Chapter 54
[Please wait, Host.]
A few seconds passed.
[Talent creation complete: Veil of Silence (Supreme Grade).]
Ethan felt it immediately—something slipping into his body, into his very soul. Knowledge flooded his mind. He could feel the essence of the talent, its skills, its subtle yet overwhelming power.
He opened his eyes minutes later.
He hadn't activated anything. He hadn't moved.
But already, his presence felt… dimmed. Distant. Like even standing in a crowd, no one would ever truly see him.
"System, show me the description."
⸻
[Talent: Veil of Silence — What is not seen, is not touched.]
• Blank Presence (Passive): You become unnoticeable. Even in plain sight, you appear forgettable—background noise to the world.
• Erase Step (Active): Every step leaves no trace—no sound, no prints, no scent. You pass like a ghost.
• Mindblind (Passive): Attempts to detect, track, or remember you without your consent lead only to confusion and false memories.
• Seal Truth (Active): You may hide truths—yours or others'. Intentions, past actions, even facts vanish from knowing.
• No One Beneath The Sky (Active): For a short time, you cease to exist. Untraceable. Erased from fate, magic, memory, time, and divine sight.
⸻
Ethan grinned, eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "With this, even the Forest of Death might become just a long walk."
His thoughts drifted.
"Esmeray… Anita… I wonder where they are. Have they reached the 10th floor too?"
He frowned. He'd forgotten to give them communication tools before they separated.
"Knowing those two, they'll cause some kind of chaos. Especially Anita… she's an angel. She draws attention like fire draws moths."
He paused.
"…Worst case, I will have to make myself known. Not as Ethan, of course. But as…"
He blinked.
"…Wait. I never came up with a name for this new identity."
A wicked grin spread across his face.
"Let's go with something cool."
"I'll be the one who trades beneath the light of the world. I deal in everything—life, death, souls, emotions. So long as one is ready to pay the price of their wish…"
"I will be known as… The Merchant Beneath the World."
The grin widened. The persona was born.
Time for its debut.
First step? A simple act of trade. Granting common folk what they desire. Build whispers. Spread reputation. Nothing too flashy… yet.
And with Veil of Silence, no one could trace it back to him.
Ethan stood, activating Erase Step. His footsteps vanished as he headed toward the heart of the city.
⸻
Meanwhile…
Esmeray had just completed her 9th Trial. She now stood on the 10th floor.
But not in the Kingdom of Balor.
She stood amidst shadows—in demon lands, her new racial homeland.
A realm of twilight skies and cursed soil.
Demons turned to stare.
Her appearance was unhidden—horns, wings, and a scent that made male demons around her nearly fall into madness. A true succubus.
"A succubus? It's been ages…"
"There's only one other in this city—the Red District leader."
Esmeray heard them whisper and smirked faintly.
She wasn't here to hide.
A voice echoed in her mind, deep and ancient.
"Master… what shall we do? Awaken your class and challenge the 10th floor?"
It was Dracula—her strongest undead. An ancient vampire, loyal and bound.
Esmeray smiled. "Yes. Let's awaken my class… but not to challenge the floor."
"I have someone to meet, my master."
Dracula frowned. "I still don't understand how you can have a master. It's… confusing."
"You'll understand when you see him."
"And how are we supposed to find him? For all we know, he's on the other side of this realm."
Esmeray chuckled—low, sultry, confident. "He'll do something absurd. He always does. I just need to keep my ears open."
She turned toward the west.
"Let's head toward the human kingdoms. He'll be in one of them."
Dracula nodded, his curiosity piqued. "Let's call him Grandmaster, then. Otherwise, things might get awkward."
And so, Esmeray began her journey toward Ethan.
⸻
Elsewhere…
Anita was already on the 10th floor.
She had been dropped into a poor, sickly village. Disease, hunger, despair—she had seen it all upon arrival.
She healed them. Fed them.
Her holy aura, her angelic presence—these people had never seen anything like her. To them, she was not a visitor.
She was a divine messenger.
They began to worship her.
And now… she was stuck.
She sat in the most lavish room they could offer—still modest, by most standards—and pondered.
Her appearance had changed. Taller, more mature. A woman now. As beautiful as she was powerful.
A perk of her race.
She frowned, whispering softly, "I miss Mister…"
She could leave. Nothing stopped her. But something pulled at her heart.
"I want to build something here. A faith. For him."
Yes. That was the reason she stayed.
She would play along. Act the angel. Because she was one.
But not just any angel.
"The Angel of my Mister."
She tapped her chin, eyes shining with mischief and devotion.
"But… what divine name should I give him?"
She grinned.
"Let's go with something mysterious… something weighty."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, reverent and resolute.
"The Forgotten One. The True God."
She rose from her seat.
"Yes. I am his Angel. And I am here to spread his name through every world, every dimension. His message… will be heard."
Anita smiled.
This was going to be fun.
—End of Chapter 54—