With Tama and Rex now tucked away inside my shadow, I walked downhill toward a massive sprawl of circular walls.
The fortifications were immense, clearly designed not just to keep monsters at bay, but to funnel every traveler and merchant through a single, heavily guarded checkpoint.
The closer I got, the more the scale of the architecture impressed me. A long queue if people snaked away from the main gate, a mix of merchant carriages laden with goods, weary travelers, and hooded worshippers.
I took my place at the back and waited in line too.
When I finally reached the front, a knight in silver plate armor didn't even look up from his ledger. "Identification papers, please," he mumbled.
I handed him my guild card. As soon as his eyes saw the rank inscribed on the metal, his bored expression shattered.
"Wow... a male S-rank from Eldoria?" He looked up, eyes wide. "What brings someone like you to our town?"
"Just here to offer my prayers," I lied smoothly. "I heard this town was the best place to show devotion to the goddess."
"Oh, absolutely! You'll want the Great Cathedral in the center of town. The bishops and sisters there will see to whatever you need."
I offered a polite nod and stepped through the archway.
**
The city inside the walls was a sensory overload—easily three times the size of Eldoria.
The streets were a chaotic symphony of vendors shouting prices and carriages gliding over polished cobblestones. The aroma of skewered meat wafted through the air, clashing with the sweet scent of ripe fruit from the nearby market stalls.
It was a lively, thriving place.
I was busy admiring the soaring architecture when two men stepped into my path. Both sported identical ginger mohawks and wore grimy leather jackets. From a first glance, l could tell these guys were just lovers, picking up kids.
"Well, look at this fresh face," one sneered.
"Need a hand with directions, kid? Or maybe a tour of the local hospitality?" the other added, his grin missing several teeth.
I ignored them and kept walking. Undeterred, they followed. One of them had the gall to reach out and grab my shoulder, attempting to haul me backward. "Hey! We're talking to you!"
I stopped and glared over my shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"
My voice was cold, and l thought that'd be enough to let them know l wasn't one to be muddled with, but clearly, l was wrong.
"We just want a word. Come on, into the alley."
I allowed them to pull me into the shadows of a narrow side street. For a city so famous for its piety, and religion, it was disappointing how quickly I'd run into common thugs.
The moment we were out of sight, I moved quickly before they could even draw a breath and struck my fingers, hitting the pressure points in their necks with surgical precision.
They collapsed into a heap, groaning.
"I thought... you said he had no mana..." one wheezed, clutching his throat.
"I didn't sense a drop," the other gasped. "How is he so strong?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I activated one of my new skills [Shape-shift]
My bones shifted and my clothes shimmered, molding into a perfect replica of the man they called Xavier, one of the thugs groaning on tbe floor with a ginger mohawk and leather clothes.
Confident that no one would bother a "local" thug, I headed for the nearest pub to gather intel. I bought a round of cheap alcohol for a group of rowdy regulars and brought up the name I was looking for: Genzai.
"You want an audience with Genzai?" one of them laughed, his voice slurred with drink. "The man is a ghost. Stays busy, mostly."
"Yeah," another added. "He visits the palace occasionally, but unless you're royalty or a powerhouse, he won't give you the time of day. We'll, unless you're strong."
I leaned in. "How strong are we talking?"
"Shut it, Xavier," the first man barked. "Are you failing at robbing rookies so badly that you've got a death wish for Genzai now? He'd turn you to ash."
I gave a forced, nervous chuckle, scratching my new mohawk. "Just curious, man. I'm not that crazy."
"I don't know, you're acting weird today. But look, Genzai only moved here two months ago. He entered the Tournament for the Key of Ascension and wiped the floor with everyone. He wears that necklace everywhere. If you want a piece of him, the only way is to..." He leaned in and whispered a specific set of instructions into my ear.
I nodded, satisfied. As a reward, I flipped a gold coin onto the table. The man's eyes nearly fell out of his head—I imagine the real Xavier wasn't known for his generosity.
**
Once I was back on the street, I shifted again. This time, I took the form of my friend Adrian to get that sophisticated look with short purple hair, glasses, and a sharp maroon blazer.
"Joining the tournament for the key, huh? What do you think, Tama?" I whispered.
"We need a more secluded place to deal with that bastard, Master," her voice echoed directly into my mind.
Being in my shadow had allowed us to have a telepathic link. "A public arena is... complicated." she added.
"True, but it's the only way to lure that bastard out," I replied. "Besides, if I win, I get his Key. That would bring my total to three. I'd be one step away from completing the Full Moon necklace."
Tama was silent for a moment, her presence in my shadow feeling heavy with thought. "Very well. You fight, and I will remain hidden. With the power I've inherited, I can seal him. Killing a rogue god is a temporary fix—they always find a way back. Sealing is the only permanent solution."
"Right."
I turned my gaze toward the Great Cathedral, the spires reaching toward the clouds like stone fingers. To get to Genzai, I had to play their game.
I just hoped we weren't walking straight into a death trap.
TBC
Reading Settings
#1a1a1a
#ef4444
Comments