultaneously, on instinct, the second strand of her mind moved, and a shockwave burst from her outstretched hand, surging down the street in the attacker's direction and tearing stones from the road.

'Who dared to attack me like a coward from behind?!' Her mind burned with fury.

She pivoted on her feet and caught a glimpse of the shockwave crashing into a black-robed mage, launching him through the air and across the street with his raven robes fluttering and his screams joining the orchestra.

With a thud, he crashed into the stone pavement, lying motionless amidst a cloud of dust and debris. Smiling, she looked at the despicable coward.

<Basic Telekinesis VI (69%)> --> 72%

'This went wrong really fast.'

More brash masks turned on her, their wands raising and aiming at her. The air crackled with the buildup of magical energy on the tips of their wands.

"Kill her!" One of them yelled, and the street exploded with the discharge of their combined might, sending a blinding kaleidoscope of destructive colorful bolts and fireballs hurling in her direction.

(Survey: Is the current amount of exposition too much, too few, or ideal? I am trying to fine tune it, so I would really appreciate your input.)

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