Chapter— A Shadow That Walked in Daylight
Luke began moving differently after that.
Not as the Auramaster who descended from the sky at midnight, wrapped in blue fire like a comet.
Not as the nameless figure who vanished before questions could be asked.
Now, he moved during the day.
The first time he activated the Illusioner seriously, he stood on the rooftop of a quiet building, sunlight falling across the device in his palm. The cylinder hummed softly, reacting to his aura. Luke inhaled slowly and pressed the activation mark.
A pulse ran through his body.
Then—another Luke stood beside him.
Same height. Same posture. Same expression.
For a moment, even Luke himself felt unsettled.
He extended his senses and felt it immediately—a drain. Not violent. Not dangerous. But constant. A subtle pull, like holding a weight you could manage… as long as you didn't forget it was there.
"So this is the cost," Luke murmured.
Auru floated near his shoulder. "Your aura is being split and projected. The farther you go from the illusion, the greater the absorption."
Luke tested it.
He moved a few meters away—no problem.
Dozens—still manageable.
Hundreds—and the drain sharpened, like pressure against his chest.
He smiled faintly.
"Still within control."
For someone else, this device might have been dangerous. For Luke, it was simply another variable to balance.
That same day, Luke left his illusion behind—sitting casually in his room, pretending to scroll through his phone, occasionally moving, occasionally stretching. Anyone watching from a distance would see nothing strange.
Meanwhile, the real Luke moved.
He crossed borders before noon.
In another country, a minor dungeon destabilized near a rural road. Luke descended quietly, ended it before authorities even arrived, and left before anyone could properly see his face.
By afternoon, news spread.
"Auramaster sighted in the country daylight."
The world reacted instantly.
And confusion followed.
At the Aurafiest base, Marin stared at the screen in silence.
"That's… impossible," Chika muttered.
Uno leaned forward. "Wasn't he always appearing at night? Midnight at this countries, local time?"
Liod frowned. "This sighting was at 11:40 a.m."
The pattern—the only pattern they had—was gone.
Luke sat among them, outwardly calm, inwardly tense.
Good, he thought. They can't predict me anymore.
But relief didn't last long.
At the Guild Association headquarters, Kaizen stood with his arms crossed, listening to overlapping reports from different regions.
"Spotted in the north."
"No, that was a false alarm."
"He was seen helping civilians near a collapsed dungeon gate."
"By the time we arrived, he was gone."
Kaizen closed his eyes briefly.
Too fast.
Too precise.
Too deliberate.
This wasn't randomness. It was evasion.
Later that day, Aurafiest stood before him in his office.
"Any leads?" Kaizen asked.
Marin shook her head. "No solid trail. We only have reports—no continuity."
Liod added, "Even when we respond immediately, we're always late."
Uno clicked his tongue. "He's faster than us. Way faster."
Luke kept his expression neutral, though his thoughts churned.
Good. But this can't continue forever.
Then he spoke.
"Is there anything," Luke asked carefully, "that could help us reach a location faster? Even slightly?"
Kaizen studied him.
For a moment, Luke wondered if he had said too much.
Then Kaizen turned and opened a secure drawer.
He placed several small devices on the table—sleek, angular, faintly glowing.
Marin's eyes widened. "What are those?"
"Mobility enhancers," Kaizen replied. "They amplify short-range movement using controlled aura bursts. Travel speed increases drastically—but only for limited durations."
Uno whistled. "So basically… speed boosters."
Kaizen nodded. "I expected you would ask for something like this."
Luke felt a faint chill.
Kaizen continued, "Even with these, I don't believe you'll reach the Auramaster in time. But it may reduce the gap."
Silence followed.
Then Uno's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Kaizen," he said slowly, "you said we wouldn't reach him in time. That means… we're not the only ones, right?"
Kaizen didn't answer immediately.
Then, calmly, "Correct."
Marin stiffened. "Other guilds?"
"Yes. Several."
"D-rank?" Liod asked.
"C-rank. Some higher."
Chika swallowed. "So this isn't just an investigation anymore."
Kaizen met their gaze. "It's a competition. One the Auramaster is clearly aware of."
Luke felt his stomach tighten.
So they're all chasing me.
After leaving the office, the group walked in silence for a while.
Finally, Liod spoke. "So… what now?"
Marin stopped walking.
She turned, eyes sharp, mind already racing.
"We can't beat him physically," she said. "That's obvious."
Uno crossed his arms. "Then what? We wait forever?"
"No," Marin replied. "We change how we think."
Luke's heart sank slightly.
Marin continued, voice firm. "We stop trying to chase the Auramaster."
Everyone looked at her.
"We let him come to us."
Luke's thoughts screamed.
Dangerous.
Uno frowned. "How?"
Marin looked thoughtful, almost excited. "He responds to situations. Crises. People in danger. He appears because he chooses to."
Luke remained silent.
"If we can predict what forces him to act," Marin went on, "we can narrow the window. Control the variables."
Liod hesitated. "You mean… bait or trap?"
Marin didn't deny it.
Luke finally spoke, carefully. "That's risky. We don't know how he'll react."
Marin met his gaze.
"Exactly," she said. "And that's why it might work."
Luke felt a chill crawl up his spine.
She's serious.
Once Marin beacame serious amd ambitious about something she could fo anything. It obvios why she is my school competitor and now my identities.
Auru's voice whispered faintly in his mind. "She's dangerous, Luke. Not because of power—but because she thinks."
Luke exhaled slowly.
I made them smarter by trying to confuse them.
That night, Luke stood on a rooftop again, Illusioner humming softly.
His illusion sat at home, reading quietly.
The real Luke stared at the city below.
"So now," he murmured, "I'm being hunted… by my own friends."
Auru floated beside him. "What will you do?"
Luke's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'll keep moving," he said. "But next time… I might need to give them something."
"Something real?"
"A controlled truth," Luke replied.
Luke continued"Marin is unpredictable,a uncontrolled truth can only satisfy her."
Below him, the city lights flickered.
And somewhere far away, Marin planned her next move—unaware that the shadow she sought was already standing beside her every day.
End of chapter.