boyutpedia Chapter 511 115.9 - First Mission
Chapter 511 115.9 - First Mission
Chapter 511 115.9 - First Mission
SWOOSH!
The beast lunged at me, its dark form a blur of shadow and ferocity. But I was ready.
In one fluid motion, I pulled out my daggers, their edges gleaming faintly in the dim light of the alley. My movements were swift.
As the creature closed in, its claws outstretched, I slashed my blades through the air.
The daggers cut through the beast's body with a whispering hiss, their sharpness almost unnatural. Indeed, they felt unnatural.
'This is really different. The feeling of powering up is indeed real.' SLASH! The creature let out a guttural snarl, but its momentum carried it right into the path of my strikes. My blades met little resistance, slicing cleanly through the creature's form as if it were made of mist and shadows.
For a brief moment, the alley was filled with shimmering darkness, the beast's body unraveling as it split in two.
The halves of its form twisted and dissipated into the air, leaving behind a faint, lingering echo of the growl that had heralded its attack.
I stood still, my breathing controlled, watching as the last remnants of the creature dissolved into the night.
The alley was silent once more, the oppressive tension lifting as quickly as it had descended.
I took a moment to observe the remnants of the creature as they dissipated into the air, my mind quickly analyzing what I had just encountered. The beast's form, while twisted and grotesque, revealed certain features that were familiar to me. Its dark, shadowy essence, the way it moved, and the predatory intent in its attack—all pointed to a specific kind of creature.
'A rank-3 [Umbral Wraith],' I realized, my thoughts aligning with the knowledge I had acquired during my training. This particular type of creature was known for its ability to manipulate shadows, often lurking in areas where negative energy was abundant.
While it wasn't among the highest-ranking beasts, a rank-3 [Umbral Wraith] was still dangerous enough to be a serious threat to anyone unprepared.
The fact that it had been stationed here guarding this specific alley indicated that it was serving a purpose beyond mere survival.
Someone—or something—had placed it here to deter intruders, to protect whatever lay deeper within the shadows.
I knelt down and reached out with my hand, channeling a small amount of mana to stabilize the creature's fading essence.
The remains of the [Umbral Wraith] responded to my touch, allowing me to gather what was left of its carcass. With a fluid motion, I opened my spatial storage.
The carcass vanished into the storage, leaving the alley empty once more. I stood, my presence blending seamlessly with the shadows around me. With a practiced motion, I activated [Shadowborne], effectively erasing my presence from the physical world.
As I moved closer, I noticed a faint shimmer in the air around the well, a barely perceptible distortion that indicated the presence of an illusion. It was subtle, designed to make the well appear ordinary to the untrained eye, but my [Eyes] saw through it with ease.
I reached out, my fingers brushing against the surface of the well. The illusion rippled slightly at my touch, revealing the true nature of the structure. The stones were engraved with symbols, old and faded, yet still powerful.
These were likely the remnants of an ancient protective spell layered with more recent enchantments meant to conceal and protect whatever lay beneath.
'As expected.'
I knelt down, examining the base of the well. The symbols etched into the stone were partially obscured by the fresh mortar, but I could still make out enough of them to recognize their purpose. They were designed to ward off intruders, to confuse and mislead anyone who might stumble upon this place by accident.
'All of this confirms what I think.'
The mission was completed. The only thing left for me was to gather some more evidence and then press it in tomorrow's gathering.
That was it.
*******
The following evening, as the clock struck 7 P.M., the team gathered once more in the dimly lit meeting room at the Veilcroft branch.
The atmosphere was tense but focused, everyone acutely aware of the growing urgency to uncover the source of the disturbances plaguing the city.
"Let's get started," Shanks said, his voice cutting through the quiet. "I hope everyone has something to contribute tonight. The situation in Veilcroft is deteriorating, and we're running out of time to get ahead of it."
He glanced at Lira first. "Lira, you mentioned yesterday that you were continuing your investigation into the psychological patterns of the victims. Any updates?"
Lira shook her head slightly, her expression indicating the frustration of a stalled investigation. "Not much to report," she said. "The patterns are consistent, but there hasn't been any significant change since yesterday. The victims are still showing signs of heightened anxiety and fear, but no new insights into why specific individuals are being targeted."
Shanks nodded, his expression neutral, before turning to Mikhail. "Mikhail, what about your end? Any progress on the historical records or underground network?"
Mikhail sighed, a rare display of emotion from the usually composed man. "Unfortunately, no. I've gone through all the available records and cross-referenced them with the city's maps, but there's nothing new that stands out. The tunnels are still our best lead, but without further information, we're hitting a wall."
Shanks let out a low grunt, his frustration evident. "If that's the case, it seems like today's meeting will be short. We're running out of time, but it looks like we'll have to regroup and—"
Before he could finish, I raised my hand, catching everyone's attention. Shanks paused, his gaze shifting to me with a hint of curiosity. "Astron?"
"I have something to report."
It was the time to reveal everything.