The three men stood at the mansion’s gates, their silhouettes casting long shadows in the fading daylight.
Halc, the mage, adjusted his backpack with an annoyed grunt. “Are you sure we should waste our time here?”
“It’s not wasting time, you idiot! Look how big the mansion is!” Gerg, the swordsman, snapped. He gestured toward the grand structure before them with a broad sweep of his armored arm.
“There must be valuable things inside, and if someone lives here—well, we’ll just kill them and take what’s ours! Haha!”
Halc frowned, unimpressed.
“The outer appearance makes it clear this place has been abandoned for years. I doubt there’s anything valuable left. Let’s just head to the new dungeon already. That thief is probably already there, claiming the treasure.”
“You dumbass! If there’s even a single valuable thing inside, I’ll shove it in your fucking mouth! And if that bitch already got the loot, we’ll kill her too!”
“Enough of the fighting already!” Vito, the assassin, cut in, his voice sharp but calm.
“Sigh. Fine, I’ll scout ahead. If I don’t find anything worth our time, we’ll head straight to the dungeon.”
“Good idea, but if you try to take anything for yourself, I’ll kill you. Got it?”
“Yes, yes, I get it,” Vito replied, waving off the threat as if it were nothing.
The assassin approached the mansion’s heavy front door, his movements silent and calculated. As he stepped into the shadow of the doorway, his form faded into darkness. He activated 《Shadowmeld》 and disappeared, his intangible form slipping through the cracks of the door and into the mansion.
⊶☽☬☾⊷
Alistair had been listening from behind the door, her crimson eyes narrowed in disdain. Their voices carried easily to her enhanced ears, each word dripping with greed and arrogance.
Trying to steal valuable items? Unfortunately, I’ve already checked every corner of this mansion. There’s nothing valuable here—except me, of course. And, well, to be precise… I’m priceless.
Her cold amusement was short-lived as she felt the ripple of dark energy near the door. Her senses sharpened.
《Shadowmeld》? it’s a D-grade skill, so I’m not surprised. But his use of it is clumsy.
she thought, observing the intangible form of Vito as he slipped inside.
Remaining still, Alistair melded with the shadows in the corner of the room. To the untrained eye, she was indistinguishable from any ordinary shadow. She watched as Vito’s shadow moved erratically, darting from room to room in his search.
His 《Shadowmeld》isn’t nearly as quick as mine. I wonder... What happens when an intangible form encounters another intangible? Will it harm him, or will it have no effect at all?
Instead of acting immediately, she moved silently to the second floor, staying one step ahead of Vito. She positioned herself near the staircase, her crimson eyes glowing faintly as she observed the assassin’s shadow approaching.
I don’t have any attack skills yet. If this follows the cliché, vampire claws should be a thing… long, sharp nails. I have a sense that I could use them. Is this my vampiric instinct?
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
But those would still be physical. I need something else. I have no choice but to use Umbramancy and acquire a new skill.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Vito’s shadow reached the second floor. Alistair focused, her mind conjuring an image of a shadowy tentacle. The thought caused the dark energy to manifest, and a tentacle of shadow formed silently at her command.
---
Congratulations!
You have acquired a new skill:
《{D} Abyssal Tentacles》
The Abyssal Tentacles skill enables the user to summon dark tentacles from the abyss, striking enemies with swift and fierce blows. The more mana the user utilizes, the faster and more destructive the onslaught becomes.
---
Well, that worked out.
She then commanded the tentacle to strike. It lashed out with precision, piercing through Vito’s intangible form. The assassin let out a sharp, startled scream as the tentacle forced him out of 《Shadowmeld》, his shoulder bleeding where the shadow had penetrated him.
Taking advantage of his momentarily stunned state, Alistair wasted no time and leaped from her hiding place. She applied pressure to her fingers, transforming her nails into razor-sharp claws. It felt natural. She moved with terrifying speed, driving her hand toward his throat to silence him.
Vito’s scream cut off mid-way as her claws tore through his neck, blood spraying in a crimson arc. He fell to the ground, clutching his throat as his lifeblood gushed between his fingers.
The piercing scream of Vito echoed through the mansion, only to be cut off abruptly. Alistair clenched her jaw, her hunger clawing at her insides, but she forced herself to stay composed. She knew that scream wouldn’t go unnoticed.
“They are coming,” she muttered under her breath, forcing herself to suppress the gnawing hunger.
Blood still dripped from her claws, but she couldn’t indulge—not yet. Instead, she merged back into the shadows with Shadowmeld, vanishing from sight.
⊶☽☬☾⊷
Outside the mansion, Gerg froze mid-step, his expression hardening as the sound of Vito’s scream reached him.
“That’s Vito’s voice!” Halc exclaimed, his eyes wide with concern as he glanced at the swordsman.
“I already knew that, you bastard!” Gerg barked, his tone filled with irritation and urgency. Without wasting another second, he broke into a sprint, charging toward the mansion’s front door.
Halc was slower to react, burdened by his large backpack and lack of physical strength. As he jogged behind Gerg, he shouted,
“Wait, Gerg! Let's think this through. Going there without knowing is dangerous!”
“Bastard! Just get on with it already!” Gerg shouted but didn’t slow down.
“Okay, so listen. His scream was cut off. That means he’s dead. But he was using Shadowmeld... How could anyone kill him in that state? Isn't that strange?”
“Another Umbramancy user? That means…” Gerg replied, answering the question as the most experienced in the group. He glanced over his shoulder briefly and cursed under his breath. The gap between him and Halc was widening quickly.
“Oi, dumbass! behind you!”
Halc barely had time to turn his head before a figure emerged from the shadow behind him—a girl. No, something far more dangerous.
Gerg’s breath hitched for a brief moment. She was stunning—ethereal beauty were enough to make even the most disciplined man pause. Her pale skin and delicate features gave her an angelic appearance. But her bloodied hand, razor-sharp claws, and feral grin betrayed the truth.
She was no angel.
Before Halc could react, Alistair’s clawed hand shot forward, piercing Halc’s head. The mage didn't even to let out a sound, his wand clattering to the floor as his lifeless body crumpled.
Gerg didn’t hesitate. In a single, fluid motion, he leaped forward, his large frame closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His sword gleamed as he swung it with precision and speed.
Alistair’s eyes widened slightly. She had underestimated him. She thought she had plenty of time to kill Halc and retreat into the shadows before Gerg arrived. But his speed was shocking, especially for someone of his size.
It's doesn't make sense, how could he move that fast!? Is it another skill!? her mind racing as she leaped back into the shadows.
But she wasn’t fast enough. The tip of Gerg’s sword grazed her face just as she turned intangible, leaving a shallow but stinging cut that sent a small stream of blood trickling down her pale skin.
Because of his speed, Gerg's blade collided with the wall behind her, sending smoke and debris billowing into the air. The momentary distraction was all Alistair needed. She lunged forward, her claws slashing toward Gerg’s stomach.
Gerg jumped back, clutching his abdomen. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he used his sword to draw a circle below his feet, and it glowed with a bluish color.
He glanced at his hand, surprised to find no blood. He looked at where Alistair was, but she had disappeared into the darkness.
“Haha! Little girl! You can’t use mana veil, can you? Were you just born yesterday?!”
𓆩✧𓆪