The plan had been set long before. During their earlier scouting, Raymond and his team had carefully observed the movents of the Red-Eyed Crows from multiple angles, ensuring they knew the best vantage points and safe routes.
Raymond gave Arya, Sylph, and Lorene a slight nod. "Go."
Without hesitation, the three darted off toward their designated positions, their footsteps light and precise as they weaved between houses, staying out of the sightlines of the Red-Eyed Crows.
anwhile, Raymond remained perfectly still, his eyes locked onto the two crows perched on a nearby rooftop. Their beady, crimson eyes scanned their surroundings with eerie intelligence, but for now, they showed no signs of alarm.
Timing was everything.
Raymond ntally counted the seconds, estimating how long it would take for his team to reach their hidden spots. When he was sure they were in place, he moved.
First, he wrapped a long cloth around his right hand, despite already wearing a boxing glove. It wasn't to protect his gear from getting dirty. No, this was to minimize any unnecessary reflections or unusual textures that might catch the Red-Eyed Crows' sharp eyes when he made his move.
With his hand secured, Raymond crouched and grabbed one of the freshly prepared sheep carcasses by its horns. He inhaled deeply, grounding himself, then swung, hurling the sheep through the air with precision.
Without their internal organs and excess blood, the carcasses weren't as heavy as one might expect, roughly thirty kilograms each. Still, throwing them a good thirty ters while maintaining accuracy took more effort than it seed.
His target: the central square of Budak Village, about fifty ters away. The Explosion Magic needed open space, too close to any hos, and the blast would cause severe damage. Precision was key. If the carcasses landed too far apart, the Red-Eyed Crows would scatter, and Sylph's magic wouldn't wipe them out in one decisive blow.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one, Raymond hurled the sheep, his controlled strength and sharp calculations ensuring that each one landed neatly in the sa area. The pile ford perfectly in the center of the square, right where they needed it.
A small smirk crossed his lips. "That's the Assassin's mastery of power control… and the Hunter's precision in distance asurent."
But there was still one problem, the last piece of bait.
Raymond's eyes fell on the large wooden basin filled with sheep intestines and organs. This wouldn't be as easy to throw. Unlike the neatly shaped carcasses, the sloshing contents would be unpredictable.
"Damn, this one's tricky…" he muttered.
There was no ti to hesitate.
As he reached for the basin, a sudden, harsh caw echoed from the rooftop.
Gah! Gah! Gah!
The two Red-Eyed Crows had finally noticed sothing. They flapped their wings and shrieked, their cries carrying through the village like an alarm. They weren't attacking yet, but they were definitely signaling to their hidden flock.
Raymond clenched his jaw. No ti left.
With a firm grip, he hefted the basin, aid, and threw it with all his strength.
Bang!
The wooden container crashed against the pile of mutton, its contents flinging out from the impact. The organs splattered onto the sheep carcasses, but thankfully, most remained within the designated area.
That'll do.
Just as Raymond exhaled in relief, a gust of wind rushed past him.
Whoosh.
From the depths of the crows' dwelling, a much larger bird erged.
The leader of the Red-Eyed Crows.
Its glossy black feathers shimred in the dim light, and its crimson eyes burned with an almost unnatural intensity. It let out a single sharp cack before swooping toward the fresh at in the square.
One by one, more crows followed, spilling out of their hiding place and descending upon the feast. Even the two sentries on the roof abandoned their post, eager to join the others.
Raymond watched carefully as the flock gathered, his muscles tensed, ready to move.
The leader was the first to land, its sharp beak pecking at the flesh. It surveyed the area warily before giving a satisfied click. That was the signal, the rest of the flock sward in.
A cacophony of snapping beaks and tearing flesh filled the air.
One particularly cautious crow tore off a large chunk of at, gripped it in its talons, and flapped back up to a rooftop to eat while keeping an eye on its surroundings. A wise move.
But Raymond was already gone.
Keeping his movents slow and precise, he slipped away from his previous position, circling around to approach the crows' dwelling.
He had ten minutes.
If he failed to infiltrate the house within that window, the next phase of the plan would be compromised.
Moving like a shadow, Raymond advanced, keeping low. He sared bits of dust and dirt onto his armor and face, further blending into his surroundings.
Finally, he reached a point where there was no more cover. The open space ahead was within view of the cautious crow on the roof. If he moved carelessly now, he'd be spotted.
Ti for the next step.
Raymond activated his skill, Disguise.
His breathing slowed. His body relaxed. His very presence seed to fade, rging into the environnt around him.
The crow's gaze swept past him, uninterested.
Raymond waited patiently. He wouldn't rush.
The mont the crow lowered its head to rip into the at, Raymond moved; silent, efficient, unstoppable.
He was in.
Now, the real ga began.
---
Whike on the otherside Perched on a small slope about eighty ters from the heart of Budak Village, an old sheep shed stood in quiet solitude. From here, the entire central square was visible, every movent, every shadow, every breath of wind stirring the dust.
Inside the shed, Arya, Sylph, and Lorene crouched among the wooden beams and scattered hay, their eyes locked onto the feeding Red-Eyed Crows. The scent of old wool and earth filled the space, but none of them paid it any mind. Their focus was on the square.
This location, though on the village's outskirts, was perfect. It was just beyond the crows' alert range, aning as long as they remained still and silent, the creatures wouldn't sense them. There was no need to fear a sudden, violent attack from above.
"Including the one still perched on the roof, that makes seven," Arya murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she counted the creatures feasting on the scattered mutton.
Sylph and Lorene didn't need the confirmation, they saw it too. But Lorene, ever observant, caught sothing else. Arya's fingers had tightened slightly against the wooden beam she was leaning on, her brow furrowed in concern.
She's worried about Raymond.
Sylph, seemingly thinking the sa, sighed. "I wonder if he's made it inside yet. The Red-Eyed Crow on the roof is positioned so high… sneaking in must be ridiculously difficult."
Arya bit her lip. Five minutes had passed since the crows began feeding. If what the villagers had said was accurate, they were already halfway through their al. That ant Raymond's window was closing fast.
Sylph's words should have deepened Arya's concern, but instead, the tension in her shoulders eased. A small, knowing smile flickered across her face. "Raymond will be fine."
Sylph raised an eyebrow. "You sound pretty confident for soone who's never been on a mission with him before."
Arya hesitated for a mont, then sighed. "Honestly? I'm more worried than both of you." But her expression soon hardened with resolve. "But worrying won't change anything. I may not have been on a mission with Raymond before, but we've been together long enough. If he says it's possible, then I trust him. He wouldn't take a risk unless he knew he could handle it."
Sylph gave her a skeptical look, but there was sothing reassuring in Arya's certainty. "Well, I guess we just have to believe in him, then."
Lorene, deep in thought, finally nodded in agreent.
What Arya hadn't revealed was the real reason behind her confidence, Raymond wasn't just a Fighter. He was multi-classed, and one of those classes granted him the Disguise skill. As long as he was careful, infiltration was well within his capabilities.
Still, she couldn't help but hold her breath as they waited.
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