My Trash Talent Is Actually OP!-Chapter 40: Preparing For A Prison Break

The cold wind howled as it moved through the city, tugging at Nova's coat as she stood before Asher.

It was almost nightfall, so the society was bathed in pink and orange, while the glow of streetlights and neon signs began to shine brightly.

But her eyes remained fixed on him as she waited for his response. He only tucked his hands into his pockets and said something.

"I'm surprised you heard about Zero," he uttered with a frown, studying her, wondering how she had gotten such information if she had been in a dungeon that had already disappeared from its spot.

She simply nodded. "I have a phone. And when I went to HQ to hand in my reports, Miss Yumiko asked me to head here first because the Guild Masters were having a meeting."

"They're seriously talking about her. And an execution within this week… that doesn't seem like a lot of time."

Asher exhaled slowly. "No. It's not." Just thinking about the entire mission made it seem even harder than it already was.

The asylum wasn't just any prison. Highgate Asylum for the Condemned was where Velcrest sent its worst offenders, political dissidents, rogue mages, and dangerous anomalies the city couldn't afford to execute publicly.

It was a place of no return, hell disguised as an institution. The council called it "containment." Everyone else called it the Warden's Playground.

Zero was in there now, and if they didn't act fast, she wouldn't be coming out. At least, not in one piece, if she came out at all.

Nova sighed and walked over to the chair by the low walls. She placed herself on it, took out her phone from her pocket, and crossed her legs.

"You do know that breaking into Highgate is one thing. Breaking out with Zero is another."

She wasn't wrong. The asylum was located in Velcrest's southern ward… simply put, it was in the slums of Velcrest, where criminals thrived.

The main entrance was guarded by spell-forged sentinels, ancient constructs programmed to identify and neutralize intruders.

The interior was layered with anti-magic runes, meant to suppress prisoners' abilities and, more importantly, prevent escapees from getting out alive. The deeper one was held, the stronger the suppression.

Asher had spent the last few hours reviewing the asylum's schematics, or at least what little information was available from what Sinnett's informants had sent. There were only three known entry points:

The Main Gate – Heavily guarded by combat-class soldiers, with direct access to the administration ward. Suicide.

The Drainage System – A possible route with multiple exits, including one leading to the roof. But flooding was a constant risk, and they didn't have an Elemental-class with them.

The Transport Corridor – Located underground, where the abandoned underground train station was. The entrance to this area was dangerously close to the city's barrier.

However, this was their best bet, since prisoners were moved in and out between cities from there.

"We're going through the transport tunnels," Asher said. "It's the only way to reach her without raising the entire facility."

Nova nodded. "And extraction?"

"Still working on it," Asher admitted. "If we try to fight our way out without calling Cinder's attention, then that won't be an issue. If not, we'll have to leave in the most silent way possible."

Nova's expression remained blank, but she accepted the answer since it was the most doable. She shifted slightly in her spot, pushed back a strand of her hair, and Asher caught a detail he hadn't noticed before.

"You changed forms."

Nova blinked, then smirked. "Noticing that now?"

"You were tiny when I first saw you at the principal's office," Asher said, crossing his arms. "Now you look… normal."

Normal wasn't the right word, but it was close enough.

The first time he'd seen Nova, she had a tiny stature, with a hoodie that seemed like it would swallow her if anyone blinked. She had been around Emma's height—5'5".

Now, she was close to his height, with more mature features. She must have had a growth spurt, which was normal for dragons.

He was waiting patiently for Ria's so he would know what to do about her case, maybe let her be or make use of her abilities as well.

Nova tilted her head back. "Well, I had a growth spurt, and I was conserving mana... It takes a lot of energy to maintain one form and not accidentally switch."

"Hm?" He hummed and smiled. "You do have a full dragon form, right?"

"I think so. Haven't switched to that for a while, so I'm getting there."

Before he could say anything else, a voice interrupted them.

"Well, aren't you two getting cozy."

Sinnett landed smoothly on the rooftop. He brushed dust off his coat, glanced between them, then grinned. "She's actually really pretty compared to what I was told."

"Varrow."

"Wynter."

They exchanged pleasantries with nods before Sinnett finally turned to look at Asher.

"You two friends?"

Asher just shrugged and sat on the table beside her. "It depends on your definition of friendship. If it's like a normal human being, then yes..."

"If not, no."

Sinnett chuckled softly at Asher's statement. He rubbed his tired eyes and exhaled lowly. "I haven't had good sleep for three days now," he mumbled to himself as he shoved a piece of potato chip into his mouth.

"We should really start tomorrow. I've got places to be two days from then."

"I don't mind," Nova shrugged. "Immediately after class, we'll call the others and head there once the train station closes for the break."

Sinnett groaned. "Class first, then prison break? You guys really know how to keep a schedule."

Asher ignored him. "We'll go over the details in the morning."

Sinnett stretched. "Fine, fine. Just don't expect me to be well-rested."

Unfortunately, and unknown to them, except for Asher, who had received the mail as soon as he found out he was assistant captain, the mission wasn't entirely their idea.

Raven's Hollow and Black Veil, the master guilds they worked under, had been assigned this task under orders from one of their top-ranking members.

The guild had many contracts, but this one was personal.

Zero wasn't just some prisoner. She had once been a high-ranking operative, someone the guild had relied on.

But after a failed mission, she'd been captured and labeled a traitor.

The official story was vague because there were many versions, her betrayal to the Saints, the dragon she devoured.

Thus destroying all possible ways to uncover the secrets of dragons, and rumors said she'd been tortured for weeks before they even decided on her execution.

Which they had just confirmed.