I Am A Wizard Who Can Travel Between Earth And The Other World-Chapter 28 - 30 "Shadows of the Shedim

"Exactly! This whole building is a death trap. Let's get out of here before we end up buried alive," Jay urged, his nervousness mounting.

But Gin paid him no mind, making his way toward the spot where he had originally found the USB. His movements were precise, calculated, his steps almost casual.

As he approached the area, he activated a distortion spell, sending the USB from his pocket to the hidden compartment ahead.

The spell ensured the transition went unnoticed, even as he shielded Jay's line of sight with his body.

"That wall over there," Gin said, pointing ahead. "Doesn't it look suspicious to you?"

"What? Where?" Jay squinted, hastening to keep up.

Gin strode forward, extending a foot, and struck the wall with deliberate force.

Thud!

The concealed magic shattered instantly, revealing a hollowed space within the wall. A sharp observer would recognize it as a hidden compartment, and Jay—despite his flaws—had enough experience to notice.

"Wait... is that—?" Gin dropped to one knee, brushing debris away with hurried hands. His eyes widened as he uncovered the USB drive, lying in plain sight.

"This is it!" he exclaimed, clutching it tightly in his trembling hands. He glanced at Ban, who regarded him with calm indifference.

"This the thing Fishmongers' been after?" Gin asked casually.

"Looks like it," Jay replied, his voice tinged with awe.

Gin motioned toward the exit with a tilt of his head. "Then let's go."

Jay scrambled to his feet, hurrying after Jay as they made their way out of the building. "But seriously," he asked, "how did you know it was there?"

"Are you blind?" Gin replied, his tone laced with mockery.

"The signs were obvious. The patterns, the remnants—it stood out."

"...Was it that obvious?" Jay murmured, scratching his head.

Gin didn't answer, and Jay didn't bother pressing further.

The destruction had rendered any attempts at rechecking impossible.

A few steps later, Jay erupted in frustration. "Damn it! So, Fishmongers' screwed up and dumped their mess onto us? Those bastards!"

Gin said nothing, his expression unreadable. In truth, Jay was no saint himself. A man who used novice ability users as bait—sending them to their deaths without a second thought—was hardly in a position to throw stones.

"What's Fishmogers's level?" Ban asked abruptly.

Jay furrowed his brow. "Hard to say. Their guild leader, Anderaine, is supposed to be a powerhouse, but I've never faced her myself. As for the others, you saw Brayan, didn't you? The guy slicing through magical beasts like paper with his sword..."

Jay trailed off, suddenly wary, his eyes darting to Gin's face.

"You don't need to check my reaction," Gin said dryly. "I know you were watching me back then."

A nervous laugh escaped Gin as cold sweat gathered at the back of his neck. His unease grew with every step, a gnawing fear taking root in his gut.

"Crap... Am I stuck in this mess for good?" he thought, his anxiety mounting.

But there was no escape. Not now. Not with Gin by his side.

As they walked, Jay began spilling everything he knew about the Fishmongers Guild, his words tumbling out in a desperate bid to stay on Gin's good side.

The Fishmongers Guild was a mid-tier organization in the sprawling city of Crackton.

Their tasks varied, from occasionally handling assignments for the city's government to venturing beyond the walls to hunt magical beasts.

While other guilds signed lucrative contracts with corporate entities or pursued high-stakes ventures within the city, such work was reserved for the elite guilds at the top.

Fishmongers Guild , on the other hand, was biding its time, waiting for the right opportunity to ascend to those upper ranks.

That opportunity came when they were tasked with investigating and neutralizing the Shedim. For Anderaine, the guild master of Fishmongers, this mission was the perfect chance. If successful, it could propel them into the upper echelons of power.

But things took a turn when the most critical piece of technology they sought vanished without a trace.

Then, a broker—a nobody named Jay—showed up, claiming to have the missing item.

Anderein sat across from Jay at a sturdy wooden table, her piercing gaze fixed on the nervous man.

"Where did you find this?" she asked, her tone as cold as a blade.

Jay shivered, feeling a chill creep up his spine. His voice faltered as he stammered, "O-On the second floor. I-I found it there."

Anderein gestured for him to elaborate, her expression sharp with impatience.

"Well... after I found Gin, I explained the situation to him. Told him there was an issue and suggested we head to Fishmongers Guild together. He... uh... listened to the details, double-checked everything, and then joined me in searching the Shedim's hideout. That's when we retrieved this," Jay rambled.

His explanation dragged on, overly detailed and unnecessarily long. Anderein's expression darkened with irritation as she listened, though she said nothing. By the time Jay finished, he was speaking so quickly it was as if a dam had burst, spilling every word he could muster.

When he finally stopped, Anderaine leaned back slightly and narrowed her eyes.

"And where is this Gin now?"

"Well... uh... I didn't think it was necessary to bring him here, so I just—"

"You just sent him off on your own whim?" Anderein's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile before the expression vanished, replaced by an icy glare. Her gaze swept over Jay like a scalpel, dissecting him piece by piece.

Jay winced as a sharp, stabbing sensation pricked his body—not an illusion, but real pain induced by Anderein's subtle magical pressure. Still, he dared not mention Gin, knowing full well that Gin was far more terrifying than the guild master before him.

Anderein picked up the USB, examining it briefly before plugging it into a waiting laptop.

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"Uh... well, I'll just take my leave now—"

"Wait."

"Yes. Of course. I'll wait," Jay muttered, swallowing hard.

Though his nerves were frayed, he had no choice but to comply.

"If this turns out to be the real deal, I won't send you off empty-handed.

You'll be compensated. Wait here," Anderein said without looking up.

"Compensated?" Jay's eyes widened. Truthfully, he hadn't expected much since the task hadn't been fully completed—Fishmogers's real target had been Gin, not the USB. But if the guild valued the USB enough, payment seemed reasonable.

He remained seated, watching as Anderein inspected the data.

A moment later, she nodded.

"This is what we were looking for."

"Thank goodness," Jay muttered, breathing a sigh of relief.

He knew all too well that if the USB had been the wrong item,

he wouldn't have left the room alive.

"Go downstairs and collect your payment," Anderein said. "And send Odysseus in."

"Yes, ma'am."

Jay accepted her orders without complaint—this was the nature of the relationship between brokers and guilds.

As soon as he left, Odysseus entered the room, his steps brisk with anticipation.

"Is this it?" he asked immediately, his voice filled with restrained eagerness.

"It's legitimate," Anderein confirmed. "But it's incomplete. The real core information isn't here."

Odysseus frowned, disappointment etched across his face. "I see..."

Anderein's expression remained calm but thoughtful. "However, this does tell us something. The Shedim aren't operating alone."

"What do you mean?"

"This USB contains a report. Something meant for submission to a higher authority. It also hints at other groups supporting the Shedim—likely working under the same banner."

Odysseus's eyes widened. "So... the Shedim organization is much larger than we thought."

Anderein's brows furrowed as she leaned back in her chair. "Things just got complicated. I had a bad feeling when we took on this job, and now I know why."

What had seemed like a straightforward mission was spiraling into something far more dangerous.