Leo visited a magic shop and purchased three more crystals along with a teleport scroll. The 50-silver crystals, combined with the scroll, cost him 2 gold coins. As a D minus rank, his salary had increased to 8 gold per month. After covering his rent and other expenses, he still had 18 gold coins saved. Now, with this purchase, he was left with 16.
Tonight, after nearly three weeks, he had an important meeting. But before that, he enjoyed a quiet, hearty dinner with his family. Once back in his room, he decided to pass the time by reading his books until the meeting began.
As the meeting drew near, Leo placed his book on the drawer and laid back on his bed. He closed his eyes, and within minutes, the world around him faded into darkness. When he opened them again, he stood in the familiar misty void, surrounded by shadowy figures gathered around a table.
"Welcome, my friends, to another conclave of our order," a voice echoed through the mist. "If there were any outstanding matters, they have already been handled through other means. We can proceed directly to the heart of our agenda."
Ms. Eye was the first to speak. "Mr. Immortal, have you uncovered the secret?"
Mr. Immortal responded in his usual casual tone. "Not yet. I'm in the middle of it. This isn't just any secret—it's a page from one of the most dangerous books in existence. These things take time." He then turned toward Ms. Shadow. "It's been weeks. I'm more interested in what's happening in the Shadow Lands."
Ms. Shadow sighed. "In the past three weeks, two groups have arrived—one from the Northern Kingdom and one from the Kingdom of Light. Because of their ongoing conflict, we assigned them separate duties.
The northern group was tasked with hunting the beasts in the Land of Darkness, while the other focused on cleansing and defending against the darkness itself. With their combined efforts, we've reached the entrance of the cave connected to the cult trying to awaken the beast. It's only a matter of time now.
But there's more—our sources confirm that an S-rank individual is among them. Because of this, an S-rank of our own is being sent to assist."
"An S-rank is finally getting involved?" Mr. King's voice carried a mix of relief and intrigue. "Which one?"
"Unfortunately, I don't have that information," Ms. Shadow admitted.
"That's good enough. Thank you, Ms. Shadow," Mr. King said before shifting his attention to Mr. Light. "What about the sea?"
Arthur, known as Mr. Light, straightened in his seat. "One of the most notorious pirate crews set sail last night."
"Which captain?" Mr. Crow inquired.
"Captain Bernardo de Barbanario."
Mr. King's lips curled slightly. "Good. It looks like our trick worked, Mr. Light—forcing the captain of the Black Fang to take action personally."
Arthur simply nodded in response.
Then, Mr. King turned his gaze toward Leo. "Mr. Clone, do you have any intel on Flesa? I've been hearing disturbing reports."
Leo remained calm, masking the gaps in his knowledge. "I haven't been in the city for a while, so my information isn't complete," he admitted. "But what I do know is that crime has been rising at an alarming rate."
"I'm aware of that much," Mr. King replied.
"Yes, but these aren't ordinary crimes. A-rank individuals are involved in many of them, and the nobles… they're acting strangely, almost as if they're being controlled by someone powerful." Leo leaned forward slightly. "A few weeks ago, for example, an entire noble mansion was burned to the ground during a clash between an A-rank and the noble's forces."
"Who was the A-rank?" Mr. King asked.
"I don't know the name," Leo said. "But I do know one thing—he was an illusionist."
Mr. King's expression darkened. "An A-rank illusionist?" He fell into deep thought.
"Anyone heard about the attack in Eklashire?" Mr. Crow asked, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.
"What attack?" Mr. King responded immediately.
"Someone used a ritual to attract blood fiends to the city. Around a hundred people died."
"Why would anyone do that?"
"I don't know," Mr. Crow replied, his tone casual despite the gravity of his words. "I was there for some business and ended up in a fight with a vampire—who, interestingly, was also looking for the person responsible for the ritual." He paused for a moment before adding, "Oh, that reminds me—anyone want some vampire blood?"
Silence fell over the room as everyone turned their gaze toward him.
'So he killed the vampire?' Leo mused. But another thought quickly followed. 'What if I use my spell on the vampire's blood? Could I uncover the secret of how vampires are created?'
Determined to test the idea, Leo cleared his throat. "I'd like two vials."
"Only two? Alright. Five gold coins each."
Leo felt a wave of relief. He had spoken without considering the cost—if it had been more than he could afford, that would have been a problem. Excited about his experiment, he continued.
"If it's not an issue, Mr. Crow, and if you have them on hand, could I get one vial right now?"
The request drew attention. Nobody had ever asked for something like that so urgently before.
Mr. Crow smirked. "Sure. It's just a vial of blood."
From his bag, a glass vial filled with dark red liquid floated through the air and landed in Leo's hand.
Leo examined it briefly before slipping it into his bag, a small smile forming on his lips. "Thank you."
Mr. Crow gave a simple nod, but the others kept staring at Leo, curiosity evident on their faces.
"I also have a few more items up for sale," Mr. Crow continued, shifting the topic. "A vampire's heart—ten gold. And a sword called Shadow Sword. B-rank item. Grants the user the ability to turn into a shadow, increasing speed and making them immune to most physical attacks." He let the offer linger for a second before adding, "Downside? If you're a vampire, it amplifies your bloodlust. If not, there's a chance you'll turn into one. Price is thirty gold coins."
"Mr. Crow, that negative effect is rather severe," Ms. Eyes pointed out.
