Lord of the Time: I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

The squad moved through the large chamber with extreme caution, each step carefully placed to avoid making any noise. Their eyes scanned the dark, searching for signs of danger. Markus led the way, his senses sharply tuned to any movement or Ki signatures around them. They were like shadows, blending into the environment, thanks to Elina's Chameleon's Stealth technique.

As they crept forward, they could hear the low, gruff voices of the Evil's Eye Call members. A few patrollers were scattered ahead, casually conversing without the slightest clue that they were being overheard.

"I'm telling you, the big boss was in a foul mood today," one grumbled, his voice raspy. "Heard he lost a couple of newcomers in a botched raid last week."

"Ah, serves them right for being sloppy," another replied with a harsh laugh. "You gotta be ruthless in this job, or you're just fodder."

"Yeah, and remember the last village? I still can't believe they thought hiding their kids in the cellar would work. Found every single one of them," the first voice bragged, his tone chillingly nonchalant about the cruelty of the act.

The squad members exchanged grim looks, their resolve hardening with every overheard word. Elina's grip tightened around her staff, anger and disgust evident in her eyes.

They continued to move closer, gathering more snippets of conversation.

"And the stash we lifted from that merchant last month, I stashed my share under the old oak outside town. No one's ever gonna find it," a third voice chimed in, revealing his secret with a snicker.

"Keep your voice down, you fool," hissed the second patroller. "You want someone to overhear and take it?"

Their laughter and cruel banter provided the squad with not only an understanding of their callous disregard for others but also useful insights into their operations and personalities.

Caleb, ever the observer, whispered to the group, "Seems like we're dealing not just with brutes but greedy cowards too. Good to know."

Markus nodded silently, his expression steely as he mentally noted each piece of information. Their mission was not just about confrontation; understanding their enemy was crucial to dismantling them.

...

The squad pressed on, weaving through the dark corridors of the enemy's lair with a mix of caution and cunning. Markus led the way, signaling for quiet movements as they navigated past the patrollers. Every member was alert, ready to adapt to any situation. At one point, they had to flatten themselves against a cold stone wall, barely breathing as two patrollers sauntered by, laughing about a trick one of them had played on their boss.

"Acting busy's always better than being busy," one joked, his voice echoing slightly in the stone passage. "Keeps the boss off your back without having to do much."

"Yeah, just carry around the same box back and forth a few times. He never notices," the other replied with a chuckle.

While waiting for the patrollers to move away, the squad couldn't help but admire the eerie beauty of their surroundings. The passage was lit by flickering torches that cast long shadows, creating an interplay of light and darkness on the rough walls. The architecture was ancient, with arched ceilings and intricate carvings of symbols whose meanings were long forgotten. Despite the beauty, the air was heavy, a reminder of the place's sinister purpose.

As they moved deeper into the complex, they overheard more conversations. This time, they caught valuable information.

"Shift's changing soon, right? I'm off in an hour," one patroller mentioned casually.

"Yeah, and the new guys are watching the kids tonight. Down in the old cellar. They better not mess up; the boss is paranoid about keeping them hidden," another voice replied, lowering slightly as if aware of the sensitive nature of the topic.

The squad exchanged glances, each member mentally marking the mention of the cellar. That was where they needed to go.

As the patrollers moved on, discussing their strategies to appear hardworking, the squad took the opportunity to slip by. They used the shadows to their advantage, moving silently and swiftly. Elina's Chameleon's Stealth was proving invaluable, making them almost invisible to the unsuspecting eye.

The passage finally opened into a larger hall where more patrollers loitered, some leaning against the walls, others slowly pacing the area with a false sense of diligence. The team ducked behind a large, ornate pillar, listening in but ready to move at a moment's notice.

The information about the children's location was a critical piece of the puzzle. Now, with a clear destination in mind, they prepared to make their way to the old cellar.

Just like that, The squad crept closer to a narrow corridor, only to spot two patrollers blocking the only way forward. The patrollers seemed bored, leaning against the walls and barely paying attention to their surroundings. It was clear the squad had to handle this situation carefully to continue without raising an alarm.

Markus whispered to the group, outlining a quick plan. "We need to take them out quietly. Let's try to fool them first, create a diversion, and if needed, we act helpless."

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Caleb nodded, adding a bit of his old cunning to the plan. "I'll pretend to be a confused old man, might make them drop their guard."

The team agreed, and Elina gently tapped her staff on the ground, creating a soft sound that echoed down the opposite end of the corridor, drawing the patrollers' attention. "What was that?" one of the guards muttered, squinting into the darkness.

As the guards turned their heads, Caleb stumbled into the corridor, groaning loudly, "Oh, help, please! I don't know where I am!"

The patrollers looked at each other, one of them rolling his eyes. "Are we supposed to arrest him or what? I'm too lazy for this."

"Probably just a lost old fool," the other guard guessed, but as they approached Caleb, their expressions changed from disinterest to suspicion. "Wait a minute... we've been fooled!"

Before they could react further, Markus, Rolf, and Tomas sprang into action. On Markus's silent count of three, they moved swiftly. Rolf and Tomas each grabbed a patroller from behind, clamping a hand over their mouths and efficiently choking them into unconsciousness. The patrollers struggled for a moment but were quickly subdued, their bodies gently lowered to the ground.

Elina, watching the silent takedown, let out a relieved breath. The plan had worked perfectly, and now the path was clear for them to move forward. She couldn't help but admire the efficiency and teamwork of her squad, each member playing their part flawlessly.

The squad regrouped, checking to make sure the area was secure before proceeding. Their actions were quick but careful,