《The Legendary Fool》 Chapter 1: The Legend Begins Chapter 1: The Legend Begins Thomas Lowe wore a listless expression on his face as he inanely flicked through social media posts on his smartphone. He was seated on an ufortable stic chair, his legs crossed and resting on the billing counter. The convenience store he worked in was empty and to be honest, thomas still didnt understand the point of a twenty-four hour store in an especially out of the way part of Rural America. Not that it was surprising, city folk had more money than they knew what to do with and he definitely wasntining getting paid to scroll through his phone, even if it was a shitty minimum wage, was a good gig. A bell lightly chimed apanied by a short, chilly burst of wind. A customer? Tom thought, finding it odd. It was 3 a.m. in the morning, for christsakes. It would be a miracle if someone stepped out of their homes after nine in his town. He perked up, hastily getting back to his feet. His gaze went to his shotgun that was concealed beneath the desk, but things hadnt escted to the point that he would need it. After all, in their small town of ten thousand people, there were few faces that werent familiar to him. A bearded man stepped into his field of view, a sly smile resting on his face. He was dressed in what seemed to be a victorian-era outfit, with a ck tuxedo,cquered cane and a beautiful emerald brooch that was pinned to his chest. The top hat though, was truly what seemed to give Tom some warning signals. He wasnt sure that the man in front of him was entirely sane. No sane man walked at 3 a.m. in the morning dressed like a seventeenth century noble, atleast not in their town. But the pure gold pocket watch that the man held in his right hand gave him pause, especially when he noticed that it seemed to be iid with precious gems. Whoever this man was, he seemed too refined for a stick-up. Toms gaze shifted to the mans face, and realized that he was stunningly handsome his silver beard trimmed to perfection, his light blue eyes seeming to almost shine as lightnded upon them, making him wonder if they were some form of coloured contact lenses and his facecked any sort of blemishes at all, making him wonder if he was a model or an actor or something along those lines. How can I help you, sir? Tom asked, his voice rather strained. Thomas Lowe, he stated calmly, his voice betraying none of his supposed insanity. A chill ran down Thomas spine. There was no name tag on his work outfit so how did he Beginning to freak out, his hands inched closer to his shotgun. A flicker of movement distracted him, his gaze shifting to the cosying man. Toms hands began to tremble as he ceased moving for he found himself looking down the end of a barrel, the cold, ck steel of a modern handgun pointed right at his head. T-The money Ill open the register, Thomas stuttered, hoping desperately that the man just suffered from an advanced form of kleptomania instead of being an outright lunatic. I dont want your money, The bearded man replied, his voice growing colder. What do you want then!? Thomas screamed back in response, unable to maintain his cool in such a situation. Inwardly, he was wondering if he should risk grabbing his shotgun, but the stakes were so high that it left him trapped in a cycle of indecision. I want you to y a game, The bearded man replied calmly. A. game? Tom replied, his voice projecting a blend of fear, trepidation and confusion. The rules are simple, He spoke, waiting for Tom to look directly into his eyes before continuing, I will ask you a question. You will answer. If you lie, I will shoot you. If I lie.? Tom muttered, shaking from fear at this point. How would this lunatic know if he was speaking the truth or not. This was sick. A sick, twisted fucking joke at his expense. He was a coward. His entire life he had been a coward. But. but. if he was going to die anyway at the whim of some cruel, deranged psychopath then. His hands blurred as he reached out for his shotgun. In a moment of pure rage, he overcame his nigh crippling fear because that was the only path to survival that he saw. He felt the cold metal barrel of the shotgun brush against his skin as he yanked it out from below the counter. He hastily pointed the barrel towards the bearded man, his heart hammering his chest as he primed himself to shoot. Oddly enough, despite never having shot at a living target before there was no hesitation in his actions. A gunshot rang out and with it came the onset of tinnitus. The loud, beeping sound in his ear would normally cause great rm, but at that moment Tom could barely care. He had not fired the shot. With dread in his eyes, he angled his gaze downwards, hoping for a miracle. Utter shock shed in his eyes as he patted his chest for a wound, but found none. Wait-, he muttered, realizing that his hands were free. Where was his He swiveled his head to the left, having noticed a blur of moment in that direction. His shotguny lodged in a disy stand, a steaming bullet hole visible in its grip. The man had he had shot the firearm out of his hand? How the fuck.. was that even possible? Struggling not to hyperventte at this point he slowly creaked his neck to face the bearded man, who stood there, his pristine visage still cid, unmoved by Toms actions. Was this was this a dream? Are you done? He asked, his words tinged with an air of finality a veiled warning, if Tom ever saw one. Ye-yes sir, He hastily replied, raising his trembling arms in the air to show that he was not a thread. Very well, listen carefully then. I shall only ask my question once. If you fail to answer., the bearded man pressed the barrel close to Toms head, the cold metal making him wince upon contact. My first question, He stated. A bead of sweat ran down Toms forehead as he begged his mind to operate at full, no beyond full capacity. He hoped dearly, prayed to anyone who was listening, that the psychopath would pose a question he could answer. You are walking through a crowded marketce. A ck SUV drives past you, crashing into a streetlight. An armed man ms open the car door. His eyes are bloodshot as he scans the area. He unholsters his gun, a pistol and points it at the crowd. The man is an escapee from an armed robbery and he is looking for a hostage. The crowd begins to flee and the man screams at them to stop. You have concealed yourself behind him, the only weapon in your possession that shotgun you tried to use on me. It does not have the range to shoot from this distance. The man is about to shoot into the crowd. To stop him, you need to charge at him and unload a shotgun slug. But the odds that he will hear your footsteps are high. Thomas Lowe, what would you do in this situation? What would I do? He repeated the question aloud, stunned by its oddity. You have sixty seconds to answer, the man retorted coldly. Thomas knee jerk instinct was to reply brusequly that he would repeat what he had done just now. That he would charge at the armed man and shoot him dead. Why? Because thats the answer that this odd victorian man most likely wanted to here. The whole get-up smelled of someone with a fetish for justice and he had almost convinced himself that it was the right thing to say. But. When he looked into the mans crystal clear blue eyes.. Those were not the eyes of a deranged man. But those were definitely the eyes of a killer. If you lie, I will shoot you. The mans words rang out in his mind, causing Tom to twitch. He couldnt lie. His tells would probably be too obvious under such duress. The man had to be ex-military. That would make sense, sniffing out a lie shouldnt be difficult for him with such a background. So what would he do? Who was Tom? Someone who worked minimum wage in a convenience store. Someone who had given up his ambitions at the first signs of setbacks. Someone who was too afraid to get close to others, for fear of abandonment. Someone who had lost once, and was too afraid to lose again. Someone who med the world for his problems. I would, A tear trickled down Toms flushed face, though he did not consider it to be due to the stress, stay hidden, he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Trash, the bearded man muttered with disdain, spitting on the ground. Tom winced. You passed the first question, he added after, causing Tom to sigh in relief. Though he didnt know why he should be relieved, this lunatic would kill him either way. For the second question, look into my eyes, he ndly stated. This time, Tom really began to cry. The bearded old man really was crazy after all. His vision began to blur because of the tears, but nevertheless heplied. A wisp of terror shed through his eyes, as for a moment he felt like a small star in the infesmal universe, a mere ant in front of all existence. The next thing he knew, he was walking down a crowded marketce. The stores had colourful disys in what seemed to him like Japanese, with hundreds upon hundreds of pedestrians milling about the crowded streets. This couldnt be a dream, because he had never been to this ce in his life. But Tom found himself involuntarily walking forward down the crowded street, having lost control over his body. The next second panicked screams rang out behind him in anguage that he had never heard before, but somehow understood. Japanese, then? People all around him began to run away as he heard the screeching of car tires behind him, but Tom remained rooted on the spot, as if he was shocked still. A ck SUV skidded past him, and Tom watched as its brakes failed. It crashed into a streetlight, causing the metal pole to smash against a storefront. Adrenaline finally clicked in, and Toms avatar moved, taking cover behind a car that was a few meters away from him. A heavily tattooed man of asian descent walked out of the car, clutching at his abdomen. Toms angle was a concealed one, and though it was a glimpse, he saw that a ss shard was embedded there. That was bad. It meant that the man was desperate. On the other side of the street, a stampede had begun to form as people tried to squeeze through the narrow streets on either side. Tom watched with horror as a little girl tripped, a churning sensation in his stomach as he saw her mother being swept away by the crowd. Thankfully, nobody seemed to be copsed on the ground in the stampede, but the girl. The tattooed criminal walked, or rather limped towards her. Tom felt the control over him loosen, finding himself able to move again. At the same time, a voice rang out in his mind. Dying here means dying in the real world, it stated coldly, belonging to the bearded old man. Toms hands started trembling again, but he noticed an added weight to them. His grandfathers old shotgun, a relic that was probably a hundred fucking years old, was clenched in his hand. He peeked over the cars cover, seeing that the tattooed man was half way to the injured girl, whose ankle seemed to have twisted. Just stay here A part of him whispered. This isnt real. This cant be fucking real. But that old man will really kill you. But it was real. This Tom knew his mind enough to know that he couldnt simte an entire marketce hed never seen before in his life. That car, those tattoos, the girl, he had never seen them before. What was that man? Was he a devil? The Supernatural? Then could this world be real? Had he teleported him to Japan? Then was the girl real? Wait! The original situation, the one the man recanted to him didnt mention the girl. This was the second question! Instead of shooting into the crowd, dont tell me. A sick, twisting sensation gripped his stomach as realization hit him. The man was going to shoot the little girl. He looked at the shotgun in his hands. The damn relic barely had a range of five meters. Fourty, perhaps Fifty meters separated him from the target. The man had a handgun. Even in his injured state, all it would take would be a second to kill him. His grip firmed. His resolve red. This would be the stupidest thing he could do. For all he knew, the little girl wasnt even real. Merely a simtion. A figment of imagination. But if he failed, the man definitely would kill him. Any rational man would stay down and admit that he couldnt save the girl, if she had even existed in the first ce. He was no hero. He was a damn coward. He had worked a dead-end job his entire life and he would never amount to anything more. He couldnt fight a trained criminal on the run from the cops. Yet he stood. A trained military operative would have chosed to move slowly, to muffle his footsteps and take the target down. But the tattooed criminal was three-fourth of the way there to the girl. And Thomas was no trained operative. He was a coward and the rush brought by the adrenaline was the only thing that gave him the courage to charge forth. 50 meters 45 meters 40 meters.. The distance narrowed till only twenty meters remained. But his approach had been too loud. The tattooed man swiveled on the balls of his feet, his eyes widening when he saw an american man rushing at him with the shotgun. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger twice. The first shot grazed Tom and the secondnded square in the gut. He stumbled forward for another five meters, his face painting the asphalt before he went still. Tears streamed down his eyes. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut with such force that it had cracked all the ribs in his body. His vision oscted between consciousness and unconsciousness, his breathing growing shallower by the second. Tom had royally fucked up. He was going to die. In that moment, he felt no self-recrimination. All he felt was a burning desire and a hatred for the man, the predator that towered over the young girl. He did not care about the fate of a faceless crowd. Tragedies happened all the time. But this? This was fucking real. So he forced himself. Strength flooded his arms, the dying embers of a dying man shining with onest burst of brilliance, perhaps the only brilliance Thomas had to offer. Move! Move, motherfucker, move! 10 meters. 9 meters 8 meters 7 meters 6 meters. The tattooed man finally noticed his approach, turning again to see a dying man crawling towards him. But this time, Tom had expected it. He screamed so loud that it felt as if he had torn every vocal cord in his throat, rolling his body onto his back. The tattooed mans shot missed, poking a hole into the asphalt where his head had been seconds ago. Thest thing he saw was the bloodied visage of an american man who was maniacally grinning from ear to ear. Thomas pulled the trigger. An ear splitting bang rang out, as the tattooed mans head exploded like a smashed tomato. The next second, a while fog swept the world. Towering above him was the bearded man who stood aloof in the world of fog. Your resolve is weak. Your approach is foolish. What would you have done if your shot missed? Instead of aiming for the body, you chose the head. Fucking idiot. When you said that you would have cowered behind a car in the first scenario, I believed you. The second question though, I didnt. I instanced you a thousand times you know? Each time you gave me the same answer. I would save the girl. You really did fucking save her. The bearded mannded a kick against Toms abdomen, causing him to cough out a mouthful of blood. Why did you save her? You would let an entire crowd of people die just to protect your insignificant life, but youre willing to stake your life for just one human? How does that make sense? Why are you grinning? You., Tom croaked out weakly. ...said her. Shes real isnt she? The bearded old man remained stoic for a long minute, before finally answering with a curt Yes. Tom began tough, sputtering out blood every few seconds. I dont understand any of this. What this is. Who you are. Why Im bleeding out on a fucking cloud. But. If you want to know why I saved her that I can answer. So why? Because Im selfish. Because when I saw that six foot tall piece of shit criminal inching towards an innocent girl with a gun in his hand.., Tom aggressively spat out another mouthful of blood, It fucking pissed me off, thats why! It reminded me of myself. When I was huddled up, head buried in my arms waiting for . It to stop, all I wanted was for someone to save me. So I.. saved her instead. You, the bearded man spat with disgust, are illogical. Driven by emotions. Rash. Easily prone to anger. You are a Fool. With that, the bearded man snapped his fingers. Tom stumbled as he tried to get a hold of the situation. The pain had disappeared. He felt the ground underneath his feet so he was standing. He scanned the surroundings, only to see the nowforting fluorescent lights lighting up a convenience store. His convenience store. The bearded man stood in front of him, in his hands a deck of cards that seemed to be made out of solid chips of gold, with a red crystal embedded in the center. The cards were face down, so Tom couldnt make out what was behind them. Choose one, The man held out the cards, a deck of fifty two it seemed like. I dont want it, Thomas replied bluntly, no longer as afraid of the man. He had brushed with death once, and if this being wished to harm him, then there was nothing he could do to fight him. The moment you passed the trial, you consented to making a choice. What fucking consent!? Tom protested. You pointed a gun at my forehead and forced me to do whatever this is. Wait, I passed? You did. This is your reward. What happens if I refuse? I will shoot you. Thats getting real fucking old now, man. Fine, fine, Tom raised his hands in mock protest. How do I make the choice? And what are these cards? You are to close your eyes and expand your senses. You will feel varying degrees of pull from each card, depending on your personality, actions and the life you have lived. Choose the one to which you feel the strongest attraction. As for what the cards are, they. represent supernatural power, like the kind I wield. But individually, I do not know, for the cards shield them from myself. Simply put, I am a messenger. The questions I asked you were merely the will of the cards, kid. Will of the cards? Supernatural power? Well..you arent exactly giving me much of a choice, Tim sighed, closing his eyes and attempting to expand his senses, whatever that meant. For a long minute he could sense nothing but then a tall spire of golden light came into focus in his minds eye, tethered to himself. There were other spires of light that continuously formed and shattered as tendrils from the golden spire stretched out and snuffed their light before they could get anywhere near him. Ten minutes passed as he simply watched in marvel and the golden spire shattered spire after spire with ruthless efficiency, as if it had a personal vengeance with the other cards. Was that supposed to happen? Tom didnt exactly have a reference point but what would happen if tried to reach out for the other cards? His face paled as he imagined the golden tendril snuffing out his light as easily as it did the others. That was not the oue he wished for so he followed the bearded mans instructions and reached for the spire of light. When he opened his eyes, he was holding on to a Golden Card that seemed indistinguishable from the others. What no-, Tom stopped mid sentence as the Golden Cards surface began to crack, revealing a pure diamond exterior underneath. He gasped as tendrils of energy snaked out from the card, reaching for his mortal body. A secondter it was reced by a spire of energy that seemed to engulf his being, but surprisingly the energy didnt hurt or seem physical at all, more like an aura that was seeping deeply in every inch of his body. His gaze shifted to the diamond card, chills running down his spine when he saw the creepy visage of himself dressed in a jesters outfit gazing back at him. [Card Name: The Fool] Status: Soul Card [Level Requirement Waived] Rank: Unique-Legendary/Ephemeral Current Abilities: Shroud [No Level Requirement] [Passive] Oho. A [Rare] Grand Illusionist Card as your Soul Card? The bearded man seemed happy, overjoyed even, when he saw the result. Whats this blue screen? Tom felt his unease building up as he gazed at the words, a chill running down his spine. Oh thats the Card Script. Dont worry, youll get used to it. But it says here that I have a [Rare] Grand Illusionist Card!? Tom protested, or attempted to protest. The horror in his heart spiked when he realized that. He didnt manage to say the words he wanted to. He had meant to say that he had a [Unique-Legendary Fool Card]. Hm. Thats what I said? The bearded man replied quizzically. Sorry I must have misheard. Well thats my job done, kid. Remember, it was nothing personal. Oh and Wee to Artezia. Wait what the fu- A gunshot rang out in the convenience store, rming the nearby residents who stormed the door armed to the teeth fifteen minutester. There was no body to be found, not even the casings of a bullet. The man known as Thomas Lowe disappeared, and multiple efforts were made to find him. But all trails were cold, as if the man had disappeared of the face of the earth. Seven yearster he wasbelled missing, never to be seen again. Chapter 2: Artezia Chapter 2: Artezia Thomas stood before what he could only describe as a rend in the void itself, a tear in the space-time continuum. The portal crackled and frizzled the air around it, and its arrival was heralded by a sound that resembled a gunshot, except it was far louder. He could see nothing beyond a dark-purple membrane that seemed to be porous at first nce. A horrible realization struck him as he reyed the bearded mans words in his mind was he expected to go through the portal? Fuck. Fuck no, Im not doing that, Tom hastily stepped away from the portal, only to collide against what felt like a brick wall. Listen kid, youll be fine. Just dont do anything stupid and an Academy rep will be on their way to you in minutes, The bearded mans tone seemed to be far warmer than before, a wee change. That still didnt change Toms mind, though. Is there danger on the other side? Tom asked. Danger? Ha, kid, theres plenty of danger on your side too, yknow. Didnt you just save a bunch of people from an armed psychopath? Tom clicked his tongue. The bearded man had a point. Besides, whats keeping you here anyway? You have no living family left, well, not any that give a fuck about you. Here youll be stacking shelves for the rest of your life. Nothin wrong with that, mind you but you made your choice when you saved the girl. You proved that you want more in life, that you seek something greater, The old man patted Tom on the back, before finishing his spiel, Well that lies on the other side. Shit, Tom thought. He was actually beginning to be swayed by the man. Not that he thought he had a choice in the first ce, the bearded man had made it clear that he didnt give a damn about his own agency in the matter. Why me? Why not choose someone., Tom didnt finish the sentence, but both understood what he met. Someone better. Someone faster. Someone stronger. Someone. not him. A Soul Card chooses its master, kid. The will of the cards led me to this and it took me twenty godforesaken years to find the first chosen. There are two more that I have yet to discover. Im sorry but why do you listen to cards? The bearded man let out a guffaw at Toms words, as if he had heard a particrly humorous joke. Soul Cards are no toys, kid. They are fragments of divinity. Not that I expect you to understand, but not everyone on the other side is worthy of possessing a powerful soul card. Okay.. okay, fine. I dont care about that. First, tell me where this portal goes, Tom blotted out irrelevant information from his mind, only interested in immediate concerns. I, the bearded man scratched the back of his head, ...am not sure. [The Traveller] card lets me travel to the furthest reaches of the universe, but it does not truly belong to me. But you shouldnd somewhere within the territory of the Syrlore Kingdom, the victor of the Jackpot this time around. You dont know? Tom buried his head in the palm of his hand. Fine then, how the fuck will they find me then? Ah, you neednt be bothered about that, the bearded old man pulled out a metal Deckholder that had runic markings etched upon its silver sheen. He withdrew an unimpressive looking paper card that had an inverted T symbol drawn upon it, a snake coiled around the vertical axis. He pressed it against Toms chest and itvanished inwards? Disappeared? What did you do to me? Tom asked, feeling no different. Drop the suspicion, will you? Its a disposable tracking card. The moment you reach Artezia, itll let the [Syrlore Academy] know. Okay, okay, Tom muttered under his breath. If.. I have to go,- You have to. Not negotiable. Fine, then I want a weapon, Tom blurted out, refusing to go without some manner of protection. Trying to get a freebie, eh? Well, I dont mind a little ambition, The bearded man gave an approving nod, before pulling at the hilt of hiscquered cane. A thin, sharp rapier revealed itself, shining under the re of the fluorescent lights. Is that a magical weapon? Tom asked, with wonderment in his eyes. ....What? The bearded man replied, confused. No, I got it off a pawnshop. It matched my aesthetic. ....., Tom snatched the rapier from the bearded mans hands, slightly blushing from embarrassment. Give me your gun, too, he demanded. Hmm. No cant do, kid. Cant have you shooting the people whoe for you. Not all of us are invulnerable to bullets, you know. Fine, Tom sighed. Oh right, kid. Whats that? The bearded man pointed at the ceiling, his expression one on interest. Tom followed his gaze with curiosity, but seemed to find nothing of interest but the ceiling. A swift kicknded on his back, sending him stumbling forward. Fuuuuuuuck no, Tom protested his mind, as he flew straight into the portal. An amused ssic, was thest word he heard. The transfer was nigh-instantaneous as Tom stumbled forward onto the other side. Hended hands forward on what felt like soft, grassy earth that muffled his fall. His grip on his rapier was still firm, and he had enough mental awareness to not have it cut himself identally. He took his first breath of air, causing his eyes to widen in shock. The air was so clean. As if.. Pollution was not yet a concept that existed in this world. No.. that was not all. The air seemed to purify him, the effect so weak that it could be mistaken for ones imagination, but Tom did not think so. He warily got back up onto his feet, his expression wary as he scanned the environment. He was in a lush forest. Except the trees were way to fall, the grass was purple and the chittering of insect life was suspiciously absent. He looked up into the sky and winced. Atleast there was still a sun, though instinctively it felt different strange, unfamiliar from his own sun. Tom hadnt the damnest idea why he could tell, but he could. A message, in card script popped up in front of him, startling him. [The Divine System wees The Fool to Artezia.] [Inventory is now avable] [yer Statistics are now avable.] [Passive Skill Shroud has destroyed a foriegn tracking mark that had been ced upon you by a neutral entity.] Toms expression was unchanged as he read through the first three notifications, but when his gaze flitted to the fourth. No. No, no, NO! This this cant be happening [The Divine System has given you a quest!] [Quest: Survive. Alone in an unfamiliar new world, the tracking spell meant to help you has failed due to your own Foolish nature! Find your way to civilization. Reward: 1 Common-Rank Offensive Card. 1 Common-Rank Deck Holder.] Chapter 3: Analyse Chapter 3: Analyse What Tom had perceived as the forests eclectic beauty now came back to haunt him. The tall trees made it impossible for Tom to get a clear line of sight, making him unable to decide which direction to go in. His difort grew, for the longer he thought about it the more he knew something was amiss. His body had felt cleaner, purer, yes but that did not exin why the dull ache in his right joint was gone. That did not exin why he felt so spry, so energetic. With trembling arms, Tom cupped his face in their embrace. There was no rough, croppy stubble. There was no incongruties upon its face, its surface as smooth as it was soft. He nced at his hands, the burn scar upon his right hand reced by blemishless skin. A thought ran through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. That was..impossible? Tom had just seen a man rip apart the time-space continuum with a childrens toy- a card. Who was he to say what was impossible? He needed a mirror. But, before that Tom thought about [The Fool] card, envisioning it in his minds eye. The card had disappeared when hednded here, but he knew it would answer his call it was now part of his soul whatever that meant. His anxiety red as he saw the Jester image staring back at him, followed by a burst of anger. This damn card was the source of all his fucking problems, yet it was his own smirking visage that red back at him. He didnt know what its [Unique-Legendary] rank meant, but it sounded a helluva lot better than [Rare]. The bearded man had mentioned the [Traveller] card that gave him the ability to traverse the frickin universe, but his [The Fool] card had given him ame [Shroud] ability that was likely going to be the death of him. No, no, theres got to be something more to it. There had to be. Shroud, Tom whispered aloud, channeling his focus and concentration towards the card. Nothing happened. Fuck, Tom groaned under his breath. Dont panic. Think. He had just taken down a gun-toting psychopath less than an hour ago. This couldnt faze him. Okay, maybe he was hyperventting a little. But the bearded man seemed to be confident in Toms ability to survive wherever hended, as long as it was within what was that kingdom called again? Syremore? No, Syrelore. So. the danger shouldnt be that high. No more than a stroll in the woods in rural america sure, there was a chance of being wed by a bear or run over by a Moose, but that didnt stop people from venturing into the woods, right? Shut up, brain. Im going with that assumption. Okay, now, the [Divine System] had mentioned an [Inventory]. Whoa! Tom eximed way louder than hed have liked, stumbling backward on his feet. Before him stood a small tear in the void, much like the portal the bearded man had opened, but it was far smaller and less impressive inparison. Normally he would bolt the other way but. He felt no threat from the cosmic tear. As if it belonged to him. Am I seriously considering this? Tom thought to himself, as he walked closer. Closing his eyes, he reached his hand into the portal, expecting it to rip his arm off. The sensation was as if his hand was passing through a viscous liquid, before a small room became visible in his minds eye. [Your inventory is empty. You may store any non-living object in your inventory, besides cards]. Startled by the prompt, he yanked his hand back. That was an experience. Okay, this isnt gonna help me, Tom whispered under his breath, before his attention shifted to the next item on the agenda. Please, he whispered, before thinking about his [yer Statistics.] [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 1]. Statistics: Physical: 6 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5 Soul Power: 35/35 Deck Cards: - Knowledge flowed into Toms mind, a detailed exnation of how the system was supposed to work floating in his mind. There was a lot to unpack but before that, Tom focused his mind on his Soul Card and a new screen popped up. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 1 Ability: Passive Shroud [Level 1]: It is not in The Fools nature to allow himself to be perceived by others. An illusionists greatest trick is to deceive the world, to prey on the weak and give shape to their foes greatest fear. A paltry trick, a se deception. The Fool on the other hand, only seeks to deceive one entity, the only one that matters: Himself. ] The fuck does that mean? Tom spat out with disgust. What was he supposed to do with this riddle. Wait. It said Level 1. Does that mean theres ways to improve it? Tom wasnt sure how urate the [Divine Systems] trantion was, but it seemed logical that the card would have more abilities. And how could he improve Shrouds level, if it didnt do anything in the first ce? So confusing. An animalistic growl woke him awake from his reverie, startling Tom. Panic gripped his entire being. How long had he just been standing there, freaking out? Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he swiveled his neck with urgency, gripping the antique rapier in his hands tightly. His soul card fell from his grip, but Tom wasnt concerned it would revert to his soul even if he threw it away. [You have identified a Native Monster of Artezia! Attempting to Analyse.] [Your Soul Card Level is sufficient to Analyse this Monster. ] [Analysis Sesful]. [Monster Species: Ankra Beast Soul Card: The me [Common] Soul Card Level: 1 Statistics cannot be learned.] A small creature stood twenty meters away from Tom, reminding him of an oversized rodent. Its fur was an ugly, mottled ck that had bits of dirt and other debris trapped within, its beady orange eyes reminding him of a rabbits. A long, fleshy tail that made Tom want to vomit swayed behind the foul creature, seemingly assisting its bnce. Then it revealed a set of sharp, angr teeth that sent a chill down Toms spine. Chapter 4: Gambit (1) Chapter 4: Gambit (1) Tom wished for nothing more but to deny the existence of the four-legged [Ankra Beast] as it threw itself into a headlong charge in his direction. That philosophy had served him well in life up until the bearded man came knocking on his doorstep. Deny your problems long enough and they be the past. Unfortunately that strategy wasnt as effective when a giant killer rat with shark teeth was on its way to bite your head off. His panic reached its crescendo, the same boiling point that prompted Tom to pull a shotgun on the bearded man despite knowing he could die, the same manic energy that had helped him blow an armed criminals head off. But that did not mean that he would suddenly gain the finesse of a man used tobat. His adrenaline skyrocketed as Tom chose flight over fight, first attempting to outrun the [Ankra Beast]. His first few steps and almost resulted in a stumble, but thankfully he managed to recover at thest second, sprinting with the guile of a teenager which he was now. ording to the system, anyway. That would exin why he wasnt winded as he sprinted for a straight minute without knowing what direction he was going in, whether it was deeper into the forest or towards something even worse. A trickle of optimism began to flow in his heart, so Tom decided to sneak a quick nce behind. That was a mistake. Twenty meters had separated him from the beast before but now there were only ten. This wasnt working. Thankfully, Tom hadnt lost his rapier in the pandemonium that had ensued after his confrontation with the [Ankra Beast]. He couldnt outrun the beast. He wasnt skilled enough to outmanoeuvre the beast in a direct confrontation. Was this it then? The beast would catch up to him in another minute, maybe even faster. He knew his own luck well enough to know that help was noting whether it was in this world or his own, that part didnt seem to change. That bearded bastard had promised him a new life of opportunity, where he could be something more something greater and he was going to be ended by an oversized rat. How fitting. Tom didnt want to die though. It took him two lifetimes to figure it out, but he finally understood. He wasnt the smartest man to ever walk the mortal ne. He wasnt the strongest. Not the wittiest. He wasnt the ideal pick to explore a new world, But. he didnt have to be. The bearded man, or rather the [Divine System] or whoevers words he was quoting, called him a Fool because his motivations and desires were so contradictory. Not a hero. Not a ruthless killer. Not the chosen one. Hed saved the girl back then because she, in Toms contradictory jumble of a head, was worth saving. Perhaps even worth dying for. Because hed seen a part of himself in her. His reasons were neither noble nor selfless. Hed chosen to save her life simply because he wanted to. One could even call him selfish. Thats right, he was selfish. Right now he didnt have to be the best. He just had to be good enough. This was a second chance at life, in a new world how many back home would die for such a chance? A desire began to coalesce in Toms heart, making him yearn for even one more breath of air, one more second for in this life, he would do what he shouldve from the start. Be himself. The next couple seconds went into a cursory scan of the surroundings besides the tall trees and the asional patch of shrubbery that was too thin to hide in, he saw nothing of note. His mind was reced with rity, a single-minded determination to survive dominating his thoughts as he searched for a way to survive. A crazy idea made its way to his mind. One he would normally never consider. But it could work. And there was no time for a better one. This was it. If Im gonna die, its gonna be on my own terms, he snarled under his breath, before reducing his tempo by a notch. Tom had angled his face so he could barely see the [Ankra Beasts] trailing figure behind him. It covered distance rapidly, likely thinking that Tom had finally run out of steam. In all honesty if he were still in his old body, he likely would have by this point. 10 meters8 meters.6 meters5 meters now! When the beast came within five meters, Tom let out a roar and began to sprint with every fiber of his being, angling himself towards the left, but only slightly. Toms chest burned from the exertion, part of him wishing hed exercised more back on Earth. He zed forth, inching closer to his target without looking back. A wide tree was his target, its height easily exceeding a mature Oak Tree by three times, and its trunk way broader than the norm, roughly around half a dozen meters. Instead of running, he threw himself forward when there were only three meters separating him from the trees base. Thending was rougher than hed expected but he grit his teeth and huddled behind the tree. A secondter, he was back on his feet, his back against the rough tree bark. His gambit was based on the assumption that the [Ankra Beast] wasnt the most gifted in the [Mental] department. Instead of calling for reinforcements, the damn thing had been chasing him in a straight line and had already fallen for his first ruse. If he had mistaken overconfidence for limited intelligence though, he was fucked. Tom had made sure that he was in the beasts blindspot and now the only thing left to do was wait. His heartbeat quickened, his grip on his rapier tightened as he waited with the guile of a hunter. The rhythm of a speeding pair of hoofbeats echoed in the background. The [Ankra Beast] was nearing. Dont flinch. Let your instinct guide you. Tom took a deep breath. There would be only one shot at this. Chapter 5: Gambit (2) Chapter 5: Gambit (2) The [Ankra Beast] was so fast that it almost flitted past him, the dumb beast likely thinking he had fled eastward, the tall trees easily capable of obscuring view. There was no grunt, no impassioned scream as Toms rapier shed through the air, the entirety of his right arms strength along with a good chunk of his bodyweight behind that one stab. A spurt of blood spashed over his work outfit, as his rapier punched through the [Ankra Beasts abdomen and exited from the other side. The beasts weight was nominal, allowing Tom to hold it aloft for a second, which caused the wound to deepen even further due to gravity weighing down upon it. Then its neck swilveled in Toms direction, its beady eyes full of hatred as it opened its jaw. Tom suddenly recalled why he hadnt dared to confront the beast in a fair fight, as an orange glow began to coalesce around its mouth. Abandoning his rapier, Tom began to run away from the beast. But no matter how much his resolve had changed, he was still an untrained fighter and ended up stumbling, falling t against the ground. Desperation red as he felt the temperature rise behind him, forcing himself to crawl forward before he jammed his hands into the trees bark and used the entirety of his strength to throw himself along its curvature. The [Ankra Beast] finally unleashed a torrent of mes. It sounded exactly like Tom would imagine a methrower lighting up, except hed never seen or heard one in action. He let out a scream as a scalding sensation gripped his right foot, as if a bunch of ants were eating his skin rapidly. Safely shielded by the curvature of the tree he began to pat his right foot and when that didnt work, began to roll around vigorously back and forth on the tall grass. Praising his luck in the fact that the grass wasnt easily mmable, Tom hurriedly got back up on his feet, hoping desperately that he could walk. Thank you, Tom whispered under his breath to no one in particuler, when he looked down. His leg, or atleast the visible part of it, was singed a little, and the sole of his right sneaker, which he believed to have blocked the brunt of the impact was a little disfigured. Otherwise though, he should be able to walk fine. Though he didnt dare yet leave thefort of the tree, the encounter with the [Ankra Beast] having left him a little rattled. He was immensely grateful for his decision not to have engaged the beast in frontalbat. But what now? Part of him wanted to flee the scene but his rapier was basically the only thing keeping him alive. He couldnt abandon it. [You have sessfully killed a Level 1 Ankra Beast! Please approach the carcass for your reward!] Well, that was unexpected. Fifteen minutes earlier. The smile on the bearded mans face disappeared the moment the portal closed, reced by a calm,posed demeanour. He had lied to Thomas. About mostly everything. First of all, he was not a pawn of the [Divine System] as he had imed. He was a [Herald]. And in truth, a [Rare] Soul Card was nothing impressive in his eyes. It was a little above trash, but still inconsequential in his eyes. Well he was still doing a duty assigned by the [Divine System] but it wasnt some holy task that hed been interested in. Hed taken the [Quest] on a whim, really. Guarding the realm seal for as long as he had, there were few precious moments that he got to blow off some steam. Even now, another [Herald] was covering for him, to allow him a brief reprieve, merely an years rest. He didnt really take the task too seriously, in all honesty, but it had been prophesied that Earth held some potential matches. The other [Heralds] had told him about this, a wondend in the remotest sector of the universe truly, a great vacation spot. If only they knew what horrors [Heralds] like him held at bay whilst they revelled in their puny, mortal lives. In truth, every true denizen of Artezia was born with a [Soul Card] at birth, a manifestation of their soul given form. Most were born with [Common] soul cards, which is why a [Rare] soul card was still impressive, but that was not reason enough to move a Herald. But, even if one was born with a [Common] soul card, that did not mean a life of mediocrity, not necessarily. For one could [Upgrade] their soul cards by performing [Quests], killing [Monsters] and [Completing] feats. Noble ns and Ancient Sects had also discovered methods of passing [Soul Cards] from one generation to the next, thus ensuring the same powerful [Soul Card] can pass on from generation to generation, albeit with its Level Reset to zero. When a denizen of Artezia dies, their Soul would separate from their [Soul Card] leaving behind a [Card] that anyone with the requirements can equip, albeit after being reset to zero. A [Card] could never truly be destroyed, not even the weakest one, for it never entirely exists in the physical realm. However, if one did not have any desire to use that card, they could [Feed] it to ther [Soul Card] and grow their own strength. This had lead to bloody wars in the past, but after a certain strength weaker cards stopped having an effect on stronger [Soul Cards]. He had not lied about some parts, for a [Soul Card] was truly a fragment of divinity a small, insignificant one in most cases, but it was the [Divine System] that bestowed this power upon all denizens native to Artezia. The bearded man yed with the deck in his hands as he wandered the streets of Shibuya, Japan. To be more precisely, the same street where Tom had gunned down an armed killer thirty or so minutes ago. A pool of blood was still left on the spot where the body was, causing the bearded man to chuckle before he turned back around. The [Deck] in hand was no ordinary one. These were all [Mutated Cards], cards that even the [Divine System] could not urately assess. The divine spark in them had mutated over time, implying that these were some of the oldest cards in existence hailing from a time whence not even the [Herald] was born. The [Mutated Cards] chose their owner. Even the [Divine System] held no influence over them. Without the cards acknowledgement, no one could wield them. Sure, perhaps if the [Herald] really tried, he could maybe damage one of the weaker ones, but not only would that grant him enmity from the [Divine System], there was no reason to do so. When Tom reached the other size, he would be taken care of. Albeit, in a closely monitored way. They would observe him, keep tabs on him and watch him carefully for any deviation from the known abilities of his [Card]. And when his life came to an End, the Card would be the property of the [Syrlore Kingdom], winner of this decades Jackpot. Maybe its true ability would be judged to be of a higher rank and the Kingdom would be ecstatic, or it might kill off Tom tomorrow there was no way of knowing. There had been hundreds of such mutated [Soul Cards] unlocked over the years, and not once had they gone over the [Epic] rank. Now that, admittedly, was worth the attention of a [Herald]. A never before seen [Epic] rank [Soul Card] could be the ultimate gift for a descendant, a trump card whose depths no one but the user knew. Hell, he might have use for it himself. Of course, no one, not even the [Herald] could, in his wildest dreams, believe that an [Ephemeral] card, the one card that all of Artezia dreamt of possessing, had the audacity to hide right under their very noses. Chapter 6: Deck Card Chapter 6: Deck Card Tom cautiously walked towards the [Ankra Beasts] carcass, one hand resting upon the bark of the tree, ready to yank himself back if the [Divine System] had lied and the beast was still alive. So far, the [Divine System] hadnt given him much of a reason to trust it. The hilt of his bloodied rapier was the first thing that entered his line of sight and Tom instinctively found himself tracing his gaze down its length. The [Ankra Beast]y still on the grassy floor, the tall grass drenched with its foul-smelling yellow blood. A wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm Tom, but he grit his teeth and forced himself forward. The hard part was done, and what came next might improve his odds of survival. He couldnt chicken out now. Tom gingerly stepped forward, one foot after the next, slowly approaching the beasts unmoving carcass. [You have sessfully yed a Level 1 Ankara Beast. Its Soul has separated from its Soul Card. Would you like to absorb its Soul Experience?] Soul Experience? Absorb? Tom weighed the words in his mind, an ufortable uncertainty washing over him. Though he didnt know the specifics, part of it seemed obvious enough if he said yes, he would absorb a portion of the [Ankra Beasts] soul. The beast had tried to kill him, yes, but something about the whole idea made him feel sick. It felt morally wrong. But could the soul survive without the body in the first ce? Tom didnt know. But did he really have a choice? He was in an unfamiliarnd full of monsters he had never seen before and the only weapon he had was a regr old sword and a magic card that wasnt capable of anything except fucking him over. Could he afford to take the moral highground? This reward might make the difference between life and death. Yes, Tom finally replied, averting his gaze elsewhere. A white, misty aura flowed from the beasts carcass to his own body, enveloping him in a sensation that felt enriching, nourishing and rejuvenating all that the same time. [Your Soul Card has received 150 experience. Experience required till next level: 4850.] [The Divine System will automatically absorb Soul Experience upon each kill from now on.] [Would you like to Loot the carcass?] Yes, Tom replied again, this time as a thought instead of speaking it aloud. [You have received a Level 1 [The me] card. Would you like to [Feed] this [Common] ranked card to your Soul Card?] What? Fuck no! Tom whispered with excitement as his grubby hands reached out for red card that floated above the beasts carcass, gently cupping it with both his hands. The card was a simple one, with orange embossing, a red background and the symbol of a small fire painted in the center with a vivid orange. [Would you like to add [The me] to your Deck Cards? Doing so will deduct temporarily 1 Soul Power for the duration you have it added to your deck.] Tom nced at his own [Soul Power] stat, noting that he had 35/35 avable. Losing one couldnt do him much harm, not that he knew what it did in the first ce. Add it, Tommanded. [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 1]. Statistics: Physical: 6 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5 Soul Power: 34/34 Deck Cards: 1. The me [Common]: Level 1. Cost: 1 SP Ability: Ember Level 1: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every thirty seconds of continuous use. ] [Congrattions! You have equipped your first Deck Card.] [You may now divide Soul Experience between your Soul Card and your Deck Cards. Please note that you do not get additional stat rewards for levelling up your Deck Card.] A flurry of thoughts ran through Toms mind, something about the whole thing seeming a little off to him. He had killed a Level 1 monster and his [Soul Card: The Fool] had also been Level 1. Why then did it only amount to 1/50th of the experience needed to reach Level 2? If he had interpreted correctly, he would get to add morePhysical, Mental and Proprioception points if he got to the next level. An ominous thought came to his mind, and out of desperation Tom just decided to ask the Divine System itself, How much soul experience do I need to get The me card to the next level? Another blue screen metamorphosed in front of him. [Experience required till next level: 100.] Fuck, Tom winced, falling into thought while maintaining a tab on his surroundings. He had to choose fast. Put it all in my [Deck Card: The me] for now, he ultimately chose to ignore [The Fool] card for now. The extra stats would be nice, sure, but that wouldnt matter if he died before reaching that point. [Preference acknowledged.] [A Common Ankra Bone Dagger has been deposited in your inventory.] [Ankra Beast Meat x2 has been deposited in your inventory]. Tom watched as the [Ankra Beasts] carcass began to dete before gently being enveloped by the soft earth beneath it. Its soul, its bones even its meat Tom had taken it all. A wave of guilt washed over him anew, the bile in his stomach rising. The next moment, Tom began to heave over his lunch all over the grass. Fuck, Tom thought, getting a glimpse before the deted carcass was enveloped entirely by the Earth beneath it. His thoughts meandered, going in directions he didnt want them to. Would his remains too suffer the same grisly end if he lost a battle and consequently, his life? What if another [yer] killed him instead of a monster? Would they absorb his soul, add its strength to their own? The idea alone was enough to make even the bravest of men shudder a little in horror. Death was terrifying, but atleast it brought oblivion. What of ones soul been stolen though? Tom hurriedly shook his head. He needed to get the fuck out of here. The [Ankra Beast]s carcass was gone, but his rapier stilly there, having sunk a little deeper into the ground, its length beginning to warp a little, but it was still functional. He grabbed it and began to sprint away, hoping that he would be able to escape the consequences of themotion hed caused. Soon, Tom''s distant silhoutte vanished amongst the forest''s intimidatingly tall trees. Chapter 7: Strategy Chapter 7: Strategy This was hell. It had to be. That was the only exnation Tom had left. His situation, or rather the implications of it, had taken a while to dawn upon him. The saying ignorance is bliss, had never been more urate as he ran away from the sight of his encounter with the [Ankra Beast], he realized how close he hade to dying. However, it was not the [Ankra Beast] itself that was the source of his fear. No, what truly terrified Tom was the possibility of sustaining an injury. His shoes had protected him from the worst of the mes the beast had sustained upon him, but what if they hadnt? What would he do with a hobbled leg in the middle of a forest full of hostile monsters with magical powers? Die, thats what. He had no means to heal, or for that matter, even seal a wound. His medical training was non-existent and as for magical means the [Divine System] conveniently seemed to have left that part out. Perhaps he could fashion a gauze out of animal hide if he managed to kill another beast, the thought not exactly striking him back when hed just finished a deadly battle. but for all he knew it would infect his wound and only kill him faster. The thing did bleed yellow ichor after all. Come to think of it, the whole reason why hed been sent to Artezia didnt make sense either. The bearded man had imed that everyone didnt have a powerful Soul Card, making them sound incredibly valuable but the very first beast hed killed had dropped one. Would he really travel through the space-time continuum to give him a [Card] that projected scary illusions? Tom was certain that the bearded man, no matter how strong or mysterious, couldnt pierce through [The Fools] concealment. Nothing seemed to make sense. A sh of movement flickered in the corner of his eye, but when he pivoted to face it, it only revealed a broad-faced leaf shimmying through the air. Another ten minutester he heard a sound that he mistook for a solitary footstep, only to see a copsed branchying haplessly upon the ground. Paranoia assailed his senses, his every breath strained whilst his mind betrayed his cause, amplifying a harmless sound into the low growl of a monster, envisioning the gaze of a terrifying beast trained upon his person, watching him bumble through the forest as it positioned itself to strike. The only thing that gave Tom the courage to keep going was the rapier clenched in his right hand and [The me] card in his left. He hade close to firing off a gout of mes in a moment of paranoia, but thankfully that disaster had been averted in thest second. He had to find a way to ease his nerves, or his anxiety would finish him off before any monster did. Shit. The dagger. Tom hadpletely forgotten about the [Ankra Bone Dagger] hed received from the beast. The ensuing situation didnt exactly give him a lot of time to study it, but it might just be the confidence boost he was looking for. Scanning his surroundings, the forest seemed to be as vast and endless as it felt before but the wide trees did serve the purpose of providing him momentary cover. Huddled behind one such tree was Tom, hastily scanning the surroundings one more time before he mentally called for his [Inventory]. A rent in the void before him crackled open; the whole process startling him, but only by a little. Tom gingerly reached his hand forward, and waited as a three dimensional image came to life in his minds eye. The small. spatial room that was empty before now had two new additions, or perhaps three, depending on how you looked at it. Two cuts of rancid-looking yellow meat strung together by a small string floated at the north-eastern corner of the room. Right next to it, a double-edged white bone dagger floated in the air or perhaps void, its edges tapering to meet at a single, sharp point. The crossguard just seemed to be a straightened chip of bone, but atleast the hilt had light criss-crossing cuts carved into it for additional grip. Tom thought about the dagger, beckoning it, and it began to slowly hover towards him. A slightly cold sensation weed him as he wrapped his right hand around it before yanking it out. He held the dagger aloft, marvelling it for a few seconds before he gently ran it along the trees bark. A light incision was left behind wherever the dagger had made contact with the bark, and Tom had barely applied any strength at all. Tom thought about it, and its specifications popped up via a blue screen. [Ankra Bone Dagger, Common. Requirements: Physical 3, Proprioception 2. Description: Crafted from the remains of a Level 1 Ankra Beast, the knife is sharp and resilent.] Tom was unsure how to feel about the dagger. On one hand, it was wickedly sharp and the Divine System had called it resilient, so it shouldnt easily warp or chip on him. On the other hand, when your opponents had magical cards that let them breathe fire at you, it seemed less reassuring. He now faced another conundrum. He didnt have a sheathe for his rapier, and Tom refused to not have [The me] card in his left hand. So he had to make a choice between the dagger and the rapier. Its additional range allowed him to clinch victory over the [Ankra Beast], but he had another powerful weapon now, with a greater reach. A strategy began to form in Toms mind. He had no military training. Tom acknowledged that. He was not chosen one. He acknowledged that too. The only thing he was right now was high-strung and any strategy that involvedplicated pirouttes or over-ambitious maneovres was likely to fail right off the bat. No hed keep it rough and simple. If something came too close to him, or was charging towards him, hed st it with fire and run if it didnt immediately die. If it continued to chase him again, hed unleash his mes again and again, until it either died or gave up. In the worst case scenario, if it managed to either evade or run through his mes, the dagger was the only weapon in his possession wiith which he could imagine killing in a single blow. If it still didnt die. well. He gave his rapier a wistful look before tossing it inside the crack in space. With another thought, his [Inventory] winked out of existence. When Tom got up again, there was something resembling determination reflected in his pupils. Surprisingly his anxiety had begun to recede, now that he had a n in mind, a new weapon that was wickedly sharp and his own personal methrower. He did not run any longer, for that was foolish his footfall, despite his efforts to move stealthily, would still probably be audible to any beast that was listening. Thus he moved slowly and cautiously from one trees cover to the next, progressing in the same direction hed chosen to run in the first ce. Logic dictated that eventually the forest would end well that was Earths logic, but hed take it. An hour had passed eventlessly, and Toms guard was beginning to getxer when he heard not one, but two animalistic grunts. His reaction was much faster this time, as he instinctively threw himself behind a thick clump of light blue shrubbery, hoping it wasnt poisonous to his skin. Thankful for the body of a teenager, he managed to conceal in what he believed was the nick of time, but his [The me] card was ready to go off at a moments notice. The grunts drew closer. Chapter 8: Symiril Tusker (1) Chapter 8: Symiril Tusker (1) Toms heartbeat resounded in his chest, his figure crouched and hidden behind a thick shrubbery that was around a meter in thickness and a little over half his height. The grunts were uttered in short intervals, and it did not take long for Tom to be able to be differentiate between the two. One beasts inflection was on the deeper side, a gutteral utterance that made it sound quite unpleasant to his ears. The others was a little more high-pitched, a shrill cadence to it that made it sound more feminine to his ears. With every passing second he felt the plodding beasts footsteps draw nearer, until they finally entered his line of sight, Barely. Tom had to continuously angle his head in his attempt to trace the voice to his source, finally catching a glimpse through a series of intersecting branches that bore light-blue leaves and a few smatterings of flowers that shared the same hue. [Analysing [Monster Species: Symiril Tusker (Female} Soul Card: Earths Vitality [Common] Soul Card Level: 1] That was one. Another grunt followed from further away that sounded slightly pleased, if Tom had to take a stab at deciphering an alien beasts emotions. Tensing, Tom mustered his courage to take a single step to the right without making any noise, craning his neck forward to get a clearer nce. Finally hed found an opening in the branches, a small circr patch in the dense thicket where branches had broken off. It gave him a clear view of the clearing. The two [Symiril Tuskers] had stepped away from each other, or atleast Tom assumed that they belonged to the same species. Both shared the same ck coat of fur, two long ivory tusks jutting out from their oral cavity that were curved forward the creatures essentially looked like a cross between an elephant and a wild boar, except for the third yellow eye situated on their forehead that almost made Tom gasp in surprise. It took him only a moment to understand what was happening as the [Symiril Tusker] hed identified earlier stopped before a patch of shrubbery that was dotted with the same blue leaves and flowers he was camouged behind. A secondter, the beast began to ravenously gulp down the nts, as if it were deriving great joy from every mouthful. His gaze shifted to the other [Symiril Tusker] as it scouted the area, though Tom did not read wariness in its posture; more likely it was simply taking its pick, looking for the most appetizing patch of shrubbery. [Analysing [Monster Species: Symiril Tusker (Male} Soul Card: Water Propulsion [Common] Soul Card Level: 1] Finally, the beast ambled forward, thankfully not in his direction. All Tom had to do was wait and sure enough, both the beasts had their backs towards him. The problem now was the distance, and their sharp tusks. Even if he managed to kill one, the other would brutally impale him. That was while discounting their [Soul Cards]. Wait. Tom repeated the words hed just thought of before in his mind, his sub-consciousness tingling. There was something there. The [Ankra Beast] hed encountered before had attacked him the moment he entered its line of sight. Hed assumed that it wanted to hunt him for sustenance but The [Symiril Tuskers] were muchrger beasts and the seemed content to feed on nts. Most likely, they were omnivores. Now, there was another piece of information that had yet toe into y. The bearded man hadnt been truthful with him, but he was pretty sure that he wasnt sent to Artezia to meaninglessly die the moment he arrived. That he had inferred from the simple fact that he had received [The Fool] card, and any deck that concealed such a card surely couldnt be useless. The bearded man had promised him that someone would locate him, implying that he wouldnt be in much danger. That meant that there was civilization nearby. Sapient civilization. The bearded man was a human, or, atleast seemed like a human from the outside, so it was possible that hed find a member from his own species, or people that looked simr to him anyway. Would humans allow a forest full of man-eating creatures exist next to their civilization? Not unless they didnt have the ability to do so. A thought thundered through his mind, Toms eyes widening as he almost let out a gasp. Of course how could he be so stupid? The [Ankra Beast] mustve attacked him because it wanted his [Soul Card]! On one hand, Tom couldnt see the dumb beast utilizing his [inventory] like a yer would but.maybe it didnt need to. The beast had used [The me] card very differently from how he wouldve done it try as he might, he couldnt envision himself vomiting out a gout of mes at his enemies. So could the beasts improve their levels like he could? That thought brought him a great deal of both difort and distress in equal parts, but In all honesty, Tom was on the verge of retreat. Or atleast, he had been. The [Ankra Beast] and the [Symiril Tuskers] might technically be on the same level, but all it took was one nce to know that these beasts meant serious business. A wild boar back on Earth could be deceptively fast, and Tom wasnt particrly inclined to test his skills against their magical version, two of them at that. But there were two things that didnt let him leave just yet. The beasts were happily feeding, not even having gazed once in Toms direction. The first was the fact that his thoughts hadnt entirely left the [Earths Vitality] card. Vitality could mean a wide variety of things, but when ced in a magical context, all those things sounded beneficial to him. The [Common] cards so far had seemed to be pretty straightforward, so he could attempt a few guesses perhaps it made one more resilient to damage, or perhaps it could reduce a deadly wound into a manageable one. This could very well be it. The one card he needed more than anything, more than even [The Fool] card right now, could be this one. If he ran away now.. would he really be doing anything different from his past life? Once again running away from his problems, fleeing at the first sign of pain No. He knew better than that. He knew where that cycle lead. Eliminating riskpletely was a futile effort. Whether it be the previous world or this one, there would always be risk. Risk was a sign of life, for there was no risk, no uncertainty, there was no life worth living. Taking the risk now could avert a crisister. Sure, perhaps he could be on the edge of the forest, a cozy, safe vige only fifty meters away. And his risk, his effort, would prove to be unnecessary. His mind whisperedfortable illusions, attempting to shake his resolve. Its unnecessary. Dont fight it. Just cave in, like you always do. No. He had to try. Tom wasnt overestimating himself. He knew his capabilities. He was no paragon that would lead this new world to glory. He wasnt suddenly going to discover that he was a prodigy inbat. He was [The Fool]. So Tom asked himself, what would [The Fool] do in this situation? The card that was intertwined with his soul seem to thrum, no, resonate with this emotions, and Tom received its answer. The Unexpected. The Bizzare. The Eclectic. Chapter 9: Symiril Tusker (2) Chapter 9: Symiril Tusker (2) If the [Ankra Beast] was willing to kill him for his soul card, would it be safe to assume that it would also try to hunt other Beasts? Perhaps not of its own species but back on Earth, evolution had deemed that there would be aw of the jungle, the prey and the predator. So far, this forest hadnt been teeming with beasts he had travelled quite a distance before he encountered his second foes. Perhaps not all beasts hunted down each other, but where there were resources to be found, there was conflict to be had. Assumptions stacked upon assumptionsbut that was all he had. A spark shed in his mind. A stupid, bizzare idea made its way to the forefront of his consciousness, refusing to budge. There was no time to be wasted if he wanted that card. [Inventory], thought Tom, and a crack in the void metaphorpized into reality. Tom reached inside. But it was not the rapier he grabbed. Instead, Tom yanked out a b of smelly, yellow meat the meat that he had obtained from killing the [Ankra Beast]. The smell was so bad that it it made him gag, every inch of his body struggling not to throw up. He wondered if he was really supposed to eat this if he wanted to survive, or if hed die with the first bite. He had a short window to act before the smell wafted over to the [Symiril Tuskers]. His gaze shifted to one of the wide trees that was roughly situated between the two boars. Thanking himself for ying baseball as a child, Tom hoisted the b of meat with both his hands. Please, dont miss. Tom hurled the b of meat forward with the intensity of a baseball pitcher, immediately copsing back into a crouch. He silently watched the b of meat arc through the air, before mming square in the center of the wide tree before it slid down onto the floor. The [Symiril Tuskers] were faster, far faster than what Tom had envisioned in his mind as they backpedalled from their feasting spot with the agility of a feline beast. Their quizzical gazesnded upon. what appeared to be a b of yellow meat at first nce, but they didnt immediately approach. Instead, they slowly begun circling around each other, slowly widening the radius of their circr movement. It gave them a three sixty degree view of the entire forest but their action seemed to be directed more by animalistic instinct rather than intelligence, for if they were truly intelligent they would immediately see the b of meat for what it was. The next ten minutes passed as Tom remained rooted to his spot, watching the [Symiril Tuskers] circle the perimeter of their clearing. One of the Tuskers hade dangerously close to his hiding spot, and Tom had been prepared to st it with [The me] card, but thankfully it didnte to that. Level 1 my ass, Tom resentfully thought to himself. The female tusker let out a muted grunt, before she finally stopped her patrol. The male tusker stopped as well. Tom was almost certain that these creatures were omnivores at this point. Herbivores would have long fled at the slightest sign of danger, whilst he had seen them eat nts with his own eyes, so they couldnt be carnivores. The two tuskers slowly began to approach the b of meat, causing Toms anticipation to grow. Then they stopped a meter before it, and began to sniff it. Fuck. This was stupid to begin with. Why was Tom applying his old worlds convention to this forsakennd? Maybe the meat just didnt smell good to the Tuskers. Maybe they only ate certain types of meat. Mayb- Toms thoughts stilled as he saw the female Tusker gingerly approached the b of meat, before she ripped a small chunk of meat and scarfed it down. Despite the Tuskers imposing ivory protrusions, they had surprisingly small mouths. The male boar let out a grunt in response that seemed to be aggravated? Annoyed? Did the yellow meat actually smell good to the boars? It seemed so, as both the boars huddled closer, before beginning to tear into the meat. The first phase of his n had. worked? The boars were huddled together. The next and final phase of the n was the riskiest. But Tom felt no hesitation as he slowly circled around the bush. He felt no hesitation because he had tried this once before. He had tried it and failed. He had received two bullets as a reward for his attempt to sneak up on the gun-toting psychopath back in Japan. Tom crept into the open clearing, carefully avoiding any loose branches and dry leaves. There was no cover to hide behind, but tom followed with another step, crouched so low that he was a little under the boars height. RIght now, he felt like a tightrope walker suspended hundreds of feet above a city skyline, walking from one skyscraper to the next. A single misstep. An errant sound. A solitary miscalction. And disaster would ensue. His face was beaded with sweat, but he kept going. The only thing in Toms mind was the next step. And the one after that. There was so many things that could go wrong that hed stopped counting. It didnt matter anymore. All that was left was the task. 10 meters 8 meters.6 meters. Tom moved like a ghost, and perhaps he was one. By all rights, he shouldve died in Japan. He was probably considered dead in his own town. 5 meters. 4 meters Three and a half meters away, Tom stood behind the Tuskers that happily tore into the sulent yellow meat. Even now, they had no idea that a person stood behind them, observing their movement carefully. Toms eyes only reflected an eerie focus that bordered on obsession. Tom refused to die the same way twice. The card held forward, he finally said the words in his mind The me. A powerful gout of me burst out from the card held in his palm, but thankfully the heat emanating from it didnt seem to affect him. Howls of pain rang out the next second, followed by loud grunts that seemed to resemble a cry for help. In the mes of his inferno, he saw two glows of light, one a small sphere of water and the second the yellow outline of a tusker that seemed to glow with a powerful radiance. The sphere of light flickered in and out of existence, whilst the Earthen glow seemed to dim with every passing second. Perhaps they were waiting for him to run out of Soul Power, but. that wasnt going to happen. A tear streaked down Toms face, his hands trembling as he kept [The me] card aloft with his left hand. Thirty seconds passed and the blue light winked out of existence, this time permanently. This was the consequences of his actions. As much as he wanted to avert his gaze. he couldnt. That was the respect he would afford to his foes. The only thing he could offer. He wanted to snuff out his mes but He couldnt fight the tusker in a fair confrontation. And the Tusker would not show him the same mercy. A minuteter, the Earthen Glow that seemed to be shielding the tusker finally winked out of existence. Tom copsed onto his knees. Before himy the charred corpses of the Tuskers, his mes having burnt off their facial features. The smell of charred skin made him want to heave over, but he resisted the urge. This was the world hede to. This was Artezia. And he would either have to adapt or die. Chapter 10: Acquisition Chapter 10: Acquisition Tom sat there for a good minute as another tear streaked down his eyes. He didnt know why he was crying, or rather he didnt want to ept it. Part of it was the stress of this situation, forced to fight for his life in an unfamiliar world, sent to the other side practically naked and defenseless. Part of it was the agonized cries of the dying Tuskers ringing again and again in his ears, his mind seeming to be intentionally trying to make him yield to the guilt he felt. But that wasnt the main reason why, if he were to be truthful to himself. The tuskers would kill him if theyd spotted him first. So Tom took preventive action as struck first. That was a line of reasoning Tom could ept. He was alone in a magical forest full of monsters; every advantage, every opportunity he let slip under these conditions might be the catalyst that got him killed. No, pragmatism was not the reason why Tom was crying. The sorrow he felt was for the person he was bing. Not even a day had passed, and Tom had already began to feel distant from the man that he used to be. A weekter, a monthter if the situation didnt improve, then what depths would he have gone to survive by that point? Was this how life was going to be from now on? Get up. Why? Tom whispered under his breath. Why should he get up? Only to stake his life on the next battle, one more brush with death? The first encounter had almost gotten him killed. The second encounter had been a stroke of blind luck. Then dont. Sit there and wait for the next monster to finish you off. Ignoring your problems, giving up on your aspirations, epting whatever direction life tugs you away in. isnt that what youre best at? Tom grit his teeth as painful memories surfaced to the forefront of his consciousness. One day blurring into the next as he repeated the same tasks, did the same job over and over again. Never once did he try and step out of hisfort zone. Never once did he seek out a significant other in his life, because he was too scared of getting hurt again. Too scared of being abandoned. To live and die without leaving the smallest impact on anyone around him that was his legacy back on Earth. Anything was better than that. Toms expression hardened, the motes of his prior determination to survive coalescing into something greater, something far more powerful resolve. There is one difference, you know. He knew. He knew indeed. Earth and Artezia maybe simr in how they treated him but indeed, there was a very important difference there. On Artezia, Tom actually won, every once in a while. Toms lips blossomed into a cheeky smile as he wistfully gazed at the sky, as if his gaze could pierce through Artezia''s atmosphere and percieve his home. "Farewell," he mouthed, releasing a burst of ufortable emotions that he''d been lugging around for so long they''d almost be a part of him. He sighed. It was unbing of [The Fool] to cry so much. He should project a facade of joviality and cheer more often. If he tried long enough, who knew, maybe it''d be reality. Finally, his gaze shifted to the blue screen that had been hovering in front of his eyes since hed killed the two [Symiril Tuskers]. [You have sessfully yed a Level 1 Symiril Tusker (Female). Your Deck Card [The me] has received 220 experience.] [You have sessfully yed a Level 1 Symiril Tusker (Male). Your Deck Card [The me] has received 240 experience.] [Congrattions, [The me] card has reached Level 2!] [Experience required to reach level 3: 360/500.] He rediscovered strength in his limbs, his resolve giving him the courage to stand once more. [Would you like to Loot the carcass?] Tom replied in affirmative. [You have received a Level 1 [Earths Vitality] card. Would you like to [Feed] this [Common] ranked card to your Soul Card or add it to your [Deck Cards]? [You have received a Level 1 [Water Propulsion] card. Would you like to [Feed] this [Common] ranked card to your Soul Card or add it to your [Deck Cards]? Add both to my [Deck Cards], he hurriedly replied, a hint of desperation leaking into his voice. That Earthen Glow had to be what he was searching for. His efforts had to mean something. [Doing so will deduct temporarily 2 Soul Power for the duration you have the two [Common] cards added to your deck]. Do it, he reiterated, the tension in his voice rising by an octave. He felt, or rather sensed two tendrils of energy flowing from the two cards that were floating midair above the [Symiril Tuskers] carcasses. Without hesitation, Tom snatched the cards, with a tad more force than what was necessary. Those cards belonged to him now. [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 1] Statistics: Physical: 4 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5 Soul Power: 32/32 [35] Deck Cards: 1. The me [Common]: Level 2 [LEVEL UP!] Ability: Ember Level 2 [360/500]: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every thirty five seconds of continuous use. [Level 2 reward- Range has been increased by 1 meter. Embersts for five additional seconds for every 1 SP spent]. 2. Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 1 Ability: Torrent Level 1 [0/100]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. 3. Earths Vitality Ability: Heal Level 1 [0/100]: Absorb the Earths vitality to cast a protective halo around you that continuously heals minor wounds and staunches bleeding. Drains 1SP/minute. Requires continuous contact with an earthen surface. ] Yes! Tom eximed, stopping himself from roaring in triumph. For the first time since hed stepped on this ne, this unfamiliarnd, things were finally going his way. Hed snatched back a modicum of his agency from Artezia, nearly dying in the process. He could now heal, and he had two methods of attack under his belt. [Symiril Tusker Meat x2 has been deposited in your inventory]. [Symiril Tusker Bone Marrow Extract x2 has been deposited in your inventory.] Toms smile began to fade a little as he saw the Tuskers corpses begining to dete. He winced slightly when he saw that not even its bone marrow had been spared, but this time he maintained a stoic expression. The carcasses began to sink into the Earth and Tom made no effort to stop the process. The hide was charred beyond recognition and hed already received a method to heal himself so it was no longer a priority. It had not escaped his attention how the two Tuskers had offered varying amounts of [Soul Experience], both offering way more than the [Ankra Beast] had. That only further served to confirm his suspicions either levelling Soul Cards was harder for beasts than humans, or there was naturally differing levels of [Soul Strength] found in beasts. The more he thought about it, the more his thoughts led to his first hypothesis. What was a soul? Tom didnt exactly know, but he felt that it was irreceably linked to his consciousness. What was the beast? Sentient? Yes. Sapient? If he were to estimate the beasts intelligence, it would be a little more than a small child''s. That thought made him sick, but he continued down that line of rationalization. Tom was physically weaker than the beast, but he had a higher degree of sapience. It led him to one conclusion, founded upon the assumption that his previous chain of reasoning was on the correct track. The beasts required more experience to level their soul cards. Or more relevantly, the beasts strength could not be determined by the Level of their [Soul Card]. That could mean trouble. For now though, Tom needed to get out of here. Mentally, his line of thinking had changed. He no longer wished to continue on the same path as before, just blindly running forward and keep running into danger in hopes that he could escape the forest. No the first order of affairs was to find shelter and a source of water. Chapter 11: Three Chapter 11: Three Tom realized that he was in a deadlock of sorts as he marked the forty-second, or perhaps the forty-third tree with the tip of his [Ankra Bone Dagger]. A simple, albeit broad cross demarcated his presence, stretching across the face of the tree. This way, if he was forced to retreat, hed atleast have some method to ascertain his location. Mostly though, Toms actions were motivated by a desire to do everything he could, leaving no stone unturned. Two hours or thereabouts ought to have passed since hed killed the [Symiril Tusker] and during that time Toms pace had slowed to a crawl. He moved from tree to tree with the utmost caution, making an active effort to minimize his sound footprint. During that time, hed heard a distant howl that had made his blood run cold, and he couldve sworn that the rustle in a shrubbery behind him wasnt a trick of the mind. That was when the first pangs of thirst began to w at his psyche. He had thought about this conundrum as he walked deeper, or perhaps away from the heart of the foresthe had no real way of knowing,ing up with three solutions. The first was to find, or fashion a container that could bear the pressure of his [Water Propulsion] card. He could also practise with it until he could regte its pressure to drink directly from the card well, if it was drinkable in the first ce. If he was creating the water through magic in the first ce, would it satiate his thirst? Tom didnt know. But atleast, the odds of it killing him seemed low.The only downside was the SP cost and the attention it would attract. The second option he had was a far less desirable one. The [Ankra Beast Meat] hed received from the [Divine System] had inadvertently ended up being immensely useful to him, and the intention in giving it to him seemed even more obvious it was definitely intended for consumption. So did the same logic apply to the [Symiril Tusker Bone Marrow Extract] in his possession? Tom had taken a peek at his inventory earlier, and it had turned out to be a transparent vial of azure-coloured liquid. Would drinking it kill him? Toms instincts said no, but it could still have unintended side-effects. But if the meat of this world was rancid to his kind, he wouldntst long anyway. The third option, of course, was to find a water body, but that option seemed less likelier with every passing moment. Hed devised a solution to his awareness issues, and the answer was quiteughably simple. He just needed to scale a tree to its highest point, and hed get they of thend within seconds. But that wasnt an option Tom was willing to resort to just yet. To begin with, he still had the dexterity of an average human. Climbing a tree that tall well, it was possible, but if a beast somehow caught scent of him or if there were aerial beasts flying above the forest, Tom was as good as dead. Onnd atleast, he could fight. But a fall from that height? That was not something [Earths Vitality] could cure. No, he hadnt reached that stage of desperation yet. Paradoxically though, that left Tom where hed begun. The past two hours had been incredibly dull, but that had given him time to explore a question that had been eating at his mind. Could he use multiple cards simultaneously? Tom had tried, or rather, attempted hed tried activating [Earths Vitality] and [Water Propulsion] at the same time, thetter pointed towards the sky, only to be met with disappointing results. The only thing hed gotten was a sharp pang of pain in both his arms that had almost made him drop the cards. Hed immediately ceased his attempts, taking his bodys reaction for what it was a warning. No, Tom supposed healing at the same time as he was firing jets of water would be a little too much for [Common] cards. That had caused him to revamp his strategy. Tom had wisely chose to keep the dagger in his right hand, for it was a weapon he could use without any cost or restrictions. [The me] card, his most powerful weapon, was clenched in his left hand. [Earths Vitality] was safely stored in his left pocket, which made it the more essible of the two. [Water Propulsion] went in his right, making it a little harder to get to, but it was also the card he viewed with the least degree of importance, besides its role as a portable water source. It sucked not to have a healing card on hand, but Tom knew it couldnt heal fatal or near fatal wounds. More than that though, he couldnt allow himself to slip into a mentality where getting injured was considered eptable. He didnt want the [Earths Vitality] card lulling him into a false sense of security. Hed thought of keeping all three cards in his left hand, but with the restrictions on dual casting, the odds he would blow himself up seemed more likely. More than likely, there was a far more efficient way of using multiple cards, but try as he might he couldnt seem to figure it out. Unlike his soul card, the cards werent really tethered to his soul werent really a part of himself. So he couldnt simply ce them inside his soul and start belching fire, unfortunately. A rustle interrupted Toms musings. He pivoted on his foot with surprising crity, just in time to see a shadowy figure blur deeper into the shrubbery. The reason his reaction had been so zingly quick had nothing to do with his reaction speed or instinct the reason instead, had been quite simple; Tom had been on edge this entire time, back when hed heard a rustle the first time an hour ago. His brain had tried to convince him that it had just been an auditory hallucination born out of anxiety, but Tom knew better. If he was destined to go insane, that would have happened a long time ago, back on Earth because there had been some points in life where that possibility almost seemed relieving. No, he had been right all this while. [Analysing. [Monster Species: Elfinw Soul Card: The Shadow [Common] Soul Card Level: 3] Toms heart lurched, and it took every bit of willpower he had for him to not break out into a run. His gaze refused to budge from the [Level 3] that was scrawled upon the blue screens surface, as if staring at it long enough would make the number go down. It wouldnt. Chapter 12: One shot Chapter 12: One shot Snap out of it. Tom shook his head, as if he had just been hallucinating all along before. His movements were jerky and slow as he forced himself to turn back around and begin walking in the same direction he was before, fighting back both his racing heartbeat and his desire to make a break for it. Intrusive thoughts barraged his mind, some wanting him to fight the enemy head on, others egging him to take a gamble and see if he could outrun the beast. He was officially in the worst case scenario now. Not only had he encountered a beast with a higher levelled card than any he possessed, it also seemed to be more intelligent than the beasts hed encountered so far. This was a bona fide predator, staking him from the shadows. That raised a question. Why hadnt the beast attacked yet? Stealthy nces were all he allowed himself as he ambled forward, attempting to replicate his earlier pace as he creeped from one tree to the next. [The Shadow] didnt sound like a particrly offensive card, yet the beast had managed to kill enough of its brethren monsters or perhaps other humans, though Tom thought that possibility unlikely, to level it to level three. Maybe it didnt have a long-range attack method. Tom thought about it, looking back at thest two hours. If the [Elfinw] had been stalking him all that while, it surely had plenty of opportunities to take a shot at him from afar. One that hed never seeing. Instead, it chose to silently stalk him. The beast could be a sadist. One that liked to torment its prey before finishing it off. The thought sent chills down his spine, but Tom forced himself to discard it. That wasnt a rational line of thinking. If the beast was so arrogant, it wouldnt have climbed to Level 3 when the powerful [Symiril Boars] failed. A thought struck his mind. The beast had cloaked itself in what looked to be a cloud of shadows. Maybe it wasnt too confident in its physical abilities? No, that sounded unlikely. So far, hed describe none of the creatures hed encountered as weak. Intelligence. The beast was intelligent, atleast moreso than the beasts hed encountered so far. A crocodile was plenty powerful, yet it used stealth to kill unaware foes with a single blow. This [Eflinw] had to be simr. If Toms ruse had worked, the beast shouldnt be aware that he was aware of its presence. He had, after all, chosen to stay rooted where most would instinctively flee. The only reason Tom didnt was because he ced little faith in his physical body, not at all confident in outrunning the beast and. running blindly, as hed learned from experience, could have even worse consequences. For a second, Tom tried to think from the perspective of the beast. How would he feel if, time after time, he killed from thefort of the shadows? His foe caught unaware, because it was too stupid to think that anything beyond a head-on confrontation existed. Back on Earth, the physiologically weaker humans could kill any animal, because they did not have either the intelligence or the means to detect a long-range ambush. No matter how smart a lion or a tiger was, it meant little in the face of a sniper rifle. The beast must feel superior. Clever. Unique. Of course, Toms assumptions were merely that. Assumptions. But he didnt see how he could break the deadlock otherwise. The beast could outrun him, most likely. If he begun to sprint wildly it would chase, and the odds were hed run into another beast. A more vtile strategy would be to simply burn everything behind him as he ran but that seemed unlikely too. Not that Tom was particrly concerned about razing the forest, but more like he couldnt. In his encounter with the [Ankra Beast], the damn thing had sprayed its mes all over the ce yet the forest hadnt gone in mes yet. How many beasts were there in the forest that could spew mes? And with their intelligence. If that was possible, the forest would already be up in mes. No, that wouldnt work. The one, and quite possibly only chance he had to kill his silent persuer was that he knew of the enemys existence, but the enemy did not yet truly know him. That was the beauty of humans, for Tom would wager that every one of his kind would react differently if they were ced in his situation. Subtle differences they might be, but the individuality of his kind couldnt be denied. The beast hadnt attacked yet. The reason was simple. Tom hadnt shown any vulnerability yet. Sure, his back was exposed, but hed still managed to notice the beast in the end. Moreover, in Artezia, where people likely had superhuman reflexes, an exposed back didnt necessarily mean an outright advantage. Did the beast sense the threating off from the card in his hand? Possibly. Till now, Tom had been steadfast in his resolve to maintain caution and continue moving, albeit slowly. Hed never stopped to experiment with his cards and now he was thankful hed made that decision. His next idea was even crazier than thest. Or rather, his previous idea had been more experimental. This one was reckless but grounded in theory. Tom couldnt allow a third-party to continually stalk him, not on the very likely chance that he would stumble upon another beast. He could deal with threats on one front, but the opportunist [Elfinw] would likely finish him off the moment it saw an opportunity. No, Tom had to fight back. He scanned his surroundings, looking for the the ce where hed make his stand. Toms eyes lit up when he spotted a set of gnarly roots jutting out from the earth, tracing back to one of the wide trees. Twenty meters separated him from the gnarled root, giving him enough time to mentallypose himself. If he fumbled this, there would be no second chance. Chapter 13: Elfinclaw Chapter 13: Elfinw Tom couldnt afford to fail. He silently withdrew [Earths Vitality] and [Water Propulsion] from his pockets, palming and stacking them behind [The me] card. If he focused on just [The me] card, it should go off as intended, but Tom wasnt quite sure if he had the dexterity to switch around cards with just one palm. If his n went ording to the script though, that wouldnt be a problem. His dagger still in his right, Tom continued to walk towards the trees root, in line with his previous strategy of moving from tree to tree. His expression seemed calm on the exterior, but he kept peeking behind him in an attempt to get another lock on his target. The reason why he didnt suspect that the beast would nk him was because it had no reason to from its perspective, Tom was just an unwitting fool unaware of the silent assassins presence. Seconds passed, and soon only a meter separated Tom from the gnarled roots. He continued to walk at the same pace, as if he was oblivious to their presence. Tom tripped. Or, more urately, he feigned tripping. His right foot collided against the gnarled roots base, twisting it at an awkward angle before he went careening forward onto the ground. Hended sidewards, at an angle, which allowed him to glimpse backwards without looking suspicious. The [Ankra Bone Dagger] flew out of his hands,nding barely half a meter away from him, hidden inside the tall grass. The next part was going to hurt. Tom bit down on his tongue, not enough topletely lop it off, but enough to cut deeply. The salty, metallic tang of warm blood flowed through his mouth, and the next moment Tom let out an agonzing, pained scream that simply could not be faked. Heavily panting, Tom hurriedly ced the [Earths Vitality] card on the ground, arming himself with both [The me] and the [Water Propulsion] card in each hand. His eyes flickering backward, Tom traced his path, expecting, hoping, to see the [Elfinw]. Cmon you intelligent, cocky bastard. Your prey finally made a mistake. Or maybe he was wounded from the start, and his legs finally gave in. A shadowy figure became visible at the periphery of his vision. It slowly approached, causing Tom to tighten his grip on his cards and then. Stopped. Fuck. Cautious Bastard! Tom didnt let the panic get to him though, for he had one more card to y. The blood that had pooled in his mouth he began to cough it out. Specks of red blood spilled out of his mouth, spraying all over the grass. He was sick. Internally injured. Whatever.. It didnt matter. Surely the beast didnt expect him to fake an internal injury just to lure it in. Toms breathing tightened. This was it. Either it worked or it failed. The [Elfinw] broke into a sprint, the shadowy miasma around it making Tom unable to urately judge its form, but he did spot four canine limbs propelling it forward. The beast was fast, even a notch faster than the [Symiril Tusker] but Tom had expected it when hed seen that it was level three. When the beast was seven meters away, Tom begun to channel his SP into [The me] card. The next second, he swiveled his torso, a bloodied grin forming upon his mouth. You walked right into this one, motherfucker. A torrent of fiery hot mes exploded from Toms right hand, engulfing the [Elfinw] that was travelling too fast to retreat. The intensity and pressure brought by the Level 2 [The me] card held the [Elfinw] at bay, a few seconds passing as he kept [The me] card active without any sign of exhaustion. The [Elfinw] finally managed to regain its footing, using its forelimbs to leap a meter backwards. The shadow cloak enveloping it had disappeared, as Tom had hoped what element was better than Fire at banishing Shadows? Tom finally glimpsed at his stalker, a wolven creature with half-charred silver fur, sharp talons that had seemingly ckened from the heat of his mes, a pointed grey horn that managed to endure the worst of his assault and only one remaining ruby red eye that was trying to lock on to his position, seemingly confused by the situation. Tom though, wasnt going to relent now as he channeled SP into the [Water Propulsion] card, holding it above his head whilst at a downward angle. A jet of pressurized water shot out of the card, the recoil from his shot almost jerking the [Water Propulsion] card out of his hand. It connected with the [Elfinw] smashing it into the Earth. Tom wasnt done yet, though. A second shot was fired as Tom was getting back onto his feet. A third shot. A fourth shot. Each shot cost 1SP, but Tom simply didnt care. The beasts head and forelimbs were half buried into the floor, painful bruises marring its skin. However, it still managed to dodge the fifth shot, using its hind legs to throw itself back another two meters. Another shot. The one-eyed [Elfinw] dodged again, throwing itself to the left. It began to zig-zag as it approached him, its eyes filled with a desire for destruction and vengeance. It seemed like the beast had enough intelligence to understand the concept of an ego, for it wished to kill Tom with everything he had. The [Water Propulsion] card had served its purpose, so he allowed it to fall to the floor. Taking a step back, Tom retrieved the dagger hed left on the ground, tracking the rapidly approaching beast with his eyes. It was dying. Tom could do this. The moment it stepped within the five meter mark, Tom unleashed [The me] card again. But hed underestimated the [Elfinws] determination, as it pivoted to the right at thest second. The [Elfinw] seemed like a blur as it pounced again. The next thing Tom knew, he felt a searing pain tearing into his right arm, the one that held [The me] card. The card slipped out of his grasp, and the next second both Tom and the [Elfinw] were tumbling onto the ground. Within seconds, he would lose his arm. DIE! Tom screamed, instinct taking over as the [Ankra Bone Dagger] in his left hand sunk into the beasts abdomen. A secondter, Tom realized that his dagger wasnt sharp enough to pierce through the creatures tightly strung flesh. Before he knew it, he had yanked out the dagger and applied another burst of strength to stab again. Even as he hit the ground, Tom continued to stab the [Elfinw] with a mechanical fervor, his mind consumed by the single minded obsession for survival. He pulled back his dagger, the pain in his arm intensifying, and stabbed again. This time, the mark was far softer, more fleshy, as the dagger prated through and through. The pressure grinding away at his arm vanished. The dagger slipped away from his grasp, embedded in the [Elfinws] carcass. The monster had been vanquished. Chapter 14: The Shadow Chapter 14: The Shadow A strong drowsiness washed over Tom, his eyes unfocused as gazed upon the sky with confused, jumbled emotions. Hed won. The danger had been averted. Whod think that an ordinary convenience store worker from Earth would be capable of taking down such a monster when pushed to, or rather beyond, his limits. That warranted a little rest, right? A quick, short nap. The barrage of notifications hed been hit with after ying the [Elfinbeast] were tempting, but not as tempting as sleep. He was battered, bruised, exhausted beyond all manner ofprehension and Shit! Toms eyes snapped open. He was bleeding, the [Elfinw] had bit deeply into his flesh and now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, Tom could feel the burning sensation in his right arm again. Tom screamed, partly out of pain, though his main intention was to snap himself out of the stupor that was muddling his thoughts. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck! He couldnt die now. Not after confronting a foe that was beyond anything his worst nightmare could throw at him. He slowly angled his gaze to his right arm, wincing at the site of multiple puncture wounds that had bit deeply into his flesh. A pool of blood had already dyed a small patch of grass red, only emphasizing the need for urgency in his mind. Tom didnt feel too good. His left hand pressed against the ground, channelling what little strength he could spare to get him back to a sitting position. The movement only made the pain worse, tears beginning to flow from his eyes. Come the fuck on. Grunting, Tom got back onto his feet with his left hand serving as the support. Right now, he didnt particrly care where his other cards had gone to. Stumbling forward, he took three steps in quick session, the pain intensifying. But finally, he found salvation in the form of a light brown card resting upon the grass, a meter away from him. Copsing to his knees, Tom used the downward momentum to thrust his right hand outwards, safely palming [Earths Vitality]. He let out a triumphant cry filled with joy as an earthen halo enveloped him, immediately beginning to soothe his pain and push back his lethargy. His thoughts began to flow again and Tom began prioritizing his next actions in his mind. Seeing the puncture wounds on his right arm slowly reknitting themselves brought more relief to him than he couldve imagined he wouldnt be losing his arms today, from the looks of things. Still not trusting his legs not to let him down, Tom crawled back to the [Elfinws] carcass, retrieving his dagger and two cards on his way back. Letting out an exhausted sigh, Tom sat down with his back against the [Elfinws] charred fur. If any more beasts stumbled upon the sight, he hoped that a blood drenched human wearing a torn shirt that had bite marks upon it leaning against his kill woulld make an intimidating enough sight to frighten them off. If not, well, Tom still had his [Water Propulsion] card in his hand and [The me] card ced to his side. Five minutes had passed, yet Tom estimated that his wounds were only healed half way through. [Soul Power- 19/32] Tom had been wondering for a while now, but this encounter had vinced him. He had way too much Soul Power for someone with a Level 1 Soul Card. Despite his fight with the [Eflinw], a creature with far superior physical strength and a higher levelled Soul Card, Tom still over half of his [SP] remaining. Did that have something to do with the rarity of his card? Possibly. Though Tom couldnt say with absolute certainty. That reminded Tom, considering the coast seemed to be clear for the moment, to check his notifications. He still had to [Loot] the creature, after all. [The Fool approves and acknowledges your actions. The skill [Shroud] is nowplete.] Tom was bbergasted at the first system notification that hit him, truly havinge off the left field. The Fool approved his actions? Wasnt he supposed to be the fool? The hell was that supposed to mean. And as for Shroud, was his Soul Card holding back on him? Was iteven allowed to do that? Tom hurriedly opened the [Soul Card] section in his [yer Statistics] section. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 1 [150/5000] Ability: Shroud, Level 1 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Active Shroud, Maya Deceive oneself to deceive the world.] What the fuck. In that moment, Tom wanted to punch someone. Hed punch the jester drawn on [The Fool] card if it wasnt a mirror replica of his own likeness. More puzzles. Wasnt that just great. On the upside, atleast he knew what Passive Shroud did. The skill sounded quite invaluably useful in all honesty, if it came with a damn guide that exined how to control it. Tom decided to shift his mind to the next notification, lest he lose track of time. [You have sessfully yed a Level 3 Elfinw. Your Deck Card [The me] has received 1165 experience. Your Deck Card [Earths Vitality] has received 1165 experience. Soul Experience has been distributed in a ratio of 1;1 between [The me] and [Earths Vitality] as per your stiptions.] [Please physically touch the cards tomence experience collection.] Tom did as he was told, and he felt an intangible wisp of energy flow into the cards from the carcass of the [Elfinw]. Both cards begun to glow brightly, before subsiding, indicating that both cards had levelled up. That was good, it would make the healing process go faster. Loot, Tom muttered, his back already pressing against the [Elfinws] carcass. That seemed to suffice. [You have received a Level 1 [The Shadow] card. As per your stiptions, [The Shadow] card will be added to your deck cards. Doing so will deduct temporarily 1 Soul Power for the duration you have the [Common] cards added to your deck. Would you like to proceed?] Tom nced at his wounds, as another three minutes had passed. They had already scabbed up by this point, the bleeding staunched. If he continued, perhaps his skin would go back to pristine condition, but his arm functioned perfectly, and moreover the pain was gone. [Soul Power- 16/32] Do it, Tom replied. [Soul Card: The Shadow Rank: Common Level: 1 [0/100] Ability: Shadow Cloak [Level 1]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour.] [Soul Power: 16/31 (35 MAX)] A grin formed on Toms face, as he realized that [The Shadow] card might be his most useful find yet. Chapter 15: The Hunt Begins Chapter 15: The Hunt Begins [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 1] Statistics: Physical: 4 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5 Soul Power: 16/31 [35] Deck Cards: 1. The me [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Ember Level 3 [1025/1500]: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every fourty seconds of continuous use. [Level 3 reward- Range has been increased by 1 meter. Embersts for five additional seconds for every 1 SP spent]. 2. Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 1 Ability: Torrent Level 1 [0/100]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. 3. Earths Vitality [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Heal Level 3 [565/1500]: Absorb the Earths vitality to cast a protective halo around you that continuously heals minor wounds and staunches bleeding. Drains 1SP/minute. Requires continuous contact with an earthen surface. [Level 3 reward- Increases rate of blood clotting and muscle regeneration by +20%] 4. The Shadow [Common]: Level 1 Ability: Shadow Cloak Level 1 [0/100]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour.] Tom hadnt quite expected that the experience from the [Elfinw] would be enough to propel two of his cards to Level 3. It seemed that despite his approximations, the experience at higher levels increased at a far sharper gradient than hed anticipated. That was both good and bad, for Tom shuddered to imagine just how many of its fellow monsters the [Elfinw] had assassinated, and just how close hede to bing one of its hapless victims. [A Common Elfinw Bone Shield has been deposited in your inventory]. [Elfinw Beast Meat x3 has been deposited in your inventory.] The [Elfinw] beasts carcass begun to dete, like Tom had seen happen with each kill so far. Oh no you dont, Tom snarled under his breath, a glimmer of fury flickering in his eyes. This time he felt no self-reproach gnawing at his consciousness, no moral quandary eating away at his psyche as he yanked the corpse away from the ground waiting to swallow it. Tom waited for a warning, some form of retaliation, but none came the [Divine System] didnt seem to care. That was good. Thomas Lowe towered over the deted corpse, forcing himself to look upon his handiwork instead of averting his gaze. His [Ankra Bone Dagger] glimmered under the sunlight and then Tom began to gut the beast. His shirt was on the verge of falling apart and he wasnt sure how cold nightfall would be. Purple blood sprayed over his already bloodied shirt, the smell emanating from the carcass far less unpleasant than the [Ankra Beast] had been, an almost sickly sweet smell wafting in the air as he finally finished cutting out a rectangr piece of hide that was almostpletely dyed in blood. Sighing, Tom wrung it out a few times before tossing it inside his [Inventory]. Hed dry it outter, maybe even give it a wash with his [Water Propulsion] card. Giving one final nce at the carnage the fight had wreaked, the bloodied puddle and chunks of discarded hide the only thing remaining of the [Elfinw], Tom didnt know how to feel. Even now, he expected his mind to rebel against him, to pit himself against a tide of guilt he couldnt ovee but. Tom realized that hed begun to adapt to the situation. This was his reality now. That should be disheartening. It had been disheartening merely a few minutes ago. But Tom. had never felt this powerful in his life. If he just kept going. He could do something. Be someone. Even now, instead of wallowing in despair like he would normally do, Tom was prioritizing his next move. Over half his SP was gone, and whilst Tom was almost certain it would recover in time, the same way ones stamina recovered after a good rest, he didnt know how long it would take. Before Tom had felt alone. Isted. Confused. Now though, when he looked down at the four [Deck Cards] held in his left hand, he realized that his role had shifted. From the prey to the predator. He knew what his next move was. He needed to get [The Fool] card to a higher level. But he couldnt overlook the [Deck Cards] that had contributed to his survival. Shadow Cloak, Tom muttered, watching as thick shadows begun to coalesce and wrap around him, continuously swirling and shifting as they bent the light around him. His sclera began to glow with a ck sheen as he saw past the obscurement, his gaze shining with both rity of purpose and mind. A minuteter Tom was gone, leaving behind only the signs of a struggle. He was now concealed amongst the shadows of the thick forest, Waiting. Watching. Seeking. It was time to fight back. Chapter 16: Level up Chapter 16: Level up A lone [Ankra Beast] peacefully feasted upon a patch of shrubbery, its beady orange eyes conveying an emotion akin to joy as it specifically plucked out blue flowers as if they were a delicacy, whilst ignoring the thick, veiny azure leaves. Its ck fur was long and unkempt, the rodent-like creature sashaying its fleshy tail as it enjoyed it''s meal. A concentrated jet of water streaked towards the [Ankra Beast] catching it in the abdomen, the blow sending it reeling for three or so odd meters. The beast let out a confused, panicked whimper as it swayed its neck from end to end, in an attempt to identify the threat. Another jet of water erupted from a different angle, this timending a blow directly upon the [Ankra Beasts] small, delicate head. The squeal this time was one of agony, as the blow caused the beast to flop over its back. A humanoid figure d in what appeared to be a continually shifting cloud of shadows charged forth, his footfall sounding muffled and distant as he rapidly covered the distance separating him and the beast. The pitiful [Ankra Beast] who had caught a direct blow to the head only had time to make out a writhing mass of shadows enter his field of vision. Before it could even begin to muster a response with its [The me] card, a white bone dagger mmed into its throat, causing fresh, yellow blood to spurt onto the grass. Tom stood victorious over the Ankra Beasts corpse, but his expression did not show any joy at his victory. His motions almost seemed practised as he waived away the notifications, looted the corpse and skinned the beast all under five minutes. A pleasant breeze washed over Tom and with that he was gone, once again seeking refuge in the shadows. Thest six, or perhaps seven hours had progressed in this manner, as Tom had gone on an assassination spree. Well, perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but during that time Tom had in five level 1 [Ankra Beasts] and two level 1 [Symiril Tuskers]. If there was one thing hed learned during this time, it was that fear had made his experience a lot more nightmarish than it couldve been. The forest, as he was realizing, wasnt all that terrifying as his mind had made it out to be [Ankra Beasts] seemed to be the mostmon type of beasts that could be found within the forest, and Tom had even encountered a pack of three that hed chosen to ignore. Themotion wouldnt have served his end-goal, which, after much deliberation, was to level his [Water Propulsion] and [The Shadow] cards to [Level 3] which only required six hundred soul experience each. Each of the [Ankra Beasts] awarded experience in the 150-170 range, and the two [Symiril Tuskers] had afforded him another 230 and 260 soul experience,ing to a total of 1290 experience, thisst kill finally pushing him over the edge. [Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Torrent Level 3 [45/1500]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. Level 3 reward- Range increased by 4 meters.] [The Shadow [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Shadow Cloak Level 3 [45/1500]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour and 10 minutes. [Level 3 reward- Duration increased by +10 minutes.] Finally, Tom thought to himself, his figure concealed within a shadow cast by one of the tall trees. He had also figured out how fast his SP generated, roughly putting it at around one point recovered every thirty minutes. That was the reason why Tom didnt want to engage multiple hostiles at once he simply couldnt justify the SP cost to himself, and preferred to wait between every assassination. That was also why he switched hisbat style, preferring to stun his foe before taking the creature down with his de. Tom held the duplicate [The me] card in his hand, the fifth hed received. It turned out that the [Ankra Beasts] only seemed to own [The me] card as their soul card, which hede to see as the physical, or rather, a meta-physical manifestation of the soul. The beasts seemed to be instinctively able to utilize their abilities and they seemingly wished to kill him for his own [Soul Card]. All signs pointed to the [Soul Cards] being something the beasts were naturally born with, the most obvious one being that every [Ankra Beast] had [The me] card up until now. Feed it to my soul card, Tom muttered aloud, and he silently observed as the crimson card slowly began to disintegrate, a wispy, translucent red energy flowing into his chest. Tom smiled when he saw that 200 xp had been added to [The Fool] card. Hed finally found an alternative way of levelling,one that would allow both his [Deck Cards] and [Soul Card] to strengthen at the same time. Of course, hed experimented with the [Feed] mechanic, and there were heavy restrictions upon it. The first thing he thought of was to feed a duplicate [The me] card to his Level 3 one, but a warning had popped up when hed tried that. He could still go through with it, but feeding a [Common] card to another [Common] card came with a heavy experience loss. So one ideally needed a higher ranked card if they wanted to level via this method, though in truth Tom still saw it as somewhat of a waste. [The me] card was infinitely more valuable than 200 xp, but there was no way, or point, of adding a duplicate to his [Deck Cards]. Was that why these beasts were so low levelled? It maybe part of the reason why, but what about [Soul Experience]? Maybe most beasts were just not particrly inclined to hunt each other, but Tom, an outsider, was fair game? The final restriction was that Tom could only feed cards from what the system called fair kills, which meant that he probably had to have it directly deposited into his inventory if he wanted to [Feed] a card. That rule really didnt bother him, but Tom wondered if his opinion would be the same if or when he found an actual marketce. So far, hed gained 1400 XP this way, the [Symiril Tuskers] turning out to be female, which meant another two duplicate [Earths Vitality] card. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 1 (1550/5000)] He had sessfully found a way to level [The Fool] card, but he feared that it would be too inefficient even from level 2 the soul experience demanded by the card simply rather insane. The suns warm rays were beginning to dim, signalling that night, a phenomenon that normally would have made a worst situation horrific, was approaching. But with [The Shadow] card, the night was his hunting grounds. His kills so far had indeed beenmitted out of a desire to grow stronger, but that was not the only reason Tom stalked his prey each time, sometimes even as long as an hour, hoping that one of them would lead him back to their abode; at this point, any sort of shelter would do. He did not believe that monsters would be thrilled at the idea of wandering around in abject darkness, so he figured that the time hade. With that thought lingering in his mind, Toms resolve was stronger than ever. His home base would be a reality. Chapter 17: A discovery Chapter 17: A discovery Night hade without much further ado, the eerie silence of the forest further amplified by a degree in the pitch ck darkness. Or atleast, that would have been the case of Tom didnt have [The Shadow] Deck Card with him, allowing him to see in the inky ckness that would have otherwise blotted out his sight. [The Shadows] mechanics were a little different from the other cards, in the sense that it didnt require continuous activation to keep [Shadow Cloak] active. Even if the card was separated from him in the midst of a fight, the shadows concealing him would not dissipate, making it invaluable for it meant that Tom could use other [Cards] in tandem with [The Shadow] card, the only exception to the rule so far, in a manner of speaking. Technically though, he wasnt using two [Deck Cards] in tandem, [The Shadow] simply had a ridiculously short activation time. Tom figured that the card was bnced in its own way, for the reason he had been able to y the [Elfinw] was purely because the beast had no real defensive or healing abilities. Hed decided to give his search onest hour, his thirst and hunger finally reaching the point of active difort. If it didnt work out, Tom would have no option but to set up camp in the open and hope that he didnt get ambushed in his sleep. A fleeting hope, but Tom hoped that things wouldnt devolve to that point. It had gotten a little colder, but thankfully it was more pleasant than biting. The next fifteen minutes were spent in solitude, Toms only apaniment the muffled sound of his own soft footsteps as he lurked behind the cover of shrubbery. A distant howl caught his attention, forcing him to strain his hearing to make sure he hadnt misheard. This was, in fact, the first time a beast had willingly revealed its location, so boisterously at that. Thoughts rapidly cycled through Toms mind as he discarded one possibility after the next before zeroing in on a line of reasoning he found eptable. Such a loud cry couldnt possibly be an ambush. That wasnt necessarily a good thing. The beast would have to be reasonably confident in its ability to fend off any unwarranted attention that its actions would attract, making it undoubtedly powerful. But this might be the break Tom was looking for. Were it still daybreak, Tom would still feel hesitant in pursuing what could be a very dangerous foe. But the night was his domain. With [The Shadow] card, while Tom wasnt invisible, hed venture a guess that human eyes would not be able to perceive him easily. The same, of course, didnt apply to beasts. But even if he was discovered, retreat should be an easy task under the cover of darkness. Gritting his teeth, he began to sift forward under the cover of darkness, his movements slowing the closer he got to the source of the howls that repeated themselves roughly every minute. Anxiety began to build up as a long ten minutes passed, the howls incredibly close now. Tom was prepared for the beast to disappear before he got there and in that case, he had no intention to chase not that he had any tracking experience to facilitate his pursuit anyway. Tom froze, his neck slowly cranining downwards as he discovered a dry, withered branch lying upon the floor, exactly where his right foot was about tond. Thanking well, himself, for his peripheral vision, he slowly retracted his foot before gingerly stepping over it. He didnt want to alert the beast, now that he had managed to sessfully sneak so close to it. However, one thing disturbed Tom for the closer he got to the beast, the more the howl felt eerily familiar. Suddenly, he stopped. Toms breath slowed down, his movementspletely stilling and his grip over his [The me] card tightening. He didnt even dared twitch, for despite the forests fauna partly obscuring his vision, Tom could make out arge boulder that angled at a slope, jutting out from a particrly barren patch ofnd in an otherwise grassy forest. The problem was not the boulder itself, but the beast that was perched atop its edge. [Analysing. [Monster Species: Elfinw (Female) Soul Card: The Lunar [Common] Soul Card Level: 3] Toms heart lurched a little as the final piece of the puzzle fit in ce. Of course the howl had felt familiar and now that he was so close to the source, it felt more like a call or a summons than a warning or a threat. The Elfinw had to be calling for its mate. There could be other possibilities, but this one seemed like the most likely one. What should he do now? The fight, despite Toms improved capabilities, would not be an easy one. He had no clue what [The Lunar] card was capable of, besides sounding like it was rted to one or maybe both the moons that hung up in the sky above him, making it an unknown variable. On the other hand though, if there was any creature worthy of its ownir so far it would be the [Elfinw], which seemed to have both the strength and cunning to protect its territory. The only real question was if hed run into a den of [Elfinws]. After weighing the pros and cons, Tom found that incredibly unlikely that there would be a pack of [Elfinws]. For one, the male [Elfinw] wouldnt ambush him on its lonesome then. Secondly, if there was an entire pack roaming this forest, creatures like the [Symiril Tusker] and [Ankra Beast] shouldve been long dead, instead of roaming the forest freely. Most likely, the [Elfinw] duo were here on their lonesome. Having thought it through, Tom made his decision. The next half an hour was especially nd, as Tom simplyy crouched behind cover while the [Elfinw] continued to howl, as if it were the sovereign of this jungle. Finally though, it seemed to give up jumping off its perch in one fluid motion and letting out one, final howl. The female [Elfinw] let out what felt like a frustrated grunt, before it made its departure. Little did the hunter know, this time it was the one being hunted. Chapter 18: Confrontation Chapter 18: Confrontation Were it not for [The Shadows] ability allowing him to see in the darkness, Tom wouldnt be able to keep pace with the [Eflinws] pace. If it was not for the [Elfinws] insistence in continuing to let out a searching howl every few minutes and deliberately slowing its pace, hed have to sprint to keep up with it. The next twenty minutes tested both Toms willpower and focus the other beasts hed stalked, hed knew to be weaker than himself by a safe margin. With the female [Elfinw] though, all bets were off his heart rate had spiked when hed identally stepped on a dried branch, causing a crunching sound to echo out in his immediate vicinity. Thankfully, the beast didnt seem to notice as it let out another howl a minuteter, perhaps too consumed by concern and dread at the thought of its missing mate to notice. Tom had been increasingly cautious from that moment onwards, causing him to fall behind by a rather significant margin. Another five minutes passed as he was forced to increase his speed by a notch in an effort to catch up, his efforts proving fruitful as only a little over a dozen meters separated him from the [Elfinw]. Suddenly, Tom stopped. In his frenzied pursuit, hed lost track of just how much distance hed covered. Which was why he was utterly shocked when he saw a small mountain-like structure protruding from the ground, its exterior an azure crystalline coating that projected a luminescent sheen around the immediate surroundings. His eyes bristled at the sudden burst of light, his visage flinching away for a few seconds. The interior, oddly enough, seemed to be ordinary rock, atleast three misshapen holes punched into its surface that led deeper inside. If Tom had to guess, the structure looked more like the aftermath of a battle than something naturally shaped but whatever happened here seemed like it had taken ce long ago and more importantly it was shelter. His gaze shifted to the bloodied, half-eaten carcass of what looked like a [Symiril Tusker] lying next to one of the entrances, a trail of blood stretching into the distance indicating that the [Elfinw] had dragged the carcass here. Tom didnt interrupt the [Elfinw] as it began to patrol around itsir, though from its casual movements it didnt look like it expected anyone to challenge its sovereignty especially considering that the carcass had remained where the [Elfinw] had left it, likely untouched from itsck of rm. Tom braced himself, thankful for the little time hed been granted to formte a n. In his left hand, was his newly acquired [Elfinw Bone Shield]. [Elfinw Bone Shield, Common. Requirements: Physical 5, Proprioception 4 Description: Crafted from the remains of a Level 3 Elfinw, this well-crafted bone shield provides good protection against physical attacks] The shield itself was rather morbid,prising of two interlockingyers of bone that had been sheared from both ends until they were perfect, if varying strips of rectangr fragments. Surprisingly, the ghastly construction left behind no visible gaps in the resultant kiteshield that was formed and Tom was both sickened and grateful for one particr addition long sinew forming a tight forearm strap that seemed to be tailormade to his specifications. The reason Tom was grateful was because he could simply slip on the shield on his left arm, whilst his free left hand could still carry the bulk of his [Deck Cards]. His right hand carried the [Water Propulsion] card, Tom aiming to use the same strategy of stun and kill, except this time he didnt dare engage in close quartersbat. Hed experienced the result of that engagement the first time, well enough. After one final confirmation that he had everything he needed, Tom began to creep forward extremely slowly, giving the [Elfinw] plenty of time while he positioned himself. Because he had one advantage in this confrontation. The [Elfinw] had to eat. The question was only a matter of when, and Tom was willing to wait. There was plenty of meat remaining on that carcass, and so far he had not seen any flies swarming it so far, he hadnt seen any flies at all, sorely missing the thrum of insect life that wouldve made his forest escapades a little less lonely. Half an hour passed, Tom struggling to keep his focus as the pangs of hunger grew a little stronger, but persevering nevertheless. Finally, the [Elfinw] stopped. Tom was not zoologist, but from its demeanor it looked worried, but not devoid of hope he supposed that the beast hadnt shown much fear so far, making other predators of equal strength unlikely and no body had been found yet, so its mate could simply have extended itself too far on a hunt. Mewling, it slowly approached the carcass, giving its surroundings one final cursory nce before tearing into the Tuskers tender flesh. Toms lips were parched, a light tremble afflicting his hands as he held the [Water Propulsion] card aloft, knowing that he couldnt afford to miss. He would get one shot at a clean hit. Fuck, Tom thought to himself, as he took a deep breath. Dont miss, you bastard. Tom felt his SP drain as it seeped into his [Water Propulsion] card, before his arm jerkect back abruptly. A jet of water shot through the air, striking the [Elfinw] squarely in the skull. The beast was pushed back by two meters, its eyes shut, likely from the impact of the water. A translucent silver glow began to coalesce around the beast, but Tom paid it no heed as he fired the second shot. He missed. Despite being unable to see, the beast dodged with frightening speed, easily faster than the previous [Elfinw] by a non-insignificant margin. The beast still couldnt see, but it didnt have to, as it simply threw itself to the side. Tom would aim again, but the beast kept frenziedly zig-zagging backwards, unable to see the threat but still doing a fine job at evasion. At this rate, the [Elfinw] would escape. Tom couldn''t allow that. If he let the beast escape now, this base would never truly be his. The threat of the [Elfinw] would always be lingering in the back of his mind, and when he least expected it... the beast would strike from the cover of darkness. It looked like [The Lunar] increased movement speed. While that was tricky to deal with, it was not impossible. An idea struck him. An idea that was as unexpected as it was cruel. Tom wasn''t a cruel man. He didn''t want to be one. But the Elfinw had begun this fight. He.... would simply end it. Chapter 19: Law of Nature Chapter 19: Law of Nature A tear in the void adjacent to him opened up, a fact that would no doubt have startled Tom if he were not the one to have willed it. His [Inventory] seemed to require that there be no beast or, more urately, no hostile entity in his immediate vicinity to answer his call atleast that was what his instincts told him. The [Elfinw] had already exited the range of his furthest attack, namely the [Water Propulsion] card, so Tom believed that to suffice. Of course, Tom did not have any naive ideas of pushing the [Elfinw] in the void tear that had opened up, as he clearly remembered the [Divine System] specifying that it could only store items/remains that were considered non-living. Though he had attempted to deposit a duplicate [The me] card, out of sheer curiosity. The experiment had resulted in disappointment, as the card simply phased through the other side, as if the tear in the void simply didnt exist in the physical in. Tom had retracted the duplicate card along with his hand, not willing to y too deeply with forces he didnt understand. That experiment had resulted in some disturbing revtions, but Tom hadforted himself, or rather, convinced himself that the term non-living did not necessarily imply the opposite for items he could not store. He passed the [Water Propulsion] card to his other hand, before reaching inside the void. A mental image painted itself in his mind, allowing him to urately reach out towards the item he sought. His skin brushed against a wet, furry material and when his hand grabbed it, it made a sick, squealching sound. Tom yanked the dead [Elfinws] pelt out, still wet and matted in blood in the exact same condition as hed deposited it, as if it had been frozen in statis. Tom had thought the situation through, almost certain that the female [Elfinw] was thest denizen of the mountain-like structure. It only had to howl or yelp for backup and Tom would be the one fleeing, not the beast. Besides, the small mountain-like structure didnt seem like it held the girth to hold more than half a dozen beasts and the half-eaten corpse just left untouched outside further gave credence to his theory. Shit. He was really going through with this n. Tom had no idea if it would work. Hed been observing the female [Elfinw] carefully, and so far the only chink in its armor he saw was that it genuinely seemed to care for the well-being of its mate. If Tom had to draw a parallel to an animal on Earth, then the [Elfinw] reminded him of wolves back home fiercely loyal to each other and the pack, but holding no mercy for their prey, almost always eating their food alive, as it bled to its death. That wouldve been his fate if he allowed the Elfinw to approach him. Bleeding to death, watching as a lupine animal mercilessly ripped open his entrails. Tom refused to die that way. A predator could not show mercy to its prey, otherwise it would starve to death. Such was thew of nature. Biting his lip hard, till the metallic tang of blood seeped into his mouth, Tom braced himself. Pulling back his right hand, he chucked the pelt forward. The water and blood seeped into it gave it weight, enough to make it feel like it weighed atleast a kilogram. The pelt arced through the air, right for the [Elfinw], who easily sidestepped it by a generous margin. Tom swapped his [The me] card to his right hand, and stepped out into the clearing. His [Elfinw Bone Shield] was held at the chest, protecting his vitals. Tom wasnt sure if the shield alone would suffice to get the [Elfinws] attention, shrouded and heavily modified as it was so hed had to resort to a more direct method. The Elfinw cared for its mate. It would be furious with him. It would want to kill him. Anger would bleed into a potent rage. Rage into recklessness. And Tom hoped to exploit that burst of irrationality. The moment of truth arrived. The [Elfinw] stopped evading, roughly twenty meters away from Tom by this point. Only five more meters, and it could disappear into the forest Tom would have no hope of chasing it at full speed. Its snout twitched as it began to rapidly sniff. Its neck angled itself in the direction of the bloodied hide. Its eyes shot open. Toms strike had been urate, as the female [Elfinws] eyes were bloodshot. Unfortunately, Water was not the best element at dealing damage besides the reddened eyes, it seemed like it could see fine. For in the next moment it let out a mournful wail, a deeper undertone of pure, abject hatred overshadowed by the grief it felt in that moment. Tom banged his hand, which held [The me] card, against his [Elfinw] shield. Once, twice, thrice Tom continued to beat against his shield with a quickening tempo. That caught the female [Elfinws] attention. Tom didnt know if his intention would trante correctly, but it was as primal as he could make it A deration of war, an admission of guilt. Come at me! Tom roared, his heart beating so fast that he felt it would almost explode in the next second. His head nced from behind the safety of his kiteshield, carefully observing the [Elfinws] every moment. [The me] card was primed to fire at a moments notice. [The Shadow] cloaked his figure, allowing him to see in the night. [Earths Vitality] was clenched in his left hand, behind the safety of the kiteshield allowing him to heal as and when he willed it. His other two [Deck Cards] had been ced in either pocket. Fire was an element he knew to be effective, and his SP reserves were high enough to keep it going for minutes. His [Ankra Bone Dagger] was concealed in the bushes, three or four meters behind him, ast ditch safety measure in case all else failed. The female [Elfinw] met his challenge by letting out a furious roar, echoing the promise of a bloody and painful death. Take the fucking bait. The [Elfinw] did, charging straight for Tom, a translucent silver glow illuminating the areas it passed by. Fast. Incredibly fast. Now that the [Elfinw] had opted for a head on confrontation, it held nothing back as it rampaged forth with the intent to tear Toms throat out. Tom fought the urge to tuck his tail and make a break for it in the other direction. He wasnt the same person he used to be. But that didnt make it any easier. His hands were trembling, his expression incredibly tense as he struggled to track the silvery blur headed right for him. Tom wanted to wait until thest possible moment, but he couldnt bet his life on timing it perfectly. The moment the beast crossed the ten meter mark, his survival instinct took over. The [Elfinw] was dangerously fast, yes, but surely it couldnt pivot at those speeds. His level 3 [The me] card would only need thirty or so odd seconds to severely wound the creature, and if it kept charging the way it was all it would aplish would be colliding against his shield. Searing hot mes exploded outward from his right hand, [The me] enjoying the increased range from reaching [Level 3]. A few seconds passed, but Tom didnt hear the sizzling of flesh, no agonized cry or a whimper followed by a hasty retreat. Fuck. Chapter 20: Life Chapter 20: Life Time seemed to slow down in that instant, as Tom noticed a glimmer of silver in the periphery of his vision. His emotions in that moment were hard to describe, a mnge of horror, shock and fear so deeply intertwined with each other that it was impossible to tell which was which. He had nned, he had been tricky, resourceful and even though it went against his personal ts, he had been ruthless. Sometimes though, as Tom was now realizing, even that wasnt enough. The thought of his consciousness simply ending, a phenomenonmonly known as deathit weighed upon him, a crushing weight that made it difficult to breathe, let alone move. Every insecurity, every fear and every sorrow he had experienced in his life washed over him, magnified dozens of times over. It felt like the world, his world, was ending. At the beginning of all this, Tom didnt mind dying not if he believed that it was in furtherance of a greater cause, a cause that he believed to be greater. Perhaps it stemmed from his own low self-esteem, perhaps it was because he believed that saving that little girl back on Earth was the single greatest thing he could ever aplish in his life and perhaps that might have been true for the person he used to be. For better or for worse. that didnt hold true any longer. What happened next, Tom wasnt entirely sure if it was entirely conscious thought that was directing him. In one fluid motion, he cut off the SP he was feeding to [The me], causing the searing hot mes to flicker out. In the next, he pivoted on the balls of his feed, lowering his stature and angling his shield forward so that it could cover greater surface area. In that moment, Toms mind was dominated by a single, solitary thought: Live. His thoughts were flowing with rity, keeping into ount that [The Shadow] was still obscuring his figure, which meant that the beast couldntpletely pin-point where his vitals were. It could guess, but there was a difference between estimation and surety. By the time hed angled to face the [Elfinw], it was already mid-air, its sharp, outstretched right w aiming to rake away at his chest. Bone chips flew in the air, a grating sound echoing out as the [Elfinw] made contact with the [Eflinw Bone Shield], blowing away part of [The Shadows] concealment in the areas it made contact with. The impact caused Tom to jerk a few steps backwards, sheer grit allowing him to somehow retain his bnce. Tom let out a furious scream, his SP igniting to life as a torrent of mes erupted from his right hand. This time, flesh sizzled, followed by a roar that seemed as angry as it was pained. However, Tom refused to let his guard down this time, not so easily. His own mes obscured his view, but Tom had been listening for any discrepancies between what his eyes were telling him, his mind thought to be true, and reality. Sure enough, he heard retreating footsteps. Tom once again stopped channeling SP into [The me], already certain that the [Elfinw] had stepped out of his range. Once again, the [Elfinw] surprised him. Its fur was charred in patches and the tip of its tail still on fire. Its horn though, was unscathed, much like the male [Elfinws] had been, and its ruby red eyes seemed to have been spared the brunt of the attack. At this point, Tom wouldnt mind if the beast chose to retreat. In fact, he was secretly hoping for it. His expectations, however, were dashed in the next moment. His strategy of enraging the Elfinw had apparently worked a little too well. Uncaring of its wounds, Tom swore that the [Elfinw] moved even faster than it had before, this time adopting a zig-zag movement pattern. It rushed forth like a bolt of lightning, the pain caused by its ming tail seemingly spurring it on even faster. Toms pupils twitched as he frenziedly tried to keep track of the approaching beast, its movements like the ebbing and flowing of ocean tides, except at a much faster tempo, making him feel slightly nauseous. A sharp pang of panic welled up in Toms chest. The beast was determined and relentless in his approach, but more importantly, Tom was unable to get a lock on its movement pattern. The [Deck Card] most suited to driving it away was [Water Propulsion], but it was safely tucked away in his pocket and there was no time left. The [Eflinw] would be on him in seconds. Out of desperation, Tom ignited [The me] card and begun to ignite the grass in front of him, covering all one eighty degrees in his field of vision. He kept going, the mes obscuring his vision, hoping that it would be enough deterrence to make the [Elfinw] back away. A silver silhouette forcibly tore past his makeshift wall of mes, the purity of its aura marred by splotches of red. The next second, Tom let out an agonized scream that came from the depths of his heart. Pain. Pain unlike anything Tom had felt before. Instinctively, his gaze went downward. Three deepcerations had carved past his right shin, a stream of blood steadily pouring out of the wound. Tears streamed down his eyes, but Tom had gazed long enough to see a white protrusion beneath the river of red Was that bone? Tom buckled downwards, his other intact leg the only thing keeping him from lying t on the ground. His throat going hoarse from screaming, Toms thoughts finally broke free from their stupor as he activated the [Earths Vitality] card held, or rather, concealed within the safe grasp of his shield harm. The earthen halo coalescing around him broughtfort to both his heart and wounded leg. The pain was dulled enough to the point that he could think somewhat rationally, but walking was impossible for the current Tom. The first thought that came to his mind was, Why was he still alive? Craning his neck backwards, still in a kneeling posture, Tom understood why. The [Elfinw] didnt seem to be faring too well either its eyes were closed as it thrashed around in the grass, trying to put out the mes that clinged to its fur. Most importantly, the [Elfinws] eyes were closed, and part of its forehead was on fire. The beast had been taking a potshot in the dark. Where Tom had expected to have his throat torn out in the next second, he was given a new lease at life. Live, his mind once again ordered, no, beseeched him. His hands were trembling as he slipped [The me] card into his pocket, withdrawing the [Water Propulsion] card at the same time. Live. Tom didnt dare to drop [Earths Vitalitys] healing for more than a second, so.. He began to crawl forward, his bloody leg chafing against the grass. Thankfully, [Earths Vitality] seemed to offset the bloodloss atleast Tom felt like it was. He could use [Water Propulsion] at range but it was too weak. If he shot, the beasts injuries would worsen, but it wouldnt die. And at this point, Tom really had nothing left to resist with. He had to get closer. Slow your breathing. Swallow your pain. Dont make a sound. Dont make a fucking sound. The beast was clearly too preupied trying to put out the mes to notice what should have been a dying mans approach. Soon, five meters were reduced to a mere two. Tom could hear the thrashing beasts breathing at this point, while he held his own. He could fire from this range, and his odds would be far higher. But Tom refused to settle. His face scrunched up with intensity, going as red as a tomato as he used a mix of his upper body strength and remaining limbs strength to get back on one foot, while the other hung limply. Thankfully the bloodloss had stilled, but the wound was still open and raw. Tom cancelled [Earths Vitalitys] healing and dove forward. Live. Live. Live, Live. Toms outstretched right hand mmed down upon the lower part of the beasts abdomen. WATER PROPULSION, Tom screamed in his mind, the moment his hand pped against the [Elfinws] soft underbelly. Toms hand yanked back from the [Water Propulsions] recoil as he used the [Deck Card] in a manner it was not intended for and at the same time as the beasts abdomen exploded with the viscosity of a bloody water balloon. Stay dead, motherfucker, Tom croaked in a hoarse voice as [Earths Vitality]s glow once again enveloped him. Hey in a pool of blood, not an ounce of strength left in his body. His eyes were shut as he focused solely on healing. If there was another beast lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush him. Well, Tom was spent. If it struck at him now, Tom would really die without even knowing how. He had a feeling though, that it wouldnt. Because in that moment, Tom probably looked far more scarier than any mere beast could. Chapter 21: The Lunar Chapter 21: The Lunar Tomy inert in a pool of blood, his own bright red mixing with the [Elfinws] purple. His eyes were shut as he fought through the pain for a long fifteen minutes, simply unable to focus on anything except not screaming his lungs out and drawing more attention to himself. Thankfully, [Earths Vitality]s healing kept him conscious and alert, even if that meant suffering through the pain. Time passed and as the pain began to ebb, his thoughts inadvertently shifted to the gruesome battle hed just survived. Even now, Tom didnt think there was anything particrly wrong about his approach he had the experience of killing an [Elfinw] before, he had intentionally enraged it beyond rationality and that was ultimately what won him the fight. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this.uncertainity, this risk would be a constant apaniment in this new world. No matter how much Tom nned, no matter how many times he calcted the probabilities, it mattered little if he fumbled his cards up or like hed experienced first hand just now, his enemy simply exceeded his expectations. That pacified the guilt rising in his chest, ending the cycle of ming himself for factors beyond his control before it could begin. Along with it, went any satisfaction or triumph that he felt at his victory over the female [Elfinw]. He wouldnt pretend to care for honor or other archaic notions of a fair fight, but he felt no pleasure at winning in such a manner. If he had to stoop so low, then defeat wasnt an oue he was willing to ept. Finally, the pain ebbedpletely. Tom opened his eyes, greeted by the sight of two small full moons gleaming in the sky, one a pearlescent green, like polished jade and the other a pure, if meek, silver. The light they gave out was surprisingly meagre, the forests characteristic tall trees blocking almost all the light they gave out. Only here, in a small clearing, could he appreciate the beauty of the two celestial bodies gazing down upon him from afar. Soul Power: 2/31 [35] Tom let out a light groan in protest, once again realizing how close hede to running out of Soul Power. Fuck, whatever, Tom murmered under his breath, slowly getting back up to a seated position. He edged his gaze to his right leg, somewhat apprehensive as to what hed find; half expecting to still see the bloodied w marks that had brutally mangled his leg earlier. The w marks were still there, except in the form of rather visible scars. It seemed that this time around, even [Earths Vitality] considered his wound to be too deep to heal perfectly. The next test came when Tom attempted to get back onto his feet. Careful not to apply weight directly on his formerly injured leg, he used his hands to support his ascent while his good leg pulled the majority of his weight. Slowly, Tom ced his other leg onto the ground. A tingling, almost burning sensation began to pulsate around the scarred area, but otherwise there was no immediate pain. One step after the other, he walked and the sensation dissipated with every subsequent step, until it was gone entirely. Was that his regenerated nerves clicking into ce? Possibly. Giving his surroundings a cursory nce, Tom finally let out an exhale in relief. His clothes were inplete tatters, his hair matted in a mix of purple and red blood and his [Deck Cards] scattered all over the floor. But he was alive. Battered, bruised and scarred. but alive. His gaze shifted towards the slew of notifications that were waiting for him. After Toms [Deck Cards] had all hit level three, hed prioritized experience back to his two most important cards, the ones that kept him alive time after time, namely, [The me] and [Earths Vitality]. The experience from ying the [Elfinw] alone was enough to ratchet both the cards to level 4, which Tom had expected, given the experience gain from thest one, but was also grateful for. [You have received a Level 1 [The Lunar] card. Would you like to [Feed] this [Common] ranked card to your Soul Card or add it to your [Deck Cards]? Add it to my [Deck Cards], please, Tom replied, simply not having the spare strength to snark or even snap at the sted [Divine System]. [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 1] Statistics: Physical: 6 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5 Soul Power: 2/30 [35] Deck Cards: 1.The me [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Ember Level 4 [745/3000]: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every fourty five seconds of continuous use. [Level 4 reward- Range has been increased by 1 meter. Embersts for five additional seconds for every 1 SP spent]. 2. Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Torrent Level 3 [45/1500]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. Level 3 reward- Range increased by 4 meters.] 3. Earths Vitality [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Heal Level 4 [655/3000]: Absorb the Earths vitality to cast a protective halo around you that continuously heals minor wounds and staunches bleeding. Drains 1SP/minute. Requires continuous contact with an earthen surface. [Level 4 reward- Increases rate of blood clotting and muscle regeneration by +30%] 4.The Shadow [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Shadow Cloak Level 3 [45/1500]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour and 10 minutes. [Level 3 reward- Duration increased by +10 minutes.] 