《Craft Code: Art Collecting Throughout the Netherworld》 Chapter 1: New Day Allen was eager to get back to his apartment and try out a mecha configuration set he recently got, so he promptly gathered the snacks and drinks he wanted from the store. He then paid the cashier with a ten-dollar bill. This store was a decent distance from where he stayed and it was late at night but he had no ready-to-eat food at home and he did not know how to cook. There was no way he was staying up all night working on a new mecha figure on an empty stomach, so he had braved the trip outside. As he walked out of the convenience store, Allen blinked his tired eyes twice as he noticed something out of his peripheral vision and looked up. ''Huh.'', Allen uttered to himself in his mind. In the skies above, it seemed like numerous shooting stars were streaking across, but that was not what stood out most to Allen as he observed them through obscuring trees. ''Those stars...it''s like they''re coming from the Earth." He started in a brisk jog that turned into an all-out sprint as he raced to get a better view. Allen was only mildly curious at first, but it gradually began to feel more and more like something amazing was happening in his mundane life. He was not going to miss out on having front-row seats to it. He paid no mind to the cell phone in his pocket that began to buzz violently while doing so. When he eventually reached an open field at the edge between the town and the countryside. He could finally get a full view of the strange astronomical event that was occurring right in front of his eyes. By this point, the entire night sky was illuminated with lights and shone as bright as day. In every single direction around Allen on the horizon, new lights were springing forth from the ground and intersecting with each other. The most spectacular sight came in the form of a colossal eight-pointed diamond that dwarfed his entire town in size by a massive margin. The instant it appeared all the streaking lights began to converge into its form before it dispersed into nothing but dazzling stardust just as soon as it had appeared. Allen was not sure how long he had been standing there, whether it had been a few minutes or a few hours. It had only felt like a few moments but he knew it had to have been much longer since his body was cold and was shivering in the chill spring night air. "Buzz." Allen gasped as he finally noticed the phone buzzing in his pocket before he took it out and answered it with, "Hello, what in the world is going on?" *** Around a month later, in the light of the early summer morning sun, Allen was running at a rapid pace through the streets of Atelier City. Following close behind him was a group of seven burly guys wearing similar sportswear, but Allen was not going to let them catch up to him. He continued maneuvering around alleyways and dodging around corners. Traditional architecture reminiscent of famous cities such as Paris and Venice as well as more modern buildings could be found here making it a somewhat difficult place to navigate. It was only thanks to him having explored this part of this city on numerous runs that he was able to find his way through this network of intricate twists and turns despite being a newcomer to Atelier City. "Hey! Don''t think you can outrun us!" "We''re going to catch up to you for sure!" Allen ignored their calls from behind and continued running forward, hoping they would eventually tire out and give up their pursuit. Hopefully, sooner rather than later. He was starting to lose wind and would not be able to keep this pace up. ''Geez, why do these guys have to be so persistent? This is outrageous!'' After several more minutes and running across a bridge over one of the many canals that were spread out across the city, Allen finally gave up. His legs began to feel like they were being bound by iron strings with each step he took forward. His sweatshirt was drenched so much it looked like he had just gotten out of a downpour of rain. "Huff...huff." He had come to a stop and caught his breath while he looked behind him to see that his pursuers were doing the same quite a distance behind him with some of them faring even worse. They were lying flat on the ground exhausted. After gathering some of his composure again, Allen opened his mouth up to speak. "Well, I guess this is as far as I..." "Hey!" He was interrupted mid-sentence by a voice from up above and looked up along with the others to see what was its source. The shout had come from a young woman who looked to be Allen''s age which was eighteen years old. The young woman vibrantly stood out to Allen. She had a lithe figure and a mixture of black and white hair. This person was wearing a tracksuit with vivid purple lines on it. Similarly, her eyes were a deep shade of violet that seemed to glow with a shine of its own in the early morning light. As she glowered down at them with those eyes, hanging from her ears were a pair of earbuds attached by wire to an MP3 player at her hip. She also had a black satchel hanging from her shoulders. She promptly descended from the rooftops between Allen and his pursuers. "What do you guys think you''re doing chasing after someone trying to beat them up? You should stop right now or you¡¯re going to get thrashed by me instead." She raised a fist at them to emphasize her point as they all looked on bewildered. One of the sportswear uniform-wearing guys who appeared to be the leader of the group stood up straight and responded, "Uhh...we aren''t running after him. We made a bet to see if he could outrun us." "What? You can''t be serious..." An expression of suppressed disbelief showed on her face as she turned to Allen in question who sheepishly nodded his head in reply. "Yeah, we bumped into each other in our morning runs and he dropped his phone in the process, then we made a bet that if I could outrun all of them I wouldn''t have to pay for the phone damage.", Allen continued. This was the truth for the most part but Allen left out how the leader of the delinquents had actually run into him since he was not paying attention and how the bet was simply made so they could have fun seeing him struggle to try to outrun them. ''I''d rather not look like a total wimp in front of this girl.'' "Oh, I see. Well, sorry for the misunderstanding then.", she chuckled anxiously after turning back to face the others. She then began ruffling in the satchel she had until she pulled out a sheet of coupons and pushed it into Allen¡¯s chest. "Here." Before any one of them had any time to say anything, she ran at a breakneck pace out of the alley and out of sight. Their mouths were all left gaping wide at the bizarre encounter for a few moments wondering if what had just happened had actually happened. However, after a few moments had passed, the leader of the delinquents regained his composure and walked up to Allen. "Alright, you won our bet but you better be careful next time or we won''t be as civil." "He was actually serious about that?" He walked up beside Allen and firmly put a hand on his shoulder. Allen gritted his teeth and clenched his fist struggling to control his anger. He did not want to start another pointless fight here only to get beat up by the whole group of them. A self-pleased grin emerged on the delinquent boss''s face as he saw no sign of retaliation at his open threat toward Allen. "That''s what I thought. Be a lot more careful next time. Not everyone in this town is as nice as me." He took his hand off of his shoulder and walked past Allen and out of the alley. The rest of his posse followed behind until only Allen was left there. He breathed a sigh of relief. As Allen was about to walk away himself when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He looked down searching for where it came from and spotted an odd piece of paper lying on the ground. He picked it up and observed it. It had a strange symbol in the shape of a tree he did not recognize. He realized it had been lying at the spot exactly where the weird girl had descended. "She must have dropped this while she was rustling through her bag. I guess I could return this since she did try to help me out and gave me these coupons." He looked down on the sheet of mediocre deals. "Pizzeria Palace huh, I guess I''ll go there after I get done with my job then.", he slid the piece of paper into his notebook and headed back to the place he currently called home in an attempt to get some extra rest. *** An alarm blared in Allen Lee''s ears as his brown eyes burst open and he shot up from his bed. He quickly tapped a button on the holographic projection of his Zero Screen phone beside him to turn his alarm off and picked up the small metallic rectangular prism to check the time. 9:00 AM "I barely feel like I got any rest at all." He did not get out much and ate mediocre quality food, so he tried to compensate for this by regularly going on runs in the morning. However, he had not been expecting to go on an all-out sprint today. Allen had about 30 minutes to get out the door if he was going to make it to his job on time. Allen got up from the floor and brushed his fingers through his black hair while scratching his head then stretched his arms, torso, and legs feeling all his old sores resonate through his entire body. Some of them stood out even on his brown skin. He proceeded to fully get out of bed and get prepared for the rest of the day. Once he was done, he checked his Status, something that all Atelier City residents could observe through their devices. Allen liked how similar it was to a video game even though looking at it usually frustrated him. This was a ranking of their physical abilities, a technique in different artistic endeavors, and notable accomplishments they made. The Merit of zero on the status showed Allen once again he had made no progress and accomplishing anything significant.
Name Allen Lee
Title Art Novice
PHYSICAL ABILITY 7
TECHNIQUE 3
MERIT 0
It did not take him long to glance it over and he was soon out the door of his apartment. As Allen walked the 15 minutes it took to get to his job, he took in all the things that were all around him. Even though he had been in Atelier City for almost a month now, he was still amazed by the sights and sounds that were so different from his small hometown. Overhead, flying drones whizzed about delivering food and other goods around the city and holographic signs hovered in front of stores. Passing by him, horseless carriages zoomed down the street along with people on Auto Bikes who were barely paying attention to the road as they poured over their Zero Screen slates with both hands. "Man, Atelier City really is filled with super-advanced technology everywhere." Allen mused, "Even though it has its fair share of punks too, it''s still a hell of a lot better than my hometown." As he walked past a construction site, he stopped when he noticed that despite all the materials present such as large blocks of metal, wood, and concrete there was no machinery as well as no crew aside from one lone figure who didn''t have the typical appearance of what you would expect a construction worker to have. He was wearing a black and yellow suit on a large metallic platform connected to a larger platform where all of the materials were. In front of him, on the platform, was a miniature holographic model of a building.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The man in the suit then outstretched his hand and a holographic interface appeared. He pressed a few buttons on it and the platform the materials were on began to glow brightly. The blocks of metal, wood, and concrete became covered in light and then started to mold and reshape into the form of a building. As the structure extended into the air, the more similar the structure became to the design of the holographic model. When the construction was done and the light had faded from the newly made three-story building, it was a mirror image of the projected blueprint in front of the man in the yellow and black suit. Overall, the entire construction had taken only ten minutes and Allen had watched the whole process play out. Allen brought out a small notebook from his pocket and drew up a quick sketch of the four-story building. When he was finished with it, he looked over the piece in dissatisfaction. ¡®As expected, I¡¯m still terrible at sketches. I hate drawing.¡¯ Suddenly, he looked at his phone and realized he was a few minutes away from being late for his job. ''Crap, I better hurry if I''m going to make it on time.'' He broke out in a brisk jog down the sidewalk. *** He stopped in front of a small store and looked at its antique neon sign, Coffee & Chronicles. In the display window, there were popular books of all different kinds, and a strong and fragrant coffee smell wafted from the edges of the door. Allen breathed a sigh of relief. "On time, with a whole minute and sixteen seconds to spare." After this brief moment, he walked into the shop and began his day at work. Coffee & Chronicles was both a cafe and a bookstore and the building was evenly split between two sides with each one having its own counter. On one side, were the coffee and tables while the other had the bookshelves. "Morning Allen, you''re a little later than usual, anything happens on the way here?" Allen was greeted cheerfully by a young woman with dirty blonde hair and light gray eyes who was wearing the same uniform that he was. She was standing behind the coffee counter in the back of the room. ''Well, not anything that unusual happened just now.'' Allen decided to keep the events of earlier this morning to himself for the moment. *** ''Ding Dong'' Hearing the sound of the store''s doorbell, Allen looked up from his counter to see who had entered the store. "Hey Charlotte, how''s your morning going?" "It''s going well, thank you." Charlotte was a regular of Coffee & Chronicles, buying a new book every other week or so. She and Allen had gotten along pretty well since he started working there. She had dark black long hair and deep blue eyes and was wearing a beige shirt, jacket, and skirt. "Already finished the Quest of Loriel Silenda? How was it?", Allen questioned. "It was great! Thanks for the recommendation. The final battle between the House of Hypogriffs and the House of Sphinxes was super riveting to read. It kind of made me wish the series had another book to it, but the end was closed so neatly that I can''t imagine what another addition could be about." As Allen listened to her, he couldn''t help but think to himself, "Wow, I still can''t believe a girl as nice as her is as much of a book nerd as I am. Can''t judge a book by its cover I guess. Man, that was a lame pun." "So anything you''re looking for in particular today?" "Yes, could you get me Jack and the Bean Stalker?" "Huh?" Allen was surprised by her request. "Is something wrong, do you not have it?" "No, it''s not that, it''s just that it''s not that popular of a book. I didn''t think you knew about it." Allen had read the book himself and knew Jack and the Bean Stalker was a dark retelling of the classical fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk and was much less whimsical of a story than what it was based on. "I see. I just got nostalgic for it. is all." Allen shrugged and retrieved the book. Charlotte proceeded to purchase it and then left with a bright smile on her face. Afterward, the rest of the work day was uneventfully boring as the young man thought drearily about his unremarkable past and uncertain future. In this preoccupied state, he stared absentmindedly straight ahead at his counter for most of his shift without even bothering to strike up a conversation with his co-worker Amy like he usually would. When it was finally time to leave, Allen made sure to take stock of every item in the store and set everything back where it should be for the next work day. Once this was done, he silently headed to the front door of Coffee & Chronicles. "Hey! Is something wrong? You didn''t stay up playing games again, did you?" Amy jested but her tone held a tinge of genuine concern. Allen looked back with a strained grin. "It''s nothing..." This is what Allen began to say but an unconvinced stare from the usually jovial woman was enough to make him cough up the truth. "Well, it''s just the grant that Atelier City gave newcomers moving to the city is going to run out next month. When that happens...I won''t even be able to afford the infamously cheap apartment I''m staying in right now, heh." He tried to put on a smile but it was obviously a fake one that anyone could see through. Amy''s forehead crinkled. "Wait, it''ll end that soon? Have you gotten any jobs with Heironymous or any other companies yet?" Allen shook his head. "Not a chance, it looks like no one wants a novice artist without any accomplishments or credentials. Here in Atelier City, someone with my artistic abilities is a dime a dozen." ''...or maybe worth even less that.'' Allen kept this thought to himself. "Oh c''mon, you''re not that bad." Amy brightly rebutted with her hands on her hips. "You just need more time to polish your skills. Not only that, if it comes to that, I''m sure my grandfather can give-" "No!" Allen raised his voice abruptly which surprised Amy. "Uhh...I mean, I just don''t think that''ll be necessary. You and the boss have already helped me out enough as it is, and I was never seriously expecting to stay in Atelier City for that long either." He laughed in an attempt to clear the awkward tension before heading back to the store''s exit to escape it completely. "You''re so stubborn, Allie!" Amy called out with the nickname she knew the teen hated. "Being that way makes you a good worker who always makes sure every book and cup is in place even when you''re out of it, but it also makes you a pain like this too. Why did you come to this gaudy town in the first place if you weren''t going to follow your dreams to the end?" Allen paused momentarily in the doorway before saying, "I guess you could say I''m trying to turn a new leaf. I got a lot of handouts in my hometown from people trying to support my dream with no results. Just getting here to Atelier City was already more than enough for someone like that." Amy''s expression softened. "You''re being too-" "Alright, I''m going to go spend all weekend playing this retro mecha game I haven''t gotten a chance to try out yet. See ya on Monday, Amy!" Allen blurted out before practically leaping out the other side of the door. Amy sighed with exasperation and slumped shoulders. *** After making his getaway, Allen decided to head directly to the pizzeria despite how far out it was from where he lived. While on the way there, he thought more about Amy''s inquiry on why he had even come to Ateliery City. ''After hearing that night filled with rising stars was just one big publicity stunt orchestrated by a single city to invite people. I had to come here because I thought it would be an opportunity for me to do something amazing with my life.'' Allen had always wanted to break away from the mundane trivialities of his normal routine. Even from a young age, he had been obsessively invested in occultic topics such as myths, cryptids, and bizarre conspiracy theories involving magic. He had waited for the day that the world walked into his life, and drawing for him started as a way to capture the extraordinary on paper when he could not experience it firsthand. Back in his hometown, he even became part of a paranormal investigation club with other weird kids like him which was fun for a time, but eventually, Allen got more serious with his dream of an art career. Allen began to think the club''s antics were as ridiculous as everyone else thought they were. He began flaking on meetings and his lack of enthusiasm seemed to spread to the rest until the group naturally fell apart. ''Magic is not real but it was enough to keep us together and things seemed a lot better then too. I wish I knew that before ruining things for a dream that never came to fruition...but maybe if I did realize it, everything else would be worth it.'' Belief in the supernatural or not, he still sought to become someone extraordinary, but it seemed even going to the most advanced city in the country did not guarantee that. ''Instead, nothing changed. I''m still running away from no-good punks, burdening others with my problems, and doing meaningless stuff like returning a stupid piece of paper to someone I don''t even know. Did I make another bad decision in coming here?'' *** When he finally got to the pizzeria after walking for about half an hour, the sun had already set, making the streets nearly pitch black aside from a few streetlights and the glow of a full moon in the sky. Allen observed that the restaurant was kind of small and shabby as well as, much to his dismay, already closed. No lights at all shone from it and a giant "CLOSED" sign was placed in the front window plain to see. Allen sighed defeatedly. "I guess this is what I get for not checking what time it closed." He decided he would just come again another day and turned to walk away. That was when he heard a shriek ring out from nearby that froze him in his tracks. He looked around until he heard another shriek call out into the night. Now, almost regrettably, he was sure of where it was coming from, the alleyway right next to the store. Allen pulled out his phone to possibly call for help but all that showed on the holographic screen was static. ''Dammit, this thing cost me too much to be glitching out at a time like this!'' Allen looked back at where the sound had come from and was not sure what to do now, whether he should just run until his phone started working again or he found help, or try to intervene himself. He was about to choose the former when he heard another cry. Before he knew it, he had already run into the alleyway, but he was not able to see anything due to it being clouded in fog. He slowly and nervously stepped through the fog. The fog was surprisingly cold like he had just stepped into a wintry storm even though it was the middle of summer, but in only a few steps, he was already past it into a mostly empty alley with heavy mist inside of it. He was confused and not sure he had heard where the sound had come from correctly until he heard that same shrill cry come in front of him beyond the mist. He ventured outside of the mist to find himself in the open alleyway and a giant mural in front of him. It depicted a monstrous creature that resembled a tree in the form of a lion. It had a body made of bark and a mane of vines. It was so lifelike that it appeared the brick wall was a window instead. ''That noise came from here. Was it some sort of illusion? For now, I might as well take a sketch of this and see if I can find out what it is later.'' Allen, partially mystified by the mural''s realism, began to draw the painting within his notebook. Drawing everything down to the tiniest detail. When he was almost finished, he found something was off between his work and the mural that served as its inspiration. Instead of looking sideways like he had previously seen, its eyes were now staring directly at him. ''How did I get this so far off? My skills are subpar, but I''m not that bad." Allen spoke out loud. "It''s almost as if it mov-" Allen could not finish his sentence before a mass of vine-like tendrils erupted from the mural and tried to entangle him. He leaped out of the way just in time and was horrified to see most of the monster''s body bound from the wall as if it was completely natural. The only parts left inside were a large mass of the green vines that made up its mane. ¡°What is going on!? This has to be some sort of illusion as well, right?!" Large thorn-like spikes began to emerge from the monster''s body. Some were as long as Allen''s arm and looked like they could pierce right through him as well. Allen''s mind froze from bewilderment but his pencil started to move again, simply through instinct. The moment his hand started to draw, the monster halted in its tracks. "Huh? Oh, it didn''t move while I was drawing did it?!" Allen grinned nervously and started to draw as if his life depended on it. Moments like this had overtaken him before, but this was the one rare time where it did. He kept on til it was a complete replica of the monster, but when he had done that, the beast began closing the distance once more. "Wait, no additions I''m making are affecting it. Damn it, maybe I can erase it and start-" Another volley of vines was unleashed toward him even more numerous and swift than before. Allen had no choice but to run away for the second time that day. The monster completely vacated the wall and chased after him. All of the remaining vines that had still been on the surface of the wall, were now outside of it. The young man headed back where he came from through the fog. After a few seconds, the fog faded around him and he noticed that the modern alleyways were replaced with walls bearing a resemblance to medieval architecture. This bizarre change in scenery only added to the intense confusion he was facing. However, he shook his head and kept on running with everything he had. That morning had been a cakewalk compared to this all-out sprint. The passage seemed much longer than it had been when he entered, but he still felt he could escape. The exit was in reach before his eyes before too long he thought, but someone else was there as well. A young woman with golden features from her hair to her clothes to even her skin. She looked like a princess straight out of a fantasy novel Allen had read. The golden dress she wore was in tatters and her golden complexion was marred by grievous wounds. It looked like she had been running from that monster too. ''She must be who I heard those screams from earlier." Allen winced as he considered leaving them to fend for themself and hope for the best, but his conscience overrode his cowardice momentarily. When he passed her, he tried urging her to get up and follow him out. "C''mon, we have to get moving!" She didn''t follow his directions. Instead, the golden woman looked back at where he had come and then somberly stared down at something she held in her arms. It was a gold sword with a branch-like handle, With both hands, she raised it up to Allen as if telling him to take it. "What is this? ...Is this what that thing is after? Is that why it chased you?" She nodded her head quietly and brought the sword closer to Allen. ''Wait, is this meant for me to use?'' Allen thought to himself while contemplating the situation. The fantastical idea of taking the golden armament and slaying the monster passed through his mind. The possibility that he had somehow stumbled into a magical realm where the normal rules of the world did not apply plagued his thoughts as well. Regardless if it was supernatural or not, that exquisite treasure was sure to open new doors for him. Confused but entranced, he reached out to that golden blade. Right before he could lay a finger on it, he noticed a slight change in expression from that mysterious sword-bearer. ''Disappointment?'' Vines shot through the golden woman''s body and her form broke apart into mist. Allen screamed in shock as his limbs were ensnared so tightly he could not even move his fingers. He was brought to the ground to watch while that giant lion monster gradually approached him from the fog that had lied before Allen. Too stunned to even think, all his strength drained from him, and by this point, he could not even turn away from the monster as it was about to attack. With explosive power, the monster leaped straight towards Allen whose eyes were opened wide with terror. From out of nowhere, a figure slammed downwards on the monster stopping it in its charge. "Magical Kick Breaker!!!" The beast was crushed under the heel of that figure, causing it to splinter into chunks of wood and thorns. At that exact moment, the vines wrapped around Allen lost their hold. This left him there on his own as the clouds moved past in the sky and revealed a crescent moon shining up above and illuminating the alley enough for him to make out who had rescued him. "You..." Standing on top of the massive remains of the tree-like creature was the same peculiar young woman he had met earlier that day. She had a slight grin on her face as she recognized his face as if this was as normal as bumping past each other on the sidewalk. "Looks like you did need saving this time around.", she casually remarked. On the other hand, Allen''s head was boiling over with so many questions he could not process them all. He only managed to voice two. "What''s your name...Where are we?" She chuckled, "It''s Nera and this is a place where counterfeit legends lead people to their deaths. Welcome to the Netherworld." Chapter 2: New World "The Underworld? Are you saying we''re dead? What the crap are you talking about?" The girl he now knew as Nera looked straight into his eyes with the same nonchalant demeanor as before. This unnerved him. "Did you happen to look at the moon earlier tonight? What shape was it?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. "...Yeah, it was a full moon, What does that have to do with any-" His eyes widened at a sudden revelation as he looked up to the sky above. What he saw did not make any sense. There, shining brightly amongst the clouds, was a crescent moon. Allen could vividly remember seeing a full moon earlier that night and the moon was also half-full just a few days ago. Realizing this, Allen took her words more seriously for now and in a more relaxed tone asked her another question. "Alright, I guess I''ll go along with us not being where I thought we were, so what did you mean by "Underworld", and what is this creature that tried to make a meal out of me? Is all of this just some sort of weird holographic projection or something?" "Nah, this is a part of the Underworld, an entirely different world where lost souls linger for a while. However, it occasionally leaks out into our world in different appearances like this, and living folks like us can sometimes wander into it as well. I''m telling you all of this so you can maybe avoid this happening again. I may be pretty awesome but I can''t be everywhere at once." Allen ignored her bragging and responded, "So that creature was a lost soul?" He then faltered back as her expression suddenly darkened unexpectedly for a moment. "No, they''re anything but lost souls, they''re specters. Monsters of pure miasma that feed on both the souls of the dead and the living. Their entire bodies are capable of draining both the life and mana out of people." " she stated as she gestured to the remains of the "specter", a large pile of bark and vines she was currently standing on that were slowly disintegrating into dust. "Mana!? That means there''s magic too, right?" Allen was a lot more eager to hear what she was talking about now. "So that''s how you were able to jump off a building like it was no problem and take out that monster in one hit. You must be a mage or something." Allen could not help but grin at the thought that there may be mages in the world. ''All of this is crazy, but if there''s a way for her to teach me how to use something like magic myself it could be worth it," he chuckled creepily to himself. Images of him shooting fireballs out of his hands and levitating cars with his mind suddenly popped up in his head. "No, I can''t use magic, and it''s not something I can teach you how you use. You have to be born with it" Allen tensed up, "How did you know I was-" "It''s written all over your face. When you''ve spent as much as time I''ve had looking at people''s faces you get a knack for reading them. By the way, let''s just say my abilities are more science-based and leave it at that. Knowing too much more will probably just cause you more trouble anyway." "Maybe I was right about the shock-absorption shoes then?" "Ah, I see," Allen replied in a completely disinterested tone. ''if there''s no way for me to learn how to use magic myself then it''s definitely not worth enough for me to get involved with a strange girl who seems to fight freakish monsters on a regular basis. I''m just going to go home and disregard this as a weird dream brought on by exhaustion and hunger.'' "Well, it was nice meeting you again," He proclaimed halfheartedly as he waved goodbye and walked away into the mist only to be eventually stopped by what felt like a brick wall made out of ice. "Ow!" He grabbed his nose in pain. He felt all over the fog and was bewildered to find that the mist itself was solid and there was no way for him to get through it. "Uhh..." He walked out of the mist sheepishly. "Could you explain to me how I can get the hell out of here?" Instead of answering him immediately, she walked over to one of the walls of the alley, slumped down onto the ground, and pulled out her earbuds and MP3 player from out of the pockets of her tracksuit. "There''s no way for us to get out of here until the Underworld recedes, which it should soon now that the specter has been taken care of. In the meanwhile, I''m just going to listen to some music." Not convinced, he tried the other side of the alley only to be met with another icy barrier. He walked out of the fog and looked over to Nera listening with closed eyes. "Hey, you said Specters are soulless monsters, right? Do they have some connection to art, because the one that attacked me was a mural before it started moving and me drawing it kept it still." "Eh, you decided to draw in such a dangerous situation. You sure are passionate or an idiot." Allen opened his mouth to speak but she kept on going without giving him a chance to. "To answer your question, yes. With both being products of human imagination, Specters are tied to art. Specters will sometimes enter a sealed form as art like you saw before and can be kept immobile by drawing them before they are completely unsealed. You''re lucky that you were able to stumble upon that trick." "...I see...name''s Allen by the way." Allen rubbed the back of his hair in unease at the awkward introduction. "Oh, this is yours, right?!" The young man shakily said as he pulled out the odd piece of paper he had meant to give her back in the first place. "It''s nothing, just something that caught my eye at a random shop," Nera said briskly with a wave of her hand and then became silent as she focused on the music she was listening to. In the face of the awkward silence, Allen looked at her device''s digital display for any topic of conversation. "PANDEM?NI¡ÉM, huh. I never heard of them before. Mind if I give it a listen to pass the time since my phone is completely on the fritz right now?" She silently reached for one of her earbuds, moving some of her hair out of the way causing Allen to catch a glimpse of her metallic ears. Besides their gray color and various grooves along them, they were perfectly identical to normal ones made of flesh and blood. Something so advanced it could probably only be found in Atelier City. ''Prosthetics...that must be what she meant about reading faces," He wondered what exactly happened to her but decided to push these thoughts down and just listen to the music. It was an electronic rock band with a female vocalist. The singer had a hauntingly melodic voice and the song seemed to be about betrayal, deception, and corruption. As the song reached its conclusion, Allen thought out loud to himself, "It''s strange how beautiful this song describes how crappy the world is." Nera opened her eyes for the first time since she started listening to her music in subdued surprise. "I guess I''m not the only one who can read minds." *** A little bit more time passed and they suddenly heard a whistle coming from the fog. Following this sound, two figures emerged from it. At first, they were vague silhouettes but gradually their forms became clear. The first was a tall man wearing a silver suit of knight armor and wielding a large weapon on his back. His armor was very angular with the front of his helmet being flat with dotted cut-outs on the lower half of it for ventilation. The second figure was a woman of average height dressed in a black hoodie and pants with white musical lines scrawled all across them messily. She whistled exaggeratedly as she twirled a small golden harp on her finger. Her nails were painted the same onyx color as the strings of her instrument. They both gradually got up to their feet and backed away from the fog as two figures. ¡°Who are you guys?¡± Nera asked tentatively. ¡°We should be asking you two that. We¡¯re traversers, we came to deal with the specter that was here¡­¡± The mysterious woman glanced around, spotting the scattered remains of the monster that were lying around in the alley. ¡°...but it looks like that was already taken care of.¡± ¡°Yeah, by me.¡± Nera walked up to the gray-haired woman and pointed a thumb at herself for emphasis. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± The older woman then leaned in to scrutinize her more thoroughly before suddenly throwing her arm around Nera and smushing their faces against each other, much to Nera¡¯s shock. ¡°Aren¡¯t you adorable!? It¡¯s really impressive a kid like you can deal with a specter of that level. Without any scratches, at all, I might add too. You must be pretty talented. C¡¯mon, tell me your name!¡± Nera let out loud protests and struggled to get out of the hooded woman¡¯s grasp. While she fawned over Nera and he was unsure of what he was going to do, Allen was about to try to approach them but was stopped by a raised hand from the armored figure. ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed. That¡¯s just Madame Harpe¡¯s way of showing affection," the man¡¯s deep voice reverberated through his metallic helmet. He seemed much more composed and collected than his associate. Allen trusted in his words and stopped in his tracks. ¡®This guy looks and sounds like he¡¯s straight out of a medieval legend. And that armor he¡¯s wearing is exquisitely cool. Are these guys like the guardians of the magical society Nera talked about earlier?¡¯ Nera eventually managed to escape with an exasperated sigh and a light blush on her face from embarrassment. She then angrily pointed at the woman Allen now knew as ¡°Madame Harpe¡± and sharply rebuked them. ¡°Mind my personal space you crazy-eyed lady! I don¡¯t even know who you are, so don¡¯t go breathing down my neck already! I¡¯m not some pipsqueak you can smother to death!¡± Nera yelled this out loudly but was ignored by everyone else. Harpe only tilted her head to show any indication that anyone heard Nera. Allen spoke up. ¡°You guys. Who are you supposed to be anyway? I know you called yourself a traverser but I have no idea what that means.¡± ¡°Hmm, sounds like you don¡¯t know much about anything, do you? Well, I wouldn¡¯t mind informing you a little if that¡¯s the case. For starters, I¡¯m Harpe and my ally over there in the walking silver fortress is Hache.¡± Allen and Nera glanced over at the armored man called Hache and he simply nodded his head. They both wonder how these two started working together with them seemingly being polar opposites. Harpe then put her thumb to her chin and closed one of her emerald eyes in thought. ¡°As for your second question, Traversers are pretty much the cleanup crew of the underworld to describe it in an unglamorous way. Our job is to traverse through its different spills and get rid of the trash known as ¡°Specters¡± and clear away the stains known as ¡°miasma¡±. We even have a title to show for it."
Name Colette Bossuet
Title D-Rank Traverser
PHYSICAL ABILITY 5
TECHNIQUE 8
MERIT 6
''There''s really a title like that?'' Harpe dramatically took a half-bow as if she was receiving a standing ovation. ¡°You''re welcome.¡± ¡°If it was not for Traversers like Madame Harpe. The world would be overrun by those vicious beasts.¡± Hache proclaimed. ¡°You too might be able to become one. I can help you both become Traversers.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± Allen uttered in disbelief. He did not think his chance to have a huge breakthrough would come this unexpectedly. While he was sorting his thoughts out, Nera replied to Harpe. ¡°Sorry, but if I was going to be a Traverser, I¡¯d do it on my own terms.¡± Harpe took this nonchalantly and continued. ¡°Too bad, there¡¯s still the boy though. I¡¯ll ask this first, have you ever been in a life-or-death battle before?¡± Allen was caught off guard by this question but eventually answered with a shake of his head. ¡°I see, I guess neither of you would make good allies after all,¡± Harpe stated in mock somber. She then raised up with her back straight and her arms behind her back. ¡°Hache,¡± Harpe uttered this one word so uncharacteristically serious and foreboding that it made the hairs on Allen¡¯s neck stand up. ¡°Why did-¡± Before he finished his sentence, Nera suddenly tackled him to the ground. Allen watched as if in slow motion as a silver ax swung through where he had been standing next to Hache not even a second prior. They both rapidly got back to their feet and backed away from the two they previously saw as ¡°protectors¡±. "Dammit Hache, looks like you missed ''em. I was hoping we could get this over with quickly in one fell swoop." The knight''s associate bemoaned. "I guess we''re going to have to do this the tiresome and exhausting way." Her words sharply contrasted with her apparent whimsical attitude. Harpe¡¯s mannerisms became even more lackadaisical than before and her voice took on a menacing tone as she shed the sheep¡¯s clothing she had worn prior. Nera looked at Allen worriedly, ¡°I''ll be fine no matter what, but you should probably hurry up and run away." "What!? You may be strong, but you can''t seriously think I''m the type to just leave you here to deal with these two your-" "You should listen to her," Harpe interrupted."Your role has ended here, extra."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Harpist Craft, Page 7 - Hymn of Conveyance." She strummed the strings on the small harp and a somber melody emanated out from it. This was accompanied by emerald green lines of musical notes. They rapidly flew out from the harp and curved right through his chest. He reacted with a karate upper block he had learned a long time ago but it was to no avail. He was instantly sent flying into one of the alley walls at an incredible speed. His whole body was slammed with enough force to draw blood and the air was knocked out of him. He weakly crumpled to the ground. "Huff...huff..huff." While Allen continued to futilely try to force a decent amount of air back into his lungs, he looked up to see what was going on. Nera had her back fully turned away from him. "I can¡¯t believe I let my guard down with someone that crazy for even a moment." "Don''t worry..." A fierce grin appeared on her face as she raised her fists in a fighting position. "I''m sure my performance of handing you two your asses is going to go off without a hitch." She snapped her fingers causing metallic gauntlets to seamlessly extend over her wrists and hands then swiftly bounded straight towards the armored warrior wielding the ax. "Harpist Craft, Page 3 - Hymn of Fortification." Harpe quickly strummed once more on her instrument, this inciting four red staves of musical notes to emerge from it and hurriedly encircle the arms and legs of Hache just as Nera''s fist collided with his crossed arms pushed him back into the mist a little. He swung the ax at her. Nera simply avoided it by leaping back with two steps a far distance away. She followed this up by getting into a running position and then started sprinting towards the armored warrior again, building up so much speed her image nearly became nothing but a blur. She was about to reach the armored warrior in half a second. He swung his ax downwards at her. Nera nimbly avoided the attack. She flipped forward high into the air while keeping her momentum and slammed her feet down on the long handle of the ax as it hit the ground. It was embedded into the asphalt below. Defenseless, Hache took the full force of Nera''s second punch. "Magical Knucker Driver!¡± She yelled out as her strike made contact with a booming metallic crash. His reverberating voice could be heard as he loudly grunted in pain. However, it was not enough to move him from where he stood, and he batted his arm at Nera, forcing her to jump back. A large dent was left on his chest plate and he noticeably groaned as he inspected the damage with his free hand. Nera grinned and raised up three of her fingers. "Three. That''s the number of your ribs I just broke. I could hear them cracking from a mile away. Are you sure you want to continue, tin bucket?" Having finally regained his breath and got back to his feet, Allen was wordless as he watched the two''s superhuman fight while trying to figure out he could help. "There''s nothing you could do here extra but be a nuisance." Allen turned away from the fight to see that Harpe had positioned herself right across from him on the other side of the alley without him even noticing. He backed away cautiously. "This Grim Reaper Trial only has a select number of performers in it. All the rest are just extras and props. What we want is the Grim Piece from that girl, you don''t have to needlessly put yourself in harm''s way. You barely know her don''t you?". She glanced his way for the first time and Allen could see that her eyes glowed vivid green and had odd spirals inside of them. Allen could not fathom what she was talking about. "What are you saying?" Harpe tilted her head as she decided to entertain his question. "If there¡¯s an underworld, surely you must¡¯ve wondered who reigns supreme over it. This city''s grand announcement and the Grim Reaper Trial''s start are not coincidental. Atelier City was opened up to the public by the Night of Rising Stars to gather worthy candidates of standing at the of the underworld as its next Grim Reaper." "Candidates? Grim Reaper? Magic or not, you can¡¯t expect me to believe that is a role you so can just grant someone! " Allen yelled in exasperation. "It is as long as a person is born with an auspicious fate already. That''s what the city is for after all. This is a place where dreams are used as the paint to create destinies. Once a person is marked as someone who can become our next hero, there''s no going back." ¡°A hero?¡± Despite the danger, his heart thumped with anticipation regardless of Harpe''s words as he thought about the mysterious paper Nera had dismissed as nothing. It had dragged him into this whole mess. There must be a meaning behind that. The young man wondered if it was one of these Grim Pieces. Even if it was an ominous one, it could lead him down a path that could take him away from the mundane life that felt like rotting from the inside out, a chance to be chosen. Allen took the paper with the tree symbol on it that landed him into this predicament in the first place and, now, he was hoping it would solve all his problems. "This is the Grim Piece you''re looking for, isn''t it?" Blood from his hands stained the power and it began to glow with an eerie light. Allen was convinced of his suspicions at this point. If it came to it, he would accept whatever dark power this item would bestow upon him if that truly was his destiny. The paper pulsed one last time with golden light before that shine dispersed and flickered out like a candle in the wind. "Huh!?" "You really are clueless!" Harpe yelled hysterically. "That paper was only a tool to display a person¡¯s magical nature, the role they were meant to fulfill, and that result shows you have none at all! This is what a Grim Piece is." She moved some of her hoodie''s collar out of the way to reveal a mark of strange symbols resembling a tattoo wrapped around her neck. She pressed her fingers to it and it began pulsating with emerald light. "Let me let you in on something else, this Grim Reaper Trial is to decide who next will take on the title of Grim Reaper, the supreme executioner of the Underworld. Each of us participants has already been imbued with a portion of the previous¡¯s power in the form of these Grim Pieces, all that''s left is for every Inheritor to gather in Atelier City and one of us to collect them all. I learned that the girl over there has one and the only way to claim it for myself is to rip it off of her cold dead body." Allen was lost for words at what he was hearing as he finally realized that there was no point in waiting for any special destiny to be thrust onto him. He was just fumbling uselessly around for a route that did not exist. "Many of the people who flocked to Atelier City are like you and are here for no reason but to fill up space. It''s not a matter of fortune or misfortune, just coincidence. Now that you know all that, are you sure you want to try to protect that doomed girl? I may even let you go if you huddle off into a corner somewhere before that lab rat gets put out of her misery." She pointed to the other end of the alley covered in fog. "You better hurry, you''re running out of time for that deal." "¡­what do you mean?" He looked over to see Hache come down with an axe swing that Nera confidently guarded with her gauntlets only for three diagonal slashes to appear on her torso regardless. She winced in great pain as blood gushed from her wounds. "But she blocked it..." Allen uttered hoarsely at that power he could not comprehend. "Now, are you sure you don''t want to run away?" Allen stood there shaking in fear and uncertain for a moment. Part of him wanted to go over to Nera to help her out and the other was too afraid to do so. A grin still remained on Nera''s face but Allen could tell that it was only a fake smile. "It''s alright, I''ll be fine on my own. Just run away." Allen''s expression filled with dismay. Those were the last words he wanted to hear and as he began to turn around. The look on her face burned into his mind and haunted him to his core. It was one of sincerity, fear, and worst of all...acceptance. Deep down, he wanted her to tell him that she wanted him to help, that he could help. That face plagued his mind as ran away to the other end of the alley, away from all of them. When his body completely disappeared into the mist, the devilish woman cackled, "I really do love to watch the moment when a person''s heart cracks. Now, I don''t have to worry about any unexpected interruptions from that extra. Hache, finish the lab rat off." "As you command, Madam Harpe." Nera was able to still avoid his attacks even with her grave wounds, but eventually succumbed to the toll they took on her and fell to her knees without any strength left in her legs. She looked up in determination but she began to fill with doubt that she would make it out of this as the armored warrior charged at her and raised his ax to land one final blow that would surely end her if it struck. However, at that same moment... "Magical Aerial Dive!!!" Yelling this out at the top of their lungs, a figure clumsily jumped down from the rooftops right in front of Nera and blocked the warrior''s attack head-on catching the ax''s handle in their hands just barely managing to keep the blade from slashing their body. "What are you doing here!? There''s no point in you getting involved. I''m not sure why, but I''m the one they''re after, not you." Nera yelled angrily at the figure, Allen. Allen laughed wryly as the armored warrior began furiously swinging him around trying to force Allen to let go of the ax handle. "What?" the warrior''s low voice reverberated from his metal helmet in surprise. The light of his axe was beginning to fade along with the red rings around his arms and legs. They both appeared to be being siphoned by something that Allen had wrapped around his hands. They were remains of the specter''s body and its vines which had long and sharp spikes on them. "No way, you''re using those!? Don''t you know it''s draining you too? Aren''t you worried about your life, you idiot!" "Of course I am, you wannabe martyr!" Allen chuckled mirthlessly as he was slammed on his feet by the large armored warrior in another attempt to wrest his grip of the ax from him. "I''m the type of guy who only does things if I think there''s something worthwhile in it for me and runs at the first sign that things are getting bad, but even a bastard like me couldn''t live with the guilt of leaving someone for dead who just saved their life multiple times!" Allen fiercely declared. A haunting melody followed by a stream of lines ran through Hache¡¯s arms and launched them forward. "Ughh!" The blade of the axe was sent into Allen¡¯s shoulder. Three bloody vertical marks similar to the ones that had been inflicted on Nera were now etched on his torso as well. Nera looked over to see Harpe with her fingers on the strings of her instrument, The spiral-eyed woman was chuckling to herself. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t let you three have all of the fun.¡± Nera glared at Harpe before turning back around. Allen was desperately continuing to struggle for possession of the ax and coughed up dark crimson blood. Even with a bunch of adrenaline pumping through him, the massive wounds he just sustained were taking their toll as his grip began to loosen, a shadow falling over his vision, and his consciousness began to fade. Memories flashed through Allen¡¯s mind. They were one of the numerous shortcomings that he had tried to move past by coming to Atelier City only to fail when it mattered most A ripped canvas. A crumpled letter. A demolished building. Whether it was the most mundane problem or the most harrowing, maybe grasping hold of victory in the face of adversity was impossible for the young man. Nera was shaken as she could barely hear the sound of his heart beating. The armored warrior solemnly sighed at the dying foe before him and was about to pull the ax out of Allen''s now loosened grip. It would take only a single yank to wrest it from the powerless hands. As Allen''s mind slipped into nothingness. A voice like a rope pulled him back to his senses momentarily. "You hypocrite!" Nera screamed desperately with sweat pouring over her face. "If you''re not going to run, at least win!" As everything slipped into darkness, a jolt raced over Allen''s body from the outrageous plea that he could not simply dismiss. "if magic turned out to be real...I can at least...at the very end...give the impossible one more..." Just as Hache was about to end this farce by pulling the grand axe away from Allen, the vines of the specter that were wrapped around the young man''s hands turned from dark green to pitch black instantly. The vines grew to entangle both the ax and Allen''s entire body, piercing him all over with the thorns that began to grow as well. The armored warrior gasped in surprise. All the mana of the red magical symbols around his limbs was completely drained out of them. The crimson staves broke apart into nothingness. He could feel nearly all of his strength being taken from him as well. An ominous dark aura then blasted his hands off the handle of the ax and enveloped Allen''s body whose eyes were now wide open but emotionless. The armored warrior then began furiously punching him all over his stomach, chest, and face even breaking his nose in the process, but he just stood there motionless like a statue. Then, with no warning at all, the vines began to tighten and Allen''s arms began to raise the ax high over his head, up to the crescent moon. "Hache, get out of there!!! Right now!!!" Harpe yelled, her voice high from distress. Her warning came too late. The now wholly ebon ax was swung down in a tremendously fast blur. Darkness trailed after the ebon blade like a frightening banner. It cut right through the warrior''s armor and sent out a wave of black miasma that knocked him meters away onto his back. A gaping slash from his right shoulder to the bottom of his torso was spilling with blood that stained his silvery armor. That was more than just the residual effects of the specter''s remains. Neither was it some unknown function of the silver item in the young man''s hands. Whether it was by some unorthodox skill or reckless fluke, Allen had momentarily drawn out the power of the underworld that could only be called magic. When only those chosen should wield such an otherworldly art, that outsider claimed it for himself with jet-black ink. After that moment had passed, the vines that entangled Allen and the ax that was deeply embedded into the ground regressed. They were now back to their previous color and rapidly started to disintegrate until there was nothing left of them. All the power that was in them had been drawn out in the attack. After that, Allen''s eyes began blinking as life gradually returned to them. He opened his mouth and broke the silence of that soundless world. "...What happened?" "You happened," the Crafter answered as she walked over in his direction. ¡°I would like to hurry up and heal Hache, but it shouldn¡¯t take too long to get rid of you now that you¡¯re this spent.¡± The woman raised her fingers to the strings of her harp once more. That was when Allen heard Nera stir from behind him with a grunt. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ She¡¯s going to rush her now?!¡± That premonition hit him like a truck.¡¯I¡¯m not sure what I should do. I already gave it all I had.¡¯ It was a moment between an instance and an eternity. A snap resounded and asphalt fragments crackled on the ground as Nera leaped to Harpe from beside Allen. Her metal gauntlets now had sharp, steel blades protruding out from her forearms. Harpe¡¯s smile never faded as her hand hovered over her instrument of mayhem. Allen gripped the axe handle and rushed forward. However, in an unexpected action, he moved in between Harpe and Nera while leaving the weapon behind. The young woman''s eyes widened with shock as she screeched to a halt. "Why would you..." Nera uttered hoarsely as she suddenly fainted from exhaustion and slumped to the ground on her knees. The quiet but still audible sound of her strained breathing was enough for Allen to keep his resolve and attention focused on the person in front of him. His eyes were facing the Crafter''s gaze with all the might left he could muster. "I''m not going to let you kill her after all that..." Allen declared. "Then, how are you going to stop me? I have just enough time to finish you both off before treating my servant." "With a deal..." Was all Allen said before ripping out a piece of paper from his sketchbook and etching two lines on it with his own blood and handing this to Harpe with something wrapped into it. She opened the piece of paper that was like a contract with the devil themself and lightly chuckled. "You''d actually go that far for her?" Allen nodded in response as his whole body shook uncontrollably. Even though it looked like a weak breeze could blow him over, she had seen enough to not take him so lightly. Instead, she decided to consider his deal. "Alright, we''re done here." The eerie woman announced without a shred of doubt. The Crafter turned around, grabbed the ax handle, and pulled it out from the broken ground, dragging it along with her. When she reached Hache, she casually stated, "Get up, we''re leaving. We''re going to need to patch that wound up quickly." The armored warrior gutturally growled out as he rose to a stand. "Very well." "Hopefully, if you two live long enough, we''ll be able to meet again and things will go a lot more according to the script," Harpe mused. The two enigmatic assailants turned away from Allen and Nera and walked back into the mist where they had come from. Harpe played one last eerily melody and gazed upon what Allen had given her again, a dull key and a crude mark that showed what it was for. The pair entered the mist that was also starting to dissipate until they were completely gone from view. The moment they were gone from sight. Allen felt the strength finally drain from him and collapsed in front of Nera in a pool of his own blood. ¡°Ah¡­am I going to die after all that?