"I'm aware," he replied with a shrug. "But you never know."
"I'll take the heart," Mr. Immortal said.
Mr. Crow nodded, the transaction settled.
A brief silence followed until Mr. Sage, who had remained an impassive observer throughout, finally spoke. "This meeting is adjourned. See you all next Sunday."
After a moment, Leo found himself back in his room. Excitement bubbled within him at the thought of testing his idea tomorrow. With that anticipation lingering in his mind, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
…
The next day, after completing his patrol, Leo headed straight to his workshop, his mind buzzing with anticipation. The first thing he did was create another Shimmering Dome around the initial one, layering them for extra protection. He carefully linked this new dome to three freshly prepared mana crystals, ensuring they would support the barrier's stability.
With so many spells active and the additional crystals crowding the already small basement, maneuvering around the room became noticeably more difficult. He had to step carefully, mindful not to disturb anything. Once he was certain that all the spells were properly set up, he moved on to the next step—redrawing his experimental spell.
This time, his goal was clear: he needed to guide the extracted information so it would imprint itself onto an empty scroll rather than scatter chaotically onto the ground like before. He placed one of his spell components inside the designated circle that was linked to the main formation. For hours, he experimented, making adjustments and testing variations. Eventually, after a long session of trial and error, he found the solution—adding the Words of Power Shift and Flow into the formation allowed the information to be channeled properly.
Now, the spell had become a complex structure: two interwoven circles, eight Words of Power inscribed within, three more positioned outside, and three connecting lines extending outward—each leading to a separate circle. One was designated for the mana crystal, another for the object whose secrets he aimed to uncover, and the last for the empty scroll meant to record the extracted knowledge.
After double-checking every detail, ensuring every rune and connection was in place, Leo took a deep breath. He was ready.
Reaching into his bag, he retrieved the vial of vampire blood, its dark crimson liquid swirling within the glass. Alongside it, he placed the teleportation scroll onto the worktable, keeping it within reach as a precaution.
Carefully, he set the vial inside the designated circle and steadied himself. His heart pounded in his chest, but he pushed aside his nerves. Taking another deep breath, he activated the mana crystal.
The spell pulsed to life.
A faint hum filled the air as shimmering currents of energy spread from the magic formation, reaching toward the vial of blood. For a brief moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, the empty scroll lifted into the air, its surface glowing faintly as it began to absorb the extracted information.
Leo's eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched the process unfold.
Then—Boom.
Without warning, a surge of darkness erupted from the vial, a burst of shadow exploding outward with terrifying force.
All six mana crystals connected to the Dome spells shattered simultaneously, their structures unable to contain the immense backlash. The protective domes collapsed like fragile glass, their fragments dispersing into thin air as a shockwave tore through the room.
Leo was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing violently into the wall. His body ached from the impact, his breath knocked out of him. Groaning, he forced himself into a seated position, wincing at the pain.
But then—his breath hitched.
The room was no longer the same.
A swirling mass of pure black shadow filled the space, its presence stretching beyond mere darkness—a vast, formless abyss that pulsed with unseen intent. It did not simply shift or writhe; it breathed, its very existence pressing against reality itself, bending the room into something that barely resembled the world Leo knew.
And within that abyss, two enormous blue eyes gleamed, cold and knowing. They did not merely see him; they recognized him. Judged him.
Leo's body refused to move.
The air around him thickened, suffocating yet silent. His fingers twitched toward the teleportation scroll at his side, but no matter how much he willed it, his limbs would not respond. His body was no longer his own—it belonged to the presence before him.
A cold sweat trickled down his forehead. His chest tightened, his lungs burning as if submerged in something far deeper than water.
Even his thoughts ground to a halt—not just by fear, but by force. Something vast and ancient imposed its will upon his mind.
Something was in his head. A voice that was not a voice, a whisper that slithered through his skull like serpents made of shadow. It was not spoken, nor was it heard. It was simply understood.
"Foolish…thing…"
The words coiled around him, sinking into his very being, wrapping around his bones like invisible chains. The eyes, unblinking, drew closer, their sheer presence consuming everything.
The room was no longer a room. The walls, the ceiling, the floor—all had been devoured. The world itself had ceased to exist and only Leo remained.
A sharp pain exploded through his skull as something pulled at him, not his body but something deeper. Blood dripped from his eyes and ears, his very essence struggling against the unseen force that sought to grasp, unravel, claim.
The suffocating weight bore down on him, drowning him in the abyss.
And for a brief, horrifying moment—he knew he was going to die. But a light erupted.
The amulet around his neck flared to life, lifting itself from his chest as if responding to the impending doom. A golden shield burst forth, wrapping around him in a protective sphere.
The darkness recoiled, writhing against the barrier. But the force behind it was immense. The shadow pushed against the shield, cracks rapidly forming along its surface.
Crack.
Leo's mind snapped back into focus. The instant the shield activated, he realized—he could think again.
His body, once frozen, was now his to control.
He didn't waste the opportunity.
His hand darted toward the teleportation scroll, fingers grasping it tightly. In a single motion, he activated the spell.
The moment before the shield shattered completely, he vanished.
In an instant, Leo reappeared in an alleyway near the coffee shop, the world around him solid and real once more. His heart hammered in his chest, his breathing ragged. He could still feel the lingering pressure of the entity's gaze—those blue eyes burned into his memory.
But he was alive.
For now.