5. The Lunar [Common]: Level 1 Ability: Moon Aura: Borrow the moons radiance to cast a movement halo around you that boosts your speed by 10%. Drains 1 SP/minute. Requires the presence of the auspicious moon, Ali. ] Tom held the silver [The Lunar] card in his hand, admiring the intricate depiction of the silver full moon painted upon its face down side for a few seconds. He pocketed the card, appreciating another powerful, if subjective, addition to his [Deck Cards]. He didnt understand the lunar cycle of this new world, so he had no idea if the auspicious moon, Ali would rear its head the next day, or if it would simply disappear for a month. Even then, [The Lunars] ability was enough to make his inner self jump in joy, for he finally had his first movement/escape ability. Not to mention how useful it could be for close quartersbat. Down to a meagre 2 SP, Tom didnt want to stay in the open any longer than necessary, so he hurriedly looted the corpse. [A Common Elfinw Sword has been deposited in your inventory]. [Elfinw Beast Meat x2 has been deposited in your inventory.] [Elfinw Bone Marrow Extract x1 has been deposited in your inventory.] Fuck yeah, Tom whispered under his breath, at sighting the word sword scrawled upon the blue screen. Tom willed his [Inventory] to manifest, digging his hand inside a void tear to withdraw a sleek one-handed de. The de fit snugly into his right hand, its hilt wrapped with a light smattering of sinew to give him a decent grip. The white bone thatprised the t of the de was sharpened on both sides, its length stretching for what would amount to three-fourth of his long,nky arms. Its construction was more than a little morbid, but Tom had gotten used to it by this point, thankful that it hade with a crossguard. That reduced the likelihood of him cutting his hand on the de instead of his enemy. [Elfinw Sword, Common. Requirements: Physical 6, Proprioception 5 Description: Crafted from the remains of a Level 3 Elfinw, this well-crafted bone sword specializes at shing attacks and is resistant to dulling or chipping easily.] The des requirements were the very limits of Toms current Physical and Proprioception stats, making him thankful that he could use it at all. He picked up his shield back from the ground, feeling remarkably safe with thepletebo. Before leaving, Tom began to skin the beasts carcass, not only taking its hide this time, but also the sinew he could recover. It was gristly work, but Tom had first hand experienced how even the most insignificant of things could transform into an indelible advantage in the wilderness. The horn, unfortunately, was gone seemingly in the construction of his new sword. He tossed the extracted remains into his inventory, before retracing his steps back to the original ambush site, retrieving his [Ankra Bone Dagger] in the process. Soon, Tom stood before the small mountain-like structure, his de and shield at the ready. Almost certain that it was empty, hope began to rise in his heart. Finally, finally, it was time to cook some sted food. Chapter 22: Base-Building Chapter 22: Base-Building Toms approach was cautious and measured, as he ventured deeper into the small, mountain-like structure through one of the three unnatural, cavernous openings that hed noticed earlier. His [Elfinw Bone Shield] was held forward and Tom was primed to swing at the slightest hint of movement for if anything was still in there, it was not his friend. Crystalline coating on the exterior, jagged, fragmented edges forming the cave interior. Tom couldnt make heads or tails of it, but whatever it was it wasnt his problem. The passageway turned out to be even smaller than hed expected, as all three cavernous openings led to a grotto more than a cavern he supposed, for it seemed to be intentional. There was no big surprise waiting for him, the cave barren except for dozens of animal bones scattered across the cold stone rather untidily. He also noticed strands of [Elfinw] fur and the whole skull of a [Symiril Tusker], but besides that there was nothing else of note. The cavern was empty. Tom exhaled a long sigh in relief, the strength in his legs giving out as he let himself crumple onto the ground. He just spent the next ten minutes resting, letting his SP replenish itself. Instead of plotting his next move, Tom cleared his mind of peripheral thoughts, of matters beyond his control and of the future. Deep breaths, happy thoughts. That might be his new mantra. Because he was going to need a lot more happy thoughts to keep the crushing absurdity of it all from sinking in. He was on an alien. He had magical cards that could do all sorts of bizarre things. Nobody knew, or most likely, even cared where hed run off to besides that old man. who couldnt even track him. When Tom had inwardly wished for a fresh start. This wasnt quite what he had in mind. He wasnt depressed, though. It was more amusement, or perhaps bemusement at the nonsensicality of it all. Everyone hed ever known was essentially dead to him. A morbid thought. But then again, truthfully, it wasnt as if Tom had cared about a lot of people, let alone loved. Well, I suppose Ill just have to keep going, Tom muttered to himself as he got back up, giving his half torn pants a good dustoff. First, he began to unload all the pelts hed amassed from killing the ankra beasts, symiril tuskers and even the elfinw. They formed a small pile on their own, letting out the smell of rotting meat, but somehow worse. Egh, Tom winced. That would need some cleaning. Hed still have to wait for his SP to recover first though. Then, Tom went outside, taking in his surroundings. Nothing looked off to him, the half eaten symiril beast carcass still lying where it originally was. The Elfinw pelt hed tossed stilly on the grass as well. Hed retrieve that in a bit. Thankful for [The Shadows] ability to let him see in the dark, Tom began to collect dried branches and dead leaves from underneath the canopy cast by the wide trees. Another twenty minutes passed by as Tom went through the motions, making the originally mundane task a calming one instead. It was rather ironic how he went from dreaming of a life full of action to yearning for peace. It really is greener on the other side, he grunted under his breath as he bent over to collect another branch. That should do it, Tom smiled, as he deposited thest branch in his soon-to-be campfire. He then proceeded to gather small stones, forming a circr periphery around the firewood, preferring to err on the side of caution. The next step actually required some effort, as Tom cut down two thick branches from one of the trees, expending more effort than hed thought it would take. He dragged them back to the purported safety of his cave. Well, it made him feel safer, so it counted for something, and began to carve away at them with his [Ankra Bone Dagger]. Tom didnt particrly care for the durability of the knife, because he had recieved two more in his hunt. Of course, it would be ideal if the knife didnt get chipped, but if it did, the cost was a worthwhile one. He kept carving away at the thick branch until it was roughly cylindrical in shape, before directing his attention to one of the ends. Tom cut out a rectangr block of wood from the end, creating an empty channel that stretched across its diameter. It was wide enough that it would be able to slot in a smaller branches end quite easily. He repeated the process for the other branch, and only after he was satisfied with the results did he exit the cavern. Tom dug the two cylindrical wooden staves next to each other, with his unlit campfire in the center. Hed built a wooden spit. Well, almost. Tom went searching again, returning only after hed chopped of a smaller branch. It took another quarter of an hour to fashion it into a long wooden cylinder with tapering edges. Tom choosing to be rather particr about the quality. It turned out that woodcarving was actually quite rxing. When he was satisfied with the results, he tried to slot it into the spit. Tom wasnt disappointed when it didnt fit, turning out to be a little too big in circumference still. Another few minutes of delicate craftsmanship fixed that, and it fit like a glove this time. Satisfied, Tom withdrew a b of [Ankra Beast Meat], skewering it across its length with the wooden shaft. The meat still looked as unappetizing as always, but Tom would rather experiment with it first than waste his better quality meats. Well, meats that looked more ptable, atleast. [The me] card barely required any SP to start a fire, a few seconds being all it required. The campfire red to life, and a sudden sense of pride welled up in Toms heart as he watched the meat slowly beginning to cook. Every few minutes, Tom would rotate the spit. Twenty minutes passed, and Tom made sure to keep an eye on his surroundings, lest a beast be lured in by the scent. Though in all honesty, Tom found that probability unlikely. The Elfinw seemed to be the king of the hill, considering how confident it had been in leaving its prey uncontested, outside of its base. It also managed to snag the only shelter hede across so far, and in all honesty if there were things significantly scarier than the [Elfinw] out there Tom shouldve been dead by this point. Herbivores back on earth, whilst not the smartest, had the ability to instinctively sense danger, whether that came in the form of an incredibly heightened sense of smell, like deers possessed, or other arcane means, ultimately didnt matter. If this was the [Eflinws] territory, so to speak, hopefully hed be left alone for a while. Tom watched the meat brown, his mood considerably improving when the pungent smell was burnt away as the meat was cooked. Finally, he decided that it was done, retrieving the spit with one hand. He didnt have the convenience of a te, so he just cut out a chunk with his sword, smothered the campfire, and let the remainder rest on the spit. Once it had cooled down enough, Tom dug in. An explosion of meat juices was what weed him with the first bite, the meat delectably soft as he was barely required to expend any effort to chew it. The taste itself wasnt exactly nd, more like a mellow, barely salted soup. Of course, salt and spices would entuate its taste greatly but Tom wasntining. When he was finished with his meal, a notification popped up. [You have consumed Ankra Beast Meat x1. Your stamina has been replenished. You no longer feel hungry.] What in the., Tom eximed, entirely befuddled with this new discovery. Getting back on his feet, he realized that the drowsiness that had been creeping upon on him evaporated, as if it had never been there to begin with. Magical meat. Well Ill be damned, Tom thought about it for a long moment and then shrugged. Now that his tiredness had been vanquished, there were other things he could do. Tom chopped up a few more branches and proceeded to make incisions along their sides after the carving process waspleted. An hourter, hed managed a makeshift weapons rack where hed ced two daggers, his sword and his shield, for easy ess. Hed kept a dagger in his inventory, just in case things wentpletely awry. His SP had replenished somewhat by that point, so Toms gaze went to the pile of hides. Sighing, he begun to drag them outside, bundling them up together as much as he could, before withdrawing his water propulsion card. He distanced himself from the bundled hides, withdrawing his [Water Propulsion] card. Its range was around fourteen meters from Toms estimates, but that didnt mean that the water simply disappeared beyond that mark. It just rapidly began to lose the momentum powering it forward, so Tom just decided to aim from beyond its range. A stream of water arced from the skies, drenching the pile of hides thoroughly. They were even more mushy and slimy than before, but Tom wanted that as he began to wring out the blood and god knows what trapped within. Half an hourter, he had wet, but somewhat less filthy hides. Using [The me] card to light the campfire again, he began to dry the hides one by one. The entire process took around four hours, but Tom persevered. Once he was done, he folded them into neat piles and took them back into the cave. Next, he repeated the process for the sinew hed cut out from the [Elfinw], cleaning and drying it out. There was, of course, a reason behind his actions. As Tom sat before a pile of hides and dried sinew a plenty, he sighed. It was time to sew. Crude was a bit of apliment to the end result hed received for his efforts. First, he cut out a portion of the hides ording to his specifications, usually into rectangles. His [Ankra Bone Dagger] was used to punch holes into the hides with the tip, and though it was painstaking work, the sinew was needled through the holes with his bare hands, surprisingly firm yet stringy. The end result was the most hideous shirt hed seen, a patchwork of multiple different hides. Making a pants or shorts was too much work, so he ended up settling for a kilt, that was far easier to make. He looked like a tribal chieftain at this point, but it was better than running around in just his underwear. He discarded his messed up convenience store outfit with some mncholy, for it was truly thest item he had left marking his Earth-en heritage. Well, except for his underwear. That. didnt count. [The me] card was withdrawn as tom ignited his torn clothes outside the cave, a sort of tribute to the old world and the person he used to be. His cheap outfit burned quite fast, and Tom couldnt help but feel a little mirthful about it. Cheap corporate bastards. He grinned, and then went back to work after shaking his head once there was nothing but embers left. Back in his cave, he withdrew the [Symiril Tusker Bone Marrow Extract] from his inventory, ying with the ss vial in his hand. The [Divine System] hadnt misled him so far, and from his shoddy understanding of biology, bone marrow extract shouldnt be some toxic slop that would kill him with a swig. Ready to spit it out at a seconds notice, Tom finally caved in. If the [Divine System] wanted him dead, there was little he could do to fight it and so far, every item it had deposited in his inventory had yed a pivotal role in his survival. Not to mention, it had weed him to Artezia, so whatever it was. It was watching. Tom took a light, tiny swig. The liquid that flowed into his mouth was so unexpected. Cool, refreshing and slightly sweet, it was almost intoxicating. If he had to draw a parallel, the closest one would be coconut water from back on earth, except this was purer. He gulped the swig down and immediately felt his thirst beginning to satiate. Another swig followed, and soon, hed downed the entire ss vial. [You have consumed Symiril Tusker Bone Marrow Extract x1. Your organs have been revitalized. You will no longer feel thirsty for the next 48 hours.] Tom raised his ss vial to the skies as a toast, quite surprised by this turn of events. Pity the vial was too small and too fragile to store water, but it could still be useful so Tom threw it back in his inventory. Receding back into the cave, his hunger and thirst both satiated, Tom stretched out the remaining hides across the floor. Hed already made a makeshift nket too, for if/when it got colder. A bed, nket, food and water supply he knew how to procure them all. Tom chose toy down for a few minutes, his cards kept next to him. Not requiring sleep didnt mean his body couldnt do with some rest. Or maybe it did mean that but Tom still wanted to cling to his human sensibilities a while longer. His first day in Artezia had been an experience, to say the least. But it was no longer hopeless. The next thing on the agenda was building defenses, but after that Tom had no clue what to do except hope hed stumble on civilization. Chapter 23: King of the Hill Chapter 23: King of the Hill A bleary-eyed Tom was wrapping up his nket into a neat roll as the first rays of sunlight cascaded through the cavernous openings. The jagged edges forming the caves interior cast long, pointed shadows, making Tom feel as if he were in the maw of a giant beast. He, however, had confronted too many actual beasts to be fazed by something that barely qualified as an optical illusion. The night had been a long one, significantly longer than Earths lunar cycles. If he had to take a guess, hed put it at eighteen or perhaps, neen long hours. Hours that hed spent alone, isted and somewhat ufortable despite his fur bedding, sleeping on hard rock was still something hed need to get used to. It was ironic, really Tom had spent all those years wanting to stay away from people, to avoid them as much as possible, only to be confronted by the realization that humans were inherently social creatures that required social interaction as much as they did food or water. Tom could im that hed mostly spent his time alone in the previous world, but he was still part of a society his job required him to interact with other people, answer their questions and manage returns plus he did have a few acquaintances that he hung out with, albeit rarely. Now though, there was nothing but the wilderness. While it was only his second day on Artezia, Tom was confronted with the realization that reaching civilization wasnt an option magical cards or not, there was only so much istion his mind could take before he began to lose it. Grabbing a dagger from his weapons rack, Tom used the side of the de to etch a solitary, lone line on the cavern wall, marking his own aplishment of surviving day one. He really hoped that he didnt have to etch too many of those markings. Well, its time to get some work done, Tom grumbled to himself, cing the dagger back on the rack and plucking out his sword instead. He took the next ten minutes to make preparations, double-checking that he had all the right [Deck Cards] on him before stepping outside of the safety of the cavern. Part of him wanted to get back to the hunt, to once again feel the thrill, the fear and more importantly, the exultation brought by meeting a beast inbat and actually winning an emotion, a sensation that was far more powerful than the greatest of highs. However, though it took some wrestling with his own thoughts, ultimately reason prevailed and Tom sessfully managed to smother that desire. That bloodlust he felt, wasnt natural. It didnt belong to him. That made the next few hours boring, but also safe Tom chopped down thick branches, often even requiring him to climb the wide trees a little, a muffled thump ringing out as they hit the ground. He had spotted no beast in this region so far and whilst that didnt mean that he would lower his guard, it did mean that he could be a little more liberal with his desires. The branches wererge and thick enough that Tom could only drag one back at a time, keeping his other hand free and equipped with his [Deck Cards] in case things went awry. The entire process wasnt very time-consuming, considering Tom didnt need to venture out more than two-three dozen meters for suitable lumber, but his muscles had started to ache by the end of it. His evening, or well, most of it was consumed by processing the lumber. First, he processed the thick branches into long, cylindrical shafts. Then, he began sharpening one end, carving away wooden shavings until he had a somewhat crude, but lethal enough, spear tip. Repeating that process dozens of times, Tom had an entire pile of wooden spears, but only kind of. If he tried to use them for extended periods of time, his hands would probably be filled with wooden splinters and cuts unless he spent more time refining them further. Which, to be frank, he had no interest in. Grabbing one spear, Tom stepped outside again, scanning the perimeter of the clearing for threats. When he found none, he began to dig a hole into the ground a meter or so away from the small mountain-like structure with his dagger. Ten minutester he had managed a small, but rather deep incision that he dug the spears cylindrical end into until it had almost halved in size. Repeating the same process again and again, Tom had managed to erect a rather pointed perimeter. He had calcted the distance between each wooden spear by estimating the width of the smallest creature hed encountered so far, namely the [Ankra Beast] and divided by half. The result was that even he would have to squeeze through if he wanted to get past the perimeter, which was. less than ideal, but atleast it would serve his purpose. The hope was that even if the beast could get through the perimeter, it would make enough noise in the process to alert him. Plus, his perimeter was a lot less lethal from the inside A few blows from water propulsion would knock away the spears, long enough for him to escape. It was night by the time hammered thest spear in with a particrly heavy rock hed procured from the vicinity. Hed cut himself a few times in the process, but thankfully he had no reason to fear as long as he had [Earths Vitality] on hand. Toms SP had recovered to full strength by this point and the final task he had on his checklist had been achieved. That only meant one thing. It was time to hunt. The Auspicious Moon, Ali, still hung in the sky, its characteristic silver glow a little brighter today. In the darkness of the forest, a shadowy figure flitted from cover to cover, his originally inept movements gaining some manner of sophistication and grace. The cry of a beast rang out in the next instant, a mournful, wailing cry that was abruptly cut off, only to once again be reced by the deathly stillness of the night, of the forest and of the ghost that lurked within. Tom swished his bloodied de at the air, causing droplets of blood tond upon nearby shrubbery. He was rather disappointed in his performance Tom had thrust his de aiming for the [Ankra Beasts] head, but it had jerked away at thest second causing him to strike at its abdomen instead. Hed stopped using SP to kill Level 1 [Ankra Beasts] by as much as he could, aiming to build up his own swordsmanship and more importantly, iron out any hesitancy from his fighting style. Tom had finally, decided to split experience between [The Lunar] and his Soul Card, [The Fool], having hit the point where further levelling any of his existing cards would only give him diminishing returns for the amount of soul experience they demanded. Over the next week, Tom fell into a cycle of sleeping and experimenting during the day and hunting during the night. On the third day, an idea struck him, so he went ahead and cooked a piece of meat from one of his hunts, and then deposited it in his inventory. Six hourster the meat was as good and as hot as when it was originally cooked, and it still retained its ability to waive off his sleep requirements. Though Tom had begun to take naps during the day, it still felt wrong topletely switch off his consciousness as he drifted away into sleepleaving him susceptible to anyone or anything that could breach his defenses. Hed shifted his short term goal to stockpile enough meat and marrow for a months journey, but his efforts yielded less efforts that he hoped. He kept encountering Level 1 Symiril Tuskers and Ankra Beasts, but besides that there didnt seem to be any other species in the forest. That gave him duplicate cards, which he [fed] to his [Soul Card], evermore inching closer to finally levelling it. On day four, Tom finally went out and hacked out a rectangr chunk of wood from one of the wide trees, with the first [Symiril Tusker Bone Sword] hed received. The weapon was clearly inferior to his [Elfinw Bone Sword], which he tended to treat with great care. It only took an hour of woodcrafting to hollow it out enough to the point where it resembled a rather misshappen bucket. He used [Water Propulsion] to fill it up to the brim, and as Tom drank directly from the bucket, albeit in small sips, he realized how much hed missed normal tasting water, even when the bone marrow fluid seemed to be a far superior drink. It just hit different, somehow. The bucket would alsoe in handy if Tom was low on meat and wanted to make a stew instead and it also let him take his first bath in days. It was safely deposited in his [Inventory] fortter use. By day six, Tom had fallen into a routine, almost his efficiency at killing level 1 beasts almost mechanical at this point. After all, he knew their weak points, their cards, their intelligence level Tom would have to be either ipetent or negligent if he still, somehow, managed to get himself killed. The breakthrough came on day seven, as Tom stood above a [Symiril Tuskers] carcass, panting. [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has sessfully reached level 2. You have received [10] attribute points! You have unlocked a new skill!] Tom grinned at the flood of notifications, finding them a wee sight. In that moment, he knew that this forest could not hold him back much longer. Chapter 24: Fools Gold Chapter 24: Fool''s Gold [Congrattions, your Soul Power has increased by five.] [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 2 [5134/ 25000] Ability: Shroud, Level 1 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Active Shroud, Maya Deceive oneself to deceive the world. Fools Gold, Level 1 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. Ones grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. Ones greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [1] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [20] levels of the Soul Cards current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 10% of the objects ability and copy [1] still.] Despite the limitations imposed by [The Fool] card, Tom had to re-read his newly acquired sklls description multiple times to make sure he wasnt dreaming. Firstly, he had gotten an actual skill description instead of useless proverbs and equally frustrating titudes. Adding on, despite the severe limitations tacked onto his one useful skill. It was still beyond anything he wouldve dreamed of. To give physical form to an illusion decidedly felt like a power that quite frankly, he didnt believe that he deserved. That was the vestigal remains of old Tom, or rather, his old personality speaking, such was the shock he felt. The recording part was something he understood naturally, or rather instinctively he simply had toe into physical contact with the item he wanted to mimic for an extended period of time and activate his [Soul Card]. The main allure of the skill that hed noticed was that it let him mimic items that superceded him both in level and the rank of his [Deck Cards]- if his desire to get to civilization was strong before, it was now an almost invioable yearning. [Please allot your vacant attribute points:. Physical: 6 Mental: 9 Proprioception: 5] This decision was a tricky one, especially for someone like Tom who tended to be on the indecisive side. The thought that this might be the only chance he got to distribute attribute points in a long, long time haunted his psyche. As Tom had continued to hunt in the forest, he had noticed a steep decline in the beasts poption, the time between each hunt stretching from the original one to two hours to three, even four if he was unlucky. The twenty five thousand experience he needed to get his Soul Card to the next level. Well, it definitely wasnt happening in this forest. So Tom asked himself: What was it that he needed the most right now? He thought back to his fights, the dances with death he had engaged in throughly unprepared and outmatched. Like the moment where the [Elfinw] had leapt at him through his makeshift wall of mes, what was his thought process in that moment? Tom had wished to be faster. No that wasnt quite it. Hed wished he could react faster. There were few feelings that were equally as frustrating as they were frigtening, and having a hostile entity blitz past you without even being able to react was definitely one of them. Gritting his teeth, Tom inputted one point into [Proprioception]. His eyes widened as a jolt of electric current flowed through his body, through sinew and bone alike. Or atleast that was how the sensation felt a zap to his consciousness, not painful in and of itself but a little disturbing. It was over almost as soon as it began, though Tom could have been standing there for minutes and not have realized it. He slowly unfurled his arms outward with the grace of a dancer, an invigorating energy flowing through them that felt unlike anything hed ever perceived before. An idea took hold in his mind, and a few minutester Tom had gathered three cricket ball sized rocks, albeit jagged and misshappen ones. Without hesitating, he tossed one in the air, soon to be followed with another. His vision felt clear, far clearer than anything hed felt before in his life. As if a veil shrouding his senses, a natural limiter than every human was born with, was ever so nonchntly torn away. A few secondster, Tom was juggling three incongruent objects with the ease of one who had practised the skill for years, if not decades. A chuckle escaped him as he released control over the stones, propelling them upwards. It only took him one nce to evade their downward arc with two quick sidesteps. This sensation he wanted to feel more of it. It was far better than any form of intoxication human civilization had to offer and before Tom had even realized it, he had inputted another four points into the [Proprioception] stat. [Proprioception: 10] Fuck, Tom uttered, panting heavily as a mnge of emotions coursed through his soul exultation, fear and a twinge of uncertainty. He couldnt afford to lose himself like that again but he couldnt bring himself to regret his decision either. Standing under the forests canopy, Toms hand shot out with explosive eleration. A secondter, pinched between his index finger and his thumb, was a falling leaf. This was crazy. Now, even with one hand, he could deftly switch out one card for another. That added an entirely different level of versatility to his skillset, though Tom would still much rather prefer a different alternative. [10] points seemed like a good, rounded number to stop, and he didnt want to put all his eggs in one basket. Next, he dumped three points into physical. Oh, thats weeeeird, He groaned. His muscle tissue began to wriggle and writhe under his skin and if Tom had to guess, it was following the same principles as bodybuilding creating small tears in the muscle, repairing and rebuilding them in real time, creating faster, stronger and leaner muscle tissue in real time. Or it was simply magic, but Tom preferred to cling to his earthen knowledge. When the process had concluded, Tom clenched his fist, flexing his newly acquired muscles. He began throwing a flurry of jabs, with a few hooks mixed in. Even though he didnt have aplete measure of his strength, he could tell that a single punch from him would hurt, and his high [Proprioception] meant that he could throw a lot more than a solitary punch in a short timeframe. One point went into [Mental], and Tom immediately regretted it. It didnt make him smarter, which was in fact, something Tom was dreading more than looking forward to. It was more a philosophical question than a matter of pragmatism if his intelligence increased by a hundred, or for that matter, even my ten times, would he still be functionally the same person? Would a being that intelligent have the same thought processes, thought patterns and desires as Tom? To him, it seemed more a curse than a boon. Thankfully, he didnt have to answer that question. He was still smarter, in a manner of interpretation of the word. His thoughts were clearer and Tom was able to process information faster. He understood the necessity of the [attribute], because [Proprioception] meant little if he couldnt process the information his natural reflexes were conveying. The ratio probably didnt have to be 1:1 but still, he understood the reason for its necessity. The problem was. It also made him remember things, memories that he had buried deep within the recesses of his mind. The distraction was something he could do without but. It was necessary. Clenching his fist hard, Tom inputted thest point into the [Mental] stat. There was a saying in his town, one whose exact wording Tom had long forgotten, but its ethos,had stuck with him. It was something along the lines of when the scales of fortune are finally tipped in your favor, keep going and all your dreams wille true. He supposed that it was one of those titudes small town folks liked to believe, but he was also self-aware enough to ept that he was a cynic. Tom was out hunting, but it had been six, mayhaps seven hours since hedst encountered a beast. Hed switched back to hunting in the day, mainly because he was begining to feel the first effects of extended istion, and the daytime seemed more pleasant to be wandering around in the forest. It was then, that he heard a series of odd, garbled voices with an unfamiliar inflection, a strange, foriegn rhythm that made it sound like gibberish to his ears. Tom immediately dropped down to his knees, stealthily positioning himself behind cover with practised, clean motions. Zenthrum akar zel rahn mok deralun ke kerak snah, intoned the voice, and it was that moment when goosebumps rose on Toms pale white skin. It was a Chapter 25: Maya Chapter 25: Maya There woulde a time in a mans life when they find themselves at a crossroads, to be confronted with a decision that could very well decide the trajectory of their lives, or even metastasize into a decision between life and death. Such a decision, naturally, is not made easily. For more often than not, there is no perfect answer weighing the pros and cons and trusting your instinct holds little meaning when your hands are zed with sweat, pupils dted and breathing so shallow that you barely make a sound even to the most perceptive of senses; for the oppressive pressure of risk piles upon you from every known and unknown direction, every breath, every twitch of your brow, every blink of the eye drawing you closer and closer to making a decision. The canopy of the treeline cast plenty of shadow even in daylight, and Tom had activated [The Shadow] card not long after hed identified the garbled voices as a cohesivenguage. From behind a clump of shrubbery ced adjacent to a wide tree, he spotted four silhouettes approaching in a direction that would run parallel past his hiding spot. As they drew closer, their features grew more distinct, until finally Tom could get a clear lock on the unknowns. There was no mistaking it. They were humans. Toms gaze immediately flickered from one person to the next, taking care not to stare for a second longer than necessary. His first observation was the shiny, silver metallic box that hung from each of their waists the realization was almost instantanous, Tom convinced that the box was designed to hold cards. As for whether it had any special abilities, that he did not know. That, however, was rather unremarkable whenpared to the bronze metal gauntlets they wore. The curious part being, that whether it be left or right, each person only wore a single such gauntlet. Tom strained himself a little to get a closer look, discovering that its surface had a barely visible rectangr outline, only making itself apparent to Tom when the red-haired young woman with mesmerizing burnished orange eyes stepped into a patch of sunlight cascading through an opening in the canopy. Warning signals shed in his mind, as Tom realized that it was some sort of device that helped the wearer utilize cards. It was the only logical conclusion he could see, and an obvious one. His way of using cards was too messy and inefficient [Analysing Analysis Failed! Analysis Failed! Analysis Failed! Analysis Failed! The level of your target is too high to be analysed at your current level. Shroud prevents the target entity from noticing your analysis attempt] Fuck! These people they meant business. Though Tom supposed that should have been obvious by this point. Their clothes had a militaristic air to them, a loose-fitting white shirt with buttoned sleeves and azure embroidery, a vivid emblem stitched onto them a little above the chest level that from this distance, seemed like splotches of white, blue and a little violet for the extra punch. Their trousers, while well-ironed and an immactely clean azure, seemed too suspiciously baggy to not be concealing armor underneath. They were young, atleast by Earths standards twenty one, perhaps twenty two. The make of their clothes, even from this distance, seemed to be extremely luxurious observing the creasing of the fabric as they moved, he could tell that the clothes barely weighed anything. The shoes were where they all differed, though Tom didnt stop to observe beyond a cursory nce. Now, came the question. What should he do? If Tom asked his instinct, he wanted nothing more to raise both his hands in the sky and reveal himself. Well, his old instinct. The new him wasnt so trusting and neither was he that naive. ncing down at his beast hide clothes, Tom wouldnt be surprised if they mistook him for a monster and sted him to smithereens the moment he stepped out of cover. No he had to ask himself. If he was back on Earth and he encountered a random man stepping out from a forest, caked in blood, draped in animal hide and exuding not-the-most weing odor, what would he do? Call the police. They wouldnt take long to discover that he didnt speak theirnguage. Then what? Theyd probably get an alphabet-soup agency involved andbel him a foriegn asset. Or theyd discover that he knew nonguage known to mankind and stick him in some ckbox until they figured out what to do with him. Not that hed me them, of course. People werent supposed to just phase into reality. This was just the best case scenario, though. The odds that theyd take him to a police station, hand him a bowl of ramen andbel him an amnesiac were slim to none. What would happen if it was Earth three hundred years ago? The same, but the oue would be widely different. Maybe hed be paraded around in a circus as a freak. Maybe he would be shot simply because they couldnt understand him, and what humans couldnt understand, they tended to shoot. Even in the utmost best scenario, one did not simply walk up to a group of what looked like trainedbatants in the middle of a zone known to be frequented by hostiles. Should he take the risk? There was no fighting these people Tom knew that the odds of him taking one of those gauntleted people were slim, let alone all four ganging up on him at once. That required him to answer a question? What did his instinct tell him? It told him that there was a third option. One that did not involve surrendering agency to powers beyond ones control or understanding. The reason why [Shroud] hadnt revealed its powers to him until this point was because he hadnt encountered a single sapient being other than himself until that point. Tom blinked and when he opened his eyes again he saw. Above each of the heads of the four purported humans, red light bent upon itself until it formed the creepy visage of an androgynous jester with blurry, shifting facial features. Next to it was a number carved in crooked red light, each one different. In that moment, Tom understood why [The Fool] has such a high SP boost. The truth of the matter was, it wasnt a boost at all. 56.52.48.34. Tom thought to himself, his gaze shifting to a pale skinned man with close-cropped ck hair and dark emerald eyes. Thirty-four Soul Power for a single skill? It better be worth it. Active shroud, Maya, Tom whispered under his breath, and all was reced with oblivion. Chapter 26: I am what I am Chapter 26: I am what I am He Who was he? The young man cast the thin nket covering him, getting back onto his feet. His expression was that of an unsettled man, but he couldnt quite point out the reason why. A mirror. He needed a mirror. His instinct guided him, and he found no reason to refuse. The room wasnt particrlyrge, but the owner had managed to cram in a significant amount of luxury goods in the space, including an ornate wall mirror. Walking over to it, he found a pale-skinned man staring back at him, his high cheekbones, dark emerald eyes and well-built physique giving the impression of an athlete. Was thathim? Who was he again? Statistics, he muttered aloud. For some reason, it just felt like the right thing to do. [Name: Zenakris Renain Age: 22 Affiliation: Syrelore Kingdom Nobility Soul Card: The Umbra, Umon [Level 9] Statistics: Physical: 17 Mental: 14 Proprioception: 11 Soul Power: 16 [21] ] Zenakris Renain? he muttered out aloud, the words unfamiliar to his lips. He supposed that was his name. Surveying the room, another question popped into his mind. Where was he? Syrelore Academy. Yes, it was slowlying back to him. He was the son of Arrenis Renain, a decorated noble in the cab of the king and a formidablebatant, having reached level twenty with an [Umon] ranked [Soul Card] at the age of thirty-five. King, ha. What a farce. The thought was full of disdain, as a fresh burst of memories forced their way into his mind. The [Realm Seal] was the first an unimaginably vast that shielded Artezia from the [Phantasmal Beings] that had been trying to invade for eons. The exact specifics of it he couldnt recall immediately, but it gut told him there was nothing more there that was relevant to what he wanted to know. Then came the existence of [Dungeons], [Rifts] and most importantly [Towers]. The [Realm Seal] wasnt powerful enough to hold back the [Phantasmal Beings] in perpetuity, so it allowed some to funnel through openings that it intentionally created. [Dungeons] and [Towers] dotted thendscape of Artezia, while [Rifts] tended to be identalpses in the Systems judgement, though he felt pretty dismissive about those. Apparently, the concentration of energy upon the Surface World was too shallow for there to be any meaningful rifts here. Clearing these [Towers] and [Dungeons] gave valuable cards, levels, gear and many other valuable loot in return, but ultimately they were inconsequential in therger picture. The status of ones Nobility, rather ironically, was not decided by ones strength or even aplishments, no. Instead, it was judged by what [Floor] your [Ancestor] had climbed till and how greatly he valued you. For there was one tower above all, TheAerianiculumn, which he somehow knew tranted to the Tower of Endless Horizon- where the true paragons of humanity resided, where the rank of cards you could obtain was as limitless as your imagination and finally where you could fight on the true frontlines in the war between the residents of Artezia and the Phantasmal. It was said that the remains of twelve worlds that had shattered in the wake of the [Phantasmal Incursion] had been reforged into this one tower, spatial distortion and folding making the tower seem so puny from the outside when in reality it contained and far wider than Artezia, except it was spread across floors. For example, his revered Ancestor Varikas Renain had sessfully climbed to the ninth floor, while the kings descendant on the other hand had reached the fifteenth floor. Though he doubted the ancestors viewed the surface world as anything but a game to be yed in their free time, a creche from which they hoped to sire one or two worthy descendants at most though the exact poption of the Aerianiculumn Tower could not be estimated, his father had once said that it was likely close to reaching parity. There was only one reason his father himself had refused to ascend for those who entered the Tower could never return to the surface world, barring a few exceptions that were out of reach for most even inside the tower. He was not his father though, long having sworn to make the journey to delve towers and dungeons, to roam thend in search of rifts, to continually strengthen himself until he was worthy enough, or atleast considered himself worthy enough to survive the Aerianiculumn Tower. His father believed that an [Umon] card had sealed his destiny, that only [Rares] and higher could survive in that meat grinder, but he was determined to prove him wrong. A knock rapped against his wooden doors body, rousing him from his reverie. He gingerly walked up to the door, twisting the knob and cautiously opening the door. Why was he so cautious? Wasnt this his room? A beautiful young girl made her presence known in the center of his vision, her short, fiery red hair matching the intensity of her burnished orange eyes that bore down upon him, an intensity that Valerie Nezeria exuded rather effortlessly. She was short, her cheeks full despite her otherwise lean and tone body, her expression slightly miffed even as her body was rxed, yet ready to react at a moments notice the hallmark of special forces back on Earth. Earth? What was Earth? What an odd thought. Disregarding it, a light blush made its way onto his face as he made eye contact with the girl. Despite the facade of sterness and stoicism she maintained, or rather, had to maintain as the daughter of the Kings right hand man, the Noble that was responsible for trade and finances Lord Ramav Nezeria, he found her incredibly cute. The feelings that welled up in his heard were both familiar and unfamiliar, as if he hadnt felt them in a long time. He. liked this girl. Akaresh kal mok! Valeria eximed, her expression more grumpy than angry. Zaleriis s-shan karik He replied almost instintinctively, somehow able to parse the meaning of her words and respond in kind. Tranted, the conversation roughly went along the lines of: Yourete! Sorry, just give me a minute. Right. He had to get ready. He jogged over to his bedside table, grabbing the silver deck-holder from his bed and holstering it onto his belt. Inventory, he spoke aloud, reaching his hand into the void and pulling out a bronzed gauntlet that he slipped into his left hand. His right was his sword arm, of course. The [Card Gauntlet] was both a simple andplex device. It had required him months of training before he had learned to imprint his soul onto the artifact, tricking his [Deck Cards] into believing that the Gauntlet was a part of his soul and thus, to exclude it from damage, but the actual mechanism was quite simple. All he had to do was equip all four of his deck cards into four slots that ran along the [Card Gauntlets] circumference and he could cycle through them with a thought, albeit there was a small dy between its switch. It was only [Common] ranked, after all. There was a fifth card he pocketed, the true reason for his visit. Two more of his friends, or rather, their friends would be tagging along. He had the [Soul Summoner] card with him and today would be the day he would finally get a Soul Pet of his own. He found himself walking along the streets of the Academic City, Renovia, a vast melting pot that had around a hundred thousand citizens in total. It was also the Capital of the Syrelore Kingdom, so that was a given the forefront of innovation, artifact research and naturally, hopefuls vying for entry in the Syrelore Academy, which had a notoriously strict and unforgiving criteria. Their promenade ended when Valerie stopped before a set of mottled stone double doors affixed to a cave entrance that naturally receded into the earth. The surrounding passersby gave them a wide berth, keeping atleast a ten meter distance between themselves and the dungeon though it seemed more ingrained instinct than genuine fear. Valerie had a map in her hand that she was studying, and he couldnt help but observe how cute she looked when her rtively pudgy was scrunched up in concentration. The Zenari said theyd clear this route for us before splitting off to a different sector. Unless any of you pissed them offtely, we should be good, She gave their faces a searching look and upon finding nothing, shrugged. Fine, lets head in. Their journey was a rather uneventful one, as they trawled through unlooted corpses of [Nether Devils] upon their way. The highest they went were level five and none present required the meagre bounty they had to offer it was good form to let unneeded loot go unimed, adding it to the [Divine Systems] coffers and hopefully letting it go to someone who needed it more. That and they were toozy to loot the corpses individually. An hourter, they stepped outside the dungeon, greeted by two armed guards in theirte forties. Both had [Common] cards and both were exactly [Level 20], which, despite the difference in the rarity of their cards, was not to be scoffed at. Academy students, ah? Off to get a summon ah guess? One of the guards asked. Yes, sir, Valerie replied with a light curtsy. Noble or not, one offered respect to the Dungeon and Tower Guards, for technically they were under the employ of the [Divine System] and not the kingdom. They dropped some newonestely, ah. A Male n a Female Elfinw, ah heard. Though yer didnt hear it from me, The bearded guard averted his gaze, sudden;y finding the treeline quite impressive. The Nezarie Family thanks your generosity, good sir, Valerie offered another curtsy, before their group scurried off to the menagerie. Ah, whattis like to be young, The guard muttered aloud as he saw the excited kids bustle towards the forest. The other guard just grunted in response. A [Soul Summoner] card didnt quite work in the way one would expect. Though he had no idea why he would expect anything else at all. You had to fell the beast in directbat without any external aid from others; his friends had just tagged along in the spirit ofradery and then use the [Common] ranked card instead of absorbing the beasts [Soul Experience]. That way, a translucent beast that could exist in physical form for a limited period of time could be summoned the beast was no thrall and had a will of its own which tended to make thingsplicated. The first dozen or so times the beast, even in its soul form, would generally try to rip your throat out, but after being beaten into submission enough times it usually yielded to its master and agreed to fight alongside him. There were other, more powerful cards that could bind Souls without needing to kill the beast, but for the present him they might as well be myths. Besides, his father had one and it was amenable enough to y with him when he was a child. The problem arose the moment he stepped into the forest. Whats wrong, Zenakris? Valerie asked as he had stopped in his tracks. A flurry of visions shed through his mind, first depicting a young teenager in odd patterned clothing that fought off potential summons withughably poor form, making mistakes after mistakes that were unthinkable of someone who lived in the Academic City, let alone a student of the prestigious Syrelore Academy. Yet, why did he look so. unsettlingly familiar? As if it was a long lost family member standing in front of him, yet he found himself frustratingly unable to make the connection. He watched as the young teenager grew in both form and power, his patterned clothes reced with animal hides and his poor form reced by a glimmer of intent behind his destrikes, a viciousness that the Academy drilled into them learned in a manner of days. He felt proud? How odd. Nothing. Im just excited to get the Elfinw. Lets keep going, he smiled, a facade, but one that seemingly worked as Valerie continued moving. Ten minutester, he froze on the spot. Goosebumps arose on his skin, a chill running down his spine. Look to the side. Look to the side. LOOK TO THE SIDE! His mind screamed at him, the originally muted sounds now a full blown roar. So he slowly swiveled his head. Slowly, as if he dreaded what he found. First his gaze went to the Shallen-Dar Trees that popted this forest, and then to the patch of shrubbery adjacent it. A writhing mass of shadows, [The Shadow] card the most likely culprit behind it. An assassin? Laughable. Absorb, hemanded, and [The Umbra] card stripped the shadows off the would-be assassins visage, forming a perfect sphere in the palm of his hand. Revealing. a teenagerthe very same one from his visions . HIMSELF. This isnt real, Tom/Zenakris muttered, stumbling back a few steps. The dissonance between memories, the vague murmurings in his mind about another world, the gaps in information, things hed never seen before, things that no hallucination could reproduce. THIS ISNT REAL! Tom roared, his eyes shing like the pupils of a rabid wolf. A crack appeared in reality itself, stretching across from one corner of his vision to the other. That confirmed it. Zenakris, are you alright? Valerie asked him, her eyes shimmering like setting sun, the concern within them almost palpable. I dont know you. This isnt my life. YOU. WILL. NOT. TAKE MY MEMORIES! Tom again, feeling himself pushed to the limits of his sanity. It was the one thing he had. The one thing that defined him. This struggle. This achievement. The feeling of conquering. The sensation of winning. He might not share Zenakris grand desire to reach the top of the Aerianiculumn Tower but that didnt mean that he would just yield to some pompous, privileged noble prick. I will not yield, Tom muttered as he felt the grip of insanity approach, Zenakris memories, his being, his existence, trying to overwrite his own. The sphere of shadows in his hands split into three spikes that headed for his crush, his purported best friend and his brotherall of whom he hadnt seen before this day. It was a distraction, he knew that they would counter it. But it didnt matter. Time was running out. Tom withdrew Zenkaris prided sword, and began tough as he stabbed himself in the chest, skewing his heart. A flower of blood blossomed across his chest, and the scene shattered. If you asked Tom who he was in the old world, he wouldnt be able to give you a truthful answer. What was a man who stifled his yearnings, closed himself off from the world and simply went through the motions that was life. He was alive, he supposed. He was motivated enough to keep working. He liked hot coffee and donuts. One day, maybe hed ask someone out. He was just.. one among many, at the end of the day. Now though, as Tom floated in an all-epassing void, he knew the answer to that question. He was Thomas Lowe. He was [The Fool]. He was a man who had faced the most unfavorable of odds and hade out in one piece. He could be enterprising. He could be clever. He could also be quite foolish sometimes, but that was okay. He epted him for himself. A sea of stars twinkled all around him, a few at the furthest reaches of the void, shining a bright golden. There were a dozen or so silver stars, and hundreds of stars that glew with a bright bronze sheen. He somehow understood where he was. What he was going through. It was a battle of consciousness and Tom had managed to survive the first onught. So he supposed that he was in Zenakris mind, and these were his memories? Tom tried to move his hand, but immediately felt a force of rejection that began to crush down upon him from all directions. The world or rather his mind, was rejecting him. In the real world, Zenakris, who had walked past Toms hiding spot unwarily, clenched his head as a sudden shooting pain struck him. The Golden, Silver and the Bright Bronze stars were out of his reach. But there was something he could reach for. His instinct, or rather, [The Fools] instinct, drove him to a card that was two arms lengths away. Normally, Tom would be horrified at the concept of shuffling around in someones mind, much less wanting to read their memories but. This .bastard had the audacity to try and overwrite his mind. Tom was furious. Furious beyond belief. It was a sensation that words alone could not begin to describe, the sensation of your being being stripped away from you as you watched, aware yet unaware. Toms hand reached outwards. Vengeance could be a powerful force. And Tom would harness it, because he needed it. His hand reached outward and outward and the pressure crushed down upon him with a hatred that equalled his own. Toms eyes were bloodshot, and a few seconds in his capiries started to burst one after the other. This. Wasnt. Real. So he kept going, letting out a bloody scream till his vocal cords left. His eyes as wide as saucers, Tom let out a mad grin as he felt his hand wrap around the Dull Bronze star. Vengeance was his. Tom awoke with a startled gasp for air, heavily wheezing as he clenched his chest and struggled not to heave over his breakfast. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his eyes wide in disbelief as he just thought back on what hed experienced. What the fuck kind of skill tried to wipe his memories! was what Tom barely managed himself from screaming out. Motherfucker! [You have experienced Maya, the infinite web of illusions. You have copied aplete memory of the Aldorian Language, and can now speak it fluently. A False Status depicting the Status of Zenakris Renain will be recreated from your experienced memories. Active Shroud has copied the appearance of Zenakris Renain. Both effects shallst for the next twenty four hours.] Chapter 27: Sorry, Zenakris Chapter 27: Sorry, Zenakris His vision had been clouded by red, an overwhelming desire for retaliation seeping out of his body with every exhale. Haah haah., Tom huffed, his eyes still wide, his body shivering and his psyche teetering on the verge of madness. A secondter, remorse took hold of him but Tom refuted the urge to break out into tears Zenakris Renain had done nothing except defend the sovereignty of his own mind and his reaction had been way overboard in the heat of the moment. He was just grateful, thankful even, to know that he hadnt stolen his memories, merely copied them. He knew that his journey would be a tumultuous one in the best of times and down the path, he might be forced to defend himself against more than mindless beasts. But to steal someones memories was condemning them to a far worst fate, atleast in his eyes. He wasnt sure if he could bring himself to use such a twisted power and even if he did, the toll it would take upon his mind no. Dont think about that. Perhaps the reason why he felt so terrible was because Zenakris was so unexpectedly human. His thoughts, his desires and his dreams were so rtable so normal that after having experienced the affection he felt for Valeria and the loyalty he had for hisrades, the respect their group showed for guards whose status they dwarfed and the honor they carried themselves with Tom wasnt sure if he could bring himself to harm the man even if they were locked into a confrontation. Perhaps that was the consequence of prying into someones mind, experiencing their memories as they were ones own. That, however, wasnt the greatest mdy that gued him. A thought had taken root in his mind and he wasnt sure how to cate it. Was this the real world? Or was he still trapped in Maya? As someone who had experienced what it was like to die twice, he found Maya far more terrifying to live in someones shoes for a day was one thing, but what if it had been a week? A month? A year? Would the person that came out still be him? What if he was currently in Maya? What even was real? What was illusory? No wait. Calm down. There was one thing. Tom still vividly remembered how he felt in Zenakris footsteps. There was a cadence to his movements, a self-assuredness that he projected as he walked through the forest Tom recalled how refined Zenakris or well, his movements had been when hed noticed the shadowy silhouette poking out from behind cover. With a fluid flourish of his hands, hed stripped and reformed the shadows into a ball as if he was the undisputed monarch of the darkness, [The Umbra] truly disying how much an upgrade it was from just the [Common] rarity to the [Umon] rarity. The ability to manipte shadows, as fascinating as that was the system only deemed it to be of the [Umon] rarity. The entire time he had experienced Maya, he distinctly remembered being tethered to [The Umbra] card as if it were a natural extension of his self, not once doubting the assertion that it was his [Soul Card]. It was as if [The Fool] had never existed. With quivering hands, Tom reached out inside his chest and a card responded. It was not the inky, chilling ckness of [The Umbra] that weed him, but instead it was a card that had a Jester sketched upon its surface. This time, it was not his visage sketched onto the cards face, but instead Zenakris Renains Tom was inches away from freaking out when he recalled the [Divine Systems] words. .....Active Shroud has copied the appearance of Zenakris Renain. Both effects shallst for the next twenty four hours. Takingfort in the feeling of mystery and intrigue that [The Fool] card somehow exuded, Tom decided that it would be his cornerstone, the arbitrator between reality and illusion, illusion and reality. If he had to trust something, it had to be the one card that had allowed him to outfox the bearded old man, even if unintentionally. Most of all, he needed it for his own sanity. Taking a deep breath, Tom ced his hands over his face, cupping it gently. The skin was a little too rugged, the cheekbones a little too high. As his right hand inched towards his scalp, he did not find the tuft of unkempt hair that he was expecting, instead finding close-cropped, prickly hair that didnt even possess an inchs worth of length hair that most decidedly did not belong to him and skin that felt foriegn to the touch. Allowing himself to focus harder on the sensation, Tom realized that he could perceive a thin. of something akin to an additionalyer of membrane that ensconced the entirety of his body. He could feel the undtions in the membrane as he moved his head from left to right, as it shifted to amodate his shocked expression. How odd. The sensation remained alien no matter how many times Tom tried to get used to it, but it wasnt outright ufortable. In fact, Tom had to be actively thinking about the membrane to even be able to perceive it, so it wouldnt, or well, shouldnt cause any hindrance inbat. Even Zenakris [Card Gauntlet] had been mimicked to perfection, his mien now that of a trained academy student from a Noble Family as opposed to a shoddily dressed outsider. He got back onto his feet, resting his back against the trees bark. Think. Evaluate. What was the situation right now? Surreptitiously sneaking a nce from behind cover, Tom found no one in the spot hest remembered the group of academy students to be standing. That emboldened him and he gave his surroundings a more through sweep, once again finding nothing. What did that mean? It meant that Zenakris hadnt been adversely affected by Maya, otherwise from what he knew of the other students demeanour, they would rush back to the Academy and his disguise would be useless. Or theyd already blown past him and were on their way back. But Tom found that unlikely for as long as it had seemed that Maya hadsted, after spending more than a week in this forest, he had a firm grasp over the passage of time and could tell that less than an hour had passed. Shit. Tom almost let out an audible groan as he realized that there was no time to go back for the stuff hed left behind in the cave. Though most of his weapons were safely stored in his inventory, he had food and water only for five days not having expected this excursion tost longer than that. He couldnt go back. Tom would have loved to spend the next ten minutes deliberating his next move, but there was no time. Fuck it. Tom stepped out of cover, no longer bothering to creep around. He had first hand seen the academy students physical stats if they managed to spot him, there would be no escaping their pursuit. So instead, he jogged over to the spot where hedst seen the academy students. Footsteps trailed off deeper into the forest, in the exact direction Tom had remembered them going in. That didnt necessarily mean anything good, but the worst case scenario seemed to have been averted. It seemed that Mayas intervention hadnt been enough to make the academy party to outright retreat. He took a second to retrace the path Zenakris took to reach the forest, and without further ado, took off into a sprint south-eastward. To think that he hade so close to the forests periphery yet it wouldve taken him weeks longer before he discovered the path to freedom. It only highlighted how alone and vulnerable Tom was. Tears trickled down Toms cheeks as the all enshrouding canopy of the forest was reced by the warmth of the sun beating down upon him. Grassy ins stretched out for as far as the eye could see, the eerie atmosphere of the forest, or rather, the menagerie of otherworldly monsters, reced with the nurturing warmth of the sun, even if it may not be his sun. He had survived where many many men stronger than him, smarter than him and far more athletic would have faltered. He had entered the forest an untempered block of iron and stepped out a hammer forged sword that concealed a sharpness beyond what one would perceive on first impression. Wiping the tears away, Tom began to walk forward, making changes to his gait as he did so. He was no method actor, but then again, method actors did not have the opportunity to pry into their subjects'' minds and memories. His his right fist was clenched as he walked, allowing his arm to swing at his side as he took quick steps forward, his bodynguage conveying his agitation. There was one anomaly in his movement though, highlighting the difference between a good actor and a great one despite his anger, Toms gauntleted arm was held still at the chest level, with the discipline of a soldier holding a gun and his gaze flitted every few seconds, scanning the area for threats. Angry as he was supposed to be, that did not mean that Zenakris would allow himself to forget the training that had been engraved into his mind. Soon, the [Dungeon] entrance came into sight. Halt there,ddy! One of the guards shouted out, the same one that had spoken to Valeria earlier. He gave him an appraising look, his expression a little strange, before he spoke, Ah thought yer were here to look fer a summon. Wheres tha rest of yer mates? It took Tom a few seconds to parse through the guards thick ent in anguage he hadnt known how to speak up until an hour ago. Hepared the guards inflection to what Zenakris had construed earlier, and with a little guesswork the question roughly boiled down to what he had expected. Tom averted his gaze away a little, letting out a forceful exhale before answering, Zenthum arreknk ze rhhum no doria el kari-filnsari Those people dont deserve mypanionship, He replied, letting a little noble arrogance seep into his voice or atleast, his best impression of arrogance. It wasnt exactly his strong suit. Yerall seemed pretty chummy earlier. Wait., The guard exchanged a quick nce with his fellow guardsman and both let out a light chortle. This was an unexpected turn. Tom suppressed the churning anxiety in his gut, wondering if hed made a mistake in his mannerisms ormunication. But he didnt do anything untoward, determined to maintain his act until thest moment. Kid, yer asked the little missy out, didntcha? the guard asked. Tom blinked. It was written all over yer face,d, The guard replied with a guffaw. Tom let out an angry grunt, a light blush forming on his face even when he wasnt the subject of their ribbing. Perhaps there were still some residual memories and emotions left from stepping into Maya, or it was his awkwardness choosing the wrong moment to act. Either way, it only deepened his act. Can I go now, he near-snapped, still choosing to maintain a modicum of respect. Are the rest of yer friends alright? The guard asked, his question asked now in the capacity of a representative of the [Divine System] even if it was at the lowest rung. Valeria is too powerful for anything in the menagerie to scratch her. I asked them to let me go on ahead first, Tom replied with a sullen expression on his face. He still didnt know how he felt about his nightmare being a. Menagerie for academy students to capture pets. It was both infuriating and gratifying, because ultimately it might have been the sole reason he had survived. Thankfully, the guard nodded at his words. While Zenakris alone was terrifying enough, he seemed to have a deep rooted inferiorityplex that he tried to bury whenever he looked at Valeria. She had to be the real monster in the group, which only redoubled his motivation to get far away from this ce. Alright,d. Just so yer know, the [Dungeon] is scheduled to reset in about half an hour. Not that it should be a problem for yer but you can wait fer yererm, friends, if yer want to. FUCK. Tom tried to hide his shock at those words but he couldnt hesitate now. There was no reason for Zenakris to be afraid of the [Nether Devils] buthe wasnt Zenakris. But if he chose to wait or ran back to the forest, theyd know something was wrong, very wrong. Half an hour if he sprinted. No problem, Tom replied, and the guards stepped aside. As he descended into the cavern, only the guards muffledughter was hispanionment. Sorry, Zenakris. Chapter 28: The Nether Chapter 28: The Nether The [Nether Devils] were terrible news. Emphasis on terrible. Zenakris memories painted a rather condescending image, but Tom wasnt a trained magical supersoldier with a Noble powerhouse for a father. The first shocker was that well, they were aliens in a world that was already alien to him. The concept was hard to digest and the more Tom ruminated upon it the more he realized that the Englishnguage didnt even possess a word to describe such a phenomenon. No, dont think about that. Dont think about how miserably out of your depths you are. So, Tom kept running, spraying a mist of warm air mixed with spittle each time he gasped and wheezed from the exertion, his pace having ratcheted to near athlete levels, if he had to venture a guess. The second, crucial piece of information that had made him break into a desperate sprint had to do with the [Nether Devils] or rather, the [Phantasmal Beings] powers. They were fundamentally different from the monsters he had encountered up until this point, that had been native to Artezia in the sense that they subscribed to apletely different power system. The analysis in Zenakris memories had been too jargon-heavy for Tom topletely grasp its meaning, but he got the gist of it- The [Nether Devils] didnt possess cards of their own. In fact, the reason for their invasion partly had to do with their desire for [Soul Cards]. Or atleast, Zenakris seemed to think so. At this point, Tom wasnt sure if the difference between those two suppositions held any relevance to his current situation. Either way, the [Nether Devils] were not only stronger, faster and far more cunning than the monsters that he had encountered up until this point, but they also had their own arcane abilities to draw upon. Abilities that the [Divine System] categorized as [Phantasmal Skills]. [Nether Gaze] and [Miasma w] werent especially powerful skills in Zenakris eyes, but Tom found them on a different leaguepared to the beasts hed encountered so far. [Nether Gaze] seemed to be some sort of madness inducing skill, forcing the target to gaze upon the dimension these creatures hailed from. Or maybe it was something else, but that was the leading theory Zenakris recalled from his lectures, which made it good enough for him. Fighting creatures without being able to directly gaze upon their visage was. tricky. As if that wasnt bad enough, he still had to find a way to deal with [Miasma w]. A single blow would take weeks to heal,pletely negating any additional recovery boost his physical stat provided him with. All it would take was a few deep cuts, and he would bleed out before he could even reach help. Not that Zenakris had to worry about any of that, considering his higher physical stat and the fancy armor he wore underneath his robes but his own remained an illusion and Tom wasnt sure how willing he was to test out the durability of his rags against [Nether Devil] ws. The third and final piece of information he had was the glittering gems hed noticed lying next to a [Nether Devil] corpse that he encountered every couple of minutes. [Corrupted Gems] were an integral part in forging artifacts, much like the [Card Gauntlet] Zenakris used. They might be worthless for the noble scion, but for Zenakris it was a veritable fortune that he was being forced to leave behind. Run. Run. Run, damn it! His legs felt like they were on fire. His lungs hurt, it fucking hurt to even breathe and his heart rate was going haywire but somehow, his legs kept carrying him forward. Twenty minutes. That was his best estimate. That left a little under ten minutes to clear the tunnel ande out the other side, but Tom couldnt see any sign of the exit. In his current state, Zenakris memories came back to him as a dissociated jumble, as he desperately tried to ascertain how much of the tunnel stretch was still left ahead of him. A glint shed in the corner of his gaze, making him flinch. Tom slid to a groaning halt, almost tripping as he slowed down his burgeoning momentum. Sucking in a cold breath of air, he jogged over to the vista, or more specifically, the object that had caught his attention. Next to the carcass of a [Nether Beast] was a sword, unlike anything hed quite seen before in his life. At first, Tom thought that the des stygian metal was absorbing the light around it but no, it was repelling it somehow. It was hard to exin, but Tom knew that the human eye relied on reflected light to see them, but the stygian de just came off as this foriegn mass of darkness, which had an imperceptible sheen on light ensconsing it, but never able to quite reach it. [Nether de, Common+ Requirements: Physical 7, Proprioception 7, Mental 10. Description: This weapon does not belong to the world of Artezia, and thus its parameters cannot be urately judged. The Divine System has assessed that this weapon will not influence the faculties of someone that has reached the first threshold in the Mental Stat. This weapons parameters exceed the Common Tier but do not yet reach the Umon tier. Nether Skill is inactive. Please insert a Corrupted Gem to utilize Nether Skill: Rend. Rend, Common + Utilize the charge of the Corrupted Gem to enshroud the de in Nether energy. Lasts for as long as the Corrupted Gem has charge. Please consult an Artificer for more information] Tom had never recalled this particr weapon in Zenakris memories, but he supposed that it was still a far cry from the [Umon] rarity weapon he used. But for Tom though, it could be the very difference between life and death. Less than eight minutes were left, and his gut already told him what he had been ignoring for a while now. He wouldnt make it. st it all, Tom muttered under his breath, reaching for the stygian de. The moment its cold steel brushed against his skin, a notification popped up. [The Fool has detected a foriegn mental influence upon your soul.] [The Fool has sessfully eliminated foriegn mental influence.] Huh, Tom muttered, as he broke out into a sprint towards the exit. The closer he got to the cave exit, the greater the density of the [Nether Devil] carcasses would be he didnt know how, but the group that hade before Zenakris had lured them close to the entrance in waves before dispatching them. That meant the odds of him getting a [Corrupted Gem] were very high, but the addendum was he got there before the dungeon reset. Chapter 29: The Gambit Chapter 29: The Gambit This was it. He was out of time. Tom held the six onyx crystals in the palm of his hand, thest of what hed managed to snatch before the [Nether Devils] corpses began to sink into the ground, along with thest of the unimed loot. Hurriedly, with a slightly trembling right hand, he slotted the [Corrupted Gem] into the circr slit carved onto the stygians des hilt. Tom watched with marvel as the de thrummed to life, thin arcs of a ckish-violet energy coursing through the de and consequentially, through his sword arm. [Rend Charges: 100/100] Summoning his [Inventory], he tossed the rest of the [Corrupted Gems] inside while picking up his cards from the floor. [All Sectors of the Zelez Dungeon shall be resetting in 30 seconds. Please prepare yourself]. Tom took a deep breath. Rend, he spoke aloud, his words imbued with his will. The arcing, lightning like bolts thickened, until they formed a wall of deep violet sma-like energy, one gaze at it enough to tell Tom that it was sharp. No points were draining for maintaining the energy ensconsing his sword, but then again he supposed that most people wouldnt be willing to use a sword that mentally influenced them- it would probably, instead, drain points when he cut through something. [Soul Power: 2/35] Using [Active Shroud: Maya] hade at a steep, steep cost, but Tom had simply been left with no other option. From the moment, from the very inception of his first step onto this world, one that Zenakris and the bearded old man referred to Artezia, Tom had been pushed to his limits. He had been broken, reforged, broken again. The past week had been driven by desperation atop desperation, to the point he had often founding himself questioning if there was value in continuing. Why struggle? What was he living for in this foreign, unfamiliarnd? Maya had not just given him insight into Zenakris life. It had also given him an opportunity to view himself through another paradigm, to see his own faults and aplishments truly from the lens of another. [15.14.13.] He watched the clock tick down, before taking a nce at [The me] card held in his left hand. The first card hed acquired through his own efforts after stepping in Artezia. That was why. Tom had triumphed where he thought he would have broken. [10.9.8.] Tom closed his eyes. Thest weeks struggles shed through his mind, like a kaleidoscope of a thousand pictures, continually shifting, flitting by too fast for him to register each individual moment but being able to appreciate the value they held as a whole. The Dungeon entrance was near. Another ten, maybe fifteen minutes away. Now, he just had to put everything hed learnt into practise. His eyes shot open. [5.4.3] His sword would be the extension of his arm. A natural, unbroken connection. His footwork would carry the grace of a dancer. His wrists, the elegance of a master conductor. He would be one with the wind, flowing past all that stood in his path with a fluidity that surpassed the realm of humanity. After all, with his stats improved, he was human no more. He had to stop thinking like one. The Dungeon Reset was so fast that Tom could barely even perceive what happened. One moment, the winding tunnel was empty, devoid of the slightest signs of life. The next, he was staring down a pathway not quite teeming, but still intimidatingly full of [Nether Devils], almostpletely ensconsing him in the center. His gaze involuntarily fell upon the [Nether Devil] closest to him, hurriedly angling his gaze from the beasts head, not wanting to look into its eyes. Wait. Can [Nether Gaze] even influence me? He shelved the idea to the back of his mind for now, not yet seeing the need to take the risk. Diseased looking violet skin, Sharp, serrated ck ws. Humanoid in shape, violently hunched back. Five feet tall, maybe. Two arms, two legs with shark-tooth nails jutting out. A fleshy, forked tail swiveling behind him. Glow emanating from forehead. Having taken into ount all that he could, Tom burst forward. [Analysing [Monster Species: Nether Devil Phantasmal Skills: Nether Gaze, Miasma w Estimated Level: 3] He felt the world around himself fade away, the rmed cries of the [Nether Devils] sounding out an entire world away. The sound of his footsteps on the rocky cave floor, the sound of wind resistance being sliced away as his arcane sword arced forward and the perspiration trickling down his side his subconscious mind analysed it all, but chose to ignore the emotional reaction that would have normally followed He was in the zone. Nothing but the task at hand mattered. A jet of blood sprayed out into the air as, with merely a single sh of his sword, he cleanly severed its right leg off a little below the angle. The horrified expression it must have had. The painful wail that sounded out secondster. He cared for none of it. Sidestepping past the first [Nether Devil], he found the outstretched ws reaching out for his throat. Normally, he would be terrified at the prospect. Instead, he pivoted on the ball of his left foot, his right suspended in midair as he saw the wed hand whistle pass him, a few inches the only thing separating him for a gnarly death. Another scream was cried out, another charge of [Rend] expendedas the [Nether Devils] right arm was mercilessly lopped off. pping the [Phantasmal Being] away with the t of his sword, he elerated again. He got no experience from the kill, but that was alright. His goal wasnt to kill, but to escape. Five steps were all he got before the next assault. Tom didnt know how he could tell in the chaos ofbat, but he sensed the muffled footsteps of the [Nether Devil] sneaking up on him from behind. He sword swung out in a pivoting arc and Tom felt it impact against something soft and fleshy. A scream followed, footsteps ceased. Faster. Tom was the personification of terror as he flitted past three, then five, then ten [Nether Devils], killing none but disabling all in his wake. Limbs flew, blood poured out on the floor. The past him wouldnt be able to recognize the present him at this point, but it didnt matter. The exit was near. He could feel it in his bones. Toms eyes widened. A violet de arced through the air but it wasnt his. The timing, the precision, the stealth a flicker of horror shed in his eyes as he realized the deception. The de itself he could parry. But dodge? No. There wasnt enough time to dodge. [Analysing [Monster Species: Nether Devil Phantasmal Skills: Nether Gaze, Miasma w Estimated Level: 5] This monster. It had been biding his time, letting itsrades drop like fodder while it picked the perfect ambush. The angle, the timing the blow, its intent wasnt to kill him, no. Its intention was to make him look in his eyes. If he closed his eyes it would simply kill him with the subsequent blow. This was it. All his efforts the best performance in his life and it boiled down to chance. How foolish! Tom screamed out, a wide grin resting on his face. Life or death its up to you know, old boy. Tom caught the sma de with the edge of his des, a loud screeching sound echoing out as violet shed with violet, throwing arcs of lightning out as the two [Nether des] shed with each other. Toms eyes met the [Nether Devils] red, glowing serpentine visage,plete with convex-shaped pupils. The creatures visage, which hed seen earlier amongst the corpses, was as ugly as the first time misshappen, oversized head, knife like ears, circr, red, serpentine eyes and two small horns jutting out from its head. It was grinning with its terrifying, interlocking needle like protrusions in its mouth that he supposed were teeth. Tom was grinning too, taking in every moment of the life and death tryst they were engaged in. Toms eyes zed over, his facial expression froze, as if it were locked in ce. His smile turned into a horror stricken expression. The [Nether Devil] let out a victorious grunt, applying a little more strength to its de. It was over. A kick shot out. The [Nether Devil], which had believed itself to be on the cusp of victory, hadnt expected the sudden and swift retaliation. Its weight had been ced against the de, but since it expected no retaliation, it was all the more easy to destabilise its bnce. [The Fool has detected a foriegn mental influence upon your soul.] [The Fool has sessfully eliminated foriegn mental influence.] Gotcha, Tom burst out into a fury-filledughter as his [Nether de] sliced the Devils sword arm off. As itnded upon the ground, confused, disoriented and shocked, it saw a de tip thrust towards his throat. A manic,ughing human would be thest thing it would see, its primitive mind ceasing to exist with a final, unanswered question What was so damn funny? Chapter 30: Quest Chapter 30: Quest [You have sessfully in a Level 5 Phantasmal Being: Neither Devil. As per your preference requirements, all experience is being directed towards Soul Card, [The Fool]. Your Soul Card has received 27,950 Soul Experience.] [For killing a Phantasmal Being three levels above you, you have unlocked Feat: Nether yer I. +1 Point to each attribute. [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached level 3 (8,084/50,000). You have received 10 attribute points. You have recieved one Skill upgrade point. Your soul power has been increased by 5. ] [Name: Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The Fool [Level 3] (8,084/50,000) Feats: Nether yer I Statistics: Physical: 9 (+1) Mental: 11 (+1) Proprioception: 10 (+1) Soul Power: 7/40 [45] Deck Cards: 1. The me [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Ember Level 4 [745/3000]: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every fourty five seconds of continuous use. [Level 4 reward- Range has been increased by 1 meter. Embersts for five additional seconds for every 1 SP spent]. 2. Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Torrent Level 3 [45/1500]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. Level 3 reward- Range increased by 4 meters.] 3. Earths Vitality [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Heal Level 4 [655/3000]: Absorb the Earths vitality to cast a protective halo around you that continuously heals minor wounds and staunches bleeding. Drains 1SP/minute. Requires continuous contact with an earthen surface. [Level 4 reward- Increases rate of blood clotting and muscle regeneration by +30%] 4. The Shadow [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Shadow Cloak Level 3 [45/1500]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour and 10 minutes. [Level 3 reward- Duration increased by +10 minutes.] 5. The Lunar [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Moon Aura: Borrow the moons radiance to cast a movement halo around you that boosts your speed by 20%. Drains 1 SP/minute. Requires the presence of the auspicious moon, Ali. ] [Would you like to loot the Level 5 Nether Devil?] Tom found himself towering over the [Nether Devils] corpse, his eyes blinking past the slew of notifications as he absorbed the relevant information. There was a lull that had befallen upon his sector of the Zelez Dungeon as no Devil dared to approach him, much less attack him. They didnt retreat either, merely stopping in their tracks as they analysed him. Though he had no way of sensing their emotions or deciphering their inscrutable expressions, he was almost certain that they were shocked. That momentary respite was something that Tom intended to exploit. Five points into physical, five into mental. A veritable flood of memories weed him as thetent potential of his psyche was both unlocked and deepened. His mind had never felt so free, so unencumbered from distractions, so capable of focus a sensation he could toggle at will. To immerse himself entirely at the task upon hand, or to take in, memorize and then analyse the world around himself. His muscture had increased in density before folding upon itself, the process as mildly disturbing as always. This time the processsted for more than a few seconds and Tom could sense himself getting physically stronger, limber and more athletic with every passing moment. There was, naturally, a deeper reason concealed behind his stat allocation. The Mental stat had be irrevocably fundamental to his build after he had realized the importance of Active Shroud, Maya. But, that wasnt his immediate priority, no instead of looting the [Nether Devil] the usual way, Tom wrested the [Nether de] out of its hands, not quite sure what would happen if he tried to dual wield them the extra investment in the Mental stat doubling as insurance. [Warning: Dual Wielding two Nether Swords has a multiplicative effect upon the psyche. Estimated Rmended Mental Stat: 35] Fuck off! he let out a mental protest against the archaic, unintelligible whispers that had begun to influence his mind. maybe this had been a mistake. [The Fool has detected a foriegn mental influence upon your soul.] [The Fool has sessfully eliminated foriegn mental influence.] Toms expression immediately eased upon sensing the familiar yet almost indescribable aura coursing through his body and mind, driving back the evil that sought to corrupt his thoughts. In ce of one sma sword, now there were two clenched within the firm grasp of his young hands. What? Tom bellowed, an almost demonic smile stretching across his visage. I havent gone crazy yet, he mocked, referring to the [Nether des] corruption. That seemed to catch the remaining Nether Devils attention. With violent screeches that promised the deliverance of violence, the Nether Devils charged. Tom met the charge with a smile. A person as low levelled as him shouldnt have been allowed to wield such power But now that he waswell Two luminous lines danced in the dimly lit ambience of the Zelez Dungeon, Thomas footwork osciting in a wild shuffle as anything that approached him, anything that so much as moved was eithercerated or bisected, drenching him in Nether Devil lifeblood. His movement style had attuned to his untamed fighting style, so much so that he found himself reflexively swinging his de even when nothing around him was capable of moving, let alone standing. Heavily panting, his twin des grounded to a halt, forcing him to witness the havok he had caused. The pang of guilt hed been expecting perhaps because he was masquerading as another, was surprisingly absent. [Soul Card: The Fool [Level 3] (29,671/50,000)] In a little under five minutes, he had amassed another twenty thousand soul experience, which frankly, left him too surprised for words. It still wasnt enough for a level up, but given that there was no other level 5 [Nether Devil] after the first one he had killed, he wasnt too surprised. All the other [Nether Devils], including the ones he had disabled earlier, were dead at his des edge. Without hesitation, Tom began to loot the carcasses one after the other, observing as his collection of [Corrupted Gems] among weaker alternatives to the [Nether de] grew rapidly. Money was nice. It would be useful for what was toe. Lord Zenakris, The guard blocking the pathway that connected the Zelez Dungeon to the Academic City, Renovia, greeted. Dressed in heavy, dull-grey armor and wielding a massive two-handed halberd with solely his right hand, it only took one nce at him to know that he meant business. Mean business. Is everything alright? Raulh, The man who bore an identical visage, body shape, weight and cadence to Zenakris acknowledged, his tone tinged with what was most definitely frustration. He had walked forth with an aggressive gait, but the intricacies of his bodynguage, most notably the rxed manner in which his [Card Gauntlet] was lowered to the ground, conveyed that he was not really in a rush. Lady Nezarie and my otherpatriots will be returningter. Quite obviously, all this blood isnt mine, he gestured to his blood soaked clothing. I was merely.ahem, venting my frustrations. I would appreciate it if we do not dither on this topic for much longer, he replied, his voice carried forward with amanding presence. As long as you can assure me of Lady Nezaries safety" I can, he replied firmly. Very well. Give my regards to your father, Lord Zenakris, Raulh, a skilled knight who bore allegiance to the Noble Family, Versaria, acknowledged. Thank you for understanding, Raulh, the Zenakris lookalike acknowledged, as he calmly walked past the guard, taking slow steps towards the light that cascaded into the tunnel entrance. Inwardly, Tom was sweating with every step, terrified by thetent aura that guard was exuding so much so that he didnt dare nce back at him, much less inspect him. That man could kill him with a single swing of his halberd. The more he wanted to run forward, screaming, the slower he forced himself to walk, climbing step after step as if he owned the damn city. Which he, or well, Zenakris did, in a sense part of it, anyway. A minuteter, he was almost reduced to tears as the distant bustle of a crowd, a human crowd, made its way to his ears. [Congrattions, you have found your way to civilization, therebypleting your first quest: Survive!] Chapter 31: Blade Manifestation Chapter 31: de Manifestation [Congrattions, you have received Common Ranked Card: de Manifestation and a Common Ranked Deck Holder] Tom blinked in surprise as he felt a gentle weight press down against his palm, instinctively finding himself wrapping his left hand around the rectangr object. Surreptitiously gazing at his surroundings, he noticed a throng of unfamiliar faces dressed in colourful outfits, the men sporting liveries in well over a dozen different hues with family crests boldly emzoned on coat pockets and shirts, symbolic cufflinks and the asional distinctive epaulette further driving home the message. The women fashioned a more reductive version of the same livery, limiting themselves to an embroidered tunic and leggings ensemble, with an asional light sweater shielding the chest. In the Academic City, Renovia, most, if not all, seemed to have their allegiances pledged it was an observation that Tom didnt have much of an opportunity to mull over in Zenakris memories, mostly because Zenakris thoughts didnt dwell upon the matter for him it was only natural. Tom noticed the salutes the civilians in navy blue livery offered him before they continued on their way, while the others limited themselves to respectful nces it seemed that the Nobles were respected but not revered, their privacy respected. Tom supposed that if an Academic City had to be somewhat progressive after all, considering, for a mediaeval society archetype, none of the civilians seemed to particrly fear him whilst he was in Zenakris guise. Picking a direction at random, Tom began to walk, going along with the general flow of the crowd whilst he felt the surface of the Deck Holders engraved surface, able to sense the card lying dormant within. The other citizens of Renovia seemed to want to keep their distance it seemed that with his academy uniform and card gauntlet, Zenakris appearance was too easily recognizable for him to have any hope of blending in. He kept his ears open, hoping to overhear as many conversations as he could, now that he had the ability to understand the localnguage. The citizens around him kept chatter down to hushed whispers, but with his improvement to the physical stat came a wee improvement in hearing. He was surprised at how mundane it all was. A young boy pestered his mother for a training sword, his implored pleas met with a pointed ignorance. Two men seemingly in their early to mid twenties animatedly debated the correct way of brewing a Lesser Cure potion, seemingly unconcerned about passers-by overhearing them. A husband and a wife gossiped about a noble called Nylev Jaxenor, who had recently proven himself by conquering the most difficult sector of the Zelez Dungeon upon his lonesome, receiving an immensely valuable Rare card for his efforts. It was both a pity and a boon for the Jaxenor Family, for few with such fortune would choose to stay behind upon the surface world instead of ascending to the Aerianiculumn. The way they phrased it implied that Nylev didnt have ess to a Rare card before, which only served to confuse Tom more how could he bind a Rare card if the Soul Card was weaker. unless the Rare card was sacrificed for its soul experience? It would be an exceptional waste yet, if it was the only way to ascend the rank of ones birth Soul Card Tom shuddered to imagine what they would do to him if they realised he was freely roaming around with an Ephemeral ranked card. The snippets of fragmented knowledge upon fragmented knowledge that he was bombarded with left him a little overwhelmed, as he realised the true breadth of the world he had stumbled upon. Entire industries, entire cultures and entire vocations that werepletely foreign to him, a knowledge pool so vast that ten lifetimes wouldnt suffice to learn every aspect, let alone master it. Though he supposed that Earth was much the same, albeit with a decidedly different, less magical vour. He blinked away the errant thoughts as the street he was on spilled out onto a wide, bustling za. Neat stone tiles paved the ground, giving the space a refined appearance. Arge instation dominated the centre, depicting a seven foot tall robed statue with blurred facial features raising a solitary, gilded card towards the skies, a mighty greatsword that could easily bisect the genus of wide trees hed encountered back in the forest held casually to its side. It was hard not to take in the majestic sight, inevitably drawing Toms thoughts to the statues origins. With cards being as inextricably linked as they were to Artezian society, he found it unlikely that the depiction carried no symbolism. It was quite possible that it was a depiction of one of the [Ancestors] Zenakris revered beings who had left the surface world behind and aplished great feats in the Aerianiculumn. Forcing himself to tear away his gaze, Tom turned his attention to the colourful array storefronts that boxed in the za, each one beckoning his patronage with magically imbued signboards; some matter of glittering dust glued onto the boards surface in the outline of individual letters, resulting in rather mesmerising disys. Cygnars Herblore Emporium, he muttered under his breath, sight locked onto a particr signboard that was painted over in a vivid, pulsating green. The storefront itself was a sprawling two storey construction, easily the secondrgest building in the entire za when judged by width. Tom keenly noticed the generally youthful, yet reasonably well armoured citizens or perhaps, dungeon explorers, streamed in and out of the shops entrance, pocketing crystalline vials and distributing it to theirrades while making small talk. Interesting. Tom knew that he didnt have long before he had to abandon this disguise, but there was still time to do something well, foolish risky enough that there was a definite chance of things going off course, yet risking an even greater reward. Adjusting his gait, he began to walk towards the emporium. Gaze stern. Gait confident, yet not arrogant. Card Gauntlet lowered. Expression. Tom struggled to fight off the smile from making its way to his visage. Chapter 32: Cygnar (?) Chapter 32: Cygnar (?) The crowd outside the emporium subtly began to part as they noticed his approach. Thankfully, it seemed that no one rivalling Zenakris status was concealed within the crowd, for no one directly initiated conversation with him. Tom had naturally made sure that there were no Academy students in the vicinity at least none clothed in the distinctive Syrelore Academy uniform, but even among that subset, Zenakris status was particrly high if his paradigm was to be trusted. A strong odour assailed his senses as he stepped through the revolving ss door; a blend of medicinal herbs with something more potent like spice, perhaps. Lord Zenakris, A woman seemingly in herte twenties, sporting short, blonde hair and brilliant ocean-blue eyes weed him. Dressed in a well-fitting green tunic, white pzzo pants and animal hide masins, she made for a weing first impression. It seemed that his approach had not gone unnoticed. How may our humble establishment assist you? Tom did not immediately respond, his expression, whilst not outright stony, remained impassive as he locked eyes with the likely receptionist. Her beautiful eyes widened a little in surprise, or perhaps it was the veneer of poise she was projecting that momentarily wavered. Either way, whether she was startled or incredulous, both served his purpose well. If there was one lesson, one nifty little trick hed managed to appropriate from Zenakris memories, it was that stoicism was a powerful tool in the arsenal of the rich and the powerful. Zenakris father, Arrenis Renain, utilised this tool dangerously effectively the less he spoke, with his resonant, authoritative cadence, the more Zenakris felt pressured. What information was his father withholding? What secrets did he conceal as the Kings advisor? By saying less, with his position and stature, he achieved power over the other person it might be a controlling, perhaps callous measure, but it was the one he needed right now. He offered the receptionist a curt nod, before nonchntly walking past her. Having been a store clerk back on Earth, he only asked customers once if they needed any assistance, if at all hopefully the rules were simr here. Ah. Shes following me. It seemed that his nod had a counterintuitive effect, but Tom forced himself to maintain his mask. Say nothing. Act natural, confident. The first floor of Cygnars Herblore Emporium made for a truly impressive sprawl. Over half of the shop floor was dominated by disy cabs, overhang sign boards hanging from the ceiling ssifying the type of elixirs, potions and other concoctions that could be found in each section. He keenly took notice of the two guards equipped with te armour and a card gauntlet guarding the staircase to the second floor quite possibly the workshop where the potions were made. Did the concept of trade secrets exist in this world too? Heh. Potions generally seemed the most versatile of the bunch, serving a broad range of capabilities from curing the intimidatingly wide lists of poisoning one could suffer from in the Zelez Dungeon to ones that specialised in temporarily increasing movement speed. Tom had no idea how thetter was supposed to work perhaps it temporarily increased the rate of oxygenated blood to the heart, but even that wouldnt increase movement speed on its own. In the end, he could only chalk it down to magical herbs, the only difference being that whilst he understood the basics of an antidote and a wound regeneration potion, the movement speed increase one would likely remain an enigma. Concoctions were generally inferior versions of the same potions. His [Analyse] thankfully worked on every potion and concoction hed encountered so far, allowing him to discern the key difference concoctions seemed to use less valuable herbs and other ingredients mashed together to create solubles, while each potion required an Alchemist to refine it. Elixirs on the other hand, now those, were truly interesting. Despite having gone through all the avable offerings in what hed mentally termed the general section, he had yet to encounter a single Elixir. Of course, that didnt mean he hadnt been utterly shameless. Over twenty potions that ranged from healing, to a potion that temporarily gave him tougher skin, improved reaction time, faster movement speed, cure minor illness, another variation of the healing potion that focused on wound reknitting specifically, a cure all minor poison potion and three or four others that hed tacked on for well, variety. He was, essentially, in a magical supermarket with thepany footing his expenses. In the old world he always had enough money to get by, but never enough to splurge. He was starting to understand the shoppers high it had always been a mystery to him how people with six figure sries ended up in seven figure debt, but. this was a rather pleasurable past-time, even if he said so himself. His wicker basket was full of multicoloured crystal vials as he stepped out of the general section, trying his best to maintain the air of nonchnce he had been cultivating since the moment he stepped into the store. Nowes the tough part. The silver-streaked hair man seated behind a sturdy wooden table hadnt escaped his attention. It was hard to really, for it only took one nce to know that everything from the table made out of dark, rich wood with wave patterned swirls that his hands were resting on, to the two or three dozen crystalled vials stored behind stained no, some manner of magical ss that was shielded, perhaps, by glowing magical writing that exuded an aura of power. The most impressive of all though, was the man himself. He wore an odd ck full-sleeve shirt, where only the left sleeve reached his wrist, the other end tapering off at the elbow. His well-defined physique was one thing, but the arm muscture peeking out from behind the half-sleeved side spoke of a man that possessed immense strength. An immactely stitched jade-green vest and prim white trouserspleted the elegant look. Most of all though, the man carried a certain presence, almost like an aura that he projected outwards to the world on the outset he looked like a man in his early forties with hair greying a little before its time but. he had a presence to him that felt far more wizened than that. Most of all though. He was dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Each step he took made him feel like he was walking into the lions maw, but he had already resolved himself. It wasnt that he was inclined to make enemies of the nobility, but penniless and resourceless as he was, he would die if he tried to escape Renovia as he was now. And getting an opportunity to copy a nobles image would probably nevere by again, not after what hed done. Lord Zenakris, the man, who Tom was almost certain was Cygnar himself, had a surprisingly easy going tone as he addressed him. That was not good. Are you alright? You seem a little disconnected, he asked, allowing Tom to detect the hint of concern in his voice. It seemed that Zenakris had at least passing familiarity with the alchemist who did not suit the profile of a man that lived off brewing potions for a living. Fuck. I have, Tom lowered his voice enough to make it clear that his words were only intended for the alchemist, .... been dealing with a little, ahem, emotional turbulence of my own, he exined, very much hinting at a usible truth. It had worked once, after all. Ah, the old man replied, rather delicately. I see. Well, how may I assist you today, Lord Zenakris? Phew. Toms gaze went to the likely elixirs resting behind the Alchemists seat, struggling hard to suppress the wave of desire that washed through him. Except. [Analysis Failed!] [Analysis Failed!] [Analysis Failed!] Chapter 33: Skill Upgrade Point Chapter 33: Skill Upgrade Point That one, Tom confidently pointed at an indigo stained vial with a swirling, intertwining gold mesh that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but ensured that the container would not shatter even if it fell. Elixir of Soul Restoration, Cygnar, or presumably Cygnar it didnt matter much at this point muttered aloud, his tone sounding rather perplexed. The Elixirs effects were rather mundanepared to all the other offerings avable and it was also rather unpopr when it came to sales mostly due to its prohibitive cost. One sip of the Elixir could instantly restore the Soul Power of anyone below Level 15 without any side-effects, making it invaluable in a perilous situation. Lord Zenakris, are you nning an excursion? he asked, a hint of concern audible in his tone. Worry not, my father is aware of this matter. You may bill the Zenakris Estate directly if you are concerned, as I have just returned after sessfully iming a Soul Pet of my own from the menagerie and do not have the requisite funds at hand, Tom replied, craftily painting the illusion that he wanted to assure Cygnar that he wasnt doing anything illicit by having him receive payment from his father. Oh? Cygnar asked, curiosity eminent in his tone. May I know which beast you chose? A male Elfinw that proved to be quite elusive, Tom replied, trying to maintain a t tone. As if he were not impressed by his own achievement. A fitting choice, Lord Zenakris, Cygnar congratted, his expression turning distant as he seemed to consider something. Very well, I shall have one of my assistants visit your fathers residence tomorrow. Now, I am sure you know this already, but I remain duty-bound to inform you The Elixir of Soul Restoration is one of the most powerful Elixirs I am capable of brewing, but that does not mean that it is not subject to limitations. A single bottle-cap of the elixir will instantly replenish your Soul Power and a second dose within the same day will replenish half of your total Soul Power. Any more within the same day though you will risk permanently damaging your Soul. Do you understand? Cygnars voice weighed down heavily upon Tom, giving him the distinct impression that this lesson wasnt learned without someone making that very error. I understand, Tom replied demurely. An awkward silence followed as Tom waited for the receptionist to bag up his potions and elixirs up, only to remember that he had his own portable spatial storage, in the form of his [Inventory]. Keeping his hands from trembling, Tom deposited the potions in his inventory one after the other, taking extra care to not drop the potent Elixir. Well then, Lord Zenakris. I shall see you at the Ebonfaire G, Cygnar offered him a light bow, which Tom took as his queue to leave. Indeed, Tom replied, his heart thumping in his chest as he walked outside of Cygnars Herblore Emporium with all his appendages intact. He was actually rather disappointed with the Elixirs effect sure it would be invaluable in a life or death scenario, but Tom had been hoping for something a little more.. Arcane. But there was little else he could have done in the situation hed lead himself into he should be thankful that his cover wasnt blown right then and there. If he was the type to be thankful though, he wouldnt have taken the risk to begin with. An idea shed into his mind, but only for an instant. Tom stubbornly held onto it. First things first, though. [Would you like to add [de Manifestation] to your Deck Cards? Doing so will temporarily deduct 1 Soul Power for the duration you have it added to your deck.] Yes. [Soul Power 9/39 (45)] [de Manifestation (Common): Level 1 Ability: Energy Sword (Level 1): Manifest an energy sword that the user can direct and control with his thoughts. Each Energy Sword requires 5 SP to form andsts for one hour or until forcibly shattered. de Manifestation can be utilised to attack and defend in a 10 metre radius. ] What a useful ability, Tom thought, acknowledging what may be his most versatile means to attack yet. Admittedly, he was rather disappointed when his reward for surviving turned out to be a measly Common card, but as Tom was realising- the rarity of a card wasnt a be all and end all not, atleast, at his level. That, of course, wasnt enough to truly excite him. It was time to use the [Skill upgrade point] hed received for reaching Level 3. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 3 [34,671/50,000] Skill Upgrade Point: 1 Ability: Shroud, Level 1 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Active Shroud, Maya Deceive oneself to deceive the world. Fools Gold, Level 1 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. Ones grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. Ones greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [1] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [20] levels of the Soul Cards current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 10% of the objects ability and copy [1] skill.] On second thought. Nodding to himself, Tom made the decision. Level up shroud. Tom once again felt the presence of that esoteric, yet oddlyforting aura. It felt as if it was seeping inside his body, permeating in every inch of his body-awakening, no, refining something within. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 3 [34,671/50,000] Ability: Shroud, Level 2 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Allows the wielder to change any one statistic in the [yer Statistics] screen. Active Shroud, Maya Maya, the Infinite Web of Illusions, gives the wielder an ability to peer into the targets memories, giving the wielder the impression that they have truly be their target in shape, recollection and emotionthereby achieving the state of deceiving oneself to deceive the world. Sessfully experiencing Maya and finding ones true self allows ess to the realm of Yul, the subconscious mind given metaphysical form. Currently, Maya can only be cast on targets within twenty one levels of [The Fools] current level. The wielder can copy one memory from Yul upon sess. Failure, however, condemns the wielder to a state of Zhan- when the targets psyche overwhelms the wielder, they lose themselves and begin to believe that they are the target themselves. Zhan mayst for years or decades, without the wielders awareness. Sub-skill 1: Home-bound Imbue a thought-concept with your will, allowing it to guide you to Yul whilst experiencing Maya in the targets mind. Presently only one thought-concept can be created.] Youre telling me this now? Tom wanted to scream at the damn [Divine System] but he barely, just barely, managed to restrain himself. If Zenakris psyche had overwhelmed him, he would be condemned to living out the rest of his days believing himself to be a pompous noble who seemed to be on a doomed quest for glory. How do I know Im even myself and not just someone elses Zhan? Tom grimaced. He would make for a pretty terrible target for Maya, wouldnt he? Taking deep breaths to rx himself, Toms gaze turned to Verranuvas Artifacts. This better work, he thought, heading for hisst stop before he shed this identity. Chapter 34: Verranuvas Artifacts Chapter 34: Verranuva''s Artifacts Whoa. After experiencing the opulence of Cygnars Herblore Emporium, Verranuvas Artifacts wasnt at all what he was expecting. Pushing through a heavy metal door that had the shops crest welded onto it a card gauntlet crossed with a wooden staff his first impression had been an odd one. The store itself was well-lit and neatly kempt, but the first incongruence with his expectations was well, the surface area of the shop was incredibly small, about the size of a one bedroom apartment back on Earth. The second surprise was when the six-foot-five titan of a man hovering over him met his gaze, in his right hand a long, curved de that he was delicately polishing with an oil brush. Tom wasnt sure how sword maintenance was done in Artezia, but that was thest thing on his mind at that moment. d in leather armour, a wide serrated scar ran down his right shoulder that did not look like the work of a human. If that wasnt intimidating enough, his right eye was obfuscated with a ck eyepatch that further added to the stifling aura nketing the room. Shopkeeper? This man was a killer. What do you want, noble brat? Azy sounding voice shattered the reverie Tom had trapped himself within, startling him. It was not quite the gravelly, drill instructor bark hed expected, but at the same time it carried a surprising amount of irreverence. Tom had wondered why there were no customers crowding out before Verranuvas Artifacts, only to be confronted by the reason the moment he stepped into the store the owner, Verranuva, was absolutely terrifying. If he hadnt experienced the suppression of a higher level before in his encounter with Raulh and Cygnar, the odds were quite high that he would have instinctively fled the store. The difference here was that Verranuva seemed to want to actively impose his presence on the world and suppress him, while Raulh and Cygnar seemed to be doing it unconsciously. Toms mind worked rapidly as he considered his next move. If he tried to use Maya on this man, without a doubt he would trap himself in the state of Zhan. Not only did the man seem absurdly powerful, but Tom didnt like the calm,posed gaze that had met his own. If his cover was exposed. I want ten of those, Tom pointed to a wooden rack, where ten flowing, unmarked robes in different colours were hooked on. The words basicbat robes were etched onto the rack, the robes themselves seemingly stitched out of a light-weight and flexible linen. Huh? What do you want those cheap robes for? Verranuva asked, a flicker of interest audible in his otherwise nonchnt tone. Tom just gave him an inscrutable look. Fine, fine. Not like I give a shit about what you noble sort get upto behind closed doors, Verranuva shrugged, his tone equally as rough as his mannerisms. And that, Tom pointed to what was more than likely- the single most expensive item in the entire store. Youd have to sell your entire estate to afford that, boy. Besides, why in purgatory do you want a level twenty [Rare] card gauntlet? Verranuva interrogated, his expression turning odd. Odd, but more interested than hed previously been. I dont want it, Tom replied, having rehearsed this response in his mind. I just want to study it for a few minutes. Oh? nning on walking the path of the artificer like yours truly? he asked, half-jestingly. As one nning on climbing the Aerianiculumn, it is imperative that I understand the abilities of as many high-level artifacts as I can, Tom responded with poise, even though he was sweating bullets behind his disguise. One look at the artifact sheltered in a ck crystalline box that had dozens of runic markings etched upon its surface and Tom could tell that it was incredibly valuable, but even then, Tom had underestimated it. From what he understood, [Rare] items were incredibly hard to find on the surface world usually only reserved for nobility; whilst higher rarity items were basically unheard of. Who this old man, or retired warrior was- to have a [Rare] item for sale in his shop. Tom really couldnt afford to screw this up. Well, Verranuva scratched his grizzled hair in a rare disy of emotion. I suppose its not bad for a brat like you to show some interest in artifacts. Alright, fine, but just for a few minutes, he relented with a shrug. Tom patiently waited as Verranuva withdrew something from his inventory, palming it in his hands too quickly for him to get a glimpse before pressing it against the runic box. The azure engravings seemed to lose their brilliance and without further ado, Verranuva lifted the ss lid, revealing the card gauntlet in all its glory. Polished obsidian scales adorned the gauntlets vambrace, casting a dark lustre upon the surrounding atmosphere that caused a burst of uneasiness to well up in Toms heart. Nheless, the arcane power it contained was enough to beckon his heart; the heart of anyone who sought power. The gloved portion of the gauntlet, if it could even be called that, resembled a beasts w, with long, razor sharp tines jutting out that seemed sharper than his own [Nether de]. Tom had never really seen such a versatile weapon not only could it use the power of all the cards in his possession, but if his guess was urate, it could also double up as a close-quarters melee weapon.. His eyes shed with desire as Verranuva ced the gauntlet upon the table. Tom blinked in shock. The robust-looking wooden table began to buckle under the weight of the gauntlet, the very same gauntlet Verranuva had hoisted casually with a single arm. Dont try to lift it, he warned as he reached for his sword and seated himself, seemingly wanting to resume his maintenance duties. Alright, Tom offered a nod, his hands reaching for the card gauntlet with the reverence of a sword enthusiast reaching for an ancient relic. The moment his hands made contact with the artifact though, Tom inwardly grinned. Fools Gold Mimic Chapter 35: The Revenant Slayer Chapter 35: The Revenant yer Tom walked out of Verranuvas Artifacts ten minutester, departing rather abruptly after informing the shopkeeper to collect the payment from his residence. Since Verranuva had dismissivelybelled them cheap robes, Tom hadnt hesitated to impose and indeed, the aged warrior had barely batted an eye at the robes iming their rightful ce in his inventory, instead taking his time to cautiously secure the [Rare] Card Gauntlet, a curious glint shing in his gaze as he watched the young heir to the Renain House hurriedly take his leave. Tom was d that hed surreptitiously taken a sip of the [Elixir of Soul Restoration] in preparation for his scheme even if his tightfisted disposition railed at the thought of expending a potentially life-saving Elixir for what was, at best, a gamble. It wasnt quite greed that had driven him to his actions, but rather, a desire for self-preservation the Academic City, Renovia, had already far surpassed his expectations. He wouldnt be surprised if he, in his present state, was one of the lowest levelled people in the city and as such, any attempt to buy artifacts at his level would most likely be met with intense suspicion. Suspicion he didnt want to draw to himself. Zenakris guise was the only thing that gave Tom the confidence to execute his n, more than likely the only reason why his request was seriously considered instead of beingughed out of the door. Tom had done his best to y the part of a curious disciple, querying Verranuva about the origins of the [Rare] artifact. The enthusiastic light in Verranuva''s gaze sent a twinge of guilt prickling at his heart the old man seemed genuinely touched by his show of interest, regaling a grand tale that caused Tom to lightly shudder in shock. Despite his best guesses, he had still grossly underestimated Verranuvas prowess the Revenant yer was, if his words were to be believed, the only person to solo the Syrnakisthe lifeless tower. Others, perhaps, could replicate his feat but the reason Verranuva had forged ahead on his lonesome had little to do with his ability and more with status. For the mighty Revenant yer might have been exceptionally skilled, but he remained a mortal. Without noble-tier equipment, none in his posse believed they were capable of conquering the hardest challenge in the entire Syrlore Kingdomso Verrnauva did the unthinkable, throwing himself in a crucible even nobles shuddered to enter without extensive preparation- walking out with a rare card and the aptly named, Revenant w. It had cost him an eye, but from that moment onwards Verranuvas fortunes changed given the title of noble for his exploits, a title that the Syrlore Kingdom gave to anyone possessing a [Rare] Soul Card, he was now, most likely, one of the most powerful individuals in the entire kingdom. Besides the almost crippling fear threatening to crush his psyche, a flicker of realisation had shed in his mind. The surface world wasnt the game Zenakris, in his memories, believed it to be. He was constrained by his own perception as a resident of the world, but as an outsider, Tom believed in his own unique perspective the very fact that he was sent to the surface instead of the Aerianiculumn directly proved that the bearded old man, despite all his strength gave consideration to the surface world. If he was correct, the purpose it served was a sort of proving ground a test, to find monsters like Verranuvawho would then ascend to higher floors. Though the grizzled old man appeared, well, ancient, when Tom actually looked at him, he was confronted by a realisation that should have struck him ages ago- age or rather Time had not extracted its toll from Verranuva. If anything, the man seemed to possess more vitality than his own defined muscture, courtesy of his physical stat there seemed to be no decline over time. The most likely conclusion hed drawn was also one that excited him greatlylevelling up could potentially increase his lifespan. That also meant that Verranuva could still and probably would attempt to climb the Aerianiculumn. Only after Tom was reeling from tales of his aplishments and his triumph over the lifeless towers final [Boss] was he told of the Card Gauntlets abilities. Of course, Tom had intentionally been egging on the Revenant yer with intention to extract as much knowledge as he could but his heart could only take so much. Hearing of the Card Gauntlets abilities though had made the tortuous experience worth it in its entirety. Tom still remembered the misty aura seeping out of his hands as he cast [Fools Gold Mimic]--- a skill that required direct, sustained contact with the object he wished to Mimic. He thought the gig was up when he saw the aura, but. Verranuva, much to the relief of his loudly thumping heart, didnt seem to see anything amiss. That was the reason he forced himself to ask questions, his hands sweeping across the [Revenant ws] surface with the dexterity of an overly enthusiastic archaeologist trying to decipher meaning where there was none to be found. Eight minutes and exactly all his Soul Powerter did Tom walk out of Verranuvas Artifacts,pletely drained and feeling like hed just run a marathon. [Mimic Slots: 1/5] [Revenant w, Rare Requirements: Level 2 (Stat requirements waived) Description: A reward for ying the Revenant King, final boss of the lifeless tower, this is an exquisitely crafted Card Gauntlet that cannot be shattered by any weapons of the Common rank. The ws of a revenant, known for their piercing sharpness and the life-leech poison make for a fearsome melee weapon, whilst the Card Gauntlet itself enhances the wielder''s capability in battle to an extreme degree allowing for a total of eight Deck Cards to be slotted in at once of upto the [Common] rarity. Mimicked Skill: Greater Enhancement: Any Common Deck Card channelled via the Revenant w has its effectiveness boosted by 75%]. What in, Tom trailed off as he walked away from Verranuvas Artifacts, gaping at the description that had popped up before him. This is a cheat.. Tom himself wasnt sure if he was referring to Verranuvas sped out gauntlet or his own skill, that let him copy an artifact the former had staked his life on the line for. Probably thetter, except Tom knew that it was only ten frickin percent of the real deal. That exined why a [Rare] item was locked to holding Common cards, but even then it waspletely broken. He loved it. Any magician knew that the escape was the greatest part of the act and Tom had not been remiss in nning his own. Even if his n was crude, at best. Dressing booths had to be washrooms, right? With a shrug, Tom began to walk over to the solitary one-storey rectangr building ced at the far end of the town square, distinctly separated from all the other stores. If anyone recognized him, they didnt show it. Tom appreciated that basic courtesy transitioning over from Earth. Well, it shouldnt be too surprising considering the ruling ss called themselves what roughly tranted to nobles, but nheless he was grateful for it. Washroom though, had been an understatement. He hadnt been expecting what was an entire room-sized stall painted over in a pleasant azure arge vanity mirror, a table and stool to go with it. There was no sink, only a smooth, round stone ced on the table and a chamber pot that had some peculiar, yet hygienic operational mechanics. Well, as long as it worked. Pulling one of the robes he had bought from Verranuva, Tom cancelled his disguise and changed into his newbat clothes quite satisfied with the quality of the material and the stitching. Verranuva might have called them cheap, but to a pauper like him, it was a blessing from the divine. His old clothes.well they went in the chamber pot, a sizzling sound echoing out as they were reduced to ashes the moment tom tugged at the chain. Truly innovative plumbing. The round stone, as it turned out, was the soap-equivalent of this world though it was too soft to be really considered a stone. Rubbing it over his hands and face had left them sparkling clean, and Tom decided to spend the next half and hour scrubbing the filth out of him. Once he was done, and hed recovered a solitary SP, he activated [The Shadow] card, using it to crawl over to the next stall over which he knew to be empty. His preparations almost done, Tom drew the robes hood over his head. Settling the final preparation in the confines of his status screen, Tom walked outside the stall- ready to once again face the outside but this time, without any facade to shield him. Chapter 36: Interrogation Chapter 36: Interrogation Boy, A gruff voice rang out behind Tom, causing his expression to tighten. His hand wrapped tighter around his [de Manifestation] card but a few secondster he bit down on his lips, calming himself. The street he was on was far less crowded than the Town Square had been, but there were still a couple individuals and what looked to be two families milling about. Although [de Manifestations] Energy Sword skill was generally something he wouldnt consider using on another person, as long as he focused his instincts told him that blunting the swords edge was a definite possibility- or perhaps his Deck Card also had a way of impressing upon his intuition like his [Soul Card] did. In its blunt form [de Manifestation] should easily be able to stun his pursuer long enough for him to escape but.. he had been exploring the Academic City, Renovia for half an hour now, trying to piece together the fragmented recollections hed received from Zenakris into a usible cover story long enough to know that there were enough powerful guards in the city that could subdue him with rtive ease. Boy, Im talking to you, A firm handnded upon Toms shoulder, making him bite his lip to the point that a drop of blood dribbled down his chin. Ultimately though, Tom concealed the card he had been holding deeper into his robes, choosing not to pick a fight that he could not win. It felt so frustrating to yield after the painstaking lengths he had gone to obtain his power, but even his Ephemeral card couldnt fight an entire city. stering a mildly annoyed expression on his face, Tom slowly turned around. What do you want? he asked, with all the confidence of an aggrieved party. Confronting him was a middle aged man dressed in an unassuming grey livery, his piercing brown eyes scoured Toms visage with unexpected intensity. The unknown mans sharp jawline set into a stern expression, his faded ck hair and well built physique exuding a mature grace that could not be diminished by the stress lines running across his forehead. What house do you pledge your allegiance to,d? The man asked in a lowered tone, his gaze flickering over to the pedestrians walking down the street. Raising his eyebrows in mock astonishment, Tom, seeing the merit in keeping his verbal altercation to the down-low, matched the pitch of his voice, Whats it to you? Letting out a weary sigh, the man reached for his pockets. Startled, Tom tried to step away from the man, only to realise that he couldnt budge from the spot. So strong. Sweat began to bead on his forehead as he struggled against the mans iron grip, only to cease resisting a few secondster. He was thoroughly outssed in the physical stat and he wasnt willing to let their interaction blow up into full-blownbat yet. A glint of metal caught his attention as Tom turned to see what the man had withdrawn from his chest pocket, ready for the worst if there was a card clenched in his hands. Instead, Tom found a silver medallion embellished with ruby red highlights, depicting what seemed to him like a ferocious beast. He was familiar with that medallion having seen it pinned to the chest of every guard he had spotted in the city. Heart lurching, Tom thought back on his memories certain that they had all been clothed in the same majestic cerulean blue and pearl white liveries. Why was this guard different? Was he impersonating an officer? In broad daylight? That sounded too unlikely to be true. Batting away the hesitation he was feeling, Tom replied, I have pledged my allegiance to House Renain. Please unhand me now, Oh? The guardsman replied, expression cid. What year was the Noble House of Renain formed? he followed through with a question. So thats where hes going with this. Damn it! Five hundred and sixteen cycles ago, he replied a few secondster, intentionally letting a little anger seep into his voice. Who was the fifth lord of the Renain Family? Nakris Renain, Tom shot back, his tone rising an octave. Huh, The guard replied, blinking as he rxed his grip around Toms arm. I suppose I was mistaken. You were, Tom arrogantly replied, clearly affronted by the crass treatment he was offered. Or rather, he had no option but to act affronted- even willing to go as far as to raise a fuss about the purported mistreatment he was facing. Kid, you know, youre really quite talented, The guard let out a wryugh. Really, if I wasnt pledged to the Renain family myself, you really wouldve pulled a fast one over me. Shit. Shit shit shi- Tom was seconds away from firing off [de Manifestation] as the panic he felt threatened to overwhelm him. Now, now, I wouldnt do anything stupid, brat. Wipe that grimace off your face, Im not a noble just a humble former serf from the Nameless district, he replied, his gaze hardening in clear warning. The Nameless District? Tom asked, his tone genuinely confused. Nothing in Zenakris memories had referred or even vaguely alluded to this ominous sounding district, though that wasnt unreasonable he supposed it was impossible to explore Zenakris every memory with Maya, let alone memorise everything. Still refusing to drop the act? The guard muttered under his breath, his expression confused as if he was unsure whether to be angry or impressed. Look, son, I know the allure of the Noble District but youre lucky I found you on my off-duty day. Keeping an eye on the guards, gawking atmonce sights and being dressed in crest-lessbat robes but having no armour beneath them and no party in sight. Id give it another hour, maybe two, before they caught you and tossed you in the brig for a cycle for your insolence. A cycle.. Isnt that.more than a year? The fuck? Is there a way out? Tom asked, his expression grim. Walk with me. The guard offered, nonchntly walking past him as if he was sure Tom wouldnt try to escape. Well. he wasnt wrong. Roughly six hundred and seventy nine days in earth days imprisoned wasnt something he was willing to risk. Not if there was a better alternative. A few winding twists and turnster, Tom found himself in a deserted alleyway that was impably well maintained despite containing nothing but defunct storefronts that were boarded down with wooden nks. He couldnt help but wonder if magic had a role to y in the citys maintenance, but that was the least of his worries in the moment it wasnt like he particrly liked followingplete strangers down forlorn streets but the guard had already established that he could offer little resistance if it came down to a contest of physicality. Considering he was willing to expose his unguarded back to him, he wasnt scared of Toms [Deck Cards], either. What are you doing? Tom asked, confused. The guard stood before one of the boarded storefronts, his expression rxed as he pulled out a card from a Deckholder clipped to his belt, pressing it against the part of the door that was still visible behind the nks. A crinkling sound, akin to that of a ss vial being crushed in ones hands, rang out as the illusionyering the storefront shattered, revealing a much smaller, rickety wooden door. Tom blinked to make sure he wasnt just imagining it as the guard walked inside. Peering inside from a safe distance, Tom didnt find any hint of the danger he was expecting instead met with a strong aroma of spices wafting out of what looked more like a small cer than a defunct shop. Well, An amused voice rang out from inside. Arent you going toe inside? You look like you havent eaten a proper meal in weeks. Chapter 37: A Warm Meal Chapter 37: A Warm Meal Tom dubiously stared at the humble bowl of stew ced before him, observing the thick steam rising from the wooden bowl with genuine intrigue, tracing its twirls as they spiralled towards the low ceiling of the storeroom. Willing his hand forward, Tom watched as a small portion of the steam was absorbed by his hand of no volition of his own. Surprised, he hurriedly jerked his hand backwards. Unsure how to proceed, he gave the guard, who had introduced himself as Serawin of the Royal Knights, a sceptical look. What? The Royal Knight, Serawin replied, raising an eyebrow. This white mist, Tom trailed off, unsure how to exin his question without framing it as an usation. The confusion on Serawins face grew deeper. Has it gotten that bad in the Nameless district? Surely you must have eaten beast meat before, Serawin asked, seemingly stupefied by Toms reaction. Tom lowered his gaze, letting a flicker of shame make its way onto his visage. His expression spoke of desperation and if the punishment for making his way to the Nobles district was indeed, so severe only the desperate and the foolish would attempt it. Letting out a long sigh, Serawin exasperatedly reached out with his own two-tined fork, sinking it into a chunk of meat on Toms te before biting into it. The white mist is soul essence. It suggests that fresh beast meat has been prepared and cooked the correct way, without any contamination or improper handing. Though the quality of the meat itself isnt extraordinary, it still boosts the bodys natural soul recovery by a respectable degree, Serawin exined. Toms gaze remained on Serawin for a few more seconds before his attention fell back to his stew. He had not experienced the misty phenomenon when cooking beast meat in the forest, but perhaps that was a given after all, he didnt possess the tools or expertise needed to cook it properly and hygiene wasnt exactly high on the list when he was trying to stave away biting hunger. A cooked meal.. Although Tom knew that he had been in Artezia only for a few weeks, his perception of time was severely addled after spending so many hours in istion those weeks of suffering had felt like years to him and if there was one thing he had missed more than anything it was the safety andfort of civilization, a core t upholding society that he had taken for granted back on Earth. Unable to hold himself back any longer, Toms fork dug into a tender chunk of meat before he cautiously took a bite. Nothing could prepare him for the explosion of sulent juices infused with unfamiliar spices that left a tangy aftertaste in his mouth. Unable to be satiated with a single bite, he began to devour one chunk of meat after the next, no longer caring for decorum or maintaining appearances- if anything, this sold the background the guard believed him to hail from. Damn, kid, Serawin remarked, his eyebrows rising a little. How long has it been since youve had a proper meal? Tom ignored the jibe, reaching for the wooden bowl and pressing it against its lips before he begun to drink directly from it, letting the warm, savoury broth gush down his throat till there was not even a single drop left. It was hard not to be moved by the best meal he had tasted in his life partly because his food had vour again instead of being nd, unevenly cooked chunks of meat but that wasnt all its exotic taste wasntpletely foreign to his taste buds, but the novelty of it coupled with its nourishing effect made for a very refreshing treat. What is this ce? Tom asked, gratitude sparkling in his eyes. For better or worse, Serawin had offered him a not-poisoned, cooked meal when he was within his rights to arrest and imprison him. The storeroom he found himself in was nothing really impressive a wooden table, four beaten down chairs and an armour stand upied the left side of the room, whilst the right was dominated by a dozen or so wooden crates loaded with supplies of all kind; ranging from spices and herbs to spare changes of uniforms and a few pairs of boots that seemed to be intended for different purposes. Sheepishly scratching the back of his head, Serawin awkwardly replied, You could say its kind of my own cosy little hideout. Gives me a space to rest and resupply away from the public eye. That statement caught Toms attention. Im not the first stowaway youve helped out, am I? Tom pointedly asked. Serawin let out a weary sigh. It happens once every few months. An old man wanting to explore the Noble District before he dies. A young girl frustrated by her parents decision to marry her off early due to her poor talent. A gambler running away from his debts. Really, its a new scenario every time. And usually, the Royal Knights get to them before I can, Serawin exined, his tone sombre. So you finding me.. that wasn''t a coincidence? I wasnt lying when I said it was my off day. The difference between me and the Royal Guards is that I am actively looking for well, people like you, while the Senior Knights have an intelligencework that spans the whole Noble District. So while I suppose it was chance that led me to you, fortune favours those who try. Why? Tom asked. If you get found out doing this, you would get expelled from the knights, right? Although Tom wasntpletely sure of his assertion, Serawin had dropped enough hints for him to catch on. Is it a sin to wish for a better life? Serawin dryly replied, his gaze wandering off to the ceiling. If so, I am every bit a sinner as you are. Then why do you insist on sending me back? Tom asked, not because he wanted to stay in the Noble District, but because the person Serawin thought him to be- a serf from the Nameless District would have. Serawin ruefully shook his head. Do you know why this entire street is abandoned? I dont, Tom bluntly replied, but his attention was genuinely piqued. Two decades ago, this shop used to be a smithy and this street, a bustling hub of trade, one among many. Now, it remains a dpidated husk of its former glory the discoloration on the walls, those faded rust stains and the small cracks in the wall running across the wall all tell a story if you are willing to listen, Serawin began, his tone a little mncholic as he pointed at the observations while listing them. Tom remained silent at the rhetorical question. This shop used to belong to my uncle. He was the first one from our family that managed to ascend from the Nameless District to the Noble District officially after having skills with a forge acknowledged by a direct descendant of the Renain family. It was he who showed the rest of us that it could be done without resorting to unscrupulous means and hereally was the one who paved the path for me to be inducted into the royal knights. Why was it closed? Tommiserated, his tone more empathetic than curious. How much do you know about the noble district? Serawin asked, before taking a sip of broth from the spoon. Besides what I could find about the Renain family, not much, he admitted. Serfs or the titleless from the Nameless District are not allowed to hold property and have to pay a fee to the overseeing Nobles of thisnd for every month they choose to stay in the Academic City, Renovia. The easiest way to be invited to the Noble District, as Im sure youre aware, is to join the Academy. I myself gave the Royal Knights officiating test directly after failing the Academys trial at the behest of my uncle, who paid the fee for me. You passed, Tom offered. I did, but only because they valuedbat instinct and capabilities over raw talent, Serawin replied, his voice tinged with pride. But there was a catch. Toms eyes widened in realisation. For a man having pledged his allegiance to the Renain Family, he seemed entirely too unconcerned at the thought of a vagabond impersonating their name whilst running around the Noble District. You had to pledge your loyalty to the Renain Family, Tom muttered aloud. A noble family yes. You see, most people living in the Noble District arent actually Nobles. The Nameless District looks to the Noble District in hope, while, two decades ago, most citizens of the Noble District dreamed of owning a store of their own. Adventuring, dungeon crawling and other specialised professions like alchemy and enchanting require both talent and skill, whilst trade and consequently, the employment generated by trade, was the perfect outlet and source of ie for many not as gifted. While Tom may not be an economist, he remembered enough to know that facilitating trade and generating employment were good for the any economy, even one in a different world. So, what happened? It was too lucrative, Serawin dryly remarked. Too lucrative for the direct descendants of the Nobles not to be in control. So the ugliness of a ss-based society finally reveals itself. Tom had been wondering why he hadnt seen any discrimination in Renovia so far. It turned out that there was an entire subset of society that had been veiled off from his and Zenakris sight. Though thetter was more than likely well aware of it, Active Shroud Maya had given him no insight on the matter; which meant that Zenakris.. probably didnt think too much about people of the N ameless District. Besides monsters like The Revenant yer, Verranuva and The Rune Lord, Arrendez there are very few who can rise to the status of True Nobles and they are always Academy students. So its not like we want to keep you out of the Noble District, kid, the truth of it is that most of us cant do a damn thing about it. Tom could feel the bitterness in those words and more importantly, he resonated with the helplessness Serawin was echoing. This world was no utopia the same way his previous one hadnt. The strong and the powerful decided the rules while the rest were forced to either fall in line or be cast aside. It was honestly getting rather old. Fine, Tom let out a resigned sigh, letting his head droop a little in defeat. Do you have a way back to the Nameless District? I dont want to cause you any more trouble than I already have and I would rather not get myself imprisoned for a year, Tom let a little bitterness of his own seep into his voice, selling the act as well as he could. I suppose you cant go back the way you came in? Letting out a sheepish chuckle, Tom replied, That, er.. that was a single-time thing, Im afraid. Brows twitching with irritation, Serawin shot back, Its hard to believe someone as perceptive as you could be so short-sighted. Tom averted his gaze. Fine. I have an arrangement with the Royal Knight guarding the entrance to the Noble District. He wont ask anymore questions than he needs to, but be prepared for a thorough inspection. Trade between the districts is highly regted, after all. Does that mean my status will be inspected as well? Tom asked. Yes, Serawin replied, raising an eyebrow at the question. Is that a problem? No, not at all. I was just curious. That is good, Serawins expression rxed as he reached out inside his side pocket, counting out a few coins before walking over to one of the crates and cutting out a piece of softened animal leather. Fashioning a coin pouch with a final bit of string, he tossed it over to Tom. When the Knight asks, tell them this was payment for your services. Hopefully, it will help you out a little on the other side. Genuinely moved, Tom bowed deeply to Serawin, not sure how else to express the boundless gratitude he felt for the knight. Thank you. What is the meaning of this! Zenakris bellowed furiously at the two Dungeon Guards under employ of the [Divine System], stunned by their preposterous actions. The tip of a long spear and the edge of a double-ded axe rested against his throat, the absolute focused expressions on the guards faces conveying the seriousness of the matter. Valeria Nezarie the only one quick enough to react to the Dungeon Guards movements had not moved from her spot, even as her two fellow Academy students and Zenakris friends readied their weapons. Sirs, I am sure there has been some confusion. Can you please exin why you are pointing your weapon at the heir-apparent to the Renain Family? Valerie Nazarie managed to maintain a mask ofposure where most of her peers would either be too shocked to react or reactbatively, Thisones no lord, One of the Dungeon Guards growled furiously, though his de remained frozen in space. Two hours ago there wasan anotherd who identified himself as Zenakris- looked ta same, walked ta same and talked ta same. That means one of them gotta be an imposter! The other guard eximed, causing the fury to drain out of Zenakris face. The calm mask Valeria was wearing cracked as she began to fathom the implications of that statement. My father! Call my father, he can identify if Im the imposter or not, Zenakris asked, no requested, after reaching the conclusion that arrogance and being temperamental would only worsen his cause. The best thing he could do was the exact opposite of what the imposter would do in this situation- remain calm. Chapter 38: Nameless District Chapter 38: Nameless District Tom tried to assuage his frayed nerves as he and Serawin were waived past a queue of people dressed in far humbled fabricspared to the if not opulent, then neat, well-fitting clothes he had seen the majority of the Noble Districts popce adorn. Their rumpled and poor-fitting clothes spoke of a life of hand-me-downs and whilst not quite indicative of poverty, most likely, a simpler, humbler lifestyle. The smudges of grime and soot running across a few peoples clothes immediately contextualised the scenario for him magic or not, someone still had to do the odd jobs in the Noble District cleaning chimneys, maintaining dressing booths, polishing old equipment someone still had to do it. Ironically enough, from what hed seen of [Deck Cards] so far, none of them seemed to be suited for the more delicate tasks. The official incharge of herding the throng of people headed for the Nameless Districtpletely ignored Tom after seeing the Royal Knight apanying him, seemingly content to continue on with his duties with the nonchnce of a bureaucratic professional. Tom observed him for a few seconds longer, watching as he pressed a [Deck Card] against one of the workers open palm, before nodding and walking over towards the next in line. His attention was swept away by arge, overbearing field tent that dominated the entrance to the Nameless District, its colours matching the Royal Knights livery the cerulean blue and pearl white tent sparkled with a dignified brilliance that seemed to be denied to the ones passing through it. Though the official at the entrance hadnt said or done anything that should have given him that impression, the condescension in his expression was quite easily readable for someone like Tom who had not only experienced a myriad of his own emotions since stepping into Artezia, but also the true emotions of another living, breathing person without any falsehoods or misinterpretations. Serawin was the first to step inside the tent, holding onto the parted fabric long enough for him to slip in without brushing against it. Well, thats unique. Tom hadnt quite pondered upon the need for a three-storey building sized tent up until that point which would be a rather quaint observation to be fixated on in a world full of cards that defied thews of physics on a regr basis. Its purpose turned out to be as rudimentary as it was effective Tom had no idea that an entire stone gateway was concealed within the tent, not to mention the greater wall it was part of; the perimeter separating the true heart of the academic city from the Nameless District. He was still confused how hed missed the wall, but then again the winding alleyways he had to traverse to reach the outer fringes of Renovia hadnt really given him an opportunity for a birds eye view- not to mention the throng of people waiting for passage to the other side crowding the area. If you dont want to fix the problems in your society, hide them behind a gaudy tent. How noble. Tom felt a burst of uneasiness well up in his heart as his gaze fell upon the Royal Knight that stood before the gate, eyeing the sword nted a quarter of the way into the soft earth that the swordsman was resting his hands upon. Despite his clearly rxed posture, the auburn-haired knight exuded a quiet strength and self-assuredness that made him more intimidating than Serawin, who seemed to be more interested in masking his strength instead. He could not help but eye the two card gauntlets the Royal Knight had equipped, causing Tom to wonder if one was a decoy or both served different purposes than the gauntlets hed encountered up until now. What have you brought me this time? The Royal Knights tone was far more soft-spokenpared to what Tom had envisioned, especially contrary to the visual impression he gave off-the curls of his auburn hair rising and falling to create a wild, untamedndscape, a long, deep scar falling from his chin to below the neckline, covered up by the Royal Knights livery and the two orbs of emerald green that shone with intensity gave the impression of a fearsome warrior, even without his rippling physique that easily surpassed Serawins. Tom had not missed the flicker of irritation contained in his words, making him wince a little. Hopefully that would not cause him any issues. Serawin just rolled his eyes at that statement, retorting, Nothing you need to concern your ugly mug about, Nvein. Oh? Nvein replied as he slowly walked over towards Serawin, his every step echoing his powerful presence, until the two Royal Guards were standing face to face. Except Serawin was dwarfed by the burly Royal Guard, only reaching his chest height. Tom almost mistook their next movements as an attack, when in reality they both extended their hands in unison, locking their hands in an arm-wrestling hold. He watched as the veins on Serawins forehead began to bulge as he tried to push back against the overwhelming force threatening to knock him off his feet. Face reddened, Serawins feet began to sink into the soil while Nvein remained on the spot hed started the impromptu contest with, entirely unmoved. Youve gotten stronger again, you physical freak, Serawin gasped out a reply with the limited strength he had to spare, unrelenting even though he was clearly outmatched. Doesnt count for much if I cant defeat you in a real duel, you crotchety old geezer, Nvein countered, giving a final push before disengaging. Then, the two Royal Knights began to boisterouslyugh. Tom sighed in relief quite worried for a moment there that something had gone awry in their rtionship. For once, things didnt go horribly wrong. Wonder if itllst. Havent seen you in half a cycle and you show up on my doorstep with a lost mouse. Anyone else would be irritated, Nvein remarked after theughter died down, clearly not irritated in the slightest. Anyone else would, Serawin conceded. So, whats the story with this one? Didnt really press the kid too hard, didnt have the heart to after the dishevelled state I found him in. I reckon he just got sick of the Nameless District and decided to hop over for a change in scenery, Serawin exined. Well, Nveins tone turned thoughtful as he turned his gaze to Tom. The chilly sternness in his gaze took Tom by surprise, every iota of friendliness that had been there seconds ago wiped without a trace. Even while knowing that Nvein was a trained Royal Knight, Tom had dropped his guard a little after seeing the friendly banter between the two guards. Look kid, Im personally not fond of throwing innocent people in the brig. Especially not children who didnt know any better. The first time you make this mistake well, its a mistake. You were young, stupid, didnt know any better and thats fine. But if you repeat the same actions again, well then son, it stops being a mistake and bes a crime. And I, Nvein looked Tom dead in the eyes as he slowly enunciated each word, ....hold no sympathy for criminals. I-I understand, Tom croaked out, doing his part by ying a terrified teenager. Which wasnt a very challenging prospect considering he was actually scared of the six foot five musclebound swordsman. Nodding at his response, Nvein was clearly satisfied after scaring the living daylights out of Tom. You know the drill, Serawin. If he passes the inspection, Ill send him through to the other side without recording his name in the log. Though if he fails, even if it is for a minor infraction. Yeah, I know, Serawin replied. I wouldnt ask you to do anything that goes against the precepts of the Royal Knights and if ites to that I will be the first to act. Very well. Step forward,d. And dont you dare try anything funny. Yes, sir, Tom replied with promptness, though inwardly he was praying to whatever deity that was listening. Please, let this work. Nvein withdrew a card from a deck holder clipped to his waist, withdrawing a [Deck Card] that had a single question mark emzoned in the centre with a dull grey colouring that inspired intrigue in his heart merely by looking at it. If Tom had to guess, the deck holder clipped to Nvains waist was only for nonbat cards otherwise there was simply no reason to use them when he had ess to the superior card gauntlets. Extend your palms. Tom did as he was asked. Nvain pressed the card against his palms. [Name: Constantine Velore Age: 18 Soul Card: The me (Level 6)] Constantine Velore? Thats a name Ive never heard before, Nvain casually remarked, though his tone sounded mostly unimpressed. It worked! [Passive Shroud] not only made him invulnerable to all forms of scrying, but as long as it was pertaining to the identity of his [Soul Card], Tom could make his status screen disy whatever card he wanted up until the [Rare] tier. He had chosen [The me] card for its low rarity yet powerful deterrent ability not to mention that he actually had the [Deck Card] to validate his ims. Changing his name that had been the reward for levelling shroud to Level 2. Though he was free to change any statistic he wanted, he had chosen what he thought to be the most important one. Hmmm, Nvain reached his hand out, rummaging inside the void thatprised his inventory before pulling out a thick, weathered tome that its ancient spine seemed like it was barely holding together. Tom watched with intrigue as Nvain ced the identification card on the first page of the tome before mming it shut. He flinched when the tome, with no effort on Nvains part, flung open and began to rapidly flit through nk pages of its own ord. Tom found the gentle fluttering sound extremely rxing or would have, atleast, if it wasnt for how creepy it was to see a book thumb through its own pages. It stopped a little past the half-way mark and Tom watched as words scrawled over in ck ink began to appear on the double-page spread. Nvein jerked the book a little closer to his own height before Tom could make out anything useful, much to his dismay. Lets see here, Nvein mused, his eyes scanning the tome for relevant information. There is a Constantine here who is wanted for misdemeanour against the Versaria Family, Nvein muttered, causing Toms heart to lurch a little. But that was over two hundred cycles ago. Youre good to go kid. Serawin cracked into anotherugh, while Nvein just gave him a pat on his shoulder - a pat that felt like a blow from a sledgehammer at that. After offering his final thanks to Serawin, Tom intently watched as the doors to the Nameless District slowly swung open, a loud creaking sound grating away at his ears as the path to freedom revealed itself. Youve gotta be kidding me. Chapter 39: Thief Chapter 39: Thief Tom blinked twice in rapid session in the hopes that reality would transfigure itself into a different iteration any iteration except the one thaty before him. He wasnt quite shocked, no and neither was he scared or intimidated; the emotion he felt in the moment was closer to befuddlement. On the other side of the gatey a rough, uneven dirt road that led to the main drag of a squalid town. The sheer juxtaposition between the pristine cleanliness of the Noble District and the unkempt dirtiness of the crowded street before him packed chockfull of people dressed in worn out, asionally tattered clothing left Tom shocked. The stench of unwashed bodies wafted towards the gateways entrance, carried forth by a light breeze that would have otherwise been a weing one. The loud, strident noise created by dozens, if not hundreds of voices ovepping each other made for a disquieting cacophony- Tom had never been much for crowds and that hadnt been a problem back in his hometown or for that matter, even the Noble District. Gone were the elegant marble and refined brick housesplete with their picturesque verandas and well-maintained, colourful small gardens. Ramshackle huts and repurposed cloth tents lined the wide dirt road the gateway opened into, though, thankfully the Nameless District didnt seempletely devoid of brick and mortar civilization as Tom spotted a fewrger, more robust buildings deeper into the Nameless District. Welld, off you go, Nveins voice boomed behind him, snapping him back to reality. Wiping the unfamiliarity from his eyes, Tom tried to conceal his dismay as he nodded, first to Nvein and then to Serawin, before he took his first step onto the Nameless Districts soil. Work your way up to this side and buy me some Aurora Ale one day, eh? Serawin called out to him as the heavy gates began to creak shut. That day mighte sooner than you think, Tom cheekily yelled out a response back as the door was inches away from beingpletely shut. A m echoed behind him as the entryway to the Noble District was sealed shut. Now then. Tom groaned, followed by a long, weary sigh. How did things reach this point again? It wasnt like Tom had aplete aversion to living the Nameless District due to its less-than-sterndscape, but the idea of there being such a shoddy, beaten down in a world that had ess to something as convenient as magic just rankled at his sensibilities. Though I suppose magic costs money. Or resources. And the Nobles clearly dont care about the Nameless District. Same story, different world, Tom muttered under his breath, eyeing the chaotic district that stretched on for miles. Oh well, not like I have a choice. Before that though.., Tom snapped his index finger and thumb together for dramatic ir, if for no other reason than to liven his mood a little. [Disy name has been changed to Aloeric Fold] That should take care of the Royal Knights, when theye looking, he mused, words audible to only himself as he walked towards the town wondering what all the fuss was about. Serawin and Nvein might have seen his face, but even if they somehow managed to pinpoint him as the person who impersonated Zenakriswhich was a bit of a long shot considering how many people were ferried in and out of the gates on a daily basis, they would know about his disguise ability, implying that they had no reason to believe the visage hed exposed was the real him. Or they use some magic Im unaware of and find me anyway, which. well, not much I can do there. The trick to surviving highly adverse scenarios in a foreign territory, as Tom wasing to realise, was to not worry about the what ifs and focus on the here and now. As Tom drew nearer to the town, the garbled cacophony gained definition. He was now close enough to pick up on a few conversations in the sea of voices, eager to learn more about the Nameless District. Selling peak quality battleaxes! Feel free to test them out before you buy! Tinctures and concoctions! Frommon illnesses to minor poison cures, weve got them all! Offering carries to the Zelez Dungeon! Payment upfront! Master Derzuin is epting five new students. If you think you got what it takes, line up! Toms eyebrows rose a little. Where he had expected an air of despair and jealousy, he found an entrepreneurial spirit instead in all honesty, he was baffled. Were these people not angry at how the Nobles chose to treat them? He scrutinised the faces in his immediate line of sight, once again finding himself surprised. Youthful faces brimming with vigour and determination was the sight that greeted him instead of the time-worn faces of the elderly. That, in itself, had not surprised Tom, but the more he swivelled his neck to get a wider view, the deeper the realisation sunk in he couldnt spot anyone that looked a day over thirty five, at least by Earths standards. He narrowed the possibilities down to the two most likely scenarios. Either the older townsfolk had high enough levels to slow down the effect of ageing, at least externally, by virtue of a powerful Physical Stat or for some reason, the elderly poption of the Nameless District was almost negligible. Coming here was the right decision. Well, it wasnt like Tom had much say in the whole process but there were a few points where, with a little bit of luck and the element of surprise he might have gotten away. Nheless, the chaotic Nameless District bode well for him; the only remaining question being if the district had an inclination to maintain a record of each of its residents. Well, theres only one way to find that out. Hood obscuring his facial features, Tom stepped into the dense crowd, allowing himself to be swept away with the majority. The pungent odour that had wafted past him returned in full force, a mix of sweat, grime and a distinct, rancid smell that reminded him of his time in the Zelez Dungeon blending together to assail his nostrils. There were people on either side of him, above him and behind him, a few even trying to push past him but giving up after they realised that he wasnt easily budged. The sights there was so much to see, yet at the same time, so little. With the crowd blocking most of his view Tom couldnt really get a good look at the wares the shopkeepers were pedalling, but with every step he took he got a little more breathing room as the crowd began to thin out. In the midst of all the hubbub, Tom himself was surprised that he noticed a hand reaching out towards him, more specifically, reaching for his robes inner pocket. Instinct guided his actions as Tom sidestepped to the right, pressing against a man dressed in a raggedly tunic. His survival instinct, honed across life and death experiences he had never signed up for, interpreted the grabbing motion as a lunge. There was little hesitation as Tom wed his two hands onto the mans extended arms, before yanking him forward full force. A startled yelp was cried out as Tom felt the mans momentum shift in his direction, the sudden burst of force that hed applied too overwhelming for him to resist. Before the two parties could crash, Toms knee shot out towards the burnished-copper haired mans abdomen, causing him to crumple to the ground. The passerby that hed bumped into earlier wore a stunned expression on his face, clearly shocked by how fast Tom had dispatched another person for seemingly no reason. Tom himself finally felt the adrenaline surge recede as he mentally deemed the threat neutralised. Almost immediately after, a pang of guilt washed over him as he realised what he had done he wasnt fighting monsters and Nether creatures anymore, but people. That said, he didnt feel any guilt for defending himself, no he only hoped to ingrain this experience in the hopes that he would be able to exercise mercy if such a situation were to repeat itself. The real question though was. why was he of all the people in this damned town the one to get attacked by a random man? Thief! The shrill cry of a woman rang out behind him. Chapter 40: What will it be? Chapter 40: What will it be? The gears in Toms mind began to turn as he recalled the sequence of events in his minds eye, piecing together the likely conclusion. He wasnt trying to attack me, he wanted the coin pouch in my robe pocket. Thief! The woman repeated, interrupting Toms train of thought. Annoyed, he angled his gaze behind, wondering why she was so agitated when he had clearly subdued the petty criminal. To hisplete bewilderment, a blonde haired woman in herte twenties met his gaze, eyes clearly alit with fiery rage. Rage that was most definitely directed at him for the woman had brandished her index finger, pointing directly at him. She is angry. Angry at me. Why? The illuminating light of realisation flickered in Toms gaze as he considered his position. Shes in league with the thief, isnt she? st it all, Tom protested under his breath, his pulse quickening as he understood the full breadth of the predicament hed found himself in. Tom couldnt afford to get caught here- not moments after hed gotten his freedom back. Mentally uttering a word of apology for what he was about to do, Toms gaze firmed. Both his hands shot out, shoving the passerby dressed in a cream tunic and ck breeches that had witnessed his actions earlier. From the mans shocked expression earlier, he had definitely not witnessed the real thiefs actions and Tom couldnt even me him if he had been a little less vignt, he too would have missed the thiefs deft touch. The passerby yelped in panic as he was sent careening into another, a youngdy that seemed to be in her early twenties. Tom had been gentle with his push, so he expected nosting harm to befall the two, but their startled cries gave him a much needed distraction. Adjusting his gait to take long, forceful steps, Tom began to muscle his way past the thick crowd. Coming through! Tom bellowed, loudly enough for those in his immediate vicinity to wince. Out of the way, out of the way! he shouted out as he forcefully cut past others and used his slender frame to adroitly navigate a path through particrly dense clusters in the crowd of people. There were more than a few cries of protest, but most people didnt seem too inclined to let the situation devolve to fisticuffs. In fact, most didnt seem all that bothered; almost as if they were used to situations like these. Palpable relief was visible on Toms visage as he finally managed to break free from the tightly packed section of the crowd, stepping into the seemingly less frequented stretch of the Nameless Districts main street. He only allowed himself a quick glimpse at his surroundings to sate his curiosity, noting the more mundane selection of goods on disy basic provisions, clothing, household items, a variety of herbs and a selection of tools that seemed like they would be especially useful in a dungeon; namely pickaxes, shovels and pry bars. I left the good stuff behind, I guess. Well, not like it matters. Tom took off into a mad dash, his surroundings blurring as he propelled himself forward without any hesitation. Instead of amodating any pedestrians, he simply barrelled forward with the expectation that anyone in his way would bepelled to move aside; slowing down only when he spotted an exit an alleyway that opened up in the gap between two small stores, hopefully leading deeper into the citys interior. The sound of rapid footfallnding behind him further hastened his decision; Tom had no idea why his pursuers were so persistent, but the least he could do was try to dampen their resolve a little. The sound of shattering grass rang out as Tom toppled a heavy wooden disy rack that stocked a collection of stained ss bottles that had been ced outside one of the two shops that served as a gateway to the alley. Leaving behind a cursing shopkeeper, Tom redoubled his efforts in getting as far away from the ce as possible. The minutes passed, the scenery changing from shops to ramshackle residential huts and shacks. The amodations were too small for anything beyond sleeping and maybe eating in. Coupled with the rush hed seen on the market street earlier, Tom wasnt really expecting many people to be sleeping in, but it was still a little eerie to see the residential alleywaypletely deserted. Otherwise the thin wooden walls would leak at least some sound, instead of theplete silence that nketed the area. A byway in the form of a small dirt road opened up between what seemed to be a defunct store and a residential hut. Littered with small pebbles and clumps of dried out grass, it seemed that this particr pathway hadnt been used in a while. Liking the thought of that, Tom slipped into the byway. Sandwiched between the sides and backs of residential buildings, Tom was forced to take a left turn. Well, the alternative was to smash through a wooden hut, which would most definitely give away his location. What he hadnt expected was the sight he was confronted with upon taking that turn. Slowing down to the jog, Tom came out of the other end of the byway, only to be confronted by awall. A massive reinforced metal wall loomed above him, its imposing curvature casting a shadow over the Nameless District. Thirty metres of brick and metal shielded the Academic City, Renovia, from the outside world its sheer magnitude dwarfing every other structure in the city by far. Tom had been so focused on escaping he hadnt considered his destination. Though he hadnt exactly got much time to sightsee, either. Thankfully there were no guards stationed at the border, not that there was any need for them; only ten metres of barrennd that separated Tom from the effectively imprable wall. Well, at least I got away. The sound of rapid footsteps bouncing off the ground sounded out behind him. Toms expression hardened, his eyes glimmering with indignation. Enough was bloody enough. Fools Gold, Mimic, Tom whispered under his breath, watching calmly as a replica of the [Revenant w] phased into reality, the [Deck Cards] in his left hand getting sucked into the gauntlet. His right hand stretched into his inventory, withdrawing one of two [Nether des] in his possession. Secondster, his pursuers finally revealed themselves. The thief he had subdued earlier. The blonde woman who had framed him. And a third, ck haired man with a nasty scar running down his right cheek. What do you want? Tom questioned, his voice uncharacteristically low as he tightly gripped a de that would make anyone else at his level go insane. The de facto leader of the group, namely, the ck haired man that had a card palmed in his left hand and a serrated long dagger in his right. At least Tom assumed that he was the leader, the self-assuredness and confidence in his gait as he stepped in front of his twopatriots echoing a calm that made him seem in control of the situation. You., The ck-haired man began. ...are from the Noble District. Once again, his words were spoken with absolute certainty. I dont know what youre talking about, Tom retorted, clearly not intimidated by the man. Not after the sort of people he had dealt with and fooled. I saw you enter the town from the main gateway, The thief cried out, the anger in his tone palpable. Apparently he hadnt been coping well after taking a knee to his abdomen. I was summoned by a noble for my speciality. If you try anything funny, the lord will hear about it, Tom deflected, the lie flowing with a pompous tone that made it hard to doubt its veracity. The ck haired man chuckled. You dont get it, do you? The people who are summoned to the Noble District go through us by paying a tribute when they return. And you? Ive never seen your face before. Toms expression darkened. You must have really messed up if they threw you back here with themon rabble, The blonde womans sinister voice rang out, grating at his ears. Do you want to fight? Tom asked, unfazed. Fight? The ck haired man muttered aloud, musing upon the rhetorical question. Well, I really dont think youre anyone important but do you know why this ce is called thewless district? Tom remained silent. Well you see, the nobles dont really care what happens here as long as they get their taxes on time. Were mostly from different parts of the Syrelore Kingdom after all, so they dont really see us as their subjects, he exined, his tone not betraying the hostility Tom was expecting.The situation, of course, takes a turn if someone turns up dead. Having Royal Knights crawling around this area hurts my business interests, so Id rather we resolve this amicably. Resolve? Tom muttered aloud, the question in his tone obvious. We were just out for your money, but you hurt my friend Aelek here. Leave the sword and that gauntlet here and well let this slide, The ck haired man proposed. Zakeran! The thief, Aelek, protested, clearly unsatisfied with the resolution. Shut up, Aelek, The blonde woman interjected. So? What will it be? Zakeran asked, the threat in his tone obvious. Tom gazed into Zakerans eyes unblinkingly. de Manifestation, Tom bellowed, his actions intended to serve as his response. Chapter 41: The Legend of Aloeric Fold Chapter 41: The Legend of Aloeric Fold de Manifestation, Tom bellowed, his actions intended to serve as his response. An azure greatsword blinked to life in ce of the longsword that was supposed to the Revenant ws [Greater Enhancement] skill disying its prowess. Zakeran was the first to react, positioning his wrist seconds after Tom summoned his [Energy Sword]. The [Deck Card] in his hand began to glow, the earth underneath his feet erupting with momentum. Its fluiditysted for only a few seconds as the tip began to shape itself and consequently, rapidly hardened. [Earth Maniption]. Ance of hardened rock sailed through the air, clearly headed for Toms abdomen. It seemed that Zakeran no longer cared about taking him alivewhich was fine, since Tom hadnt been banking on his mercy either. Moving his greatsword with his minds eye, he positioned it before him-ready to change its direction in case Zakeran had an ability simr to his [de Manifestation]. A loud crack echoed out as the tip of Zakerans earth spear shattered, before it crumbled entirely. Toms [de Manifestation] was 75% more effective than it normally should have been due to [Greater Enhancement], so Tom hadnt been worried about his skilling up short from the very inception. Zakeran hurriedly stomped his foot down to create an earthen shield, expecting Toms Energy Sword tonce towards him. However, that perceived attack never struck. Instead, Tom pointed his [Revenant w] towards the blonde woman as he willed his card gauntlet to switch his active card. Water PropulsionTorrent, Tom whispered under his breath. A secondter a veritable cannon of water exploded outwards from his [Revenant w], the sheer recoil sending his arm jerking backwards. The blonde woman tried to raise her card up in defence, but before she could channel her soul power a beam ofpressed water smashed into her, sending her crashing into the side of a residential hut and then copsing the hunt along with it. What the fuck are you! The thief, Aelek, screamed as his [Deck Card] activated. A bow and arrow set fashioned out of the same azure energy that powered his sword manifested in his hands and he drew the bowstring back. Since Tom had already cast de manifestation, he didnt need to keep using the card to maintain its activeness unlike with [Water Propulsion] and [The me]. de Manifestation was already protecting his vitals, so Aelek aimed for the next best thing. Tom bit down a grunt of pain as the energy arrow grazed his left arm. That hurt, Tom remarked, loud enough for Aelek to hear him. The card in the Revenant w once again changed. Earths Vitality, Tom whispered, and a powerful golden halo ensconced him. Secondster, the blood loss was stymied and the wound was well on its way to healing. In another thirty seconds, it would be healed. The shock on Aeleks visage was reced with fear. Before he could fire off another arrow at him, Tom pointed at him and let [Water Propulsion] explode outwards. Aelek attempted to dodge but unfortunately, he didnt manage in time and met the same fate as his teammate. That only left Zakeran, who stepped out from behind cover, his right hand wreathed in mes. A secondter, he sent a zing mence arcing through the air, headed right for him. Tom followed his train of thoughtas formidable as his de manifestation was, a sword couldnt block a mass of mes and water would simple evaporate. Unfortunately for Zakeran. Tom pointed at the mingnce, waiting as his gauntlet switched to the first [Deck Card] hed acquired in this world[The me]. The only way Tom could describe the sensation was like having ess to a methrower at the tip of his fingers his mes licking against Zakerans mingnce and subsuming them a secondter. Before Zakeran could do anything else, the tip of his giant greatsword was resting against his throat, causing a drop of blood to trickle down his neck. Try anything else and you die. A young girl cloaked in faded ck robes peeked at the scene below from a rooftop, if the one storey building could even be called as such. An old stone chimney was the only cover she managed to find that let her observe the group whom she had been tracking on and off for a few months now. Zakerans group had caught her interest one among six candidates that met her exacting standards, if only barely. [Deck Cards] were not something the young girl was particrly interested in. Power only mattered if one possessed the know-how to utilize it properly. Zakeran was a belligerent man, but not a cruel one she hadnt seen him, or their group, kill anyoneat least not yet. That was workable. Someone stronger than her was a variable out of her control. Someone who equaled her strength was a risk. Someone weaker than her was at least manageable. That was what she liked telling herself, atleast. The simple matter of the fact was that she wasnt satisfied with their strength- not with Zakerans and not with the other candidates. But she hadnt given up. More like she couldnt. And now, her perseverance had paid off a single, mysterious young man had dispatched not only Zakeran, but his teammates too alone. She couldnt believe it but reality had unfolded before her. As Tom finished robbing Zakeran and his goons of their coin and weapons, he angled his gaze down to the kneeling, now pitiful looking ck haired man. The next time you think of robbing innocents or asking others for tribute, remember the despair you felt in this moment. Remember the pitiful state I, Aloeric Fold, left you in! With that, Tomshed a kick that knocked Zakeran into unconsciousness. Rummaging through his pockets, Tom found the [Earth Maniption] card Zakeran had been using earlier, which meant the mingnce was his soul card. Shrugging, Tom pocketed it. It was the least he could do after they tried to kill him. The young girl still watched Tom from afar, slowly changing her position. Aleph Longstradia, a fallen Noble from the House Longstradia had a smile on her visage a smile after so long that she couldnt even recall thest time she had expressed her happiness so. Chapter 42: Aleph Chapter 42: Aleph [Disy name has been changed to Synrak Veralis.] Tom was lost. Directionally too, perhaps, but that wasnt the important bit. He felt lost. Zakeran had tried to kill him, yes but that was only after diplomacy had failed. Tom had no intention to justify the intentions of someone that would have trampled over his corpse without any or perhaps with some regret but Zakerans pitiful expression as he knelt on the floor, defeated, did leave an impression upon him. Was it a crime for an orphan to steal a loaf of bread if he was on the brink of sumbing to starvation? The Nobles had ess to resources and weaponry that allowed them to tackle and harvest the resources of the Zelez Dungeon. Was it a crime for an individual to rail against the system if the system itself was broken? Tom was beginning to understand the nature of the Nameless District. The people here were young, ambitious, daring and courageous otherwise they would not force themselves to live in a distant town with shoddy amenities, ludicrous expenses and a dungeon entrance, of all things. That, atleast, was what Tom had managed to piece together from the conversations he had listened in on the towns main drag. But what happened when that ambition was broken? The appeal of this thrilling life wouldnt seem nearly as glorious after failing to get into the Noble District. Zakeran was an oue of that system and as a result of it failing him he now rebelled against it. If the Royal Knights discovered that he was undermining their authority, Tom was rather certain that they would kill him without a trial. Tom gazed at the two cards pinched between his index finger and his thumb, his expression thoughtful. One came from Zakeran, the other from the blonde haired woman. Dont rob others if youre not prepared to receive the same treatment, Tom muttered under his breath, before he inspected the two [Deck Cards]. [Earth Maniption (Common): Level 1 Ability: Lesser Earth Maniption: Reshape and solidify the Earth, direct its momentum with your thoughts. Requires feet to be in direct contact with an earthen surface. SP cost proportional to surface area and volume of reshaped Earth (1-10 SP consumed per cast).] [Haste (Common): Level 1 Ability: Fleet Footed: Let the wind aid your movements, boosting every aspect of your movement speed by 35%. The Haste Card must remain constantly active to use the Fleet Footed Ability. Drains 3SP per minute. ] Another 2 SP were subtracted from his pool as Tom added the cards to his deck, before letting the gauntlet absorb them. That meant the [Revenant w] was now stretched to its absolute capacity, carrying a whopping eight [Deck Cards]. Even Tom had to admit that such a level of versatility was simply monstrous. Withdrawing the [Elixir of Soul Restoration] from his inventory, Tom took another swig without a second of hesitation. He felt refreshed as his Soul Power skyrocketed back to aplete [38] points. And then, without any warning, without even looking back, he stretched his left hand out and suddenly jerked it backwards, firing a torrent ofpressed water. A loud groan echoed followed by an ear-piercing crash as the ramshackle wooden hut hed aimed at copsed onto itself. Of course, his intention hadnt been willful destruction of property, no that was merely coteral damage. A silhouette draped in faded ck robes had leapt from the top of the hut seconds before Toms attack hadnded, a hood obscuring their facial features. Tom pivoted on his right foot as the hooded figurended upon the empty street ced somewhere in the backchannels of the Nameless District. If there had been any people here, they had fled after catching the distinct sounds of copsing wooden huts and gouts of me burning the oxygen in the atmosphere as Tom and Zakerans group fought. I do not wish to fight you, A soft, feminine voice calmly stated. Tom paid her words no heed as his [Revenant w] rotated to his newly acquired [Earth Maniption] card. The soft earth before him began to roil, before shooting upwards with the viscosity of a liquid. It took all his concentration and a bit of mental visualisation to harden it in the shape of a spear before sending it shooting forward at the veiled stranger. There was a reason why Toms reaction had been as spontaneous as it was ruthless; The threat he felt from this unknown woman had already far surpassed his encounter with Zenakris and Valerie- to the point where he wasnt sure if he could even harm her, let alone beat her. He didnt know how long she had been trailing him or why and if it wasnt for an errant gust of wind that carried the sound of a rustling robe forward, he would have never detected her either. If he wasnt exceptionally on guard after his encounter with Zakeran, even that would have been dismissed as one of thousands of minor, unremarkable sounds that one encountered on a daily basis. A long sigh echoed out. Toms earthen spear crashed into the woman, sending a cloud of dust and debris exploding outwards. Tom was preparing his next attack as the dust obfuscating the womans silhouette cleared. He blinked. The robed woman had ensconced herself in a sphere of translucent, crystalline rock or rather, dozens, if not hundreds of small crystal shards that had been fused into a cohesive whole. The cloud of dust that his attack had kicked up earlier was the result of his earthen spear beingpletely obliterated upon crashing against a far more resilient surface. Now do you believe me? The feminine voice pouted, clearly affronted by his treatment. Her hands reached for her hood and drew it down. Tom blinked twice. Flowing silver hair with mesmerising strands of amethyst mixed in. Brilliant azure eyes that brimmed with intelligence. Her pale skin, unmarred by the passage of time. Her small, blood-red lips added an otherworldly beauty to her visage, her gaze intent and determined as she looked at Tom. If I was actually the age my body reflects, Id probably fall in love right here. The silver haired woman looked like she was in her mid-twenties, though he couldnt be sure of much in this world. Believe you? Tom asked, incredulous. Is stalking people how you greet others, then? I wasnt-, She began, but caught herself mid-sentence. Okay I was, but I have a good reason, if youd just hear me out. Are you with Zakerans lot? Tom asked, his expression taking a dangerous turn. Those weaklings? The silver haired woman asked, her tone sounding a little slighted. Look, if I wanted to actually harm you I would have attacked you while you were dealing with Zakerans squad. Besides, as surprised as I am by your massive Soul Pool, that doesnt change the fact that nothing youve revealed so far has the capability to breach my defences. Toms expression darkened further. And then he began tough. It was a wild, maniacalugh that caused the silver haired womans expression to nch a little, making her wonder if shed actually encountered someone who had a few screws loose. Lady, Tom started, as he got thest of hisughter out of his system. A tear rolled down his right eye. Since the moment Ive stepped no, even before I stepped into this ursed, stednd, people have assumed who I am, what I am capable of, what I can and cant do.. The bearded old bastard who tossed him into Artezia like unwanted baggage. The Syrelore Kingdom who would most definitely being after him once they realised his absence. Zenakris Renain The Renain Family- The Nobles of the Academic City, Renovia who would being after him no doubt already aware of his actions. The Royal Knight Nvein, who had promised to punish him if he broke arbitraryws set by a Nobility he didnt acknowledge. Tom began to walk forward, towards the supposedly imprable crystal dome. I dont know who you are, Tom began, as he reached out inside his inventory. But even someone as incapable- as small-minded as ambitionless as me can smell what you want. You want a pawn, dont you. A pawn in another game. A piece you canmand. Tom himself didnt know how he could tell, but after experiencing his first Maya something in him had changed he could perceive peoples emotions behind their facade much more easily. Though Aleph Longstradia didnt show it, inwardly she was shaken by his assessment. This man isnt insane. hes frighteningly sharp. Tom withdrew his second Nether de from his inventory. Alephs eyes shed with shock. Is that- two Nether des? You cant you must stop! The Nether will consume you whole! Aleph pleaded, knowing that there was simply no way that Tom could handle two Nether des without turning into a Nether Demon. My true name is [Thomas Lowe]. I am [The Fool]. I do not y your games. I refuse to y by your rules. If life is a game of chess. Thomas began, his [Revenant w] switching to the Haste Card. Powerful winds swirled around him, guided by his motion. They would aid him in his cause, increasing his speed by a whole 35%. [Dual Rend]. Both his Nether des flickered to life, a deep violet sma-like energy radiating off them. Rend Toms first de mmed against the crystalline sphere, sending sparks off purple lightning radiating off the impact site. Rend The second de followed. Rend. Rend. Rend. Rend. REND. REND! REND!... With haste amplifying his speed, Toms hands became a blur of violet as he repeatedly smashed against the crystalline shield, each strike carrying the fury of being manipted by people, by forces, by divinities and by the divine system. A crack spread across the crystalline shield. A second followed. Aleph Longstradia watched on, clearly horrified. .....then I will be the one who shatters the board, Tom whispered under his breath, as his blow bisected the supposedly imprable crystalline shield in half. Aleph found her hands trembling as she backstepped away from Toms furious blow. Trembling with excitement. After all, she was a little crazy too. Aleph Longstradia had found the man who could restore her house to its former glory. Chapter 43: Castellan of a fallen house Chapter 43: Casten of a fallen house Aleph found her hands trembling as she backstepped away from Toms furious blow. Trembling with excitement. After all, she was a little crazy too. Aleph Longstradia had found the man who could restore her house to its former glory. Good! She eximed. You want to fight? Then I shall offer you a fight! She knew that she shouldnt be exposing her cover. But the prize was simply too great. Reform! She bellowed. Tom marvelled as the shattered crystalline shards that hadprised the defensive sphere rushed back to the silver-haired woman. He naturally wanted to interfere in the process but the shards were too numerous and moved too swiftly for him to knock out of the sky. He had made a gross misjudgement by assuming that he had destroyed the crystalline sphere in its entirety although the cumtive impact of his blows was nothing to be trifled with, they had all been focused upon a single region; there was no reason why the shield should have exploded into as many fragments as it had. Shardweave Regalia, Her sonorous voice rang out with aplomb as she outstretched her right hand. Tom watched as an effulgent crystalline rapier finished forming in her right hand, but that was not truly what had snatched away his attention. Her silver hair juxtaposed nicely with the regal crystal breastte she had donned. If it stopped there, Tom wouldnt be as dismayed as he was crystalline leggings had encrusted any vulnerabilities and a spiky skirt that was lined with the sharpest fragments made her even more difficult to approach. The air of poise and grace that swirled around her would make her unapproachable to most, but Tom refused to yield to her imposing presence. Prepare yourself! She offered a warning, before stomping her right foot forward. The rebound force generated by her immense strength sent her propelling forwards, right at Tom. [Casten of the fallen house.] Tom had thought that his two [Nether des] coupled with [Haste] would be enough to hold the charging woman at bay but her swordy was. simply beyond anything hed experienced since stepping upon Arteziasnds. He would barely manage to parry a sh with two crossed swords when a second thrust would follow from a different angle. [Rend] sent purple sparks flying as it made contact with the crystal rapier but itsttice had beenpressed to the point where even a Nether tainted de couldnt scratch it. Step by step he was pushed back without being able to offer resistance though he was the one that wielded two des, the silver-haired woman was achieving a simr effect with one hand held behind her back. God damn berserker! Tom screamed as a Nether de the one held in his left hand was swatted away by her Rapier. Or rather, Tom was the one who allowed it to be swatted away, as his [Revenant w] unleashed a torrent of scathing mes at close range. Refusing to underestimate the silver-haired woman, Tom backpedalled as fast as he could without leaving the range of [The me]. A minuteter he cancelled his ability as a terrible unease washed over him. The scene began to clear, a circle of steam exploded outwards from the site of the impact. No way, Tom muttered, his breath seizing in his throat, his gaze betraying his utter disbelief. A crystal vizor now covered her visage, both her hands resting over her rapier, that was lightly digging into the ground as she stood there, unfazed. Are you done? The pride that her voice hadnt betrayed earlier was now something that Tom managed to pick up on. Then, it is my turn. Tom had expected her to charge at him only to have his expectations befuddled as she drew her rapier from the soft earth and pointed it at him. Fuck. The rapiers body began to rapidly elongate as it rushed towards him with a momentum that was a tempo faster than the silver-haired womans movement speed. He wanted to move. He needed to move. But his reflexes failed him. A whistling sound echoed in his ears as the rapier crashed into a empty hut somewhere to his left, missing him by a wide margin. In that movement, everything clicked. A card A [Deck Card] or even a [Soul Card]..... Toms face nched. It couldnt be. Tom had seen what one of the most powerful cards in Artezia The [Ephemeral] Ranked Card was capable of. The silver-haired woman definitely did not possess a card of equal rarity if anything, that would dampen the blow of the shock coursing through his veins. No card had enough skills to aplish what the silver-haired woman had done An imprable crystal aegisAplete crystal armour set Apressed crystalttice sword that the Nether couldnt pierce. She had aplished that through sheer control alone. Who are you? Tom asked, no longer bothering to put up a token resistance any longer. If she wanted to kill him- he would already be dead. Tom flinched when her now retracted rapier moved, but she simply tossed it in the air like a discarded implement. The next instant she pped her hands together and her crystal armour along with her sword, that was still arcing through the air, shattered. Shattered into an uncountable number of crystal dust that rained down upon the entire alleyway, their twinkling making for a breathtaking scene. Aleph Longstradia allowed a delighted giggle to escape. I thought you would never ask! Chapter Thomas Updated Status +Art Chapter Thomas'' Updated Status +Art Aleph: Tom''s status: [Name: Synrak Veralis Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] The Fool [Level 3] [34,671/50,000] Feats: Nether yer I Statistics: Physical: 14 (+1) Mental: 16 (+1) Proprioception: 10 (+1) Soul Power: 7/37 [45] Deck Cards: 1. The me [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Ember Level 4 [745/3000]: Release a small, concentrated burst of hot mes that drain 1 SP for every fourty five seconds of continuous use. [Level 4 reward- Range has been increased by 1 meter. Embersts for five additional seconds for every 1 SP spent]. 