Inside the demon door at the Hero's Guild, my Grey Cowl outfit was meticulously arranged on a mannequin. The ensemble gleamed softly in the warm light of the chamber, reflecting the dedication Scarlett and Theresa had poured into its creation. The fabric glimmered with an ethereal quality, and the leather reinforcements beneath spoke of durability and resilience. Over the past few weeks, I had also managed to raise my strength and speed by one rank each, transforming my physique to the point where I no longer needed to stuff the costume with socks and other cloth just to fill it out.
I glanced down at myself, running my hands over the fitted material, feeling the latent power infused within the disguise—a gift from my mother, no doubt. Perhaps this was how all tailors crafted armor that never wore down in the game. The change in my appearance hadn’t gone unnoticed; many older women around the guild had begun to show interest in me, which brought its own set of complications. I’d have to be cautious—any drastic changes would easily catch the eyes of those who knew me. However, I was relieved that my enhanced training kept my muscles from showing too much, providing me with an edge of discretion.
“Is it ready?” I asked Scarlett, my heart racing with anticipation.
She nodded in approval, her expression brightening. “Yep! All you need to do now is don it and head to the ceremony.”
Today was a significant milestone; as Maze previously mentioned, “Grey Cowl” would be directly promoted by the Guild to Hero status, complete with a guild seal. The irony wasn’t lost on me—while I would be celebrated as a hero in one guise, I would still exist as Arn, the apprentice for now, and in another ceremony later on I'd graduate gaining a Seal under that identity. The Guild Seal given would be the same one through a sleight of hand by Maze. It felt surreal to balance these two identities.
I would also have to take on a starter quest to showcase my abilities, but I had no doubt that none would pose a serious challenge. A giant hornet, for example, would barely scratch the surface of my capabilities, thanks to my mastery of time magic. My various techniques, such as time blades, would make short work of it. Yet a troubling thought crept into my mind—where would I get a new weapon? My Dollmaster's mace had been destroyed in my last encounter with Jack of Blades.
The frying pan, my humorous yet potent alternative, technically had five augmentation slots, but only if all five were activated at once. I had always referred to it as the “Mana Ladle” for its ability to siphon magic when equipped with 5 Mana Augmentations. Mana augmentations are also super rare and only available in late-game areas. I can simply just use my magic for now but relying solely on it felt inadequate; I needed a close-range weapon that could supplement my magic, ideally something with mana augmentation to restore my energy faster during battles.
Unfortunately, the only feasible weapon that fit that description was the N.W.A. Staff, but that resided in Snowspire, a location I couldn't access without a magic ship. The only way to gain access to such a ship was to defeat Jack and locate a demon door that was yet to manifest.
Frustration bubbled beneath my calm exterior, but I forced myself to stay focused. I had to think creatively. There was another option: the Hobbe Caster. Though technically a sword, it resembled a staff or mace, with an enchanted crystal mounted on a sturdy stick. I could take the crystal and mount it on a steel rod of my design. Plus, I had the ability to change its color using dye, allowing me to maintain my mysterious appearance.
“Mother, can we make a quick trip to the Hobbe-infested caves?” I asked, hoping she would understand the urgency behind my request.
Scarlett tilted her head, curiosity etched on her face. “Why do you need to go there?”
“I need a new weapon that looks mysterious,” I explained, gesturing toward the Grey Cowl outfit. “I can change the Hobbe Caster’s crystal’s appearance with dye and mount it on a steel rod for the time being. It would fit my aesthetic perfectly.”
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Scarlett regarded me thoughtfully for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. “Those caves are dangerous, especially with the Hobbes running rampant. You could get hurt.”
“I know the risks, but I need this, Scarlett,” I replied earnestly. “I can't go into this new life unprepared. The more prepared I am, the more I can protect those I care about.”
With a sigh, she relented, “Fine. Just promise me you'll be careful.”
“Always,” I said, a grin spreading across my face. “And besides, if I get into trouble, I’ll have a backup plan.”