¡¯ Through his foggy consciousness, Allen peered back to where Nera was kneeling on the ground. She had awakened but was still suffering from her grievous wounds. He thoughtlessly tried reaching her by dragging his body along the ground. In between the two, there lay a strange sculpture in the shape of one of Mandrake''s vines that appeared to glow an enchanting green light. When he could not move any closer, the young man reached out both his arms toward her, only for his hands to fall on that sculpture, staining it. Seeing this, Nera reached out her hand and took his in her grasp. He mouthed the words, "I''m sorry". She shook her head in response, now believing that he had made the right call when she attacked. "Please, you reckless fool, if you can hear me, just hold on a little while longer," the young woman pleaded with every breath stinging with pain. "This dream has almost reached its end." She closed her eyes with a silent wish and the monstrous paint that had coated the alleyway finally faded away into glimmering particles of dust akin to the Sandman''s powder and then disappeared into nothingness. In accord, the blood surrounding them vanished alongside all other signs of the battle that certainly took place, as if everything had all just been a simple dream. Chapter 3: Grasp of the Ethereal After Allen narrowly avoided getting bisected by the silver knight''s axe thanks to Nera''s quick reflexes, the two both got back to their feet. They both backed away from the two they previously saw as ¡°protectors¡±. "Dammit Hache, looks like you missed ''em. I was hoping we could get this over with quickly in one fell swoop." The knight''s associate bemoaned. "I guess we''re going to have to do this the tiresome and exhausting way." Her words sharply contrasted with her apparent whimsical attitude. Harpe¡¯s mannerisms became even more lackadaisical than before and her voice took on a menacing tone as she shed the sheep¡¯s clothing she had worn prior. Nera looked at Allen worriedly, ¡°I''ll be fine no matter what, but you should probably hurry up and run away." "What!? You may be strong, but you can''t seriously think I''m the type to just leave you here to deal with these two your-" "You should listen to her," Harpe interrupted."Your role has ended here, extra." "Harpist Craft, Page 7 - Hymn of Conveyance." She strummed the strings on the small harp and a somber melody emanated out from it. This was accompanied by emerald green lines of musical notes. They rapidly flew out from the harp and curved right through his chest. He reacted with a karate upper block he had learned a long time ago but it was to no avail. He was instantly sent flying into one of the alley walls at an incredible speed. His whole body was slammed with enough force to draw blood and the air was knocked out of him. He weakly crumpled to the ground. "Huff...huff..huff." While Allen continued to futilely try to force a decent amount of air back into his lungs, he looked up to see what was going on. Nera had her back fully turned away from him. "I can¡¯t believe I let my guard down with someone that crazy for even a moment." "Don''t worry..." A fierce grin appeared on her face as she raised her fists in a fighting position. "I''m sure my performance of handing you two your asses is going to go off without a hitch." She snapped her fingers causing metallic gauntlets to seamlessly extend over her wrists and hands then swiftly bounded straight towards the armored warrior wielding the ax. "Harpist Craft, Page 3 - Hymn of Fortification." Harpe quickly strummed once more on her instrument, this inciting four red staves of musical notes to emerge from it and hurriedly encircle the arms and legs of Hache just as Nera''s fist collided with his crossed arms pushed him back into the mist a little. He swung the ax at her. Nera simply avoided it by leaping back with two steps a far distance away. She followed this up by getting into a running position and then started sprinting towards the armored warrior again, building up so much speed her image nearly became nothing but a blur. She was about to reach the armored warrior in half a second. He swung his ax downwards at her. Nera nimbly avoided the attack. She flipped forward high into the air while keeping her momentum and slammed her feet down on the long handle of the ax as it hit the ground. It was embedded into the asphalt below. Defenseless, Hache took the full force of Nera''s second punch. "Magical Knucker Driver!¡± She yelled out as her strike made contact with a booming metallic crash. His reverberating voice could be heard as he loudly grunted in pain. However, it was not enough to move him from where he stood, and he batted his arm at Nera, forcing her to jump back. A large dent was left on his chest plate and he noticeably groaned as he inspected the damage with his free hand. Nera grinned and raised up three of her fingers. "Three. That''s the number of your ribs I just broke. I could hear them cracking from a mile away. Are you sure you want to continue, tin bucket?" Having finally regained his breath and got back to his feet, Allen was wordless as he watched the two''s superhuman fight while trying to figure out he could help. "There''s nothing you could do here extra but be a nuisance." Allen turned away from the fight to see that Harpe had positioned herself right across from him on the other side of the alley without him even noticing. He backed away cautiously. "This Grim Reaper Trial only has a select number of performers in it. All the rest are just extras and props. What we want is the Grim Piece from that girl, you don''t have to needlessly put yourself in harm''s way. You barely know her don''t you?". She glanced his way for the first time and Allen could see that her eyes glowed vivid green and had odd spirals inside of them. Allen could not fathom what she was talking about. "What are you saying?" Harpe tilted her head as she decided to entertain his question. "If there¡¯s an underworld, surely you must¡¯ve wondered who reigns supreme over it. This city''s grand announcement and the Grim Reaper Trial''s start are not coincidental. Atelier City was opened up to the public by the Night of Rising Stars to gather worthy candidates of standing at top of the underworld as its next Grim Reaper." "Candidates? Grim Reaper? Magic or not, you can¡¯t expect me to believe that¡¯s a role you so can just grant someone! " Allen yelled in exasperation. "It is as long as a person is born with an auspicious fate already. That''s what the city is for after all. This is a place where dreams are used as the paint to create destinies. Once a person is marked as someone who can become our next hero, there''s no going back." ¡°A hero?¡± Despite the danger, his heart thumped with anticipation regardless of Harpe''s words as he thought about the mysterious paper Nera had dismissed as nothing. It had dragged him into this whole mess. There must be a meaning behind that. The young man wondered if it was one of these Grim Pieces. Even if it was an ominous one, it could lead him down a path that could take him away from the mundane life that felt like rotting from the inside out, a chance to be chosen. Allen took the paper with the tree symbol on it that landed him into this predicament in the first place and, now, he was hoping it would solve all his problems. " This is the Grim Piece you''re looking for, isn''t it?" Blood from his hands stained the power and it began to glow with an eerie light. Allen was convinced of his suspicions at this point. If it came to it, he would accept whatever dark power this item would bestow upon him if that truly was his destiny. The paper pulsed one last time with golden light before that shine dispersed and flickered out like a candle in the wind. "Huh!?" "You really are clueless!" Harpe yelled hysterically. "That paper was only a tool to display a person¡¯s magical nature, the role they were meant to fulfill, and that result shows you have none at all! This is what a Grim Piece is." She moved some of her hoodie''s collar out of the way to reveal a mark of strange symbols resembling a tattoo wrapped around her neck. She pressed her fingers to it and it began pulsating with emerald light. "Let me let you in on something else, this Grim Reaper Trial is to decide who next will take on the title of Grim Reaper, the supreme executioner of the Underworld. Each of us participants has already been imbued with a portion of the previous¡¯s power in the form of these Grim Pieces, all that''s left is for every Inheritor to gather in Atelier City and one of us to collect them all. I learned that the girl over there has one and the only way to claim it for myself is to rip it off of her cold dead body." Allen was lost for words at what he was hearing as he finally realized that there was no point in waiting for any special destiny to be thrust onto him. He was just fumbling uselessly around for a route that did not exist. "Many of the people who flocked to Atelier City are like you and are here for no reason but to fill up space. It''s not a matter of fortune or misfortune, just coincidence. Now that you know all of that, are you sure you want to try to protect that doomed girl? I may even let you go if you huddle off into a corner somewhere before that lab rat gets put out of her misery." She pointed to the other end of the alley covered in fog. "You better hurry, you''re running out of time for that deal." "¡­what do you mean?" He looked over to see Hache come down with an axe swing that Nera confidently guarded with her gauntlets only for three diagonal slashes to appear on her torso regardless. She winced in great pain as blood gushed from her wounds. "But she blocked it..." Allen uttered hoarsely at that power he could not comprehend. "Now, are you sure you don''t want to run away?"This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Allen stood there shaking in fear and uncertain for a moment. Part of him wanted to go over to Nera to help her out and the other was too afraid to do so. A grin still remained on Nera''s face but Allen could tell that it was only a fake smile. "It''s alright, I''ll be fine on my own. Just run away." Allen''s expression filled with dismay. Those were the last words he wanted to hear and as he began to turn around. The look on her face burned into his mind and haunted him to his core. It was one of sincerity, fear, and worst of all...acceptance. Deep down, he wanted her to tell him that she wanted him to help, that he could help. That face plagued his mind as ran away to the other end of the alley, away from all of them. When his body completely disappeared into the mist, the devilish woman cackled, "I really do love to watch the moment when a person''s heart cracks. Now, I don''t have to worry about any unexpected interruptions from that extra. Hache, finish the lab rat off." "As you command, Madam Harpe." Nera was able to still avoid his attacks even with her grave wounds, but eventually succumbed to the toll they took on her and fell to her knees without any strength left in her legs. She looked up in determination but she began to fill with doubt that she would make it out of this as the armored warrior charged at her and raised his ax to land one final blow that would surely end her if it struck. However, at that same moment... "Magical Aerial Dive!!!" Yelling this out at the top of their lungs, a figure clumsily jumped down from the rooftops right in front of Nera and blocked the warrior''s attack head-on catching the ax''s handle in their hands just barely managing to keep the blade from slashing their body. "What are you doing here!? There''s no point in you getting involved. I''m not sure why, but I''m the one they''re after, not you." Nera yelled angrily at the figure, Allen. Allen laughed wryly as the armored warrior began furiously swinging him around trying to force Allen to let go of the ax handle. "What?" the warrior''s low voice reverberated from his metal helmet in surprise. The light of his axe was beginning to fade along with the red rings around his arms and legs. They both appeared to be being siphoned by something that Allen had wrapped around his hands. They were remains of the specter''s body and its vines which had long and sharp spikes on them. "No way, you''re using those!? Don''t you know it''s draining you too? Aren''t you worried about your life, you idiot!" "Of course I am, you wannabe martyr!" Allen chuckled mirthlessly as he was slammed on his feet by the large armored warrior in another attempt to wrest his grip of the ax from him. "I''m the type of guy who only does things if I think there''s something worthwhile in it for me and runs at the first sign that things are getting bad, but even a bastard like me couldn''t live with the guilt of leaving someone for dead who just saved their life multiple times!" Allen fiercely declared. A haunting melody followed by a stream of lines ran through Hache¡¯s arms and launched them forward. "Ughh!" The blade of the axe was sent into Allen¡¯s shoulder. Three bloody vertical marks similar to the ones that had been inflicted on Nera were now etched on his torso as well. Nera looked over to see Harpe with her fingers on the strings of her instrument, The spiral-eyed woman was chuckling to herself. ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t let you three have all of the fun.¡± Nera glared at Harpe before turning back around. Allen was desperately continuing to struggle for possession of the ax and coughed up dark crimson blood. Even with a bunch of adrenaline pumping through him, the massive wounds he just sustained were taking their toll as his grip began to loosen, a shadow falling over his vision, and his consciousness began to fade. Memories flashed through Allen¡¯s mind. They were one of the numerous shortcomings that he had tried to move past by coming to Atelier City only to fail when it mattered most A ripped canvas. A crumpled letter. A demolished building. Whether it was the most mundane problem or the most harrowing, maybe grasping hold of victory in the face of adversity was impossible for the young man. Nera was shaken as she could barely hear the sound of his heart beating. The armored warrior solemnly sighed at the dying foe before him and was about to pull the ax out of Allen''s now loosened grip. It would take only a single yank to wrest it from the powerless hands. As Allen''s mind slipped into nothingness. A voice like a rope pulled him back to his senses momentarily. "You hypocrite!" Nera screamed desperately with sweat pouring over her face. "If you''re not going to run, at least win!" As everything slipped into darkness, a jolt raced over Allen''s body from the outrageous plea that he could not simply dismiss. "if magic turned out to be real...I can at least...at the very end...give the impossible one more..." Just as Hache was about to end this farce by pulling the grand axe away from Allen, the vines of the specter that were wrapped around the young man''s hands turned from dark green to pitch black instantly. The vines grew to entangle both the ax and Allen''s entire body, piercing him all over with the thorns that began to grow as well. The armored warrior gasped in surprise. All the mana of the red magical symbols around his limbs was completely drained out of them. The crimson staves broke apart into nothingness. He could feel nearly all of his strength being taken from him as well. An ominous dark aura then blasted his hands off the handle of the ax and enveloped Allen''s body whose eyes were now wide open but emotionless. The armored warrior then began furiously punching him all over his stomach, chest, and face even breaking his nose in the process, but he just stood there motionless like a statue. Then, with no warning at all, the vines began to tighten and Allen''s arms began to raise the ax high over his head, up to the crescent moon. "Hache, get out of there!!! Right now!!!" Harpe yelled, her voice high from distress. Her warning came too late. The now wholly ebon ax was swung down in a tremendously fast blur. Darkness trailed after the ebon blade like a frightening banner. It cut right through the warrior''s armor and sent out a wave of black miasma that knocked him meters away onto his back. A gaping slash from his right shoulder to the bottom of his torso was spilling with blood that stained his silvery armor. That was more than just the residual effects of the specter''s remains. Neither was it some unknown function of the silver item in the young man''s hands. Whether it was by some unorthodox skill or reckless fluke, Allen had momentarily drawn out the power of the underworld that could only be called magic. When only those chosen should wield such an otherworldly art, that outsider claimed it for himself with jet-black ink. After that moment had passed, the vines that entangled Allen and the ax that was deeply embedded into the ground regressed. They were now back to their previous color and rapidly started to disintegrate until there was nothing left of them. All the power that was in them had been drawn out in the attack. After that, Allen''s eyes began blinking as life gradually returned to them. He opened his mouth and broke the silence of that soundless world. "...What happened?" "You happened," the Crafter answered as she walked over in his direction. ¡°I would like to hurry up and heal Hache, but it shouldn¡¯t take too long to get rid of you now that you¡¯re this spent.¡± The woman raised her fingers to the strings of her harp once more. That was when Allen heard Nera stir from behind him with a grunt. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ She¡¯s going to rush her now?!¡± That premonition hit him like a truck.¡¯I¡¯m not sure what I should do. I already gave it all I had.¡¯ It was a moment between an instance and an eternity. A snap resounded and asphalt fragments crackled on the ground as Nera leaped to Harpe from beside Allen. Her metal gauntlets now had sharp, steel blades protruding out from her forearms. Harpe¡¯s smile never faded as her hand hovered over her instrument of mayhem. Allen gripped the axe handle and rushed forward. However, in an unexpected action, he moved in between Harpe and Nera while leaving the weapon behind. The young woman''s eyes widened with shock as she screeched to a halt. "Why would you..." Nera uttered hoarsely as she suddenly fainted from exhaustion and slumped to the ground on her knees. The quiet but still audible sound of her strained breathing was enough for Allen to keep his resolve and attention focused on the person in front of him. His eyes were facing the Crafter''s gaze with all the might left he could muster. "I''m not going to let you kill her after all that..." Allen declared. "Then, how are you going to stop me? I have just enough time to finish you both off before treating my servant." "With a deal..." Was all Allen said before ripping out a piece of paper from his sketchbook and etching two lines on it with his own blood and handing this to Harpe with something wrapped into it. She opened the piece of paper that was like a contract with the devil themself and lightly chuckled. "You''d actually go that far for her?" Allen nodded in response as his whole body shook uncontrollably. Even though it looked like a weak breeze could blow him over, she had seen enough to not take him so lightly. Instead, she decided to consider his deal. "Alright, we''re done here." The eerie woman announced without a shred of doubt. The Crafter turned around, grabbed the ax handle, and pulled it out from the broken ground, dragging it along with her. When she reached Hache, she casually stated, "Get up, we''re leaving. We''re going to need to patch that wound up quickly." The armored warrior gutturally growled out as he rose to a stand. "Very well." "Hopefully, if you two live long enough, we''ll be able to meet again and things will go a lot more according to the script," Harpe mused. The two enigmatic assailants turned away from Allen and Nera and walked back into the mist where they had come from. Harpe played one last eerily melody and gazed upon what Allen had given her again, a dull key and a crude mark that showed what it was for. The pair entered the mist that was also starting to dissipate until they were completely gone from view. The moment they were gone from sight. Allen felt the strength finally drain from him and collapsed in front of Nera in a pool of his own blood. ¡°Ah¡­am I going to die after all that?¡¯ Through his foggy consciousness, Allen peered back to where Nera was kneeling on the ground. She had awakened but was still suffering from her grievous wounds. He thoughtlessly tried reaching her by dragging his body along the ground. In between the two, there lay a strange sculpture in the shape of one of Mandrake''s vines that appeared to glow an enchanting green light. When he could not move any closer, the young man reached out both his arms toward her, only for his hands to fall on that sculpture, staining it. Seeing this, Nera reached out her hand and took his in her grasp. He mouthed the words, "I''m sorry". She shook her head in response, now believing that he had made the right call when she attacked. "Please, you reckless fool, if you can hear me, just hold on a little while longer," the young woman pleaded with every breath stinging with pain. "This dream has almost reached its end." She closed her eyes with a silent wish and the monstrous paint that had coated the alleyway finally faded away into glimmering particles of dust akin to the Sandman''s powder and then disappeared into nothingness. In accord, the blood surrounding them vanished alongside all other signs of the battle that certainly took place, as if everything had all just been a simple dream. Chapter 4: Fleeting Dream Allen opened his eyes up slowly from a bright light shining down upon them. It was like the first light of dawn peeking through window blinds. He was dazed but oddly calm as he observed his surroundings. He was in a silver metallic chamber that had every surface in it etched with exquisite murals depicting grand battles waged by titanic figures. That chamber was spacious and the entirety of it was filled with these murals. Allen was breath taken as he gazed at them. He traced his fingers along the carvings and wondered if he would ever be able to draw anything as impressive as they were. His eyes wandered upwards at the walls that curved together at the only source of light in the room high above Allen. It was much too bright for him to make out what it was. He also noticed the other oddity in the room. It was some sort of stone object ensnared by wood that curiously grew out from the metallic floor. Upon walking closer, he realized that the object was a large stone halberd engraved with numerous runes. Absentmindedly, he reached for the weapon. ¡°Are you really sure you want to grab that?¡± A voice echoed through the chamber with no discernable source. It sounded like it came from a young woman. Allen¡¯s hand hovered in the air for a moment. The question seemed less like a warning and more like an inquiry of genuine curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s my dream so shouldn¡¯t I be able to do anything I want in it?¡± Allen asked back at the disembodied voice. ¡°So you think all of this is just a dream? Your imagination must be very impressive indeed,¡± the voice echoed again. ¡°You¡¯re telling me it¡¯s not?¡± Allen''s hand dropped to his side. ¡®I¡¯m getting tired of not being able to tell dreams from what¡¯s real. I don¡¯t even have dreams normally.¡¯ He figured this had to be a dream. He had no recollection of coming here nor any trace of familiarity with the place. Not only that, his clothes and body were both seemingly perfectly intact. From the last thing he could remember, they were both decidedly not that. This being a dream was the only reasonable conclusion. ¡°I never said that this was not a dream since it is, at least partially. ¡± ¡°So what parts are the dream and which aren¡¯t?¡± ¡°Where we are is not a dream but you being here is,¡± the voice specified. ¡°What does that mean exactly?¡± Allen inquired disgruntledly. He was getting fed up with the cryptic statements. ¡°You tell me. It isn¡¯t my dream. What¡¯s the last thing you can remember?¡± The voice replied haughtily. ¡®She¡¯s really snarky for someone I can¡¯t even see. Just where is she speaking from?¡± Allen sighed. ¡°I was in a fairly bad shape. Well, no, that¡¯s actually an understatement. It¡¯d be more accurate to say I almost died.¡± Allen went on to further explain the events leading him here, including meeting Nera and fighting Harpe and Hache. He also told her about him being slashed through by Hache¡¯s ax and that he somehow managed to heavily damage the armored warrior. His memory was foggy from that point onward, but he vaguely recalled Harpe and Hache retreating and Nera helping him walk away. After that, he had no idea. The disembodied voice seemed to be in contemplation for a few moments, but Allen had no way of knowing that with no physical cues to pick up on. Eventually, after several lengthy seconds, they spoke up. ¡°I see. You learned that the Netherworld is a realm where lost souls on the edge of life and death wander. You should be able to piece together what that means for your current situation.¡± Allen¡¯s eyes widened and he felt his heart begin to race. He clenched his fist tightly then unclenched it. He was trying his best to remain calm. ¡°Great, I managed to get out of here alive and then wind up right back in the Netherworld, and this time I don¡¯t have my real body with me. How long until I get back?¡± ¡°That depends strongly on how fast you¡¯re able to recover. You could get back to your body in a few minutes or a few days.¡± The last word sent a chill down his spine. The fear of being trapped here for days squeezed his chest tightly. ¡®Just how long could I spend here in this empty room without losing my marbles? Not to mention I can¡¯t even see if that girl, Nera, is alright. Having to spend days waiting to find out would turn this dream into a total nightmare.¡¯ He slumped to the ground. ''If she''s not okay, then what did I risk my life for?'' Allen exhaled slowly to ease his panic and brushed off the cold sweat that had accumulated on his forehead. Despite this body being illusionary, it was exceptionally lifelike. Allen wondered how his real body was faring. He did not want to just be waiting forever just to find out anything. He was determined to do something. ¡°Hey!¡¯ Allen looked up at the ceiling defiantly. ¡°Since you¡¯re some kind of Netherworld spirit, I figure you¡¯d know some stuff about the ¡®Grim Reaper Trial¡¯, right? ¡°I do know of the Grim Reaper, but I have never heard of a ¡®Grim Reaper Trial¡¯," the voice responded frankly. ¡°Then, what do you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve answered many of your quandaries already. If you want more of my knowledge, you¡¯ll have to give me something in return.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Allen stood back up to his feet. ¡±Fine, I¡¯m down for a fair trade. How about I give you some info about the outside world as compensation? I figure you don¡¯t get out much.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I would accept that," the voice answered almost reluctantly. ¡°Alright, tell me something you want to know from me and then you¡¯ll have to tell me something I want to know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal then. Now, inform me of the current status of Atelier City¡¯s relationship with the world outside of it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Allen scratched his chin in thought before divulging what he knew. ¡°From what I¡¯m aware of, Atelier City is outside of the country¡¯s normal borders. It¡¯s a somewhat independent area which gives it the privilege of deciding who can get in as well as managing itself almost completely on its own. Until recently, only a small number of people were allowed to enter the city. That was until ¡®The Night of Rising Stars¡¯. " Allen looked up at the ceiling towards the room¡¯s one light. He was in a daze as he recounted that scene of shooting stars. ¡°Continue." An impatient command echoed through the chamber. ¡°Right, now where was I? Oh yeah, ¡®The Night of Rising Stars¡¯ was a publicity stunt by Atelier City to signal an announcement that they would be changing their policies and allowing non-residents to enter the city in large amounts. But, most of the people they would let in would have to participate in an annoying program where they had to join one of the city¡¯s art groups and help out with whatever artistic crap the city wanted. That¡¯s how I got in and that¡¯s pretty much all I know about the situation.¡± There was another long pause from the voice after Allen finished his explanation. If she was surprised or not by it, he could not tell. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is now. That was worthwhile to hear. Very well, go on and ask me your question.¡± ¡®She¡¯s being sure not to give anything away by her response and she¡¯s only going to answer one of my questions for certain. I gotta make sure I make that count,'' Allen pondered what he should ask. ¡°Why is the Grim Reaper holding this trial for?¡± Allen finally questioned. ¡°That question is invalid.¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d tell me what I wanted to know?¡± ¡°Yes, but that is not something I can answer, because the Grim Reaper is not the kind of person who would hold such a pointless ritual.¡± ¡°Then who is behind it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that either since I don¡¯t know who it is. I already stated I wasn¡¯t aware of the trial.¡± Allen groaned loudly as he pressed his hands against his face. ¡°Alright, maybe you¡¯ll know this. What are the Grim Pieces?¡± Allen noticed that Nera appeared to be aware of what the Grim Reaper was but even she seemed clueless to what the Grim Pieces were or why she would have one. ¡°The Grim Pieces are nine components of the Grim Reaper¡¯s power that give them significant influence over the very framework of the Netherworld. There are nine of them and each one is connected to the nine realms of Norse mythology: Niflheim, Helheim, Svartalfheim, Musepeleheim, Midgard, Alfheim, Jotunheim, Vanaheim, and Asgard," the voice stated nonchalantly. ¡°Those nine realms¡­are you saying they exist somewhere in the Netherworld? What exactly kind of power would that give the Grim Pieces?¡± He was answered by silence either because the voice did not know or simply did not feel like answering, he was fine with both possibilities since he figured he had plenty of time to find out with his luck. Instead, he again raised his hand to the stone halberd. ¡°Might as well try to rip this out of here while I wait.¡± ¡°If you manage to do so, you may be able to leave sooner rather than later.¡± ¡°What?¡± Allen was bewildered by the sudden declaration. ¡°That is an ancient artifact with mysterious powers. It might be able to free you from your predicament, but I doubt you¡¯d be able to obtain it.¡± ¡°Hmph, are you saying that just because you¡¯re some kind of spirit meant to protect it?¡± Allen had heard of those types of things in various legends. A hollow laughter reverberated through the metal walls and floor as if to mock him. ¡°No, I¡¯m nothing but an observer. I would actually be overjoyed if you were able to take it from there. For I¡¯ve been curious about what would happen if someone were to do so for a long, long time. However, I don¡¯t have much belief that you have the qualities necessary.¡± ¡°And those qualities are..?¡± ¡°The qualities of a champion.¡± ¡°A champion¡­¡± Allen retracted his hand back somewhat before moving forward once more. ¡°...nah, that doesn¡¯t sound like me at all.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re willing to test your character despite that?¡± She loftily prodded. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I¡¯m just curious too.¡± Allen firmly grasped the handle of the stone halberd and pulled. It remained completely still. Allen pulled with even more force, but it did not budge at all. He grabbed onto it with his other hand and tried ripping the weapon out from its restraints with all the strength he could muster. He tried different angles along with using all the techniques and tricks he could think of. However, nothing made the artifact move a single millimeter. He must have been trying to retrieve the halberd for a long amount of time before he finally collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Large beads of sweat were dripping from Allen¡¯s face onto the silvery floor, and he was breathing heavily. ¡°You expended a lot of energy for mere curiosity," the voice taunted with a tone heavy with disappointment. ¡°Shut up. I just had to make sure, that¡¯s all. Things might¡¯ve gone differently if I had my real body," Allen rebutted. ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t. Your form now may be nothing but an astral projection but it still has a presence. If you truly had the caliber necessary, you would¡¯ve been able to retrieve that halberd as easily as picking up a pebble from the ground. You¡¯re nothing but an ineffectual passerby.¡± Allen gritted his teeth at that last remark. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to judge me based on that.¡± ¡°Not everything is fair in this world.¡± ¡°Of course not, fairness isn¡¯t an absolute, it¡¯s the goalline." With those last words, the room turned silent as Allen looked up to the ceiling with his eyes wide open not feeling a bit of exhaustion. As he expected, he would not have even sleep as a reprieve from what was already a dream. What felt like an eternity of agonizing minutes passed by. Out of boredom, Allen lifted his hand to the ceiling where the light shone down. He began to curl his fingers into a fist as if trying to grasp it. His hand exploded into a dark mist. Allen screamed in shock as the rest of body began breaking down into dark mist as well. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on!?¡± Allen called out to what he thought was a spirit once more. ¡°You¡¯re getting your wish. You¡¯re going to your body. Although, I can¡¯t say what state it¡¯ll be in when you get to it," the voice announced sardonically. ¡°...I guess that¡¯s a good thing then.¡± Allen said more to himself than to anyone else while his body began to be enveloped by even more darkness. It now covered his arms and legs as well as most of his torso as it crawled up to his head. It was like spiders crawling all over his skin. He could not help but lean his head back as if trying to avoid the squirming darkness. ¡®I can¡¯t leave here looking so pathetic. I gotta think of something.¡¯ ¡°Before I go, I just want to say that I¡¯m not going to let some dusty old rock decide my worth. I¡¯m gonna prove it for myself, soon you¡¯ll be hearing my name all the way here in the middle of nowhere!¡± With these last words, his body completely faded into dark mist and then that disappeared soon without a single trace. The chamber was now seemingly empty and devoid of anyone else, but the voice still resounded. ¡°What a dull man.¡± Chapter 5: Dark Matters Manual Allen woke up startled and drenched in sweat. He was dazed and confused as he looked around the unfamiliar room he found himself in. The blinds were completely closed but he could still make out a hint of his surroundings as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. "Where the hell am I?" He racked his brain trying to recollect what happened prior to him falling asleep and was jarred as the memories began violently rushing back towards him. The fog, the monster, the ax wielder, and mage, all of the events of that night were all coming back to him, especially, one thing in particular. "Nera...She must have brought us here after the fight. Now, I just gotta find out where that is exactly." Allen twitched as he noticed his hands were now bandaged. Allen examined further to find that a large portion of his arms, torso, and legs had been heavily wrapped as well in white bandages. He did not feel any trace of pain as well. "Wherever I am, at least they have pretty thorough first aid," he commented dryly to himself. He inspected the room once more now that more light was filling it from the rising sun. It did not appear to be any sort of medical office and it also did not look like a room of a house where someone actually lives due to how sparsely furnished it was. He was sitting upon a flat mat with a thin sheet over him and a single pillow where his head had laid. Next to him were his wallet, phone, necklace, and the odd trinket he had found the other day. He slowly picked them all up and put them in his pockets one by one. That was when he noticed something was already in one of his hands. A small cylinder covered in purple fabric. He tried strongly to recollect where it came from but instead remembered something else, his time going to the Underworld for the second time while he was asleep. Unlike his first time going there, that instance actually did feel like a dream. He pondered if it would be better to just dismiss it as one before deciding to mull it over later. He finished gathering what was next to him, including putting the cylinder into his pocket. Along with this, Allen took a moment to look fondly at the trinket before putting it away. He then looked around and saw that the walls were decorated with depictions of tundral landscapes. There were two shelves, one next to the window with various boxes in it that seemed to be filled with tools and machine parts, the other was in front of Allen and had plastic cups strewn throughout it with each one having a different country flag such as Spain, Denmark, Brazil, and so on. Perhaps one of the oddest objects in the strange room was what looked to be a yellow robot penguin perched on top of the plastic souvenir cup shelf. "It must be because it''s so dim in here but it really looks like that toy is glaring down on me." Allen voiced out loud. Almost immediately, the mechanical penguin''s grimace grew and it launched itself from the top of the shelf directly towards Allen beak first. Alarmed, Allen quickly caught the penguin in its air blitz and haphazardly tried to hold onto it as it furiously attempted to peck at his face with its beak. "This is so unfair! Why do I have to wake up to this mechanized monstrosity trying to peck my face off while I''m still recovering from my battle wounds!?" There were many things that Allen would have rather been greeted to that morning as a reward for his heroic deeds. Especially now that he knew magic and magical beings existed. "Hot nurses, maids, elves, or even a homely but still cute witch would''ve been better than this!" Allen yelled out vehemently. While this was occurring, the door to the room slowly creaked open. "Is that so? It''s unfortunate to say, but we don''t have anything like that here I''m afraid." This was spoken by the man with brown hair and light brown eyes dressed in what resembled a highly customized train conductor''s outfit with a pocket watch adorned on the vest he was wearing. He was currently leaning in the doorway with a belated smile on his face. "Good morning, I''m-" "Where''s Nera?"Allen interspersed before the unfamiliar man could finish his sentence. The man did not seem annoyed by this though and appeared as if he had been expecting that to happen. "Figured you''d be quite worried as well. The first thing she did when she awoke was to check up on you. Nera''s on the roof." Allen sighed, relieved to hear that she was okay. "Of course it''d be some precarious place like that." "I''m going to see her now." Allen announced before getting up to his feet, holding the squirming robot fowl in one of his arms. "Before I go though. Where are we, your house?" "Affirmative, this is also my place of business, Trinkets and Treasures, an antique and machine parts store. Not at all a hospital as you''ve probably already noticed, but she probably brought you here because it was the closest place you could get treatment of any kind. There¡¯s someone here who¡¯s fairly good when it comes to medical aid." "Yeah, in the condition we were in. There wasn''t much time to get that far." "Indeed, more specifically, we are in their room which is why they''re so angry at you right now," the man elaborated, pointing at the mechanical penguin Allen was holding., ¡°However, they had the courtesy to wait for you to awake before enacting their revenge." "That''s a strange design for an A.I. even for Atelier City." Allen remarked in a judgemental tone. He then wrapped up the robot in the bedsheets to keep it from assaulting him any longer and walked past the odd man who he noticed had another robot penguin that was colored green on his shoulder. Allen absentmindedly chalked this up to the guy liking penguins and walked into the hallway. It was oddly decorated with weirdly fashioned metal structures on the wall that could be likened to modern art pieces which led the young man to believe that the owner of the building had bizarre fixations in general. He kept going until he entered the living room of the building and reached a door with a window, figuring it was the front door that would lead him outside. "Wait, that''s not-" The resident of the building called out to him but Allen had already opened the door and stepped one foot outside into open air. "Wha!?" Allen, who had put his full trust in there being a solid firmament of earth under his foot when he walked outside, would have fallen from the two-story drop if he had not grabbed onto the door handle in time after losing his balance and going out the doorway. Now, he was fiercely holding onto the small doorknob that was carrying his entire weight. Meanwhile, the person who had warned him much too late was looking out through the doorway safely from the house. "Don''t worry, that doorknob was made by me personally. It won''t break that easily." "Damn you, why is there a door that leads to a two-story fall." The older man laughed. "It does seem a bit odd doesn''t it, but would it not be odder for a living room to not have a front door?" Allen was left speechless at the sheer inanity of that response. "This guy is a nutjob." "Hey!" voice called out imperatively from up above them. Allen raised his eyes to see Nera looking down on him once more from atop the roof of the building. She was wearing a form-fitting black t-shirt along with her tracksuit pants. She had an annoyed expression on her face as she leaned over the edge of the roof with her hands placed firmly on her hips. This expression instantly shifted into a wide grin with her next words. ''How long are you going to stay hanging there? Hurry and get up here!'' Allen smiled, "As long I feel like it. I don''t recall you ever being my boss." With the same innocent grin, she warned him cheerfully, "Get up here now or I start dropping stuff." Allen nervously chucked, "Understood boss." He swung the door frame a few times to gain enough momentum then launched himself deftly onto the large drain pipe on the side of the building before quickly climbing the rest of the way to the roof where Nera stood.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Nera observed him like a wild animal out in nature. "What are you, a squirrel?" "From someone like you, I''ll take that as a compliment. The local gym in my hometown had a rock climbing wall which was the most exciting thing to do there." She sat down on the roof and Allen did the same. She followed by picking up an open can of orange soda that was beside her and taking a sip from it. Allen noticed that there was another one as well. "It''s for you, consider it a reward." "For saving you? But that was pretty much a bizarre fluke even I''m not sure how I did. Plus, I would''ve been a goner after that if you hadn''t brought me here to get patched up." Allen asserted, displaying his bandages." "It''s not that. Have you heard the sound of someone''s heart stopping before?" She solemnly asked as she looked out to the horizon. "No." Allen answered trepidatiously. "Well, let''s just say that it''s a pretty shitty thing to hear then." She picked up the can of soda and handed it off to him. "That''s why this isn''t a reward for saving me, but one for surviving." Allen opened his mouth to respond but no words came out. He could not find the right ones to say. "So that''s why." or "Thanks for caring" were the things that came to mind but neither seemed good enough for a proper response, so he decided not to respond properly as he looked down at his lukewarm can of soda. "I actually prefer cherry." "You really do know how to ruin a moment, thanks." "You¡¯re welcome, it''s an acquired skill." He snapped open the can of soda and took a generous chug of the carbonated beverage. He had not realized how thirsty he had been. ¡°I guess this is probably the best time to give this back. I figure it¡¯s yours since it matches your taste in color.¡± Allen gave Nera the small cylinder covered in purple fabric which she slowly took into her hand with a gentle look on her face. ¡°Yeah, this is mine for sure.¡± ¡°Seems like that¡¯s actually important to you. Why¡¯d you give it to me then?¡± Allen questioned. ¡°It¡¯s sort of a good luck charm. I¡¯ve had it since as long as I can remember though good times and bad times.¡± Nera replied fondly as she placed it into one of her jacket¡¯s pockets. ¡®I hadn¡¯t figured her to be the superstitious type. That must hold a lot of sentimental value for her.¡¯ "Anyway, so what do you want to talk about?" "What happened in that Expanse of course. How did you control those vines and use them to pull off that crazy attack? You aren''t even a Crafter." "Expanse? I guess that''s what those Underworld leaks are called." "I already told you. I''ve got no idea what happened. To be honest, I¡¯m still not convinced all the crazy stuff that happened last night wasn¡¯t some sort of weird hallucination. Regardless, at that moment, it was like I was in some sort of trance with my body moving on its own and when I came to, the armored guy was lying on the ground with a big gash on his chest," he explained as he looked at his bandaged hands deep in thought trying to recall the sensation. He gripped his hands as if trying to hold onto that feeling. "Anyway, how about you? You really don''t know anything about the Grim Reaper Trial she was talking about?" "Not a clue." Nera quickly replied. "Hmm, she talked about some "Grim Piece" mark as well. You sure you don''t have one of those?" He put his hand on his chin and scanned over her while she looked at him dubiously back searching for anything that resembled what the musical Crafter had etched on her skin and his eyes widened as he spotted a black stylized "A" design on her exposed left shoulder. Nera noticed this and quickly covered Allen''s face with her hand. "Sheesh, no one ever told you not to leer at a girl before? You really need to learn how to better act around them," she scolded him. "Anyway, this is just a tattoo, got it? Nothing occult about it besides how steep the price was." "Aye aye. Could you please unhand my face already then, milady?" He asked in a mockingly gentlemanly way. She roughly unclasped her hands from Allen, returning his vision to him as he took note that she was now covering the tattoo conscientiously.'' "Should I just tell her everything, both about the deal with her Harpe I made and the dream I had with the disembodied voice? It might be better not to.¡¯ Allen sighed. They were not going to get to the bottom of any of this if he started keeping secrets like that. Allen proceeded to explain to her everything he had not gotten the chance to tell her yet. Her brows furrowed at the mention of his deal with Harpe to keep them safe but she ultimately stated she understood his reasoning and that she was lost in the heat of the moment. However, she did have one objection. "One kind of dumbass gives a psychopath their address and a key to their apartment. Are you trying to get your head chopped off?" Nera berated. Allen''s head drooped in shame. "I couldn''t think of any better options." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "How I''m going to be able to sleep soundly now?!" "It''s your own fault. Though, I''m partially responsible, so if you get any hint of danger, don''t be afraid to yell out for me." "Hmph, noted. Anyway, what do you think about what I heard in my dream?" Nera tilted her head to the side in contemplation. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stranger believe it or not. If we take this at face value, this means that there are nine people at least involved in this mess and that the Grim Reaper isn¡¯t the one behind it." She held out all her fingers except one for emphasis. ¡°Who exactly is the Grim Reaper anyway? You can¡¯t actually be talking about the Grim Reaper, a literal walking skeleton with a hood and scythe, right?¡± Nera shook her hood. ¡°Nah, the Grim Reaper is just a person...probably. They¡¯re just called that because they¡¯re infamous for causing all sorts of mayhem. No one is quite sure what their deal is, but they¡¯re definitely powerful and definitely not someone you¡¯d want to run into in a dark alley or even the middle of a fortress.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re so dangerous, why hasn¡¯t anyone captured them yet?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t. Many have gone after them and tried but they have powers like the ones you were told the Grim Pieces have. They can warp the Underworld to their will. If anyone tries to fight the Grim Reaper, they can just throw those saps into some hole at the bottom of the Underworld and call it a day.¡± ¡°So the part about the Grim Pieces coming from the Grim Reaper lines up then,¡± Allen stated hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. Why would someone as fearsome as the Grim Reaper give their power up? It doesn¡¯t add up to me.¡± Nera dismissed. ¡°Then, maybe someone is just imitating the Grim Reaper¡¯s power with the Grim Pieces?¡± ¡°Nope¡­I¡¯ve never heard of anything that could replicate the Grim Reaper¡¯s abilities. If those did exist, the Grim Reaper would have been caught a long time ago. I feel like all that talk about ¡®Grim Pieces¡¯ is just a hoax regardless of what you heard in your dream.¡± Nera proclaimed before allowing herself to fall backward onto the roof and look up to the morning sky. Her messy black and white hair was scattered in all directions. ¡°Ugh, we won¡¯t get anywhere just guessing aimlessly like this.¡± "So, what now? We don¡¯t have much more idea about last night than before." Allen wanted to be sure of what happened, so he could try his best to avoid anything like last night as well as possible. He was sure it was the same for Nera. Nera groaned at that question. "I guess we''ll have to ask the Nitwit below us. He''s a Crafter as well and a lot more familiar with magical stuff than I am, so maybe he knows something. But, make sure you don¡¯t say anything about me having a ¡®Grim Piece¡¯ or whatever. My reputation is already bad as it is.¡± Allen nodded in response and she promptly stood up to her feet and walked over to the roof''s ledge."See you downstairs and happy climbing squirrel boy." With that snide remark, she nonchalantly walked off the edge of the roof. "Ugh, you know I''m still healin-Wait, shouldn''t she be healing too, but when I looked her over there wasn''t a scratch on Nera. Just what is she?" *** Allen walked through the front door of Trinkets & Treasures several minutes later. This area of the building looked much more like the antique and machine parts store he was told it was. As Allen looked around at the shelves of tools and knickknacks, he could not help but think about how odd a combination this was. At the counter, Nera stood waiting with her arms folded along with the odd man he had seen earlier behind the counter and the yellow mechanical penguin standing atop of it. It seemed to not be as agitated as it was before. "..." Allen froze as he spotted what else was behind the counter. There, standing next to the shop owner was a woman dressed in an elaborate French maid outfit. The woman''s skin and hair were completely a metallic bronze and she had lines going down from her eyes that were currently closed, which made Allen figure that she could see without them using some sort of hi-tech sensors. "An android maid? You really have one of those? I¡¯m getting less and less convinced all this isn¡¯t some strange hallucination or an elaborate prank." Allen had seen a few marvelous technologies since coming to Atelier City such as hologram and hover technology but nothing as advanced as a fully functioning android maid. "Oh yes, you could say she''s a family heirloom. We did not get to properly introduce ourselves, did we? I am Walter Isaac Theologia, but you can call me Wit and my android maid is Owlette." He motioned towards the android as if showing off a brand new car. "Oh, we didn''t? I''m Allen," he followed, still kind of dazed about seeing the android maid. It was like something out of an old sci-fi show. Nera seemed like she wanted to say something at that moment, but she just shrugged instead. "Let''s get to the point, Nitwit. Have you ever heard of a Grim Reaper Trial?" Wit looked perplexed for a few seconds and began to fidget as he appeared to thoroughly rack his mind over the question while Allen and Nera peered on expectantly. The tension was so thick, even a saw wouldn''t be able to cut through it. "No, can''t say I''ve heard of that at all. " This response instantly deflated the tension in the air and caused both Allen and Nera to let out a deep groan. ¡°You can just forget it then. It was just something mentioned those thugs that beat us up were talking about. They were probably trying to scare us by throwing the Grim Reaper¡¯s name," Nera exposited deceitfully before letting out an extremely awkward laugh. Allen figured she was not the type that was good at lying. ¡®It should be alright though. But, we were beaten up by thugs? What exactly did she tell them happened?¡¯ Walter seemed to see no holes in her story and continued on like normal. ¡°Then again, I may be a Crafter but I don''t associate with other ones much. I spend too much valuable time tinkering with my machines to waste time socializing in magical society." Allen perked up at this. "Magical society? You mean there''s a whole group of Crafters somewhere?" "Indeed, right in the heart of Atelier City in fact. Actually, how about you two repay me for letting you rest here by delivering a certain package there, and maybe you both can find some clues about your perplexing situation as well?" Allen thought it over carefully for a few moments. First, his mysterious dream of the disembodied voice, and now this. It seemed everything was leading him to venture deeper into the Underworld, including his own curiosity. Chapter 6: Into the Underside "Hmm, sounds like a really good deal to me. I sort of want to see more of this Crafter stuff for myself anyway now that I''ve come this far." Allen agreed. "Hold on, don''t you need to be able to use magic to enter the Underside? It''s surrounded by some sort of magical barrier to keep normal people from finding it or getting to it. Neither of us is a Crafter, you should''ve been able to tell that already." Nera sharply explained. "To be exact, you need to have an aura of Extract, which is magical energy, around you to enter the Underside." ''So magical power is called Extract. Noted.'' "Hmm, isn''t that basically the same thing as being a Crafter though?" "Not quite, and from what you told me about how he was able to manipulate the mana of the specter to his will. I think he may be able to extend that to make an aura for you both as long he has the necessary Extract for it. If he did it unconsciously then he should be able to do it once more consciously, correct?" "Manipulate the magical energy of the specter...I did that?" Allen cautiously inquired, pointing towards himself. "I would suppose, whether you were aware or not. First off, do you know what we Crafters call "magic" even is?" "Uhh...it''s like, you know. A supernatural power that can''t be understood by science, right?" "Close, but not quite. I''ll ask this then, do you know what the Observer Effect is." "Yeah, it''s when just the act of observation changes the outcome of an occurrence. Many people think this is due to the conscious mind having a direct effect on the world, but it''s really just due to the instruments used to observe the occurrence tampering with the outcome" Allen answered this quickly and nonchalantly. Nera turned towards him with a disturbed look. "Why the hell do you know something like that in that much detail?" Allen shrugged, "I read an article about it when I was really bored one day." "Why would you read tha-" Wit clapped his hands together interrupting her questioning much to her disgruntlement. "Correct. Now, what if that wasn''t the case, what if the conscious mind could directly affect the world? For example..." He pulled off a triangle medal adorned on his chest. "Let''s say I threw up the medal twice in the same way both times with the same power, angle, etc. Everything exactly the same, but at the second throw, the medal stayed in the air for twice as long. How would you explain that?" "Uhh..." Allen was not sure what to say. He felt like he was being put on the spot by a teacher with an unreasonably vague and difficult question. Wit smirked, "Magic! That would be the only answer. Something beyond the observer effect where the mind actually alters the world itself. And the source of that magic is magical energy, ether, a veritable dark matter that must exist in order for an otherwise unexplainable event to occur. Ether produces mana which is then burnt up to produce various phenomena." "And what makes Crafters so special to be able to use it? I remember Nera saying she couldn''t teach me magic." "Good question. Uniquely, Crafters are born with an intangible object within their bodies made from ether known as a Codex. The Codex is said to be a manual for using the skills of spirits that have been passed down throughout many generations. It allows for the control and generation of mana. However, it seems that, in your case, it''s not essential for you to have one to at least control mana." ''Woah, spirits are a thing?! What are they like?" Allen asked with strong curiosity. "Made purely from ether, linked strongly to nature, and incredibly mysterious. So mysterious in fact, they''re much out of the range of my expertise. Now, I think you know enough to carry out my request." ''There''s still so much I want to know about this Underworld and its magic, but finding them out for myself should be interesting.'' "I guess that clears some things up. You wouldn''t happen to know anything about something like what happened to me happening to other people, right?'' Allen inquired in a wry tone. "I''ve heard rumors about non-Crafters, Craftless, being able to use magic before, but I never paid them any mind. As I said before, you may find more answers in the Underside. Here." He pulled out a small envelope from one of his pockets and handed it to him. Allen looked over to Nera. "It''s your choice, I don''t think we''ll be able to get in regardless, but if we do, I''m itching to find out more myself." "Hmm, it''s worth looking into. I hope I don''t regret this. I''ll go," Allen asserted. "If he''s going, I''ll have to go along to keep him out of trouble I guess," Nera stated. Wit wiped away a bead of sweat on his face. "Great. I don''t like going out in crowded places, so I''m glad you accepted my offer." With that, the two were set to venture into the Underworld again for better or for worse. Just then, a slam of a door could be heard from further behind the counter, and heavy footsteps echoed through the store as a tall bulky man with graying hair and bronze mechanical arms walked up to them carrying a large and bizarre metallic contraption that vaguely resembled a car engine crossed with a blender. The contraption was very wet and dripping all over the floor. The tall man had a stern expression on his face. "Wit, did you seriously leave this in the washing machine?" "Morning Eyrck, yeah, I couldn''t find any other way to clean the Oil Vaccum thoroughly enough after I was done using it," Wit admitted casually. ''Oil Vaccum?'' The man Allen now knew as Eyrck dropped the machine with a thundering thud onto the floor, rattling the shelves of the store. "You really are a numbskull. If only you used half of your smarts for something else besides tinkering with machines. Come with me, so you can clean this mess up." Wit grinned sheepishly "Yes, I''ll get right on that in a moment." "Hold on, can''t you get your robot maid to help you out?" Suddenly, a loud yawn emanated through the air. The seemingly stoic and on-standby robot maid began to open her eyes slowly while rubbing the sleep out of them, awakened by the loud noises of Eyrck''s entrance. "What in the world is causing all that racket? Can''t a girl get some sleep after a long night''s work," she voiced crankily. "You''re telling me she was just standing there asleep this whole time!?" Allen watched as she began stretching like she got out of bed, her mannerisms were completely like that of a human. If it were not for the metallic sheen of her body, Allen would have not been able to tell that this was not the case. "She''s a borderline narcoleptic who falls asleep pretty much anywhere at any position and time. What she does have going for her though is that she''s pretty good at stitch work and first aid, she was the one who treated our wounds," Nera chimed in. "Also, you may have been able to tell this already, but she''s not actually a maid. That get-up of hers is just one of her cosplays she wears when she''s too lazy to find something better to put on. Honestly, she''s much more of a TV show-obsessed neet than a maid." "Yep, that''s me," Owlette admitted unashamedly. Her speech did not have a trace of the austerity Allen had been expecting from it. "That does look like something out of Mecha x Maid now that I think about it," Allen observed, eyeing her outfit over again. "A real robotic girl, huh? Maid or not, I never thought I''d see something like this outside of TV, books, or my dreams." "You know you said that out loud, right?" Nera stated, addressing his observation. "Yes." Owlette folded her arms with a smug expression on her face. "Glad to see another person with good taste in sci-fi shows, unlike a certain somebody who instead only watches Galaxina-" "Zip it, Bronze-face," Nera fiercely warned. Owlette shrugged, "Fine fine, however, a true fan of sci-fi should never be afraid to admit their fandom. Anyway, I''m actually dead tired so I guess I''ll go sleep in my bed this time. Hopefully, I''ll be able to get some peace and quiet there." Before she left, however, she gripped her maid dress and in one fell swoop, pulled the entire garb off. "Aww, that''s better." Instantly, Eryck covered his and Wit''s eyes while Nera covered Allen''s. Despite this, Allen had still been able to catch a glimpse of Owlette in nothing but her snow-white undergarments and was determined to burn this image into his mind. *** "Alright, good luck out there in the Underside!" Wit called out with Eryck standing behind him forebodingly. Allen had decided to help him clean up the mess left over by the machine.