2. Water Propulsion [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Torrent Level 3 [45/1500]: Release a linear,pressed torrent of water that drains 1 SP for every fired shot. Level 3 reward- Range increased by 4 meters.] 3. Earths Vitality [Common]: Level 4 Ability: Heal Level 4 [655/3000]: Absorb the Earths vitality to cast a protective halo around you that continuously heals minor wounds and staunches bleeding. Drains 1SP/minute. Requires continuous contact with an earthen surface. [Level 4 reward- Increases rate of blood clotting and muscle regeneration by +30%] 4. The Shadow [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Shadow Cloak Level 3 [45/1500]: Coalesces shadows around the wielder that muffles footsteps and reduces visibility, especially effective in low-light environments. Once inside the Shadow Cloak, allows the wielder to see perfectly in the darkness. Each Shadow Cloak costs 1SP to form andsts for 1 hour and 10 minutes. [Level 3 reward- Duration increased by +10 minutes.] 5. The Lunar [Common]: Level 3 Ability: Moon Aura: Borrow the moons radiance to cast a movement halo around you that boosts your speed by 20%. Drains 1 SP/minute. Requires the presence of the auspicious moon, Ali. ] 6. [de Manifestation (Common): Level 1 Ability: Energy Sword (Level 1): Manifest an energy sword that the user can direct and control with his thoughts. Each Energy Sword requires 5 SP to form andsts for one hour or until forcibly shattered. de Manifestation can be utilised to attack and defend in a 10 metre radius. ] 7. [Earth Maniption (Common): Level 1 Ability: Lesser Earth Maniption: Reshape and solidify the Earth, direct its momentum with your thoughts. Requires feet to be in direct contact with an earthen surface. SP cost proportional to surface area and volume of reshaped Earth (1-10 SP consumed per cast).] 8. [Haste (Common): Level 1 Ability: Fleet Footed: Let the wind aid your movements, boosting every aspect of your movement speed by 35%. The Haste Card must remain constantly active to use the Fleet Footed Ability. Drains 3SP per minute. ] THE FOOL STATS: [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 3 [34,671/50,000] Ability: Fools Gold, Level 1 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. Ones grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. Ones greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [5] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [20] levels of the Soul Cards current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 10% of the objects ability and copy [1] skill.] [Mimic Slots: 1/5] [Revenant w, Rare Requirements: Level 2 (Stat requirements waived) Description: A reward for ying the Revenant King, final boss of the lifeless tower, this is an exquisitely crafted Card Gauntlet that cannot be shattered by any weapons of the Common rank. The ws of a revenant, known for their piercing sharpness and the life-leech poison make for a fearsome melee weapon, whilst the Card Gauntlet itself enhances the wielder''s capability in battle to an extreme degree allowing for a total of eight Deck Cards to be slotted in at once of upto the [Common] rarity. Mimicked Skill: Greater Enhancement: Any Common Deck Card channelled via the Revenant w has its effectiveness boosted by 75%]. Shroud, Level 2 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Allows the wielder to change any one statistic in the [yer Statistics] screen. Active Shroud, Maya Maya, the Infinite Web of Illusions, gives the wielder an ability to peer into the targets memories, giving the wielder the impression that they have truly be their target in shape, recollection and emotionthereby achieving the state of deceiving oneself to deceive the world. Sessfully experiencing Maya and finding ones true self allows ess to the realm of Yul, the subconscious mind given physical form. Currently, Maya can only be cast on targets within twenty one levels of [The Fools] current level. The wielder can copy one memory from Yul upon sess. Failure, however, condemns the wielder to a state of Zhan- when the targets psyche overwhelms the wielder, they lose themselves and begin to believe that they are the target themselves. Zhan mayst for years or decades, without the wielders awareness. Sub-skill 1: Home-bound Imbue a thought-concept with your will, allowing it to guide you to Yul whilst experiencing Maya in the targets mind. Presently only one thought-concept can be created.] Chapter 44: The Fallen Nobles request Chapter 44: The Fallen Noble''s request My name is Aleph Longstradia and I am thest living scion of the fallen Noble House, Longstradia. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aleph offered Tom an amiable smile as she extended her palm for a handshake. Warily meeting her gaze, Tom found himself at a loss for words for a few awkward seconds. Are you as forting with every acquaintance you introduce yourself to, Ms. Longstradia? He finally asked, eyeing her open palm with a hint of fear as if he expected a crystal shard to impale his hand the moment he shook it. Mmm, nope, Aleph yfully replied, retracting her outstretched hand before resting it upon her chin. Hm, you see, if it were anyone else I would probably have to have, erm, silenced them. The nonchnce with Aleph spoke of killing another person while tapping at her chin ponderously sent a chill down his spine. But you dont have to worry about that! She offered him a winsome smile thatcked even the slightest trace of hostility. Stop acting so darn cute, you barbarian woman! Tom protested inwardly, though he wouldnt dare voice his thoughts aloud. Not even if he was given a hundred lifetimes to live out. You see, Aleph began, her tone turning a little serious as she raised her outstretched palm towards the sky. Ten crystals bloomed from individual translucent seeds that he hadnt been able to perceive before, the process again far too quick for him to interfere or impede in any manner. .... the nature of my power is tied to my identity, Aleph exined, her tone sounding a little mncholic. Needle, she muttered casually and Tom watched with muted horror as the crystalsttice folded onto itself,pressing to a frightening degree. In ce of ten crystals was now ten, incredibly sharp crystal needles. Only then did the true difference in their abilities truly sink in. If those needles were directed towards him with killing intent none of the cards in his possession, not even [The Fool] could save him from certain death. Even [Maya].... He didnt have enough SP to cast [Maya] on Aleph and even if he could. he wasnt sure if his resolve could trump hers. With a wave of her hand, the needles shattered. So, what do you want from me? Tom barely managed to put forth a mask of stoicism, closeting away the blend of fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins for now. What Im trying to say is that the source of my power is a well-known one. A power that others would and, in fact, are trying to kill me for. But what about you? Where did youe from? Why are you so strong? Aleph asked, her eyes expressing her puzzlement. How do you not know that Im not a Noble like you? Aleph winced. A Fallen Noble. And youre not, otherwise we wouldnt be having this conversation right now. Scary. What if I dont want to answer? Tom asked, though his tonecked any real defiance. For better or for worse, he understood his current situation. Then dont, Aleph shrugged. Tom blinked. Excuse me? Tom asked, clearly befuddled. Like I said earlier, I was watching your fight with Zakeran. And yes, I know him by name because I was tracking him. Your Soul Power approaches mine, yet you fight like aplete novice. Although you clearlyck a proper tutge, you are unfazed by actualbat. You wield gear you should not be able to, yet your selection in armour is a baffling one. In our fight earlier, I was trying to force you to reveal your [Soul Card]--- but even when you knew the oue of the duel would not end in your favour, you didnt. That leaves only two possibilities, Aleph broke down and stripped away almost every aspect of the facade he had spent care in crafting, to the point where he felt like he hadpletely bared himself. Either you are someone far stronger than me sealing your strength or your [Soul Card] isnt any use in actualbat. Toms eyes twitched. The second one then. Well, the first was a pretty make-believe scenario, anyhow. Tom felt genuinely aggrieved. So, if you wish to leave, I will not stop you. You have nothing to gain from reporting me- your own talents equal mine in value and the secret behind your absurdly high Soul Power is something those Nobles will do anything to acquire. And what about you? Are you not interested? Tom replied, not buying the womans words. Nothing you possess will help me surpass those who I wish to surpass. Cards are valuable, yes but they are not absolute. A sharp sword in the hand of a novice swordsman is worth far less than a tree branch in the hands of a master swordsman. Ill ask again. You clearly want something from me, so just tell me what it is. Aleph sighed. I am afraid that you will not believe me, even if I tell you. Tom let out augh. As a man who had arrived upon Artezia from a different world, the mere thought of him of all people not being capable of believing in a revtion was just hrious. Try me,dy, Tom replied,pletely self-assured in his own ability to believe in the bizarre. A Fallen Noble it seemed that all his luck had evaporated along with his acquisition of a [Soul Card] that everyone but him seemed to want. Shes definitely going to ask me to help in a revenge plot, right? Something like killing the king. Usurping the throne. Or maybe she wants to burn down the entire Noble District. I want, Aleph trailed off as she bit at her lower lip, almost as if she couldnt bring herself to say those words aloud. A droplet of blood, the only wound that had been inflicted upon her since their battle, tricked down her chin, her confident gaze now reced by a haze of uncertainty. It was almost discorting to see someone so powerful so vulnerable, that Tom worried for the magnitude of the secret that she was about to reveal. . . . .... a friend. Chapter 45: Friends? Chapter 45: Friends? I- she she really wasnt lying, Tom was utterly baffled. They had known each other for a few minutes if trying to kill each other counted towards that making their rtionship too shallow for an emotional appeal to work. She was strong enough topel him to act, so trickery or deceit held little meaning. She had revealed an identity to him that she, in her own words, would kill to keep a secret; yet imed that if he wished to leave, she would not stop him. This woman ispletely crazy! It was hard to stop his cheeks from flushing a little, though. Well, not like he could control a perfectly natural physiological response, right? You werent wrong, you know. I do want something from you. Something selfish, Aleph began, her tone relievedas if a heavy burden had been lifted off her chest. The reason why I was tracking Zakerans group was because I couldnt see any way to aplish my goals, atleast, not alone. If I was to conquer the hardest sector of the Zelez Dungeon, I needed a team, She exined. Tom found the sincerity in her tone almost off-putting, entirely caught off-guard by her willingness to be honest. The Nameless District is a hub for ambitious youth that gather from all over the Syrelore Kingdom in search of wealth and glory. Fallen Noble I may be, but I still have ess to considerable wealth and resources, a small chunk of which I was willing to expend to hire a team. So why didnt you? Tom asked, his toneing across as sceptical. Surely this wasnt the first time she was tracking a group, considering how seriously she seemed to take her goals and the difficulty of the task she had nned. Aleph sighed. The best among the Nameless District are either chosen by the Academy or the other organisations within the Noble District. The ones that are left behind, well.. In an effectivelywless district, power is inevitably conted with greed. Their resentment at their failure needs an outlet and it is hard to return to a life of tending to herbs after youve gotten a taste of true adventure. So you were looking for disposable manpower, Tom pointed out, his voiceing across harsher than he had intended for. I, Aleph began, her tone defensive before she sighed again. Well, I wont lie to you. Though in my defence, the only reason why people choose to stay in this shoddy, beaten-down, thief- filled town is because they are precisely looking for opportunities like these. Then why didnt you approach them? Nylev Jaxenor recently conquered the hardest sector of the Zelez Dungeon and now he is celebrated as a hero. The part of the story they dont want the general popce to know was that fifteen academy students headed down the dungeon, over half of them Noble descendants and he was the only one who returned. Tom felt a chill run down his spine. So they werent powerful enough? Tom asked, struggling to keep his expression from wavering. Zakerans group? Ha, Aleph dryly chuckled. His group is only third in overall strength, but he was the least belligerent among my options. Do you know what the most important factor in clearing a Dungeon is? Uh. a powerful card? Tom offered, not really knowledgeable enough on the subject to give a meaningful opinion. Trust, Aleph replied, her expression deathly serious. Those frommon backgrounds dont trust the Nobles. Those from the side-branches dont trust the main-family branch Nobles. Those from different Noble Houses manipte and scheme against one another. My own family was too mistrustful of the other houses to cultivate any meaningful rtionships with them and when our Ancestor passed away. there was no one left to stand on our side. So you want me to trust you? Tom asked, his tone incredulous. Why do you think that I am worthy of your trust? Because you are an outcast, Aleph calmly replied, as if she had been waiting for his question. Because, Aleph reached for her eye, pinching at them to reveal that she had been wearing a crystalline contact lens of some sort. This artefact lets me see the statuses of people below or equal to my level. Toms voice dropped as he muttered grimly, You saw Yes. I saw you change your disy name. Well fuck. I know that your [Soul Card] is a fake too. A [Common] ranked card cannot allow you to slot as many cards as you have, especially not at a measly level 6. The natural conclusion that I draw is that your real [Soul Card] specialises in illusions, which makes its value rather limited to most Nobles. Yet, your actions seem to indicate that you are being pursued by someone and if I had to guess, it would be someone of a Noble Stature. Are you threatening me? Tom asked, his voice falling dangerously low. Nope! Aleph cheerfully replied. Im making you an offer. The power you have I will teach you to refine it. Hone it until you approach my standard. The resources I have, I am willing to share. Knowledge, by the looks of it, is something you desperatelyck- I shall give you the answers you seek. Instead of trying and failing for the same reasons my family did, I would much rather trust someone and see where that leads, Aleph had a small grin on her face as she extended her hand forward for a second time. Tom noticed as her hand lightly trembled, the anxiety she was holding at bay behind a cheerful facade revealing itself a little. You expect me to head to a dungeon that is almost guaranteed to kill me in exchange for your tutge and you call that friendship!? The light in Alephs gaze dimmed a little, her gaze lowering as she inwardly let out a long sigh. She knew she knew that no one would possibly ept her offer if she was upfront about the risks but she had to try. Forcing someone held no meaning and lying to them would only mean getting them killed for no reason. The truth the truth was really all she had left to offer and the boy before her was the closest she had gotten- perhaps the closest she would ever get after months of searching. And time was running out. A warm hand wrapped around her own, offering her a firm shake. Its a good thing I left most of my sanity back home. Friends? Friends, Aleph replied as warm tears trickled down her cheeks. Friends, she repeated again, her voice barely above a whisper. Aleph Longstradia had gotten so used to lyingabout her past, about her goals, about her ambitions, about her desire for revenge that the truth had set her free. For once, her words were spoken without any falsity or deceit. Chapter 46: Chivalry (?) Chapter 46: Chivalry (?) Tom wasnt having second thoughts. Okay so maybe he washaving a few reservations as he followed Aleph down a dingy, derelict alleyway that seemed even more run-down than the usual Nameless District experience. Maybe he wasnt entirelyfortable as Aleph pushed open a rickety wooden door that spilled out into a abandoned diner of sorts, with half a dozen wooden tables that were caked with dirt, grime and fungus, a few broken wooden chairs littered across the floor and an elongated stone table that was ced a little before the south wall. The char marks upon its surface gave credence to his theory, though Tom still couldnt see why they hade here. Aleph walked over to the stone counter and began to push. Toms instincts told him to help her out, but almost immediately in session the heavy counter began to slide backwards. Fantasy world. Right. A familiar glow cut through the darkness dominating the foul smelling diner, startling Tom. The only reason why he had been able to roughly make out the diners features was due to the light filtering in through the open door and his own Proprioception stats. Now though, as Tom walked over to Alephs side, his eyes shed with recognition. Before himy a crystal trapdoor, its luminescent sheen akin to the crystals Aleph had manifested earlier. Sure enough, a flick of her wrist was all it took for the blockage to shatter into crystal dust. Silence reigned in the diner as the two stared down a flight of stone steps that receded deeper into the earth. After you, mydy, Tom offered, doing his best to sound as refined and sophisticated as he could; feigning the air of a distinguished gentleman. Aleph chuckled, shaking her head lightly before she took the first step. Inwardly sighing in relief, Tom followed. He still wasnt sure what to make of the woman, but she had promised him three things he desperatelycked a ce to sleep, ess to resources and the most important of them all, knowledge. Changing his name would work another one, maybe two times but Zakerans lot had gotten more than a glimpse at his visage. It was all he could do to boisterously exim his false name as a deflection and hope they would focus on his non-existent identity over lookouts or hired goons trying to identify him each time he stepped out for something. Maya still isnt strong enough. Even briefly essing Zenakris memories had given him ess to incredibly useful knowledge, if only in snippets and fragments. It was the main reason he could make an urate assessment of Alephs strength and understood how impressive her feats were. Although Zenakrisbat experience wasnt something he could acquire through his memories, not unless he directly copied the memory while in the Realm of Yul; he had learned much merely from recalling Zenakris gait, muscle-memory and the way he distributed his weight. Chief among those lessons was the importance of neutralising a threat before it got an opportunity tounch an attack, a philosophy that seemed to be ingrained into every step the young noble took. Perhaps that only served to highlight the danger this world posed; the sheer breadth of ways an enemybatant couldunch an attack was enough to overwhelm even the most borate of strategies. In hindsight, he was rather d that Zenakris group hadnt spotted him in the forest but that was counterbnced with his annoyance at possessing such an incredibly powerful skill like Maya yet finding himself effectively unable to utilise it; not unless he was willing to stake his life on the line. An appetising aroma disrupted his train of thought as Aleph pushed open a stone door to reveal a well-lit chamber. Candbras lined the edges of the rough-hewn stone wall, though in ce of candles there were Alephs crystals affixed to circr metal holders. Two animal hide sofas were ced adjacent to each other at a ny degree angle, a shoddily put together wooden coffee table dominating the centre of the seating area. The nicks and scratches running across the table spoke of extensive use and as Tom took a keener look, the sofas seemed well-worn, though not quite dpidated. A cot was ced at the far end of the chamber against the left corner which seemed fairly unremarkable. Toms attention was captured by a wooden disy stand that held amodity he hadnt encountered since stepping into Artezia Books. Knowledge was incredibly precious when you possessed so little of it, but Tom suppressing his burgeoning excitement for now. It would be unreasonable for a denizen of this world to freak out over the sheer idea of books, after all. That wasnt all though. An old barrel that had been repurposed to hold practice wooden rapiers, practice dummies that had been hewn out of crystal, a table next to the cot that was littered with potions and tinctures of all shapes and sizes, open rectangr boxes fashioned out of crystal that were stocked with bandages, arrows, throwing knives, spare clothes and most importantly, dried rations. ced opposite the cot, on the other side of the room, was arge crystalline table whose surface was dominated by dozens of hand-drawn maps. Stacks of handwritten notes were sprawled upon the table, open books from the disy case hed seen earlier scattered on top of the notes that made for a chaotic mess. A few maps were even pinned to the wall, serving to highlight how serious Aleph was about whatever she was trying to do. There was another crystal door that sealed a rectangr opening. The final thing of note he took in was the weights piled behind the sofa, a mat spread across the ground to facilitate training. Tom had never been a fan of lifting weights back on Earth but he supposed that would have to change if he wanted to survive. Aleph? Tom muttered aloud. Yes? Uh, how did you find this ce, again? Tom asked, honestly surprised by how well she had managed to do for herself when almost all the nameless district lived in a mediaeval era hut. I caught someone squatting down here a few months ago, when I was looking for a secluded ce to operate from. Um, did you own the ce? What? No. I did offer them money to leave though, but Aleph trailed off. But? Tom pushed, raising his eyebrows. Well, they refused. So I had to beat them up until they took the money and agreed to keep their mouths shut. Tom let out a long, weary sigh. Chapter 47: Runes and Glyphs Chapter 47: Runes and Glyphs Tom found his attention captivated by smattering of maps scattered across the crystalline table, though, perhaps not quite as captivating as the strip of dried meat he was wolfishly tearing away at. With every bite a tangy vour seeped onto his tongue, its savoury richness elevating what should have been nd tasting rations into a dish Tom actually found himself enjoying. Though he couldnt be sure how much of his praise stemmed from having gotten used to a life of surviving on unvoured, poorly cooked beast meat that oftentimes ended up contaminated with fur and dirt. Either way, Tom definitely wasntining. Jeez, if you were that hungry I could have made you something better, Alephs voice sounded out from his left, her flowing silver hair now a tangled mess as her usually striking physique waszily sprawled across the only cot in the entire chamber. Do you know how to cook? Tom asked before his teeth sunk into the meat jerky, biting away another small chunk. I know how to fry. Basically the same thing, she answered, her tone sounding a little amused. Tom clicked his tongue in response, his gaze flickering back to the maps. His interest already piqued, Tom decided to lean a little closer to get a better view of its intricate details. His right leg inadvertently bumped into a hard surface, causing him to react with mild surprise. Although he didnt recall scanning the crystalline table beyond a passing nce, his attention more drawn to the maps resting upon it, its tall height meant that he should have long spotted anything ced underneath it. Slightly curious, he angled his gaze downwards. Aleph., Toms startled voice rang out. Yes? An innocuous tone answered, oblivious to his surprise. What the hell is that supposed to be? A bewildered Tom asked, his index finger pointing at a chest nestled beneath the crystalline table; a chest that was fashioned out of a deep, dark metal that was emanating a chilliness that he could feel down to his bones. Incandescent runic symbols ran across the length of the rectangr chest, its surface otherwise appearing to be impervious to blemishes, corrosion or any incongruencies. A small, circr keyhole norger than a coin was ced in the centre of the chest, the only visible aperture he could spot and most likely, the only weakness in the entire structure. And more importantly, how did I miss the most striking object in the entire damn room? Oh that, Aleph nonchntly replied as she rose to a sitting position on the cot. Well, its my inheritance. Your. inheritance? Tom repeated after her, the question in his tone obvious. Whatever that chest contained, he was sure of two things it was magical in nature and it was most definitely dangerous. Yes my in-heri-tance. You know, the thing your old man leaves behind after he croaks, Aleph pointedly replied. Well, the inheritance of the Noble Longstradia family, if you care for the specifics. Toms eyes widened in shock, his expression incredulous. The inheritance of a noble family would have to be incredibly valuable, especially after seeing the casual wealth and influence merely borrowing Zenakris guise had allowed him to throw around. You would tell a stranger you met a few hours ago about your familys inheritance? He asked, expression incredulous. Well, Aleph replied, as she kicked herself back onto her feet. Its not like I can open the darn thing. So why not? You cant open your own inheritance? Why? And is there a reason why I somehow managed to miss this conspicuous, three foot tall chest? Tom asked, his toneing out a little suspicious. There was simply no way that he could have missed something as prominent as a metal treasure chest; not after the alertness he had trained himself to exhibit in unfamiliar scenarios. Hm, Aleph leisurely walked over towards Tom, until she was standing next to him.See this rune, she pointed out one of the incandescent markings he had noticed earlier. The particr one she was pointing at was a circr swirl that was rotating inwards, like a whirlpool, with an angled stroke striking along its diameter. This is a concealment rune. Works as long as youre not actively looking for the item the rune is shielding or have a proprioception stat that doesnt surpass the runes effect. Why havent I heard of them before? Tom asked, mostly because Aleph had volunteered the information so readily. That implied that it probably wasnt something that most people were expected to know. Runes and Glyphs is knowledge that is generally reserved for Nobles. Bloodline Nobles, I mean. Though Academy students and the like are taught both, thats only because their talent is too valuable to let slip by. Why? Tom asked. Its dangerous knowledge, Aleph replied with a shrug. Its also the reason why Nobles will generally be more powerful thanmoners, even if both parties are using the same Deck Card, she added. I see, Tom replied, once again experiencing the pitfalls of a ss-based society first hand. Nobles couldnt allow free exchange of information without diluting their own advantages, their own superiority. Which meant that talented individuals would inevitably fall through the cracks, more out of ack of knowledge than a want of ability. Hm, Aleph intoned thoughtfully. Are you angry? What at? At Nobles people like me, for keeping such valuable knowledge away from the rest of the kingdom? Not particrly, Tom replied after giving it some thought. Its only natural that the Nobles wouldnt give themon people the tools required to incite a rebellion. Maybe I would be angry if I had any intention to overthrow the rulers of this kingdom but honestly I dont. Aleph raised her eyebrows at that response. Are you not amoner? she asked. Im not a noble, Tom answered, his tone oddly serene as his gaze flickered to the caverns ceiling. Aleph shrugged, seemingly allowing him to drop the topic. Anyway, since youre so willing to volunteer information, why cant you unlock your own familys inheritance? Because, Tom flinched as Aleph took a step forward, her right foot encrusted with crystals in the blink of her eye before she sent it crashing against the chest. Tom watched in abject shock as her crystals shattered upon making contact with its dark metal surface, raising his hand to stop the crystal dust from getting into his eyes. Its pretty much imprable. Though even if I had a weapon strong enough to force it open, the runes inside the surface would liquefy the chests contents. As for the way to unlock it, well. my parents uh well they had to leave before they could get around to teaching me the Greater Control Glyph. Tom noticed the rise in Alephs pitch as she mentioned her parents, followed by a crack in her voice as she tried to reign in their emotions. But there was something more to her words, something that caused the gears in his mind to start rapidly whirring. Aleph, Tom tried to hide the tingle of excitement that had shed through him, his voiceing across as a little deeper than usual. This Glyph you mentioned. Do you think any Academy Student would know it? Aleph turned her gaze towards Tom, giving him an odd look. Its not something that the Academy typically teaches, no. Not particrly because theyre inclined to hide it or anything but well, most of them simply arent talented enough to master it. But., She trailed off. But? Tom asked, his expression piqued. There are a few among the direct descendants of Nobles that should be capable of it. Why? Interesting. I was just curious, you know. If there was some way to beat the secret out of them, He jested, trying to draw away Alephs attention. Aleph responded with a chuckle. Do you even know what Glyphs are? She asked teasingly. Am I supposed to? Tom countered, feigning a little sourness. His eyes followed Aleph as she walked over to the bookshelf hed been interested in, plucking out a small, leather bound journal and thumbing through its pages until she found what she was looking for. Tom had walked over to her, clearly intrigued. The Control Glyph, she proimed. Before you dream of beating a Noble Scion, first try to catch up with them. Chapter 48: Resonance Chapter 48: Resonance Tomy t on the ground, his chest rising and falling as he panted heavily. Air flowed into his lungs with ragged gasps, the practice crystal sword in his hand slipping out of his grasp. How am.I , Toms hoarse voice echoed out between gasps, his fresh, roughly knit linen shirt nowpletely drenched in sweat. ... supposed to master this. Aleph stood at the opposite end of their makeshift arena, a crystalline shield protectively floating before her as she gazed upon Toms recumbent figure. Her expression remained as jovial as ever, though this time it was tinged with a bit of amusement. I learned the Control Glyph when I was nine and mastered it by the age of fourteen, Aleph replied with the yful condescension of an older sibling. Way to kick a man when hes down, Aleph, Tom retorted as he finally managed to catch his breath. Honestly? Youre doing way better than I expected, Aleph admitted, letting a little acknowledgement seep into her voice. But its not enough, is it? Tom asked as he grit his teeth, forcing himself to get back onto his feet. Perhaps not, she conceded. You have your own reasons, dont you? Tom raised an eyebrow. Your obsession with gaining strength. I do, Tom honestly admitted. Youve already established that I dont want to be found, but that, well, it isnt enough. Care to hear a story? Alephs eyes sparkled with clear interest, though from the expression she was making, it seemed like she was caught off-guard. It was hard to believe that someone cautious enough to change their disy name would willingly be candid with her, after all. Tom held his de outwards, slightly bending his knees as he shifted his weight upon the balls of his feet. Without offering Aleph a warning, he shot forward. Reading his intentions, an amused grin spread across Alephs visage as she rose to Toms brazen challenge. After experiencing first-hand the gulf in skill and experience thaty between them, Tom hadnt tried to contest Aleph in swordy again.that is, until this very moment. Reform, Alephmanded, causing the crystalline aegis shielding her to shatter into motes of luminescent dust that Tom was forced to shield his eyes against. In the midst of that turbulent cloud, Aleph snatched a reforged crystalline sword as it was falling to the ground and charged forth. Shrill, ear-piercing screeches of crystal colliding against crystal rang out as Tom and Aleph exchanged half a dozen blows in rapid session. A bead of sweat trickled down Toms focused expression as he took two quick steps backwards, choosing to disengage as he split his attention visualising the Control Glyph in his minds eye. His actions stood in defiance of conventional wisdom- trying to master the Control Glyph midbat when he hadnt even gotten it right in practice yet was quite evidently a pursuit destined to end in failure but well that was precisely why [The Fool] had chosen him. My past is neither as intriguing or asplicated as yours, Tom began, his tone heavy and his expression conflicted as he drew in for another sh. A sh that Aleph gracefully evaded by retreating a single step. I still want to know, she encouraged, as her mesmerising azure eyes locked onto his own. I was a man that used to believe in destiny, Tom spoke in a subdued tone, a hint of self-deprecation seeping into his voice as he pledged his sword to an angled cut. Destiny? Aleph inquired as she casually deflected his blow. Tom hadnt been holding back in the slightest since the swords were blunted, but Alephs physical stat simply dwarfed his own by too significant a margin. I used to believe that a persons upbringing, background and circumstances shaped their future, Tom began, his words causing an influx of painful memories shed through his mind. Society told me who I was and I epted it without question. Born an orphan, I never strived for the warmth and love of a family. Born poor, in a small, insignificant ce I never tried to strive for more never dared to dream beyond my station. Thats why I could never understand people like the ones in the Nameless District those who would risk everything for a small, fleeting chance at greatness, a greatness that most of them would never see. Tom picked up his tempo, his de blurring as heunched a flurry of strikes in rapid session. People wille after me, Tom admitted as his de was locked in a contest of strength against Alephs. But if that was all it was, I could have chosen to flee instead of epting your proposal. Run far, far away from this ce and spend the rest of my life in obscurity. Why didnt you? Aleph asked as she took a step forward, exerting a fresh burst of strength that sent Tom skidding backwards. Because I am done letting other people society even the system choose my destiny for me. Ive seen where that path leads and I would rather stake it all on the here and now instead of running away from my own desires, Toms words were spoken with the conviction of a man that had experienced two lifetimes; known the consequences of relinquishing control of his life simply because he had been too afraid to struggle. With a resolved expression on his face, Tom abruptly closed his eyes. Isnt that why you chose me? To rebuke destiny? he asked inwards, his question directed towards the card that was nestled within his soul as he visualised the Control Glyph in his minds eye. From a single point stretched out a dozen branches that further split off into smaller offshoots in the form of twig-like structures, resulting in the creation of an intricate pattern that resembled the chaotic spread of a banyan tree. There was one exception to this rule, a single branch the size of a wide canal that stretched out in a straight line from the very inception of the glyph and the pathway Tom involuntarily utilised each time he used a [Deck Card] without trying to modte the output. Merely memorising the pattern had required his [Mental] stats aid, but visualising and directing the flow of energy down specific pathways to control the end result required months of practice, if not years. Im going to surpass the limit of what I believe myself capable of. WIth or without you, [The Fool] hadnt replied to his desperate cries when he had been struggling for his life but now, at this moment, he felt a mild resonance with it. His [Soul Card] allowed a wisp of its aura to leak out, but even that caused Alephs expression to change; from rxed to serious. A fiery red energy flowed down five of the eleven avable pathways and the twig-like offshoots lead to dead-ends that further trapped more excess energy. Toms eyes shot open as he finally understood the true purpose of the Control Glyph. Instead of the torrent of mes he hade to expect from [The me] card, a mence was sent careening forth from his open palm, possessing less than half the intensity of the original. But in return Its activation time was down to half of what it usually was. Clear shock was reflected in Alephs eyes as she jerked her head to the side, causing her hair to flutter in the opposite direction. As the mence ratcheted past her, it singed the tips of her lustrous silver hairmarking the first time Tom had managed tond a real hit on the Noble Scion. Chapter 49: A new path Chapter 49: A new path The fully-visualised Control Glyph crumbled moments after Tom sessfully fired off the mence. [The Fools] aura receded even faster than it hade to his aid, to the point where Tom was forced to wonder if he had simply imagined it. He wore an incredulous expression upon his face, the tips of his fingers tingling as he thought back upon the sensation of dominion he had exerted upon his [Deck Card]. Only after experiencing a new realm of understanding could Tom see the ws in his previousbat style. Lacking in both finesse and skill, he ratcheted a [Deck Cards] potential to the maximum each time he was required to utilise it never once considering that his actions were akin to cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. A surge of urgency pulsed through his veins, rousing Tom from his thoughts, Remember it, Hemanded none other than himself, that sole desire dominating his consciousness in that moment. He greatly doubted that [The Fools] assistance would be so easy to solicit a second time. Remember that sensation. Envisioning the Control Glyph in his consciousness. Reaching out to the Deck Card. Directing its energy through specific pathways. And finally, allowing the energy to expand outwards after the modtion wasplete. Hold onto it, damn it! A bead of sweat rolled down his side, his eyes shut as he forced himself to recall every aspect of the process he had followed to achieve control over [The me] card. The Control Glyph wished to elude him yet, but Tom had stubbornlytched on and refused to let go. It was not his desire to survive in Artezia that drove him, but his own will instead he had glimpsed at a greater truth and now refused to allow himself to slip back into ignorance. That power..it belongs to me. Perhaps it was greedy to demand a power that Aleph had required years to master. Perhaps it was selfish unnatural unfair. But at the same time, Tom wasnt the person he used to be. His will, honed through treacherous encounters would not wilt when faced with a challenge. What others thought or may think held no sway over him. He desired the Control Glyphs power. He would make his [Deck Cards] submit to his will. Ten minutester, Tom opened his eyes. Alephs azure eyes met his own as he let out an exhausted breath. For once, her usual carefree expression was reced by a serious one. How did you do that? Aleph asked, all traces ofposure slipping away as her eyes conveyed the shock she was feeling. I, Tom trailed off as he tried to think of a usible exnation..... dont know. Alephs gaze sharpened at his response. Then why do you have that cocky grin on your face? Tom blinked. He really was grinning from ear to ear without having realised it. I guess I lucked out, Tom blurted out, seeing no other way to justify the veritable miracle that had just taken ce. Im supposed to believe that? Aleph asked. Well, Tom replied with a light shrug. I couldnt repeat that feat even if you asked me to. But experiencing that once. it probably saved me years of effort. Now I know that the way I was using my Cards waspletely wrong. Thank you, Aleph. Without any hesitation, Tom offered her a deep bow. Haah, Aleph heaved a drawn-out sigh. I didnt expect someone normal or entirely sane, for that matter, to ept my proposal but this is beyond my expectations. Managing to use the Control Glyph on your first try. just who are you? Nobody important. Rubbing her head in exasperation, Aleph gave him a pointed look. How long do you think it would take for you to master the Control Glyph? She asked, letting the matter of his identity drop for now. Two months? Maybe three? He answered after giving it some thought. Alephs eyebrows twitched at his response. Uh, Aleph? Why are you smiling like that? Tom sceptically voiced his concern. Forming a proper team from the rejects of the Nameless District and challenging the Zelez Dungeon was always going to be one hell of a longshot. But with your. monstrous talent and my experience. we can do it. We can win, Alephs gaze glistened with a fire that she had beencking before. Desperation was a powerful motivator and repeatedly facing challenges that were considered beyond her had allowed Aleph to grow far beyond what her peers were capable of. She had forged on against unfavourable odds time after time but there were certain challenges that could not be surmounted by willpower alone. The hardest sector of the Zelez Dungeon was precisely one of those. The path Aleph had been treading was one of destruction either her enemies would be destroyed, or she would. Years had passed and what had been a path once born out of desperation became the only way she knew. Now. a different path had opened up before her. A dangerous one. Hope. was dangerous. To allow hope into her heart was to invite disappointment. That was a lesson that life had taught her well. Yet, it was also the path she saw leading to victory. They could truly conquer the Zelez Dungeon. But thats still a long way off, Aleph chuckled as she formed another crystal sword in her free hand. For now, all I need to do is keeping at you until you master the Control Glyph. Seriously? Tom protested as he parried her sh. I never jest. Chapter 50: Glyph-Wielder Chapter 50: Glyph-Wielder A little over three months. For ny seven days, Tom did nothing but eat, train and sleep. The specific pathways that he had traversed with the help of [The Fools] aura were something that Tom had managed tomit to memory. Even then, the process of utilising the Control Glyph in battle was far more arduous than he had expected. Not only did he have to factor in the fairly negligible timeg between the activation of his [Deck Card] and the Control Glyphs modtion, but he still had to adjust for external factors like his opponents reactions. His biggest challenge though. was Alephs training itself. The Control Glyph wasnt something others could teach. Either you possessed the talent to utilise it or you were determined enough to power through it. Though perhaps there was a third way. A high enough [Mental] stat would probably do the trick. Aleph couldnt help him master the rune itself so instead she boxed him into situations were he would be forced into using it. One moment they could be making small talk over brunch and the next second a block of crystal woulde hurtling at his abdomen. If he wanted to avoid the bruise, he had to quickly manifest a mence and kill the crystal blocks momentum. He failed. Again. And again. Even in the midst of sleep, the sound of a crystal brick whistling through the air would immediately rouse him. Because Aleph, being the harsh taskmaster that she was, refused to allow him to drop his guardeven in sleep. Toms eyes slowly opened, revealing a calm gaze. He was seated on the floor in a meditative posture, his back held straight and his legs crossed. He had found that simply dedicating two hours a day to visualising the Control Glyph helped increase his reaction time inbat and meditation in general helped him recenter his thoughts. I am ready, Toms voice resounded with a poise that he had beencking earlier as he kicked himself back onto his feet. A secondter, his [Revenant w] phased into reality, settling perfectly onto his left hand. You know, Ive seen plenty of valuable artifacts but. none of those came with the ability to phase from the void. Its unsettling. It amplifies the base effect ofmon cards by 75%, Tom answered the unasked question without any hesitation. He didnt want to lie to Aleph any more than he had to. Hum, Aleph mused. That is both impressive and disappointing. What a stupidly unbnced [umon] artefact. Toms eyes grew keener at her words, but ultimately he refrained frommenting. Shardweave Regalia. Despite having seen it before, Toms attention was still captivated by the crystalline armour that Aleph had donned almost instantaneously. He was also grateful, for it meant that he could go all out without any worries. His attacks werent powerful enough to pierce her armour, after all. Aleph flicked a golden coin in the air without any further discussion. Tom had to prove that he had mastered the Control Glyph to the point of freely using it inbat if they were to move their n to the next stage. Both fighters focused their gazes intently at the rotating coins arc. A clink sounded out as the coin bounced off the floor. Toms gaze sharpened. A chain-reaction that he had been painstakingly cultivating over thest three months urred. Although he still wasnt as quick as the first time hed fired off the mence with [The Fools] help, he had bridged the gap to the point where the difference was negligible. Now were talking! Aleph cheekily eximed as she gracefully sidestepped past Toms Control Glyph charged mence. What she hadnt been expecting was the second mence that hurtled toward her, already having covered a quarter of the distance separating them. Tom had not only anticipated that she would dodge her attack, but after studying Alephs fighting style for three months he had made an informed guess at the direction she would dodge in. Drawing her sword, Aleph wildly shed at the mence, causing it to dissipate. A grin spread across Toms face. He had forced her to draw her sword. But this was only the beginning. [Revenants w] switched his active card to [Water Propulsion]. Instead of firing a linear, highlypressed torrent of water, Tom once again used his Control Glyph to reduce its intensity and conversely, cut down upon its casting time. A fine-tipped water arrow was sent hurtling forward. Aleph dodged. The grin on Toms face grew wider as he fired water arrows in rapid sessionpletely unconcerned about the toll it would take on his Soul Power. He had plenty to spare, after all. Aleph was gradually pushed back as she was forced to evade and block his flurry of water arrows. Although she wore her Shardweave Regalia armour, she acted as if she didnt as if a single strike would grievously wound, if not kill her. Since it was in the nature of his [Water Propulsion] card tounch a body of water forward at high speed, the lesser volume had only intensified its effect. Aleph had only finished parrying thetest round of attacks when the water arrows stopped. Her gaze shed over to Tom, who had summoned arge rock from beneath the earth. Therge rocky dormant upon the floor, causing Alephs guard to rise by a few degrees. She hadnt seen this move before. Earth Bullet, Tom muttered under his breath, causing a small, misshapen chunk of rock to separate itself from itsrger counterpart and speed off towards Aleph. A loud thump rang out as his Earth Bullet embedded itself into the wall behind Aleph. No matter how fast you are, Tom muttered, as he sent one Earth Bullet after the next flying towards Aleph. After dodging the third one, Aleph was forced to materialise a crystal shield in front of her to shield her from the impact. This is it. The moment he had been waiting for. [The me] - [Water Propulsion] - [Earth Maniption] - These were the only three cards the Control Glyph worked on. Aleph had told him that not all Glyphs worked on all cards, but at the same time there were ways of using Glyphs on cards that might not be revealed without extensive research. And considering all the possible varieties ofmon cards. She had no way of knowing which would work on which. He just had to figure that out himself. But he didnt need the Control Glyph anymore. [The Shadow] It was moments after Aleph had noticed the absence of Earth Bullets pelting her shield that her reflexes picked up on the glint of a blunted metal sword. Tom was inches away from victory. At the same time, Alephs shield shattered. A heavily panting Tom held his blunted sword against Alephs crystalline helm but at the same time, a second crystalline sword fashioned out of the shield that had been guarding her seconds earlier floated mid-air, its blunt tip pressed against his neck. Congrattions! You pass! Aleph cheerfully chimed. You werent even.., Tom paused to take a deep breath, ...fighting back and all I could manage was a draw, He muttered under his breath, though the smile on his face stood in contrary to his statement. Guess that just means Ive got a long way to go, Tom acknowledged, though at the same time an interesting thought shed through his mind. I wonder how Aleph would react if she knew I was only level three. Regardless, it was finally time to revisit the Zelez Dungeon. Chapter 51: The Sixth Sector Chapter 51: The Sixth Sector Two hooded figures walked down the crowded street that led to the entrance of the Zelez Dungeon. The entrance was only one among many, but to the inhabitants of the Nameless District, it was the only one they had ess to. Tom and Aleph arrived after thoroughly restocking their supplies at the market situated on the Nameless Districts main drag. He had expected Aleph to bergely unaware of the prevalent market prices given her rather illustrious background, only to once again have his presumptions shattered. Not only was Aleph well-versed in the quality and standards of the Nameless Districts goods, but she also had enough confidence to haggle with the vendors. While Tomrgely relied on his Soul Card to assist him in the realm of subterfuge, Aleph had managed to blend in naturally, to the point where it made him wonder what kind of life she had lived before they had met. Compared to the bustling atmosphere of the marketce, the street they found themselves on was far more reserved. Groupsposed of well-equipped individuals were dotted along the side of the road, clearlyfortable in their own cliques and not interested in socialising. The condition of their equipment left much to be desired, for Tom couldnt spot a single item among the lot of them that could be considered new. There were a few individuals that had chosen to obscure their gear with robes like Tom and Aleph had, but from the hushed whispers exchanged between the [Dungeoneers], a term used to refer to people who were either brave or foolhardy enough to make a living off dungeon explorations, it seemed that their decision to hide their appearances had drawn attention. Aleph continued to walk forward unconcernedly, while Toms gaze flickered from group to group as he tried to assess the threat they posed. His vision was no longer limited to possible enemies in his line of sight, his extensive training with Aleph having taught him a lot more than just a single glyph; how to use the narrow terrain to his advantage by limiting his foes line of fire, possible avenues of escape and which [Deck Cards] were most suitable to the situation were all questions that Tom now considered before acting. Combat awareness was something he no longercked. And that samebat awareness told him that trouble was brewing as they continued walking towards the Zelez Dungeons entrance without paying much attention to the groups that were either adjusting their gear or discussing strategies in low tones. However, one group managed to catch his attention. Five Dungeoneers that appeared to be in their mid-twenties followed in single file behind a middle-aged man d in well-fitting armour. The long scar running across the bridge of his nose and the traces of filled-in w marks raked upon his thick chestte indicated that the de-facto leader of the group was no stranger tobat, to the point where Toms senses picked up a most definite threat from the man, albeit not anywhere near Alephs level. What he found even more interesting was that the young Dungeoneers that trailed behind the man possessed something that the other groupscked. There was a uniformity to their gait, a rhythm to their steps that seeped into their every movement. The way their hand was always positioned within an arms reach of their deck gauntlet, the guarded manner in which they walked and the simr length swords that hung at their sides all lead him to one conclusion they were trained by the same person. It was not hard to extrapte and conclude that the man who walked in the front was their master. Tom was surprised that someone in the Nameless District would be willing to take on disciples, but ultimately he held nothing more than passing curiosity. No one interfered as the middle-aged man walked up to the Dungeons entrance and soon their entire group had descended into the depths. So theres no entry fee. The chatter around them seemed to intensify as they approached the Dungeons entrance, though their whispers remained indecipherable from afar. Before they could even make contact with the mottled double-doors that guarded the entrance to the dungeon, a burly man that had a double-sided axe resting against his shoulder cut them off. Well, well, what do we have here? Two novices Ive never seen before eager to run off to their deaths, the burly dungeoneer sneered, his expression urately conveying the contempt he felt for the duo. Toms expression hardened, but he didnt make any sudden movements. His gaze flickered from the brute to the dungeoneers watching from the sidelines, trying to see if he was acting alone or not. Whats it to you? Tom retorted, letting his displeasure leak into his voice. Youre right, The burly man replied with a shrug. What you do with your life is none of my business. But. surely you werent nning on entering the Zelez Dungeon without paying the entrance fee? The burly man tightened his grip over his axe, his toneing across as menacing. So thats what this is. Tom knew that the Nameless District was and of opportunists and glory seekers, but tant extortion went a little beyond his expectations. Tom began to size the man up, intentionally exaggerating his head movements. Are you a Royal Knight? Tom asked, loudly enough for all in the nearby vicinity to hear him. ....What? The burly man almost stumbled upon his words, clearly taken aback by the novel line of questioning. If youre asking me for an entrance fee, surely you must be a Royal Knight. From my understanding of the Academic City, only Royal Knights are entrusted with such administrative tasks, after all? A sly grin made its way onto his face as Tom pressed the burly man further, clearly having no intention to relent. What are you bbering ab-, The burly man snapped, clearly trying to change the topic forcefully. Oh? Tom cocked his head mockingly. So youre not a Royal Knight. Guess I dont need to hold back then. Before the burly man had a chance to protest, Tom outstretched his [Revenant w] towards the side. Three water arrows were shot out in quick session, his target a group of three dungeoneers that had been watching the plot unfold with barely contained smiles. They were also maintaining abat stance and their posture betrayed their intentions. Each water arrow struck the Dungeoneers squarely in the chest, sending them crashing into the backside of a residence. Two of them seemed to faint on impact, lying among shattered wood and rubble while the third desperately tried to regain the breath knocked out of his lungs afternding upon his backside. The wooden hut naturally couldnt sustain such an impact and a secondter the whole structure copsed onto itself. Given that they had superhuman stats, the trio was likely fine, albeit Tom could bet that it was more than just their body that had taken a bruising. The burly mans expression turned to one of absolute rage and humiliation after he realised what happened. Tom had attacked without warning or any hint that he was about to resort to violence, leaving the onlookers stunned. You damn coward! The burly man furiously bellowed as he brought his great-axe down, too infuriated to care about the consequences. Slow and choreographed movements, Tom thought to himself as he sidestepped the attack. A loud bang rang out as the greataxe bit deeply into the earth, leaving even Tom a little surprised by the sheer force behind it. The weapons clearly too heavy for his stats. But, at least hes not all stupid. The greataxe was only a diversion for the real offensive and indeed, it had done well to hide the icy blue glow emanating from the burly mans free hand. Tom once again pointed his [Revenant w] forward, sending a mence careening outward. As soon as the ice shard in the brutes hand was fully materialised, it was met by a mence thatpletely enveloped it. Argh! The burly man let out an agonised cry. My hand! he cried again as he tried to generate more frost to cool the area of impact. There was no hesitation in Toms movements as he sent an Earth Bullet crashing into the burly mans abdomen, causing him to keel over onto the ground. Do you know what the punishment for impersonating a Royal Knight is? Tom asked, his tone tinged with disgust. The burly man met his gaze with fear in his eyes, his mind unable to puzzle together the sequence of events. How could a newbie to the Nameless District crush an entire team by himself, without taking any damage. A thought sparked in his head, his mind making the connection with a baseless rumour he had heard a few months ago and casually dismissed. Word had it that Zakerans team had been wiped by a lone traveller that hade from the Noble District. Back then, he hadughed the matter off, but. Lowering his tone to a whisper, so that only the burly man could hear him, Tom spoke, Death. A secondter, the [Revenant w] smashed into the mans cheek, knocking him into unconsciousness. Silence reigned among the other Dungeoneers that were waiting to enter the Zelez Dungeon, their incessant chatter quelled by Toms actions. Without exchanging any furtherments, Tom and Aleph stepped inside the sixth sector of the Zelez Dungeon. Chapter 52: Abyssal Encounter Chapter 52: Abyssal Encounter The most important factor in clearing a dungeon, as Aleph had repeatedly impressed upon him, was trust. For without trust, without having faith in ones fellow dungeoneer, there could be no cooperation. If one could not trust therade at their side to watch their back, then they were not fit to challenge the dungeon. In all honesty, Tom didnt know if he could trust Aleph. Her goals were still veiled in mystery and he couldnt very well take her word when she imed that she was not out to seek revenge. But he was certain of one thing until she was in sight of her goals, he was too important a piece for her to sacrifice. Which was the next best thing. Thankfully, there was another vital factor that was far easily attainable. Information. More specifically, in their case at least, information pertaining to the sixth sector of the Zelez Dungeon. Aleph hadnt exactly been slouching in the weeks preceding Toms arrival. She knew who to approach for information and there was no motivator like coin to get people talking. A small disy of strength was enough to dissuade anyone from getting ideas on Alephs wealth and the transaction went through smoothly. Though of course they didnt stop there. Alephs experience showed, when she tracked down another group that was known for selling information, though they seemed far shadier than thest one. Greasing their palm with coin and effortlessly knocking out the tail they had assigned them seemed to dissuade them from taking further action. Back in the hideout, they began to cote the information. Matching ounts were marked as reliable information while conflicting ounts werebelled unconfirmed and sidelined. At the end of the entire process, Tom had a pretty decent idea of what he was heading into. There was always the possibility that both the groups they had bought information from were in cahoots, but the odds of that were too unlikely for Aleph to consider seriously. And now [You have entered Sector 6, Abyssal Lurkers Domain. Time till Dungeon Reset: 6D 21H 48M. If you have not cleared the Sector until then, it will reset. Cleared Sectors are exempt from the Dungeon Reset Timer for an additional week. ] It had taken them an hour of fighting through Nether Imps to get to the Sector Entrance. Both the experience and the loot they provided was rather dismal, but their small build andck of any [Phantasmal Skill] meant that Tom and Aleph could power through them without any real risk. The entrance to Sector 6 was marked by a discordant gash that had been hewn into the side of a cave wall they had been proceeding along. Its jagged edges boasted an incredible sharpness, as if the maw of a giant beast had sunk into the cave wall and torn out arge chunk out of the nigh-indestructible material that Dungeons were made out of. If that alone wasnt warning enough for any dungeoneer, then the concentration of Nether Crystals dotted before the dungeon entrance and even spreading outward with the entrance as the epicentre served as a clear warning to the unprepared. The only reason why Tom even knew what they were called was because of the information dockets that they had procured in advance crystals that were formed naturally in areas where the Nether Energy concentration had exceeded a certain threshold. Tom wasnt sure if the warning was a work of the system or whether the Abyssal Lurker preferred to avoid intruders upon its domain, but that didnt deter himself from his purpose. Aleph raised an eyebrow when he hacked away at a few crystals and deposited them in his inventory, but let it pass when Tom didnt volunteer an exnation. The Nether Crystals could charge his Nether des while that didnt change its value in the eyes of most dungeoneers, Tom had no intention to pass up on an additional energy source. That was also his final chance to back out. Aleph was the first to walk inside the Dungeon Entrance, almost as if she wanted to tantalize him with the option of escape. All he had to do was walk away while she was distracted and the runic knowledge he had received from her would be his for the taking. Tom unflinchingly took a step forward. A vibrant streak of red tore through the cavern, disrupting the subtle violet glow emitted by Nether Crystals that were scattered across the wide cavern. Toms expression warped as he sensed the shift in the air currents, his system enhanced proprioception stat picking up on the anomaly. His expression aptly captured the tension of the moment but there was not a speck of fear that could be gleamed upon his visage. For Tom hade prepared. A powerful wind sprung around him and aided his movements as Tom instantly activated his [Haste] Card without second thought a [Deck Card] that he had been prepared to activate the instant he had stepped into the sixth sector. The deep violet aura of Nether des [Rend] skill made itself known, casting a beacon of eerie light that illuminated his surroundings. Tom caught the approaching entity in the fringes of his vision as he backpedalled to safety. He almost wished he hadnt. A mass of writhing mist twisted through the air, headed directly for him. Tom found his gaze pulled inward by one of the dozen mist vortexes gliding on the surface of the mist cloud, finding himself unable to resist its hypnotic enthrallment. He had known to expect it, but even then he found himself flinching as his creative imaginativeness was weaponized against him. The mist swirls extended outwards, sculpting spectral images in the image of human countenances, the culmination portraying a ghastly scene as if fallen souls of the dead trying to escape the entrapment of the ethereal mist. [Spectral Mist], the first Phantasmal Skill of an Abyssal Imp. Tom bit down on the tip of his tongue, hard. The jolt of pain that arced through him threw his focus into disarray, allowing him to break free of the hypnotic suggestion as the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth. New perspective was the reward he gained for his tenacity, finally spotting the spindly, elongated arm jutting out of the mist cloud, a sleek, curved dagger clenched its hand. Yet the danger didnt end there, as an unsettling blood-red aura cloaked the surface of the de, sending a tingling down his back. [Blood Curse], the second and final Phantasmal Skill of the Abyssal Imp. The first skill to disrupt focus and throw off-guard while the second inflicted a blood poison that required a healing potion to be administered within minutes if one wished to survive it it was a lethalbo for an assassin. Even Tom, despite having known he would encounter Abyssal Imps in the dungeon, was thrown off by the [Spectral Mist]. Now that he had evaded it though Toms expression was calm as he cancelled the [Haste] card as the Abyssal Impnded upon the spot he had been standing moments before, its downward arc striking nothing but air. While it would be arrogant to im that Tom had foreseen this oue, he had been prepared for the situation to unfold exactly in this manner the moment he had spotted the glimmer of red. [Control Glyph- Earth]. Thin, sharp spikes of packed topsoil and gravel erupted outwards from the same spot Tom had been standing upon moments ago. Normally, even with the help of the Control Glyph, he would not have been able to react so quickly. In fact, he was not targeting the Abyssal Imp to begin with. If the Abyssal Imp had chosen Aleph as the target instead of him, the spikes would have been met with nothing but the rancid air of the dungeon. Instead an inhuman, rodential shriek rang out as the two dozen spikes pierced the mist cloud randomly. Toms expression eased. His gaze shifted towards the Abyssal Imp as thest of its dying throes were vented, the fog around it beginning to dissipate. A notification confirmed his kill, but the joy of victory was almost overpowered by queasiness as the creatures features were revealed to him. Chapter 53: Phase I Chapter 53: Phase I Incongruent. Disfigured. Misshapen. The ghastly visage that had revealed itself could not urately be described, or contained by any one of those definitions, yet it somehow managed to capture aspects of all three. An oversized, elliptical skull that was too unwieldy for the body it was housed in. A skinny frame leathered over by bronzed skin contrasted well with thework of opaque, deep-violet veins running underneath, leading to spindly, elongated arms that exined why the creature was so confident in its ability to assassinate a target mid-air. In juxtaposition, its legs were stout and incredibly well-muscled, allowing Tom to confirm that the Abyssal Imp had propelled itself through the air solely fueled by limb-strength instead of any appendages designed for flight. Tom didnt know the true reason for the conflict between the Divine System and these Phantasmal Beings, but he found himself leaning in favour of the former. These beings that drew their strength from the Nether were perversions of nature, standing in vition of thews that governed evolution. Rather than seeming like a creature that hade into being naturally, the Abyssal Imp before him appeared to be a synthetic creation. Its leg strength allowed it propulsion. Its long arms gave it reach. Spectral Mist confounded its prey. And the Blood Curse inflicted a painful, traumatic end. However, outside of the specific purpose of assassination, the creature looked like it could barely function. Unless it had no capability to feel pain or difort, the disparity and excesses in its features would make many aspects of life incredibly ufortable. As Tom watched the lifeless grey eyes of the Abyssal Imp ze over, it was not anger or hatred that he felt. It was pity. To these creatures, perhaps death itself was a form of release from the Nethers corruption. Tom finished looting the Abyssal Imp in a matter of a minute, while Aleph stoically maintained a watch over the surroundings. No words were exchanged between the two, for their ns had already been drafted well in advance. In a dungeon, it was important not to draw unwarranted attention andmunicating only when necessary helped ensure that the reaction to the threat would be met with full focus. It was stifling and ufortable but it was also necessary. There was also a different reason why Aleph had to be especially on guard, a reason that had to do with the uniqueness of sector sixmonly known as the Neophytes Destion among dungeoneer circles. It was a moniker coined to keep the inexperienced away from the treacherous circle, but intimidating names were enough to hold the brave and the foolhardy at bay, they would not have chosen this profession to begin with. Phase 1, Fog of Assassination of the Abyssal Lurkers Dungeon was known for iming the most casualties. While the Abyssal Imps were hardly a considerable threat once countered, the constant need to maintain focus and vignce sapped away at his psyche. Minutes seemed to stretch into hours and after he had, in a close scrap, managed to y his sixth Abyssal Imp. Aleph had not interfered once, not from the very beginning. Tom knew that it was part of their strategy, but it was still tough to control the frustration bubbling up within him. It felt like he was fighting tooth and nail for his life whilst Aleph was simply on a leisurely stroll. However, that frustration ebbed away when Tom, drenched in sweat and alien blood, saw the notification hovering before him. [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 4 (1619/100,000). You have received 10 attribute points. You have received one Skill upgrade point. Your soul power has been increased by 5. ] [Name: Synrak Veralis Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] The Fool [Level 4] [1619/100,000] Feats: Nether yer I Statistics: Physical: 14 (+1) Mental: 16 (+1) Proprioception: 10 (+1) Soul Power: 27/42 [50] Free Points: 10 Skill Upgrade Point: 1] A wry grin made its way onto Toms visage as he examined his statistics. Invest all ten points in Proprioception, Tom thoughtmanded, the grin on his face only getting wider. [Proprioception: 20(+1)] Aleph raised an eyebrow as she saw Tom pause in his steps, observed his muscles writhe and shift under his skin, a phenomenon that was most definitely linked to investing points in either the Physical or Proprioception stat. The question was at the tip of her tongue, but Aleph reigned in her curiosity. She had not expected Tom to level up in a fight with the rtively low-levelled Abyssal Imps, but there were plenty of reasons that could exin that. Toms eyes snapped open and with that any fear he carried in his heart towards the Abyssal Imps was dispelled. At twenty one proprioception, he found himself able to discern the shifts in the air current as soon as the Abyssal Imp threw itself into fluid motion. Its trajectory was no longer a thing of near misses and narrow shaves for him as Tom traced its path with his gaze while he casually took a step back. That, however, meant that it would miss him and strike Aleph, since the attacks inceptiony at his left nk. Tom saw the subtle movements Aleph allowed herself, the way she shifted her weight onto the balls of her feet to allow for a quick retreat. But Tom wasnt ready to let things escte to the point where her assistance was needed. This was his fight. His right hand extended outwards, his lungs constricting as he let loose the deep breath he had been holding. Water arrows burst forward from his hand, fired one after the next as Tom adjusted the trajectory of the arrow, the timeg between firing and striking the target and the Abyssal Imps trajectory. The first missed. The secondnced into the Spectral Mist, but ended up striking the cavern wall without hitting the intended target. The third struck true, sending the Abyssal Imp tumbling onto the ground, the hypnotic fog ensconcing it rapidly fading. And the fourth ended the fight. Another forty five minutes of Abyssal Imp yingter, Tom and Aleph sessfullypleted the first Phase of the Abyssal Lurkers Dungeon. Before them were four passageways that had been etched into the rock face thatprised the caverns end. Phase Two- Destinys Path, awaited them. Chapter 54: Destinys Path Chapter 54: Destiny''s Path Is there really nothing else we can do besides picking out a path at random? Toms low voice disrupted the eerie stillness of the cavern, his expression a great deal more rxed now that his spectral foes had been dealt with. Aleph, whose visage had been a mask of scorching focus up until moments ago had fallen back upon her characteristic easy-going expression, a familiar hint of mischievousness twinkling in her eyes. Certainbinations of alchemical reagents can lead to the creation of vtile potion mixes that explode on impact. If Nether wasnt known to adversely react with raw alchemical ingredients, that could have been a viable strategy. And indeed, some variations of it are possible, at great cost, Aleph paused after the exnation, her gaze flickering to the caves. But you wont get any experience for a kill like that. The divine system has no intention to help cowards, after all. So.., Tom let out an exhale, pretty much having predicted the flow of the conversation. How do we pick the right cave? Well, Aleph cocked her head thoughtfully, as her gaze flickered from one cave to the next. I thought there was a chance Id be able to gleam some hint but.., Aleph tossed her hands in the air with dramatic ir, ... I really cant tell. Toms shoulders sagged a little. So, are you lucky? Aleph asked, clearly having reverted to a yful mood. Lucky? Phase two is called destinys path for a reason, you know. We might not be able to control where destiny leads us, but at least we get to choose our own paths. Toms thoughts instinctively shed towards [The Fool] card, as he found an almost foreign urge welling up within him an urge to refute Alephs assertion the assertion that Destiny chose mans path instead of the opposite. Am I lucky? Tom mused aloud. Well, I suppose I am pretty lucky when ites to things that I dont want. Are you particrly inclined to venture into a cave full of Nether Beasts? Aleph asked with a small chuckle. No, He dryly replied. Well then, Aleph bent her knees as she offered him a light curtsy. Do pick out our destiny for us. Or is it perhaps fate? Tom had, naturally, tried to reach out to [The Fool] and hoped that it would pick out the shortest, safest path among the four a path that both the information dockets they had purchased had confirmed, one that changed with every dungeon reset as the entrances were shuffled at random. [The Fool] had given him a cold shoulder and chosen not to respond. In the end, Tom had ended up going with the second cave entrance. Not because of some unique indentation on the cave wall that he had spotted, or because some hidden mural caked between a mound of dust and grime had revealed to him the path. He just liked the number two more than the alternatives. And in the current scenario, that was as good a reason as any. So Tom and Aleph had boldly decided to venture into the second tunnel entrance, thetter falling behind and returning to a veneer of cold focus. The tunnel itself was wide enough for them to easily walk side-by-side and there were enough Nether Crystals dotted across the sides and roof of the tunnel to provide them with a reliable source of ambient light. No creature lunged at their throats and oddly enough, the length of the tunnel seemed deserted until it rounded a bend at a sharp angle. It was hard not to get lulled into a sense of security when Toms visual acuity failed to pick up on any apparent threat. It was only his Proprioception stat and foreknowledge of the enemy archetype he was about to encounter that let him spot his foe in advance, though that did little to dull the surprise he felt at encountering his first [deswalker]. And he had to admit, it was aptly named. Compared to the misshapen, revolting exterior of the Abyssal Imp, the deswalker was a creature that bnced elegant precision with bloodthirsty deadliness. Tom got to witness the Phantasmal Skill, [Nether Crawl] in action as the creature came at him with an attack pattern he had never encountered before. The deep-purple skinned humanoid creature utilised its slender frame and tightly corded leg muscles to great effectiveness as it ran across the side of the right cave wall, its racing footfall rapidly covering distance. Before Tom could get used to its movement style, it leapt, at least from its perspective, upwards, executing a forward roll mid-air that allowed it tond upon its feet on the other side of the cave wall. Three quick steps to build its momentum, and then it leapt directly for him. Toms heart pounded in his chest as he spotted the distortion around the razor-sharp crystalline des that the deswalker possessed instead of regr arms. [Spatial Focus] allowed the deswalker to temporarily phase its de arms into, what Tom could only infer as a different dimension, for a few seconds. The natural instinct when confronted with a ded creature was to parry it with your de; at least for Tom. Once again, he learned the importance of preparation and information-gathering first hand as [Control Glyph- Water Arrow] allowed him to fire two arrows in rapid session. He breathed a sigh of relief as the distortion around the ded arms faded as the creature crossed his arms to shield its vitals. The impact of the water arrow was far more mutedpared to the true potential of the [Water Propulsion] card, but it was enough to move the creatures nimble frame backwards. The [Spatial Focus] skill had an absolute cooldown of ten minutes, which would let Tom breathe easy but only a few momentster he found himself grimacing. The deswalker borrowed momentum from his strike,nding upon the roof of the cave with an athletic flip. Without warning, it began to build momentum in the direction opposite to Tom. It was retreating after its ambush had failed and Tom realized, as the creature repositioned itself to the caves left wall with another leapthat he was absolutely helpless to stop it. A gust of wind washed over him, followed by a glimmer that trailed from the corner of his vision. By the time he had identified the thick, pointed crystal spear that was sentncing forth across the air, it was already halfway to its destination. A loud bang rang out as the crystalnce punctured through the dewalkers abdomen and continued forth until it mmed into the cave wall, impaling it on the veryndscape it was used to so proudly navigating, merely a few meters away from the bend in the cave. Tom blinked. Note to self: Try not to get on Alephs bad side. Chapter 55: Bladeswalker Chapter 55: deswalker The trick to countering dewalkers, as Tom hade to realise, was to draw it in and leave enough of an opening to encourage it tounch a strike. It was, by far, the most daring strategy that Tom had implemented to date, one that required him to master his own fear before he had a decent chance at besting the creature. So when the second dewalker made its approach, Tom fought the very strong instinct to fire off Water Arrows to ward off the creature. His eyes flickered rapidly as he tracked the dewalker as it leapt from the roof of the cave to the right wall, taking a few steps in quick session to close the distance between them before it lunged at him. Time seemed to slow down as Tom traced the dewalkers trajectory, his eyes rapidly flickering as he strained to keep pace with its erratic movements. As his heart hammered in his chest, Tom finally caught sight of the phenomenon he had been waiting for the dewalker had bought his act, dispelling its [Spatial Focus] skill mid-air as it came for the kill. Tom had no grand n as he threw himself backwards, his newly enhanced Proprioception stat allowing him to do so gracefully instead of haphazardly. Instead, he had merely discovered a new application of an existing [Deck Card] he held in his possession. The [Earth Maniption] card was a function of two parts, namely reshaping and solidifying the Earth, as its description in his status screen stated. However, to reshape the earth was to soften it, to make it malleable enough before it was hardened. And the [Control Glyph] allowed him to activate the [Earth Maniption] card much faster than he should be able to at his level. His twenty one [Proprioception] helped him time his gambit as Tom activated the [Control Glyph- Earth] as his feet were kicking off the ground to throw him backwards to safety. The ground beneath his feet began to rapidly soften, but the [Earth Maniption] card required constant contact with the ground to maintain activation. The end result was a creation of his own, the first move that he had innovated instead of received from either the System or Aleph [Control Glyph Quicksand] Tom lost sight of the dewalker as he rolled twice tond back upon his feet, a chill running up his spine as he felt a gust of wind buffet against his visage; the likely byproduct of the dewalkers missed strike. Finally, Tom turned his gaze forward. The beginnings of a small grin were visible on his visage as he saw the deswalker trapped knee deep in the quicksand of his own making. Its sword arms iled around as it tried to extricate itself, but Tom had observed it keenly when it had used the [Nether Crawl] skill and he was pretty sure that while the odd, gravity defying ability let it stick to hard surfaces, it shouldnt be able to defy a low friction environment that boasted of a distinctck of solid footholds. Perhaps if it possessed normal arms it could throw itself forward and extricate itself but Tom shot forward in a zig-zagging motion as he lowered his centre of gravity to its limits, positioning himself parallel to the deswalkers writhing figure. Extending his de outwards, the deep-violet glow of his Nether des [Rend] and the gust of wind that apanied the [Haste] card were utilized in unison as Tom threw himself forward. With his outstretched wingspan, Toms de could reach the deswalker, but if it tried to retaliate while remaining stationary all it was capable of was intercepting the de. That, coupled with the momentum behind his leap, allowed Tom to carve a deepceration running across its left thigh, with the tip of his de. From the very beginning, his intention had never been to kill the deswalker with a single blow, only to prevent it from running. It was not an upfront battle that he feared, but a war of attrition. Tom was surprised to see the deswalker standing, as purple blood gushed down its thigh and mixed with the quicksand that had entrapped it. He was even more surprised when it managed to pivot in time to meet his second charge, a wild sword sh that had been intended for its back by crossing its two des defensively before its chest. But ultimately, time was on his side and he could afford to whittle down his opponent and easily retreat when the momentum shifted towards his enemy. A solitary de shed against de arms and Tom found himself surprised at how nimbly the deswalker could use its natural appendages to both attack and defend. He had a feeling that he would gain a deeper insight into swordy if their bout continued on for an hour, but Tom had learned first hand how cruel and ruthless Artezia could be to the weak and the defenceless. He was not one and would never be the one to pass up and opening; and indeed, his chance came when the deswalkers injured knee finally buckled under pressure from theceration he had inflicted upon it. His sword was driven through the deswalkers chest and Tom had managed to y a foe that was responsible for the deaths of many dungeoneers. The reason why Phase Two of the Abyssal Lurkers Domain was called Destinys Path was rather disappointingly, quite simple. The four passageways that lead deeper into the Dungeon all shared the same exit, the only difference being in the difficulty of the encounter. The easiest passageway only housed a meagre three deswalkers while the most difficult one contained as many as ten or twelve, the discrepancy between conflicting ounts making it hard to conclude with certainty. Tom and Aleph had ended up fighting seven, which made them neither lucky nor too unlucky. Of those, Tom had killed five through his newfound tactics, while Aleph had ended up interfering a second time when two dewalkers had made their approach in unison; a trying encounter that had left Tom emotionally exhausted and more than a little dazed, though the reward that he had received in exchange was almost worth a very visceral fear of losing his life. He was only a few thousand experience points away from the next level. Chapter 56: Netherstride Dagger Chapter 56: Netherstride Dagger Tom took a deep breath. Before himy a solitary doorway hewn out of the same stone thatprised the tunnels passageway, barring one difference a glowing symbol had been engraved into the doors surface, instinctively drawing Toms gaze. It was Alephs sigh that pierced through the fog of solitude nketing the now empty tunnels, besides the deep purple blood drenching its walls and floor. I was hoping to deal with it in the first two Phases, but I suppose thats not going to be possible, Aleph muttered aloud, her expression one of clear displeasure as she examined the arcane geometries that ovepped and interweaved with each other to create a single, coherent symbol. The probability of the encounter was always filed under conflicting ounts, Tom solemnly replied, though his expression remained calm as he turned his gaze to Aleph. I know, but its still annoying, Aleph retorted, her expression one of focus as she turned to meet Toms gaze. Shardweave Regalia requires me to utilize multiple Glyphs in tandem, thats why I didnt use it up until now. But now that itse to this, I suppose I have little choice in the matter. Tom caught onto the fluctuations in the air as crystals began to bloom outwards from singr points in space, their boundaries rapidly blurring as they unfolded outwards. Although his Deck Cards had the ability to convert [Soul Power] into various elemental energies, the scale and spontaneity with which Aleph materialized the crystals was clearly beyond their rarity. Compared to their first encounter, Aleph constructed the crystal breastte, leggings and skirt thatprised the Shardweave Regalia with precision, allowing Tom to observe the seamless manner in which dozens of crystals interlocked with each other, molding perfectly to Alephs form. He watched as Aleph outstretched her hand, weaving a crystalttice that formed the rapier she was so skilled at utilizing. Are you ready? She inquired, her voice carrying a slight echo as she spoke from behind a crystal visor; her tone unmistakably carrying the same frenzied fighting spirit Tom had experienced in their first duel. Once we step into the Theater of Stone, there will be no retreat until we clear this sector. Give me a moment, Tom requested as he turned his gaze towards the systems screen. A few momentster, he reached out into his inventory, pulling out a triangr dagger that boasted two sharp, linear edges, its wide hilt aposite blend of wood and leather. Then, Tom pulled out a [Corrupted Gem], causing Alephs gaze to immediately zero in on him. [Netherstride Dagger , Common+ Requirements: Physical 12, Proprioception 19, Mental 25. Description: This weapon does not belong to the world of Artezia, and thus its parameters cannot be urately judged. The Divine System has assessed that this weapon will not influence the faculties of someone that has reached past the second threshold in the Mental Stat. This weapons parameters exceed the Common Tier but do not yet reach the Umon tier. Nether Skill is inactive. Please insert a Corrupted Gem to utilize Nether Skill: Phantom Walk. Phantom Walk, Common + Utilize the charge of the Corrupted Gem to mimic the natural movement style of the deswalker. Please consult an Artificer for more information] You cant possibly be thinking of using that cursed dagger, Aleph protested loudly, clearly baffled by Toms actions. Tom hadnt forgotten that Aleph wore contact lenses that allowed her to see the statuses of people below her level. Did that privilege extend to items as well, was the question floating in his mind. Well, I have you here for a reason. Knock it out of my hands if I seem like I cant bear it, please? Tom offered Aleph a wry smile, only to be met with a clearly disapproving expression. Fine, She reluctantly agreed. Nodding at her, Tom took a deep breath before he turned his gaze to the reward he had gotten for ying one of the deswalkers. In one swift motion, he deposited the Corrupted Gem in a socket that had been carved into the hilt for that very purpose. The next few moments were aplete blur for Tom. [Warning: Dual Wielding one Nether de and one Netherstride Dagger has a multiplicative effect upon the psyche. Estimated Rmended Mental Stat: 52] Toms expression rapidly paled as an arcane, ovepping litany was chanted directly within his consciousness. As the unintelligible words flitted past him, Tom realized that to his horror, although he had no way to decipher their meanings, the intent imbued within the ancient tongue was something that he could instinctively sense. Intent that invoked strong emotions within him, resonating with his experiences and sufferings it spoke of immortality, an undying body. Promised unfiltered violence to all those that had brought harm to him. Spoke of desire, to warp the will of the world and reshape it in his own image. All this and more could be his if he just gave- [The Fool has detected a foreign mental influence upon your soul.] [The Fool has partially eliminated the foreign mental influence (82.65%).] [Phantom Walk Charges- 5/5 avable] Tom let out a gasp as he re-entered the world of the living, finally escaping the fugue-like state he had entered as he was being barraged by desires and emotions with fragments of memories jumbled in. I-Im fine, He stuttered out just in time, stopping Alephs rapier mid-swing. You dont look fine, Aleph retorted, her expression clearly a little shaken as she gazed at Toms visage. His face was as pale as the full moon, seemingly drained of all vitality. Blood dribbled down his nose and his face seemed haggard, as if he had gone without sleep for a few days. Tom raised his left hand and wiped away the blood dribbling down his nose, before meeting Alephs gaze. Well now I know why youre so afraid of these weapons. The murmuring is annoying, Tom casually muttered, barely eking out a faint smile in a show of self-control. Murmuring? Aleph blinked, astonishment flickering in her gaze while her expression more than conveyed the surprise she felt. Do you have a belt and some sort of sheath that can contain this thing? Tom asked her, casually flicking the de into a reverse grip. Though it was still unsettling to hear faint arcane whispers, it was a far cry to the previous experience. That juxtaposition almost made it lookpuny inparison. Eyes cautious, Aleph still chose toply with his request, tossing a leather belt and a ridiculously oversized sheath at him. Puzzled, Tom caught the two items. That sheath will mold itself to your des outline, Aleph exined. Rune? Tom instinctively blurted out. You have been paying attention, I see. Shrugging, Tom took a few minutes to fit the belt before affixing the stillicallyrge sheath onto his waist. A little doubtful, he allowed the dagger to fall inside its cavernous maw, only to have the animal hide constrict around it and rapidly shrink, until the sheathe had adopted a perfect outline. There. Ta-da, Tom offered a neat curtsy, having taken a few nces at Alephs books on Noble Etiquette when she wasnt around. He was also greatly relieved, because the murmurings faded the moment he let go of the dagger. Aleph rolled her eyes in response, before answering the yful taunt Tom had directed her way, Although I have no idea how you managed it, since you willingly parted from the dagger I suppose you havent gone insane. Before he could gloat, Aleph added, Though its nice to know that you have limits. He winced at that. Take an hour to rest, its not going to make much of a difference, Alephmanded. Tom wanted to protest but thinking back on how weak he had felt merely a few moments ago, he relented, Fine. Phase Three- The Theatre of Stone awaited their challenge. Chapter 57: Theatre of Stone (1) Chapter 57: Theatre of Stone (1) Alephs words reverberated in Toms mind as the luminescent seal blocking their path to the Theater of Stone shattered at her gentle touch, the ground beneath him trembling in anticipation as the heavy stone door began to fold inwards on its own. A chain reaction had been initiated and from this point in time, the possibility of retreat was sealed. Take a few moments to assess the situation. I will lead the charge, follow my lead. Toms breath quickened, his gaze trained upon the gradually revealing doorway with an almost devout focus. Assume the worst case scenario. If you choose to engage, try for an instant kill. Do not allow yourself to be trapped in a prolonged fight. Tom didnt miss the looming shadow creeping up in the corner of his gaze as the doorway opened up enough to give him a glimpse at whaty beyond. Seconds seemed to stretch on for minutes as its mass was pulled backwards inch by excruciating inch, before it finally gave him a good view of the sight he had been so desperately yearning for. Toms eyes widened in surprise. He had known that the Abyss Demons, characterized by their stocky, muscr builds and sharp, raking ws had the ability to manipte stone, but while the dockets they had procured from the information brokers spoke of their tendency to create small-scale defensive parapets in groups, nothing in there had indicated that they were capable of building the single, unified stone fortress that was now unfurling before his eyes. Thankfully, the fortress was still limited by the dimensions of the Theatre of Stone, allowing it a single storey and a height of fifteen feet. Battlements lined the perimeter of the roof fashioned from thick, smooth stone, the triangr merlons pointed towards the sky while Tom finally caught sight of a pair of abyssal blood-red eyes peeking out from behind one of the embrasures. Confused grunts and shocked yelps were exchanged as the Abyss Demons noticed the open doorway, but a single,manding utterance seemed to quell the disorder in their ranks. Stay back! Aleph screamed out as she began her charge, much to Toms surprise. He instinctively obeyed, able to discern the gravity in Alephs words as she shot forward. His gaze flickered from her charging form to the dozen or so Abyss Demons nestled behind the crions. Horror spread across Toms features as he realized that they were holding skull-sized stones in their hands, stones that they sent hurtling towards Aleph merely moments after as a vivid red aura began to ensconce their physical bodies. Phantasmal Skill [Lithokic Touch] allowed Abyss Demons to manipte rock and stone as long as they maintained physical contact, their long, raking ws allowing them to dig and reshape it into both defensive structures and weapons while [Stoneform Aura] increased both their physical endurance and strength for as long as they could maintain it. Tom winced as he saw a dozen or so stonesunched at Aleph in quick session, the air whistling as they hurtled towards her at speeds that would more than likely seriously injure Tom if even a single one connected. He watched as Aleph dazzlingly weaved through the barrage of rocks hurled at her, her movement hallmarked by effortless pivots and elusive sidesteps. But even Alephs superior Proprioception stat wasnt enough to evade every single stone cast at her. Tom watched as a skull-sized rock smashed against her armored abdomen, sending both chips of stone and fragments of crystal flying in the air. Aleph herself was sent skidding back half a dozen meters, the sheer momentum behind the throw too much for her frame to contain. Thankfully her crystalline armor turned out to be as durable as Tom thought, the damage to it likely already repaired as Aleph resumed her charge with renewed intensity. Tom didnt understand the intention behind Alephs dogged charge until only a few meters separated her from the stone fortress; her momentum only increasing as she extended the point of her crystalttice rapier forward. Oh, Tom couldnt help but mutter as the point of Alephs rapier crashed against the stone fortress and sliced through effortlessly before the bulk of her crystal armornded against it. A person-sized hole was forcibly punched through the fortress exterior and the next thing Tom knew, giant crystals started jutting out from the inside of the fortress and started destabilizing its base. It was safe to say that at this moment, all attention was on Aleph. Unlike Aleph, Tom didnt have reinforced crystal armor shielding him. It was likely also the reason why she had told him to stay back the Abyss Demons had far surpassed their expectations and he had sinking suspicion as to why. Nevertheless, there were certain factors in y that Aleph was not aware of. Factors that Tom would have to reveal if he were to carry out his ambitious strategy, but that was more a given from the moment he had decided to partner up with the vengeful former Noble. Tom withdrew his [Netherstride Dagger] from its newly acquired sheath. The muted whispers began lightly influencing him, but thanks to [The Fools] assistance Tom found himself being able to resist its remaining corruption with his own willpower. Taking a long, deep breath he focused his gaze and then activated [Phantom Walk]. He traced wisps of ethereal violet capering around him to their source, not entirely surprised to find his feet enveloped by a luminescent veil of violet mes that burned silently. Tom felt no eviscerating pain wing at his limbs, but instead a springy lightness that made his own body feel weightless. The ground naturally clung to his feet, except when he expressed a desire to move. Instinctively, Tom knew that he could replicate the deswalkers movement style if he tried to. Gritting his teeth, Tom took a step forward. His gaze directed towards the battlements, Tom stepped into the Theatre of Stone just as a loud, ear-splitting crack rang out. The carefully crafted stone fortress now had arge fracture running down its center, the sound of crumbling rocks pattering out as its two halves began to fold inwards. Chapter 58: Theatre of Stone (2) Chapter 58: Theatre of Stone (2) Startled cries rang out as the Abyss Demons were betrayed by their own footing. Well positioned to take advantage of the resultant chaos, Tommitted himself to a frontal charge. The ground beneath him flitted by his feet as he shot forward, his limbs obeying hismands almost effortlessly. He wasnt just fast, no in that moment, he was quickness personified, to the point where, even if he managed to trigger his [Haste] card, his reflexes wouldnt be able to keep up. A third of the distance separating him from the now shattered Stone Fortress was covered in what felt like a blink of an eye for Tom. And he would have continued his charge, if not for his high Proprioception stat picking up on an Abyss Demon positioned on the far left corner of the fortress battlements; ending up mostly unaffected by the sloping footing that had disrupted most of the Abyss Demons coordination. More specifically, it was the skull-sized stone clenched in his wed hand that had caught Toms attention. Here goes nothing, Tom thought to himself as every cell in his body thrummed in an exhrating blend of fear and anticipation. And then he willed both his legs to kick off the floor at a sideway angle, using the minute of extreme agility [Phantom Walk] allowed him to perfect use. Gravity seemed to fade away for a moment as Tom found himself hurling towards the caverns wall. He knew that he had to lean his upper body weight forward so he could flip andnd onto his feet instead of smashing headfirst into the Theatre of Stone and he did. The only difference was the massive grin on his visage as he found himself perfectly unscathed, his feet firmly rooted to the Theatre of Stones side as he simply stood in the air for one long moment. And then Tom began to walk, sideways. He was very sure that the only reason he didnt feel the pull of both vertigo and dizziness was his Proprioception stat, but that didnt take away the thrill of pulling off such a move midbat. Though in the midst of all that exhration Tom hadnt made the mistake of losing sight of his enemies. Though he had to painfully crane his neck in order to do so, he both saw and heard the Abyss Demon let out an angry grunt as it hurriedly shuffled over with its stocky build towards the pile of stones ced to his side; a part of them having rolled down the slope Alephs actions had created. Another third of the distance was covered before Tom threw himself upwards to evade the Abyss Demons second stone throw. This time, he definitely felt a little dizzy. The steps flowed in quick session as Tom stretched his pace to the maximum he could sustain while he looked down at the world from above. Thomas Lowe, former Customer Assistance Specialist at Anytime Aisle had never felt more audacious before in his life. Not as he found himself activating [Rend] on his Nether de, before positioning the glowing deep-violet de above his head. Not as he kicked off the roof of the Theatre of Stone, like a taut arrow released from a bow at full draw. The sequence of events that unfolded moments after transpired so quickly that even Toms senses struggled to keep up. One moment he was standing upside down, aiming his sword towards the Abyss Demon that had tried to strike him down twice and was preparing for a third time. The next moment he was subject to a violentnding as an explosion of blood and viscera, his own wrist hurting as he fell next to the Abyss Demons remains. [Phantom Walks] explosive speedbined with [Nether des] vicious rend had resulted in what was Toms most powerful strike yet. Death hade to the Abyss Demon even before it had time to process it a silent mercy in wake of the destruction he had rent upon its mortal body. A single Abyss Demon stood before one of the embrasures. A single Abyss Demon watched on as the intruders entered itsir. The Abyss Demon quelled the unease that grew in their ranks with but with a singlemand as the interlopers in its territory fast approached. The Abyss Demon stood unmoved as the crystal armored woman punched through the painstakingly built stone fortress with surprising ease. While itsrades had thrown stones endlessly, the Abyss Demon was content to sell the illusion of throwing one by holding it in his left w, its arm pulled back as if it was on the verge ofunching a strike. The Stone Fortress cracked in half and itsrades began to slide downwards, but gravity seemed to have no hold on this particr Abyss Demon. It calmly watched as the second interloper made its approach. Though the stone remained in its hand, it made no attempt to strike at its foe as he jumped from wall to wall with unnerving agility. Then it saw itspanion fall, reduced to blood mist and a gory rain of viscera. It was not angry, in the same way a general was unmoved by the loss of its soldiers. It was not angry, but it had chosen that moment to make its presence known. The reason why Aleph had avoided engaging inbat in the first two Phases. The reason why so many dungeoneers met untimely ends in the grim corners of Sector 6. Tom had been wary of its presence. But even that was not enough. For it was the Abyssal Lurker, A Master of Disguises and this was its domain. First, it would deal with the weaker interloper. Then, it would use the sacrifices of its brethren to dull the strong ones defenses, before it sank its de arms into her exposed throat. [Phantom Mist], an upgraded version of the Abyssal Imps [Spectral Mists] that allowed it to conjure an illusion that mirrored the appearance of nearby Phantasmal Creatures. [Bloodied des], a blend of the Abyssal Imps [Blood Curse] skill and the deswalkers characteristic de Arms that releases a powerful blood toxin into the targets bloodstream when the de makes direct contact. [Stoneform Skin], an upgraded version of the Abyss Demons [Stoneform Aura] that made the Abyssal Lurker far more physically resilient and stronger. Strong. Agile. Resilient. The Abyssal Lurker was a boss monster that very few enjoyed challenging. Its here! Aleph screamed out at the top of her lungs moments after vigorous movement caused the Abyssal Lurkers disguise skill, [Phantom Mist] to fail. Chapter 59: The Abyssal Lurker Chapter 59: The Abyssal Lurker Tom hadnt actually needed Alephs warning to know that the Abyssal Lurker wasing for him. Or atleast, something equally as terrifying. Something that caused the blood in his veins to go cold. Caused his senses to go haywire as they struggled to urately transmit the nature of the threat he was facing. He had factored in the possibility of the Abyssal Lurker concealing itself in the first room of the Theatre of Stone. He would likely even be prepared for it, if he was given just a few more minutes. The timing it had chosen to make its move, mere seconds after Tom had ughtered an Abyss Demon the moment where he was the most defenseless was too calcted, too perfect for him to prepare against. The deceptiveness of an Abyssal Imp. The natural agility of a deswalker. The defense and strength of an Abyss Demon. Not to mention the fact that itpletely dwarfed him in level. This wasnt a fight that Tom could win. This had never been a fight that he couldve won, to begin with. The Abyssal Lurkers level ranged from Level 12-15 and with Toms luck it was probably on the higher end of the spectrum. He was level 4. Or atleast, he had been Level 4 moments ago. Tom didnt consider himself a strategic genius, not by a long shot. But he wasnt going to step into a battlefield Aleph had told him to stay out of without assurances. [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 5 (27,665/250,000). You have received 10 attribute points. You have received one Skill upgrade point. Your soul power has been increased by 5. ] [Name: Synrak Veralis Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] The Fool [Level 5] [27,665/250,000] Feats: Nether yer I Statistics: Physical: 14 (+1) Mental: 16 (+1) Proprioception: 20 (+1) Soul Power: 27/47 [55] Free Points: 10 Skill Upgrade Point: 2] There was a reason why Tom had stopped funneling experience into hismon cards and focused entirely on leveling [The Fool]. His mes traveling a little further a little quicker or his water propulsion card shooting out pressurized jets of liquid with more force wouldnt save his life not when he doggedly challenged opponents above his level, repeatedly. Neither would [The Fool]. At least not with its erratic, bizarre skills that more often than not risked grievous harm to himself before it would harm his opponent. But stats crystallization of raw, focused power that he could ess at his fingertips now that was an entirely different matter. Zenakris Renain, for all his illustrious Noble Background and his Umon [The Umbra] card only got two attribute points per [Soul Card] level. At level 9, his Proprioception stat had been a meager eleven. Assuming Aleph had a simr rarity card, even if she was level 20, that only gave her another 22 extra attribute points. Even if Aleph was to put half of those points into Proprioception, her twenty one points would only match his current stat count. Tom was sure that there was a limit to solely increasing one stat whilst ignoring the others. At some point, his reflexes and reaction time would demand support from his mental stat. And in all honesty, he didnt want to put more points into proprioception. He would much rather put it in mental, to offset the influence of the Nether des and support his [The Fool] cards skillset. But from the moment Tom had stepped into the crucible, he had resolved himself to go through with it. Invest all ten points in Proprioception. [Proprioception: 20 (+1) -> Proprioception 30(+1)] Tom froze in ce. Or perhaps, it was more urate to say that time had infinitely slowed down for him as his mind struggled to keep pace with the rapid changes urring to both his physical body and his sensory abilities. Pain and pleasure, the torturous sensation of his nerve endings burning and the funny sensation of his veins wriggling under his skin ovepped as his neurons struggled to process the information overload. And then it stopped. Tom swore that for a moment, it was as if he could perceive his body in third-person. He could see the Abyssal Lurker make its confident approach, its de arms thirsting to spill his blood as they drew nearer with every passing second. Without warning, the drop of sweat that had dripped down his forehead and was suspended mid-air began to move again. Most likely, it had never stopped falling. The only difference was Tom, himself. The deadly nature of the situation he found himself in hadnt changed. But where he saw a single move before, a desperate shift in momentum to throw himself to the side and hopefully buy himself a few more seconds, Tom now saw a dozen maneuvers that he could execute with varying degrees of certainty. The Abyssal Lurker, who had already written off Tom in its calctions, was surprised to find that its de-arm strike that had been meant to decapitate Tom, now slid along the edge of his glowing Nether de. Surprised but not threatened, it brought its second de arm in for a wide sh directed towards Toms abdomen, only to have it parried by Toms newly acquired Netherstride Dagger. Naturally, Toms unnaturally high Proprioception skill didnt mean that he could actually defeat the Abyssal Lurker. Even though he managed to use a blend of timing and the right angle to send the opponents de arm away without breaking his wrist, he was still sent skidding back half a dozen meters. Frustrated, the Abyssal Lurker drew upon the natural agility of its deswalker heritage to pursue Tom unleashing a flurry of quick shes since its killing blow had failed. twice. As Aleph sliced through two Abyss Demons and thrust her sword through the thirds right eye, killing it instantly, she had feared the worst. Even without holding back her strength, it had taken her almost a minute to deal with the stony skinned Demons as she ascended the slope of her own making. She thought Tom was smarter than that. She had told him not to step in, because while ying the Abyssal Lurker on her own would have been challenging, it wasnt like Aleph didnt yet have a few tricks up her sleeve. A mnge of dismay and regret filled her heart as she sped past the falling carcass of the third Abyss Demon. One step forward, Two steps back that could be a summation of Alephs life experiences since the day that everything had gone wrong. And it was never enemies of her fallen house that ruined it for her, no it was merely the machinations of fate; both the understanding and realization of how much her Noble Family had sheltered her from the unfair ways of the world and how vulnerable she was without their support and backing. Finally, Aleph reached the level ground only to be confronted by apletely unexpected sight. Tom and the Abyssal Lurker were fighting. If that was all, Aleph would have rushed to his assistance. Except Tom was actually going toe-to-toe with the Abyssal Lurker, crossing out its shes with skilled parries and allowing lunges to gratingly slide across the edge of his dagger as he shielded his vitals. No, when Aleph looked closely she realized that the Abyssal Lurker had taken three lightcerations from Toms de, while thetter lookedpletely unscathed if a little disheveled. Though her eyes struggled toe to terms with what she was seeing, Aleph was nothing if not adaptable. Without hesitation, Aleph allowed her rapier to fall as she brought the tips of her fingers together, including her thumbs; resulting in a vaguely triangr shape. Her armor began to unweave itself at a pace that was far greater than the time it had taken to assemble it. Shards of crystaly suspended in the air, randomly positioned around Aleph. Both Tom and the Abyssal Lurker werepletely unaware of Alephs movements, as both found an equal match in the other. Stretching her concentration to its limits, Aleph redirected a third of the shards behind her. A cascade of crystal shards rained down on any Abyss Demon that was trying to sneak up the slope and strike at her unguarded back with their stone great hammers. Sheid waste to their formation, killing another four Abyss Demons even though they were not the true object of her attention; merely a gambit to buy her a few moments. Get back! She screamed out loud enough for the urgency in her tone to easily be conveyed to its intended recipient-though to the Abyssal Lurker, it likely sounded little more than a panicked cry. Tom and the Abyss Demon had been locked in a duel of razor thin margins, but Aleph was sure of her assessment her teammate was faster, if much weaker than his opponent. He wasnt sure why Aleph had made the demand of her, but Tom hade to trust his crystal-wieldingpanion; at least until she achieved her objectives. Instead of leaping back and drawing the Abyssal Lurkers suspicion, Tom feigned a mistake blocking with the t of his Nether de instead of its edge. As the de wildly oscited from the impact, Tom felt like it would leave his grasp and end up with a broken wrist. Regardless he held on and true to the Abyssal Lurkers monstrous strength, he found himself skidding back ten or so meters; helpless to fight against the sheer momentum that had been applied upon his de. And boy, was he d that he had done so. Crystal shards rained from the sky at a speed that was fast, even for the current Tom. The first thing that surprised him was that it wasnt one or two shards that had beenunched as an attack but dozens. When had Aleph gotten the time to form so many crystals undetected? His thoughts would have lingered on that question, if he wasnt baffled by the sight unfolding before him. The crystal shards didnt attack the surprised Abyssal Lurker as Tom had expected it to. No, they merely formed around him, ensconcing him just like. the first time he had seen Aleph use her powers. A Crystal Aegis that, instead ofpletely protecting Aleph like it hadst time, was instead used to trap her opponent in a spherical cage. The blood had drained out of Alephs face as she shifted from one hand sign to the next, more for visualization purposes than direct magical corrtion. The tips of her fingers slipped into the next one, interlocking and fitting against each other tightly, like a glove. [Shardlock Execution] As the Abyssal Lurker wildly iled against the crystalline aegis, mere seconds away from breaking out from the encasement, the shards that had been trapping him shifted prity and then Began to rain down on the Abyssal Lurker from every conceivable direction of attack. Its on you now! Aleph called out before breaking out into a heavy pant, picking her rapier off the ground and readying herself to defend against the remaining Abyss Demons. A secondter all the crystals besides thettice that made up Alephs rapier, shattered. Chapter 60: Lifeblood Chapter 60: Lifeblood As thest of the crystal dust faded away, Tom found himself staring down the Abyssal Lurkers battered form. To say he was horrified was perhaps, an understatement; especially since he didnt quite know what he was supposed to be more intimidated by the fact that Alephs [Shardlock Execution] had punctured two dozen holes into the Lurkers chest, abdomen, upper arms and legs or the eerie realization that the Boss Monster of Sector 6 still doggedly stood on its feet. Its breath was raspy and blood all but poured down the three to four inch deep perforations but the Abyssal Lurker was most definitely standing. Tom shot forward without hesitation, letting his instinct tamp down on his hesitation. The opportunity thaty before him was one born out of both his and Alephs collective efforts. If he hadnt dominated the Lurkers attention, then Aleph never would have gotten a chance to encase the creature in her [Shardlock Execution]. Conversely, without her he never really had a chance at actually killing the creature it was a boss monster, which already put it leagues above any other creature he had fought up until now and it was probably ten levels above him. That wasnt a difference that could be made up by resolve alone. He could feel the strain his own movements exerted on his muscle fibers, his Physical Stat straining to keep pace with the agility and reaction time his Proprioception Stat demanded. Alreadymitted to follow through with the strike, Tom noticed that the Abyssal Lurkers reaction time was noticeably slower. That was precisely the kind of opening he had been waiting for. Tracing the arc of his own de, Tom observed as his de slipped under the Lurkers right de arm. Tom immediately winced as his Nether des rend made contact with the Lurkers flesh the resistance so strong that he felt as if he was trying to scratch across arge boulder with the tip of his sword. Even then, he refused to let up. The Abyssal Lurker didnt even utter so much as wince in pain as a long, but ultimately shallow rent was carved across its abdomen. Tom had been expecting and indeed, was even used to this magnitude of resistance from the Lurkers incredibly durable body. But now Where there was one strike, a second followed. Each strike he carved into the Abyssal Lurker only made it difficult for it to react to the next. He was so focused on avoiding the threat from the blood poison upon its de arms that Tom didnt see the quick leg kick aimed for his abdomen. The air was knocked out of his lungs as he was sent reeling back. It was all Tom could do to make sure that his gaze didnt waver, silently watching as the Abyssal Lurker jogged to cover the distance between them. Instinctively, Tom raised his Revenant w and let a gout of me explode outwards. Initially, it seemed like the Abyssal Lurker was about to dodge, but at thest movement it seemed to willingly slow down and walk through the continuous stream of mes he was outputting. Tom knew that something was wrong, but at the same time he couldnt stop his [The me] card until he caught his breath. The impasse ended a few long momentster, confronting Tom with the realization that he had been yed. As steam rose off the Lurkers stony skin, blood hadrgely stopped leaking out of the puncture wounds focused near the chest and abdomen. His own mes had been used by the sly creature to cauterize its wounds, infuriatingly enough. But It also gave him an avenue of approach he had missed in the heat of the battle. As both parties re-engaged, Tom noticed that the Abyssal Lurker was a little faster now that it wasnt leaking lifeblood as severely. Thankfully, it was still a far cry from its original dexterity. Tom wasnt slipping past its guard as frequently as before, but his slices were made with a precision, a purpose that they had beencking before. With every sessfulceration, Tom aggravated the puncture wounds Alephs attack had left behind. Once again, blood began to flow from the cauterized wounds and this time, it showed no signs of stemming. It was a brutal method of fighting, one that required exacting precision from him. He took no satisfaction in it, but it gave Tom the opening he had been seeking. Instead of shing, hemitted himself to a risky, upward thrust that slipped in the narrow gap created between the Lurkers crossed de arms. Tom couldnt be sure if it was luck, skill or a bit of both as he managed to actually reach the small target he had been aiming for as the tip of his de drove into the creatures right eye. It let out a shriek in pain before iling its de arms wildly. But Tom had taken full advantage of the Lurkerspromised sight and had disappeared from his line of sight. With its remaining eye, the boss monster turned around warily, but once again, Tom wasnt behind him either. Instead, he was sticking to the Theatre of Stones roof, his expression hard as he angled his de to point at the Lurkers nape before kicking off its surface. This time, his de struck true; propelled by both his weight and downward momentum along with the Nether des Rend. Blood sprayed all over Toms visage as his sword was buried within the Lurkers body, down to its hilt. It had been both risky and audacious, but Tom was sure of it. A secondter, his vision was flooded with notifications that he chose to allow. [The Boss Monster, Level 18 Abyssal Lurker of Sector 6, Zelez Dungeon has sessfully been in in a two-man dungeon crawl. Calcting contribution. Thomas Lowe: 51% Aleph Longstradia: 49% Distributing rewards. [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 6.] [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 7.] [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 8.] [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 9.] [Congrattions, your Soul Card [The Fool] has reached Level 9 [984,224/2,750,000). You have received 40 attribute points. You have received four Skill upgrade points. Your soul power has been increased by 20. ] [For killing a Dungeon Boss ten levels above you, you have unlocked Feat: Invictus. Upon facing enemies that are at least five levels above you, Physical, Mental and Proprioception stats are increased by five for the next sixty minutes. This Feats buff refreshes every twenty four hours.] [Name: Synrak Veralis Thomas Lowe. Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] The Fool [Level 9] [984,224/2,750,000) Feats: Nether yer I, Invictus. Statistics: Physical: 14 (+1) Mental: 16 (+1) Proprioception: 30 (+1) Soul Power: 87/87 [95] Free Points: 40 Skill Upgrade Point: 6] [You have received the Umon Ranked Card,Level 1 Lifeblood. Would you like to add [Lifeblood] to your Deck Cards? Doing so will temporarily deduct 5 Soul Power for the duration you have it added to your deck.] Yes, Tom hurriedly replied as his hands trembled with exhration. An Umon Card. A card that the denizens of the Nameless District would kill for. A Card that even lesser Nobles would find themselves vying for. The first powerful card that he had truly, undoubtedly earned with his own ability. Aleph had intervened, yes. But it was Tom that had created the opportunity. It was him who had staked his life to fight the Abyssal Lurker even though he was far from its match. And ultimately, he was the one whonded the finishing blow. And the Divine System agreed. For once, Tom felt like he had been rewarded for his efforts. And then he shot forward without reading his new cards description, before Aleph was overrun by Abyss Demons. Chapter 61: Three reasons Chapter 61: Three reasons Clearing out the remaining Abyss Demons wasnt as big of a challenge as Tom had expected. Even a clearly exhausted Aleph was putting up an impressive fight. Although her strikes werent outright lethal, she cleverly used the slopingndscape to her advantage. Any Abyss Demon that wanted to reach her needed to ascend the shattered stone fortress, only to receive a nasty puncture wound the moment they crossed a certain threshold. Her strikes werent intended to kill, merely dissuade the Abyss Demon from making its approach. A second would rece the first in its attempt and once again, Aleph would send it reeling back. Tom noticed the frenzied rage in the Abyss Demons eyes as they threw themselves at Aleph, sorelycking the organization and coordination they had disyed merely moments ago. It seemed that the death of the Abyssal Lurker had greatly impacted the Abyss Demons, to the point where they were more inclined to blindly rush forward instead of using their Phantasmal Skills to their advantage and pelting Aleph with stones from afar. Before, when she had her armor, it wouldnt have done much but in her current condition, Aleph was exposed and vulnerable to ranged attacks. Come to think of it, the Abyss Demons werent supposed to be smart enough to build an entire fortress at least, nothing in their missives had given him that impression. And the resultant discordance in their ranks after their deaths made Tom wonder if the Abyssal Lurker had a fourth skill one that helped it effectivelymand his troops and perhaps, improved their Mental Stat? Regardless, that didnt change what Tom had to do. Even without investing any of his free points, he wasnt afraid of the remaining Abyss Demons. With a few rushed steps, he stood at Alephs side and then swept past her. His de searched for vulnerabilities throat, eyes and wrists, before it found purchase. Tom moved swiftly and purposefully as he cut across an Abyss Demons wrist, sidestepping past it and slitting anothers throat. Aleph wasnt idling, taking advantage of Tom breaking through the Demons ranks by dealing fatal blows to the severely injured demons. Tom wasnt bothered in the slightest, knowing that the Abyss Demons would only offer him a fraction of experience they had before the level differential was no longer impressive. Besides, at this point he was sure that Aleph wanted the same thing as him to end the fight. And end it, he did by driving his sword through thest Abyss Demons eye and out the other side of the skull. A heavily panting Aleph leaned on her rapier to keep standing, while Tom was clearly winded as his legs and arms burned from the overexertion the kind of burning that a healing potion couldnt just disappear. An ufortable silence nketed the Theatre of Stone as Tom and Aleph looted their kills without exchanging any words. Both kept the other in the periphery of their visions, a blend of uncertainty and caution swirling in their gazes as they walked across the tapestry of blood and viscera they had painted. Who-, Aleph began, but then seemed to catch herself. No, just what are you? Tom winced. He knew the question had beening. In their rtionship, Aleph had been operating under the assumption that she held the bulk of the secrets. An assumption that had just been dashed for Tom had entered the Theatre of Stone several tiers weaker than Aleph and now his presence had been instrumental in ying a Level 18 boss three levels above the missives they had received, even. Tom knew that this was a hurdle he had to clear if he wished to cooperate with Aleph but he didnt quite know how. I can tell you who Im not, Tom began, his eyes cautiously trained on Aleph. Taking her silence as a subtle nod, he continued, I like to think that I am not a cruel person. I y Phantasmal Beings without mercy, yes; in the same manner that a butcher ys beasts for his customers. I derive no satisfaction from the process of killing itself, he sucked in a cold breath of air, finding it hard to speak the truth. I have only ever killed one person before in my life, only to the end of protecting an innocent bystander. Alephs eyes rose at that revtion as Toms thoughts shed back to the trial the bearded old man had thrust him into. And as for the source of my ....strength, His tone put emphasis on thest word, his expression tensing. You are trouble, Aleph. I know you are trouble, Tom looked her dead in the eyes as he said those words, only finding curiosity and wariness in her gaze. But if you are trouble then I may as well be the apocalypse, Tom admitted and this time, Aleph visibly flinched at her words. Are you not worried? Aleph asked, her expression overwhelmed and confused. Worried that I would take interest in the source of your power? Tom shrugged. You can probably still defeat me, but you can no longer kill me, Tom admitted, his words spoken more like a statement than a threat. Aleph raised her eyebrows at that statement, though she made no threatening movements. What is the source of your confidence? She finally asked, though her tonecked any biting edge. Tom sighed again and then closed his eyes. Invest sixteen free points into Physical and fourteen free points into Mental. Aleph instinctively found herself retreating as the threat her senses felt from Tom suddenly skyrocketed. His muscles wriggled under his skin as they rapidly began to expand outwards before contracting inwards and then the process repeated itself, building a sheet of muscle that wasnt there before with every cycle. At the same time, his brain activity surged. His thoughts suddenly grew clearer. Focused. Memories of his past came flooding back in far greater detail than should have been possible, but a higher Mental Stat also gave him more control over his headspace with but a thought, the echoes of his past were banished to the back of his mind. But that wasnt all. Tom found that he had a lot more space tothink. In any battle, a bulk of moves and actions were either carried out instinctively or fueled by a healthy dose of adrenaline; perhaps both. Now though, Tom felt like he could think in the in-between, as his sword moves to parry his opponents de. To fight and surpass against the instinct to defend himself and instead do somethingpletely unexpected Tom thought himself capable of that, now. Though that wasnt why he had chosen to level the mental stat. Now that the stat allocation process had beenpleted, Tom nced over at Aleph as he leaned down to pick up one of the rocks the Abyss Demons had been throwing at them. When the stone was resting in the palm of his hand, he clenched it without warning. He had expected to shatter it, but even Tom was surprised when the stone was reduced to dust in his clenched fist, slowly slipping away from between the gaps in his grip. This, he replied calmly. And calmly was indeed the correct word to describe the manner in which Tom hade to his stat-allocation decision. It had hinged upon his new cards capabilities. [Card Name: Lifeblood Rank: Umon Level: 1 Skill Upgrade Point(s): 0 Description: Ability: 1. Augmentation, Level 1: The wielder can manipte the blood within his body, allowing for the augmentation of theposition and flow of blood to allow for enhanced oxygen delivery, freely modting heart rate and greatly reducing blood loss from open wounds. Augmentation allows the wielder to move at preternatural speeds beyond the limitations of their body and stem blood loss from open wounds via vasoconstriction. SP Cost is Variable.] After testing his abilities a little more over the course of the next few awkward minutes, Tom made up his mind. His [Lifeblood] card reduced the necessity of the Proprioception stat by quite a few degrees. Tom was tempted to hoard the points until the need arose, but ultimately he chose to to make his decision on the spot. He was already hoarding [The Fools] skill upgrade points because they tended to offer little utility midbat and he was saving them for a very specific purpose. The reason why he didnt want to ever hoard Free Points though, was simple optimization was wee in an ideal world, but Tom tended to keep running into enemies far more powerful than him. It was a ridiculous notion to limit his own potential and impose a self-handicap when he didnt know whaty out there, waiting for him, was a belligerent and misguided notion. The Physical stat was important to level up because the [Lifeblood] card seemed to put an emphasis on increasing the heart rate and oxygen concentration in his blood to give him superhuman speed; which implied that it would put a strain on his heart. Tom was sure that the damage wouldnt be long-term, because cards were the one thing he had been able to trust since he stepped into Artezia, but still making sure his physicality was up to snuff couldnt hurt. Mental, on the other hand, was equally important and the corrtion there was rather easy to spot [The Fool] needed that stat to be high or atleast Tom did, if he wanted to sessfully execute his ambitions. Five in Physical, Five in Mental. Once again, the same process repeated itself. Aleph didnt inch backwards this time, though she wasnt able to hide the astonishment flickering in her gaze. Are you done? She finally inquired, her voiceced with unconcealed suspicion as the gears in her mind turned. If Tom had to venture a guess, she was trying to puzzle out the secret behind his incredible powerup. I am, Tom replied curtly, though his voice was devoid of any hostility. He still wanted to work with Aleph and respected her, but he couldnt allow himself to exhibit weakness now that he had revealed a bit of his true capabilities. Are you a feat hunter? Do you have some sort of Rare item that increases the stats you gain from leveling up? Or perhaps a Rare Card? Or is this a bluff, an illusion card that seems to be in line with your name-changing abilities? It sure doesnt feel like a low-level illusion, those arent supposed to be this lucid. A high-level illusion then? Possible, likely even, but also unlikely since you have little to gain by fooling me, Aleph rattled out the possibilities one after the next, watching Toms visage carefully for any fluctuations. Tom stood there unmoved, his visage nk. He was able to maintain that expressionless face firstly because of his mental stat, which caught on to what Aleph was doing even before she finished and secondly ...well because Tomrgely had no idea what she was talking about. Although I cant tell you that, I can tell you that I want to work with you. I want to help you, Aleph, Tom began, as he voided theposure he got from his mental stat. His expression came across as earnest, genuine as he continued, You helped me when I was alone, vulnerable and lost, Aleph. But thats not the only reason why I want to help you aplish your goals. I want to help you because., Tom took a deep breath before hepleted the sentence. ...I consider you a friend. Alephs cautious gaze wavered at those words, her expression bing conflicted. I knew that you had secrets of your own, Aleph began, as she met his gaze. You are entitled to your secrets as I am to mine but, She took a deep breath, ... if you are in as much trouble as you say you are, why should I not part ways with you after weplete this dungeon? Tom leaned on his mental stat, which had already seen the obvious questioning. Three reasons, he replied, as he held aloft three fingers. That caught Alephs attention. I didnt want to lie to you about the potential trouble I could be in if my presence was widely known but as far as I know, very few people are even aware of my existence, let alone actively pursuing me, Tom spoke with honesty, to the best of his knowledge. If [The Fool] could well, fool the bearded old man that could travel acrosss, even if search parties were dispatched for him theyde looking for a [Rare] rarity card user and not an [Ephemeral] one. Secondly, I will be, or already am, instrumental to your odds of sessfully aplishing your objective. I am powerful now, Aleph and I owe you. The moment you took someone actively disguising their name, you were prepared for this eventuality. Just the way you are running from your unknown pursuers, I cannot make my presence widely known. You knew and you wanted me on your side anyway that means that you have nowhere else to turn to. Alephs lower lip trembled a little as she averted her gaze. Toms voice turned a shade gentler, I dont care who your enemies are, Aleph. I dont care if its a prestigious Noble House or hell, even if it is the King. Im on your side. Alephs eyes widened a little at his open disregard for the monarch of the Syrelore Kingdom, before she finally responded, And the third? The third, well, A wide grin spread over Toms visage, as he teasingly massaged his chin in a thoughtful manner. Aleph shot him a dirty look. I might just have a way to unlock your inheritance. Chapter 62: Mezzanine Chapter 62: Mezzanine Alephs lips quivered from emotion as she stared at Tom with even greater shock than she had exhibited at his rapid growth. It seemed as if her entire body was locked in ce, her arms the only part that expressed motion in the form of a gentle quivering. You, Her voice cracked, the happy go lucky facade she always maintained when she was with Tom cracking with it. ...that is not a im you are allowed to make frivolously, she caught herself and then stared in the depths of Toms eyes, as if trying to discern the veracity of his words. There was a hint of warning in Alephs words, a stark juxtaposition to the first time she had told him of the inheritance. Her words back then had been spoken jovially and freely and although Tom hadnt recognized it back then, the hint of self-deprecation she cloaked with her cheerful persona. From Alephs reaction, Tom was pretty certain that she had never intended, or more urately, never thought it would be possible for her to unlock her familys inheritance. Im not, Tom squarely met Alephs gaze and held it for a few ufortable moments before continuing, Ill tell you how, but before that, can I show you something? Aleph seemed hesitant but she ultimately nodded in affirmative. Slowly, Tom opened his clenched Revenant w, revealing the solitary card that was nestled in the palm of his hands. Tom made no sudden movements as he plucked the card with his free hand, pinching it with his thumb and index finger before he raised it, back-first, towards Aleph. Alephs gaze was affixed to the raised card, the caution in her gaze fading at Toms willingness to openly expose a powerful card. Droplets of blood slid down the cards back, slowly slicking downwards towards the cards bottom periphery. An outline of the human hearty nestled in the center, painted in neat strokes of red. The blood droplets avoided the heart outline on their descent, yet before they could slide off the bottom edge, a change urred. In the blink of an eye, all the blood droplets were pulled inwards and the heart outline begun to glow a radiant gold. Before Aleph could examine the card any further, the process reset and once again, droplets of blood slicked down the cards surface. Its fine jade green border, however, told her what she needed to know. Is that.. your Soul Card? Aleph mused aloud, only to immediately shake her head after. No, that doesnt feel like a Soul Card. Tom raised an eyebrow at that. Can you feel soul cards? he asked. No, not exactly, Aleph replied, giving him an odd look. It is still a part of your soul, so you can feel a sense of, well, rejection I suppose, when you gaze upon anothers. Very few people are foolish enough to pull their Soul Cards out of their chest, because while others cant use it as long as you are alive, that wont stop you from losing *all* your stats along with the ability to wield cards. Well, youre right. It isnt my soul card, Tom replied, letting the implication hang in the air. Dont tell me, Aleph gazed at Tom in what he could only describe as sheer wonderment. Yep, He offered her a cheeky nod. Got it from the assassin-boss that almost took my head off. You have no idea how impossibly hard it is to get an umon card from this sector, Alephs tone almost sounded aggrieved, before she caught herself, Then again, impossible things seem to happen a lot around you. I think I know why you want to challenge the hardest sector of this dungeon, Tom conspiratorially began, his voice low as he took in the Theatre of Stone. When I was in the Noble District, I overheard some passersby gossiping about Nylev Jaxenors exploits. About how he received a [Rare] card upon sessfully conquering it. Close, Aleph admitted. A [Rare] would indeed be my aim if I was heading into the final sector with a team of fifteen academy students wreathed in a mixture of umon and rare equipment, trained inbat arts and glyphs since they took their first steps, each one armed with an umon card at the very least much like actually, exactly like this Nylev you spoke of, did. Toms gaze sharpened as the hairs on his arms rose up from the realization. But that was impossible, the surface world shouldnt possess cards beyond the Rare Rank; not at least ording to Zenakris memories. Do you know what the Mezzanine Rank is? A Mezzanine Rank? Tom repeated the unfamiliar term, clearly baffled by this turn of events. Mezzanine didnt sound like it was higher than Rare. Exactly. Can you imagine a scenario where you would pick amon card over that, Aleph pointed at his newly acquired umon card, causing him to raise an eyebrow. Uh, nope. Not a chance, Tom replied almost instantly, without giving much thought to it. The only exception would be a healing card, but [Lifeblood] could staunch his bleeding long enough for him to use a potion even then. Right, Aleph nodded. Except, what if there was a card that offered the very limits of amons ability one of the bestmon cards in existence among the tens of thousands of variations in existence. A card that stands at the very border of themon and umon. . Realization dawned upon Tom. An almost-umon that only has the cost of amon card, he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Aleph to hear. You catch on quick, Aleph praised, though her words felt distant. A Mezzanine Rare that is what I hope to gain in the final sector, if we somehow survive till the end, she finally admitted, causing Tom to suck in a cold breath. Arent there easier ways to, Tom trailed off, thinking it wise to notplete his sentence. ....to take revenge, was what he thought inwardly and Aleph was definitely perceptive to catch on. Poisoning a drink. Assassination with a ranged weapon. Some vtile alchemical reagent thrown onto a Noble Estate. All of those sounded way easier than throwing herself into a death-trap for the vague possibility of getting a powerful rare card. Its not that simple, Aleph deflected as her gaze veered away from Tom. But, theres one thing I dont understand. One thing thats been bugging me this whole while, Tom silently changed the subject, not willing to press any further. What is it? Nylev Jaxenor was willing to risk his life for a Rare Card. But he wasnt born with a Rare Card if hes so happy. So how does he intend to equip it? Aleph''s expression turned ufortable as she turned her head to meet Toms gaze. What I am about to tell you, She began, as a sh of guilt passed her visage, is a secret of the Nobility. That caught Toms attention. Have you ever stolen someones Deck Cards without killing them? Aleph asked, her voice devoid of any judgement. You know I have, Tom replied. Right. Zakerans lot, Aleph nodded as the memory came to her. Well then, you know that they reset to Level 1 when you take them away from your opponents Deck. Tom nodded. Did you ever ask yourself why? She asked. Not really, I was too busy trying not to die back then. Authority, Aleph simply replied, as if that exined anything. Exin. When you take cards from another person, there is a transfer of authority. The Deck Card is keyed into its previous owners authority and when it finds a mis-match, which is when the new owner tries to add it to his deck, all the collected experience flows back to the System. That is why you should never, ever, allow another person toy hands on your Deck. Though for higher ranked cards, the transfer of authority takes significantly longer. Toms heartbeat elerated a little, thrilled at the very valuable knowledge Aleph was offering. I still dont see the corrtion, though. Everyone is born with a Soul Card. The Commoners think that their Soul Card represents their status in life and only those of Noble Blood can ascend to a higher Soul Card. That is a lie. Toms expression turned serious. Why? Because its not that difficult to switch to a higher ranked Soul Card. And if themon people knew that They would rip the cards right out of the Nobles hearts instead of ying second fiddle? Tom offered an educated guess, drawing from his high-school history lessons. Aleph winced, but nodded. Severing the connection with your Soul Card is extremely painful. Not to the physical body but.. something more intimate. Meta-physical. But if I told you to do that, you would never agree to it because it would mean losing all your acquired stats, leaving you with nothing to defend yourself. Tom nodded vigorously. But what if you didnt have to lose everything? Cards give us powers and statistics, but they are much more than that. The higher ranked Soul Card you take in will heal the damage to your soul. And you wont be vulnerable, because there was never any transfer of authority. All the time you spent leveling your Soul Card wont go to waste because you didnt lose it and you werent killed. No way, Tom eximed in both rm and wonderment. The higher ranked Soul Card''s SP will allow you to take in your former Soul Card as a Deck Card. Chapter 63: Jubliance Chapter 63: Jubliance Aleph offered him a nod. But theres one thing I still dont understand, Tom mused aloud, his brows furrowed in confusion. Go on, Aleph encouraged, clearly not averse to answering his questions. People in Artezia., He began, only to catch himself mid-sentence,I mean, I was born with my Soul Card, right? And I assume that stands true for most, if not all non-nobles. True enough, She agreed, thinking nothing of the quirky manner in which he had framed his question. I thought that our Soul Cards would be more. inextricably linked with us, you know? It feels wrong to just yank it out of our hearts, almost like a desecration. Exactly like a desecration, yes. Though youre mistaken about one thing, Aleph twirled her outstretched arm, to allow her open palm to face skywards. A single, dazzling crystal bloomed in the center, mesmerizingly hovering an inch above her hand. Though much is unknown about the inner workings of the Divine System, Soul Cards are generally considered to be a gift to even the odds, giving us a chance at beating back the Phantasmal Scourge. Except that gift isnt just to you. What do you mean? A Soul Card is what you leave behind for the world, a memento of your existence that persists long after you have returned to the dust. Why do you think that the system doesnt punish those that steal and even kill others for their cards?" Because, Tom began, but then trailed off. He had plenty of things to say about the system but none of his impassioned opinions seemed wise to give voice. Sure, he wasnt exactly expecting thunderclouds to gather up above his head and smite him to death, but hed rather not tempt fate either. I dont know, he finally admitted, not willing toe up with half-baked theories. Soul Cards and the Deck Cards on your person are dropped upon death. The message there is clear enough those who are worthy will find a way to hold on to their cards and those who are not will clear the way for the ones that are. Individual lives matter little to the system when Artezias very survival is at stake. Toms first thought upon hearing Alephs exnation was that it sounded like the system he knew. He wasnt sure if it was the System or [The Fool] that was responsible for throwing him into this world, but Tom had found it to be surprisingly fair and even rewarding; atleast. when he was willing to do crazy reckless stuff like challenging a Boss thirteen levels above him and then winning. To that end, Tom supposed that the Systems overall objectives were rather transparent. I understand but I dont see the connection. If your Soul Card determined the limit of your growth, you wouldnt see so many dungeoneers willing to stake their lives for the mere chance at a higher ranked card. Themoners that travel to the Nameless District from all parts of the Syrelore Kingdom arent naive once they get a powerful card, they will either offer it to the Royal Guard in exchange for a position in the Noble District or find someone willing to transnt it. I thought you said that only Nobles knew how to do the procedure. The Severance Glyph is the safest method of doing it and as far as I am aware, the only one, Aleph revealed the true secret with surprisingly nonchnce, though merely knowing about it would do little without the Glyphs schematic. But then again, the knowledge I have received from my noble heritage is both iplete and outdated, Her expression seemed a little distant, her eyes carrying a whisper of mncholy as she admitted her own inadequacy. If I knew what I was supposed to, I wouldnt need your help in unlocking the inheritance. Tom understood what Aleph was getting at she was implying that other methods could exist, methods likely found in the underbelly of the cityif they existed in the first ce. I understand, Tom nodded, though his thoughts immediately shed in a dangerous direction. If he could learn the severance glyph, could he switch out his Ephemeral Card for the Umon one? The splitting headache that tore through his headspace caused him to audibly wince, as a tear streaked down his cheek. He immediately grabbed at his head, as if that would do anything. Okay, okay, Im sorry, he mentally pleaded and much to his relief, the warning ceased. Are you okay? Alephs voice echoed with concern, though she chose to maintain her distance out of caution. Yeah, Tom wheezed for breath, forcing himself to take deep, long ones. Yeah, I was just ying around with my new card. Aleph gave him a relieved nod. An awkward silence fell between them as both digested the bombshell revtions that had been exchanged. So, Aleph began, her tone pointed. My inheritance. Having gotten enough time to recover, Tom looked her in the eyes. Im sure you already suspect it, but my Soul Cards abilities are centered around spycraft, Toms voice was strained, as he was inwardly wary of [The Fools] retaliation. To Aleph, it sounded like hesitation and wariness. Thankfully, [The Fool] did not object. Tom had spoken the truth his cards abilities were centered around spycraft but that was only one obscure corner of the whole picture. He had only unlocked two skills and even then, barely touched at their true potential. Alephs eyes narrowed as she replied,If youre telling me that, you dont make for a very good spy. Tom shrugged before answering, You dont strike me as a jeweler either. Touch, Aleph couldnt help but let a chuckle escape at that retort. Fine, so tell me then. How? I would need a way into the Noble District. You told me before that you need the Greater Control Glyph to unlock the inheritance Id need information on the Academy Students that have it memorized. And if things go south, Id prefer to have some reagents or the like to help me escape. Oh yeah and an escape n, Tom recited one after the other, already having envisioned the heist while they were talking. You asked me this before, Alephs tone wasnt exactly usatory, but it was close.The first time I showed you the inheritance chest, you asked me how to unlock it. Tom felt guilty inside, but he didnt show it. And I did nothing with that information, he added. I suppose so, Aleph let her expression rx, though Tom could tell that she was conflicted. And I also suppose that you cant tell me how you will do it? Tom hesitated and then shook his head. Im sorry, Aleph, I dont want to expose you to that kind of risk. But I can prove that Im capable of pulling it off. Aleph raised an eyebrow at his boisterous im. Slowly, he raised his hand and then reached for the void that was his inventory. In but a few moments, he pulled out the opulently packaged [Elixir of Soul Restoration] and simply held it aloft in the air. Aleph sucked in a cold breath of air. I had heard whispers about a heist in the Noble District but I cant believe that it was actually you. And then she began tough in jubnce. Chapter 64: Augmentation. Chapter 64: Augmentation. Tom and Aleph stood before another incandescent symbol that sealed the pathway to the Theatre of Stones second auditorium or so it had beenbeled, by the first dungeoneers that had pioneered the exploration of this sector likely decades ago. Ready? Aleph asked him. Toms gaze shifted to his Revenant w, knowing that the armored gauntlet was clutching onto his newly acquired [Lifeblood] card. He had initially wanted to equip it directly within the ws rotating mechanism, but his current copy of the Revenant w was merely amon it wasnt powerful enough to contain an [Umon] Card. Yeah, Tom replied with a brisk nod. Without further ado, the stone door leading to the second auditorium swung open. It only took Tom a single kill toe to terms with a singr truth Abyss Demons could no longer provide any meaningful level of experience to [The Fool]. On one hand, he supposed that it was a very fair consequence of gaining five levels in the span of a day easily surpassing thebined experience hed gained from months of life and death experiences in Artezia. At the same time though, Tom found himself a little disappointed. Not because he found the lower experience total hed gotten from ying the Abyss Demon with an overhead assassination, no it was merely a gut feeling, an instinctive pull that gave him a feeling that was hard to describe in words. [The Fools] Level 10 had the possibility of being transformative and in an ideal world, he would spend months down in the Zelez Dungeon until he acquired the remaining 1.75 million experience points he needed to get him there. Unfortunately, Aleph had already warned him against that possibility. Two dungeoneersing back from a pathway that led to difficult sectors once or twice could be attributed to overambitious fools retreating after theyd learned their lessons but multiple times,rgely stepping out unscathed? The Nameless District was a cutthroat environment where people would dly betray a squadmate if it allowed them to curry favor with the various factions of the Noble District. Vexingly enough, Tom couldnt even me them- ambitious youths from all across the Syrelore Kingdom willing to risk their lives for their goal? The society was broken, yes, but it was ultimately hard to begrudge people looking for a better life. Simply put, if Tom stuck out too much, odds were that whispers of his odds-defying aplishments would reach the ears of the Nobles. Thankfully though, the skies werentpletely overcast. [The Fool] might have hit its level cap for now, but [Lifeblood] hadnt. It was only a meager Level 1 and Tom intended to funnel every bit of experience he got from now on directly into the [Umon] Deck Card. With a casual backstep, Tom evaded the furious hammer blow of an Abyss Demon. And then he kept retreating, falling back until he was at the entrance of the Theatre of Stones second auditorium. Tom took in the battlefield that stretched out before him, finding thendscape much more adherent to the missives they had received. Clusters of Abyss Demons pelted stones from behind the cover of stony facades that rose from the earth, hallmarked by crude crions that were a far cry from the impressive stone fortress they had to ovee under the silentmand of the Abyssal Lurker. Aleph had once again captured a majority of the enemys attention, though this time it was at Toms behest. He forced himself to take a deep breath as the chaos of the battlefield continued to unfold before him, his gaze sweeping the auditorium just enough to keep him abreast of any attacks that might be directed in his vicinity. Then, with Toms voice barely above a whisper, he uttered, Augmentation. Tom could distinctly feel his lungs pulling vitality from the air, supplying his heart with the thrum of life. He could feel his heart pulsating in excitement as it carried out its function, sharing its bountiful vitality with the rest of his body without holding back. He shuddered in exhration as every inch of his body was suffused with power, or rather, the promise of power if he so willed it. Then, Tom beckoned his heart to do it again, but faster. And faster. Two plumes of steam were exhaled by Tom as augmentation reached its crescendo. With every passing second, Tom could feel the strong pull on his SP, clocking around 1 SP lost every five seconds at the current rate it was ebbing away. An impish smile stretched across his features as he stored his [Nether de] in his inventory and sheathed his [Netherstride Dagger]. Then Tom moved. Truly moved. All Aleph caught was a blur of movement rocketing forward in the periphery of her vision. On the other hand, Tom found himself truly astounded by the sheer distance between a [Common] and an [Umon] card as his conceptualization of speed was changed forevermore. His trajectory was that of a bullet fired at close range straight and unerring as he found the distance between him and an Abyss Demon that had stepped outside cover to get a better shot at Aleph, evaporate. It wasnt as if Tom didnt want to pivot and take care of multiple targets on his way but he simply couldnt. Augmentation was too powerful and too fast at full capacity to allow him deft pivots and maneuvers without tearing at his own ankles. That realization didnt shatter the true terror of his [Lifeblood] card as Toms fist, newly enhanced by his Physical Stat,nded squarely in the Abyss Demons jaw. Tom had expected to send the Abyss Demon skidding back with his punch, if not flying away. He had expected to deal enough damage topletely stun it, so he could finish it offter easily enough. What he hadnt expected though, was for the Abyss Demons skull to pop like a balloon the moment his fist fully connected and then went flying past it. [Congrattions, Umon Ranked Card [Lifeblood] has reached Level 2!] Chapter 65: Scion of Blood Chapter 65: Scion of Blood By the time the final Abyss Demon copsed onto itself in a crumpled heap, Toms new [Lifeblood] card had, unsurprisingly, reached [Level 5]. In the heat of battle he had ignored the phantom itchiness he had felt in the periphery of his vision, a phenomenon that he hade to associate with unread notifications. [Congrattions, Umon Ranked Card [Lifeblood] has reached Level 5 (5025/50,000)!] [Umon Ranked Card [Lifeblood] has unlocked Ability: [Blood Scion, Level 1]. You have received one Skill Upgrade Point. [Card Name: Lifeblood Rank: Umon Level: 5 [5,025/50,000] Skill Upgrade Point(s): 4 Description: Ability: 1. Augmentation, Level 1: The wielder can manipte the blood within his body, allowing for the augmentation of theposition and flow of blood to allow for enhanced oxygen delivery, freely modting heart rate and greatly reducing blood loss from open wounds. Augmentation allows the wielder to move at preternatural speeds beyond the limitations of their body and stem blood loss from open wounds via vasoconstriction. SP Cost is Variable. 