Ian sensed it too.

The source of the mark attached to the shadow-detecting Energy was right behind that window.

He lay in wait patiently, not rashly using his Spiritual Power to probe directly.

Level One Wizards, especially Shadow Element Wizards, were extremely sensitive to spiritual probes.

About ten minutes later, the faint light within the window went out.

Immediately after, the front door of the small building opened without a sound.

A tall, thin figure walked out, wearing a Long Robe with Shadow patterns.

His hood was pulled down low, obscuring his face, but his cold, furtive aura and the faint fluctuations of "Shadow Weaving" emanating from him perfectly matched the information from the mark.

The figure glanced left and right, as if to confirm no one was around, then walked briskly toward the deeper parts of the complex, quickly disappearing into the night.

"He left? Gak?" Gaga was a little surprised.

"Maybe he has something to do, or perhaps it’s a routine patrol or shift change."

Ian’s gaze remained calm. "Perfect. While he’s away, let’s go inside and take a look."

"Break in? Won’t that trigger an alarm?" Gaga was a bit worried.

"We’re not breaking in by force." Ian took a small pinch of silver-gray powder from his Dimension Ring—the very same "Silent Dust" he had used before.

He softly chanted a few short lines of a Spell, then gently sprinkled the powder onto the building’s outer wall.

As the powder touched the wall, it seeped into the gaps between the Runes, slightly disrupting the flow of Energy in that small area.

Given the strength of this building’s Protective Array, this disruption was almost undetectable.

It wouldn’t affect the overall operation but was enough to create a temporary "Perception blind spot."

"Gak! What a great trick!" Gaga exclaimed in admiration.

"Stay close. We don’t have much Time." With a flicker, Ian "slid" along the area affected by the powder and instantly entered the shadows of the building’s courtyard.

Gaga, a natural at blending into shadows, followed right behind.

They avoided the main entrance and circled to the side of the building.

Ian carefully inspected the wall and soon found a ventilation shaft.

Wrapping his hand in Spiritual Power, he gently twisted open the composite Metal grille without making a single sound.

The ventilation duct was narrow and dark, but that was no problem for them.

Gaga led the way in front using its Shadow Perception, while Ian used his refined Spiritual Power to control his body, moving as nimbly as a ghost.

A moment later, they slipped out of a vent into a third-floor storage room.

The room was filled with miscellaneous items. There wasn’t much dust, suggesting it wasn’t used often but was cleaned regularly.

Ian retracted his Spiritual Power, using only the faintest fluctuations to perceive the situation outside the door.

After confirming the hallway was empty, he gently pulled the door open a crack.

Gaga slipped out first and scouted the shadows in the hallway.

"It’s clear, gak! Third room on the left. The source of the mark feels strongest there, and the door isn’t locked!"

Ian darted out and quickly arrived in front of that room’s door.

The identification Rune on the door was dim, indicating the owner was either absent or hadn’t activated the lock. He gave it a gentle push, and just as he expected, the door silently swung open a crack.

The room’s furnishings were simple: a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a Meditation Mat.

A few scrolls of parchment were scattered on the desk, along with a strangely shaped Crystal Ball with Shadow Energy slowly swirling inside.

’It must be a shadow-detecting Witchcraft Artifact.’

Ian didn’t touch anything, merely giving the entire room a quick, careful scan.

His gaze finally landed on the edge of a desk drawer, where the corner of a piece of parchment was sticking out. There seemed to be a blurry Badge on it.

He walked to the desk but didn’t touch it. He just leaned over slightly, focusing his vision.

It was the impression of a seal. The pattern was complex, its main feature a twisted mass of shadow with... the outline of an eye at its center.

’The Eye of Dusk?’ Ian’s heart skipped a beat.

He remembered the mysterious, black-robed figures he had encountered during the Demon Hunting war, and the bone Tokens carved with a twisted, pupil-less eye.

Although the Badge before him wasn’t an exact match for the "Eye of Dusk" symbol in his memory...

...the twisted, spying feel of it, along with the combination of a shadow and an eye, sparked a strong connection in his mind.

’Could it be that this isn’t just some internal strife within Julian’s faction, but also involves the mysterious organization known as the Eye of Dusk?’

Ian’s brow furrowed. If that were true, things were more complicated than he thought.

It would mean that the one targeting him wasn’t just some Level Two Wizard from the High Tower acting alone, but that deeper, external forces might be involved.

