Leon was reckless last night and this morning. Too reckless even by his own standards.
First, he attended the auction without the permission of the Bull, Hector Norman. Second, he stole the portrait under the eyes, noses, and ears of everyone in the most reckless way possible. Third, he allowed himself to get chased across the streets by Mages no less. Fourth, he left a card with his Title on it.
There are also a few more points but those were the main ones which would infuriate everyone at the moment.
Starting with the first, Leon disobeyed the Bull deliberately because he has no acknowledgment of that thug's authority whatsoever. He was always a wild card and led his own missions the way he likes. And as long as he has an excuse for that, it is safe.
He stole the painting in a very daring way because he had the chance and the skill to do so. Actually, he was so sure of himself as he used [Read] on basically everyone and everything to make sure no one is on to him and no magic traps in the way. He also has a way to explain this part to the Bull but he will have to lie. More to it, his title [Legendary Thief] is not for decoration. The effect of this title is like a 100% Enhanced Thievery skill which a skill wouldn't grant this bonus even if it is Level 10.
Also, he returned back to the auction and decided to stop the tracking spell there for two reasons. First, to fool Zal and Hector Norman as he can't simply say that he walked out of the Auction House with the painting in hand but saying that he hid it inside then returned to pick it up will be more believable; second, to leave a Card behind.
Leaving the Card behind is a very bad move for a thief but he was not a traditional thief. As a Medjay agent, he didn't steal for pleasure but rather for a just cause and the cards he left were to send a message. He wasn't sending any message in particular here but rather working on spreading his Title, the Black Cobra.
It was said in the title description that he will be able to gain insane benefits from advancing the fame of this title. The first thing is the Black Cobra Martial Arts.
What is that? Even Shady has no idea there was a thing called the Black Cobra Martial Arts. Hell, he was good in many Martial Arts but not to the point to have a style called after him. It got him curious still.
Even more, a System Update was confirmed which is rather odd but he wouldn't turn down the good stuff, would he now? Who knows! Maybe he will get the Cobra Mobile this time which the Medjay higher-ups refused to give him all that time.
But that wasn't time for losing one's self in silly thoughts, he and Zal had to ditch the carriage somewhere at the river's bank before changing their clothes and crossing the river to the northern district with a boat.
All that time, Leon carried a container on his shoulder and made sure that it didn't look suspicious. Once they stepped foot into the northern district, they dissolved into the stream of people going out for their jobs.
***
Back in Zal's Workshop.
"We did it?" Zal asked.
"We did." Leon patted his shoulder.
"We did?" Zal asked again, almost fainting.
"Oh we did." Leon confirmed.
"But… I… I haven't done much…" Zal said with a tragic face.
"What are you talking about?" Leon furrowed his brows, "Do you think this could have happened without your help?"
Of course the answer is yes.
"I didn't… I didn't do much really… and all the equipment I prepared were not used." Zal said.
"Don't worry about that." Leon denied it, "Do you know how impossible that mission was? You were brilliant, Zal."
"I was?" Zal asked.
"You were." Leon said, "Also, my job is done but yours is far from over."
"W- W- What… of, wait, right." Zal finally stopped stuttering and remembered what he had to do, "This way… this way."
Leon and Zal entered the inner workshop and cleared a table. Zal started cleaning it from the oils and the liquids before bringing out four sheets of cotton and put them on the table then looked at Leon.
"We will have to wash our hands very well, wear soft gloves of leather and cover out noses and mouths. I don't know how you managed to pull the painting out of the portrait but it wasn't a wise call." Zal said.
"I found it like that." Leon said as he pointed at the container.
"Alright. We have to handle it with care as we take it out. Old paper can be very tricky."
"I handled Papyruses before, this is easy." Leon replied.
"Papyruses? Like the ones from the Holy Palace that are called the Great Hymn to the Light?" Zal fanatically asked.
"Don't know what that is." Leon said, "You're religious?"
"No, not at all. My parents were though. I was kicked out from the Holy City of Lanus eight years ago."
"Hah!" Leon laughed, "Not hard to imagine."
"I'll go bring the tools."
Zal ran out of the room and started rummaging into his stuff as Leon took out the actual painting from his [Space-Time Magic - Storage]. The painting peacefully appeared on the cotton sheets and didn't seem in any way disturbed. Leon looked at it smiling and proud of how flawless he pulled this one.
"Oh! You took it out. Flawless work." Zal approached Leon and looked at the painting, "Beautiful work. This type of paper can survive beyond the normal paper rags made of hemp and linen."