2. Blood Scion, Level 1: The wielder can manipte the blood of recently in enemies within twenty four hours of their demise to forge blood weapons. The size andposition of the blood weapons is capped by the wielders Blood Scion Ability Rank and his Mental Stat. Sessfullynding strikes that make direct contact with an opponents blood siphons a small portion of their stamina and vitality to replenish the users own. May treat minor wounds and greatly ease exhaustion.] Tom sucked in a cold breath of air. You were right, he grumbled, though his voice was tinged with gratitude. Of course I was right, Aleph retorted casually as she swept past him, headed towards the podium nestled in the center of the Theatre of Stones third auditorium. Sure, your little heart modtion trick is effective for now, but thats only because of your monstrous stat improvement. Bing a little faster is hardly deserving of an Umon, She exined, blinking a crystal into existence with a snap of her fingers for emphasis. Do all Umon Cards have two abilities? Tom asked, used to Alephs gently sarcastic nature by now. All? Dunno, Aleph replied with a shrug, letting a little ng slip into her words. Most though, probably. I see, Tom answered, though his gaze was already drifting to one of the Abyss Demons carcasses. So? She raised an eyebrow at his drifting attention. What is it? The silver and amethyst haired girl asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of tone. Iuh, Tom slowly walked towards the Abyss Demon carcass closest to him. I think itd be better if I just show you. His Umon Deck Card firmly locked in the grip of his Revenant w, Tom willed his right hand forward, until it was hovering directly above the Abyss Demons crumpled chest, albeit separated by two or three feet. Blood Scion, he whispered under his breath, immediately feeling the pull on his SP. He flinched when the Abyss Demons abdomen began to writhe and twist, settling into a simmering bubbling before he instinctively tugged. What is that? Aleph hissed under her breath, clearly startled by the development. What? Toms reply echoed his confusion, thest few seconds a jumbled blur in his minds eye. He vividly remembered the desire to tug welling up in his mind and he had, only for the sensation topletely vanish moments after into a wispy nothingness. And then Tompletely stilled. Oh. Thaaaat, He muttered dumbfoundedly, as his gaze refocused before him. The reason why he hadnt outright noticed the changes was because even now, he could barely feel the weight of the deep violet staff he was gripping. A staff that was actually too long and unwieldy to qualify as one, in all honesty a realization that prompted Tom to trace the weapon construct to its tip. He gaped as he finally encountered the wickedly curving de extending from the top end of the staff, its eerie configuration arching inwards at a crooked angle; so much so that one half of the de hovered above Toms back. A Blood Scythe. Tom knew that he had likely been the one to visualize it and he could see why he had subconsciously made that connection. External blood maniption, Alephs voice rang out from ahead of him, snapping him out of his reverie. It seems like a pretty useful ability. Though Ive got to say, Ive never seen a weapon as intimidating, if grossly impractical, as that. Tom wanted to retort, but an instinct welled up within him as if he wanted to challenge that notion. Right, Tom muttered and for a moment ignored the queasiness he felt despite his high Mental Stat. He knew that he wasnt actually all that affected by using the blood of an otherworldly creature that knew and understood nothing but killing, but a part of him still felt slightly wrong about it. Earths morality was shing against Artezias he supposed. Though those worries were forter. Tom had seen Aleph control crystals with a graceful elegance that made it seem effortless. While his own card couldnt conjure blood out of nothing and neither was it capable of multiplying the volume of blood he maintained within his dominion, there was one thing he could definitely do. With a flicker of motion, the scythe in Toms hands blurred into a more viscous, coagted form and then, in a matter of mere seconds, shifted into two distinct forms. A whistle in appreciation sounded out from Alephs direction as Tom took in the pair of blood swords, their dimensions mirrored in each hand. Wouldnt want to be cut with that, Aleph replied with gusto. Tom couldnt help but sh a grin in response. I concur. Well, now that all that is dealt with, you can allocate your points after we get out of this dingy cavern. Oh and what about this? Aleph asked as she stood in the middle of a raised podium, an effulgent golden chest radiating waves of warm, refreshing light, beckoning for their attention. You can have it, Tom replied with a shrug as he let his blood des melt away onto the floor. This was already beyond my expectations, he added gratefully. The presence of the golden chest namely the additional reward for clearing the Dungeon was normally ced within the final room. To the Phantasmal Creatures, it trapped them within the confines of the Boss Room, ensuring that they couldnt create havoc in the lower floors. To dungeoneers, the chest represented the culmination of their efforts a reward directly from the Divine System for meritorious service to the realm of Artezia. Which was why the Abyssal Lurkers domain was such an odd and challenging sector, with the boss being allowed to roam free within the Dungeon and even retreat to other rooms if the situation called for it. A loud groaning sound echoed out as Aleph opened the heavy-set chest and in the next moment, light flooded Toms vision. Chapter 66: Rings of the Abyssal Lurker Chapter 66: Rings of the Abyssal Lurker [Rings of the Abyssal Lurker, Umon Set-Artifact (3/3) Ring of the Phantom Strider: Passively influences all sentient lifeforms in a twenty five meter radius, misdirecting all attention directed towards the wearer. The strength of the misdirection is dependent upon the wielders Mental and Proprioception Statpared to the targets. Ring of Twisted Blood: Automatically coats any weapon in physical contact with the wielder with a thinyer of blood toxin that saps away at the target''s stamina and endurance upon making contact with the enemys flesh. May not work on all Phantasmal Archetypes and/or entities that surpass the wearers Physical Stat. Ring of Stoneform: Allows the wearer to bring forth the Aura of Stoneform once a day, granting them greatly reduced damage from blunt force attacks and moderately reduced damage from piercing attacks for five minutes. Set effect when all three rings are worn together: Boosts the effects of umon ranked cards by 15% andmon ranked cards by 35%] Well? Aleph directed the question towards Tom, the amusement in her voice palpable. Regretting your magnanimity now, Sir Synrak? No, Tom replied, his tone steady as he took the false name he had given Aleph in stride. Though Aleph, thats really quite., he found himself at a loss for words, still processing the Artifacts specifications. Its not an Umon Card, Aleph began. Its not, but it may as well be the next best thing. I havent felt this powerful in a while, She admitted with a soft wistfulness, as the three rings, each iid with a different colored gem, glinted on her left hands fingers. Tom sensed the heaviness in the air, allowing himself a deep exhtion as his gaze flickered towards the exit that had opened up at the end of the third auditorium. Well, since we got what we came here for, lets get out of this hell pit, Tom finally allowed his exhaustion to influence his psyche. He was tired, caked in Abyss Demon blood and in that moment, wanted nothing more than a warm bath and a clean bed. Yeah. Its been a long day. So, Aleph began, her voice leisurely as shey on the solitary cot that was tucked away in the north-eastern corner of their cozy little hideout. You want to sneak into the Noble District, she stated matter-of-factly, as if his exaggerated request was merely a task on a list to aplish. Yes, Tom replied simply. Let me reiterate. You want to go back to the ce you stole from, knowing full well that theyll be on guard for you? There are as many cards in cirction as there are stars in the night sky and the Noble Families of Renovia certainly have enough Deck Cards that can pierce through illusions, even without counting their extravagant wealth in artifacts and elixirs. I do, Tom answered calmly, the facade ofposure he was maintaining on the surface doing well to belie the churning anxiety he felt welling up in his gut. Why? Aleph threw her hands up in the air in mock exasperation. If you get caught, theyll interrogate you until they find out wherever it is that you came from. Ill be as exposed as you are if that happens, you do know that right? I know, Aleph. But I-, Tom tried to exin. Surely, Aleph cut him off as she sat up, giving him an odd look. Surely youre not smitten enough with me that youre willing to sacrifice your life, are you? Toms cheeks flushed hot at the unexpected retort. No, Tom finally regained hisposure with a dry cough. Well, I dont dislike you but thats not the reason why I would voluntarily step behind enemy lines and risk being tortured until they wring out everyst shred of valuable information they can get out of me, Aleph, He matched the jest for a jest, though his expression gradually turned serious. I need to make preparations, Tom finally admitted. Tonight, Ill slip out of the hideout and I cant have you following me. Aleph raised an eyebrow in challenge at those words. Ill know, Aleph. You may be exceptionally skilled and powerful, but youre not built for stealth, Toms tone was soft but firm, already having decided on the matter. And why should Iply? Aleph met his demand with an almost icy tone. For both your safety and mine, He answered. I dont intend to get caught, but if I do the less you know about me the safer it is for you. And I swear, to the Divine System if need be, that those words are not a lie. Those words seemed to cate the fiery Fallen Noble, if only a little. The system didnt punish those who swore falsehoods in its name, though Artezian culture seemed to consider it a supremely bad omen to do so. It is not for me to stop you, Alephs voice was slow and dignified, tinged with what Tom could only glimpse as a hint of mncholy. Though I will not aid you in a mission that is likely to end in your death or.worse. Tomorrow, Tom replied, his voice echoing a steely confidence that his past self back on Earth would be astonished at. Tomorrow, I shall give you reason enough to trust me. Enough to believe that Ill be able to pull this off, Tom dered, the certainty he heard in his own tone somehow lessening the anxiety he felt. Just one day? Aleph asked, her gaze conveying her astonishment. You just need one day to prepare for a heist in the Noble District? Toms lips slowly curled into a cheeky smile at her exmation. Yep, He nodded. Just a day. So. will you trust me? You are Renovias one and only master thief. I see no reason to deny you a chance if you truly prove your methods to me tomorrow, as you have promised to, then yes I have a way into the Noble District. Chapter Thomas Art + The Legendary Fool Cover! Chapter Thomas'' Art + The Legendary Fool Cover! Okay, Okay, so I''ve been told to get art for Tom too so he doesn''t feel left out (I''ve already shown you the Aleph one, I think). So it''s just been a matter of finding the right artist and it has taken me literally months to find someone that fits Tom''s/The Fool''s style just right. *Drumroll* Okay, okay, without further ado, here: Two in one! I THINK THAT''S FRICKIN AWESOME The Mask symbolizes Maya, Tom''s ability to change into anyone and experience their memories as they were his own. The swords on the floor symbolize his Fool''s Gold ability, namely, the ability to mimic any weapon that he touches. The Sun is borrowed from the Original ''The Fool'' tarot card in arcana, though there might be more symbolisms there. The card in his hand is [The Fool] itself, making this a card in a card- entertainingly enough. The Zeros on the border allude to the tarot card ''Fool''s'' number, but also symbolize the concept of a ''Wildcard'' The Gold is basically, well, Tom''s proclivities to simply steal stuff when he needs to, haha. The gauntlet is a rendition of the [Revenant''s w] I''m sure you''ve heard about enough. Does that cover it? I think it does. CHEERS, The next chapter is TODAY :))) this had my attention upied for thest week or so, pardon me there. Chapter 67: Tabula Rasa Chapter 67: Tab Rasa It was a little after midnight when Tom finally slipped out of the hideout, a newly obtained coin pouch fastened to his belt. Behind him, the characteristic crinkling sound made by Alephs materialized crystals sounded out, as the trapdoor hed made his way through was sealed shut. That didnt mean that Aleph couldnt or for that matter wouldnt try to shadow his footsteps. Tom wasnt naive enough to believe that what Aleph had revealed so far was the full extent of her abilities she had only ever relied upon a single card in his presence. While he doubted that her other cards would be as potent as her current one, its uncertainty was what made them a variable he couldnt guard against. Regardless, Tom was certain that she wouldnt be able to track him easily a Proprioception Stat of 31 was enough to atleast give him that much confidence. Zenakris [The Umbra] card had been enough to leave Tom shaken when he had thought back upon its potency, but now he was fairly certain that even the Noble scion would have a hard time tailing himpletely undetected, let alone sessfully ambush him. The tenebrous spread that stretched out before him stood in stark contrast to the bustling, if squalid district hede to get used to. In the distance, his enhanced physical stat allowed him to make out raucous banter and drunken squabbles running across the districts main drag. He would be eventually heading there, though for now Toms gaze shifted to the inky darkness shrouding the poorly lit part of the district. The shadows were a perfect aide to those who wished to engage in trade of illicit goods, settle feuds, which, were hardly an umon urrence among dungeoneers and generally deal with unttering matters one would rather not handle in broad daylight. Of course, it was not all cynicism and gloom. Most dungeoneers were probably interested in nothing more than their alcoholic beverage of choice as they either leaned in towards a heavily embellished tale of great exploits in the Dungeon or regaled their own. This wasnt the first time Tom had gone wandering off into the night, though those trips had been reserved and generally cautious ones. Now though? Tom wouldnt underestimate the Nameless District, but he no longer had any reason to fear them. Rounding the bend of an alleyway, Tom leapt onto the roof of a wooden hut without letting anything but a muted tap leak out. A few details still remained blurry in his sight, but even in the darkness, Tom could see all he needed to for effortless movement. Striding from one rooftop to the next in an unbroken pace, all Tom left behind was muted tapping sounds that were unlikely to raise the residents from their slumber. While enhanced stats allowed one to detect threats in the vicinity, that instinctive safeguard only kicked in when the threat was truly directed at their person. If Tom was painstakingly made aware of every single aspect of his surroundings even as he tried to lull himself asleep without the ability to tune it out, his stats would have been more of a curse than a blessing. Finally, he came to a stop. Dropping into a crouch, he pressed his right ear against the roof, letting a few seconds pass before he retracted himself, nodded and then gracefully descended down the side of the wooden hut. Tom winced a little when the wooden door hed pushed inwards let out a creak, punctuating the silence he had been working so hard to cultivate. Then he just shook his head and kept going. He had heard no breathinging from this particr hut and the rickety door was in a clear state of disrepair, so Tom wasnt entirely surprised to find that the amodation currently housed no residents, well, unless the wooden splinters of a half shattered barstool spewed across the floor counted. It was perfect for Toms purposes. Shutting the door didnt give him any illusions of long-term privacy, it was only a contingency in case his decision was apanied by loud res of light or something equally ostentatious. [Soul Card: The Fool. Rank: Ephemeral [Legendary Unique] Level: 9 (984,224/2,750,000) Skill Upgrade Points: 6 Ability: Shroud, Level 2 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Allows the wielder to change any one statistic in the [yer Statistics] screen. Active Shroud, Maya: Maya, the Infinite Web of Illusions, gives the wielder an ability to peer into the targets memories, giving the wielder the impression that they have truly be their target in shape, recollection and emotionthereby achieving the state of deceiving oneself to deceive the world. Sessfully experiencing Maya and finding ones true self allows ess to the realm of Yul, the subconscious mind given physical form. Currently, Maya can only be cast on targets within twenty one levels of [The Fools] current level. The wielder can copy one memory from Yul upon sess. Failure, however, condemns the wielder to a state of Zhan- when the targets psyche overwhelms the wielder, they lose themselves and begin to believe that they are the target themselves. Zhan mayst for years or decades, without the wielders awareness. Sub-skill 1: Home-bound Imbue a thought-concept with your will, allowing it to guide you to Yul whilst experiencing Maya in the targets mind. Presently only one thought-concept can be created.] Fools Gold, Level 1 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. Ones grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. Ones greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [5] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [20] levels of the Soul Cards current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 10% of the objects ability and copy [1] skill.] There was a reason why Tom had been putting off the decision to invest his [Skill Upgrade Points] for so long. Even when there was a possibility that, even with [The Fools] nonbat nature, it could increase his chances at survival. Tom was no longer afraid of delving into a dungeon sector responsible for the elimination of multiple dungeoneering groups every year. Vicious monsters and even phantasmal beasts were no longer enough to send him fleeing in fear. [The Fool] however. that was a different matter. Part of him had been hoping that he would unlock a different skill a [Legendary]bat skill- that would allow him the firepower to rain down fury on his foes. And Tom would have, without a moments hesitation, invested all his points if such a skill had been unlocked. But no. Toms gut told him that it wasnt going to be that easy. So he had circled onto a different question. Why had [The Fool] chosen him? It had been a question that had been guing him since the moment he stepped into Artezia. Who was he, really? The old him? Back on Earth, Thomas Lowe had not been the duplicitous sort of person. He didnt enjoy misleading or tricking people. He was not a habitual liar, not one driven to cheat or swindle others. If he was that sort of person, he wouldnt have simply epted his lot in life and lived on for the sake of living on. He wasnt scheming. He wasnt devious. He gained no sadistic satisfaction from treachery. But then again Thomas Lowe wasnt the sort of person to challenge a Dungeon Sector head on, either. He wasnt the sort of person to dare to even think about stealing from under the nose of a heavily guarded storefront, let alone actually executing his scheme and getting away with it. No he had be those people. He had be the brave dungeoneer, unfazed by the poisoned arms of the deswalker or intimidated by the rugged defense of the Abyss Demons. He had be the bold thief, the swindler who took what he wanted when he wanted but only from those who had plenty and then so more. He had be someone who had learned to stand up for himself,a man willing to put people in their ce when they got unruly with him, tried to take what rightfully belonged to him. He had be that and so much more. And then he had realized why [The Fool] had chosen him. Thomas Lowe was a nk te. However, that also meant that he could be. Anyone. The gleam that twinkled in his eye could only have been described as infectious, as his lips slowly curled up in amusement. A part of him was staunchly against the decision he was about to make, but that only served to convince him that he was on the right path. [Fools Gold] was an incredibly powerful ability, yes. Even more so after hed mimicked Alephs newly acquired rings. And part of him wanted to see how powerful he could be if that skill was driven to the extreme. But at the end of the day, all Fools Gold gave him was. Weapons. [The Fool] hadnt chosen him because he was a master swordsman. But he could be one. Holding on to that thought, Tom confirmed his decision. [Congrattions, Legendary Ability {Shroud} has leveled up from Level 2 to Level 8!] Chapter 68: Moh-Maya Chapter 68: Moh-Maya [Ability: Shroud, Level 8 Passive Shroud: Makes the wielder invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Disys a False [yer Statistics] screen to anyone with an [Identification] type card. Allows the wielder to change any one statistic in the [yer Statistics] screen. Informs the wielder if any detection/scrying/location cards have been used against them. Active Shroud, Maya: Maya, the Infinite Web of Illusions, gives the wielder an ability to peer into the target''s memories, giving the wielder the impression that they have truly be their target in shape, recollection and emotionthereby achieving the state of deceiving oneself to deceive the world. Sessfully experiencing Maya and finding ones true self allows ess to the realm of Yul, the subconscious mind given physical form. Currently, Maya can only be cast on targets within twenty five levels of [The Fools] current level. The wielder can copy one memory from Yul upon sess. Failure, however, condemns the wielder to a state of Zhan- when the targets psyche overwhelms the wielder, they lose themselves and begin to believe that they are the target themselves. Zhan mayst for years or decades, without the wielders awareness. Sub-skill 1: Home-bound Imbue a thought-concept with your will, allowing it to guide you to Yul whilst experiencing Maya in the targets mind. Moderately reduces the chances of falling into a state of Zhan. Created thought-concept can allow the wielder to escape the state of Maya once in every forty-eight hours without falling into a state of Zhan. Presently only one thought-concept can be created.] Sub-skill 2: Moh-Maya The Attachment to Illusion Subskill affects the odds of sessfully copying a memory from the target after entering the realm of Yul. Greatly increases the chance of obtaining a Shimmering Bronze Star. Small increase in the chance of obtaining a Lunar Silver Star. No increase in the chance of obtaining stars ranked Astral Gold or higher. ] Nestled on top of one of therger storefronts that ran along the districts main drag, Tom sucked in a cold breath of air as he took in the flurry of changes that had just been made to his Shroud Ability. Although the change to Passive Shroud was subtle, the longer his gaze lingered on the text the more he found himself drawn in by the possibilities. [The Fools] ability set seemed to be intent on ensuring that its wielder could not be tracked by any conventional means and now, Tom would know when he stepped into an area that was being actively monitored by such cards. Or if someone was seeking to locate him in particr, through means and activation conditions he was likely unaware of. Forewarning was the crux of Passive Shrouds evolution and he was more than thankful for the addition to his anti-detection abilities. Active Shroud, Maya, though, was an entirely different ball game. The first change that had surprised him was the level range he could cast Maya within. It had improved, but only marginally from a maximum of twenty one levels above him to twenty five. If that had been the summation of changes after investing 6 Skill Upgrade Points, Tom would have been crestfallen, let alone disappointed. [Homebound] though,pletely changed the way he had been expecting to use Maya. If he chose a target that surpassed and overwhelmed his psyche, the sub-skill could let him escape once every forty eight hours without risking madness. A thought-concept, Tom mused, only to feel a tug from within the depths of his soul. He generally understood what [The Fool] card wished to convey, what he had to create to extract himself from the infinite web of illusions. A sanctuary. A memento from home. A reminder of the person who he used to be and by extension, who he had be. The muffled chuckle that escaped him wasnt a self-depreciating one, no merely an amused one. Then, he visualized the thought-concept that hade to him as naturally as breathing. A rectangr shape slowly began to unfold in his minds eye until a thin sheet of stic cut out in the dimensions of a credit cardy suspended in the void. Then Tom focused and details began to scrawl themselves on the vertically suspended card. The red and white of Anytime Aisles typography was contained in a tilted elliptical shape, dominating the top quarter of the card. Second and third was taken up by a grainy image of his own self, from head to shoulders, dressed in a cheap red t-shirt highlighted by white ents circling along the edges of sleeves and along the cor. A pitiful attempt at a smile was reflected in his mugshot, his listless eyes staring nkly into the distance aptly conveying an indifference that Tom was all too familiar with. Finally, thest quarter, dominated by his first name lettered in clear, bold text. THOMAS, it said, for the convenience of the customers that he used to deal with on a daily basis. A red card holder phased into existence moments after, followed by a whitenyard thatpleted the identity card. [Would you like to assign this mental construct as your thought-concept?] Tom would have hesitated, deliberated on the matter a little longer if he wasnt absolutely sure of his decision. This was the right decision. Then, Tom closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze falling on the districts main drag, Tom saw numbers hovering above the dungeoneers that were engaged in merriment down below. His second, newly unlocked sub-skill, [Moh-Maya] would hopefully give him a chance at the Lunar Silver Stars that he so coveted. Even a dull bronze star or Shimmering Bronze Star as [The Fool] had termed it, had saved him months of effort by allowing him to learn the Aldoriannguage. It might seem simple in hindsight, but without even having the ability tomunicate in the localnguage, Tom would have needed to avoid contact with other people until he learned it or risk getting outed as aplete foreigner who carried no identification with himself. If even a single bronze could contribute to his survival, what could a Lunar Silver do for him? Tom was excited to find out. Chapter 69: Jayce Chapter 69: Jayce The first individual Toms scrutinizing gaze had fallen upon was a young dungeoneer in histe twenties. At a cursory nce, the blonde-haired man with his scruffy beard, mundane brown eyes and a set of clearly well-worn equipment, faded silver with ents of red running along its edges and sides wasnt all that different from the rest of the dungeoneers frolicking along the districts main street. He had a sway to his step, a mug of some cheap, dubious ale clenched in his right hand as he kept up with three other adventurers, likely members of his party. There were three reasons that, in Toms eyes, distinguished the blonde-haired man from his fellowrades. A intimidating long spear, a thin yet imposing pir of a deep blue metal tipped with a translucent crystal, casually slung across his back was the first. It couldnt be higher than an umon grade, but the simple fact that the dungeoneer carried the weapon so openly and casually meant that he wasnt afraid of any reprisals or attempted thefts. The second reason was far subtler his gait. While hisrades, for the most part, seemed genuinely drunk as the shambled forward,ughing and pping each other on the back at a particrly amusing jest, the blonde-haired dungeoneer only seemed to be feigning his drunkenness. There was a natural alertness to his steps, an ingrained caution that Toms high Proprioception had clued him in on. Finally, [The Fool] seemed to think highly of the dungeoneer in question. Above his head, a piercing red light had twisted and twirled until it had painted the image of an androgynous jester with blurry, shifting facial features a familiar sight at this point with the number 28 written next to it in a sharp, knifing font. 28 Soul Power was the required cost to cast Active Shroud: Maya on the dungeoneer. Which was both a surprising and stark contrast to his party members, who had not even crossed a twenty. Zenakris Renain had required 34 Soul Power, which had been a whopping number for his SP reserves back then. And Zenakris had been a Noble, a powerful one at that. There was no way that Tom would allow this opportunity to slip by him. Active Shroud Maya. For a long moment, the blonde-haired man believed that he was going to fall. Then his instincts kicked in and stabilized his footing as he took a step forward. The worlds momentum, which to him had seemed frozen in ce, consumed by an eerie, all-consuming stillness, resumed again. The man found himself walking down a decently popted street, finding himself feeling quite calm as he shuffled past groups of young armored men and women. Jayce? Are you alright? A feminine voice of concern rang out from his side. He found himself angling his gaze towards his left, somehow not surprised to see the people walking by his side two men, both a little younger than him and a woman in her early twenties, her vivacious light violet hair causing his gaze to linger a little longer. Yeah, Im fine, He replied with what seemed to be a practiced response, effortlessly concealing the disdain he felt for the trio with impable ease. That was odd. Jayce didnt know why he felt disdain towards his own teammates. Jayce, he mused in the privacy of his mind and memories came flooding back to him. The brief moment of amnesia was long forgotten as Jayce stepped into the territory of the Zelez Dungeon. He had taken a moment to examine his status, unsurprised to find the level 16 [Light Arrow] card as his Soul Card. Although it was just amon card, just was perhaps a misnomer when one considered that he was only four levels away from hitting the level cap. That made Jayce a good deal more powerful than his party members. Whereas they took a slow and methodological approach towards clearing the insectoid level 9 [Dark Crawlers], Jayce deftly employed his spear to deal shallow puncture wounds to any arachnid that stepped into his attack range. He stood his ground instead of applying guerri tactics and cycling between party members, which was a big part of the reason why his group hade to appreciate him so much. Whenever a light arrow was fired, it ended up finishing the [Dark Crawler] he was targetingwithout fail. His party members werent, by any means, oblivious to his prowess. Dungeoneers could be described as reckless, yes. Intrepid, if you looked at it in a different light. Foolish? asionally. Very few, however, could be considered stupid. At least not among those that survived longer than a couple months in this trade. He clearly outssed the others when it came to skill, even with the tip of the iceberg he had revealed. That, in their eyes, made him a good candidate to recruit but they werent really threatened by him. The simple fact of the matter was, [Light Arrow] was simply a weak card, even amongmon ones. And unlike others, Jayce did not have, no, he simply refused to slot any other [Common] card into his deck. Not that it would have boosted his prowess by a great deal, for it had taken him far too long to get his [Soul Card] to level 16. His [Light Arrow] might be a rtively weak and fairly easy to counter ability, but that didnt change the simple fact that any ability was pretty effective at such a high level. Being underestimated though, was fine with Jayce. In actuality, it was the very reason why he had agreed to partner up with the trio to begin with. The others were generallypetent in their own rights. Jayce didnt consider thempanions, but at the same time he held no animosity towards them either. The party he had chosen was merely a foil to attract the prey. Jayce knew that the [Umon] ranked spear that he had inherited from his father was enough to attract the attention of the Nameless Districts more ruthless sort. Yet he had slung it across his back, making his way across the crowded thoroughfare that was the districts main drag before entering the Zelez Dungeon, multiple times. Those powerful enough to actually be a threat to him wouldnt be moved by a mere umon weapon. After all, if they were worth their salt, [Umon] ranked weapons could be obtained from the Zelez Dungeon. The only thing that moved such people was cards. That left the opportunists, those seeking a shortcut to power. Murder was taboo above-ground and it was in no ones interests to have the Royal Knights scouring through the Nameless District for the guilty. Inside the dungeon though, was a different matter entirely. Groups were not regrly targeted, because as long as even one witness managed to survive, the veracity of his testimony could easily be verified by the Royal Knights. Which was precisely why Jayce chose to sneak out on his partys rest day, unbeknownst to his fellowpanions. On that day, he had made no show of his presence. His spear was safely tucked within his inventory, a hood partially obscuring his face as he entered the Zelez Dungeonalone. Bait had to be sufficiently convincing, after all. Most dungeoneers wouldnt notice anything awry. Heading into the dungeon alone didnt always have to be risky not if you stuck to the periphery of the dangerous areas and took down weak monsters like [Nether Devils]. The returns would be poor, yes but money was money. But those that had been observing him over the past few weeks, lusting after his prized spear They would know. And indeed, Jayce wasnt surprised when a solitary dungeoneer tried to ambush him around half an hour into his exploration. He had known well in advance, naturally. While Dungeons didnt quite allow its explorers to set any traps, Jayce skirted the line with a single-use,mon rank artifact. The delicate translucent threads he had weaved along his path couldnt harm the weakest of phantasmal beasts, let alone a trained, equipped dungeoneer. They served but a single purpose. And indeed, when the gem in his hand was suffused with a deep red hue, Jayce knew. There was no guarantee that the one pursuing him was human. But Jayces instincts told him that his quarry hade. And he had continued walking forward, his exposed back deliberately left unguarded for his pursuer. The fight that ensued had been a challenging one. When Jayce had instinctively pivoted to meet his attacker, his heart had lurched. He had been prepared to face elemental attacks, but the bolt of lightning arcing towards him sent a bone-chilling wave of terror down his spine. Lightning was not an element easily found at the Common Rank, simply because of the elements sheer potency. His instincts told him to run, to dive out of the way but just barely, Jayce had managed to hold onto his conviction. An aegis of golden light expanded outwards from the tip of his spear, shielding him from all frontal attacks. Had he guessed wrong and the lightning card he had encountered was of the umon rank, it would puncture through his shield and fry him to death almost instantaneously. It didnt. The lightning that arced across his light shields surface was too weak to prate it, too weak to do anything but incapacitate him for a few seconds. Jayces gaze flitted to his attacker, not entirely surprised to see a shortbow there, a tensioned arrow pointed in his direction. A smirk had spread across Jayces visage as he shot forward. Those looking to ambush others tended to copse when faced with prey that fought back. That was what his father, a former vassal for a Noble Family unrted to Renovias Nobility, had taught him. He had also taught him how to kill those who tended to ce an over-reliance on their cards, which happened to be most dungeoneers, atleast among those hed encountered. Arrows harmlessly bounced off Jayces shielding as he charged forth with a vengeance. Another lightning bolt was released in his direction, but Jayce didnt let that halt his momentum as he maintained his pace. The light aegis he was relying upon was a function of his umon weapon a defensive umon weapon, easily making its value skyrocket to twice that of an offensive weapon of the same rank and for the few minutes he could use it, Jayce was confident that no ordinary attack would be able to pierce it. Soon, he was within striking range. His foe had let out a battle cry as he, long having abandoned his bow, reached for the sword sheathed at his waist. The aegis shielding Jayce flickered out of existence as he nted both his feet on the ground, his hands firmlytched onto his spears haft as he let it explode outwards in a wide arc. [Titans Sequitur: Tempest] HIs foe tried to and even seeded in guarding against his strike, but that did little to halt the burgeoning momentum behind his strike. A cloud of dust was kicked up in the air as his would-be attacker was sent careening backwards, skidding across the dungeons rocky and uneven surface. Only giving his enemy moments toe to terms with the counter-assault, Jayce hadunched himself in pursuit. He wielded his spear like one would a ive, having primarily focused his stats on Physical, with Proprioceptioning in second, nearing a third of the total investment. Unlike most other dungeoneers, Jayce had almostpletely neglected his Mental Stat in favor of his strengths. He hoped to bolster his deficiency in the stat with artifactster on, but he wasnt concerned about being interrogated by Royal Guards. After all, he hadnt done anything wrong unless possessing anything valuable at all was a sin. His second arcing blow was barely dodged. The third was ancing thrust that tore away at the mans leather armor yet miraculously left him unscathed. His foe was now desperate and Jayce wasnt surprised to see lightning building up in his left arm. He responded with a light arrow of his own, targeting the mans arm without hesitation. A painful cry was screamed out as the mans arm twisted backwards. Jayce took full advantage of the distraction and this time His thrust didnt miss. The Titans Sequitur hade to an end and his enemy was dead. As Jayce pped away an oing [Dark Crawler] with a casual arc of his spear, he couldnt help but wear an odd expression on his face. He remembered feeling nothing but cold satisfaction when he had killed the bowman that had tried to assassinate him. So. Why was he feeling guilty? Only then did he notice an unfamiliar weight looping around his neck. What in the, Jayce trailed off as he raised the card before him, holding it by thenyard it was tied to. A name was scrawled across the mundane card, in anguage that Jayce shouldnt have been able to recognize. And that face, though he could have sworn that he had never seen the teenager pictured on the card, why did it feel so.familiar Almost as if he was looking at a portrait of- Oh, Jayce muttered aloud, blinking as he took stock of his surroundings. Cracks ran across the periphery of the dungeon walls, a little outside his immediate view. I guess things really are easier the second time, Tom muttered to himself and then actively exerted his own willpower over the Maya he had fallen into. With a Mental Stat of 36 reinforcing his efforts, it didnt take long before the cracks visibly intensified. And then, with a final resentful groan, the world shattered. Chapter 70: Titans Sequitur Chapter 70: Titan''s Sequitur As Tom floated in the darkness of the void for the second time, he came to the realization that it wasnt as all-epassing as he originally thought it to be. The light from the numerous Shimmering Bronze and the distant, yet more vibrant Lunar Silver stars, only four among dozens of the former, provided him with enough illumination to get a better grasp of the metaphysical space known as Yul. Zenakris Yul had seemed like an infinite expanse that stretched onto infinity, the mental suppression offered by the world so oppressive and crushing that Tom had felt like he was going to implode onto himself if he hadnt picked a Bronze star right then and there. Now though, as Toms gaze flickered to the Lunar Silver stars in the distance and then beyond, he could make out a hazy distortion at the periphery of Yul. Fittingly, the well-crafted illusion painted a convincing image of endlessness, or at least a semnce of it. Jayce however, wasnt Zenakris. Tom wasnt sure what criterion [The Fool] utilized to distinguish between the rarities of different stars, only that Jayce couldnt match the quality of information, knowledge and ess to inheritances that Zenakris did. Whether his world not possessing the same level of mental suppression was a consequence of him neglecting the mental stat, a lower ascribed value of the knowledge in his possession or simply inferior willpowerpared to Zenakris, Tom couldnt quite tell. From what he understood, both Zenakris and Jayce had their own unique determinations and their own irreplicable lens through which they viewed Artezia. Jayces memories were rather difficult for Tom to digest. The Dungeoneer walked a nebulous path that couldnt outright be judged by thews of thend. He hadntmitted any immoral offense by unting his valuable weapon in an open area. Was Jayce aware of the fact that his actions might result in consequences? Yes, he had been counting on it. That didnt change the fact that every time Jayce had killed someone, it had been in self defense. Did that make him a heinous criminal? Tom didnt think himself the right man to be the judge of that question. But there was one thing he was certain of. Jayce was a man willing to kill for his ambitions it was also the secret behind his rapid leveling speed. He didnt expect Jayces secrets toe easy, no but if anything, it only strengthened his resolve to take as much as he could from the man while he had the opportunity. Toms gaze flickered over to the Lunar Silver stars, the hunger in his gaze palpable. In Zenakris Yul, he had made the mistake of considering his body as a physical limitation. Gazing past the veil shrouding Jayces Yul though, had reminded Tom of the simple, singr fact that he wasnt actually here. The mentalndscape he was currently aimlessly floating around wasnt neverending, because not even a 100 in the Mental Stat would make the brain capable of storing infinite knowledge at least, Tom didnt think so. That meant that instead of iling around in pitiful attempts to move forward, he just had to think it into existence. Whoa! Tom eximed out of what could only be described as pure euphoria. He was flying. For the first leg of his aerodynamic journey, he practically rocketed forth with unrestrained momentum grinning impishly as strong winds buffeted against his visage. It was only after that he realized that the winds were actually Jayces Yul shing against his encroachment. Toms Mental Stat had allowed him to move freely and indeed, he had up until the moment he was three-fourths of the way through to the first cluster of Shimmering Bronze stars. From then on, movement was a constant struggle against Jayces Yul. Tom could overpower Jayce when it came to the Mental Stat, but that didnt change the simple fact that he was the invader in this scenario, one operating on enemy territory. He still moved forward at a slower albeit consistent rate in exchange for his mental endurance. The temptation of Shimmering Bronze stars lingered in his mind as he passed by them, some tantalizingly close separated from him only by a few arm-lengths. Tom knew better than to underestimate the value of Shimmering Bronze stars. Perhaps they did not contain knowledge or insight that could directly strengthen him, but without his basic understanding of the Aldorian Language he wouldnt have managed to get this far. Still, he was only offered one choice so he had to persevere. As Tom ventured a little past the half-way mark into the belt of Shimmering stars, his head began to lightly throb. Time was a wispy concept within Yul. Even though he knew that barely any time had passed in the real world, it felt like he had been floating in Jayces Yul for hours at this point. He doggedly kept moving forward even as his breath grew shallow, beads of sweat trickling down his chin and dripping off into the starless void beneath him. His vision began to blur from the intensity of the splitting headache that tore away at his skull, his soul quaking from the invisible pressure crushing down upon him from all directions. Finally, Tom stilled in ce. Even though it was an illusion, he was genuinely spent as he drifted in and out of consciousness. The Lunar Silver star that glowed with a familiar aura, the orb of light that had been beckoning at him from the moment hedid his eyes on it it was only separated from him by a dozen or so meters. He had blown it. If Maya worked like any other skill, he would have taken his time. Even if he failed in the first try, he could simply activate the skill again his SP pool was big enough to sustain it at this point. Except it didnt work that way. It was only for an instant, a mere glimpse at Zenakris group as they ventured deeper into the forest, towards the menagerie. Where there had been four Jester Icons, with four numbers earlier When Tom had nced again, there had been only three. Maya could only be used once on a person. Damn it, Tom thought to himself as he felt his exhaustions hold growing too strong for him to resist. [Sub-skill: Moh-Maya has been activated]. Tom wasnt entirely surprised to find the sudden burst of vitality that coursed through him. Though what did shock him was the fact that he had ascertained after taking stock of his surroundings- the simple realization that he was still in Jayces Yul. The blue screen hovering before him caused his eyes to widen in realization. The Attachment to Illusion sub-skill had spoken of a small increase in the chance of obtaining a Lunar Silver Star, but it had never exined how that would be possible. Tom knew the how now. The burst of vitality he had received was just barely holding the exhaustion his soul had umted at bay. Without hesitation, he willed himself forward as fast as he could. Then his hands wrapped around the Lunar Silver star had been coveting so intensely. Defend yourself, Jayce! An unfamiliar man in his early thirties bellowed at him, his leather armor flexing with his movements as he lunged the sword with a linearity and simplicity that was far more befitting of a spear art. The young boy allowed his instincts to lead him as he dodged to the side and responded with a counter-thrust. . . . My naivety cost me this arm, son, The ck haired mans tone was somber as he held his intact hand over a crackling campfire, a simple yearning in his gaze as he stared directly into the depths of the mes. I pledged my life to a cause I believed in. A leader that seemed different than the rest of his kind. And for my belief, I was rewarded with pain and hatred as ly bleeding on the floor of a dungeon, abandoned. Father-, he began, I do not tell you this because I seek your eptance, Jayce. Neither do I expect your forgiveness. I tell you this, so that you understand why I push you the way I do. I teach you to kill, His voice had a gravelly edge to it as he looked directly into his eyes. So that you never have to feel the bitterness I did. Never again. . . . Trample those that defy you, sweep aside those you cannot. Titans Sequitur- Tempest. . . . An effective defense is one that is employed whilst charging headlong at the enemy. Titans Sequitur- Bulwark. . . . The point can pierce through everything. Everything. Titans Sequitur- Dominion. . . . [You have experienced Maya, the infinite web of illusions. You have copied aplete memory of the Spear Art - Titans Sequitur. A False Status depicting the Status of Jayce Andiroh will be recreated from your experienced memories. Active Shroud has copied the appearance of Jayce Andiroh. Both effects shallst for the next twenty four hours.] Chapter 71: Knowledge is Power Chapter 71: Knowledge is Power Tom found himself gasping for air as he awoke back in the physical realm. For a moment still, he imagined the heft of the spear grasped in his hands, expression solemn as he stared down Caldris Andiroh with determination in his gaze. Only to realize that the weight of the weapon he hade to intimately understand could no longer be felt. The echoes of the dream-like fugue he had just experienced faded away, the confusion in his gaze reced by a growing rity as he blinked in quick session. The world ceased to be a liminal space existing between two ipatible psyches as Toms own sense of self won out. Only then did he realize that he was panting. Physically, he knew himself to be in peak fighting condition, yet it took his mind a few long moments to ept that the rigorous training he had believed himself to have undergone was merely a mirage an illusion yet not necessarily untrue. Hurriedly, Tom shifted his gaze towards Jayces receding figure. Damn it, whispered words slipped his mouth as he confirmed his suspicions. Once again, the jester icon along with the numbers that were ced adjacent to it, were gone. He silently watched Jayce and his squad mates until they rounded a corner, seemingly done with the revelry for today. For tomorrow, a new day would dawn and with it, there would be new adventures and challenges to apany it. At least until Jayce achieved the goal he had been building towards. Tom couldnt help but wistfully sigh when he thought about the other Lunar Silver stars he had foregone to pick the Spear Art. Those were forever out of his reach now, secrets that would never likely be his. Then he lowered his gaze and began to retreat inwards with deliberate, cautious steps; determined not to let any sound escape the wooden roof he tread on. Once he was certain that he was safely out of the line of sight of any dungeoneers, Tom rxed. His right hand gingerly swept across his visage, not surprised to find a facial structure that waspletely different from his own. Mayas Active Shroud perfectly copied the appearance of his target for the next twenty four hours but Jayce was far from the ideal candidate for bluffing his way into the Nobles District. The dungeoneers reputation preceded himself at this point and those in the know generally saw him as someone to be avoided, a man to be steered well clear of unless one was left with little other choice. Assuming Jayces identity was more trouble than it was worth and in all honesty, there was something about the mans methods that made his skin crawl. [Are you sure that you wish to discard False Status and Active Shroud (Jayce Andiroh)? This action is irreversible.] Yes. The second dungeoneer that Tom had singled out was a young woman that seemed to be in her early twenties. Her lithe, diminutive frame silently weaved through the crowd, while her eyes seemed to be in a constant state of flux shifting from person to person, weapon to weapon, wares to other wares in more permutations than Tom had cared to keep track of. While she didnt seem to have any artifact that diverted others attention from her person like Aleph now did, the way she moved through the crowd of distracted dungeoneers was so effortlessly stealthy that even Tom had to focus to keep a track of the contours of her pixie-cut ck hair. He had needed to act fast, for the womans gait was too rushed for her to stick around main street for too long and indeed, he had. It had taken Tom only 18 Soul Power to cast Maya this time around, so he wasnt all that surprised when he broke out of the web of illusions with far greater ease. Nyxines Yul had but a single Lunar Silver star sight and naturally, Tom had expended three fourths of his mental reserves in an attempt to reach it. To his dismay though, it hadnt been enough. His sub-skill, [Moh-Maya] didnt activate this time either. It was like the description had stated, he would be offered a chance at the Lunar Silver stars, but only a small one. Confronted with the option of reaching for a distance he no longer had the distance to traverse or epting the simple fact that he had been bested and settling for what was within reach, Tom had ultimately chosen thetter. It was only after two more attempts and almost everyst ounce of his Soul Power did Tom finally understand. Nyxine had a single Lunar Silver Star, Valiar ended up having only Shimmering Bronze Stars and Arenev, who he had considered the weakest among the bunch, surprised him by also possessing a Lunar Silver Star. His final Yul delve served to confirm a hypothesis that he had been building upon. While his [Moh-Maya] skill hadnt activated a single time since his acquisition of the Spear Art- Titans Sequitur, Tom hade to realize that it was equally as difficult, if not harder to extract the Lunar Silver stars from Nyxine and Arenev than it had been from Jayce. As far as Tom understood, or rather, ssified the information he had on hand, Maya was an attack on his psyche, which was why his Mental Stat yed a key role in assisting him and especially why he was having an easier time breaking through the web of illusions cast by those with weaker Soul Power requirements. Yul, though, was a reward for his sess. But at the same time, it was also an attack on another persons psyche. His own mental stat aplished little in the mind of another which was why Tom was certain that it was his own willpower and his willpower alone that he had been relying on to make his way through it. Which meant that his own willpower, despite the myriad experiences he had lived through since arriving at Artezia, still didnt quite match up to any of the four dungeoneers he had tested himself against. Logically, it made sense. He had been forced into this life, while most dungeoneers seemed to have left their rtively peaceful hometowns, trading it for a life of wandering through the stifling murkiness of dangerous dungeons in search for adventure and glory. That didnt mean that he could ept it. He wasnt angry at the revtion, no. Past him would have been. Now? It was just a challenge that he had to surmount. And he would, step by step. Although he had failed to acquire any more Lunar Silver stars before running out of SP, he had still had some gains. [Basic Lock Picking Proficiency] from Nyxine. Limited to non-magical locks, it wouldnt allow him to assist Aleph as of now but the foundational habits and tricks he had picked up on wouldnt, by any means, be going to waste. [Basic Dagger Proficiency] from Valiar. Or atleast, what Valiar considered to be a basic understanding of wielding daggers. Tom found the Dagger Movements choppy and forced in ces, especially when hepared it to Titans Sequitur, but then again he supposed that it wasnt really a fairparison. Then, there was Arenev. A man in histe twenties, he sported rugged brown hair that was roughlybed over. He was decently well muscled, yet the man only had a finely crafted metal hammer tied to his leather belt. There was no weapon to be seen on his person, yet the mans movements were as carefree as they were casual. Then, it had clicked. A cksmith. [Basic Weapon Repair Proficiency] all in all, was likely the most useful of the three memories he had recently obtained from his Maya Ability. More importantly, Arenevs guise would serve well enough for his purposes. The twenty four hour limitation on Active Shroud meant that he couldnt use Arenevs disguise for the actual heist but he hadnt nned to. A cksmith such as the man in question was highly valued in a cut-off area like the Nameless District, which meant that he was likely under the protection of one of the Districts old guard. Only a fool would allow a weapons expert to roam around unprotected, especially considering how scarce they seemed to be in these parts. Even more ideally, Arenev lived on the districts outskirts, the day spent hammering away on weapons both new and old, his hut ced afortable distance away from the nearest amodation so as to not aggravate any neighbors. The night, very much like the one today, was for offering his services for good coin repairing a weapon, crafting a new hilt and even forging a de, provided that he was supplied with decent quality ingots, was all within the realm of possibility. He couldnt work with anything butmon ranked weapon artifacts but as the saying went, Better a well-maintainedmon than a half-broken umon. Tomorrow, Tom would venture onto the streets during the day and see just how far his acting prowess could take him. A rehearsal, so to speak, before his big performance. Chapter 72: Acting Chapter 72: Acting Master Arenev! A young, upbeat voice cut through the early morning chaos of the main street as dungeoneers bustled about their supply runs in preparation for a new delve. A man with rugged brown hair responded to the call, casually ncing over his shoulder with some intrigue. Dorn, Tom acknowledged after a pause, his expression easing back into a mask of nonchnce as he continued walking forward, albeit at a slower pace. Although Tom had expected Arenevs acquaintances to reach out to him while he maintained this guise, it was still a little disconcerting to be called upon in public like that. Doing his best to maintain a carefree expression, Tom kept his gaze pointed forward as the sandy-brown haired man he ced in Arenevs memories as a young, boisterous dungeoneer that was talented enough to survive multiple delves quickened his pace to catch up with him. Ironically, Dorns budding talent was matched only by his recklessness and it was also the reason why he frequently required Arenevs services. Im surprised to see you around this early, Dorn cheerfully greeted, an energetic smile resting on his features as he walked in lockstep with him. I have some personal affairs to deal with, Tom sinctly exined. He didnt like the way Dorn was eyeing him, as if encountering him here was a serendipitous encounter for the young dungeoneer. Master Arenev, Dorn began, his tone almost excessively polite as he used the prefix attributed to craftsmen in the Nameless District. Could you take a look at my sword? I ran into some particrly tough Crypt Demons on myst delve. Whats the damage like? Is the sword chipped or dented? Tom asked, his thoughtful expression an emtion of Arenevs own when thetter lost himself in his craft. Only dented, though its quite banged up, Dorn sheepishly replied, clearly a little embarrassed. Id like to help you, but, Tom gestured to his belt, as you can see, I dont have my tools with me. I can borrow some, Dorn immediately offered, the enthusiasm in his gaze almost infectious. An exasperated sigh was the response Tom settled on, after thinking back on some of Arenevs interactions with the young dungeoneer. Fine. Fine, but youre going to have to wait until Im done with my shopping, Tom assented, though he did so without masking the grumpiness in his tone. Arenev had a bit of a soft spot for the dungeoneer, though he would never admit it, not in a thousand years. Thank you! Dorn offered him a quick bow and then hurriedly departed in search of recement tools. Tom had debated outright refusing Dorns request, but not only would that have been out of character, part of him still wanted to test out his [Basic Weapon Repair Proficiency]. If the weapon had been chipped, the damage would have been impossible to repair without a reforge. But a few dents? Thatfortably fell under the umbre of his newly acquired skills. And his acting had been convincing enough topletely deceive an acquaintance of Arenev, which had been his primary goal while adopting this disguise. Three Smoke Mixes, Tom told the likely self-taught alchemist as his gaze swept through the dozen or so concoctions that had been arrayed on a simple wooden table for the second time. The Alchemist gave Tom an odd look, before turning his gaze to the three ss vials that were stoppered to hold back a condensed gray fog. What does a cksmith like you want with smoke bombs? He asked, clearly a little confused by the order. For a moment, Toms heart dropped. Then, he regainedposure and pressed on with his act, What I want, Tom began, doing his best to sound as holier-than-thou as he could manage, is none of your business. Alright, alright, just making some small talk, The alchemist grumbled under his breath as he began to pack the order, The next hour or so proceeded in this manner. Tom didnt hesitate as he purchased items that could aid his mission in the Noble District. He was nice enough not to put it on Arenevs tab the cksmith hadnt done anything to warrant such treatment. That didnt change the fact that Arenevs stature helped the trades go through without much friction. Tom doubted that a man cloaked in robes furtively trying to make the same purchases would have gone nearly as well. Tom was almost done by the time a panting Dorn found his way back to him. Amused, he took the hammer the Dungeoneer had gone to such lengths to procure, starting to see why Arenev was fond of the youngd. Resonant ngs echoed out as Toms carefully timed hammer strikes impacted against the distorted metal. The insight from [Basic Weapon Repair Proficiency] guided him to precisely target the unevenness in the des linear ne while deftly avoiding the edges so as to avoid dulling the de. It was more a function of his high Physical and Proprioception stats that allowed him to conduct such a precise repair without requiring a re-temper. But Dorn didnt need to know that. Leaving behind a satisfied customer, Tom slipped away from the main street not long after. Aleph, An unfamiliar man dressed in a cksmiths attire called out her name with a vexing familiarity that sent chills down her spine. Its me, he said with an ent and inflectionpletely unlike the odd, almost broken dialect the man she knew as Synrak Veralis employed. If anything, it was too native, too effortless to be something that could be emted. Her first instinct was to retreat first it didnt matter if Tom had been captured by the Nobles or if hed sold her secret out- that deliberation couldeter. Except, that didnt exin why only a single cksmith had showed up looking for her. And even if Tom had been defeated by a Noble hunting squad, someone as powerful as him wouldnt have gone down without a fight one that would have been loud enough for her to hear from miles away. After one final sweep of her surroundings, Aleph confirmed that there were no signs or traces of a group from her vantage point. Then, she decided to fire off three crystal shards at the unknown man, blunting the edge sufficiently so as to avoid lethal damage. Whoa, whoa whats the big idea here! The cksmith protested in a thick North-Syrelorian ent as he rapidly evaded the projectiles. Synrak? Aleph asked, seconds after she deftlynded behind him. Already having sensed her presence, the cksmith pivoted to face her. Yeah, thats what Ive been saying, The cksmith replied, a little annoyance seeping into his tone. Remember, I told you that Id be back in a day. You told me that you, Aleph paused for emphasis, would be back in a day. Not another person entirely! Aleph didnt raise her voice, but the shock in her tone was all but evident. She had heard of Cards that could change the inflection of ones voice. Alter ones appearance marginally. Change their skin tone. And indeed, if all those deck cards were used in tandem, one could theoretically be another person. Except those cards had severe limitations and if one looked closely enough, the disguise would fall apart. Not to mention that there were multiple ways of guarding against appearance altering cards. But if the person before him was truly Synrak, then it meant that he had found a way to alter his height, weight, skin tone, hair color and ent, among other things. Could so many Deck Cards even be activated at once? Or was it. Alephs eyes widened at the implication as she thought of an even more intimidating realization. . a single card. Look, I-, Tom began to exin, only to trail off as Aleph materialized a crystal sword into her right hand. Not liking the turn the situation had taken, Tom reached into his inventory and pulled out arge ss jug full of viscous red blood and then simply let it fall to the ground. The cacophony of shattering ss seemed to serve as the catalyst for Alephs furious charge. Momentster, the spilled blood that had been mixed with small, almost imperceptible motes of ss dust rose to the air. Before Aleph had even covered half the distance separating them, the pool of blood had reshaped itself into a thick, two-handed spear; an almost exact replica of the spear Jayce wielded. [Titans Sequitur- Bulwark] One moment, Aleph was staring down a defensive spear stance that was unlike anything she had seen Tom use before, her sword drawn back in preparation for a testing sh meant to disarm. The next, she found her sword sh intercepted mid-swing, as Tom shifted from a defensive stance to an offensive one with surprising, almost practiced ease. Strength. Overwhelming strength crashed against her sword arm, almost instantly blowing her backwards. Her boots skidded against the ground, but the friction generated was far from enough to contain the sheer momentum that had been transferred to her upon impact. Only after she materialized her crystal armor did her weight counterbnce the momentum behind Toms odd, unconventional defensive spear sh. You, Aleph pointed at Tom with her index finger as her crystal armor began to dissolve into nothingness, have a lot of exining to do. Chapter 73: Riven Blackheart Chapter 73: Riven ckheart So, Aleph began, her arms crossed as she eyed him warily. Youre telling me that your Soul Card allows you to, quite frankly, literally be someone else? Perfectly copy their appearance, ent, speech mannerisms and even the clothes and equipment they had on their person? She asked, unable to keep the incredulousness out of her tone. Well yeah, Tom sheepishly conceded, long having discarded Arenevs guise. Though its not like Im actually copying the effects of their artifacts, just their look and feel, He lied almost effortlessly, suppressing the twinge of guilt that he felt deep within the recesses of his heart. If what he had revealed to Aleph had already left her gasping in incredulousness, disclosing [Fools Gold] to her might very well just earn him an arrow in the back. I know that, Aleph retorted. I know that but, she repeated, her tone softening as she realized that she hade off a little abrasive,....Its just, Ive heard of illusion cards that could replicate the illusion aspect. There are cards that induce hypnosis in others, but those tend to have a very limited effect. Scent, ent, Appearance- all those things can be modted, but that would require a dozen cards, working in tandem. And youre telling me that its not an illusion. You pulled on my cksmith garb. Did it feel like an illusion? Tom asked, doing his best to keep Alephs focus on his shroud ability. Plus, you already know that I can change my disy name. As synergistic as that seems, can you imagine how frustrating it was to try and survive with a Soul Card that could only change how I looked and fiddle with my status a little? Tom voiced the rhetorical question, letting his own, genuine frustrations with [The Fool] card seep into his words. I suppose it would have been. And I also suppose that you wont be telling me anything more about your past? She asked, the wariness in her gaze shifting to a warmer curiosity. Im sorry, Tom replied. Ive gone to great lengths to distance myself from my past, Tom almost wished that he was lying. Some nights, he dreamt of his life back in the small town hed grown up in, spent most of his life in. Sure, it was safe. His bed wasfortable, his food, loaded with enough chemicals to make it scrumptious and he didnt exactly have to worry about Phantasmal Beasts lunging for his neck. But in Artezia He had done so much. Met so many interesting people. Every day he spent in this world was like a die cast by fate he couldnt be sure where hed end upnding or whos side hed be fighting side-to-side with. Thomas Lowe didnt want to go back to his old world. I guess I can rte to that, Aleph sighed. Fine, fine, dont make that serious face. I wont press you on it. Tom let go of the breath he had been holding, allowing himself to rx. That trick, Aleph began, taking a moment to raise the wooden mug in her right hand and imbibe a sip. With the blood vial. How did youe up with that? It was quite creative. Truthfully? Tom asked as his lips curled up in mild amusement. I stumbled upon a butcher that had a bunch of live beasts stocked in the back. The man seemed quite taken aback when I asked him to, well, fill up a few ss jugs with blood, but he didnt ask any other questions. Im guessing that the person I was impersonating ended up being an important one, He answered, choosing to keep out the part where he had to be the one to personally ughter the beasts a major limitation of his [Lifeblood] card that was best kept concealed. By storing the jugs full of blood in his inventory, Tom was also testing out a theory. He wasnt sure how the inventory worked. Was it time that was frozen? Space? Or something else entirely? If it was the first one, then technically, the jugs of blood he had stored within were no longer bound by [Blood Scions] twenty four hour limitation. That makes sense, Aleph replied. Few have the luxury of training to be a cksmith, especially if theyre desperate enough toe to the Nameless District. I doubt this cksmith of yours could have worked on anything butmon artifacts, but even that makes him a valuablemodity in this ce. So, Tom could feel his throat tightening as he spoke the words out loud. About the n. Yeah? When we first met, you told me that you were tracking powerful dungeoneers in the Nameless District, Tom recounted. I was and likely would have continued if you hadnt lived up to, actually, surpassed my expectations, She conceded. So, Tom leaned in conspiratorially. What if I told you that I needed to find someone thats uh, morally dubious. You know, the kind of person that I wouldnt mind. Killing? Aleph chimed in enthusiastically. What? No! Tom protested, his gaze conveying his horror at the idea. A moment of silence passed between the two of them, before Alephs eyes shed in realization. Wait, She muttered aloud as her gaze locked onto Toms own. Dont tell me. youve never killed anyone before? Yes. I mean, no, He flubbed his words, almost equally taken aback by Alephs words. The time he had spent with the seemingly easy going woman had made him forget her background, her true identity as the scion of a Noble n. Hah. Now thats a surprise, Aleph replied. Is it that surprising for someone as young as me to not have., He trailed off, not wanting to voice the thought. Taking another sapient beings life? He really didnt want the situation to devolve to that point. Others? No, not really. But you? Look at yourself- youre a walking font of trouble. And now, youve got enough valuables stashed on you for almost any dungeoneer in the Nameless District to bare their fangs at you. Simply coveting others possessions is enough to initiate a battle in the dungeoneering world, you know, Aleph animatedly exined, clearly unfazed by the idea of taking another life to defend her own. I suppose youre right, Tom reluctantly agreed, his thoughts shing back to Jayces memories how viciously the lone dungeoneer had carried out a counter-ambush and how he thirsted for power- to the point where he was willing to loot and kill for the chance a valuable card or artifact. Capturing someone is a lot harder than killing them, Aleph continued, taking note of the reluctance in Toms gaze. But its not impossible. Not with the two of us working in tandem. Do you have someone in mind? Someone. terrible enough. Because odds are, once Im done with the Nobles District, every Royal Knight in the area is going toe swarming for him. Someone you dont mindpletely screwing over then. Hm, Aleph took a few moments to contemte before responding,There is one. A dungeoneer that mostly operates alone these days. The reason? Hes survived two squad wipes. You mean? Im not certain. One squad wipe can be attributed to bad luck. A second time though? People avoid you like a gue. But nobody wouldin if he went missing and hes powerful enough to survive solo down there. Whats his name? Riven. But theres another name he goes by. Oh? ckheart. Chapter 74: Riven Blackheart (2) Chapter 74: Riven ckheart (2) Toms gaze flickered over to Aleph amidst the chaos of the morning crowd, as Dungeoneers scrambled forst minute supplies and went over their final equipment checks. Then, his eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening as he locked onto the hooded man dressed in worn-out, yet surprisingly well made leather armor. While Tom was forced to sift through the throng of people clouding his field of view, the lone dungeoneer walked forward in a straight, unbroken line. Riven ckheart? The bearded information broker had asked, before whistling in appreciation. Why do you want to know more about that guy, of all people? It was a question most unbing of one in the information trade, yet one that he had asked anyway. He heads into the dungeon each day, without fail. Hard to miss the guy, youll find him dressed in ck leather armor, metal gauntlets and gray-cloth boots, likely some sort of artifact, The information broker had answered. But it was thest bit of information that he had offered to them, along with a warning, that had really stuck with Tom. I dont know why youre looking for him, but Id rmend you steer clear. Not that Id mind it if you actually offed the guy, but the damndest thing is, no one has ever seen him carry a weapon on his person. He just wanders into the dungeon, seemingly unarmed and clearly alone and yet the bastards still kicking. I wouldnt prod a beast like that, not unless youre prepared to get bitten. Tom didnt know when his interest in Riven had changed from finding a scapegoat to discerning the mans secrets. Was it the nature of [The Fool] that drove him to unearth such a tantalizing mystery? Or was it his own temptation, swayed by the sheer potency of his own powers? Tom didnt know the answer to that question, but regardless, it was toote to change their n now. Too far away, damn it, Tom grumbled under his breath as Riven drew closer to the Dungeons entrance, while he was forced to sidestep and finagle his way through the cramped street. Then, he took a right and slipped out of his line of sight- now headed directly towards the entrance. Dont rush it, Tom reminded himself, even as he found himself desperate for a glimpse at Rivens Fool Mark; the jester icon that when apanied by a number, told him the exact number of Soul Power he needed to cast [Active Shroud- Maya]. Getting spotted by their quarry would make the whole n fall apart. Copying Rivens likeness would only result in disaster if the man was still roaming around freely in the Nameless District-especially if the Royal Knights caught wind of it. By the time Tom had reached the alleyway that housed the dungeon entrance, he saw many dungeoneering parties preparing to set out but. there was no sign of Riven. Ensuring that there were no visible emotional fluctuations reflected on his visage, Toms gaze swept through the surroundings, catching Aleph leaning on the right wall, merely a few paces away from the dungeon entrance. Her hood was drawn over her easily identifiable silver hair, a simple cloth mask shrouding her mouth and nose. Not surprised to see her having arrived before him, Tom walked over and took his ce at her side. Did we miss him? He asked in a hushed tone. I caught him slipping inside the entrance not long ago. Tracking him shouldnt be a problem, Aleph exined, alluding to the fact that they had already been made aware of Rivens usual hunting spot by the information broker. Should we follow? Tom asked. Your call. We cane back tomorrow, maybe try and wait it out but. I doubt that someone with as much infamy as Riven would give his enemies an easy chance to ambush him. Tom considered the situation. Ideally, he wanted to use [Active Shroud- Maya] on Riven from a safe distance. But without subduing the dungeoneer first, the disguise would go toplete waste. He only got one chance at extracting information from a target and Tom couldnt help but wonder if the odds of getting valuable information would increase if he knocked the person in question unconscious. Lets go. Sector 9, Outskirts - Zelez Dungeon. What in., Tom trailed off as he inspected the carnage presumably left behind in Rivens wake. Five one-horned phantasmal beastsy scattered across the stone floor, their four-legged form and distinctive snouts bearing resemnce to canines. Except that was where the simrities ended- with three, deep purple eyes glimmering malevolently even after the life had been drained out of them, thick, frighteningly sharp incisors that could easily tear through flesh and a caustic light green horn that ufortably bulged out of their foreheads. What had surprised Tom though, wasnt the creatures appearance. A single incision, Alephs tone was barely above a whisper, yet Tom heard her all the same. She had moved past him and was in the process of inspecting one of the dead phantasmal beasts, her expression somber. Tom reached out for the phantasmal beasts snout, turning it to the other side in search for confirmation. Much like the other phantasmal beasts that were lifelessly syed across the floor, Tom found a deep puncture wound that had pierced through the right eye and likely gone on to prate the brain; killing the beast in what appeared to be a single blow. He couldnt help but ask himself if he was capable of replicating the feat. Even if his stats allowed him to, would he be willing to assign his focus to such an exacting degree of efficiency, each time? No. No this was something else. He could mimic such abat style but he wouldnt be able to utilize it when faced with a truly challenging enemy. This Riven. he was well versed with thisbat style. Possibly even formally trained in it. Still want to fight him? Aleph asked. Her tone was soft, yet Tom could discern the underlying gravitas within the silver-haired girls normally cheery voice. No. But Im curious, Tom admitted. Fight? No, he had no interest in fighting Riven ckheart. The real question being- what could he learn from him? What could Active Shroud- Maya glean from such a clinical fighter. I had glossed over him as a potential candidate for recruitment because I thought him a coward. Killing a dungeoneer is one thing, but an entire squad there are many means that could aplish such a thing, between potent poisons and vtile alchemical brews, but I have no interest in such treacherous means. And now? Tom asked. It appears that I might have been mistaken, Aleph conceded. So, follow or retreat? We follow for now. Watch him from afortable distance and see if we can figure out more about his fighting style; a secret or two, maybe. He might be powerful, but I doubt hed be able to take out the two of us working together if it came to a fight. Im fine with that. If he has a powerful artifact., Aleph trailed off. Tom wasnt entirely sure if he liked the look in her eyes, but that moment wasnt the right time to argue. So, he simply followed. A pair of eyes peeked from behind the entrance of Sector 9s first crucible. Toms breathing was slow and stable, his expression masked by the shadows he sought refuge in as he angled his gaze towards the lone man in the entire arena. Scattered across the ck stone tiling were the lifeless bodies of even more Phantasmal beasts, these ones of higher level than the ones found on the outskirts. But Tom only spared them a cursory nce as his eyes focused onto his quarry. The dungeoneers appearance was irrelevant. All that mattered was the glowing Jester icon that floated above his head and the number next to it. Tom didnt even realize when the color had drained from his face. He didnt even notice the light quivering in his legs as his mind finally registered the number he had seen before. It was the highest no, it was beyond the highest beyond anything he had seen so far. Seventy-nine. Seventy-nine. Then, with a flurry of motion, Riven ckhearts head swiveled to the side, meeting Toms own gaze. Chapter 75: Zirel Covan Nottrakon Chapter 75: Zirel Covan Nottrakon Time seemed to slow down as their gazes intersected. As soon as Tom gazed into those cold, baster-white eyes, a wave of terror washed down his spine. It had been naive of him to think that he and Aleph would be able to surmount any challenge in the Nameless District simply because they were more powerful than the norm. No, he had failed to consider that there could be other monsters lurking in the forlorn district, possibly in hiding after finding themselves on the wrong side of Syrelore Kingdoms authorities much like Aleph had been. His reaction was driven by instinct as his senses went haywire. He wasnt sure if teaming up with Aleph was enough to best the dungeoneer before him and even if they won, Tom wasnt certain if their victory would be an unscathed one. There was only one option left to him. [Active Shroud- Maya.] He awoke with a ring headache. A groan escaped his lips as he forced himself to sit up, his right hand immediately reaching for his forehead, in an attempt to mollify the raging pain. Where was he? His gaze swept over the dingy room that he found himself in, a cheap cloth and wool bedroll the only thing shielding him from the cold, hard wooden floor beneath him. A barely adorned wooden shack that he had no recollection of ever encountering, let alone residing in served as his amodation. Wait- Who was he? Aaah! He involuntarily cried out as overwhelming pain flooded his senses. There was an inkling of resistance mired within the torrential agony that voraciously consumed all in its wake, almost as if his personality, his very sense of being was being overwritten by another, far more imposing being. Who am I? he asked again and this time, he received an answer. If the Noble House of Nottrakon were considered the sovereign rulers of the Syrelore Kingdom, then he would happen to be the prince. The Fourth Prince of the Syrelore Kingdom, Zirel Covan Nottrakon. Zirel couldnt exactly tell when the subtle shift in mannerisms had begun to influence him, as he instinctively found himself straightening his back and roughly fixing his ubed hair the best he could. Years spent in the Nottrakon family estate had taught him not to give others the opportunity to point ws in his dressing sense or mannerisms, not his spiteful brothers, who hated him almost as much as he hated them back and certainly not the conniving maids, their loyalty sworn only to the King. Covan Nottrakon I, the most powerful individual in the entire Syrelore Kingdom and the rightful King-Sovereign of itsnds was a man that Zirei had seen only thrice in his life. Though the memory was fuzzy, one did not forget the Kings attendance on his first name-day. The second time? His mothers funeral, a closed-off affair attended only by direct rtives and a few close friends of the family. The third time though, was when the indifference he felt towards his father finally turned to rage. Family tradition, he had called it. When Covan Nottrakon I had ascended to the throne, he had in his three siblings to prove himself worthy of the coveted seat. The head of the family and the ruler of the farcical Syrelore Kingdom had chosen to continue the customary practice, only forbidding his heirs from pointing their daggers at each others throats. So to say, as long as there was no casualty as a result of sibling infighting, the King would not interfere. Even the Nottrakon Cohort, the familys personal elite guard, was free to ally with any of the princes and princesses as they saw fit. His first brother wielded his sly tongue with greater skill than he did sword, so it was no surprise that most of the Elite Guard had crowded around him. His sister, the second oldest among the siblings, had chosen to master her abilities, to the point where she was simply too valuable an asset for the Nottrakon Family to consider disposing off. Vengeful as his oldest brother may be, it was his calm, level-headed persona that had drawn the Elite Guard to him the stability and the continued hegemony of the Nottrakon Family was the goal he espoused in public and to that end, his sister, who disyed little interest in politics, was much more valuable at his side rather than against. A ceasefire between the two likeliest of candidates meant that his third sibling, his older brother, had chosen to yield to his first brother and serve at his side. While not quite a coward, his third brother wasnt willing to die for the throne. Zirels situation though, was a bit more unique. Any political connections or value that he might have had before had died with the untimely passing of his mother. As for his own skill as abatant, he was a good deal weaker than his sister. He could beat an Elite Guard inbat, yes but his Soul Card wasnt the most powerful one out there once you figured out how it worked. Or atleast, thats what his siblings thought. His mother had made him promise not to use his Soul Cards second ability and for good reason. The relentless harassment and suppression that he faced by his older brothers while his heartless sister turned a blind eye to his plight was what finally cemented his decision to leave. They saw no immediate value in him, but they were also afraid of his potential- and they were wise to be afraid, because he was still a scion of the Noble Nottrakon House. Zirel didnt hate his siblings, no he hated the entire Noble House and its barbaric traditions. So he had chosen to leave. The Nottrakon Estate, unlike most other Noble Estates, wasnt actually located in Renovia. Considering that their wealth alone surpassed thebined resources of all the other Noble Houses in Renovia, it was hardly surprising to have made such a decision. Simrly, Noble Scions of Nottrakon did not study at the Academy no, there was no need for such rudimentary education when the familys tutors could impart much more specialized and valuable knowledge. So, when Zirel had chosen to flee his house, he had chosen Renovias Nameless District. He didnt n to stay there for long, only a few months. It was the closest ess point that he had for a dungeon and the phantasmal beasts down there were powerful enough to help him level quickly. Quickly enough for him to be powerful enough to leave the country- to head to the one tower that stood above all. To leave the meaningless, petty politics of this realm behind andpete amongst the true frontrunners of this world to achieve ascension. Except things had ended up going drastically wrong. Pain flooded his mind as he tried to recall further. A different type of pain than the one he had experienced earlier, a distinctly emotional pain. He remembered arriving in the district. The wonderment he had felt at arriving in a ce where no one knew or cared about his status. The vivid, unfettered disy of character, of thoughts and emotions without zealously guarding them, without being afraid of judgment or of showing weakness had left him dazzled, breathless. To think there was a whole district where people boldly spoke of their dreams and ambitions and then staked their lives on it, people who spoke with such candor as they invited him to join their party without concealing some ulterior motive for a brief moment, Zirel had forgotten about his worries and allowed himself to drop his guard as he adventured with the trio. That had been a mistake. He had only known them for three weeks each of his party membersing from humble beginnings, equipped with onlymon cards. Yet he had enjoyed theirpany more than the years spent in the ostentatiously decorated castle he had spent almost the entirety of his life in. They were weaker than him by a fair margin, but with him as the vanguard they rapidly cleared area after area in the Zelez dungeon. After the third week, with the drops they had umted from the dungeoneering, his party was beginning to y more than just a supportive role. But his older brother couldnt just leave him alone. He didnt interfere personally, of course. No, he had just dispatched three Elite Guards to find him and then disrupt whatever it was that he was up to. They had been observing him from the shadows, as he yed the role of a novice dungeoneer. As his guard was down, for the first time in years. They couldnt touch him, let alone think of killing him. To do so was to forfeit his elder brothers chances at session, not even counting that they would be signing their own death warrants. But it seemed like his growth had rmed them and by extension, rmed his brother. Scheming and devious as his elder brother was, Zirel didnt expect him to go that far. He hadnt expected the Elite Guards to kill the members of his party allmoners in an ambush. That was how his first ever dungeoneering party disbanded with every member except him, dead. Chapter 76: Zirel Covan Nottrakon (2) Chapter 76: Zirel Covan Nottrakon (2) The next few weeks were a blur in Zirels mind. He had only known his party members for such a brief period, the length of their sojourn togethersting less than a month. The Elite Guards had definitely intended to send a message, but they had not dared to even touch a hair on his head until now. The dungeoneers that hadprised his party had neither rank nor status to shield them. The children of simple, ordinary folk from the countryside that had staked all they held familiar to set out in pursuit of their dreams, to seek power and one day attain ascension had found themselves ughtered at the sword of those they wished to be. Why? Why did they have to suffer for the internal disputes of the Nottrakon family? The answer was as simple as it was bitter in the eyes of the Elite Guard, nameless vagrantscking even a shred of noble blood were a dime a dozen. Their disappearances would not even provoke an inquiry, for it wasmon for entire parties to get wiped in the Zelez Dungeon. Even if Zirel was to provide evidence for the crime that had urred, what did it matter when the Nottrakon family was thew? In the eyes of his brother, those without status were worth less than the air they breathed. He did wish to send a message, yes. But he didnt want to antagonize him, didnt want to make a sworn enemy out of his own blood lineage not until he safely ascended to the throne. It took Zirel three weeks to understand the nature of the emotions that coursed through his entire being. During that time, the three Elite Guards had supnted themselves in the ce of his deceased party members. Not to aid Zirel, no. They didnt actually interfere in his battles, at least not directly. They would move when the battle neared its conclusion and then steal his hard fought kills. Not all, but just enough to halve what his leveling speed ought to have been. It was a brazen humiliation unworthy of a prince, designed to either make him give up and return to the Nottrakon Family Estate, where the first prince could easily monitor his activities orsh out and attack the Elite Guards, the consequences of which would have been a severe reprimand from his father, the King, He had been outmaneuvered. Every move he made, his first brother had a counter ready for him. Finally though, he had reached his limit. Zirel had been angry before. He had been angry at the sheerck of emotion his father had disyed when his mother passed. Their marriage might have been a political one, but that stony face that seemed to be devoid of any emotion as he gazed upon mothers coffin filled him with anger each time he thought about it. But this was different. This was rage. Enough, he had said, as he stopped in the middle of his tracks. He watched as the Elite guards that had been nking him in an inverted triangle formation perked up at his words. Are you finally ready to go home, Prince Zirel? One of the Elite Guards, a tall mountain of a man that went by the name Rannok, asked. No, Zirel had calmly replied. He had never killed anyone before, but the ease he felt at having firmed his resolve felt like. It felt deserving of the designation assigned to him by the Syrelore Kingdom. Prince. But I have reached a decision, Zirels tone had turned cold, his gaze sharp as he took a few steps back in rapid session to create distance between him and the Elite Guards. Prince -, Anky man called out as he took a testing step forward. Comfortably shielded in elegantly crafted leather armor that was further reinforced with the inky-ck scales of a Netherite Beast, the crossbow wielding Elite Guard seemed unfazed at the idea of facing the fourth princes wrath. Enough. You have done enough, Zirel had bellowed, the fury in his voice palpable. In his right hand, held in a reverse grip, was his umon ranked artifact, [de of Necrosis]. The Elite Guards were aware of its properties, as they were careful not to make eye contact with him directly. But that didnt matter. Even if they saw iting. Come, Zirels words were spoken barely above a whisper. For a moment, there was no response. Then, a translucent, almost ghastly de flickered into existence, gradually gaining definition. In the end, a simple, unadorned white short-sword had phased into reality, with Zirels left hand firmly wrapped around his hilt. Prince Zirel, Rannok intoned, his voiceden with a clear warning. Assaulting a member of the Family Guard is considered a serious crime. Even after issuing the warning though, Rannok made no move to de-escte the situation. Instead, he assumed a defensive stance with his greatsword held before him, clearly weing Zirel to try and attack him. Assaulting a member of the Family Guard was a serious crime and it was sure to destroy his reputation in the eyes of the King- exactly the response his first brother had been scheming for. Yet Zirel charged anyway. In a sh between an unassuming white short-sword and a greatsword artifact, the former seemed little more than the tantrum of an arrogant prince, the disparity such that the two other Elite Guards were content to watch the spectacle unfold. [Phantom de] When the two des collided, there was no resistance to be found. Zirels de reverted to its phantom form as it swept past the greatsword held defensively before Rannok, continuing on its downward arc unfettered. The greatsword, much like Rannoks right leg, remained unscathed as the phantom de passed through it. There was no blood, no loud cry in abject pain and yet, Rannok copsed onto one knee nheless. There was no hesitation in Zirels movements as his phantom de flicked across Rannoks neck, causing the intimidating man to fall backwards; his expression paling as he desperately gasped for air. Then, Zirel plunged his [de of Necrosis] into the prone guards neck and this time, it was a gush of infected blood that spilled out. The memory he had been reflecting upon finally snapped Zirel from his reverie. The headache, he groaned, as the pain intensified. Then he realized that his hands were trembling, clearly shaken by the recollection. Why? He had beenpletely calm when he had ughtered all three of the guards, avenging his fallen party members. He had been unfazed when he had forgedmuniques to his brother in their name, using themunication artifact he had extracted from one of the guards corpses, to ensure that his beloved first brother remained gleefully aware that his n hadpletely fallen apart. That all was as expected. A sudden urge to look upon his Soul Card prodded at his mind, though he once again could not make sense of it. He wanted to know more about a card that he had wielded his entire life? Ignoring the why, Zirel ceded to his own request seeing no harm in sumbing to the odd craving. Reaching inside his chest, his very soul, he received what he had sought. [Card Name: The Spectre Rank: Umon (Mezzanine) Level: 12 Description: Ability: 1. Eye of The Spectre: Allows the wielder to passively detect any malicious intent directed towards them in a thirty meter radius. Sessfully making eye contact with the target directing malice towards the wielder triggers [Eye of the Spectre], slowing the perception of time for the wielder and speeding it up for the target for the seeding 360 seconds. SP Cost is triggered only when actively using Eye of the Spectre. 2.Phantom de: Manifest a Phantom de that exists in the metaphysical realm, allowing the wielders de to pass through any solid surfaces and inflict paralysis on any organic matter that its surfacees into contact with. Paralysis inflicted by the Phantom dests for 15 hours. SP Cost is Variable.] Chapter 78: The Fallen Noble and the Prince Chapter 78: The Fallen Noble and the Prince As Zirel thumbed his Soul Card, he once again found himself confronted with the distinct unfamiliarity he had felt earlier, a dissonance between his mind and body that left him increasingly unsettled. What was happening to him? A festering itch tickled the back of his mind, a distinct sense of wrongness that permeated his very soul yet despite repeated attempts to grasp at its nature, he kept circling back to the same answer: nothing was wrong. Only when he was on the verge of giving up his line of inquiry did his gaze catch something odd. A thin line of cloth circling around his neck. How had he not caught onto that earlier? Tracing its path, he reached out for the rectangr card-holder, its surface painted over in a bright red. [You have failed to clear the trial of Maya, the infinite web of illusions. You have fallen into a state of temporary Zhan. Sub-Skill: Homebound has been activated]. Tom let out a scream as the thick smog of false memories that had been smothering his own sense of identity were blown back by a now-glowing identification card. In the next instant, the false world created by Maya shattered. Back in the real world, Tom instinctively broke his gaze free from Zirels as his heart hammered in his chest. It was only his high Mental Stat that kept his thoughts from falling intoplete disarray. With every passing moment, his expression paled a little further. The rogue dungeoneer they had followed down into the Dungeon Sector, the man that he had known as Riven ckheart had turned out to be a prince, of all the things he could have been. A bona-fide prince, fourth in line to the throne of the Syrelore Kingdom. And next to him was Aleph Longstradia, a fallen Noble from the House of Longstradia a powerful ally that was bristling with pure, nigh unrestrained hatred for the Noble Families of the Syrelore Kingdom, let alone a prince. The worst case scenario might just have urred. Slowly step out from behind that entrance. And keep your hands where I can see them, otherwise I will treat you like a threat, Zirels cold, menacing tone did little to assuage the rumors associated with Riven ckguards persona. Rumors that Tom was very much inclined to believe, had it not been for [Active Shroud- Maya] shedding light on the truth. His gaze shifted to Aleph, who seemed primed to burst into action at a moments notice. "I''m stepping out," Tom called out in response, much to Aleph''s visible surprise. The whirlwind of chaotic, conflicting thoughts came to a still, for he had decided on a course of action. Trust me, he whispered to her, gesturing for her to stay put where she was. Their eyes met and Tom could see the confusion in Aleph''s gaze, the uncertainty that swirled within. Had his bodynguage given away the shock he had felt at learning Riven''s true identity? Or was Aleph just taken aback by his seemingly rash decision, toply with the demands of the quarry they hade to hunt. Then, she simply offered him a brisk nod. Regardless of his intentions, keeping Aleph''s presence hidden from Zirel made tactical sense. The eerie silence that had befallen over the Dungeon Sector was interrupted by a sequence of calm, unhurried footsteps as Tom stepped into the crucible. He did as instructed, his Card Gauntlet held unimposingly at his side. Do you know who I am? Zirels words echoed out with gravitas, his tone betraying an unmistakable sense of authority. As if the question need only be asked and the world itself would conspire to present him with an answer. It would make little sense to deny it now, Tom replied with a nonchnt shrug, determined not to show the slightest hint of weakness. And indeed, he was no longer afraid of Zirels abilities not after understanding their potency first hand. Defeating him would be a challenging task, even with Alephs support he hadnt truly taken any memories from the Prince and didnt know the extent of his contingencies. But at the very least, Tom was confident in getting awayrgely unscathed. And yet you show yourself before me, unarmed. Are you not afraid? Zirel asked, as his piercing gaze scrutinized his features. Tom didnt hesitate to meet Zirels gaze, because he knew that the [Eye of the Spectre] could only trigger if he exhibited malice towards its wielder. Its because you have no reason to attack me. Oh? If you sensed any malice from me, you would have already attacked, Tom boldly stated. Who are you? Zirels expression hardened as he shifted his [de of Necrosis] to a reverse grip; his bodynguage tensing as he primed himself to burst into motion at the drop of a hat. Not an enemy, for one. And I can prove it, Tom confidently dered, even though inwardly he was feeling anything but confident. A few moments passed in tense silence and as the calm stretched on, Tom couldnt help but second guess his understanding of Zirel. Sure, the Prince hadnt detected any malice from him, but that didnt actually preclude him from attacking Tom. Are you aware of, Zirel trailed off, not quite willing to give away any more information in case Tom knew far less than he gave the impression to. I know who you are, yes. And I know that you hate your family, Toms words caused Zirel to visibly flinch, but he continued to press on. He had to press on this was the only window he had to try and broker peace between two seemingly diametrically opposed parties. There was no hesitating now. Aleph Longstradia of the Fallen House of Longstradia, Tom bellowed at the top of his lungs, speaking so quickly that his tone sounded almostical, May I introduce to you a potential ally, the outcast of the Nottrakon Family, Fourth Heir to the Syrelore Kingdom and killer of his own familys Elite Guard- Zirel Coven Nottrakon. An ear-piercing "WHAT!?" was the response that followed. Chapter 77: The Fallen Noble and the Prince Chapter 77: The Fallen Noble and the Prince As Zirel thumbed his Soul Card, he once again found himself confronted with the distinct unfamiliarity he had felt earlier, a dissonance between his mind and body that left him increasingly unsettled. What was happening to him? A festering itch tickled the back of his mind, a distinct sense of wrongness that permeated his very soul yet despite repeated attempts to grasp at its nature, he kept circling back to the same answer: nothing was wrong. Only when he was on the verge of giving up his line of inquiry did his gaze catch something odd. A thin line of cloth circling around his neck. How had he not caught onto that earlier? Tracing its path, he reached out for the rectangr card-holder, its surface painted over in a bright red. [You have failed to clear the trial of Maya, the infinite web of illusions. You have fallen into a state of temporary Zhan. Sub-Skill: Homebound has been activated]. Tom let out a scream as the thick smog of false memories that had been smothering his own sense of identity were blown back by a now-glowing identification card. In the next instant, the false world created by Maya shattered. Back in the real world, Tom instinctively broke his gaze free from Zirels as his heart hammered in his chest. It was only his high Mental Stat that kept his thoughts from falling intoplete disarray. With every passing moment, his expression paled a little further. The rogue dungeoneer they had followed down into the Dungeon Sector, the man that he had known as Riven ckheart had turned out to be a prince, of all the things he could have been. A bona-fide prince, fourth in line to the throne of the Syrelore Kingdom. And next to him was Aleph Longstradia, a fallen Noble from the House of Longstradia a powerful ally that was bristling with pure, nigh unrestrained hatred for the Noble Families of the Syrelore Kingdom, let alone a prince. The worst case scenario might just have urred. Slowly step out from behind that entrance. And keep your hands where I can see them, otherwise I will treat you like a threat, Zirels cold, menacing tone did little to assuage the rumors associated with Riven ckguards persona. Rumors that Tom was very much inclined to believe, had it not been for [Active Shroud- Maya] shedding light on the truth. His gaze shifted to Aleph, who seemed primed to burst into action at a moments notice. "I''m stepping out," Tom called out in response, much to Aleph''s visible surprise. The whirlwind of chaotic, conflicting thoughts came to a still, for he had decided on a course of action. Trust me, he whispered to her, gesturing for her to stay put where she was. Their eyes met and Tom could see the confusion in Aleph''s gaze, the uncertainty that swirled within. Had his bodynguage given away the shock he had felt at learning Riven''s true identity? Or was Aleph just taken aback by his seemingly rash decision, toply with the demands of the quarry they hade to hunt. Then, she simply offered him a brisk nod. Regardless of his intentions, keeping Aleph''s presence hidden from Zirel made tactical sense. The eerie silence that had befallen over the Dungeon Sector was interrupted by a sequence of calm, unhurried footsteps as Tom stepped into the crucible. He did as instructed, his Card Gauntlet held unimposingly at his side. Do you know who I am? Zirels words echoed out with gravitas, his tone betraying an unmistakable sense of authority. As if the question need only be asked and the world itself would conspire to present him with an answer. It would make little sense to deny it now, Tom replied with a nonchnt shrug, determined not to show the slightest hint of weakness. And indeed, he was no longer afraid of Zirels abilities not after understanding their potency first hand. Defeating him would be a challenging task, even with Alephs support he hadnt truly taken any memories from the Prince and didnt know the extent of his contingencies. But at the very least, Tom was confident in getting awayrgely unscathed. And yet you show yourself before me, unarmed. Are you not afraid? Zirel asked, as his piercing gaze scrutinized his features. Tom didnt hesitate to meet Zirels gaze, because he knew that the [Eye of the Spectre] could only trigger if he exhibited malice towards its wielder. Its because you have no reason to attack me. Oh? If you sensed any malice from me, you would have already attacked, Tom boldly stated. Who are you? Zirels expression hardened as he shifted his [de of Necrosis] to a reverse grip; his bodynguage tensing as he primed himself to burst into motion at the drop of a hat. Not an enemy, for one. And I can prove it, Tom confidently dered, even though inwardly he was feeling anything but confident. A few moments passed in tense silence and as the calm stretched on, Tom couldnt help but second guess his understanding of Zirel. Sure, the Prince hadnt detected any malice from him, but that didnt actually preclude him from attacking Tom. Are you aware of, Zirel trailed off, not quite willing to give away any more information in case Tom knew far less than he gave the impression to. I know who you really are, yes. And I know that you hate your family, Toms words caused Zirel to visibly flinch, but he continued to press on. He had to press on this was the only window he had to try and broker peace between two seemingly diametrically opposed parties. There was no hesitating now. Aleph Longstradia of the Fallen House of Longstradia, Tom bellowed at the top of his lungs, speaking so quickly that his tone sounded almostical, May I introduce to you a potential ally, the outcast of the Nottrakon Family, Fourth Heir to the Syrelore Kingdom and killer of his own familys Elite Guard- Zirel Coven Nottrakon. An ear-piercing "WHAT!?" was the response that followed. Chapter 79: The Third Option Chapter 79: The Third Option What if there were a third option? A bead of sweat dripped down Toms cheek as he made the bold proposal. A single misstep on his part could result in the possibility of things going very wrong. And yet, Tom couldnt help but yield to the idea that had been gnawing away at the forefront of his mind; a fascinating possibility that he simply could not ignore. For he had too much to gain. Oh? Zirels expression might have been one of intrigue, but his wary gaze firmly remained trained on Aleph. Even if I was interested in hearing you out, do you think that yourpanion over there would stand for it? Tom allowed a tense exhale to escape his lips. Aleph, Tom said, finding his tone surprisingly calm as he addressed her. There was no response and rightfully so. Aleph would not allow her attention to sway while facing an opponent that hailed from her sworn enemys lineage. He allowed himself a quick nce, his gaze only lingering long enough to catch a glimpse of her expression. It wasnt hard to understand Zirels statement with the added context to an outsider at least, Alephs expression was a scrunched up mask of fury and rage. To Tom though, there was something more there, beneath the veneer of strong emotions. Thepanion with whom he had spent thest couple of months with, fighting and training together, had never looked so vulnerable before. There was nothing he could possibly say that would convince Aleph to give up on her hatred for the Nottrakon family, the culprits behind the extermination of her Noble Lineage; her family. Was the Longstradia Family just and righteous in its affairs? Or was it corrupt and selfish, acting only in the furtherance of their own interests? To Aleph, the distinction didnt matter. They were family and they were taken away from her. Then she was hunted down, forced to ovee many challenges that no child her age should have been subjected to. To try and convince her of anything else would be no less than a betrayal. So he just had to Regardless of what you choose, Ill fight by your side, Tom dered resolutely, his words spoken withplete intention to follow through. Fighting Zirel would both be a tragedy and a challenge that they might not walk away unscathed from, if at all but he wasnt going to abandon therade he had fought alongside and learned so much from after all theyd gone through together. If Tom had been looking in Alephs direction, he would have witnessed a distinctly new emotion stirring to life in her gaze, somewhat akin to surprise and yet, far more nuanced; if the warmth coloring her cheeks in a light blush was indicative of anything. And then the moment passed by, unbeknownst to Tom. But, Tom continued, as his gaze locked onto Zirels. Let that decision be an informed one. Know why the fourth prince of the Syrelore Kingdom spends his days disguised as an infamous dungeoneer, feared and widely reviled. Prince Zirel, if you would oblige, Tom cast his gambit, knowing that the moment of truth had arrived. He had done all he could, considered all the variables that came to mind and now all that remained was the uncertainty. A few moments of diforting silence passed by as Zirels piercing gaze bore into his own, reminding him that the dungeoneer before him was very much a predator with bared fangs, a force of nature unlike anything he had faced before. That is a rather audacious request from one who has already so thoroughly pried into my past. Truly, youve left me with little choice but to assume even my most well-guarded secrets to bepromised, Zirel calmly analyzed, his tone surprisingly devoid of any bitterness as he rationally considered the situation. Tom tried his hardest not to let his emotional fluctuations show on his visage, as he was forced toe to terms with the fact that his advantage from knowing the mechanics of [Phantom de] had just been neutralized. Though I suppose, Zirel continued. I have little to lose by reiterating a story you are already aware of. Hm, I should grant the heiress of the Longstradia family that grace. Very well, I will indulge your request, He replied after giving the matter some thought, his confident demeanor unmoved, even after Toms deration of aiding Aleph unconditionally. Would he have been able to maintain hisposure upon being faced with two powerful opponents, one of whom had unearthed his closest secrets through some esoteric means that he had no way to identify? Definitely not. Perhaps it was because Tom had experienced Zirels memories first-hand, he could tell that the princes confidence wasnt a bluff. Fine, Aleph replied. Ill, She hesitated for a long moment, her grip tightening over the crystal sword. For a second there, Tom expected her to attack, but in the end the self-control of a Fallen Noble who had braved the cruelty of the world on her lonesome won out, if barely at that. ....Ill hear you out, She managed to croak out, her tone weighed down by the mnge of conflicting emotions she was trying to navigate. Alephs grip over her sword loosened and Tom could almost sense the tense atmosphere in the dungeon crucible falling by a few degrees. Only the sound of Zirels overly formal narration was audible in the crucible, as he began exining from the very beginning. From the delicate political situation in House Nottrakon that eventually pushed him into fleeing the Noble Estate and arriving in the Nameless District of the Academic City, Renovia. He spoke of the fleeting dream he had allowed himself to indulge in, the life of amon dungeoneer starting from scratch. Spoke the names of his former party members aloud, describing the little time they had spent together as the single most exhrating experience of his life. And then he spoke of the Elite Guard and how they had ughtered his party down to thest man. Much to Toms expectations, Zirel didnt exin how he had managed to y three Elite Guards that should have been stronger than him. However, he did describe the visceral satisfaction he got upon avenging his former party, the disgust at his eldest brothers actions so evident in his tone that even Tom would find such hatred hard to mimic. The story of how the Fourth Prince of the Nottrakon Kingdom became the infamous dungeoneer, Riven ckheart was a riveting one. It also left Aleph Longstradia at a loss. Chapter 80: Gambit Chapter 80: Gambit Once again, a deathly silence had taken hold of the Dungeon Crucible. A silence that ironically spoke of the impasse that had been reached between the three parties in question. Zirel, for the most part, maintained a stoic expression. His bodynguage and that cold, piercing gaze of his served as a reminder of the fact that while Riven ckheart had only been a persona, the tales of his exploits had only been slightly exaggerated. Zirel, on his own, had been enough for three Elite Guards of the Nottrakon Family. Aleph, on the other hand, seemed to be. lost. While Tom had always known that the cheerful front she put up before him was nothing more than an act, her insight and breadth of knowledge had been crucial in letting them get to this point. Perhaps it was her conviction that had allowed her to maintain that front, the belief that the path she was on would eventually lead her to what she desired the most- revenge. Regardless of what it had exactly been though, Tom had spent long enough a time with Aleph to tell that her determination had wavered. Aleph Longstradia was now traversing through unchartered territory. As for Tom, if he was being truthful to himself he felt guilty. A part of him still wanted to influence Alephs judgment, guide her or atleast make her aware of what he wanted, the vision he saw Was it because he still couldnt bring himself topletely trust Alephs judgment? Or was he afraid of the eerieposure Zirel still maintained; the possibility that they would lose if it came to a showdown? He didnt know. st it all, He chided himself for hesitating. His mind may have been a confused jumble of conflicting thoughts and arguments, but his heart knew what the right decision was. And besides, how could he convince Zirel to y along his scheme if he couldnt even bring himself to trust hispanion. Well Aleph, Tom began. Its time to make a decision, His words were spoken with an air of finality to it, as the beginnings of a smile tugged at his face. He didnt know why he was smiling. Perhaps, it was because it could very well be thest time he got to smile, ever. There was a pause. A moment of calm, before the supposed tempest. And then Aleph spoke. Would your father be angry if you died, right here and right now? Aleph asked bluntly, as her bodynguage shifted. From a sheathed sword to a de held in open challenge. Toms stomach sank even as he shifted to a more guarded,bat-oriented stance. He hadnt yet reached for his inventory and consequently, the ss jar full of blood yet though. Negotiations hadnt irrevocably broken down just yet, though Tom didnt hold much hope at this point. That depends, Zirel Covan Nottrakon replied with a nonchnt shrug. Would you be angry on behalf of someone youve only met thrice in your entire life? Probably not. Would he personally hunt you down and avenge me regardless of constraints like time or cost though? Likely, yes. You see, the only one that is allowed the prestigious right to kill a Nottrakon is another Nottrakon. Got to preserve our familys honor, you know? The somber silence that followed was interrupted by a long, deep sigh from Aleph. Is he speaking the truth? She asked Tom half-heartedly, not even bothering to question how he was supposed to know the answer. If Tom had any nefarious intent, all he had to do was side with Zirel and Aleph would lose, regardless of all her strength. Instead, he had sworn to fight alongside her. As far as I am aware, yes, Tom replied briskly, not willing to give any additional information to Zirel. Aleph sighed again. Killing you wont bring me any satisfaction, She sadly shook her head. Even if everything you said was a lie, you would have been too young back then to have made the decision, or participate in the carnage that followed. Im done here, unless you choose otherwise. Aleph, wait, Tom interjected. Reluctantly, she stopped in her retreat. The third option. Tom was sure that she hadnt forgotten. She just didnt want to consider it. Zirel, can I ask you a question in her stead? Tom asked, drawing the gazes of both Aleph and the prince. I dont see why not, he answered. What if, Tom took a deep breath as he contemted the sheer audacity of his suggestion. ---Look, I know you want to amass power and youre willing to take the shortest way to it. Alephs gaze immediately sharpened, her mncholic mood temporarily blown back by a sudden interest in Toms words. You sure know a lot, The prince tried his best not to sound flummoxed, but it was hard not to when confronted by ones own hidden desires and ambitions. And you have to be wondering asking yourself, why we came to hunt you in the first ce. Hunt the notorious Riven ckheart in his ownir. What do you mean? Zirel asked. Werent you aware of my identity? Wait, no. That doesnt add up. If your friend there knew my true identity, she would have prepared an arsenal fit to y tower-dwellers. There would have been no talking, only a ruthless ambush. Then, you withheld that information from her? No, no you seem almost as ill-equipped to deal with this situation as she is. What in the world is going on here? The rity in Alephs gaze was back with a burning intensity and Tom could almost feel her gaze boring through his skull. Look, I get these visions, okay. And theyre almostpletely random. I cant control them but, Tom hesitated, or more urately, feigned hesitation. Except the feelings behind his hesitation were genuine. He really didnt want to betray the nature of his ability, but Aleph was bound to figure it out anyway. Theres a prerequisite. Namely, they dont activate until Ive seen the person at least once, in person. Once Ive seen you, theres no time limit. The vision could be a year from now. A decade. Or as it is for most people, never. I.. , Zirel began. I dont know if thats a preposterous ability or apletely atrocious one. But. The scenario does make sense if I factor in the nature of your ability. Of course, it could be something else entirely and you could be lying but the fact that I am still alive, gives credence to your theory. Such a powerful ability being bnced by such a heavy restriction.... I suppose I can ept that. Regardless, what is your question, irvoyant? What would, no, how would your father feel if..,Tom trailed off, as his heart pounded in his chest.....If you teamed up with thest sessor of House Longstradia to conquer the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon. Chapter 81: Mutual Interest Chapter 81: Mutual Interest Toms words echoed with an almost zealous edge to them, its impetus not lost on Aleph, who seemed to visibly recoil from his statement, the possibility of something as absurd as working together never even having urred to her while Zirel, who seemed almost as bbergasted as thest sessor of House Longstradia, gazed upon him with genuine surprise. Are you insane? It was Aleph who snapped back into the moment first, the sheer anger bubbling up in her gut enough to eclipse any surprise or shock she might have felt at being blindsided with such a preposterous suggestion. Tom held himself back from wincing as he took in his friends scrunched up visage. The anger she felt was all but evident in her expression, but that hadnt been the source of his difort. There was a certain hollowness to her gaze, a distinct resignation that Tom had seen before. In his past life, it was those very eyes that had locked eyes with him when he stared at the mirror. The eyes of someone who had resigned himself to the whims of fate, resigned himself to things simply going wrong regardless of what he did. In Alephs case, perhaps that resignation was directed to betrayal. Tom didnt need Maya to guess at the impact the other Noble Familys betrayal would have had on her psyche. And he was sure that it wasnt the only time she would have tasted betrayal. A young, pampered Noble left alone in the world with no one to call her own. How many times would she have been tricked by unscrupulous individuals? How many times had she tried to recruit a party of her own, only to be deserted or worse? Tom didnt know the answer to those questions, but he was well aware of the fact that while arger fist might have kept her alive, it would have provided no solution to her problems. And now, it was Toms actions that had let Aleph taste that same helplessness, a vor worse than bitter ash. Nevertheless, Tom stood resolute as he took in Zirels reaction to his words. There was surprise there, certainly. A smattering of doubt. But no instinctive disgust at the thought of allying with a Longstradia. That meant that there was a chance. A slim one, perhaps. But there was a chance. You want to challenge the final sector? Dont tell me.., Zirels gaze shifted from Tom to Aleph, before setting back onto Toms visage. Youre serious, he muttered to himself, expression incredulous even as his bodynguage suggested that he was primed forbat. Youre challenging the Zelez Dungeon because you want to grow stronger, are you not? Tom posed the rhetorical question with the beginnings of an audacious smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Well, were simply intending to take the shortest path to that strength. A path that, should we seed, shall reward us with the kind of loot that I would shudder to list out loud. Two people, Zirel hissed. Youve lost your damn minds, The prince responded in a rare breach of noble etiquette. Tom had gotten exactly the kind of reaction he had been wanting to elicit out of Zirel. It would serve as a reminder for Aleph; the sheer absurdity of their lofty and frankly, incredibly risky goal voiced by a third-party that was qualified enough to make sid judgment. Then, he slowly turned his gaze to Aleph. Taking a deep breath, he used the moment to gather his thoughts before voicing them out loud, Aleph, do you still remember the first time we crossed paths? There was a pause, a brief flicker of hesitation as Aleph considered if she deemed him worthy of a response. I do, she answered, a hint of anger leaking into her voice. Then you would remember how much you had to struggle, just to recruit anywhere near a full party of dungeoneers. Enough that you were willing to take on someone with a background as dubious as mine, a dungeoneer whose true name you still, to date, dont know, Tom pointedly reminded, choosing not to mince his words. Even if it made him feel terribly guilty. There are others? Zirel cut in warily, his gaze shifting to the periphery of the Dungeon Cruicible. No, Tom answered. Aleph judged that me and her would be enough. To his credit, Zirel had once again reigned his emotions in, his visage a stony mask that would let no other reaction slip by him. You are the deciding factor in that calction, I assume, His eyes narrowed on Tom as he voiced his observations. Perhaps. But that isnt important right now. See, the way I see it, Tom paused for emphasis, letting his words hang in the air long enough for the other two to focus their attention on him. Aleph, the longer you stay in Renovia, the more dangerous it is for you. I understand, believe me. I understand that not choosing to fight him to the death is very different from allying with him. But, He looked Zirel directly in the eyes as he framed his next words. You are as much a fugitive as she is. The Princes left eye twitched in what could only be annoyance. You need power, Tom continued, While your fate might not end up as gruesome as Alephs, if she were to get caught I sincerely doubt that you would be willing to face the Nottrakon Familys reprisal. Whether they imprison you until one of your brothers ascend to the throne or execute you on the spot, you dont want to be hanging around here when they finally see through your act. And if you were confident in reaching the tower on your own, you would have long since left. Aleph blinked at those words, clearly surprised by just how urately Tom had managed to grasp the situation. So what is your alternative? Throw myself against an insurmountable challenge and die a warriors death? Zirel replied in distinct annoyance, clearly not used to his authority being challenged- even if he may think otherwise. Ally with us, Tom replied inly. I am a fugitive too, for different reasons. And not all alliances need to be founded on trust. Mutual interests are enough to keep us from killing each other. And when were ready- when all three of us agree that we are ready we crush the final sector. The crinkling sound of shattering crystal echoed in the air as Aleph violently crushed a shard in her free hand. Damn it, She protested angrily. Damn it all, She repeated herself, her fist balled up in rage. I hate to admit it.., She trailed off, her gaze reluctantly meeting Zirels. ...But hes right. Youve seen our faces, so if you get caught werepromised as well. If were not going to fight to the death then taking in the situation objectively, Aleph paused to take a long, calming breath. It would make sense for you to join us. Silence fell again. This time, it stretched on for minutes. Tom and Aleph had said their piece and now, the decision was Zirels to make. You two do realize that if I agreed to this, it would make me the biggest enemy of the Nottrakon Family since its inception, right? Killing Elite Guards is a grave offense, but at the end of the day, theyre just guards. This, though? Im not going to be the only one hunted to the ends of the surface realm for this. Uhh., Tom struggled not to stutter, not having considered that particr aspect in great detail. Your n better be a good one. Im in. Chapter 82: Crest Chapter 82: Crest Wee to my humble abode, Zirel offered with a flourish of his hands, his open palms directing their gazes towards a cozy foyer. The crackle of a warm firece originating from Toms leftplimented a varnished, t-top wooden desk that was strategically ced to serve as the first point of contact for any customers entering the purported establishment. As Tom followed Zirel inside, shortly followed by Aleph, he noticed a round coffee table nked by two cushioned armchairs, ced afortable distance before a short flight of stairs that led to the first floor. What the hell, Zirel? Tom asked as he took in the small corner of warm coziness the Nameless District had to offer. The crackling of a warm fire. Neat, well-maintained furniture. And the tangy aroma of what was likely cured beast meat, serving a startling and equally wee juxtaposition from the sweaty bodies and often foul-smelling blood-spattered gear a throng of shoddy dungeoneers subjected him to on a near daily basis. While they had been practically slumming it out in an underground bunker, with stale air and week-old supplies- Okay, maybe Tom was being a little hyperbolic. Nevertheless, it didnt change the fact that Zirels amodations were closer to the standards of his old world than the Nameless District. Moreover, it wasughably ostentatious. Practically no different from holding arge sign inviting a group of Royal Knights toe streaming in with weapons drawn. Even Aleph surreptitiously shed Zirel a puzzled look and Tom could almost see the gears in her head turning Was the prince lesspetent than what he had led them to believe? In response, Zirel winced. Look, he began, his tone sounding a little apologetic. The Elite Guards kind ofmandeered this establishment a day after their arrival. The owners were wellpensated for their troubles and if they havent left the city by now, well its not like I can walk up to them and give them the keys back, right? Not with my reputation being what it is. Tom could imagine the terror Riven ckheart, known party killer, would inflict upon a dungeoneer that was clearly more interested in earning money for bread and breakfast over risking his life in thend below for the frankly slim chance that they would walk away with the winning gamble. If they were even interested in, or had anybat abilities, to begin with. All Zirels benevolence would aplish would be a very intimidated former hotelier seeking to distance himself from the Nameless District at the fastest velocity he could manage. Tom found the mental image of the fleeing hotelier quite funny, if he was being honest. I get that, but., Aleph stiffened for a moment, as she realized that she had almost managed to initiate a casual conversation with Zirel Covan Nottrakon, of all people. Sure, the atmosphere had greatly eased after they had stepped out of the Dungeon none of them were stupid enough to initiatebat in an administratively forlorn yet very much residential district. The time for consequence-less murder had passed. But that didnt mean that she could or should manage to hold a conversation with a member of the tainted bloodline that had been responsible for a monstrous crime? That wasnt fair. Not after shed herself agreed with Toms assessment even though his newfound abilities had left her more than merely astonished. Even after the possibly shocking connections she had made when she contrasted their original purpose in visiting Zirel with the side-effect that he had imed was triggered at random. There might have been some truth to that statement, but most of the shock she had felt at the revtion was offset by an even bigger revtion the presence of Zirel Covan Nottrakon, right within the reach of her de. Surprisingly enough, she didnt feel betrayed by him. Whatever his real name was. If he wanted to, withholding Zirels identity and leaving her in the dark was something he could have aplished without any real consequences. Zirel certainly wouldnt have volunteered and after a quick sh, it was likely that they would have chosen to retreat. She could tell. Zirel was strong perhaps the strongest enemy she had encountered till date, at least within her generation. Instead, the man that went under the pseudonym Synrak had chosen to trust her with that decision. Aleph had been lied to before. She had been tricked. Cheated. Misled. Cornered. And yet, she had survived each time. So it wasnt just her intuition that told her that Synrak was serious that he would really fight the Fourth Prince of the Syrelore Kingdom if she made the decision to. To the death. That action had bought a touch of warmth of Alephs life that she didnt quite know how to deal with. So she had side-lined it, gging it forter consideration as she focused on the task at hand. Or at least, she had tried. It was that touch of warmth that gave her the courage? No. She had plenty of courage. Strength. Not the kind that empowered her sword strikes and gave her the velocity to cleave Phantasmal Beasts in half. No, it was something else. Something that she hadnt known that she had beencking for a while now. An aspect of her that had shattered along with the demise of her Noble Family. The strength to acknowledge that all her problems could not be solved through the de alone. .... this makes us stick out like a sore thumb. Especially if the Royal Knights get wind of a bunch of upstarts that snatched an entire inn under their noses. Sure, they dont really care about what goes down in these parts, but there are limits, Aleph tried and to her surprise,the words managed toe to her naturally, without sounding forced. At all. She knew how to lie to herself. Had, many times. And that was precisely why she knew that this was not one of them. Zirel paused mid-stride, his expression thoughtful as he considered Alephs words. I admit that I didnt consider that aspect. My knowledge of the inner functionings of Renovia are more theoretical in nature. Tom had to give some credit to the Prince. He might have imed to be a pariah within the Nottrakon Family, but apparently the internal family politicking was something that rubbed off. After all, he had managed to throw a positive spin to the vastcunae in his understanding of the Nameless District as naturally as breathing. Regardless, Zirel continued after taking a few moments to consider the situation. This doesnt significantly alter our objectives. All we need to do is move the timeline up on our certain-death escapade. Well, I guess you havent been osted out by Royal Knights yet, Tom replied with a shrug, especially since Zirel put it that way. Compared to the insanity of what they were nning on attempting, it was pretty hypocritical to call out the Prince on his choice of amodations. On that note, Zirels tone deepened, his gaze turning sharper as he took in Tom from behind the receptionists desk. You still havent told me why you were seeking out Riven ckheart, of all people. I wouldnt be particrly chagrined if it was to kill me, you know? I am responsible for the deaths of my original party members, so the rumors swirling around technically arent false. Tom had been studying a nondescript wooden door that was tucked away near the north-western corner of the room, to the other side of the receptionists desk. He hadnt noticed it upon entering the inn as the grain of the dark brown wood blended in perfectly with its surroundings, the gray patina rusting the unassuming metal doorknobs surface doing little to add to its presence. His interest in it stemmed from a strong suspicion that beyond ity the inns pantry and he was hungering for a decent meal. A pity that he would have to answer Zirel first. The visions arent the only ability I have, Tom answered after a few lingering moments, allowing a little hesitation to leak into his tone. We need to infiltrate the Noble District and retrieve the final piece needed to survive the final sector. And my second ability allows me to perfectly impersonate anyone, as long as I meet a few conditions. Though obviously, I cant replicate Soul Cards or Statistics, otherwise I wouldnt need to go about things in such a convoluted way. So- Wait, you wanted to replicate my appearance so you could., It only took Zirel a moment to guess at his intentions, ...frame me? Tom bluntly nodded, before exining, Well, based on the information I had, I wouldnt feel bad about framing you for some serious crimes. Not that I was nning to kill anyone- Tom hurriedly added, only to be abruptly cut off by Zirel. Thats brilliant! He eximed animatedly, revealing a new facet of his persona that they hadnt seen before. Both Tom and Aleph gave him odd looks at the enthused reaction, clearly not expecting someone they were trying to frame for an extremely serious offense to be excited at the prospect. Im not going to pry for details, but Im assuming youre good enough to trick all the detection methods they have in ce. Which is ridiculous because the Knights are aware of every possible card that can trick perception and they have a couple methods to counter each. They dont need to know who youre impersonating, after all as long as you have a card ability active, you should normally be exposed. But, Im assuming youre not. Im not, Tom replied. Theory, see? Zirel tapped at his forehead with a sly smile. Youre seriously underestimating your abilities. With my knowledge of Noble House politics that has been hammered into my head by my tutors, your ability and enough time we could bring at least a few noble houses to political implosion. Aleph sucked in a cold breath of air, clearly not having considered that possibility. But we dont have that kind of time. Zirel clicked his tongue at that,You were the one behind that theft in the Noble District, right? A pity. Toms brow twitched at that, as he once again reminded himself not to reveal any information that he didnt expressly need to.. Zirels wrist flicked in quick repetition, as two keys went flying towards Tom and Aleph in quick session. They both caught it with ease. Room number one for thedy and four for you. Theyre facing each other, but if you want to sleep together I can get you a double-bed. No, Aleph immediately interjected. It was only for a second, but Tom swore that he picked up on just a hint of coyness in her tone. He really was tired. Very well. Before we tuck in for the night though, I feel like I am obliged to inform you that there is a much simpler and certainly way less convoluted way of entering the Noble District. What is it? Tom hurriedly asked, clearly not having expected this turn in events. The smile that was ying on Zirels lips only grew wider. I am willing to reveal it to you, but in return, I hope that you will reveal this key piece you need upon your return. A secret for a secret is a fine exchange, is it not? Tom did his best to control his bodynguage, not willing to nce in her direction for the slightest of instances. It was her inheritance that they needed to unlock and hopefully it would be enough to even the odds. However, he couldnt have taken Zirel back to Alephs hideout. He was fairly cordial right now, but if he learned that the inheritance of the Longstradia Family was within arms reach, would he be able to resist the temptation? Even if he knew the Greater Control Glyph, Zirel couldnt be the one to open the inheritance. Tom had to do it himself. Only after it is safely in my possession, Tom replied with pursed lips. I can ept that, Zirel replied, immediately reaching for a tear in the void that Tom knew to be his inventory. He found himself retreating a few steps, while Alephs entire bodynguage transformed to a state ofbat readiness, but there was no loud explosion or a blinding re as he pulled out a small metal emblem that buzzed with a violently red energy. The Crest of the Elite Guards of the Nottrakon Family should suffice for your purposes, no? Chapter 83: Infiltration Chapter 83: Infiltration As Tom took in the cacophony of the Nameless District in, he found himself looking back on the time he had spent in the squalid town; contemting on the realization that it might be thest time he got to take in the bustle of the main drag as dozens upon dozens of dungeoneers fought not just for a good bargain, but the very right to exist in the district itself. Perhaps to the Nobles, their existence was a pitiful one. Tom, though, hade to acknowledge the dungeoneers of the Nameless District, as they staked their very lives on the line to seek out their desires. Wealth, fame and possible glory, if they were granted admission into the Noble District. Would his opinion be different if he was born in Artezia, instead of looking upon the dynamics of the District from the lens of a foreigner from a wholly different ne of existence? Likely. However, none of that would change the simple fact that Tom would miss the District, along with the energetic, motivated dungeoneers that popted it. Zirel had made it clear that while using the Elite Guards crest would be the safest way of making it through the Royal Knights checkpoint, it would alsoe with its own unique set of consequences. Namely, the odds of his entry into the Noble District going unlogged and uninvestigated were next to none, putting their mission on a clock. Anywhere from two weeks to a month. That meant that the moment he returned, they needed to unlock the inheritance and enter the Zelez Dungeon within the next two to three days. A week was the maximum time they could take to clear the final sector, as per the rules set by the Divine System itself. Any longer and it would simply reset and along with it, their chance at truly clearing the Zelez Dungeon. Tom had been hesitant on staking it all on this one chance, but Aleph had been adamant about it- either they cleared it on the first attempt or they would never clear it. He had argued against her for a while, yielding only after she countered every point he brought forward with facts. If they werent capable of clearing it, odds were that they wouldnt survive until the dungeon reset anyway. Besides that, Aleph and Zirel had already exhausted all other avenues of leveling their respective Soul Cards and neither of them could afford to stay in the Nameless District much longer anyway. I guess this is it, Tom thought to himself as he cut through the throng of dungeoneers crowding the Nameless Districts main drag. Most people in these parts were wise enough to steer clear of the unknown and Toms hooded silhouette, ck wooden mask and his confident, imposing gait certainly helped give him the air of an enigmatic, possibly dangerous individual. Tom allowed himself a final, lingering nce at the makeshift wooden stalls spilling onto the main street without any rhyme or rhythm, the animated faces of dungeoneers engaged in bouts of haggling and the myriad sounds and smells, some oddly pleasant while others, most decidedly not. He hade a long way, both from Earth and from the person he used to be. Then, he took a step onto the rough dirt road that led to the tent painted in the Royal Knights livery; the checkpoint that he needed to cross to gain ess to the Nobles District. As he traversed the winding dirt road that switchbacked up a small ascent, it urred to him that the role he had been acting out had at some point, mired itself into reality. He was no longer afraid of even the most experienced of dungeoneers in the Nameless District. Simrly, the Royal Knights livery was longer capable of inciting the dread Serawin had upon their first encounter, immobilizing him with the strength contained in a single arm. Back then, the Royal Knight hadnt even needed to consider using his [Soul Card] to leave himpletely helpless. Now? Based on Zirels understanding, the average Royal Knight was a little weaker than the Nottrakon Familys Elite Guards, though the former had more experience dealing with direct confrontations. Though Zirel didnt voice it out loud, Tom was pretty sure that the Elite Guards were trained to handle things in a more subtle, underhanded manner. Of course, that was without adding their respective equipment into the mix. The Royal Knights served the interests of various Noble Families, sometimes as a collective, whilergely focusing on duties delegated to them by the Noble Family they pledged allegiances to. That implied arge difference in the quality of equipment supplied to them,rgely proportional to the value the pledgee Noble Family saw in the Royal Knight. Naturally, it could notpare to equipment supplied by the Nottrakon Family. The Royal Knights werergely recruited from the Nameless District, which meant that their loyalty could only be trusted to a certain degree. While the Elite Guard was handpicked from two or three bloodlines that had been serving the Nottrakon Family for decades, a revtion that had allowed Tom to understand the severity of Zirels crimes in totality. Regardless, the fact remained Zirel had killed three Elite Guards on his lonesome. If the Royal Knights were weaker than them, Tom was confident in surviving even if Serawin and Nvein came at him together. His confidence was no longer something that needed to be feigned. Halt! A familiar voice boomed out, a hint of soft-spokenness spilling into the otherwise formal tone. Nvein. The Royal Knights towering silhouette stood before him and the lone entrance to the Noble District, his emerald eyes locking onto Toms figure. Tom saw a trained caution within that gaze, the Royal Knights bodynguage conveying abat readiness that he had seen only from seasoned warriors. In contrast to their first encounter, Tom stood there unflinchingly as the two individuals sized each other up. Hisposure allowed him to observe a facet of Nveins persona that he hadnt picked up on before. His imposing physique, the long, jagged scar originating from the tip of his chin before falling beneath his neckline and the air of a grizzled warrior, his light-emerald eyes were surprisingly calm and gentle, even as they cautiously studied him. Nvein might put on a stern front, but he had allowed Tom to sneak back into the Nameless District without recording his name in the log. Had he chosen a post at the border precisely so he could ensure that the punishment for over-enthusiastic trespassers wouldnt be too excessive? Tom didnt know how severe a crime it was for amoner to infiltrate the Noble District, but it had been enough for Serawin to hurriedly sneak him out to the border and it hadnt seemed like the first time he had employed that particr tactic in tandem with Nvein. Im here under the orders of the Nottrakon Family, Tom spoke in a deliberately clipped tone, his wordsing across as formal andrgely unimpressed. Private business, he added before Nvein could get his response in, with his voice lowering to be barely above a whisper. Though it was subtle, Tom didnt miss the change in Nveins expression from trained caution to active wariness as his features tightened up by a degree. His brows brought slightly closer to a frown, his lips slightly pursed and the undercurrent of tension flowing down to his sword arm, that tightened its grip on the swords hilt as a response. Can you prove those ims? Nvein asked warily. Tom nodded and then began to reach for his back pocket with his left hand. Slowly, The Royal Knight warned, his gaze now firmly trained on his every moment. Tom nodded again to confirm that he had acknowledged the Royal Knights request, before cautiously retrieving the metal emblem that Zirel had entrusted him with. An Emblem that belonged to a now deceased Elite Guard of the Nottrakon Family. Its surface was cool to the touch, but the violently red energy buzzing across its surface clearly wanted to be noticed. He gingerly offered it to Nvein, who observed it for a few long moments before plucking it from his open palm. Tom observed silently as Nvein fiddled with the emblem, even going as far as to apply pressure on random points across its periphery. Which, admittedly, did make him a little nervous. Then, without any warning, he reached for a tear in the void and pulled out a translucent, ovr stone. Toms attention was drawn to its smooth, polished exterior, observing as sunlight yed upon its surface. The materials translucency allowed the rays to pass through its outer shell, gently illuminating its inner textures and revealing the starkck of any inclusions marring its interior. The captivating sight only lent credence to Toms theory, finding the stones make a little too perfect to be in its naturally urring state. Toms curiosity only deepened as Nvein flipped the metal emblem, revealing an ovr indentation on its back that he hadnt paid much attention to beyond a cursory nce. He slotted the translucent stone into the depression, its dimensionspleting what Tom suspected to be the true, finished version of the Elite Guards insignia. It took every bit of willpower that he could assign in the heat of the moment for him to not flinch as the metal emblem red to life, the blood red energy exploding outwards in a cascade of motion. A three-dimensional hologram was now projected from the metal emblem, a technology that would have been more fitting in Toms old world. A few moments passed before the hologram fully realized the crest it was trying to disy. Tom recognized the ornamental shield as the same one that had been carved onto the metal emblem, a cross engraved in an unfamiliar script that intersected in the middle; dividing the shields surface area into four quadrants. Each quadrant was further iid with a different precious gem, their shape and depth far more prominent in the holographic image. He had naturally assumed the shield to be the Nottrakon Familys coat of arms, but it appeared that he was greatly mistaken. Had Zirel expected him to know his familys insignia simply because most people in the Syrelore Kingdom were likely to? Regardless, Tom hadnt been expecting a three-dimensional depiction of a scaled arm that had five long, violently sharp ws puncturing through the shields center. You are indeed who you im to be, Nvein acknowledged with an approving nod, the tension leaving his clenched fist. I can let you pass, but Im afraid that I will have to report your entry to my superiors, he added in a far more friendlier tone. Is that necessary? Tom asked, letting his words linger for a few moments longer than appropriate. I thought I made myself clear, he added in a slow cadence that spoke of hisposure just as Nvein moved to answer, his words carrying an undertone of authority. Nvein let out a sigh, before answering, The orders are strict. Im not sure if you are aware, but there has been a development that has left our district on edge. Some sort of self-disguising card that can-. Tom moved more by instinct over meticulous thought as he took a step closer to Nvein, before leaning in conspiratorially. I am here to take care of that anomaly, Tom emphasized the final word, as if to hint that he knew more about the situation than most. Nveins eyes widened as he took in Tom more carefully, then realization dawned upon his features. Is the infiltration that deep? Nvein asked worriedly, a bead of sweat running down his forehead as he had all but whispered the question. What? Tom thought to himself, baffled by Nveins response. A tense silence befell them as Tom slowly puzzled out the connection Nvein had made with his request to not inform the Royal Knights superiors with possible infiltration in the upper echelons of Nobility. Possibly, Tom replied. Two weeks. That is all I require. A brief moment of hesitation passed Nveins visage, before the Royal Knight followed through with an official salute. Wait here. I will clear the tent so that you can slip away unnoticed, he exined, before walking away hurriedly. As Tom watched the Royal Knights receding back, he couldnt help but entertain an half-amused, half-worried thought, This wasnt how things were supposed to have gone. Chapter 84: Entry Chapter 84: Entry Nvein had turned out to be true to his word. Tom had noticed that the Royal Knight didnt offer him his unguarded back to lead the way, instead choosing to walk alongside him on their way to the tent. He wasnt sure if the gesture was supposed to establish them as equals in standing or if Nvein was simply leery of dropping his guard in the presence of one of the Elite Guards, given their rather infamous reputation. And Tom definitely wasnt aware of how an actual Elite Guard would react to the subtle gesture, leaving him with little choice but to simply not allow any reaction, hoping that someone as earnest as Nvein wouldnt engage petty cross-organizational politics when the possible fate of the Noble District was supposedly at stake. Stepping into the tent, a strong stench of sweat assailed his senses. A cloth tent painted in the Royal Knights colors was perhaps not the best choice for a checkpoint that saw footfall on a daily basis. Toms gaze swept across the carpeted tent, noting the hastily abandoned satchels piled on top of each other, leaning on the tents cloth perimeter for support. It seemed like themoners returning from the Noble District had chosen to park their luggage under the watchful eye of the Royal Knight instead of lugging it around. Would a side-entrance be more to your preference? Nvein queried. It was a silver lining that Tom still had his mask on, as his confusion leaked onto his expression. Where did Nvein see a side-entrance in a two-way tent? Yes, Tom replied. Nvein gave him a nod and then began to walk over to the tents eastern periphery. Tom gave him a curious look, before shifting his gaze to the carpeted floor beneath him. He scanned for the slightest hint of an elevation, betting that there was a trapdoor hidden beneath the covering. Without warning, Nvein drew his sword and brought it down in a straight line. His sword sliced through the fabric with a barely audible rustle of fabric. Oh, Tom thought, his gaze flitting to the mans impressive muscture. I suppose Nvein prefers dealing with his problems more directly. Do you have a way to conceal yourself? Nvein asked calmly, as he returned his sword to its sheathe with a flicker of motion. Tom caught on to the gentleness in Nveins movement, as his sword arm drastically slowed down before the hilt clicked into the sheath. There was a reverence to the action, one that all the dungeoneers he had encountered up until this point hadcked. Even Zirel only seemed to consider his de of Necrosis as a tool designed to kill nothing more. For a moment, Tom considered what he could gain if he used Maya on Nvein. Only for a moment. He had set his own ground rules when it came to Maya and one of them was never using the skill on people that hede to either befriend or respect. Aleph fell into that criteria without a shred of doubt. And Nvein had earned his respect. Many, Tom answered. But before that, I had a personal request. Nvein turned to face him, eyebrows slightly raised in what had to be surprise. What is it? He asked, the curiosity in his tone unconceble. On my travels, I enjoy researching all manners and sorts of weapon artifacts. If you are amenable, I would like to try wielding yours for a few minutes, He exined. Of course, feel free to refuse this is purely a selfish request on my part. Tom didnt miss the momentary hesitation that shed on Nveins visage, followed by an increasing curiosity that he hadnt expected. Then, before Tom could stew over the potential faux pas he had just made, Nvein spoke, From the whispers Ive heard, the Elite Guard has been made out to be argely ndestine organization that prioritizes on aplishing its objective, often glossing over coteral damage in the process. There was no bitterness in Nveins tone, at least none that Tom could detect. Knowing what he did of Nveins character, there was no way that the Royal Knight would be okay with the three dungeoneers the Elite Guards tasked with Zirels protection and retrieval had murdered. Tom also noted that Nvein hadnt voiced his own opinion, only mentioning whispers he had purportedly heard from others. He couldnt be reprimanded for regurgitating anothers opinion, after all. It appears that a lot of the rumors were hyperbole, as rumors tend to be. I consider myself a good judge of character and you donte across as the stone-cold killer type, Nvein exined. You can test out my de, he added, offering him a smile that seemed a tad bit relieved before the sword. Tom stuck to simple thrusts and shes, his high proprioception stat making for an impressive if rudimentary disy. He didnt want to lean into any of his swordy, which was cobbled together from multiple styles andbat philosophies hed absorbed from both voluntary and involuntary teachers and definitely not something an Elite Guard of the Nottrakon family would use. The next five minutes passed in silence, as Tom allowed himself to feel the heft of the de while operating at about 60% of what his Proprioception was capable of, while Nvein silently observed him. When the first bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, he brought the disy to a halt. Thank you, Tom had to actively force himself not to sound too grateful so as to sound out of character, before he flipped the de to a reverse grip and offered it to Nvein, hilt first. Not a problem, Nvein replied. You are quite nifty with a de, he remarked, referring not to skill but speed as he epted the de. Comes with the profession, Tom replied dryly, wondering if Nvein had seen through atleast a part of his facade. Nvein grunted in response. Ill find a way to pay him back, Tom promised himself, as he plucked out [The Shadow] from his Deckholder and channeled its [Shadow Cloak] ability using the remaining SP he had. Wreathed in the familiar shadows, Tom offered Nvein a nod. Only after receiving one back in confirmation did he step out of the tents slit, before breaking out into a sprint. On the blue screen still hovering before him, was a simple alert. [Mimic Slots: 2/5] Chapter 85: The Full Circle [End of Book 1] Chapter 85: The Full Circle [End of Book 1] Tom had managed tomit a crime within five minutes of entering the Noble District. In his defense, Nveins side-entrance had left him with little other choice. Speeding down the neat cobblestone path, Toms silhouette would have been no more than a shadowy blur that flickered past the gazes of any onlookers until he rounded the first corner in his line of sight. Finding himself in an alleyway that was nked by two walled enclosures, Tom sought refuge in the shadows cast by the three-storey building to his right. The alley he was standing in was too narrow to field intense footfall, only wide enough to manage two people walking side-by-side across its length. He focused on his enhanced sense of hearing, trying to discern if there was anyone approaching his location, or more importantly, if either of the two buildings nking him were currently popted. It only took Tom a minute before he made his decision. With an outburst of movement, he scaled the three meter tall wall. Two steps in quick session to kick off the wall, beforetching onto its coping and then hoisting himself up almost effortlessly was all it took, the entire process a matter of moments. Bncing himself on the top of the wall again proved no challenge for his proprioception stat, as Toms gaze turned to the lockless window on the first floor. He leapt forward calmly, falling short of the window itself but catching on to the intended target. There was a light thump as he dangled from the windowsill, soon by one hand as he used the other to gently push it open inwards. Hoisting himself for a final time, he was in. Tom closed the window behind him and then deactivated [The Shadow] card, now that he was sure that the residence was unupied. He took in the room hed found himself in, before shaking his head. This wont do, he muttered under his breath, not even bothering to scour through the closets. He winced as the door he was pushing open creaked loudly, the grating sound loud enough to alert anyone in the house. The presumably childrens bedroom he was currently in,plete with a pink wooden closet, a cot that was roughly three-fourths the length of an adult version and half a dozen cloth-dolls that were clothed in miniature dresses, spilled out into a hallway. At the end of the hallway was another door, likely the master bedroom. Tom decided to explore the living area first, discovering an open-n kitchen whose version of a stove was powered by a ruby red stone that was shaped like a tear-drop. Finding no value in thefortable looking loveseat, sparsely popted bookshelf or the dining table, Tom turned around and began to move to the only room that was left. There, thankfully, he found what he had been looking for. I really dont like masks, Tom grumbled under his breath as he plucked the ufortable wooden mask off his face and tossed it into his inventory. Then he chucked, as a wry thought struck him, Ironic. On the king-sized bed before himy five sets of outfits, all in the same Noble Houses livery. Red and Gold. The livery of House Nezaria, which was presently led by Lord Ramav Nezaria, the Noble directly in charge of the Kingdoms trade and finances and the Kings right-hand man. Serawin had caught his lie the first time around because he didnt have enough knowledge on the Noble House he was feigning loyalty to. Tom wasnt going to repeat the same mistake twice. Thanks to Alephs lessons, he had a good idea of the basic political structure of every Noble Family, more than enough to pass off as the lowest social rung of citizens living in the District those employed in non-essential roles on a permanent basis like custodians, chefs and groundskeepers among other professions. In a world popted with magical cards, Syrelore Kingdoms definition of essential seemed to revolve aroundbat and fields that facilitatedbat. Alchemist was argely coveted and often even revered position, while gardeners were content simply by being allowed to live in the District. To that end, Tom intended to introduce himself as a gardener. Coming across as humble and uninteresting was perfectly suited to his needs. He also knew a thing or two about maintaining awn, having done the chore for pocket money for his neighbors in histe teens. Standing before a polished mirror, Tom took in the unfamiliar man meeting his gaze. His skin was a warm hue of bronze, eyes amon brown. The smile ying upon his lips was gentle and disarming, even with the knife scar marring his right cheek. The man named Zark was a dungeoneer, if a pretty middling one at that. Nevertheless, even amidst only bright bronze stars, he had taught Tom a very useful skill one that he might even need to rely on to aplish his objective. The coat he had chosen was more than a little tight, the trousersing up a little short but there was nothing too out of ce. He was just another face in the crowd, one amongst hundreds. Now, it was time to head to the ce he was originally supposed to have upon arriving in Artezia. A den of both current and future powerhouses, a training ground where young, pliable minds were forged into trained weapons capable of felling both phantasmal beasts and dungeoneers alike. A ce where a single misstep; A lone faux pas was enough to blow his cover amidst dozens of unknown card abilities and methods in the hands of their skilled and perceptive wielders. There would be no fighting back against that cascade, his end would be as swift as it was inevitable. As Tom exited the residence the same way hed broken into it and blended into a throng headed in the direction of the za, a wave of uncertainty hit him. Only a few months had passed since hed arrived in Artezia. He had been a convenience store clerk with no notable aplishments to his name and now he was contemting going up against a ruling ss that had magical powers at their beck and call. Had he gone insane? No, Toms whisper was lost amidst the footfall of the crowd. The grin that tugged at his lips wasnt something he could fight against. No, he was just a fool. And he was headed directly for- The Academy. Chapter The Return of the Fool + Im going to be a published author! Chapter The Return of the Fool + I''m going to be a published author! Hey, hey, hey! So, I''ve been really busy for the past few months, and I''m sorry for that. Really sorry. But Ie with good tidings. So to kick things off, I''ll answer the question: where was I, first. If you follow me across stories, you know that Modern Patriarfch is a story I''ve been working on for over two years now. And finally, it was recieving it''s light under the sun by being published on Amazon and Audible. So I had to spend thest three months working, working and working toplete book 2 of Modern Patriarch. The good news? It''s almostplete. Even better news? I''ll be taking a month''s break for Patriarch and start doing the same for Legendary Fool Book 2- offering never before seen DAILY UPDATES from April 16th until I finish it''s book 2. ....I hope that makes sense. Now for the even better news. My first KU debut is also the best shot I have at going at this author thing on a full time basis. Plus, if you haven''t read Modern Patriarch yet, you can do so for free if you have a kindle unlimited membership. I won''t lie, the real reason why the updates were slow are because I work in a very stressful industry and only had so many hours in a day. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. TL;DR: Fool is starting up from April 16th, 2024 with daily updates, Modern Patriarch''s Kindle Unlimited Release is the best shot I have at going full time. I love you guys, so I''m just going to state the truth inly, haha. Not that Fool updates are contingent on my amazon performance or anything, I just consider you guys friends and want to let you know that it would probably make this whole writing thing a LOT easier. So, how can you help? There are three ways of doing so: 1. If you have a Kindle Unlimited Membership, just download the book! Even if you''re not interested in reading it or just passingly curious, it will still help immensely! 2. You can buy the e-book or Audiobook directly, thetter being narrated by the famous Ralph Lister (who did mzan and mage errant!) if you want to really support me. 3. If you don''t want to do any of the above, you can STILL help me for ABSOLUTELY FREE- by leaving Reviews and Ratings on Amazon (keeping in mind that anything below a 5 on amazon basically is a downvote because their ratings skew up). See, you don''t actually need to buy the book to rate or review! The links are below. I''ve never had a patreon for any of my stories, so if you can consider giving me a few seconds of your time, I will be forever in your debt. But no matter what, thank you for all of your support just by being here. And as for the patreon stuff, I expect that to change if this pans out reasonably well! I love y''all and see you ON APRIL 16TH, 2024, because I''ve got so many cool things nned for fool :DDD Chapter 86: A foolish pursuit Chapter 86: A foolish pursuit Tom wore a contemtive expression on his face as he gazed outside the first floor window of an inn he had checked into over an hour ago. Of course, it was not his face that stared back at him, as the faint reflection painted on the transparent ss canvas belonged to an ordinary denizen of the Nameless District who went by the name Zark. However, it was not Zarks focused visage that had captivated Toms interest, as he gazed beyond the reflection. His breath quickened a pace as he took in the imposing, multi-story structure that blotted out his surroundings, the sanctum of knowledge nestled at the heart of the Academic City, Renovia The Academy. Tom found himself both overwhelmed and disappointed as he was confronted by the vista he had required a token of the Nottrakon Familys Elite Guard, the veritable rulers of the Syrelore Kingdom, to ess just the periphery of. Despite his burgeoning Physical, Mental and Proprioception stats, he was slightly taken aback to find that his detection and analytical strength had no effect on the warm, earthen-brown brick walls of the Academy. The intensity of his gaze failed to pierce through the stained ss windows that were tinged in a plethora of brilliant hues. The central building was a sight to behold, a tall, mighty structure that was heralded by four spear-shaped pinnacles that looked down upon the entirety of the Noble District from up above, its facade a mnge of ornate stonework and breathtaking traceried windows that while breathtaking, also did well to distract away attention from what went on within those storied halls. Then came the sprawl, a two-storied, L-shaped building that swept through the central building, including it in its wake. Its perimeter on both ends was capped off by two blue stone minarets that forced Tom to do a double-take, as he realised that the stone pirs that were capped off by two pointed, metallic pinnacles were actually floating a little above ground level. Blinking twice in rapid session only to be confronted by the same sight confirmed for him that he wasnt hallucinating, serving to only increase the burning curiosity Tom felt towards the Syrelore academy. Finally, his gaze shifted to the lone gated, gothic archway providing an opening into the otherwise ten feet tall brick and metal fencing that led into the academy. Toms expression twisted into a grimace as he watched another young Noble Scion leave the academy, nked by two guards who wore his familys livery. The Mattlborn Familys livery, if he remembered right, which meant that the teenager with auburn hair and anky build should be Vinari Mattlborn. This is impossible, Tom snarled under his breath, as he watched the Mattlborn Familys second son unhurriedly take his leave as the two guards behind him, decked in heavy te armour that seemed almost required to hold the weight of the unrealistically broad greatswords strapped to their backs, saluted. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Naturally, the rapier sheathed at their left and the hunting knife at their right did not escape Toms attention, making sure that the Academy guards were prepared to hunt any type of foe. Each of the Noble Scions Tom had seen leave the academy so far were either apanied by their familys own guards or walked back towards their homes in groups of threes and fours. It seemed that the academy encouraged their students to work together, but it was only a source of rising annoyance for Tom. He couldnt kill any of the Noble Scions or for that matter, members of their retinue. Renovia was already on alert due to his own actions, which meant that any extended absences would be almost immediate cause for rm. Naturally, Tom wouldnt kill anyone to enter the academy, even if it would make things easier he was no assassin and neither did he have any direct grievance against them. Impersonating anyone important enough to enter the academy at will was turning out to be a hellish challenge. As for the two guards that barred his entry to the Academy, Tom had already given up on trying to ambush them. It didnt matter how strong he had be, one look at the well-equipped guards was all he needed to determine that there was no future in which he subdued one guard without alerting the entirety of the Noble District and quite possibly, the Nameless district along with it. He had been hoping that the inn he had checked into, The Warm Hearth, would offer him an advantage, as it was used primarily by travellers from afar who hade to visit Renovia to check in on their children. The Academy would even go as far as to sponsor the stays of parents who were too poor to afford the inns already subsidised rates, showcasing how important the academy students were to the Syrelore Kingdom atrge. Unfortunately for Tom, not only did he have to pay the full, extravagant rate because he couldnt prove that a ward of his studied in the academy, but he had also arrived mid-semester. There were no parents for him to knock out and impersonate, not that he would be entirelyfortable with the idea especially since they more than likely came from humble backgrounds, having braved long journeys to see their children. Though Tom couldnt promise himself that he would not resort to such measures, considering he was on a two-week timer, beyond which Nvein would inform his superiors that an Elite Guard of the Nottrakon Family had entered the Noble District. Two weeks, of which a day had already gone by him, cing him none the closer to his goal. Just as Toms attention began to waiver, he noticed the guards attention shift to their side. Oh great, Tom thought derisively. Herees another young scion with his two maids, three butlers and five guardsmen. However, that train of thought came to an abrupt halt as Tom took in the visage of the man who pushed open the gate, offered a nod to the guards in an unbroken stride and stepped into therger Noble District. His features were too aged to pass for a student, yet he seemed a tad too young to pass for a professor. His salt and pepper hair added to that sprightly charm instead of taking away from it, the coattails of his tailcoat fluttering as he strode forward with purpose. Tom ced the man in his mid thirties, his expression tensing as he watched the gates close behind the purported professor. Tom had been prepared to wait for a week after he got to know that the professors lived within the academy itself, but the opportune moment had arrived far sooner. Without hesitating, he left his room in pursuit. Chapter 87: Impromptu Battle Chapter 87: Impromptu Battle Tom fought his instincts to break out into a jog as he stalked after the Academy professor. The wash of the afternoon sun bathed his skin with itsforting golden glow, his gaze unobscured by its rays as it hawkishly locked on to his target. He took in his surroundings, noticing the lower footfall at the sleepy time of day. Not more than a dozen people filled his line of sight, which, when considering the wide thoroughfare nked by peaceful residences and the asional store or two, meant that they were all too spaced out for Tom to try and blend in within the crowd. The salt and pepper haired professor took a right turn along the bend, his steps unhurried as he strode forward with an air of cultivated dignity. Tom took advantage of their momentary separation, taking the opportunity to increase his pace, staggering it only before he rounded the bend. He spotted his quarry with ease, the academy professors pace having gged as he took his time to appreciate the shops lining the street. However, he kept moving and the stalemate Tom found himself in continued for another five minutes and another left turn. Just where is he going? Tom thought, his expression nk as he continued to trail behind the professor. His question was answered in a most abrupt manner, as the professor took a sharp right without any warning, down a narrow alleyway that looked to be squeezed between two three-story residences. Tom paused, allowing himself a deep breath as he took in the sparse footfall on the main thoroughfare they had been following so far. If I follow, he will almost certainly know, Tom concluded, his expression tense. But its not like I have a better option. And patrols seem to be less frequent this time of the day. Gritting his teeth, Tom decided to follow. He had to keep the act up for as long as he could, so he forced himself to maintain a calm pace as he stepped into the alleyway. Almost immediately, his instincts picked up on the sharp, chilling sensation of danger, causing Toms expression to warp in surprise as he leapt to the side. One foot kicked off the left wall and pushed him towards the right, allowing him to gain enough elevation to evade the bouquet of translucent ice that bloomed right where he was standing moments ago. Harassing an employee of the Syrelore Academy is punishable by the Crown, you know? The professor posed the rhetorical question in a clipped tone, a hint of anger audible in his voice. Which of my students sent you? He followed through with a real question this time, the anger in his tone only growing as Tomnded on the ground unhurt. His students? Tom thought, perplexed. Oh right, the Nobles. Tom saw a brief window of opportunity where he could exploit the misunderstanding, also noting that the bloom of ice had intended to immobilise instead of harm. Wisps of steam roiled off his body as he activated his Umon Card- Lifebloods augmentation ability, the increased blood-flow circting through his body filling him with an energy that surpassed the limits of his bodys normal function. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. What are you-! The professors word of protest died in his mouth as Tom shot forward with clearly malicious intent. He extended his right hand outwards, the build-up of a minty blue energy intending to serve as a deterrent. The professors visage twisted into a grimace as Tom continued charging, forcing him to release a sharp icicle in self-defence. His expression cycled from dismay at being forced to kill his attacker to shock, as Toms body twisted mid-sprint bncing on his left leg alone, he lowered his upper body just enough for the sharp icicle to harmlessly sail over him, before resuming his charge. Realising what had just transpired, the professor brought his arms before him defensively in ast ditch attempt, not having even the time to charge another icicle, let alone lob it at Tom. Unfortunately for him, Tom was just too quick as hended two sessive blows on his abdomen. The air was knocked out of the professors lungs, his eyes widening with astonishment as he took in the shadows wreathing and blurring Toms already moving figure. Cancelling the umon Lifeblood''s ability in favour of themon The Shadow card, Tom positioned himself behind the professor before he had recovered from his earlier melee attack. He looped his right arm around the professors neck, applying pressure on the carotid artery on both sides of the neck with practised ease. The moment Tom noticed a build-up of frost energy on the professors left hand, ast ditch attempt at self-defence no doubt, his free hand shot forward and forcibly directed it to his own visage. This way, if the professor actually decided to fire the icicle, he would be impaling himself before he did Tom. That moment of impotence cost the professor his consciousness and Tom immediately released the chokehold, his moments too refined not to have done something of the like before. Non-lethal takedown was the knowledge contained in the bright bronze star Tom had wrested away from Zarks memories, the ordinary dungeoneers experience as a bars bouncer in his hometown proving to be invaluable for Tom. While he still had other ways of knocking an opponent out, none could achieve his purpose without leaving a mark on his opponent. And he did not wish to hurt an ordinary academy professor in the slightest. It was well past nightfall when Tom burst into The Warm Hearths foyer, stumbling inside the inn with a stagger. Sirs, are you alright? A concerned voice asked, sounding out from the other end of the room. I-Im fine, Tom slurred. Just fine, my good man, He assured as Tom walked forward, his arm looped around the unconscious academy professors waist. It was testament to his strength that he managed to hold the professor upright, with his arm looped around Toms neck for support and make it seem like he was actually standing. Sirs, it is not my ce to ask, but are you perhaps drunk? The receptionist asked. Yesh, Tom nodded, his eyes tracking the male receptionists approach as he moved to support the academy professor from the other side. You must understand, Tom began, his tone dropping conspiratorially low. My friend here, hes., Tom trailed off, as if he forgot what he was about to say. He is? The receptionist kindly offered, jogging Toms memory. Ahhhh, yes. Hes a professor with the academy, young man, Tom stated, calling upon Zarks age to sound sagacious. So, if it leaks out that he was blind drunk in a tavern, it wont be you know, He made a show of rummaging in his pockets, before taking out a single gold coin and offering it to the receptionist. Sir, what do you mean by this? The receptionist innocently asked, his hesitation written on his expression. You know what I mean, Tom retorted, even as his head swayed. Take it, quickly, or I will have to assume you have intention to leak this information. And young man, trust me, you do not want to make an enemy out of an academy professor, Tom impressed upon his final words, the hint of a warning audible in his tone. Y-Yes sir! The receptionist stuttered as he grabbed the coin and nodded enthusiastically, clearly intimidated. Should I assist you to your rooms, sir? He asked hurriedly. No need, young man, Tom replied. Ill take it from here. Just make sure you let no one in until the professor has recovered Chapter 88: Unravelling Chapter 88: Unravelling Sorry about this, prof, Tom whispered under his breath once he found himself secluded in the room, with the professor peacefully lying down on the lone bed avable. The alchemical reagent he had administered would make sure that the professor stayed out cold for the next twenty four hours. He had gone out of his way to confirm that they left behind no side-effects, so Tom didnt feel any more guilty for using it on the professor. Tapping his chin as he peeked outside the curtained window, Tom considered his next move. Forty-four, He muttered under his breath, alluding to the number Active ShroudMaya had asked of him to use the ability on the professor. That number was higher than Jayce and unsurprisingly lesser than Zirel, letting Tom know that the professor was not to be underestimated. However, that didnt change the fact that there was a theory he had been meaning to test for a while now. If the resistance Tom encountered during Maya came from the consciousness, then what if he made sure its target was unconscious? He hadnt been able to try such a tactic so far, because his whole aim was to not attract attention until he was strong enough to defend himself. Now, though, the professor had given him the perfect opportunity. He turned his gaze to the unconscious professor and turned the mental lever that toggled his Active ShroudMaya skill. Toms expression turned sombre as he considered the number floating above the unconscious professors head. Neen. Turning his gaze to the door and confirming it was locked, Tom took a seat before deciding that he no longer had any reason to hesitate. He toggled the skill. Well, this sure is interesting, Tom muttered under his breath as his grip on the old-worldnyard that carried with it a photo of him from back on Earth, a thought-concept that his Home-Bound skill manifested in every Maya he stepped into, ckened. He took in the blurry, trembling world he found himself in, the long hallway that he could now ce as one that was nked by ssrooms on either end. The world itself is unstable and vague, as if it were a fleeting dream, Tom remarked as he passed by a group of students. Or atleast, what he assumed to be a gaggle of students behind the white haze that obscured their faces. I guess there are consequences to using Maya on unconscious people. I cant explore the academy first hand, but at the same time, it is only a reconstruction from memory. Naliels memories have told me enough already. Tom continued strolling down the hallway, grateful for how much easier breaking free of the web of illusions that Maya weaved for him each time he relied on the ability. Just because he had gotten used to forgetting everything about ones sense of self and using the dissonance between body and mind to trace his path back to himself, it wouldnt ever be an enjoyable experience for him. Not that he seeded every time he tried, either. If it werent for his sub-skill, home-bound, rescuing him, he would presently be wandering Artezia believing he was Zirel Covan Nottrakon, Fourth Prince of the Syrelore Kingdom. Merely the thought of that scenario was enough to make him shudder, everytime. There was a long time yet until his willpower and sense of self was honed enough tobat a prince, that was for sure. But, surprisingly to even himself, Tom didnt doubt that hed get there. I guess I cant hold back the state of Yul for much longer. Fine, fine, take me there, Tom consented, even though it would whisk him there regardless of his will. Once again, he found himself in a world full of glimmering stars. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. A multitude of bronze. Over a dozen silver. And just a single, gleaming Astral Gold star ced in the furthest reaches of the void. About what Id expect from a professor of Arcane History, Tom remarked dryly, still more than a little annoyed that the one professor he had managed to subdue turned out to be responsible for a nonbat subject. It wasnt all that unlikely, considering about a third of Syrelore Academys professors were responsible for nonbat disciples and had Naliel truly been abat instructor, his instincts would have long since warned him away from foolishly attempting to subdue them. Even then, Tom had been hoping that the professor would be kind enough to offer him the guidance he needed. one way or the other. But from what he had seen in his memories, it was no surprise that Tom had bested him. While his basics were solid, the professor seldom found reason or need to practise his Umon Cards abilities inbat scenarios. He hadnt mastered the Greater Control Glyph either and the three other, simpler Glyphs he knew werent something that he could steal merely by thinking of them in the blurry world. Maybe if he was given weeks and months on end, he would master them one by one, but the Fool had offered him a few minutes before imposing Yul on him. Well, if theres one thing Im sure of, its about the Astral Gold raritys usefulness. It doesnt have to bebat rted to be useful, a memory that an academy professor guards with such zeal has got to have some value, Tom muttered under his breath. The rejection he felt from the world of stars was much weaker than the baseline he was used to. I am not really here. My physical body is an illusion, it is my will that serves as the fuel in this world. And Imand it move forward, Tom decreed within his mind and he felt his physical body being whipped forward at an unrealistic speed. The resistance increased, naturally. But this time, Tom was determined to finally reach the end goal. He cleared the cluster of Bright Bronze stars in a matter of moments. The Lunar Silver stars however, were where the real test began. The drain on his mental endurance ratcheted up almost instantly as he entered the territory of the far more valuable stars, his speed forcibly cut down to a quarter of its original pace. But thanks to the owner of the Yul being unconscious, Tom found himself adapting to the pressure weighing down upon him, the rejection of the world of stars directed towards the intruder. Once he cleared the Lunar Silver Cluster, the real challenge finally began. His Sub-Skill Moh Maya couldnt help him when it came to Astral Gold Stars. Nothing but his own will-power could. I will persist, Tom thought in reaffirmation, meaning every word. For someone who had been used to negative self-talk far longer than positive affirmation, encouraging himself was a habit he had only picked up in Artezia. This world had given him strength, confidence and proven to him that he could win. It hade at the cost of many dangers and a growing list of people that would be pursuing him in the near future, but it had still been worth it. Most of all, it had reminded him very recently that he still had a long way to go. After losing to Zirel so thoroughly that it was more urate to term it decimated, Tom refused to be crushed by the will of an unconscious professor. Iwant it, Tom croaked out, as he felt his strength leave him three-fourths of the way into the Astral Gold territory. I will keep going, Tom closed his eyes andmanded, screamed, yelled, cried, pleaded, begged and beseeched his body to move. The headache that tore away at his skull was mildpared to the intense difort he felt as his body felt as if it were being pulled away in two different directions. The world wished to rip him apart, but Tom was equally determined to see his attempt, the closest he had got to an Astral Gold star, seed. Five minutester, back in the real world, Tom opened his eyes. Then he staggered backwards in shock, his expression pale as he crashed into a wooden table, knocking both it and the cutlery on it onto the ground. He stared at the professor with a shell shocked expression, his hands lightly trembling from the weight of realisation. Tom had expected a great many things from the Astral Gold star, ranging from powerful Glyphs to personal secrets or even historical records that had uncovered findings the professor could not publish publicly. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect that the professor, along with over half the Academy teaching staff, had been bought out by the Nottrakon Family. Of course, that wasnt enough to surprise Tom. . Had he not uncovered a plot by the Nottrakon Family to assassinate Valeria Nezarie, only daughter of the Kings very own right hand, with intent to pin the me on the Zenari family. Tom would indeed, not have been too surprised. A week, He whispered, burdened by knowledge he had not asked for. An old-world saying echoed in his mind. Be careful what you wish for. Chapter 89: I believe I have a class to get to Chapter 89: I believe I have a ss to get to ¡°What do I even do about this,¡± Tom muttered under his breath, his expression, or to be more urate, the academy professor¡¯s visage that he wore, visibly dismayed. ¡®Maybe the question I should be asking myself is, what can I even do about it?¡¯ If he decided to intervene in the matter, then he would no longer be dealing with the likes of academy students. As powerful as some of them, like Zenakris, could be, ultimately they were only students. The matter he had inadvertently uncovered by forcing his way to the Astral Gold star had blown up in his face rather spectacrly and unfortunately, there was no way for him to get rid of that knowledge. And if he decided to interfere in the matter, he would be up against the Family that even one as resolute as Zirel feared and the chief culprits behind the fall of the Noble Longstradia Family. Tom reached for the small notebook he had purchased from the receptionist, dipping his feather pen in a vial of ink before he resumed his note-taking exercise. The mind-map that he had penned down across two adjacent pages had be increasingly expansive, allowing Tom a clearer view of the overall situation. ¡°I see now,¡± He muttered under his breath as he drew circles around the conclusion he had reached at the end of the mind-map. He had arrived at the conclusion primarily due to the memories contained within the Astral Gold star, allowing himself to use the knowledge Zirel and Aleph had granted him to fill in the gaps in his knowledge. The Nottrakon Family ruled the Syrelore Kingdom, subject to the oversight of their Ancestors or some manner of other, higher powers that resided in the Aerianiculumn. Valerie Nezaria was the daughter of Lord Ramav Nezaria, the Noble responsible for trade and finances and the King¡¯s Right Hand man. On the surface, it did not make any sense for the Nottrakon Family, or rather, the King, Covan Nottrakon I, have the daughter of his own right hand man assassinated. However, the concept of monarchy that the Artezian surface world followed was very different from Earth¡¯s. The King was subservient to a higher power, but it was not the constitution. So it was neither a true monarchy nor a constitutional monarchy. However, the advantages that came with the position of King were undoubtable, considering how through a job the Nottrakon Family had done at amassing both strength and financial resources. It was thus, inevitable that the monarch would change every few full cycles, or every few decades, in his old-world terminology¡ª if only to assuage the other Noble Families and prevent infighting. Each Noble House had one vote to cast and Covan Nottrakon I had seen enough to know that the winds of change were here. Lord Ramav Nazaria was considerate, reasonable and possessed a surprising amount of resilience in the face of challenges. As the Noble responsible for trade and finances, any decision he made would directly affect the interests of over a dozen Noble Families. It was undoubtedly a poisoned seat that the king had offered to Lord Ramav, albeit one that offered an even greater opportunity. Not once did the Nobleman consider to use the expansive powers granted by distinguished post to further his own family¡¯s businesses, leaving him above reproach for the most part of his tenure¡ª much to the chagrin of Covan Nottrakon I, of course. Covan Nottrakon I had glimpsed the winds of changed, already having determined that his Family would not garner enough votes after his tenure ran out. The Royal Heirs, while powerful, had turned out to be disappointing. They possessed the cruel edge of their father without possessing his wisdom, cunning and ruthlessness. Compared to the Nezarie Family¡¯s only child, they were far toocking. That was why, Naliel, a second cousin to the scion of a minor Noble Family, had been required to swear fealty to the Nottrakon Family in exchange for the post of academy professor. Since he had achieved that coveted post, Naliel had seen many changes in his life. He no longer had to worry about living expenses, because the academy covered it all for him. Within the Noble District, he was afforded great respect by the naturalized citizens and even the Minor Noble Family he was only tangentially rted to now spoke to him with great respect, even sending him valuable gifts only a month or so ago. If youe across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As for Valerie, she was a talented student, sure. Naliel held no grudge against her or the Nezaria family. However, the way he saw it¡ª the academy was already run by the Nottrakon Family and the assassination was going to go through with or without his cooperation. Sticking his neck out would only mean one more name added to the scapegoat assassin¡¯s list and Naliel quite liked living. ¡°That¡¯s annoying,¡± Tom muttered under his breath, his gaze drifting over to the actual professor, who was still rendered unconscious by the reagent he had administered. The professor¡¯s thought process wasn¡¯t just annoying, it was despicable. If he couldn¡¯t shelter his students from harm, the very least he could do was stop himself from conspiring against them. ¡°I see why the Nottrakon family managed to eradicate the Longstradias with such ease now,¡± Tom grimaced, his expression indicating the distaste he felt. ¡°But getting involved in this mess now only risks derailing my ns with Aleph and Zirel. Unless¡­,¡± Tom¡¯s eyes widened in realization before he flipped the scribbled over pages to fresh ones. He began to write in a rough scrawl that was more than likely only legible to him, his expression tense as he finally drew circles on the conclusion his calctions were leading him to. ¡®Civil War¡¯. If Tom saved Valerie Nazeria from the assassin and told her the truth, the first thing she would do would be to report to her father. And Valerie, as her only heir, clearly mattered a great deal to him. Professor Neliel was of the opinion that the death of his daughter would send Lord Ramav Nezeria into a murderous rage and once he found out who was, falsely responsible, for the assassination, he would damage both the Nezaria and Zenari family¡¯s reputation, resources and wealth. Leaving behind no worthwhile candidates for the position of the next King. If a civil war was fated to happen regardless of what Tom did¡­ then why not steer it¡¯s course in a more satisfying direction? Aleph hated the Nottrakon Family and Zirel would pay good coin to see his hateful siblings in turmoil. His allies held no love for the King and as for Tom, he had always been a simple sort of man. Aleph was his friend and she had done more for him than most of the people he had known back on his old-world. The King had taken from his friend everything that she had ever known, ever loved. For that, now that Tom had the means to achieve such a thing¡­ The Nottrakon Family could pay for their sins. Tearing out a piece of paper from the notebook, Tom began to write a note in a delicate, formal cursive. ¡®To Professor Neliel, Do not be rmed by the actions we have taken under your guise in the past twenty four hours. Your loyalty to the family, along with the loyalty of the select few that have full knowledge of the n, has been tested under His orders and no traitors have been found within our ranks. Do not stray from the orders and do not speak of this matter to anyone, including our allies. It is only because you are judged trustworthy, He has ordered us to divulge this information, so you understand the nature of what has transpired and do not deviate from the n, now that no traitors have been found. Regards.¡¯ Naturally, Tom did not expect his letter to fool anyone smart enough to be an academy professor. If it were not for his ace in the hole, he would have had no idea what to do. The disguise Active Shroud offered him onlysted twenty four hours, after which he would revert back to his normal appearance. The assassination, on the other hand, was to take ce in a week. If one of the three professors that would be overseeing the practical examinations outside the Academy were to disappear, then the assassination would be called off. If the professor found himself knocked out in a random inn, the assassination would again, be called off. Even if Tom were to go as far as to kill the professor, which he would not, the assassination could still be called off. That could not be allowed. He had to save Valeria if he wanted her to trust his words. Otherwise the assassination would simply be rescheduled from a different attack vector and Tom would be helpless to stop it. A grin crept up on his features as Tom withdrew the Nottrakon Family¡¯s Elite Guard Crest. cing it gently on a cloth, he took the vial of ink and then began to pour ink on its surface until it was fully covered. He took a few minutes to let the excess ink drip away onto the now drenched cloth, before walking back to the table. He ced the cloth to the side and then, pressed the now ink covered crest against the paper¡¯s surface. ¡°There, that should do it,¡± Tom grinned as he ced the letter on the unconscious professor¡¯s chest. ¡°There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t recognize the Elite Guard of the Nottrakon Family and their crest considering Nvein did, without being pledged to the King¡¯s family. And considering how intimidating they are, this coward should be too scared out of his mind to doubt its veracity.¡± His deceptionplete, Tom walked towards the sole window in the room and peeked behind the curtains, glimpsing at the first rays of dawn. ¡°Now, I believe I have a ss to get to.¡± Chapter 90: Professor, Thomas Lowe Chapter 90: Professor, Thomas Lowe Tom had a rxed expression on his visage as he walked towards the Academy entrance with his head held high. ¡°Good morning, gentlemen,¡± Tom greeted as he waited for a different pair of guards to open his way to the academy. ¡°Professor Neliel,¡± One of the guards acknowledged, without making any move to open the gates. ¡°We were informed that you would be returning in a few hours, which should have been yesterday evening. Is everything alright?¡± The second guard asked, his expression stony as he faced down Tom. ¡°Ah,¡± Tom muttered under his breath, feigning forgetfulness the best he could. ¡°Yes, yes, I had some personal matters to attend to. Now, gentlemen, if you would let me pass¡ª I have a ss to prepare for,¡± Tom dismissed their concern with an air of casualness. ¡°Forgive me, Professor. New orders call for a quick sweep to be done on any anomalies. Arriving half a dayter than you originally told us falls under this criteria. Would you allow us to do a quick sweep?¡± The guard that originally greeted him asked, his tone polite but firm. Tom¡¯s flickered with realization, though he let none of his surprise show on his face. ¡°By all means, good man. I have nothing to hide. But please be quick with it, as I really do have a ss to prepare for,¡± He offered, stretching his arms wide to show that there were no weapons or the like concealed on his person. Three cards were pressed against his chest in quick session and then withdrawn with simr quickness. Both the guards saluted him, before moving to open the gates. Appreciating that they had actually listened to his request, Tom politely nodded to them in acknowledgement before moving towards the Academy. ¡®That sure was a close call,¡¯ He thought. ¡®Well, I knew that they wouldn¡¯t see through the Fool, but my own facial expressions¡­ I suppose I did well enough.¡¯ Tom had deliberately chosen to arrive an hour earlier for many reasons. The first was of course, to get things in order for the ss. The second was to prepare for the ambush. Only one of the four students Aleph believed capable enough to know the Greater Control Glyph was in his ss, but he was grateful enough for that coincidence. He took sses for the first and second years, while three of the four students were already in their third and fourth years. And he had already excluded one of them from the list of possible targets. Knocking out Valeria Nezarie could have too many unforeseen consequences. Some of them might work in his and his party¡¯s favour, but Tom wouldn¡¯t be able to gain her trust in any of those scenarios. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. However, the third, least important reason was also ironically, his biggest motivator in arriving early. Tom really wanted to test out the Rune-Powered Elevator once he got to know that it existed. His first ss was on the third floor, so he had good reason to as well. ¡°Professor Neliel,¡± A sweet, chirpy tone greeted him from behind. Tom turned to face a blonde woman who wore an effortlessly pleasant smile, her tall frame wreathed in an enchanting floral dress that caught his attention even as he tried to pull it away. He turned his gaze towards the foyer he found himself in, taking in a painting that seemed to have some sort of mesmerizing effect¡ª the longer he gazed at the cave mouth depicted in the painted, the more it felt like he was closer to reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. Tom had an inkling though, guessing that it would nevere. It was a curious thing. Was it a painting depicting a nihilistic worldview, as it seemed on the surface, or did it conceal a deeper meaning? He was gazing at the tunnel from outside, after all. There was plenty of light in the foyer. Why should he search for light down the narrow path, when there was so much illumination out in the open? Deciding that he liked the ¡®make your own path¡¯ interpretation more, Tom wrested his gaze away from the painting with barely any difficulty. ¡°Greetings, Professor Sheil,¡± Tom offered, his gaze drifting past the woman in her early-thirties and admiring the perfectlyid white-marble tiles with golden iys running along their edges as he frantically tried to remember if she was part of the conspiracy. ¡°Heading for ss?¡± She asked, eyeing the pulled elevator lever before refocusing her attention on him. ¡°You caught me,¡± Tom raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°I¡¯ve got quite the lesson nned today, so I need to prepare early for it, you see.¡± ¡°Oh? Do tell me more, please,¡± She asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. The chime of a bell interrupted their conversation, their attention turning to a construction of a dark, eye-catching wood, stained ss and glowing runes. ¡°After you, Professor Shiel,¡± Tom gestured with his hands. ¡°Awfully formal today,¡± She replied as she strode past him. Tom joined her in the magical esctor and watched as she pulled the lever back to the corresponding angle where the number ¡®3¡¯ was written on it¡¯s base. ¡°Well Shiel, this new teaching methodology I¡¯ve been experimenting with has me a little on edge,¡± Tom sheepishly admitted. ¡°Do forgive any faux pas I make today, I didn¡¯t get a lot of sleepst night.¡± ¡°Is being a tease part of those faux pas?¡± She asked, more yful than annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s centered around tapping on the students¡¯ inner potential over imposing my understanding of Arcane Histories on them,¡± Tom exined as the chime of a bell saved him from further small talk. ¡°I¡¯ll exin it to you in more detail tomorrow, I promise. Well, if it¡¯s not aplete disaster, anyway,¡± He exined, before stepping out of the magical elevator. ¡°I suppose I have no option but to settle for that. Disaster or not, I want to hear more about this experiment of yours. Oh and good luck, Nel,¡± Professor Shiel offered him another one of those genuine smiles. Tom offered her a friendly nod in return, before deciding to make his way to the ss. Chapter 91: Arcane History Chapter 91: Arcane History Tom was forced to school his expression as he saw the students slowly filling in the ss, the benefits of a residential college revealing itself as a fair number of students managed to present themselves almost fifteen minutes before ss started. Of course, such punctuality wasn¡¯t something Tom would expect from regr college students from back on Earth, but in his mind, the Syrelore Academy was much closer to Military School over the regr counterpart. He exchanged a few approving nods with the students that waved to him on their way in, choosing to limit interaction as far as he could until the ss started. Finally, it was time. Tom¡¯s gaze swept across the ss, taking in the faces of his students with a contemtive expression. Only a single seaty vacant, the rest filled by a group ofposed, dignified students who were immactely dressed in the academy¡¯s livery. ¡°Today,¡± Tom began, allowing a few moments to pass by as the students¡¯ focus gathered on him. ¡°We will be departing from our usual mode of conducting ss. You see, while the subject of Arcane History is one that delves into our pasts, we seldom broach what impact we wish for it to have on our future. There are sixty one of you here, so I will let you all divide yourselves into groups of five each¡ª a total of twelve groups.¡± Before Tom could continue with his lecture, three hands shot up into the air. A bit bbergasted, Tom pointed to a girl with ck hair and blue eyes before speaking in a questioning tone, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Professor, what will be doing in these groups?¡± She asked, her tone carrying forward a self-assuredness. Tom paused for a moment to consider her question. ¡®Did she really just ask me a question for the sake of asking one?¡¯ He wondered, before shaking free of the momentary surprise. ¡°You will be discussing in groups the topic I am allotting to you for the next thirty minutes. After which, each of the groups will send one representative forward and give a presentation on the impact they believe the historical event has had in shaping our current world,¡± Tom exined, not letting any of his amusement leak into his tone. Before any other student could raise his hands, Tom turned and walked over to a crystal board. He picked up a stylus fashioned out of gemstone and began to write on the board, doing his best to make sure his writing was legible. The Aldoriannguage had too many squiggly lines for his liking, but Tom got the job done. ¡®The fall of the evil Longstradia Family.¡¯ Tom wondered if he was being a bit too on the nose, but wasn¡¯t surprised at the absolute calm the ss received the assignment with. Almost two decades had passed since the fall of House Longstradia, so all the students present it was an event that took ce while they were children. The Noble Families of the Syrelore Kingdom naturally could not exin away such a major event without offering ample justification. Tom wasn¡¯t surprised when the victorious Nobles went a step further and decreed the Longstradias an ally of a foreign empire, seeking to usurp thend for their brutal masters. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the vition. He did, however, want to know more about the Longstradias and what better way was there to find out than having the students spill out all they know in an hour and thirty minute long session? He hadn¡¯t lied to Professor Shiel either, theissez-faire teaching methodology of letting studentse to their own opinions and conclusions was a pretty effective one, albeit one Tom¡¯s history substitution teacher deployed to cunning efficiency because he didn¡¯t seem very interested in taking care of a ss he wasn¡¯t responsible for. Tom returned his gaze to the small notebook he carried with him, his expression turning focussed as he shamelessly eavesdropped on the groups the students had formed at his behest. Notes were scribbled down in haste, as Tom absorbed all the valuable knowledge he was being offered. To the students, it seemed like their professor had gone back to his own work, so he was left to his own devices¡ª free to pilfer all the information he wanted. It seemed like the Longstradia Family had been quite powerful in its heyday, to the point that the Nobles had to go out of their way to discredit their strength. Perhaps it also yed into the reason why they had been destroyed after the higher power, their ancestor in the Aerianiculumn, perished. It was more than likely that the Nottrakon Family saw them as a threat and when the perfect opportunity presented itself, attacked without holding anything back in reserve. Vn Longstradia, the great face of evil, was a name mentioned repeatedly in the discussion. An indestructible aegis that required the King himself to personally y, the most powerful defender of the traitorous family. It was said that like the king, the Longstradia Family¡¯s head had possessed a Rare card, but there was no official confirmation of the same until this date. Tom didn''t need his battle-honed instincts to tell him that the man his students were talking about was Aleph¡¯s father. ¡®Even his enemies can¡¯t stop talking about him long after he¡¯s gone. He must¡¯ve been one hell of a man,¡¯ Tom evaluated in the privacy of his thoughts, as he tried to reign in the anger that red up at having his friend¡¯s family being berated so harshly. ¡®I asked for this,¡¯ He reminded himself. ¡®Information is always better than the alternative, namely theck of it. I¡¯ve suffered enough for it in this world and I think I¡¯ve had enough of that.¡¯ The presentations began not long after Tom had steeled his resolve, regurgitating much of the same information he had noted down with much more dramatic ir. It seemed like most, if not all the chosen students had turned out to be nobles, as they espoused the duty of the rulers to maintain a loyalty to their subjects. They spoke of the reforms and policy measures Covan Nottrakon I had taken after the purge, the safeguards heid down by ordering the Nobles to strengthen the Royal Knights so they would be prepared¡ª if such a regrettable situation were to ur again. A watered down version of Noblesse Oblige mixed with a healthy dose of propaganda summarized the presentations well. ¡°Well students,¡± Tom addressed the ss after thest presentation had concluded. ¡°That will be all for today. I hope you learned from your peers in other groups as well as you did from each other. Oh right, before I leave,¡± Tom allowed just a hint of a mischievous smirk creep up his features. ¡°Zaphn-alre-snanh weweri-kal-mok,¡± He offered them his parting words in the old Aldorian tongue, which Tom knew just enough bits and pieces of from Neliel¡¯s memories to weave a basic sentence. He strode out of the ssroom, peeking at the student¡¯s expressions just as he stepped out of the doorway. Most seemed uninterested, their curious energies spent in the ssrooms. A few, however¡ª those that were genuinely interested in the subject, enough to learn old Aldorian so they could read through the records left in the library, had surprised expressions as they made out the meaning behind Tom¡¯s words. ¡°History, arcane or otherwise, is written by the winners.¡± Chapter 92: Alaan Zenari Chapter 92: an Zenari Arriving early to ss served one key purpose that Tom had been banking on. He had considered and ruled out many ns to lure out his target in a secluded area of the Academy. Ultimately, he had decided that a y on the truth would serve his purposes best. His target, an Zenari was indeed a member of the Zenari family. And it was also true that the Zenari Family were being schemed against, on the road to suffer potentially great harm due to the Nottrakon Family¡¯s scheming. He just had to craft bait that weaved a story that waspelling enough to the sensibilities of a young adult who had been trained to be a pir of support for his family. ¡®an Zenari. The Zenari family is in danger. Come to the fourth floor¡¯s dressing booth ande alone if you wish to know why. I will be waiting for you, four hours after this ss ends. Make sure you are not followed, or you will blow your only chance at getting a glimpse at the nature of the threat. Regards, A friend.¡¯Tom¡¯s gaze turned to the namete affixed onto the table, clearly spelling out who it belonged to. He slipped the note inside the open pedestal that was designed to fit underneath the table, sticking it on it¡¯s roof so it would not be easily visible to any passer-bys. Normally, there would be a risk that the recipient of his message would never check his storage drawer properly and miss the borately crafted bait, however, Tom wasn¡¯t dealing with normal people. As long as an Zenari used his drawer to store anything, his enhanced proprioception would make sure that he noticed. Nodding to himself, Tom returned to his lectern. The ss started not long after and Tom ended up employing the same strategy he had earlier. The second years seemed much more ustomed to surprise changes in curriculum, so Tom faced only a fraction of the first year¡¯s initial confusion. He had decided to y it safe, choosing a fairly tame topic for discussion. Tom gave the students only 20 minutes to discuss amongst themselves instead of the thirty he had given the first years, but even then their presentations could not be consideredcking in the slightest. In truth, Tom only had his attention directed towards one student and when an Zenari¡¯s gaze shifted downwards, towards the open drawer almost a minute before he left the ssroom, presumably headed towards a secluded area to read the letter. As Tom had suspected, Noble Scions weren¡¯t exactly uninitiated when it came to ndestine means ofmunication. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. The rest of the ss went by without incident, with an Zenari returning to his seat with an inscrutable expression fifteen minutes after he had left. ¡°That will be all for today,¡± Tom dered, a minute or so after thest presentation had concluded. The reason why Tom was reasonably confident that an Zenari would be confident enough to take the bait he hadid out was simple. The Academy was a safe haven for Noble Scions, to the point where even the ruthless Nottrakon Family wasn¡¯t brazen enough to assassinate Valeria on its grounds. After all, it was not as if the Noble Families in question were not capable or did not possess the resources to train and educate their own children, no. It was merely more advantageous for them to send their wards to the Academy, where they would be taught in an environment that encouragedpetition and allowed them towork amongst students with a simr social standing. And in the event that even a single assassination or even grievous harm was caused to one of the Academy students within its premises, the Noble Families would simply pull back their wards and begin to educate them at home. That would rob the Nottrakon Family of the spywork they had painstakingly built within the Academy¡¯s walls, thus naturally such an event could not be allowed to happen. Thus, Tom was not particrly surprised when a knock rapped against the dressing booth that had a ¡®repair work in progress¡¯ sign. Tom didn¡¯t answer. A knock rapped again, before the door was slightly pushed open. Seeing no obvious sign of trouble, an Zenari stepped inside. Tom, who had been crouched low in one corner of the room that positioned him at an¡¯s blindspot as he entered the dressing booth, on top of an elegant marble sink, used that opportunity to spring forward empowered by Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation ability. His fist crashed against an¡¯s stationary figure. Or at least it should have. Tom¡¯s expression behind the ck mask he was wearing twisted into a grimace as he realized that he had been had. The an before him dissolved into motes of light, as the real one, who had moved at speed that rivaled, nay, exceeded Tom¡¯s own retaliated from his side. It was only his instincts that allowed Tom to gauge the threat, putting forward his crossed arms to guard his chest. A light encased fist mmed down on his arms, the sheer quickness behind the attack generating enough momentum to send Tom mming against the slightly open dressing room door, closing it with a loud m. However, one such blow wasn¡¯t enough to fell the physical powerhouse that Tom had be. He recovered quickly from the impact of the blow and retaliated with a quick jab to the sternum that was easily evaded. Tom found himself embroiled in a melee with his slightly quicker opponent, a flurry of hooks and jabs interspersed by well-timed dodges following through. During the furious, minute-long exchange, Tom realized that while his opponent was slightly faster than him, his Soul Card didn¡¯t significantly increase the strength behind his blows. Tom allowed a blow to sneak past his defenses as he shout back with a hook of his own. an¡¯s punch hurt for sure, but it didn¡¯t do much else beyond that. The liver shot he was going for though, did a lot more as his punch managed to snake past his guard. an was sent reeling backwards a few steps as he gasped for air, giving Tom the opening he needed to fight through the pain and sneak behind him. Only as he locked an in the armbar and took hold of his right hand did he realize what had happened. Even has he was choking him out, an struggled with every bit of strength he had,nding one light encased blow after the next on his left thigh with his free hand. Thankfully, Tom only had to endure the onught for a few seconds longer, before he fainted and Tom eased his grip. Chapter 93: Alaans Yul Chapter 93: an''s Yul As Tom found himself in the Realm of Yul, he found himself thinking back on the sequence of events that led him there. If he was being honest, knocking an out had been the difficult part. Although the Soul Power required to use Active Shroud¡ªMaya on him was higher than what had been required for Professor Neliel, there was only so much subconscious resistance he could offer when he was knocked out on the ground in the real world. The blurriness of the world made it too alien an experience for Tom not to notice that something was very wrong with the world he was in and discovering thenyard he was always wearing regardless of whose maya he transgressed into was only a matter of time after that. Regrettably, that meant Tom could call upon a very small portion of an¡¯s memories, beyond who he was and what he remembered as he walked down the Academy¡¯s halls with a friend at his either side. It was a trade-off, but one Tom didn¡¯t mind making in the slightest. After losing his way in Zirel¡¯s Maya and relying on his sub-skill Home-bound to rescue him from believing he was and always had been Zirel Cowan Nottrakon, Tom was certain that he did not wish to repeat that experience unless it waspletely unavoidable. However, after Tom let the Realm of Yul whisk him away, he was confronted with an entirely different challenge. It made sense to him now, why an Zenari had been able to fight back and hell, almost escape the ambush he had so painstakingly set out for him. For before Tom, in the vast expanse of the sea of stars that he found himself overlooking, were over a hundred bright bronze stars and perhaps two or three dozen Lunar Silver stars. Naturally, however, such an urrence, while enough to surprise him, was not quite enough to shock him. No, that credit went to not one, but an audacious seven Astral Gold stars nestled in the furthest reaches of the sprawling void. ¡°I expected two or three, maybe four¡­,¡± Tom trailed off with a nk look, any further words he had resting on his lips snatched away by the sheer disbelief he felt. A single one of those Astral Gold stars had turned out to possess enough information to alter the direction of a silently brewing civil war. What could seven do? ¡°Do I even want to find out?¡± Tom asked himself, seeing no reason to filter himself while an Zenari¡¯s consciousness slumbered. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He wasn¡¯t sure. Astral Gold stars possessed knowledge that its keeper greatly treasured and valued. It could be a pathway to great power but at the same time, as he had seen with Professor Neliel, it was possible for important knowledge toe with a great responsibility. Thankfully, Tom had no need to answer the question just now. His Active Shroud¡ªMaya ability only allowed him to absorb the knowledge contained in a single star, regardless of its rarity. And once he used Maya on a person, he could never use it again on them. ¡°Now, onto the real problem,¡± Tom grumbled under his breath as he considered the vast distance he had to cross. ¡°How am I supposed to pick out the right darn star?¡± He was pretty sure that something as difficult to master and as potent as the Greater Control Glyph would have to be an Astral Gold star. Perhaps that was why an had first managed to use his Soul Card to first evade his opening strike by leaving a light reflection of himself behind and then followed up with apletely different application of the card as he focused its effects on his fists alone, increasing the speed of his punches greatly and augmenting his strength to a reasonable degree. What about the other six, then? Were they other Glyphs? Political Secrets like ckmail material? Or something else entirely. ¡°I really only have one thing I can try,¡± Tom shrugged, before willing himself forward through the vast expanse. Through his entire, rtively easy journey across the Bright Bronze stars, Tom kept on calling upon the Control Glyph he knew. He channeled it repeatedly, even when there was no physical manifestation to prove his sess. He felt no resonance from the nearby stars, but that didn¡¯t deter him. Getting through the Lunar Silver stars consumed his mental resilience at a far faster rate than Professor Neliel¡¯s had, destroying his carefully constructed attempt to pace himself. ¡°I really have¡­. just one shot.. at this,¡± Tom muttered, his head reeling from the strain he had put it under. ¡®Please work,¡¯ Tom pleaded, as he activated the Control Glyph again. It was only for a brief moment, an electric tingle buzzing in his mind that snapped his attention to the north-east, or at least, what he perceived as north-east. The sensation of resonance faded almost as soon as it had arrived, but Tom didn¡¯t think for a second that he had imagined it. Mustering every ounce of mental strength Tom had remaining, he willed himself forward with a war cry. His teeth chattered in his jaw, his head spun and tears ran down his chin. Tom knew he was imagining those sensations, but the agony being inflicted on his mind had to be conveyed and he had chosen the way he knew best. The rejection he felt from the world was intense, but so were the trials he had ovee to get to this point. Hands outstretched forward, the tips of his fingers finally made contact. Then, he awoke. Chapter 94: The Rough Escape Chapter 94: The Rough Escape Back in the real world, Tom staggered backwards an¡¯s unconscious, slumped over figure. It took a moment to reorient himself, another to confirm that he was panting, heavily at that. Allowing himself time to recuperate from the sheer influx of information that had been flooding his mind up until moments ago, Tom took in his surroundings. The ¡®repair work in progress¡¯ sign he had hung on the dressing booth¡¯s only entrance ended up being true in an ironic way. Shattered tiles and broken ss were to be expected when two individuals with Umon cards battled it out. If anything, the damage was light considering the fight an Zenari had managed to put up even when Tom had the ambusher¡¯s advantage. ¡°Holy shit, man,¡± Tom muttered moments after regaining his breath, as he stared at his own palms with an incredulous expression. The Greater Control Glyph had turned out to be beyond his wildest expectations. Unlike the base control glyph, he was certain that it would work on every card in his possession as long as it dealt with the maniption of elements, whether it be mes or shadows. Even blood would work. However, it was the degree of control being offered that made it a terrifying Glyph to contend with. Tom had used the regr Control Glyph to modify The me¡¯s Ember ability into letting him fire off mences at will. Now though¡­ Tom¡¯s lips curved up into a smile as he crossed his arms before him, until they were touching. The me¡ª Ember. Two continuously shifting me daggers were clenched in his arm, their heat while unable to reach Tom himself, enough to inflict damage in a much more targeted manner. Perhaps as he took on more and more dangerous opponents, Tom wouldn¡¯t be able to use hismon cards for much longer, but even powerful Nether Beasts had weaknesses. The Greater Control Glyph would offer him use-cases for cards he had outlevelled, but that was not all. Tom brought his palms together and watched as the two ming daggers merged into a ming greatsword with incredible range. Moreover, since the mes carried a negligible weight, Tom was unbothered by it¡¯s size as he gently swung it forward. Then he forcibly dissipated it, ending the impromptu testing session. ¡°Now, I need to get out of here,¡± He muttered, albeit with a rxed expression. ¡°But before that¡­,¡± Tom allowed himself a chuckle as he withdrew four different vials from his inventory, followed by a brush. He had considered many ways to silence an, but ultimately none were lines he was willing to cross. That had put him in a conundrum, as an reporting the assault would mean increased security within the Academy given his status as a Noble, followed by investigation. It might mean that the students would not be allowed to go outside for their practical examination, temporarily dying the assassination only for it to be rearranged at ater date that Tom would be woefully unaware of. The solution ended up being far more foolish than he thought, as he first painted an¡¯s face white. Then came red for the cheek diamond and teardrops before topping it off with an exaggerated smile. Finally, lines of ck to contain the paint along his visage. It was the best jester face Tom could draw with his limited artistic ability and this way, when an woke up, he would indeed be enraged, quite enraged in fact but, he likely wouldn¡¯t report the matter to the Academy¡¯s authority. The obvious conclusion would be that another student, most likely from a Noble Family, wanted to humiliate him. And really, who else but a Noble Scion possessed the raw force required to take down another member of Nobility? The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Tom hadn¡¯t stolen anything of an¡¯s person¡­ well, not anything that he would recognize as missing, anyway. On top of that, an probably had done more damage to him than vice-versa. He had left the obvious conclusion within an¡¯s grasp and he would leave finding the culprit to an¡¯s imagination. Because Tom nned on getting the heck out of the Syrelore Academy. Night had fallen when Tom finally stepped outside Professor Neliel¡¯s abandoned quarters. Tom was a bit annoyed, as despite his best efforts, there was still one w in his story that he could not avoid. Using Maya on an meant that Tom¡¯s identity had shifted to his. It was a worthwhile trade for Tom, given what he had gained from the encounter. But it also meant that he had lost Neliel¡¯s guise, which was the easiest way he had out of the Academy. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to add a couple lines to Neliel¡¯s note,¡± Tom whispered to himself as he stalked forward towards the staircase with his The Shadow card allowing him to blend in with the sides of the dimly lit corridor. It was not as if Tom¡¯s scheming had been particrlycking. There were simply too many variables in his n of infiltrating the Syrelore Academy and there were only so many scenarios he could consider. Had Neliel¡¯s identity not been soplicated, Tom intended toe up with a more borate, safer n. He would be lying if he imed that knowledge of the assassination hadn¡¯t weighed on his pscyhe, leading him down a rushed route. There were plenty of ways to knock someone out cold, many that did not requireying a hand on them. Fighting with an had nearly cost him his cover. Compared to that, telling Neliel to find his way back into the academy without leaving an official paper trail seemed easy enough¡ª given that over half the Academy staff was owned by the Nottrakon Family. If Tom used Maya on enough people, he wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if he discovered a hidden, secret exit. Unfortunately, he did not have the luxury of time. Deeming the rune-powered elevator too risky, Tom took the stairs down to the third floor. His movements were blotted with tendrils of inky darkness as he opened the window and took stock of the view before him. Not long after, Tom seated himself on the windowsill before gently dropping forward. He wasn¡¯t surprised to find himself on the roof of the two-storied, L-shaped building he had first taken in from afar, before infiltrating the academy. Now, he knew that it was built that way to house the mess, the practicalbat training halls and the specialized training rooms. In Neliel¡¯s memories, he recalled students sitting here during the evening even after being warned multiple times not to and Tom could see why. It was quite the scenic spot, as he gazed upon the sprawl of the Noble District that stretched out before him, a gentle breeze brushing against his features. ¡°That¡¯s quite the run-up too,¡± Tom muttered under his breath as he stared down the only escape method he had that avoided conflict. He dropped The Shadow¡¯s concealment and activated Lifeblood¡¯s Augmentation. His pulse rate skyrocketed to what Tom estimated to be in the 200 beats per minute range, flooding him with unnatural strength. ¡°Oh man, this is going to hurt so much,¡± He thought as he broke out into a wild sprint, a manical grin spreading across his features as he approached the second story ledge at an angle and then leapt forward, with every ounce of strength he could mustre. Tom flew. For a few long seconds, he genuinely, truly flew. Then his survival instincts kicked in, as he sensed impact against a hard surface. Tom rolled forward thrice in an attempt to slow down his momentum, but the roof¡¯s angled surface meant that he was going downwards at a slope. Both his hands shot forward in an attempt to find purchase, causing tile after tile to shatter against his weight and arm strength. Finally, he found himself dangling at the roof¡¯s edge, a single tile finally managing to remain locked in ce. ¡°I¡­was ¡­right,¡± Tom wheezed between gasps, the grin on his face only growing wider. Whatever mechanisms were installed on the Academy¡¯s perimeter¡ª and Tom was certain that there were measures¡ª were designed to prevent things and people from the outside getting in. He couldn¡¯t have been the first student to try and scale the academy¡¯s perimeter and he doubted that a Noble Scion¡¯s family would ept that as a reason for their ward to be peppered with icences or the like. He might be the first one to actually have seeded, though. The Academy didn¡¯t seem equipped to deal with flying enemies, though Tom still suspected that they would¡¯ve registered his presence somehow if he was trying to get inside instead of out. ¡°Time to get out of this ce.¡± Chapter 95: Fare thee well, Nvein Chapter 95: Fare thee well, Nvein First, Tom circled back to The Warm Hearth, the inn where the real professor Neliel was still sleeping and due to wake up soon. Scaling the first floor window required little effort on his part at this stage, the innkeeper woefully unaware of his silent infiltration. Adding two lines to the note he left behind was aplished just as easily enough, as he directed the Professor to find his way back to the academy through unofficial means if he did not wish to arouse suspicion. Of course, Tom was well aware that all he was aplishing was stacking up a house of cards. There were too many ways Neliel could see through his deception, but none Tom could do anything about at this stage. He could not even kill the professor even if his moralpass would allow such a thing, because the death of a member of the conspiracy would likely push back the assassination. Purpose aplished, Tom stalked back into the safety of the shadows. The Shadow card allowed him to cut a path through the Noble District, across scaled buildings and narrow alleyways. The patrolling Royal Knights would not take kindly to finding him lurking around their territory without proper identification and Tom wasnt too enthused about the prospect of being caught either. Fighting within the Noble District would mean it was his loss, regardless of the oue of the battle. Roughly ten minutes passed by him before he slowed his approach and canceled the effect of his The Shadow card, approaching the grand tent painted in the Royal Knights livery with his hands disarmingly raised high in the air. Halt! The barked out order came, forcing Toms footsteps to freeze in ce. The Royal Knight, Nvein, stepped out from inside the tent, undoubtedly having senses his presence before visually confirming it. Its me, Tom rasped out, using an Zenaris inflection since he was still using his physical features as a disguise, albeit wearing a mask over his visage. Nveins tone turned tense as he took in the masked Elite Guard before he asked, Can you confirm? Tom nodded, before retrieving the Elite Guard Crest from his inventory and tossing it over to Nvein. Putting it through the same process he had before, Nvein verified the legitimacy of the crest. His expression visibly rxed, as he gestured for Tom to step inside the tent before retreating within its boundaries. He naturally followed. Only after he had entered the tent, its ps reorienting themselves behind him, did Nvein address him, Has the matter regarding the imposter been resolved? If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Yes, Tom calmly replied, knowing that he could not let his voice waver in the slightest as he answered. Hes dead, He added brusquely, conveying the cold arrogance that was necessary in his line of work the best he could. I see, Nvein replied thoughtfully, his expression clearly curious. How did you manage to fish him out? I thought you would need more time. Normally, I wouldnt tell you, Tom replied, letting that statement hang in the air before continuing, However, you have done me a favor by keeping news of my arrival silent. There is an artifact in my possession, one granted to me by the king. It lets me see through all disguises. I thought the enemy would be more cautious in covering his tracks, but he relied too much on his Soul Card to the point where he believed it invincible. Who was it? Nvein finally asked the question that had been quivering on his lips. Im afraid that said knowledge is reserved for the ears of the king, Tom replied, his tone polite but firm. I see, Nvein replied with a nod. You do understand that I have to report this matter to my superiors, now correct? He asked, his tone making it sound as if it was a given. Naturally, Tom replied without skipping a beat, even as his heart rate picked up. He could lie, trick and conceal for only so long before he hit a rock wall that was knowledge he always possessed. He had known that it was a very real possibility that Nvein would report such an important matter to his superiors and at this point, he had no way to stop it without sounding suspicious. However, Tom added, just as Nvein was about to reply. I urge you to do so after I leave. My dutypels me to report to the king at the earliest,e what may. Of course, Nvein replied, even as his brow twitched. Of course, I understand, He repeated, as he stepped aside. You may pass, Nvein finally confirmed, as he stepped aside. Thank you, Royal Knight. Though it was brief, you make for enjoyablepany. Let us hope that Renovia does not require my services again in the near future, Tom offered a word of farewell, aware of the possibility that he may never get to meet the knight again after this. Let us hope so, indeed, Nvein copied his odd style of farewell, turning his gaze slightly to observe as Tom stalked outside the tent with haste. Only after the purported Elite Guard left his presence, did Nvein finally allow himself to address his doubts he was harboring. I must have been imagining it. His gait, speech pattern and even height felt different, but I was a bit too taken aback by our first meeting to register everything carefully. The Crest of the Nottrakon Family cannot be faked or imitated, I saw it myself. If one was stolen, the king would certainly know. Im overthinking it again, maybe I should tell Serawin to stop sending lost puppies my way. Its for a good cause, but a guilty conscience will eventually lead to mistakes. Sighing loudly, Nvein shook his head and sat down on the only armchair in the room. Another hour and a different Royal Knight would take over the night shift for him. Maybe he just needed a rest. Come to think of it, when was thest time he had been on a vacation? Now that this whole imposter business was resolved, with the culprit dead in the ground, he could go on one. Nvein had certainly distinguished himself enough in his service to ask for a leave, after all. Chapter 96: Even the odds Chapter 96: Even the odds It took Tom another hour before he managed to loop back towards the inn Zirel had, under his Riven ckheart alias,mandeered with the aid of the former Elite Guards. He had taken a long, convoluted way there, just to throw off Nvein or anyone else, in case they had decided to tail him. Having wisely decided against sneaking back into the inn, Tom knocked on the front door. A minute passed by him before Zirel cautiously opened the door, with one hand concealed behind his back. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Tom said, before slowly reaching for his mask and gently pulling it away. Zirel¡¯s expression noticeably eased as he registered the familiar face, though confusion still remained in his gaze. ¡°I thought you would¡¯ve needed more time,¡± He muttered, before shaking his head. ¡°Come inside first.¡± Tomplied,tching the door¡¯s bolt behind him even though he knew it would not do much in case someone with a Card ability suited for espionage decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. The sound of hurried footsteps directed Tom¡¯s attention to the flight of stairs that lead to the first floor, unsurprised to find Aleph approaching. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked, concern and worry leaking into her tone. ¡°Uh¡­,¡± Tom sheepishly trailed off, his expression tightening as he considered where he was supposed to even begin. ¡°We might want to head upstairs before I tell you,¡± He offered, his words causing Zirel to raise an eyebrow. It wouldn¡¯t be much, but Tom would much rather have everyone freak out in a locked room instead of the inn¡¯s cramped foyer. No further words were exchanged until they were in Aleph¡¯s room. Tom had seated himself on the bed, Aleph just patiently stood near the door¡¯s entrance and Zirel was leaning on a wall as he yed around with a dagger, flipping it in the air and catching it repeatedly. ¡°So, I might just have found a way to steer the oue of a civil war that¡¯s uh, due in six days,¡± Tom decided to go with the quickest way to the truth, finding no reason to beat around the bush. Zirel¡¯s grip over the dagger he had been ying around with faltered, causing it to tter on the wooden flooring before stilling. ¡°What civil war?¡± Aleph hissed under her breath, her gaze consumed by shock as she tried to make sense of Tom¡¯s statement. ¡°Well, long story short,¡± Tom began, his gaze flitting from Aleph to Zirel as he confirmed that he had their attention. ¡°The Nottrakon Family wants to assassinate Valeria Nezaria in six days time and pin the me on the Zenari Family. Both of you should know the why better than me.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The stupefied silence stretched on for way longer than Tom wasfortable with, before Zirel finally spoke in a low, serious tone, ¡°The Nezaria Family is a threat to the Nottrakon Family¡¯s rule and the Zenari¡¯s wealth fast approach theirs. But an assassination? To aplish that they would need a conspiracy on a grand scale¡­¡± ¡°Well,¡± Tom sheepishly tousled his hair as he considered how to frame his response. ¡°Over half the academy professors have been bought over by the Nottrakon Family, one way or the other.¡± ¡°Over half?¡± Aleph questioned, struggling to keep her tone down. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± Tom shrugged, before replying, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s so brazen that nobody even considered that they¡¯ll do it. But rich people buying professors out isn¡¯t exactly a new thing, is it? As long as the real blood conspiracy concealed beneath a far more benign one doesn¡¯te out, it doesn¡¯t risk sparking civil war, at the very least.¡± ¡°It''s usible, maybe?¡± Aleph wondered, too unsure to give a firm answer. ¡°And exactly how did you figure out a secret the Nottrakon Family would kill to protect?¡± Zirel asked, his tone practically brimming with suspicion. ¡°It was revealed to me in a vision,¡± Tom nonchntly replied. ¡°Look, it doesn¡¯t matter if you believe me or not. The information I have is going to happen. And I have a way to steer it in a direction that will have the Zenari and the Nezeria uniting with each other against the Nottrakon Family.¡± ¡°How?¡± Both Aleph and Zirel asked in near unison, their mutual disgust of the Nottrakon Family taking priority. ¡°Initially, I¡¯d thought of warning Valeria. But there was no guarantee that she¡¯d believe me. So I decided to let the assassination run its course. I just need to save Valeria, which won¡¯t be too hard considering I know the date and time it¡¯s going to happen. I don¡¯t know how powerful the assassin is going to be, though, so that¡¯s why I¡¯ll need you two toe with me as backup. Then, after I¡¯ve saved her, she¡¯d be way more inclined to believe whatever I have to say, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­,¡± Aleph trailed off, unsure how to frame her response politely. ¡°Blunt,¡± Zirel dered. ¡°Albeit earnest. A Noble Scion like Valeria is trained to see through deceptions and trickery. That means you¡¯ve got a pretty decent shot at convincing her, as long as you don¡¯t lie. So if we¡¯re going through with this, don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re okay with it?¡± Aleph asked, her tone sounding a touch incredulous. ¡°Hm,¡± Zirel considered. ¡°You¡¯re worried about me not having a home to return to? The Nottrakon Family won¡¯t fall that easily but, well, if they do then good riddance. The few weeks I spent with my old party felt like more of a family than they did.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Tom pursed his lips as he braced himself to reveal the bad news. ¡°So guys, we should be going. Like right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t convince Nvein¡ª the Royal Knight at the gate, to stop reporting my entry as an Elite Guard to his superiors. In a couple hours, they¡¯re going to figure out what you did, Zirel. We need to head to the final sector.¡± ¡°What? But that will only give us five days toplete the dungeon!¡± Zirel protested, no longer bothering to keep his voice down. Even the prince thought their current n to be a death wish. Tom, however, had only eyes for Aleph as they locked gazes. Then, he nodded to her. Aleph let go of the breath she was holding onto. ¡°Well Zirel,¡± Tom began, his lips curling up into a mischievous smile. ¡°We just might have something that will even the odds." Chapter 97: The Inheritance Chapter 97: The Inheritance It took them twenty or so minutes to reach Aleph¡¯s hideout, as they took the route least likely to attract any untoward attention. The confusion that had originally been clouding Zirel¡¯s visage was reced by calm after Tom exined the situation to him. Or hinted at it, atleast. It was time for Zirel to find out why he had risked his life to cross into the Noble District. While Aleph would still require time to trust Zirelpletely, Tom had more or lesse to trust the prince not to go against their interests, at least in the short-term. Not only had he seen Zirel¡¯s memories, he had also felt the visceral rage he felt towards the Nottrakon Family after what the Elite Guard had done to his party members. He had also lent Tom the Elite Guard¡¯s crest, due to which the King would shortly piece together the true sequence of events and conclude that Zirel had killed the guards and infiltrated the Noble District due to some unknown reason, which would prompt them to dispatch powerful forces to capture him. That was enough trust earned to let him in on the secret and Tom had given him his word before he had epted the crest. Without it, Tom had a feeling that his already messy infiltration would¡¯ve gone far more poorly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been tampered with,¡± Aleph dered as she finished examining the crystal seal she had left behind on the hideout. ¡°Not that anyone should have much of a reason to probe it, but still, this is a good omen.¡± Tom observed as Aleph, with a flourish of her right hand, undid the crystal seal. Fragments of shattered crystal copsed inwards, revealing a flight of stairs that led into a former cer that they had repurposed for their purposes. Aleph took the lead, Tom followed and Zirel trailed behind them, his gaze betraying a hint of caution as he entered an unfamiliar premises. The first thing Tom noticed upon entering his former residence was that the crystals Aleph had formed on the Candbras were still glowing, albeit having dimmed a little. Nevertheless, they offered enough light for Tom to take in the room. The two animal hide sofas he had often slept on remained in their original position along with the now dust covered coffee table ced between them. The small cot Aleph slept in was undisturbed, though the mattress cover probably needed to be washed. Tom was unsurprised to hear soft footsteps behind him as Zirel strode into their former residence, blinking twice before he spoke, ¡°Well this is quite something.¡± ¡°Are our humble amodations not to your liking, prince?¡± Aleph jibed in return, though her tone carried no real malice. ¡°Well,¡± Zirel considered the question as his gaze swept across their living quarters. ¡°I guess I should be thankful to the Elite Guards for one thing¡ª they had standards.¡± ¡°Prick,¡± Tom called out, his tone tinged by a touch of humor. ¡°More importantly though,¡± Zirel carried on, unfazed by Tom¡¯s remark. ¡°That spot seems to really want to avoid my attention. What exactly are you hiding down here?¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Tom muttered under his breath, his tone carrying his surprise. ¡°Took me a while to see through that and you just¡­,¡± He trailed off, physically shrugging as he turned his gaze to Aleph. She met her gaze, a question carried within her azure eyes. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Tom nodded. Aleph took a deep breath and then exhaled. Even now, even as she stood at the final juncture before aplishing one of two long-sought goals, there was a sense of anxiety, a sense of constant pressure that had been weighing down on her since the day her family manor went up in mes. A feeling that everything would go wrong, all the work she had put in would be taken away from her and she would have to start from scratch again; this time, with even less to her name. ¡®I am stronger than that,¡¯ She thought, once again taking a deep breath and exhaling, this time letting the coagted fears, anxieties and stressors that she had been clinging onto, leave with it. ¡°That,¡± Aleph replied, as she walked over to the spot Zirel had pointed out and hoisted a chest, their focustching onto it only after she made physical contact with it before walking over and cing it on the sofa. ¡°Is the inheritance of the Noble Longstradia family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking,¡± Zirel blurted out. ¡°Why else do you think I¡¯d risk my neck to sneak into the Noble District? I needed the key,¡± Tom exined, not hiding his amusement at Zirel¡¯s lostposure. ¡°The Key? Why would the Nobles have the key if you have the inheritance. And how did you even figure that out?¡± ¡°It is not a physical key that unlocks the Longstradia Family inheritance,¡± Aleph said, her tone calm. ¡°It is the Greater Control Glyph.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand,¡± Zirel replied, his expression seeming dazed. ¡°Even I haven¡¯t mastered that Glyph, because it does not fit well with mybat style. Maybe I could, but, what good would going to the Noble District do?¡± ¡°When I taught Synrak the Control Glyph,¡± Aleph began, her tone conspiratorially low. ¡°He learned it in a day. I¡¯m not surprised that he found a way to learn the Greater Control Glyph.¡± ¡°A day? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Zirel protested, his cheeks slightly red from perspiration. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he can see bits and pieces of people¡¯s pasts, Glyphse easy to him,¡± Aleph replied with a nonchnt shrug, seemingly not inclined to push Tom beyond a point. ¡°Correction,¡± Tom said. ¡°I beat it out of a Noble Scion. Not sure if that counts as learning, but yeah. I can do it.¡± ¡°Prove it,¡± Zirel¡¯s demand was made in a low tone, his expression grim. Tom realized that his nonchnt attitude might have challenged Zirel¡¯s worldview a little too hard, too fast. Nevertheless, heplied, going through the motions with his The me card and showcasing the amount of fine control he had gained over it. ¡°Do you understand how terrifying a feat this is?¡± Zirel asked, his gaze directed to Aleph. She nodded. ¡°Glyphs are not something that can be influenced by cards. A higher mental stat can assist, but unless it dwarfs all your other attributes at our levels, it alone cannot let you learn a Glyph. I thought the most valuable thing about you was your card but¡­ it appears that I was gravely mistaken,¡± Zirel muttered under his breath, his expression incredibly tense¡ª as if he had nced upon something that was better off left undisturbed. Zirel was probably right, too, in his own worldview. Common cards definitely could not influence learning speeds. Umon, Rare, hell even Epic¡ª who knew if they could? But neither Zirel nor Aleph could naturallye to the conclusion that his card belonged to none of those categories. Thomas Lowe was Legendary, after all. One of his kind, too. ¡°Please,¡± Aleph gestured to Tom. ¡°I have waited too long for this.¡± Tom¡¯s expression sobered before he nodded to Aleph. Keeping one eye on Zirel, in case the prince would try anything, he strode forward. The moment he ced his hand on the chest, he picked up on a circr lump of energy nestled underneath the chest. It revealed to him myriad small, branching off pathways that covered the entire surface area of the chest, enough information to leave most Academy students reeling. But all it did for Tom was curl his lips upwards into an amused smile. With but a thought of his, the energy moved in the direction he willed. The next moment Tom split the energy down three dozen pathways, ignoring the false and the misleading pathways that had been added to confuse him. A loud click rang out before the chest swung open with more force than required. Tom gasped. Chapter 98: Total Recall Chapter 98: Total Recall Tom felt like his vision was spinning as heid eyes on the contents of the chest. It was true that he had expected Aleph¡¯s family, the Noble Longstradia family, to leave a sizable amount behind. But this? ¡°Oh dear,¡± Zirel expressed his shock, snapping Tom back into the moment. He gingerly stepped away from the chest, gaze slowly turning to Zirel. Such incredible wealth moved even Tom, who had the ability to mimic any artifact he wanted¡­ well, eventually. Zirel would no doubt be tempted. If he tried to interfere, if he tried to take away what belonged to Aleph by blood connection after what his family had done to Aleph¡¯s¡­. Tom himself was surprised by the dark resolve building up in his mind. Aleph had reallye to matter to him. If Zirel tried to interfere then¡­ Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he could hold back. Or, if he even wanted to. ¡°All yours,¡± Tom gestured with the flourish of his hands, his gaze taking in Aleph¡¯s trembling lips and shaky countenance. She stepped forward and reached for a longsword that was nestled in its sheath. Tom had felt it¡¯s presence before Aleph even unsheathed it, it¡¯s weight impressing upon the world reminiscent of only one particr weapon Tom had witnessed before. The Revenant w that he had mimicked in Verranuva¡¯s Artifact to great effect¡ª Aleph¡¯s weapon possessed that same, oppressive aura that had made him covet it. It was a Rare Artifact. ¡°This de,¡± Aleph began, her voice quivering as she spoke. ¡°It belonged to my great-grandfather. I was told that it was lost, but it seems like they chose to hide it in reserve instead,¡± She said, as a tear built up in her right eye. Zirel¡¯s expression was solemn, whilst Tom just seemed sad. ¡°It lets me designate a target,¡± Aleph exined, bravely persisting even as a tear streaked down her cheek. ¡°Each time I strike a target that has been designated, it leaves a mark on the enemy. After the first strike that leaves a mark, every subsequent strike increases my speed by fifty percent to a maximum of five marks. If you assume my original striking speed to be a ten, then after the fifth strike, as long as I don¡¯t miss any strikes, my speed will be¡ª¡± ¡°Fifty,¡± Zirel replied before Aleph couldplete her statement. ¡°Wait,¡± Tom jumped into the conversation, his tone incredulous. ¡°Not fifty percent but like, fifty? Five times her original attack speed?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Aleph solemnly replied, having wiped away the tear as she looked at Tom. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t miss my subsequent strikes, the five marks will remain on the target I¡¯ve designated. There are limitations, of course, but that is the gist of it.¡± Tom took a deep breath of air to calm himself, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡®Man, if I had levelled up mimic, we¡¯d have two of those stupid broken des¡¯ He thought, before dismissing the consideration. Maya had still proven to be far more valuable to him. Aleph sped the sword sheath onto her waist belt, before sheathing her newly acquired de. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any urrences. There were noints or ims made by either Tom or Zirel. Not for the sword, anyway, because even as ridiculously powerful as it was, it was not the real prize within the inheritance. Her gaze sharpened as she reached for the card. As Tom had suspected, while the emotions coloring Aleph¡¯s visage were genuine, she had not once dropped her guard¡ª not that he would expect her to, before a Nottrakon. Zirel seemed to understand that too, as he kept his empty hands to his sides, not making any sudden movements that might attract the Longstradia heir¡¯s ire. Tom sucked in a cold breath of air as he took in the silver trimmed card¡¯s outward appearance. Two sketches of the human body intersected with each other near the middle, albeit with a few differences. The one on the left was missing an arm, had arge gash running across their chest and was badly bruised on both the legs. The one on the right seemed to be perfectly robust and healthy, not injured in the slightest. ¡®Some sort of healing card, then?¡¯ Tom guessed, even though he knew that wasn¡¯t the important part. For the card held in Aleph¡¯s hand was almost certainly an elusive Rare card, infinitely more valuable than a Rare artefact. ¡°Total Recall,¡± Aleph answered the unasked questions both Zirel and Tom had. ¡°Once in twenty four hours, I can record the state of my physical body. From that moment onwards, if I take fatal damage any time within the next twenty four hours, my physical body will recall to the recorded state.¡± ¡°What in¡­,¡± Tom trailed off, his expression incredulous. He had gone from regr convenience store worked to not so regr dungeon diver after getting a second shot at life. And now, Aleph was getting seemingly limitless chances? ¡°What¡¯s the cooldown?¡± Zirel asked, incisively cutting to the essence of the matter. ¡°A week, if Total Recall is actually used. I can record endlessly though, as long as I don¡¯t get hit by fatal damage.¡± ¡°Thought as much,¡± Zirel replied, though he still failed to conceal the awe in his tone. ¡°A powerful Rare card, that one. Not enough to be a Mezzanine, but nevertheless, a Rare card that might be more valuable to a Noble Scion than a Mezzanine Rare. The world underestimated¡ª no, still underestimates the Longstradia Family.¡± ¡°It is powerful, but also of little use to me right now. Zirel, do you know the Severance Glyph?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Do you know how the process works?¡± Zirel asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s not a topic I was taught until muchter.¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Aleph answered, her tone sounding a little unsure. ¡°I know that the severance glyph is used to substitute the Soul Card and I know that the original stats are retained. I¡¯m not exactly sure on the how though, the people I got the information from weren¡¯t willing to volunteer that part.¡± ¡°So you know how the concept of authority works, then?¡± Zirel asked. Aleph nodded. ¡°Well, this will make things easier. The severance glyph severs the connection between you and your soul card, but not the authority. The new card, a higher ranked card, is inserted to plug the open metaphysical wound in your heart and your old soul card is added to your deck, since you still have authority over it. However, this was not how the Divine System intended for it to be,¡± Zirel revealed, his expression sombre. Aleph wasn¡¯t all that surprised, but Tom definitely was. ¡°Exin,¡± She said, through pursed lips. ¡°The Soul Card is supposed to give you stats. What we¡¯re doing is a stop-gap, essentially tricking the System into believing that you still have a connection to your old Soul Card. However, while the level of the card you¡¯ve incorporated into your deck won¡¯t change, the stat bonuses you get will fade away as soon as you let your new Soul Card rise by even a single level.¡± ¡°Is tricking the Divine System really possible?¡± Tom blurted out. ¡°Yes,¡± Zirel replied calmly. ¡°But it¡¯s not really tricking, if you look at it from a different perspective. We¡¯re on the same side, so it¡¯s closer to tolerating our brazenness. Really though, it¡¯s just a stop-gap until you regain enough levels.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Aleph thoughtfully muttered. ¡°Will you do this operation for me, then?¡± She asked. Zirel replied with a single-worded question, ¡°Payment?¡± Aleph¡¯s lips curled up into a smile as she pointed at the five, frail looking paper cards that had an identical image painted on them¡ª a tower that rose towards azure skies. Thest of her inheritance. ¡°One of those,¡± She said. ¡°But only after you get the job done.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Zirel replied in a heartbeat. Chapter 99: Kinda true Chapter 99: Kinda true Tom¡¯s expression was a mask of calm as he watched Zirel ce his palm on Aleph¡¯s exposed back as shey face-first upon her cot. Her expression was tense as she bit onto a towel, to prevent her from identally cutting her tongue depending on how painful it got. Zirel knew how to use the Severance Glyph, that was true. However, the fourth prince had gotten little reason to use it on another person or for that matter, himself. Acquiring a card higher ranked than your own was a fleetingly rare urrence on the surface world and each time it happened, a new legend would be born. ¡°In all likelihood,¡± Zirel began, his expression a little tense. ¡°This will hurt. A lot. But when it does, you need to remember that the pain isn¡¯t a physical phenomenon. There will be no consequences to it, it will be an empty pain. A false pain as what you believed to be a part of yourself, is ripped away from your soul.¡± Tom didn¡¯t bother hiding his own expression at all. He was scared for Aleph, scared for his friend. If he didn¡¯t have a good idea of Zirel¡¯s character, Tom might have refused to let Aleph go through with it. Zirel wanted power, that was true. He wanted, desperately even, to beat the Nottrakon Family. But if he were to allow himself to be a monster in that pursuit, then what exactly would separate him from those that he loathed? Nothing. ¡®Zirel might not go out of his way to rpense Aleph for his family¡¯s sins, but he wouldn¡¯t consider stealing from a Longstradia. Not after what happened. Not after Zirel experienced first hand, what it was to lose people you cared about due to Noble politics,¡¯ Tom thought in an effort to reassure himself. ¡°Are you ready, then?¡± Zirel asked, his hands perfectly still despite the beats of sweat coalescing on his forehead. Aleph nodded, her eyes carrying that smouldering defiance, a burning me that kept her going. Through the pain. Through the uncertain odds. Through it all, until now. Aleph would endure, Tom knew. Zirel closed his eyes and Tom¡¯s gaze sharpened, watching his every moment with intense concentration. He saw nothing except Zirel¡¯s palm resting on Aleph¡¯s back, yet the change came without warning. Her face turned a pulpy red, her arms and legs trembling, no, shivering, as she fought the instinct to kick and punch outwards, punch away the intense pain. Tom shuddered, hardly able to imagine how much she was suffering in those moments, to elicit such a reaction from a woman who seemed unfazed even before the greatest of challenges. A tear streaked down her chin, followed by another. Before Zirel made his move. A card that seemed toe from nothingness was yanked out of Aleph¡¯s back, a flicker of an instant before Zirel swapped it with another. Swapped it with Aleph¡¯s Rare card, the greatest of the inheritance the Longstradia family had left behind. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Zirel finally let go of the breath he was holding on, ced the now-Deck Card on her open palm and took a step backwards. He had done the job he waspensated for the best he knew how. The shivering ceased. The heavy breaths she was taking, eased. The excess blood drained away from her visage. Her eyes, however, remained shut. Just as Tom began to worry, Aleph¡¯s azure eyes snapped open. Slowly, gingerly, Aleph returned to her seated position. She held onto her new yet familiar deck card carefully, allowing Tom to notice the crystal aegis painted on its face up side. Thest of the doubts Tom held towards Zirel, evaporated in his heart. Though as a keeper of an Umon Soul Card himself, Zirel could not have imed Aleph¡¯s unnamed crystal card and thus invalidate all her statistics, there were still innumerable ways in which he could¡¯ve had the surgery deliberately paid. It had been a gamble on both Tom and Aleph¡¯s end, but¡­ ¡°Are you okay, Aleph?¡± Tom asked, his toneden with concern. ¡°Okay?¡± Aleph asked, her tone still shaky but with a yful tinge to it. ¡°By the Divine System, no. I feel invincible¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that good of a card,¡± Zirel feigned a snide reply. ¡°Sure, sure, you get toe back from certain death once a week. But that doesn¡¯t mean anything if you just die right back, now does it.¡± Aleph just shed Zirel a grin, before replying, ¡°Thank you, Zirel. I¡­ I¡¯m grateful to you. Beyond words, really. You may not consider yourself a member of the Nottrakon Family but if my father were still here, he would have been incredibly grateful to you as well. I¡¯ll still consider the King an enemy to be destroyed, but¡­ I don¡¯t think it would bring me much joy,¡± She spoke with an earnestness that Tom, regardless of what appearance he took or who he chose to feign to be, could not imitate. ¡°Hmph,¡± Zirel grunted, even as a slight, just a slight flush of red coloured his cheeks. ¡°I did it for the payment, Longstradia. And it is quite the payment. It¡¯ll save me years of travel, well, if any of us manage toe back alive¡±. ¡°Sure you did,¡± Aleph replied, rolling her eyes before bursting out into a giggle that made Tom¡¯s heart flutter. Zirel turned his gaze away from her, suddenly finding the ramshackle basement walls an object of interest. ¡°So guys, uh¡­,¡± Tom trailed off. ¡°The mood seemed too heavy before so, uh, I didn¡¯t exactly get an opportunity to ask. What exactly are those paper cards?¡± Both Aleph and Zirel tried to answer at the same time, their voices ovepping. Zirel conceded to Aleph a momentter and let her exin. ¡°Oh,¡± Tom muttered reflexively. The true realisation hit him a momentter. ¡°Ohhhhh,¡± He repeated with far more enthusiasm this time. ¡°Yeah,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°This makes your boneheaded princess-rescue n far more viable.¡± ¡°Hey,e on man,¡± Tom protested. ¡°You just can''t stop yourself from helping pretty women, can you?¡± Aleph jokingly asked. Tom moved to protest again, but then his retort sputtered out before he could lend voice to it. ¡®Damn,¡¯ He thought. ¡®That¡¯s kinda true.¡¯ Chapter 100: Aspiring Alchemist Chapter 100: Aspiring Alchemist 100: It was early in the morning, as Aleph, Zirel and Tom walked down the Nameless District¡¯s main drag. Even at this early hour, as the air was damp with moisture, the open-air market was fairly popted. It did not escape Tom how the bystanders near them stepped away and made sure to keep their distance from their party. None of them were surprised at the reaction, especially not Zirel¡¯s alias Riven ckheart, who was armoured in his recognizable ck leather armour, metal gauntlets and grey cloth boots that were likely to be an artefact. ¡°There it is,¡± Aleph chimed, her expression brightening as she noticed an aspiring alchemist selling a wide variety of ingredients and tinctures. Tom¡¯s expression visibly brightened as he noticed the drugged beasts held in metal cages, arrayed behind the man in two rows stacked upon each other. The aspiring alchemist himself, d in verdant green robes that betrayed his desire to one day officially join the Alchemist Guild, took in the approaching group with a startled gasp. ¡°You there,¡± Zirel spoke in a slow, rumbling tone, consistent with the persona he had built up along with light disguise to avoid identification. It was toote now, he knew, but thanks to the trump card Aleph he had earned from Aleph, he no longer feared capture by the Royal Knights or the Elite Guards. ¡°Y-Yes sire,¡± The aspiring alchemist stuttered, his expression horrified as he took in Zirel¡¯s considering expression in. ¡°Please sire, don¡¯t kill me,¡± He blurted out, his expression grave from anxiety as his survival instincts kicked into overdrive. ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± Zirel replied calmly. ¡°Do you think a murderer would be allowed to roam the streets, even if it is the Nameless District? You think too little of your betters,¡± He replied in a manner befitting a noble. ¡°V-Very well, sire,¡± The shopkeeper muttered, his tone sounding apologetic as he realised how offensive his slip of tongue had been. Sure, Riven ckheart was a man who would murder his party members in cold blood, but no one could prove it as it took ce in the Zelez Dungeon. He could not try something like that in the early morning hours if he wished to continue staying in the Nameless District. ¡°How can I help you, then?¡± He asked, taking for the first time since conversation began, the two masked individuals behind the infamous Riven ckheart. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Tom inquired, his tone curious and disarming even behind a pretty menacing mask that mimicked the shape of a long beaked bird with sharp incisors. ¡°Yes sire,¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly affirmed. ¡°Why do you keep those beasts in stock when there is no proper alchemist to be found in the Nameless District. Would it not be easier for you sell directly to the Noble District?¡± Tom asked, his question actually well reasoned. While the denizens of the Nameless District could not step into the Noble District without reason, the Royal Knight at the checkpoint was party there to encourage and facilitate trade¡ª- especially, if something valuable was at stake. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°I can only pay lower ranked dungeoneers to capture weak beasts for myself in the neighbouringnds, sire. Some I use to practise alchemy on my own. Others, like the ones behind me, are surplus that I sell to recoup my costs. Not all thate to this forsaken town are here for the glory of the dungeon, after all, sire. There are enough like me who wish to be alchemists proper, though few can fund their operations as well as I can do with my acumen, sire,¡± The shopkeeper candidly exined, making Tom feel bad that this was the way their paths had to cross. ¡°That two headed serpent behind you. It¡¯s poisonous, right?¡± Tom asked, his expression gleaming with interest as he did. ¡°Poisonous yes, venomous, no. It¡¯s a pretty weak beast, but it doesn¡¯t enjoy behind hurt. It¡¯s bloodstream is pumped full of paralytics that it¡¯s immune to. You w at it, or scratch it, the you¡¯ve got to be careful not to let any of its blood touch you. Though it¡¯s obviously temporary, otherwise I would not be selling it,¡± The shopkeeper exined. ¡°I told you I¡¯d seen someone selling a two-headed drakon in the marketce,¡± Aleph chimed in, her tone smug. ¡°How much will it cost? Oh and tell me the real price, we¡¯re not here to rob you,¡± Tom¡¯s tone was calm and had a light-hearted tint to it, which seemed to reassure the shopkeeper a little. ¡°Half a gold coin?¡± He asked, his tone a bit uncertain. ¡°Look, help me blood let it and I¡¯ll pay you a full gold coin,¡± Tom proposed. The shopkeepers visage turned from intimidated to surprised and then interested, as his eye caught on the gleam of tremendous opportunity. ¡°Sure, sire. I will kill it right now and drain it¡¯s blood into a jar for you,¡± He hurriedly offered. ¡°No,¡± Tom tersely replied. ¡°No, I need to be the one to kill it. You can just pack it for me,¡± Tom counter-offered. ¡°As you wish, as you wish, sire. Few aspiring alchemists can afford live beasts, but there are no shortage of cocky brats who believe they can seed making a potion on their first try. You, sire, on the other hand, seem to know what you are doing,¡± The shopkeeper exined. ¡°Thank you, I guess,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Uh sire, would it be possible to get the gold before we behead the creature?¡± He asked, letting Tom know why he had been buttering him up. The sound of a coin bouncing off a soft surface sounded out, before the alchemist hurriedly caught on to a single gold coin with both his hands. It was Zirel who had flicked it, clearly uninterested in haggling or wasting time any further. The shopkeeper nodded gratefully, before reaching for reinforced leather gloves that were stored in his inventory. He then pulled out arge jar, unscrewed the lid and only then did his right hand wrap around one of the two headed drakon¡¯s heads. ¡°Make sure to go for clean cuts,¡± He directed, as he opened the metal cage from the top and pulled out the pretty intimidating looking beast. His free hand wrapped around it¡¯s other neck, holding it in ce firmly. . Tom nodded, a quick, straight cut being all he required to behead both the two headed drakon¡¯s heads in a single strike. Without wasting a moment, the beheaded necks were tilted in the direction of therge jar and Tom watched it fill up with tion. ¡®This is thest powerup I can get,¡¯ He thought. ¡®It better be enough.¡¯ Therge jar was ced into his inventory and not long after, Tom¡¯s party stood before the Nameless District¡¯s entrance to the Zelez Dungeon. Chapter 101: Nether Lichs Demesne Chapter 101: Nether Lich''s Demesne 101: ¡°Well, this is it,¡± Zirel said, his tone deep and gravelly to match the persona of Riven ckheart. ¡°Any of you interested in backing out?¡± He asked, knowing that the other dungeoneers in their vicinity, of which there were plenty, were eavesdropping on their conversations. ¡°You talk like you are stronger than me,¡± Aleph sniped right back, her tone smug. ¡°Alright you two, that¡¯s enough,¡± Tom chided. ¡°If anything goes wrong, you have me to save you both,¡± Tom joined in the banter, before taking the first step into the Zelez Dungeon¡¯s entrance. Their jovial mood was only a surface-level attempt to mask the pressure they were all feeling. Their covers were already blown and the Royal Knights would definitely arrange for a blockade the moment their party stepped out. Well, if they thought there was a possibility they could survive the challenge they had signed up for. That was how deadly the herculean task thaty ahead of them was. A short twenty minutester, Tom, Aleph and Zirel found themselves facing an unassuming crevasse carved into the side of a cave wall. [You have discovered the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon. This sector¡¯s difficulty scales ording to the number of people in your party. The names of the challengers shall be announced across all sectors of the Zelez Dungeon. This is the most difficult challenge the Zelez Dungeon has to offer. Would you like to enter as a party of three?]¡°I expected a more grand entrance,¡± Tom observed, his tone a bit amused. ¡°It makes sense to me,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°Better to make it unassuming instead of a grand, ornate wee that tempts dungeoneers to throw their lives away because of misguided bravado.¡± ¡°The crevasse seems wide enough for all three of us to jump in at the same time,¡± Aleph judged, as sweat beaded her forehead. The tension was so thick, Tom could almost feel it physically weighing down upon. ¡°Let¡¯s hold hands while we do it then,¡± Tom blurted out. ¡°Really?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°While we jump, prick,¡± Tom snapped back, in an effort to hide his own amusement. Alephughed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not a terrible idea,¡± Zirel conceded after the moment of hrity had passed. Aleph offered both of them outstretched hands. Zirel epted it. ¡®Oh man, I¡¯m so underqualified for this,¡¯ Tom thought as he too sped Aleph¡¯s palm with his own. ¡°Ready?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zirel confirmed. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°About as ready as I can be,¡± Tom replied, as his stomach churned. It was Aleph who tugged first at their hands and then Tom and Zirel matched their pace to her jogging speed before leaping into the crevice together. The fall was a short one, disappointingly so. Loud thumps rang out as their feet impacted against solid stone tiles. All three of them broke formation, retreating in different directions. Tom reached for the jar full of the two-headed drakon¡¯s blood and smashed it on the ground. Zirel held nothing back as he summoned his Phantom de to go with his de of Necrosis. His greatest trump card was out in the open, moments into the battle. Aleph summoned Shardweave Regalia, the armorprised of crystals that waspleted by a crystalline rapier held in her left hand. Of course, in her right hand, she held the newly acquired Rare Artifact she had gotten from the Longstradia Family¡¯s inheritance. In Tom¡¯s right hand, a dagger formed out of blood of a creature that he had killed, was held clenched. His Umon Card, Lifeblood¡¯s skill, allowed him to manipte the blood of a creature he had recently in. While it was not particrly high levelled yet, using blood that had paralytic properties gave Tom another edge and his control over the blood wouldst for twenty four hours. In his left, he pulled out a dagger out of his inventory that had very simr dimensions, the Netherstride Dagger whose Phantom Walk skill let him imitate the natural movement style of the deswalker. Walking across walls and even the roof was not a battle winner on it¡¯s own, but it would synergize well with Lifeblood¡¯s Augmentation ability. Of course, that was not all. The mimicked Revenant w was equipped on his right hand and it would amplify the effect of anymon card he would use. His preparations weren¡¯t quite up to the mark if hepared them to Aleph and Zirel¡¯s, but when it came to raw statistics, Tom was certain that he had left the two of them in the dust. [You have entered the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon: Nether Lich¡¯s Demesne. Time till Dungeon Reset: 5D 19H 33M. If you have not cleared the sector until then, it will reset. Cleared sectors are exempt from the Dungeon Reset Timer for an additional week.] ¡°Terrifying malice,¡± Zirel whispered, as he remained frozen to the spot he had retreated to. His gaze was directed to the end of the passageway they had found themselves in, his expression looking haunted. ¡®Oh right,¡¯ Tom thought. ¡®Zirel¡¯s umon card lets him passively sense any malice directed to him. That reaction is not good.¡¯ Tom¡¯s gaze turned upwards, only to confirm that their way out had already been sealed by the Zelez Dungeon. It was Aleph who took a testing step forward, a rapier and a sword held at her either side. Tom grit his teeth and fought the terror by taking a step forward as well. ¡°A Nether Lich,¡± Zirel muttered under his breath. ¡°So this¡­ is a Nether Lich,¡± He repeated, his visage having gone pale. ¡°What do you know about it,¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Rumours. Some say Nether Liches are summoners, who can call upon otherher beasts to do their bidding. A few say that they are tainted creatures who can use theher directly in a way few others can. Whatever the truth may be, the fact that it hasn¡¯t attacked us yet means that it won¡¯t until we step into whatever lies beyond that passageway,¡± Zirel exined. ¡°What¡¯s our strategy?¡± Tom asked. ¡°The best strategy is to go fast and hit hard. We can¡¯t let this turn into a battle of attrition. Hard and fast, kill it before it can use all it¡¯s abilities. Holding nothing back. It¡¯s the greatest chance of sess we can ask for,¡± Zirel exined. ¡°I had a feeling it would be something like this,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°If whatever¡¯s on the other side scares you so much, this might be a single phase dungeon. I¡¯ll take the lead, then.¡± Zirel nodded at Aleph, seeing the logic in her words. ¡°I¡¯d normally protest but¡­,¡± Tom trailed off, as he took in Aleph¡¯s armoured figure. ¡°You¡¯re the only one out of us that gets a second chance. Depending on how you use it and how long you can hold out before you need to, it might just decide whether we win or¡­.,¡± He refused to voice out the possibility. ¡°Or we die in the greatest pursuit of it all,¡± Zirelpleted. ¡°And what is that?¡± Aleph asked from behind her crystal vizor. ¡°Winning,¡± Zirel replied. Chapter 102: Nether Lichs Demesne (2) Chapter 102: Nether Lich''s Demesne (2) 102: Aleph was a shimmering blur as she shot forward, her expression one of intense focus as she became the first to step into the Nether Lich¡¯s Demesne. Tom and Zirel followed shortly after, before splitting off in opposing directions. Zirel took to the right while Tom did not hesitate in activating his Netherstride Dagger¡¯s Phantom Walk skill right off the bat. He began to scale the wall after taking just a moment to assess the threat that was arrayed before him. A single nce was enough to fill his heart with a dread of a kind that he hadn¡¯t encountered yet, as he took in the Nether Lich¡¯s skeletal body,cking both flesh and a heart. The construct of ckened bone was seated upon a throne whose make Tom instantly recognized. Dozens upon dozens of Nether Crystals had been forged into a single, seamless design that shimmered with alien power. He kept moving even as he realised the likely purpose the throne served. To Tom, who could only use the Nether Crystals through the Nether des, they served limited purpose. However, the Nether Lich was a different matter entirely¡ª as a phantasmal being that could directly use the corrupt energy, it was an energy source for it. Tom¡¯s instincts were going haywire as he finished scaling the wall and stepped towards the roof, to position himself for an attack. Aleph however, was already there. She swung out with her Rare Artifact. Tom watched as the Nether Lich tapped the jagged, ckened bone staff it was holding onto with its right hand against the floor. A dome of deep-violet, sma-like energy ensconced the Nether Lich, its skeletal visage whichcked both eye-sockets and any skin, making it incapable of expressing emotion. Though if it could, Tom would swear that it almost seemed bored as sparks of violet burst forth from the site where Aleph¡¯s de impacted the energy dome. Tom felt a brief moment of tion as he noticed that Aleph¡¯s de was prating the dome of energy, slowly but surely. It was, unfortunately, only a moment as the Nether Lich tapped it¡¯s bone staff against the floor again and the nature of the dome changed into a square-shaped curtain of energy. Before Tom could even register what had happened, Aleph was being forcibly pushed back with such momentum that she was already hurtling towards a wall. ¡°Damn it,¡± He muttered under his breath as he activated his Lifeblood card¡¯s Augmentation ability. His heart rate skyrocketed and Tom felt the unnatural flood of strength in his limbs that allowed him both greater eleration and strength. He had hoped to save this trump card for a more opportune moment because while Augmentation was active, he could no longer use the Blood Scion ability in the manner it was intended to be used. Tom still retained control over the blood dagger and would do so for 24 hours, but he could no longer change its shape or form, for both the abilities belonged to the same Umon Card. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In the meantime, Zirel used the opening Aleph¡¯s failed charge had granted him to try andnd a strike of his own. The Nether Lich seemed to have expected it, as it tapped its bone staff again and the energy dome reappeared. Zirel¡¯s lips curled up into a ruthless smile as he veered away from the Nether Lich as he got close, until he was running parallel to it. His phantom de arced out in a perfectly calcted strike. The energy dome shielding the Nether Lich could do naught to prevent the de from passing through it and striking the bony arm that was supporting the bone staff in it¡¯s hands. Phantom de had struck true and the Nether Lich¡¯s staff-wielding arm should have gone limp. ¡°Not organic matter,¡± Zirel called out even as he kicked off the ground, hurling his body backwards. He only just managed to evade the curtain of energy that intended to push him backwards and crush him against the walls of the chamber. ¡°The gem,¡± Aleph¡¯s voice echoed from the far end of the chamber, alluding to the small, onyx crystal that seemed to be suspended in the center of the Nether Lich¡¯s ribcage. ¡°It¡¯s how we kill it!¡± Tom had guessed as much and Zirel had probablye to the same conclusion much faster than him, but the problem they faced wasnding a blow on the Lich. As the Nether Lich reformed the energy dome a momentter, this time likely pre-empting Tom¡¯s attack, he came to a decision. With Augmentation pushing his pulse rate to the limits, amplifying his already monstrous stats, Tom finally came to a stop at the angle he had been searching for all this while. He called upon all the strength he could direct to his feet, before kicking off with the two daggers held crossed before him, almost defensively. Thanks to Zirel¡¯s callout, he knew that his blood dagger would do nothing to his opponent, but it would serve as a means of offense for now. A shrill crinkling noise echoed outwards as Tom¡¯s daggers crashed against the energy dome, the sheer momentum behind his descend causing his own teeth to rattle in their housing. Cracks spiderwebbed across the energy dome as it struggled to contain Tom¡¯s strength amplified by downward momentum, before shattering entirely. Yet, Tom¡¯s moment of glory onlysted for so long as he felt an equally powerful force match his might. The Nether Lich had caught Tom¡¯s des on the teeth of it¡¯s jagged bone staff, before it made a shing motion and the next thing he knew, he was practically flying towards the direction Aleph had been thrown in earlier. This was all while the Nether Lich remained seated. Neither Aleph nor Zirel intended to miss out on the opportunity as the Nether Lich¡¯s defenses were finally lowered. However, they paused mid-strides, as their danger sense went haywire. The Nether Lich tapped his bone staff against the ground, once, twice and a third time. A dozen skeletal birds that easily cleared Tom¡¯s own height erupted from the ground as Tom, Zirel and Aleph finally discovered why the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon was called the Nether Lich¡¯s Demesne. Chapter 103: Nether Lichs Demesne Chapter 103: Nether Lich''s Demesne 103: Tom stretched his proprioception to it¡¯s limits as he iled for bnce mid-air, his expression echoing his fear as he just barely managed to hit the wall boots first and thanks to the aid of the Phantom Walk ability, kept his feet affixed to it and fought against the momentum that washed over him, beckoning him to crash against the wall instead. His knees groaned under the strain but Tom held onto his footing though gritted teeth. Then he was running up the wall as his proprioception stat nullified any nausea he would feel as he gazed down upon the battlefield with his sight inverted. ¡°Seriously,¡± He muttered under his breath as he watched the Nether Lich still seated on its throne as it¡¯s minions, four-legged, winged creatures that were fashioned out of ivory-colored bone andher crystal harried hispanions. Aleph dodged, her expression unreadable behind her crystal vizor, while Zirel swore as he evaded a chasing skeleton bird by diving beneath another¡¯s legs and rolling forward, all while dealing as much damage as he could with his de of necrosis. Tom¡¯s gaze shifted to the Nether Lich and almost immediately, his expression sunk. For the Nether Lich was gazing right back at Tom. He could tell, even if the damned creature¡¯s eyesockets were empty. It tapped it¡¯s staff on the ground once and the square curtain of energy that it had used to attack Aleph reappeared. It tapped again and the energy reshaped itself into a long shaft with a cone-shaped cap.¡°Oh shit,¡± Tom protested as his eyes widened in horror, realizing the mass of energy for what it was. A bloody spear. One that was headed right for him. His heart hammered in his chest as he exploded forth with momentum, only to find his potential capped because he was still trying to run upside down, powered by an ability not truly his. He screamed out loud as a terribly sharp pain ripped across his abdomen. Tears threatened to build up in his eyes as he finally managed to pin-point the source of his agony, noticing that he was bleeding from arge gash in his side. A painful wound, but not nearly a fatal one. ¡°Enough!¡± Aleph¡¯s furious roar pierces the air, almost demanding that Tom turn his attention to her. He only manages to keep her in the periphery of his vision, the rest of his focus trained on the Nether Lich. He watches as Aleph¡¯s de slices off a crystalline w along with the limb of a charging skeletal bird. But she doesn¡¯t stop there, even as the creature that should be incapable of feeling pain reels backwards from the sheer force contained behind the strike. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. A second strike with her rare artifact,cerating the creature across it¡¯s ribcage. Tom¡¯s expression tenses in surprise as Aleph keeps going, her every strike faster than thest. After the fifth strike, Tom¡¯s proprioception stat fails to keep up with the blur that is Aleph¡¯s sword arm and de. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ Tom watches as Aleph finally pulls away from the skeletal bird, leaving behind only a pile of shattered bone andher crystal. Unfortunately, that admirationes to an abrupt end as he watches the Nether Lich tap its staff, summoning another curtain of energy. Just as it shapes the curtain of energy into a spear, Tom throws himself to the ground before rolling forward, not underestimating the Nether Lich¡¯s attack speed this time. A blur of violet streaking past his vision was all Tom registered of the deadly attack and from the eerie chatter of teeth, it seemed like he had sessfully annoyed the Nether Lich. Tom broke out into a sprint as he surveyed the battlefield, searching for a fight where he could make the greatest impact. He watches Zirel, as he cancels his phantom de ability and instead, makes ashing motion with his right hand, shooting forth a shadowy tendril that wraps around a charging skeletal bird¡¯s right hindleg. Tom watches with bated breath as the skeletal bird nears Zirel, slowing its momentum slightly as it raises both its forelegs, with those terrible crystalline ws and poises to strike. Zirel tugs forward, pulling its right hind leg from under it and leaving it with only one limb to bnce its weight on. Tom was certain that it was amon card¡¯s ability that Zirel was using, but the timing and confidence he used it with allowed him to fell a skeletal bird with shocking ease. Instead of attacking the downed construct viciously like Aleph had, Zirel retrieved a ss vial from his inventory. He retreated even as he threw the ss vial towards the skeletal bird that had lost its bnce, striking it right on one of it¡¯sher crystal ws. A torrent of fire bloomed outward from where the alchemical reagent shattered, interacting with the Nether Crystal to cause an explosion that arced vertically instead of horizontally. The skeletal bird was clearly done for, but the battle was far from over. ¡°Zirel!¡± Tom called out as he weaved across the battlefield. ¡°Can you ignite the Nether Lich¡¯s throne?¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± Zirel bellowed back the question as he calcted his next move. ¡°If I ignite that concentration of Nether Crystal, it¡¯s going to blow us all to smithereens,¡± He exined. ¡®I know that,¡¯ Tom thought, as he did his best to push away the fear that was trying to influence his judgment. ¡®I know that but¡­¡¯, His gaze swept across the battlefield, noting that not as much as a scratch marred the Nether Lich. Aleph could deal with the skeletal birds, but her reserves of strength were not endless. Striking with that much force that quickly had to be eating at her stamina. ¡®Fuck, is there really no other way?¡¯ He asked himself as his gaze locked onto the Nether Lich¡¯s hollow eyes. Or slightly above it, if he was being honest. Above its head, on the number ¡®one¡¯ that was apanied by a jester icon. Until now, not a single phantasmal creature he had encountered had triggered his Active Shroud¡ªMaya ability. And now, when it had, it asked only a single SP from him to peer into the mind of the most powerful opponent he had encountered in his life. ¡®There¡¯s something very wrong about this,¡¯ He thought, his hands clenched onto his daggers as if he was seeking support. ¡®But if I don¡¯t do this, we¡¯re all dead anyway. Damn it all.¡¯ Time seemed to freeze for Tom and the world went ck. Chapter 104: Intrusion Chapter 104: Intrusion 104: Almost instantly, he knew. Tom knew that the alien limbs he controlled, the dull senses that weighed on him like a heavy fog that nketed his movements and even the rigid throne he was seated on¡ª none of it belonged to him. He tried to speak, but theck of vocal chords on his skeletal frame quickly inhibited that possibility. ¡®I guess this was why Active Shroud only wanted 1 SP,¡¯ Tom thought, finding even his concentration sluggish as he tried to make as best of the opportunity as he could. He moved his limbs as a test, noticing how weightless it felt. ¡®How does this creature think? How does it move? What powers it? The throne of Nether Crystals it sits on, where does ite from? Are Nether Crystals naturally found in Artezia, or do theye from wherever the Liches from?¡¯ Tom cycled through a list of questions he wanted answers to, finding himself a little overwhelmed by just how little he knew and just how much he wanted to before he was pulled into a state of Yul. ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ He chastised more than asked himself. ¡®No, no¡­ there¡¯s only one question that I need answered, above all.¡¯ ¡°Why are you here?¡± Tom moved his lower jaw in a bobbing motion, asking the question even though voice could not be generated by his form. A memory bubbled up in his mindspace, or rather, soul-space, as the Nether Lich did not have a functioning or otherwise brain. The earliest memory it had¡ª the only memory before it found itself in this chamber, in the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon. And how visceral that memory was. Tom felt like his breath hitched in his throat as he was drawn into the vivid memory, following into the one ce where the fog weighing down on his thoughts did not chase. Fear ran across his spine as he took in his surroundings. A single Nether Lich was on the verge of defeating their party, despite Zirel¡¯s umon card, Aleph¡¯s rare and his own Legendary. Tom had taken his ce amongst hundreds, if not thousands of Nether Liches nking him from every direction. But his gaze was still focused forward, past the contingent of Nether Liches that were arrayed near the tail end of the army and to a raised dais that was visible from even so far away. The memory was vague when it came to the details of the monstrous army, if only because every ounce of attention was held rapt by the hooded figure who stood near the center of the semicircr dias. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. If Tom was still capable of expressions, his would be somber as he took in the ten figures standing behind the hooded person. Ten men and women, if they indeed still were humans. The splotches of deep, glowing violet that marred their visible skin inrge swathes left Tom uncertain as to the answer, but he was certain that they were part of themand, part of the leadership that directed and perhaps, had even created the Nether Lich. ¡°Our ancestors,¡± The hooded man who was clothed in iridescent robes began his address and to Tom, it felt like that voice wasing from each and every direction at once¡ª yet he failed to pinpoint its source. Such strength, such presence was contained in those words, a maic influence that had him hanging on to every word, that Tom could not help but be horrified in face of such a presence. ¡°They made the mistake of tapping into an energy that regtes the very fabric our universe is woven out of, an energy we are all familiar with,¡± He continued, the being¡¯s every word shaking Tom to his core. ¡°Nether energy, the great equalizer between man and the divine,¡± The being stated, his every word arcing with almost visible power. ¡°Six of the Divines saw wisdom in our ancestors¡¯ words. For they were not mere words, but a plea. A way to bridge the crushing gap between mortals and the power of thews that made the Divines immortal,¡± the being dered, a hint of anguish leaking into their tone. ¡°Four, however, did not agree. That was the reason behind the first and only Divine War in our universe¡¯s history.¡± Tom listened intently, enraptured by the history that was being revealed to him. ¡°So much death. Such utter devastation. Too many gxies to count, entire superclusters erased. Leaving life only in the fringes of our universe, the most powerful beings to ever exist died, failing them. Failing us. Nine Divines perished and the one who remained, the strongest of them all, chose oblivion by intermingling the remnants of his mighty soul with a world. That is the twisted history behind their divine system,¡± The being gestured to his right. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ Tom thought as he took in an entire world, with its whites, greens and blues, with a tower that rose to touch the clouds and many other smaller towers that were not nearly as prominently visible. ¡®We¡¯re standing on a rock¡­ floating in space. This is above my freaking paygrade.¡¯ ¡°Even now, even after his demise, the Divine System gets in our way. Such was his strength, in life and even in death. Yet¡­ seven hundred years ago, we proved that our ancestors were not mistaken. We proved that the Divines who had fought on our side had chosen the correct side, vindicated our ancestors by discovering a way to cultivate the Nether!¡± The being bellowed and Tom felt like his eardrums would shatter. ¡°The Prime was too wise, too strong, too devastating to not know that cultivating the Nether was possible. He merely feared a world where mortals could rival the divine, where a mortal could rise up to challenge him. His selfishness and greed destroyed the known universe, yet, even then, we managed to prove him wrong. Even if it was done ons no longer capable of supporting life,¡± The hooded man shook his head, his tone heavy with dismay. ¡°We adhere to his terms, no matter how humiliating they are. Even dead, the soul fragments of his that govern Artezia, the shards of his vast power that he calls cards, keep us away from thest capable of supporting life in our entire gxy. We send you to fight, to die, on their terms, at the mercy of their system because we cannot afford to destroy Artezia. But, our sacrifices near an end,¡± The being stated with aplomb, the shift in his tone marked. ¡°For the key is near. The seventh ephemeral will soon walk among us, the key to the Book of Maya. Find him and capture him alive, no matter the cost and we shall have four out of the seven. We shall turn the tide of this unjust war and im the inherit¡­ you,¡± The being¡¯s tone abruptly shifted, from impassioned to aggrieved. ¡°How did¡­ Who are you?¡± Tom¡¯s expression froze and the horror in his heart crystallized as he considered the terrible possibility that the being depicted in his memory had somehow¡­ detected the intrusion? ¡®What the fuck¡ª,¡¯ The thought was all he had time for as the scene faded and he found himself in the realm of yul. Chapter 105: Violet Flames Chapter 105: Violet mes 105: Physically, Tom knew he couldn¡¯t pant while he was in the realm of Yul. That did little to reassure a fear so intense that it was palpable, leaving him suffering from phantom phenomena as his heart hammered so hard in his chest it felt like it would explode in the next second while the air was sucked away from his lungs, leaving him gasping and panting for it. ¡®Who was that?¡¯ The single question dominated his mindspace as he tried to recover from the wave of terror that was still roiling in his gut. Tom had not even been trying to peer into the memories of that mysterious being, not that he believed himself capable of such a feat. He had only glimpsed upon the memories of the Nether Lich and up until now, not a single person he had used Active Shroud¡ª Maya on had so much as noticed. Yet another person, a being who helmed the army tens of thousands strong, had known even though it was not his memories that were being infiltrated. The being had known and it had put an end to it. The Fool was no ordinary card. It was an Ephemeral Card, the only of its kind to exist. It was the one card above all Tom could ce his faith in, an infallible cornerstone of his defenses. Perhaps it had been breached. But what was more likely? Had The Fool really failed¡­ or was there a connection between that being¡¯s soul and the Nether Lich? Tom shuddered at the thought alone, his expression visibly haunted as he thought back on the being¡¯s words. ¡°Who are you?¡± was the question the being had asked, meaning that there was a chance it could not figure out how the infiltration had taken ce. There were thousands, nay, millions of cards in existence, even if arge swathe of them weremon cards. It was not unlikely for one or even many amongst them to be able to tap into the memories of creatures whose bodies housed a soul. Maybe the being didn¡¯t know that it was him, Thomas Lowe, that had peered into the Nether Lich¡¯s memories. But¡­ that didn¡¯t change the horrifying fact that the entire army of Nether Beasts were waging a war on the entire of Artezia, a that he had witnessed in the Nether Lich¡¯s memories, were after the seventh ephemeral. A sinking feeling in his gut told him that there were only so many interpretations that could be made out of that statement. The Fool was an ephemeral ranked card. He was its wielder. It or perhaps, he, Thomas Lowe, working in tandem with his ephemeral card, was the key to something called the Book of Maya. A book that could change the tide of the war being waged on Artezia, tilt it towards the side of the invaders. ¡®Eight Divines. Three on one side. Five sided with this¡­ Nether Faction. Only one survived. Cards are shards of the Prime¡¯s power and the fragments that remain of his soul govern Artezia¡­. It has to be the Divine System. This¡­ isn¡¯t something I should be knowing. I didn¡¯t sign up for this, not for any of th¡ª, Tom¡¯s train of thought, a mnge of panic and horror, derailed as he remembered where he was. ¡°This is neither the time nor the ce to break down,¡± Tom snarled under his breath, even as he floated in the yul¡¯s infinite void. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if they want me, as long as I have The Fool, they can¡¯t find me. They can¡¯t destroy Artezia either, so they won¡¯t force their way to me. Someone is holding them back for me. Right now, there¡¯s only one damn thing I need to focus on, Tom thought, before turning his gaze in the direction where he expected the sea of stars to be. ¡°What the hell?¡± Tom eximed, his tone carrying forward his astonishment as he noticed the stark absence of the sea of stars that he was so used to. The void before him was almost empty, stretching out endlessly into what felt like infinity. Eternal darkness, punctuated only by only a single golden star twinkling in the distance. ¡°Wait,e to think of it,¡± Tom muttered to himself, before stretching out his limbs and moving them. ¡°There is none of the rejection I usually feel,¡± He observed, finding no resistance from the soul he was encroaching upon. Almost as if the soul was slumbering. The Nether Beasts had never seemed like nature¡¯s creations to him. Perhaps he was overreaching, but the fact that their leader, the robed being, had managed to detect the intrusion suggested a connection between them. Were the Nether Beasts made instead of born? Did the robed being y a hand in their creation? Tom shuddered at the thought, before shaking his head and directing his body forward. As he had suspected, the resistance from the realm of yul did not grow stronger as he strode deeper and deeper into the void. For once, a challenge that Artezia had thrown at him was too easy and it terrified him. Finally, Tom reached for the golden star. The light returned to Tom¡¯s gaze as he pivoted to the right, avoiding the charge of a skeletal bird with his superior reflexes. Tom¡¯splexion was pale, his hands lightly trembling as he turned his gaze to the Nether Lich. For now, he knew just how many leagues theher beast outpaced them by, how impossible this fight was. Their party could not so much as scratch the Nether Lich, not in a decade. Or at least, that would have been the case if it was not for the seal the Divine System had ced on the creature¡¯s strength. Tom knew what the Nether Crystals were, why and how they came to be. ¡°Zirel!¡± Tom bellowed, his tone sharp andmanding. ¡°What?¡± came the strained reply, as Zirel blocked a wed strike with his de of necrosis, the impact sending him reeling backwards. ¡°Retreat to the eastern wall before throwing that alchemical reagent on the throne,¡± Tom called out in the chaos of the battlefield. ¡°I just told you¡ª,¡± Zirel protested, his words cut short as he was forced to dodge another swipe of ws. ¡°why that¡¯s going to kill us all!¡± ¡°Trust me!¡± Tom replied, his tone determined. ¡°You¡¯re not going to die as long as you stay close to the wall,¡± He exined, even though he knew how weak his reasoning sounded. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Aleph asked, her tone sounding uncertain as she tried to fight her way to the Nether Lich. ¡°It¡¯s the only way. We¡¯re not going to win a war of attrition,¡± Tom pleaded, the raw desperation in his words audible. ¡°I believe him, Zirel,¡± Aleph added, as she no longer pressed forward but instead began a hasty retreat. ¡°You two are going to be the death of me,¡± Zirel protested, but his tone didn¡¯t carry any bite to it. ¡°How do you propose we get through its shield?¡± ¡°How many reagents do we have?¡± Tom shot back, as his lips curled up into the beginnings of a smile. ¡°You¡¯re insane, all of you are blooming insane,¡± Zirel pronounced, but he didn¡¯t protest. Less than a minuteter, six alchemical reagents sailed across the air, aiming for the Nether Lich that was still seated on it¡¯s throne. It would defend, Tom knew. But it also didn¡¯t have the intelligence to differentiate it from any other attack they hadunched at it. Violet mes consumed their line of sight the next moment. Chapter 106: Thomas Lowe vs Nether Lich Chapter 106: Thomas Lowe vs Nether Lich 106: ¡°We¡¯re all done¡ª,¡± Zirel muttered under his breath as he watched the bloom of violet mes expand outwards, its spread too quick and violent to be contained. His words died in his mouth as to his abject shock, the plume of Nether energy violently interacting with fire froze in its approach. For a moment in time, the clouds of destructive energy were frozen, seeminglypletely inert as the skeletal birds all around it lifelessly crashed onto the ground as whatever means of control the Nether Lich was employing, faltered. Zirel¡¯s expression twisted into dismay as the plume of Nether energy finally showed movement, but moved inwards instead of outwards. Moved towards the center of the st radius, where the Nether Lich should have been blown to bits already. ¡°Aleph,¡± Tom said, his words calm and measured. ¡°Earlier, I asked for your trust. Now, I have no choice but to ask you for your faith,¡± He said, before pointing at her rare artifact. ¡°You want my de?¡± Aleph asked, her expression unreadable behind her crystal visor. Tom was sure that she had an eye on the rapidly receding plume of Nether energy as she considered his bold ask. He looked at her visor, taking in her striking azure eyes that gleamed with intelligence. ¡°If you did not have my faith, I would not dare have attempted this challenge,¡± Aleph replied, her voiceing out muffled through the visor as she offered Tom her de by the hilt. Tom wrapped his right hand around the hilt, his eyes widening in astonishment as he took in the deadly power of a rare artifact, a true one instead of a mimic. ¡°Aleph, Zirel,¡± Tom addressed as the billowing violet mes had almostpletely receded. ¡°I need both of you to stay back until I make the call.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zirel asked, his tone incredulous. ¡°This was not what we agreed on! Just what exactly are you nning to pull here?¡± He asked, as his brows scrunched up in aggrieved confusion. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª,¡± Tom¡¯s words abruptly cut off as he turned all of his attention to the lone figure that stood in the middle of the st radius, its silhouette finally visible. The Nether Lich¡¯s ckened bones were now a luminescent violet, its empty eye-sockets now lit up by arcs of Nether Energy as it turned to face their direction. Aleph and Zirel¡¯s expressions went pale as they felt the change in the atmosphere, felt the terrible energy weighing down upon them, making them feel as if the very air was snatched from their lungs as they tried to adapt to the sheer density of Nether Energy in the chamber. Tom¡¯s expression, however, was calm as he took a step forward. ¡°Stay back,¡± He spoke the two words in warning, for it was all he had time for. ¡®How do you beat an enemy that is faster, stronger and is incapable of feeling pain?¡¯ Tom asked himself the question as he took another testing step forward, his entire attention focused on the Nether Lich. ¡®Most people probably don¡¯t. Thankfully, I¡¯m not most people.¡¯ Tom knew where the Nether Crystals came from. They weren¡¯t an attempt by the Nether Beasts to terraform the Zelez Dungeon, as he had initially suspected. No, they were simply a byproduct of the dissonance between the Nether Beasts¡¯ actual strength and the limit the seal imposed upon them, the reserves of their strength crystallized. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the vition. The Nether Lich itself was not a true sentient being. In the golden star¡¯s memories, Tom had found a series of imnted memories and actions that formed the Nether Lich¡¯sbat style. Memories that he had absorbed for himself. Which was why he knew that the Nether Lich had allowed the seal to weaken itself beyond the norm, forming the throne of crystals it had so pridefully seated itself on. Nether Crystals held in reserve, which it could not only absorb energy from at any time, but also choose to reim all it¡¯s strength if required. As Tom took in the Nether Crystal longsword the Lich clenched in his hands, he knew that it was finally fighting at a hundred percent. Tom broke out into a run in a sharp right, aiming to lead the Nether Lich away from Aleph and Zirel. The Nether Lich took the bait and chased after him, but that unsurprisingly turned out to be Tom¡¯s next problem. A blur of violet was all his senses registered as the Nether Lich shot forward with terrifying momentum. Had Tom not known how the Nether Lich fought, had he not absorbed the golden star, in all likelihood he would have fallen to it¡¯s first blow. Instead, Tom dove to the side as soon as he registered the approaching blur, swiping out with Aleph¡¯s de as he did so. A crackle of immensely powerful Nether Energy followed, as argeceration was torn across the chamber¡¯s far wall and floor. Tom felt a shockwave ripple through his right wrist as his sword bounced off the Nether Lich¡¯s hardened bones, but there was no dismay on his face as he backpedaled. His expression was focused as he took in the mark that was now visible above the Nether Lich¡¯s skull, a single mark that indicated that his next strike would be 50% faster. Tom didn¡¯t charge in as the Lich took a moment to collect itself after the terrifying attack, knowing that it was merely baiting him into charging. His heart hammered in his chest as Lifeblood¡¯s Augmentation ability was stretched to the limits, Tom bellowed, ¡°Come on, then!¡± The Nether Lich was more than happy to oblige as it turned its head toward him, it¡¯s teeth chattering in rage before it shot forward. Tom feigned a charge of his own, before he shifted his body weight to a nt and kicked toward. A strong gust of wind whipped at his abdomen as he passed just below the arcing Nether de, clipping at the Nether Lich¡¯s ankles. Another mark appeared over its head. Twice more Tom danced with death, dodging it¡¯s embrace by mere inches, if even. Four marks. It wasn¡¯t the five he needed, but the moment he had been waiting for finally arrived. The stance of the Nether Lich, the positioning of its feet, the way it held it¡¯s sword¡­ Tom was certain that it would go for a diagonal overhead sh, pooling a tremendous amount of strength behind one blow. Tom¡¯s lifeblood augmented strength and speed coupled with his speed amplified by 50% four times by Aleph¡¯s rare artefact¡­ It would have to be enough. The Nether Lich charged and Tom chose to meet it head on. This time, there would be no dodging or swerving. It¡¯s de shot downwards, in a diagonal sh from top to down. Tom¡¯s own de blurred forward and it was all he could do to hold on to it as it arced forth with blinding speed. The Nether Lich¡¯s de neared his exposed throat, though Tom knew it would damage much more than just a single body part if it so much so as touched him. Then¡­ it disappeared. Or to be more exact, it was blown away as Tom cleanly severed the shoulder joint that attached the Nether Lich¡¯s sword arm to its shoulder de. ¡°Aleph¡ª,¡± Tom called out, only for his words to be cut short as the Nether Lichunched a kick at him. Unfortunately for the Nether Lich, Tom had gotten the fifth mark he needed to reach maximum speed. The offending bone leg was cleanly severed, just as Tom came to the realization that he could end the Nether Lich himself. This was a rare artefact. His de moved again and again until the ribcage protecting the crystal in it¡¯s chest wasid bare, before he thrust directly at the crystal that he knew empowered the creation. It shattered. Chapter 107: Rewards Chapter 107: Rewards 107: Tom found himself panting heavily as he let Aleph¡¯s rare artefact slip away from his grip. Before the adrenaline pumping through his veins could finally recede, he discovered a surge of raw power flooding his body. His sight was clouded with the Divine System¡¯s notifications since there was nothing more in the final sector that could threaten him and Tom¡¯s jaw dropped open as he read through them. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­,¡± He trailed off, his expression incredulous as he stared at the flurry of notifications before him. His Ephemeral Ranked The Fool card had leveled up from 9 to a whopping 14. With each level, he got 10 attribute points, 5 soul points and one skill upgrade point. To his slight dismay, there was no new skill that the Fool revealed to him, but Tom had been suspecting for a while that he would not get any more skills so easily. After all, he had barely even begun to scratch the surface of what his current skills were capable of. But fifty attribute points alone put him well beyond the realm of being threatened by anyone in the entire Syrelore Kingdom, he suspected. Perhaps barring its king. [For your exemry performance in battle against a Nether Lich in the Zelez Dungeon¡¯s final sector, you have been awarded the feat: Unyielding yer. Description: In the face of overwhelming might, you did not falter when many others in your stead would have. You struck back. + 3 to all statistics] [Name: Synrak Veralis (Thomas Lowe) Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] (The Fool [Level 14]) Feats: Nether yer I, Invictus, Unyielding yer Statistics: Physical: 35 (+4) Mental: 35 (+4) Proprioception: 30 (+4) Soul Power: 112/112 (120) Free Points: 50 Skill Upgrade Point: 5] Levels that would have taken him months, if not years to obtain had shifted in what felt like the blink of an eye. Even if he did not factor in the unexpected boon that was the Unyielding yer feat, just the fact that The Fool was an ephemeral card meant that the amount of free points he got per level dwarfed what Aleph and Zirel would have gotten. Just the fifty free points alone meant that unless he was preyed upon by underhanded means like poison or heavily encircled, it would be very difficult for anyone in the Syrelore Kingdom to kill him any more. Let alone the changes using his Skill Upgrade Points on a skill he had been desperate to level would bring. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. However, none of that was enough to move Tom the way he had been. [The Rewards for ying the Nether Lich in the final sector have been deposited in your inventory: [Card Name: Mirror World Rank: Rare Level: 1 Skill Upgrade Point(s): 0 Ability: 1. Mirror Dimension, Level 1: Summon at will a 24x30 inch gateway to the mirror dimension that can be manipted at will. Absorbs any one continuous, non-organic means of attack as long as it does not exceed the damage tolerance of the Mirror Dimension. Mirror Dimension permanently stores the continuous, non-organic means of attack and can reproduce 100% of its efficacy perfectly for one attack. It is able to counter with no dy at the wielder¡¯s will. SP Cost is variable] At first nce, the Rare Card¡¯s description didn¡¯t seem particrly impressive to Tom, especially considering the fact that Aleph¡¯s own rare card basically let here back from death¡¯s door. However, that changed when he realized that the Mirror Dimension could reproduce a 100% of the original attack¡¯s efficacy at level 1. If Tom was right in his inference, that number would go up with the number of Skill Upgrade Points he invested in it. If everything worked out in the end, he would be able to counter an opponent with their own attack, except stronger. They would never see iting. A momentter, Tom stepped back with startled motion as a blur of violet streaked downwards before him. Almost instantly, the fabric of space was ripped apart to reveal a deep, shimmering violet that crackled with energy. [As a reward for clearing the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon, you will be offered the opportunity to teleport to a location in the nearby vicinity. You may select such a location of your choosing within the next ten minutes, exempting yourself from the dungeon reset. You are also being granted the opportunity to dere your achievement to every dungeoneer within the Zelez Dungeon, though you may choose to withhold your name if you wish to. Current Disy Name : Synrak Veralis will be made public as part of the announcement if you choose to consent.] ¡°There we go,¡± Zirel announced. ¡°A way out of this mess without picking a fight with an entire contingent of Royal Knights.¡± ¡°Do you think they are waiting for us?¡± Tom could not help but ask. Sure, he didn¡¯t need to fear the Royal Knights, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he had the heart to fight them when he had first hand witnessed their kindness. Their interests were inextricably tied to the Nobles, but they hadn¡¯t forgotten where they hailed from. ¡°You did use the Nottrakon Elite Guard crest to infiltrate the Noble district. And that was after they were already on high alert, after the elixir theft. Oh and I didn¡¯t hide my face on our way here. I¡¯m sure whatever¡¯s waiting for us outside isn¡¯t their full force, because hell, who¡¯d expect a three man team of outcasts to survive the final sector,¡± Zirel exined, though his tone wasn¡¯t self-depricating in the slightest. In fact, he seemed overjoyed, his cheeks warm from emotion as he stared at the emptiness that undoubtedly concealed the divine system¡¯s notifications. ¡°I suppose it would be poor form to ask what you gentlemen received as a reward?¡± Aleph chimed in, her tone as curious as it sounded overwhelmed. ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time for that,¡± Tom replied. ¡°For now, are you guys agreeing to let the system share our names?¡± ¡°Obviously not,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°No,¡± Aleph followed, a flicker of a second behind him, causing their voices to ovep. ¡°Hm,¡± Tom hummed in thought. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll im the glory then.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°You guys would just be painting a target on your heads if you revealed your names. Mine, though? I''m nobody. Let them scratch their heads as they try and figure out just where in Artezia I crawled out of.¡± Chapter 108: Mayhem Chapter 108: Mayhem 108: Almost one weekter¡­ Tom¡¯s expression was calm as he bnced himself on the bough of a particrly tall tree. It would not be long now, he knew. Soon, the contingent of academy students that would include a girl with fiery red hair and burnished orange eyes would arrive,plete with three academy professors that included the duplicitous one. Professor Neliel, Valeria Nezaria, the only child of Lord Ramav Nezaria and a second professor that belonged to the Nottrakon Family would all be converging at the same point in fabric of space and time. A grand confluence of fates that would determine what the future of the Syrelore Kingdom would look like. A future that was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things perhaps, but mattered to his friend all the same. Tom closed his eyes and expanded his sense of hearing as much as he could, confident that he himself would not be detected. Not after the investments he had made. [Statistics: Physical: 50 (+4)Mental: 50 (+4) Proprioception: 50 (+4)] But that wasn¡¯t all, of course. [Congrattions, Legendary Ability {Shroud} has leveled up from Level 8 to Level 10!] [Congrattions, Legendary Ability {Fool¡¯s Gold} has leveled up from Level 1 to Level 4] [Fool¡¯s Gold, Level 4 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. One¡¯s grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. One¡¯s greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [6] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [25] levels of the Soul Card¡¯s current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 40% of the object¡¯s ability and copy a maximum of [2] skills.] While it was disappointing to discover no new subskills after he had leveled his Legendary Ability Shroud to the milestone of ten, Tom was still satisfied to know that the effectiveness of both his sub-skills had increased. Sub-skill Homebound had a shorter cooldown while sub-skill Moh-Maya¡¯s odds at aiding him in copying memories while in the realm of Yul had improved. As for Fool¡¯s Gold, Tom couldn¡¯t be too disappointed in the changes to the ability given that he had only invested three upgrade points into it. Forty percent of the original object¡¯s effectiveness would win him no battles, but Fool¡¯s gold was an incredibly versatile ability that had just gotten its recorded slots increased by 1. For now though, Tom doubted that he would need to rely on external items to win his battles. Even his Umon card, Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation, the ability that he had been relying on to win most of his battles, had seen diminished effectiveness after his Strength and Proprioception had reached fifty points. He could still use it to move faster, but Tom feared that he was seeing the limitations of the Umon rank. From what Aleph and Zirel had told him, Common cards had a level cap of ten, umon cards a level cap of twenty and Rare cards went up to a whopping 30. As for higher rarities, Tom assumed that they had no idea. A few of hismon cards had been maxed out already and while Lifeblood was still far from that milestone, Tom didn¡¯t expect it to be transformative. As for Blood Scion, it¡¯s value to him was already dropping, as his own body had be a more lethal weapon than the blood of in enemies ever could be. It was a mncholic feeling, to find himself outgrowing the cards he had been relying upon for his survival. While Lifeblood could still be useful to him, themon cards had outlived their value to him. Tom¡¯s expression tightened as his senses detected the shuffling of footsteps in the distance, flitting through the forest with astonishing speed. ¡®Footsteps¡­ more than one,¡¯ Tom thought. ¡®Professor Neliel had expected there to be a single assassin, but he had never received confirmation on the matter. The Nottrakon Family sure is thorough.¡¯ Tom signaled to Aleph and Zirel, who were undoubtedly watching him from their own concealed positions, before he mouthed, ¡°There¡¯s more than one assassin.¡± There was no acknowledgement or movement to confirm that they had received the message, but Tom was nevertheless sure that they had. Such was the trust they had built with each other after conquering the most difficult sector in the Zelez Dungeon. He leaned backwards, concealing himself even more thoroughly in the shadows cast by the boughs and thickets of leaves above him. Minutes ticked away before the first of the procession was visible. Professor Neliel led the procession, with the students walking behind him in groups of twos and threes. The second traitor alongside the unwitting processor had taken their ces at the tail end of the formation. This way, they could im that they had been doing their jobspetently. It seemed like the matter of Zirel¡¯s resurgence, his crimes and most of all, his suspected conquest of the Zelez Dungeon¡¯s final sector were being concealed for now. Or maybe he wasn¡¯t deemed enough of a direct threat, bearing no rtion to the academy students on the way to give their practical exams. Either way, Tom still hated how well the professors that were responsible for the safety of their students were orchestrating their murder, noble scion or not. The way the procession was organized, no me would fall on either of them¡ª they had ced themselves in the line of fire, after all. Tom¡¯s keen gaze fell on a girl that sported fiery red hair cut short. Then, he blinked. Next to her was a man Tom recognized quite well. Pale skin, high cheekbones, emerald eyes¡ª that could only been Zenakris Renain, keeper of the Umon [The Umbra] card. A student who had struck terror into Tom¡¯s heart on their first encounter, a student who he had used Maya on only to find himself almost overwhelmed. Fate hade full circle and this time, it was Zenakris who seemed so¡­ weak before Tom, before Thomas Lowe, an ordinary dude from a small town in Texas. ¡®Don¡¯t worry Zenakris, I repay my debts,¡¯ Tom thought, as his lips curled upwards in amusement. It was Zenakris¡¯ appearance that had let him sneak into the academic city, Renovia, letting him meet and partner up with Alephter on. Zenakris might never know it, but he had been a benefactor to him. Tom¡¯s gaze sharpened as he noticed that the shuffle of footsteps had gone eerily quiet. His senses picked up on a build-up of energy and a momentter, Tom moved. He wasn¡¯t surprised to find that he had, in one leap, reached Valeria Renain before the assassins had. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Zenakris¡¯ eyes went wide in surprise while Valeria¡¯s expression contorted in shock, but neither of them were quick enough to reach the blur of grayish-ck that streaked towards them. Tom¡¯s expression was calm as he assessed the threat, discerning that a thin, elongated needle had been thrown, aimed at Valeria¡¯s abdomen. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an artifact or card ability that powered the needle, but the energy powering it was enough to make his hair stand on end. He stood his ground, however, as the needle drew closer and closer. ¡°Mirror World,¡± Tom whispered under his breath moments before the needle would¡¯ve caught him in the abdomen instead of Valeria. Tom remained unabashed as the very fabric of space seemed to unwind to reveal a rectangr mirror, its surface smooth and reflective. The needle that was meant to end Valeria¡¯s life sunk into the mirror, leaving nary a trace as it disappeared in it¡¯s entirety without leaving so much so as a scratch on the mirror¡¯s surface. Tom¡¯s lips curled upwards before he spoke one word in retaliation, ¡°Counter.¡± The grayish-ck streak was returned to the vicinity of where it came from with a simr amount of force. Tom hadn¡¯t expected the counter to strike the would-be assassin, but he was curious about its effect. So he watched as the grayish-ck needle struck a tree. Tom blinked as he watched the life force drain out of an entire tree in a matter of moments, before it¡¯s desated husk crashed onto the ground with a loud bang. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ He thought, not at all having expected such a vicious poison. ¡°We¡¯re under attack¡ª Scatter!¡± Professor Neliel bellowed just as he had registered that the n had gone awry. The Academy students seemed well trained as they did not hesitate beyond the initial fog of war, before taking off in different directions. Except Valeria, who stood there dazed and Zenakris, who charged at Tom a moment after. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked, as he put himself between Tom and Valeria, his right hand glowing ominously with a congealed mass of shadows. Tom¡¯s hand reflexively shot forward, wrestling Zenakris¡¯ left arm away from him and to the side. ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s no way to treat someone that just saved your life,¡± Tom protested, not letting up his grip as he did so. ¡°Unhand him,¡± Valeria protested, as she finally snapped out of her reverie. ¡°Fine,¡± Tom replied, though heplied with enough force to send Zenakris a few steps back. ¡° Surely you understand that the poisoned needle was meant for you?¡± Tom asked Valeria, his voice carrying forward aposure that he had, at some point in his otherworldly journey, began to own. ¡°It appears to be so,¡± Valeria replied through pursed lips. ¡°I¡¯m d that you understand,¡± Tom replied, as the sound of battle echoed in the direction the assassins had fired from. Aleph and Zirel had begun the fight and unlike Tom, they had no qualms when it came to eliminating their opponents. ¡°Now,¡± Tom continued. ¡°I saved your life. If you want to keep it, you need toe with me,¡± He hurriedly exined. ¡°Why should she¡ª,¡± Zenakris began to protest, only to be cut off by Valeria. ¡°Stop,¡± She told Zenakris, her tone carrying an air of finality. ¡°You said they were after me. Does that mean they will let Zenakris go?¡± She asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Tell your friend to get out of here while he still can.¡± ¡°Valeria, I¡¯m not¡ª¡± ¡°Zen, you need to go,¡± Valeria replied, her tone far sharper than any de. ¡°You told me about your dream. You¡¯re not going to fall here, the assassin¡¯s aren¡¯t after you. Go, now!¡± Their gazes intersected. Zenakris turned away first. ¡°How can I trust that guy? How can I leave you with him?¡± He asked, his tone impassioned even as his eyes scanned the foliage for any threats. ¡°I think you know the answer to that one already,¡± Tom replied, his attention split between Valeria and the professors that were congregating towards them. ¡°Zen, if he wanted me dead, he could¡¯ve just let it happen. Neither of us can fight you off, can we?¡± Valeria asked, her tone sounding resigned. ¡°No, but I didn¡¯t go to all this effort just to see you harmed. I know it¡¯s a bit much to ask, but trust me,¡± Tom offered, his tone mirroring his genuine intentions. ¡°Shit, shit, fuck!¡± Zenakris screamed, before slowly stepping backwards. A momentter, he broke off into a sprint, disappearing into the forest¡¯s foliage. ¡°Identify yourself!¡± Professor Neliel bellowed as he walked towards Tom, a total of six golden des carved from the earth floating around him in an arc. The two other professors arrived from the other side, their own abilities on full disy. The soles of the second traitor¡¯s feet were ame, in his hands a longbow that was most definitely a powerful artifact, while thest professor¡¯s hands were emanating frost energy that seemed reasonably powerful. ¡°I don¡¯t identify myself to traitors,¡± Tom replied with a sneer, causing Valeria¡¯s eyes to go wide with surprise as Tom wrapped his right hand around her waist before breaking out into a sprint. Tom¡¯s lips curled up into a smile as the trio of professors didn¡¯t immediately chase after him. Instead, the professor whose hands were emanating frost energy stepped away from hispanions side, managing to get a frost wall just as the arrow held taut was loosed in his direction. That left only Professor Neliel, who began chasing after Tom. ¡°Now, ask yourself why two of your professors are fighting,¡± Tom muttered even as he ran forward with wide strides. ¡°While a third is running after you like a rabid beast,¡± He added. Valeria was silent for a few long moments as she allowed herself to be led forward, Tom¡¯s fifty physical meaning that he wasn¡¯t tired in the slightest as he ran while supporting her weight, even if it did cut down his speed. ¡°Why do they want to kill me?¡± She asked, her tone tense but surprisingly collected. ¡°It¡¯s the Nottrakon Family,¡± Tom replied in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Who else could convince academy professors to betray their own students? Who else could n such a brazen assassination in the middle of the day?¡± He asked. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ joking,¡± Valeria protested, even as doubt seeped into her own tone. ¡°What could they possibly have to gain¡­,¡± She trailed off, as her eyes widened in realization before she shook her head. ¡°Even if they wanted to kill me, they would not do it so ostentatiously!¡± She argued. ¡°My father is the king¡¯s right hand. If he were to have me executed so boldly, that would mean war!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Tom nodded, before he leapt to the left. A secondter, one of Professor Neliel¡¯s golden earthen des smashed down on the spot they had been standing with vicious fury, it¡¯s special properties causing the ground underneath to cave in and further trap any would be target. ¡°But what if the assassins were ready to take the fall, carrying evidence that would pin the me on the Zenari instead?¡± Tom asked. ¡°The Zenari¡­ and the Nezaria¡­. Noble honor and merchant wealth. Aides of the king yes, but also the two Noble Houses that pose the greatest threat to them. Curses, that bloodthirsty king really seeks to manipte my father in such a vile manner?¡± Valeria asked, her fear and exhaustion forgotten in favor of rage. ¡°Seems like it,¡± Tom nonchntly replied. ¡°And you? Who are you? So young and yet so oundishly powerful¡­ you¡¯re not from this kingdom, are you?¡± Valeria asked. ¡°Me, your highness? Oh, I¡¯m just passing by,¡± Tom shed a rogueish grin before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m happy to escort you to your father, if that¡¯s where you¡¯d rather be. As long as you don¡¯t forget to tell him that the Nottrakon Family tried to have you assassinated and then the Zenari, framed for it.¡± ¡°What grudge do you have with the Nottrakon?¡± She asked, but Tom had no time to reply as he gently pushed her away from him. He turned to the right and where he was unarmed just moments ago, a de flickered into his right hand. Nvein¡¯s mimicked de, an umon ranked artefact that increased the wielder¡¯s speed upon every sessful parry up to a maximum of 40% on his inferior version. A momentter, an assassin crashed down upon him from the foliage, his entire body emanating a blood red aura as he brought down his shortsword on him. Sparks flickered as Tom batted away the would be assassin with a wave of his right hand, sending him careening backwards. Disbelief shed in the assassin¡¯s eyes as he pivoted tond on the tree feet forward. Wood chips were sent exploding outwards from the sheer weight, or perhaps density, of the assassin¡¯s body. It took Tom only a moment to conclude that the red aura was letting the assassin manipte his body¡¯s mass. He could not have leapt at him with such speed if he had been so heavy, yet he had been exactly that heavy when Tom batted him aside nheless. Tom was prepared as the assassin moved with a quickness that should not belong to one so dense, his expression full of scorn as he aimed for Tom¡¯s throat. The assassin was only slightly surprised when Tom blocked the killing blow with his own de, as he reached for his waist and pulled free a vial full of noxious liquid, throwing it at Tom. A mirror swallowed the contents of the vial before it could even touch Tom and he used that moment to press forward. One strike into the second. And then a third, a long line across the assassin¡¯s neck. Tom knew that if he kept going on the path he had chosen, this moment woulde. Now, it had, as the assassin¡¯s lifeless body crumpled onto the ground and he felt none of the crushing guilt he had been fearing he would. Monsters had tried to kill him and they had died. Now an assassin had and¡­ he had died too. Maybe it was adrenaline holding his emotions at bay. But, no¡­ He would feel guilty about it, yes. Perhaps mncholic, as well. But even in his own world, if you went for a man¡¯s throat you had to be prepared to sacrifice your own. When the system offered him the option to loot the assassin, Tom did not deny it. Then he returned to a shaken Valeria, who had her sword at the ready. ¡°Do you know who that was?¡± She asked, her expression dumbfounded as she stared at Tom, agape. ¡°No?¡± He replied. ¡°That, I¡¯m pretty sure, is the leader of the Nottrakon Family¡¯s Elite Guard. Or¡­ was.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Chapter 109: Professor Neliel Chapter 109: Professor Neliel 109: A moment of awkward silence passed between Tom and Valeria as he considered the implications that her statement carried. Then, Tom shrugged. ¡°Oh well, I guess he had iting,¡± Tom dered, his toneing out more flippant than he had intended. That was all the time they had for conversation as Professor Neliel burst into the clearing, his eyes bloodshot as he took stock of the situation. ¡°Valeria, step away from that man. He¡¯s working with the kidnappers!¡± Professor Neliel made an impassioned plea, his expression one of genuine panic. ¡°Kidnappers?¡± Valeria asked, the doubt in her tone audible. ¡°He just saved my life, Professor Neliel,¡± She replied, her tone carrying an iciness that was enough to make Tom raise an eyebrow. ¡°All an act, I tell you. An act!¡± Professor Neliel dered while Tom sized him up patiently, making no effort to plead his cause. ¡°He wants you to go with him willingly so he can ransom your father!¡± ¡°Orchestrating an assassination just to stage a kidnapping? You insult my intelligence, Professor¡ª No, traitor Neliel,¡± Valeria replied, her tone full of undisguised scorn. Of course, Tom knew why the normally calm and reserved Professor Neliel was acting in this manner. If the assassination failed, the Nottrakon Family would make sure to eliminate every single person involved in the plot, eviscerating everyst tie that could link them to the attempt on Valeria¡¯s life. ¡°Then¡­,¡± Professor Neliel trailed off, his expression abruptly darkening. ¡°Die,¡± He whispered under his breath. Tom¡¯s expression abruptly changed as his senses registered the two already formed earthen des nking Valeria from opposing directions. He had made a mistake. While his senses were stretched to their limits, Professor Neliel had been craftier. He had shaped his des during his conversation with Valeria, making sure that they were positioned perfectly. Then, as soon as it became clear that negotiations had broken down, hemanded the des to close in with a pincer attack. Had the threat been directed to Tom, he would¡¯ve caught onto it the moment the des shifted. But Professor Neliel¡¯s goal had never been to harm him, only his target¡ª Valeria. He had underestimated Neliel¡¯s ruthlessness. A mirror opened up before one of the approaching earthen des while Tom¡¯s form blurred as he moved to intercept the second. One attack was neutralized but the second¡­ Professor Neliel had yed his cards well. Tom let Mirror World fade away with the absorbed attack, while he activated Lifeblood¡¯s Blood Scion ability. It only let him manipte the blood of recently in enemies, which the purported leader of the Nottrakon Family¡¯s Elite Guard happened to be. Thankfully, Valeria was standing next to the now deceased leader when Neliel burst in, in an effort to confirm his identity. Tom could only forge blood weapons with the blood scion ability, which was further capped by the limits of his mental stat. He had enough of thetter, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to consider arge, spiked shield a weapon. This tale has been uwfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Tom watched as the golden earthen de pushed away the wielder-less spiked shield, his lips curling up into a faint smile as his purpose was aplished. The momentum powering the de¡¯s charge had dulled and this time, when Tom used Nvein¡¯s mimicked de to intercept it, he didn¡¯t hold back in the slightest. The de turned to dust. Tom had no time to celebrate his sess, as the sizzling and crackling of thunder echoed out behind him. He turned, just in time to witness Valeria shing her sword with wild abandon, sending forth an arcing sh of thunder. Professor Neliel hurriedly moved to dodge the blow, his gaze dismayed as his best chance to assassinate Valeria just barely slipped out of his hands. He evaded the first strike, but Valeria was like a valkyrie whose rage had been given physical form. Powerful and relentless, she finally caught professor Neliel on the fourth blow. Tom had expected the deadly thunder to shave off the leg it had targeted, but instead it seeped inside, seemingly without doing any harm. A secondter, Professor Neliel¡¯s scream punctuated the air as the deadly current coursed through his body, causing his muscles to seize up. Before Professor Neliel could recover from the onught, Valeria closed the distance between them with electric currents empowering her stride. Tom watched as the light in Professor Neliel¡¯s eyes dimmed, a single, painless strike bringing deliverance to him. Then he blinked. ¡°Well, damn,¡± Tom muttered, his expression one of visible surprise. Valeria was far from being a threat to the current him, but that didn¡¯t mean that she hadn¡¯t just dispatched a professor without batting an eye. ¡°A mere minor noble dares turn his de towards me,¡± Valeria spoke, her toneing from scorn instead of hate. ¡°It was an end befitting his duplicitous actions.¡± ¡°Now princess, I don¡¯t know anything about this Noble business of yours,¡± Tom replied. ¡°But if you want to survive this, you¡¯re going to have to let me lead you. Preferably without being charred to dust in the process, thanks.¡± ¡°Like I could harm you,¡± Valeria replied, the mockery in her tone doing well to conceal the self-doubt concealed within. Tom figured that it was the closest he would get to verbal permission, given the Noble woman¡¯s rather fiery personality. He took it and a momentter they were off, with Tom keeping one eye on Valeria even as he ran with his arm around her waist. He did not want to be electrocuted, no thanks. ¡°So, you¡¯re okay with going to the Noble District?¡± Tom asked as he ran, his body showing no sign of strain or being winded in the slightest. ¡°The Nezarie Family estate, please,¡± Valeria replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Nobles were the type to say please,¡± Tom remarked as he elerated his pace by a notch, his gaze shing with an urgency simr to Valeria¡¯s own. He could defend himself well enough, but as Professor Neliel had proven, that didn¡¯t mean he would be able to defend Valeria against everything the Nottrakon Family had left to throw at her. ¡°You¡¯re probably at least as strong as my father and just saved my life for the second time. I may be a Noble, but I¡¯m not a boor,¡± Valeria replied with a huff, as if she was actually offended by his words. ¡°Fair enough, princess. I¡¯m guessing you want an escort till the front door?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Considering how far-reaching this conspiracy seems to be, yes. I¡¯m still not sure why you¡¯re doing this, or for that matter, who in the blooming aeraniculumn you are, but my father would be amenable to discussing anypensation you want.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Tom replied. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch and sorry, but I¡¯m not getting involved in a brawl between the royal family, the Nezaria and the Zenari.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re going to just¡­ get to walk away after ruining the Nottrakon Family¡¯s ns like this?¡± Valeria asked, her tone tinged with disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m not thinking anything, I am going to walk away. But hey, your life got saved in the process so, hurrah,¡± Tom cheered, finding himself leaning more and more into the Fool¡¯s persona as he entangled himself with increasingly dangerous forces., ¡°Don¡¯t say no until you hear his offer,¡± Valeria replied, throwing out ast-ditch effort to recruit Tom before the conversation died out. Ten minutester, as Tom stealthily climbed up a two storey building, he let loose his grip on Valeria. ¡°Wait,¡± Valeria muttered as she surveyed her new surroundings. ¡°Why are we here?¡± ¡°Wee to the Nameless District, princess. The food isthered in salt to avoid tasting rotten, the beer¡¯s so watered down I wouldn¡¯t even use it to wash my hands and it¡¯s probably not the entrance they expect us to enter from.¡± Chapter 110: Powerhouse, Synrak Veralis Chapter 110: Powerhouse, Synrak Veralis 110: ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Valeria asked, her tone managing to soundposed even when life had given her ample reason not to. ¡°Mypanions,¡± Tom replied, as his gaze swept across the Nameless District. To Valeria, it probably looked like he was surveying for threats, but he was just taking in what had been his home for thest couple of months¡ª for thest time. ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t expect me to hold off all the assassins by myself?¡± He rhetorically asked. ¡°I heard the sounds of battle in the distance,¡± Valeria admitted, a light quiver to her tone that was almost immediately suppressed. ¡°Yourpanions, are they as¡­ powerful as you?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Tom nonchntly replied. ¡°Though, between the two of them, they could probablye up with a dozen ways to kill me,¡± He admitted, his tone tinged with what sounded like pride. ¡°Hey now,¡± A voice sounded out from behind them. Valeria was the first to turn, her expression turning to shock as a robed man stepped out of the surroundings itself¡ª the light blue stretching out into the horizon, the texture of the roof, the dance of a falling leaf, the smoke wafting in the air from a nearby chimney. The masked Zirel stepped through reality itself, as if it were only a curtain to be parted. ¡°I would never kill someone as interesting as you,¡± Zirel Covan Nottrakon, estranged fourth prince of the Nottrakon Family, said as he anchored himself in reality. Valeria¡¯s expression paled, not even having sensed his presence in the slightest until he revealed himself. The surprises didn¡¯t end there as Valeria retreated, having noticed a blur of movement in the periphery of her vision. A momentter, a masked Aleph was standing next to Zirel, her distinctive hair tied into a bun and concealed by the hooded robes drawn over her head. She had moved so quickly, her lithe charge had evaded the proprioception stats of dozens of dungeoneers. While Aleph¡¯s newly acquired Rare remained a mystery to Tom since she was incapable of adding more to her deck until she leveled her Total Recall card past level 1 and thereby lost all her existing stats¡ª the price for using the severance glyph, Zirel¡¯s was fairly obvious. After the estranged prince had used the Severance Glyph on himself, he had be a terrifying assassin the likes of which even the king ought to fear. Blending into the environment was a horrifying ability to give someone who already had the Umon (M) The Spectre card and it¡¯s paralyzing Phantom de ability. Tom¡¯s own proprioception stat allowed him to keep track of both Zirel and Aleph, but that was only for now. Once they found a way to break through the restrictions of their severance glyphs and Aleph in particr managed to equip two rares, he would not rate his chances in a fight with them favorably. ¡°I¡­,¡± Valeria began, then trailed off, as her eyes widened in realization. ¡°You¡¯re Synrak Veralis and his dungeoneering squad,¡± She dered, the conviction in his tone heavy. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Tom asked, feigning ignorance to buy time to think. ¡®Valeria used my pseudonym instead of naming Zirel, who is much more important to the politicalndscape of the Syrelore Kingdom. She doesn¡¯t know, then. The Nottrakon Family probably wrote Zirel off as dead after he challenged the final sector and kept it that way after they realized he survived. I guess it would make the princely heir look weak and inept if the truth was toe out.¡¯ ¡°Do not take me for a fool,¡± Valeria sharply rebuked. ¡°I have never seen or heard of the cards you use, nor have I heard of one so young yet so powerful. You are the only one of yourpatriots that does not wear a mask, and Synrak is the only one brazen enough to announce his name to the entire kingdom. It is you. ¡± ¡°Looks like she got you, Synrak,¡± Aleph replied tly, her tone unmoved by Valeria¡¯s deduction. ¡°Guess she has,¡± Tom replied with a shrug. ¡°Well princess, if there was ever a time to throw your royal presence around, it¡¯s now. Get us through the checkpoint without bloodshed and we¡¯ll get you to your father,¡± Tom proposed. ¡°What will you do if the Nottrakon Family has already bought out the Royal Knights?¡± Valeria asked, her tone cold as she gazed upon the tent that served as a checkpoint. ¡°Incapacitate them,¡± Tom replied. Valeria blinked. ¡°That is quite soft for one of your strength. Did you not promise to deliver me to my father?¡± Valeria asked, her tone tinged with incredulousness. ¡°I did and I will,¡± He replied. ¡°Why not just kill them?¡± Valeria asked. ¡°You had no qualms about taking out Professor Neliel, why show mercy to traitors now?¡± She asked. ¡°The professor had a fiduciary duty to protect his students. The assassins were unknowingly going to frame the Zenari for the Nottrakon. I do not regret doing what needed to be done, but the Royal Knights are merely pawns embroiled in a game between Nobles. I will not kill them,¡± Tom firmly replied, making his intentions clear. ¡°I would call that admirable, if it weren¡¯t likely to get me killed. Very well, I shall negotiate a way through this mess,¡± Valeria replied, her tone tense but not necessarily ungrateful. Tom felt countless eyes on him as he walked next to Valeria, followed closely by Aleph and Zirel as they walked towards the entrance of the Noble District. One look at Valeria¡¯s family insignia was enough dungeoneers milling about to hurriedly part, fearfully stepping aside to avoid the ire of the King¡¯s right hand. ¡°Halt!¡± A familiar voice boomed out, before Nvein stepped outside the tent. He was followed by three other Royal Knights that included another person he was familiar with¡ª the kind Serawin, who had allowed him to go back to the Nameless District without trying to imprison him. ¡°No one is allowed into the Noble District for the next seven days, including Nobles. These are orders that I have received directly from Covan Nottrakon I¡±. Valeria¡¯s visage was a mask of coldposure as she took a step forward. ¡°My good knight,¡± She began, her tone radiating an aura ofmand. ¡°There has just been an attempt on my life. I have found an insignia on the assassin that indicates a link to one of the Noble Families currently residing in Renovia and my father will report to the king afterwards. Now, you will step aside and let me see him, otherwise my guard here will consider you a traitor and cut you down without hesitation,¡± Valeria dered, her words drawing silent gasps and wordless exmations from the crowd of dungeoneers. ¡°Ms Valeria¡­,¡± Nvein trailed off, the astonishment tinging his voice genuine. In that moment, Tom knew that Nvein wasn¡¯t a traitor. ¡°I had no idea that there has been an attempt on your life. Please, do ept my heartfelt empathy. However, these orders are directly from the crown¡­,¡± Nvein said, his tone warped by stress and confusion. The Royal Knights were caught between a rock and a hard ce. ¡°How about this,¡± Tom stepped forward,ing to a stop before Valeria. ¡°All four of you, charge at me in unison. If I repel all of you without breaking a sweat in the presence of so many witnesses, you cannot possibly stop me. Do so and I won¡¯t kill you. I will not so much as harm you if you agree to this, on the Divine System,¡± Tom proposed, his tonepletely at ease. ¡°I give my permission for the same,¡± Valeria added, her tone unmoved by the proposal. She had seen Synrak Veralis¡¯ strength and now the world would, too. Chapter 111: Thomas Lowe vs. Royal Knights Chapter 111: Thomas Lowe vs. Royal Knights 111: Tom stepped forward unarmed, his steps as sure as they were firm. He knew that the gaze of every dungeoneer that was gawking upon the proceedings was on his back in that moment. A few months ago, he would¡¯ve balked at such attention, but the present Tom found himself unperturbed as a bare-knuckled Thomas Lowe confronted four Royal Knights, a designation that the Nameless District both sought to achieve and paradoxically, feared. ¡°Will you dishonor us by not drawing your de?¡± Serawin asked, his calm and gentle demeanor reced by an angry rebuke. ¡°Mybat style does not require it,¡± Tom nonchntly replied, an easy going smile apparent on his visage. ¡°Do notin if you are injured, or worse,¡± A blonde-haired Royal Knight whose name Tom did not know ominously dered, his expression harsh as he drew a scimitar. ¡°Did you not hear the miss?¡± Tom asked, the jibe in his tone intentional. ¡°She authorized the duel, so eithere at me or clear the way for her,¡± He taunted, knowing that distancing himself Nvein and Serawin was the best way he could help them avoid responsibility for the same. It seemed that he had pushed the Royal Knights too far, as Nvein broke out into a wordless charge. Tom watched for the re of abilities, but none came. It seemed like the Royal Knights had no intention to kill him, given his position as Valeria¡¯s guard and the assassination im she had raised. Well, at least not in the presence of so many witnesses. If there was a traitor amongst them, he would strike at the moment Tom lowered his guard. But from prior experience, he knew that the deadly strike would not be directed at him. Nvein swung his de, unleashing an arcing sh that targeted his right knee instead of anywhere vital. Tom refused to budge, his lips curling upwards into a mischievous smile as he let his palms expand outward before he brought them together in a flourish of momentum. A loud p echoed outwards as Tom stilled the deadly de¡¯s momentum, sping it and locking it in ce between his cupped palms. A trickle of blood trailed down from his palm and down his left arm, but that was all the visible damage Nvein had been able to deal to him. Tom allowed Nvein¡¯s features to warp inplete astonishment as he pressed down on his de, only to find that it simply refused to budge under Tom¡¯s grip. Tomshed out with a kick that contained only a fraction of strength. It was enough to send Nvein skidding backwards, the suddenness of the attack causing his grip over his own de to escape him. The blonde-haired Royal Knight stilled Nvein¡¯s trail through the sand and gravel underneath him, catching him and upholding his dogged effort to remain standing. The scorn on the blonde-haired Royal Knight¡¯s visage turned to grim caution. ¡°If you want a fight,¡± Serawin began, stepping forward even as his gaze flickered to Nvein and assessing his situation before refocusing on Tom, ¡°Then, we shall oblige.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. This time, it was not one Royal Knight that charged at him, but three. Serawin, the blonde-haired Knight and a third, a grayish-white haired woman that appeared to be in herte thirties, charged. Tom broke out into an amused chuckle as he flipped Nvein¡¯s de to make it his own. He was familiar with it, so Tom found wielding it no challenge as redirected the thrust from a rapier to the side. Sparks flew in the air as the grayish-white haired woman watched her dangerous thrust miss Tom¡¯s shoulderbone by over an inch. Her eyes went wide with realization the moment she realized that her de had not been parried, it had merely been pushed to the side after Tom had let it slip past his guard. Such casual indifference in the face of a powerful attack meant that¡­ it had never been a threat to begin with. Tomnded a quick palm on the grayish-white haired woman¡¯s side, sending her stumbling into the charge of the blonde-haired knight. That left him to focus on Serawin, the Royal Knight who had so kindly escorted him out of the Noble District after feeding him a meal. He closed the distance between them with a short sword that had a light green aura ensconcing it. His de hand shifted and in response, the short sword blurred forward. If Tom had to wager a guess, he would consider the short sword artefact to have a movement enhancing effect. Of course, Tom had no trouble parrying the first strike and the nature of Nvein¡¯s de meant that it too, got faster upon every sessful parry. For a long moment, as Serawin and Tom crossed des repeatedly in quick session, it appeared as if they were evenly matched. Then, Serawin¡¯s short sword went careening into the sky as Tom disarmed him with a clever flick of Nvein¡¯s de. ¡°You toy with us,¡± The grayish-white haired woman snarled from behind Tom and the next thing he knew, his senses picked up on a sharp, pointed icicle heading for him with blinding speed. A mirror appeared out of nowhere to shield Tom¡¯s back, absorbing the deadly blow without the slightest difficulty before disappearing in it¡¯s entirety. ¡°Tut-tut,¡± Tom intoned with a shake of his head, as Serawin froze. No longer seeing Serawin as a threat, Tom turned around to find Aleph and Zirel holding their des to the two Royal Knight¡¯s throats. They had not even gotten the time to react, let alone resist. ¡°If I wanted you to interfere, I would¡¯ve told you so,¡± Tom rolled his eyes at the performance. Aleph and Zirel knew that he had been in no real danger from the Royal Knight¡¯s attack. ¡°They made the first move. Never expect Noblepdogs to y fair,¡± Aleph replied, her tone practically radiating her distaste for those who had pledged their allegiance to Noble Families in exchange for their loyalties. Tom shrugged, before turning his gaze to the now unarmed Nvein, who studied him with a scorching intensity. ¡°Are we done with this charade?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Or do you want to keep going until this gets dangerous. Let us pass Royal Knight, you cannot stop me or mypanions,¡± Tom dered, his tone containing iron within. ¡°We concede,¡± Nvein replied bitterly, though he did not sound entirely defeated. Aleph and Zirel retracted their des before retreating a few steps, still vary of counter attacks by the freed Knights. ¡°You let my knights live and true to your word, they are unscathed. If you do not intend to harm us, then perhaps you would be willing to answer a question of mine before you pass?¡± ¡°Depends on the question,¡± Tom replied, having returned to Valeria¡¯s side. ¡°What is your name, one so young yet so terrifyingly powerful?¡± He asked, a tinge of what Tom could only interpret as excitement audible in his tone. Tom smiled. ¡°My name is Synrak Veralis, first of my name. Those who have done no wrong have no reason to fear my de. All I seek is to deliver Valeria to her father, before I depart thesends for far-away pastures,¡± Tom announced both his pseudonym and his intentions. Gasps and muted eximations sounded out from behind him as the dungeoneers struggled to contain their uproar. The same was true for the Royal Knights, who warily retreated from Synrak¡¯s presence with stunned expressions. The very same Synrak Veralis who had conquered the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon was now standing at the doorsteps of the Noble District. ¡°You cannot stop us. Let us pass, now!¡± Valeria decreed and this time, the Royal Knights did not offer resistance. Chapter 112: The Kings Right Hand Chapter 112: The King''s Right Hand 112: Valeria took the lead as she found herself in familiar territory. Tom kept pace with her, his res not nearly as effective as the masked Aleph and Zirel, who were following them with their des out. The closer they got to Valeria¡¯s residence, the further the crowd thinned out as the milling pedestrians either split away to the various organizations they were employed by, like the Academy, Alchemy Guild or the stores that were frequented by Noble Families or were drawn away by their apprenticeships and residences. After all, few were granted the honor of residing within one of the Noble Residences. Even househelp and gardeners were subject to the most stringent of background checks and if their lineage could not be traced to the Syrelore Kingdom for thest ten generations, they were denied. Merely ten minutester, Tom found himself facing down an ostentatious gate. Wrought metal was shaped and twirled into floral motifs, two see-through metal panels meeting at the center to bloom into arge metal flower whose petals served as artful handles. Blocking their way to the pathway that led to the manor, nked with a beautiful rainbow of colorful flowers, were two heavily armored guards that carried their des sheathed. ¡°Ms Valeria,¡± The one to the right acknowledged, observing her keenly from behind his barbute helmet¡¯s open-air visor. ¡°Who are thesepanions of yours? Master Ramav is not expecting any guests today,¡± He remarked, his tone hinting at something deeper. ¡°They are the ones who saved my life and you shall treat them as such,¡± Valeria replied, as the tension she had been concealing left her body with a long, weary sigh. Tom did not move as the guards drew their des, their eyes mirroring the same rm. ¡°Ms. Valeria, what happened?¡± The guard to the left asked, his tone carrying an undertone of panic as he scoured their surroundings while other guard kept a close eye on Tom and hispanions. ¡°I need to speak to my father,¡± Valeria replied. ¡°The threat has been averted for now, but given how brazen they were, you better sound the rm¡±. The guard who had asked the question did not let his panic affect his duties as he retrieved a light brown crystal from his waist belt and shattered it. ¡°Ms Valeria, can you exin the nature of the threat,¡± The guard to the right asked, his wary gaze focusing on the two masked individuals that stood behind Tom and Valeria. ¡°Someone tried to have me assassinated. These three saved my life from a group of very deadly assassins. Try not to offend them,¡± Valeria replied, revealing the nature of the threat but cleverly not specifying who she suspected to be behind it. ¡°An assassination?¡± The guard who had sounded the rm without hesitation at Valeria¡¯smand rhetorically asked, his tone muddled by surprise as strong as confusion. ¡°Please, go ahead and report to the Master,¡± The guard to the right hurriedly added, as he pushed the gate inwards to grant them passage. Valeria passed through unhindered, but when Tom tried to, he found his way barred by two crossed des. ¡°Pardon us, Ms. Valeria. But if the situation is as dire as you say it is, we cannot let individuals as suspicious as them get close to the Master,¡± The guard who had shattered the crystal replied, his tone sounding genuinely apologetic. ¡°The only reason I am still standing unharmed is because of those three. Do not presume to understand the situation the Noble House of Nezaria finds itself in better than its scion. Lower your des and let them pass,¡± Valeria replied, her words cutting through the air with unquestionable authority. ¡°As you wish, Ms Valeria,¡± The guards replied in practiced unison. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Tom watched their movements closely as he stepped past them, noticing the heavy reluctance that was written all over their otherwise stern expressions. Only after Aleph and Zirel had stepped inside the manor¡¯s territory did the guards footsteps shuffle into a turn. ¡°Do not mind us, honored guests. As long as you make no sudden movements, you have nothing to fear from us,¡± The guard who had shattered the crystal exined, his de still drawn and held at the ready like hispatriot¡¯s. Tom observed as annoyance flickered across Valeria¡¯s gaze, only for her to quickly suppress it. She then turned to look at him. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Tom replied with a shrug. Valeria was right to be annoyed, because Tom had more than proven his determination of keeping her alive by taking out the head of the Nottrakon Family¡¯s Elite Guard. However, at the same time, there was no way that the guards knew that, or for that matter, even were qualified to know such a thing. Civil war was brewing and the woman next to Tom was at the epicenter of the brewing chaos. How very foolish it all was. Less than a minute in Nezaria territory was all Tom got to muse upon his situation, as he noticed a burst of violet mes zing outward from one of three turrets that overlooked the manor¡¯s territory. Tom felt his hair stand on end as the mass of violet mes blurred forward, feeling a true threat for the first time since he had stepped out of the final sector. A momentter, the silhouette wreathed in violet mes stood before Valeria, his sudden movement forcing Tom, Aleph and Zirel to break away in different directions to avoid being nked from both their front and behind. Tom noticed that temperature in the vicinity remained unaffected by the unknown card¡¯s mes, causing his eyes to narrow in vignce. Whatever those mes did, they were dangerous. A few moments ticked away in silence, before the violet mes dimmed in intensity to reveal a man standing in the midst of it. His gray hair was neatlybed, his figure boasting a muscture that could only be described as intense. Even from underneath the chainmail armor that clung to his body, Tom could easily make out the contours of his arm and leg muscles. Beast leather armor further shielded the gray haired man¡¯s torso and legs, bothyers of protection undoubtedly artifacts of some variety. ¡°Exin,¡± The gray-haired man said, his tone calm and oddly serene. Tom took a moment to study his expression, noting the absolute ease with which he studied his surroundings¡ª as if everything and everyone were in palm of his hand. This, Tom knew from his growing experience with a variety of ¡°people¡±, if Maya could be called as such, was a man who expected others to follow him, a man ustomed to receiving respect and obedience without calling for it. ¡°Father,¡± Valeria acknowledged, the only one not fazed by his abrupt entrance when even the guards had flinched. ¡°There was an assassination attempt made upon my person during the practical examinations held outside the academy¡±. Contrary to what Professor Neliel had expected, there was no murderous rage visible on the gray-haired man¡¯s visage, a person that undoubtedly had to be Lord Ramav Nezaria. ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked, his tone unmoved by the revtion. ¡°Oh daughter of mine, do you remember what I told youst time, before you left for the academy?¡± Valeria blinked, before her eyes widened in realization. ¡°You told me about an impersonator who could deceive our measures and infiltrate the Noble District. A warning given to you by the king, himself,¡± Valeria answered. ¡°Then you understand why I am skeptical,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria replied. ¡°Tell me something that only my Valeria would know,¡± He asked of his own daughter, his tone firm but not harsh. ¡°Here?¡± She asked. Lord Ramav Nezaria nodded. ¡°Very well, father,¡± She replied, as a smile tugged at her lips. ¡°On my sixth nameday, you promised me that you would never allow me to be married into the Nottrakon Family.¡± Tom blinked. Aleph shuffled and Zirel just about managed to suppress a chuckle. The change on Lord Ramav Nezaria¡¯s features was instant, as he swept his daughter into a hug, relief flooding his features. ¡°Who?¡± He asked, his tone low and even calmer than it had been before. Tom felt a chill creep down his back. That word contained a promise he did not wish to be the recipient of. ¡°That conversation is best reserved for closed doors,¡± Valeria replied softly. ¡°Until then, father¡ª meet Synrak Veralis, Conqueror of the Zelez Dungeon¡¯s final sector and the man that saved my life.¡± Chapter 113: Oh well Chapter 113: Oh well 113: Tom found himself oddly intimidated by the interiors of the Nezaria Manors. Nether Beasts and murderous assassins he could deal with, but the rich and the influential had a battleground that was far tricker to navigate, their nebulous rules and codes kept privy amongst themselves. Tom, Aleph and Zirel stood near the entrance of the manor, not wanting to step in any further than they had to. Even he wasn¡¯t fully confident of taking on a Noble Family head in his own manor, for who knew just how many powerful artifacts were stashed within its walls. A grand crystal chandelier lit up the reception room, a short flight of stairs leading up to a long marble table that dominated the center of the room, easily fielding a dozen chairs that were ced around it¡¯s perimeter. Tom let his eyes dart around the paintings decorating the powder blue walls, taking in a mix of family portraits, depictions of what he recognized as the Syrelore Kingdom, but from elevation and a single portrait that depicted a man wreathed in purple mes battling a three-headed beast. Then, his attention shifted to the scrolls, tomes and scrolled up charts neatly arranged on the marble table, alongside a basket of colorful fruits. Only after did he take note of Lord Ramav Nezaria, who was seated directly facing Tom and his daughter, Valeria, who seemed far more tense inparison to the calm facade her father was maintaining. ¡°Will you not take a seat, honored guests?¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria asked, his words slow and deliberate, a heaviness to them that even the king¡¯s right hand could not conceal. ¡°Nope,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Don¡¯t n on staying long.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria replied.¡°Sorry to disappoint,¡± Tom replied nonchntly, seeing no need to prostrate himself before the Nezaria family. He granted them a favor worth that was worth much more, after all. ¡°So, your grand n,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria began, letting his bitterness leak into his tone. ¡°Is to foist this information on me, leaving me with no choice but to plunge the kingdom I am responsible for governing, the kingdom generations of my ancestors have lived and died for, into civil war?¡± He asked, his gaze boring into Tom. ¡°Well, that part is up to you,¡± Tom replied with a shrug. ¡°Would you rather I not have saved your daughter and let the Zenari take the me for it?¡± He pointedly asked. Lord Ramav Nezaria remained silent, letting his index finger tap against the marble table as he evaluated Tom¡¯s words. ¡°You would be weed into the House Nezaria as a friend. Given that you saved my daughter, there is no post besides my own that I would hesitate to offer. My reputation speaks for itself, Synrak Veralis, I have grown my house on principles of true Nobility,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria exined. ¡°Yet, you seek to give me this information and simply leave, as if it is a game to you. You tell me that my king has sought to have my daughter assassinated and you offer the death of the Head of the King¡¯s Elite Guard as proof,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria dered, lifting a ruby pendant in the air that Tom had gotten from looting the would-be assassin. A ruby pendant that had the Nottrakon Family¡¯s crest bubbling within. ¡°And then,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria¡¯s eyes flickered with rage as his fist came crashing down on the table. Valeria barely managed to remain calm as the table snapped in half, pushing away the piece that was going tond on her thigh. ¡°You tell me that you intend to leave, as if nothing happened¡ª as if you have no role to y, as if it were a game to you. Are the lives of my men, the lives of the Noble Houses that I will rally to my cause¡ª is it all a game to you?¡± He asked, his fists clenched at his side. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the vition. Tom hadn¡¯t expected Lord Ramav Nezaria to be thrilled at the news he had brought, but he had to admit that he wasn¡¯t expecting to be seen through this quickly. It was true, after all. The Nezaria Family was nothing more than a vehicle of revenge for Zirel and Aleph. To Tom though¡­ What exactly were they? ¡°You talk as if this is an umon thing amongst Nobles,¡± Tom replied with a scoff. ¡°Where were you, good sir, when the House Longstradia was burnt to ash? Would they not have yearned for a savior like myself to alter their fate? So, tell me, where were you?¡± Tom asked, not entirely sure where he had gotten the courage to challenge the leader of a Noble House on his own. The time he had spent with Aleph, the kindness that he had received from her¡ª part of that was bing anger for his friend. Perhaps, it was an unjust anger. Perhaps, the Longstradias were little different from the Nottrakon and the Mattleborns. But there was a difference. Aleph happened to be his friend. ¡°The Nezaria had no part to y in that pige,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria snapped, as if he were offended by the mere thought. ¡°My good sir, have you heard of the saying ¡®an act of omission is still an act¡¯¡±? Would you have forgiven Professor Neliel if, instead of trying to assassinate your daughter, simply let it happen knowing full well that it would?¡± Tom retorted, for there was simply no way any Noble House did not know the nature of the cmity that was about to befall the Longstradias. ¡°No,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria replied. ¡°I merely wished to show my daughter that your actions do note from the goodness of your heart,¡± He exined, the usual calm returning to his tone. His anger had been an act. ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± Tom replied, begrudgingly impressed. ¡°y hard to get all you want, Synrak. But every man has a price. Your strength is a mystery to me, but your actions are not. I do not sense hatred in your gaze, for if I had, you would have willingly joined me in my war against the Nottrakon Family and their allies. So, just what is it that you want?¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria asked, his tone calcting as he gazed in Tom¡¯s eyes. ¡®Terrifying old geezer. This is why I hate politicians,¡¯ Tom thought, not knowing how much more he had given away. ¡°Well, funnily enough, I really don¡¯t want anything. I mean, powerful cards or artifacts would be nice, but you¡¯d probably want that for the war you have ahead of you. If it wasn¡¯t clear already, I do want the Nezaria Family to win. Why? Because better you than those assholes,¡± Tom replied with a shrug. Silence reigned in the reception hall, giving Tom more time to admire the artful rug that ran up the staircase and likely stretched across the reception hall¡¯s floor. ¡°You are a very interesting man, Synrak Veralis,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria replied after some thought. ¡°But no, you needn¡¯t worry about my finances. Regardless of what your confounding motivations are, the fact remains that you saved my daughter¡¯s life, yed the enemies of our Nezaria Family and opened my eyes to an enemy I was blinding myself to. Ask what you want of me, you do not have to stay.¡± Just as Tom was going to respond, a loud, booming voice that had to be amplified by a card of some manner interrupted their conversation. ¡°Lord Ramav Nezaria, you are suspected of coborating with the fourth and now estranged prince of the Nottrakon Family, Zirel Covan Nottrakon. Surrender him to the Royal Knights now, or be considered an enemy of His Majesty!¡± The decree came, bold and thunderous. ¡°Oh right. That¡­ is the biggest reason why you do not want us around,¡± Tom exined dryly, his lips curling up in amusement. Lord Ramav Nezaria and his daughter, Valeria, watched with abject confusion as Aleph and Zirel undid their masks before tossing them onto the floor. ¡°Finally. It was getting stuffy under there,¡± Zirel dered. Chapter 114: A parting gift Chapter 114: A parting gift 114: Lord Ramav Nezaria and his daughter, Valeria, gazed upon the scene unfolding before them withplete stupefaction. Aleph let her amethyst streaked hair unfurl, while Zirel made no motion to hide his distinctive de. ¡°You¡¯re¡­,¡± Valeria muttered, taking a deep gasp to still the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. ¡°A Longstradia. Silver hair streaked with amethyst, you¡¯re from the main line,¡± She muttered, looking dazed as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. ¡°Royal Uncle,¡± Aleph greeted, using the official form of address meant for a noble to address a much older man. ¡°Lord Nezaria,¡± Zirel greeted. ¡°I trust you have been doing well,¡± He said, the impish grin on his visage telling him that he was enjoying the moment. Lord Ramav Nezaria¡¯s gaze shifted from Aleph to Zirel, his lips pursed and his expression tense as he considered the situation. Then, his eyes widened slightly in realization as everything about the situation clicked into ce. ¡°A Longstradia and a Nottrakon working together,¡± Lord Ramav spoke, his age finally seeping into his tone as the mask he had so carefully constructed, cracked. ¡°Fate has ways of getting us all, I suppose,¡± He remarked, his tone sounding closer to ament. ¡°Do not be so glum, Royal Uncle. You are as much of an enemy of my honorable father as I or Aleph is, now, are you not?¡± Zirel mocked, his tone more amused than scathing. ¡°Why?¡± Lord Ramav bitterly asked, his open palms held syed out on the table instead of being held beneath the table. He no longer expected an attack. ¡°Aleph¡¯s intentions should be as clear as day, Lord Ramav. As for mine, must you really ask? I do not care about the throne, never have. You know that. Yet the thronepels my royal blood, draws me into the bloodthirsty bickering of my siblings without paying any heed to my desire. They crossed the line first, so I struck back by allying with a Longstradia and ripping apart their brazen conspiracy,¡± Zirel replied, a flicker of hurt seeping in his otherwise gloating tone. ¡°Then it was you?¡± Lord Ramav asked. ¡°No, he would never have told you about the assassination. Did you overhear one of your father¡¯s Elite Guard discussing the conspiracy?¡± Lord Ramav asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°Me?¡± Zirel asked, his lips curling up into an amused grin. ¡°You overestimate me, Lord Ramav. I am not nearly as terrifying as Synrak over here,¡± Zirel gestured to Tom with a flourish of his hands. ¡°I suppose you will not tell me how you came across the exact time and ce my daughter was to be assassinated,¡± Lord Ramav asked, his tone a bit reluctant as he did. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Tom confirmed, his gaze flickering behind him as the Royal Knights continued screaming out their demands. ¡°But, Lord Ramav, I will grant you a gift before the three of us depart.¡± ¡°You n to face an army of Royal Knights with just the three of you?¡± Lord Ramav asked, as he gazed into Tom¡¯s eyes. ¡°Surely, Lord Ramav, you do not expect us to walk into the eye of the storm without a ticket out of here,¡± Tom replied, as amusement tinkled in his gaze. ¡°Or would you be willing to fight against them on our behalf, dering civil war before you are ready? Most of those Knights are loyal to individual Noble Houses and I am sure you will have many rallying to your cause, but that would require time.¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Like a Nezaria would be willing to defend a Longstradia,¡± Aleph derisively added. ¡°Thankfully, my alliance with Zirel will do far more damage to the Nottrakon Family¡¯s reputation than me being found on your estate could, but let us not pretend to be what we are not,¡± Shembasted without holding anything in reserve. Lord Ramav¡¯s expression darkened, but there was no hint of anger visible on his expression. ¡°You saved my daughter, Aleph of House Longstradia,¡± Lord Ramav said, his tone clouded as gratefulness mixed with guilt. ¡°For that, you shall have my eternal thanks and my honesty. It is true, if we are to rally Noble Houses to the cause, we cannot engage the Royal Knights yet. Neither will they raise a hand against us until the lines are carved in the sand,¡± He admitted. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect anything else. You are doomed, Lord Ramav. By saving your daughter, I have set you on a course to sh with the Nottrakons, those that condemned my parents, my sister, my entire family. Whether you win or perish, it is not my concern. The Nottrakons shall suffer and even if they survive, it shall be known once and for all¡ª to trust house Nottrakon is to bring your own demise,¡± Aleph looked Lord Ramav in the eyes as she said each word, spelling out the weight of the life she had saved. Valeria winced. Lord Ramav¡¯s expression turned grim. Tom put aforting hand on Aleph¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I spoke of a gift, Lord Ramav,¡± Tom reiterated. ¡°A gift¡­,¡± Lord Ramav mused. ¡°Your gifts are quite heavy, Synrak. You are a walking paradox. Both Longstradia and Nottrakon have united under your banner. What do you stand for, I do not know. But go on, I shall at least hear you out.¡± ¡°As mypanions can attest, Lord Ramav, I am a man of odd wisdoms,¡± Tom began. ¡°That he is, Lord Ramav,¡± Zirel chimed in. ¡°If the two of you were to fight, I would bet my coin on him,¡± He added. Lord Ramav¡¯s gaze sharpened and he studied Tom in a new light after those words. Conventionally, the aged Noble had more in the firepower departmentpared to Tom and both parties knew that. But Zirel Covan Nottrakon¡¯s words were not something to be taken lightly. ¡°So, I will offer you a question and then an answer. If you win this war, Lord Ramav, which I hope you do, I am curious as to the kingdom you will build. So, I ask you, what kind of a ruler do you think is most remembered by the masses, long after his era has passed?¡± Tom asked. Zirel gazed at Tom, giving him an intrigued look, while Aleph raised an eyebrow at the question. Nothing in Tom¡¯s actions or behavior had suggested that he was interested in the ruling ss, yet he had managed to ask a question that every other individual in the room was interested in hearing the answer to. ¡°A wise king who thinks beyond his years,¡± Lord Ramav Nezaria replied after considering Tom¡¯s question for a few moments, the older man¡¯s gaze piercing into his own. ¡°Wrong,¡± Tom calmly replied. ¡°I could tell you that it is a kind king. A benevolent ruler. I could tell you that it is a diligent king, earnestly working for a better future. A wise king, thinking not years but decades ahead of the present. But it is none of those. People are fickle, Lord Ramav. Their memories are short,¡± Tom exined. ¡°What is the answer, then?¡± Lord Ramav humbled himself to ask the question, from a man that had been acknowledged by both Longstradia and Nottrakon. ¡°A king that dares to challenge the status quo, that is the only one that is remembered, Lord Ramav. Consider that there is more to talent than the blood flowing through your veins, more to Renovia than the Noble District, more to governance than oppression. Consider that and I promise you, Lord Ramav, your world shall be a more interesting ce,¡± Tom offered the best advice he could, drawn from the history of another world. Nothing Tom said wouldpel Lord Ramav into doing anything, not after his actions had thrust him into a war. If he won, it would be on his own merit and if he lost, it would be the same. But Tom could try. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from trying. Aleph blinked. Zirel looked at him like he had grown a second head. Valeria seemed a little dazed. Lord Ramav simply held Tom¡¯s gaze, before his words came, slow and measured, ¡°For as long as I live, Synrak Veralis¡ª I shall not forget your name.¡± Tom held his gaze before nodding. ¡°I wish you luck,¡± He said. ¡°Now, I suppose we can clean your front yard up a little before we depart. Oh and Valeria, give Zenakris a chance, would ya? He really likes you,¡± Tom threw thest part in, before he turned and threw open the manor¡¯s double doors. Chapter 115: Daven Chapter 115: Daven 115: Even Tom, for all his bravado, was surprised to see what to be over fifty Royal Knights that were armored to the teeth waiting for them just behind the gates of the Nezaria family estate. They had expected them to unleash a slew of attacks the moment they revealed themselves, but not a single flicker of energy hurled towards them. Gasps and whispers ran across the Royal Knights contingent, a sense of unease flickering in their gazes that focused on neither Zirel nor Tom. No, their pensive eyes were locked on to Aleph¡¯s. To a ghost¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s quite the army you¡¯ve got there,¡± Tom drawled. ¡°So, what are you waiting for?¡± Tom rhetorically asked, as he stretched his arms outwards in a weing embrace, not intimidated in the slightest. He was unarmed, but the moment he noticed even a slightest flicker of movement, a mimicked de would appear in his right hand. ¡°Step outside of the Nezaria Estate, Synrak Veralis of unknown origins, Zirel Covan Nottrakon of the House Nottrakon and¡­ you, Longstradia, whoever you are. Surrender peacefully and no harm shall befall you,¡± One of the Royal Knights, a seven foot tall man that stood a few steps ahead of the rest of his contingent, bellowed out. The Knight was d in a golden armor that had wisps of simr colored energy roiling off it, a graynce that was easily as tall as his him held in his right hand, pressed against his chest for support. His eyes peeked out from behind two slits in his great helm and Tom didn¡¯t need his augmented eyesight to tell that there was little more than malice within them. The so-called knight was lying to their faces. ¡°It¡¯s quite rude to make demands without introducing yourself, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Zirel asked, managing to sound bored even though there was no way they could fight the force gathered before them. And even if they did, how far would they get? They couldn¡¯t fight an entire city. ¡°You know who I am, Zirel,¡± The knight replied with a snarl, dropping the honorifics he normally would¡¯ve addressed Zirel with¡ª which made sense, since he wasn¡¯t a prince anymore. ¡°For the rest of the unsavorypany of traitors that you keep, I am Daven Bancroft, Head of the Royal Knights. Surrender or perish.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t youe and do just that,¡± Tom retorted, his gaze sharpening as he took Daven in. ¡°I-,¡± Daven began, before catching himself. Even though Tom could not see his expression, he was certain that the man was hesitating. ¡°You cannot take a step into Nezaria territory, can you?¡± Tom asked, a smile ying upon his lips. ¡°Lord Ramav would never aid traitors like you,¡± Daven replied, his tone struggling to maintainposure as Tom cut through the heart of the matter in an instant. ¡°That is why we will respect the sovereignty of the Nezaria Estate. Make no mistake though, worm. You are trapped and have nowhere to run.¡± ¡°How about this, Daven,¡± Tom took a step forward and the weapons of many Royal Knights were adjusted to prepare for any sudden movements. ¡°You know who I am. You know why you¡¯re here. It¡¯s not because some pathetic elite guards are dead and to amass a force like that, well, you don¡¯t even care about Zirel. No, you just want the rewards we got for conquering the final sector. So, I challenge you to duel. You against me, Daven. How about it?¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Daven Bancroft, Head of the Royal Knights, blinked. Then, he shook his head. ¡°You have no leverage here, worm. Zirel is still a member of the Nottrakon Family, so he is their responsibility and the Longstradia, her fate will be decided by the Noble Houses. You, however, are a nobody. Commoner rabble and a traitor on top of that. I have no reason to ept a duel from one with no honor,¡± Daven replied, shaking his head with disappointment. Tom chucked before bursting out into loud, mockingughter. ¡°You have an army of fifty royal knights behind you, against the three of us. Yet you run from a duel, before the eyes of your fellow knights and the ones lurking in the shadows, watching thismotion. Is this the honor of your Royal Knights? Turning down a duel because you are afraid of a child?¡± Tom asked, the mockery in his words cold and incisive. The Royal Knights that had been exchanging hushed conversations amongst each other quietened down. The atmosphere itself seemed to chill as Tom¡¯s words rang out in the air, a direct affront against the honor of the Royal Knight¡¯s head. ¡°Even if I wished to ept your duel, I cannot step into the Nezaria estate without permission,¡± Daven replied. ¡°Step outside and we cane to an agreement.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Daven. Even if you had a flicker of honor beneath your metal tin can, your masters don¡¯t,¡± Tom replied. It appeared that they were at an impasse. Tom¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, as he turned to ask Aleph and Zirel, ¡°Should we just use it?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Zirel replied in an equally soft tone. ¡°He didn¡¯t say he wouldn¡¯t ept the duel. They know that there¡¯s no way for us to break this encirclement. He¡¯s in no hurry and his honor has been brought into the question.¡± Tom nodded and turned his gaze back to the Royal Knights. And then he waited. A minute passed by, before the doors to the Nezaria estate swung open. It was not Lord Ramav that stepped out and neither was it Valeria. From the way the man carried himself, he was no stranger tobat. Leather armor guarded his chest and legs, two short-swords sheathed at his either side. A scroll was reverently cupped in his palms, before he came to a stop at the edge of the awning that greeted guests to the Nottrakon estate. He unfurled the scroll and then spoke. ¡°Lord Ramav Nezaria grants permission to Daven Bancroft, allowing him to enter his estate for the purpose and duration of the duel between him and Synrak Veralis,¡± He decreed and then he turned around and began walking to his estate without another word. Tom whistled in appreciation. ¡°Well then,¡± Tom began. ¡°How are you going to avoid the duel next? Are you going to call me evil or will you im that my blood bleeds ck poison.¡± ¡°Silence yourself, boy,¡± Daven snarled. ¡°What are the terms of duel? Both of us know that there is no way for you to escape, so do not ask for freedom. I cannot grant it to you.¡± ¡°You were avoiding it because of that?¡± Tom asked, genuinely surprised. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want freedom. You¡¯re just a hound for your masters. No, my terms are simple. You and me, singlebat. No interference. If you win, all three of us surrender. If I win, hm, let¡¯s see¡ª I guess I¡¯ll settle for everything you have on you.¡± Daven Bancroft stood there, in silence. Then, he asked, incredulousness tinging his voice, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You are overestimating yourself. The difficulty of the final sector scales ording to your strength. You must¡¯ve been incredibly weak, to have conquered it. Let me teach you the difference between us. I ept.¡± Tom watched as Daven pushed open and then walked inside, letting the gate m shut behind him. Tom cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, not a hint of fear visible on his visage. Aleph and Zirel retreated to the mansion¡¯s awning. A coin was flicked in the air by Daven, the intention behind his gesture obvious. Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as a de appeared in his right hand. Daven pointed his ashennce towards Tom. The coin clinked. Chapter 116: Alephs Inheritance Chapter 116: Aleph''s Inheritance 116: Tom blurred forward with a burst of momentum. He was far from the limits of his new capabilities, but even then, he found himself before Daven in what would¡¯ve been an instant for his spectators. His mimicked de shot forward, aiming to test Daven¡¯s defenses. Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as the wisps of gold roiling off Daven¡¯s armor coiled before his blow. The momentum with which he had thrust his de rapidly ebbed, before it finally struck him on the right side of his chest. A surprised groan sounded out as Daven was forced back two steps, before Tom¡¯s de bounced off his armor. There was not even a scratch on the golden armor, let alone any chance that he¡¯d done damage to Daven. ¡°Do you see now?¡± Daven asked, as he forced himself back into the present. He took a step forward and hisnce shot after him in pursuit. Tom retreated, his eyes narrowing as he began to take the fight a little more seriously. Daven¡¯s left arm red as mes burst to life. He thrust forward and a beam of fire roared forth. Tom easily dodged, feeling the heat as it streaked past his visage. He blinked. ¡®That¡¯s way too weak. It¡¯s too weak to even be considered an umon card,¡¯ He thought, evaluating the mes that Daven had thrust towards him. Tom¡¯s guard rose. He noticed that a small patch of grass behind him had caught fire. There was something more to it, he was sure. Daven roared before he threw himself into a charge, his ashennce rocketing forth. Tom dodged and parried, allowing himself to be pushed back as Daren caught him in ance style of some sort, the momentum of his blows flowing and ebbing like the cycles of wavespping and receding at a shore. He continued peppering him with weak bouts of me, setting the carefully managed grass and flowers of the Nezaria estate ame. Just as Tom decided he¡¯d had enough, Daren thrust straight for his chest, intending for a killing blow. Thence never arrived. Only it¡¯s hilt remained in Daren¡¯s hand, the rest of it simply¡­ gone. If it were not for the massive stat difference between him and Daren, Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he would¡¯ve noticed the ash that had dissipated and then reformed behind him, into a sharp de. Tomshed out with his de as a mirror sprang into existence behind him, swallowing the ashen de in it¡¯s entirety. A bead of sweat trickled down Tom¡¯s forehead as he realized just how well Daren had tricked him. His ashennce had never been ance, no¡ª it was his soul card, most likely. Daren allowed Tom¡¯s de to strike him, as it caught him on the great helm. Once again, the golden wisps of smoke coiled and forced a lethal strike to a mere annoyance. As Daren was pushed back from the impact, he leaned into it and used it to retreat. Another ashennce reformed and before Tom could do anything else, he threw thence forward with viciousness concealed in his gaze. Tom moved to dodge thence as he considered Daren¡¯s abilities. He had used thence in conjunction with the mes, but Tom had noticed that Daren had most definitely not used the mes when he¡¯d reformed the ashennce into a sword that had meant to be his end. If his ability was anything like Blood Scion, that would mean that the act of forming the weapons was considered as an active use, but once the weapon had been formed, it consumed no Soul Power. But why? Why would Daren throw it when he knew he could dodge it easily? Stolen story; please report. The answer came with a flick of Daren¡¯s fingers. Tom was waiting for a big change, so he failed to notice the ember of me that leapt forward from a patch of burning grass. It was so weak, so pathetic, Tom still wouldn¡¯t ce it as anything but amon card. He could manipte mes a little after he set things on fire. Alone, it was worth nothing. But as the ember of me jumped onto the approaching ashennce, Tom¡¯s eyes widened. A loud explosion caused the earth to crack and the air to shudder. ck clouds of ash within which mes raged was all that could be seen. Augh echoed from within Daren¡¯s great helm as he pumped his fist in the air, another ashennce reforming. Then, theugh froze as a figure flitting forward through the smoke. A corner of Tom¡¯s shirt was singed, along with patches of his hair and his visage was ckened with soot. Otherwise, he was unharmed. And now, he was angry. Tom did not hold back his speed as he blurred forth before Daven. His armor would protect him from Tom¡¯s blows, so he simply had to not attack. A punch was an attack. A thrust of a de was an attack. A magical power was an attack. But, was grabbing on to Daren¡¯s arm, an attack? Tom wanted to find out as both his handstched onto Daren¡¯s arm. The wisps of gold did not slow him. But even if they did, he wasn¡¯t sure if it would¡¯ve mattered. A surprised cry escaped Daren¡¯s lips as Tom yanked him into the air and then mmed him into the ground. Again. And again. His armor might still be wless, but Tom wasn¡¯t so sure about the man inside. ¡°Do you yield?¡± Tom asked. Even as he was being mmed, Daren snarled in response, ¡°You¡­ have done no damage to me. I will not.¡± Tom¡¯s lips thinned into a line. He mmed Daren a final time and then used his me rune to set the grass near him ame. Then, Tom ran. Mirror world rained down an ashen sword near Daren¡¯s feet just as he was beginning to stand. Another explosion rumbled, though one less powerful as thest. ¡°Sir Daren!¡± A few Royal Knights screamed, the shock and confusion in their tone audible. The head of Royal Knights could not be bested by a child. Such a thought was impossible. Tom watched with his arms crossed as the smoke cleared. Daren was still standing, but his pristine armor was chipped, cracked and covered in suit. His arm twitched, signaling that the man was still alive. Then, he fell forward with a loud rumble, no longer able to fight. ¡°The fight was surprisingly enlightening,¡± Tom dered as he walked towards Daren, already sensing the man¡¯s slow breathing. He was alive, but unconscious. ¡®Using amon card to amplify his umon to such a degree is quite fascinating. If he¡¯d fought me before I challenged the final sector, there¡¯s a decent chance he might¡¯ve won,¡¯ Tom thought, his expression ponderous. ¡®He did try to kill me but if I spill blood on Nezaria territory, that might cause problems.¡¯ Tom shrugged, walking over to the unconscious Devan, lifting him over his head and tossing him outside the estate. Two Royal Knights working in unison caught him, putting him on the ground before letting a healing potion fall on him through the great helm¡¯s eyeholes. ¡°Well, as delightful as it was,¡± Tom acknowledged, ¡°It¡¯s time we get going.¡± Aleph and Zirel blurred forward to his side. ¡°You think you can run?¡± A Royal Knight roared in challenge. ¡°Just you try it. The moment you step out of the estate, you¡¯re done,¡± He snarled, the venom in his tone deadly. ¡°What an idiot,¡± Aleph rolled her eyes as she pulled out a card from her pocket. Zirel and Tom did the same. A frail looking paper card that was nk on one side was held in each of their hands. ¡°No!¡± A Royal Knight called out. ¡°Kill them, now!¡± He screamed out to his colleagues. ¡°Why? What is it?¡± Another asked. ¡°It¡¯s a¡ª¡± The knight in question tried to exin, but Aleph, Zirel and Tom wasted no time in ripping the cards in half. Milky white light enveloped them. The Knight that had raised the rm fired a de of wind right at them. But the light flickered away faster that that. Tom, Zirel and Aleph were gone. However, the wind de continued until it hit the pirs holding up the awning to the Nezaria estate. It crashed and crumbled forward. A furious curse from the Nezaria Estate followed. Chapter 117: The Gatekeeper Chapter 117: The Gatekeeper 117: As odd as it was, Tom was no stranger to long distance teleportation. Or well, at least notpletely new to it, if what the cosying maniac that had barged into his convenience store and irrevocably changed his life had used had indeed been teleportation. Tom hadn¡¯t exactly been in the best frame of mind back then to remember what was happening to him, but the portal he had been tricked into definitely felt different than the pressure that enveloped his body before yanking his entire being in a direction. He couldn¡¯t tell what direction that had been, forward, backwards or sideways, but when he had been kicked into the portal by that maniac, he had not felt any sensation at all,forting or diforting. It was simply as if he had stepped outside his own door, the change in the texture beneath his feet and the atmosphere around him the only noticeable difference. Tom wondered what that realization meant. The maniac¡¯s teleportation had caused him less difort across worlds and for all he knew, entire universes than the single use teleportation cards that they had received from the Longstradia Family inheritance had within Artezia. Just how powerful had he been? Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he was ready for that answer just yet, in case he came looking. Thankfully, his attention was captivated by something he suspected to eclipse even the tremendous power that the bearded man had possessed. Before Tom was a tower. The very air around him rippled with endless energy, a magic so great that Tom suspected to far transcend what even his Ephemeral card at it¡¯s peak strength was capable of. It¡¯s polished stone surface was untouched by age or corruption, endless inscriptions running up it¡¯s surface, vaguely resembling glyphs in ces but infinitely moreplex than them. He gaped as he slowly turned his gaze to the side, until his neck was craned to his right. He saw no end to the tower, only a slight curvature that continued on into the distance. The foliage of a forest announced itself in the distance, but it failed to hold Tom¡¯s attention. His focus shifted back to the set of double doors that barred his entrance to the tower, a dark, obsidian metal that was covered in looping curls that seemed to be part of arger fractal, a giant loop that both enveloped and contained the other, smaller ringlets. Tom¡¯s breath caught in his throat. They weren¡¯t ready for this. They weren¡¯t ready for the greatest and final challenge that Artezia had to offer, the Tower of Endless Horizons. But they were here. Tom had to be approaching the limits of the stats that people could earn on the surface world, assuming that Rare was the greatest rarity they could manage to receive cards of. But that didn¡¯t mean that the rest of his cards were anywhere near hitting the level cap or that he had learned enough from the countless other dungeons, towers and rifts scattered across the kingdoms. They had reached the end of the journey far sooner than they had prepared for. The sound of a person clearing their throat sounded out from behind them. Tom, Zirel and Aleph spun. The next moment, their weapons were drawn without exchanging a word. They were no longer in familiar territory. Hell, they weren¡¯t even in the same damn kingdom. Theirmon sense no longer applied. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. Their gazes were greeted by a brown-haired man who had an intimidatingly sharp ive strapped to his back. A jagged scar began from his forehead and curved around his right eye, eyes that shone a rare crimson. He was d in a chainmail that seemed to be forged from the scales of a beast of some sort, one with white scales that bled red around its periphery. The telegs were much the same, protecting his legs while seeming like they granted enough flexibility. The gray sabatons that the brown-haired man wore seemed well-made, revealing no information besides their metal make. ¡°Impressive cloaking,¡± The brown-haired man remarked, his gravelly tone breaking the silence between the two groups. There were three of them, but the man was only one¡ª yet he remained calm, with his weapon yet to be drawn and his breathing calm, almost rxed. Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as he questioned, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°You sneak past me with your cloaking and pretend to not know who I am?¡± The brown-haired man asked incredulously, his raspy words spoken in an ent that was punctuated by abrupt starts and stops that seemed too natural to be done with intent to annoy or offend. Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. ¡°Very well, your inclination to keep your cards to your chest is wise¡ª both literally and figuratively,¡± The brown-haired man nodded in approval, before he allowed himself a chuckle at his own joke. ¡°It appears that your cloaking ran out at an unfortunate time, though.¡± Tom¡¯s expression betrayed nothing as he realized that the man before them suspected that they had snuck past him using either stealth or invisibility instead of teleporting directly before the entrance to the tower. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was good or bad, but it did mean that the person before them wasn¡¯t some sort of powerhouse. Or at least¡­ he hoped so. ¡°If you im to be uninitiated of my presence, then I shall answer. I am the Gatekeeper and you are three children with a deathwish. Now, toss your weapons, armor and everything else in your inventory onto a pile before you and get out of here before I change my mind,¡± The self-proimed gatekeeper dered, his greed leaking into his raspy voice. ¡°The Gatekeeper?¡± Tom repeated, sounding far from impressed. ¡°That¡¯s an awfully jumped up title for a thief,¡± He replied. ¡°A thief?¡± The Gatekeeper asked, his tone tinged with hurt as he shook his head. ¡°Foolish kid, I am no thief. How old are you, twenty? Twenty one?¡± The Gatekeeper, who looked to be in his early thirties, asked. ¡°Eighteen,¡± Tom replied, seeing no reason to be dishonest. ¡°Well,¡± The Gatekeeper allowed a dry chuckle to escape him. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re here, kid, means that nobody gives a damn about you. Or you pissed someone you shouldn¡¯t have pissed off and are now running to the only ce where they can¡¯t find you. I fought in the battle of the Zarihn Pass before you were born and I survived it,¡± He said, puffing his chest outwards with pride. Tom blinked and then exchanged a questioning nce with Aleph. Aleph replied with an unknowing shrug. ¡°A soldier, then. Robbing children, is that your pastime?¡± Tom asked, even as he focused Active Shroud¡ªMaya to reveal the amount of Soul Power it would take to breach the man¡¯s mental defenses. Tom¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. It was as he had thought. Maya wasn¡¯t a perfect representation of strength, but if sixty five soul power was all it took to peek into the Gatekeeper¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t be that strong. The Gatekeeper¡¯s expression darkened, as he replied with a snarl, ¡°You¡¯re mistaking kindness for weakness, boy. Your cloaking might¡¯ve gotten you past the encirclement, but you¡¯re mistaken if you¡¯re treating me as an ordinary member of the Shadow Guild.¡± ¡°An encirclement?¡± Tom quizzed. ¡°You ambush people trying to get to the tower. Why?¡± ¡°Still ying dumb, eh?¡± The Gatekeeper shook his head in annoyance, but didn¡¯t attack. ¡°The only people thate here are those that have nothing to lose, kid. Pretending to be mysterious isn¡¯t going to cut it. The asional powerhouse does pass through, but they make their presence well known and certainly don¡¯t run around with cloaking. Give it up and toss your stuffd, I don¡¯t want to kill novices today.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Tom smiled at the man. ¡°Are you sure that I am not one of those powerhouses, then?¡± Tom asked. The Gatekeeper chucked in response and then shook his head, his features hardening. ¡°Last chance,¡± The Gatekeeper said, as he finally reached for his ive and held it aloft in a single hand. ¡°I¡¯d say the same thing to you, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d listen,¡± Tom replied, before blurring forward without holding back in the slightest. His opponent thought him weak. There was a chance that the man was far stronger than him without having many secrets worth his time, but that gave Tom all the more reason to strike. His strength wouldn¡¯t matter if he was dead, after all. Chapter 118: Jerrick Darkwood Chapter 118: Jerrick Darkwood 118: Jerrick Darkwood, a man who also went by the moniker the Gatekeeper, had seen many faces in his line of work. There were young faces and there old faces. There were faces that radiated experience only to reveal naivete when he tugged a little and there were those that were simply foolish, those that overestimated themselves and were cut down to reality at the edge of Jerrick¡¯s ive. The Tower of Endless Horizons could be imed by no kingdom. A single look at it was enough to tell even the most foolish of fools that this was not power that could be governed by their mortalws or kings. But, it was bordered by three. Three kingdoms, amongst which there were no shortage of desperate men and women, people backed into a corner, people who had nowhere to go. The fact that they managed to escape their kingdoms, travel as far as they did, meant that there was a certain degree of skill involved. There was always a possibility that Jerrick could bite off more than he was capable of chewing, but those were the risks of his trade. On the good days, of which there were many, Jerrick made more in a day¡¯s time than he had in a year of his service to his Noble Lord and his Kingdom. A year of servitude, where a singlemand from his lord could see him facing a tide of rampaging beasts or the trail of a powerful assassin. To life on the edge was one thing, but to do so without freedom, chained to the whims of another in exchange for a pittance? No, never again. Though it was not the servitude that had finally broken Jerrick, that honor was reserved for the battle for the Zarihn Pass. Rivers of blood had flown, good men and women sent to early graves while their Noble Lord lounged around in thefort of themand tent. It was not him alone to me, of course. The order hade from the King and even the Noble, who Jerrick loathed so much was only a pawn in the game of another. The result of their battle had been so meaningless that any hatred Jerrick had for his Noble Lord had been lost. The Zarihn Pass was shattered and for a moment, it looked like the Ironcrest Kingdom would actually invade their long hated neighboring kingdom. Then, a treaty was signed. The new pass was pushed back five leagues and the Valorhold Kingdom was forced to hand over arge amount of resources to buy back their peace. Their war had been as meaningless as his service to his Noble Lord. The final straw had broken the camel¡¯s back and Jerrick Darkwood was done with a life of servitude. The Shadow Guild was what allowed him to escape the tenure of his service before it waspleted and Jerrick left the Ironcrest Kingdom. Though he had run across many hunting grounds as a member of the Shadow Guild, there was no ce where he could find juicier loot than the Tower of the Endless Horizons. Only fools, whether they believed it or not, ventured near the tower. The ones that Jerrick actually had to be wary of, usually arrived with an entire entourage of guards, their procession as ostentatious as it was intimidating. Jerrick and the Shadow Guild were not fools. They had seen what happened when rogue organizations tried to monopolize the entrances to the Tower of Endless Horizons. They disappeared. Without fail. Every single time. But Jerrick wasn¡¯t monopolizing the Tower of Endless Horizons. There were dozens of entrances circling the Tower and the six shadows under hismand were only overlooking two. They had been camping for two weeks now and during that time, they hade across only three people. The first had been a couple from the Valorhold Kingdom. Their silver armor and light-based cards were a dead giveaway. They had been fast, sure. Tricky, even. But Jerrick was a warrior who had been given control over a contingent of assassins. After the initial volley he simply retreated, letting his shadows chip away at their energy before he rejoined battle. Soul Power was not endless and neither was natural stamina. The urgency in their movements was what had ultimately led to their demise. Had they not been in so much of a rush, they could¡¯ve scoped the area, seen what they were getting into. They had the skill and experience to avoid their trap, but it was ultimately their own urgency to escape whatever chased after them that betrayed them. The wealth and strength he had ripped away from those two spoke of a different fight on a different day with a different oue. Had Jerrick fought one of the two in a deathmatch, there was a very real possibility that he would not havee out on top. But he did. And now, he was stronger for it. The other two had been from his own kingdom, the Ironcrest Kingdom. Their reliance on heavy shields and focus on long-range attacks betrayed them. Unfortunately, they both meant little when his assassins struck from behind. The old man had gone with final curse, as his attempt to throw away what remained of his life and see whaty in the Tower of Endless Horizons through his own eyes, failed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The other one, a feisty red-haired woman had been bold, but that did little to hide the rebellion in her eyes. She thought herself better than Jerrick, she thought she was capable of defying the natural order and challenging whatever gods or demons that were waiting above in the tower for them. The rebellion had died in her eyes. So, it was just another day for Jerrick, as he waited before one of the entrances of the tower. His shadows would let him know as soon as they spotted quarry and then, the hunt would begin once more. Sometimes, there would be those that slipped through the gaps in the shadows'' surveince, or find a way to evade it. But it was of no concern, for one of his shadows was waiting at the other entrance and Jerrick himself waited before this one. If a powerhouse was approaching, Jerrick¡¯s men would simply inform him and he would flee far before they could take any offense. It was not a foolproof strategy, but Jerrick was still alive and the Shadow Guild grew more and more powerful¡ª- only because they knew their ce in the world and did not overstep. Sneaking past Jerrick himself though, that was a first. Anyone powerful enough to do that should¡¯ve just killed him outright. But the three teenagers, two of them looking like they were barely adults, before him, was a surprise. As cold and detached as Jerrick had be over the years, he was a man that had once stood for something. The way he saw it, he was doing a service to the tower. Anyone that fell to his de was not qualified to enter the Tower and they would most certainly die there anyway. Might as well have the coin and experience flow into his own pockets. So, Jerrick told the kid to surrender, even as desire burned in his heart¡ª an artifact or card that could sneak past him without so much so as a slight footstep audible to his augmented sense of hearing had to be an umon at the least. Maybe it would be a Mezzanine, though Jerrick had never seen anything beyond a Mezzaninemon in his long years of both service and ughter. Perhaps, it could even be a Rare Artifact. Anyone powerful enough to own those shouldn¡¯t be anyone Jerrick could kill, but if it was kids that had run away from some distant noble house¡­ you never knew. That¡¯s why Jerrick was still in business. So, Jerrick asked the kids to surrender. Jerrick¡¯s eyes widened as the youngest out of the three, an eighteen year old with ordinary, almost non-descript features besides well-toned muscles that were hardly umon for anyone who had put a decent amount of points in the Physical stat, blurred forward with such tremendous speed and momentum that he needed a moment just to register it. It was not his experience as an assassin that saved him, but the instincts of a soldier who had fought those far stronger than himself in the battle for the Zarihn Pass that saved him. Jerrick ced his ive between himself and the approaching kid and then activated his Umon card¡¯s ability. He could heat things. Had his card been anmon one, his ability would¡¯ve been something mundane like hurling a ball of mes at another. Whereas if it had been a mezzanine, the peak of it¡¯s rarity, it would be more versatile than it was. But for now, Jerrick could heat things he touched. That included people, but running around and hugging people to death wasn¡¯t exactly a viablebat style. That didn¡¯t stop the de of his ive from running red-hot as he unleashed his ability, the other half of his umon card granting him protection from things he was superheating. Tom blurred to his left, unsurprisingly shifting away from his rudimentary strategy. Jerrick felt a gust of wind as Tom tried to flit past him and his ive moved to follow in a wide arc. Once again, the boy managed to dodge the blow, without even parrying as he retreated backwards. Jerrick had dealt with proprioception builds before, people who augmented their reaction time and then focused on cards that let them move faster than others¡ª but even then, he had to admit that the boy before him was something special. That wouldn¡¯t do much for him as Jerrick cut away the heat he was supplying and fell back on his Soul Card, a near max level Umon card that let him call upon and manipte metal. A cruel smile yed upon his lips as the de of his ive rocketed forth with unrestrained momentum. He had offered mercy and had met with a boy that could actually threaten him. No more risks, he couldn¡¯t afford more. And then, the boy¡¯s strength would be his. Jerrick¡¯s gaze snapped to the other two, the boy no longer a consideration in his mind. His face was sealed the moment he retreated backwards. Only one remained. The girl with silver hair streaked with strands of amethyst. Then it was confirmed, the second boy was the one with cloaking abilities. ¡°Shadows, to me!¡± Jerrick roared, realizing that the situation was getting out of hand. Then he blinked, as the connection to the de he had sent rocketing forth snapped. Jerrick¡¯s heart began to pound in his chest as he retreated, his gaze angling to the side where arge mirror had appeared before the boy, his red-hot de gone where it should¡¯ve punched straight through him. ¡®What the fuck is that?¡¯ Jerrick thought, even as he began to backpedal. No answer came as two shadowy blurs shifted from the forest behind them, their cards built for speed as much as they were for stealth. One of them tried to ground to a halt as a silhouette popped into existence before him, a sword passing through the assassin¡¯s right leg without so much as leaving a mark. That didn¡¯t stop him from crashing onto the ground like a puppet with it¡¯s strings cut. Before Jerrick could even call out for the man or try to aid him, a sword was ruthlessly plunged in his nape. Jerrick cursed out loud even as he willed the de of his ive to reform. His palm was held open and he hurriedly formed star-shaped, five pointed throwing knives in his hand. Even as Jerrick repeated, he watched as a barrage of crystal shards was unleashed in the direction of his second and final remaining shadow. The others would take too long to reach him. He dodged with deft agility, but the woman, who should¡¯ve been no more than a girl with a single umon at most that she didn¡¯t understand how to use and perhaps a decent artifact or two, was relentlessly unleashing crystals in his direction. Jerrick snarled, as his Umon heat card activated, heating both the ive¡¯s metal and the four throwing des he had forged. A red-hot shuriken was thrown in Aleph¡¯s direction, forcing her to stop attacking his ally. The squelching sound he had heard told him that he was toote, but he had to try. What was that de that had passed through his assassin without harming him and yet, crippled him? What was that mirror that had swallowed his attack? The cloaking thatpletely evaded his senses? What was happening? Unfortunately, Jerrick would never get the answer to that question as he looked down at his own abdomen in disbelief, as a red-hot ive carved through his chest and embedded itself within it, devastating him from the inside. His own bloody ive. Chapter 119: Gains Chapter 119: Gains 119: Tom blinked as surprise spilled into his features. He watched as the man who had introduced himself not by a name, but a title, the Gatekeeper, crumple and fall to the ground with a loud thud. It was true, Tom hadn¡¯t been holding back at all in his fight against the Gatekeeper. That was because he had no idea what threat he posed, what cards he possessed. He was in a different kingdom, faced with a new threat whose nature he couldn¡¯t evaluate besides making educated guesses with the help of Active Shroud¡ªMaya. To hold back would be to tempt fate. But Tom hadn¡¯t intended to kill the Gatekeeper. Not so easily, at least. There was no real grudge between them and the man ought to have known much about the tower, considering he was ambushing those that tried to seek entrance. A part of him felt sick at how easily the man had went down and with it, a human life, but he quashed it mercilessly. There would be a time to ruminate upon the weapon this new world was shaping him to be, a time to let free the feelings that been building in his chest from the moment he had killed the head of the Nottrakon Family¡¯s Elite Guard. But it was not now. His gaze shifted to Aleph, who stood before one of the two assassins d in ck, their faces concealed beneath cloth and their hair tucked behind hoods, leaving behind only ring eyes that bore down on the woman that held a rare artifact to his throat. Tom winced as he noticed that arge crystal had embedded itself in the man¡¯s right leg, likely having shattered clean through bone. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him,¡± Tom hurriedly called out. Aleph was not as merciful as him and she did not deliberate as hard as he did upon the value of a life. She had been through too much to show weakness to others. Zirel continued to blend in with his environment, not revealing himself in case another threat showed. ¡°You heard him,¡± Aleph directed a pointed gaze to the man at her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t make any sudden moves and you might get out of this in one piece.¡± The cloth wrapping on the assassin¡¯s face rumpled as he grimaced and then nodded. Having dealt with that, Tom approached the Gatekeeper¡¯s still corpse. He had imed to be a soldier and Tom did not doubt his words. A new dimension to cardbat, one that Tom was still in the process of figuring out, was synergy. The Gatekeeper had used that synergy to impressive effect. Had mirror world not been such a perfect counter to powerful projectile attacks and had his own stats not been powered by a Ephemeral rarity card, an easily dealt with blow would¡¯ve been a lethal one. Shaping metal into shuriken and then superheating them to make deadly hot bullet-equivalents made Tom¡¯s own use of his cards seem like he was randomly swinging around a bludgeon in the hopes that it would hit something. Sure, it did hit more than a few things, but what if he learned to truly master his abilities? Tom reached for the Gatekeeper¡¯s ive, gripping it with a single arm and having little trouble. He analyzed it. [Metal ive, Common Description: A metal ive that has been formed, not crafted by a card wielder capable of manipting metal, its shaft encased in ornamental wooden casing.] ¡°I thought as much,¡± Tom muttered as he flung the ive away into the distance, as the worthless scrap of metal it was. The ornamental wooden casing had made it appear like it was an artifact and that was precisely the deception the Gatekeeper had been relying upon. Tom shook his head, banishing the self-doubt that was clouding his judgment. For the second time in a row, he had been tricked into believing something to be an artefact when it wasn¡¯t. But even if he did, it was irrelevant. Tom had to treat every unidentified weapon as an artifact, anything else would becent. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Then, he looted Jerrick. The man had lusted for his belongings, only to contribute everything he had on him to Tom¡¯s coffers. And some coffers they were, as Tom¡¯s eyes widened. He had expected an umon card, but the Gatekeeper had lived up to his name in something. He had two. [Card Name: Heat Infusion Rank: Umon Level: 1 Ability: Infuse: Allows the wielder to infuse heat into both organic and non-organic matter upon making physical contact with them. Makes the wielder immune to any extreme temperatures that are a direct result of using Infuse on another living or non-living entity. SP cost scales with increases in infused temperature.] [Card Name: Arcsteel Weaver Rank: Umon Level: 1 Ability: cksmith: Allows the wielder to convert SP into sheets Arcsteel, a specialized alloy known for its sharpness and magic conductivity. The sheets of Arcsteel may be used to absorb magical attacks targeted at the wielder] ¡®The Heat Infusion umon looks about right, but that dude was definitely not creating sheets of metal¡ª he was shaping them like it was dough. That¡¯s probably the second ability, which makes the card markedly less useful until it¡¯s got some levels pumped in,¡¯ Tom thought, his eyes narrowing before he dismissed the notification. ¡°Your boss was quite wealthy,¡± Tom remarked as he walked closer to the assassin that had tried to jump their group. ¡°Fuck you,¡± The assassin spat, his curse more croaked out than yelled. ¡°The hatred in your voice is quite baffling,¡± Tom replied as he came to a stop next to Aleph, taking in the venom in the assassin¡¯s gaze. ¡°Did you not just try to murder us and fail miserably? Why the heck are you angry at us?¡± The assassin coughed, his lungs heaving from what was either genuine need or sheer anger. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you¡­ have surrendered? The Shadow Guild does not kill those who have given up arms,¡± The assassin vented more than asked, his tone raspy as he took deep gasps of air in between a string of words. Tom noticed that both The Gatekeeper and now, even his assassin, kept invoking the name of their guild, as if that would allow him to get out of the situation. ¡°The Shadow Guild. Is that name supposed to mean anything to me?¡± Tom asked, his lips perking up in curiosity as he bit the low hanging fruit the assassin had dangled before him. The assassin¡¯s eyes widened in realization for a moment, then he shook his head and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know where youe from, but it doesn¡¯t matter. No matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t fight an entire guild. Even if you run to the tower, do you really think we don¡¯t have connections within when we¡¯re headquartered this close to it?¡± Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as he considered the assassin¡¯s words, unable to tell if it was a bluff or not. Any trouble he got into in the outside world, he didn¡¯t give a damn. But within the tower, which he knew absolutely nothing about? That would be bad news. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d tell us where this Shadow Guild of yours is headquartered?¡± Tom asked. ¡°You might have killed two of ours, but in the eyes of the Shadow Guild only Jerrick was important. If you surrender, I can take you back to the headquarters. You will be given a chance to buy back your freedom once you¡¯ve earned enough to pay for the loss you¡¯ve caused. We are killers, but so are you¡ª and we have a price.¡± Tom sighed, before he tried a final time, ¡°You won¡¯t just tell us the location and get on with your life elsewhere?¡± The assassin¡¯s lips were pursed, before he shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you want revenge or power, but nothing you can do to me willpare to what the Shadow Guild will if they find out my involvement. And they will. Make the smart choice, please. There are thirty of us in the guild at any moment, there is no way for you to win.¡± Tom sighed and then shook his head, before speaking,¡°Aleph, make him look in my eyes.¡± Aleph raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°It¡¯s an ability that lets me discern truths from falsehoods,¡± Tom exined, before the assassin. ¡°If you think a card of yours can breach my mental defenses, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. We would not make for very good assassins without a high mental stat,¡± The assassin shook his head, before allowing a mirthfulugh to escape him. That didn¡¯t stop Aleph from pulling his chin up so he was forced to look in Tom¡¯s direction. The assassin continued with what was either the truth, what he believed to be the truth or a bluff as he looked Tom in the eyes. A second passed. Tom turned away, a longer sigh escaping his lips. ¡°I have what I need,¡± Tom said. ¡°You can do whatever you want with him,¡± He said, before walking away to where he suspected Zirel to be. Aleph¡¯s eyes widened in a mix between incredulousness and terror as she understood what had just happened. That didn¡¯t stop her from bringing her sword down on the assassin¡¯s neck. Chapter 120: Free Experience Chapter 120: Free Experience 120: ¡°We should probably get out of here,¡± Tom muttered as his gaze swept over the damage that they had done. Aleph¡¯s gaze turned from the lifeless corpse at her feet and she gave him a pointed look before asking, ¡°Are you just going to gloss over what you did?¡± Tom¡¯s lips thinned. Neither Aleph nor Zirel were people he could trick and for that matter, he didn¡¯t want to. They deserved the truth. But Tom wasn¡¯t sure if giving it to them was the correct answer, if the fool card was even going to let him. He seen an entire army across the cosmos that was almost certainly searching for him. He didn¡¯t want to bring them into it, not yet. ¡°This isn¡¯t the ce. And it¡¯s not what you think,¡± Tom added, lying through his teeth. He was going to give them an answer as close to the truth as he could, but he wasn¡¯t going to delude himself into believing that it was. ¡°What about them?¡± Zirel asked from somewhere to his right, his tone cid. If the former prince was shaken by the extent of his abilities, he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°They were surprisingly strong,¡± Aleph muttered. ¡°Not stronger than us, sure, but we¡¯ve got multiple rare cards between us. I don¡¯t think they were expecting us to put up such a fight, especially since their leader seemed to think that we snuck past him instead of fighting him.¡± ¡°Can you me him?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°A teleportation card that takes you directly to the sted tower. If I had known such a treasure existed, I would¡¯ve done everything in my power to get it. Sneaking abilities sound a lot more sane.¡± ¡°Teleportation powers aren¡¯t that rare,¡± Aleph replied, though her argument sounded weak to even her. ¡°Short-teleportation, sure,¡± Zirel replied with a snort. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about trash cards that deplete your SP just to take you a league away. We saved years of travel, Aleph. Years. I¡¯m not sure where your family got that, but I¡¯m notining.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Aleph conceded. ¡°Well, as for them, they stille from a guild of assassins. I don¡¯t think burying them is going to trick the guild they mentioned, but it might buy us a little more time.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m taking the big guy then. We¡¯ll leave him in the forest, there are beasts within it. Remaining stationary and digging arge hole would be inadvisable,¡± Tom said. ¡°And just how do you know that?¡± Aleph asked. Tom winced, before offering, ¡°Will advanced geographical knowledge suffice as an answer?¡± Aleph rolled her eyes. ¡°Then you¡¯re going to have to wait until we¡¯re somewhere with a little more cover.¡± No more words were exchanged as Tom, Zirel and Aleph rushed towards the forest with a corpse slung over their shoulders. It appeared that Zirel¡¯s cloaking did not apply to objects that he touched and Tom didn¡¯t know if he was supposed to be impressed by a floating corpse that was keeping pace with them or horrified. Time ticked away before the foliage of the forest enveloped them, it¡¯s shade and darkness both wee. They continued to move deeper into the forest until Tom signaled for them to stop. ¡°Dump the bodies here,¡± Tom said, his words tinged with distaste. Over and over, Artezia forced him to change and with it, forced him to realize that kindness was a virtue reserved for the strong. Zirel and Aleph did as he asked, though they did give him curious nces as they did. Tom nodded and began to climb a tree, his physical and proprioception making it no challenge at all as he scaled it with unnatural deftness. He seated himself on a thick branch that was easily thirty feet above ground level. Zirel and Aleph took their ces on two branches nking them. ¡°What now?¡± Zirel asked, a flicker of excitement leaking into his tone. Of course, Zirel¡¯s end goal had been to reach the Tower of Endless Horizons and for all intents and purposes, he was already there¡ª years and years before anyone would¡¯ve expected him to. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Do you know why that man called himself the Gatekeeper?¡± Tom asked, his tone thoughtful while his gaze remained angled to the three corpses on the ground. The beasts in the vicinity probablye around knocking sooner rather thanter. ¡°Because he was a pompous fool who overestimated his abilities?¡± Aleph offered. ¡°Well, that was certainly part of it,¡± Tom conceded. ¡°And no, I can¡¯t read minds. I told you, I got visions that revealed things to me. Well, I can also direct those visions to reveal what I want, but it doesn¡¯t always work and even when it does, it takes away arge chunk of my power.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± Zirel replied, a lot less graceful than he usually was. ¡°If a power like that didn¡¯t rip away most of your SP, I would be terrified of it more than impressed.¡± Zirel¡¯s attempt to lighten the atmosphere was appreciated, but Tom knew the questions they had running through their minds. ¡°Did you¡­,¡± Aleph began and then shook her head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t, you¡¯ve done too much for me. You¡¯ve taken revenge on the Nottrakon Family even when you were not powerful enough to do so. It all makes sense now¡ª how you knew about the assassination plot, how you melded into the Academy and I suspect, how you killed the Nether Lich.¡± ¡°I knew there was something seriously wrong with you, but I never felt any malice from you after we agreed to ally. Which was pretty weird, mind you. If you could really see my past, then you¡¯d know that my umon is pretty darn nasty. Men have killed for less,¡± Zirel revealed. ¡°If you weren¡¯t tempted then, I doubt anything would sway your mind now. Besides, I can¡¯t beat you, can I?¡± Tom blinked. That was one hell of a question to ask. ¡°Probably not,¡± Tom admitted. Zirel began to snicker. ¡°You wear your emotions on your face. If you¡¯d intimately poked into either of our heads, no matter how you did it, we¡¯d be able to tell. I don¡¯t know which hole it is that you crawled out of, but there¡¯s not a single speck of noble blood in your veins. From as soon as I could read, the importance of mastering my own emotions was drilled into me. Whatever your upbringing was, I doubt it was simr.¡± ¡°I need to teach you that, one of these days, ¡° Aleph conceded and the heaviness enveloping the group shattered. Tom¡¯s cheeks stung a little from embarrassment, sure. But it was much better than losing Aleph and Zirel¡¯s trust. ¡°I¡¯m going to get back to the topic now,¡± Tom coughed into his fist before continuing, ¡°The Gatekeeper picked off weaker groups that tried to get into the tower. Apparently, the entrance is only one of dozens, but that¡¯s besides the point. His logic was pretty warped, but he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡ª he believed that anyone that fell to his de wouldn¡¯t have survived in the tower.¡± ¡°How did he scope out his targets?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°The tower is surrounded by three kingdoms, yet the number of people trying to get in it is shockingly low. The powerful ones came with entourages to announce their presence or just flew over directly with artifacts or card abilities. Either way, getting in won¡¯t be very challenging.¡± ¡°Do we want to get in?¡± Aleph asked. Their initial goal had been to escape the Syrelore Kingdom and they had gone far enough to be tracked. There was nopulsion to entire the tower. ¡°I¡¯ll let the irvoyant answer. Though I guess I can¡¯t call you that if you can see the past, too.¡± Tom pursed his lips before answering, ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved with kingdoms again. We can be strong enough to rip buildings out, but that wouldn¡¯t matter if they send a thousand knights after us. But we can¡¯t go in. Both of you can¡¯t level up your Rares because of the severance glyph. Or more urately, because you couldn¡¯t afford to lose all your stats up until now.¡± ¡°What about you, though I suspect I already know the answer,¡± Zirel said. ¡°I don¡¯t need the severance glyph. That means I can protect you. There are plenty of beasts in the area. One of you can start leveling your rare first.¡± ¡°The assassins?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°Four more are patrolling the area. I don¡¯t know their exact locations, but they should be swinging by soon enough.¡± ¡°You¡¯re terrifying,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°I¡¯m on your side,¡± Tom pointed out. ¡°Fair. They¡¯re not going to be too difficult to handle?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tom replied. ¡°But the leader of their guild, that guy is trouble. We probably should leave them alone for the time being.¡± ¡°For the time being?¡± Aleph raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, they did try to kill us,¡± Tom replied with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not messing with anymore kingdoms, but considering that I know exactly where their guild is and that it¡¯s in neutral territory unimed by anyone¡­.,¡± Tom¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. He could only imagine the resources that were stashed away in a guild of glorified thieves that had never known a fair fight. ¡°Who¡¯s going first then?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°It should be me,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°I¡¯m not deluded enough to rush straight into the tower, but it¡¯s been a goal for as long as I can remember. As strong as my umon is, that was only true while I was in the Syrelore Kingdom. It couldn¡¯t even touch the Nether Lich. If I keep clinging to safety, I¡¯m going to die the moment wee across someone immune to my paralysis.¡± ¡°That¡¯s convenient. Your stealth is ridiculously powerful, so we don¡¯t need to worry about you getting killed by assassins if they somehow manage to get the drop on us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nning on dying this close to the tower,¡± Zirel dryly replied. A subtle rustling sounded out in the distance, but all three of them were more than capable of picking up on it. ¡°Better get on with it then, your free experience just arrived.¡± Chapter 121: Nice Jest Chapter 121: Nice Jest 121: ¡°Say, Aleph,¡± Tom muttered as he watched Zirel dodge the snapping jaws of a Darkhound by throwing himself to the side, the refinement and elegance in his moves lost after he had leveled up his Rare card. The Divine System had waited no longer, acknowledging Zirel¡¯s rare as his soul card the moment it gained the slightest of experience. His Umon Mezzanine, The Spectre card was no longer his soul card, merely a deck card that could be added and subtracted from his deck at his choice. Killing the first Darkhound thaty dead next to the pile of corpses and Zirel had no doubt gained experience from it. Unfortunately, Tom doubted that even a max level Darkhound could grant him enough levels in one go to unlock his Rare card¡¯s second ability. His own Mirror World card had gained significant experience from killing the Gatekeeper, but even then Tom had only reached level 4. If his theory was correct, the second ability would pop up at level 5 like it had done for the Lifeblood card, but he had no idea if umons and rares worked simrly. Thankfully for Zirel, shifting his The Spectre card to his deck had not weakened it. That meant that his trickiest ability was still working, and indeed, there was a reason why the Darkhound¡¯s speed had fallen drastically. It had lost control over a hindleg, after all. A wide sweep of Zirel¡¯s de caused it to tilt forward and copse, even as Zirel himself warily retreated. The creature¡¯s pitch ck eyes and razor sharp teeth did little to make him drop his guard, the wisps of darkness coiling around it having seemed to have empower its speed while giving it some degree of concealment in shadows and darkness. The vicious snarl that the Darkhound had initiated the encounter with had given way to abject confusion, as the creature blinked and tried to move. It was unwounded and the weak human before it had shown time and time again, that it¡¯s de was incapable of biting through it¡¯s flesh. Then why was it that it could not move. Zirel lunged forth with his de of Necrosis. A single strike of his would normally have been enough to drive clean through the Level 10 Darkhound, but now Zirel could only manage a surface level wound. Not dropping his guard yet, he circled the beast and swiped with his phantom de, taking out thest hind leg. Zirel then stepped away and blended into his environment. Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as it became even harder to keep track of the distortions that he left in his wake. ¡°Yeah?¡± Aleph asked, a crystal spear clenched in her hand. The moment Zirel came across something his reaction time failed to deal with, Aleph would intervene. ¡°I was wondering,¡± Tom ran a hand across the stubble building on his face. ¡°Amon card needs one SP to bind to the deck. An umon needs two. A rare needs five. Is that correct?¡± He asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Aleph replied, her tone getting curious. The knowledge wasn¡¯t exactly secret. ¡°Why is it so low?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Two SP for an Umon and Five for a rare¡­ doesn¡¯t that seem a bit lowpared to what they can do? I mean, Zirel is taking out max level beasts with his umon and he hasn¡¯t even begun to scratch what he can do with his rare.¡± Aleph¡¯s features crinkled in confusion before she shook her head, ¡°Amon soul card gets one SP per level. An Umon card gets two. A Rare gets three. The free points work a bit differently, but it¡¯s still pretty brutal at lower rarities. One for amon, two for an umon, five for a rare. But you¡¯ve also got to factor in level caps,¡± Aleph exined. ¡°Amon gets only 10 SP to work with at their cap of ten, making them virtually useless. An umon can go till level 20, giving them 40 SP and 40 Free Points to work with. A rare at thirty does have a ridiculous 90 SP to work with at max level, but can you imagine how hard it is to get there?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Tom coughed into his fist, his eyes widening in realization as he realized just how hard lower rarities had it. ¡°The Gatekeeper dude did have two umons, but now that I think about it, none of his moves were on the shy side. In fact, he seemed a bit too efficient with how he used them.¡± ¡°Two umons,¡± Aleph repeated dryly. ¡°A random thief had two umons just¡­ lying around?¡± She asked, her tone sounding a bit dazed. ¡°You can have one if you¡¯d like. I n on offering Zirel one too, but you both need to level your rares first,¡± Tom replied, sounding distracted as he tried to figure out where Zirel was hiding. ¡°I can have one? You¡¯re just going to give away umons like candy now?¡± Aleph asked, almost sounding weary at the proposition. ¡°Look, it¡¯s like you said. If a random thief is running around with two umons, then I¡¯m pretty sure our world just changed. And, no offense, but I think the Syrelore Kingdom was just¡­weak.¡± ¡°None taken,¡± Aleph replied, before sighing. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, we are supposed to be the weakest kingdom. But even then, this isn¡¯t the tower.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°Though, however it came to pass, we are a team. If any card I¡¯ve looted suits one of your purposes better than mine, then it¡¯s yours. We¡¯re too far away from home, Aleph. There was a time for secrecy and deception, but that passed when we arrived here.¡± Aleph bit her lip as she considered Tom¡¯s words. Then, she nodded. ¡°I think I understand what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± ¡°You do?¡± Tom asked, just barely managing to stop himself from sounding surprised. ¡°Yeah. If the Gatekeeper had two umons, there was likely a much stronger attack he could¡¯ve opened with. He didn¡¯t though and it¡¯s probably because he didn¡¯t always have Soul Power in the double digits. How many levels you get from killing him?¡± ¡°Four on my rare,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Which rare?¡± Tom paused and then shrugged. Aleph thought that his irvoyant abilities came from a Rare, possibly a mezzanine rare. He was relieved, even as he feigned nonchnce. Of course, it would be both bizarre and baffling toe to the conclusion that he had in his possession a one of a kind legendary card that was rted to some nebulous thing called the Book of Maya which an entire army of Nether Beasts was after. Even then, he was relieved. ¡°Fine, be that way,¡± Aleph tly retorted, before continuing, ¡°He wasn¡¯t maxed out then. But was probably close, maybe level fifteen or sixteen. The habit of fighting while conserving SP isn¡¯t something you form in a day. He learned to fight that way because he had to. I think we¡¯ve been looking at this from the wrong angle.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many cards you steal and stockpile. Let¡¯s say he was level fifteen, that gives him what, 30 SP to work with. Add an umon, that subtracts two. He was forging metal out of his own SP, that¡¯s not cheap. Like my crystals. And there were multiple opponents to deal with. How many umons can you add? How many can you use effectively in battle? After a point, it will hamper far more than aid.¡± ¡°Huh, I guess it would. After you can acquire cards, maybe it bes more important to find the right ones and synergize them?¡± Tom offered. Aleph¡¯s eyes widened and she stared at Tom as if he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°That¡­ would make a lot of sense. It¡¯s weird, you know? In Renovia, cards were a thing to be revered, respected and awed. Now, less than an hour into this ce, you¡¯re telling me we¡¯ve got two umon cards to work with.¡± ¡°Three,¡± Tom replied without batting an eye, as his gaze sharpened at an approaching creature. He did not see the glistening ck fur of the Darkhounds, but instead patches of red on a canvas of white. Something new was approaching. ¡°Ha-ha, nice jest,¡± Aleph replied, though she seemed a little amused. ¡°It¡¯s not a jest, I got it from killing the head of the Nottrakon Family Elite Guard. Or Elite assassins. Or well, considering what I did to the dude, not-so-elite assassins.¡± Chapter 122: Aura Shift Chapter 122: Aura Shift [Card Name: Aura Shift Rank: Umon Level: 1 Ability: Mass Increase: Envelops the wielder in a red aura that amplifies their mass to a maximum of x 1.5 times their body weight. Allows the wielder to adjust between regr and x1.5 times their body weight on a sliding scale thates with a slight timeg. SP cost increases with increasing mass and falls with decreasing mass.] Aleph¡¯s lips were pursed as she gingerly cycled through the three cards in her hands, moving from one description to the next with increasing interest. Then she handed the cards back to Tom and sighed. ¡°These are better than I expected,¡± Aleph admitted. ¡°Way better.¡± Tom grinned, practically beaming at her. ¡°Told you,¡± He said. ¡°So, which one do you want?¡± Aleph gave him a bbergasted look, before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to this,¡± Aleph said. ¡°But, I think you should take the Aura Shift card.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m opposed to the idea, but any reason why?¡± Tom asked, his tone thoughtful. ¡°You¡¯re our hardest hitter by far. With Zirel out ofmission for a bit, it makes sense to amplify your strength in case we run into someone troublesome,¡± Aleph exined. ¡°Well, I was going to ask if I can have that one anyway,¡± Tom admitted sheepishly. ¡°The assassin could also lighten himself to move faster, so it doubles up as a movement and strength card.¡± ¡°That¡¯s oddly powerful for an umon. I wonder why it¡¯s not a mezzanine.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not that strong. Or, rather, it¡¯s strong because I¡¯m strong and it¡¯ll be fast because I¡¯m already rather quick,¡± Tom answered. Compared to throwing around crystals and forging metal into throwing knives mid-fight, amplifying strength and speed didn¡¯t seem all that deadly. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re correct. If you get the mass decrease abilityter on, try and practice it before using it in battle. There¡¯s no guarantee your proprioception will keep up with a great increase in movement speed.¡± ¡°I will, though that¡¯lle after I ask Zirel if he wants it,¡± Tom replied. ¡°It¡¯s your card, you won that fight on your own,¡± Aleph retorted as she crossed her arms. ¡°I know why you want to do this, but if your goal is to keep us all alive, you need to pick up what you want for yourself. If only because you¡¯re the strongest out of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Tom answered. ¡°So, anything catch your eye?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said nothing did,¡± Aleph allowed a defeated sigh to escape her. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t the assassins have had umon cards as well.¡± ¡°Considering how easily they went down?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they were just reinforcement for the Gatekeeper dude, while he did the heavy lifting.¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want it, the Heat Infusion card is something I could work with. If the Gatekeeper can heat metal, then I can heat crystal. Probably.¡± ¡°Can you use both cards in conjunction?¡± ¡°Conjunction? No, what¡ª do you think my crystalse from a Rare card? I can¡¯t, just like the Gatekeeper couldn¡¯t. But once they¡¯re formed, my ability¡¯s role is over until I need to manipte them.¡± ¡°Heated crystals, eh?¡± Tom mused. ¡°That¡¯s pretty nasty.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Aleph said, her gaze shifting to Zirel¡¯s invisible battle with a Wildew. The feline creature had two long tusks jutting out from it¡¯s mouth, it¡¯s snow white fur marked with spots of red. It snarled as it¡¯s w swiped forth in the air, sending an arc of wind shooting forth where it hadst seen Zirel. The wind de harmlessly passed through the spot where Zirel had been standing, as the man in question appeared behind the Wildew and swiped his phantom de, taking out the Wildebeast¡¯s hindlegs. Neither of them could help Zirel if they wanted him to get 100% of the soul experience the Wildebeast had to offer and from the looks of it, they wouldn¡¯t have to. ¡°The card isn¡¯t of much use to me right now though, not until I level my rare,¡± Aleph added, reminding Tom. ¡°Though from the looks of it, it doesn¡¯t seem like killingmon carded beasts is going to be too helpful in levelling a Rare.¡± Tom grunted in affirmation, his gaze shifting from Aleph to the foliage in the distance. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that our guests have just arrived then.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. A squelch sounded out from below them as Zirel finished off the Wildebeast. ¡°Guests?¡± Zirel mouthed from afar, his unspoken word not escaping Tom¡¯s perception. ¡°We¡¯ll let you finish them off,¡± Aleph offered what Tom did not want to voice and to his credit, Zirel didn¡¯t even bat an eye as he gave them an understanding nod. Rannok was having a terrible day. Sure, there was never a time when he had truly liked Jerrick. No, the ostentatious ive wielder liked the sound of his voice far too much for that. But he didn¡¯t want Jerrick dead. Because for his faults, the Gatekeeper had beenpetent. The Master was wise to see Jerrick¡¯s talent and recruit him, giving him a way out of a Noble¡¯s service he was bound to. Few would make such decisions. But then again, there few aspetent as his master. Few who could take an ordinary guild, one amongst thousands, to a force that was reckoned as it was feared. They were not the strongest guild by any means, perhaps not even in the top hundred amongst the three kingdoms. But their coffers were piled as high as the skies and for a guild of assassins, they almost never failed. Almost. Rannok held a ck ball in his hands, a set piece forged by their artificer. Of course, the source of the artificers powers came from the same pool theirs did, a card. But they were so far from most people¡¯s reach, that they might as well consider it a different kind of power. For a card that allowed forging of artefacts was automatically a mezzanine and it¡¯s worth was a hundred times what a normal card at the same rarity would be. After all, artefacts needn¡¯t be strong to be immensely useful. The ck balls came in sets of two and each assassin in Jerrick¡¯s team had one. It had not taken them long to determine that all three remaining ck balls pulled them towards the same direction and it was not surprising that Jerrick had called for aid when he ran into a powerful opponent. After the ck balls shatter, they would turn to dust and cling to the wielder¡¯s body. As long as their corpses were not devasted beyond recognition, they would find them. Rannok was almost certain that Jerrick¡¯s killers would¡¯ve looted their bodies and left. They would have no way of knowing that Jerrick had backup waiting in the vicinity, said backup had a way to track him dead or alive and even if they did, it made little sense to stick around. Jerrick had powerful cards that synergised with each other and the tricky bastard had known how to use them well. The master valued Jerrick and he would certainly be annoyed at his demise and more importantly, the loss of cards that came with it, but he did not govern through fear. Jerrick¡¯s killers were likely already inside the tower and there would be nothing any of them could do about it. Well, they would die anyway, but there would be no more gains or losses for the Shadow Guild. Rannok called for a halt as he stopped a tree, his features tightening. Controlling his breathing to slow drastically, he peeked out behind it. ¡°Shattered dagger,¡± Rannok whispered a curse under his breath. In a small clearing, where the canopy of the forest thinned to allow a flood of light, was a pile of corpses nked by trees in every direction. Corpses both monster and human. His gaze zeroed in on Jerrick¡¯s body, noticing that his armor was gone, leaving behind only ordinary clothing that had been punched through by arge metal ive that was embedded in his chest. That was not the work of a beast. Rannok called for the shadows and they answered, enveloping his form. Telling the two assassins behind him to wait, he moved from tree to tree, hugging the shadows the canopy above him offered. He scanned the treetops and looked for signs of disturbance in the grass, only to find nothing out of ce besides the pile of corpses that was marked by trails both human and beast. He circled around the area, his ears open as were his eyes, listening for anything out of ce while he scoured areas he himself would choose to hide in if he wanted to hide in. The killers were gone. ¡°Come on,¡± Rannok said, dismissing the shadows that still clung to his form. ¡°What happened here?¡± The assassin to Rannok¡¯s left asked, his tone sounding more confused than anything else. ¡°Jerrick bit off more than he could chew,¡± The final assassin said, before crouching down before the corpses as he inspected them. ¡°Looks like the beasts were drawn into the fight due to cards being activated. Jerrick would¡¯ve expected to make quick work of them, but he seems to have met his match in a more skilled metal user. Zen and Karif just hadmon cards, they weren¡¯t going to survive someone that killed Jerrick.¡± Rannok walked over to Zen, noticing the jagged puncture wound in his shin. ¡°Looks like hardened rock. Maybe some type of crystal.¡± Then he moved to Karif, shaking his head as he noticed the puncture wound in the neck on the otherwise necrotizing body. ¡°He was probably dead before the poison took him, but this was one vicious group,¡± Rannok noted, memorizing the details so he could report back to the master with unerring details. ¡°Not like it matters now,¡± One of the assassin¡¯s chimed in. ¡°They didn¡¯t even bother to try and hide the bodies, so they¡¯re already in the tower. Nothing left to do, it¡¯s just the risk of the trade.¡± Rannok sighed and he was on the verge of nodding when his peripheral vision picked up on a blur of red. He turned, the word ¡°Ambush!¡± escaping his lips even as he did so. He watched as a person emanating a thick red aura pushed off from a tree, using it as a springboard tounch himself towards him. Rannok¡¯s hair stood on end as he swept the sword outwards through pure reflex, aiming to defend himself from the sword artefact in the man¡¯s hand. His instincts hadn¡¯t failed him as the man blurred forward with speed that had to be empowered by a card. The terror in Rannok¡¯s eyes calmed as the man¡¯s sword took a path that would sh with his own, his years of experience as an assassin not having failed him. As fast as the man was, if Rannok could survive the ambush, he had items that could help him survive. Their des collided and Rannok¡¯s short sword flew out of his hands without the slightest amount of resistance. He had thought the man to have heavily focused on speed augmentation, but he could not have been more wrong as his opponent simply crashed into him shoulder forward, having too much momentum behind his charge to do anything else. Rannok felt like a runaway beast had mmed into him, the sheer force sending him rocketing backwards and mming loudly into a tree. His ribs had almost definitely snapped, the metallic tang of blood pooling in his mouth. A blow meant to injure had left him on death¡¯s door. He blinked away the spots from his eyes in search for the man, but he was gone. The man had not even considered him worthy of finishing off. Rannok felt numb as he reached for his inventory, pulling out a healing potion. The moment of distraction cost the assassin greatly, as reality itself rippled next to him. Rannok turned, his eyes wide with disbelief as he witnessed a concealment ability that rivalled, if not surpassed his master¡¯s. Then, a de snaked for his throat and all was silent. Chapter 123: Artifact Recall Chapter 123: Artifact Recall 123: A month passed by them as Tom, Aleph and Zirel tore through the Sacred Forest. Contrary to its grandiose name, the beasts they encountered within the forest were on the fairly normal side. A mix of canine and feline beasts with the asional heavy-set porcine creature that had given Tom¡¯s party rations for weeks, if not months. Something told Tom there was a reason why he didn¡¯t see too many of the gray-furred Ferocious Tuskers, the bs of meat stored in his inventory a good deal of the reason why. If anything made the forest sacred, it had to be proximity to the tower. Tom knew where the Shadow Guild¡¯s headquarters were and he had wisely chosen to wage his war against the beasts in the opposing direction, as far away as they could get without actually leaving the shelter provided by the forest¡¯s canopy. ¡°I think this is about as far as killingmon carded beasts will take me,¡± Aleph said as she sat within an open-mouthed tent, a drumstick of cooked meat in her hand. ¡°The only reason I managed to reach level seven is because you both let me finish off the assassins. Common carded beasts can only give so much experience to a rare,¡± Zirel said. ¡°You¡¯re right, I really shouldn¡¯t beining,¡± Aleph shook her head. ¡°That gives me fifteen SP to work with. Subtract two from my umon and that¡¯s thirteen. But when you consider that Recall only needs 3 SP to bring me back from certain death, it¡¯s a steal. I¡¯ll have enough SP to fight even aftering back from the dead.¡± ¡°So?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Level five should¡¯ve gotten you your second ability, unless your card works differently from Zirel and mine.¡± Aleph nodded, though her expression was uncertain. ¡°It¡¯s odd,¡± She said. ¡°Your mirror card got a direct buff, a nasty one. Zirel¡¯s card made him an even deadlier assassin, even though the ability doesn¡¯t seem particrly strong on his own. Mine though, it seems to do an entirely different thing.¡± Aleph¡¯s description of Mirror World was pretty urate. The second ability he¡¯d received from the Rare card was way better than anything he¡¯d been expecting after he unlocked it. [Card Name: Mirror World Rank: Rare Level: 6 Skill Upgrade Point(s): 0 Ability: 1. Mirror Dimension, Level 5: Summon at will a 40x56 inch gateway to the mirror dimension that can be manipted at will. Absorbs any three continuous, non-organic means of attack as long as it does not exceed the damage tolerance of the Mirror Dimension. Mirror Dimension permanently stores the continuous, non-organic means of attack and can reproduce 100% of its efficacy perfectly for three attacks. It is able to counter with no dy at the wielder¡¯s will. SP Cost is variable 2. Greater Reflection, Level 2: Any continuous, non-organic means of attack can be amplified to 120% of it¡¯s original strength. SP cost is proportional to amplification.] Zirel¡¯s card was probably still better overall, especially since he could now make any one item in contact with his body meld into his cloaking. Whether he wanted his de of necrosis to disappear during his battle or take out enemies from thefort of his cloaking, Zirel was increasingly bing a very tricky opponent to fight. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°Go on,¡± Zirel encouraged. ¡°Well, it lets me repair artifacts to their original state as long as more than 50% of the artifact¡¯s integrity has been preserved,¡± Aleph revealed. ¡°Huh,¡± Tom muttered. ¡°What¡¯s that got to do withing back from the dead.¡± ¡°Beats me,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°It makes sense, actually,¡± Zirel chimed in. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be pressed to fatal damage, there¡¯s a high chance your armor won¡¯t be very useful afterwards. ¡°I remember Aleph saying that her card¡¯s name was total recall. It adds up, because it would only be total if you don¡¯te back to life with all your equipment shattered, just to die again.¡± ¡°Oh shit,¡± A curse slipped Tom¡¯s lips as he remembered an important tidbit of information. He reached forward and the void was sundered, before Tom stuck his hands inside his inventory. He pulled out a chainmail forged from white scales lined with a blood red, one that had arge, ive sized gash in them. The telegs were made out of the same material, splotches of dried blood marring their surface. [Shattered Blood Wyrm Chainmail, Umon Requirements: None. Description: An armor forged from the scales of an elusive Blood Wyrm, the armor once possessed regenerative properties. Now, it is a shattered husk of what once was, possessing no armor skills.] [Blood Wyrm telegs, Umon Requirements: 14 Physical, 4 Mental. Description: As telegs forged from the scales of the Blood Wyrm, this artifact has absorbed a portion of the natural healing factor of the serpentine creature. Due to the natural hardness and heaviness of Blood Wyrm scales, the telegs are very resistant to shing and ranged attacks. Armor Skill: 1. Bloodless: While wearing the Blood Wyrm telegs, any open wounds have their bleeding staunched. Minor wounds are quickly healed and medium-sized wounds are slowly healed.] ¡°Fourteen Physical,¡± Aleph winced as she read a part of the description her analyze had offered her. ¡° While Aleph might¡¯ve been able to wear the telegs when her soul card was a high levelled umon, likely near max, the same could not be said of her current situation. At level 5 on her Rare, she had 20 free points to work with and Tom knew that her build focused more on Proprioception and Mental to aid in using therge amount of crystals she employed on the battlefield. That meant that the Gatekeeper, who could have had a maximum of forty free points to work with if he had maxed, had likely heavily sped into strength. Not that Tom needed confirmation on that matter. ¡°Would you have wanted this armor even if you could equip it?¡± Tom asked, to make sure that he hadn¡¯t miscalcted Aleph¡¯s fighting style. ¡°No,¡± Aleph admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve been fighting without my light armor because I lost the requirements needed to wield them, but I¡¯ve just about recovered it. The chestguard and greaves are umon ranked and grant me boosts to mobility and movement speed. It just feels bad to see powerful armor that you can''t use.¡± ¡°Same for me,¡± Zirel jumped into the conversation. ¡°The chainmail is probably going to have a slightly higher strength requirement, that¡¯s usually how it works. A good thing to keep in mind is that just because you meet the requirements of an armor doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that they suit you¡±. Tom nodded, not having known that particr aspect of armor theory. It made sense¡ª- just because you could fight while wearing something didn¡¯t necessarily mean that you could do well in it. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not too enthused about this armor considering what happened to it¡¯s previous wielder,¡± Tom sheepishly admitted. ¡°But it beats this startermon armor I¡¯ve got on. The Divine System seems to be messing with my drops, but when I think about it, I¡¯ve pretty much gotten powerful cards instead of an assortment of artifacts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you almost always do the most damage,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°But yeah, I agree. That armor should go to you, well, if Aleph can¡­,¡± He trailed off, as he turned his gaze to Aleph. ¡°Let me see,¡± She said, a hint of eagerness audible in her tone as she pressed her palm against the armor¡¯s crumpled scales. She wanted to see what Total Recall could do. She closed her eyes, her brows scrunching up as she focused. ¡°I can do it, but it will cost me ten SP. You¡¯ve eviscerated 37% of the armor. We¡¯re going to have to wait a day before we head out anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Tom confirmed. Tom and Zirel watched as strings of faint blue energy bloomed outwards from her palm, before snaking off towards therge gash in the rear of the chainmail. They watched as a mesh of the blue strings knit the wound guing the chainmail and marveled when the blue energy faded in favor of textured scales. The same process was repeated for the front of the armor, before Aleph pulled away her hand, her motions hurried as she released the breath she had been holding onto. Sweat streaked down her chin as she marveled at her own work. [Blood Wyrm Chainmail, Umon Requirements: 17 Physical, 6 Mental. Description: As chainmail forged from the scales of the Blood Wyrm, this artifact has absorbed a portion of the natural healing factor of the serpentine creature. Due to the natural hardness and heaviness of Blood Wyrm scales, the chainmail is very resistant to shing and ranged attacks and resistant to stabbing attacks. Armor Skill: 1. Bloodless: While wearing the Blood Wyrm Chainmail, any open wounds have their bleeding staunched. Minor wounds are quickly healed and medium-sized wounds are slowly healed.] Chapter 124: To beat an assassin Chapter 124: To beat an assassin 124: Tom flexed his arms as he began to limatize himself to the Blood Wyrm Chainmail. The heavy construction of scales and metal wire clung perfectly to his form, offeringplete protection to his abdomen while leaving his arms free. Well,plete protection as long as someone didn¡¯t just punch through the armor with molten-hot metal. The Gatekeeper would¡¯ve attested to that if he still roamed the mortal ne, but nheless Tom had no intention to blindly rely upon the armor to keep him safe. It was only a fail-safe and the chainmail¡¯s armor skill was pretty useful. A few minutester, Tom began stretching his legs, finding that the weight of the telegs were making an actual difference. It was nothing he couldn¡¯t adjust to, but Tom¡¯s blinding fast movement speed would be reduced to very fast, if he had to take a guess. He reached for his inventory and pulled out the sabatons he had looted from the Gatekeeper¡¯s corpse. [Boots of Weight Reduction, Umon Requirements: 5 Proprioception Description: If the wielder equips armor in the head, torso and/or legs slot and thebined weight of the armor exceeds 100 pounds, the armor skill of the Boots of Weight Reduction will activate.Armor Skill: 1. Lighten: Reduces the weight of any armor worn in the head, torso and/or legs slot by 30%] ¡°I guess these make sense now,¡± Tom remarked, as began tugging at his right boot with his left and then repeated the process to get out of hismon beast leather boots. ¡°What do they do?¡± Aleph asked from where she lounged on the tent carpeted ground, a pillow that she had pulled out of her inventory cushioning her head. Tom made a note to stock up on a pillow, no, as many pillows as he could get his hands on, before he replied, ¡°Reduces the weight of the armor I¡¯m wearing. These are pretty neat.¡± ¡°By how much?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Thirty percent.¡± She arched an eyebrow at him, before replying, ¡°Any armor?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s got weight conditions,¡± Tom exined as he slipped into his new metal sabatons, finding them surprisinglyfortable from the inside as he felt the weight on his shoulders and tugging at his abdomen magically lighten. The sound of shuffling footsteps near the entrance of their tent broke the flow of theirpetition, as Zirel peeked his head inside and said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s any beasts in the vicinity.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the vition. ¡°We probably scared them off,¡± Tom offered. ¡°That probably means that the Shadow Guild knows we¡¯re within the forest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± Aleph muttered. ¡°What makes you think that¡¯s the case?¡± She asked. ¡°Their people went missing and now beasts are dying in droves. From what I know, the Shadow Guild is the only major power on our side of the tower. The way I see it, we have a choice.¡± ¡°Tell us,¡± Zirel said, as he stepped inside the tent. ¡°We can try our luck sneaking into one of the kingdoms that border the tower or we can fight the Shadow Guild,¡± Tom dered. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly opposed to fighting the Shadow Guild, but you¡¯re the least, well, vengeful of us three. Why is fighting them an option, but sneaking inside the tower isn¡¯t?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°They¡¯re assassins,¡± Tom replied with a shrug, his use of Maya having shed more light on the nature of an assassin than it had on the inner workings of the Shadow Guild. It was a pity he hadn¡¯t used Maya on the Gatekeeper instead, but the ability was asking for sixty five of his Soul Power and that was a cost that even he had found steep moments after arriving in a newnd. ¡°We barged into their territory, clearly heading for the tower. We ran into the Gatekeeper and killed him. We had plenty of time to run, but we didn¡¯t. Instead, we began picking off easy targets in the vicinity. Without knowing our specific circumstances, it looks like we¡¯re a group of powerful dungeoneers that were slighted, killed the Gatekeeper for the offense and found his cards useful enough to level nearby before we got to our main objective,¡± Tom exined. Aleph blinked and then turned to look at Zirel, who gave her an equally understanding look. ¡°You think they¡¯ve set a trap near the entrances,¡± Aleph offered, her tone sounding convinced. ¡°They¡¯re noting after us because they know we¡¯re strong and it¡¯s not in the nature of an assassin to chase the strong when they¡¯re expecting it. They¡¯d much rather ambush us when we least expect it,¡± Zirel¡¯s brows furrowed as he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve got a n?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Tom replied. ¡°But before that, we should at least consider the path that involves less violence.¡± ¡°No,¡± Aleph firmly replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Exin?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Between the three of us, we¡¯re a walking treasure trove. None of us will have any status in the kingdom we enter and the moment even one of us slips up and reveals our abilities, we¡¯d be risking Nobles finding out that we¡¯ve got multiple rares between us. I refuse to believe that there¡¯s a ce on the surface world where rares aren¡¯t worth killing a bunch ofmoners over.¡± Tom pursed his lips, before sighing. ¡°You¡¯re probably correct,¡± He admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of this, but I think the Shadow Guild¡¯s so called master is the only one amongst them that has a rare. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to tangle with him, but he¡¯s already tried to kill us once and he will almost certainly try again. Better him than nobles, I guess.¡± ¡°So?¡± Zirel began. ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± ¡°The Gatekeeper did reveal the name of his guild fairly easily, but he gave us no reason to believe that their entire guild operated from within the Sacred Forest instead of a nearby kingdom. I¡¯m not sure if they know that their headquarters¡¯ location is already out, but that¡¯s easily confirmed.¡± ¡°You want me to scout out the area near the tower entrances,¡± Zirel guessed. ¡°Astute,¡± Tomplimented. ¡°Yeah, if they¡¯re waiting for us there, it means that they have no idea that we know where they¡¯re hiding or they wouldn¡¯t split their forces until the threat was dealt with.¡± Aleph¡¯s eyes went wide as she understood what Tom was getting at. ¡°You want to hit their headquarters when they¡¯re least expecting it. Just like an assassin.¡± Tom coughed into his head before shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do any of this,¡± Tom replied. ¡°But if we get into a conflict with the Nobles, they¡¯re going to throw people like the Royal Knights at us¡ª guards under their employ, most of them ordinary and more than a few, decent people. At least with a den of assassins, they probably deserve what¡¯sing to them.¡± ¡°A solid n,¡± Zirel gave him an approving nod, a hint of respect flickering across his gaze. ¡°But,¡± Tom added. ¡°Before that, we still have the rest of the day. Just enough time for me to power through my new umon to level 5 and get the mass decrease ability.¡± Chapter 125: Outfoxing an ambush Chapter 125: Outfoxing an ambush 125: Tom¡¯s de whipped downwards in a blur of motion, severing the head of a Wildew that was reflexively trying to turn in the direction of burst of momentum its animalistic instincts had caught onto. Hended on the ground with a loud m, still a little unustomed to the additional heft his armor added to his body weight. Small cracks spiderwebbed in the earth below him as he dismissed his mimicked de. ¡°Hopefully, it was painless,¡± Tom muttered as he saw the devastation his attack had unleashed upon the Wildew. He was still getting used to the added heft the armor had added to his body weight. Then he shrugged and looted its carcass as experience flooded into his soul. ¡®Finally,¡¯ He thought. [Card Name: Aura Shift Rank: Umon Level: 5Skill Upgrade Points: 4 Ability:
  1. Mass Increase: Envelops the wielder in a red aura that amplifies their mass to a maximum of x 1.5 times their body weight. Allows the wielder to adjust between regr and x1.5 times their body weight on a sliding scale thates with a slight timeg.
