Moments ago
After hours of life-and-death training cycles at Cecil's Blacksmith Shop,Shadow stepped out the door, radiating confidence.
He wore a garment forged with special magic, his face concealed by a black hood that lent him an air of mystery.
Magic: [The Imposter's Cloak]
- Type: Intimidation/Amplification
- Effect: Forms a shadow cloak to enter disguise state. Uses the observer's initial preconception as a baseline to apply full-range cross-domain correction.
- Chant: "Let us hunt those who have fallen into darkness."
"Correction" differs from simple enhancements or boosts. While adventurers often have unbalanced stats as they level up, correction elevates weaknesses to strengths, compensating for shortcomings. But Shadow's magic worked differently it adjusted based on his opponent, making him stronger against more powerfulfoes and allowing him to feign weakness to gain advantage.
Shadow was thrilled with his new ability. In short, whatever strength his opponent perceived him to have, his actual power would be adjusted by a coefficient to match or even surpass it. It was the perfect magic for someone like him.
In truth,falnas are customized to match the host's inner desires or past accomplishments. How could someone with such severe chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) not be granted extraordinary magic?
Now that he had power, Shadow planned to disguise himself, display his divine abilities, crush the monster horde, save the people, then return to his ordinary life as if nothing had happened.
Instead, he got completely lost in Swordsmith City's maze-like streets.
Where am I?
He walked on bluestone slabs, weaving past shops and twisting through alleys. After half an hour of wandering, wild laughter echoed from ahead.
Shadow moved forward steadily, and the reflections of surrounding buildings seemed to fade around him.
"Who is it?" a voice demanded.
Shadow curled his lips into a knowing smile: "I am the one who hides in the shadows and hunts the shadows."
Witt's face darkened. He stamped his foot, shattering the ice around it, and spat: "Dammit an ambush?"
Shadow advanced step by step, as if taking a leisurely stroll...
"Looks like I'm in trouble. Did I run into the boss right off the bat?"
When he saw Lulune lying on the ground coughing up blood, and the arrogant Witt standing over her, his choice was clear.
"What a farce this could be a comedy skit after training."
His shadow robes billowed without wind as he closed in. That calm composure made Witt feel uneasy despite his bluster.
"Your attitude is insufferable, kid! Didn't your god teach you to respect your elders?"
Shadow sneered: "So what if they didn't?"
Crack! The frost binding Witt's leg shattered. Enraged by Shadow's approach, he kicked ice shards toward him.
Shadow dodged aside as the icicle grazed his shoulder. He brushed off the frost and said calmly:
"That's quite rude. One wrong move and you'd have killed me."
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! This guy is really strong... This isn't just luck..."
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Witt's expression grew increasingly grim. He wasn't one to lash out recklessly instead, he bottled up his anger, waiting for the perfect moment to strike fatally.
He spread his hands, looking down with disdain: "I thought you were their hidden ace, but you're just Level 3 trash."
He'd gauged Shadow's level from his movements.
Witt's tone turned serious: "Who sent you?"
As he spoke, he pushed off with his freed leg, shattering the remaining ice with a sharp crack. In an instant, he was in front of Shadow.
Shadow was prepared countless magic threads formed a web in the air, but Witt tore through it effortlessly.
The gap in ability was too great!
Plop.
A hand plunged into Shadow's chest, golden spiritual energy spilling out. Shadow frowned in annoyance.
Bullying the weak with sneak attacks utterly shameless!!
More importantly, he hadn't even gotten to show off properly!
Witt was surprised by Shadow's reaction but scoffed: "Hmph hiding your true self and playing games."
Just as he was about to laugh, he met Shadow's crimson eyes and a grin more ferocious than his own.
"Does this hurt? You worthless scum." Shadow's voice was hoarse, but his tone was manic.
He hadn't expected Witt to attack mid-conversation, let alone with such brutality. But as Lord Shadow, he couldn't afford to lose his composure so Minoru Kageno revealed his wild, stubborn side.
Witt felt a flicker of recognition at that expression...