"Ian, someone’s back! Downstairs! The sound is faint, but someone’s definitely back! Gak!"

Gaga’s urgent telepathic message interrupted his thoughts.

Ian didn’t linger. He immediately turned and retreated from the room along the same path he’d come, even faster than before and just as silently.

Through the hallway, back to the storage room, into the ventilation duct... the entire process was as smooth as flowing water, leaving no trace behind.

Just as they returned to the shadows outside, the tall, thin Wizard pushed open the door to his own room.

"Phew... that was close, gak," Gaga transmitted, still shaken.

"Let’s go." Ian said nothing more, leading Gaga in a swift retreat from the area.

Back in his familiar meditation chamber, Ian set up a Sound Insulation Barrier and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"What did you see? Gak?" Gaga asked impatiently.

"A Badge, possibly related to the ’Eye of Dusk.’"

Ian said in a low voice, briefly describing what he had seen.

"The Eye of Dusk? Those bad guys? Gak!"

Gaga’s memory of the black-robed figures who had ambushed them during the Demon Hunting war was still fresh.

Its feathers immediately puffed up, showing great indignation and vigilance.

"I can’t be completely sure, but it’s highly likely."

Ian sat back down on his Meditation Mat, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knee, his eyes profound.

’The situation is trickier than I expected.’

He had originally thought it was just personal suppression and probing for some internal reason.

But now it seemed that the Level One Shadow Wizard responsible for spying on him might himself be connected to an external, mysterious organization.

’Was Julian being used without his knowledge? Or were the two sides already colluding? What role does he play in all of this?’

"I can’t just wait to be cornered, but I can’t expose this directly either," Ian muttered to himself.

’Report it directly? I have no concrete evidence. That Badge impression isn’t a perfect match for the "Eye of Dusk". Besides, if Julian is also involved, reporting his subordinate would be like walking straight into a trap.’

"We need a plan. A plan that allows us to strike back effectively without exposing ourselves."

Ian looked at Gaga, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Gak! Tell me, what do we do? Are we going to secretly get rid of that ’Insect’ Wizard? Like how we dealt with the Osborne Clan?"

Gaga flapped its wings excitedly.

"No. Inside the High Tower, you can’t just kill people. It’s taboo."

Ian shook his head, rejecting the simplest, most brutal idea.

"We have to use the Rules, and we have to find a more subtle way."

He fell into thought, quickly integrating all his existing information and resources in his mind.

’I’ve successfully improved the Tier One Starlight Potion. That’s a huge technological bargaining chip.’

’I have a project in the Magic Potion Department (the Abyssal Contamination Neutralizer) and a nominal sponsor in Alevia.’

’I know the identity and location of their Law Investigator, as well as clues that might link them to the "Eye of Dusk".’

’Gaga’s Shadow Talent is excellent for reconnaissance and support.’

’These are all my advantages, but I have plenty of disadvantages too.’

’The enemy is hidden in the shadows and well-organized. If Julian is involved, his level and Power are both higher than mine.’

’My foundation is still shallow, my connections within the High Tower are weak, and I’m likely under constant surveillance.’

The beginnings of a plan started to take shape in Ian’s mind.

’First, I need to ’show’ them something, but not everything.’

’I can find a suitable opportunity to partially demonstrate the effects of the Starlight Potion through the Magic Potion Department’s channels, but I need to control the quantity.’

’I’ll just say I’ve made initial progress on improving it, but the success rate and effects are still unstable.’

’That way, I can attract positive attention and gain some protection without drawing too much greed. It also explains the resources I’ve been consuming for my recent ’closed-door research’.’

’Second, regarding the clues about that Shadow Wizard and the ’Eye of Dusk’...’

Ian’s eyes grew cold. ’We can’t act directly, but we can ’guide’ things.’

"Finally, and most importantly," he said, looking at Gaga, 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"we need to establish our own ’eyes’ and ’ears’."

’Kenna and the others will be here in a few days to seek my protection. The favor they owe me... it’s time for them to repay it.’

’And Gaga’s ability in the shadows can be used to gather more information about Julian’s faction, the Shadow Wizard’s areas of activity, and even other rumors within the High Tower.’

’Information is often more important than Power.’

"I get it! Leave it to me! Gak!" Gaga puffed out its chest. "I’m great at finding people and tailing them!"

"Mm." Ian nodded, a grim smile touching his lips.

’Since they like to play tricks in the shadows, then we’ll just have to play along.’