SP cost increases with increasing mass and falls with decreasing mass.
  1. Mass Decrease: Envelops the wielder in a red aura that negates a portion of their mass down to x 0.75 times their body weight. Allows the wielder to adjust between their regr body weight and x 0.75 times their body weight on a sliding scale thates with a slight timeg.
SP cost increases with decreasing mass and falls with increasing mass.] Having hoarded his Skill Upgrade Points for the Mass Decrease ability, Tom didn¡¯t hesitate to put all his amassed points into it. Every point brought him a 0.2 reduction, the end result taking Mass Decrease¡¯s limit to x0.67 of his body weight as the limit of its reduction capabilities. The change wasn¡¯t as pronounced as he had expected it to be, but he couldn¡¯t expect too much from an umon card. He stood there for a few moments, watching the early rays of dawn filter through the forest¡¯s canopy before kissing his features. A red aura began ensconcing his silhouette, before Tom blurred forward. He couldn¡¯t take too long to return to camp, otherwise Aleph and Zirel would think that something had gone awry. But there was just enough time for him to y around with his card¡¯s newly acquired ability. As Tom made his way through the forest, he couldn¡¯t help but notice how odd the Mass Decrease ability was. If his mass had truly fallen, then a logical consequence of that should¡¯ve been a decrease in his Physical stat, which should¡¯ve made it harder for him to move in the heavy Blood Wyrm Chainmail and telegs. However, he moved at a speed that surpassed what even Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation was capable of and he was forced to slow down because his own proprioception struggled to navigate through the unnatural eleration. ¡®The description of the Mass Decrease ability stated that it negated body weight. Negate doesn¡¯t mean erased. If the wielder¡¯s physical stat were to fall after activating the ability, then someone as important as the Head of the Elite Guard would have never used it. No, the card¡¯s magic simply bears a portion of my weight in my stead,¡¯ Tom concluded as he clenched his right hand into a fist, sensing the terrifying strength he was capable of. Mass Decrease was only powerful because he was powerful and its drain on his SP was pretty unbnced for a mere umon card. Mass increase on the other hand, made the aura cloaking him no different than another weapon; weight that would be added to his striking force. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. It was a pretty great card for an assassin, giving them both versatility and unpredictability as they swapped between increased and decreased masses. If the card didn¡¯t drain three to four SP for every minute that it was active, Tom would¡¯ve found it a lot more useful, but for now it would suffice as a surprise attack that he could use to dispatch foes in the shortest time span that was possible. He doubted that the Head of the Elite Guard was subject to a simr SP drain, but then again, he probably didn¡¯t have 50 Physical and Proprioception either. Not long after, Tom arrived at a small clearing where they had set up camp. ¡°I¡¯m heading out,¡± Zirel¡¯s voice was barely above a whisper as he made his intentions known. Tom nodded from Zirel¡¯s left, where he was crouched behind a tree while Aleph monitored the situation from up on above, effortlessly bnced on a narrow branch so she could monitor the situation. As fast and lithe as he could be, Tom wasn¡¯t the right person for espionage when Zirel had ess to a rare card that would let him blend in with the environment. If they engaged here, then their n would fall apart. As it turned out, waiting wasn¡¯t exactly Tom¡¯s forte. While Aleph was perfectly content to lean on the tree¡¯s trunk with her rare artifact in her hand, his gaze flitted from one patch of shrubbery to the next, searching for anything even remotely out of ce. He much preferred dealing with his problems by punching them in the face and it showed. He would make a terrible assassin, but his twitchiness was the only reason why he noticed a distortion in the air. Tom pretended like he hadn¡¯t noticed anything and waited. Thankfully, it was Zirel who stepped out of his cloaking that let him meld into any environment. ¡°You were right,¡± Zirel whispered. Tom¡¯s gaze shifted upwards to Aleph, who nodded back at him. That was all the confirmation they needed. They were in enemy territory and they needed to move. ¡°What did you find?¡± Tom asked as they jogged across the Sacred Forest, taking care not to make too much noise in their wake. ¡°It was a well-nned ambush,¡± Zirel replied, having dropped his cloaking to conserve his SP. ¡°The weaker assassins, the one that wore those pitch-ck robes, were concealed on trees and behind shrubbery. I¡¯m not sure how many there were, but based on the glimpses I got, it has to be over a dozen.¡± ¡°Over a dozen?¡± Aleph repeated, her tone sounding almost impressed. ¡°They must¡¯ve valued the man we killed quite a bit, then.¡± ¡°Or his cards,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Actually, definitely his cards.¡± Zirel grunted in agreement before continuing, ¡°They weren¡¯t the real threat though.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Tom encouraged. ¡°There were four, scattered a little distance away from each other. Like the gatekeeper, they were d in armor and were definitely not outfitted for stealth. They¡¯d left their backs unguarded and seemed to be baiting an attack. Not only would the weaker assassins swarm us the moment we attacked one of them, but the other three would also run over to reinforce them. It¡¯s quite an borate lure,¡± Zirel exined. ¡°How strong do you think those four are?¡± Tom asked. ¡°One of them almost noticed me,¡± Zirel replied, his tone heavy. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t gone absolutely still to calm the distortions my movement caused, I¡¯m pretty sure he would¡¯ve attacked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty impressive proprioception, then,¡± Tom remarked. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Do you know how many members the Shadow Guild has?" Aleph asked. ¡°I think that should be about a third of their strength, in numbers,¡± Tom answered. ¡°The Shadow Guild is strong, but there¡¯s a reason why they¡¯re hiding outside the three kingdoms. We took out the Gatekeeper and now there¡¯s four more like him. I¡¯d say that they¡¯ve dedicated about half of their real strength to stomping us out in one fell swoop.¡± Aleph nodded, satisfied by the exnation. Tom continued jogging even as he pulled out the Elixir of Soul Restoration from his inventory. There was a little under a third of the precious liquid left. He came to a stop under the canopy of arge tree and proceeded to pull out two vials from his inventory. He gave Aleph and Zirel half a vial full each for emergencies, before stoppering the crystal bottle and holding onto it with his left hand. ¡°Zirel, it¡¯s up to you how you decide to fight,¡± Tom began directing the n. ¡°Aleph, you can fight next to me, but if you¡¯re forced to usest recall I want you to cover my rear.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but I¡¯m still not strong enough toin,¡± Aleph replied, a sigh escaping her lips while Zirel just nodded at him. ¡°Now, a question,¡± Tom began, his lips curling up into an amused smile. ¡°How do you hide a structure capable of housing around fifty assassins in the middle of a forest?¡± Chapter 126: They started it Chapter 126: They started it 126: Tom picked up an ordinary rock from the ground, much to Aleph and Zirel¡¯s puzzlement. Then, before they could ask him anything, he threw it at a nted angle, making the stone bounce off the grassy terrain. Aleph and Zirel watched as the rock bounced off the terrain, once, twice and what should¡¯ve been a third time. Instead, the stone made contact with an ordinary patch of grass and vanished. ¡°There we go,¡± Tom whispered, his expression wary as he waited for any response from the other side. No response came. ¡°An underground tunnel?¡± Zirel asked, keeping his tone soft as he drew his de in preparation. ¡°More like air,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Multiple branching tunnels lead to arge cavern where the Shadow Guild has set up its headquarters. I do not know the location of all the tunnels, but I do know the safe route through this one.¡± ¡°Safe route?¡± Aleph asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°They¡¯ve trapped the branching tunnels that lead to dead-ends. All their members have the correct routes memorized,¡± Tom exined. Zirel and Aleph exchanged bbergasted looks. ¡°You know, for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m d you¡¯re on my side,¡± Zirel replied, as he wryly shook his head. ¡°It appears that assassins do not take kindly to unannounced visitors in theirir,¡± Aleph chimed in. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this ce be better guarded though?¡± She asked, her rare artifact in hand. ¡°It should¡¯ve been,¡± Tom agreed. ¡°Thankfully arge part of the Shadow Guild is awayying down an ambush for us.¡± A minute had passed and there was still no response from the tunnel entrance. Tom turned to face Zirel, before saying, ¡°From here on out, I have no guarantees. Do you mind scoping it out for us?¡± Zirel nodded, before adding, ¡°If I¡¯m not back within two minutes, assume I¡¯m under attack.¡± Then, his silhouette blurred into his surroundings, making him nigh indistinguishable from a de of grass, the trunk of a tree or a vibrant thicket. Tom¡¯s proprioception just barely allowed him to see the ripples he left in his wake when he moved slowly and he observed as they stilled before the entrance to the tunnel. Seconds ticked by into a minute and Tom¡¯s expression tightened. But they waited and their patience was rewarded. ¡°It¡¯s empty,¡± A whisper from Aleph¡¯s left said. ¡°Did you see a ropedder?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zirel answered, not dropping the camouge. ¡°Did you go down?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°No,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°But I managed to get a good look. There might be guards past the bend in the tunnel. I¡¯m sure that the entrance itself isn¡¯t guarded though.¡± ¡°Good enough,¡± Tom replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead. Aleph, you¡¯re behind me. Zirel, stay in camouge for as long as you can. You¡¯ll be our scout and well, if you see the opportunity, our assassin.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! ¡°Noted,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°Fine by me,¡± Aleph nodded. ¡°Well, for the record,¡± Tom began, his words intended more for himself than hispanions. ¡°They started it.¡± Then, he began walking towards the tunnel entrance. Zirel Covan Nottrakon, estranged fourth prince of the Nottrakon Family, was not used to taking orders. The man that went by the name Synrak Veralis, was without a doubt, the oddest person he had ever met. If that was even his real name. The odd man was fearless when every instinct that Zirel had honed across years told him to exercise the utmost caution. When not a single Noble Scion would¡¯ve been willing to take on the Nether Lich in a frontal sh, Synrak had willingly thrown himself into a melee with the terrifyingher beast when there were still other avenues of attack they could¡¯ve considered. And he had won. That should¡¯ve made Synrak a reckless fool. Fool he may be, reckless, as it turned out, he was not. True to his word, Synrak had taken the lead as they made their way down the tunnel that they knew to lead deeper into the Shadow Guild¡¯s headquarters. He had stopped though, a little distance before the bend. His expression had been one of focus, as he tried to hear for any sounds of movement. There were none that made themselves audible, as Zirel could confirm. Then he had nodded to him, directing Zirel to use his cloaking and scout the area ahead of them. Zirel had been around enough killers to tell that Synrak did not enjoy killing in the slightest, a deed most dungeoneers had either be ustomed to or had been forced to learn their lessons the hard way. Synrak did not fall into either category in Zirel¡¯s eyes. There was still optimism in his gaze, an emotion that he doggedly clung onto. The odd man¡¯s speech was rough and his vocabry stilted, his manners were out of tune and his gaze betrayed a novelty from time to time that seemed like it should¡¯ve belonged to a stranger in foreignnds and not a dungeoneer who had traveled to the dirt poor nameless district and had witnessed many of life¡¯s myriad cruelties. Zirel had been taught how to read people, how to see through their tells and distinguish truth from lies, a friend from an enemy, a lover from a spy. But he could read Synrak no more than he could read the future. He wondered, for the umpteenth time, what kind of card it was that led Synrak to visions so realistic that he could navigate them through a ce he had never been to. It was terrifying and Zirel¡¯s upbringing only allowed himself two options when it came to the odd man¡ª to either kill him or find leverage to subordinate him. But Zirel was more than his teachings. He saw a third pathway where his father and siblings would have alreadymitted to one of two. To try and challenge the odd man, who possessed such unfathomable depths, would be to bring forth his own demise. To try and obtain leverage over a man that had ways to sift through both the past and the possible futures, would end in a simr result. Perhaps he could eventually find a way. But there was one thing above all that gave Zirel pause. He had never sensed malice from the odd man. Not after he had gotten his valuable Rare Card, a card that would even cause his own father¡¯s eyes to go wide with greed. A Rare Card that Zirel would never have managed to get on his own. Few people as powerful as Synrak were as agreeable as him. His Umon card was ranked mezzanine, but Zirel was willing to bet everything he had on the assertion that it was not the phantom de ability that had given his card that exceptional rank. No, it was the ability to sense malice¡ª an ability that had kept Zirel alive time and time again. If Synrak Veralis, the odd man who had done nothing to wrong him since their alliance was forged, wished for them to work together, then that is what Zirel Covan Nottrakon would do. His father would¡¯ve been horrified by the prospect, Zirel was sure. But for all the interesting people his status as a noble had allowed him to meet, from snake-tongued minor nobles that saw him as nothing but a stepping stone to greater status to distant rtives that would see his head roll in their efforts to make him fight for the throne¡ª Zirel had never had a friend before. He was sure that it would make for an interesting experience. Zirel crept forward slowly, making his way around the bend with his de of Necrosis in hand. After hitting level 5, his Rare Card¡¯s second ability, a passive, had allowed his cloaking to extend to one weapon artifact as long as he remained in physical contact with it. The drain on his SP doubled, but it was worth it for the sheer advantage it offered. For the two ck robed assassins that were blocking the way to a hardwood door positioned behind them, that was not good news. Chapter 127: Cowering assassin Chapter 127: Cowering assassin 127: Zirel had made quick work of the ck-robed assassins. Their proprioception must not have been too high, because by the time the second assassin noticed, his de had already run through the first. He had been cloaked, that was true, but his card did not grant him true invisibility. His steps were muffled, true, but his Rare Card, World Meld, left minute distortions that would¡¯ve been amplified at such close proximity. The second ck-robed assassin¡¯s expression had crumpled into confusion instead of terror, the sheer oddity of blood slicking down a length of empty air too bizarre for him to immediately react to. That moment of hesitation cost the second ck-robed assassin heavily,, as Zirel pulled back his de of necrosis and thrust it towards him. Realization came to him a precious moment toote as he drew upon his de in an attempt to defend himself instead of raising the rm. Zirel¡¯s de found purchase in the ck-robed assassin¡¯s neck and he could not even bring himself to fault the trained killer for going down so easily. Reacting in time to a superior opponent while they were using a Rare card¡¯s cloaking ability was too much of an ask. Having done his best to keep his deliverance as painless as he could, Zirel sighed. There was no honor to be found in dispatching weak opponents and there was certainly nothing to be proud of besting them through the aid of an ambush. The Nottrakon pragmatism he so loathed wasn¡¯t so easily forsaken, after all. Honor was a privilege reserved for the strong. Synrak had called the leader of the Shadow Guild trouble. Zirel could not afford honor in this fight. ¡®That will change,¡¯ Zirel reminded himself. ¡®The tower mighte with unprecedented challenges, but once I ovee those, I will be rewarded with proportional power. The Divine System is not just, but it is always fair.¡¯ Zirel canceled his cloaking, before pulling out an ordinary piece of cloth from his inventory. He meticulously wiped the blood from his de, taking a few minutes to do so before he tossed the now used cloth back into his inventory to avoid leaving any more tant traces than he had to. Thankfully, World Meld had never given him any trouble over the armor he wore. The Rare Card seemed to consider it a part of Zirel, as long as he met the criteria to equip the armor he wore. It was a Rare Card after all. Sheathing his de, Zirel grabbed the crumpled forms of the assassins by one leg each and began to pull, retracing his steps until he rounded the bend Aleph and Tom were concealed behind. Tom winced at the sight of the assassin¡¯s corpses while Aleph just looked at Zirel and nodded. ¡°What now?¡± Aleph whispered, her question angled towards Zirel. ¡°I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a lot more of them past the door that I found,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°Probably,¡± Tom chimed in. ¡°Zirel, do you think you can slip past that door without alerting any more assassins?¡± ¡°Likely.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Tom nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t engage. I need you to pull attention away from the door without revealing yourself. Also, leave the door ajar, just enough for someone to peek out from. Can you do that?¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°What are you nning?¡± Zirel asked. Tom pointed to his eyes, before tapping the Elixir he had strapped to his waist. Then he spoke, ¡°Come back after you see me peek my head out from behind the door. I don¡¯t need much time to work.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Zirel replied, before returning to a state of cloaking. A minute after Zirel had disappeared, Tom began to trace his steps while clinging to the shadows after activating his ownmon card that shared the element. Hismon The Shadow card¡¯s ability paled inparison to Zirel¡¯s but there was a reason why he still kept it around. Not long after, he was crouched behind the cover of the ajar door, using it as a shield for prying eyes. His ears picked up on a ttering sound as metal nged against metal beforending with a loud thud. That had to be Zirel¡¯s distraction. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate, as he peeked out from behind the door. The cavern was farrger than Tom remembered. His memories from the assassin¡¯s time within the Shadow Guild were blurry, because the assassin had left the guild¡¯s premises two days before they had run into their group. It was far too well-lit for his liking, with crystalnterns lining the cave walls that provided a soft, milky glow. There were small cloth tents pitched around the periphery of the cavern and Tom managed to peer into more than a few of them only to find that they were empty. He did not allow his gaze to linger for long, as his attention shifted to the threerge cloth tents that were pitched in the center of the cavern where the ttering sound had originated from. Before thergest tent, the one in the middle that was nked by two other, slightly smaller ones, a row of weapon racks had been arranged, one of them having coincidentally toppled over. A tall man stood near the copsed weapon racks, his arms crossed as he gazed down upon the ck-robed assassin that was meekly nodding his head in apology. ¡°Can you not even manage a task as simple as maintaining a few des?¡± The tall man asked, his impressive muscture dwarfing thenky assassin¡¯s. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, sire,¡± The assassin replied, as he failed to keep the fear from leaking into his tone. Tom couldn¡¯t me him for that. The tall man¡¯s grizzled hair was pulled back and tied into a knot, his bulk easily twice the assassin¡¯s. He was d in beast-hide armor that resembled the bark of a mottled tree, covering both his chest and legs. His boots seemed to be fashioned out of a type of wool, undoubtedly an artifact and arge, jagged axe was strapped to his back. He was undoubtedly a warrior like the gatekeeper had been. Tom let his gaze sweep across the room, noting two more warriors that were seated on a long table amongst a dozen or so assassins that was ced to the far right of the main tents, serving tes that were piled high with mismash cuts of meat and metal jugs that were likely full of liquor catching his eye. It appeared that he had caught the Shadow Guild during their lunch. Tom¡¯s gaze turned back towards the axe-wielding warrior, as he ced his right palm on the assassin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good,¡± He gruffly said. ¡°Because there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Active Shroud¡ªMaya told him that he needed sixty eight Soul Power to use the ability on the axe-wielding assassin. While he could afford it, Tom was certain that the axe-wielding warrior would offer a fair amount of resistance. His strength didn¡¯t necessarily mean his will surpassed everyone else. Zirel was one such example¡ª Tom was stronger than prince but he had failed to break through into his Yul the first and only time he had tried to use Maya on him. No, Tom didn¡¯t want someone strong-willed and rtively important for his purposes. He wanted someone weak, who as a consequence of their own vulnerable position in a den of assassins would be keenly observant of anyone capable of posing a threat to them. Weak did not mean inept, after all. A deer knew how to flee at the signs of a predator, even if it would not always seed in it¡¯s escape. The cowering assassin who watched as the axe-wielding warrior retreated into his tent was perfect for his purposes. Chapter 128: Tell me everything Chapter 128: Tell me everything 128: Tom retreated back to the bend in the tunnel, before reaching for the elixir he had strapped to his waist and taking a small sip. That was enough to restore the twenty nine SP he had lost after using Active Shroud¡ªMaya on the cowering assassin. The elixir that remained would be just enough to top him off if he exhausted all his SP a single time and then he would be out of the life-saving drink. A few minutester, Zirel reappeared before them. ¡°How did it go?¡± Zirel asked, his brow matted with sweat. It appeared that sneaking around in the heart of the enemy¡¯s camp without getting detected required more focus than Tom thought. ¡°The leader isn¡¯t here,¡± Tom whispered in reply. ¡°One of the tunnels branching off from the cavern leads to his quarters, which also happens to be the Shadow Guild¡¯s treasury. Two warriors like the muscle bound axe-wielder you saw are stationed outside it. Whatever he¡¯s doing in there, he doesn¡¯t like to be disturbed.¡± ¡°So, what are you thinking?¡± Zirel asked. ¡°There¡¯s a way we can finish the battle here before they¡¯re alerted, but it¡¯s not going to be pretty,¡± Tom revealed, his expression hesitant. ¡°Go on,¡± Aleph encouraged, a twinkle in her eyes suggesting that she was not at all opposed to any idea Tom coulde up with. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to discourage me,¡± Tom protested. Aleph shrugged, ¡°Nice Aleph is reserved for nice people.¡± Tom sighed, before whispering back, ¡°Okay, okay. So, I know I promised you the Heat Infusion Card, but I¡¯ll need to temporarily add it to my deck if we want this to work¡±. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me, it¡¯s no use to me right now. My SP is already precariously low as is, but are you sure you can afford adding it?¡± ¡°Temporarily,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Alright, I need you to fashion a crystal spear for me.¡± Aleph¡¯s eyes widened in realization, her replying as a sharp whisper, ¡°The heated crystal idea. You want to use it,¡± She said, alluding to an idea they had mused on earlier. Tom nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°These tunnels, not all of them are natural,¡± Tom replied, his palmnding on the coarse surface of the tunnel wall. ¡°Do you know how they were mined?¡± He asked. ¡°A card that allows maniption of earth?¡± Zirel offered, keeping an eye on the door from where he crouched, near where the curvature of the bend began. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. Tom shook his head, ¡°No, that would be too SP intensive and would likely require months from an Umon card wielder. The main cavern is natural, but half the tunnels were minedter on.¡± ¡°Then how?¡± Aleph asked, a flicker of impatience passing through her gaze. ¡°Minor explosives,¡± Tom nonchntly replied. ¡°More than a few of those are stacked in one of those big tents. The one to the left. They asionally need them to pioneer a new route and the Shadow Guild doesn¡¯t stay in one location for too long to avoid gettingpromised¡±. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s disappointingly direct,¡± Aleph admitted, though her tone didn¡¯t seem any less willing. ¡°What are the odds that your explosion causes the cavern to cave in?¡± Zirel asked, his gaze flickering towards the tunnel entrance they¡¯d snuck in from. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t. Those explosives have a fairly high melting point and they¡¯re supposed to be concentrated charges. My guess is that it takes out the tents next to it and the shrapnel gets a few more,¡± Tom replied based on the memories he had managed to scour from the cowering assassin. Overpowering his will had been easier than Tom had expected. His story was an ordinary one, that of a struggling rift pioneer who had reached the limits of his talent and was unwilling to hone his de in the true crucible of life and death¡ª until he stumbled upon a guild that promised him unparalleled power, fame and resources. A guild that had thrown amon card at him to sell as if it were mere rabble, offering him a chance to obtain much more than that if he only joined their guild. It sounded too good to be true and deep down, he knew it was, but the next time he tried to delve into a tougher rift zone, he knew he would die. The Shadow Guild¡¯s admission test had been to apany them on a hunt. It had not been a fair fight, as their arrows were slicked with poison and they had ambushed them with the aid of spotters. The man named Jarnel had delivered the finishing blow to an injured traveller because he had beenmanded to. As time passed, that changed. Jarnel, at his core, was a man who wished to survive. There was no ce in his kingdom for ones without power, so he had desperately sought it. The Shadow Guild had introduced him to a dark path, but it was Jarnel who had grown into it. He was working towards earning an Umon card and joining the ranks of the Shadow Guild¡¯s Enforcers and he was long past caring who he had to hurt or maim in pursuit of greater and greater power. Jarnel would bow and scrape before the powerful, until he became powerful himself. There was no conviction behind his actions, no drive or burning rage that directed his fiendish actions. Killing was easy. Taking from the innocent was easier. Jarnel was no different from the nobles he despised and feared, but he found his own actions justified because they were in pursuit of his survival¡ª an animalistic instinct that had enved a man with no real ideals. Thankfully, Jarnel¡¯s crooked nature had made him the ideal target for Maya. He had been observing the warriors or rather, the Enforcers carefully and had memorized particrs about their fighting styles that had been revealed to him, but more importantly, he also kept a close eye on the logistics of the Shadow Guild so he could skim off the top when no one was looking. Never important resources and only in small quantities was how he never got caught. Tom¡¯s gaze hardened as memories of those whose ambitious lives Jarnel had cut short for a reason as pitiful as his own perceived survival. He reached for his inventory and pulled out the Heat Infusion card before adding it to his deck holder and affirming the Divine System¡¯s prompt. ¡°Here,¡± Aleph said just as he got done, offering him a sleek crystal spear with a wickedly sharp diamond tip that Tom would not be inclined to touch barehanded. He wrapped both palms around it and called upon the new connection that had been temporarily made between his Soul and the Deck Card. His palms tingled and slowly but surely, the crystal¡¯s hue began to shift. ¡°The assassin whose memories I scried didn¡¯t know too much about the Shadow Guild¡¯s upper echelon, but it¡¯s better than nothing,¡± Tom offered. ¡°Knowledge is power,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± Chapter 129: Mayhem Chapter 129: Mayhem 129: A glowing crimson spear shot forward with the velocity of a bullet, the wind resistance in its path sheared away by the sheer force behind its crystalline form. It blurred forward in a straight line as the assassins who had been caughtpletely off-guard tried to react to the sudden motion their proprioception had detected. Unfortunately for the two Guild Enforcers that had gotten to their feet the quickest, a tall blonde-haired woman that had a jagged scar cascading down from her forehead to her chin and a ck-haired man who was in the process of unslinging his bow, were still too slow to react to a threat that was not intended for them. A blinding re of light was apanied by a loud explosion that sent Tom¡¯s ears ringing, a cloud of smoke and debris expanding outwards from the center of the cavern, where the three main tents had been. A second and a third explosion followed, causing the ck, tarry cloud to expand upwards instead of outwards. Grunts of pain and panicked yelps escaped the assassins as debris rained down on them, from small splinters of wood to heat warped lumps of metal. The two enforcers had been caught by a few sharp bits of metal and wooden splinters, but they hadrgely bounced off their armor with little real effect. As Tom had suspected, the explosion wasn¡¯t powerful enough to kill anyone that was outside the direct st radius. ¡°Intruders!¡± The blonde-haired woman roared, her tone still sounding more surprised then it was venomous. Two small, double-edged axes were wielded by her in each hand, a chilly frost rapidly coating its metal des as she charged towards Tom and Aleph. The ck-haired man was no slouch either, as he pulled a metal arrow that was tensioned against the bowstring of his obsidian longbow, an eldritch green energy zing to life on its tip. Tom blurred toward to meet the blonde-haired woman¡¯s charge, his expression tight with focus as Nvein¡¯s mimicked de appeared in his hands. Aleph, who had encased herself in the crystal armor she liked to call Shardweave Regalia, broke out into an arcing run as she nned to evade the archer while nning on devastating the bewildered ck-robed assassins who were far more sluggish to respond to the encroachment on their inner sanctum. Tom¡¯s de met one of the axes of the blonde-haired woman who had swung at him in a wide-arc that had intended to behead him in a single blow. Their weapons collided and while it was the blonde-haired woman who was pushed back, Tom¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed theyer of frost that had encroached upon his de and was rapidly crawling downwards, towards his hand. He dismissed the de and took a few steps back, eyeing the blonde-haired woman¡¯s axes warily as he tried to n his next move. He could summon the mimicked de again, but there was little point to it if parrying a single time would turn his own de against him. While he wasn¡¯t exactly sure how powerful the freezing effect the blonde-haired woman could transfer over was, Tom wasn¡¯t willing to test his Physical stat against frostbite. The blonde-haired woman hadn¡¯t used ranged attacks against him, so Mirror World was useful. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Well, at least directly. An idea bloomed in Tom¡¯s mind as the blonde-haired woman charged at him again. He rapidly evaded the whirlwind of axe blows that came raining down on him from what felt like every direction with the aid of his Umon Card, Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation ability. Then, when the blonde-haired woman overextended herself as Tom feigned weakness by letting his extended leg linger for too long, he backstepped and let her axe bite the ground instead. Before the frost could spread to him through the cavern¡¯s floor, Tomshed out with a kick from the same leg. The blonde-haired woman was sent careening away from him, but the blow hadnded on her armor. It would not do her much harm, let alone kill her, but the opening was enough for Tom to get the opening he needed. He charged, not towards the blonde-haired woman, but towards the archer instead. The ck-haired archer who had been tracking Aleph with his bow as he waited for an opening, had to pivot towards him. The long-ranged attacker was left with no choice but to let instinct take over as he understood the situation, letting his hold over the strung arrow loosen. The arrow streaked forward in a blur of green, just as Tom¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation effect was let go of as a mirror appeared before him, sucking away the arrow without the slightest hint of a scratch on it¡¯s pristine exterior. Tom didn¡¯t get long to consider the archer¡¯s bewildered expression as Aleph crashed into him a momentter. The assassins that should havee to Aleph¡¯s aid were too preupied by an unseen foe, as another amongst their ranks crumpled, clutching their throat as they went down. des were swung into thin air and arrows were fired off at random in hopes of getting the invisible assassin that was haunting them, but it was for naught. With Mirror World floating above his head, Tom turned to face the blonde-haired woman who had taken his momentary preupation to try andunch a sneak attack at him. Once again, Tom found himself being pursued by the blonde-haired woman and her deadly frost encased axes. Initially, she didn¡¯t press too hard, clearly wary of the inert mirror that was floating above his head, but as moments ticked away and Tom dodged one blow after the next without retaliating, her confidence grew. It was true, after all. Tom was desperately trying to find an opening in the flurry of axe blows the blonde-haired woman was unleashing, summoning his mimicked de twice only to have to dismiss it shortly after due to her insidious frost. It was ultimately too difficult for an unarmed man to break past the defense of a skilled warrior, even if Tom was both faster and stronger than her. Landing a blow would mean little if he lost his arms to frostbite after. So, instead, he angled Mirror World downwards and unleashed a Greater Reflection empowered arrow that possessed 120% of the power that had been contained in the original. It flew outwards with blinding speed and somehow, the blonde-haired woman instinctively managed to bring a single axe in it¡¯s path. An axe that was ripped away from her grasp with tremendous force before the arrow plunged into her lower abdomen instead of her heart. Her eyes went wide with a mix of confusion and horror as her own ally¡¯s arrow was embedded in her abdomen. A momentter she doubled over and began coughing, a green miasma escaping her breath every time she did. Tom watched as the vitality began to leave her skin, as it grew pallid at an rming rate. She reached for a potion that was strapped to her waist but unfortunately, Tom couldn¡¯t let her, even if the thought made him sick. The Shadow Guild had left him with two options when they had arranged an ambush against his group and unfortunately for them, Tom knew which one he valued more. His de found purchase where no healing potion could ever reach. Chapter 130: Shadows Chapter 130: Shadows 130: Tom didn¡¯t get long to bask in his hard-fought victory as his hearing caught onto a hurried pair of footsteps approaching from one of the tunnels, the one that led to the treasury and also happened to be where the leader of the Shadow Guild resided. Instead of wasting precious seconds looting the blonde-haired woman and even more organizing his inventory, he allowed his gaze to sweep across the room as he reached for her axes. Aleph had dealt with the archer, her expression unreadable beneath her vizor as she towered above his bloodied form. It appeared that the archer had not gone down without a fight, but he had ultimately been ambushed and then his ability to fight at range had been snatched away. His card had been quite the deadly one too, very suited to his long range capabilities. The same had been true for the blonde-haired woman. Breaking past her defenses would have been tricky if he was forced to rely upon his swordy and her armor seemed like it would¡¯ve weathered any ncing blows. Had it not been for her own ally¡¯s poisonous arrow that had been amplified by Greater Reflection, Tom would¡¯ve had to try riskier maneuvers. His gaze lingered on a length of air that was now slicked with blood, as Zirel finished off thest of the ck-robed assassins. ¡°They¡¯reing,¡± Tom softly said, knowing that his allies¡¯ enhanced hearing would pick up on his words. Aleph turned to face him and nodded, while Zirel used what little time he had to wipe the blood from his sword, not dropping his cloaking the entire time. Then, their guests arrived. A woman with fiery red hair that was tied into a ponytail, d in flowing azure robes that were reinforced with strips of metal stepped into the cavern, closely followed by a gray-haired man that seemed to be well into his fifties, a long warhammer leaning on his shoulder for support as he held onto it with both hands. The fiery red-haired woman¡¯s eyes went wide as she took in the sheer extent of devastation that two people had seemingly wreaked, but that didn¡¯t stop her from throwing a small ck ball that she had concealed in her palm towards the center of the cavern Aleph fired had fired off a crystal in her direction and Tom had thrown one of the axes he had acquired from the blonde-haired woman in her direction, seeing no reason to carry two when dual-wielding was not a skill he possessed nor a discipline he had trained for, but neither of their attacks stopped the ck ball from shattering. A torrent of pitch ck smoke erupted outwards from it¡¯s shattered remains, flooding the cavern with surprising speed. Neither Tom nor Aleph got a confirmation on their respective attack¡¯s efficacy, but it was far too unlikely for them to have injured the enforcers, let alone killed them. This book''s true home is on another tform. Check it out there for the real experience. They both retreated and Tom¡¯s free hand wrapped around his nose and mouth, doing his best not to breathe in any of the smoke. His survival instincts hadn¡¯t gone haywire and the smoke didn¡¯t sting at his skin or his eyes, but there was still no point in taking a chance. His senses were stretched to the limits as he braced himself to counter any attack directed in his direction, but besides Aleph¡¯s crystal encased figure, which still made itself visible in the darkness of the smoke, Tom failed to detect anyone encroaching upon his personal space. A minuteter, the smoke had cleared, leaving Tom and Aleph standing near each other as they exchanged confused looks. The two Enforcers were gone. They had fled. That realization should¡¯ve been reassuring, because it confirmed that the ck smoke wasn¡¯t some sort of poison, but it did not. Not in the slightest. Stolen axe in hand, Tom¡¯s gaze swept across the room in search of anything out of the ordinary. It seemed like Zirel¡¯s cloaking had gotten even stronger, likely because he had killed many of the ck-robed assassins, because Tom couldn¡¯t figure out where the prince was hiding and for now, that was good. Tom raised his empty palm in the air, signaling for Aleph not to pursue the two enforcers. They had fled far too readily the moment they realized he had Aleph could pose them a threat. The Shadow Guild was one of assassins, yes, but that did not mean that they were cowards that would flee at the slightest sign of a fight. While Tom was confident that he could¡¯ve beaten the two, the fight wouldn¡¯t have ended in an instant. They had likely gone back to the Sacred Forest to get reinforcements, but Tom doubted that they were faster than him, meaning it would take them at least an hour to get back to the headquarters. It did not make any sense to abandon their headquarters to the enemy, unless¡­ they were certain that there was someone far more capable than them that would deal with the threat. A chill ran down Tom¡¯s spine as he realized what was troubling him. There was enough soft lighting in the room. There was enough debris strewn around, the ground littered with the assassin¡¯s bodies. But where there should have been shadows, there were none. Tom¡¯s gaze flickered as he peeked behind him, just enough to get a glimpse of his own shadow. His blood froze as he realized that it was far too long and too curved to belong to him. ¡°Aleph, dodge!¡± Tom bellowed as he threw himself to the side. A shadowy talon skewered through the spot where he had just been standing in, freezing into a glimmering metallic talon that jutted upwards from the ground. Had he been any slower, it would¡¯ve skewered straight through him. Aleph however wasn¡¯t as lucky. She had just been a fraction of a second too slow to react and a second talon and punched through her chest, shattering through her crystal armor and piercing through flesh toe out the other side. A momentter she slid off the talon and crumpled to the ground, a bit too jerkily. Zirel had acted. Tom¡¯s gaze furiously swept across the cavern just in time to notice a man stepping out of a pool of shadows that had been tucked away against the cavern¡¯s walls. Chapter 131: Master of the Shadows (1) Chapter 131: Master of the Shadows (1) 131: None of them had been quite sure how Aleph¡¯s Total Recall ability would work and it wasn¡¯t as if they were willing to risk severely injuring her just for the purpose of testing out it¡¯s limits. However, nning around such an oue was something that they were more than capable of doing. As such, the first and most logical course of action was to separate her from the weapon, whether that be a sword, a throwing knife or as it was the present case, shadows given physical form. Zirel¡¯s cloaking had given him an advantage in aplishing the necessary step without blowing his own cover or tipping their hand. Perhaps Aleph¡¯s ability was capable of regenerating through the talon-shaped obsidian metal that had lodged itself in her abdomen, but there was no need in taking such a risk. Tom was now alone in this fight. Zirel would act, but not until he saw an opening. And Aleph would try and y dead for as long as the situation allowed it. It was the single greatest advantage they would have against an enemy that already thought her dead. So, he didn¡¯t hesitate. The Fool had revealed a truly absurd number to him. Using Active Shroud¡ªMaya on Zirel had cost him seventy nine points and he had still failed. The master of the Shadow Guild demanded a far more absurd number that surpassed all his expectations. One in the triple digits. Aplete hundred.Tom was certain that they had messed up. The master of the Shadow Guild was far stronger than any of them had expected if hemanded one hundred points just to use Active Shroud¡ªMaya on. All the more reason why he couldn¡¯t hesitate, even if it would cost him nearly all his SP. Many in the Shadow Guild sought to know what was behind the heavy metal double-doors that barred their path to the master¡¯s demesne. There were riches, of course, in the shut treasury behind him. Meticulously organizing it had be a pastime of his, though it was something he had to inevitably repeat each time they switched bases. Thest time had been half a year ago and that had only been because they hade across enemies with especially potent tracking abilities. He had dealt with them, naturally, but given their rather impressive strength and the ease with which they had tracked them down hadpromised the location of their base. While the treasury itself was impressive, the state of his own living quarters always surprised newly inducted enforcers. He was not the kind of man whose residence should¡¯ve been able to be described in a single word, but such was the truth. It was barren. Besides a single bed ced against the far corner of the wide, oblong room and jutting metal hooks from the stone walls where his bone armor was mounted, there was only an ordinary jute mat ced on the empty floor, where he sat and a series of dimnterns that had been ced across the room in a seemingly random pattern. There was no other source of light in the room and his own silhouette appeared ghastly to his enforcers when they entered, he knew. But there was a much more deliberate reason behind his arrangements. He twirled his fingers in a clockwise motion and watched as all the shadows in the room mimicked that motion. Shaking his head, he abandoned his control over the shadows. Then, he reached his hand forward and a sword of shadows appeared in his hands. A momentter it¡¯s form coagted into an actual, obsidian metal sword that was nearly perfect in dimensions. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. A soft sigh escaped his lips before he tossed it in his inventory. The man did not seem deterred, as he reached out for the shadows anew, this time twirling both his hands in a clockwise motion. Satisfied, he moved his fingers in the opposite direction, allowing his hands to shift with the anti-clockwise trajectory of his fingers. A vortex of shadows engulfed him before he released control over them. Compared to a decade ago, when his misguided self had hungrily sought weakness mistaking it for growth, he had made vast strides on the true path. All thanks to a man that had been his enemy. He gritted his teeth as those humiliating memories resurfaced. It had been raining on that fateful day, all those years ago. When he did not have his powerful Rare Card to his name, when he was too far away from bing the master of the Shadow Guild. He had been proud back then. The rifts were challenging, but he was clever, resourceful and most importantly of all, vicious when the situation called for it. Nobody asked questions when it came to the rift. They all knew the risks and as long as there were no witnesses to report a crime, no questions would be asked. A dead rift dweller was merely a failed rift dweller. Back then, the tower had not been his hunting grounds. No, the tower was a miracle whose grandeur and mystique he was drawn to, a wonder of the world that he had to see with his own eyes. That was where he had met a lone traveler, an ordinary looking man that wore light armor and carried a single de who had been gazing upon the tower with none of the intrigue or awe in his gaze. A bumpkin without an entourage, ordinary gear and a death wish was how he had seen the traveler. Back then, he had not been an assassin. So he had challenged him to a duel whose oue he believed to be a foregone conclusion. He had two umons and threemons on him. His versatility had allowed him to thrive in the rift while the others barely managed to survive. Yet, he had lost. To a single umon card wielder that could not have been much higher leveled than him. A light-based card that enhanced his speed. An ability that could be countered simply enough. He threw balls of me, only for them to be effortlessly weaved past. He empowered his sword with thunder and struck, only to find it batted out of his hands with a swift kick. Icicles were dodged and he caught a flurry of blows in the abdomen in return. It wasn¡¯t that the man was all that much more powerful than him. It wasn¡¯t as if his raw abilities or stats surpassed him. No, the truth wasn¡¯t that simple. His opponent had a single umon to his name, but he had spent years practicing with it. He understood each of his own strengths and limitations, which was what allowed him to execute a maneuver as risky as kicking a thunder empowered de out of his hands. He understood exactly how much and how well the light enhanced his movement and that could only be a result of endless practice, not talent. It didn¡¯t matter how many cards he amassed. He would lose, each time, to someone that had mastered a single one at the rarity of his Soul Card. That encounter had left him armorless and weaponless, as the victor imed his due. His left arm had been shattered to keep him from lunging at the traveler, who had never really seemed like he even wanted to fight him in the first ce. ¡°If you want a second round, find me in the tower,¡± The man had said as his parting words, his tone frustratingly unafraid as the tower¡¯s light enveloped him. Only yearster had he understood that the man had not left him with humiliation, but instead, a gift. There was more to cards than the descriptions let on. The man had used a single umon too well, managing offense, defense, evasion and mobility with a card that should not have been so capable. If he wanted to follow in the man¡¯s footsteps, then he would have to master the true path. From that moment onward, Zeth Aetherfall had dedicated his life to that singr goal. Thus, the Shadow Guild was born. Chapter 132: Master of the Shadows (2) Chapter 132: Master of the Shadows (2) 132: Years had gone by since Zeth had decided on his path. Acquiring his Rare card had been a stroke of luck that had only materialized due to his willingness to take a chance, a chance borne out of his viciousness. The Noble he had killed for it had been young, otherwise there was no way Zeth would¡¯ve been able to defeat a Rare Soul Card wielder with his umon. He had also been alone, a runaway with delusions of grandeur who had made the journey to the tower alone. The moment he had gotten the Rare, he was certain that trouble would follow, so he fled deep into the territory of the Ironcrest Kingdom, knowing that there was little chance that the Noble¡¯s family, whose fighting style reeked of Ravenhold Kingdom¡¯s famed dagger arts, would be able to pursue him directly into the territory. It had been a wise decision, for Zeth had managed to recruit good talent to his cause within the territory of the Ironcrest Kingdom. The Shadow Guild was not his end goal, but as time passed, it became a powerful tool for Zeth to amass wealth, artifacts and cards. The reason why his Guild was able to grow when so many others failed, ending with the guild leaders betrayed due to their greed or eventual infighting when it came to distribution of resources was because Zeth simply didn¡¯t care about what his enforcers and shadows saw as the greatest rewards. Cards below the Rare rarity were simply worthless to him and even if he were to encounter another one in a stroke of luck, Zeth would simply pawn it off in exchange for Rare Armor or save it to exchange in the tower. He could not even level his own Rare past level 24. There were few challenges that would give him the experience required to climb any further and it would require him to travel across Artezia in search of dungeons, rifts and towers difficult enough to help him get closer to the level cap. But that would require him to stop his shaping exercises. While the explosive growth in control he had seen in the early years had tapered off, every day Zeth spent practicing, he still saw minor improvements that eventually cascaded into a major one, before he repeated the process anew. It was an obsession, yes, but there was a reason why Zeth wasn¡¯t chasing after experience. He was already far more powerful than the traveler he had lost to all those years ago, but Zeth knew that there were still too many Nobles that could decimate him in battle without even being winded. It was impossible that all those Nobles were ambitionless cowards content with their lot in life. They knew something and it was enough to dissuade them from entering the tower of endless horizons. Whatever challenge awaited him within, Zeth hadn¡¯t spent all his years mastering the shadows only to step inside the tower without having hit the level cap. That was where the Shadow Guild came in. Across the years, he had shown even his enforcers only a fraction of his strength. Enough to intimidate them, yes, but far from revealing the crushing difference between their strengths. Two had challenged him across the years and both had failed in their attempts, both direct and an ambush, with their experience added to his own. That was how he had reached level 25. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Ultimately, even the enforcers of the Shadow Guild were traversing the false path. They wielded their cards like a tool that they could exert control over, which meant that they could never defeat Zeth, who saw his Soul Card as a gateway to unleashing his own true potential. The day Zeth reached the elusive goal he was chasing, either hitting a bottleneck on the control he was seeking that he could not ovee through effort or truly mastered every aspect of the shadows that his rare card exerted dominion over, was the day the rest of the enforcers would die and he would finally reach the level cap. It was a pity that he would have to waste the subordinates he had spent years nurturing, but those who followed the false path would never have survived in the tower to begin with. He knew that to be a fact, because even now, after all those years, he did not see a single enforcer being capable of defeating the traveller that had so effortlessly trounced his past self. Admittedly, Jerrick dying at the hands of tower aspirants had not been a part of his n. He was even more surprised when the travellers hadn¡¯t ascended the tower, cing themselves permanently out of his reach, but instead started huntingmon carded beasts in the vicinity. It had been quite some time since Zeth¡¯s authority had been challenged so tantly,but he had already given the order to have the offenders captured and brought before him so he could recover the experience they had stolen from Jerrick. He hoped that they would at least make it entertaining as rpense for the loss they had caused him. Jerrick had been loyal to a fault and keeping him around helped him keep abreast of his enforcer¡¯s ns and schemes. He focused his shadows on his feet and activated his Rare Card¡¯s second ability. His silhouette vanished from sight, only to appear near the wall that housed his armor with a flicker of motion. A blink of an eye was all he had required, but there was still a resistance he felt from his shadows as they enveloped his form that he could work upon. Zeth began to don his three set piece bone armor before he clipped an empty sheathe to his side. He then reached forward and pulled out his de from the void that was his inventory, revealing an icy-blue longsword that had a disproportionately thin hilt that was supported by a knucle-guard just wide enough to support a single hand¡¯s grip. His Rare Artefact was too valuable an item to keep in the open, so he always kept it in his inventory while he was in his quarters. Zeth sheathed his long de, the additional heft not bothering him as he strode forward, only to pause mid-stride. He did not remember wearing a flimsynyard that had somehow been looped around his neck. He pinched the odd rectangr piece of something that was neither metal nor ss, staring at the unfamiliar person¡¯s printed visage that motionlessly met his gaze. [You have failed to clear the trial of Maya, the infinite web of illusions. You have fallen into a state of temporary Zhan. Sub-Skill: Homebound has been activated]. Back in the real world, Tom¡¯s heart hammered in his chest as he reached for the remaining Elixir in one fell swoop, before tossing the empty bottle aside. The Divine System didn¡¯t force notifications mid-battle, so their ambush n had been banking on the hopes that their opponent wouldn¡¯t ask the system to reveal the experience they had earned while there were still enemies around. Most people wouldn¡¯t, but Zeth was not most people. He was an experience obsessed mad-man that was willing to go as far as to massacre his own guild for the experience. ¡°Aleph, I need your help!¡± Tom called out, gritting his teeth. It wasn¡¯t just the fact that Tom suspected that Zeth would see an ambush from Alephing, but also the realization that he¡¯d run into an opponent he couldn¡¯t beat on his own. Chapter 133: Master of the Shadows (3) Chapter 133: Master of the Shadows (3) 133: Aleph, who had undoubtedly suffered a fatal wound just moments ago, mbered to her feet with haste. There was some awkwardness to her movements as she regained control over her body, but that didn¡¯t stop her from patching the vulnerability in her armor with a flourish of crystals. Tom, whose gaze had been locked on Zeth since the moment he had stepped out of his hiding spot, noticed the surprise that flickered past his expression before his eerieposure locked it down a momentter. His senses were stretched to the limit as he observed his surroundings keenly, his body primed to move at the slightest hint of motion. The reason why he hadn¡¯t attacked yet was because Tom now knew that Zeth hadn¡¯t actually valued any of his subordinates. His greater designs did not require the aid of any of his enforcers or shadows and he was bloodthirsty enough to y his ownrades because he needed the experience. There was no emotion clouding Zeth¡¯s judgment, which meant that someone as skilled as him would allow for no mistakes. Zirel could not be allowed to tip his hand early, otherwise the final element of surprise they had over Zeth would be wasted. ¡°Just two?¡± Zeth finally spoke, his voice dry and gravelly. ¡°It appears that I overestimated the strength of my enforcers,¡± He mused, his tone devoid of any sympathy for the fallen as his shadows roiled and shifted around him, half obscuring his silhouette. Aleph hade to stand by his side, her sword drawn and held taut as she readied herself to react to any threat, no matter where it came from. Zeth had already taken a life from her. She would not get a second. ¡°You were the ones that made an enemy out of us,¡± Tom dered, his tone sounding far more confident than he himself was. In Zeth¡¯s eyes, calling for Aleph had been a disy of strength and a revtion of ability. He did not know how many times Aleph could heal herself with such amazing potency. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Zeth replied, his tone disconcertingly dull as he acknowledged the Shadow Guild¡¯s guilt. ¡°Your run-in with Jerrick. That makes four enforcers that you have taken from me. How do you n topensate me for my losses?¡± ¡°Compensation?¡± Tom asked, keeping his tone t as best he could. ¡°After all this, you wish to talk aboutpensation?¡± He asked, happy to let Zeth stall as he thought of a strategy to counter the terrifying master of the Shadow Guild. ¡°I do not know what trick that girl used to cheat death,¡± Zeth countered, his tone sharp as he finally revealed his fangs. ¡°But it is not something she can do more than a few times. The truth is before you. The two of you cannot beat me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Tom asked, clearly goading the master of the Shadow Guild. ¡°Games will do you no good,¡± Zeth replied, his tone cold. ¡°Those walking on the false path will never defeat me and it would be a pity to waste such talent here. I will offer you a single path to survival before I bring an end to this farce.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Aleph said. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I still have business on the surface world. Take the ce of the enforcers you have killed and serve the Shadow Guild. Once my business concludes in this ce, I will begin my ascension and the two of you are free to do with your lives as you please,¡± Zeth offered. ¡°Do you think your people are just going to ept us?¡± Tom asked, his tone feigning amusement. The more nonchnt he acted, the more Zeth would want him on his side, if only for the experience he would get to harvestter on. ¡°Look around,¡± Zeth replied with a shrug. ¡°We are assassins, death is our trade. Today you dealt death to our people, tomorrow you will deal death to others under our banner. As long as you prove yourself worthy, it will not be a problem.¡± ¡®Until you decide to purge the entire guild for experience,¡¯ Tom bitterly thought. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have Maya, Zeth¡¯s proposal would look pretty tempting at this point. If only because he¡¯s so fiendishly strong.¡¯ Fortunately for him, Tom did have Maya. While he hadn¡¯t managed to steal any stars from Zeth, he had managed to get a decent idea of his abilities¡ª only because the man had been so obsessed in refining his control over the Shadows. And however rudimentary it may have been, he had a strategy. Tom charged. Zeth¡¯s eyes narrowed in a silent rage. His hand swiped forward and a talon of shadow leapt forth, crossing the distance between him and Tom. It didn¡¯t deter Tom, because if Zeth could solidify shadow into metal within his body, then Tom was already dead. Not once Zeth practiced such a shaping exercise though and his ambush would¡¯ve looked way different if such a ridiculous ability was within his arsenal. Tom¡¯s gamble paid off when Zeth willed the shadowy talon into an obsidian metal talon that had enough force behind it to slice straight through him, just moments before impact. The polished surface of a mirror saved his life as it appeared before him in the nick of time, swallowing the obsidian metal talon whole. Tom didn¡¯t allow himself to waste a single second as he continued his dogged charge without caring for anything except his target. While Zeth might have pushed his understanding of his Soul Card to heights Tom was years away from, the fact remained that Mirror World was at par with it. ¡°False paths,¡± Zeth snarled as another shadowy talon was sent arcing across the air to try and catch him at his left nk. Tom willed Mirror World to shift, intercepting its trajectory and once again, absorbing the entire attack. Before Zeth could release a third, Tom angled his Mirror in his direction and released his own obsidian metal talon shooting back at him, its momentum further enhanced to 120% with greater reflection. If the master of the Shadow Guild was surprised, he didn¡¯t show it as a curtain of shadows solidified to block the attack, while Zeth himself moved away from the point of impact, towards Tom¡¯s left. Seeing the opening, Tom pushed himself off the ground and using his burgeoning Physical stat, leapt off the ground with mirror world positioned to his side, poised to intercept two more attacks now that he had freed up one more slot. His mimicked de in hand, Tom was prepared to aim for Zeth¡¯s throat. In response, Zeth met his gaze as he gently tapped his right foot against the ground, The cloak of shadows that he had skillfully employed to defend himself left his side, rushing for the ground instead. Having found their canvas, the shadows rapidly nketed the floor in their color, spreading far beyond Tom¡¯s immediate reach. Their gazes met and within Zeth¡¯s eyes, Tom only found one emotion. Cruelty. ¡°Teleport!¡± Tom yelled out at the top of his lungs, even as he swung a de that he knew would never make contact. If he had tried to tell Aleph earlier, Zeth would¡¯ve been spooked by his abilities and would¡¯ve tried to kill them from the outset. It was cutting it far too close, but he had to trust Aleph¡¯s capabilities. Zeth disappeared and Tom¡¯s de met air. Chapter 134: Master of the Shadows (4) Chapter 134: Master of the Shadows (4) 134: If Aleph had not been used to Tom¡¯s uncanny ability to pull critical information out of thin air and if her own survival instincts were not held at bay by the many close encounters and battles that had shaped her, perhaps she would not have been able to react to Zeth¡¯s teleportation as well she did. Fortunately for her, Aleph understood the value of the opening that was being offered to her. She waited, her honed senses stretched to her limits as she primed her body to react to the slightest change. She felt a heaviness in the air after what could not have been more than a second and Aleph didn¡¯t hesitate as sheshed out in that direction with her Rare Artifact. She felt her sword bite into a sinewy exterior, as her gaze locked on to her target a momentter. Zeth¡¯s eyes had gone wide with surprise, but even then, the master of the Shadow Guild had instinctively shielded his vitals from harm by using his free arm as a shield. Aleph¡¯s de had prated his arm deeply, but even then, she was two-thirds of length away from severing it. Zeth shaped a dagger formed of shadows in his injured arm and Aleph immediately caught onto his intentions. Grimacing beneath her vizor, she tugged away her de and instead of following through with another strike, she pulled away with the enhanced speed her Rare artifact had granted her fornding a sessful hit on an enemy she had already marked for the next five minutes or until she attempted another strike. An obsidian metal dagger whizzed past the spot she had just been standing in, even as Zeth¡¯s cloak of shadows reformed around him. A vicious snarl now clouded his otherwise cid features as he didn¡¯t stop there, unleashing a barrage of obsidian daggers in pursuit of Aleph¡¯s flitting form. She squeezed everyst drop of the 50% speed boost that had been granted to her, desperate not to get caught by even a single obsidian dagger. While it was unlikely for any one obsidian dagger to possess the sheer, devastating force one of the talons did, the daggers were much faster and would pin her down much quicker if she let up in her retreat. More than that though, Aleph had first hand felt the sharpness of the obsidian metal and it was hard for her to entirely shake off the instinctive fear it prompted. Thankfully, Tom had no intention to allow Zeth to continue his rampage. Mirror World released the final obsidian talon it had been holding onto, unleashing it in Zeth¡¯s direction after Greater Reflection had further amplified its momentum. Zeth let an annoyed grunt escape him as he pivoted, shaping a curtain of shadow before giving it form to let it chip away at the momentum long enough for him to get clear of it. And get clear he did, sprinting forward with a spring in his step. Only to find that Tom had used the break in Zeth¡¯s line of sight to cover arge portion of distance that separated them, before he angled his momentum to intercept Zeth¡¯s retreat. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the vition. Caught off-guard, Zeth didn¡¯t have time to shape his shadows as Tom came crashing down upon him. Instead, he finally drew his one-handed longsword that appeared way too unwieldy to be used by anyonecking a high Physical stat. If they actually crossed des, there was a good chance that Tom would die. Not because Zeth¡¯s Rare Artefact was invioably strong, but because it¡¯s specific effect put him at a grave advantage. The kic energy generated from the sh of their des would be converted into frost energy and Tom was well aware of how strong he was. Zeth swung his de to meet Tom¡¯s own, but the sh never happened. Tom¡¯s de vanished as he threw himself forward into a roll, ducking the sweeping longsword that had too much momentum behind it to halt mid-stride. He willed the mimicked de to reappear and used the short window of time he¡¯d bought to slice across Zeth¡¯s left shin with as much force as he could muster from the poor angle. Then he was forced into a retreat as a shadowy spear given form leapt at him from Zeth¡¯s shadow cloak, mirror world absorbing the blow. ¡°Aleph, don¡¯t engage him in a sh of swords!¡± Tom called out as he backpedaled, evading the flurry of daggers Zeth was barraging him with. Each individual attack was too weak for it to be worth absorbing with Mirror World and it seemed like the master of the Shadow Guild knew that. ¡°Why?¡± Aleph asked as she peppered Zeth with crystals of her own, forcing him to erect a thick bulwark formed out of shadows to guard himself. It was clear that Aleph¡¯s crystals paled inparison to Zeth¡¯s obsidian metal, because a crinkling sound kept sounding out on impact as the barrage she had unleashed shattered against the thick metal. ¡°His artifact converts the physical energy behind a sh of des into frost energy. If you don¡¯t expect iting, it can be deadly,¡± Tom called out, as his attempt to close the distance between himself and Zeth was foiled after he erected the bulwark and resumed his barrage of shadowy daggers. ¡°Who are you?¡± Zeth¡¯sposure finally cracked a little, his tone somber and just a little, if Tom¡¯s intuition could be trusted, shaken. ¡°Someone you shouldn¡¯t have messed with,¡± Tom called out, once again channeling his bravado, even though he wasn¡¯t feeling anywhere near as confident. The longer the fight continued on, the more he was confronted by his own weaknesses. He was physically strong, but his strength didn¡¯t mean all that much if the opponent didn¡¯t let him close the distance. On top of that, his long range attack methods were pretty limited. Mirror World¡¯s reflection ability was very unique, but once his enemy had seen the ability, countering it was simple if his opponent was close to him in rarity and level. Lifeblood¡¯s augmentation didn¡¯t do nearly enough for him and blood scion had be useless to him because the types of blood he could ess were too mundane and the ability¡¯s scope was too limited. Hismon cards would do him no good either, he was pretty sure that Zeth¡¯s physical stat was high enough to just shrug off something as mundane as a ball of fire or a jet of water after his armor cushioned their impact. . ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Zeth snarled, his sprit undamped by the wounds he had suffered so far. He ceased his barrage of shadow daggers and tapped his uninjured foot on the ground. A weave of shadows expanded outwards, nketing the floor with inky darkness. Tom retaliated with the shadowy spear he had borrowed from Zeth while he was unguarded, but he teleported even faster this time. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ Tom thought. Chapter 135: Master of the Shadows (5) Chapter 135: Master of the Shadows (5) 135: A moment after Tom¡¯s de harmlessly passed across the spot Zeth had been standing in, he appeared next to Aleph, his icy-blue longsword clenched in his right hand. Tom pivoted, only to be forced to watch as Zeth swung his rare artifact in a wide arc, the weapon too unwieldy to thrust with in close quarters. His breath froze in his lungs as he watched the de near Aleph¡¯s abdomen, only for her crystal armored form to drop to her knees, letting the heavy de sail over her head without making contact. Alephshed out with her de, but before it couldnd, Zeth once again teleported away. Her expression turned into a grimace, as the speed buff she had gotten fromnding a blow on Zeth faded away. Both of them scrambled to ready themselves for the next attack, but to their surprise, Zeth didn¡¯t follow through immediately. Every second that passed by Tom felt like an eternity, before his senses finally picked up on a disturbance in the atmosphere, to his right. Tom¡¯s teeth clenched as he pivoted to face the threat. As Zeth¡¯s de swept towards him, he was faced with no choice but to angle his sword defensively to blunt the impact. He was sent tumbling backwards by a few steps, while Zeth¡¯s icy-blue de had grown in luminescence after their short exchange. Despite the distance that had opened up between them, Zeth swung his de and an arc of frost erupted outwards, thin yet razor sharp. Tom just about managed to summon mirror world in time, his Rare Card facing no trouble in absorbing the attack whole. Zeth did not bother to pursue, as his form sunk into the shadows. Once again, all traces of his presence were erased. The situation was worse than Tom had anticipated, but that wasn¡¯t because of Zeth¡¯s strength. Zirel hadn¡¯t acted yet. Tom had already dismissed the possibility that Zirel had betrayed them. Even if he dismissed all notions of camaraderie, the former prince had never shown a short-sighted side to him. Making an enemy out of Tom only made sense if he was up against an enemy that there was no possible way to surmount. Because if Zirel gambled and lost, he would make an enemy that already knew his greatest strengths and weaknesses and was capable of growing at an exponential rate. No, Zirel wouldn¡¯t do that. At the same time though, there had been over a dozen moments in the battle where his interference might¡¯ve turned the tide of the battle. But he hadn¡¯t. Almost like¡­ no, exactly like an assassin. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ Tom thought, as the realization hit him. He could almost hear the prince¡¯s smug tone in his head as he thought about the answer, ¡®I need to find him an opening.¡¯ Not an opening to interfere in the battle, but end it instead. An idea sprang to his mind and Tom felt like cursing again. He watched as Aleph managed to leap away as Zeth swung his annoyingly heavy de, managing to dodge the lethal strike with some room to spare. Apparently, that margin was wide enough for Zeth not to pursue her, as he appeared behind Tom. Mirror world replied in his stead, firing off the arc of frost it had absorbed earlier, further amplified by greater reflection. Zeth seemed to have anticipated the reaction, as he blinked away almost immediately as quickly as he had appeared. He reappeared a little distance away from Tom, giving him a wide enough berth to make sure that the attack didn¡¯t graze him. Now, the act could finally begin. Tom only had three advantages over Zeth. He was stronger than him, quicker both with a de and without and debatably, smarter. Throwing Maya into the mix made thest bit a certainty, even if it was cheating. Zeth had him in both the deadliness of his Rare Card and his control over it. So Tom started charging at him, his gaze gleaming wide with desperation as he closed the distance between them and wildly swung, the power behind his de enough to eviscerate Zeth. It was true, after all. Against a power like this, anyone could be forced into desperation. His de met air, though Tom had seen a glimmer of surprise in Zeth¡¯s gaze at his wild charge that abandoned all strategy, causing him to react slightly slower than he normally would have. The de in Tom¡¯s hand disappeared almost as quickly as Zeth had vanished. His senses were stretched to his limits and his heart hammered in his chest as he angled his gaze behind him to detect if Zeth had taken the bait. He had. Tom leaned into the swing he had alreadymitted to in an attempt to shift his exposed back away from the sword thrust Zeth had unleashed. The headstart Zeth had gotten by teleporting to his blind spot after he had overextended himself ended up being too much even if Tom had orchestrated it. Pain flooded his mind as Zeth¡¯s rare artifact grazed his side, the sheer strength and momentum behind the stab enough to shear through his armor and cause a wellspring of blood to erupt outwards. Gritting his teeth, Tom did not stop for an instant and continued in the direction the wild swing would¡¯ve originally taken. Zeth¡¯s eyes went wide with shock as he realized that Tom¡¯s right hand had wrapped around his sword arm. Immediately, he defaulted to shaping a shadowy knife quickly, but Tom¡¯s left fist was faster as it connected with Zeth¡¯s nose with a loud crunching noise. He had an inkling that Zeth¡¯s survival instincts would let him dodge if hemitted to summoning a sword, so instead he focused on stopping him from teleporting while disrupting his shadow shaping. Tom hadn¡¯t expected Zeth to try and shape shadows a second time after the first attempt had failed so miserably, but Tom should¡¯ve anticipated it considering just how obsessed the man was with mastering his powers. Tom punched so hard that his own fist hurt. Finally, Zeth¡¯s eyes widened in rm as he jerked his neck to the side while using his free hand to reach for a sheathed bone dagger that had been concealed with his armor. He sliced at Tom¡¯s palm with such panicked quickness that he wasn¡¯t able to stop himself from flinching, even as Zirel¡¯s de of necrosis carved out a long gash across the right side of his neck, in what should¡¯ve been a fatal blow. Then, Zeth disappeared. Chapter 136: Master of the Shadows (6) Chapter 136: Master of the Shadows (6) 136: Zeth reappeared at the periphery of his shadowy domain, his visage pale as he pressed his free hand against the deep gash that Zirel¡¯s de had left upon his neck, the wound rapidly necrotizing due to the effect of his de of Necrosis. His intention to adjust the pool of shadows he stood upon was revealed as they shifted towards the tunnel that led back to his residence. A few moments of uninterrupted focus was all he needed and considering that Tom was injured and Zirel had already tipped his hand, it was not an unrealistic expectation. Unfortunately for Zeth, Aleph, who had been on the backfoot for the entire fight so far and had already been effectively killed by the master of the Shadow Guild once, had no intention to let the status quo remain. Her de had only missed Zeth by an inch. If she had been a second faster, she would¡¯vended a serious blow. Still, she was fine with the oue because it shattered Zeth¡¯s focus as he teleported away from Aleph and more into the interior of the cavern. It was clear that Zeth could not truly hide in the shadows for more than a few seconds at a stretch, otherwise he would simply do so and recuperate by waiting them out until reinforcements arrived. Zirel, who had given up on cloaking, likely because too much of his SP had been depleted, charged after Zeth even as he summoned his trusty old Phantom de. But Tom, who had taken a moment to chug down a healing potion that had stymied the bleeding for now, fought through the pain and charged after the injured Zeth. He ended up being faster than Zirel, but even then, the master of the Shadow Guild could just teleport too quickly. The chase continued as Tom, Aleph and Zirel did everything in their power to disrupt Zeth from either pulling out a healing potion from his inventory, which would need a few uninterrupted moments, or expanding his shadowy domain so he could teleport deeper, towards his residence and where Tom knew the treasury to be. A wound that should¡¯ve killed any other human enemy Tom had encountered was something Zeth fought through as he viciously wed back against their attempts. Even when Zeth fought against three of them as one, he almost managed to kill Zirel for good as he employed a strategy that none of them sawing. Shaping a talon at the edge of his shadowy domain, Zeth targeted himself with it¡¯s obsidian metal form that was sent hurling forth, He teleported out almost immediately after shaping the attack, but it left Zirel, who had been seeking to corner him, right in it¡¯s strike zone. If Tom hadn¡¯t willed Mirror World before the former prince, he would have been a dead one. Their stalematested for twenty long minutes before Aleph finally found the breakthrough she had been searching for. The sh she hadnded on Zeth could not have left anything beyond a surface-level scratch, but that was enough for her to leave a mark on him. She used the speed buff she had been granted with a vengeance that suited one who had fallen prey to a vicious sneak attack as she doggedly pursued the master of the Shadow Guild. This narrative has been uwfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. There were times when she drew near, only to stay her de as Zeth blinked away out of the sheer threat she posed. But when Aleph struck, her sword always connected. It might¡¯ve been scrapes and cuts, her de connected and that meant that she left another mark on her opponent each time. By the fifth mark, the limit of what her rare artefact was capable of, Zeth and Aleph were locked into a battle of blinking and blurring movements. Zeth teleported and a momentter, Aleph was there, swinging her de. Had he not been so injured, Zeth would¡¯ve simply parried one of Aleph¡¯s blows and retaliated with an arc of scything frost. But unfortunately for him, he was injured and the open wound on his neck was getting worse with the rapid movements he was being forced into, as infected blood¡ª deep red polluted with flecks of ck, leaked out into his hand before dripping onto the floor. Finally, as more than half of the time Aleph could maintain the speed provided by five marks had psed, she found the opening she was searching for as there was a dy in Zeth¡¯s reaction time after he teleported. Finally, the necrotizing effect of Zirel¡¯s de had caught on. Aleph swung her rare artefact, aiming for the neck¡ª and this time, Tom¡¯s party member did not miss. Zeth¡¯s dismembered head flew across the air and the shadows he had been controlling finally copsed. Tom came to a grounding halt and Zirel almost stumbled as he tried to calm his momentum. Aleph stared at her own de, blinking as if she could not believe that the strike she had gone for had actuallynded. A minute passed in silence and for a minute longer they kept their guards up, almost as if they expected Zeth¡¯s dismembered form to rise from the ashes and take them down. Fortunately, as terrifyingly powerful as the master of the Shadow Guild had been, he seemed to still have been a mortal. Tom copsed to the ground in an exhausted heap while Zirel slowly walked over to Aleph¡¯s side as notifications flooded all three of them. Even after they defeated Zeth, Tom did not believe them to have truly won. If the master of the Shadow Guild had nned for a fight and not an execution, he would¡¯vee equipped with healing potions, poisons and perhaps even small-scale explosives. In the end though, they were alive and Zeth¡­ wasn¡¯t. All three of them had somehow survived that nightmarish encounter. ¡°We need to leave,¡± Tom croaked out, his tone heavy. ¡°There has to be a ce where they¡¯re stashing all their loot,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°This guy¡¯s inventory can only be sorge.¡± ¡±There is,¡± Tom replied, his tone raspy. ¡°But it¡¯s trapped and I don¡¯t exactly know how to get in. Even if I did though, I¡¯m spent. You¡¯re out of your only recall. Zirel¡¯s SP reserves are probably near bottomed out. If we leave now, they¡¯re going to think us monsters and fall into disarray as they fight each other for a way into the treasury. But if we stay and theye back faster than we expect, they¡¯re going to chase us to the end of the world.¡± ¡°I agree with Synrak,¡± Zirel offered. ¡°This person¡­ he was too strong. Not as strong as my father, but I suspect that he would¡¯ve given most of our nobles a run for their coin. I don¡¯t want to deal with his traps when I barely have any SP and I certainly don¡¯t want to fight the remnants of his guild.¡± ¡°But the loot,¡± Aleph protested, even though her tone was weak. ¡°But the loot,¡± She repeated, before sighing and shaking her head. ¡°Loot what we¡¯ve got here,¡± Tom replied. ¡°And then, let¡¯s get out of dodge.¡± Chapter 137: On the run Chapter 137: On the run 137: ¡°So,¡± Tom began. ¡°How do we distribute this?¡± He asked, holding the Rare Card they had gotten from looting Synrak. For the past few hours, the trio had done little else but flee the chaos that they had been chief in charge of causing. The remnants of the Shadow Guild surely could not have been pleased by the results of their battle and they had certainly not expected. The fact remained, though¡ª they had gotten away with the greatest prize Zeth Aetherfall and the Shadow Guild possessed. If it weren¡¯t for Aleph finding a stash of umon healing potions out of the plethora of poisons, throwable bombs, another umon weapon artifact, Zeth¡¯s damaged umon bone armor set, a umon mask that allowed one to change their appearance temporarily, lots of currency and a journal among even more odds and ends, Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he would¡¯ve been able to sprint for that long without dying from blood loss. Even now, the wound Zeth had left upon him was only beginning to scab. If he were to be attacked in the same area, Tom was pretty sure he would dye the ground red. The Sacred Forest had offered them no real cover or shelter to recover in, so they had been left with no choice but to make their way up a tree that was as nondescript as any other in the forest. Tom himself was seated upon a thick branch, with Aleph sitting next to him while Zirel was in their direct line of sight, as he leaned against the trunk of the tree with his feet bnced on a thinner branch. This way, at least they would see their pursuersing. ¡°A Rare Card,¡± Zirel replied, his tone sounding amused. ¡°You know, it¡¯s rather funny. Before I met you both, there¡¯s not a single doubt in my mind that I would have killed for the power you so casually hold pinched between your thumbs.¡± ¡°And now?¡± Tom quizzed, raising an eyebrow at the admission. ¡°Now¡­. I am no longer as sure of it¡¯s worth,¡± Zirel replied, his own tone sounding uncertain, as if even he was struggling to believe that the words belonged to him. ¡°Exin,¡± Aleph asked before Tom could decide upon an apt response. ¡°I have a Rare Card of my own,¡± Zirel calmly replied, as if that were enough to exin anything. ¡°One that I am not sure if I am entirely worthy of. The Nether Lich was not an opponent I could¡¯ve hoped to defeat on my own, even if its strength were scaled down to my own.¡± ¡°The Divine System thought you worthy of it,¡± Aleph replied, though there was a twinge of hesitation in her words that Tom caught onto. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Of my courage, perhaps. Or foolhardiness. The Nether Lich was a monster. Had it not been for Synrak¡¯s eclectic talents, I would¡¯ve met my end in the final sector of the Zelez Dungeon,¡± Zirel replied, not a hint of shame to be found in his tone. ¡°What does that have to do with distributing the rewards?¡± Tom asked, not able to puzzle out where Zirel was going with his train of thought. ¡°It is the pattern,¡± Zirel answered, as he gently massaged his chin with his right hand. ¡°Until now, I could¡¯ve passed off my performance in that battle to the Nether Lich¡¯spetence in ce of my own weakness. The master of the Shadow Guild, though? I had every advantage an assassin could possibly ask for, yet I failed to kill him in a single blow.¡± ¡°He was a monster,¡± Aleph replied, her tone heavy. ¡°I died to his shadows. Just because Total Recall brought me back doesn¡¯t mean that I enjoyed how it felt. I tasted ash in my mouth. I should¡¯ve felt pain, immense pain, but all that came was numbness that bled into weakness. Then, everything started to fade. My anger. My desire for vengeance. My strength. Nothing mattered¡­,¡± She trailed off, a shudder passing through her body before she shook her head. ¡°I am sorry for that, Aleph,¡± Zirel replied, offering her an understanding nod. ¡°But after I read the description of the Rare Card we have acquired, I can no longer escape the truth.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I do not think that the Shadow Guild¡¯s master had a Rare Card that was any more powerful than mine. Higher level, yes. But it was not his raw stats that put us at such a disadvantage. Not in a one against three, no¡ª it was a disy of pure skill that let him dominate as he did,¡± Zirel analyzed, his expression intense as he thought back on the battle. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Tom conceded. The more he thought about it, the clearer it got. There was definitely value in Zeth¡¯s method, but he had ultimately lost because he had put too much faith in his solitary Soul Card. Zeth had stumbled upon a truth, but it was not the whole truth. ¡°I do not think that adding a rare to my deck will help me as I am now. I cannot use my invisibility and the shadows together, so it¡¯s use to me has already fallen. No, I would much rather look through the umons you have amassed and pick the one that synergizes best with the deck I intend to build.¡± ¡°You would give up a Rare?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°It is not my Rare to give away,¡± Zirel retorted with a shrug. ¡°I had a single task and I failed in it. Comforting words will not change that reality. I did not make a mistake, I allowed a miscalction. If I truly let that error fester, then I suspect I will die not long after I step into the tower.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Tom replied, unused to seeing Zirel¡¯s honorable side. ¡°If that journal contains what I think it does, then you will get a better idea of why Zeth was so strong.¡± ¡°Was that his name?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Zeth?¡± Tom nodded before continuing, ¡°How do you want to do this, Aleph?¡± ¡°You can use it, right?¡± Aleph asked, meeting his gaze with a sharp, piercing gaze. ¡°What gave it away?¡± Tom asked. ¡°I have just learned that it is better to overestimate you. Continuous surprises aren¡¯t as fun when you¡¯re on the other end of them.¡± Chapter 138: Distributing Loot Chapter 138: Distributing Loot 138: ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything though,¡± Tom countered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we would¡¯ve won that fight if it wasn¡¯t for the barrage you unleashed at the end.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°You were the reason we survived. All of us know it. Stopping him from teleporting bytching onto his arm mid-battle¡­ I do not even know if I should call the strategy brilliant or incredibly foolish, but the results are one thing I cannot argue with. Zirelnded the poisoned blow, but it was your willingness to trade a serious wound in exchange for a momentary advantage that let us win the battle.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking me, I prefer foolish,¡± Tom replied, blinking in surprise a momentter as he realized that The Fool had not stopped him from using that word. It was as roundabout a hint as he could give, if it even counted as one, but he had managed to get through the filter. Aleph sighed, before wearily adding, ¡°Foolish it may be, that is not a maneuver I would¡¯ve attempted without Total Recall¡¯s aid. Did your ability somehow suggest that the ploy would work?¡± ¡°It was an educated guess,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Well, the part where I feigned an opening and let him gouge through me for that one chance, uh, that was just in old desperation,¡± He admitted, though there was no shame in his tone. None at all. Just a hint of respect for his fallen foe. It was odd. Zeth had tried to kill him first, even if it had been through a proxy and Tom had just retaliated. There were many emotions across a broad spectrum he could¡¯ve been feeling after the deed had been done, but respect should not have been one of them. To respect an opponent that tried to kill you as you did them was to recall the primal emotions of the moment, to think back upon a fight where the din of adrenaline obfuscated everything. In the sh of des, the most primal urge is one of survival, after all. But there was a deeper connection that had been forged between Tom and Zeth. Even though he had failed to break past Zeth¡¯s Maya and enter the realm of Yul, in the short span of time he was allowed, Tom had felt his enemy¡¯s determination, his drive and most of all, his conviction. His methods were cruel and deplorable, but his goal itself had been worthy of Tom¡¯s respect. He would take upon the piece of the puzzle Zeth had left him with and build upon it. ¡°Well, there you have it,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°You were as integral to the fight as I was, if not more,¡± She opined. ¡°Equals,¡± Tom replied, his tone dead serious. Zeth¡¯s management of the Shadow Guild had revealed to him the dangers of a hierarchical organization. He had treated those weaker than him like pawns and the stronger he got, the more disposable he thought of themselves as. He had thought himself a pioneer of a new path, but in reality Zeth had been enved by a mere possibility. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. If Tom were to ever call a guild his own, it would be one without a leader. A guild where every member had an equal stake, an equal standing. ¡°Should we rip the card in half then?¡± Aleph jested, her joke not particrly amusing. Tomughed anyway, if only because how unexpected it had been. Aleph liked to tease him from time to time, but she seldom dropped her guard low enough to casually joke around. Hopefully, now that they were a vast distance away from the Syrelore Kingdom and never intended to return, the wounds that the Nobles of itsnd had left upon her heart were beginning to heal. ¡°No,¡± Tom replied, his tone amused. ¡°But I am not opposed to hearing out less violent suggestions.¡± ¡°I cannot use it right now,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°The fight against Zeth gave all of us levels, but his Rare is too nebulous for my skillset. I have trained to use projectiles for both attack and defense. Unlearning all that in favor of shadows that behave far more like a liquid than solids will take me too much time and also take away SP from my pool. In light of all that, I have a proposal.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Tom hummed in thought. ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°Give me the Heat Infusion Card. It will work well with my crystals. With Total Recall and my Rare Artifact, coupled with two umon cards that should synergise well with each other, I think I will have a setup that I can use with the greatest efficiency. In return, I shall loan you my half of Zeth¡¯s Rare card, until we find a worthwhile trade for it or youpensate me with something of simr value, minus the cost of the Heat Infusion card,¡± Aleph proposed. Her words seemed fair and logical, but it was clear that she was giving up a card of incredible value in exchange for something Tom would¡¯ve offered to her anyway. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this,¡± Tom replied, as a soothing warmth blossomed in his heart. ¡°Forget what?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°This is a trade, not a favor. Come on now, out with it,¡± She said, extending her open palm towards him in clear demand. Removing a deck card from its slot required no more than a second of thought and there was no pain or difort that came with it. The Heat Infusion card was honestly of little use to him. Zeth¡¯s Rare Card coupled with his own mirror world and Zeth¡¯s Rare Artifact that they had all agreed would go to Tom, because hecked a weapon appropriate for his strength, was all he needed for a build that The Fool would most likely approve of¡ª- with shadows that let him teleport, a rare artifact that would use the strength of his enemies against them and a mirror that would reflect any projectile attacks back to it¡¯s caster, he would be a deadly wildcard. Unpredictable, aberrant and most important of all, chaos manifest. The rest of Zeth¡¯s loot coupled with any umon cards Aleph and Zirel wanted from his collection would be split between the two of them, besides his share in healing potions. ¡°Here,¡± Tom offered the umon card to Aleph, whose visage lit up with a childish glee as she nicked it from his palms with haste. ¡°This will do nicely,¡± She said, before offering him a beaming smile. Tom¡¯s heart almost skipped a beat. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for,¡± Zirel chimed in. ¡°The Rare belongs to you. im it and then, there will be nothing stopping us from what we came to do here.¡± Chapter 139: The Real Stage Chapter 139: The Real Stage 139: [Do you wish to enter the Tower of Endless Horizons as an individual or as a party?] Tom stared at the system prompt that had popped up before him, his expression one of mild surprise. He turned to face Aleph, before asking, ¡°Do you see this as well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°The system is asking me if I want to enter the tower as an individual or as a party.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°This is interesting.¡± ¡°Do you think the difficulty of the encounters will change if we choose to go in as a party?¡± Tom asked, suddenly feeling wary of the option the system was demanding of them. That was how it worked in the dungeon boss fights, after all. The more people you went in with, the more difficult the challenge. Tom hadn¡¯t been sure how such a thing could even be possible, but after he had peered into the mind of a Nether Lich, he had a much greater rity over the system¡¯s workings. The Nether Lich had never, not once from the beginning, had been an enemy they could¡¯ve defeated. The number of people they entered the final sector with had only decided the degree and extent to which the system would suppress its powers. Without that suppression, they would all have been dead in an instant. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°We¡¯re in way too deep to part ways now and we¡¯ve dealt with enough threats to know that we work well as a team.¡± ¡°Oh I agree,¡± Tom replied. ¡°I just wanted to know what we¡¯re headed into,¡± He replied, not having forgotten just how badly they had misjudged Zeth and how much they had ended up paying for it. ¡°The Master of the Shadow Guild more than lived up to his title,¡± Zirel said, catching onto Tom¡¯s undertone. ¡°I am sure the Aerianiculumn will not disappoint. My father should¡¯ve had some old records on the tower, but it remained a mystery to even most Nobles back home. All I know is that out of those that have entered the tower, not one has been documented to return.¡± ¡°It''s a one way trip, yes,¡± Aleph nodded empathetically. ¡°It is also the only ce where I will be able to find out what truly happened to my ancestor. I have no attachment to him, but his fall caused the demise of my house. Those that set forth those sequence of events in motion need to pay for it.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t let your desire for vengeance cloud your short term goals,¡± Zirel replied, not mincing his words. ¡°They have to be pretty well connected to be granted a responsibility over the surface, you know. We might be inconsequential in strength, but our potential itself is clearly important to the system. Otherwise it would not have given us Rare cards when we have yet to even recognize the true challenge that awaits us.¡± Aleph¡¯s gaze met Zirel¡¯s, a challenge in her eyes. Then, she sighed. ¡°I know, I know,¡± She replied with a falling lilt. ¡°Those ancestors have been up there for who knows how many years. If I didn¡¯t know the importance of tact, I would¡¯ve long since charged the Nottrakon estate and gotten myself killed. No, I will bide my time until I am strong enough and hope that someone else didn¡¯t stick a knife in their backs before that.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°The proper way to handle matters,¡± Zirel nodded in agreement. Tom blinked, as if he had just remembered that his twopanions came from a very different worldpared to his own. They were full fledged nobles and matters like oaths of revenge and assassinations were a reality of life to them, merely a matter that cropped up from time to time. Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he should¡¯ve been fascinated or intimidated, but the fact was, he was neither. Whoever Zirel and Aleph had been before, they would now be members of the same party. ¡°Guess we¡¯re all in agreement then?¡± Tom asked, as his features tightened in anticipation. A Rare Artifact, umon armor, two equipped Rare Cards in his Deck along with the upgrades the Fool had gotten, Tom was about as ready as he could get. [Name: Synrak Veralis (Thomas Lowe) Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] (The Fool [Level 17]) Feats: Nether yer I, Invictus, Unyielding yer Statistics: Physical: 50 (+4) Mental: 50 (+4) Proprioception: 50 (+4)] Soul Power: 115/115 (135- 5-5-2-2-6) Free Points: 30 Skill Upgrade Point: 0 [Fool¡¯s Gold, Level 7 To the [Grand Illusionist], the greatest illusion is one that is indecipherable from reality. One¡¯s grandest desires amplified to the point where they lose themselves in the depths of their mind. One¡¯s greatest fear made so visceral that the battle is won before the swords are drawn. To [The Fool], the greatest illusion in the world is to deceive the veryws that govern thisnd. To make the impossible, reality. To give shape, form and weight to an illusion. Mimic: Record any [6] non-living, non-consumable weapon, equipment or item within [25] levels of the Soul Card¡¯s current level and upto a maximum of [Rare] rarity. Recreate an illusion that can mimic upto 65% of the object¡¯s ability and copy a maximum of [2] skills. Sub-skill 1: Object Permanence Allows the wielder of The Fool to transfer any one skill from a mimicked artifact to an existing artifact of the same rarity. The transferred artifact skill bes a permanent part of the existing artifact¡¯s skills without adversely affecting any pre-existing skills or requirements. Object permanence can only be used once on any existing artifact.] Instead of directing his Skill Upgrade Points towards Maya, Tom had chosen to gamble and it had paid off. Object Permanence was not an offensive sub-skill, but it could be used as one. He was withholding upgrading his Rare artifact just yet, because Tom didn¡¯t want to waste the one opportunity he had at obtaining a truly terrifying weapon. His Free Points had been banked for an emergency. Tom found his current stats quite bnced and if it came to a desperate situation like one with Zeth, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to dump all of them in the stat that he needed the most in the moment. The tradeoff was worth the risk to Tom. ¡°Yes,¡± Aleph and Zirel replied in near unison. ¡°Great,¡± Tom replied before telling the system his answer over thought. [Three party applications have been received. Do you wish to enter a party of three with the following members: Aleph Longstradia Zirel Covan Nottrakon Synrak Veralis (Thomas Lowe)] ¡®Yes,¡¯ Tom answered. [Any notable feats you perform in the Tower of Endless Horizons will also be attributed to your party. Choose a name for your party or one will automatically be assigned to you in 3 minutes, after which you will be automatically teleported inside. If you do not wish to enter the Tower of Endless Horizons, this is your final chance to retreat. Step away from the entrance if you do not wish to proceed. ] ¡°A party name, eh?¡± Tom mused aloud. ¡°It could be important,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°The system seldom does things for no reason.¡± Aleph hummed in thought before speaking, ¡°I¡¯ve a few interesting names in mind. But from that grin you¡¯re trying smother, Synrak, I¡¯m more interested in what you¡¯ve got.¡± Tom blinked and then fought to keep a blush from coloring his cheeks. His gaze refocused to find that both Zirel and Aleph were giving him expectant looks. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s too er,¡± Tom tried to dodge the unexpected flux of attention. ¡°Out with it already,¡± Aleph egged him on. ¡°We¡¯re down a minute already. Tell us.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, fine,¡± Tom threw his hands up in surrender, before revealing the name he had in mind. Aleph burst into an amused giggle. Even Zirel couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile, before adding, ¡°As long as we¡¯re going to have you on our team, that party name will remain quite apt. The two of us have some catching up to do,¡± He dered, referring to himself and Aleph. Three minutester, Tom, Aleph and Zirel disappeared in a sh of light, the door to the Tower of Endless Horizons opening and closing with such speed that it would not have registered to even Tom¡¯s burgeoning proprioception. Not even close. Finally, their party, The Wild Card would make their debut on the real stage. Chapter 140: Floor 1- The Nexus Nodes Chapter 140: Floor 1- The Nexus Nodes 140: Tom, Aleph and Zirel split away from each other, their weapons drawn as they readied themselves for battle, fully expecting to be thrust into the midst of something oundish, like an army ofher beasts or something even worse. Minutes passed as they scanned their surroundings, their senses searching for any movement, no matter how inconsequential, as long as it was headed in their direction. Tom found nothing that alerted him in the otherwise scendscape, dotted with lush trees and patches of vibrant flowers. His gaze eventually trailed upwards towards the skies, where he found a gentle expanse of azure blue that was dotted with puffs of white clouds. His gaze shifted deeper into the distance, but Tom could find no sun serving as the source of illumination. A surprise, but only a mild one. Tom refused to believe that the Tower of Endless Horizons would go as far as to procure an actual sun for a single floor, which meant that the illumination was just an borate mirage, like the rest of the floor was. Finally, he angled his gaze towards Aleph, in hopes that she had found something he hadn¡¯t, only to realize that her attention waspletely focused in a particr direction, her mouth held ajar and her features seemingly frozen in what Tom suspected to be awe. Incredibly curious, Tom traced her gaze. He gasped. Before Tom, was a city. Or atleast, what he suspected to be a city. Its outer perimeter shielded view of the inside, as tall interlocking chitinous tes that curved inwards ran around its length. The grayish-white tes were around thirty feet in height, a manageable prospect for Tom to scale but a less ideal one for arger group of invaders. That thought, however, had to be put on hold as a streak of glimmering blue light erupted outwards from the center of the city. There had to have been a hole in the chitinous armor protecting the city, one which Tom had been unable to see from ground level. He watched as the streak of blue carved away wind resistance in a straight line, piercing through the clouds and blinking out of his line of sight. There went his brilliant idea of trying to enter the city through the top. The light hadn¡¯t seemed like it was intended to be an attack, but it wasn¡¯t like he had any methods to actually verify that hunch. [You have arrived at the first floor of the Aerianiculumn: The Nexus Nodes] [Your Analyze Lv.8 has been upgraded to Auto- Analyze Lv. 8. The Divine System will henceforth aid you in smartly analyzing objects of interest and threats on it¡¯s own with much greater detail than before. You may override this specification if you wish. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Auto-Analyse shall improve the more often it is used and the more variety in targets it is offered. A sessful auto-anaylse depends on your own soul card level, soul card rarity, artifact bonuses and your existing Auto-Analyze Level.] [Auto-analyzing¡­ You have discovered Nexus City: Bulwark. Current Owner: Neem Guild Nexus Node Points: 10. Description: A Nexus City is ruled by a governing guild in conjunction with the system. The governing guild may choose to tax the nexus city in ordance with their wishes, but ess to certain key services including the nexus node cannot be interfered with by the ruling guild. A Nexus City is a safe space, where the order has to be enforced by the ruling guild. If more than three people are to die within a day¡¯s span of time, or if over ten people are reported injured, then the ruling guild and all the individuals within the guild will be banned forever from iming another Nexus City. System sanctioned duels are exempt from this rule. ] ¡°A Nexus City,¡± Tom muttered, as he finished reading the description the system had offered him. ¡°Seems like we didn¡¯tnd here by coincidence,¡± Zirel guessed ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Aleph asked, even though her tone was mostly in agreement. ¡°The first floor is called Nexus Nodes and my analyze tells me that there¡¯s one within that city. I¡¯m assuming that¡¯s the case for yours as well?¡± Zirel asked. Tom and Aleph nodded. ¡°Well, the ce is supposed to be a safe zone. Best we get moving towards it, if we want to do this the easy way,¡± Zirel judged. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tom asked. ¡°This is mostly conjecture on my part, but if the system wants the ruling guild of this nexus city to be in charge of itsw and order, that means that the first floor is no stranger to violence. More specifically, I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s anything stopping the first group we run into from attacking us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Tom muttered, not having thought that far. ¡°Well, unless Aleph has a better idea, a safe zone seems ideal until we figure out more about this ce.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Aleph replied, her gaze even more wary now as she scanned her surroundings. ¡°A safe zone would be a nice change of pace, assuming that this Neem Guild actually holds true to its word.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to avoid pissing them off for that,¡± Tom replied. Both Aleph and Zirel started giving him pointed looks. ¡°What?¡± Tom protested. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault trouble keeps finding a way to knock on our doors.¡± ¡°Are you really saying that after you arranged for a civil war to break out in Artezia?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°Not that I¡¯mining.¡± ¡°Hey, the civil war was going to happen one way or the other. I just cleared up a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°That is technically true,¡± Zirel pointed out. ¡°Now, shall we get going? As poorly as this might end, I still really want to find out what they¡¯re hiding behind those walls.¡± Once again, a sh of light erupted outwards from the centre of the city, as if the Nexus City itself wanted to prove Zirel¡¯s point. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tom said, before taking the lead. Chapter 141: Nexus Node: Bulwark Chapter 141: Nexus Node: Bulwark 141: ¡°Halt!¡± A gruff voice boomed outwards as the trio approached the wall, thenguage themand was called out in unfamiliar to Tom, even though he found himselfprehending the meaning of the spoken word. [For entering the Aerianiculumn, you have been granted Feat: Boon of Many Languages. For as long as you remain within the tower¡¯s territory, any widely spoken humannguage will be automatically tranted for you.] ¡°Wee in peace,¡± Tom called out in response, both his empty palms raised up in the air as a disarming gesture. ¡°That remains to be seen,¡± The gruff voice replied from behind the chitinous tes that served as the Nexus City¡¯s defenses. ¡°Consent to the undertaking if you wish to enter the city. Otherwise, scram,¡± He called out, an air of finality to his statement. ¡°What undertaking?¡± Aleph whispered and Tom was equally flummoxed. Even worse, it seemed like whoever was guarding the Nexus City knew well the avenues of attack offering a line of sight exposed himself to and had no intention of making such a mistake. Likely, they had other ways, whether that be through a card or an artifact, of spying outside on their immediate surroundings. Thankfully, it is the Divine System that came to them with an answer. [Do you wish to enter Nexus City: Bulwark? Undertaking: During your stay in the Nexus City: Bulwark, you will abide by localws and will not engage in any form of violence outside a system sanctioned duel. If you are found engaging in violence after agreeing to this undertaking, then you shall be forever barred from iming another Nexus City and your reputation will be made known to any future Nexus City you attempt to enter. If found in vition of other localws, you may attempt to negotiate with the ruling power of the Nexus City and be punished by upto banishment from Nexus City: Bulwark. Unless you engage in violence, the punishment you face will be limited to Nexus City: Bulwark. Do you agree to these terms? Yes No] Tom exchanged a look with Aleph and Zirel, who had just gotten done reading the stiptions of the agreement themselves. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t vite the sanctity of the safe zone, it doesn''t look like there will be anysting consequences,¡± Zirel whispered. ¡°From the way the system is talking about these Nexus Cities, I¡¯m guessing that there¡¯s a lot more of them.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°The tales I have heard about the Aerinaculumn speak of an entire world within the tower. This nexus city doesn¡¯t look like it can house more than a few thousand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t sense a trap in the undertaking, atleast,¡± Tom added. ¡°If this Neem Guild makes a move against us, they will lose their city. And I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a reason why they¡¯ve focused so heavily on defense. If we stay out here, we risk finding out why.¡± ¡°A fair point,¡± Zirel replied, nodding in agreement. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope their leader is more amiable than the shadow guild¡¯s.¡± Tom emphatically nodded, before all three of them epted the undertaking. ¡°Okay, good,¡± The gruff voice from the other side softened by a degree. ¡°Stay right there and don¡¯t move. We¡¯re opening the gate for you.¡± ¡®A gate,¡¯ Tom thought, raising an eyebrow at the statement. His unspoken query was answered a few momentster, as a heavy grinding echoed in the air, the very earth trembling below him as one of the chitinous tes was raised, just high enough to allow them to pass if they crouched. Tom immediately noticed that the tes didn¡¯t go as deep into the earth as he had expected them to, suggesting that it wasn¡¯t designed to guard against underground threats. Considering that Tom had been forced into an undertaking just to enter the Nexus City, he was starting to think that the defenses were not intended for humans at all. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Come on in. Can¡¯t hold this open for long,¡± A man called out from the other side, his face not visible due to the chitinous tes blocking the view, but his light green leather armor and the bow slung on his back told Tom enough. He decided to take the lead, followed by Aleph and then Zirel. A few momentster, the raised chitinous te mmed shut back into ce and they had stepped into their first Nexus City. The first thing that caught Tom¡¯s attention was a tower that seemed to be positioned in the center of the city, its sleek white marble construction too slender to support any residential or scouting purposes. It was crowned by a translucent crystal that was shimmering with a deep azure energy, a vase shaped metal receptacle holding it in ce. It could be no coincidence that the hole in the chitinous tes was positioned directly above the tower that housed the crystal, but it¡¯s purpose was still lost to him. A sweep of the rest of the city revealed fairly humble architecture. Tom hadn¡¯t been sure what to expect, but modr brick houses didn¡¯t quite live up to the mystique of the tower. They were uniform and evenly spaced out, painted in a grayish-white that roughly matched the hue of the chitinous shell that served as the tower¡¯s outer walls. Perhaps a bit too uniform and evenly spaced at that, almost certainly because some card ability, or multiple card abilities in tandem had been employed in its construction. They had stepped onto an arterial road that continued onwards to flow into a za that housed the crystal capped tower, nked by one and two-storey modr buildings on either side that had their ownwork of alleyways that led deeper into what Tom suspected to be, at least in part, the residential area. ¡°You kids travellers or climbers?¡± The owner of the gruff voice asked, standing a little distance away from the trio. His gaze was alert, even though the only weapon on his person remained slung. Tom refocused his gaze on the man, studying his appearance as the middle-aged man extended the same courtesy to them. His ck hair was kept short, his visage kept clean shaven. His weathered features spoke of a life spent doing more than just guarding the entrance to the Nexus City, his expression at ease and his calloused hands held open to his sides. ¡®He¡¯s got some practice with that bow,¡¯ Tom thought as his gazended on the man¡¯s inner palms, before his gaze focused on the metal ne that was looped around his neck. The pendant itself didn¡¯t look like an artifact, but that wasn¡¯t why Tom¡¯s attention had been captured. Engraved on a rectangr metal surface that was tethered to a thin metal chain looping around the middle-aged man¡¯s neck, was a symbol that depicted a vine wrapped around a tall tower. Tom looked into the middle-aged man¡¯s gray eyes and saw nothing but a measured calm. He blinked, before turning his gaze away, not wanting toe across as aggressive or defiant. ¡°If you¡¯re asking for our long-term goal, then yes, we do want to climb the tower,¡± Tom replied, opting to go with the truth for now. The middle-aged man sighed, before shaking his head in evident disappointment, ¡°And how many nexus points do you have?¡± Aleph and Zirel met the middle-aged man¡¯s question with an impassive look, but Tom didn¡¯t hide the nk look that made its way to his visage. While he was far from iming himself a master of disguise, Tom was uniquely positioned to understand the value of a fool. He could be berated, scolded or chastised, but the thing about a fool was that they were seldom considered threats. Sure enough, a disappointed sigh escaped the middle-aged man¡¯s lips. ¡°Let me guess,¡± He began, his tone already sounding weary. ¡°You kids are from one of the nearby nexus city and you were tired of being told no by your parents. So, you three buffoons, in your infinite wisdom, decided to sneak out to a different nexus city to try and gather points. Is that about right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ no?¡± Tom offered, not trying to be very passionate about defending himself. ¡°Look,¡± The middle-aged man raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business why you¡¯re here. As long as you stick to the rules and can actually afford to stay in the city, you¡¯re free to ept a nexus quest and get killed if that¡¯s what you want. My job is to make sure you understand what the rules are.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Zirel politely encouraged. The middle-aged man nodded, making a show of clearing his throat before he began his exnation, ¡°It¡¯s simple. You¡¯ve already agreed to the undertaking, so don¡¯t break that. Sleeping on streets isn¡¯t allowed. Either get an amodation, or go to the Neem Guild headquarters and prove you¡¯re worth keeping around. It¡¯s next to the tower, though I suppose you can¡¯t see it from here,¡± He said, as he gestured towards the left of the tower, which should¡¯ve been within the za. ¡°Got it,¡± Tom replied. ¡°I hope so,¡± The middle-aged man retorted. ¡°If you¡¯ve got cards you want to convert into fragments, there¡¯s enough Splitters in the city for that. Got a bunch of synthesizers too, all system standard so they can¡¯t be tampered with. If you¡¯re feeling lucky you can try and haggle with the local shops, but fresh faces like yourself are going to get ripped off for the clothes off your back. Better to just swallow the system¡¯s fee.¡± ¡°Er¡­ right. Splitters and Synthesizers, got it. Do you have any idea how much an inn costs for staying the night?¡± Tom asked, trying his best not sound dazed by the bombshell of information that had just been dropped on him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t pay more than amon side-fragment for a week, though it¡¯s pretty unlikely you¡¯ll be able to haggle down that much. If you get away with paying double, that¡¯ll be a pretty good deal for you.¡± Chapter 142: Splitter Chapter 142: Splitter 142: ¡°This has got to be a joke,¡± Aleph protested as she peeked over Tom¡¯s shoulder, before walking over to his side to get a better look at the contraption that was ced in the small booth they had stepped into. ¡°I sure hope it isn¡¯t,¡± Tom replied as he studied the metal basin that curved down into a rectangr slit that seemed just wide enough to slot his card into. ¡°It would be a pity to be down amon card and not get anything for my troubles.¡± ¡°Common cards as a currency¡­,¡± Aleph trailed off, her tone sounding dazed as she tried to parse away at the implications of what she¡¯d just said. ¡°Does that mean that higher floors will use umon and rare cards as currency? Maybe even higher rarities? How will that even work?¡± She asked, more trying to wrap her own head around the concept instead of actually quizzing Tom. ¡°No idea on that front,¡± Tom replied. ¡°Though, I think I might understand how this contraption works,¡± He said, before pulling out [The Shadow] card from his deck holder. He had long since snapped the connection between himself and themon card and it was no longer his deck card. There was no point to keeping it after he¡¯d gotten a Rare card that let him manipte shadows to a far more terrifying degree. He let themon [The Shadow] card hover over the metal basin and if he was correct, the system would react to his actions. [Would you like to split Common Ranked card [The Shadow] into it¡¯s baseponents? You will receive the following: x9 Common Ranked Side Fragmentsx1 Common Ranked Shadow Element Core Fragment] ¡°Huh, neat,¡± Tom muttered under his breath. ¡°What did you find?¡± Aleph asked, her curiosity piqued. Instead of answering her, Tom allowed [The Shadow] card to tumble out of his grip and slide along the basin¡¯s slick surface. Both of them watched as themon card slid into the wide slit before disappearing into the depths of the metal contraption. A light whirring sounded out, prompting Tom¡¯s gaze to angle downwards, followed by a clinking sound that repeated itself in short intervals. Sure enough, a chute had revealed itself along the metal base that supported the basin, keeping it aloft. Tom¡¯s prize was separated by a translucent p and behind it, he saw a small pile of metallic squares that grewrger by the second. Finally, the ¡°splitter¡± stopped dispensing the fragments and Tom pushed past the p for his prize. In his palm were nine metal squares that had a rune engraved on both sides. As far as Tom could tell, the rune was identical across both surfaces and squares, though when he tried to study its nature, it wasn¡¯t like the the time he¡¯d stumbled across a concealment rune in Aleph¡¯s old hideout. He could trace the bends and the overall pattern of the rune, but when it came to trying to memorize its pattern, he failed again and again. It was as if there was another dimension to the rune that his senses were failing to detect and Tom didn¡¯t think that continuing to stare at it would change anything. A momentter, he wryly shook his head. It was absurd of him to think he¡¯d be able to mimic the Divine System¡¯s powers, especially after he knew what the source of the system was if the vision he had essed with Maya was to be believed. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. His attention turned towards the final square, a construction of ck ss that seemed to reflect any light falling upon its surface. ¡°That¡¯s pretty,¡± Alephmented, a note of awe audible in her voice. ¡°It is,¡± Tom nodded, as he pinched the core fragment with his free hand and inspected it closely. ¡°Good thing we¡¯ve got Zirel looking into how those synthesizers work. If we can rbine cards as many times as we want to get ideal results, well, that¡¯ll be something.¡± ¡°There¡¯s almost no way it works like that,¡± Aleph retorted, before pausing and shaking her head. ¡°Not like I know how any of this works. Not anymore, atleast.¡± ¡°I doubt it¡¯s anywhere near that spectacr,¡± Tom said. ¡°The Divine System rewardspetence. Anything this easily essible has toe with a price.¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out,¡± Aleph replied, giving the metal basin that functioned as a splitter a final look before stepping out of the booth. Tom followed after her, stepping out into the Nexus City¡¯s bustling za. Once again, a system prompt popped up before him. [You have discovered Nexus Node: Epsilon. ess to a Nexus Node allows you to participate in Nexus Quests that are offered at random throughout the day. Completion of a Nexus Quest grants ess to a free teleport back to the Nexus Node you epted the Quest from. Every Nexus Quest awards Nexus Points that are necessary to advance to the next floor. Current Nexus Points: 0 Required Nexus Points to advance to the second floor: 100] [Active Nexus Quest: Breach Description: A Breach by creatures from the Nether Realms has been detected within the first floor. A pack of Nether Bloodhounds led by a Vorpal Shardbearer are wreaking havoc near Nexus City: SilverCrown. Multiple parties have been offered this quest. Requirement forpletion: y five Nether Bloodhounds. Rewards: 1 Nexus Point, 5 Umon Ranked Side-Fragments Would you like to ept this quest as an individual or party?] ¡®No,¡¯ Tom replied with a thought, dismissing the system prompt. There was something odd about Nexus City: Bulwark and until Tom figured out what it was, he wasn¡¯t epting any quests. Even now, while the za that housed the Nexus Node was crowded, from what he could tell, most of the people there weren¡¯t actually interested in epting quests. Appearances told stories if one was willing to listen and besides two or three small groups that were outfitted in well-maintained sets of armor and had their dominant hand wrapped around the hilts or shafts of their des, Tom didn¡¯t think anyone else was nning to take on the Nexus Node¡¯s challenge today. If he had to guess, the well-prepared groups were waiting for the right quest toe along before they epted it, but that didn¡¯t exin the behavior of the others. There was a sense of normalcy that suffused the za that kept throwing him off. The establishments that had set up shop near the Nexus Node were clearly of the premium variety, if the impressive suit of armors and the colorful potions they had on disy was saying anything. One shop even sold cards if the storefront sign was to be believed, theck of windows and the only door being guarded by two men d in heavy armor, a greatsword and a ive strapped to each of their backs respectively, certainly told Tom that whatever was beyond those doors, it was valuable. Most of the people perusing the wares were not nearly anywhere near well armored as the groups preparing to take on the Nexus Node¡¯s quests and there was a casual air to their passage, as if they were not at all concerned by the Nexus Node or the Nexus Points they needed to advance to the next floor. ¡°How did it go?¡± Zirel¡¯s voice snapped him out of his reverie, causing him to angle his gaze in his direction. ¡°Got enough fragments to reserve an inn,¡± Tom replied, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the frown on Zirel¡¯s expression. ¡°What about you?¡± Zirel met Tom¡¯s gaze, before he made a show of surveying his surroundings, ¡°Not here. Let¡¯s find ourselves an inn first.¡± ¡°I could use a meal,¡± Aleph chimed in. ¡°And a bath,¡± Tom added, alluding to the fact that they¡¯d spent thest week or so in a forest. Water only went so far. Hisment earned him a light elbow from Aleph, but that didn¡¯t stop him from sheepishly grinning as they made their way to the nearest inn. Chapter 143: Housekeeping Chapter 143: Housekeeping 143: ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that most people here don¡¯t actually want to climb the tower?¡± Aleph asked, her tone soundingpletely flummoxed. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure most of them were actually born here,¡± Zirel replied before reaching for a spoonful of warm soup. Neither Tom nor Aleph were particrly concerned with etiquette as they dug into a soupy sort of stew with small pieces of tbread that they were supposed to use in ce of a spoon. The meat was tender and the soup was rich in vor. After the weeks they had spent sustaining themselves on mundane rations, there was almost nothing that could stop him from digging into a warm meal. On the other hand, it seemed like Zirel¡¯s princely training was not so easily forgone, because the former prince had limited himself to a humble soup while they talked. ¡°It¡¯s home for them, then,¡± Tom offered, before he tore off another chunk of tbread and fashioned it into a scoop by pinching two of its edges together. ¡°You really should try this, it really hits the spot,¡± He said, before scooping some more meat with the tbread and popping it in his mouth. ¡°After we¡¯re done with this discussion,¡± Zirel tersely replied. ¡°And yes, you are right. It¡¯s home for them. To most, ascending the tower is an oundish proposition. Especially for the shopkeepers and even the innowner we spoke to downstairs. They¡¯re not particrly concerned with who rules this Nexus City, because whoever takes over has to guarantee their safety anyway. And paying their dues isn¡¯t too challenging, because there¡¯s always people like us, drifting from city to city in search of either a good quest or the right party members.¡± ¡°What about the people that are interested?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°You know, the ones that actually take the Nexus Quests.¡± ¡°Most of them don¡¯te back from their first trip,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°But the ones we saw in the za were way too well equipped for that. I didn¡¯t try and mess around with them just yet, but I¡¯m pretty sure that they fall more on the established ends of things.¡± ¡°And the Neem Guild?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Not sure,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°The fact their organization exists on this floor means one of two things. Either they¡¯re entrenched on this floor and n to keep it that way, or they¡¯re just scouting for talent for their counterparts on higher floors. Did you both see that tall building?¡± ¡°Five stories? Painted over in a light green?¡± Tom asked. Zirel nodded. ¡°It¡¯s pretty much impossible to miss if you visit the za. It¡¯s their headquarters. Two guards, so it¡¯s pretty lightly defended. It¡¯s hard to tell if that¡¯s because of the rules the system imposes on Nexus Cities or whether it¡¯s because they¡¯re simply confident in their own strength. Either way, the guards didn¡¯t feel nearly as threatening as that Zeth, but their upper leadership is likely to bepetent.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like their policies are too tyrannical,¡± Tom added. ¡°The shopkeepers don¡¯t seem like they¡¯re struggling and taxation is decided by the guild in charge. That tells me that they¡¯re confident enough in holding the city long-term, otherwise they would impose heavy taxes and make the most of it while they can.¡± Zirel blinked, before speaking, ¡°That is an astute understanding. Where did you pick up statecraft from?¡± ¡®High school economics ss?¡¯ Tom wryly thought, before replying, ¡°Just made sense to me.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re strong, but we have no way of knowing if their pull stretches beyond this floor. I think we¡¯d be better off if we didn¡¯t piss them off either way,¡± Aleph muttered, her own tone seeming mired in thought. ¡°Until we find out more, I agree,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°Hopefully they don¡¯t turn out to be vile murderers like that Shadow Guild.¡± Tom nodded along before he spoke up, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see any sense in rushing things. I suggest we spend a few weeks here, get a hold on things and gather as much useful information as we can before taking a Nexus Quest. If the locals are this wary of ascension, then there¡¯s probably more reasons.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say no to a break and definitely not a no to civilization,¡± Aleph passionately replied. ¡°Unless you have any objections?¡± Aleph¡¯s gaze shifted in Zirel¡¯s direction. ¡°No, this is the correct course to take,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°The Aerinaculumn is too different from the surface, both in motivations and rewards. I am certain there will be information brokers capable of telling me what I need, though whether I can afford them or not is doubtful. Gathering information will take time unless our irvoyant friend volunteers information. Either way, a few weeks is fine.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Aleph nodded. ¡°Now that we¡¯re in agreement, I¡¯m off to see if I can get my bath heated. Try not to bring the inn down on my head.¡± Tom had been generous enough to get separate rooms for each of his party members, which had left him down three side-fragments already. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. As he sat on a reasonablyfortable wooden chair with straw padding, before a desk that had a small notebook open, with two nk sheets of paper on either side waiting for him to pen down his thoughts. Managing his deck had been something that had be long overdue and now that Tom finally had room to breathe, there was no excuse for him to keep putting it off. Dipping his feather pen in an ink pot, Tom began to write. Current Deck: Rare - 5 SP to add to Deck:
  1. Mirror World. Abilities- Mirror Dimension (summon a mirror capable of absorbing ranged attacks and retaliating with the same attack), Greater Reflection (Amplify the absorbed attacks before retaliating).
Strengths: Self-defense, Surprise factor, Overall defense. Weaknesses: Offense depends upon attacker¡¯s strength, easily countered after the first retaliatory ranged attack if the opponent has the means.
  1. Shadow Wraith
Ability- Umbral Forge (allows the wielder to control all the shadows in a wide region around him. Let the wielder convert shadow into sharp metal that can punch through most armor I¡¯ve seen with ease. Second ability will let me teleport from one region in the shadows to the next, when I get around to unlocking it. Strengths: Great offense, great versatility, passable defense. Weaknesses: Needs a lot of control to master. Probably won¡¯t be anywhere near as good as Zeth at it. Umon - 2 SP to add to Deck:
  1. Lifeblood
Ability- Augmentation (allows the wielder to achieve greater speed and strength by increasing heartrate), Blood Scion (forge blood weapons with the blood of in enemies) Strengths: Augmentation was useful when I had less stats to work with. Weaknesses: Blood Scion is too restrictive to be useful in mostbat situations. Augmentation¡¯s effect is pretty underwhelming after a certain stat threshold.
  1. Arcsteel weaver
Ability- cksmith (allows the wielder to create sheets of arcsteel, a useful alloy). Second ability will allow me to shape the arcsteel into weapons, like the Gatekeeper could. Strengths- Haven¡¯t used it enough but it seems pretty useful for offense. Weaknesses- Defense.
  1. Heat Infusion
Given to Aleph in exchange for her share in the Shadow Weaver card.
  1. Aura Shift
Ability - Mass increase and Mass Decrease (self-exnatory) Strengths- Good for both offense and defense. Great for surprise attacks. Weaknesses- Usefulness falls against more powerful opponents or heavily armored enemies.
  1. Frost Link
Abilities- Bind (links the wielder to a weapon artifact that gives the wielder full spatial awareness upon the weapon¡¯s properties even in the absence of physical contact). Second ability likely allows the wielder to channel a voracious frost that spreads to anything ites in contact with. Strengths- Pretty great offense and defense. Can temporarily make an enemy¡¯s weapon useless. Weaknesses- One trick. Can be countered easily if the enemy has any ranged attacks.
  1. Noxious Brew- Went to Aleph, after she killed the archer. Later to Zirel, after she gave it up to him. Imbues poison into arrows.
Useful Commons-
  1. Water Propulsion- Possiblebo with Frost Link. Can generate clean water.
  2. The me- Can generate fire. And fire is useful. Gave Heat Infusion to Aleph, so need to keep it.
  3. Earth¡¯s Vitality- Pretty, no very weak, but it can heal. Need to see if the tower¡¯s floor counts as earth. If it doesn¡¯t, then useless.
Useless Commons-
  1. The Lunar - No moon to make it work in the tower. Another 9 side-fragments and one core fragment to be earned. Quite curious what the core fragment of the lunar will be. Might have to give the synthesizers a shot.
