THE PHANTOM THIEF TREASURE
I task the greenies with looking after my gram while I go to Cinnamon’s cave. When I arrive there via teleportation, she doesn’t seem shocked. Well, I guess visiting her all this time has made her fond of me. After my fight with her, I felt guilty for intruding so I would occasionally visit her bearing the monsters that I captured for her as a form of friendship and peace offering. Weirdly enough, she wasn’t hostile against me. I guess she knows that the difference in strength between us is big or maybe she is just forgiving.
Her children have grown quite a lot too. Demon spiders, unlike a lot of monsters like goblins and orcs, their growth speed is slow. So, they need more time to grow. When I fought Cinnamon two months ago, they were still the size of a fist and now they are at least the size of a human baby. Considering Cinnamon’s size, which is basically five times that of an adult male, these guys still have a long road ahead of them.
I then spend some time with Cinnamon and her children. I give them some magic cores of the monsters I defeated. I heard somewhere that monsters can evolve if they eat monster cores. Of course, the higher the level of the monster the better. I wonder if these guys can evolve and if they do, what would they evolve into?
After spending some time with them, it is now time for me to search for the treasure.
This cave doesn’t seem to have any passages anywhere, which means that there is a hidden entrance somewhere.
I then activate Magic Sense. Magic Sense is different from Mana Sense as it senses anything that has a magic signature, be it a magic crystal or a magical item, even a hidden door since that door will probably need magic for it to open. After all, this is a world dependent on magic. Of course, my Magic Sense is different. Not only am I able to detect the place that has magic, but I can also perceive its shape, structure, and properties. Everything I detect would be displayed in my Mindscape in a form of simulation.
I find something. It seems like a small door at the back of the cave. The mechanism seems old and there seems to be a magic circle that blocks Magic Sense, but since a long time has passed, it has probably deteriorated. I guess the old geezer greeny was right, huh.
I blow open the door with a fireball. I then enter the hidden area. There is a staircase leading down. I follow it all the way down to a hidden cave. This cave is much bigger than Cinnamon’s cave and more spacious. There is a small pond in the middle of it and surrounding this pond are treasures.
Gold covers the entire floor. Artifacts, magic items and books are all over the place. I also find materials of unknown origin. I can’t believe what I am seeing. The legend of the infamous Phantom Thief is all true!
I then look over all the contents in the cave. Of course, I am more interested in the books since I might learn something new. The books I find are outstanding. There are secret techniques and magic spells that I have never seen before. I gloss over the books as fast as I can. Thanks to mindscape, I am able to memorise all the contents of the books. I’ll comprehend them later of course. I then find one particular book which piques my interest.
The Phantom Techniques. This book is different from the others. It contains a trace of magical energy in it. The Phantom Technique, huh. I have learned that in this world, magic techniques are magical skills that don’t need the user to chant in order to execute them. They are different from spells but they are also considered weak since it only applies magic to your body.
Skills like enhancing your body with mana are considered magic techniques and the good thing about techniques is that anyone can learn and execute them even if they don’t have any magical attributes. Of course, that depends on the person’s abilities.
This technique is interesting. It seems that the user is able to utilise ‘shadow magic’. Shadow magic is a branch of dark magic but since I haven’t had the chance to learn dark magic, this technique should be a good substitute. This technique allows the user to utilise the power of the shadow.
I then read the book. With it, it seems that you can even be able to use the shadow to move. When moving through the shadow, the technique is called Shadow Exchange. So, basically, it’s like teleportation magic but instead of using space magic, you use the shadow. And since the shadow is virtually everywhere, that means you can literally go anywhere.
No wonder they couldn’t catch the Phantom Thief. With these techniques, you’d basically be invincible during assassinations and info gathering. I guess I’ll learn it later then.
I then peruse the other books and find the Phantom Thief’s diary. It probably tells his story but I’ll read it later. What I am more interested in is the Draconic Book, and it seems to be eluding me. I guess he probably hid it somewhere else. I’m quite disappointed by the turn of events.
It is said that the Draconic Book is the book of the Draconic race, an ancient race that lived in this world ten thousand years ago. That book probably contains the secrets about them and what led to their demise.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
I’ve basically looked at everything that I am interested in. Hmm, what’s this box? I am surprised by a tiny wooden box with a paper bearing two talismans on it. I read in my past life that talismans were things Taoists used for exorcism and imprisoning evil spirits. It can’t have the same meaning in this world, could it? I sense a faint spirit energy emanating from the talismans. But I can’t seem to perceive anything from the wooden box.
Is it made out of some special wood? Wood that is able to bounce back Magic Sense? Interesting. Without further delay, I imbue spirit energy in my hand and rip the two talismans from the wooden box. Immediately, black energy surges out of the wooden box. It is demonic energy. An evil spirit shoots out of it.
“Ha-ha-ha, finally I’m free. After a hundred and fifty years, I’m free. Now, rejoice world, as I’ve come back to dominate hahaha.”
What’s with this cliché line? Huh, so I guess the box did have an evil spirit sealed inside. I guess this world also has Taoists, huh. Oh, and he’s looking at me now.