"You know your paper." Leon said.
"Indeed." Zal nodded, "I will frame it and seal it while you rest. The Bull wakes up late so we won't find him now anyway."
"Yeah! I can finally sleep then." Leon said, "Is there a place I can rest?"
"Anything you can lay your body on." Zal said as he started working diligently on the painting.
Meanwhile, Leon retreated to a sofa that seemed clean enough and away from the smell of the paint and oil as he stretched his body on it and started thinking as he usually does before sleeping.
His head was busy but today, he managed to gain a new spell as well.
"Mysticism Magic? That thing is rather broad." He sighed.
In the Arcane Theory, Mysticism is one of the easiest to learn yet the hardest to master Arcane Skills. It involves dealing with Mana, Souls, and Energies directly which is something Leon has no prior knowledge of.
[A/N: I promise not to repeat stuff from Dragonborn Saga with Mysticism. I just wanted magic about the Null Element.]
So far, Leon employed his otherworldly knowledge to make Magic work in a way no one can usually expect such as the Light Surfing technique he figured out. This spell can be very formidable during the daytime and he has a reserve of Light Mana always ready in his body for emergencies. More so, he has the ability to cast Magic in very innovative ways thanks to his special skill, Unrestrained Magic.
All he needs is to know the theory and the application will be just possible.
Back to the Mysticism Magic. This sort of Magic deals with simple spells such as Mana Shield, Arcane Bolt, and Magic Detection spells but Leon has no way to wrap his brain around it other than trying to decipher the things he read about it in the Arcane Theory.
Still, what is the limit for such a thing? All Leon needed to do is to imagine and think.
The most broken method he could think of is to make using magic cost-effective and to completely dismantle the magic of the enemies. It needed extensive knowledge and a lot of concentration but he is bored most of the time and magic is an interesting toy that he found. Who doesn't want a little bit of super abilities to play with from time to time?
But that [Mystic Mark] is rather a good one. The caster can leave an imprint of his own Mana on anything and anyone then within a certain radius depending on the skill, they can feel that mark. In other words, a GPS tracker with a limited range. It can be pretty useful or pretty dangerous depending if the target finds out about it or not.
But Leon was still curious about this Raw Mana which the Mysticism Magic revolves around. He summoned the Mystic Mark spells once and twice and thrice and always kept casting it halfway wrong and twisting its circle and circulation by trying to stop the System from automatically casting it for him.
In the end, he managed to gain some insight after he wasted the few hours he was supposed to sleep in.
< [Enhanced Mana Sense Lv.1] has been added to your Status. >
Sensing the Mana was a tedious job and he finally started to have a feel for it. His first impression was…
"Cold."
He wondered what sort of energy it would be and how can such cold energy generate something like Fire or Lightning. He just thought that way and the energy he felt gradually turned Hot.
He thinks of it as cold, it becomes cold. He thinks of it as hot, it becomes hot.
"Awesome."
That was no direct manipulation and it is not something he could feel with his skin but rather with a sense he never really knew he would have.
Strange as it felt, it was all new to him and he had to rather fix his own senses in an interesting way. He tried to even confuse himself and try sensing magic in trickier ways but it wasn't that easy still.
However, he detected a strange magic signal after searching within himself. That day he signed up as a Mercenary, he felt a strange sensation coming from his back which Jessica confirmed to be a scar. He tried to Heal it but it didn't work and only the Light Seal spell could put it in place.
At first, Leon thought that he sealed the pain but now he managed to sense the seal he put on himself and sensed one more thing inside it.
"A Spell?"
It was indeed a Mana foreign to himself and not something he remembers to have been used on him by anyone… meaning…
He was being tracked!
"But when? How?"
Leon darted off the sofa he was on and his face went pale in a second.
Hurriedly, he mustered up his own Mana using the Mysticism Magic and the Unrestrained Magic skills then tried to slowly mingle with this spell on his back.
He sweated like a wet dog as his heart started to beat faster than he could handle and despite being messy, he managed to find out where the Mana threads tethering the spell together and quickly undid it.
< You have learned [Mysticism Magic - Dispel] >
A bug spell was on him…
Since when?
Since he met Knight Devon? Or was it from some time else? Or did it happen in the Mercenary Hall?
His head went wild and his mouth became dry.
"Fucking hell!"
There is no longer delaying it. He was tracked and he is not sure if the Seal he put on the Spell worked on not.
He must escape again!
But where? When? How?
Anywhere, tonight, during the Mercenary Mission.
It is this day after all.