  2. The Shadow- Outssed by Shadow Wraith.
  3. Haste- Speed boost almost negligible. A breeze on my back won¡¯t make me go any faster.
Other Commons- Zirel and Aleph should¡¯ve earned over a dozen between themselves. I gave all of mine to Zirel too, because he earned too little from beating the Shadow Guild. Pity we couldn¡¯t raid their damn treasury. Conclusion: First Priority- Shadow Wraith, Mirror World¡ª in that order. Second Priority- Make Frost Bind work with Zeth¡¯s¡ª no, my Rare Artifact. It¡¯s not going to be a sure-kill move, but damn if it isn¡¯t annoying. Try abo with water propulsion. Third Priority- Continue levelling aura shift, it¡¯s useful enough. Stop directing experience to Lifeblood, but keep it around, augmentation can be useful in escaping and running long distances. Fourth Priority- Figure out what to do with Arcsteel weaver. Doesn¡¯t really mesh with my current build. Neither Zirel nor Aleph are too interested in it. Learning how to use Shadow Wraith and seeing if it can be alternated with Mirror World will make me lethal enough on the battlefield. Not to mention, the ovep between umbral forge, which lets me turn shadows to a metal that is sharper than arcsteel, makes it kind of redundant. Don¡¯t see a reason to waste 2 SP adding it to my deck currently, got enough on my te. Do now- Remove the uselessmons from my deck. Every SP counts. Chapter 144: Testing Chapter 144: Testing 144: ¡°Status,¡± Tommanded. [Name: Synrak Veralis (Thomas Lowe) Age: 18 Soul Card: The me [Level 6] (The Fool [Level 17]) Feats: Nether yer I, Invictus, Unyielding yer Statistics: Physical: 50 (+4) Mental: 50 (+4)Proprioception: 50 (+4)] Soul Power: 116/116 (135-5-5-2-2-2-3) Free Points: 30 Skill Upgrade Point: 0 Deck Cards:
  1. Mirror World (Rare) Level 6
Abilities: Mirror Dimension Level 5, Greater Reflection Level 2
  1. Shadow Wraith (Rare) Level 1
Ability: Umbral Forge Level 1
  1. Lifeblood (Umon), Level 11
Ability: Augmentation Level 7 , Blood Scion Level 4
  1. Aura Shift (Umon), Level 5
Ability: Mass Increase Level 1, Mass Decrease Level 5
  1. Frost Link (Umon), Level 1
Ability: Bind Level 1
  1. The me (Common), Level 6
Ability: Ember Level 6
  1. Water Propulsion (Common), Level 6
Ability: Torrent Level 6
  1. Earth¡¯s Vitality (Common), Level 7
Ability: Heal Level 7] Tom had been prioritizing The Fool¡¯s growth for a while now and just one look at his list of deck cards was all that was needed to show just how heavily his experience distribution was skewed in favor of his ephemeral card. Of course, Tom didn¡¯t regret his decision. No matter how powerful a deck card was, it remained an external source of power. Not in the sense that it could be taken from him¡ª for even his Soul Card could be torn asunder from his chest, if he were to fall in battle. No, a Soul card was an internal source of power in the sense that every level provided him with Free Points that he could use to strengthen himself, on top of the Skill Upgrade Points. But now, Tom needed an incredible amount of experience to get to the next level and it was a requirement that would keep progressively increasing. The returns he would get inparison to the experience invested had fallen drastically and unless Tom kept seeking out opponents more and more powerful than Zeth, he suspected that he would stagnate below level 20 on his soul card for a while. That was fine. Tom had been holding out for a powerful deck. And while he was sure that his current lineup wasn¡¯t enough to take him to the top of the tower, he was still willing to bet good coin or rather, card fragments, on the notion that it would hold up against most parties unless he¡¯d seriously underestimated the prevalence of Rare cards on the first floor. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Now, Tom just had to level his deck. He could almost see the synergies unfolding before his eyes and a part of him wanted to rush out and ept a flurry of Nexus Quests so he could get some much needed experience in the tanks. That part of him was mercilessly shut down, as memories of his fight with Zeth bubbled up in his consciousness. The master of the shadow guild had left them quite the lesson, one that they would not be forgetting anytime soon. Had it been Zirel who was skewered in Zeth¡¯s opening salvo, no Total Recall card would¡¯ve saved his life. Had Tom not had Maya to clue him in on his opponent¡¯s motivations and some of his skills, they would¡¯ve most likely walked out of that fight with casualties. No, they would challenge the Nexus Quests. But that woulde after Tom was done with his preparations. Tom used The me¡¯s Ember ability to set the notes he had made earlier and torn from his notebook ame. Then, he shoved the charred remains of the paper in his inventory. No telling what manner of cards people could have in the tower and Tom couldn¡¯t afford to have anyone reading that he was in possession of two Rares outside of his Soul Card. Then, he reached for his inventory and pulled out the Rare Artifact he had won from his battle against Zeth. Tom couldn¡¯t help but marvel as pulled out the icy-blue longsword by it¡¯s stubby hilt that came with a knuckle-guard for bnce. What should¡¯ve been a two-handed weapon had been co opted into a very niche one-handed artifact, but Tom wasn¡¯tining. [Auto-Analyzing¡­ de ownership uncontested. Increasing appraisal rank by two grades¡­ Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, Rare Requirements: 32 Physical, 22 Proprioception Description: An unconventional weapon artifact designed for a specific type of warrior, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong invites its enemies to engage in a symphony of metal on metal, every sh only serving to empower its own tempo. The Warrior¡¯s Shardsong seeks the perfect crescendo, unleashing a wave of scything frost energy that is born out of abination of kic energy from both or multiple parties. Weapon Skills:
  1. Lighten: Greatly reduces the weight of the weapon when wielded by a climber who meets Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s requirements.
  2. Perfect Conversion: Any blow from an enemy that connects with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong along with the strength inputted in by the wielder is converted into frost energy at a lossless rate. The wielder can choose to deploy the frost scythe anytime after Warrior¡¯s Shardsong reaches 5% of its total capacity.]
Tom didn¡¯t hesitate as he activated Frost Link¡¯s passive ability, Bind. Almost immediately, he could feel a connection between himself and the entric yet beautiful longsword. With Lighten active, he could lift the de without any effort and swing it in a gentle motion without his arm so much so as quivering from the effort. The weapon was powerful enough to be deserving of the Rare ssification, but Tom wasn¡¯t done just yet. Binding to Frost Link was a move that would bring in long-term gains. While it was true that there was a very real ovep between Warrior¡¯s Shardsong and Frost Link, Tom could use it to his advantage and that made it a powerful ovep. Even with eyes closed, Bind let him sense the weapon. Tom even ced it on the floor and decided to walk around a little while continuing to keep his eyes closed. He could still sense it no problem and he suspected that would be the case unless the distance between himself and the de crossed a certain threshold. That benefit alone was worth keeping Frost Link around, but there was more. Tom could choose to build up the kic to frost energy while engaging with his enemy, before he decided to give them a surprise and activate the greedy frost that leaps from weapon to armor and flesh. He wasn¡¯t sure how powerful the card¡¯s ability would be at the umon grade, but catching an enemy by surprise was not to be underestimated. Then he could finish them off with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s converted attack, an attack that he knew to be powerful. Zeth had not managed anywhere near full capacity and yet he had been forced to dodge that crescent of ice. At full strength, Tom himself wasn¡¯t sure how much more powerful it would be. But he wasn¡¯t done yet, no. Although in an ideal world, he¡¯d get to wait before reaping the benefits of investing in The Fool and unlocking it¡¯s new sub-skill, Tom decided that he would rather have a juiced up Rare weapon now, while he was still new and unfamiliar with the Aerinaculumn. No matter how rare a weapon was, it would do him no good if he died before he got to use it. It was time to test Sub-skill: Object Permanence. Chapter 145: Rarecrafter Chapter 145: Rarecrafter 145: Tom activated a skill he hadn¡¯t used in a while, calling for a weapon he had mimicked back on the surface. The original Revenant w was a bonafide Rare artifact, one that was, if his suspicions were true, stronger than Warrior¡¯s Shardsong and most likely, even Aleph¡¯s rare artifact. After using his Skill Upgrade Points on Fool¡¯s Gold, Tom could mimic any artifact up to the Rare rarity, keeping 65% of the object¡¯s ability and copying a maximum of two weapon skills. Unfortunately, back when he had used Fool¡¯s Gold Mimic on the Revenant w, he could only copy one weapon skill. Now that he was in the Aerinaculumn, there was no way for him to get ess to the original Revenant w. However, Tom had made a discovery that dampened the loss. What he had mimicked was the Revenant w, a Rare Artifact in all its glory. And as his Fool¡¯s Gold leveled, keeping the mimicked gauntlet had paid off in dividends. Now, when he summoned the Revenant w, it¡¯s strength would be restored to 65% of the original. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate. [Auto-Analyzing¡­ Gauntlet created by climber¡¯s soul card. Increasing appraisal rank by four grades¡­Revenant w, Mimicked Rare Requirements: Level 10 [The Fool] Description: A reward for ying the Revenant King, final boss of the lifeless tower, this is an exquisitely crafted Card Gauntlet that cannot be shattered by any weapons of the Umon Rank. The ws of a revenant, known for their piercing sharpness and the life-leech poison (inactive) make for a fearsome melee weapon, whilst the Card Gauntlet itself enhances the wielder''s capability in battle to an extreme degree¡ª allowing for a total of eight Deck Cards to be slotted in at once, four up to the Rare Rarity and four up to the Umon Rarity (active). Mimicked Skill: Greater Enhancement: Any Umon Deck Card channeled via the Revenant w has its effectiveness boosted by 48.75% Any Rare Card channeled via the revenant w has it¡¯s effectiveness boosted by 32.5%] ¡®This would¡¯ve helped against Zeth,¡¯ Tom thought, as he wryly shook his head. He had noticed earlier that the Common Deck card boost that a weaker version of the Revenant w had offered him was no longer listed in greater enhancement and now he was almost certain in his conclusion. The original greater enhancement had to have offered a t effectiveness boost up to the Rare rarity, while mimic worked in percentages. Fool¡¯s Gold illusions were somehow able topensate by offering a higher percentage boost for lower rarities, which was far more a boon than a bane. When Tom had been weak, the Revenant w¡¯s boost tomon cards had been invaluable. Now, it would serve him in a different form. Tom reached for the longsword that wasying inert on the table, barely managing to slide his hands into the knuckle guard before he firmly wrapped his hand around the hilt. The moment the Revenant w made contact with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, Tom¡¯s scalp began to tingle. He could do it. The two weapon artifacts were of the same rarity and Tom met the requirements for the greater enhancement skill. With a mentalmand, Tom activated Fool¡¯s Gold¡¯s subskill, Object Permanance. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. A ghastly, ethereal blue glow enveloped his free hand, causing him to flinch in surprise. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t drop Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡ª his proprioception stat did a good job at keeping his hands steady. Tom could feel the pull his free hand felt towards the mimicked revenant w and he could see no good reason to deny it. His left hand gingerly crept towards his gauntleted right, Tom¡¯s breathing slowing as he focused himself on the task that was at hand. Just as he made contact, a system prompt appeared before him. [If you proceed with using sub-skill Object Permanence on Reverent w, it will no longer be able to maintain it¡¯s form and the mimic slot it is upying will be freed] ¡°Huh,¡± Tom muttered as he pulled away just enough for the prompt to disappear. ¡°In an ideal world, I¡¯d wait until I reach 100% and then use it on an artifact that has synergy with the revenant w. Now though¡­,¡± Tom trailed off, before shrugging. After his battle with Zeth, Tom was done waiting for perfect scenarios. Unlike his free points, Object Permanence wasn¡¯t something he could slot in mid-battle. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something better to mimic eventually,¡± Tom said, before he plunged his left hand into the revenant w. His eyes widened in surprise and a few momentster, Tom pulled out an orb of shimmering purple, trapped in his wed fingers. The revenant w mimic fizzled out without a sound, leaving behind Tom¡¯s unscathed right hand. He didn¡¯t dare hesitate any longer as plunged the orb into the sword, lest the magic in it somehow dissipate. Or atleast, he tried to. Warrior¡¯s Shardsongpletely repelled his attempt. [Do you wish to add skill Greater Enhancement to Artifact: Warrior¡¯s Shardsong? Note that the skill Greater Enhancement is not suited for a one-handed longsword type weapon and will be modified to fit it¡¯s parameters. Required cost: 91 SP] ¡°Take it,¡± Tom replied snappily, still afraid that the weapon skill clenched in his hands would dissipate. A wave of weakness washed through Tom as almost all his SP was snapped up in an instant. Thankfully the results were equally quick, as the ethereal blue aura coating his left hand intensified by several degrees. Tom waited a few seconds to confirm that the aura had reached it¡¯s zenith and only when it¡¯s glow didn¡¯t intensify any further, did he jam the orb into the sword. This time, it sank in and did so without the slightest iota of resistance. The intense aura covering his left hand winked out, but Tom didn¡¯t even notice, for his intention was rooted on Warrior¡¯s Shardsong. He watched as bands of metallic silver ran parallel to the sword¡¯s edge, looping around to cover both sides while interspersed in equal intervals to cover the entire de. [Auto-Analyzing¡­ Failed Auto-Analyzing¡­ Failed Auto-Analyzing¡­ de ownership uncontested. Increasing appraisal rank by two grades¡­ Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, Rare +/Pseudo Epic Requirements: 32 Physical, 22 Proprioception, Level 10 (The Fool). This weapon can only be wielded by the one in possession of Ephemeral Ranked Card- The Fool. The Properties of this weapon pertaining to The Fool¡¯s requirements are invulnerable to all detection/scrying/location cards. Description: An unconventional weapon artifact designed for a specific type of warrior, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong invites its enemies to engage in a symphony of metal on metal, every sh only serving to empower its own tempo. The Warrior¡¯s Shardsong seeks the perfect crescendo, unleashing a wave of scything frost energy that is born out of abination of kic energy from both or multiple parties. Weapon Skills:
  1. Lighten: Greatly reduces the weight of the weapon when wielded by a climber who meets Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s requirements.
  2. Perfect Conversion: Any blow from an enemy that connects with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong along with the strength inputted in by the wielder is converted into frost energy at a lossless rate. The wielder can choose to deploy the frost scythe anytime after Warrior¡¯s Shardsong reaches 5% of its total capacity.
  3. Aura of Enhancement: Once in twenty four hours, the wielder can activate the aura of enhancement. The aura of enhancementsts for one continuous hour and during this hour, the wielder can convert the frost energy stored within Warrior¡¯s Shardsong into a raw effectiveness boost on a selected Deck Card upto 50% on a rarity upto Rare.
The chosen deck card can change as many times as needed within this hour, as long as the frost energy contained within the de can sustain it.] ¡°What in the¡­ that¡¯s not even the same skill,¡± Tom muttered, looking dazed as he finished reading through the description. [For crafting a Rare Ranked Weapon, you have unlocked Feat: Rare Crafter. For every artifact you craft from here on out, you will be refunded 25-50% of the material costs for under the Epic Rank]. ¡°¡­.excuse me?¡± Chapter 146: Experimentation Chapter 146: Experimentation 146: To say that Tom hadn¡¯t expected the results he was seeing would be an understatement. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he liked the way the Object Permanence sub-skill worked, but it had certainly subverted his expectations one way or the other. He went through the newly modified Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s description carefully, making sure that he didn¡¯t miss anything. A part of him wondered if he had been too hasty in his decision, if he had invested too heavily by sacrificing the mimic slot of the Revenant w, an iplete yet incredibly powerful deckholder. ¡°No,¡± Tom muttered to himself, shaking his head. Hoarding artifacts would do him no good if he wasn¡¯t practiced in using them. The Blood Wyrm chainmail he had recovered from the gatekeeper didn¡¯t offer protection to the arms, but Zeth¡¯s damaged bone armor set would encase his arms along with chest, legs and feet once Aleph repaired it for him. Layering an artifact on top of another artifact wasn¡¯t possible, a fact that Aleph had told him early on in their lessons back in the Syrelore Kingdom and Tom needed all three of the set pieces for the set effect. But even if that wasn¡¯t the case,Tom couldn¡¯t bring himself to forsake the lesson Zeth had learned through his fateful encounter with the man who had defeated him outside the tower. It had taken Zirel, Aleph and himself to take down Zeth and he had an ephemeral soul card on his side that had given him a glimpse into his fighting style and weapons even after failing. He could not ignore Zeth¡¯s fierce determination and even after they had in him and Tom had imed his Shadow Wraith card, he was nowhere close to attaining the mastery his fallen enemy had over the shadows. If he could limit his arsenal to deck cards that he had extensively trained with and artifacts he was well versed with using inbat, Tom shuddered to imagine just how much of a nightmare he would be to fight with the advantages his ephemeral soul card gave him. He didn¡¯t have to mirror Zeth¡¯s extreme fixation with obtaining total mastery over a single card, but he could adapt it to his own fighting style. Refocusing on the artifact, Tom ran his hands along a band of silver that had looped around the sword, his expression gradually turning to one of awe as the implication hit him. ¡®I see why this is a pseudo epic,¡¯ Tom thought, as hepared the original iteration of the weapon with the new one his object permanence had crafted. Aura of Enhancement was both stronger yet paradoxically, weaker than the Revenant w¡¯s weapon skill, Greater Enhancement at the level Tom had mimicked. It had narrowed the scope of the t effectiveness boost to a single card inparison to eight cards that could be quickly switched into an active slot, but in exchange it offered a 50% increase in effectiveness to any card upto the Rare rarity versus the 32.5% Greater Enhancement offered for a Rare Card. Alone, that distinction would give Tom more raw power in exchange for versatility, which was a change that Tom could¡¯ve taken more time to think through. However, there was more. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! While modifying the Greater Enhancement skill to be suitable for a one-handed longsword, it had inadvertently corrected the biggest limitation of Warrior¡¯s Shardsong. Sure, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong used the kic energy of its enemies to strengthen itself and its scything frost energy was deadly. That made it a Rare. Now though, Tom could charge the weapon outside of battle by summoning the Aura of Enhancement at no cost before funneling his SP into the weapon, for it to be converted into frost energy. Not only could Tom use the stored frost energy to get a t effectiveness boost to a Rare Deck Card in the midst of battle, which he was excited about, but he could also choose to just wreak havoc on the battlefield by unleashing scythe after scythe of frost energy. And instead of charging Warrior¡¯s Shardsong through battle, he could make sure that his reserves were constantly topped off as long as he kept parrying enemies, if any could break past his guard. Tom wasn¡¯t certain that he could always use object permanence to such effectiveness, but in this specific case at least, the subskill had inadvertently rectified a limitation of the weapon artifact because making the Aura of Enhancement rely upon something as nebulous as kic impacts to the weapon would be too great a departure from it¡¯s essence. ¡°Well, I¡¯m notining,¡± Tom shrugged, before he reached for the de¡¯s hilt and slid his hand into the knuckle guard. Without further ado, Tom activated the Aura of Enhancement. He watched as Warrior¡¯s Shardsong was enveloped in an iridescent aura that ranged in hue from a gentle azure to a brilliant purple and did not flinch as the aura extended it¡¯s domain to epass his hand, then his shoulder, to his chest before his entire body was ensconced by the new weapon skill¡¯s effect. Thankfully, there was no cost to summoning the aura itself. While his SP reserves were precariously low, they were in a safe zone and had no reason to believe that the Neem Guild would try anything. It was as safe as an environment he was going to get, so Tom decided that he was going to give funneling SP a shot. Merely holding on to the artifact let him sense Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s hunger, if he could call it as such. The de wasn¡¯t sentient, let alone sapient but it had been designed and then redesigned to function on frost energy. Tom leaned into that hunger and he almost immediately felt the pull on his SP. Instead of resisting it, he allowed Warrior¡¯s Shardsong to drain him of five SP before he fought back against the sensation. Almost immediately, the pull faded. There was no intelligence behind the longsword, so it came as no surprise that it was incapable of siphoning SP from him without his permission. Warrior¡¯s Shardsong had grown a little more luminescent, a fact that Tom only noticed after he directed the Aura of Enhancement to recede. The beginnings of a smile began to tug at Tom¡¯s lips as he realized that Warrior¡¯s Shardsong was just over 5% pull. While that meant that Tom would require a hundred SP to fill it to the brim, he could already use weapon skill perfect conversion to fire off a scythe formed out of frost energy. He had been right after all. The sub-skill, object permanence had transformed Warrior¡¯s Shardsong into an entirely new weapon. Guess I am a Rare Crafter after all, Tom wryly thought as he stored the longsword in his inventory. Sure, no one besides himself could use it, but that wouldn¡¯t stop them from stealing a clearly valuable de. Now, it was time to pay Aleph a visit and see if Zeth¡¯s Armor was salvageable. A part of home wondered if he should try and use object permanence on Zeth¡¯s Armor if he found any remaining mimicked artifacts that had a synergy with the set armor¡¯s properties, but he shelved the idea for now. As powerful as object permanence could be, Tom had no doubt in his mind that he gotten lucky with the oue he¡¯d ended up with. Chapter 147: Alephs Growth Chapter 147: Aleph''s Growth 147: ¡°Can you fix it?¡± Tom asked as he finishedying out the damaged bone armor set on Aleph¡¯s table. Aleph¡¯s gaze shifted from Tom to the artifact set he hadid out on her study table. Gingerly, she reached out for the chest armor, which had received impacts primarily from Aleph¡¯s Rare Artifact in the heat of battle. Then, she shifted to the bone armor leggings that had sustained far more severe damage as Tom had sliced across Zeth¡¯s left shin through sheer force alone. He hadn¡¯t managed to draw blood, but he had prated deeply into a segment of milky white bone that guarded the shin from frontal attacks and from the looks of it, it was only a slight push away from snapping entirely. The boots were fine and auto-analyze had confirmed for him that he could wear them as is, but Tom wanted the entire set repaired before he donned them for the set effect. For the bone armor itself as a set was a rather peculiar one and Tom didn¡¯t doubt that fighting with it equipped would take some getting used to. Its inneryer was some sort of lightweight leather that had been processed into sheets before being folded and sewn into the shape of armor. The bones had been fitted into folds in the leather armor, their milky white exterior unblemished by dirt or decay. Whatever process had bonded them to the leather armor, it was expertly done, because Tom had first hand seen that armor set being employed by Zeth in battle and it had not been its failing that had caused his demise. Its unconventional make ced it outside of the ability of average cksmiths to repair, not to mention how generally unnerving it was. Thankfully, the rib cage that had been slotted over the leather chest piece was too broad and curved at angles that were far too sharp to belong to a person. The same was true for what appeared to be shorter, curving femurs that were slotted to provide protection to the frontal arms and legs, while tter, almost rectangr bones were arranged for support and protection behind, like an exoskeleton. So if Aleph couldn¡¯t repair it, Tom would most likely have to forgo his dreams of using this particr umon armor set. ¡°Compared to the Blood Wyrm Armor you had me repair, the damage is far more reasonable. You said it was a set, right?¡± Tom nodded in the affirmative. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t seem to change the difficulty or the cost of repairing it, at least as far as I can tell,¡± Aleph exined. ¡°How long will it take?¡± Tom asked. Aleph¡¯s lips arched up into a mischievous smile before she replied, ¡°I could do it now, you know. You aren¡¯t the only one who leveled up after that fight,¡± She said, alluding to their close fought battle against the master of the shadow guild. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Tom blinked before his eyes widened in realization. He had been so preupied with his own leveling, the decision to enter the Aerianiculumn and his musings about the Neem Guild and the Nexus Nodes, that he¡¯d forgotten to ount for hispanion¡¯s increased strength. He¡¯d known they had grown stronger, but it spoke to the weariness Tom had umted over months that he didn¡¯t pursue it. He couldn¡¯t speak for the other two, but Tom had definitely needed this break. ¡°What level is your soul card now?¡± Tom asked, his tone barely above a whisper. Aleph closed the distance between them with slow, measured steps, before she leaned forward. Tom¡¯s heart began to beat just a tad faster, but all she did was whisper in his ear before pulling away. He blinked. ¡®Level 12, Jeez,¡¯ Tom thought, realizing that Aleph would probably surpass his own level sooner rather thanter. Of course, his was an ephemeral rank soul card while hers was a rare, so it wasn¡¯t exactly a fairparison, but Tom suspected that leveling wouldn¡¯t be nearly as easy for him going forward. Aleph¡¯s Total Recall had been a mere level five before they had decided to destroy the Shadow Guild before they got caught up in their encirclement. Seven whole levels on a Rare Soul Card was amazing, but not entirely surprising considering that she had been the one to behead Zeth in the end, even if the experience had been split amongst the three of them. At level 12, she would have ess to 33 SP, 31 after subtracting 2 points for her signature umon that let her create and control crystals. Considering that she¡¯d only needed 10 SP to repair the Blood Wyrm Chainmail, Tom could see why both the damaged artifacts he had brought her were repairable. But that wasn¡¯t all. Level 12 Total Recall would also give her a whopping 55 Free Points to work with, higher than the maximum amount an umon could offer. It was safe to say that the Aleph before him was the strongest she¡¯d even been. ¡°Can you, er, do it?¡± Tom sheepishly asked, trying to veer the topic away from his own myopia as ofte. ¡°I can, but it is going to cost me quite a lot of my SP. I have an ask in return,¡± Aleph stated, her tone more amused than formal. ¡°What is it?¡± Tom asked, not deterred at all by the prospect. ¡°Once I¡¯m done, let¡¯s go shopping,¡± Aleph dered. ¡°Shopping?¡± The word escaped Tom¡¯s lips with more curiosity than it was due, as if he were trying to pry any hidden meaning within it open. ¡°Yes, shopping,¡± Aleph replied in a matter of fact tone. ¡°I¡¯ve never been much for finery, but all I¡¯ve known for the past months is mildly ufortable armor. I need new clothes, baggy,fortable ones.¡± ¡°Um, yeah. Sure. Let¡¯s go shopping after we¡¯re done here,¡± Tom replied, feeling like he had been caught off guard. After all they¡¯ve done in the past couple of months, doing something as ordinary as shopping for clothes seemed almost sacrilegious. At the same time though, Tom realized that he was kind of looking forward to it. After dealing with the extraordinary for so long, it would be nice to just do somethingid back and ordinary with¡­ a friend. Humming in satisfaction, Aleph returned to the table and focused her attention on the chest piece first. ¡°You know that wearing this is going to draw a lot of attention right,¡± Aleph said. ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to turn away a source of power, but wearing something this ostentatious is going to cause people looking your way¡±. ¡°We¡¯re no strangers to that,¡± Tom replied with more nonchnce than he felt. ¡°Oh you know, we just kidnapped a princess, altered the course of a civil war and dismantled an entire guild just before stepping into the tower. As far as our reputations go, I bet we can give the local rulers a run for their money.¡± Aleph burst out into amusedughter and Tom joined in. Chapter 148: Deathforged Remnant Armor Chapter 148: Deathforged Remnant Armor 148: Tom watched with bated breath as Aleph directed strings of blue energy from her palm, before directing them towards the areas where the bone chest piece had been chipped, dented or scratched. A mesh of blue strings knit together the damaged parts of bone, somehow knowing exactly how the original armor was supposed to look like as it filled in the chips, smoothed over the dents and scratches with clinical precision. Once Aleph was done, Tom couldn¡¯t even tell that the repaired areas had been damaged at all. Total Recall had repaired a chest piece that Tom doubted was within the capabilities of most cksmiths to repair and it had done so with amazing precision. Tom¡¯s excitement grew as Aleph moved on to the leggings that were a light push away from snapping in one segment. Sure enough, a mesh of blue strings bound the two near severed halves together and filled in the slight gap without any difficulty. After filling in a few more dents, the bone armor leggings were fully repaired. It was finally time to see what an umon armor set was capable of. [Auto-analyzing¡­..Chest piece ownership uncontested. Increasing appraisal rank by two grades¡­ Deathforged Remnant Chest Armor, Umon Set Item (1/3) Requirements: 22 Proprioception, 17 Physical Description: The Deathforged Remnant is a Nether Beast whose existence is bound to a phctery that they must stay in the vicinity of. Theseher beasts can often be deadly towards those unaware of its weakness, but this particr Deathforged Remnant was in by shattering it¡¯s phctery, rendering it into a pile of bones. The Nether Energy that originally empowered this beast is gone, but the bones that have been hardened due to the flow ofher energy have remained intact and have been used to forge this armor set. Due to the rued hardness of the Deathforged Remnant¡¯s bones, this chest piece is resistant to shing attacks and resistant to ranged attacks. Due to the Nether Energy once empowering these bones, this chest piece is resistant to elemental attacks. Armor Skill:
  1. de Breaker: Every time an enemy uses a kic or elemental attack against the bone part of this chest armor, a portion of the energy behind the attack is stored until it reaches the required threshold to activate this skill.
Once it has, the next time the attackermits to an attack, a shockwave will be unleashed through the medium with which they made contact against the armor¡¯s bone shielding. Deathforged Remnant Leggings, Umon Set Item (2/3) Requirements: 19 Proprioception, 14 Physical Description: Due to the rued hardness of the Deathforged Remnant¡¯s bones, these leggings are resistant to shing attacks and resistant to ranged attacks. Due to the Nether Energy once empowering these bones, this chest piece is resistant to elemental attacks. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the vition. Armor Skill:
  1. de Breaker: Every time an enemy uses a kic or elemental attack against the bone part of these leggings , a portion of the energy behind the attack is stored until it reaches the required threshold to activate this skill.
Once it has, the next time the attackermits to an attack, a shockwave will be unleashed through the medium with which they made contact against the leggings bone shielding. Deathforged Remnant Greaves, Umon Set Item (3/3) Requirements: 15 Proprioception, 10 Physical Description: To allow for greater movement and flexibility, the Deathforged Remnant Bones have been hollowed out in the construction of the Deathfoged Remnant Greaves. The air flowing through the hollowed out bones increases movement speed. Armor Skill:
  1. Shatter: Upon taking impact, the bone targeted shatters and its shards are sent flying in the direction of the attacker.
  2. Self-Repair: The Deathforged Remnant Greaves are capable of repairing themselves in exchange for a proportional amount of SP outside ofbat.
Set Effect: When all three armor pieces in the Deathforged Remnant Set are equipped, a new armor skill Detonate is unlocked, allowing all the energy gathered by de Breaker to be invested into a single bone, which can be detached from the armor and thrown. After skill Detonate is used once, it gets reced by Self-Repair. Until the damaged bone is repaired, Detonate cannot be used again. Only one skill, either Detonate or Self-Repair can be activated at any one time]. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± Tom muttered appreciatively. While the set-effect wasn¡¯t exactly what he was expecting, Tom could see it being another surprise attack he could use when things went awry. And things did seem to go frequently awry around him. ¡®Now, can I mimic the set effect armor skill without needing to mimic all three pieces? Using three slots would mean destroying artifacts I¡¯ve already got mimicked, but even then, can Object Permanence even influence this? It transfers skills from mimicked artifacts to real ones, but Detonate doesn¡¯t really belong to any one of the items. Something to test out when Aleph isn¡¯t around, Tom thought. While a part of him wanted to reveal Fool¡¯s Gold to her, he knew that the moment he did was also the moment where he admitted to having a card that was more powerful than a rare. Far more powerful. Supposed irvoyance and the ability to mimic artifacts and even transfer skills around to different artifacts¡­ that was no rare. He wasn¡¯t ready for such a revtion, not just yet. ¡°You know,¡± Tom sheepishly began. ¡°I think it¡¯s best I let this stay in my inventory until we decide to challenge the Nexus Quest.¡± ¡°A reasonable proposition,¡± Aleph nodded, before pausing to ask, ¡°Did you get hit on the head?¡± She asked with mock suspicion. ¡°Really?¡± Tom protested. Aleph snickered in response. ¡°Well,¡± Tom began, ignoring her amusement for now. ¡°I¡¯m d Zeth didn¡¯t get to use this against us.¡± Aleph¡¯s expression sobered before she nodded, ¡°Detonate, is it? What¡¯s it do?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell?¡± Tom asked, sounding a bit confused. ¡°I can analyze most of it, but it¡¯s not my armor set so the information I get is decreased by two grades. Or so it says.¡± ¡°It let¡¯s me empower a single bone with all the energy I siphon from attacks thatnd on my armor and then throw it. Like a bomb.¡± Aleph winced before replying, ¡°I¡¯m d too, then.¡± ¡°Well, enough of that,¡± Tom shook his head. ¡°I recall promising you something.¡± Aleph nodded, before cracking a smile. ¡°Put that creepy armor in your inventory and let¡¯s go.¡± Tom did as he was ordered, a small smile of his own shing across his expression. Aleph could shop for the material goods, while Tom looked around for something he suspected would be far more valuable. Chapter 149: Tyren Chapter 149: Tyren 149: The next few weeks were the most peaceful he¡¯d seen since arriving in Artezia, if the Aerinaculumn could be called a part of it. They had ended up splitting five moremon cards, ones that they had gotten from the Shadow Guild¡¯s weaker members, to both finance their stay in Nexus City: Bulwark and be able to stock up on essentials like healing potions, which you could never have enough of, along with equipment that might end up useful during their conquest of Nexus Quests. Reinforced ropes, crystal based light sources that did not require fuel to sustain themselves and wouldst for years, high pitch whistles to signal rescue in the event that one of their party members were no longer capable of defending themselves, heavy-duty rucksacks that could be used to store items that the party would rather have on hand instead of in their inventories along with a plethora of other items that offered a dazzling range of variety that had left Tom struggling to make his selections. Oh and of course, there was clothes. Aleph had bought a lot of clothes and they were surprisingly cheap for the quality that was being offered. Maybe the store owners were employing someone with an umon tailoring card, but that secret wasn¡¯t nearly valuable enough for him to use Active Shroud¡ª Maya. Of course, there was enough information he wanted floating around that Tom didn¡¯t hesitate to use Maya liberally. The first question that had elicited the use of Maya from him had struck him when he and Aleph were browsing through a selection of chest armor pieces that had been put on disy on a wall behind the shopkeeper, Tyren, who wore a bored look on his face as he pointedly ignored them until they asked for more information. Their Auto-Analyze skills were not nearly as useful, given that the chest pieces did not belong to them, which caused the appraisal rank to fall by two grades. They had been met with a sigh, followed by a sinct exnation of the three chest pieces that were each of the umon grade. For the most part, they were there to window shop, but even then, Tom was bbergasted by the prices Tyren had quoted to them. Two umon ranked core fragments and four umon ranked side fragments was a ludicrous ask for a mere piece of umon armor. Tom wasn¡¯t sure if splitting an umon card was the same thing as splitting amon one in terms of the number of core and side fragments being offered, but the very thought of trading in pieces that could form a brand new umon card for a piece of armor sounded sacrilegious to him. Sure, he¡¯d never actually tried to go around shopping for umon armor back in Artezia, but Tom was certain that there was something off about that whole arrangement, especially after Tyren mockinglyughed at them when they offered to try and pay for the armor in wholemon cards. Considering that Tom only needed 56 SP to use Maya on Tyren, he was fairly certain that if he used it, he would not need to fall back on Home-bound and trigger its forty eight hour cooldown. So, well, he did. The man was certainly annoying enough and an unhelpful shopkeeper on top of it, so Tom wouldn¡¯t feel bad about prying a secret out of him. Hopefully, a golden star at that. As he saw the world through Tyren¡¯s perspective, Tom realized that he had been misunderstanding how equipment, whether it be a Rare Sword, An Umon Chest Piece or a Common Dagger, worked from its inception. He hadn¡¯t been paying enough attention to the Requirements of an artifact and he hadn¡¯t used them in enough of a variety to understand that the Rarity of an artifact was calcted in proportion to its requirements. This tale has been uwfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Amon sword with a hundred physical and a seventy five proprioception stat requirement would be better than his Warrior¡¯s Shardsong withplete certainty. Sure, no one on the first floor would be able to wield it, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that an artifact¡¯s rarity was judged based on its requirements. So, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong was a Pseudo Epic for a 32 Physical and 22 Proprioception stat requirement, along with his Level 10 in the Fool but Tom wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to quantify that. The total stat requirement came at a 54, which was well within the capabilities of a Rare Soul Card wielder. Tom wondered if Warrior¡¯s Shardsong would be an Epic or even a legendary if it¡¯s requirements were half of what they were currently. That thought also made him wonder what he could do if he mimicked an artifact that reduced its own requirements as part of a weapon skill and used object permanence to shift it onto a valuable artifact. Rediscovering himself in the realm of Maya didn¡¯t prove too challenging once he stumbled upon hisnyard to which a flimsy stic card holder was clipped into. Tyren was a salesman and a merchant, a man who had lived afortable life behind the protection of the Nexus City Bulwark. His will was clear, for Tyren was a man who understood who he was and what he wanted in life, but it was nowhere near domineering or adamant enough to forcibly resist his intrusion. Tom found himself in the realm of Yul, where the resistance was magnified by several times. To his disappointment, Tom found no shimmering Astral Gold star in the distance, but there were five Lunar Silver stars floating deeper in the void. In a way, it was also a relief, because if he saw an Astral Gold star it was a certainty that he would go for it and that would make it a distraction. Sure, there were other people he could get the secret behind the odd pricing from, but that would take more time and effort than he was willing to dedicate to this minor curiosity. So Tom decided to rely upon the resonance technique, repeatedly thinking about wanting to know about the intricacies of Tyren¡¯s business, wanting to know why an umon chest piece costed so much and why someone would trade away the chance at a brand new umon card with all it¡¯s versatility and uses for a piece of rtively decent armor while kept moving deeper into the void. He was nearing the end of the Bright Bronze star territory when Tom finally got a hit, an electric tingle in the back of his mind that pointed him to one of the Lunar Silver stars. Tom fought his way to it. Back in the real world, he hurriedly discarded Tyren¡¯s Active Shroud. Turning into the shopkeeper by appearance in his own shop was certain to scare the daylights out of the man, not to mention the trouble it would cause him if people got to know that he possessed a card that enabled mimicking appearances. So as it turned out, splitting an umon gave two umon core fragments and ten umon side fragments, which was one more core and side fragment than Tom had expected. Still, that didn¡¯t change how outrageous Tyren¡¯s ask had been, considering that he wanted the essence of an Umon card in exchange for a piece of armor. And as it turned out, Tom¡¯s suspicions hadn¡¯t been unfounded. Tyren¡¯s demeanor had been callous because the two of them didn¡¯t have Neem Guild Crests on their clothing. The prices were marked up so high because of the Neem Guild, though it was not a threat of violence or promise of high tarrifs. No, Tyren had jacked up his prices because the Neem Guild regrly bought equipment from him at the regr prices, so he wasn¡¯t desperate for customers. And in return, the Neem Guild, which apparently had a reputation for being honorable and just, would cut off an easy way of climbers from different Nexus Cities who had intention to climb the tower from acquiring the equipment they needed. If they had sought shelter in a Nexus City without knowing anyone there, odds were they had no real home to return to. The Neem Guild wanted to cut off opportunities for climbers and it did so within the rules of the Divine System, so that people with either talent or gusto would eventually have no option but to either leave the city¡¯s shelter or knock the Neem Guild¡¯s door to apply for membership. In a way, it was a subtle thing, considering that these jacked up rates only applied to weapons, armor and other kinds of artifacts. They were not boorish enough to do the same for healing potions or other essentials, lest they cut off revenue to the Nexus City, but it was clear that the Neem Guild could y dirty in their home base. ¡®Oh well,¡¯ Tom had thought, his next contender for Maya made clear. Chapter 150: Rowan Chapter 150: Rowan 150: The next time, Tom had been more judicious with his use of Maya. Sure, maybe he could use it on every member of the Neem Guild if he wanted to pry out every secret they had, but unless Tom¡¯s party started junking umon cards, he wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d be able to pay for the months it would take to aplish such a task. Instead, when he had been on his own, with Aleph having returned to her hotel room, Tom decided to take fifteen minute walks to and fro the za, sometimes taking longer to return lest the Neem Guild catch on to suspicious behavior and try something. Tom had seen many Neem Guild members enter and leave the headquarters, but he had refrained from using Maya on any of them. The older members, which there were few of, had high SP requirements, ranging from low sixties to a maximum of a hundred and five. It came as no surprise to Tom that the Neem Guild had someone that, at least on paper, surpassed Zeth in the value they held to him. As tempted as he was by the secrets of the powerhouse, Tom had refrained from using Maya once again. He had a particr sort of individual in mind. A young sort who possessed something that indicated a high station within the sect. Like the sect master¡¯s son or daughter, or a prodigy full of swagger. In either of the cases, Tom did not expect them to have the mental resilience and resistance of an older, more experienced Guild Member. So when he saw a young man leaving the Neem Guild, his steps sure as they were steady as he stepped into the za, decked in what had to be an armor set, considering that the helmet, chest piece and leggings seemed to be fashioned out of the same material. A leather base oveid by a weave of vines that had been knitted into a protective mesh that wrapped around the wielder except perhaps for the barbute-like helmet, which sported a T-shaped open space that allowed the wielder¡¯s light green eyes and grayish-white hair to peek out. That had to be an umon armor set and from the looks of it, the man could not be older than twenty. Sixty-five SP was all that was asked to cast Maya on the man, so Tom didn¡¯t hesitate. While Rowan didn¡¯t manage to impose his will over Tom, it took him exceptionally long to rediscover himself in Rowan¡¯s Maya. Tom had to admit that he¡¯d never met anyone with the sheer amount of rity that Rowan possessed. As it turned out, Rowan was the deputy guild leader of the Neem Guild. Which didn¡¯t much, not until the current guild leader died or absconded. Still, until someone from the younger generation of the Neem Guild challenged Rowan for his position and won, his title would remain in his possession. Everyone qualified to challenge Rowan was somehow rted to either the current Guild Leader or one of the members of the guild¡¯s upper echelon. The Current Guild Leader had no children, so he had apparently decided to base session on merit. Rowan was the current prospect as deputy, but there was no guarantee that it wouldst. This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The fascinating thing about Rowan was that he didn¡¯t see it that way. In his mind, his victory was already set in stone and considering that his record was fourteen wins to zero losses, there was merit to his line of thought. He would be the sessor and he wanted the entire Nexus City: Bulwark to know it. That was his identity, that was the goal he was working towards and that was the reason why he continuously challenged himself to grow stronger. Few could im to have Umon (Mezzanine) Soul Card at birth and the years he had spent growing up with his card were years he had to master it. In his mind, Spectral whip was simply the ultimate card for one on one duels and he did not hesitate to exploit the advantage he had. In battle, Rowan could call upon a translucent vine that had thorns jutting out of it, a whip that could only be dodged, not parried for it would simply pass through anything impeding it, whether that be a metal sword or thick te armor to wrap around the organic, living life form he had targeted. Oncetched around his enemy¡¯s waist, they would be immobilized for a minute and twenty five seconds, but that wasn¡¯t all. For it wasn¡¯t just an umon card, it was an umon (mezzanine). During that time, Rowan could sap vitality from his opponent, directly proportional to the amount he¡¯d lost. If he was low on stamina, he could siphon the enemy¡¯s stamina. If he was injured and bleeding, he could siphon their health to heal his own wounds and greatly weaken them. The only downside was that he couldn¡¯t move while Spectral Whip was immobilizing his enemy, but that was why he walked around with a rare artifact strapped to his back, a self-reloading magic crossbow that shot arrows formed out of force magic. Of course, no lethal weapons were allowed in duels, so they usually ended with him using spectral whip to incapacitate his opponents. Long range attacks were his only dire weakness, but his umon artifact set would shield him against those kinds of attacks long enough for him to get behind cover or counter in a realbat scenario. Tom had only managed to snap out of Rowan¡¯s Maya after his arrogance had begun to rub him the wrong way. Rowan was kind of Tom¡¯s exact opposite in personality, or atleast, Tom couldn¡¯t imagine being that belligerent when he was expected to lead the people he kept pummeling in the ground with an effectively unparryable attack at their level. It was bound to build resentment, a resentment that Rowan simply ignored and that way of thinking happened to be ipatible with Tom. Well that and the fact the dissonance led him to inspect his surroundings more carefully, allowing him to discover thenyard. In the realm Yul, there were not one but three glittering gold stars and after he used resonance technique with the questions he absolutely had to know, the purpose, goals and strength of the Neem Guild, his instincts led to one of them. Had Tom met Rowan a few years from now, there was no way he would''ve managed to even get a silver star, let alone attempt a gold. As he floated in the midst of shining silver stars, Tom found that while the pressure was crushing, itcked a dimension that the likes of Zeth and Zirel possessed. As he thought back on Rowan¡¯s personality, it didn¡¯t take him long to figure out what that something was. Rowan possessed an extraordinary rity that set him apart from most people his age, however, his ideals, convictions and beliefs had yet to be tested by reality, outside a testing ground that wasn¡¯t sanitized by rules and regtions set by the Neem Guild. Zirel and Zeth had both suffered hardships that had changed their perception of the world, that had altered their personalities and had led them to discover their true convictions. Zeth had lost to one he believed weaker than himself and that had led him to discover a new path to power while Zirel had been betrayed by his own family and that had unlocked a cold strength in him that gave him the strength to challenge those he should¡¯ve instinctively feared. Rowan was a sharp de, but ultimately a brittle one, for he had not been tempered by the mes of fate. That was why Tom could get to the Astral Gold stars and seize the one he sought for himself. Chapter 151: The Neem Guild Chapter 151: The Neem Guild 151: As it turned out, the Neem Guild¡¯s objectives were far smaller in scale inparison to what Tom had feared. They were primarily a single floor guild, their operations limited to the Nexus City: Bulwark and a few other Nexus Cities which they either felt threatened by or wanted to challenge and im for themselves in the future if the stars aligned. But merely because they were smaller in scale did not mean that their modus operandi could not threaten Tom¡¯s group. As it turned out, price gouging on artifacts wasn¡¯t the only way the Neem Guild convinced new arrivals to the city to join their guild. There were a dozen other ways, some overt while others were subtler, covert ways like the price gouging on artifacts. As it turned out, even most of the independent climbers within the Nexus City: Bulwark had done business with the Neem Guild and to keep their favor, they had to avoid teaming up with other parties or offering them support or knowledge as to what they could expect from the Nexus Quests. It was a pretty devious move to pull, but didn¡¯t quite cross into viciousness. At first, Tom couldn¡¯t understand why climbers who had reached the pinnacle of power and entered the tower to ascend, some of which had to have been in the neem guild, would act like this. But, as it turned out, as far as Rowan knew, every member of the Neem Guild¡¯s upper echelon, including its founding members, were born on the first floor. They only wished to preserve the way of life as they knew it, to eke out a city for themselves and offer stability to their people. A noble cause, at least on a surface level. The Neem Guild was nobler than the Shadow Guild that Zeth had run back on Artezia¡¯s surface. And few, if any, new recruits left the Neem Guild shortly after joining. For the Neem Guild was generous in showering recruits with resources that would aid them tremendously, from an entire set of artifact armor to loaner sets ofmon and even umon cards to ess to in-house alchemists that offered essential potions at discount rates. What the recruits didn¡¯t know as they climbed up the ranks of the Neem Guild was that if there came a day where they want to either leave the territory the Guild operates within or have decided to ascend the tower and seek both greater power and glory, they would have to pay back the sect for every card fragment that had been invested into them along with a high interest levied upon the sum from their date of joining. If one didn¡¯t intend to leave the Neem Guild, it was an amount that they were never expected to pay back. And from Rowan¡¯s understanding, arge portion of the guild members saw no problem in staying. It was, after all, their home. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred tform and support their work! Funnily enough, it was Rowan who had a desire to lead the Neem Guild to greater heights. Once it became his turn to lead the Neem Guild, his ambition would no longer be contained to modest aspirations like iming nearby nexus cities for themselves, but instead, he would direct his gaze towards the skies. The members of the Neem Guild that turned their backs on the organization were deemed traitors under one pretext or the other, with allegations of betrayal and ims of joining rival guilds and in a surprising disy of viciousness, were hunted down by the upper echelon of the Neem Guild themselves. It was both a disy of power and the Guild¡¯s rules, that were few but considered sacrosanct. To break the Neem Guild¡¯s rules was to betray it, but the debt they asked for was not something that was repayable on an individual level. Grimly enough, Tom could even see why such a rule was imposed. If the Neem Guild¡¯s objective was to reign over their corner of the world on the first floor, then they could not afford to have their members ditching them for higher pursuits. There were bound to be those that stumbled upon a yearning for a higher purpose, a goal beyond just existing as a cog in the wheel of an organization and once it struck them, the answer was obvious. What Tom couldn¡¯t stand was how they stifled and crushed ambitions out of those that decided their pathsy in a different direction, for that very opportunity had been offered to him not too long ago and he had embraced it. If the Neem Guild stayed out of his way, then so be it. Tom couldn¡¯t fix the world of Artezia and he wasn¡¯t even sure if it was his to fix. But if they asked to recruit him, his answer would be a firm no. How the Neem Guild would react to such a refusal, Tom couldn¡¯t say based on Rowan¡¯s memories alone. Knowledgeable he may be, Rowan was also inexperienced and he was sure that the Neem Guild¡¯s true leader would find his ambitions for the higher floors naive. Rowan¡¯s thought process couldn¡¯t speak for the entirety of the Neem Guild. And considering their tendency to lock talent away behind a conniving lure, he wasn¡¯t sure if there was a way to avoid their attention. Using Maya until he found the location of a nearby Nexus City was one option, but there was no guarantee if the next Guild he ran into would be limited to the first floor. The one advantage he had with the Neem Guild was that they had no intention to follow him into the next floor, though Tom wasn¡¯t sure if inter-floormunication was even possible; it was still a worthwhile precaution to keep in mind. Every day in the Nexus City cost him money and there had to be a reason why people agreed to pay in card fragments just to stay in the city. Whatever the city¡¯s walls were protecting them from, Tom wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to find out just yet. The most valuable information he¡¯d gleaned from the Astral Gold star had to be the fact that now Tom not only knew the names of the individuals that made up the Neem Guild¡¯s upper echelon and younger generation of talents, he also had an idea of their personalities and to a lesser extent, habits and in a few rare cases, their secrets, too. Back in the real world, Tom¡¯s lips had curled up into a smile as he had walked past Rowan. He needed a new sword technique to go with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong and thanks to Rowan¡¯s Astral Gold star, Tom knew just whom to ask. Chapter 152: Lorcan Chapter 152: Lorcan 152: As it turned out, Lorcan was two years younger than Rowan, a fact that had attracted his ire more than once. In terms of power alone, Rowan was easily Lorcan¡¯s better, the role of his Umon (Mezzanine) card undoubtable in that calction. As the son of one of the Neem Guild¡¯s founding members, Lorcan had notcked resources or quality tutge growing up, his sword technique inherited from his father, who in turn had perused the family records to obtain it. The reason why Rowan found Lorcan so irritating was because his skill with the de was undeniable, even if his Umon card didn¡¯t really mesh with his fighting style. While Rowan didn¡¯t know what Lorcan¡¯s card was called, the gist of it¡¯s abilities boiled down to sts ofpressed wind from a distance, with the additional ability of making the blunt sphere attack ofpressed wind transform into smaller, scything arcs of wind des that indiscriminately fired off in every direction. Thetter was a fatal move and clearly could not be used in a duel, while the former didn¡¯t really synergize well with Lorcan¡¯s preference for the sword. Despite those disadvantages though, Lorcan worked well around them, using the spheres ofpressed wind as a distraction to cover the distance between him and his opponent before he unleashed his offensive sword form to make them yield. Of course, such a strategy was ill-fitted to fight against spectral whip, which could go through his sword as well as armor to lock him in ce. What that didn¡¯t change, though, was the fact that Rowan wouldn¡¯t be able to offer Lorcan a fight when it came to a true sh of des. If Lorcan managed to acquire a more powerful, higher rarity de, then it was a real possibility that he would pose a threat to him in the duels. Snippets from Rowan¡¯s fight against Lorcan were preserved in Tom¡¯s memory and he found himself agreeing with that assessment. Unfortunately, the memories hadn¡¯te with a location, so Tom didn¡¯t exactly know where Lorcan lived. If he spent more effort and SP there was a good chance that he¡¯d find it, but there was no need for him to do that. Tom knew how Lorcan looked and he was bound toe to the Neem Guild¡¯s headquarters eventually. Lurking in the Nexus City¡¯s za for too long was bound to draw suspicion, so Tom went about his search in a leisurely way, staying in the za for an hour every day before returning to his inn. On the third day, he found Lorcan. A silver-haired young man had walked towards the Neem Guild headquarters, his demeanor unhurried and his steps measured. Inparison to Rowan¡¯s ostentatious armor, his was a sleek, form-fitting set of chest te, telegs and greaves forged out of a copper-colored metal. The visage was left undefended, his azure eyes nothing unusual in Artezia or the Aerinaculumn from his experience. This book is hosted on another tform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. His silver hair was neatly parted to the right, the longer strands sweeping across his brow and framing his sharp features that were devoid of all but the slightest hint of fat, an observation that extended to his tall,nky build. Back on earth, such an observation would mean little, but when Physical was a stat one could invest in, it told Tom that Lorcan had not invested heavily in the stat. A sheathed shortsword was strapped to his waist, its ornate hilt the only eye-catching part about his equipment. Even as Lorcan had drawn closer to the Neem Guild, Tom couldn¡¯t help but notice how content was withrgely going unnoticed amongst the crowd, a respectful nod from one of the passersbys the only bit of deference that was offered to him. The only thing that had surprised Tom, really, was that the SP ask to use Maya on him was even lesser than Rowan,ing a mere fifty-nine SP. There had been no reason to hesitate any further. Behind that calm exterior, Lorcan was hiding quite the nuanced character. While Rowan had seen him as a potential threat in the future, Lorcan personally wasn¡¯t desperate to win. The youth was twenty three years old and most of his growing up years had been spent training under his father, Vulturi, who was more feared than respected in the guild due to his status as the leader of the guild enforcers. When the guild¡¯s rules were broken, it was those trained under Vulturi or sometimes, him directly that hunted down the suspect. Though on most days, their duties were limited to overseeing contributions and making sure that no guild member was siphoning funds for their own personal use. In a nutshell, the enforcers were in charge of maintaining order within the guild and it was a line of work that made far more enemies than it did friends. That was why, from a young age, Lorcan¡¯s father had not gone easy on him when it came to training. He could not afford to raise an inept sessor. And over time, Lorcan hade to resent his father for it. It was not the grueling hours he had spent toiling in the training grounds, or the countless times his father had disarmed him without even trying, to prove just how far he still had to go, that hade to irritate him. Neither was his skill with the sword, for it was something he had toiled for and earned on his own merit. No, Lorcan hade to enjoy swordy. What frustrated him was the Neem Guild¡¯s aversion to any real danger. His father had trained him and he done so without holding back anything. Lorcan should¡¯ve been out there, challenging one Nexus Quest after the next like his father had. Ascending to the next floor was a choice, not an imposition. Even after you achieved a total of a hundred Nexus Points, unless explicit consent was given to the divine system, you would not be teleported to the next floor. You could also keep taking more quests, just without being awarded the Nexus Pointponent of it. But his father had refused. There was no reason to risk his life when he was not being trained to ascend. Instead, he was forced to spend his days ying games with inept fools like Rowan for a position that ultimately didn¡¯t matter. The Neem Guild was fated to be limited to the first floor and no guild leader could change that reality. Lorcan¡¯s own desire was a nebulous thing. He wasn¡¯t certain if he wanted to ascend to the next floor, because that entailed leaving everything and everyone he¡¯d ever known behind for an unknown realm but at the same time, he was discontent with the current status quo. No wonder his ¡°weight¡±, in terms of the SP required to use Maya on a person, was lesser than the arrogant but clear Rowan. After Tom rediscovered himself an hour into Lorcan¡¯s Maya, powering through to the single Astral Gold star he was in possession of proved to be easier than it had with Rowan. Chapter 153: Flowing Rivers Rupture Chapter 153: Flowing River''s Rupture 153: As a sword art, Flowing River¡¯s Rupture was rooted firmly in the realm of the supernatural. Focusing heavily on the proprioception stat with a secondary focus on the mental stat, to allow the mind to keep up with the body¡¯s movements, Flowing River¡¯s Rupture was far more advanced than the spear art he had taken from Jayce Andiroh, namely, Titan¡¯s Sequitur. There were four forms in the Flowing River¡¯s Rupture sword art and unlike Titan¡¯s sequitur, where the spear forms had their distinct purposes, the Flowing River¡¯s Rupture¡¯s forms were interlinked with each other. The first form, the lull, was a defensive sword form that retreated in a rhythm, offering ground to an aggressive opponent, tricking them into a battle at your own tempo. Focusing on clever deflections, the lull sword form was designed to allow it¡¯s wielder to defend itself without expending a significant amount of energy. Of course, it was not a sword form that could be used in all situations, especially with cards in the mix of battle, but it didn¡¯t have to be. The second sword form could either be employed directly, or after the first sword form had been in active use for a few minutes. It reimed the ground lost through the lull sword form by unleashing a flurry of shes in the rhythm of rapids, as the wielder¡¯s bodynguage, stance and fighting style itself changed into one of momentum. The flow of the rapids was as fast-moving as it was turbulent, but there was still a natural rhythm to it¡¯s motions. The flurry of strikes were seemingly wild and iling, but there was an intent behind them, a directive to reim the lost ground that served as the core directive. When the flow failed, it gave way to the guard breaker sword form, the third sword form in the Flowing River¡¯s Rupture Sword Art. This form required supernatural proprioception to perform, as it focused on a sequence of relentless thrusts that tried to sneak past the opponent¡¯s guard andnd a killing blow, the trajectory of each sessive thrust following up from a novel angle without holding back any strength in reserve. Like the relentless nature of rapids, Guard Breaker sought to overwhelm the opponent in a seemingly unstoppable barrage of attacks that sought to give them no breathing room. The third form was supposed to be used until the opponent made a mistake and let the thrust through or one¡¯s stamina gged down to dangerous levels. The fourth form, rupture, had drawn inspiration from a river¡¯s might, its potential to carve through the very earth itself into a gorge, if given enough time. After the third form had broken through the opponent¡¯s guard, rupture was a final, overhead strike that cut diagonally along their vitals, a single sh that had every ounce of strength the wielder could muster charged behind it. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Tom had wondered where the nearest river was, only to remember that the sword art was something that Lorcan¡¯s father had pulled out from his family¡¯s records. It was entirely possible that the sword art was created back on the surface, on Artezia instead of the Aerinaculumn. Could rivers even form naturally within the first floor of the tower or would they be created by the Divine System? Tom had no idea and thankfully, his questions were irrelevant to the sword art he¡¯d inherited. With his own stats far eclipsing Lorcan, there was no doubt in Tom¡¯s mind that he could do some serious damage with the sword art once it was paired with his Pseudo Epic Artifact, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong. He was practically giddy at the idea of using it in realbat, but Tom had suppressed that desire. Warrior¡¯s shardsong had be his weapon, the Deathforged Remnant Armor would protect him in battle and the Flowing River¡¯s Rupture would be the sword art that he used. His preparations had progressed rapidly, but there was still one key piece of information that he needed to acquire. Namely, what exactly were the challenges the Nexus Quests offered? After learning that even the independent climbers within the Nexus City: Bulwark had a silent pact with the Neem Guild, Tom had no intention of trying to seek alliances with them or ask for advice. Though he could only ever use Maya once on any person, but considering that he had no long term ns on settling within the city, he had no reason of being judicious with its use. If the other independent climbers weren¡¯t going to y fair, then Tom had no reason to either. A fight against a contingent of two-headed serpents that were capable of spitting globs of paralytic poison, a fact Tom got to know when a climber next to him was syed across the ground, his eyes wide with panic yet his body not moving in the slightest. A siege against a Nether Energy powered giant skeleton that resembled the Nether Lich butcked in it¡¯s cunning, iling about with arge mace that it was funneling it¡¯s Nether Energy into. There were hundreds of climbers fighting the creature, a group blinking away every few minutes only to reced by a new group that epted the Nexus Quest to do a certain amount of damage to the hulking monstrosity. Each time the giant skeleton¡¯s mace crashed against the ground, the very earth itself around them cracked and rumbled. A few died, but most who had epted the quests were either agile enough or had artifacts that let them evade the telegraphed attack. A hunt for a creature that had infiltrated a Nexus City, a particrly agile Nether Beast that looked like a diseased panther with two fleshy wings that let it fly to evade the long range attacks, it¡¯s eyes glowing a vibrant purple and it¡¯s veins seemingly more like deep violet cracks that ran across the surface of it¡¯s skin. To his disappointment, Tom realized that there was no telling what awaited them on the other side of the Nexus Quest besides the little information they could glean from a vague description. But there was a way to gauge difficulty and it was surprisingly far easier than he had expected, almostughably easy. The number of nexus points offered as a reward forpleting a quest were directly proportional to the difficulty. The more the nexus points offered, the greater the difficulty spike. With that final discovery, Tom was ready. Chapter 154: All, In Chapter 154: All, In 154: As Tom¡¯s party cut across the throng of people crowding the Nexus City¡¯s za, Tom could not help but notice the attention they were receiving. The Deathforged Remnant Armor had proven to be even more eye-catching than he¡¯d expected, but that wasn¡¯t all that stood out. The unconventional longsword that was sheathed at his side would make running cumbersome, atleast without it unsheathed. Aleph¡¯s lustrous silver hair that was dotted with strands of amethyst made her appearance stand out and coupled with her azure eyes and striking physique, her appearance was hard to forget. Zirel was the one who stood out the least amongst their group, but his piercing baster white eyes and the effortless grace he carried himself with would tell a keen eye that he was no ordinary climber either. A healing potion was strapped to all three of their waists, with extras stored safely in their inventory. They were as ready as they could be. Tom allowed his gaze to sweep across the za, hoping to avoid any needless encounters yet still finding it prudent to assess any people that could prove to be troublesome. The first two groups of climbers seemed to be independent, groups of three and four respectively. None of them were people he¡¯d seen before, which made sense considering that the person he¡¯d used Maya on had been intending to ept a Nexus Quest with his party. Tom¡¯s keen eyesight was able to determine that none of them were wearing the Neem Guild¡¯s pendants. As Tom had found out after using Maya on both Rowan and Lorcan, the pendants were created with a card ability and the rarity of the metal used in the forging process signified the status of the pendant holder. If Rowan, Lorcan and the middle-aged man that had weed them to the Nexus City: Bulwark all wore pendants, it was more than likely that their possession was mandatory as a proof of identity. What Tom found more interesting was the makeup of the groups. Each group seemed to have at least one archer, the four man group having two. One of them had a bow strapped to the back while the other had a small,pact crossbow strapped to his side, both clearly a step above the run of the mill artifacts. Swordsmen seemed to be a popr vocation as well, though perhaps it would be unwise to consider them such just because one person in each of the groups had a sword strapped to their waists. For all he knew, they relied on their cards entirely forbat and had the sword as ast ditch defense weapon. There were three people he couldn¡¯t figure out, at least not entirely. One was a woman, clothed in shimmering robes that had to be an artifact of some sort, a nd wooden staff her only apaniment. Another was a man d in a dark leather chest armor and leggings, a total of six small daggers sheathed in built in openings on the surface of said armor itself. Four daggers were strapped to his chest and two more, longer ones, were sheathed in the thigh region of his leggings. Finally, there was a person d head to toe in armor, but Tom could not detect any hint of a weapon on them, sheathed or sheathed. After his experiences with Zirel, he subconsciously found himself deeming them the most dangerous amongst the lot. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. But Tom didn¡¯t really see any of them as a threat. If he had judged correctly, they were independent climbers, which meant that while they wouldn¡¯t try to help them due to their own interests with the Neem Guild, they also wouldn¡¯t try to hinder their progress. The Guild itself though, that was an entirely different matter. Tom¡¯s gaze fell upon the five-storey building that served as the headquarters for the Neem Guild, or more precisely, upon the two guards that were clearly conversing with each other. As they drew closer to the Nexus Node: Epsilon, Tom¡¯s eyes narrowed as one of the guards nodded before retreating inside the Guild Building, while the other guard trailed their progress. He tried to pretend like he was sweeping the area with his eyes, but even from such a distance, Tom¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t miss how the guard¡¯s locked on to his group. ¡®I can smell the bullshit from here,¡¯ Tom wryly thought, before shaking his head. ¡®Oh well, at least this is a safe zone.¡¯ As Tom entered the active radius of the Nexus Node: Epsilon, his vision lit up by an ethereal blue notification. [Active Nexus Quest: Active Rift Description: An Active Rift connecting the first floor of the tower to the Nether Realm has been detected outside Nexus City: Warden. Currently, a Stygian Titan, apanied by four Nether Shamans and an army of Deathless Sentinels tied to the life force of the Nether Shamans have escaped the rift. Over a hundred parties have epted a variant of this quest. Requirement forpletion: y five deathless sentinels as an individual or fifteen deathless sentinels as a party OR y one Nether Shaman OR break the adaptive shielding around the Stygian Titan. Rewards: 3 Nexus Points, 10 Umon Ranked Side-Fragments, 1 Umon Ranked Core Fragment OR Six Nexus Points and three Umon Cards OR Ten Nexus Points, One Rare Card, One Rare Artifact and ??? Would you like to ept this quest as an individual or party?] Tom read the description for a second time, his lips pursed in thought. While the Nexus Quest itself, on the base level didn¡¯t seem beyond the capabilities of their party, the valuable rewards being offered for dealing with the Nether Shamans or the Stygian Titans were a matter of concern. He did not want to get caught in the crossfire of the Stygian Titan, but from what he¡¯d learned about the Nexus Quest¡¯s difficulty, three nexus points should be well within the capabilities of their group. ¡°So, uh, what are we thinking?¡± Tom asked, his own tone thoughtful as he turned to look at Aleph, who seemed a little pensive, before his gaze flickered over to Zirel. ¡®Well that was a mistake,¡¯ Tom thought, somehow having forgotten that Zirel was the one who was prepared to fight his way across kingdoms to reach the tower, the eager smile stretching across his visage saying more than words ever could. ¡°Finally,¡± He softly whispered. ¡°A crucible where I can test myself. No politics. No games. No Nottrakon besides I. No status to protect me. This is what I¡¯ve been searching for all this while.¡± It was in that moment that Tom realized that perhaps the real reason why Zirel wished to climb the tower was because he wanted to truly, without a doubt be rid of the long shadow his father, the Nottrakon King, had cast on his entire life, a feeling of inescapable control that had been suffocating him all this while. ¡°Everyone is free to make their own choice,¡± Aleph said, her voice solemn. ¡°But I¡¯m not going to run from this. Not today. Not anymore.¡± Tom sighed, before shaking his head and letting a small smile tug at his lips, ¡°We get ess to some advanced portal shenanigans and the first thing we agree on is to throw ourselves into the midst of some neverending war. Fuck me, I¡¯m in,¡± He replied with a chortle, his hand resting on the hilt of his de. Chapter 155: A battlefield Chapter 155: A battlefield 155: Tom watched as a shimmering blue light enveloped his form, ensconcing his body in the fraction of a second. Then came the pressure, his breath hitching as the color drained away from his face. It felt like his entire body was being crushed by a giant hand, before he was yanked forward without any warning. The next thing he knew, Tom found that he was experiencing a whole new range of sensory feedback, entirely divorced from the peaceful environment he had been experiencing in the city¡¯s za. The din of battle filled his ears as Tom found himself instinctively drawing upon Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, as both the war cries of climbers and the cking, inhuman calls and screeches of Nether Beasts filled the air along with moreplex sounds, like the crackling of mes, the crinkling of ss and the ear-piercing roar of a mighty beast that had Tom fighting to avoid dropping his sword to shield his ears with both hands. The air was heavy with the acrid stench of decay and the metallic tang of blood, of stinging sulfur and burnt ash. Tom focused his gaze towards the source of the turmoil. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ Tom thought as he took in the battlefield in its entirety. They had been teleported a fair distance away from the battlefield, far enough that they weren¡¯t at risk of being caught in the crossfire, but nothing that couldn¡¯t be covered in a few minutes of sprinting at top speed. In the center of the battlefield, Tom found the source of the ear-piercing roar he had been subjected to moments ago. The Nether Beast easily cleared ten feet, which on its own wasn¡¯t particrly impressive. However, its lumbering body was chiseled out of a dark violet crystal in a roughly humanoid shape. Its legs were too stocky, like two thick pirs that were necessary to support its bulk and its arms were too long, dropping down to the creature¡¯s knees. With three eyes that glistened like gemstones, two ced horizontal like a human¡¯s and one vertical above it, a sculpted nose and mouth, the creature seemed more construct than creation. Tom watched as the Nether Beast lumbered forward, his gaze intent as he watched a spear fashioned out of the earth made contact with its abdomen, only to shatter into countless pieces. Jet streams of mes licked harmlessly against its crystalline body, ayer of shimmering translucent energy shielding it against the scorching heat. A climber shed at its ankles with a giant axe, only for the recoil to send the axe flying away from his hands. Finally, the crystallineher beast, which Tom believed to be the Stygian Titan, retaliated. Its right fist was pulled back before the Stygian Titan sent it zing forth, angled towards the ground before him. A climber stepped forward instead of retreating, the glowing red emblem on his chest armor mirroring that of the hundred or so climbers behind him, the ones who had been raining down attacks on the Stygian Titan. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that the man who had taken the lead was one of import, his heavy-set silver armor glimmering even in the distance, only overshadowed by the massive tower shield that he held before him, unmoving in the face of the oing attack. Just before the Stygian Titan¡¯s fist made contact, a pure white aura erupted forth with the climber as the epicenter. Tom¡¯s eyes went wide in astonishment as it wasn¡¯t the tower shield wielding climber that had been crushed to death, but rather the Stygian Titan¡¯s fist that was deflected away with nearly the same amount of force it hadmitted to the attack with. It was sent stumbling backwards for a few steps, buying the tower shielding man¡¯s forces another few minutes as it tripped onto it¡¯s rear. One look at the sleek, cuboidal metal building in the distance, behind the red emblem warriors, told Tom why the tower shield wielding warrior was choosing to stand his ground against the Stygian Titan instead of retreating or in fleeing. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the red emblems were the ruling guild of the city. Dealing with the adaptive shielding of the Stygian Titan was clearly beyond his current abilities if a hundred climbers working together couldn¡¯t manage it. Even now, as a barrage of attacks struck the forcibly seated Stygian Titan, it remained unscathed. It seemed like an unconquerable challenge, but Tom knew the system well enough by now. His attention drifted in search of the Nether Shamans. He didn¡¯t have to wait long. The deathless sentinels had to number in the hundreds, if not exceeding a thousand in count. Roughly seven feet tall, the creatures reminded him of the Nether Lich, except with key differences. Even from such a distance, Tom could tell that these deathless sentinelscked a gem as a source of energy, like the Nether Lich had possessed. Their bones were a faded white instead of charred ck and instead of a staff, most of them were utilizing mundane looking sword, spear and other melee weapons. Their bones were held together by sinew that looked more liquid metal than flesh and their movements were repetitive and mechanical as a few on the periphery of their formation attacked climbers that had, more than likely, teleported in just like Tom and his group had. Though it was the formation itself that made no sense to him, until he located his first Nether Shaman. Floating a few feet above the ground, Tom initially figured that the hideous, four foot tall creature with shriveled, violet skin, a skull that bulged backwards and a jeweled staff in hand, was protected by a spotty sphere of light. When he focused more intently, Tom realized that it was instead the same, translucent shielding as the one the stygian titan was using, except it was being tested by way fewer attacks. For the Nether Shaman floated in the center of a sea of deathless sentinels, a circr formation that it was the epicenter of. And there was not one Nether Shaman, but as Tom¡¯s gaze swept across the battlefield, he found a total of five, each guarded by a sea of cannon fodder deathless sentinels. Only ranged attacks had any chance of getting through, but the Nether Shamans didn¡¯t seem concerned as they gesticted with their staff, either giving orders to the Deathless Sentinels or making sure that the adaptive shielding around the Stygian Titansted. There was no doubt in Tom¡¯s mind that the Nether Shamans were the source of the adaptive shielding. ¡°How do we approach this?¡± Aleph asked, her voice raised to be audible over the din of the battlefield. ¡°The Deathless Sentinels don¡¯t seem very dangerous,¡± Tom voiced out his thoughts. ¡°If they were anywhere near as powerful as a Nether Lich in these numbers, there¡¯s no way the Nexus City would¡¯ve been able to hold on like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not opposed to going for the easy targets on our first run,¡± Zirel chimed in, his tone tingling with excitement. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve got a way to take out the big guy.¡± ¡°The big guy?¡± Tom repeated, a mirthful chuckle escaping his lips. ¡°No way. Those floating shamans though¡­ maybe,¡± He cryptically replied. ¡°How risky is it?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°This battle isn¡¯t worth our lives.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Zirel nodded. ¡°But if there¡¯s a way to knock one of those creatures out of the sky, the rewards are well worth it.¡± ¡°I have no idea if it¡¯ll work,¡± Tom replied with a shake of his head. ¡°Let¡¯s kill fourteen of these Deathless Sentinels first. Then, we can try our little gambit out. If the shamans are controlling that entire army, we won¡¯t fare too well if our assassination attempt fails. It¡¯ll be good to have an emergency teleport avable at a few seconds'' notice.¡± ¡°So? What¡¯s the n,¡± Zirel asked. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate to exin what he was thinking. If there was any miscalction he was making, it was best for it to be revealed now. ¡°That¡­could actually work,¡± Aleph admitted. ¡°I can remain in stealth and take out thest Deathless Sentinel if you fail,¡± Zirel offered. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll be ideal. Thanks, Zirel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Zirel replied, before he blended into his environment. ¡°Youdies done?¡± Aleph yfully teased. Tom chuckled, before shaking head, ¡°About as ready as I can be against an entire army.¡± A moment passed before Zirel spoke from next to Aleph, causing her to lightly flinch, ¡°Hey Aleph, how about apetition.¡± ¡°Your terms?¡± Aleph asked, taking a step away from Zirel, not having expected him to sneak up on her as a mock revenge. ¡°Whoever kills more sentinels wins.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on.¡± ¡°On your call then, mydy,¡± Zirel said, drawing upon the noble form of reference for one of Aleph¡¯s stature. Chapter 156: Assault Chapter 156: Assault 156: Tom and Aleph charged forward, with him limiting his pace to match Aleph¡¯s as they tried to nk a cluster of Deathless Sentinels from the east, making sure to keep their distance from the Stygian Titan. A dozen or so climbers had already engaged the cluster they were targeting, with five warriors getting up and close while those with long ranged abilities sent all manner of abilities flying into the cluster at random. It was clear that there was no real strategy to their attacks besides aiming to kill Deathless Sentinels, which he supposed made sense. If they were here on a Nexus Quest, they had no real attachment to the Nexus City whose defense they were aiding in and this way if the melee warriors, who happened to be far more effective at dispatching the sentinels got overwhelmed, their retreat could be covered. ¡°Should I do it?¡± Aleph asked, her voice raised to sound out over the din of the battle. ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom nodded, finding it prudent to test the sentinels'' defenses by their own benchmarks. Aleph started firing off crystals from afar, peppering the unfortunate deathless sentinels thatprised the outer periphery of one of the five battle formations that protected the Nether Shamans. Tom watched as crystal made contact with white bone, carving furrows across the sentinels¡¯ arm, leg and rarely, ribcage bones. Clearly, Aleph¡¯s crystals weren¡¯t powerful enough to shatter the deathless sentinels¡¯ bones, but she wasn¡¯t done yet. This time, she focused on forming a single, elongated crystal that was shaped to be wickedly sharp on both ends, before using her heat infusion card to cause the crystal to glow in a red hot hue in her right palm, being immune to its effects. Once the crystal had been sufficiently heated up, Aleph sent it careening forward after aiming it in one unlucky sentinel¡¯s direction. Tom was surprised to find that another sentinel, one that was wielding apact buckler shield along with a scimitar, stepped into the trajectory of the attack in an effort to block it. Unfortunately for the sentinel, the red hot crystal tore straight through the metal shield, shattering it¡¯s left limb before it carved a huge hole in its ribcage. As vicious as the attack was, it ended up missing it¡¯s spinal cord, or at least an elongated iteration of it and as a result, the sentinel somehow remained standing. A few momentster, it broke off from the group into a charge headed right towards Aleph. So the sentinels were within the capability of Aleph¡¯s crystals to damage after they were heated, but a blow to the abdomen wasn¡¯t enough to incapacitate the creature. Neither did it seem capable of feeling pain. Given that Tom was well acquainted with Nether Beasts at this point, that part didn¡¯t reallye as a surprise. Tom sped up to meet the Deathless Sentinel¡¯s charge, unleashing his full speed. He was a blur of motion, with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong held to his side, the seemingly heavy weapon feeling weightless in his right hand due to his own Physical stat and the weapon¡¯s passive Lighten skill. This novel is published on a different tform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The Deathless Sentinel did not disy any form of emotion at his charge, onlymitting to an outward arcing sh in an effort to keep him away. Tom had such a pronounced advantage in reach, that hemitted to a sh that was intended to parry the blow while aiming for the sentinel¡¯s neck. Their des made contact and a muted crack sounded out in their immediate vicinity as the scimitar was blown out of the sentinel¡¯s right hand. Warrior¡¯s Shardsong continued forth unimpeded, severing the sentinel¡¯s fleshless skull in one swift motion. Due to the weapon¡¯s lightness, at least for him, Tom had no trouble in halting the weapon¡¯s momentum beforemitting to another downward sh that severed the creature¡¯s spine. Had Tom not been tempered in the Zelez Dungeon, he would¡¯ve moved on and assumed the creature dead. Instead, he swept his left arm forward in a wave, two cards stealthily palmed inwards, concealing them from anyone looking at him from the enemy¡¯s side. His own shadow leapt forward and reshaped itself into spikes of liquid shadow that rose from within the creature¡¯s severed form. A momentter, the liquid shadow snapped into ce as obsidian metal, shattering the deathless sentinel¡¯s remnants in too many pieces to count. [Deathless Sentinels killed as a party: 1] Sure enough, underestimating aher beast was a one way trip to the afterworld. Currently, he was funneling all his experience into his Shadow Wraith card, determined to at least unlock its second ability. A part of him realized that he missed his gauntlet, the mimicked Revenant w for its convenience and versatility, but he shook off the regret soon enough. The newly upgraded Warrior¡¯s Shardsong was a keystone in his daring n, after all. Tom¡¯s senses began to tingle and without hesitation, he ducked. A heavy arrow whizzed past the exact spot where his head had been moments ago, reminding him that he very much was on a hostile battlefield. Before he could break out into a sprint to retaliate, a streak of glowing red-hot crystal whizzed past him and struck the bow-wielding deathless sentinel that had taken the shot right in the head. It was a disy of phenomenal uracy and Tom had to stop himself from doing a double take as the sentinel¡¯s skull shattered into countless pieces, parts of it half-melted due to the sheer heat contained in the attack. [Deathless Sentinels killed as a party: 2] ¡®Oh,¡¯ Tom thought, realizing that the skull was the weakness instead of the neck. ¡®Well, that makes things easier.¡¯ Waiting on the battlefield was a good way to take an arrow to the noggin, so Tom kicked off the ground in a frontal charge against a sea of deathless sentinels against whom he would long run out of both stamina and SP in a prolonged battle. Good think they only needed to kill twelve more. The fight didn¡¯t even prove to be a challenge. In the beginning, Tom took the lead in the kill count, even though he was avoiding going all out after his initial outburst. His whole n was hinging on the fact that they would go unnoticed by both the Nether Shamans and the Stygian Titan. That didn¡¯t stop Deathless Sentinels from keeling over randomly with holes in the back of their skulls, the shattered remains of a crystal glinting from within. The source of the attack escaped Tom¡¯s visual acuity twice, but considering that their party¡¯s kill count had gone up each of those times, there was no doubt in his mind that Zirel was practicing his assassination skills. Aleph¡¯s rare artifact wasn¡¯t suited for an encounter with multiple weaker enemies, since she needed to strike them repeatedly to get a speed boost. Instead, she had formed a sword with her crystals, before heating it with her Heat Infusion card to create a weapon that was akin to a beam of sma. Tom found himself almost feeling bad for the melted skulls she left in her furious wake, stopping only after they hit the required number. [Deathless Sentinels killed as a party: 14] It was finally time to put his abilities to the test. Chapter 157: One shot Chapter 157: One shot 157: Tom pulled away from the scores of Deathless Sentinels, retreating in the direction they had originally been teleported into. The sentinel he hadst engaged in battle, parrying a longsword blow before he had retreated, tried to lumber forward after him, only to take a block of crystal square in the ribcage that sent it tumbling backwards. Aleph had made sure not to kill the sentinel as she stayed behind to cover his retreat, along with Zirel. Trying to detect their party¡¯s assassin in the chaos of the battlefield was an exercise in futility, so Tom was content to leave him to his own devices. He didn¡¯t retreat too far from the battle¡¯s periphery,ing to a stop about a hundred or so meters away from the fight. Tom took a deep breath, before he pivoted so his de was held in a direction parallel to the army of deathless sentinels. He hoped that by directing his attack away from the invaders, his actions would gorgely unnoticed. If not, well, Zirel was there to trigger their contingency. He couldn¡¯t help his gaze shifting towards the sky above the battlefield, now that he had some time to breathe. The void gazed back at him, a jagged, uneven fissure in the very fabric of space-time itself, a pool of infinite darkness that denied all traces of any hue or variation. There was no seeing through it and no guessing how any forces seeking to gain entry into this world would react to his attack, so Tom pulled away and focused on the task at hand. Well before they had decided to ept a Nexus Quest, Tom had made sure to charge Warrior¡¯s Shardsong to its brim using the newly acquired Aura of Enhancement weapon skill, to the point where the longsword was teeming with frost energy. Tom had refrained from using the frost scythe granted to him by the perfect conversion skill. Zeth had not been able to charge Warrior¡¯s Shardsong and as Tom had discovered by practicing with Aleph, he couldn¡¯t charge his longsword¡¯s frost energy by simply sparring with a friend. No, for Perfect Conversion to work, Warrior¡¯s Shardsong needs to parry an attack from an enemy. Following that line of thought, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Zeth would rarely have gotten the opportunity to unleash a frost scythe with a full reserve of frost energy. If he had in the battle against Tom¡¯s party, they would not have won without casualties. However, Tom had seen the Stygian Titan¡¯s capabilities and it was the Nether Shamans that were shielding them. If dozens of attacks couldn¡¯t break through the Titan¡¯s defenses, then neither could Warrior¡¯s Shardsong had a hundred percent. No, he needed something far more unreasonable than that. Tom held his left palm before him, activating the Mirror World card that he had palmed. The familiar card ability activated, summoning a smooth, polished mirror that was rectangr in shape ten meters before him, still running parallel to the sentinels. In case the scope of the attack ended up being beyond his expectations, he didn¡¯t want to identally hurt Aleph, Zirel or any other climber in the vicinity. Tom¡¯s right hand began to tremble, as Warrior¡¯s Shardsong¡¯s de turned progressively brighter hues of azure as each moment cascaded into the next. A few secondster, Tom¡¯s right hand was vigorously shaking, causing a pained grunt to escape his lips as he desperately held on to the increasingly chilly de. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. His flesh tingled and burned from the sheer chill trapped within the de and as Tom began to feel like he had made an error in judgment, he received feedback from his de, a sense of heaviness that also conveyed a fullness. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate further as he shed in the direction of the mirror. The frost scythe blurred forward with such tremendous momentum that Tom only managed to get a glimpse of it. Gone was the icy-blue frost energy he¡¯de to expect of Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, in its stead a line of pure, unblemished white that blinked forward at a nightmarish speed before finding itself up against Mirror World. The frost scythe vanished from view, but that didn¡¯t stop cracks from spiderwebbing across the mirror¡¯s surface. Tom¡¯s eyes went wide in astonishment as he felt an immense weight weighing down upon his left hand. Somehow, he managed to keep his grip on the Rare Mirror World card, before pulling his arm close to his chest for support. His gaze turned back towards the deathless sentinels, only to be confronted by the realization that his stunt hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. A dozen deathless sentinels tore formation and rushed towards his direction, the response feeling more like a probe than an assault. Tom couldn¡¯t help but be amused as he watched two deathless sentinels trip over seemingly nothing one after the another, while another three were entombed by a crystal dome that didn¡¯t look like it came cheap when it came to SP cost. As for the rest, well, they happened to be a part of the n. To an outsider, it would appear as though Tom was struggling with the onught of deathless sentinels and truthfully, he kind of was. Trying to fight while holding onto what felt like a hundred kilogram dumbbell wasn¡¯t easy, but his decision to only parry the oing sword strikes and spear thrusts was very much intentional. In a matter of five minutes, Tom was reduced to a panting mess, but perfect conversion had converted the strength behind his own blow coupled with the enemy¡¯s kic energy into frost energy repeatedly. After starting out from a bottomed out frost reserve, Tom had crossed the half-way mark and wanted to hold out for a little longer. A spear tried to impale him from his right, forcing a ragged Tom to bat it aside with a swipe of his longsword. A metallic ng echoed in the air and Tom¡¯s sword arm began to tremble from the exertion. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t be anywhere near this exhausted, but the strain bearing down on Mirror World was also weighing down upon his own soul, or atleast, that was what it felt like. The reserves he¡¯d managed to umte would have to be enough. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate any longer as he activated the Aura of Enhancement. His entire body was enveloped by an iridescent aura, the effects of which Tom chose to focus on his Mirror World deck card. The frost energy reserves he had built up began to rapidly ebb, as Tom demanded that the Rare Card¡¯s effectiveness be raised. A quarter of his reserves were drained away before the drain on his frost energy ceased and Mirror World itself now shared the iridescent sheen that Tom was ensconced in. The Greater Reflection Skill at it¡¯s current level offered an amplification of 120%, but after he¡¯d used the Aura of Enhancement, that number was increased by 50%, putting it at a total of 180%. But that wasn¡¯t the only difference as the size of his mirror had grown and the cracks spider webbing across it faded. Tom hastily retreated, no longer trying to engage the sentinels as he adjusted the line of sight of his mirror to aim in the general vicinity of the Nether Shaman. If it was aware of what Tom was doing, it wasn¡¯t showing any signs of noticing his actions. Then, he unleashed the strongest attack he was capable of to date. Tom noticed the change in temperature before the attack¡¯s effects itself, as the ground beneath him was enveloped in ayer of frost. He watched as a blur of white streaked across thendscape at a speed he could only describe as ridiculous. He watched as the streak of white blurred towards the Nether Shaman, who pivoted just in time, with it¡¯s staff hurriedly raised in the air. Then, the streak passed through the Shaman and into the distance. It took Tom a moment to register what had just happened, as the small creature¡¯s two halves started plummeting to the ground in opposing directions, only to be frozen solid before they touched it. [14 Deathless Sentinels and one Nether Shaman killed as a party. Contribution exceeded thresholds. Teleporting to Nexus Node: Epsilon in 3,2,1.] Chapter 158: Myris Chapter 158: Myris 158: [Calcting Individual Contribution¡­ Synrak Veralis: 66% Aleph Longstradia: 16.6% Zirel Covan Nottrakon: 16.6% Existing reward after distributing equally amongst three party members: 1 Random Umon Ranked Card and Six Nexus Points. Upgraded reward based on exemr individual performance: 2 Random Umon Ranked Cards and Eight Nexus Points OR One Rare Artifact of the individual¡¯s choice and Eight Nexus Points Please choose one of two avable rewards within twenty four hours or one will be allocated to your inventory at random.] Tom waved away the notification, his heart still pounding as he realized that they had returned to the safety of the Nexus City, standing a little distance away from Nexus Node: Epsilon. ¡®It actually fucking worked,¡¯ Tom thought, his hands still quivering from the exhration of the attack that he¡¯d managed to just about pull off. Never before had he seen Mirror World threaten to shatter from absorbing an attack, but he had been certain that Warrior¡¯s Shardsong at 100% wasn¡¯t enough to ovee the Nether Shaman¡¯s shielding. He wondered if his actions had weakened the reactive shielding around the Stygian Titan as well, or if he had been misguided in assuming that the shielding came from the Nether Shamans. That was a question he had no way to answer, so he focused on the one being asked to him by resummoning the system screen. He blinked as he read the choice being offered to him, before reading it carefully again to assure himself that he hadn¡¯t misunderstood. On the surface level, the two umon cards seemed like the obvious choice. Sure, they would be randomly allocated to him, but his current selection of Umon cards in his deck wasn¡¯t the strongest to begin with. Lifeblood had diminishing returns at his level and aura shift required him to focus on using an umon card for offense or defense when his Rare Shadow Wraith card would do a much better and lethal job at both. However, Tom¡¯s aim in the short-to-medium term was to familiarize himself with his existing deck and umon ranked cards weren¡¯t amodity that he couldn¡¯t stumble upon himself. Rare artifacts on the other hand, were harder toe across and came with the added drawback of being easily identifiable in most cases. Even such a difficult Nexus Quest had only awarded them eight Nexus Points, which told Tom that they¡¯d be here for a few months, if not longer unless they really wanted to rush things. If he robbed or killed someone linked to the Neem Guild for a Rare Artifact, he would not be able to use it until he either travelled to a different Nexus City or ascended to the next floor. Even risking using something so identifiable on a Nexus Quest could prove to be very dangerous, given that multiple parties could ept a Quest from the same node even after they had been teleported. Tom asked the system to disy active Nexus Quests being offered and sure enough, the Active Rift Quest was still there, with an amendment. [Active Nexus Quest: Active Rift Description: You cannot ept this quest as an individual or party as you have alreadypleted it once] If youe across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Antagonizing the Neem Guild could prove to be dangerous if they decided to use the Nexus Quest system against him, a discovery that Tom intended to share with his party at the earliest. For now though, Tom couldn¡¯t help but notice that the Divine System was letting him choose what kind of Rare Artifact he wanted. ¡®I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯re going to give me a custom-made Rare Artifact?¡¯ Tom thought, his question directed to the Divine System. Unsurprisingly, no response followed. Tom was so lost in his deliberations, he barely noticed when Aleph tapped his shoulder to get his attention. He turned to face her, only to realize that her gaze was directed to her right, her expression guarded as she seemed to be sizing up someone. Tom turned to follow her gaze, only to discover that someone was approaching them from around the Nexus Node: Epsilon. His gaze instantly narrowed upon a polished, rose-gold pendant that had the symbol of the Neem Guild engraved onto its tag¡¯s t metal surface. The metal used in its construction was the same as Rowan and Lorcan¡¯s, but markedly different from the bronze-hued pendant the Neem Guild member that had ushered them into the Nexus City had worn. That made the raven-haired man that appeared to be in histe twenties. The pendant told Tom that he was an important member of the Neem Guild but not a core one. As he drew closer, with an average build and stiletto sheathed on his either side, Tom realized that he recognized that square-faced man with a hooked nose and a burn mark on his right cheek. Myris was amongst the oldest of the Neem Guild¡¯s next generation, but his prospects, at least from Rowan¡¯s perspective, weren¡¯t very high. Or rather, Myris had taken to administrative tasks with far greater zeal thanbat, much to the chagrin of his father, who was one of the founding members of the Neem Guild and a man who had attained the hundred points needed to ascend to the next floor in his heyday. He wasn¡¯t much of a fighter, but he wasn¡¯t someone Rowan wanted to cross, either. Considering that Myris had been given the responsibility to manage new recruits, most of them had good impressions of him. Sure, they were still in their ¡°honeymoon phase¡± and the reality of the Neem Guild would crash upon them when they tried to leave, but that was years away. Tom nced at the number that was scrawled above Myris'' head, a sight that was only visible to his own eyes. The ask was of 60 SP, which was in the range he¡¯de to expect. Unfortunately, Tom didn¡¯t have 60 SP to spend. The fight had drained him of more SP than he¡¯d expected, which exined the unexpected heaviness he was feeling while holding onto Mirror World. Challenging the limits of his deck cards also came with a tremendous SP cost, it seemed. ¡°Greetings,¡± Myris offered aftering to a stop a few steps away from them. ¡°Yes?¡± Tom took the lead for the group. ¡°Oh, my apologies,¡± Myris apologised with a good-natured chuckle. ¡°I am Myris, a member of the Neem Guild, the ones currently in-charge of this Nexus City.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Tom replied with feigned surprise. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Myris replied, offering their group a beaming smile. ¡°I had heard that a new group of climbers had entered the city and I just wanted to introduce myself.¡± ¡®Climbers with potential, you mean,¡¯ Tom thought, not letting any of his disdain show on his face as he smiled before replying, ¡°Well it is nice to meet you, Myris. Is there any way we can help you?¡± ¡°Only if it would not be too much trouble,¡± Myris politely replied. ¡°It is a tradition for the Neem Guild to invite climbers for light fare, you see. The Neem Guild does not wish for any climber to take the challenge of Nexus Quests without adequate information and as such, we consider ourselves duty-bound to share what we know.¡± ¡°That is very kind of the Neem Guild, Myris,¡± Tom emphatically nodded, as if he were moved by their kindness. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that mypanions and I are tired after the day¡¯s strenuous events. For now, I feel it is best for us to rest.¡± ¡°So foolish of me not to consider that,¡± Myris winced, looking genuinely pained by his faux-pas. ¡°Please, rest for the day. We can do this another time.¡± ¡®Preferably never,¡¯ Tom thought, before replying, ¡°Another time then, Myris.¡± Tom watched Myris walk away for a few moments, before turning his gaze skyward and noticing the dusk-like haze that had reced the mimicry of daylight. ¡°What was that?¡± Aleph whispered the question. Tom just shook his head before saying, ¡°I¡¯m beat. Let¡¯s get to the inn.¡± Chapter 159: The Ask Chapter 159: The Ask 159: ¡°So,¡± Aleph began, her tone dripping with curiosity. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°A recruiter of the Neem Guild, I assume,¡± Tom replied. ¡°A good one too, considering that he¡¯d approached us after we were exhausted. Weary climbers probably aren¡¯t the sort to refuse a free meal in a safe zone.¡± ¡°And how do you know this?¡± Zirel asked from the sofa he was seated on, his back held straight and his fingers steepled against his chin. ¡°Same way I figured out that the Neem Guild was trouble,¡± Tom nonchntly replied, trying to downy the value of the information he had even though he knew how pointless it was. ¡°That¡¯s getting old, you know?¡± Zirel stated, though his tone was more amused than weary. Tom chose not to respond to the subtle taunt. ¡°How do we deal with this Neem Guild then?¡± Aleph asked. ¡°If we keep ignoring their requests to break bread, then they¡¯ll figure out that we¡¯re avoiding them for a reason.¡± ¡°About that,¡± Tom began, sheepishly feigning a cough into a balled fist before continuing. ¡°Well, back in the za, I realized that the Nexus Quest that we epted was still being offered to people after we had returned. Do you know what that means?¡± The sound of Zirel tapping against the low table that was ced before the sofa he was sitting on sounded out for a few moments, before he replied, ¡°Climbers can ept a quest after we have, since there¡¯s no real way of telling how long a Nexus Quest would stay up for after being offered. At least, not one that I could find.¡± ¡°Including people hostile to us,¡± Aleph softly added. ¡°Would they really be willing to attack us in the midst of a battlefield though? Is that something the system would allow?¡± Zirel chuckled, a light shake of his head following before he answered, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it? The only way to ascend to the next floor is to survive deadly encounters with Nether Beasts dozens of times. The message there is blunt enough.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t ignore them, then,¡± Aleph replied with a soft sigh. ¡°Why would the first floor be designed like this? They¡¯ve been here for years, if not decades. They know the ins and outs of the rules, while we¡¯re¡­ well, most of us are in the dark.¡± ¡°Cunning is a valuable strength,¡± Zirel replied. ¡°One that the system might be testing. If we could cut our way through all our problems, then the Nether Beasts would be invading us with such frequency. It is astonishing just how much in the dark the surface was kept. Rifts are supposed to be ancient ws that cannot be corrected, only maintained, yet the one that appeared near the Nexus City we were tasked to guard seemed recent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had simr thoughts,¡± Aleph somberly admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve been around the Nexus Node to check on what quests were at offer over thest few weeks and not only do they keep changing, but their variety is so beyond anything we were taught that I think everything we know was only a warped fragment of the truth.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Neem Guild would deploy an overwhelming force to deal with us,¡± Tom jumped back into the conversation. ¡°At least, the recruiter wasn¡¯t there because he¡¯d gotten a measure of our strength. We do lookpetent for our ages though, that was probably reason enough.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You know what to do,¡± Zirel¡¯s eyes narrowed on Tom, his expression intense, as if he were scouring his visage for secrets. ¡°I have a suggestion,¡± Tom corrected. Zirel rolled his eyes while Aleph suppressed a chuckle. ¡°We ept the Neem Guild¡¯s friendship,¡± Tom began his exnation. ¡°If they want us to be on the lookout for certain resources or just follow some rules to keep us in their good graces, so be it. But we make it clear that we¡¯re intent on ascending the tower, zealous even and there¡¯s no way we¡¯re changing our minds. The potential rewards aren¡¯t worth the debt trap.¡± ¡°Ambitioness rabble,¡± Zirel snorted in disdain. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d suggest taking out another guild,¡± Aleph quipped. ¡°I¡¯m not some sort of revolutionary,¡± Tom dryly replied. ¡°If the Neem Guild stays out of our way, I vote for staying out of theirs. They¡¯re rotten, but at the same time, they¡¯re not nearly as in evil as the Shadow Guild was. From their perspective, they¡¯re just looking out for their own long-term interests. Taking them out could lead to an even worse guilding along, even if we could do that.¡± ¡°Well, that was easily resolved,¡± Aleph replied. ¡°A bit underwhelming, I¡¯d say.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Aleph,¡± Tom chided in good humor. ¡°I¡¯m sure someone wille barging through the door sooner thanter. We¡¯ve got a penchant for pissing off people.¡± ¡°Well, if we¡¯re in the clear for now I¡¯d like to excuse myself for a bit,¡± Zirel got up from the sofa. ¡°Unless you both want to do it here.¡± ¡°Probably best not to,¡± Tom said, as he suddenly found the walls of Aleph¡¯s room very interesting. ¡°Right then,¡± Zirel said, moving past them before stepping out of the door. ¡°See you at dinner then, Aleph,¡± Tom offered. ¡°Sure.¡± Back in thefort of his locked room, Tom was syed across his bed as he thought back to the battle. It was paradoxical, in a sense. If he hadn¡¯t used object permanence on his mimicked revenant w and imbued it¡¯s properties onto Warrior¡¯s Shardsong, then using the attack he had against the Nether Shaman wouldn¡¯t have been possible. Yet at the same time, Tom couldn¡¯t deny that he¡¯d felt the absence of the Revenant w. It had been a risky gamble, but it also had been one that had paid off. That didn¡¯t mean that he found theck of a rare level deck holder any less inconvenient. Two Umon Cards were undoubtedly valuable. But for the current Tom, the offer of a Rare Deckholder was simply too tempting to pass up on. Not to mention that if it¡¯s properties were particrly useful, it could have a manifold effect on his strength because he could mimic the Deckholder and use object permanence to strengthen a different piece of equipment. ¡®Give me the second option, system,¡¯ Tom dered. [Eight Nexus Points have been added to your tally. Current Total Nexus Points: 0->8] [Please describe the type of Rare Artifact you want] Fifteen minutes passed as Tom considered the generous opportunity the system was giving him. He considered describing the Rare Deckholder he envisioned in his mind with exacting details, but the problem there was that he had no idea what the best materials and craftsmanship style would be for a Deckholder in particr, let alone a rare one. Finally he settled for a description that satisfied him, ¡®Give me apact deckholder that does not interfere with the current armor I have equipped on me right now.¡¯ [Description Rejected. Please be less specific in your ask.] ¡®Really, you piece of- no, best not to antagonize the second voice in my head,¡¯ Tom thought, before sighing. He tried again a few minutester. Give me apact deckholder thatfortably fits on my left hand, He thought-asked. [Description epted. Please check your inventory for the Rare Deckholder] Chapter 160: Quickdraw Quickshuffle Chapter 160: Quickdraw Quickshuffle 160: [Auto-Analyzing¡­ Deckholder ownership uncontested. Increasing appraisal rank by two grades¡­ Quickdraw Quickshuffle, Rare Requirements: 37 Proprioception, 25 Physical Description: A seamless fusion of Ferracite and Vorpal Wyrm Leather, this artifact was designed and crafted by a skilled artisan whose intent has seeped into this Deckholder. Ferracite, also known as Quick Metal, is an exceptionally malleable metal that can harden into a chosen form in a matter of a second, while Vorpal Wyrm Leather is known for its resistance to elemental energies. Eight Cards up to the Rare Rarity can be slotted in this Deckholder at once. Weapon Skills:
  1. Quickdraw: Once the wielder has equipped this Rare Deckholder, eight cards upto the Rare Rarity can be slotted within it. At any time, the wielder will be able to visualize the order of the stacked cards and be able to freely manipte their order at will. One card can be Quickdrawn at any time, allowing a thread formed out of Ferracite to tug the chosen card into the wielder¡¯s hand nigh instantaneously and currently equipped cards can be swapped at a moment¡¯s notice.
If there is any external attempt to seize/disce the drawn card from the wielder¡¯s possession, it will automatically be drawn back into the Deckholder.
  1. Quickshuffle: Activating this weapon ability requires eight cards to be stored in the deckholder. Once this requirement is met, activating this weapon ability shuffles all the avable cards nigh instantaneously, designating a random order to them.
Once the wielder Quickdraws upon the first card, they must use it upon an enemy within one minute. Sessfully aplishing this fills the kic energy gauge of Quickdraw Quick Shuffle by 10%. Sessfully chaining a following attack with the preceding one continues to fill the gauge by 10%, until the eighth card is sessfully chained for 30%. The umted kic energy can be used to empower any suitable attack at any time after the first 10% has been umted. Raw Kic Energy cannot be stored within Quickdraw Quickshuffle for longer than two hours. Once every twenty four hours, the order of Quickshuffle can be rigged by the wielder.] ¡°Whoa,¡± Tom whispered as he held his newly acquired Deckholder, reverently cupped in both his hands. The left-handed glove part of Quickdraw Quickshuffle was fashioned out of a brownish-green scaled leather, a uniform pattern of small, tightly ced ridges running across its outer surface. Tom needed to flip the glove to find the metal deckholder that was attached to the long sleeve of the glove by a metal armband that looped over and around it. The Deckholder itself was an unassuming rectangr box that had been forged out of a silvery-white metal. There were no adornments or engravings on the box itself, a small slit that was wide enough to slot a card the only opening he could find. Thin metal threads originated from within the Deckholder, five in total that branched off to each im a path towards the fingers. Held in ce by diminutive metal ringlets that had been knit into the softer, smooth brownish-green leather thatcked the bumpy scales that had been used on the outside, it was clear that the threads yed a key role in the design of the artifact. Tom didn¡¯t hesitate any longer as he slipped his left hand into the glove, which looked like it was a size too big for him. He blinked as the glove tightened around his left hand as soon as he was done slipping it on, only for his expression to change as he felt a shared pressure across all its fingers. It felt like the glove wanted to instinctively ball up into a fist. It was clear that the strings were far more tensioned than they appeared to be, or at least, became when a wielder tried to im the artifact. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Regardless, Tom didn¡¯t have much difficulty fighting off that pressure and it only took him a few minutes of clenching and unclenching his left hand to get used to it. Though it wasn¡¯t as if the pressure was gone, no. It had just fallen in intensity, from an active pressure weighing down on his hand to a dull tingling. ¡®That exins the twenty five Physical requirement,¡¯ Tom thought, wondering if the tensioning in the glove had something to do with the kic energy he could avail if he used it correctly. With his gloved hand, Tom unhooked themon deckholder he had been using as a stand-in, cing it on his study table. Opening it, he pulled out the eight Deck Cards he was currently using. Currently, the card he was most interested in was Shadow Wraith, given that it had acquired a massive amount of experience after he yed a Nether Shaman. [Card Name: Shadow Wraith Rank: Rare Level: 12 Skill Upgrade Points: 11 Ability:
  1. Umbral Forge, Level 1: Allows the wielder to extend their influence over shadows within 250 square meters of them at any given time, allowing them to weave and shape the shadows. Once shaped, the wielder can convert the shadows intoyered Umbral Metal. The converted Umbral Metal shall retain the momentum and direction that was imposed upon it in shadow form, but the wielder will no longer be able to reshape or influence the metal after conversion.
Umbral Forge can only convert shadow into umbral metal when there is no organic or inorganic material in contact with it. SP Cost is variable on the quantity of shadows being shaped and converted into Umbral Metal.
  1. Shadow Shift, Level 1: Allows the wielder to synchronize with a shadow that is under their control, as long as the shadows have a minimum diameter of 30 inches. Once synchronized, the wielder can shift into any other shadow in their control that meets the minimum diameter requirement and is within their region of influence.
SP required per shift within the same pool of shadows: 20 The greater the non-shadowed area that is needed to be traversed, the greater the SP cost. ] ¡°Twenty SP?¡± Tom muttered under his breath, his expression scandalized. He¡¯d definitely figured out the reason why Zeth had pooled his shadows as one to nket the ground, even though the master of the shadow guild would¡¯ve had a far higher level than him. He knew that aplishing something like that would require practice but even then, Shadow Shift was simply too useful an ability to not invest in. After taking what felt like an hour to deliberate over his choices, Tom made his decision. Four Skill Upgrade Points were invested into Umbral Forge, while the remaining seven went to Umbral Shift. The final result put Umbral Forge at Level 5 and Shadow Shift at Level 8, which seemed crazy to Tom considering that this particr deck card had been level 1 a couple of hours ago and leveling a Rare wasn¡¯t supposed to be easy to begin with. His range of influence jumped to 325 square meters and the umbral metal he converted his shadows into were nowyered, which Tom assumed meant that they¡¯d be more durable. The required SP for him to Shadow Shift in the same shadow dropped to thirteen, which still wasn¡¯t cheap but at the same time, his SP pool was farrger than pretty much everyone he knew. Zeth definitely had to have heavily invested in the Shadow Shift ability, but Tom didn¡¯t need to lower the cost as desperately due to his higher SP pool. Once that was aplished, he didn¡¯t hesitate to organize his deck cards into a neat pile, before he slotted them all in at once. The mental connection between him and his artifact was established and Tom didn¡¯t wait long before thinking of the Mirror World card. He blinked, more out of disbelief than anything else. The card was already nestled in his palm, a thin string looped around it¡¯s width that led back to the slit in the deckholder. Curious, Tom held the deck card between his thumb and index finger, before making a motion of mming the loosely held card against the study table. If it made contact, it would certainly fly out of his grip. But instead, the moment it did make contact, the card was yanked out of his possession and pulled back into the deckholder with unerring precision. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s useful,¡± He muttered to himself, even as he was starting to see why the Deckholder required 37 Proprioception to wield. In a way, it was weak. Weaker than the revenant w on paper, atleast. Onecking proprioception wouldn¡¯t be able to navigate the battlefield quickly enough to start chaining the Quickshuffle ability in session. Activating eight abilities in eight minutes wasn¡¯t hard, but activating them against actual enemies, now that was a different matter entirely. For such a high requirement to properly use, Tom found himself wondering just how powerful that Kic energy could be at full potential. He vowed to find out for himself. Chapter 161: Chaos Chapter 161: Chaos 161: Once again, Tom found himself on the battlefield. His gaze swept across thendscape in what had be a practiced motion. Tom was stranger to Nexus Quests no longer, having sessfullypleted seven in the past two months. While he hadn¡¯tpletely perfected his new fighting style, the foreign battlefields that Nexus Quests kept frisking him off to had proven to be the greatest of teachers. Even though it had been two months, Tom felt like he had umted a year¡¯s practice. There had been a few close calls, narrow brushes that would¡¯ve left him with grievous injuries because he pushed too deep into the enemies lines or got carried away in testing out his newbinations with his deck. His raw stat advantage ended up being the main factor in him reducing injury to a light wound or avoiding it entirely by the skin of his teeth. Even that didn¡¯t feel like enough, reminding him once again of Zeth¡¯s philosophy. If you truly tried to master abat style, gain true proficiency in it, then the depth that could be found was frankly overwhelming. There were branching paths that let to their own sets of permutations andbinations, each that required practice to pull off in real battle, where a single mistake could cost more than anyone was willing to pay. There had been interesting developments on the Neem Guild¡¯s end as well. Tom didn¡¯t show it, but his guard was up and it wasn¡¯t just the beast threats he was looking out for. They had epted Myris¡¯ invitation the very next day after Tom had in the Nether Shaman and they had walked out fairly cordially, even if they had turned down the quite frankly generous offer the Neem Guild had been willing to offer them. Tom had known that the Neem Guild was an established one, of course, but to see them so nonchntly offer up to four umon artifacts per person and one umon card per person as a six month loan was quite surprising. For all Myris knew, they could flee to the nearest Nexus City and knock off their remaining quests there. A Nexus City was a safe zone, irrespective of who it was owned by. As long as Tom and his party had enough resources to finance their stay, the Neem Guild would be able to do nothing. But they didn¡¯t even have to steal any of it to hurt the Neem Guild¡¯s finances. Tom didn¡¯t have any intentions of dying anytime soon, but the fact was that if any member of their party fell, the loaned gear and card would be lost to some far flung Nexus City or some random stretch ofnd days and days away from the Nexus City: Bulwark. It would certainly be imed by someone else before they got to it and the first floor was simply vast, so there was not even any guarantee of that happening. Umon rarity artifacts and cards were still valuable to Tom, but it seemed like they were merely investment to the Neem Guild, one that they could afford to lose. Tom had offered to coborate with the Neem Guild, an option he knew to exist thanks to his use of Maya on other independent climbers. Myris chose not to reveal the true face of the Neem Guild to Tom¡¯s party, choosing to instead reply with a nonmittal offer to let them know if the need arose. It had made sense to Tom back then. Telling a party that had newly arrived in town that the ruling guild actively worked to limit and suppress knowledge, artifacts and cards from neers in an effort to stifle their growth and leave them with no option but to join the Neem Guild would send any sane party running for the next city. Still, Tom had hoped the situation would be resolved then and there and for a month, it looked like it had. During that time, they had dealt with what Tom saw as medium-risk Nexus Quests, without any interference from the Neem Guild. Tom was starting to believe that they were done with the raven-haired recruiter and his guild, only to find him looking around for their party in the Nexus City¡¯s za. In their second meeting, there had been an edge to Myris¡¯ tone, a chink in his usualposure that had convinced Tom to follow him. Myris had mentioned a second offer and once Tom arrived at the Neem Guild, he had followed him into the same entrance hall as thest time. It had been quite fascinating to see battle trophies that appeared toe from a variety ofher beasts lining the wall on wooden box shelves that adhered to a triangr shape, with five evenly spacedpartments at the bottom row and one to the top. A wide hearth kept the entrance hall warm and weing, the seating area an arrangement of leaf-shaped tables that had stacks of books ced on the lower rung with low sofas and plush armchairs orbiting around them. Myris had invited them in to let them know that the Neem Guild had upped their offer, having thrown in free stay in any of the local inns for a year, ten umon side-fragments and an umon artifact as a signing bonus instead of the loan. Though Myris still didn¡¯t let his overly kind persona crack, his desperation was palpable. Something was clearly up and Tom had wanted to find out. Thankfully for him, the SP required to cast Maya on Myris was a manageable sixty and it didn¡¯t take long for Tom to figure out why. Myris didn¡¯t have a single astral gold star, which Tom found surprising until he realized that there were almost three dozen Lunar Silver stars twinkling in the void. The Neem Guild might not share it¡¯s core secrets with Myris, but that only made sense given that he wasn¡¯t rted to any of the Neem Guild¡¯s prominent members or disyed anywhere near thebat acumen required to join their ranks. But Myris was a recruiter and the people he invited to join the Neem Guild were people who had shown the potential or determination, perhaps both, to be worthy of the ruling guild¡¯s investment. Tom was under no illusion, it was certain that most climbers that had been recruited by Myris would feel some gratefulness to him. The equipment and the umon card that they were willing to loan so easily could be the difference between life and death and even if they were resentful of being unable to leave easily in the future, there was no guarantee they would¡¯ve even reached as far as they had without the Neem Guild¡¯s resources. An informationwork that let him tap into the pulse of the Neem Guild¡ª that was the framework Myris had earned himself in his line of work. Zeroing in on the silver star that contained information on him wasn¡¯t challenging in the slightest, given that he just had to focus on his own appearance, personality and fighting style to feel the resonance from what turned out to be a lunar silver star. After exiting the realm of Yul, Tom had to fight to keep his expression neutral as the truth was made clear to him. He had seized the Lunar Silver star only to be confronted by a projection of himself on the battlefield, experimenting with his Rare Deckholder, Quickdraw Quickshuffle, even as he used Warrior¡¯s Shardsong to defend himself. The Neem Guild had sent a spy after him, one that used a card that let him record both audio and visual elements of the battlefield from afar. Perhaps the spy had entered with a team that took care of the kills required toplete the nexus quest to return, but regardless of how he¡¯d done it, a good chunk of his abilities were out of the bag. Myris had gotten him good. If Tom summarily refused the offer, he was as good as admitting to Myris that he wasn¡¯t tempted by any of his wealth because he had something better. If he epted the offer, Tom wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Neem Guild used some excuse or the other to divest him off his assets. Thetter wasn¡¯t going to happen, but bymitting to the former, he would only encourage the Neem Guild more. In the end, he had opted for a cordial request for more time to think about it, thanking Myris for his generosity before making his departure. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Revealing the situation to Aleph and Zirel hadn¡¯t changed much. There was no feasible solution to the problem besides either leaving Nexus City: Bulwark or knocking out all the remaining Nexus Quests in a frenzy and neither of them were exactly good solutions. They had chosen to keep stalling for time and going out and about their business as they had been, sticking to the pace they were known to ept Nexus Quests at. Tom took in the sea of faceless creatures that were held at bay by what had to be over a thousand climbers. Every few seconds, a group of climbers blinked away only for their loss to be supplemented by a new group that was teleported in a little distance away from the battlefield. The Spectral Swarm was a rather terrifying sight to behold, given that hundreds upon hundreds of humanoid constructs that seemed to be more fabrications over perversions of nature like most Nether Beasts were. The creatures¡¯ four arms were constructions of sleek, violet mechanical appendages with joints that turned in every direction. With wickedly sharp ws on the hands and talons in ce of feet, the violet skinned creatures were deadly even when they seem tock any ability beyond enhanced strength and durability. Tom¡¯s eyesight was sharp enough to pick up on an unfortunate climber behind caught by one of the swarm¡¯s creatures. Before the climber could use a card ability to counter, two more from the swarm leapt onto him without any regard for retaliation. He turned his gaze elsewhere. To think that such havoc was wreaked by only three Spectral Swarmlords whose abilities mirrored any other creature¡¯s in the swarm, besides their ability to rapidly multiply. The Divine System had chosen to reveal this crucial information to them, but that didn¡¯t make the Nexus Quest any easier. Tom¡¯s party had to kill fifty of the swarm creatures. Killing one of the swarm lords would earn them a Rare Card, but given that Tom had no way of identifying the real one, he wouldn¡¯t be aiming for the bonus. That didn¡¯t change the fact that it was the most difficult Nexus Quest they had taken on till date, because they had to kill sixty creatures that belonged to the spectral swarm before they would be teleported out, for 8 Nexus Points. It was risky, but Tom was much more confident in taking out arge number ofher beasts that were fairly manageable over one exceptionally powerful one for his eight Nexus Points. Over the past two months, they hade up with a fighting style that suited their group synergy. Zirel would immediately stealth and remain rtively close by but operate on his own for the most part. So far, Zirel hadn¡¯t even been scratched in any of the Nexus Quests. Tom had initially thought that his skills were most suited for assassinations and they were but in the chaos of the battlefield, it was very difficult to keep track of him. In a way, he had free reign on the battlefield as long as he didn¡¯t go for the truly dangerous enemies. Tom would take the lead and Aleph would either trail behind him, picking fights but not wading too deep into the enemy lines or fighting on the periphery depending on what they were up against. He could shadow shift out of danger, while Aleph¡¯s Last Recall might give her another chance at life, but it wouldn¡¯t make a difference if she found herself surrounded by enemies. So that was exactly what they were doing against the Spectral Swarmlords. As Tom sprinted towards the heart of the battle, he noticed ranged attacks flying overhead towards where the enemy was concentrated. He swivelled his neck to get a glimpse in the direction the attack hade from, noticing a sizable group of about a few dozen that wereunching synchronized attacks, likely periodically. An idea struck him and his pace gged as he activated his deckholder¡¯s Quickshuffle weapon skill, rigging the order in his favor. He quite enjoyed the sound of cards being shuffled, but it was impossible for even his enhanced hearing to pick that out over the din of the battlefield. Aleph gave him a questioning look as she ran up besides him. Tom exined what he wanted to do and Aleph just chuckled with a shake of his head. When the next volley of attacks came, Tom used mirror world, the first card in the rigged order he¡¯d chosen with quick shuffle, to snatch ance of blue me for himself. Enhancing it¡¯s potency, Tom fired it off deep into the spectral swarm territory. It didn¡¯t matter if it killed any of the swarm or not, because the attacknded and his deckholder¡¯s meter filled up by 10%. Tom blurred forward, knowing that he had a minute to use the next card in the order he¡¯d set. Warrior¡¯s Shardsong crashed into a Spectral Swarmlord, severing two of it¡¯s limbs in one sh. Tom willed his left hand forward and unleashed a gout of mes point-nk on its face. Unsurprisingly, themon The me card didn¡¯t do much in terms of actual damage to the Spectral Swarm clone. He supposed that the creature¡¯s visage, if it could even be called that when itcked a face, was slightly singed, but either way it didn¡¯t matter as Tom switched to lifeblood¡¯s augmentation. His pulse skyrocketed and he danced with the Spectral Swarm clone for a few moments, dodging it¡¯s swipes and wed grasps with ease. The clone¡¯s movements were too telegraphed in his perception, so Tom let the creature extend itself too much in an effort totch onto his shoulder. Tom pivoted on his right foot¡¯s heel tond a brutal left hook directly on the Spectral Swarm clone with such force that it¡¯s visage crumpled into itself before shattering entirely. He winced at the pain that strike had caused him, even after Quickdraw Quickstrike insted him from some of the force behind his strike. Earth¡¯s Vitality activated. As Tom had discovered in one of his earlier battles, as long as he was using Earth¡¯s vitality to heal himself from a wound of any manner inflicted by or as a consequence of the enemy, it counted and rewarded him the kic energy gain from Quick-drawing the card. The pain in hand ebbed and Tom didn¡¯t hesitate to activate Frost Bind¡¯s Imbue Frost ability, watching his de was coated in ayer of frost that would jump over to any matter that made contact with it. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as sounded, being an umon card and Tom had to repeatedly strike a Spectral Swarm clone in quick session topletely encase the creature in ayer frost before shattering it with a brutal kick. Tom unleashed a jet of water to push away a spectral swarm clone that was trying to creep up on him. Of course, it didn¡¯t work and the damned creature pushed through anyway, but Tom was faster as he used Aura Shift¡¯s decrease mass to push his speed, beforemitting to a slide that let him both evade the creature¡¯s ws and take out both it¡¯s legs with Warrior¡¯s Shardsong at the same time. A few momentster, Tom got back up onto his feet and finished off the creature with a swipe of Warrior¡¯s Shardsong. He was just about to move to the final chain, when his senses began to scream danger. Had Tom not had 50 Proprioception, he would have died in that moment. The attack was perfectly timed. He just finished using multiple card abilities in quick session at a zing speed, which wasn¡¯t just exhausting, it was a constant and continuous drain on his focus. And the method of attack, a thin, translucent needle whose both ends were tipped in a light green fluid. It was, or atleast, it should¡¯ve been too fast to perceive something that insignificant in the sheer chaos of the battlefield. And, it was too fast to dodge. Tom shattered the chain and summoned mirror world. If the attack somehow went through his card¡¯s ability, he was dead. Thankfully, it winked out of existence the moment it made contact with his mirror. He was sprinting before he¡¯d even known it, his gaze turning to the direction the attack hade from. There were dozens of climbers crowded in that small strip ofnd, fighting tooth and nail against the Spectral Swarmlord clones. Tom keen eyesight couldn¡¯t tell guilt any more or less from the next person, but he scanned through each visage anyway. If anyone tried to run, they would obviously give themselves away, but his failed assassin appeared to be a professional. Through gritted teeth, Tom continued scanning through the crowd even as he ran. Only to realize that he recognized one of them. It wasn¡¯t his own memories that he was drawing upon, but rather, Lorcan¡¯s. Few among the younger generation knew the man that had tried to assassinate Tom and even he didn¡¯t know his name. But Lorcan lived with Vulturi, the leader of the guild¡¯s enforcers and that man, with his coarse gray hair, the jagged scar on his forehead and and his nondescript features, was his right hand man. Tom¡¯s fury reached his zenith as he wrested control over the man¡¯s shadow, which was just within his upgraded range. He made sure not to focus on him for too long, noting how the assassin acted out his role perfectly. He was thoroughly unimpressive as he shed with his sword only to leave a narrow cut on the Spectral Swarm clone before he hurriedly pulled back and scrambled to dodge a wed swipe. No one would suspect him ofunching an attack that could kill in a single blow, absolutely no one. Except Tom. He raised his de above his head and before the assassin could suspect anything, he activated Shadow Shift. His de came down in a diagonal sh that separated the assassin¡¯s upper half from the rest. Tom didn¡¯t stop to check if the assassin was truly dead, or loot him. He simply shifted away the moment the strike was done, because there was no way such a skilled assassin hade on his own and he wanted usible deniability until he figured out his next move against the Neem Guild. He had only wanted peace, yet the Neem Guild hade for his head regardless. For that, he would make them pay. Chapter 163: Epilogue 2: Zephni Ludus Chapter 163: Epilogue 2: Zephni Ludus ¡°It will be done, your holiness. Pray tell, who is the one who has drawn your sacred gaze?¡± The older man, who was d in silken white vestments that were trimmed in a deep crimson, asked. ¡°That is beyond your station to know,¡± Zephni replied, her visage a mask of coldposure, as imprable as it was still. ¡°Apologies, your holiness,¡± The older man softly replied. Appearing to be in histe thirties, his golden-blonde hair was pulled into a tight braid behind a silver circlet. His eyes were colored a mundane te, concealing a sharpness that was deadlier than any de, much like the older man¡¯s angr features. Zephni did not respond, instead choosing to tug the Wand of J?¨¡na out of what appeared to be thin air. Both men reverently sped their hands as Zephni waved her wand a single time. That was all it took for the chamber¡¯s perimeter to be covered by a singr constetion, a mesh of connected stars that enshrouded the flooring beneath them as well as it did the vaulted ceiling. ¡°It would be beyond your stations to know, if these circumstances were normal. But they are far from it,¡± Zephni revealed, her visage asposed as ever even though she was admitting to a vulnerability. ¡°As themander of the Legion of Light, you have served me well, Verstais. Never have you given me a reason to doubt your loyalty to the cause, a notion you have reinforced by disying unerringpetence in the face of all I have asked of you.¡± ¡°The honor has been mine, Your Holiness,¡± Verstais replied softly. ¡°So I will leave the decision to you. Would you trust your son with the fate of Artezia, of all that remains?¡± Zephni asked, her tone heavy with a weight she had carried across centuries. Even Verstais, Commander of the Legion of Light, could not remain unppable in face of such an ask. To his merit, the older man recovered remarkably quickly from the surprise that had been reflected clearly on his visage, as he hurriedly moved to reply, ¡°I trust himpletely, Your Holiness. Any task you bequeath upon him, he will prioritize over his own life and even my own, if the situation calls for it.¡± Zephni sighed in a rare disy of emotion, before speaking, ¡°It pains me to ask this of you and your son, Verstais. But we are up against the Necromancer Archon and every moment we waste, we risk losing everything we have fought so hard to hold onto. Not a single person outside this chamber can know, otherwise all may be lost.¡± ¡°What has happened, Your Holiness?¡± Verstais asked. ¡°The Fool has finally revealed themselves to the world,¡± Zephni revealed. ¡°The stars tell me that I can only send a single person to find him and even then, there is no guarantee that the other archons won¡¯t decipher our actions. While the Necromancer Archon will keep this discovery to himself, he might suspect that I am in the know. The Fool must be found and brought to my side, but the other archons cannot be made aware of this discovery.¡± Silence reigned in the hall. It was not Verstais, who seemed to be trembling before the revtion, but rather his son who broke the silence. ¡°What must I do, Your Holiness?¡± The younger man, Oren, asked his words tinged with a conviction that stood in contrast to his father¡¯s silent fealty. In hue alone his gray eyes matched his father¡¯s, but the raw hunger contained within was markedly different from the intelligence within the older man¡¯s gaze. His golden-blonde hair was streaked with strands of crimson, held short and swept back, offering a roguish charm. ¡°The Fool wasst seen in one of the toy kingdoms on the surface world. His current location is unknown and while finding him in his current state would not be a challenge if I used the Bastion¡¯s resources, doing so would tip our hands to the archons. They do not possess the means to scry past my obfuscation, but scrying is far from the only means to gather information,¡± Zephni revealed. ¡°You understand what this implies, yes?¡± She asked. ¡°I have heard rumors, Your Holiness. In returning to the surface world by an archon¡¯s grace, I would be stripped of all my cards, levels, feats, statistics and artifacts,¡± Oren replied without skipping a beat. ¡°All but your soul card, which will be reset to level one. You will be given extensive information on the target along with knowledge that will let you ess the Bastion¡¯s resources on every floor, but you will have to make the climb back to me on your own if you are to remain undetected. I am aware that is no challenge to you, but you will need to obtain cooperation from the fool and shield him from the Necromancer Archon¡¯s probing as you ascend. Given all that is at stake, I would not ce any me on you if you wish to withdraw.¡± ¡°I will convince The Fool to join our cause and bring him to you, Your Holiness. If they can be reasoned with, then they will understand that the very bnce of the world hinges on their decision.¡± ¡°Do not be so certain of that,¡± Zephni replied with a shake of her head. ¡°I will ce a contingency on the surface world, a means for you to teleport back to my side. If The Fool turns out to be antagonistic to your asks or refuses toply, use it and teleport to my side before he falls into the Necromancer Archon¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°Your Holiness, would that not be a grave vition of the rules?¡± Oren asked, his toneden with confusion. ¡°I will pay the price,¡± Zephni calmly replied. ¡°The Archons will certainly discover our actions if the means of teleportation are used, but if there is any out of the six that is capable of obtaining the Book of Maya in those circumstances, it is I.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Holiness. Come what may, I will bring The Fool to you. Whatever the price.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A lone man stood outside the entrance of the Aerinaculumn. An ordinary cloth tunic and pants shielding his body from the elements. He wore no shoes and even to the discerning eye, there seemed to be no trace of any artifact or deck cards on his person. His distinctive golden-blonde hair streaked with crimson stood in contrast to his otherwise mundane clothing, an odd observation given the fact that the man stood with his back facing the greatest challenge Artezia had to offer. Even odder was the way the man chose to spend the next fifteen or minutes, choosing to stretch his body, moving from arm circles to lunges in a leisurely yet methodological manner. Only for him to abruptly stop, as his gaze sharply angled to his right just in time to notice the glint of metal arrowtip concealed in the thick foliage of the Sacred Forest. A muffled twang of a bowstring sounded out in the distance as the arrow was let loose with an unnatural momentum. As the arrow blurred forward, the man found himself confronted by his own weakness. When he had been at the zenith of his power, as the wielder of an Epic (Mezzanine) Soul Card that had been Limit-Broken to Legendary, defending against such a mediocre attempt on his life could have been done with an offensive means instead of a defensive one. To the weapon master, even the t of a de would suffice as a shield. However, now he was reduced to a piddling Level 1, left with the Epic (Mezzanine) Weapon Master card only to, ironically enough, possess no weapon to defend himself with. The arrow itself was sped up by either an artifact or card ability, so dodging would just get him injured, albeit not fatally so if he timed it right. Unfortunately for his attackers, Oren was in no mood to y games. Now I have to kill them all, Oren thought. A pity. The true zenith of a card, whether it be a deck card or a soul card, did not lie in hitting the level cap or for that matter, even limit breaking it. Glyphs had been given to the surface world and the lower floors as a hint to whaty beyond, a revtion that there was more to a card than the act of being used, of being employed as a tool without understanding the greater truths contained within the countless fragments of a shattered divinity. Even then, Card Manifestation was a phenomenon that was as rare as it was sought after. On the thirty-seventh floor, there was no dearth of those capable of using Card Manifestation with limit broken Commons and Umons and even limit broken Rares were easily mastered with Mezzanines offering some difficulty. However, when it came to Epic Ranked Cards and higher, there were many that had years of practice when it came to their Soul or Deck cards, yet found themselves unable to reach the elusive phenomenon of Card Manifestation. They could call upon and use their cards both in and out ofbat as if it was second nature to them and in all likelihood, their understanding of the Epic card had reached a very high degree. Unfortunately for them, the difference between ny-nine percent and hundred percent, as slim as it was, could turn out to be the difference between attaining and never attaining the state of card manifestation. That was whatplete understanding of one¡¯s given card meant, after all. Oren¡¯s own Soul Card had been crafted by splitting and rbining a hundred Epic Cards, which would have been a phenomenal waste of resources if he didn¡¯t know that the fee the Divine System charged in card fragments was pocketed by the system instead of actually being used up in the process. It wasn¡¯t the perfect Epic (Mezzanine) card by any means, but it was perfect for him. [Weapon Master Card Manifestation¡ª Twelve-Headed Rakshasa of ughter] A blood-red aura erupted outwards from where Oren was standing. Two curving tusks were jutting out of his mouth and a long horn protruded out of his head, formed out of the same blood-red aura that was ensconcing him. A momentter, a row of heads stretched out in his either direction, five on the left and six on the right. Besides his own, every head was enshrouded by a malevolent face mask that depicted an angry snarl that was further entuated by the curving tusks and a jutting horn. Five pairs of arms had joined his own, eerily jutting out from his abdomen. In every hand, there was a different semi-translucent blood-red weapon held. Where his skin had once been, glistening red scales covered a majority of his body, leaving only his visage untouched, letting him see clearly. As the arrow was about to make contact, the spectral blood-red hand that was holding a semi-translucent kiteshield moved to intercept. A loud ng rang out as the arrow bounced off the kiteshield, prompting the eleven heads to each pick a different direction to monitor for further threats while leaving the main head to it¡¯s own devices. Oren now had a three hundred and sixty degree view of his surroundings, a fact that he didn¡¯t hesitate to use to his advantage. Another hand moved, one that was holding onto a javelin. The hand pulled back before lobbing the javelin forward with a burst of momentum and Oren watched as it arced across the distance. A few momentster an anguished cry echoed out from the treetops, followed by a soft thump. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. It''s clearly an illusionist!¡± Amand from the enemy¡¯s direction was barked out, prompting three of the remaining four enemies to step out of cover and charge in Oren¡¯s direction. A spiked block of stone was lobbed in Owen¡¯s direction, which was crushed by a heavy impact one of the hands that wielded a warhammer, while the shield-wielding hand shielded him from the debris. ¡°Definitely an illusion!¡± One of his attackers called out, simply refusing to believe that Owen had crushed stone with a spectral hand. That was when Owen had charged. Seeing him close the distance in what felt like a moment¡¯s time, the attackers instinctively moved to defend themselves with their weapon artifacts, regardless of whether it was an illusion or not. Owen¡¯s left hand engaged a scimitar wielding man in a dance of des with his own rapier, their exchangesting three parries before his rapier snaked past his guard and prated deep into his throat. His dagger wielding right hand deftly knocked away vicious spear thrusts from impaling him by thin margins twice before Owen flicked the dagger forward, catching him right in the heart. His kite shield wielding spectral arm defended himself from a greatsword¡¯s onught, before a different, axe-wielding spectral arm exploited an over-extension by the wielder to bring his life to a swift end. All three of the attackers were dead, when the crossbow wielding spectral arm fired into the distance. A gurgle and a thump followed, as the man who had issued the rashmand only to immediately flee for his own life afterwards, crumpled to the ground. Moments ticked away in silence before Owen spoke again. ¡°What a pity,¡± He said,menting both the needless loss of lives and his own fall from power. To think that a legendary weapon was once housed in each of those twelve slots while he now had to rely on empty silhouettes just to survive a fight. ¡°What a pity, indeed.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!