After resting their bodies and recovering from their wounds, the paladins moved put again. Kaelon walked at the forefront of his squad leading them towards the sewers of the slums.

  Kane continued following from a distance, making sure to remain unseen. Finally they made it to the sewer entrance closest to their base. Kaelon squated and lifted the sewer lif with no issues. Turning to his squad, he had a slight smile on his face as he spoke.

  "Alright who's going down first? Any volunteers?"

  Brand stepped forward along with Victor and a few others. Kaelon's sweeping gaze on all of them, seemingly deciding who would go down.

  "Brand, you take the lead. You're not the seputy for nothing."

  Without a word Brand jumped into the sewer opening. Sounds of splashing echoed out as he landed. The ofhers followed behind him one by one. Vincent let out a complaint as he landed.

  "Damn, it stinks like shit in here."

  Beand turned to him with a deadpan expression and asked.

  "What did you think it would smell like, flowers? We're in the sewers."

  Turning to Brand with an already sour expression. Victor's expression soured more as he let out a grumble.

  "I know that dumbass, it was just worse than I thought it would be."

  At that moment Kaelon, the last to come down, landed with a slight splash. Turning to the squad, he spoke with a clear frown.

  "Come. We need to hurry so we can get out of these sewers."

  Kane watched as they headed down the sewers. He waited a few minutes for them to move and followed them down. Using his senses to their best abilith he followed their parh through the tunnels, even while being a few mknutes behind.

  Kaelon walked through the tunnels heading in the direction of the city wall bordering the slums. His squad followed behind him without a word. Puddles rippled as they walked througb them.

  As they neared the wall, signs of activity began to be seen. The odd torch lined the path, providing some much needed light to the area. At the end of the long hall Kaelon could see the sewers exit, going through the city wall. There was a small clearing just before the exit, it was the intersection of many tunnels.

  Kaelon could see people moving about both in that room and the exit. It seemed like a shipment was coming in. Gangsters were carrying boxes and loading them into a cart. Standing to the side, as if supervising, was a gaunt man with daggers at his hips and a gold luzard pin on his chest.

  Turning back toward his squad Kaelon spoke in a low voice.

  "Alright, we made it to their headquarters. Just through this hall is the main intersection they operate in. The leader is that man to the side with the daggers, leave him to me. All you have to do is take care of the other guys."

  Serious nods spread through the squad, their eyes sharper than before. Kaelon smiled, satisfied with their attitudes.

  "Let's go!"

  Kaelon turned around and led his squad to the clearing. As they stepped into the clearing, the gang leader immediately moved. His hands shot to his twin daggers and he drew them within seconds. Poison dripped from their edges, sizzling as it burned the floor.

  Kaelon reacted just as quickly, immediately shooting at the man. As he attacked, his squad charged into the enemy as well. His sword shone a bright hot red as he delivered a quick and precise thrust

  'First Form: Kindling Spark'

  A loud clang echoed through the sewer as Kaelon's attack was blocked. The gang leader's eyes narrowed at Kaelon. He let out a sigh and spoke with a hint of venom in his gravelly voice.

  "...The demigod. Why are you here now? What are you after?"

  Kaelon's eyes gleamed gold as he spat back.

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  "How do you know who I am? What's your connection to The Sin Congregation?"

  The gaunt man's eyes flashed with realization. A smirk creeped onto his face as he put strength into his arms. pushing Kaelon back.

  "Is that why you're here? Too bad, you're not getting anything out of me. I'm not stupid enough to throw away my life like that."

  Kaelon frowned while steadying his footing. He held his sword tight and retorted.

  "Then I'll make you talk the hard way. We were going to fight anyway."

  The two fell silent and began to circle each other, weapons extended at each other. The clammor of battle echoed around them as the slum squad collided with gangsters. It was the lizard that moved first, his movements slippery and unpredictable. He feigned stabbing right with one dagger, but switched to the left at the last second.

  Kaelon's sword already in position to block the first attack was forced left in an awkward move. The attack was blocked but Kaelon was left vulnerable to attack due to his sword being unsteady. Seeing this, the lizard took advantage of the opening, following through on his previous feint.

  Kaelon had no choice but jumping back, creating distance between them. He couldn't let himself be poisoned by the daggers. One mistake could lead to his death. The heat in his chest began to rise, a furnace burning in his heart.