Yes like the smiles of their most cherished "consumables," those who embraced death willingly. The grins of human bombs who cast aside all fear, abandoning life and death in pursuit of some twisted "afterlife happiness."
Before he could react, the "heart" in his hand dissolved into golden particles. Shadow seized his arm with one hand and locked his neck with the other, leaving Witt trapped.
The more Witt struggled, the tighter Shadow's grip became.
"Let go! Let me go now!"
Witt lashed out with all his strength, but every blow had no effect as if Shadow felt no pain at all. Golden light particles scattered with each strike.
Fear flashed across Witt's face; he had no idea this was part of Shadow's magic.
Shadow laughed a maniacal sound as he recalled his skills:
[Source of Magic]
- Type: Continuous Mobilization
- Effect: 50% of all stat growth experience is allocated to magic power. Magic can be manipulated freely with no growth bottlenecks.
[Aspirations for Heroes]
- Type: Precocious
- Effect: Triggers when facing death. After receiving a fatalwound, enters "Battle Continue" state for 3 seconds.
His thirst for magic and childhood obsession with dark, mystical heroes had granted him terrifying abilities. Combined with hours of life-or-death combat against monsters and the boost from [The Imposter's Cloak], all his stats had skyrocketed.
Now, Shadow wielded at least Level 2 superior magic.
And in this moment...
"Church of the Black Death you will remember my name! I am Shadow! The one who hides in the shadows and hunts the shadows!"
Golden lines spread across his body like cracks. Witt heard Shadow whisper in his ear, his voice like a demon's:
"I am... Fuel Air Explosive!"
Shadow's body split open, releasing countless golden rays that blotted out the light. A massive shockwave erupted outward.
BOOOOOOM----
A golden mushroom cloud rose over a corner of the city.
Lulune was thrown twenty meters away by the blast, her body wracked with pain as if every bone was breaking.
The explosion had been accidental a self-destructive move that concentrated all of Shadow's magic power!
With no offensive abilities of his own, this was his only truly devastating attack. In the main storyline, Mikoto had used a similar skill against the Ishtar Familia but hers was a controlled self-destruction meant to ensure survival.
Normally, magical explosions occur when energy goes chaotic during incantation. In the Age of Gods, with falna replacing raw magic, such incidents had become rare. But Shadow had not only triggered self-destruction intentionally he'd refined it to maximize power and efficiency, adding extra spiritual energy to amplify its force.
It was the difference between fireworks and dynamite same basic components, worlds apart in destructive potential. The cost, of course, was that he would be the first to be reduced to dust a move no sane person would ever use.
Lulune stared dazedly at the ruins. She could no longer tell who was more dangerous the dark faction members, or someone who wielded explosions more ruthlessly than human bombs.
"I'm sorry for that brave soul, but I have to keep moving."
Taking advantage of the billowing smoke, she struggled to drag herself into the ruins and hide.
A moment later.
Magic's power was undeniable it could kill higher-level foes under normal circumstances. But Shadow's level simply wasn't high enough.
In the center of the blast, a disheveled, dust-covered man staggered to his feet. He coughed violently, cursing: "Bastard! Shit! Despicable!"
He spat out blood the close-range explosion had left him gravely injured.
"Dammit almost as strong as a Fire Stone Blast! If I was still Level 4, I'd be paste right now!"
Witt had spent his life as a villain, ordering countless human bomb attacks but this was the first time he'd been on the receiving end. The attack hadn't killed him, but it had humiliated him thoroughly.
He'd always been so proud of his clever schemes to eliminate adventurers but now...
"Is some bored evil god messing with me?!"
As the smoke cleared, he surveyed the twenty-meter-wide crater. Lulune was nowhere to be seen, and panicked shouts from guards echoed in the distance the explosion had drawn the wall defenders' attention.
He had no time to waste; the school district was nearby, and he had no desire to provoke that monster.
"Pah, you just wait."
He spat out bloody phlegm, his expression dark as he vanished into the shadows.
BONUS CHAPTER