The footsteps continued to echo ominously in the dimly lit hallway as Kosu crouched behind a tattered armchair, gripping his weapon tightly. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and he exchanged a brief, determined glance with Thorn, who signaled for silence.

Suddenly, a figure stepped into view—a tall man clad in dark clothing, his face partially obscured by a hood. There was an air of menace about him, an aura of a seasoned assassin. As he moved through the room, his keen eyes swept the surroundings, immediately sensing the disturbance caused by Thorn's team.

"Looks like we've got company," Thorn murmured, urgency creeping into his voice. He watched the man with a calculating gaze, knowing they would have to act quickly.

The assassin paused, tilting his head slightly as if he could smell the tension in the air. "I know you're here," he called out, his voice smooth yet threatening. "You can't hide forever."

Kosu felt a surge of adrenaline. This was no ordinary foe; the man exuded confidence, and his presence suggested high-level espionage skills that could easily turn the tide of the encounter. Thorn's team gathered closer, each girl ready to support their leaders. Jenna, the technician, prepared her UAV for reconnaissance, while Riku, the scout, moved to a better vantage point. Miko, the medic, stayed alert, ready to assist if the situation deteriorated.

"Now!" Thorn commanded, and they sprang into action.

Thorn drew his bow, channeling wind magic to enhance his arrows as he aimed at the assassin. Kosu moved in tandem, unsheathing his katana, the blade gleaming in the dim light. The assassin lunged forward, his movements fluid and precise, evading Thorn's magical arrow with an effortless sidestep.

Kosu charged, aiming for the man's midsection. The assassin countered with a swift strike, dodging to the side and delivering a powerful kick that sent Kosu staggering back. Thorn released another arrow, but the man slipped into the shadows, disappearing from sight just as the arrow struck the wall behind him.

"Watch your backs!" Riku shouted from her position, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. The team was on high alert, but the assassin's skills made it difficult to predict his next move.

The battle escalated as the assassin reappeared, targeting Kosu with a rapid series of strikes. Kosu barely managed to block the blows with his katana, but the man's speed was overwhelming. Each attack was precise and calculated, and Kosu struggled to discern the pattern.

"Focus, Kosu! Use your Aura!" Thorn shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. Kosu concentrated, channeling his energy to boost his strength, feeling the power surge through him. He launched forward again, but the assassin was already moving, striking at Thorn with a dagger enhanced by unseen magic.

Thorn narrowly avoided the blow, countering with a blast of wind that sent dust swirling through the air. The assassin was momentarily distracted, but he quickly regained his focus, darting back into the shadows and reappearing behind Miko, who was providing cover for Jenna.

"Behind you!" Kosu yelled, rushing to intercept. The assassin's dagger flashed as he aimed for Miko, but Kosu managed to deflect the attack just in time. They were locked in a fierce struggle, the assassin's movements blurring as he used his skills to confuse them.

As the fight raged on, Kosu began to feel the strain of the battle. The assassin's relentless speed made it difficult to predict his next move. Just when Kosu thought he had the upper hand, the man vanished again, reappearing in a corner of the room, preparing for another strike.

Thorn, now fully aware of the assassin's tactics, tried to anticipate his movements. "Jenna, deploy the UAV!" he shouted, hoping the drone could provide them with the advantage they needed.

The whirring sound of the UAV filled the air, and the assassin's expression shifted slightly at the noise, his eyes narrowing. Realizing they were police officers, he seemed to weigh his options.

"Time to go!" he spat, making a sudden retreat. With a swift movement, he threw a smoke bomb on the ground, filling the area with a thick cloud of obscuring smoke. Kosu and Thorn were momentarily blinded, struggling to regain their bearings.

As the smoke began to clear, Kosu caught a glimpse of the assassin slipping away, but not before he lunged at both Kosu and Thorn, delivering precise strikes that rendered them momentarily incapacitated. Kosu felt a sharp pain as he was knocked to the ground, and Thorn followed suit, both of them gasping for breath as the assassin disappeared into the shadows.

The UAV's camera captured the fleeing figure, but it was too late. Kosu lay on the floor, frustration boiling within him. They had been so close, but now their enemy had escaped, leaving unanswered questions echoing in the stillness of the manor.

As the smoke cleared and the chaos of the confrontation faded, Jenna, Riku, and Miko rushed to where Thorn and Kosu lay against the wall, both men struggling to regain their composure. Kosu's face was pale, and Thorn's brow was slick with sweat.

"Are you two alright?" Jenna asked, her voice filled with urgency as she knelt beside them.

Kosu groaned, trying to push himself up, but a wave of dizziness washed over him. "I feel... weak," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. Thorn was in a similar state, slumped against the wall, his normally sharp eyes dulled by fatigue.

Miko quickly assessed their injuries and knelt beside them, her expression turning serious. "It's the assassin's poison," she said, her tone urgent. "We need to act fast before it renders you both powerless."

With a nod, she helped them to their feet, supporting them as they stumbled into a nearby room that offered some shelter. The atmosphere was heavy with dust and neglect, but it was a safer haven. Miko set to work immediately, her training as a medic kicking in.

"Stay still," she instructed, her hands moving with purpose as she gathered materials. Using her earth magic, she summoned a small seed from her pouch, channeling her energy into it. The seed sprouted rapidly into a vibrant herb plant, its leaves glistening with a healing aura.

As she began mixing the herb with other ingredients, Jenna checked their injuries, noting the swelling bruises on Thorn's side and the darkening mark on Kosu's shoulder where the assassin had struck. "You both took some serious hits," she murmured, her focus intense.

Miko finished preparing the antidote, her hands steady as she poured the mixture into two small vials. "Here," she said, handing one to each of them. "Drink this. It should counteract the poison."

With some effort, Kosu and Thorn swallowed the antidote, the bitter taste lingering in their mouths. Miko then applied the healing herb to their injuries, her magic enhancing its effects as she worked. The soothing essence of the plant seeped into their wounds, easing the pain and reducing the swelling.

"Wow, Miko, you're amazing," Kosu praised, a faint smile breaking through the haze of discomfort. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

Thorn nodded in agreement, his strength slowly returning. "We're lucky to have you," he added, his gratitude evident.

Once their immediate injuries were treated, Thorn turned to Jenna. "What about your UAV? Did you manage to gather any useful data?"

Jenna shook her head, her expression downcast. "Before fleeing, that man destroyed all of my UAVs. I couldn't get any footage of him." The weight of their situation hung heavily in the air.

"But," she continued, her voice gaining a hint of hope, "there's a chance one of the drones took a photo of him before it was destroyed. We can recover the data later."

Riku, who had been scanning the surroundings, stepped forward. "I just finished scouting the manor," she said, shaking her head. "There's no trace of the assassin anywhere. It seems the manor is completely abandoned."

Thorn sighed, the tension in his shoulders returning. "Alright, we need to stay focused. We can't let a setback like this stop us. Our mission is to set up a radar for better coordination regarding Sakura's missing team."

With renewed determination, the team moved toward the attic, the highest point in the manor. As they climbed the creaking staircase, the air grew cooler, and the scent of dust enveloped them. The attic was cluttered with old artifacts, remnants of the manor's past, and served as a storage space for forgotten treasures.