  The gang leader shot after him wasting no time, daggers gleaming with a deadly sheen. Coming close he executed a barrage of attacks, his daggers disappearing from regular people's sight.

  Kaelon blocked the attacks, stepping back to avoid the poison as much as possible. The two got into a rhythm of attack and defense. One would shoot at the ofher and attack, only to be pushed back as the ogher charges at them.

  Througb out the interception, Kaelon's aquad and The Grate Lords clashed. Brand led the charge, fighting a broad shouldered man with a fearful look in his eye. The other members of The Grate Lords weren't faring much better.

  As vagrants from the slums, their fighting skills weren't the best. Especially when compared to ghe trained paladins of Altan's order. The slum swuad gote through the grunts like paper, leaving teauls of bodies in their way.

  It wasn't long before every gang member but the leader had fallen. Brand finished off the last one before turning to where Kaelon and the gang leader were fighting. They clashed constantly. shooting at each other and being pushed back.

  Despite his best efforts Kaelon couldn't avoid injury. A single gash appearing in a gap of his armor. At first the poison did nothing, but the effects built up. He slowly began faltering in a few steps, his feet gurnjng heavuer with the second.

  The gang leader broke into a laugh as he watched his poison take effect. A menacing smirk settled on his face as he shot at Kaelon one last time. Both of his daggers were pointed at the demigod, ready for attack.

  Seeing his approach, Kaelon smirked inwardly. While it was true the poison was beginning to take effect, Kaelon had been playing it up. His Divinity actually gave him some minor resistance, burning away the toxin in his body. But seeing his opponent's reliance on the poison Kaelon devised a plan to get him to let his guard down.

  The gang leader, oblivious to Kaelon's scheme, rushed at him like a wolf at its prey. Kaelon moved at the last second possible, ducking under his daggers. The gang leader was left wide open as Kaelon came close, his sword already being thrust into the opponent.

  'First Form: Kindling Spark'

  His blade stabbed into the lizard's side, a low grunt echoed in Kaelon's ears as he pulled it back. Blood flooded onto the ground as the man fell to the ground, still alive. Kaelon looked around, finally getting free of combat.

  The slum squad stood around watching Kaelon with their full attention. Turning back to his barely alive opponent, Kaelon crouched down to meet his gaze.

  "Now do you wanna talk? You're going to die either way. Might as well tell me something about The Sin Congregation."

  The gang leader smiled with the helpless expression of a dying man. He stayed silent for a second before shrugging to himself. His hoarse voice was weak as he bagan.

  "... Four months ago a man came to Altium through the smugglers route. He asked us if we had seen a red haired, golden eyed kid anywhere, offering great rewards for anyone that found him."

  He let out a weak breath before continuing. Black marks began appearing on his body and he let out a pained scream. Taking a deep breath he composed himself and continued.

  "... At the time we were preparing for the war with Madam's Grip and The Last Coin, so we didn't think about the request much. Some of our members tried looking but had no luck so we turned our focus to the impending conflict. In the end we gave up on it, stopping the search."

  Kaelon's eyes widened at his words. Four months ago Kaelon had looked normal. How did they know to look for red hair and gold eyes before he even had them? Did they have an oracle?

  The marks on the man's body grew and spread and blood trickled from his every orifice, but he continued.

  "... Before he left the man made us swear to keep his visit and his affiliation a secret. All of those that knew who he was and why he had come had to sign a pact with the Seven Deadly Sins. Death being the price for breaking the pact."

  As his last words fell Kaelon decided to put him out of his misery. He had learned a lot, compared to before. Now at least he knew the reason for the black marks spreading on the cultists he interrogated. It was a security system that prevented any member or person associated with The Sin Congregation from leaking any information.

  A sigh escaped his lips as he stood upright, turning back to his squad.

  "Let's go back. I have a lot to report back to Kane and Elizabeth. Take the smuggled items with you, who knows there might be something useful. Some of you stay back, ransack this place for anything useful. The more we can learn here, the better."

  Turning around Kaelon led his squad out of the sewers. Kane had long left, seeing the situation handled. He rushed back to the temple as Kaelon and his squad left the sewers. Finally emerging from the ground, the squad rushed to the temple.