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Thanks for the help, young man." Wit expressed his gratitude as Allen washed up the last spot of oil from one end of the counter while he was getting done with the other. "It''s no problem since you let us crash here out of nowhere and even got your robot...assistant to patch me up," Allen replied nonchalantly as he tossed the dirty rag he used into a nearby trash bin. "Now that was a favor incurred on Nera, you were a little too unconscious to ask for any favors." Wit relayed. "How about a trinket for your troubles." "Hmm?" Allen raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What kind?" "Ah, anyone from this row over here." The older man walked to a shelf and tapped his finger on the bottom of one of the shelves. Allen first noticed a watch, goggles, a belt, and a puzzle. "...Are those magical items?" Allen asked with wide eyes. "Well, some of them are but they were all made with Craft. I utilized techniques that would''ve been impossible to perform without a helping hand from the ethereal." Wit explained wryly. Allen walked over and leaned toward the trinkets. "Could you give me an overview of what each item does?" Wit nodded and detailed the specifications of each trinket. The watch could display the time with holograms, the goggles had a self-cleaning function to get rid of any dirt blocking vision, the belt could transform into a phone that one could hold in their hand, and the puzzle was a box that could open with a preset sequence of movements. ''These are all cool, but none of them are all that useful.'' As Allen thought that, he noticed something else on the far corner of the row and picked it up. "What does it do?" Allen asked while holding up a case of cards. Wit''s eyes widened before returning to their usual lackadaisical appearance. "Oh, forgot I put that there. Those cards don''t do anything but that well-crafted aren''t they?" "Hmm..." Allen opened up the case and strangely found only eight cards concealed inside. Each card had an intricate design on the back, consisting of mysterious runes, while the front was blank and gray. "As you can see, those cards still need to be drawn in, but I wouldn''t mind parting with them if those are your choice." "Drawn in, huh? Sounds like it could be a fun project." Allen pondered. "I''ll take them!" Nera glanced at the cards and realized something was off about them. "Hold on are those-nevermind, let''s just get out of here already." Allen nodded and slid the deck case into one of his jacket pockets. *** They had just headed out the door of Trinkets & Treasures. Wit had already told them where they could enter the Underside of Atelier City and where to go once they got there. "Sure thing, Nitwit!" Nera fired back mockingly. "Wait, you never actually told me how I''m supposed to manipulate mana," Allen stated as he came to that realization. "It''s just like I said. Just don''t focus on what you can observe with your senses, and instead on what you can''t." "What does that even mean?" "You''ll figure it out, or not." Allen lowered his head dejectedly. "I give up." "Come on, Allen. Nitwit''s right, we''ll figure it out as we go along. Let''s go already, we''re burning daylight, I''ve never actually been to the Underside before, I wonder if they have flying mushrooms there." Nera was practically hopping in excitement. "Huh, you mean flying brooms?" "Who cares? Come on, don''t you want to see it for yourself?" "Yeah. Let''s go before I figure out how bad of an idea this is." "Mega Awesome." With that, the two headed out from the odd shop and towards their next destination. *** They were now standing right before a small dilapidated garden lot of an abandoned building. The flora was overgrown due to undercare with weeds springing up through cracks in the sidewalk and the grass came to their knees. They walked past the broken birdbath in the middle of the forgotten garden and to the back of the lot. There was a faded mural painting of a much more picturesque garden than the one they were in. They wondered if the actual garden may have resembled the painting some time long ago. "This is the place. Do the thing." Nera commanded. "Take out the sculpture in your jacket''s pocket." "Huh?" Confused, Allen still did what he was told and found a miniature sculpture. It possessed the shape of a piece of vine with thorns and glowed with emerald light. "What is this supposed to be?" "That was the core of that Specter, a Dream Sculpture. It''s probably the source of magic Wit is intending for you to use to get into the Underside," Nera answered. "The cores of Specters are art? Why is that for?" The young woman shrugged. "Art is a really effective conduit for magic. Specters are basically made of magic, so I guess their cores just form like that naturally." Allen peered closer at the Dream Sculpture. "Okay, I can understand that but isn''t miasma harmful to living things? Is this even safe for me to use?" Nera sighed. "Miasma is just mana corrupted by an SSpecter once the Specter''s destroyed, the miasma it had will slowly turn back to normal, although you were unfortunate enough to still be harmed by it even after the Expanse closed. It''s the only reason you''re wearing those bandages right now." Allen looked even more perplexed than before. "Only reason? What about getting an axe straight to my chest?" "You really don''t know anything about this whole Underworld stuff and you''re about to walk in there totally clueless. For your sake, it''s a good thing I''ll be there." She was met with an unamused groan and continued her explanation. "Alright, you see Expanses are like dreams. They can be exited without any physical changes sticking to you or anything else that enters them, as long the Expanse breaks down first though.'' "...And that''s what happened last night." Allen surmised. "Bingo. All of the injuries that we received during the dream went away after it ended. The ones you have now are because you were touching the Dream Sculpture afterward before all its miasma turned back into regular mana." "I see..that''s pretty unfair." Allen looked over his bandaged hands, wondering what kind of wounds were left behind. "Wait, if all our injuries would''ve gone away. Why did that woman retreat just because her knight in shining armor was wounded?" Nera walked ahead of him a little and glanced back. "Simple, physical ones don''t stick but mental changes do. It''s why we still have memories of the whole thing. Pass out in an Expanse and you might never see the walking world again. Now, enough of this, go ahead and use that Dream Page." Allen gulped and thought about the most effective method to unlock the Dream Sculpture''s power. "Usta! Circumeo!" He chanted loudly at the greenish rock using what little Latin he had picked up from reading books about Greek Mythology while Nera was staring at him like he had lost his mind. "What the freak are you doing?" Allen lowered his hand and looked at her with a straight face. "What did you expect? I have no idea how this mana stuff is supposed to work. Got any tips?'' "I don''t know either. Hold on, what was that last thing he said? ''Don''t focus on what you can perceive with your senses, and instead of what you can''t'', right? Try that." "That''s easy to say, but I''ll try it anyway." Allen closed his eyes and tried to block out everything he was perceiving with his senses, the sensation of the warm air faintly blowing on him, the heat of the sun, the weight of his clothes, even the feeling of the stone in his hand. He blocked all of this out and continued to do so until, eventually, he felt something apart from them. It was not like anything he experienced before, resembling a flowing river of metal, amorphous but tangible and dense. When he was sure he would not lose track of this feeling, he allowed himself to tune into all his other senses and open his eyes. He saw the page in his hand, but could now feel that flowing sensation coming from it, he then glanced over to see that Nera had a hand on his shoulder. "You ready?" He nodded his head in reply and then tried envisioning the flowing mana from the stone enveloping the two, and in response, the mana began emanating from it and gradually began to surround the both of them. As this happened, it felt like a thick fog was covering their bodies, but they could not actually see anything with Allen being the only one to be able to feel the mana. "I''m actually using magic...awesome," he muttered almost soundlessly. Next, the two walked towards the mural painting on the wall and tried to push through it. At first, nothing happened and they wondered if they had done something wrong, but after much effort and Nera having to hold Allen''s hand to make sure she did not lose her aura, they eventually managed to force their way through the solid wall of brick. When they emerged on the other side, they had to catch themselves from falling after suddenly meeting no resistance from the wall. Allen and Nera pumped their hands up in the air in celebration after they had toiled to get past the magical barrier. They then looked around to see that they were now standing in a resplendent and well-kept garden covered in lush foliage and trees with a giant fountain in the middle. Further on ahead, it leads to a bustling city street. "Ahh!" Nera yelped as she noticed something moving under them as they approached the outside of the garden Allen was startled as well when he looked down, A giant monstrous serpent was moving along the streets under them and continued to travel past onto the buildings as well like an animated picture. Neither could tell how this was happening or where the source of the image was as they followed it throughout the path of this strange new part of Atelier City they had never seen before. Many of the buildings were modern-looking skyscrapers like the ones in the rest of Atelier City, but there were also a few skyscrapers that were made of wood instead of metal, and at the center of the area was a colossal castle made out of futuristic materials with a streamlined design and an image on it that paid no mind to any kind of borders such as windows just like the moving image of the serpent. Overall, the layout of the area reminded Allen somewhat of places like Akihabara with all sorts of outlandish iconography such as fantastical creatures and items. Similarly, a large portion of the people here wore outfits that were a strange mix of medieval and futuristic clothing consisting of robes, tunics, and cloaks with glowing lines running over them. Up above, the sky was a very dark shade of blue, almost black. However, the area was still illuminated greatly by what appeared to be an exceedingly bright Aurora Borealis stretching across the sky and a glowing crescent moon in the center of it. "This place is in the Underworld isn''t it?" "Yeah, you''re not as fast at thinking as you are at climbing are you?" "Seems like you were a bit behind the uptake as well." Allen retorted glancing at Nera also being completely captivated by the wondrous sky above them. He stood there watching her watch the Aurora for longer than he would have liked to admit. Sometime later, he realized their fingers were still intertwined and slowly let go. Allen slammed his fist into his palm, the sound snapping Nera out of her daze. "Alright, now that we''re here. Let''s go ahead and find where the post office is so we can deliver Wit''s letter. I don''t like owing people favors." "Yea...yeah. Sure, all we need to do is find one of those trolleys, and we can ask it to take us there." Allen began to look over and could see if he can find any but Nera was already pointing in the direction of one in the other direction of where they were looking. When they walked over to the front door of the trolley, they could clearly tell that there were no passengers inside and that it was fully automated with a place for money to be inserted in order to open the door of the trolley car. After they both paid their toll, they walked inside the trolley. Where the driver''s seat would normally be, there was a holographic screen that displayed different locations along its route with there appearing to be an option to pick between them. One of them in particular that caught Allen''s attention was "Neo Hanging Gardens of Babylon", but he kept going through them until he found "Underside Post Office" and selected it. Immediately, the trolley began accelerating through the streets at breakneck speeds. "It''s odd that this trolley doesn''t have any trolley tracks." Allen pondered out loud. "It''s probably just for the look, a lot of junk in Atelier is like that, there are even actual horseless carriages." "I guess so, but still..." As if to answer his questions, trolley tracks began to mystically form in front of the trolley car with magical symbols strewn one rising up high into the air, reaching the tops of the skyscrapers. Nera looked at Allen with a beaming smile. "Looks like I was wrong after all, Allen. This is going to be mega awesome. I''ve always wanted to ride a roller coaster." Allen began clutching one of the trolley bars with an iron grip and smirked with sweat beads forming on his head. "Yeah, the best rides are usually the scariest aren''t they?" He uttered as the speeding trolley ran onto the tracks and started rapidly ascending high into the sky. *** After reaching the post office that was on top of one of the buildings and handing off Wit''s letter there, they then asked the head post office worker, Cohen Andrews, where they could find information about specters and magical incidents. "The Bastion, it''s where all specter business is handled and where Underside records are collected for public viewing. " They both thanked him and went back to their personal roller coaster to travel to the Bastion. Chapter 7: Bastion of Arcane Art The Bastion was on ground level and when they walked in it was like a grand hotel, bank, and library crossed together. There were numerous different booths all around with people discussing important topics and trading items such as bags full of specter stones like the one Allen currently had in his possession. They both scanned the building until they spotted an open booth. In this one, was a beautiful woman with silky short brown hair and emerald-like green eyes. The Bastion attendant was wearing a name tag that read "Augustine Beaulieu". She was surrounded by fragrant perfumes and candles causing a very pleasant aroma to permeate the air around her, and a dish with a solid perfume jar and a utensil that appeared to be for scooping the perfume from it. Allen noticed that some of the bottles were glowing and wondered if they were actually mana containers. "How may I be of assistance to you two today?" She inquired in a cordially serene voice. "Uh...we would like to ask about any information about unusual specter incidents and the Grim Reaper." Allen stammered out sheepishly captivated by the attendant''s enchanting presence. "Is that so? Are you two aspiring Traversers?" Augustine Beaulieu asked. Allen was not sure how to answer while Nera immediately replied, "Yes." "Magnificent. It''s always great to see determined young people trying to make a difference while also staying informed about what they''ll be facing out there." She conjured up a screen in front of her and started typing on it. "I have just the right material for you. It should be here in just a moment," she brightly proclaimed as she finished and dissipated the screen. "Before then, how about a little gift to potentially aid you in your future Traversing endeavors?" She grabbed one of the various perfume bottles that surrounded her with this one particular glowing vividly and raised her hand over it. "Poisoner Crafter, Page 9 - Mark of the Hunted." A mystical magenta symbol materialized inside of the lavender bottle. "Poisoner Craft? You aren''t giving us poison are you?" "Oh, of course not! Our Craft is called "Poisoner" but my family has not practiced dealing with toxins for over eleven generations. We switched to using our abilities to augment the properties of liquids in a much gentler way since then. It has been hard getting rid of the negative stigma that comes with being branded a "Criminal Craft" family though, but I believe helping people out here at the Bastion is sure to wipe some of that stigma away even if it''s only a little bit. "That''s mega cool of you trying to improve your family''s reputation like that Ms. Bealiue! You''re awesome!" Nera earnestly complimented as Augustine handed her the bottle and she seamlessly handed it off to Allen. "Oh, that''s sweet of you to say. Honestly, I''m not anyone to be praised," she stated bashfully while holding her face and ineffectually hiding the bright red blush on it. She then took a deep breath to compose herself and put back on the professional air she had before. "Anyhow, I cast an Enchantment on that perfume so that if you toss it at a specter, it''ll activate and create a smoke trail for you to be able to track it no matter how far it runs away. That should be somewhat helpful, right?" "Yeah, definitely," Allen replied keenly. "Although, I plan to never get involved with those monsters for the rest of my life." She smiled warmly in response. "Ah! it looks like the information I requested is approaching us now," Augustine announced as she looked up. From high above from the building''s ceiling, a massive book steadily descended until inanded into Augustine Beaulieu''s hands who then enthusiastically showed it off to them. "The Layman''s Necronomicon, Vol. 74!" After she handed it off to them, they began sifting through its page, and after a couple of moments of looking, their faces were cast over in a shock and dismay which they desperately tried to hide. "Would you like to be loaned that book? Our Bastion allows our materials to be loaned out to anyone with a valid Atelier I.D. for two weeks." "Yes," they both monotonously said in unison. Nera showed Augustine her flip phone to show her Atelier CIty status which caused a puzzled look to appear on the attendant''s face.
Name Nera Vide
Title Exceptional Resident
Physical Ability 48
Technique 6
Merit 1
"This device is very outdated despite the modifications for this phone to work with Atelier City''s status network. That shouldn''t be a problem but it seems to also be restricted to Overworld access. Would like me to take off that restriction, so I can lend you this book?" "Uhh...sure?" Nera uttered while not fully understanding what Augustine was going to do. "Excellent! Just hold your phone over this scanner and I''ll get that done in a jiffy!" Nera looked at the holographic scanner she mentioned and followed her instructions. She typed a little on the holographic keypad she had and in matter of seconds, the details of Nera''s status changed.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Name Nera Vide
Title Exceptional Resident
Physical Ability 48
Technique 6
Mana Control 0
Mana Capacity 0
Mana Output 0
Skills 0
Merit 1
Allen and Nera observed that three new sections of Mana Capacity, Mana Output, and Skills had been added to the status. "Now, you have access to the status format available to those who come and go through Atelier City''s Luminaire Ward and will be able to borrow books from this Bastion." "I see." Nera flatly stated with a nod. Allen furrowed his brows and spoke up. "Could you do the same for my status?" "Sure!" With a few more moments passing by, the appearance of Allen''s status changed as well.
Name Allen Lee
Title Art Novice
Physical Ability 8
Technique 4
Mana Control 1
Mana Capacity 0
Mana Output 0
Skills 0
Merit 0
''Hmmn, my physical ability and technique increased. They haven''t done that in weeks. I guess I broke through some walls last night. And that mana control stat, I actually have a 1 in it, must be because I can use magical energy now a little bit.'' Allen pondered this new status of his as Augustine finished the lending process with Nera. *** After Nera got the book, with Augustine bidding farewell to the two cheerfully, they both walked out of the Bastion wearing the same grexpressioneey had decided through and discovered two revelations that changed their outlooks on their situation. Allen and Nera almost wished they were still unaware of them. ''The Grim Reaper is an enigmatic and malevolent being that commands armies of specters and has caused several cataclysmic tragedies across the world. The Grim Reaper is known to bestow portions of their ominous power to some of their underlings resulting in the spread of even more destruction.'' ''Craftless who have been exposed to large amounts of miasma in life-threatening encounters with specters may develop the ability to perceive and manipulate mana. In all cases I have witnessed firsthand, those that have gained this ability have become specters themselves within four months.'' Allen was still going over the words that he read in disbelief. "That can''t be true, can it? I''ll really turn into one...of those things?" Nera looked at him uneasily trying to put on a brave face but her worry was plainly clear. "Of course not...why should we trust what some old dusty book says? You don''t think I''m connected to someone like the Grim Reaper, do you? That''s way too hard to believe, isn''t it?" She said this as if she was trying to convince herself as well. The knowledge that the Grim Reaper did give out portions of their power to certain people gave an uncomfortable amount of credence to the idea of the Grim Pieces and her having one. "I don''t know, but it''s all we got to go off of, and what if it is true? Do you just want to wait and see what happens? Well, I''m not that patient. Can I see the book?" Nera handed the book over readily, not having any sort of affection for it. "Sure, it''s yours, but I''m not sure why you want to look over that again, trying to see if we misread it?" "No, I''m sure we both scanned over those words too many times for that to be the case, but there''s something here we''re missing. A way out." He opened the tome and began flipping through it incessantly, his eyes bouncing back and forth treading quickly through the words of the pages. Nera was looking over his shoulder, and they both spotted a few details that piqued their interest such as an illustration of what was known as the mark of the Grim Reaper. Allen kept on skimming the book until he found what he was looking for. "Hi-score! This is just the thing I need!" "You mean ''just the thing we need'', right?" Nera asked worriedly. She had looked more at ease with a giant ax moments away from chopping her in half. "Yeah, sure. I think this will be able to help you out too. It''s called the Theurgist''s Periapt, a powerful talisman that''s said to be able to purify all sorts of dark magical influences such as possession, curses, and even miasmal degradation." Allen then showed her an image of it in the book, a black and gold amulet with an inscription of a crescent moon overlapping the sun. Nera let out a sharp exhale in surprise. "Miasmal degradation, that''s exactly what it said caused "spectral manifestation". That really can fix your problem then." She looked pleased with this for a moment before becoming agitated once more. "Hey! What about me? You said this was able to fix both our problems didn''t you!?" She yelled loudly. "Oh, you mean being the potential next in line to be some megalomaniac ghost criminal and involved in a ritualistic battle royale with people who want to tear off chunks of you?" She nodded sternly with her arms folded. "Yeah, that." "Well, that Grim Piece the woman with the funky eyes mentioned sounded like it was some kind of curse even though I couldn''t find any details about it in the book. If you do have it on you somewhere then that means that this Periapt will be able to cure it and then I figure those Inheritors won''t care anymore about you since you''ll no longer be in the running." She closed her eyes in thought as she ruminated over it. "Hmm, that could definitely work. Hopefully, it''ll return to whatever it came from and gives them the heads up." She was looking a lot more relieved now. "Sounds like a plan then, that was actually a lot simpler than I thought it would be. One more thing though, you sure you''re alright with just leaving this Grim Reaper stuff alone?" "There''s a saying around here, "Chase the beast long enough and you eventually find yourself in its belly". I may want to help those around me, but I know my limits and I already have enough on my plate as is. It''s better to just leave it to people whose job is actually to deal with that kind of stuff." "Good, likewise, my limits are even lower than yours. It just isn''t worth it at all," Allen dismissed shaking his head. "But, I can''t help but wonder...if what that spirit said about the Grim Pieces is true then what about what they said about the Grim Reaper not being behind the Trial?" A frown appeared on Nera''s face and she folded her arms as she contemplated the scenario. "Maybe it''s some sort of internal dispute in the Grim Reaper''s posse. I could see one of her lackeys starting up the idea of whoever winning this ''Grim Reaper Trial'' becoming their leader to stir up infighting among everyone else then claim a bunch of power when the dust settled. As for how I would fit into all of that...I don''t know. Maybe it''s just a case of mistaken identity." "...Or maybe a Grim Piece got misplaced somehow," Allen mumbled. It had been a suspicion he wanted to keep to himself, but he revealed it since he also thought it could be a credible one. "Unfortunately, that could be it too. Even if I don''t think I have anything to do with Grim Reaper, the Periapt will give me insurance either way so let''s hurry up and get it." Allen firmly slammed the large book with a slam and looked forward hopefully. "Alright, let''s go get this over with and get on with the rest of our lives!" "...Yeah. We''ll be in the clear in no time at all." Nera followed halfheartedly. Chapter 8: Ride of Valkyrie "We don''t have that here, and even if we did have it, you probably wouldn''t be able to afford it." The cashier, a twenty-something looking man with a scraggly beard, replied to Allen and Nera in a shop that was filled with all sorts of mystical items and potions. In the Underside, it seemed that places like these were as common as convenience stores. "Are you sure about that? Someone just recently got a bonus at their job, so I have a lot of extra cash lying around." Nera said smugly waving a fan of dollar bills in the air. "Last time I checked, the current market price for a Periapt if you can find where to buy one from was $10,474.26. Do you think your bonus covers that?" Nera''s closed fist crashed onto the store counter with a loud thud. "You gotta be fucking kidding me! Why does some shitty magic charm cost so much!? Is it made with gold, platinum, and fairy dust?!" She shouted vehemently. She looked like she was about to leap over the counter and assault the bewildered shopkeep. Meanwhile, beads of sweat appeared on Allen''s face thinking about how expensive the price was. He frantically started counting on his fingers how many pay checks it would take to reach that amount. "This is why I hate the Underside! Everything looks nice and flashy, but your prices are all overly inflated. Well, you know what? You can shove your greedy pompous stuffed rancid pockets up your-" "Let''s go, Nera. Complaining about it won''t change the price," Allen stated defeatedly as he tugged her by the back of her jacket and she allowed him to pull her out of the store but not before threatening the frightened cashier with a loathing glare. ''If only that Periapt was as cheap as this weird charm thing I have on me.'' Allen wistfully thought as he fiddled with the small circular metal object in his hand. Once they had exited the store, Nera sighed dejectedly. "There goes my attempt at bargaining." "Bargaining?!" Allen let out with a startled yell. If he had been drinking something, it would have been sprayed all over the pavement at that moment. "It was more like you were threatening the poor guy. Actually, you were!" "Well, it''s not as if we''re going to get better results from being nice. We need that Periapt." "Yeah, but with it being that expensive, I don''t think shouting at random cashiers is going to help much. Geez, I could save up a thousand paychecks from Coffee & Chronicles and it still wouldn''t be enough to afford that Periapt." "Likewise, let''s check some more stores and see what they have to say." Nera suggested. *** "Ugh....." they both groaned in unison as they walked with their heads held low down the spacious walkways of the Underside beside the city streets which were filled with large crowds of people. "Not a single one had it or mentioned a price that was under ten grand." Allen recounted somberly. "I can''t believe it. I think my wallet''s goin'' to cry out of horror." Nera responded. "What are we going to do now?" "No idea, but I think we should regroup later since it''s getting kind of late and I''m dead tired. At least, I think it''s getting late?" Although they had been walking from store to store for several hours, it was hard for them to tell what time of day it was exactly since the Underside was kept in perpetual night lit up by a shining Aurora Borealis. Allen checked his phone and was able to confirm it was 7:23 pm. "Hmm, maybe we should stay a while. There''s still a lot we haven''t seen ye-" Allen was interrupted by someone bumping into from his front. The person had not even attempted to divert their path and ran into him. "Hey, watch where you''re going..." Allen speech trailed off. The scowling man standing in his way towered above him. He had red-tinted black hair and wore a dark brown cloak that clashed with the more slick outfits of other residents of Atelier City. His impressive physique was clearly visible even under the baggy attire. "Hmph, you must be decently strong or insufferably weak." The large man stated bluntly. "Huh?" Allen had no idea what he was talking about. "What does it matter?" Nera butted in. "You''re the one who bumped into him. I wish I had a mirror to show you how dumb you look." As if cue, something violet started to glow from Nera''s pocket. Flustered, she quickly pulled it out and it emitted a flash of light that made Allen and the other man shield their eyes. When Allen regained his vision, he saw Nera holding a small mirror and the man glaring at his reflection in it with confusion. "What kind of odd magical tool is that?" "...Uh, it''s none of your business. Now, leave us alone before you figure out what I can do with it." Nera said while holding the mirror up like a handgun. "Eh? Looks like you''re another one with dull senses." The man said before raising a hand in their direction. Allen preemptively covered himself with mana only to almost instantly regret it. He felt like he was dunked into a pot of boiling hot water from the sheer force of the man''s own aura. Accordingly, beads of sweat started to appear on his face. Meanwhile, Nera was entirely unfazed while being clueless about just how much danger the two were in. Then, the hand approaching them stopped and was pulled back. "Nevermind, I have bigger things to deal with than teaching some riffraff respect." The man said dismissively before walking passed them as if they did not exist. Allen breathed a sigh of relief as that person walk further away. People in his path moved automatically to avoid blocking it. Some may have thought it was just out of politeness, but Allen knew it was something much more instinctual. It was an unconscious precaution to avoid excessive danger. "Alright, mind telling me what''s the deal with your baton? I didn''t know it could do that." "Me neither. I''m just as surprised as you are." Nera answered before tapping the mirror. Allen looked over her shoulder to see violet lines streak across its surface. Eventually, he began to notice a pattern emerge. "Hold on." Allen took out his notebook and begin copying the lines as they appeared until a fully formed picture was shown on the page he was drawing on. "Who is this?" Allen was surprised that his finished product depicted an elegant woman''s face with what looked like some sort of liquid dripping from her eyes and mouth. He showed it to Nera. "Any clue?" She shook her head. "No idea, but I have some questions of my own I want to ask later. Let''s go already." Allen nodded and the two headed in the direction of where they came from. However, they suddenly heard a familiar voice shout from behind him. Perched atop a tall monument that was at least thirty meters tall and made out of stone with an ornate spear and lightning bolts engraved onto the monolith, there stood a man wearing what looked to be a tattered brown cloak. There was a thin brown rope holding it together tied at a gray medieval cloak clasp with a tree engraved on it. This was the same man that had quite literally run into Allen before. A curious crowd had gathered around him as well.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "What now? Is he some sort of street performer?" Allen asked Nera who simply shrugged in answer. Allen continued to observe the man as the cloaked figure took in a deep breath and began to speak. "Listen up!!!" His booming voice resounded across the entire city block. He might as well have been shouting through a megaphone. Instantly, a hush swept over the crowd. Their boisterous talking turned into stifled and confused whispers. The man looked pleased as he gazed over the quiet masses with a small grin. "Now, that''s a lot better. I''ll cut to the chase. The name''s Erno Rautiainen and I''m looking for someone with a tattoo just like this one." He uncovered a piece of his cloak on his torso to reveal his bare chest, showing a black inscription of runes in the shape of the sun on his right ab. "Nera, that''s..." "I know, I caught a glimpse of Harpe''s before. It''s a Grim Piece." "What should we do?" "I don''t know that." The Grim Inheritor continued with what he was saying. "A little birdie said I could probably find someone like that here and I''ve been waiting around all day for them to show up but ended up empty-handed. "Hold on, this must be why Harpe wanted us to come to the Underworld." Nera stated. "...Getting two Inheritors to wipe each other out in a place she would know about. So, that''s her play." Meanwhile, the person standing above the crowd kept going with his monologue. "That''s why I racked my noggin'' and figured I should take a more hands-on approach. Honestly, I should''ve done this a lot sooner." He reached behind his back and pulled out a sword with a golden dragon''s maw for a hilt and a large red blade jutting out from it as if it was the dragon''s tongue. He then flagrantly held it over the crowd''s heads. "If another person with a similar mark to this one does not appear by the count of three. You all will pay for it." He proclaimed ambivalently One. The red blade began to glow ominously while the majority of the masses looked on in uncertainty and doubt. No one was quite sure what would happen next. Some of them even brought out exotic weapons of their own in preparation to fight. Two. Allen got an extremely dangerous feeling from that blade. He knew that man was not bluffing. His voice and gestures all screamed out that his threats held weight. "We need to get out..." He was stopped mid-sentence when Nera grabbed his shoulder forcefully. "Get down!" With that, she threw both of them onto the ground just as the Grim Inheritor finished his countdown. Three! "Tyrfing Replica - Auxiliary Access!" As he had warned, the man swung his sword at the crowd, and it instantly split apart into segments and expanded outwards to cover the entire city block, destroying everything in its path including poles, vehicles, and people. Not only was the physical blade devastating, but a massive surge of energy was also released from it as well causing even more damage. In only a moment, the cheery bustling city street was turned into a war zone with debris and smoke everywhere. The street had been ripped apart and the windows of all the surrounding buildings shattered. Numerous cars, buses, and other types of vehicles had been upended, flung away just as easily as pebbles. However, there were a few people who used their powers to avoid the destruction such as one person who created an asphalt wall to shield a whole group of people including himself while another levitated above the chaos, and yet another person who blocked the sword with her own. Meanwhile, in large red text, the words "emergency", "evacuation", and "category-E threat" slid across the road, buildings, and other structures similar to the serpent and the advertisements before. Accordingly, the droves of hysteric people fleeing the area were all too eager to comply with these guidelines. Allen and Nera slowly got up, being able to avoid the devastation of the attack due to Nera''s quick thinking. After a brief glance at all the commotion and chaos around them, they focused their gazes on its source, Erno Rautiainen. He was reeling back in his segmented blade atop the monument as they watched on. After a few seconds, it was set back in place with a loud clack. It looked as though the blade had never come apart to begin with. However, very noticeably, instead of a deep crimson, it was now pure white. "You bastard! With such a short countdown, you were planning on obliterating the city block whether someone had shown themselves or not!" Nera yelled vehemently at Rautiainen. The man scoffed as he took note of her, "No, I just figured that if one of the people I''m after really did care they''d try to stop me immediately, so of course, I would have to defend myself. Not out of fear, but so I could kill them as quickly as possible that way." "That''s the same thing, you coward!" Nera fired back while Allen looked at her like she was provoking a wild bull. "I''m the furthest thing from a coward there is, I''m the bravest man in the world. I''m not afraid to prove that to anyone who questions that no matter how strong or weak they are." "More like the most pathetic man in the world. You''re just a cocky lunatic trying to pass off mindless destruction as a display of bravado." Rautiainen lowered his head as his eyes darkened and he gritted his teeth fiercely, Allen could not tell from the distance they were from, about half a block away, but he was fairly confident that numerous veins were pulsating atop of the man in the red and blue cloak''s brow. In a low, sinister voice, Rautiainen asked, "You wouldn''t happen to be one of the ones I''m looking for would you?" "And what if I am!?" Nera inquired boldly. In response, a smile immediately appeared on Rautiainen''s face. He proceeded to jump off the top of the monument he was perched on and descended to the ground with an audible impact, dispersing a large cloud of dust into the air. "I''ll take that as a yes. Great, I had already decided to kill you just now, but you being one of them kills two birds with one stone. Get ready, I''m about to slaughter you and your friend so valiantly that your funerals will be dedicated to my valor!" He then leaned towards them like a jungle cat about to pounce. "Shit Nera! What did you get us into? Let''s get running so we can at least lead him away from the other people. That is your plan, isn''t it?" Allen said as he already started sprinting in the opposite direction most people had run. "You hit it right on the nail there. Glad you''re on board." ''Like I have a choice.'', Allen thought to himself. Nera had started running after him and quickly overtook him. Behind both of them, Rautiainen bounded forward at an incredible pace in pursuit. "There!" Nera spotted a hi-tech motorcycle covered by a large rock and promptly kicked the debris off it and placed it back on its wheels in one fluid kick. "Do you know how to ride?" "Kind of-" "Then do it! You''ll drive, I''ll make sure he won''t get us from behind." Allen quickly followed her orders and got onto the bike while Nera got on behind him, luckily the key was still in the motorcycle although it was probably unlucky for its owner. With a glance over, he could tell the bike was fairly high-end and noticed the name of the model on its side, "Valkyrie S-82". No matter how much he tried, he couldn''t keep his hands from shaking a bit as he gripped the handlebars of the bike. However, at that same moment, he felt a rush of sensation from the bike that told him it was filled with mana, powered by it. "This isn''t an ordinary bike that''s for sure, but I hope it still starts up like one. Alright, make sure the kill switch is in on position, hands on the clutch, turn the ignition key, press the ignition button, ease off the clutch, and...let''s ride." He immediately twisted the throttle as far as it would go. The bike shot off down the street with Allen and Nera aboard it. In a single moment, they were easily going over 120 kilometers per hour, but Rautiainen was still hot on their trails moving at a similar speed inhumanly, it was even faster than Nera could move. With each step, he covered nearly a dozen meters. Over the rushing wind, Allen asked, "How''s that guy doing that!? He''s like a race car on legs." "It''s his aura, like the ones we covered ourselves in to get through the Underside''s barrier. He''s using it right now to propel himself forward with each step by amplifying the force of each one with mana." "Shoot, well at least he shouldn''t be able to catch us while we''re riding this thing. Maybe we can lead him on a wild goose chase and he''ll exhaust his mana before he can reach us. It''ll be just like how I handled those thugs from yesterday." "Thugs? So, you were in trouble!" Nera declared smugly. "Ugh, not the point. Let''s focus on tiring out the super-powered lunatic who''s chasing us down." "Hmph, sorry to say, but I don''t think that plan is going to pan out." Nera sarcastically replied with a tinge of worry. "What do you mean?" Allen asked Nera but from the rearview mirror of the bike could already tell what she meant without her having to answer, behind them, Rautiainen slid his fingers down the length of the blade while mystical orange symbols appeared upon it. "Marauder Craft, Assault 2 - Arc of Devastation!'' With this chant, he struck out with his sword and a slash of fire erupted from the swing of his blade straight toward them. Chapter 9: Drawing Out a Cards Magic Allen swiftly swerved the bike out of the path of the projectile attack. Every few moments, Rautianen would send another of these fiery slashes towards them. Allen managed to maneuver out of the way every time. Simultaneously, ember-like particles sprung from whatever was destroyed and drifted toward the blade, progressively causing it to turn from white to red. "When and where did you learn to drive like this!" Nera aggressively cross-examined. "Now and here. The closest I came to riding a motorcycle was reading an instruction manual for one. I''m not sure how, it just feels natural, like I know exactly how to make the bike move how I want to." "I don''t get it, but keep it up until he runs out of ammo." Nera gave him an encouraging thumbs-up. "About that, I don''t think we''ll last for that long just running away. His attacks keep getting faster and more accurate. Those flames...maybe he''s the Grim Inheritor of Muspeleheim." "What?" "It''s one of the nine realms from Norse mythology. Remember, that spirit told me each of the Grim Pieces was connected to one, and I think he is connected to Muspeleheim since it''s supposed to be filled with fire." "Cool trivia, is that going to help us survive?" Nera asked sarcastically. "...No," Allen reluctantly answered., "I do have a plan that might." "Here goes nothing! Hang on!". Allen warned. "Wha!?" Nera yelled. Right before a fiery blast could reach them, a burst of mana came out evenly from both of the motorcycle''s tires sending it flying haphazardly in the air for several seconds and safe from the attack. The bike then landed bumpily back onto the street front wheel first then back. Allen struggled to keep it from spiraling out of control before he could steady it again. "Alright, I take it back. You''re a terrible driver!" "Hey, that was my first time using mana like that. If I hadn''t, we would''ve been hit dead on.¡± "Anyway, you''ve noticed how it''s taking in those embers and getting more red like a tomato? I think it''s like a rage meter in a video game. The more damage he deals, the more his sword charges up for one super strong attack." "Uh-huh, it definitely looks like he¡¯s charging up for another mega-bad move like the one that ripped apart that whole city block. What about it?" "Well, we''re going to take advantage of that." Allen then told her what he was planning to her alarm. "Hold on, there''s no way that''s going to work!" "Then, what else do you expect us to do? He''s going to catch up to us eventually." "...Hngh." Nera grimaced as she thought over their options before her brows furrowed. "Those cards that Wit gave you...can you pull one of them out?" "Huh, why would I do that for?" Allen asked in confusion as he narrowly turned a corner to avoid another fiery slash that came flying their way. "That idiot neglected to mention those cards are magic. They can absorb the powers of Sculptures!" Nera exclaimed. "Woah, they can?!" Allen called back with awe clear in his voice. "Yeah, I''m not sure if you''ll be able to use them but if it''ll help with have to try," Nera affirmed. "You got a better look at the plant Wraith. Is there any way its power could help us?" The question snapped Allen back to that time when the Mandrake''s vines stretched out to ensnare him. "Yeah...I think it''ll work. How do I use them? The two discussed their impromptu plan with seconds left as Erno Rautiainen finished building up for a devastating strike. As he sprinted down the street like a raging beast, Rautiainen raised his dragon-mawed blade in the air once again. It was now gleaming bright red, and the seams along the blade had light gleaming out from them. "Tyrfing Replica - Auxiliary Access!" "Now!" Nera shouted to Allen and raised the front of the bike high. The Marauder Crafter swung his blade with the segments of it coming apart with tremendous force to extend the sword over hundreds of meters and lashing outward in front of him as fast as the wind. Once more, a gale of destruction and mayhem was unleashed onto the streets as the whip-like blade tore up everything it came across while it rushed forward. However, simultaneously, an immense blast of magical energy spewed forth from the motorcycle''s back wheel, causing it to explode and launch the bike with Allen and Nera like a rocket into the sky and out of Tyrfing''s range. "Impossible." Rautianen declared, eyes wide with shock and disbelief at what he witnessed. Mid-air, Allen let Nera take the wheel from behind him then pulled out the Dream Sculpture and one of the Craft Cards. He held the vine-shaped crystal up and it quickly transformed into emerald energy that flowed into the card he held next to it. An image of the vine appeared on the surface of the card right as Allen shouted, "Open, Vinea!" An ethereal glow emerged again and wrapped around Allen''s hand as an emerald tendril. "I hope this works..." Allen said as he thrust his arm out and the vine-whip extended outward for dozens of meters and caught on to an outcropping of the fifteen-story building in front of him. The vine then reeled Allen in along with Nera and the motorcycle. Eventually, the bike slammed onto the side of the skyscraper and Allen smiled in exhilaration as their hair-brained scheme was actually working. ''If he''s invincible on the ground, how about taking the fight to the sky...'' Mana swirled in the motorcycle and gathered at its wheels. However, instead of creating a repulsive force like before, it made an attractive force that kept the vehicle stuck to the side of the skyscraper as it began moving upward vertically. Allen had to concentrate on maintaining this and driving the bike further, especially with the bike wheel having been blown out. "I hope you know what you''re doing!" Nera shouted. "Woohoo!" was all she got in answer. "I''m not sure which one is the lunatic now," she muttered with a smile. Meanwhile, on the ground, Rautianen smirked. "Do you think I''m afraid of heights or something?" He chuckled lowly then flicked his wrist to straighten out the whip-like sword and sent it flying towards the top of the building with the end of the blade affixing itself to it. He followed by jerking the hilt of the sword and he immediately began to be pulled upward into the air at a pace that far outmatched the speed the bike was going up. "I bet you weren''t able to comprehend the extent of my Tyrfing''s abilities this far! I''ll reach the top first and then send you plummeting to the ground as charred pieces of yourselves!" He shouted as he was rising upward from below and about to overtake them. Suddenly, Nera flipped off the bike and Allen used the vine-whip to swing her at an incredible speed toward Rautiainen. A death-defying maneuver right after the other caught Rautiainen completely off guard. "Magical Dropkick Pulverizer!" Nera launched both of her legs and her steel-soled shoes into Rautiainen''s chest like rockets with devastating power. This knocked the wind out of him and made him let go of his blade handle. Nera used the counter-momentum to propel herself back towards the building as she watched Rautiainen plummet to the hard ground from at least ten stories high. He landed on the ground with a thunderous crack of asphalt as his body impacted it. His blood splattered out onto the street in every direction around him. Nera whistled nonchalantly as the vine-whip was stretched taut with her hand around it. A frantic expression then emerged on her face as the magic tool suddenly dispersed into particles. Nera started to freefall but was quickly caught by a hand grabbing her arm. She leaned her head back to see Allen standing vertically on the building. He was sweating profusely and his breathing was ragged.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "I didn''t think it would just vanish out of nowhere. That was a real close one wasn''t it?" The bike rushed past them quickly as it fell to the ground with nothing to keep it from doing so any longer. Nera smiled earnestly with sweat visible on her face. "You really are like a squirrel." A loud explosion resounded as the bike reached the ground. "And you really need to get better at giving compliments." *** They slowly scaled down the building with their hands and feet using the Dream Sculpture''s power. After finally making their way to a few meters off the ground, they jumped off safely. They both breathed a sigh of relief. ''"I never realized how much I took solid horizontal ground for granted," Allen stated. "Let''s make sure to appreciate it better now, right after we''ve finished dealing with the crazy hobo who just tried to kill us." "He''s still...alive, right?'', Allen asked tentatively as they walked over to where the badly damaged body of Erno Rautiainen remained, he was not sure if he would like either answer. ''That guy was a terrible person, but I wouldn''t exactly be thrilled with murdering someone." "Worry too much about your enemy''s life in a serious fight, and you''ll end up losing," Nera replied monotonously, visibly unnerving Allen. "But relax, he''s still kicking." Nera followed by kicking in his side, releasing a raspy groan from the blood-covered man. His eyes slowly opened as he glared at them vehemently. "You bastards." "Yeah, yeah. Now, tell us what this Grim Inheritor Trial is all about and there''ll be more where that came from." Nera threatened as she folded her arms across her chest while Allen clasped his hands behind his head in a lackadaisical manner like it had nothing to do with him. "Preferably, make it snappy," he added while yawning. Rautiainen grunted angrily at their demands, "I don''t care about what any other "Inheritor" is scheming. All of my business here is to track down and murder the vermin who killed the Grim Reaper, that''s the only reason I came to this garbage dump of a city." Allen and Nera were both shocked. "So they really aren¡¯t the ones behind this?" Allen asked. Rautiainen¡¯s statement seemed to confirm what the voice had told him in his dream. ''Wait.." The young man held up the drawing he had made earlier. "Is this who you''re talking about?" Erno''s eyes widened. "How did you-" "Someone was able to kill a monster like that thing? How!?" Nera suddenly blurted out, paying no mind to the drawing. "...Huh, you''re an Inheritor, you should already know that. Do your worst, I''m not afraid of any torture you or anyone else could inflict. If you don''t know anything then I have nothing to tell you." "You''re talking pretty tough for someone lying in a pile of rubble and their own blood," Allen commented. "I''m not stopping until I find the one who killed the Grim Reaper and finish them off." Nera snickered bitterly, "You must be mega upset that they died then. She glanced over to the image of the woman in Allen''s notebook, realizing the liquid dripping from her eyes and mouth was likely blood. "I don''t know how it works, but we got that after running into you." "It doesn''t matter what the shows. The only thing I felt for that woman''s death was a searing regret at not being the one to kill her myself. But I wasn''t surprised that someone else among the Inheritors, those who have also come in contact with the Grim Reaper, also shared the same goal as mine." He scowled. Nera was getting slightly unnerved by his statements but did not let it show. "I really don''t care how you feel about it honestly. Just tell me as much as you can or else." "It''s hilarious that walnut-sized brain of yours thinks you''re capable of threatening me, you really are just a lab rat." "Huh?" Nera uttered as she heard the sound of whishing metal. Above their heads, the still faintly glowing red dragon-mawed blade was rapidly retracting itself until it reformed itself. It then came crashing back down to Earth like a meteor, right for Ner, who could barely dodge in time. It still scratched her arm through her jacket before returning to Rautainen''s scabbard. "That''s better." He promptly jumped onto his feet. An imprint of his body remained on the ground behind him. He started stretching and twisting his joints while Allen and Nera looked on in unease. "Thanks for letting me take a quick rest, but I think it''s time I finished what I started." With no more words, he leaped at them. Nera snapped her fingers to incite her metal gauntlets to cover her hands and ran to meet his assault. With a clang of metal on metal, their clash began. Fortunately, he had lost a large amount of his power from the chase and his fall, dropping him down closer to Nera''s level, but even with that and him being covered in dirt, blood, and wounds. He still had the upper hand and in only several moves, he knocked her off her balance when she went for a kick with his sword and then swung directly at her exposed torso. She hurriedly blocked with armored arms but was still sent tumbling uncontrollably along the ground and right into Allen who steadied Nera back on her feet. He then preemptively covered her with an aura just in case Rautiainen decided to attack them head-on. "Do you think you can beat him or are we too out-leveled?" "The asshole is strong, but his weapon''s even more troublesome to deal with." "It is pretty exquisite," Allen noted, admiring the mystical armament. They both wondered what to do next. They did not see any openings to escape nor any help on its way. They were going to have to confront the enemy before them and they were going to have to do it on their own. With only a dead-end in front of them in the shape of a fiendish man, it made perfect sense why they could only stand and observe Rautiainen''s movements. "What''s wrong? A quick exchange and getting knocked around a little bit and you''re giving up already? Fine, I''ll at least give your deaths some honor by finishing you two off with a mystic skill of mine." "Don''t get too cocky. If we had as good a weapon as yours. This battle would be over in an instant for us-" She was caught by her noticing a dazzling purple glow from her jacket pocket that she was clutching. She then pulled the glow''s source out, the same purple-fabric-wrapped cylinder from earlier. "That may be your good luck charm, but I don''t think it''s going to help out much." "That wasn''t my idea, and it doesn''t glow usually..." She continued on to say perplexed and tilted her head. Suddenly, it began to shine even brighter and expand to become three meters long while the ribbon at the end of the rod morphed into a curved blade with an arcane symbol mystically appearing on it. After the glow subsided, Nera was left wielding a giant bizarrely designed scythe in her hands. They both gazed at it with stunned expressions. "Why haven''t you used that before!?!" Allen exclaimed. "Because just like with the mirror...it didn''t do that before!" "That scythe...how could you have that? No, that can¡¯t be real Dream Reflector." Rauianen clicked his teeth. "Hmph, that ace in the hole fake isn¡¯t going to be enough to scare me off." With that, Rautiainen crouched down and pressed his fingers onto his sword, and an assortment of magical orange symbols that were different from the ones they had seen before gradually expanded out from his hand toward either end of the blade. An immense amount of magical power began sweltering off of him. "Hey Nera, let''s try to use that scythe. It''ll be our last gamble." Nera nodded, "Sure, use mana propulsion again, but directly on us this time. Use up everything left in the stone!" "Roger!" Allen began gathering all the mana he could at his legs. Rautainen smirked, "Looks like you''re finally done running away, I''ll be sure to make your deaths an extravagant spectacle in return." "Marauder Craft - Assault 4, Annihilation Strike!" Rautiainen shouted out as his blade ignited with a raging fire and he vaulted forward like a comet. In response, Allen unleashed all the mana he had stored up to propel him and Nera at Rautiainen with similar speed. They rushed past each other and blood gushed into the air. Allen''s side was torn open by a scorching hot blade. Nera''s violet eyes widened in shock and then a light of the same color that came from her scythe''s blade engulfed everything around them. Allen and Nera were rushing at Rautianen in kind again. All three of them realized the strange deja vu as if the earlier instance had been erased from existence. This time was different from the first as now Erno''s sword was devoid of flames. They all passed each other once more in an exchange of slashes. Both parties were now on opposite sides of where they had started. Allen winced as he noticed a searing cut on his shoulder while Ruatianen appeared to have sustained no outward damage. After that moment, Nera''s scythe, in a burst of light, morphed back into a regular ribbon wand to her and Allen''s dismay as it seemed they had now lost their secret weapon with their opponent still not defeated. However, before they could think about what to do next, they heard Erno Rautiainen''s voice from behind them. "That sensation¡­so that is the real thing. In that case, I''m leaving. I realize now that there''s no way two weaklings like you could kill the Grim Reaper, and you''re both too much of a hassle to deal with right at this moment," he solemnly announced. Allen and Nera turned back in confusion. Before they could say anything in question, Rautiainen raised his sword leisurely in front of him and monotonously said, "Mirage Open." As soon as the words were spoken, an explosion of flames erupted out from him and afterward, he was completely gone without a trace. "Did he just...give up?" Nera pondered in disbelief. "And did you see that same...vision where you got cut open?" "See?! I felt it down to my intestines." Allen relayed morbidly. "It wasn''t like that limbo I was stuck in with that disembodied voice. That felt completely real." Nera''s forehead creased in contemplation. Rautianen''s words then replayed in her mind. "It might be related to this ''Dream Reflector'' since that Inheritor seemed to think it was special." "Right, but what exactly did it do, reverse what happened and give us a second chance? That sounds like a retry straight out of a video game." Allen speculated with a hint of enthusiasm buried underneath his deep unease. "No clue, but let''s not linger around before the killer hobo shows up again," Nera warned. "Roger, I can agree with that." As they began walking away, Nera looked down at the innocuous ribbon wand she was holding in her hand as Allen looked on. After the heat of the moment was over, they both realized what that symbol on the scythe had been. They learned about it from the Layman¡¯s Necronomicon, the mark of the Grim Reaper. ''Looks like there''s no denying that I have a connection to the Grim Reaper now." Nera solemnly admitted to herself. Chapter 10: Twisting Path After a thankfully uneventful walk, Allen arrived back at his apartment. He almost immediately dropped onto his bed. However, before he allowed himself to sleep. He opened his Status to find a window that had not been there before.