“Hehe-he, human. I thank you from freeing me but I shall now take over your body. Consider this as a warning for your next life. Never open random boxes with talismans on them.” He then flies towards me and enter into my mind.
In my Mindscape.
“Hehe-he, this is quite a good body. The amount of magic power I sense on it is incredible. With my abilities, I shall make it strong enough to get my revenge on the Holyland.
Especially that cocky Pope.”
“Sorry but this body is already occupied.”
“W-what!!!”
He is shocked. I then appear in my soul avatar form.
“H-how, how are you still alive?”
The moment I possess a person’s body, their consciousness is immediately destroyed. Even though their soul isn’t destroyed, the longer I occupy their bodies the more their soul deteriorates and dies. So, how is his consciousness still intact?
“You seem shocked, but never mind that. Who are you and what are you doing in my mind?”
“To think you still survived. Well, maybe it’s because I was sealed up for a long time so I might have made a mistake in the possession process. So, don’t get cocky human, I can still-”
“How annoying.”
With a wave of my hand, chains appear from the space and entrap the evil spirit.
What the… what did he do?
“Next time, when I ask you a question, answer. Now, who are you?”
“Unleash me, you filthy human. Do you know who I am?”
I then squeeze my hand. The chains binding the evil spirit begin to tighten as they squeeze his body.
“Aaaargh!” the evil spirit screams out in anguish.
W-what’s going on? How can this human still have complete control over his mind? If he had a technique that blocked me from possessing him, then I would’ve understood, so why? Even though I’ve already possessed his body, why am I being subdued?
“The only thing you have to do is to tell me who you are, but due to your stubbornness, you are now suffering. Now, let’s try that again. Who are you and don’t make me ask a third time?”
“I’m a demonic spirit,” he says, tormented and in pain.
Hmm, a demonic spirit huh. I’ve heard of spirits but not demonic spirits.
“What type of spirit is a demonic spirit?” I ask whilst slowly releasing the restraints.
“Well, it’s a demonic spirit. What else can it be?” he says sarcastically. I then tighten the chains again.
“It’s, it’s a spirit of a demon. When a demon dies, it becomes a demon spirit.”
Spirits! When that topic comes up, many people think of the spirits of the world, which are the fire, water, wind, earth, and nature spirits. But there are other spirits, like living spirits. Usually, when a person dies, their spirit goes into the cycle of reincarnation. But some, who still have regrets in this world, turn into wandering spirits.
Over time, these spirits change becoming wraiths, especially if they have resentment over something. Necromancers, which are people who are able to use death magic, are able to utilise these spirits and make them into zombies and etcetera. Some of these spirits turn to ghosts, ghouls and even skeleton soldiers.
When demons die, they turn into demon spirits. Of course, that is if they have any regrets or resentment. But unlike human spirits, demonic spirits are much stronger. Their ability to possess other living beings is top level. Even though a spirit loses its memories of its past life along with their abilities, demonic spirits don’t lose all their memories and they can still use some of their abilities.
“I see. Well, I no longer have questions for you. Die.” After saying this, I tighten the chains.
“Wait, wait. I can be of use to you. I have knowledge. Knowledge I’ve gathered for hundreds of years. If you spare
me, I can give you all of that knowledge.”
“Not interested.”
“I- I can tell you about the Holyland. (Chains tighten) I- I can tell you about the Elementals. (Chains tighten further) I can tell you a-about the Drago-nic Bo-o-k.”
Hmm, the Draconic Book. I then release the chains.
“The Draconic Book!”
“Yes, the Draconic book,” he wheezes and coughs. “I know where that bastard thief hid it. I can tell you where it is, you just have to promise that you’ll let me live.”
“Well, I do want to know where the book is, but leaving you alive will only cause problems in the future, especially
with that possession ability of yours.”
“I- I can serve you then. Yes, I’ll be your slave.”
“Slave, huh? Are you even worthy to be my slave? What can you even do for me other than being a nuisance?”
“Even though I’m not sure what this place is, I can tell that it is probably hard to use it alone. Since I’m a demonic spirit and I have possessed quite a fair share of people in my life, I can help you in this space by being your control and provide my advice.”
Hmm, that doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Mindscape is indeed something unbelievable but it is difficult to manage it alone. I haven’t even used 50% of its capabilities yet. Having him under my control will be like having two brains. He can be responsible for analysing the enemy movements while I execute. And with him here, I can probably try ‘That’. If I succeed in ‘That’, then my magic fighting capabilities will improve significantly.
“Okay, I won’t kill you but of course, you’ll have to sign a servant-master contract with me.”
“Servant-master contract! I know I was the one who said I was going to be your slave but-”
I glare at him while holding up my hand.
“You know what, a servant-master contract sounds sublime.”
We then sign the contract. Now, he will do everything I say. “So, what’s your name?”
“Well, I don’t remember my past life’s name and I don’t have a new one. People did call me the ‘The Destroyer’ though.”
“Well, I guess I’ll call you Ray, starting from today.”
He then tells me where the Draconic Book is. It turns out that the Phantom Thief hid it at the bottom of the pond. How cautious of him. I swim down and retrieve it. I then store everything from the cave in my storage space.