After wiping out their potential pursuers, Faeloria's team managed to escape smoothly. Nobody was there to block their path until they left the perimeter of Juviel City, reaching the forest where they first arrived.
"Nobody went to the plaza, right?"
The plaza was their gathering point, but only if they failed to escape safely. Thankfully, there was no SOS signal sent yet, meaning none of the other two teams were in danger.
Still, Faeloria was worried, especially for Zena's team, who had the highest probability of going around "assassinating" key figures just because.
"Oh, you're finally here!"
But thankfully, the one who welcomed them was the said problematic team, already waiting in the forest beforehand.
"You were fast." Faeloria smiled, praising them lightly.
Zena slithered toward her and shrugged. "Well, our target was a bust, so it's no wonder we got out fast."
Of course, there was no need to report how they wiped out every single sentry back there. Even if she reported what they did, Faeloria herself did something similar, so she couldn't really blame the sneaky lamia.
"I see. Then, let's wait a bit more for the Beta Team to arrive," Faeloria announced before sitting down, leaning against a random tree nearby.
She was tired, but more than that, she was worried about Orinfeld City. Her hunch rarely missed, but this time, she hoped her intuition was mistaken.
About three more minutes passed before the Beta Team finally arrived. Given that their location was furthest from their starting point, it was reasonable they were also the last to arrive. However, they also brought bad news with them.
"We found documents in the general's office, probably left by the enemies. The Aracelli Race is planning to attack Orinfeld City tonight!"
"What?!" Zena gasped in shock.
Right now, the Hit Squad was left with seven members. Even if their "head" was there, it would be hard for that person to hold back a dozen Aracelli on their own.
"Fae!" Zena turned to Faeloria with a panicked expression.
Faeloria nodded her head firmly as if understanding her worries. "I know. We should hurry back. Ellen, can you warp us all back to the city?"
As they were going on a far-off mission, they had a mage with them capable of Warp. The mage, Ellen of the Beta Team, nodded immediately.
"I saved my mana for this, chief! But I can't bring us all straight to Orinfeld. My limit is the outskirts, right outside the wall."
Everyone responded quickly, using skills and spells. Various non-lethal attacks flew, mostly to restrain the enemies, while Faeloria moved with her wand, jabbing it into the captured enemies' napes or diaphragms.
One after another, they eliminated the threats, but the situation wasn't getting any better. It was like a drop in a bucket, barely contributing to the situation. However, they could only do what they could without minding anything else.
"Save as many citizens along the way as you can!" she ordered. "And let them follow us from behind! Plato, you're in charge of watching over them!"
"Roger that!"
With the anti-brainwashing gear, their vision could differentiate between those brainwashed and those who weren't, making it relatively safe to allow the refugees to follow them. Non-brainwashed residents weren't a threat... or so they thought.
"W-What?!"
"S-Sorry, I'm sorry, mister!!!"
One of the refugees, a woman who didn't seem too strong, managed to pull the helmet off one of them. It was Plato, who was tasked with guarding the refugees, and consequently located closest to them.
"Give it back!" he roared, about to reach for the woman in panic, but was a step too late.
A shadow fell and stared him straight in the eyes. He reflexively forgot all the warnings about not staring anyone in the eye, even with the gear on.
It was a simple trick of leading someone's gaze through visual cues using clothes and face paint, but Plato fell for it.
"Well done, woman." The man, who fell from the sky, grinned viciously. "As promised, I will free your daughter from my control." He said.
Then, he snapped his fingers. As soon as he did, a teenage girl about sixteen or seventeen walked out of an alley and... plunged a knife through her own heart.
"N-NOOOOO!"
The woman, who was most likely her mother, cried. However, even if she ran toward her now, it was already too late. It was an instant death for her daughter!
"YOU SCUM!" Faeloria growled, her face warped in anger. "HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH SOMEONE'S LIFE!"
She rushed toward the man, who had wing-like appendages behind his ears. Her wand glowed brightly, like a saber about to reap his neck.
*TING!*
But she was blocked... by the Defense Specialist of Black Numbers, Plato.