Grade E Item: Vinea Craft Card
Description:
It was a window for the Craft Card he had empowered with the Mandrake stone and given the name Vinea to activate it. There was even a spot for him to put in details about it. He wondered if it was because the Craft Card had never been used before by anyone else. "Hmm, since it might be useful for future reference. I''ll go ahead and fill in the blank." *** The next day, Allen was walking down the street from his apartment. He was planning to meet up with Nera at Trinkets & Treasures. While en route there, he passed by the same construction site he had seen earlier where a building was made using cutting-edge reformation technology. There were some people there still working on smaller stuff in and outside the building like electrical wiring and placing windows. ¡°Yo! Mind if I grab one of your sandwiches!?¡± Allen heard one of the workers shout and looked over to see a burly guy wearing a green bandanna with crossbones on it yelling loudly at a young man with black hair and thick orange goggles sitting down on a bench with a lunch box beside him. The other man did not seem bothered by this though and just pulled out a sandwich for his co-worker and then one for himself. The man with the green bandanna then sat down and started talking about trivial stuff all on his own. They appeared to be on a lunch break which made sense since it was around noon currently. Allen turned his head forward again and continued walking to his destination. *** During that same day, Allen was walking down the street from his apartment. He was planning to meet up with Nera at Trinkets & Treasures. While en route there, he passed by the same construction site he had seen earlier where a building was made using cutting-edge reformation technology. There were some people there still working on smaller stuff in and outside the building like electrical wiring and placing windows. ¡°Yo! Mind if I grab one of your sandwiches!?¡± Allen heard one of the workers shout and looked over to see a burly guy wearing a green bandanna with crossbones on it yelling loudly at a young man with black hair and thick orange goggles sitting down on a bench with a lunch box beside him. The other man did not seem bothered by this though and just pulled out a sandwich for his co-worker and then one for himself. The man with the green bandanna then sat down and started talking about trivial stuff all on his own. They appeared to be on a lunch break which made sense since it was around noon currently. Allen turned his head forward again and continued walking to his destination. When he arrived at Trinkets & Treasures, he saw Nera was already there leaning by the front door. The store she was leaning against was an average-sized two-story building made of beige brick with a sign over the entrance that read out the name of the store, each letter in the sign being made of a different material ranging from aluminum to bronze. ¡°You¡¯re two minutes from being late," Nera reprimanded. ¡°Which is still two minutes early.¡± Allen fired back. ¡°Plus, you didn¡¯t have to wait for me to get here to go inside.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯d rather you act as an annoyance lightning rod instead," Nera stated and walked into the store ahead of him as he followed. Inside, Wit was screwing in some bolts on a weird-looking contraption next to the counter while Owlette was laying on top of it wearing a form-fitting red jumpsuit that looked straight out of some kind of sci-fi show that did not leave much to Allen¡¯s imagination with the black lines along the sides of it accentuating her curvaceous figure. She also seemed to be watching some sort of space opera drearily on her phone. From her bronze skin and hair to her mechanical eyes and extravagant outfit, she stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the rustic establishment. Allen did not let the automaton¡¯s presence distract him much and brought up what they were here for. ¡°There¡¯s something we want you to check out.¡± Allen told Wit before saying, "Also, thanks for the Craft Cards you gave me." ¡°Oh, you managed to make use of them? And what would you like me to check out, young lad?¡± Wit asked without looking up from his tinkering. ¡°It¡¯s this, some kind of magical weapon but we don¡¯t know what kind.¡± Nera unzipped one of the pockets of her tracksuit and pulled out her small ribbon baton. ¡°Dear Da Vinci, why did you not start with that!?¡± Wit exclaimed after catching a glimpse of the weapon from looking down. He threw his screwdriver and gadget behind him haphazardly. ¡°Go on then, continue.¡± The tinkerer urged anxiously. ¡°Well, while running that errand for you the other day. We ran into a crazy powerful Crafter who attacked us and an entire city block, emphasis on the crazy. We were able to stall him for a while but couldn¡¯t eventually and just as I thought we were goners, Nera pulls that out of nowhere and it turned into a massive magical scythe.¡± Allen conveyed the size change by spreading out his hands. ¡°Oh really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true as hard as it is to believe after having this for so long. It¡¯s never done anything like that before.¡± Nera affirmed. ¡°What was weirder is that I don¡¯t think it even left a scratch on him, but he still left immediately after he was hit by the blade. You got any ideas what it could be, Nitwit?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The brown-haired man leaned closer then pulled out a small monocular from his faded yellow jacket and peered through it with his green eye to examine the mysterious item. ¡°Well...he called that scythe the Dream Reflector, right? If that''s the case, I have a theory on what its power could be.¡± "And what is that theory?" Nera prodded while tapping her arm impatiently. Wit glanced over his shelves and seemed to ponder his thoughts deeply before saying, "It''s only my speculation based on my experiences, but scythe may have the ability to steal dreams and use them reverse causality." "Reverse causilty? Are you talking about when everything rewound to right before our last attacks? You''re not convincing me we actually went back in time," Allen inferred the meaning of Wit''s words with a raised eyebrow. "No, I''m not doing that," Wit assured. "I''m referring to cause and effect. That scythe forcibly counteracts a cause in order to erase its effects. It sets you back to a state before an event, such as your entrails getting torn out." The morbid description made Allen wince. "So, it''s not time reversal but using magic to place everything back to where it was before..." Nera gathered. "What do dreams have to do with it and how am I supposed to activate that power again?" "Glad to see you taking an interest in the arcane for once, Nera." Wit jested. "For your first question, it should be obvious to anyone familiar with Mirages how dreams play a role." Nera''s mouth hung agape. "It can replicate a Mirage''s ability to make everything like a dream by using the ''dream'' of someone else..." "Correct, as for your second question, I can''t tell what was the exact trigger but I''m sure you''ll figure it out if you keep experimenting with it." ''Using the power of Erno''s dream, huh? Is that why his magic disappeared the second time around?'' Nera spoke from right next to Allen. "Speaking of experimenting, can you cloak yourself in mystic energy to look at it?¡± Allen nodded and proceeded to draw out the mystic energy from the crystal of his harmonica that was still wrapped under his bandages. He then covered himself in a wispy mist of aura that allowed him to now view the scythe¡¯s blade which had the words ¡°quit¡± written on it in bold violet letters. ¡°Ok, I can see it now.¡± ¡°Alright, I need something to test it out.¡± Immediately, Owlette chucked one of Wit¡¯s gadgets that was lying on the counter in the air, and without wasting a moment, Nera ran the scythe straight through it with Wit looking on in horror. Fortunately for his emotional stability, the scythe passed through it like a ghost¡¯s incorporeal hand and the gadget fell down on the floor relatively unharmed. Wit breathed a sigh of relief and hastily picked up the device and stored it securely in one of his pockets. ¡°Do you know how hard it is to make a good bottle opener? Next time, use something less valuable as a test dummy such as one of Owlette¡¯s figurines.¡± Wit uttered, slightly showing some annoyance but covering it up mostly with a smile. ¡°Pfft.¡¯, was all Owelette said in reply. ¡°No hit again. You¡¯re right I guess but I still don¡¯t know how to activate this thing.¡± ¡°Since it steals dreams, whatever that is, it probably won''t work on inanimate objects.¡± Allen theorized. ¡°That could be right but unless you want to volunteer. We don¡¯t really have a way to see if that¡¯s true or not. Actually, maybe specters would be suitable guinea pigs.¡± With a bloodthirsty grin, she slashed the air in front of her with the back of the scythe in long wide arcs and Allen backed far away to make sure he was not hit.Stolen story; please report. ¡°Hey! Watch where you¡¯re swinging that thing!¡± ¡°Alright Squirrel boy, don¡¯t climb up a tree or anything.¡± Nera stopped in her tracks. She shifted the scythe back into a ribbon baton and put it away. She then started walking out of the store. The young woman ran her hand over the various knick-knacks and tool supplies strewn on the shelves as she went along. ¡°If that¡¯s all you can tell me then I¡¯m off, I got other stuff to do today. I¡¯ll just have to figure out what my new toy can do on my own." Nera reached the front door and left the store without another word, the blinding white light of the noon sun momentarily filled the dreary building before shrinking down to a sliver of light on Allen that completely disappeared as the door closed fully. ¡°Hmph, that lass is always rather troublesome, isn¡¯t she? No respect for fine craftsmanship, I am going to go put this somewhere safe.¡± Wit stated, patting the pocket with the misshapen bottle opener, and walked away from Allen and further into the store behind the counter leaving Allen alone with Owlette. He stood there awkwardly for several moments. ¡°What¡¯s up? You look like a Kronalian trying to speak through their mandibles.¡± ¡°Uhh, that¡¯s from Helmeted Driver: Space Combatant, right?¡± When she heard this, Owlette suddenly got off her back into a criss-cross position with stars in her eyes. ¡°You watched that show too!? I¡¯ve hardly met anyone who¡¯s seen it since it¡¯s an old ¡¯80s show.¡± ¡°Yeah, I actually watched reruns of it when I was a kid. The CGI models of the mechas are really outdated but they¡¯re fairly good for the time they came out.¡± ¡°I know, exactly! It was ahead of its time, a revolutionary show for the mecha genre that pioneered the use of CGI in mecha designs.¡± Owlette gushed, showing off the unbridled enthusiasm of a fan of a niche pastime. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. I did notice a lot more shows came out like that after its release but don¡¯t you think it could¡¯ve been because of¡­¡± Allen stopped talking when he remembered what he actually stayed to discuss. ¡®Crap, I almost got swept into her place talking about mecha.¡¯, at the same time as he was thinking this, his eyes drifted to Owlette¡¯s partially exposed cleavage from her barely zipped-up jumpsuit and he quickly averted his eyes in embarrassment. Regaining his composure, he began to speak with Owlette still beaming at him, eager to talk more about the genre they were both interested in. ¡°Sorry, what actually I wanted to talk to you about are those¡­people we saw in the Luminaire, the Marionettes,¡± Allen said this and the automaton¡¯s eyes seemed to visibly dim with disinterest. ¡°You really want to talk about that, why?¡± She asked in a disgruntled tone. ¡°Well, you both seem to have artificial bodies, are you one yourself?¡± ¡°Eh? Do you think I¡¯m one of them? We both have artificial bodies, yes, but while the bodies you saw were created independent of the minds attached to them, my body and mind were made as a complete whole together.¡± Owlette declared. ¡°So you¡¯re not a¡­¡± Allen thought carefully about the word at the tip of his tongue before uttering it out and Owlette was sure she knew what it was he was going to say. ¡°Zombie.¡± ¡°Human.¡± They both spoke in unison with Owlette being surprised that she was wrong about her prediction and subsequently bursting out in laughter while clutching her stomach. She even swiped turquoise tears of mirth out of her eyes. ¡°Woah, that¡¯s a new one. Never been doubted if I was a zombie before, maybe a golem. What makes you say that, boy?¡± ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to laugh that hard. It¡¯s just that those Marionettes looked like humans but didn¡¯t act like one, more like lifeless drones. But honestly, the memory of witnessing what I thought were their mangled corpses still unsettles me. ¡± ¡°And you were hoping I could tell you how to discern between Marionettes and ¡°real people¡± so you would prioritize the latter¡¯s safety and wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much about seeing the former get butchered.¡± Owlette bluntly replied and Allen sharply inhaled. ¡°Bingo, got that one right. I thought I was losing my touch.¡± Seeing that Allen was struggling to find words she continued. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, it¡¯s okay for you to think that way. You two are trying to be monster hunters, anything that helps you make the tough calls that will come is a plus.¡± Owlette assured. Allen rested back against one of the shelves, loosening up some of the tension he had, and sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be that frank about it but it¡¯s the truth. If it¡¯s worth the risk, I¡¯ll save both regular people and Marionettes. However, if a situation occurs where it looks like I can only protect one of them happens, saving the ones that can¡¯t pull themselves together after being ripped to shreds is the objectively best option.¡± Allen calmly stated. ¡®A pragmatic realistic, that¡¯s nice. I¡¯ve met a lot of humans with more noble aspirations that ended up falling short. Anyway, it¡¯s simple to tell the difference between me and Marionettes once you get the hang of sensing aura. We¡¯re both Catalysts so are aura''s of that nature which is distinct from those of Crafters.¡± ¡®She¡¯s just some item someone made? Seeing her sitting there and talking to me so normally makes it hard to believe.¡¯, Allen pondered and an image of a mechanical framework of gears and wires whirring under the automaton¡¯s bronze skin suddenly popped into his head. ¡°I see, thanks for the info. I¡¯ll be sure to put it to good use.¡± Allen said and started to turn to leave. ¡°No problem, come back sometime when you want to talk about something actually interesting. Also, people¡¯s bodies and minds may be made by the world with different circumstances but your soul is crafted by yourself. With the task you¡¯re undertaking, crafting your soul with ¡°fear¡±, ¡°doubt, ¡°uncertainty¡± as the main materials will surely cause it to break.¡± Owlette hauntingly warned. She then laid back on the counter lazily to the sound of the store¡¯s doorbell going off as Allen silently left the building. *** Later that day, around four o''clock, Allen was taking a nap. ¡°Psst! Get up.¡± Allen woke up from his slumber to see three people in the front of the room. Two of them were young women, one with brown hair and a spiral ponytail wearing a shirt with a floral print on it, the other had long blue hair in a black tank top. The one beside those two was a tall young man with black hair with blonde highlights. Allen rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he listened to Dezigner¡¯s director, Mr. Joel Howard, continue speaking. He was a rather tall man at one-hundred and eighty-eight centimeters with black hair and wore a plain collared gray shirt with what looked to be splotches of paint on it. He seemed to usually have these on his clothes so Allen was not sure if this was unintentional or a fashion statement. Regardless, he was focused and stern when it came to his position as the group¡¯s director. ¡°These are temporary transfers to our group. The building for their group, Myriad Emporium, unfortunately, burnt down in a sudden fire earlier this week, so they will be working here until it can be rebuilt. However, they¡¯ll be mostly working in one of our extra rooms while we focus on our current project. Be sure to treat them with respect and civility as fellow members of Diagram.¡± Mr. Howard announced. With this out of the way, the three newcomers promptly left the art studio room that Dezigners primarily used for artistry and meetings. The room was around eight hundred square feet with egg-white walls, ceilings, floors, and large windows to allow an ample amount of sunlight in on one side of the room while the other had numerous canvases leaning across it. Currently, there were six small tables strewn over the art studio where the thirty-five members of Dezigners took their seats. ¡°Look alert, Allen. You were about to miss the most important overview of our current project." Ethan Ellis, a friend of Allen¡¯s who was also in Dezigners warned. He had short black hair, wore blue jeans, and had a sky-blue shirt with the image of Mt. Helena on it. ¡°Oh yeah, thanks.¡± They sat towards the back of the studio room and Allen often used this vantage point to take occasional naps during meetings. When this happened, he found he could usually catch up to what was going on by asking a few questions from other people or looking at an itinerary. However, he had heard a little about this event and was worried he would not be able to do the same as easily with this one. ¡°Alright, rise to attention, everyone! I¡¯ll be going over the necessary tasks we need to perform for the upcoming Sun Mirror Festival!¡±, Mr. Howard declared and turned on the screen of the electronic board next to him. ¡°The Sun Mirror Festival is a summer celebration of the development of the revolutionary agriculture drone that Atelier City developed that allows for the storage of solar power during the day to provide sunlight to crops during the night. Due to its significant impact on farming, the city has placed a lot of importance on the festival that commemorates its finalization. ¡° He continued to explain the festival then went to get a canvas and begin demonstrating the kind of art pieces they would make for it. While he was directing his attention on this, Ethan brought up something to Allen. ¡°You know, receiving a lot of praise for our contribution to this could boost our standings by a lot.¡± ¡°Definitely, if all the fuss there is about it is true. This could be what gets us an apprenticeship.¡± Allen agreed. There were twenty-seven art groups within Atelier City belonging to the public works organization, Diagram, that all vied for attention from the city¡¯s main benefactor, Hieronymus Conglomerate. Many of the new residents of Atelier City who came after the city was officially open to the wider populace were here on a conditional one-year term in which they had to join one of the city¡¯s art groups. Not only that, but by the end of the year, they had to obtain an internship at Hieronymus Conglomerate or one of its subsidiaries such as Hyper Collage Mixed Media, Starway Records, or Holo-Zero Digital Arts in order to be able to become a permanent resident. The number one path to accomplish this was by being part of a high-standing art group and performing greatly in it. ¡°We better buckle down and put some real effort into this.¡± Allen continued halfheartedly. ¡°Especially you," Ethan snidely remarked. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a wonder you were even able to make it into Atelier with your crap drawing skills. I really thought you had to have some sort of talent in art to get in but I guess I was wrong.¡± Ethan bluntly stated. ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m just that exceptional.¡± The words bit harder than Allen would have liked to admit because of how true they were. Even Ethan was a gifted artist who drew landscapes very well. The design on his shirt was something he made himself. ¡°Seriously, you need to step it up if you want to get an internship. You haven¡¯t spent all your time gaming instead of practicing with you? We haven¡¯t even gotten to have a gaming session lately. You even ditched our plan to go to the arcade out of nowhere the other day.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been doing a lot of practice.¡± Allen actually had been practicing in various ways. For one, he was developing his ability to control the ebb and flow of magical energy from the mandrake specter stone and the harmonica¡¯s mana crystal. He also found out from Nera that specter stones and mana crystals could refill themselves with ambient mystic energy in their surroundings over time and Allen measured that it took about six hours for the ones he had in his possession to do so. Along with that, he had been reading the Layman¡¯s Necronomicon and drawing sketches of various images that appeared in it so he was practicing in that aspect as well. Allen flipped through his notebook to show the sketches, and the other young man stopped him at one. It was a page where Allen drew a sketch of the mandrake specter he saw the day he met Nera. The drawn beast was illuminated by moonlight coming from the top right corner of the page. ¡°Woah, a lot of these actually look fairly decent, especially that one. You really improved your linework and use of shadows. You actually managed to have the shadows align really well with light from the moon. Well, it¡¯s good you¡¯re not slacking off then. We only have a year after all.¡± Ethan reminded. ¡°Yeah, only a year¡­" Allen leaned back and sighed drearily, thinking back to the additional time limit he had of four months to find a way to stop from becoming a specter, a sense of dread washing over him all over again. Chapter 11: The Monsters That Surround Us It was now Tuesday, July 13. Allen was at Coffee & Chronicles very early in the morning. He was sitting at the store computer about to print a bunch of fliers out with the copy machine. He had promised Nera that he would do the flier designs for their new supernatural inspection service and he would meet Nera with the fliers to spread them across the Underside to draw in potential clients. "Hmm, what''s this? A crescent moon surrounding an iron shield, it''s fairly intriguing but your crappy art really doesn''t let it shine." A chill went down Allen''s spine as a hand was placed on his shoulder and he heard a smug familiar voice unexpectedly come from behind him. He nearly leaped out of his chair as he turned to face the person he knew it was. "Amy, you shouldn''t be here this early.", Allen stated defensively. "Aww, you almost make it sound like you''re not happy to see me. You know you shouldn''t be here this early either. You always get here just a few minutes before you''d be late." She remarked condescendingly. "Hey, on time is on time. Besides, why are you meddling with what I''m doing right now?" "It''s part of my job description as your boss to meddle with what you''re doing. So, what''s this picture that you''re about to use the store printer for anyway? Is it something to do with Diagram?" "Uhh, yeah. My group has to make fliers for this event called the..."Crescent Moon Iron Shield Festival"," Allen paused momentarily. He was waiting to see if she would fall for his hastily made-up story. Amy simply smiled coyly with cat-like eyes, "Hmm, they sure have you guys work on a lot of festivals, don''t they?" Inside of his head, Allen breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyway, move over," Amy commanded, forcing Allen out of his seat. "Wait, what are you going to do?" Allen asked nervously. "I''m going to redo your crappy design of course and turn it into something great. Didn''t I say it was a part of my job description to meddle with you?" "Well, yeah. But you don''t have to do that, it''s fine. I''ve gotten content with my lack of talent for art and getting the design right will be a hassle." Amy laughed haughtily. "You seem like you''re doing a lot better than Friday. Actually, might be the most motivated you''ve been since I met you." "Huh, what''s that supposed to mean?" "I didn''t mean it as an insult," Amy assured. "It''s just that I''ve never seen you work on small projects like this outside of the art group. ...It was like you were just going through the motions before as if you had given up before you truly started." "Well, I probably did if that''s what it seemed like," Allen admitted. "I knew I was nothing special but coming here made me realize just how big the world was and how small my skill was compared to it." "What changed then?" "Nothing much, I was able to help someone out with my art, that''s all. It''s kind of funny how little it took to kick me into gear." "Hmph, it''s a good thing to enjoy being helpful. I should know since I''m going to have a bunch of fun helping you with these fliers!" Amy declared dramatically. "Hey, I already said I didn''t need the assistance." Allen protested only for Amy to break out in laughter again. "Alright, what''s so funny this time?" The young man asked sheepishly while holding back a grin of his own. "That you''re acting like I''m giving you a choice." *** Wednesday had arrived and Allen and Nera met up just like they promised at the abandoned garden with Allen bringing the fliers with the redone art courtesy of Amy. They immediately went to spread the flier to every establishment they could and walked through the streets looking for good places to do so. They reached a marketplace with two rows of stalls featuring a variety of merchandise such as jewelry, antiques, and food. It was off from the busier streets and had a pedestrian-only walkway through it. There were many people here buying items such as fresh produce and uniquely crafted works of art. Several Crafters were even using their mystical abilities to create objects in front of their customers. One of them was a man with a thin mustache who levitated a lump of clay into the air and swiftly molded it into an ornate vase with a name etched on it. This was then given to the woman watching who paid for the specially-made vase bearing her name. Allen and Nera randomly walked up to one of the vendors who was closest to the entrance of the area. They were a middle-aged man in an orange t-shirt, and he had a fruit stand. Upon closer inspection, Allen noticed that it had some fruits that he had never seen before and wondered if there were certain flora that only grew in the Underworld. Nera held up a flier and then said, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re starting up a specter hunting service and we were wondering if we could post one of our-¡± ¡°Get away from my establishment, you lousy no-good!!¡± The man loudly interrupted, shocking Nera and Allen. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of the trouble that comes with associating with someone like you!¡± He yelled vehemently. ¡°Hey! What the hell¡¯s your problem, man!?¡± Allen fired back. ¡°It¡¯s that girl with white and black hair with you, she¡¯s a failure at best and trouble at worst. It was her fault that maniac caused so much damage yesterday.¡± ¡°Screw you, she was the one who stopped him you piece of-¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°Let it go, Allen.¡± Allen was stopped mid-word as he was reaching a hand out to the stand owner by Nera¡¯s utterance. When he looked back at her, he was confused by her lack of aggression or anger in her expression. He did not understand why it seemed like he was more upset than her, the person who was directly insulted. ¡°What!? I don¡¯t care if this guy¡¯s a Crafter, I can¡¯t let him badmouth you like that.¡± ¡°What about all of them then?¡±, Nera inquired, causing Allen to notice the crowd of people with questioning looks or outright sneers of contempt. Of all the different types of people there, young, old, women, men, vendors, and customers, none of them had a shred of sympathy or compassion in their faces as they stared at her like some kind of abnormal creature. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Just what are you guys'' problems with us!?¡±, Allen loudly asked the gathered crowd and a spew of unpleasant answers burst forth from them. "If you had acted faster, we could''ve avoided so much damage." "You should''ve done your job and kept people from getting hurt. Used your own body as a shield if you had to!" "What do you think we keep monsters around like you here for anyway!? If you''re not gonna help, get lost!¡± One of the crowd, a middle-aged woman in a brown cloak, walked straight up to Nera and grabbed her arm firmly and shouted in her face, ¡°Why!? You¡¯re the one he was after aren¡¯t you? So why did you lead him here? Why are you still here!? You probably started a fight with him in the first place! If it wasn¡¯t for you, my husband wouldn¡¯t be in the hospital right now!¡± Tears were now streaming down the hysterical woman¡¯s face as she unleashed all of her frustration out onto Nera who remained emotionless. She simply placed her hand on the woman¡¯s arm and with some effort, forcibly removed it to the woman¡¯s shock and disgust. ¡°You brute!¡± Allen was stunned by what he was hearing and seeing. So many awful statements like this about their battle with Erno Rautiainen and how terrible Nera was were shouted at her while she looked on ambivalently as if she was deaf to their words. Allen gritted his teeth and could not just stand by cluelessly. ¡°Nera, what¡¯s going on with these people? Why are you just letting them talk shit about you?¡± Nera opened her mouth in response but was cut off by a fruit smashing into her head from an unseen direction. The fruit splattered into pieces with it¡¯s bright red juices staining her hair and clothes. Nera looked down and clicked her teeth. ¡°Who the hell threw that!? Come out and show yourself right now asshole!¡±, Allen yelled in outrage. A man from the angry crowd then spoke up. ¡°Shut your trap, boy. Leave this place and take that mangy mutt with-¡±, he was interrupted by a punch straight into his face from Allen packed with mystic energy. Allen was already about to throw another one but was pulled by Nera into the mob and away from the fruit stand. People immediately began pushing and shoving them while the man Allen had struck tried to get to them. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Getting out of here!¡± ¡°But they threw-¡± ¡°You think beating all these people up is going to help us!? Remember what our goals are, Allen!¡± The young man grunted and reluctantly followed her as she paved a way through the crowd and back out into the city streets. They quickly hurried away until getting about a block between them and that area and away from the loathing looks of the mob. When this happened, Nera stopped in her tracks and relinquished her grip on Allen. ¡°What was those people¡¯s deal? Why did they put all the blame on you when you¡¯re the one who stopped that crazy maniac?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because they see it as my responsibility. I¡¯m not a Crafter but I¡¯m also not a normal human. And what I am comes with a lot of expectations from them. Hasn¡¯t someone as geeky as you been curious to know where my abilities come from?¡± ¡°Of course, but that doesn¡¯t matter. No one should be treated like that regardless of what they are. It¡¯s not up to you to be some scapegoat for their own self-satisfaction.¡± Nera smirked somberly, ¡°I¡¯m glad you think that but if we¡¯re going to make it as ¡°protectors¡± we¡¯ll need to be able to live up to expectations.¡± ¡°Only the ones we¡¯ve set out to achieve, not the ones arbitrarily placed on us. Neither of us are tools designed to function for their sake and how they see fit. Our goals are what drives us not theirs or anyone else¡¯s.¡± ¡°Even when our entire business plan depends on those expectations?¡± Nera questioned. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to change them then. We¡¯ll tell them what we¡¯ll do and make good on that and make them accept it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a stellar sounding idea but I¡¯ve been trying for years to accomplish that.¡± Nera sighed and ran some of her hair through her fingers. This caused them to be stained red as well. ¡°I can''t understand it. Why did you just let them get away with all that stuff without fighting back?¡± "It doesn''t matter what I say to them, they''ll still treat me that way for something I can''t change," Nera''s eyes wavered as she reflected on the truth. No matter the season or the place, the people who knew what she truly was would bombard her with anything they had: stones in autumn, black ice in winter, dirt clumps in spring, rotten vegetation in the summer, and cruel words any time of the year. "But why..." Allen wanted to know what the reason was. He was burning to find out what made Nera''s abilities so different from the other wondrous parts of this city but he held his tongue. If Nera had truly wanted him to know, she had plenty of opportunities to tell him by now. While he was feeling a renewed sense of purpose despite the trouble they were in, Nera still had worries that were only building up. ¡°You had your reasons for not fighting those thugs the other day, right? I had my reasons now too." Nera continued hoarsely. "If I had let my anger get the best of me¡­¡± She raised her fist which was clenched so tight that it looked like her veins were about to burst. She then slammed her fist on the wall next to them with a thunderous impact, leaving a large crater on it. Allen couldn''t help but wince at the sudden impact. ¡°...I would¡¯ve become the kind of monster they think I am.¡± *** Several more hours passed of the two attempting to find somewhere that would allow them to post the fliers for their new specter hunting service. All their efforts had been in vain after the fiasco at the marketplace. It did not help they were trying to get this advertisement for free. Eventually, they heard of one locale that might agree to this uneven deal, and they were now standing in front of that very same place. In bright bold teal letters, the words "2R Lounge" made of the glowing sign of the establishment preceded by "Welcome" in smaller light-blue ones, and Refresh and Relaxation was written on a sign just below that in golden text. The building itself was mostly black and white while looking very spacious and upscale. "Moment of truth, if a place like this will accept us then our specter hunting service is sure to kick off to a great start." Allen proclaimed undaunted. "You bet, I feel this is going to be where we make our start in a mega big way. Here, we''re sure to get our credibility up quickly." With renewed determination, they walked through the front doors. They first noticed an older gentleman barista behind the counter who was now waving leisurely to them. Besides him, there were several people scattered throughout the lounge, a young woman in an idol outfit singing off-key, two guys sitting close to the middle with one showily throwing cards in the air while the other was drawing on the table. At the other end of the building. another young man was dressed head to toe in dark clothing with his back turned to everyone else and was flagrantly playing video games on one of the lounge''s TV screens. There were no other occupants. "So, this is where we are going to make our big start. That''s probably going to be hard to pull off here." Nera voiced honestly. "Yeah, we have a lot of work ahead of us." Chapter 12: Nowhere Lounge Allen and Nera walked skeptically into the dimly lit lounge. As they walked passed, the man who was drawing on a table looked up from his sketch to wave at them. The one sitting next to him caught all the cards he had thrown in the air with one hand and also waved. Allen was not that impressed by the trick and took much more notice of the first person who waved, seeing that their fingers were all completely a metallic black. He only looked for a moment not wanting to stare and continued with Nera to the counter that the bartender was standing behind. He looked to be in his early fifties with a neatly trimmed mustache and graying hair with freckles peppering his face. He wore a standard bartender suit with a white undershirt and black vest. "Could you get us in contact with the person who runs the place?" Allen asked. "Of course, I am that person. The name''s Haris Fletcher. What can I assist you with?" He declared with a half bow. Allen and Nera were mildly surprised but proceeded with their inquiry. "That''s convenient, Mr. Fletcher. Here, take a look at this." Allen handed him one of the fliers they made. "We wanna know if you don''t mind us putting some of them in front of your store." Nera followed up as Mr. Fletcher took the flier in his hands and looked over it. "A specter hunting service named...Virtuoso?" He looked somewhat confused as he finished reading the flier. "I know, kind of doesn''t fit, right? Personally, I wanted to call it Interstellar Spirit Fighters." Nera commented. "Again, where does the "interstellar" part come from?" ¡°It¡¯s just supposed to be cool, that¡¯s all there is to it. It would be how we stand out.¡± Before Allen could continue bickering with her in response, he was cut off by the lounge owner. ¡°Excuse me, the name¡¯s not the part I¡¯m confused about. It¡¯s the specter hunting, are you two Traversers?¡± Haris asked. ¡°Nah, this is our own thing, not connected to them in any way,¡± Allen replied, pretending to know more about them than he actually did. He could only vaguely recall that the Bastion attendant had referenced them as being professional spector hunters as well which aligned with why the shopkeep would think they were traversers. ¡°I see, that must be rather rough than not having the backing of the Traverser¡¯s League such as lodging, resources, and equipment. And you two are the only members of this group?¡± ¡°Yeah, although we¡¯re open to new members, I can¡¯t see many people being crazy enough to join,¡± Allen commented. ¡°That would be a hard sell. I have a problem with staffing myself I¡¯m afraid.¡± Haris sighed in dismay and gestured around himself to point out the absence of any other workers there besides him. ¡°Enough with the small talk. Will you let us post the fliers in front of your lounge or what, Old Man Freckles?¡± Nera chimed in straightforwardly. ¡°Old Man Freckles?¡¯ ¡°C¡¯mon Nera, we¡¯re trying to get on the old dude¡¯s good side.¡± ¡°Old dude?¡± Haris muttered sadly as he watched them argue again. ¡°Your pointless blabbering won¡¯t get us anywhere but wasting time.¡± ¡°Even if that was true, being a jerkass doesn¡¯t help either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stellar to hear from you, harda-¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve come to a decision.¡± Haris interrupted forebodingly and they both stopped talking to listen. ¡°I¡¯ll let you post your fliers here but only on the condition that you both wash dishes here for a week.¡± ¡°What, you can¡¯t be serious!¡± Allen shouted in surprise while Nera was similarly caught off guard. ¡°You can¡¯t expect us to be your bus people for no pay because you¡¯re understaffed,¡± Nera stated with a scowl. Haris Fletcher simply chuckled in their faces and nonchalantly handed them back their flier. They were stunned silent in bewilderment enough for the large explosion noises from the video game in the corner to become noticeable to them. ¡°You¡¯re right, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Just a little jest from this old fellow. I¡¯ll let you place a few ads on the windows.¡± ¡°Really? You had us going for a moment. Thanks a lot, sir!¡± Allen shook hands with the bartender and so did Nera. ¡°No skin off my back, although buying a couple of drinks wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± The older man winked and pointed a thumb to the menu up above him. ¡°Roger, it¡¯s the least we can do. You¡¯re the only one all day who allowed us to post them.¡± ¡®Especially for free.¡¯ Allen looked over the list of drinks and saw there was a wide variety of beverages in a mix of different flavors such as soda, juice, coffee, shakes, tea, and his favorite, smoothies. ¡°I¡¯ll take an avocado-mango smoothie.¡± ¡°Give me an Earl Grey tea.¡± After Allen and Nera ordered their drinks respectively, Haris promptly prepared them behind the counter using a multi-purpose machine that functioned as a coffee brewer, automatic tea kettle, smoothie blender, and shake maker. They then both received their beverages from each of the lounge owner''s hands and sat down on stools next to the counter to enjoy them. They were only there for a moment before noticing footsteps coming up from behind and turning around to see the two guys they saw earlier approaching them.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Hey, how¡¯s it going there? It¡¯s not often we get people coming here who aren¡¯t looking for directions to the nearest water fountain, much less ones who actually come in.¡± This was said by the young man who had been drawing. He wore a zipped-up green jacket with orange accents on it and had a green and orange streak running through his black hair that resembled lightning. ¡°My name is Luka DelaCroix, one you¡¯ll want to remember when I make it big." He signed his name in the air in front of him in bright orange as normally as if it were a blackboard and it then exploded like miniature fireworks as he kept on talking. ¡°And you two¡¯s would be?¡± ¡°What is that and how do I get one?¡± Allen abruptly asked in amazement while Nera looked unimpressed and yawned. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty wordy name don¡¯t you think?¡± He chuckled lengthily at his own joke while everyone else, including his acquaintance, looked on in exasperation. ¡°Sorry about him, sometimes I wish he was as good at talking as he was at drawing.¡± This was said by the man who had the playing cards and was now shuffling them. The light blonde-haired man wore a long-sleeved black t-shirt with a wavy lavender line on it, gray wristbands, and a necklace with a square red charm. He also wore two simple gray rings on one of his hands. ¡°He looks like some sort of street magician. I hope he doesn¡¯t try to mind shatter us or whatever they call it.¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t see why.¡± Nera sarcastically remarked. ¡°I can, what is that device in his hands anyway?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an airpoint pen, uses ethereal ink that allows him to draw in the air. It¡¯s a pretty nifty tool but he mostly uses it to make random doodles in the air.¡± As the young man in the black shirt explained this, the other was drawing a beagle wearing a bow tie in the air which further proved what he was saying. ¡°Hey, these aren¡¯t just doodles, They are incredibly cool works of art. I can even put them into motion any time I want too.¡± He pressed a button on the side of the pen and the dog began walking. ¡°How did you do that with just one button?¡± Allen asked curiously. ¡°Heh, you can preset certain actions to happen depending on the drawing and then activate them accordingly. Pretty neat, huh.¡± Luka elaborated as he waved the pen in the air smugly. ¡°Gotta admit, that would be awesome to have. Maybe I could even draw something that doesn¡¯t look like crap with it.¡± ¡°Yeah, this is great but it costs a few Gs and you guys seem like you¡¯re having money problems already if you¡¯re willing to come here.¡± He laughed energetically. ¡°Uhh, I think I¡¯ll pass on getting one of those for now then,¡± Allen stated meekly. ¡°What do you mean by ''willing to come here'', Doodles?'''', Nera questioned. He glanced over at Mr. Fletcher who just merely sighed and nodded his head before continuing to polish one of the many clean plates that had never been used before at all. Luka then proceeded. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that this place isn¡¯t the most popular place around in the Chandelier District and more like the opposite. By the way, how is it that I¡¯ve already gotten a nickname but still don¡¯t know either of your names?¡± ¡°My bad, it¡¯s Allen.¡± ¡°Mine¡¯s Nera.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it, this guy right here is Glenn.¡± Luka gestured to the blonde-haired man beside him. ¡°Cool.¡± Nera took another sip of her Earl Gray tea and looked around the building. It looked nice. It was spacious, and clean, had nice lighting, a lot of tables for people to sit, a dartboard on the wall, and a couple of pool tables in one corner of the lounge, much better than the pizzeria she worked at. She could tell the owner had put in a lot of effort in making this a comfy place to relax. There were even flat-screen TVs perched on each of the four pillars spread across the place with one of them being currently used to play video games by one of the patrons. All this made her wonder why a place like this was so unpopular in the first place. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why a place as posh as this is so empty. It¡¯s kind of strange.¡± Nera stated, voicing her thoughts. ¡°Well, that sort of has something to do with the people Mr. Fletcher lets in. We all have a pretty bad reputation. I¡¯ve gotten into a few fights here and there, this guy pisses people off with his magic tricks, and I¡¯m not quite sure what¡¯s the deal with the guy in the corner..¡± He pointed to the person at the other side of the lounge who was playing some sort of first-person shooter game and had not moved a centimeter from that spot since Allen and Nera got here. ¡°...But once when I tried talking to him in the middle of his game, he tried to throw a chair at me, so I can sort of guess what it is.¡± He smirked as he elaborated. ¡°Wow, Mr. Fletcher must be one hell of a guy to put up with all of you guys,¡± Nera responded. ¡°Sure seems like it.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s pretty grea-¡± ¡°Hey!!!¡± Luka was interrupted by a loud shrill cry that came from right next to him. It came from the young woman who had been singing on the lounge¡¯s stage. Allen did not even notice her walking up to them due in part to her small stature. She was a short young woman in an elaborate frilly blue dress with sleeves that hung down from her arms and a long collar that went all the way up her neck. She had black hair, and teal eyes, and currently wore a fierce and irritable expression on her face. ¡°How dare you introduce everyone else besides me, Luka!?¡± He exclaimed loudly again and he clutched his ear, he had taken the brunt of the yelling being right at ground zero. ¡®His ears must be ringing right now. I¡¯m a few feet away and that hurts from here.: Allen thought to himself daring not to say it out loud in fear of getting yelled at. ¡°You got it wrong, I was just about to get to you. How could I forget our lovely songstress?¡± Luka wryly replied. ¡°Hmph, then go on then," she huffed and then folded her arms across her chest. ¡®Alright, everyone, this is our resident songstress, Evelyn Facilis, who has the courtesy of singing at the R&R just out of the goodness of her heart. She has an incredible set of lungs on her as you have just witnessed. She once had an entire crowd''s ears ringing for seven minutes.¡± ¡°What, that¡¯s not what you were supposed to say," Evelyn said. ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t exactly give me lines.¡± ¡°Ugh, whatever, I¡¯m Evelyn like he said. I¡¯m a singer looking to perform concerts all around the world for millions of people. The unfortunate incident he¡¯s told you about happened a long time ago when I was just starting out. I¡¯ve gotten a lot better from practicing here. Maybe I can treat you two to a song sometime? This place has great acoustics.¡± She said in a much calmer and composed manner than before. ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that. I heard enough of your off-key singing earlier.¡± Nera remarked. ¡°Those were just some vocal exercises. My real singing is a lot better. I¡¯ll prove it!¡± Nera chuckled, ¡°Okay, don¡¯t go overboard. I¡¯ll be fine with listening some other time.¡± ¡°Alright, you won¡¯t regret it! You¡¯ll be serenaded by a future superstar.¡± Evelyn declared boldly and pointed directly at Nera with a determined smile on her face. Everyone else had an amused grin. ¡°Oh! Almost forgot, there¡¯s one more regular here but she¡¯s been pretty busy with work this week. She¡¯s actually the most normal one of the group.¡± Luka added. Allen spoke up then, ¡°What about you? Glenn, right? How does a magician even find work in a place with people who can use magic everywhere?¡± ¡°In a very nuanced way, do you want a demonstration? It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± Glenn offered. ¡°Hmm, sure why not?¡± Allen accepted. ¡°I¡¯m kind of curious to see this myself.¡± Nera followed. ¡°Ah, then how about we make a wager between you two to make this more entertaining?.¡± Glenn suggested. "What kind of wager?" Allen asked. "Well, I heard an urban legend from Luka over there that the reason The Night of Rising Stars is because Atelier City is looking for the next Virtuoso. Isn''t that a coincidence?" "It is. What exactly do you mean by that?" Nera probed while Allen was clueless. "The two of you are the talk of the town and I''m curious to know more. You tell me why you''re here in Atelier City if you can''t win my game. If you do win, I''ll tell you why people are seeking out the real Virtuoso." Chapter 13: The Original Virtuoso After mulling it over while sitting at the lounge''s counter, Allen decided to accept Glenn''s wager since he didn''t have anything to hide about how he got to Atelier City. Meanwhile, Nera took a while longer to make up her mind but accepted the wager too. ¡°Okay, my magic tricks work by having participants try to guess which Craft type I¡¯m using. You do know what those are, right?" "...Not the foggiest idea," Allen admitted awkwardly. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll let you in on the info in a way you¡¯ll be able to understand since you¡¯ll need to know it to be even able to participate. You think you can catch on quickly?¡± Allen nodded while Nera was also paying close attention beside him. The young woman was curious to find out more about Craft herself. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°First off, I¡¯m a Magician Crafter as you could¡¯ve guessed and my Craft allows me to manipulate cards in various ways by using each of the Four Craft types: Formation, Augmentation, Pressure, and Transference.¡± ¡°And that means?¡± ¡°Allow me to show you.¡± Glenn pulled a card out from his deck and displayed it to them. He then placed it on the table and a purple glow began emitting from it. It changed to the brown color of the table and became nearly invisible with Allen being sure that the only reason he knew it was there was because he had seen it put there with his own eyes just a moment before. ¡°Formation Craft, it allows the reshaping of matter and this is a skill for altering the ink of a card to make it appear as I want.¡± Another glow of violet light shimmered over the card and it returned back to its original appearance. Next, he picked the card up and it glowed again. He gave it to Allen, gesturing for him to bend it which he attempted to do to no avail. ¡°It¡¯s not budging, it¡¯s like it''s made out of stone,¡± he stated and handed the card back to Glenn. ¡°That¡¯s because I used Augmentation Craft on it this time to strengthen the rigidity of the card. Augmentation Craft is for altering the physical properties of objects.