I donned my disguise, becoming Grey Cowl once more. Instead of walking out of the demon door, we used my mother's Guild Seal. The seal could teleport to any Cullis Gate and had a return function to any previously visited location that wasn’t a gate. Using this function allowed me to keep my second identity hidden. Otherwise, someone might notice I entered the demon door as Arn right before Grey Cowl emerged. Eventually, even a slow individual would put two and two together.
Using her seal, we teleported to the Greatwood Cullis Gate, which is just a short road up from the caves where the Hobbes resided.
Just as we reached the area that forked to the caves and Darkwood, we spotted a group of Hobbes. One was a mage with a staff—bingo, just what I wanted!
Mother rushed forward, wielding her massive sword and swinging at the larger red Hobbes. I quickly activated a time shield to block the mage's magic attack, my heart racing. I really needed to figure out how they executed that spell! Through my Will vision, I could see them forcing energy into the augmentation until it nearly burst, then directing that extra energy to branch off as an attack. The energy had effectively copied the effects of fire and sharpness, acting like a grenade. I wondered if it was possible to replicate augmentations this way.
Focusing on my light magic, I formed a laser from my hand and fired it at the mage, killing him instantly. I seized the Hobbe Caster, removing its crystal and tucking it into my robes.
Activating her seal again, we teleported back to the demon door. Afterward, we went to Bowerstone South, where I approached the blacksmith.
“I need a metal staff,” I said, urgency in my tone. “Something sturdy to hold a crystal at the top.”
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. “That’ll take some time. You want it decorated or smooth?”
“No need to polish or smooth it out. I want it to have a black steel appearance and look hammered,” I replied, envisioning how it would complement my Grey Cowl outfit.
“Right, I’ll get on that right away,” he said, jotting down the details.
Just down the street, I stopped at the tailor. “What dyes do you have on hand?” I asked.
“People don't normally ask for dyes, but I’ll see what we have,” the trader replied.
I waited several minutes before he returned from the back of the store. “We have pink and dark blue.”
“I’ll take the dark blue, please,” I answered, pulling out the 600 gold a single bottle of dye costs.
Returning to the blacksmith, I found the smith just finishing my earlier request. He had probably had a steel bar lying around that nearly fit the description I asked for, and my request was simple enough that any good smith could finish it quickly. After about half an hour, he completed the staff, and I paid him, eager to begin assembling my new weapon.
Scarlett teleported back to the demon door at the Guild. As I was currently Grey Cowl I would need to walk in the front door. Stopping along the road to the guild I made a detour to where a silver key was hidden. I had no need of the key but the spot was out of sight. Carefully I placed the crystal within the end of my new staff. It wedged in tightly, and by some magic I didn't understand, it fused into place. I then applied the blue dye, which wouldn't be permanent but wouldn't come off easily, either. With my new staff assembled, I felt a surge of confidence as I made my way back to the guild.
The ceremony began promptly, the atmosphere charged with excitement. I was granted a guild seal of my own, a symbol of my new status and responsibilities. Thunder, ever the arrogant rival, hurled insults at me throughout the ceremony. The Guildmaster and Maze had to intervene multiple times to silence him, their eyes flashing with irritation.
"You think you're so special just because you wear that ridiculous outfit!" he sneered, a smirk plastered across his face.
But I stood tall, refusing to let his taunts affect me. The truth was, guys like Thunder inevitably found themselves humbled one day. You could only be that arrogant if you were constantly striving to be the best, and from what I had heard, he had gotten lazy.
The ceremony continued, and as I accepted my guild seal, I felt the weight of my dual identity settle upon me. I was Grey Cowl now, but Arn would always be a part of me. I would walk the line between these two lives, one shrouded in mystery and the other filled with the warmth of familial love and friendship. I was determined to succeed in both roles, to protect those I cared about while striking fear into the hearts of my enemies.
As I took my place among the Heroes of the Guild, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a much larger journey.