¡± ¡°Alright, what about the other two then?¡± Nera chimed in. ¡°Here¡¯s Pressure Craft¡­¡± Glenn released the card and it began spinning in the air. ¡°This type allows for the movement of physical objects as you can see. And here¡¯s the last one.¡± Glenn said as grabbed the card and swung it in an arc. ¡°Transference Craft, it lets a Crafter store and emit different forms of energy. My skill in particular lets me absorb the energy from the movement of these cards and emit that force outwards as so." This statement was followed by a light breeze of air expelling from the card. ¡°Okay, so Craft is separated into those four different types. I think I have a solid grasp on them now but how does that apply to your trick?¡± Allen asked. ¡°My ¡°tricks¡± work by having my spectators try to guess if I¡¯m using any of the four craft types.¡± Glenn elaborated. "Each Skill can only use one type and we can use this Slate to display which one I''m using." He held a device similar to a phone and explained the symbols for each type: a red hammer for Formation Craft, a green spear for Augmentation Craft, a blue horn for Pressure Craft, and a yellow shovel for Transference Craft. ¡°So..now are you ready? Be sure to pay attention to the fine details from the shine of mana to the etching of Sigils.¡± Glenn illuminated a card with his aura and flipped it to its front to show the mystical sign on it, a pair of violet antlers entangled together. Allen felt like he had heard the word ¡°Sigil¡± mentioned before and now understood that it meant the arcane symbols that would appear every time Craft was used. "How about a side bet between the both of us," Nera glanced at Allen. "Whoever gets the most correct guesses first wins and the loser has to set up the fliers by themselves." "You''re on." ¡°Get ready to put up those fliers.¡± Nera taunted. ¡°Not sure why I would since I¡¯m going to win.¡± Allen retorted smugly. ¡°Magnifique, it¡¯s showtime!¡± The Magician Crafter announced this and threw his entire deck in the air similarly to how he did before. Allen¡¯s eyes darted around trying to analyze each card as they fluttered above their hands. He was watching out for any hint of a magical glow since he noticed that it always appeared along with any magic along with Sigils. Sure enough, Glenn began outstretching his hand under a card and it would move right into his hand with a violet shine and a Sigil appearing on the front of them. ¡®The cards are moving into his hand so...that¡¯s Pressure Craft, right? But that seems like it would be a little too obvious if he''s trying to trick us, but how could he pull this off if it wasn¡¯t that?¡¯ As he continued doing this, Allen noticed something was a little strange. Glenn made sure to place his hand directly under each card before moving it into his hand even walking a little bit sometimes. ¡®If he¡¯s just moving the cards with his power he wouldn''t need to do all that if he can just telekinetically control them. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s instead propelling them with something...like a gust of wind.¡¯ He came to this realization just as the last card landed in Glenn¡¯s hand to reform the full deck of fifty-two cards. ¡°I got it. You almost fooled me there for a moment, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s-¡± ¡°Pressure Craft, that¡¯s the one!¡± Nera blurted out before he could voice his answer with her fist on the table with a loud thud. ¡°That¡¯s incorrect.¡± Glenn promptly answered. ¡°Of course, you used Transference to blow the cards into your hand with the wind., Allen explained confidently. ¡°That¡¯s right. Seems one of you isn¡¯t as unperceptive as they appear. ¡± Glenn stated as he flipped the Slate and proved Allen was correct. ¡°That¡¯s one for Allen and zero for Nera so far,¡± the magician declared much to Nera¡¯s chagrin and Luka¡¯s amusement who began laughing hysterically. He promptly stopped and shielded his face with his hands when Nera motioned throwing her cup right in his face only for him to realize it was already empty. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t think I was actually gonna pour hot tea on you did you?¡± Nera questioned with dubious innocence. ¡°Yeah, I kind of did, to be honest. I¡¯m used to running into gals with hot tempers and wasn¡¯t going to take the chance.¡± Luka admitted while Evelyn looked a little annoyed beside him. ¡°Smart, that may keep you safe from my wrath." Nera laughed out loud herself this time. ¡°That¡¯s a rather maniacal laugh. If you do end up throwing something for real, stay away from my smoothie.¡± Allen stated as he moved his beverage closer to him and then took a generous sip.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t worry. Anyway, go ahead with your next trick, Card guy. I¡¯ll guess the next one right for sure.¡± "Very well." Glenn Bridge shuffled the deck. He followed up by flourishing the deck into a fan and pulling out one card, a ten of clubs, making sure they all got a good look at it. He then placed it back in the deck and shuffled it once more before spreading the cards along the counter in a straight line. However, one thing was off about it as Allen observed all the cards. This was because the ten of clubs was missing. ¡®The card disappeared so that probably means he used Formation Craft and changed the appearance to blend into the tabletop like he did before, but I didn¡¯t see a glow. Did I miss it somehow?¡¯ Allen went over Glenn¡¯s performance from his shuffling the deck to spreading the cards out on the table but could not recall any glow or shimmer of magical energy at all. He started to wonder if Glenn was able to block them from seeing it somehow with his hands, but Allen doubted this would be enough to hide it completely. Not knowing when he used his magic, meant there was a chance he did not use Formation Craft to conceal the card on the table and used some other type to hide it prior to that. As Allen muzzled over this in frustration, Nera spoke up, ¡°You didn¡¯t use any of the types.¡± ¡°What do you mean? What did he do then? Allen asked in bewilderment. ¡°He said that we were supposed to guess if he used any of the four Craft types, so that means that his using none of them was also an option as he did just now. You didn¡¯t see any glow did you?¡± Allen nodded. ¡°Misdirection, so you¡¯re saying he wanted us to think that he would be pulling off all his tricks with actual magic to throw us off.¡± ¡°Yeah, he just used sleight of hand to hide the card. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Nera asked Glenn directly. ¡°Correct, hard to get anything past the both of you. I might be in for a surprise.¡± With a flick of his wrist, the ten of clubs appeared in his hand without a trace of magic at all. ¡°Most Crafters are too fixated on magic to consider that something extraordinary can happen without it, even when there¡¯s no sign of anything supernatural. Here, most people are willing to believe in a vague illusion over a clear truth.¡± Glenn¡¯s words sounded foreboding even though he kept his same light-hearted tone. To Allen, he seemed to be alluding to a murkier aspect of magical society that he had not yet witnessed for himself. ¡°In a place where magic is real. Anything seems possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, although that doesn¡¯t appear to be the case for the two of you.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not that gullible either. I only believe in really credible stuff like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster.¡± Evelyn declared with her chest puffed out. Allen had a confused look on his face wondering if those two cryptids were real or if it was just the young woman¡¯s misgivings. It was hard for him to tell. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re pretty keen Ev, most of the time it¡¯s you who¡¯s fooling people and not the other way around. Like the time when Glenn was about to get jumped by a mob and you scared them off with your giant wolf monster impression.¡± Luka recounted. ¡°Do you have to remind me of that? That was my most unflattering moment so far. A songstress should inspire people to gather around them, not run away from them in fear.¡±¡¯ ¡°Hey, it was still a fantastic performance to watch that saved our buddy here from getting a major beating." Luka drew a pair of hands in the air and made them clap for her and she eventually accepted the praise bashfully. ¡°I guess you are right sometimes. That was a breathtaking performance.¡± Evelyn admitted with a self-pleased expression. ¡®Wow, she¡¯s rather easy to make mad or happy.¡¯, Allen noted for future reference. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not the most popular guy around,¡± Nera said to Glenn once the illustrated clapping stopped. ¡°Well, a lot of people take pride in their knowledge of the different types and their ability to distinguish between them, so it¡¯s little wonder my performances are not received well by some. That aside, are you two ready for the final trick? We¡¯re currently tied with you and Allen both having one correct answer each.¡± ¡°Yeah, bring it on.¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Glenn gathered all the cards in his hand with magic into a stack and then turned the Slate over facedown. ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin the final performance,¡± Glenn announced and then placed the entire deck on the countertop aside from one card, the two of clubs. Abruptly, he deftly flipped the card to its edge and brought it down swiftly on the deck with one strike cleaving it in two. Glenn then pulled the two halves apart to show them that they indeed were cut cleanly apart before putting them back together and picking them up like they had not been damaged at all. ¡®No way, he augmented the card¡¯s sharpness to cut the deck in two and then reformed it whole again afterward. That was Augmentation and Formation Craft but I didn¡¯t see that light from the Slate go off, so it had to be one or the other, right?¡¯, Allen grunted in puzzlement and looked over to Nera who seemed also to be stumped. He sighed and decided to just throw out an answer even if he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Formation Craft.¡± ¡°No,¡± Glenn responded. ¡°Augmentation Craft,¡± Nera answered next. ¡°Also no. Looks like neither of you gets this one.¡± He stated as he revealed the other side of the Slate to both of their confusion. On the screen, was the symbol for Pressure Craft. ¡°But how? That didn¡¯t seem anything like Pressure from what you¡¯ve told us.¡± ¡°Definitely, how did you do that by moving the cards around?¡¯ Glenn chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s a saying I always have fun repeating: a magician never reveals his secrets.¡± He placed a finger over his mouth humorously leaving them both in the dark about his last trick. Allen knew he was going to be trying to figure it out for a while. ¡°Well, since both of you are still tied. Let¡¯s wrap this up with a more simple game. A contest of speed. First one to get a card wins.¡± He pulled out two cards with their backs to them. Just Allen voiced his agreement and reached out for a card, Nera had done the same and snatched a card out of Glenn¡¯s hand in a blur. By the time Allen grabbed one she was already looking hers over. ¡°That game wasn¡¯t fair at all,¡± Allen mumbled as he observed the card he got, a joker. He looked at Nera¡¯s and saw she had gotten the ace of spades which reminded him of the tattoo she possessed on her shoulder. ¡°Wow, those are some pretty amazing reflexes. Wait a sec, that speed and that hair¡­are you a-never mind. Forget it!.¡± Luka stopped mid-sentence when he saw a soul-piercing glare from Nera as she looked up from the card. ¡°You¡¯re not looking that happy for someone who just won.¡± Allen pointed out as he placed a bandaged hand on her shoulder trying to change the subject innocuously. He could feel she was troubled by something. "It''s nothing," Nera quickly dismissed. "Not to be a sore winner but I think it''s time for me to hear why you both came to Atelier City," Glenn chimed in with a sly smile. "Oh, right. There''s not much to say though. I moved here to become an artist for the Hieronymus Conglomerate like a lot of other people." Allen casually admitted. "My story''s nothing special either. I''ve lived in this city for as long as I can remember." Glenn''s smile deflated at the rather mundane answers. "How am I supposed to interesting rumors to tell in between my shows out of that? I feel like I''m the one who lost." "Hey, you were going to spread rumors about us?!" Nera started but Luka assured he was only joking. "Anyway, I might as well as tell you about the other Virtuoso everyone''s been talking about lately." Glen began while using Craft to float his cards around his body before picking out one in particular, the King of Diamonds. "Specter activity has been increasing in the Luminaire District and outside of it because an extremely powerful one is awakening from a years-long slumber." The thought of a Wraith several times more dangerous than the one Allen faced caused his fingers to tense up. "What does that have to do with that Virtuoso you mention?" Glenn chuckled. "That''s the best part. To Crafters, a Virtuoso is a champion who represents a new age of magic and is capable of vanquishing threats that no other could. Historically, there have been many dubbed as Virtuosos such as King Arthur, King Charlemagne, and the Norse hero, Sigurd, and many more that common people never learned about." "How is this champion decided?" Allen asked while remembering his dream with the spirit that presided over a halberd embedded into the ground. He wondered if there was a connection between this legend and that situation. "They''ve all been decided the same way. A fitting hero passes some sort of trial and is given a magical weapon by a powerful Crafter. In the Netherworld, the fortunes of people can be passed down just like Crafts are. With that in mind, the last Virtuoso was chosen over fifty years ago." "...Wouldn''t that make this guy an old geezer are already six feet under?" Nera brought up. "True, that''s the source of this legend. The last Virtuoso was spotted in this city a short time before he was declared dead." Glenn lowly retold. "His body is rumored to be entombed here in the Luminaire District and the next Virtuoso will return here to destroy whatever killed the last one or dying trying to." The tension in the air became uncomfortably dense. ''I didn''t realize the name had so much baggage attached to it," Allen said with a bead of sweat on his brow. ''That place I saw in my dream...that couldn''t have been the Virtuoso''s tomb, right?'' "Well, that''s a fun story but it has nothing to do with us." Nera asserted while blowing away that heavy fog at the same time. "Lackey, go ahead and start putting up those fliers already." Glenn grinned and retracted his cards back into his hand. At the same time, Allen got up from his seat with an exaggerated sigh to disguise his uneasiness and grabbed the fliers. "...Fine, I''ll put up the fliers but I''m not making it snappy." Chapter 14: The First Traversal After arriving back to his apartment later that night, Allen''s mind still lingered on what he learned about the Virtuoso legend. While sitting on his bed, he glanced over at the ominous tome that lay on his desk, The Layman''s Necronomicon. He had gotten it from the Bastion a few days ago but still had not read much of it. With a yawn, he pulled a chair up to the desk and sat down. The cover itself was an eerie gray with a skull emblazed on it. Allen noticed what was apparently the book¡¯s author¡¯s name, Helgi Hundingsbani. He then opened it to its table of contents then slid his finger up the page while he took note of all the parts he had read before. ''The Night of Rising Stars, the Grim Reaper Trial, and the search for the next Virtuoso all happening around the same time...they all have to be connected but how?'' Something had been bothering him since he and Nera failed at finding any Theurgist''s Periapts the day they met the Muspelheim Inheritor. It was too convenient that there were none to be found when it seemed to be such a useful item. Even if it was expensive or rare, some stores would surely keep a tool that could rid a person of any curse or other magical infliction in stock. ''It''s like someone is purposely trying to make sure this blood-soaked royale goes off without a hitch. Maybe if I can figure out who that is, we can take the Theurgist''s Periapt directly from them.'' He overviewed the groups with enough power in the city to possibly enact The Night of Rising Stars and hoard all the Periapts to themselves: the Hieronymus Conglomerate, the Paladin Order Nera mentioned, and the Traverser''s League that Harpe was a member of. With so little information about the Netherworld in general, Allen could not single out any one of them. Defeatedly, the young man leaned back in his chair and sighed. "This is too complicated for me. If only there was some way to see what was coming next." His brow creased as he recalled what the magician, Glenn, had said about fortunes being passed down through the ages. He wondered if a situation like this had played out similarly in the past. Allen combed through the arcane tome at his side and found a chapter labeled, ''The Destiny Bestowed by Spirits.'' It was close enough for him, so he skimmed through it until he spotted something that caught his eye. ''...While Codex pass down the destiny of becoming a Crafter, this is not the only destiny that the Spirits of the Netherworld can bestow. When great heroes are needed to preserve the order of the nine realms, the Spirits will choose worthy people to be given paths to realize their true potential and guide them to the evil they must rid the world of. In modern times, these paths have become known as Destiny Manuals and heroes are often guided to them by a Spirit holding a magical artifact. This Spirit will show them the way to the Mirage that conceals their raison d''¨ºtre.'' "Hmm..." A farfetched idea popped into Allen''s mind. *** Early the next morning, Allen met up with Nera in front of a forest where they had heard from their new acquaintances at R&R Lounge that a Specter was lurking around there. Not getting any requests coming in, Virtuoso was quick to jump on this opportunity. ¡°Mind telling me why you have that giant scythe out for?¡± Allen asked while walking with Nera after passing through the eerie boundary of the Expanse. ¡°I want to see if this will be useful for destroying Specters. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to give it a shot.¡± Allen shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not curious about that as well. Just don¡¯t swing too close to me this time.¡± The two had only ventured a few more moments into the Expanse before spotting someone walking ahead of them. This person was a blonde-haired man dressed all in black wearing a button-down shirt, slacks, and formal shoes. Alarmed, Nera rushed to turn the scythe back into a bracelet with a puff of Extract. They were able to avoid him noticing anything out of the ordinary as he turned their way. ¡°Hey man, what¡¯re you doing out here?¡± Allen asked frankly, causing the man to turn back towards them in surprise. ¡°Huh? Oh, I¡¯m just going to the cemetery close by and decided to take a shortcut through the forest.¡± The man explained. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think you should go this way. I hear there¡¯s a lot of wild bucks out here and if you¡¯re not careful they¡¯ll ram into you.¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re like everywhere and they¡¯re like...mega aggressive. So how about we escort you out of here?¡± Nera urged, pointing to where they had come from. ¡°But, you two are here so it can¡¯t be that dangerous. I have something important to take care of, so if you don¡¯t mind I¡¯ll be on-¡± His words were cut off by a monstrous hand hitting him from the side and sending him hurtling into a tree. He collapsed against it with blood beginning to trickle from his head. The arm was stretched a wide length and they both watched as it retracted, seeing the source of the attack. It was a towering humanoid creature at least four meters tall with rockish armor and a dark blue tint. The armor had several Norse runes on it and it wore a horned Viking helmet. ¡°Nera, is he alright!?¡± ¡°Not sure if ¡°alright¡± is the right word but he¡¯s breathing.¡± Allen sighed in relief, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try to get this thing away from him.¡± ¡°On it, I¡¯ll send this thing packing.¡± Nera ran up to the monster, leaped into the air then kicked it in its chest. The creature was knocked back quite a distance but remained on its feet. It followed after Nera as she ran past it. Allen took this time to gather Extract into his arms before going after the specter himself. After getting a good distance away, Nera began attacking the creature with wide kicks before snapping her fingers to don her gauntlets and use her fists as well. Once this happened, Allen was able to catch up and threw a punch of his own at the specter¡¯s back charged with mystical energy. The force expelled from the impact sent the creature a meter into the air which set up Nera up for a flying kick into its face. The monster was knocked back again and its back arched inhumanly before regaining its balance. With a guttural growl, it continued swiping its large clawed hands at them. It was a little sluggish, moving a step slower than Allen so even he did not have that much trouble avoiding it. ¡°So that¡¯s how it feels to punch something with magical energy. It¡¯s like I¡¯m wearing a thick boxing glove but can still directly touch what I¡¯m hitting.¡¯ Allen stretched his fingers out and back. It felt strange how there was not any pain even after punching something that felt like a solid rock wall. He took this as a plus though of course and refocused his attention on the Wraith-class specter. When Nera created another opening with a strike sending it off kilter, Allen punched it again to further disorient it. Then, a large amount of dark blue light began to concentrate in one of its arms. ¡°Allen, watch out! It¡¯s going to use that stretching attack again!¡± Nera yelled. ¡°Roger!¡± Allen was able to easily dodge the highly telegraphed attack but he was still unnerved by how fast the arm launched forward and the strong gust of wind that came with it. It was akin to a boulder being thrown at him at high speeds. ¡°That attack would¡¯ve done a lot more damage to that guy if it was from this distance, but how did this thing even manage to get as close as it did without us noticing?!¡± Allen started to feel drained from the encounter and talking while fighting was not helping in this regard. ¡°Not sure, probably some spectral ability of its," Nera suggested before backflipping to avoid an attack from the monster and landing on the high branch of a tree. This gave her a moment of reprieve as the specter gathered mystical energy to launch one of its arms again at her. ¡°Got any ideas of what kind of mythical creature it''s drawing from? Wraiths usually take the form of something from all types of old stories although they can be fairly off from how they¡¯re depicted in legends. Still, finding out which one can give you an idea of what it can do and¡­¡± Right before she was going to finish her sentence, she leaped off the branch towards the specter just as it attacked. Her kick came crashing down on the creature¡¯s head and smashed it into the ground with a loud thud. Despite this, there was still no visible damage on it aside from the various cracks that were already there before they even started battling it. ¡°...how to beat it. We¡¯ve been clobbering this Specter for a while now but not making any progress.¡± Nera bounded back from the creature to where Allen was standing. ¡°Uhh, let me think about it..¡± Allen glanced around and spotted several blades, shields, and even jewelry scattered around the forest he had not noticed before. ¡°Those probably aren¡¯t normally there so it''s probably related to the Specter¡¯s myth. Not sure how tho..¡± Allen chuckled meekly and averted his gaze. He was feeling a little useless. Nera was the one doing most of the work and he could not even assist in one of the only things he was kind of good at, knowing random trivia about myths and legends. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it much, just think it over. While you¡¯re doing that, I¡¯m going to pull a heel move and stomp on it while it''s on the ground.¡± with that, she leaped high into the air before coming crashing back down. ¡°Magical Double Foot Stomp!¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Still can¡¯t see what¡¯s magical about that,¡± Allen muttered to himself in exasperation at the tacky naming scheme of her moves. He watched as she was about to land a heavy blow on the specter but at the last second, the monster suddenly sunk completely into the ground and Nera just landed on solid earth with a strong impact that kicked a low cloud of dust into the air. ¡°What the hell!?¡± Nera shouted out then suddenly tensed up as she heard a muffled sound from underneath with her cybernetic ears. ¡°Jump to the left, right now!" Nera shouted at Allen who hesitated for the briefest of moments in confusion before throwing himself into the ground away from where he stood. Not a second later, an arm sprouted out from the ground at an alarming speed going right through where his head had just been. He had taken the fall, instinctively feeling he did not have enough time to dodge properly. Nera leaped back much more gracefully to avoid another arm that came up from the ground. ¡°Ugh..¡± Allen grunted as he picked himself off the ground. ¡°It can do that too? So unfair.¡± Allen did not have much time to complain as Nera warned him to dodge another attack and the two began running out of this area to hopefully make it harder for them to be hit. ¡°You got any idea now what this thing is? Because that could help.¡± Nera inquired once more. ¡°Yeah, Norse runes, viking armor, shape changing, and especially swimming through the earth. I should¡¯ve realized it before, it¡¯s a draugr.¡± ¡°A draw-what?¡± ¡°An undead warrior monster from Norse mythology that tends to hang around its burial site and fiercely guard its possessions. Probably that¡¯s what all the stuff lying around is supposed to be representing.¡± ¡°Okay, know anything about how to defeat one of them then?¡± ¡°They have a weakness to iron in the video game I was playing the other day,¡± Allen stated frankly. He knew this did not sound credible. ¡°I¡¯d be fine with that if we had any iron.¡± she then tapped one of her gauntlets. ¡°Steel.¡± Allen grabbed the harmonica under his arm. ¡°Silver.¡± ¡®Not like I could use it as a weapon anyway.¡¯ ¡°That plans a bust then, got any other-watch out!¡± Nera pushed him out of the way just as an arm came hurtling towards him from behind. ¡°Thanks...¡± Allen uttered in winded breaths. The long run was taking its toll on him. ¡°No problem, you need to watch out for them too. You got the stellar power to see mana itself, use it!¡± Allen nodded in agreement. He was used to seeing magic with his eyes but sensing it without his sight or other senses was not something he could do quite yet. He wanted to try though, so he closed his eyes and attempted to focus on the magical energy in his surroundings. He did not feel anything for a while. Eventually, he noticed a large concentration of mystic energy just under them and that it was rising and then erupting straight towards him. ¡°Left!¡± Allen shouted out loud. ¡°No, right!¡± Nera pulled him out of the way as another strike of the draugr¡¯s inhumanly long limb came up from the ground right where he was going to move. ¡°On second thought, maybe trying to figure that out is not something you should be trying to do right now. Just follow my lead, lackey.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± Allen was all too eager to follow her words since this time, the draugrs claws had ripped through the side of his jacket nearly grazing his skin. The two continued running through the expanse aimlessly until Allen spotted a large dark axe embedded into the ground on top of a nearby hill. ¡°Hey, I think I¡¯m going to give plan A another try.¡± Allen declared and then charged toward the weapon. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Nera exclaimed before dodging back from a claw that was directed at her this time. When Allen reached the axe, he leaped to grab hold of it and then held it up in front of him. It was lighter than he thought it was going to be. ¡°This might be the iron we need! I¡± Allen called out preparing to intercept the draugr¡¯s next attack on him. He was at the edge of the hill so one could only come from in front of him. ¡°Not sure about that..¡± Nera started to voice but before she could continue a monstrous arm came flying out of the ground directly towards Allen at an incredible speed. Anticipating it, Allen evaded to the side and slashed at the arm with the axe but the blade and most of the handle harmlessly shattered upon striking the arm. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Move, Allen!¡± Nera yelled but swinging the axe with most of his weight behind it made him lose his footing and he had no time to react to her command before another ghastly clawed limb was launched toward him. He tried blocking with what was left of the axe¡¯s handle but the hand simply ran straight through it and crashed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him hurtling over the edge of the hill. As he briefly passed through the air before falling, as if time itself had slowed, Allen looked at the warped sky up above and thought a pointless thought. ¡®Ah, it was made of pure ether. That¡¯s why it was so light.¡¯ *** ¡®As a young child, I thought I had a clear concept of death. It was an encroaching inevitability that would steal my loved ones someday in the distant future and something that would eventually end my time in this world when I was old and had experienced life to the fullest. I thought it was as simple as that. That was until there was an accident at the construction site where my dad worked. He was mostly unscathed but a co-worker of his had been brutally crushed by steel beams. Although my dad knew him, he felt like just an idea to me. So even though someone had died that was tangentially connected to me, I did not feel much at first. But when we went to his funeral and I saw the man''s lifeless body lying peacefully in the ornate casket, I thought about how young he looked, and then gravity seemed to concentrate on my frail body as the concept of death became not-so-distant as before. Death is truly a heavy weight to bear...but I won¡¯t let it crush me.¡¯ Allen woke up with a start on the ground, sitting immediately up. He then looked around. He was surrounded by several people in dark clothes. Some of them had shovels and all of them were looking at him curiously. He realized he was in the cemetery that neighbored the park. In front of him, there was the hill he had fallen from with the hazy veil of the expanse around it. Allen quickly got up to his feet and then eyed one of the shovels of people around. ¡°Hey! Is that shovel made out of iron?¡±Allen asked the middle-aged man who was holding it. "Huh? Nah, it''s copper." The man responded with a gruff voice. ¡°Dammit, can I get it off of you still, I¡¯ll pay,¡± Allen stated as he grabbed a wad of cash out of his wallet. ¡°Uhh..sure, we¡¯re already done planting some trees here anyway. I would¡¯ve given it to you for free though ¡± The man took Allen¡¯s money readily and handed him the shovel. As soon as Allen took hold of the item, he sprinted off to the hill. ¡°What exactly are you going to use that for anyway!?¡± the landscaper called after him. ¡°I¡¯m going wild buck hunting!¡± Allen shouted out to all of the others in bewilderment. *** ¡°Shit!¡± Nera was still avoiding the draugr¡¯s wide-reaching attacks while not being able to reach where it was. She had a considerable amount more endurance than the average person but even hers was starting to wear down. ¡°I can¡¯t find a way to beat this thing, it¡¯s so much stronger than what I¡¯m used to facing and I don¡¯t even know if Allen¡¯s-No." She shook her head to force out doubt "He promised...I¡¯m going to believe in him.¡± Nera would have gone after Allen but the expanse¡¯s barrier was just at the edge of the hill and she could not get through it on her own. However, this meant that Allen must have cloaked himself reflexively in aura to shield against the draugr¡¯s strike to have passed through it. This reassured Nera that he was still okay. ¡°Maybe I should try this then?" Nera pulled out her ribbon baton and shifted it into its scythe form with her now being able to see the blade. When the draugr attacked again, Nera slashed at its arm but it just passed through with no apparent effect. Frustrated, she returned to its baton form and put it away again. ¡°Nera!¡± she suddenly heard a yell from close by. It came from Allen who had entered back into the expanse carrying a shovel. A wide grin of relief showed on Nera''s face. ¡°I got an idea on how to beat this thing. Follow me!¡± Not having any good ideas herself, she went along with his words and followed him as he went deeper into the forest away from the edge of the expanse. Eventually, they reached a large tree where he stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to try to dig it up with that shovel. Cause that plan is a hell of a lot worse than your last one!¡± ¡°Of course not, I got a way better idea than that,¡± Allen assured. ¡°And that is..¡± Nera inquired as she leaped out of another attack. ¡°Those cracks in its body are probably weak points. I can use this shovel¡¯s edge to break into them and the first thing I¡¯m going to do with that is pin it down. How long do you think you can hold onto one of its arms?¡± Nera contemplated this for half a moment before answering., ¡°If I use my full strength then about 20 seconds at best.¡± ¡°Alright, that should be enough. Do that on its next attack while we stand next to this tree.¡± Allen readied the shovel in his hands like a javelin. Sure enough, the monster again launched one of its arms out from the ground at the two of them. However, instead of dodging the strike, Nera grabbed hold of the arm and used all of her might to keep it from retracting. Moments passed excruciatingly slowly for her with her muscles beginning to scream in agony and her heels digging deeply into the ground. The rocky exterior ripped through her tracksuit sleeves revealing her prominent veins. ¡°That¡¯s good, just a little bit longer¡­¡± A few seconds after that, another arm came hurtling towards him, He evaded to his left. Then, he envisioned lines of mana extended from his aura to the shovel and covered the item with a dark cloak of mystic energy, he propelled it into both of the arms through the cracks in the draugr¡¯s body. This pinned it down to the tree and embedded the shovel¡¯s edge deeply into the tree¡¯s trunk. ¡°Remember what you said about naming my technique? I decided to call this ¡°Subtle Iron¡±.¡± Allen stated, referring to the concentrated cloak of dark aura he had been using. ¡°Ah..¡± Nera grunted out, still struggling to hold the draugr. ¡°Now, with its arms pinned. It¡¯s gonna have to retract but this time it''s going to be brought to us instead.¡± Allen started gathering mystic energy into his legs. After several moments, just like he said, the draugr came rising out of the ground and charging towards them. Allen focused in on a large crack on its neck. ¡°They say one method of killing a draugr is decapitation but I¡¯m not sure I can...¡± ¡°Just get it over with already.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Allen then bounded forth from the tree in a burst of mystic energy at the specter, moving faster than its now free arms could retract. With a fierce slash, he brought the shovel down into the crack on its neck that led into its chest and then released all of the mystic energy he had stored in the shovel¡¯s edge to burst open the draugr from inside out. This revealed a glowing dark blue stone in the center of its body. With an ¡°iron¡± cloaked hand, Allen reached out to grab it. The moment he grabbed it though, let go of the stone and froze in place. This gave the half-beaten monster just enough time to finish retracting its claws and swing them down towards him. As swift as the wind, Nera lunged past Allen and gouged her fingers into the draugrs chest to take hold of its specter stone and then sliced off what little of its neck was left with her other hand. Instantly, the undead sentinel of the burial site collapsed into rock and dust onto the ground with the specter stone remaining in Nera¡¯s grasp. They had defeated the wraith-class specter. They were both drenched in sweat and breathing heavily with visible clouds appearing in the cold air. "...Looks like it''s finally over, are you okay?" Nera asked while ignoring her own wounds. "Yeah, don''t worry. It''ll take more than this to-" Alen let out a yell of pain as he collapsed to the ground while clutching his arms. Chapter 15: Identity Overwrite "Ahh!" Allen continued to scream in the middle of the forest where he and Nera had just defeated the Draugr Wraith. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡± Nera yelled with heightened worry. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I should be fine.¡± Allen lied with a wince. One could see the truth he tried his hide as he tried to get up only to be hit by spasms of pain every time. ¡°You take me for an idiot? Let me see your arms.¡± Nera demanded while hoisting Allen over to a nearby tree. She leaned him next to it to keep him from falling again. Allen did not bother to protest anymore and spread his arms for her to examine. ¡°Hmm?¡± Unwrapping the bandages around Allen¡¯s arms, revealing crimson scars that traced a tree-like pattern over his skin. ¡°I think these are side-effects from overusing Extract. A normal person¡¯s body isn''t meant to channel magical energy through it.¡± ¡°I..see. Maybe using Subtle Iron in short bursts instead of long ones would avoid that.¡± Nera peered deep into his eyes with a steely glare. ¡°Well, it¡¯s your funeral if you go too far. You might end up becoming a resident of the graveyard yourself.¡± Allen broke out into a cold sweat. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep that in mind. You¡¯ll visit my funeral if I mess up though, right?¡¯ Nera heaved a sigh and stood up straight. ¡°No chance. Let me know when you can get up and we¡¯ll check on that blonde dude.¡± ¡®She could at least try to fake some sympathy.¡¯ ¡°Roger.¡± Before Allen could get that time, Nera heard the sound of the ground being trampled around them. Something was closing in on the two and it wouldn''t take long to arrive. "Be quiet," Nera warned. "Huh? I''m not even making that much noise." Allen complained. "Ugh, that''s not what I''m talking about-" Nera cut herself off as a shadowy beast lunged out from the trees and slashed at her. She blocked with a gauntleted hand then kicked it apart with her steel-soled shoe. A small clear crystal fell to the ground innocuously. "What was that?!" Allen then began noticing other similar creatures emerge from the foliage. They looked roughly humanoid but with uncannily long limbs that ended in sharp claws. Their bodies were thin and composed of pitch-black smoke. Allen''s blood ran cold at the sight of the esoteric monsters. "Those are Shades. They''re a step down from Wraiths but show up more often in large numbers." Nera explained while scanning the perimeter. She counted seven of the beasts in total. "Normally, I could take on such a small amount of them easily...but not when protecting a sack of potatoes like you." Allen winced but couldn''t refute her words. It was agonizingly painful to move his arms even a few centimeters and the rest of his body wasn''t feeling decent either. He wouldn''t even be able to stand on his own two feet, much less fight. "What are we going to do then?" Nera clicked her teeth. "...The only sensible thing to do when stuck in a sack of potatoes." The slender gal bent down to sling one of Allen''s arms over her shoulder. Allen groaned in pain from the shock but before Nera hoisted him off the ground, he reached out to grab the rune-like Dream Sculpture left by the Draugr. ''No way I''m going to go through all of this mess with nothing to show for it!'' Nera ran away from the swarm of Shades with Allen on her back as fast as she could. The monsters kept pace with her and were on the back of her heels. "Dammit, I can''t seem to lose them!" As Nera yelled in frustration, Allen examined the forest for any path they could slip away from the Shades. An ethereal door akin to a stone tomb appeared in his vision. He tried blinking but it never disappeared. "Hmm...hey, I think we should go that way." Allen pointed in the direction of the stone door. "What makes you say that?" "...Some gravestone-like door just appeared out of nowhere. With this timing, it must be a sign, right?" Allen assured unconvincingly. "Going straight toward a grave doesn''t sound like the best idea..." Nera vaulted forward to avoid a convergence of claws that nearly made mincemeat of them. "...But your instincts are pretty 50/50, so lead the way, Lackey." "..Go it, you can count on me." Allen pointed out where the door was but it steadily got farther away the closer they approached. Eventually, they suddenly had to make a quick turn threw a dense thicket of branches with the Shades nowhere to be seen behind them. Their guttural noises that sounded like flesh being torn apart were only signs they hadn''t completely lost them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Huh, a dead-end?" Allen said out loud when he realized the door was no longer moving. Instead, it stopped on the side of a large, stone hill. When he described this to Nera, her brow furrowed. "So, this door is just fixed to the side of the hill? Could it be a Gateway..." Nera murmured, half to herself. "Would a Gateway be in a place like this?" Allen asked and gestured that he could at least stand on his own for now, even if limping. He pressed against the surface of the hill just beyond the vision he was seeing but it wouldn''t budge. "If it was a Gateway, any reason why it isn''t opening now?" "...I don''t know, not exactly an expert on this kind of stuff." Nera shrugged. "You should be grateful that I was even able to figure out what it was. " Allen sighed and gave the vision itself another look. The stone itself didn''t just look familiar, it was the same shade of teal as the Draugr''s stone body. Allen looked down at the Sculpture in his hands to see it was in the same shape as the rune on the door. "Hey, if you''re going to use that nerd-brain of yours to figure something out, do it soon!" Nera urged as the Shades burst through the wall of branches they had come through. "Secret magical doors show up in myths all the time. Maybe it''s locked by some sort of riddle or password." "...A password? Nera, you''re a genius!" Allen lauded as he traced the rune shared by his vision and the Dream Sculpture onto the side of the hill. Immediately, the stone gave way and the two were able to phase through it. The other side of the door led to a vacuous crypt filled with rusted weapons and other decrepit objects. They ranged from rotten wooden crates that lined the walls of the area to corroded coins that littered the floor with lime green. The only source of light was the door that glowed teal behind them. "Where are we?" Allen asked and Nera stayed silent. She had no answer to give. They walked deeper into the burial mound until they came across what they mistook for a corpse. A second glance was all they needed to see its true identity. "A robot? What''s an Automaton doing in this dingy place?" Nera voiced her own query and the Automaton immediately whirred to life. The blue lights that began to glow on its body showed the Automaton to have the appearance of a middle-aged man. It donned garbs that one would expect a guard of royalty to have worn in the Victorian Age. " A young woman in her late teens with monochrome hair and violet eyes. Accessing data banks." The machine relayed. "Welcome Valkyrie, this is the monitoring terminal, Grettir, set in place to watch over this crypt. The time has come for the Grim Reaper Trial to commence." The Automaton''s voice sounded human but it was completely monotone with none of the emotion a person should have. They were a such contrast to the flamboyant Automaton, Owlette. "Hold on, if you know about the Grim Reaper Trial, can you tell us what it''s the reason behind it and why all the Theurgist''s Periapts were taken." Allen hurriedly asked. "The Periapts were taken?" Nera''s brow furrowed since Allen hadn''t told her about his recent speculations. "A Cratless of similar age to Valkyrie with no listing among the Grim Inheritors. Designation must be the Guardian for Valkyrie. Data pertaining to first question not found but second question is accepted." Grettir the Automaton rattled off Allen''s descriptors just as it had with Nera. "The Theurgist''s Periapt were all destroyed in preparation for the Trial. A new one must be made at the designated date." "...The PerPeriaptsre destroyed? Why would they do that? Just what is this dumb trial for anyway?" Nera clutched the ancient clothes of the machine but nothing changed in its tone as spoke again. "Initializing preset instructions. The world is made up of wishes layered on top of each other granted by the Spirits of the Netherworld with the hiding of magic from the mundane world being the result of these wishes." While Allen contemplated Grettir''s message in bewilderment, Nera steadily interrogated. "Cool story, but what do Spirits granting wishes have to do with the Grim Reaper Trial?" "Spirits manifest the imagination of humanity and that includes both hopes and fears. For every wish granted, a curse is inflicted and humans have cursed each other since the very beginning. That is why this Grim Reaper Trial will begin in this city." Allen recalled what he read about fortunes being bestowed by the Spirits. This must be an extension of that."...That still doesn''t explain things though. Where do Spirits come into play?" The Automaton moved its rusted frame to face Allen. "It should already be clear, Guardian. The Grim Pieces are just parts of a contract with the Greater Spirit you humans call the Grim Reaper." The two recoiled from the machine, both lost in thought. If the Grim Reaper truly was death in an ethereal form then they were involved in something much bigger than had even imagined. "C''mon, you tin can. Tell us who is behind all of this before things get out of hand!" Nera yelled but Grettir simply replied that it did not have access to that information. "My directive is to alert you two to your own placement in this matter and deliver you to my operator. Now, the time has come for you both to have your own directives implanted into you." With a loud creak, the Automaton raised from the pile of rocks it sat on and held up its palm which crackled with electricity. "No way, if you can''t tell us what we want then we''re just going to leave you here," Nera told off the Automaton. A metallic hand then blocked her field of view. She leaped back in time to avoid it grasping her head in its vice grip. "Watch out!" Allen called out as Nera was chased down by the surprisingly agile robot. To their horror, large bat-like wings and extra arms sprung from its body. "Valkyrie, you must be given your directive to follow the path designated for you. The method will no cause no physical harm and simple overwrite your current goals and mindsets to align more closely with my operator''s." Grettir monotonously informed like the machine it was. Nera tried to keep up by knocking away its limbs and gaining as much distance as possible. She was already at her limit from fighting the Draugr and running from the Shades. Despite that, she managed to break off two of its rusted arms. "Heh, gotcha you rusted-" Nera''s eyes widened as two new arms emerged and pinned hers to the wall. The Automan''s remaining arms blurred as they reached for her face with its electrified palms. "Open! Gravesinker!" A stone axe erupted from the chest of Grettir. "Allen..." The young man pulled the axe out from the Automaton and it fell to the ground. Smoke coming from its mouth and its glowing lines dimming. Strangely, there was no outward damage to its metallic body itself. Allen held the handaxe in one hand and a Craft Card in the other. "...So, this one can phase through things. I was just intending to knock it down." Allen voiced almost remorsefully before leaning against the wall of the crypt. His face was drenched with sweat and his stomach felt like bile would issue forth any moment. "This Automaton, what if it had been one like Owlette? Is it possible for machines to have souls of their own in the first place?" Nera gently wiped some of the dirt from Allen''s face. "It''s not and they don''t, so don''t worry about it. What happened is that you saved me from whatever brainwashing it was trying to do. You did the right thing, Allen." "...Yeah, you''re right." Chapter 16: Sheep in Wolfs Clothing After the stabbing pain in Allen''s arms subsided, they exited the crypt while using the potion given to them by the Bastion attendant to escape the lingering Shades. Nera threw it at one which caused a Sigil to appear on its body and a green trail to follow it as chased her back through the stone doorway. Then, she and Allen ran in opposite directions as the mindless monsters were drawn to the largest source of magical energy, the potion''s. With this method, they were able to lure all the Shades into the crypt as the Gateway closed. After making their narrow escape. They went back to the spot where they had found the blonde man and tentatively woke him up. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I got hit by a wild moose?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Allen said confidently. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Nera?¡± ¡°Uhh..what?! Well..yeah. Didn¡¯t you know it¡¯s moose season?¡± Allen chuckled to himself at her laughable cover-up. ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t think Atelier City had moose until now.¡± ¡°Surprised me too, but this forest is rather dense. You should be more careful next time.¡± Allen wryly added. ¡°I suppose so. My name is Osvald by the way. Thank you for two¡¯s help.¡± ¡°No problem. What were you doing so far away from the cemetery anyway? I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s a much safer path somewhere else.¡± ¡°Is there? I¡¯m relatively new to the city, so I wasn¡¯t quite sure how to best make my way there.¡± Nera crossed her slender arms and grimaced. "C''mon, we helped you this much, the least you can do is tell us the truth." Osvald''s eyes widened in surprise. "Calm down, Nera. If he doesn''t want to tell us, he doesn''t have to." Allen argued. He also sensed something was off about the man''s explanation but decided not to pry further. "No, it''s alright. It''s not really anything to hide." Osvald sighed pensively. "Somewhere in this forest, I think my late uncle left something behind for me to find." "...So, that''s what you were actually here for," Allen replied solemnly while Nera''s expression also softened. "Was it some kind of time capsule?" "I''m not sure but I think it''s a message for me. I wonder why he couldn''t have just told it to me while he was alive but then again, we hadn''t talked much recently." "Why''s that? Did his health decline too much?" Nera inquired. "No, my uncle was in perfect health before he died. He had to have been killed." Osavld relayed with a low voice. "The reason we grew distant is because the Hieronymus Conglomerate took his manufacturing company from him and I decided to work for their Craft Integration Branch." *** A few moments later, the three had parted ways with Allen and Nera being alone outside the woods and the graveyard that lay beyond it. Osvald had decided to call it quits for the day but they were certain he would be returning to that place soon. "That was strange. I never heard of Craft until discovering about magic." Allen mused before looking back to the forest where the Mirage had already long-dissipated. The possibility that the Hieronymus Conglomerate would hint towards such a well-kept secret so carelessly was slim. However, there was a much better chance that Osvald had secrets of his own to hide. "...What if that Osvald guy knows a lot more about what''s happening in this city than either of us?" Close to noon on Thursday, Allen was heading to a food stand near Coffee & Chronicles for his lunch break, it was called Le Sous-marin and it was known for having excellent submarine sandwiches. Overhead, the summer sun was shining brightly but a strong breeze blew that kept the streets cool. Allen was wearing his job¡¯s uniform: a red collared shirt with a gold C&C symbol emblazoned on the chest and jet-black pants. ''Me and Nera have only found one specter since the Draugr and it wasn¡¯t even a Wraith. Maybe this specter hunting plan was more impractical than I thought. That aside, what that Osvald guy said in the forest is still bugging me too. If Atelier City only wanted their chosen ones to come here then why did they rope a bunch of randoms like me into this mess?'' When Allen got to Le Sous-marin, he saw that a long line had formed in front of it. That was fine to him however since he had a whole thirty-minute break. Allen patiently waited for about ten minutes until he was the fourth person away from the front of the line. ¡®I should be able to order soon.¡¯ Allen thought as he stared intently at the order of the person in front. They had three bags filled with food piled up on the overhanging counter. Allen figured that the person must have been ordering for multiple people. That moment he thought this. A sudden strong gust of wind blew over the area. It tipped the bags over and caused the napkins stacked next to them to be blown in the air haphazardly. Allen, reacting quickly, dived to catch the bags before they could fall to the ground. ¡°Gotcha!¡± Allen exclaimed as he caught one of the bags. ¡®Wait, what about the other two?¡¯ Allen looked up to see that the person who ordered the food, a tall young man with black hair wearing a gray shirt. The shirt had three vertical squares arranged vertically on the right side of the chest area. Similar to the yellow squares, he had yellow gloves and wore yellow goggles so thick Allen could not even see what his eyes looked like. Allen stood up and handed the young man his bag of food. Allen then noticed to his amazement that this person had caught the other two bags as well as all the napkins that were scattered into the air in the same amount of time Allen managed to catch just one of the bags. ¡°Good reflexes.¡± Allen commended only for the man in the goggles to nod silently. ¡°Alright...I¡¯ll just get back in line now.¡± Allen chuckled awkwardly and handed him back the food. However, when he tried to get back in line, he found no one was willing to let him take back the place he was in. Each one of them stated that they did not even know he was in the line and that they all had places they needed to go to in a hurry. It seemed like Allen would have to go to the back of the line again if he wanted to get something to eat but there would not be enough time before his lunch break ended. ¡®So unfair! Is this how this city rewards a kind act!?¡¯ As Allen complained internally, he heard someone call out from behind him. ¡°Hey.¡± Allen turned around to see it was the young man with the yellow goggles again. ¡°I can give you some of my food as thanks if you want. It looks like you¡¯re going to have to wait a while.¡± He continued to say to Allen. ¡®I see. I guess there are some good people in this city.¡¯ ¡°Uh, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll just get something quick to eat at a convenience store.¡¯ Allen remarked. ¡°Are you sure? I was just going to eat all this by myself. I have a pastrami sandwich, a club sandwich, a steak sandwich, an egg salad sandwich, a B.L.T. sandwich, a roast beef sandwich.¡± The young man in the goggles inquired nonchalantly. ¡®A b.l.t. would hit the spot right now¡­¡¯ Allen sighed. ¡°Fine, if you insist.¡± Allen accepted the offer with lukewarm reluctance. *** A few moments later, Allen was eating the b.l.t. sandwich voraciously. He and the young man with the goggles were sitting at a table near Le Sous-marin to eat the food. It took Allen until he was already halfway finished with his sandwich to realize he had not even introduced himself to the person who was sitting across from him. He looked up from his eating to see that the other patron of the sandwich stand was eating their sandwiches with a knife and fork. They had carefully cut up the sandwich into orderly small squares. They placed each square in their mouth one by one. Allen dismissed this as just the man being a neat eater. ¡°So, are you on some kind of lunch break as well? My name¡¯s Allen by the way.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m Iyoto Hishida.¡± The taciturn young man kept eating his food without skipping a beat. ¡°I see. I work at Coffee & Chronicles which is about a few blocks from here. How about you?¡± ¡°The new building that¡¯s being developed in that same direction further on. I¡¯m working as a landscaper there.¡± ¡°Is that what the gloves and goggles are for then?¡± Allen asked out of curiosity. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah. Well, it sounds like an interesting job to have. A lot more interesting than working as a cashier at a coffee and book store.¡± Allen let out a small laugh. ¡®I wonder what kind of building it¡¯s even supposed to be. They went out of their way to use advanced reformation tech to make it, so it must be pretty important.¡¯ Allen pondered to himself. ¡°Hey, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know what the building¡¯s for, would you?¡±, Allen voiced his curiosity. ¡°No idea. I¡¯m just there to put topsoil down, plant trees, and trim hedges. I¡¯m not told stuff like that and I don¡¯t ask.¡± Allen was informed frankly.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I can see where you¡¯re coming from there. If it¡¯s not your job to know something, that¡¯s just extra work, right?¡± Allen asserted. ¡°You could say that. Moreso, I have no interest in things of that matter.¡± ¡°What about art then? This city is filled with it. Must be some art pieces you like here.¡± Allen inquired. ¡°Art, huh? Sure, you could say I appreciate it from time to time.¡± Allen found the man¡¯s lack of elaboration on barely anything odd. However, he had once been of few words himself, so he saw it as being understandable. ¡°Speaking of art, there¡¯s a mural around here that I pass often. It¡¯s like this plane completely made out of glass and split into many different segments in a really cool way. It looks amazing. I think I remember hearing its name a while back. What was it again¡­¡± Allen trailed off. ¡°The Glass Plane Soars, that¡¯s the name of it. It seems you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about at all.¡± This came out monotonously and Allen did not sense a trace of disdain in the statement. ¡°Uhh, maybe that one is a dud. I don¡¯t have the best eye for the arts myself. What about the Misty Tower mural?¡± Allen knew that the Misty Tower was a famous art piece in Atelier City that was located in a busy location. Allen was sure that the young man would know about it and find it impressive as well. ¡°That one is also mediocre, it¡¯s nothing but a hazy mess.¡± The art aficionado remarked as he got up from his seat. ¡°My appetite¡¯s gone now, so I¡¯m going to get back to work. You can have the sandwiches I have left over.¡± Without any other words, the strange young man left in the direction of the building site. ¡®Hmm, kind of rude but, hey, more food for me.¡¯ Allen shrugged and began scarfing down all the remaining sandwiches, so he could quickly rush back to the cafe. It was around this moment, he got a call from Nera on his phone. ¡°Huh, really? Alright, I¡¯ll be there right after work.¡± *** ¡°So, is this the place?¡± Allen asked Nera who was standing beside him across the street from the large construction site a few blocks away from his normal job. They were here due to rumors spreading around about a possible specter sighting. ¡°Yeah, this is the only place it could be, a new building being made right here at this address being attacked repeatedly by a culprit they can¡¯t even see.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s look around for someone willing to tell us more.¡± Allen took a step forward but before he could go any further, a raised hand from Nera made him halt. ¡°Already on it.¡± Allen peered in the direction Nera¡¯s eyes were focused on. One older man with graying hair was talking to another younger one with brown hair about something with a worried expression on both their faces. Allen remained silent as he watched Nera listen in on the conversation. A few minutes passed and the two walked through the gates of the work site. ¡°Hey, what were those two talking about?¡± Allen spoke up finally. ¡°It was about the recent attacks. Whoever or whatever it is has been breaking in for five nights in a row and destroying valuable equipment before leaving without a trace.¡± ¡°Got it. That means they¡¯re almost guaranteed to do it again tonight! Did you overhear anything else?¡± Nera nodded while leaning against the wall of the alleyway they were standing in. ¡°One person a night has turned up unconscious as if from an illness and one of the people doing the landscaping here, Iyoto, also called in sick today. They think it may be connected.¡± Nera relayed calmly. ¡°Wait, did you say Iyoto? I ran into someone by the name who works here.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, let¡¯s hope they really are sick instead of specter chow.¡± Nera replied somewhat dismissively. ¡°But first, I want to try this out. ¡± She pulled out a small violet mirror. "What''s that supposed to be?" Allen leaned in to give it a closer look. It had a familiar aesthetic. A small grin appeared on the young woman''s face. "This is a transformed version of my scythe from before." "What? How did you know it could do that?" Nera puffed out her chest proudly. "You''re not the only one who can do supernatural research. I looked into what that Erno guy had said about this being a Dream Reflector and found details about an ethereal transforming instrument the Grim Reaper had that could make people see visions of their worst nightmares right before they were offed." Allen nodded his head back and forth like that was a completely sound breakdown. "So, what use does that have here?" "Use some creativity," Nera started while spinning the mirror in her hand. "Specters become people''s worst nightmares in physical form if they''re attacked by them. That means this mirror can show us if someone was attacked by a monster and what that monster looks like before we even lay eyes on it!" ''It being able to transform into a mirror makes it inconspicuous as well.'' That inference came naturally to Allen. "Huh, that''d actually be really useful," Allen finally admitted. "Glad to see you''re not leaving everything to the complete outsider to figure everything out anymore." "Well, I don''t want to take what makes you helpful away from you, Lackey." Nera let her chagrin with that remark before walking up to a group of landscapers that were about to enter the construction site and pretended as if she was a seller of handmade trinkets with her mirror being a sample of what she could offer them. Her tone was awkward and she stumbled over her words but that actually did more to convince them of her earnestness. Not only that, that kind of wandering street peddler could be found all over the city. It was not hard for her to have them all take a glance at the mirror before turning down her pitch. She walked back to Allen and showed him what was displayed in the mirror. "I can''t see ether, so you''ll have to tell me what it''s there." With this understanding, Allen observed the surface of the mirror but only saw a continuous series of purple lines streaking across it. "Sure, but it''s just lines, I can''t make anything..." The aspiring artist held his tongue as he realized a pattern was emerging on the mirror as the lines appeared and disappeared. He took out his notebook and drew each line one by one until a picture was fully formed. "I don''t know why the image is broke down like that, but it worked," Allen said as he viewed the horrific sight of an entire neighborhood burning to ash on the page he drew on. "This indeed looks like a nightmare." "...Yeah, it certainly is one." Nera tapped on the mirror and Allen could tell that it was a completely different pattern, from someone else''s fears. Allen transcribed that as well and did so for several other rounds until they had seen the worst nightmares of every person Nera had looked into the mirror. There were all sorts of nightmarish images drawn down from ferocious beasts to natural disasters. ¡°This should be good. I didn¡¯t know the mirror could hold multiple visions at once." ¡°Me neither,¡± Nera replied back carefreely. Allen sighed. "Regardless, if we stake this place out now and that Specter has attacked one of them, we''ll know who to ask for more information. How''s that sound?" "As good as anything else. Good job putting your head to use. I''ll take over once we actually have to fight something. Just stick close to me." Allen chuckled lightly. "Well, if that''s really all I needed to do, I wouldn''t mind." *** It took several hours for something to finally happen during their stakeout, Allen and Nera had already waited hours on top of a nearby building with the sun having set already. They were not even sure if there were any more workers left. What alerted them was a thundering crash that came from within the construction site. The two leaped down from the building and ignored the high chain link fence that bared entry by jumping over it. What lay beyond that barrier was a sight Allen did not expect to see. ¡°It¡¯s that Iyo guy¡­¡± Facing off against a shadowy monster in the middle of a wide plain of dirt and sand was the odd young man who wore goggles that Allen had met just earlier that day, Iyoto Hishida. However, something was very different about him. His goggles were down, revealing bright yellow irises with slit-like pupils. His teeth were bared, showing frighteningly sharp incisors and he emitted an ethereal aura that felt monstrous in a way different from specters but still nothing like the Crafters he had sensed before. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re already in a Mirage since I can see the Specter in front of us, but mind explaining to me how you ran into a Grendel and didn¡¯t even bother to mention it to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I knew either. I don¡¯t even know what a Grendel is! Are they some type of Crafter?!¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re-¡± She was interrupted by Iyo noticing their presence in the middle of his fight with the wolf-like Wraith that stood on its hind legs. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s you from before. What are you doing here? You both need to leave, now!¡± Amid his shouting, he almost had his head lobbed off from the swipe of the Wraith¡¯s claws. ¡°No way we¡¯re going to just stand around.¡± Allen took a step forward. ¡°Wait!¡± Iyo shouted as he outstretched a gloved hand that burst with bronze mana and revealed that he had claws that could rival the Wraith¡¯s in their sharpness. He struck the ground in front of him and a yellow line shot forward that forced the monster to retreat. When the yellow light faded, a deep crevice was left in the space between the monstrous human and shadowy Wraith. Despite being bewildered by the strange power, Allen ignored Iyo¡¯s warning and was going to enter the battle anyway. ¡°Wait.¡± Nera chimed in. ¡°I want to do the same, but we should think this through first. Going in without a plan could just end up in us getting in each other¡¯s way. We should try to figure out what this thing¡¯s weaknesses are just like with the draugr.¡± Allen grits his teeth but has to admit she was right. ¡°Okay, where should we start first?¡¯ ¡°Good question, does that thing¡¯s appearance match any of the pictures in your book?¡± ¡°...Yeah, it¡¯s the third one out of those monsters. Which person did it belong to?¡± ¡°The lanky guy with the green bandana, but nothing stood out about him and I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have time to ask him any more details.¡± Nera begrudgingly replied as that trail reached a dead-end. ¡°Well, it must have some kind of cloaking ability to sneak past even the magic detection security, right? What things are able to interfere with magic being spotted?¡± Allen winced as he watched the fight carry on in front of him. Iyo narrowly dodged a few more slashing attacks before swiping the ground to raise up dust to block the Wraith¡¯s vision and gain more distance. ¡°Not much, just large sources of mana and living beings. That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to locate Specters in densely populated areas like cities, but that shouldn¡¯t apply to an area this size with the number of workers they had here.¡± Allen furrowed his brow as he assessed the Wraith that Iyo was currently fighting. It resembled some kind of shadowy werewolf with lanky arms and legs along with teal lines running across its body. There was a decent amount of miasma surging from it and no other mana source in the vicinity. ¡®There¡¯s no other large mana source nearby to block out its own and there¡¯s only the three of us here, right?¡¯ Allen turned to trying to find out what this Wraith could be based on all the stories of wolves he heard before. There were many such as The Boy That Cried Wolf, The Three Little Pigs, and the last one to come to mind, Little Red Riding Hood. ¡°Where the wolf disguises themself by devouring a human¡­¡± Allen muttered under his breath while coming to a frightening conclusion. Nera overhead him with widened eyes. All the while, Iyo was preparing for a devastating attack. The young man had a power that heightened any damage he caused. A small scratch could become a gaping crevice and a tiny crack could turn into a crate.r It was something he had difficulty controlling, so he tried not to use it on anything remotely resembling a living creature, even a Wraith. However, he put his fears aside and gathered power in his hand. Allen reached out a hand to stop him. ¡°Hold on, wait! That Wraith could be-¡± His words were a second too late. Iyo rushed at the specter. A bright trail of yellow followed the path of his strike as it slashed through the monster¡¯s neck. A searing cut turned into a gaping wound that caused miasma to spew from the monster like blood. However, mixed in the pitch black was crimson red. ¡°No..not again.¡± Iyo croaked out after coming to a stop and staring at his claws stained with blood. He looked back to see that part of the Wraith¡¯s head had been torn away to reveal a human face with a single vacant eye staring back at him. This was the same man that Nera¡¯s mirror had captured the visage of the Wraith from. ¡°...Liam?¡± The young man with the monstrous power said in disbelief, completely frozen still. Meanwhile, the Wraith quickly recovered, and its viscous skin covered up the human it had consumed once again before bounding straight toward its next prey. ¡°What are you doing?! Move you idiot!¡± Allen ran as fast as he could but the Wraith reached his destination first as its giant claw swung straight toward the motionless Iyo. Chapter 17: How to Cut a Shadow The construction site was now marred with crevices and debris from the battle. Metal beams meant for the new building had also been scattered in its midst. The night was exceedingly dark except for the half-moon in the sky, and a heavy thud resounded as a human¡¯s skull was struck with immense force. Iyo was sent tumbling along the ground like a rag doll from the Wraith¡¯s attack. The monstrous wolf chased after him and swooped in for the finishing blow. "Open, Vinea!" An ethereal green tendril rocketed forth and wrapped around the Wraith''s arm from the side, holding it back. The claw was a hair''s breadth from ripping Iyo''s face apart. Allen strained vigorously with the Craft Card in hand and the vine-whip around his wrist to restrain the large monster. ¡°Knock it off! It¡¯s time for you to fight someone who''s in the same weight class!¡± Nera flew in with a kick to the Wraith''s face, sending the Specter several meters flying. Nera landed on the ground while the Wraith gradually picked itself back up along with the body it had stolen. ¡°Hey! There¡¯s someone in there. Don¡¯t you care if you hurt the person inside?¡± Allen berated from behind Nera. She merely clicked her tongue before saying, ¡°Of course, I do, but would letting Goggles here become dog chow have been the better option?¡± Allen simply grimaced in response as Nera marched forward. ¡°If you¡¯re dissatisfied with how things are, then put your two heads together and figure out a better way out of this nightmare than me beating the tar off of someone who might not even be in one piece once I¡¯m done.¡± After giving that ultimatum, Nera leaped forward to meet the charging Wraith. Its claws met her gauntlets with a sharp clang. This left Allen to his own thoughts. He wanted to go and help but was worried about hurting an innocent bystander in the process. When he had made up his mind to risk his own life while fighting specters for his own gain, he did not consider having to risk the lives of regular people in the process. ¡®Did Nera already have that resolve from the very start? Is that something I need to gain myself? Allen let out a heavy sigh. ¡®No, I did all this to free myself of regrets and there¡¯s no way I¡¯m not going to regret not trying as hard as I can to find a way where everyone makes it out of this intact. It might be a selfish daydream to placate my own conscience but striving for that outcome can¡¯t be wrong!¡¯ With his mind cleared of doubts, the next step was to turn his daydream into reality and Iyo was the key to that. Allen walked over to where Iyo lay prone on the ground with a downcast look in his eyes. Allen was amazed that even after taking such a brutal hit, Iyo did not seem that worse for wear besides some light bleeding from his temple. ¡°How long are you going to take a nap before getting back in there? Don¡¯t you want to save your friend? He was a landscaper just like you, so you must¡¯ve known each other.¡± Upon no response from the other young man, Allen continued to speak while the sounds of Nera¡¯s battle with the Wraith roared behind them. ¡°C¡¯mon, your glowing eyes and claws are awesome!¡± He spoke earnestly. ¡°Now that you know what we¡¯re dealing with, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Iyo replied hoarsely as he sluggishly pushed off the ground and took a seated position with his head held down. ¡°I¡¯ve made this mistake many times. It¡¯s like your friend said before, I¡¯m a Grendel.¡± ¡°I have no idea what that means, so that argument has no chance of working on me.¡± Allen brushed Iyo¡¯s deepest insecurity aside like a leaf in the wind from his sheer cluelessness concerning magical society. Iyo was stunned speechless for a moment before regaining his composure. ¡°...You¡¯ve heard of beings that possessed the shape of humans but also had fantastical appearances and powers, right? That branch of human magic users is known as Grendels.¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s more than one type of magic user? Is Nera one?¡± Allen questioned as he watched Nera jump into the air with superhuman agility and dropkick the Specter on its back. Just seeing that made him wince. Iyo shook his head.¡°She¡¯s special, but not like that. Unlike the Crafters and their spiritual constructs, Codexes, that allow them to inherently control their power, Grendels have magical blood they need to master in order to rein in their powers and I¡¯ve never been able to do that myself.¡± Iyo continued to stare at his hand which was soaked with blood. Allen could not deny that sight nor the bad history Iyo had endured, but as he watched Nera fight as hard she could with none of the usual bravado she had while fighting, he knew they would need all the help they could get. That is when he spotted something small next to Iyo out of the corner of his eye and picked it up. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ It was a piece of wood stripped of its bark and carved into the shape of a miniature crow. Its surface held not a single scratch or imperfection. Allen could see the faintest traces of orange Extract that was the same color as Iyo¡¯s and that gave him an idea. ¡®So, he¡¯s an artist too. Might as well put that to good use.¡¯ ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you carve the Wraith off of him like you did with this wood?¡± Allen held up the carving to Iyo.¡± I know you¡¯ve made mistakes in the past with your power and just before, but what happens in the past isn¡¯t guaranteed to be what happens in the future. No one can know the future, just try to shape it the best they can.¡± Iyo¡¯s eyes opened up wider at Allen¡¯s last sentence. Meanwhile, Allen got up to his feet and turned to face where Nera and the Wraith were fighting. ¡°...My mentor, the one who taught me to use my abilities for art, spoke of the future in the very same way.¡± ¡°Is that so? Sounds like a wise man to me.¡± Allen slammed his fist into his other palm.¡±When you spot the right opportunity to jump in, do it. Right now, it¡¯s time for me to do my job as a part-time monster hunter.¡± *** Several minutes went by as Allen and Nera kept the Wraith occupied while waiting for the right opportunity to appear. Allen used Subtle Iron but only for defense while using Vinea to hold back the Wraith''s attacks. Nera did not pull any punches while going toe-to-toe with their adversary. She knocked it back time and time again with precise kicks and punches. ¡°I hope your little chit-chat showed some results besides leaving me to take care of everything.¡± Nera snidely remarked. ¡°It did. The playmaker just needs to figure out when to make the play!¡± Allen held up his mana-cloaked arms to block as the Wraith unleashed two heavy slashes of its claws to force them both over a dozen meters away. Allen dug his heels into the ground to keep from being sent even further than that. They both rushed back but the Wraith did something unexpected by exhaling an enormous amount of air after opening its jaw to an obtuse angle. Allen felt an immense amount of Extract gather all around them. ¡°Not good, we need to fall back!¡± Allen exclaimed this and the two quickly leaped in the opposite direction. They did so just as the Wraith crashed its canines together and the ground they were just under was pulverized with excessive force. Allen¡¯s mouth hung open at the ridiculously destructive attack. ¡°What? I thought the story it was from was Red Riding Hood, but maybe it¡¯s the Three Little Pigs!¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that would¡¯ve been enough to blow down a brick house. Try again.¡± They both stood far back from it. At the same time, clouds of dust were expelled from the sides of its maw. Allen shrugged but did not dismiss her rebuttal entirely. ¡®She has a point. Plus, I didn¡¯t feel any wind blow towards us and have no clue how that dirt ended up in its mouth?¡¯ In the middle of his thoughts, someone suddenly spoke up from the sidelines. ¡°It¡¯s neither. It¡¯s a Warg, one of Fenrir¡¯s kind. The same beasts that are prophesied to swallow the sun and moon whole during Ragnarok.¡± Iyo explained succinctly. ¡°Great, now we know it has super-eating powers that don¡¯t give a shit about size or distance. Does that give you any ideas, Bookworm?¡± Nera huffed. ¡°Norse mythology again, eh? If I remember correctly, Fenrir gets defeated by someone who destroys its heart and/or tears its teeth apart. One of those is definitely more fatal for the Wraith¡¯s unwitting host. But the latter¡­¡± Allen pondered for a moment. ¡°Nera, the next time it tries to use that crazy attack can you kick its teeth in? That might be the trick to canceling that attack and its possession.¡± Nera grinned, glad to hear a plan that could work. ¡°Sure, it will give me the chance to test out a new move.¡± Allen gave a thumbs up. ¡°Good, because it looks like it¡¯s been charging up something much worse than the last one with all the time we spent talking.¡± True enough, it had spent even more time gathering up an astonishing amount of mana into the surroundings that made Allen¡¯s hair stand on end. He was not sure he would be able to get out of the attack radius even if he broke out into a full sprint now. Nera instead burst out in a charge straight toward the monster. Meanwhile, Iyo clenched his fist so hard there was a sickening noise. He had been able to help somewhat by giving them information about the Wraith but was not sure if that was good enough. The line between caution and cowardice had grown frustratingly hazy for him. A moment later, the Warg Specter began to clamp down its teeth, but Nera launched herself in the air with a 720-degree spin. ¡°Eat this instead. Magical Teeth Smasher!¡± Using the force of her centrifugal motion, she used the heel of her steel-sole shoes to shatter both rows of the Wraith¡¯s teeth in quick succession. In response, the Wraith picked up a large metal beam that had gotten torn loose on the ground and hit Nera with enough force to slam her into the dirt. It reeled back its arm for another thunderous blow but Allen used Vinea to restrain it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "I liked it better when you were just using your claws. That five-meter metal beam is overkill." Allen said through grit teeth. The young man was not able to stop the Warg from pulling on the vine-whip itself and hurtling him into some construction supplies. An excruciating pain ran through Allen''s back as it collided with the wooden crates and he slumped to the ground. "Ugh...feels like I got hit by a truck." Allen groaned while picking himself up. Using Extract to shield himself at the last second was the only reason he was still alive. "If Vinea won''t work, I''ll have to try out another Sculpture." He pulled out the teal crystal that belonged to the Draugr Specter and another Craft Card then allowed the Dream Sculpture to flow into the card. When the process was finished, an image of a stone axe appeared on the card and Allen grinned. His smirk quickly disappeared when he noticed that Warg was about to land another hit on Nera. He used magical energy to boost himself over to the two and shouted, "Open, Gravesinker!" An earthen axe like the one shown on the card sprung forth from it into Allen''s right hand and he tried to meet the Wraith''s metal beam with his own weapon. Allen''s eyes widened when his weapon passed straight through the beam and hit the Warg before it rapidly leaped back. The slash had dug deep enough to reveal a portion of the hostage''s shirt within the Wraith. "It can pass through solid objects? ...So, that''s the power the card gained from the monster we fought yesterday!" Nera declared in amazement. "That''s amazing!" Allen voiced his admiration. "This could turn the tide of battle in our favor on its own!" With renewed conviction, Allen ran to meet the Wraith by himself. It tried swiping at him again and once more, the axe careened through a metal beam and slashed directly at the Wraith. The monster was forced to retreat to avoid it while Allen made sure to stop right before landing a strike. He still didn''t want to hurt the person concealed inside of the Warg. At the same time, Nera used this opportunity to land another flying kick at its head. "Alright lackey, another move like that and we might be able to subdue it ourselves?" Nera egged Allen on and he steeled himself to at least attempt to knock the Wrait out with her help, if that was even possible. His axe ran through the metal beam again to nearly strike the Wraith. With a crack, the blade shattered into pieces and Allen''s fist landed harmlessly on the monster''s torso. "Huh?!" Allen uttered hoarsely as the Warg swung the heavy piece of metal at him. His ace-in-the-hole had suddenly disappeared right before his eyes and he had no time to dodge. "Allen!" Nera yelled frantically as she leaped into the path of the beam to shield him as it slammed into their bodies and sent them careening against the ground. The Warg had thrown the support object as well and was now charging at them on all fours in a frenzied rush. In a blur, it was already pouncing upon them like a meteorite. ¡®...a shooting star?¡¯ The thought flashed in Allen''s mind. However, it was not in reference to the Wraith¡¯s strike. A streak of orange light split through the darkness. It left a blazing streak on the Warg. That streak split in all directions like a willow tree around it and burst outward. The wrath¡¯s frame was rent apart instantly in a cloud of miasma and dust. Appearing from that, was the unconscious body of Liam. Before he could fall, Iyo grabbed hold of him. Ember-like particles drifted from two fingers Iyo had aligned like he was holding a knife in them. He had used his power to carve Liam out of the specter just as Allen had envisioned, but it was still incredible to see. ¡°That was metal,¡± Allen uttered in amazement. ¡°Yeah, and you make an awful cushion,¡± Nera complained before getting up from Allen and he stood up as well. ¡°Bummer, I was going to try that out if this gig didn¡¯t pay well enough. Speaking of that¡­¡± He looked around until he saw an amber stone glowing and promptly placed the Warg''s fang-shaped Dream Sculpture into his pouch. *** After the dust settled, the three of them watched as the wound on Liam''s neck faded away due to whatever faint Expanse covering the area going away after its destruction. Just in case, they still decided to call an ambulance for the unconscious landscaper, Liam, informing them that he was a victim of the same strange ailments as other workers at the construction site had suffered recently. They then walked a few blocks away before any authorities could appear. Over that time, Allen had asked how Iyo knew what kind of monster the Wraits and only for Iyo to respond that he and his friend had seen one before. This made it sound as if this Wraith did not manifest from Liam¡¯s fears originally. ¡°So, why was it targeting him?¡± Allen asked in confusion. ¡°It wasn¡¯t. He likely had a deep-seated fear of that monster, but it¡¯s more likely it was targeting me. I was the one it attacked first two years ago.¡± ¡°Two years ago?! A Wraith held a grudge for so long that it decided to sabotage your workplace? Wait, can Specters even hold grudges?¡± ¡°They can¡¯t,¡± Iyo answered flatly. He was looking straight ahead as they walked along the streets of the dimly lit area. They had no clear destination in mind besides away from where they had been previously. In a matter of minutes, the three¡¯s paths would likely diverge. ¡°Which means you think that someone is controlling it.¡± Nera infered and Iyo¡¯s lack of denial all but confirmed it. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve noticed a spike in Specter activity recently. Many people despise Grendel. At worst, it could be the Grim Reaper themself and more might target me, so you should avoid me. I don¡¯t want to involve anyone who has no stake in this fight.¡± ¡®I doubt that since she¡¯s dead, but who knows? It could be another one of the Inheritors.¡¯ Allen decided to keep those thoughts to himself for now. ¡°Well, if you join us then we¡¯ll have one then, right? We¡¯re both hunting monsters already for our own reasons, why don¡¯t you join our team.¡± Allen offered while holding out an outstretched hand. Iyo eyes widened before returning to their usual neutral state. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll join you two.¡± Allen and Nera both grinned deviously, glad to have a powerful ally added to their ranks. This odd pair of a newfound Magician and a questionable Reaper were now joined by a taciturn Oni. *** In the early morning of the next day, in the main art studio of Dezigners, a variety of posters all appeared to be dyed a deep blue regardless of the pigments that were used on them. Allen was currently working on a poster for an upcoming event called the Summer Sun Mirror Festival and was looking for inspiration while gazing around the room at other people¡¯s posters. What eventually caught his eye was none of them, but a realization that the blue light that seemed to dye the posters did not come from the windows but the walls themselves. The walls were painted a luxurious and vibrant blue that mirrored an early morning sky. The way the painting used color to appear almost luminescent compelled him. That gave Allen an idea. He proceeded to spend a lengthy amount of time on his poster using colored pens past a point that was feasible for a single poster. ¡°Hmm, almost done now¡­¡± The dried-up colored pen scraping against the poster snapped him out of his trance. He checked all the rest and saw they were dried up as well. He breathed a sigh and looked at what he had done so far. The scene depicted on the poster was that of a shadowy, ebon wolf devouring a blazing sun amidst an azure sky. It drew from the events of the previous night. Allen highlighted the color of the rising sun and morning sky through a sharp contrast with the inky blackness of the Warg¡¯s figure. It made each part more striking in comparison. ¡®Just need a little more to fill in that sun¡­¡± Allen could tell without looking around how empty the room was. ¡®Well, Leonardo Da Vinci took over a decade to paint the Mona Lisa¡¯s lips.¡¯ He proceeded to head to where supplies were stored for more pens but caught a glimpse of someone else in the studio. A young woman with long, curly blue hair wearing a colorful crop top and shorts, a sapphire jacket wrapped around her waist like a makeshift skirt. She was so absorbed in her work that she was unaware she was running out of pigments for the oil painting she was working on. ¡®Hmm..¡¯ ¡°Here,¡± Allen said as held out some paint tubes to the fellow artist. In response, she tilted her head back oddly to look at him with piercing sea-green irises, her long hair drooping even closer to the ground. He set the paint tubes down on her stand, unfazed. Owlette¡¯s head-spinning trick had done well to prepare Allen for something like this. He got a good look at the woman¡¯s upside-down face. She had an olive complexion and ear piercings with a tie-dye bandana covering her lower face. Her dark mascara-lined eyes shifted slowly to where he placed the paint tubes. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t realize I was almost out. I appreciate the favor¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Allen.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Xalia.¡± She tilted her head back forward and looked at him normally. ¡°Never noticed you around before, you¡¯re not some kind of specter are you?¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± She lowered her bandana to reveal a large mischievous grin spread out on her face. Her lips had ring piercings on them as well. ¡°Sheesh, you should see your face right now my man. I¡¯m just joking. Who believes in ghosts anyway?¡± Xalia pulled her bandana back up and proceeded to evenly disperse the paint tubes onto her pallet. She quickly glanced behind him. ¡°So, that¡¯s what you¡¯re working on, looks wicked. A wolf devouring the sun is a bold move for a festival celebrating it, dontcha ya think?¡± Allen could not tell if she was praising him or mocking him. ¡°Yeah, but it sort of just came to me.¡± ¡°I understand. The inspiration for my art is like that as well.¡± Xalia turned to her painting again and Allen observed it keenly. It looked like a random splattering of blues, greens, and oranges. ¡°Hope you don¡¯t take offense, but what exactly is this supposed to be? Abstract art?¡± ¡°You must be playing me if you can¡¯t tell, man. This is obviously the sun¡¯s light reflecting off the surface of a murky swamp.¡± ¡°Uhh, I think I can see it now,¡± Allen stated while rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re gullible.¡± Xalia snickered to herself and kept on painting. This struck a nerve for Allen. ¡°What¡¯s the point of creating art for the Summer Sun Festival if no one can tell what the hell it is?¡± ¡°Not creating this for the Summer Sun Festival. It¡¯s for my personal collection.¡± ¡°Why-¡¯ ¡°And I¡¯ll be lending it out for people to hang from the balconies during the festival.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Everything. My art is always for myself first and everyone else second. I didn¡¯t come here to follow some cookie-cutter template just to make a quick buck.¡± Her attention never left her canvas for a second. ¡°Roger. For me, art is just a path to success. If I have to follow some ¡®cookie-cutter template¡¯ to do so, then that¡¯s fine by me.¡± He responded nonchalantly. ¡°Hmm, I wonder how that¡¯s going to turn out.¡± Allen could almost hear her grin from underneath the cloth covering her face. ¡®I know this is bait, but I have to ask.¡¯ ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come to Atelier City to not be successful. Aside from becoming an assembly line artist that can produce exactly what is asked of them, there are two other types of artists that Atelier City¡¯s benefactors are looking for.¡± ¡°And what are those?¡± ¡°One, an artist with a charismatic personality and large following to draw in publicity for any work they have their hand in, and two¡­¡± Xalia gestured to the walls all around them. ¡°An artist with a distinct creativity that can spark the imagination of others around them.¡± Allen viewed her skeptically until it dawned on him and his eyes widened. ¡°These inspirationally blue walls were my contribution to the Summer Sun Festival.¡± ¡°I guess you are the real deal then,¡± Allen admitted with a humbled grin. Xalia looked back at him with a hunched-over gaze filled with mirth. ¡°Enough about me. Just what type of artist are you trying to be, Allen Lee?¡± Chapter 18: Land without Lies At the edge of a spacious lobby of a prestigious museum, two young adults could be seen on a pair of benches pressed against the wide, ivory walls of the establishment. One sat straight up with perfect posture, a man with sleek-black hair who wore yellow gloves and goggles. On the bench beside him, the woman wearing a purple-lined tracksuit lay spread out while listening to loud music. ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± Nera lamented in annoyance. ¡°He said his shift would not end until a few minutes ago. To be direct, I think he probably overestimated how fast he could travel here within that time.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s his fault for giving us false expectations?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly. I¡¯m not sure how to put it.¡± Before Iyo could attempt to excuse Allen¡¯s absence any longer, that person came rushing in himself. His breathing was a bit ragged from the hurry he had been in. ¡°....huff..Sorry¡­this place is a lot farther than I thought and the sidewalks were packed with people.¡± ¡°Save it for later.¡± Nera curled up forward on the bench. ¡°Let¡¯s just get down to business.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Allen grinned, eager to start their next job. It was only the next day and they had already stumbled upon another curious occurrence. ¡°This should be rather easy. All we need to do is look around for any clues of a Specter lurking about, corner it, and then payday!¡± Iyo tilted his head to the side. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯ll be that easy? I¡¯m even more new to this specter hunting business than you two and it is likely that a Specter is being controlled to commit like at the construction site, but I don¡¯t see why one would be here, right in the open.¡± ¡°He has a point.¡± Nera chimed in. ¡°Just because you read in the news that there have been five incidents of museums finding counterfeits in their collection without a trace of any break-in, how can you be sure that this Specter will be at this one in particular at this time? ¡± ¡°Well, to start with¡­¡± Allen sat down beside Iyo and leaned against the back of the bench. ¡°...the counterfeits were all from exhibits that are normally closed to the public most of the time.¡± ¡°...And this one currently has some special Viking exhibit open today.¡± Nera¡¯s tone lightened as the realization dawned on her. ¡°Not only that, I overhead from people walking around that it¡¯s only going to be open for one day before it¡¯s closed again for who knows how long.¡± Allen nodded. ¡°Exactly, I suspect that however they¡¯re getting through security, the method isn¡¯t great enough to get them through a sealed vault. That¡¯s why today, while the museum¡¯s open, is the only time they¡¯ll have access to what they¡¯re trying to steal.¡± ¡°I see. That still doesn¡¯t explain why this museum would be the next location and what makes you think they haven¡¯t already swapped an art piece out for a counterfeit.¡± Iyo pondered. ¡°That part¡¯s easy. After one counterfeit was discovered, the other four were found just two days later. Whatever way they first detected the fake, they must have spread it all around.¡± Allen said as he pulled out his smartphone and opened up a website to show Iyo and Nera. This site was covered in bright colors and fanfare. The two quickly saw from the assortment of museum photos stacked on top of each other that it was a ranking list of different museums in Atelier City. ¡°And as you can see, in terms of popularity, this place is right under all the rest that were stolen from. They would likely¡¯ve been told as well and they haven¡¯t reported anything about a counterfeit. At the same time, they¡¯re likely the next victim.¡± ¡°Except, we¡¯re going to catch that monster before that happens.¡± Nera sat up fully. Now that she was convinced of Allen¡¯s inference, she was eager to resolve this situation with her own hands. ¡°I agree. I can¡¯t stomach allowing another person¡¯s hard work to get taken away.¡± Iyo affirmed. ¡°Likewise.¡± This agreement sprung forth naturally from Allen. With that settled, their job had officially begun. Not wasting a second, Nera pulled her Dream Reflector, a violet mirror, out and spun it around in her hand. ¡°There¡¯s a chance this is like the Warg incident and one of the employees had a run-in with this Specter that left a deep impression on them. Let¡¯s try the mirror out on some of them first.¡± Under the guise of the mirror being from the gift shop and looking for the exhibit it was based on, they checked the Dreams of a lobby attendant, security guard, and janitor but saw nothing resembling a monster. Eventually, they even went to the gift shop to look for clues. Behind the counter stood a woman bearing blonde hair and light brown eyes wearing a button-up beige shirt with long sleeves. ¡°Hey.¡± Nera started just like all the times before.¡±Do you know where we can find this store item¡¯s exhibit? We¡¯re mega interested in checking it out.¡± The shop clerk¡¯s eyes betrayed her confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but our store has no item like that.¡± ¡®Oh crap, we should¡¯ve changed our story when talking to someone running the gift shop itself.¡¯ ¡°...Uhh, she¡¯s kind of confused. She meant to say that she got it from another museum and wants to know if you have an exhibit that reminds you of this mirror.¡± Allen rubbed the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.¡± ¡°What? ¡­Oh yeah, that¡¯s right?¡± Nera agreed haphazardly. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you just go see the one at the museum you got it from?¡± The clerk¡¯s voice grew suspicious and she reached under the counter for something. ¡°I think I¡¯ll call my supervisor and see if they can clear up your confusion-¡± ¡°To be direct, they¡¯re both too nervous to admit that they want to show you the mirror because you work at this museum and they hope you can give them some clues by looking at it,¡± Iyo interjected. ¡°Hey, why did you go and say all that?¡± Allen blurted out. He could tell Iyo was probably a rather honest person but this exceeded his expectations by a wide margin. Before Nera could give Iyo an earful herself, the clerk spoke up. ¡°I see. I think I know what¡¯s going on here now¡­ You both bought an expensive trinket without knowing what it was and don¡¯t want anyone to know about your blunder!¡± The clerk proclaimed before letting out a light and jovial laugh. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what it was. I guess we had to tell the truth eventually.¡± Allen replied sheepishly. The clerk sighed wistfully. ¡°Yes, whether you want to or not.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Anyway, about the mirror. It looks like it might have some connection to Nordic countries with its runes. I¡¯m not an expert so I can¡¯t be sure, but I hope that helps!¡± Allen exchanged a look at Nera to confirm that the clerk had gotten a good look in the mirror. ¡°Yeah, that should help.¡± *** The image that Allen drew from the mirror showed an upside house that looked like it crashed into the middle of a grassy field. This image did not appear to depict any kind of Specter. After trying out their first plan, they decided to move on to staking out the spot where they believed the Specter would appear to steal a painting, the Viking exhibit. However, as they walked down the hallway to their next destination, Iyo spotted something peculiar. ¡°Wait, is that the image you just drew?¡± Iyo questioned Allen. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re right. Why would that be there?¡± Curious, Allen reached out a hand to it and sensed mana emanating from the art piece. It felt familiar. It held a similar feeling to the passageway he and Nera used to traverse back and forth from the Luminiere District, the Underworld section of Atelier City. He quickly relayed this information to his two partners. ¡°I guess we should go through it and check it out,¡± Nera suggested. She shrugged. Allen could tell by now that Nera was confident she could deal with anything they might encounter.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Allen puzzled it over. ¡°It probably is connected to the Specter we¡¯re looking for but where will it lead?¡± ¡°Probably an Expanse, some Wraith can manifest gateways like this that send people to isolated locations just like the ones of the Luminiere District. I think we should give it a look.¡± ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s how the Luminiere works, huh? Just where does that send people then? Time¡¯s of the essence, so I¡¯ll save that question for later.¡¯ Allen nodded. ¡°Alright then! I figure Iyo could get through the barrier on his own but both of you grab onto my shoulders just in case. We¡¯re heading in.¡± After making that announcement, the three pressed their hands against the surface of the mural until eventually all resistance they were met with disappeared, and darkness enveloped them for a brief instant. When light returned to their vision, they found themselves in a small wooden room barren of any furnishings. They looked around in bewilderment before walking out through an empty doorway they saw in front of them. The rest of the building seemed heavily damaged while feeling strangely off at the same time. The first room had not been an exception, none of the rooms had doors to them. It did not take long for them to find stairs that led to the bottom floor of the building. Throughout the area, they saw no sign that any living being resided there. It was empty, devoid of even dust. Spotting nothing of note, they walked outside the first exit they found. They were met with the sight of a wide grassy plain filled with a circular line of tiny cottages. ¡°This isn¡¯t quite what I was expecting for a monster¡¯s lair. It¡¯s a bit too quaint, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think we¡¯re at some kind of amusement park attraction and we¡¯re all going to be treated to a song and dance.¡± Nera joked. As if on cue, people started gradually filing out of the miniature abodes wearing clothing that would not be out of place for a period piece set in 1800¡¯s Europe. These individuals ranged from people as young as them to even wizened elders. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that¡­What?¡± Nera said. She looked more confused by her own words than by the people approaching them. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± Iyo asked. ¡°We¡¯re called the Munchkins and have been living here for several months now. Who are you?¡± A middle-aged man with a tranquil voice was the one to answer Iyo while offering up an inquiry of his own. ¡®Probably best to not reveal all our cards from the start. I¡¯ll just say we work for the museum and stumbled in here by accident.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re a group of specter hunters and we¡¯re looking for a Specter we think is going to steal something from the museum.¡± Allen¡¯s eyes widened as heard the unexpected words that came from his mouth. ¡°Huh?! I wasn¡¯t trying to say that at all!¡± Nera exhaled sharply and clenched her fist. ¡°So, it isn¡¯t just me. I was going to joke about expecting these guys to show up just now. It¡¯s like a voice-over is replacing our words like a good dub. ¡­Wait, a great dub. Dammit! I want to say this is bad!¡± As Allen observed her, he saw that there was no discrepancy between her speech and the movement of her lips. Whatever was happening, seemed to be affecting more than just what they heard. ¡°What¡¯s going on? We can say some stuff but other things get completely overwritten.¡± Allen clutched his head with an exasperated sigh. ¡°This is giving me a feeling of mild annoyance. Hold on, I wanted to say headach-ah, nevermind.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Iyo continued with his line of questioning while ignoring Allen and Nera. ¡°I¡¯m also curious what is having that effect on those two.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it would be in our best interests to answer that first thing, but what¡¯s going on with your friends is that no one can lie inside this place. Allen¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°That explains why Iyo didn¡¯t seem to be affected. He¡¯s honest to a fault.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± Nera agreed before turning her attention to the so-called Munchkins.¡±However, there¡¯s such a thing as a lie by omission. We¡¯re here to help, so go ahead and tell us why you¡¯re here.¡± The older man¡¯s face looked troubled as he replied. ¡°I would, but that is very sensitive information¡­¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s keeping you here, but I have a feeling it can¡¯t be any good. Trust me, no matter who or what is threatening you, I will do my best to beat them.¡± Her violet eyes beamed with a genuineness that would have let them know the truth in her words regardless of the situation. With some reluctance, the villager opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it in surprise. Allen, Nera, and Iyo turned around to see the cause. There, in the same entrance they had come from, was a young woman with long blue hair and piercings wearing a black tank top and a jacket around her waist like a skirt. ¡°Yo, Allen Lee. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± She raised her hand in a nonchalant greeting. ¡°You?! I thought you were weird before but this blows that out of the water. Did you follow me here?¡± Allen bluntly called out. ¡°Sheesh, that stings even harder with the whole truth serum effect this place has. I can tell you mean those words.¡± Xalia stated while walking past him and toward the villagers. ¡°Hey Samuel,¡± Xalia greeted the middle-aged man who acted as a representative for the village.¡±Here¡¯s something nice that¡¯s sure to make your flowers stay in good health. She pulled a green vial from a gray pouch she had wrapped around her waist and handed it to him while receiving a simple nod in return. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just ignore me. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Xalia paid Allen no heed as she went to several other villagers to hand them other mysterious vials. ¡°Evening Gertrude, this should make your house¡¯s interior pop. Oh, Melissa and Dennis, this one has an enchanting fragrance you both are sure to enjoy.¡± She eventually turned back to the three of them. ¡°You asked why I¡¯m here, right? Well, I¡¯m just here to sell my wares to my loyal patrons. I¡¯ve been coming here for a while. It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Hold on, do you expect me to believe that¡­I guess have no choice.¡± Allen finally relented. Nera then walked in front of him with her arms folded. ¡°Regardless of where you two first met, could you at least fill us in?¡± ¡°Hmm, sure. It¡¯s rather simple actually, but I think we should discuss this somewhere over there.¡± Xalia pointed to a cottage about a dozen meters away. Allen and Nera were about to protest but Iyo urged them to go along with it. The four found themselves standing behind the small wooden lodging. ¡°So what did you drag us all the way over here to tell us?¡± ¡°Just look over there, you should get some answers from that, Allen.¡± Xalia¡¯s gaze could be followed to back where they just met. Winds started to gather while picking up stray blades of grass and dust until a great whirlwind sprung into existence. In an instant, it vanished to reveal something even more unsettling. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°The boss of this Expanse.¡± Xalia finished Allen¡¯s sentence. This Wraith possessed a roughly humanoid figure with its entire body wrapped in brown and white cloth like a mummy. Its arms were draped with sleeves that resembled burlap sacks and its eyes and mouth were stitched shut like a voodoo doll. Adorning the top of its head was a large brown witch¡¯s hat while its most eye-catching feature was two long silvery boots that appeared melded to its form. One could mistake it for a human that had undergone extensive body modification if it was not over three meters tall. The monster held what looked like a painting in one arm and walked up to the group of villagers. Hurriedly, they urged one of them to rush into a cottage, promptly retrieve a seemingly identical painting, and hand it to the Wraith. ¡°So, this is what they¡¯ve been up to this whole time,¡± Xalia commented dryly. ¡°What? I thought you were a part of this whole operation. What was that about them being your patrons?¡± Xalia shrugged. ¡°I just stumbled onto this place by chance a few weeks ago. I have a knack for sensing magic and these saps were gullible enough to trust me just because I couldn¡¯t lie to them. There are many more ways to deceive someone than that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just another way to say you¡¯ve been profiting off these people while not even trying to figure out their situation or how to help.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a fair trade. I give them some concoctions I whip up, and they give me valuable compensation. Plus, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s my job to protect anyone.¡± Allen sighed. ¡°Yeah, but it is ours. Nera. Iyo. Let¡¯s hurry up and confront that monster before it leaves¡­¡± He slowly realized that Nera was no longer standing beside him. ¡°She¡¯s way ahead of you,¡± Iyo informed. That answer came much too late. Allen could see with his own eyes that Nera stood alone against the Specter. ¡°Enough of all this. I¡¯m putting an end to this farce right now.¡± She crossed her arms and snapped her fingers to summon her gauntlets over her hands. At the same time, Allen and Iyo quickly rushed to her side to give support. However, nothing they could have done mattered. With a click of its boots, a whirlwind erupted from the Wraith and sent all three flying back. Allen ended up crashing into the side of the same cottage they had hidden behind. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to help, are you even Crafter?! It would be really disappointing if those ¡®magic potions¡¯ of yours were a part of your deception too.¡± ¡®Was seriously thinking about testing one out.¡¯ The blue-haired woman just folded her arms without a care in the world. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m not proud to admit it, but I don¡¯t have Mystic Skills. I am simply someone who has learned the ins and outs of magic while having no talent for it myself.¡± ¡°Gotcha, I guess we¡¯re not that different after all.¡± Allen got up to his feet and stared back at the Wraith whose head was twisting and jerking in every which way like a compass caught in an electrical storm. ¡°If you¡¯re just a normal person then stand back. Even if we¡¯re alike, I still think I¡¯m worth a bit more in a fight than a snake oil salesman.¡± Xalia remained silent as he rushed back to the battle. The Wraith seemed to zero in on getting rid of the nuisances attacking it and charged in their direction. It let loose two kicks from its abnormally long legs at Nera and Iyo. They both managed to block each other. ¡°Metal, this thing seems to fight with its legs, so it should be wide open for an attack!¡± Allen proclaimed as he gathered up Extract in his legs and his fist to leap high into the air and deliver a crushing blow. Allen grinned confidently as the wind raced past. ¡®That¡¯s right, even if I was just a normal person before. I have this power now and I can use it to protect people like that.¡¯ A certain person¡¯s face flashed in his mind but it did not just fade away. Allen¡¯s eyes widened as a blur passed over their opponent and its cloth wrappings came apart to reveal a human face. A young woman with silky black hair that reached her waist gazed back at him with deep blue eyes. The power faded from Allen¡¯s limbs as he croaked out a single name. ¡°Charlotte¡­?¡± Chapter 19: Behind the Curtain In the middle of the circle of cottages where a ruined house stood as a centerpiece, Allen was surprised to see the face of someone who should not have been there. A young woman with black hair and blue eyes, Charlotte. A regular patron of his other job, Coffee & Chronicles. Someone he had many trivial discussions with involving novels and other mundane topics. There had been nothing out of the ordinary in any of their interactions. ¡®There¡¯s no way that even she¡¯s been a part of this world this whole time!¡¯ In the midst of his confusion, the figure in front of him outstretched a hand to his chest as he descended from the air. Instantly, he was sent spinning back in a maelstrom of wind. Allen lost all sense of the difference between the sky and the ground before crashing into the latter with an unnerving thud. In a pile of dirt, Nera and Iyo stared worriedly while Allen¡¯s body ached all over. His mind was as jumbled as his body had been while being tossed by the wind. ¡®Maybe¡­this is similar to what happened to Iyo¡¯s friend.¡¯ Allen looked at his bandaged palm. ¡®I could manage to still fight as long as it was a stranger, but I¡¯m more of a hypocrite than I thought.¡¯ ¡°Allen, if you think this is a person being possessed, then you¡¯re wrong!¡± Iyo shouted to Allen, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Allen asked after getting back to his feet. ¡°Sense it for yourself, there¡¯s nothing but miasma.¡± ¡°That would be great if I could. How can you tell?!¡± Allen did not have time to hear another answer before that apparent doppelganger chased him down and thrust another hand at him like a lethal weapon. He dodged the initial blow but the vortex that then shot from it still blew him back the length of a basketball court. He dug his feet into the grass to come to a stop but his entire body reeled from the impact. Air normally had little resistance but the pressure that was exerted from that compact cyclone made the air equivalent to a moving brick wall. ¡°Damn, that felt like getting hit by a truck.¡± Allen panted while his arms were sore from shielding his torso. He imagined that having his internal organs squished by that much force would not end well for him. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Allen heard Nera call out from the roof of a cottage next to him. ¡°My ears don¡¯t hear that thing breathing or even a heartbeat. As for Iyo, he said that he basically scans anything he sees in great detail, too great actually.¡± From the corner of his eye, Allen could tell that Iyo was keeping their opponent occupied the best he could by himself. ¡°That could explain why he wears those thick goggles all the time then. But what about me? I don¡¯t have any power like that.¡± Nera leaped down from the roof right in front of Allen. ¡°Iyo¡¯s sensing power is not just a Grendel thing if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking, Crafters can do it too and¡­¡± The young woman pressed her index finger to his chest with a smirk. ¡°And I¡¯m mega sure that someone like you can do it too. I believe in you.¡± It surprised Allen to hear that. ¡°Alright¡­I¡¯ll try to figure it out.¡± A bead of sweat dripped from his temple into an eye and he blinked. Nera¡¯s determined eyes had been replaced with horror in a fraction of a second. A figure wrapped in cloths was reflected in them. ¡°How?!¡± They both uttered in unison. A swift kick from the doppelganger sent Allen rocketing into the air. ¡°Aghhh!¡± Allen screamed at the top of his lungs as the distance between him and the ground grew to the size of a multi-story building. Nera rushed at the figure beside her. ¡®What happened to Iyo?!¡± Allen yelled before spotting him all the way on the other side of the enclosure. His confusion was gone with the click of the doppelganger¡¯s silver boots. They vanished before Nera¡¯s fist could land and they appeared right above him in the air. They raised a leg to slam him back down to earth. Before he could reach the ground, another blow flung him to the side, and then another launched him into the air. A concurrent series of strikes propelled him into the clouds and farther away from anyone who had any chance of helping. ¡®Why-¡± ¡°Is it-¡± ¡°Just-¡± ¡°Targeting me!¡± Allen exclaimed in between this onslaught of attacks. In a moment of respite, he got a clear view of the horizon and his eyes widened. ¡°Is that the edge of Atelier City?!¡± A line of towering skyscrapers and lights stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction in front of the backdrop that was the evening sky. He remembered that certain gateways existed that sent people to Expanses a great distance away. This one must have been located on the outskirts of the city which was filled with spacious forests. ¡®It¡¯s trying to lead me out of the Expanse to make sure I¡¯m finished off for good!¡¯ This information did nothing to help him as he was continuously thrown around in the air like a ragdoll caught in a tornado. Even if he could confirm that he was not fighting a Specter possessing Charlotte¡¯s body, he would not be able to land a counterattack of his own with how unpredictable and fast its movements were. However, there was a possibility the sensing power Iyo made use of could solve both of these problems. He started intently at the racing blur only to be met with another unavoidable kick and then another. ¡®Iyo¡¯s worked through his eyes but I¡¯ve always been more hands-on when it came to magic.¡± Allen glanced at his hands where he steadily gathered magical power and realized something intuitively after coming into contact with the miasma of his opponent that whirled around like the wind it generated. Another series of attacks from all directions bombarded him. ¡°1..2¡­¡± Allen counted each one, trying to time the intervals. ¡°..3¡­4!¡± His hand caught the doppelganger¡¯s leg.¡±Whew, I can tell now that you¡¯re within my grasp. There isn¡¯t a trace of something real within you. You¡¯re just a cheap illusionist.¡± The Wraith tried throwing a punch but Allen caught that too as they began plummeting to the ground. ¡°You don¡¯t hold a candle to the real person, but I did learn a cool magic trick with so much firsthand experience of your power¡­¡± Allen¡¯s inky aura started to whirl around his arm at tremendous speeds. ¡°I call it Subtle Iron Drill!¡± He slammed his fist into the Wratih and his condensed mana drilled into its face, causing it to crumble away to reveal that there was only pitch-black miasma there just like Iyo had said. That did not stop the two¡¯s fall and a moment later, Allen and the Wraith both crashed into one of the wooden abodes and destroyed it. A large plume of dust rose into the air. *** Allen awoke to someone pressing something cold against his forehead. He opened his eyes and his vision gradually focused enough for him to see that Xalia was squat beside him. A crowd of the Munchkins surrounded the two as well while he was laid out on the grassy plain. ¡°Wha..¡± ¡°Shush, drink this before you say anything else, daredevil,¡± Xalia commanded while dangling a glass vial containing a luminescent golden liquid over his lips. Allen relented without any strength left to protest after his thunderous crash. At the last moment, the Wraith had used its free leg to soften the fall with a whirlwind but the impact still racked Allen. He had multiple fractures all over his frame and blood was dripping from numerous scratches across his body, including a deep gash on his head. There were scratches covering Xalia¡¯s body as well. He drank the strange liquid and was astounded to find himself feeling immediately better. The aching of his bones receded and the bleeding from his wounds stopped. Newfound energy welled within him as if he had just gotten the best sleep of his life. He sat up straight with amazement in his eyes. ¡°Woah, that¡¯s freaking metal! I thought you didn¡¯t have Mystic Skills.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, but that doesn¡¯t keep me from having some handy magical items. Don¡¯t worry about your compensation, you can pay me after we get out of here.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Well, that¡¯ll have to wait til after we take care of this monster.¡± Allen got up to his feet again. ¡°Hmph, you keep getting up no matter how many times you¡¯re knocked down. Are you that desperate to be seen as a hero by these deceitful cowards,¡± Xalia scoffed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean much coming from you,¡± Allen rebutted. ¡°Ms. Xyletzia, why would you say such a thing?¡± The village representative was shocked by those cutting words and so were all the others. Xalia stood up and tilted her head back. ¡°Oh, I guess I¡¯ll drop the act now then if I¡¯m going to pull the veil off from yours. I may have told you that I was here because of your boss, but that was just because they left a Gateway in a public museum like an arrogant fool. I don¡¯t work for them. Isn¡¯t that right, Brooke Townsend?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Allen looked over into the crowd of villagers to see that the gift shop attendant that they had met before was now among them. She had a strained expression on her face and two paintings in each hand. ¡°Please explain why you¡¯re here instead of just not saying anything. You might not know this already but lying also is a no-go.¡± Allen asserted. After a tenuous staredown, she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m a victim just like them. I was roped into this by some awful people who were trying to steal precious magical artifacts given to normal museums while using the museum I worked at as a base of operations. I know this is wrong, but¡­I¡¯m afraid of what will happen if I go against them.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the same for everyone here.¡± The representative added. ¡°We had no choice but to play along after being taken here and forced to use our art skills to make counterfeits for them to swap out the paintings with so they had more time to do whatever they plan to do with them.¡± Xalia clapped after they were both finished. ¡°Brilliant performance, even I¡¯m impressed. I don¡¯t know this for certain but I have a feeling that the Munchkins were expecting to be more willing participants of this operation at first and that Ms. Townsend is receiving a fairly steep sum to keep quiet.¡± The silence that resounded after those accusations was all the answer both Allen and Xalia needed to hear. Allen then shrugged his shoulders and started in their direction where he could he could hear the sounds of a struggle that was still unfolding. He needed to get to where his partners fought for their lives. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you get what¡¯s going on!¡± Xalia raised her voice for the first time that day. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being their ¡®hero¡¯ if they see you as nothing but a disposable meat shield?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that. Regardless of how they were manipulated into this situation, they¡¯re still trapped in it. I¡¯m just going to rectify that.¡± ¡°By putting your own self in harm¡¯s way? You¡¯re not responsible for living up to the expectations of people who don¡¯t even know you.¡± Xalia spoke with an annoyed voice. Allen kept walking away. ¡°What¡¯s gotten under your skin? Aren¡¯t I pretty much a stranger to you too?¡± Xalia grinned.¡°Hmph, do you really think this bothers me? This feels personal to me because you remind me so much of how I used to be¡­¡± Her expression morphed into one of shock as those words were forced out of her. Allen laughed out loud in response. ¡°So, this place has finally gotten to you? Thanks for worrying then.¡± Xalia crossed her arms. ¡°Whatever, Just know that I used to be someone who tried to live up to that label of ¡°hero¡± or ¡°champion¡± or whatever you want to call it and got nothing in return because I didn¡¯t have Skills. Anyone in this whole magical society shuns you if you aren¡¯t a mirror copy and anyone outside of it like these ¡®Munchkins¡¯ will look at you like some kind of magician to fix their problems or a witch who they should fear.¡± ¡°Is that how you really think we see you?¡± A young woman Allen had previously seen Xalia talk to, possibly named Melissa, asked her that question. ¡°Yeah, I bet it¡¯s all written in those books you have piled up over there for your warden to look at.¡± She pointed to a pile of tomes that were gathered by the attendant. ¡°It contains all the secrets you¡¯re too scared to say because you can¡¯t cover them up with lies, right?¡¯ Allen¡¯s gaze swerved over to the attendant. ¡°Why would you have them gather those books up at a time like this..,¡± The reason dawned on him as he finally took notice of the paintings in Brooke Townsend¡¯s arms. ¡°She was betting on that Wraith wiping you all out and then showing her bosses those diaries to prove her innocence in this fiasco.¡± Xalia deduced with precision. ¡°Enough of this.¡± Allen turned around and closed his eyes.¡±It doesn¡¯t matter if they aren¡¯t 100% honest or trustworthy. They¡¯re regular people stuck in a bad situation out of their control, and that¡¯s enough for me right now.¡± The Wraith suddenly appeared in front of Allen as if to finish him off. Nera and Iyo were trailing a far distance behind it. ¡®I think I get it now. This Specter has been targeting me because it thinks I¡¯m the weakest link. It¡¯s brutally efficient or whoever controlling it is.¡¯ ¡°The reason I want to is not for any label like ¡°hero¡± or ¡°champion¡±, it¡¯s because I want to become someone worth remembering. That¡¯s my truth. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a part of the specter hunting group, Virtuoso.¡± Allen began charging up another Subtle Iron Drill while the Wraith gathered up the actual wind in kind. Xalia heaved a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t try to warn. I¡¯ll at least say this too. Ms. Townsend referred to that Wraith as ¡®Grimhildr¡¯. You seem like a big book nerd, so just knowing that name might clue you into something.¡± ¡°Sheesh, that¡¯s true but it still stings. Ugh, didn¡¯t mean to say that either. I need to get out of here already.¡± His next move was to meet the Wraith head-on. He faced the whirlwind of the Specter with one of his own which allowed Allen to even the odds somewhat. He was still fortunate to have his partners by his side and the three were able to corner the Specter that Allen now knew as Grimhildr. Iyo could not seem to use his power directly on it but his pure physical strength was still about half as much as Nera who was ridiculously strong. They almost cornered it when Allen heard a sudden declaration. ¡°Look out! Behind you!¡¯ Allen heard Nera¡¯s voice shout. He looked around in a hurry to see what it could be. He was surprised to find nothing. Nera and Iyo were also confused. Not only that, Grmhildr had disappeared from their sight and now stood in the middle of the crowd of Munchkins. At that sight, the trio wasted no time chasing after the Wraith. ¡°What happened? What was the false alarm for, Nera? You said ¡®Look out. Behind you.¡±, Allen relayed what he had heard. ¡°What are you talking about? You two just turned around on your own out of nowhere. I definitely said to that monster ¡®Looks like we¡¯re getting out of here and leaving you behind.¡¯¡± ¡°Hold on, this Wraith is the source of this Expanse¡¯s truth-revealing power. It used that ability to twist words to its advantage just now.¡± Iyo reasoned. ¡°An extension of its wind manipulation, no doubt,¡± Allen added. Before they reached Grimhildr, miasma had spread from it and latched onto everyone in its vicinity like thick ropes. They keeled over as the vitality was drained from their very flesh. The Wraith was feasting on their lives in order to win this battle. ¡°Stop that!¡± Nera snarled.¡±Those people are under my protection!¡± She launched herself at the monster but it enshrouded it and everyone around in a vortex of high-velocity air that repelled her back. Allen and Iyo were met with similar failures. They tried repeatedly and the barrier never budged. Allen racked his head but despite recognizing that Grimhildr was the name of an evil witch in Norse mythology that disguised the hero, Sigurd, as someone else with magic to pass a certain challenge, he did not remember any weakness or death associated with her. ¡°Damn it, are you really going to let it end like this? I¡¯m talking to you, Xalia. If you have some crazy potion that can magic this away then let us know!¡± Xalia stood motionlessly with her hand holding one arm while her eyes stared intently at the disaster unfolding before her eyes. She struggled to keep her indifferent look as her lip quivered. ¡°I told you already, Allen Lee. I¡¯m done trying to be a hero-¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you if wanted to be a knight in shining armor, I asked if you wanted to save lives!¡± Xalia started to reply but her mouth hung open, fearing what would spill forth from it. She closed her eyes and heaved a massive exhale. ¡°Screw you, I came to this city to start over and become someone that could do what I wanted to do. I deluded these people into thinking I was on their side while I laughed at their misfortune secretly. I¡¯m not as righteous as you think I am, I don¡¯t want to be.¡± Allen clenched his teeth and averted his gaze. There was nothing more he had to say that would not be him making up nonsense to try to convince her to help. That would not work here. ¡°But¡­you know something? I read some of those journals while everyone was distracted by that monster, and the only words I saw spoken about me were nice ones and that felt good.¡± Xalia dug her hands into the pockets of the blue jacket she wore around her waist. ¡°Heh, I got so hung up on myself that I forgot could enjoy helping people. ¡­Actually, you guys look like you need my help, and could probably help me too. Think I could join that Virtuoso club of yours?¡± The young woman looked over at Allen with her usual self-assured grin. Allen looked to the others for their approval and then gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Sure, I got an alright feeling about you. You did get all scratched up getting me out of that wreckage before.¡± Xalia chuckled as she started to walk toward the Wraith¡¯s vortex. ¡°Just felt like it.¡± She then pulled out a wand-like stylus from the jacket around her waist with her right hand and three vials with her left hand. ¡°Mariner Craft, Page 4 - Burbuja Prounda¡± The witch chanted as she spun the Stylus in her fingers and the liquid in the vials streamed from potion containers and then coalesced into a single multi-colored bubble. ¡°I thought you said you couldn¡¯t use Mystic Skills?¡± Allen blurted out. ¡°I can¡¯t use Mystic Skills, plural. There is only one spell that this witch can use. That¡¯s why I learned to add extra spice to it. Now shush and let me work my magic.¡± Allen and the others remained quiet while they waited with baited breaths. They could do nothing but watch as the people inside the whirling tornado had the strength sapped from them like someone wringing out all of the water from a sponge. Their skin began wrinkling as their bodies shriveled up from the miasma leeching their life. All the while, the vortex got wider and stronger. Xalia continued with a second chant while circling the bubble she had conjured like stirring a vertical pot. ¡°With the fillet of a fenny snake, in the cauldron boil and bake, eye of newt and toe of frog..¡± The bubble became a tempest of its own filled with swirling colors that raged with volatile power like a volcano ready to erupt. Xalia appeared to struggle just to keep it from blowing up in her face as it swelled ten times in size before collapsing to the size of a marble. ¡°..Like a hell-broth boil and bubble, then unleash your might and leave my foe to rubble!¡±¡¯ Xalia let loose her concoction and the tremendous force shot forth from the bubble and pierced straight through the vortex formed by Grimhildr and left a gaping hole in its chest in an instant. The wall of wind-dispersed and swept over the grassy plains like a sigh of relief. Fairly soon, the Expanse would fade away and everyone would return to normal. ¡°Metal.¡± ¡°Stellar.¡± ¡°Polished.¡± Allen, Nera, and Iyo all expressed their amazement. Xalia turned back to them with a knowing grin. ¡°Pretty wicked for a witch¡¯s first day on the job, right?¡± Allen smiled back. In less than a week, Virtuoso had already come a long way in membership, and he enjoyed having front-row seats watching that unfold. He only hoped that things would be less hectic from now on, at least for a little while. Chapter 20: Collected Materials Allen slept soundly in his bed with a large book that had arcane runes stretching across its cover lying on his face. He had tried finding alternatives in it, but everything seemed to point back to the Theugist¡¯s Periapt, a magical item that could remove nearly any curse or other mystical infliction. Eventually, he got tired of looking and passed out while reading in the middle of the night. ¡°Wake up.¡± The apartment¡¯s sole resident felt a chill wash over his entire body that roused him from deep sleep. He tried to ignore the feeling and sink back into slumber. He mused about an unexpected cold wave in his dreary state of mind. ¡°Wake up.¡± However, that chill was followed by what felt like a strong pressure wrapping around his heart and then the sensation of a million spiders crawling along the surface of his skin and pouring from his mouth and eyes. ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°Aghhh!¡± Allen yelled out in terror as he flung himself out of his bed in a panic. From his new spot on the floor, he saw someone approach. A woman wearing a hoodie with bright emerald eyes that pierced through the darkness of the dimly lit room. ¡°Harpe¡­¡± Allen uttered solemnly. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me. You surely must¡¯ve expected this after gifting me your address and a spare key.¡± She answered in a whimsical tone while leaning toward him.¡±Let¡¯s get to this point of my visit, here¡¯s this.¡± She threw him something thing that fluttered in the air before he awkwardly caught it. It was a sleek and thin book with both a flexible cover and flexible pages. Every surface of it was filled with colorful drawings. There was a scene of an alley where a monster made of vines lay in wait, another of a monument with a lightning bolt etched on it, and one of a gravestone with Nordic runes. Nera, Iyo, and Xalia all had portraits of themselves in the collection of bizarrely familiar drawings. ¡°Is this a comic book¡­and why does it have images of what I¡¯ve been doing for the past week? I thought you were creepy before, but stalking takes that to a whole new level.¡± Despite his quip, Allen was shaking all over. ¡°Picture of the future.?¡± Harpe said this in a sing-song voice that made Allen¡¯s stomach churn.¡±This is called a Destiny Manual, a prophetic tome that shows a chosen few how to obtain their true magical potential. Atelier City has given this out to every person who¡¯s caught their eye and arrived after The Night of Rising Stars. I found this one in a random alley one day.¡± ¡®Prophetic tome? An alley? Does that mean this was meant for me, could it make learning how to use magic easier?¡¯ Allen shook his head. He was not going to fall for some future-reading mumbo jumbo that easily. He instead focused on Harpe¡¯s intentions for trying to manipulate him with that. ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡± ¡°Right to the point. I like that, Extra. I have a job for you in exchange for allowing you to read the entirety of that Destiny Manual. It will help you avoid any near dangers and reveal the solution to all your problems.¡± Harpe promised casually. ¡°I¡¯m not buying that lame story and your threats won¡¯t scare me either.¡± Allen proclaimed halfheartedly. ¡°Is that so?¡± Harpe took a few steps forward and Allen frantically reached for his harmonica stylus on the nightstand. His fingers brushed against it and a flash of insight made him lose grip on the Manual. Harpe reached down and took it from his hands before walking away. As she approached his door, Allen saw the figure of a man wearing a full suit of silver armor. He stood so still, akin to a statue, that Allen had not noticed Harpe¡¯s servant who she called Hache had been standing there the whole time. ¡°Seeing the script must have given you a bit of stage fright. I¡¯m nice, so I¡¯ll offer you the job again when you regret letting the key to your salvation slip through your hands.¡± With that ominous premonition, the two walked through Allen¡¯s front door. It was only after he heard their footsteps gradually recede into silence, that the young man released the breath he did not know he was holding in. ¡°That was unexpected¡­¡± Allen leaned back against his bed. He was not going to be able to get another wink of sleep the rest of that night. He looked to the window and the moon was nearly full. Allen reflected on how it looked that other, life-changing, night, and an uneasy grin spread on his face. *** On a patio overlooking the Luminaire District of Atelier City, Allen, Nera, Iyo, and Xalia were all enjoying food and drinks from the R&R Lounge. It was their current location. The perpetually dark sky of the Underworld was mesmerizingly illuminated by a vibrant stream of colors that resembled the Northern Lights. It was the next day. Allen and Nera thought there was no better way to bond as a team than going out to relax after the absurd experiences they all had recently. ¡°So, what do you think of the place? It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it? The lack of customers means we usually have the place mostly to ourselves besides a few regulars.¡± Allen explained as though as if he was announcing something rather praiseworthy. He was hoping no one would notice that he was still shaken from the encounter he had last night. ¡°Just how am I going to bring up that crazy Grim Inheritor snuck into my place? Iyo and Xalia don¡¯t even know about the Inheritors.¡¯ ¡°You know, most people would consider a place with such low popularity not the ideal one for a hangout spot, dontcha think?¡± Xalia snidely remarked while holding her chin in one hand over the table. ¡°Hmph, that says how much you know. We don¡¯t just come here to hang out. This i also where we gather info for our specter hunts. The secrecy gives us the freedom to discuss pretty much anything while we¡¯re here,¡± Nera asserted while taking a bite of a parfait she ordered.. ¡°With that being said, how and why exactly are people manipulating Specters to commit various crimes? Any more fiascos like the last two and I might consider a very grim person being behind it,¡± Allen pondered while slumping over the table. ¡°What are you talking about? If it was a Grim Inheritor behind all that, they would¡¯ve showed up to steal my Grim Piece.¡± Nera¡¯s eyes opened up farther than any time earlier that day as she realized her folly. ¡°Grim Inheritor?¡± ¡°Grim Piece?¡± Iyo and Xalia parroted those words respectively in confusion. Allen got up from his wooden chair with a start and slammed his hand down. ¡°Those are just random terms from a game we¡¯ve really gotten into lately called, Grim Galaxy¡­Yeah, that sounds legit.¡± ¡°You said the silent part out loud idiot,¡± Nera declared while clutching her head. ¡°Let¡¯s just come clean. None of us know each other that well yet, but if we¡¯re going to go any further as a team, then we probably shouldn¡¯t keep secrets as serious as this one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We have gotta tell them.¡± After a lengthy explanation concerning everything they knew about the Grim Reaper Trial and the Grim Inheritors, the other two were fairly stunned at the recount. They had a hard time even believing it until Nera pulled out her baton and transformed it into a mystically crafted scythe.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°That¡¯s the Grim Reaper¡¯s scythe¡­¡± Iyo stated as if he had seen it before with his own eyes. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard descriptions of it before, but that¡¯s not all. You can tell that¡¯s not normal just from the ominous aura it¡¯s emanating.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Do you feel like calling it quits now that you know you¡¯re teaming up with someone in a battle royale between wannabee Reapers?¡± Nera asked while putting on a brave face. Allen could still tell there was some hesitance in her voice. She was not sure if her very existence could risk splitting up the group before it could even truly start. Iyo was the first to answer. ¡°No, I already said I was prepared to fight the Grim Reaper themself. If it¡¯s true that we only have to worry about people with a fraction of their power then that¡¯s even better than what I hoped. ¡°Well, I make no promises that I won¡¯t scram as soon as things look like they¡¯re taking a turn for worse, but a chance to obtain the Theurgist¡¯s Periapt means I¡¯ll at least stick around for now. ¡± ¡°Hold on, you were already looking for the Theurgist¡¯s Periapt before? What do you need it for?¡± Allen¡¯s tone was anxious as he spoke. Xalia waved a finger in the air. ¡°That¡¯s for me to know and you to never find out. I just need you to promise that after you two fix your problems with it you¡¯ll hand it over to me.¡± There was not a hint of sarcasm or uncertainty in her ultimatum. Allen¡¯s eyes wavered. ¡°About that, I kn-¡± ¡°Fine, you can have it after I remove my Grim Piece and Allen¡¯s specter problem is stopped. We won¡¯t need it by that point anyway.¡± ¡°Looks like we have an understanding then, however long that will take.¡± Allen groaned. ¡°As I was trying to say before, I think I know how we can make a Periapt ourselves now.¡± It was Nera¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°Are you serious?¡± She peered at his face for the answer then pulled him toward her by the collar. ¡°Wait, how?!¡± "Well, we have instructions on how to make the Periapt from that Automaton we fought...and these two have the rest needed to make it." *** Some hours later, Virtuoso was in a well-light room with stone walls but rather modern furnishings. The interior was circular and had a round skylight covering the ceiling. There were many rows of counters with a large metal vat in the center. ¡°So, this is where you make all your witchy potions. Is it really possible to create the Theurgist¡¯s Periapt like this?¡± Allen inquired Xalia who was busy stirring some arcane mixture inside the metal vat. ¡°If those guidelines are accurate then it can, I made sure of that with it being my house after all. However, I¡¯m not sure how much we can trust those instructions despite how authentic they feel.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Harpe is trying to mislead me here. She wouldn¡¯t let me read all of the ¡®Destiny Manual¡¯. The only reason I was able to see the guide to make the Periapt was because I accidentally analyzed it with magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still iffy on this. All that happened and you didn¡¯t immediately tell me. I¡¯m your partner.¡± Nera jabbed a finger at his chest before her face turned beet red. ¡°I mean we¡¯re all your partners. We should be in the know about this kind of stuff.¡± ¡°Almost sounds like you¡¯re worried about me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I am. What¡¯s wrong with worrying for someone I care about?¡± ¡±Uh, nothing at all.¡± The young woman¡¯s sincerely caught Allen off guard and he averted his gaze to see Iyo contemplating over the modern cauldron with something shining in his hand. ¡°Are you really sure about giving that up? You said that was a ¡®magatama¡¯, right? Isn¡¯t that the name of one of the three imperial regalia of Japan?¡± ¡°This is just a replica of the Yasakani no Magatama, but it was made by a skilled Crafter who got a glimpse of the real artifact. It¡¯s also a valuable treasure.¡± Iyo elaborated. ¡°Yeah, that person was also your mentor. You sure don¡¯t want to think it over?¡± Iyo turned to Allen with a piercing look. Even without being able to see behind the thick yellow goggles, he could envision those slit-like pupils, a sign of Oni blood, drilling holes through him. ¡°Mulling over whether to choose between sentimentality or the safety of my sworn comrades, what kind of question is that?¡± ¡°Heh, you¡¯re right. Never mind what I said just now.¡± ¡°Okay, you can drop the rock into the concoction, Iyo.¡± Xalia directed and Iyo gave the golden comma-shaped jewel one last meaningful look before letting it fall into the swirl of mystical substances. That all had nothing to do now besides Xalia but wait and stare as she made the Theugit¡¯s Periapt. ¡®Is this really happening already? Isn¡¯t this a little too fast?¡¯ Xalia spun her wand over the cauldron and its contents spun even faster. The golden jewel caused them to glow with a shine akin to the sun while the light of the full moon washed over it. That very scenario was a requirement for the exorcising tool¡¯s creation. According to Xalia, the magatama which was already a powerful magic item in its own right being used as a base cut the crafting time tremendously. Those two fortunate things along with even having someone with the skill to carry out the whole process baffled Allen. ¡®This is going incredibly smoothly, But why does that feel like a bad thing? This is what I wanted.¡¯ Allen broke into a cold sweat and trembled under that uneasy feeling. The young man looked into the vortex of mana coalescing in front of him with a blurred vision. He heard a voice next to him. ¡°I get that you¡¯re feeling nervous about this. It¡¯s easy to forget with how well you¡¯ve acclimated to magic, but it¡¯s only been a week and the idea of some weird occult trinket being used on you would freak any ordinary person out.¡± Nera glanced over with her violet eyes with a grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though. I¡¯ll go first and test it out for you.¡± ¡°Ah..¡± He finally realized what that feeling was. It was a disappointment. He wanted to continue going on adventures throughout the world of magic. If that item worked and stopped him from becoming a Specter, there was a chance he would be unable to use magic anymore as well. He could not be a part of Virtuoso any longer. Allen Lee would return to being just another ordinary person separate from the other three¡¯s lives. ¡°I wanted to go on an adventure with them, to spend more time with her-everyone a little longer. We just a became team and it¡¯s already over?¡¯ Regardless of the young man¡¯s conflicting emotions, the crafting carried on. The vortex became more tempestuous until it resembled the sea in a raging storm. The metal container barely holding in began to vibrate with an audible hum. Xalia took her wand in two hands as silver and golden light began to emanate from the mixture in waves while the steam bubbled forth. A flash of light covered the area and steam obscured all sight. The heat was enough to hurt the skin. After a few moments, it eventually cleared and they were able to see the fruits of their efforts. A small gold and black disc that was four times the size of an average coin. ¡°Iyo, go ahead and make the final touches.¡± Iyo nodded and did what Xalia guided him to do again. He pulled out a knife from his side and etched sun and moon symbols onto the disc. Nera walked up to him and reached out a hand. ¡°Is it done?¡± ¡°Absolutely, this is a complete Theurgist¡¯s Periapt,¡± Iyo affirmed before handing it off to Nera. ¡°Hey Lackey, see if giving this a feel will help us figure out how to use this.¡± Nera reached out her hand with the lunar side of the disc facing upward. ¡°Roger.¡± Allen slowly reached his hand toward hers, but a moment of hesitation stopped him in his tracks. He then resolved to go forward despite what the outcome would be. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up from this dream.¡± His hand moved again. The skylight cracked open. Shimmering clouds invaded the area and gathered into one point. The sound of a thousand crackling sources of noise assaulted their eardrums. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Xalia yelled out but no one could answer even without the thunderous cacophony. In a matter of seconds, a million specks of white congealed to create the figure of a mechanical person wearing a cloak and an antlered deer mask right in front of the cauldron where they made their newfound treasure. ¡°What kind of freak is that? A Specter or a Crafter?¡± Allen pondered out of bewilderment. ¡°Neither, I don¡¯t feel any magic coming from it. That¡¯s not an entity of the Underworld.¡± Iyo ascertained after already pulling down his goggles. Nera slammed her fists into her empty palm. ¡°Who cares? We¡¯ll all-¡± ¡°Move.¡± Everyone besides Nera was slammed to the stone walls of the room by an invisible power, leaving her all alone. Instantly, a hexagonal force field surrounded her and the strange object and closed them off from her as well. That was when the masked enigma walked to Nera. She tried to lung forward for an attack but realized her feet were fixed to the ground, keeping her from going anywhere until the ivory figure was right in front of her. Nera threw a punch that was simply caught with one hand. ¡°You contain a seed that has not even sprouted yet. It¡¯s too early for you to remove it, Valkyrie.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your garbage opinion, Mannequin. What gives you any say about what I do with my Grim Piece?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the reason you have it and the reason you were found in this city six years ago.¡± Chapter 21: Grim Reaper Trial ¡°How do you..no, that can¡¯t be true. If it is then what¡¯s the point of all this? Why did you make me this way? Why here in Atelier City?¡± Nera¡¯s tone became more frantic and shaky as she continued. ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember anything about before and just who the hell are you? Who the hell is Valkyrie supposed to be?!¡± Allen wanted to help but the barrier that now surrounded Nera and the mystery assailant had withstood all his and the rest¡¯s attempts to break through it. He could not even begin to comprehend the depth of the emotions that were plaguing Nera now as she faced that monster alone. ¡°A vessel does not need to know more than what their role requires. You only need to let your slumbering power awaken through the Grim Reaper Trial I set up for you and this..¡± The masked entity uncovered Nera¡¯s fingers that were around the Theurgist¡¯s Periapt to reveal its cloud side.¡±..Is an obstacle to the crystal clear path I¡¯ve laid out for Valkyrie and all other Inheritors.¡± The mechanical hand crushed the Theurgist¡¯s Periapt and Nera¡¯s along with it. She let out a scream that caused Allen¡¯s face to flare up with anger. He began banging on the barrier even harder than he had before, infusing Subtle Iron into each strike. ¡°Ahhh! Damn you!¡± She tried to throw another punch but a strong electrical shock racked her entire body with the mechanical hand being its source. ¡°I¡¯m only doing what¡¯s necessary to clean up your mess. A prolonged electrical current should be enough to destroy this nuisance. The pain you feel now will only serve as a reminder to avoid this mistake in the future.¡± ¡°Let her go, you bastard!¡± Allen yelled while throwing another punch that not only got deflected but sent him flying back into the wall. He did not waste a moment getting back and running in for another attack. ¡°You are a nobody that has clung to my canvas for too long. Do you think you have been more than a burden for her?¡± Those words fell on deaf ears. Allen used every Craft Card he had empowered to get through the repulsive force field but he was only slammed back into the wall more fiercely the stronger his blows were. Finally, a hole burst through the barrier. Dust from the decimated floor caught in the crossfire covered Allen as he stumbled through. Iyo and Xalia tried following but the barrier closed before they could. ¡°You¡¯re too late. I¡¯ve already finished clearing everything up.¡± The masked entity let loose its grip on Nera and she fell motionlessly to the ground with a loud groan. The young woman attempted feebly to get up but found no strength in her numb limbs. What used to be a golden disc had become just charred shards of nothing next to her hand. The specter stones Allen held fell from his now useless appendage. His breath was heavy both from exhaustion and rage as he walked forward. ¡°Hanging you from your intestines would only be the start of making you pay for all the pain you caused her.¡± Without turning to face Allen, it still responded. ¡°You should look into a mirror. You, without any connection to the magic world whatsoever, dragged her and those others into helping you live out your fantasy of playing adventurer. ¡° Allen ignored the scathing remarks and kept marching forward, even if there was not a single trace of mana left for him to use. You, who thinks simply trying is enough would be content with blaming any failure you face on your own unavoidable weakness or the inability of your comrades to compensate for it. You, who should not even have been the one stand by Nera¡¯s side that fateful night.¡± For the first time since making it through the barrier, the young man faltered. ¡°Just what is that supposed to mean, eh?¡± ¡°It simply means that the Destiny Manual found in that alley was meant to go to someone other than you. That someone would have been the optimal guardian for Nera Vide. All the pain she¡¯s gone through since meeting you has been because you recklessly intervened and threw events off their rightful path.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± No later than Allen croaking this out, a sudden arc of lightning shot from the white assailant¡¯s hand and struck his chest dead-center. He fell over instantly with his shirt blackened from the impact. ¡°Allen!¡± Nera called out the young man by his true name and then dragged herself to his body. When she reached him, she found him breathing raggedly and his entire body limp from the extremely high voltage. ¡°Can..you get up?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you that. You¡­need to get to your feet and leave with Iyo and Xalia.¡± Allen wheezed out deliriously. ¡°Heh, all that work we did and we ended up in the same place as when we met.¡± ¡°Hmph, you make it sound like forever ago.¡± Nera went along with his spiel to keep him falling unconscious. ¡°It was only a week ago, now get up. I didn¡¯t leave you behind then and I¡¯m not doing that now. You¡¯re too important as my personal lackey.¡± The young man¡¯s eyes seemed frighteningly vacant as he looked up to the fractured skylight that showed the half-moon. ¡°A week, huh? I must¡¯ve lived more in that one week than I did the entire year before it. ¡­Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll follow along with you all as long as I can¡­¡± His words trailed off into silence. Complete silence. She couldn¡¯t even hear a heartbeat. ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Dead. Not that his life would have amounted to much anyway. However, now, there¡¯s one less distraction from keeping you from reaching your full potential.¡± ¡°Shut it!¡± Nera yelled out with fiery tears in her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t decide his worth, or mine, or anyone. You don¡¯t get to decide who lives or dies!¡± She stood to her feet despite the lingering effects of the paralytic shock through sheer force of will. The young woman stood in defiance between her dear friend and the unfathomable foe. ¡°And you do?¡± The mechanical voice asked in a tone that was as mocking as possible for it. ¡°I¡¯m the Grim Reaper¡¯s successor, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m done fighting you all just to survive or run away.¡± Nera understood deep down that the real reason she had only wanted to get rid of the curse was not because she did not think winning against the other Inheritors or the mastermind behind the ritual was possible. She was afraid of what she would find out if she was the victor. ¡°I¡¯m going to pry all the answers from you and put an end to this sick game even if it shows how much of a monster I am!¡± Before the assailant could respond, Nera felt her eye surge with a white-hot burning sensation but it was not from the electricity or tears. Instead, power was welling up from inside her own body. Iyo and Xalia watched on in amazement as a violet aura covered both her and Allen. ¡°No. This should not be occurring. This is not the right place nor the right time.¡± The ivory android stayed still as the spectacle unfolded. It was unsure of what to do in this unforeseen event.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Is this the Grim Reaper¡¯s power? I have to stop-no, if it¡¯s mine now then I¡¯ll trust it to save the things that I want to save.¡± The young woman gave in to the overwhelming magic as she clutched her burning left eye. Nera¡¯s mind went blank as the violet energy emitting from her pulled Allen back up to his feet. She turned in his direction and held out a palm from which an ethereal chain sprouted and encircled his arm. ¡°Wha?!¡± Allen¡¯s eyes jolted wide open with a start and he checked his scorched chest to find his heart thumping fiercely in it. The organ had been forcibly knocked back to a proper rhythm. Less than a second later, he saw what was the cause of his reawakening. ¡°Nera¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± Her left eye¡¯s iris had become a violet ¡°x¡± and her gaze was emotionless. Allen took note of the power wafting off her and finally realized what was happening. She had finally tapped into the inheritance left to her. An ebon marking made of feathers encircled the ¡°A¡± tattoo on her upper arm and served as the final nail in the coffin. A Grim Piece. ¡°Hey, get it together! You can¡¯t let this take over you!¡± Allen pleaded desperately. Much less than having no idea when the white assailant would resume its attacks, he did not want to lose his friend to some dead witch¡¯s power before even learning who the real her even was. Nera suddenly spoke with a blank expression. ¡°Silence, I¡¯m finally out, so begone you dull-¡± Her word cut out and the girl¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment before regaining their usual but welcome glower. ¡°Ugh.. why are you looking at me so intensely?¡± Allen let the strained air exit his lungs. The tone she took before snapping back to her usual self seemed oddly familiar but that was not what they needed to be focusing on now. ¡°Glad to have you back but we need to get the hell out of here ASAP.¡± As if on cue, another arc of electricity was fired in Allen¡¯s direction but Nera had already raised her hand to block it as easily as swatting away a fly. The entire area right next to Allen was obliterated by the action. She then winced and closed her eyes as if in great pain. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s taking every bit of concentration I have not to lose control. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m trying to plug a crack in a dam overflowing with boiling water.¡± Allen was amazed at her being able to rein in this much magical energy despite not having any experience using it as far as he knew. That is when he had an idea. ¡°Let me help you! It might not be much but I got more experience manipulating magical energy than you, and you¡¯re already trickling it to me through this chain. Channel as much as you can and I¡¯ll use it up as fast as I can!¡± Allen suggested with a confident smirk. ¡°There is no way that will work. You only risk destroying yourself and Valkyrie along with you. I¡¯ll put an end to you before that happens.¡± The masked assailant gathered translucent hexagonal patterns in preparation to engage them once more. ¡°This sounds like a dumb idea, but I¡¯m great at making those work.¡± Nera boasted with a fierce smile as she instinctively grabbed ahold of her forearm to better control the output of power, her left eye still shining with a violet cross. She began channeling magical energy directly into Allen through the chain binding them and he could feel his veins course with the red-hot power. ¡°Let¡¯s kick his ass, Lackey!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Without another signal, Allen picked up the axe from a Craft Card he used that fell on the ground and leaped forward in a blur and the ground beneath his feet shattered. He blasted past all the hexagonal barriers separating the assailant from them and the chain luckily extended to keep up with his movements. The obsidian figure transformed its arm into a blade and Allen met it with his axe. The two exchanged an innumerable amount of blows before Allen was blown back by a hexagonal barrier he had not anticipated. This was followed up by a volley of electrical strikes he had no choice but to evade by running along the barrier at the edge of the vast laboratory. ¡®My body, it feels lighter than ever before, and each move I make feels like it could break through steel¡­this is the kind of power aimed at her.¡¯ Allen pushed those concerns aside and vaulted back to the ivory android. He grunted as he felt his legs buckle from the immense amount of force. The two clashed back and forth as the android used its force fields to send rubble in his way. Allen worked himself to his limit to keep up. Not destroying his body in the process of harnessing this much strength was akin to trying not to crack an egg while holding it with a wrench. To keep his limbs from bursting, he diverted the flow of energy to spin around his arm and then wrap around his body in a violet vortex. The centrifugal force kept the energy near but mostly outside his body. Not only that, this would be his route to victory. Noticing the strain on him, Nera yelled, ¡°Are you sure you can keep going?! Should I hold it back more?¡± ¡°No, give it everything you got and I¡¯ll make sure it reaches him too. I¡¯m going to end this right here and right now!¡± Allen shouted as he reeled his hand back for a decisive move. ¡°You nobody. You overstepped the boundaries of the mundane for too long. You are close to ruining her destiny. At this point, I will have to break her down and build her back up from scratch. With the advanced technology of Atelier City, that should be more than possible.¡± The mechanical puppet speaking for the human far away from this battle erected the hexagonal force fields in a row outstretched to Allen and began charging them with voltage from one of its hands. They began beaming with white light until Allen was sure the resulting blast could blow everything in the building away, Nera included. The thought sent Allen boiling over with anger. ¡°You heartless bastard! People aren¡¯t tools you can just control or throw away. Whether chosen or not, everyone has the right to decide what they want to live their life for!¡± Without responding, the android fired its torrent of electricity that threatened to wipe out away everything that Allen had grasped desperately. The young man clenched his teeth and held out his forearm while grabbing it, mirroring Nera, and unleashed all the power they could muster into one single move. On the ground, Nera¡¯s thoughts were steady and focused. Almost more than she could ever remember. She had no recollection of using magic but she felt even if she had, this was the right way to use it. Directing magical energy into Allen felt natural. It was like she was the gunpowder and he was the gun. If that was the case, all they needed now was a bullet. ¡°Magical¡­¡± Nera started. ¡°Iron¡­¡± Allen continued. ¡°Drill!¡± In unison, they shouted out the name of the blast that shot from Allen¡¯s right arm like a giant iron bullet that could tunnel through anything. The lightning collided strongly against the drill but the pair pushed with even more force. Nera¡¯s back erupted with a wing made of chaotic particles and arcane runes raced up Allen¡¯s arm. The lightning fell to the drill and the blast crashed through the force field. This was the same trick that Allen had used to get past them before but amped to eleven. There was no stopping it now. Seeing its impending demise, the android tried to get out of the way but an orange line raced against the ground and caused an explosion that blocked its path. ¡°What?¡± When it attempted to fly above Allen¡¯s attack, it was stopped by a large bubble that surrounded it and blocked the machine¡¯s movements before the android burst it with a single slash of its bladed arm. ¡°You fools. Do you think your little tricks can restrain this vessel?¡± ¡°Nah, but slowing you down is enough for me.¡± Xalia mocked from where she and Iyo were still locked behind the force field set up by the assailant. ¡°In this case, that is all that is needed.¡± The taciturn Oni followed with his knife jabbed into the ground and the ivory android looked to a looming shadow to see there was indeed no time left. ¡°Wait, it can¡¯t be? Is this the power of a Valkyrie¡­and an Einjerhar? The power to blot out fate itself.¡± With one last push, the raging maelstrom of jet-black ink from the young woman with monochrome hair and the young man with arms wrapped in bandages broke the final barrier and their mechanical enemy was engulfed in an all-consuming darkness. The force blew through the walls of the room and scattered dust and debris everywhere. Afterward, there was no trace visible of the enigmatic white android with a crown of antlers. Abruptly, the chain around Allen¡¯s arm broke apart and the arcane runes faded away as well. With no magic power left, Allen fell helplessly from a story up in the air and met the ground with a thud that rocked his whole body. ¡°Ugh, I need to work on my landings.¡± Allen groaned while being grateful that he had been able to bend his knees well enough to avoid breaking his legs. He looked over to see Iyo and Xalia were both relieved as the barrier keeping the two at the outskirts of the room began to fade. ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Allen hurriedly turned his head to see Nera sweating profusing with only her unaltered eye still open. She used the last of her energy to give him a cheerful thumbs up then collapsed over onto the ground. Allen rushed over but was glad to see her sleeping peacefully while lying amidst the rubble. The tenacious young woman did not seem to have a care in the world as her chest rose up and down at regular intervals. Allen resolved himself to keep it that way no matter what strange threat entered his life next. For him, the Grim Reaper Trial had truly begun. Chapter 22: Encroaching Wall A few minutes had passed since Allen and Nera landed their massive blow that seemingly vanquished the white android in Xalia''s ruined laboratory. Allen was now watching over Nera''s sleeping body as he waited for the barrier that Iyo and Xalia were behind to finally disappear completely. Suddenly, he was hit by an invisible wave of energy that sent him flying out of the barrier he had first broken through to where Iyo and Xalia still waited. They both immediately checked on his injuries. The white specks that made up the enigmatic machine came together again from all over the room and slowly but surely reconstituted the android to its former appearance. It took Allen a few moments to realize how that could be. ¡°...You broke your body apart right before the energy hit you. You slimy bastard.¡± Allen derided with venom in his voice. ¡°Yes, although that attack did manage to destroy over 30% of this vessel¡¯s component drones. It was so impressive that I assessed that your existence is so insignificant that Valkyrie will reach her true potential whether or not you are around.¡± ¡®...Am I only a detriment at best?¡¯ Allen clicked his teeth at the backhanded compliment and tried to get back up but was held down by Xalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Woah, when you told us Nera was an inheritor of the Grim Reaper, I didn¡¯t quite believe you but now there¡¯s no room to doubt. We can ensure she stays by our side once we confirm your arm will stay by yours.¡± Xalia talked in her usual carefree tone but she already administered as much first aid as she could with the potions she had on hand. ¡°Allen, are you ok?¡± Iyo asked. ¡°Your hand¡­ it¡¯s not in good condition.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sugarcoat it, Iyo. We need to leave now to get that lump of flesh treated, but I¡¯m not sure if that thing is going by cool with that.¡± Xalia said as the barrier broke up into multiple hexagons that hovered over the three and started to glow brightly with white light. Without the separation, Iyo helped Allen to his feet. ¡°It looks like my associates have decided to eliminate all three of you with this opportunity. It does not matter to me since the Oni and the Witch are not crucial to my plan.¡± ¡°Mariner Craft, Page 4 - Burbuja Prounda!¡± Xalia cast a mystic skill forming a ring-like Sigil around the three along with a massive bubble created from the potions hanging from her waist. The hexagons became a blinding white that basked the entire room, but before that makeshift shield could be tested, something else crashed through the skylight. It was a giant bird creature with the visage of a monstrous falcon and emerald eyes with spiraling darkness. With a flap of its wings, its steel feathers shattered all the hexagons like arrows piercing fragile glass. It swooped down and landed with a tremendous thud. On its back, stood a gray-haired woman wearing a black jacket strewn with white musical notes. Accompanying her was a warrior dressed in a full suit of armor. ¡°Sorry for the late opening but there¡¯s no way you thought I was just going to let you get rid of my precious understudies, Soothsayer.¡± Harpe addressed the masked entity directly. ¡°I did not Siren, but I will not be your opponent tonight. Calamity will be.¡± Instead of the ceiling this time, a fiery explosion collapsed the wall behind the Soothsayer. Erno Rautianainen bounded through the flames and charged directly for him. Using his golden sword, he swung in a vicious arc that should have slashed straight through the mechanical figure. ¡°With this much racket, even an ant would be able to notice what¡¯s going on! You¡¯re the mastermind here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Despite what looked like a direct hit, the masked enigma in the shape of a human simply dispersed into specks of white. Its fading voice could still be heard. ¡°The same goes for you Inheritor of Muspelheim. I will leave you all to your own devices. When you are ready to harvest, the Inquisition will be there to hunt you down as well. Then, I will be able to reap a soul and see its shape for myself. Its beauty should be worth more than all the art in Atelier City put together¡­¡± With that, the robotic voice disappeared completely. Erno clicked his teeth in disappointment before lifting his sword to Harpe. The red-haired warrior was not leaving without a fight. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to settle for you. You¡¯re also an Inheritor, so you¡¯re sure to know more about that Soothsayer or whatever too. Harpe placed fingers on her golden lyre and started playing a haunting melody. ¡°What makes you think I was going to let you get away? Keep me entertained for a while before offering up your Grim Piece with your last words in exchange for putting you out of your misery.¡± ¡°Hmph. As if the bravest person in the world would do something so cowardly.¡± Erno gripped the blade of his sword tightly. Emerald and crimson magical energy began to collect around the two of them. ¡°Allen, come to your senses. Hurry up and get Nera, so we can get out of here.¡± Xalia shook Allen from a daze he had been in. The confrontation with Soothsayer had taken a colossal toil in more ways than one. It felt like the foundation that he stood on up until now had been pulled from under him. ¡°Me? Are you sure Iyo wouldn¡¯t be a better able to-¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m busy building up power of my own to make a way through and Xalia¡¯s shielding us while I do so. You can help as well with this.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Allen clenched his fist. ¡°Yeah, this is what I can do to help for now.¡± He ran outside of the bubble surprisingly seamlessly and rushed toward Nera while ducking and dodging debris from the Inheritors'' clash of conflicting powers. When he nearly reached her, he rolled and grabbed her limp body with a firefighter carry he learned from a safety guide one dreary day then rushed back to the others. Xalia¡¯s bubble burst immediately and Iyo charged ahead and sliced the wall with his carving knife. Countless slashes appeared on its surface until it completely collapsed to the outside and allowed them to get away. No one dared to spare a moment checking behind their backs. ¡°Run.¡± Two chants could be heard from the battle of the two Inheritors. ¡°Give applause to the hysterical opera of the depraved humans¡­¡± ¡°Let the fire giants turn this land into a scorched battlefield¡­¡± ¡°Enter Midgard.¡± ¡°Enter Muspelheim!¡± An explosion rang out that engulfed the entire building and everything in a two-kilometer radius. If it was not for Xalia creating a last-second shield, they all might have met their end right there. Even after that initial blast, they still kept running and running with no clear destination in sight. ¡®Run, because for now, that¡¯s all you can do.¡¯ *** ¡°Huff..I think we¡¯ve gotten far enough.¡± Iyo admitted through ragged breaths. They had run for so long that the sun was beginning to peek over the distant horizon and illuminate the tops of skyscrapers. The sky slowly turned from ebon to blue. Looking back, they could see a large pillar of emerald and crimson breaking through the clouds above. ¡°So¡­it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ll have to pay rent for that place anymore. That¡¯s about what I expected when I heard the Grim Reaper was involved, but what¡¯s your plan now, Leader?¡± Xalia asked as snidely as one could while keeling over from exhaustion. Allen glanced at Nera who was still unconscious and let out a deep sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t have one yet but, I¡¯ll make one. We¡¯ll just have to try-no, we will find a way to get another Periapt and I¡¯ll become strong enough to make that happen.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Nera suddenly spoke which shocked them all. ¡°I know just the place for that but you might wash out, Lackey.¡± Allen tried to respond but her eyes fluttered shut once more and she began sleeping so soundly he did not want to disturb her. He grinned. ¡°Rest easy, you can tell me when you wake up. I¡¯ve decided to stick with his path all the way to the end. Even if nobody chose me for it, I¡¯ve already chosen myself.¡± *** It was late in the afternoon as Virtuoso sat in Allen¡¯s cramped apartment room. His various figures lining all the desks and tables in the area filled their view. There were hand-drawn posters and pages taped on the wall displaying anything from his proudest works to indefinite works-in-progress. In a pristine corner of the abode, stood a glass case that held all his prized mecha figures. Allen and Iyo were seated at one table playing a card game with cheaply produced pieces of cardboard with a thin film over them. Meanwhile, Xalia was sitting on a solitary couch thoughtlessly switching between food and crime channels. ¡°I manifest Adamantine Tiger and arm it with Cliff Divider then strike your Phoenix of Brilliant Flame,¡± Allen stated monotonously as he slid two cards of his own design across the table with his left hand. His other hand was lying motionless on the hardwood surface. Xalia had given him two potions to accelerate the healing and ease the pain respectively but they could only do so much. The spectral corruption did not retract and it would still take another full day or two before his right hand was in full working condition. Iyo responded calmly. ¡°I use my Phoenix¡¯s ability to discard a Skill Card in order to avoid destruction.¡± The young man with sleek black hair who wore yellow goggles around his neck placed a card from his hand into a perfectly neat stack next to his deck. Allen grunted as he tapped his finger on the table anxiously. ¡°Is this game making you that upset?¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not that. Just ready to go ahead and start learning how to get better at magic. We don¡¯t know when another insanely strong threat will show up. It¡¯s not like they punch a clock or are nocturnal monsters that can¡¯t survive the light of daytime.¡± ¡°We are better off not encountering any Atelier City vampires. They¡¯re animated corpses that could siphon all of a human¡¯s blood content with a brush of skin,¡± Iyo confirmed the existence of that nightmarish threat without even batting an eye as he proceeded with his turn. Allen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m morbidly curious. Do they have to drink blood or are they just compelled by an uncontrollable urge for-¡± ¡°Where the mega fuck am I?!¡± A loud, feminine voice interrupted Allen. It came from the same couch on which Xalia was seated. The girl with monochrome hair who was lying on the sofa behind Xalia sat up with a start as everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward her. ¡°Glad to see you full of energy after your long 14-hour nap. We all ended up crashing at my place since it was the closest.¡± Allen said with a crooked smile. Nera¡¯s battered state from just earlier that day was still very fresh in his mind. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that,¡± Nera replied as she stretched her sore body. ¡°I could tell this was your dump from the tacky drawings all over. I meant why am I sharing a couch with Xalia when there¡¯s a semi-decent bed over there.¡± She glared at Allen but Xalia slid her face in between their gazes. ¡°I would be the one to blame for that. I had to make sure you wouldn¡¯t toss and turn around much while the heavy dosages I gave you circulated through your body. Wouldn¡¯t want to vomit all over Allen¡¯s sheets, don''tcha think?¡± The self-proclaimed witch explained with a wry grin. Allen still could not tell how much her mischievous persona was an act. Being outside of the dream realm that forced her to keep it to just stretching the truth did not help. ¡°Huh, you injected a bunch of potions into me? I guess that explains why I don¡¯t feel like total garbage right now after getting shocked for so long,¡± Nera examined her hand where Soothsayer had sent strong voltage streaming into her body. Only a tinge of pain could be felt as she opened and closed it but there was still a faint red mark left on her skin. ¡°Yeah, but your body heals quite fast anyway. The recovery rate of your metabolism must be wicked efficient,¡± Xalia postulated. ¡°Well, all that¡¯s neat to hear. I just need to know if you¡¯re ready to lead us to where I can get the training I need.¡± Allen said, addressing Nera directly. Before speaking, she spontaneously threw her body off the couch and flipped into a skillful landing. ¡°Of course, I hope you¡¯re ready for a long series of grueling lessons.¡± Chapter 23: Fundamental Magic The gym floor of Knight Arms was filled with exercise equipment and rings for people to train and spar respectively. Semi-regular lessons were held weekly for aspiring martial artists who were gym members. Several instructors rotated in and out based on their specialty and availability. Since nearly half of the instructors were also active members of the Paladin Order or Traverser¡¯s League, it was not too unusual for schedule changes to be made on the fly. This was different from those cases. ¡°Block this!¡± A heavy strike was sent rushing toward Allen¡¯s side, who barely managed to defend with his arm. It almost went numb from the impact. ¡°No, that¡¯s not enough! You need to block with your Extract as well. Surround your entire body with aura, because you can¡¯t expect to react to my attacks in time!¡± Helena instructed while continuing a barrage of blows that Allen was failing to keep up with. The rest of Virtuoso and other attendees of the lesson watched on until he was ultimately knocked clean out of the ring. ¡°C¡¯mon Allen, everyone else was able to do it.¡± Nera berated while sitting on the ground, her head propped up by one hand. Everyone besides Allen had already gone and there were now nine people standing around the ring. ¡°Don¡¯t want to hear that from you. You were left out of this training,¡± Allen stated as he wiped sweat from his brow. The current lesson was about the basic fundamentals of magic that dealt with defensive techniques. Particularly, how to refine and maintain a protective aura around one¡¯s body during combat. ¡°She has a point through,¡± One of the regulars chimed in. The auburn-haired woman wore a partially unzipped jacket with a form-fitting shirt underneath and shorts. Her outfit was a blend of silver and gold, and she would not be out of place at a track and field event. ¡°Spending so much time trying to learn such a basic technique as maintaining your aura defense isn¡¯t a good sign.¡± ¡°Vanna, you only say that since you were okay with letting yours be subpar for years,¡± She was countered by another participant. He was a young man with blonde hair. He wore a black nylon t-shirt and shorts with white compression tights that covered his arms and legs. ¡°Hmph, only someone too slow to evade attacks would need to rely on it. You want to have a go to illustrate my point, Renzo?¡± Vanna propositioned, but before any words could come from her would-be opponent¡¯s mouth. Helena interrupted. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of training! Shut up you two brats unless you want to be thrown in the pit for twelve hours.¡± Helena threatened with a booming voice. That was enough to silence the two immediately. With that, Allen refocused his thoughts on training but even after several more minutes passed. He was still making no progress. ¡°Don¡¯t lose heart after only another five minutes, give it another dozen hours and you¡¯ll definitely succeed,¡± Iyo spoke reassuringly while giving such single-minded advice. ¡°Thanks, but everyone will have left and come back in that time.¡± Allen lowered his center of gravity and dug his soles into the floor. An inky aura enveloped his body. It was much denser in some places than others and barely there in some spots. ¡°I¡¯d much rather finish this right now!¡± One kick to his shin and a blow to his abdomen and Allen was kneeling on the ring floor again. ¡®Shit, I didn¡¯t think it would be this hard to keep my entire body shielded evenly with energy for just a few seconds.¡¯ Helena stood tall in front of him and was completely unfazed. She suffered no damage from the bout. The only signs that she could even be hurt were the long-since faded scars on her muscled frame. ¡°You¡¯re not a Crafter nor Grendel, are you? I thought that shoddy aura of yours was some hair-brained trick to focus your energy where it was needed but that¡¯s not it at all.¡± Helena asserted. ¡°Yeah, I had no connection to magic before I was attacked by a Wraith one week ago. Is that a problem?¡± Allen asked cautiously. He was worried that he would be immediately kicked out as an outsider to their world. ¡°No, like I said before, this place is for anyone who¡¯s looking to hone their mind and body, But, with an aura like that, you¡¯re gonna die before you become a Specter.¡± A chill went down Allen¡¯s spine. ¡°How do you know that¡¯s what I¡¯m here for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve run into many with your situation before, and they all had similar issues,¡± Helena mentioned offhandedly. ¡°And did they survive?¡± Allen gulped. He was not sure if he wanted to hear the answer or not. Helena dug her fist into her sides.¡±Heh, if you can manage to make me budge from this spot, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°So no chance in hell then.¡± Allen raised his fists up once more and rushed in again. Another exchange of blows followed with Allen never being able to get a hit in. ¡°Good, it looks like you¡¯re not giving up anyway. You¡¯re still using your mystic energy all wrong though.¡± The instructor was able to chat casually even in the midst of deflecting every strike that came her way. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Allen questioned with some irritation. ¡°You keep your energy in a constant flowing state. That means you have to concentrate on every spot on your body to keep your Extract from flowing back into the crystal you keep on you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Allen stopped in his tracks.¡±Isn¡¯t that how Extract normally works? It flows back into mana crystals unless you will it out of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s close, but what about other crystals? You never noticed them drawing the mana out of each other, have you?¡± Helena pointed at the spot underneath his bandages where he kept his crystal, and he remembered using multiple crystals at the same time without any interference from each other the night before. ¡°You think there¡¯s only one state to Extract, but there¡¯s two. One where it flows and one where it¡¯s static. Static is how it naturally is inside the crystals. We just force it into a different state.¡± ¡®So, I just need to reverse that while it¡¯s already surrounding my body¡­¡± The conclusion Helena had been leading Allen to finally dawned on him. His aura enveloped him once more until it became a completely uniform coating of invisible armor. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a quick learner. At least you have that going for you.¡± She raised her fists in preparation and Allen followed in kind. In his next step, he bounded straight to her in a blur. The distance between them was closed immediately. Allen reeled his fist back. With a loud smack, a strong high kick from Helena collided with Allen¡¯s temple without any sign beforehand. The young man did not even flinch and his fist continued to fly through the air. Helena¡¯s eyes widened and she opened her mouth. An incomprehensible, rapid stream of words ushered forth. Allen¡¯s stroke hit its mark at Helena¡¯s midsection but it felt like he was hitting an impenetrable wall. A glowing Sigil now covered Helena¡¯s body as a network of intricate lines. In surprise, Allen quickly backed away to the edge of the ring. Allen had lost all hope of getting her to talk. Meanwhile, she simply stood there with a sour expression on her face. The glowing lines slowly faded. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I had to use Pulse on my vocal cords just because you, instead of faltering, were reckless enough to trust that I wouldn¡¯t knock your head clean off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the kind of trick that wouldn¡¯t work if you had time to gauge how strong my improved aura was. I figured you wouldn¡¯t go all out from the beginning at least.¡± Allen let a weak smile show on his face.¡±Forget that though, what was that thing you did to speak so fast, a Skill?¡± The giantess instructor shook her head. ¡°That was Pulse. I used it to hasten my Skill chanting. It¡¯s one of the four fundamental techniques of Extract. Didn¡¯t Nera tell you about those?¡± From the confused look on Allen¡¯s face, she got her answer and turned to Nera. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t blame me. I barely paid attention to that crap while you were teaching me.¡± Nera shrugged defensively. ¡°I can¡¯t use magic, remember?¡± Helena sighed while facepalming. ¡°You were trained to fight against magic users. Even a shallow-thinking wild girl like you should know that it¡¯s essential to be aware of what your enemies can do.¡± ¡°Enemies? Just what kind did the upstanding Paladin Order have in mind to train a young woman with no magic to fight against?¡± Xalia inquired from the sidelines with a tangible hint of derision. ¡°Hmph, Xalia, was it? From how you performed during our training session, I could tell you should already know the Paladin Order¡¯s motives.¡± Helena spoke calmly. ¡°You make it sound so secretive. I don¡¯t mind having a nice little chat about our skeletons,¡± Xalia waved a hand dismissively in the air and Nera seemed to eye her cautiously. Allen felt an unsettling tension spawn between the three women. ¡°It looks like Allen¡¯s completed his session. How many rotations of this are up next?¡± Iyo was standing up now with a blank expression on his face. ¡°Rotations? You expect us to go through all of that again?¡± Allen asked in bewilderment. ¡°Then what is next then? We came for training, right?¡± Iyo reminded. ¡°The newbie with the goggles is right. Let¡¯s move on to the sparring matches. You can learn about the fundamental techniques at the same time.¡± Helena stepped off the raised platform and Xalia huffed in disappointment. The instructor then pointed out two attendees.¡±Vanna and Renzo, you two are up. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be able to prove my point after all,¡± Vanna said. ¡°You mean I¡¯ll get to show you that aura defense isn¡¯t as simple as you think it is.¡± Renzo quipped back. The pair both ascended to the fighting stage. Allen noticed something particularly off about Vanna. ¡®Huh, she¡¯s wearing flip-flops. Is she gonna fight like that?¡¯ Meanwhile, Allen spotted a familiar-looking case attached to Renzo¡¯s waist. He could not quite put his finger on what it reminded him of.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Alright.¡± Helena stood halfway between the two from outside the ring.¡±Activate your V.S. Gear, so we don¡¯t have to clean any of your blood from the floor.¡± Vanna and Renzo nodded and tapped the electronic headpieces they both wore. Digital pixels appeared to shimmer across their frames. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to bother turning yours own. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll even be able to land a hit on me.¡± Vanna¡¯s voice was light and airy as she trash-talked her opponent. Renzo just rubbed his wrists indifferently. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how fast you are if I can anticipate where you¡¯re going, but keep talking. It¡¯ll make my win all the more satisfying.¡± Renzo spoke nonchalantly with a self-assured attitude. He pulled out what looked like a playing card from the case at his side and Vanna did the same. Allen looked on in confusion. ¡°What are those cards they have?¡± He asked to anyone who could answer. Xalia was the one to speak up. ¡°Those are Craft Cards. They¡¯re basically storage receptacles for ethereal items when you can¡¯t be bothered to carry them all the time.¡± ¡°That sounds metal. How do I get some?!¡± Allen prodded further but Nera chimed in. ¡°You can geek out over some cards later. You¡¯re supposed to be paying attention to the match.¡± She stated sternly. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll at least be able to see them in action.¡± He consoled himself. In accord, Renzo waved his card over his arm and bright amber pixels emerged from it and covered his wrist. When the shine dissipated, a blue and orange shield with a checkerboard pattern took the light¡¯s place. Vanna waved her card through the space in front of her and pixels gathered in front of her feet. Bizarrely, they constructed a bronze starting block like the ones used for a racing event. She slammed one foot right after the other on the block as she got into a starting position. The block then transformed into a pair of bronze greaves that went up to her knees. ¡°Those are similar to Nera¡¯s¡­or I guess Helena¡¯s gauntlets. Guess that¡¯s a standard around here.¡± Allen commented right as Helena herself began to speak. This fight will consist of three stages signaled by me. First just Extract techniques, next Mystic Skills, and then what goes further beyond that. Now, commence!¡± Neither Vanna nor Renzo wasted any time in confronting their opponent. The blows instantly resounded across the gym, Strong gusts of wind ushered forth from the ring with their superhuman movements. It was clear that Vanna¡¯s fighting revolved around a flurry of acrobatic kicks intermixed sparingly with punches. Renzo primarily relied on his fists and bladed shield with solid footing. He used quick jabs to attack and would respond in kind to low kicks with some of his own. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, Allen could tell Renzo was having trouble keeping up. For every one strike he threw out, Vanna countered with five times the amount. He had not even managed to land a single blow while being struck several times himself. ¡°It seems pretty one-sided. Maybe Lady Dreadnought should¡¯ve picked another person to go against Roadrunner.¡± Nera assessed frankly. ¡°No, they¡¯re pretty even.¡± The man with the multi-colored eyes from before interspersed. ¡°Renzo and Vanna are the top two of this gym. They just have very different strengths.¡± ¡°Good observation, Declan. Vanna might have him beat in speed but each of her hits doesn¡¯t do much in comparison due to his strong aura.¡± Helena added. After another series of kicks and punches later, Vanna decided to go in for a more serious attack. She launched a kick that had multiple spins adding to its power. True to their words, even this did not get much reaction out of Renzo besides a small grunt. Instead, he used that instance to reach out and grab Vanna¡¯s wrist and pull her in for a strike to the solar plexus. She got sent flying back but managed to keep herself from leaving the border of the ring. While watching on in fascination at seeing two Crafters fight somewhat seriously for the first time, he felt a strong grip grasp his head. It was Helena¡¯s hand, her way of getting his attention. ¡°Watch closely, the Extract technique they¡¯re primarily using right now is called Flow. It¡¯s the most natural of the four for people to learn and involves amplifying physical forces exerted by the user¡¯s body.¡± Allen¡¯s eyes narrowed.¡±That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been using this whole time to amp myself? Even for aura?¡± Helena nodded.¡±Even completely still, the surface of your skin exerts some minuscule force on its environment, and Flow allows you to amplify that enough for it to act as a barrier against harm.¡± As Helena spoke, Renzo launched a barrage of attacks at Vanna while she was at the border of the ring with his blade-edged shield. She contorted her body almost parallel to the ground in a display of incredible flexibility. With the slimmest of space possible, she cartwheeled back toward the center of the ring. Renzo sighed. ¡°For some reason, getting you at the edge becomes as difficult as swatting a fly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re as slow as a slug. You couldn¡¯t hit a glacier with that speed.¡± Vanna taunted back. ¡°Was that Flow she used to be able to bend like that?¡± Allen questioned out of amazement. ¡°No, it can¡¯t make you more flexible. That was Vanna¡¯s natural athleticism, but physicality works well with Flow. How much Flow amplifies your strength exponentially increases with the more strength you use.¡± The instructor elaborated. ¡°That means just a small growth in physical ability can result in a colossal boost to the power of my Flow.¡± Allen reasoned correctly and looked over his arms. ¡®I guess Nera did have a point about working out. Never gonna admit that to her. She¡¯d run me into the ground.¡¯ The spar began to ramp as the two Crafters exchanged more intense blows. Allen started to notice something odd. Renzo would move a half-second earlier to intercept attacks before Vanna executed them. There were also times he aimed for spaces she would move to an instant later. It was as if Vanna¡¯s actions were being conducted by Renzo instead of her. ¡°That¡¯s Scan. The second most natural fundamental. It allows one to analyze their surroundings with mystic energy.¡± Helena had noticed Allen¡¯s attention turn away from Vanna¡¯s flashy moves to Renzo¡¯s precise counters. ¡°You¡¯ve used it before, Allen.¡± Iyo declared next to him.¡±Scan is how you were able to see through Grimhildr¡¯s facade. I¡¯m also constantly using it, but I can¡¯t predict movements like he can.¡± ¡°Future sight must be a much more advanced form of this Scan technique then if even you can¡¯t do it,¡± Allen inferred but Helena voiced her disapproval. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get carried away by your own fairy tales. He¡¯s not seeing the future, just predicting it based on his opponent¡¯s preparatory motions. You¡¯ve heard of them before, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re the small actions one makes before doing something more impactful. It¡¯s stuff like bending your knees for a jump or raising your arms for a punch.¡± Allen¡¯s own explanation helped him realize the key to Renzo¡¯s prediction. ¡°Correct, but there are many other signs as well. Where your feet are turned, your eye line, a twitch of the finger, and one¡¯s very breath can all clue a person using Scan on what move they¡¯ll take next. If Vanna¡¯s Innate Skill is Agility then Cold Reading is Renzo¡¯s.¡± Amid the battle, Renzo shifted his foot at just the right moment to trap Vanna in a standing leg lock. With no way to escape, it was her turn to be pummeled by a barrage of attacks. Urgently., she nimbly bent out of the way and managed to leap into the air past Renzo. Her breakthrough was cut short when Renzo¡¯s hand grabbed her from behind without even looking. He took a deep breath and attempted to throw her out of the arena. Within that vice grip, there seemed to be no getting out before she was flung from the ring. Nevertheless, Allen caught a grin on the bronze-shoed woman¡¯s face. A snap echoed across the training hall. The bones in Vanna¡¯s leg had been broken in half in order for her to backflip out of Renzo¡¯s hand forcefully. She was a blur of silver and gold as she landed a spinning kick that struck her opponent in his face. All the other attendees watched on in shock as she landed on one foot with her now shattered leg being held up off the ground. Her gruesome injury was in sharp contrast to her confident expression. ¡°I told you didn¡¯t I, Renzo.¡± Vanna started while pointing at the blood that started to leak from the young man¡¯s nose. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to worry about staining the ring.¡± ¡°Wow, this gym is a lot more fun than I thought it¡¯d be. Nera didn¡¯t tell us there would be a circus act.¡± Xalia mocked coldly. Meanwhile, Allen was worse at not showing how shaken up he was. Sweat beads collected on his forehead as his mouth hung agape. ¡°No way. She went that far for a simple sparring match?!¡± Allen exclaimed. ¡°This is what a Crafter battle looks like,¡± Nera responded beside him. ¡°They¡¯ll use anything like a disposable tool to fight with. Their surroundings, their allies, and even their own bodies.¡± ¡°Not a complete lie, but keep on watching you two.¡± Helena commanded with a stern expression on her face.¡±The showboat should be done by now.¡± As if on cue, Vanna thrust her injured leg out at full extension. Any sign of disrepair vanished without a trace. She had made a complete recovery in a matter of seconds and bounced on her tiptoes to prove it. ¡°That is the third technique, Pulse. The ability to increase one¡¯s vitality through Extract. It can enhance the stamina and healing capabilities of the body.¡± ¡®That¡¯s the one you brought up earlier.¡± Allen mentioned while looking at his own damaged hand. ¡°Learning to use that would come in handy right now.¡± Helena ignored his pun and began to speak.¡±That¡¯s enough of just the fundamentals. You two can use your Skills now. This should be obvious, but don¡¯t use any more of your Craft Cards.¡± Her disciples nodded solemnly and reset their positions at the center of the ring. They initiated the chants for their respective Skills. ¡°Sentry Craft, 3rd Page - Rook Castling.¡± A dark blue SIgil appeared on his shield in the shape of a rook chess piece. ¡°Cobbler Craft, 3rd Page - Stride Boost.¡± Two mystical symbols covered her metallic shoes. In the next moment, they clashed at high speeds. Vanna rushed in like a comet multiple times to unleash a flurry of kicks before racing to the edge of the ring to repeat this blitz again and again. Meanwhile, Renzo countered by using his shield that would move in the way of her attacks before even he could react due to the Skil. At this point, Allen could barely keep up with their movements. The continuous cacophony of metallic clangs was easier to register than what he could see with his eyes. ¡°Cobbler Craft, 5th Pag-¡± Vanna was cut short by Renzo attempting to tackle her with his shield. She swiftly evaded and continued her routine of rushing in from multiple angles at Renzo. Any time she would attempt a chant, Renzo would charge toward her himself to interrupt it. ¡°Is she trying to get past Renzo¡¯s rock-solid defense just by being faster? It doesn¡¯t seem to be working though. She¡¯s just tiring herself out and giving him a chance to counteract eventually.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that,¡± The other regular named Declan said. ¡°Her Stride Boost propels her farther and faster in between her step the more of them she takes in a row. Eventually, not even Renzo¡¯s predictions will be able to keep up.¡± ¡°That may be true, but it doesn¡¯t seem like she can go on forever,¡± Iyo was practically leaning over the edge of the ring, trying to get a better view. He was most the engrossed of them all. ¡°Her Pulse can renew her stamina, but she¡¯s running low on Extract too.¡± ¡°Has this become just a battle of endurance then?¡± Allen could not help but wonder that. He had a tinge of worry that this would mean that future fights he would find himself in would also be decided like that with his limited supply of Extract from mana crystals. ¡°Listen up, this will be the last lesson I convey to you through words today, newcomers.¡± Helena proclaimed as if listening in on Allen¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Unlike a simple Extract Technique, a Mystic Skill has an automatic function that it fulfills when used and is precise enough to manipulate this world at the molecular level. Now, this fight will be decided by how they optimize their Skills, not how much energy they can waste.¡± Simultaneously, Vanna bounded for Renzo once more but this time he raised his shield so that its back was parallel to the ground. ¡°Sentry Craft, 2nd Page - Bishop¡¯s Corner.¡± His square shield¡¯s shape transformed which was a feat impossible to perform with an Extract technique. Its corner stretched outward at a blinding speed while Vanna was moving much too fast herself to change directions in time to evade it. It seemed like he had been waiting for the perfect timing to land this finishing move. Vanna then disappeared from view. When she reappeared, she was crouched still behind Renzo. He wobbled as he stood with a noticeably dark bruise on his chin. Her decisive maneuver at this battle¡¯s end had been ripped from their sights like missing frames in a film. With one last kick, Vanna twirled around and sent him off the edge of the ring. The Cobbler Crafter had won this match.