Once he got the green light for the mission, he headed straight for the nearest portal to the Ikokha Barony.
While strolling down the corridor, he took a peek at the extra mission details. They were only accessible after he'd accepted the gig.
So, this barony's on the western side of the empire, right next to a forest swarming with magical beasts. Business is booming there, thanks to the trade between mercenaries bagging magic beast loot and merchants flocking to buy it.
Lately, one of those mercenaries stumbled upon a magic silver mine. Magic silver's a hot commodity for making magic gear because it can blend materials that are polar opposites, like metal with fire and ice attributes. Super valuable stuff.
But here's the twist: the mine's smack dab between Ikokha and Xelux Barony. Normally, these two don't butt heads. They've got different hustles — Ikokha's all about magic beast loot, while Xelux deals in grains.
Yet, whoever snags control of the silver mine could leap ahead in the game, maybe even swallow up the other's turf. That's how crucial this mine is.
Both Baron Ikokha and Baron Xelux hit up their bosses ASAP. The Xelux bigwig's closer by, so he's got the upper hand. Baron Ikokha's thinking of ditching his castle and laying low 'til his boss shows up.
But he's freaking out about leaving his fam vulnerable while he's on the run. That's why he's shipping them off to friendly territory, Seton Barony. Midway through their journey, though, word gets out to Baron Xelus that Ikokha's fam's on the lam to Seton Barony.
Dude's got a shady plan to use Ikokha's fam as leverage for his own gain. So, he sends his goons, even some loose wizards, to nab 'em. When Ikokha hears his fam's in trouble, he scrambles to round up some backup.
He even drops some serious cash to hire a wizard from the lightning tower, this dude, me, to make sure the operation goes smoothly.
His job? Link up with the crew Ikokha's rallied and catch up to Ikokha's fam caravan. Then, make sure they make it to Seton Barony in one piece.
Standing at the teleporter, he hands over his badge. Once they give him the thumbs up, he gets his badge back.
The teleporter lights up like a Christmas tree. With his mana sense, he feels the space quake before everything's engulfed in blinding white light. He shuts his eyes to save 'em from the glare.
When he opens 'em, he's smack in the middle of a forest. Surprise, surprise.
After checking there's no one within 500 meters, he swaps out his robe and throws on his mask.
Consulting the empire map he snagged, he darts off in a direction. He gives his legs a little boost and keeps his mana usage in check. The enhancement does not the base level enhancement of [Body Enhancement - Mana], but just enough to be covered by his natural mana recovery.
Man, it's been forever since he left the tower. Scratch that, he's never even set foot in a forest. Not in this life, not in the last. He's got Zack's memories of playing on the forest outskirts, but that's the original's memory.
After a four-hour sprint, he takes a breather. Night's falling, so he plans to munch a bit and then hit the road for another four hours before calling it quits.
As he chews on his jerky, he can't help but miss the tower's mouthwatering chocolate cake. Should he pack some next time he's out? Heck yeah.
Once he finishes his chow, he's back on his feet and moving slower this time, keeping an eye out. Then, a light bulb goes off.
Why not tweak his mana to match his surroundings? Bingo, [Hidden Strength] would pair up perfectly with that.
He hides his mana completely, making himself seem like just another face in the crowd. But that's not enough. He wants to vanish altogether, even from the magical radar.
In a flash, his body heat, scent, and presence vanish. Dayum, this power's insane. Only downside? He's like a black hole now, totally standing out in the surroundings.
Time for round two: environment assimilation. He closes his eyes and tunes into the mana vibes around him.
He sucks in some surrounding mana and blends it with his own. Suddenly, he's one with nature. His scent's swapped for the smell of the woods, and his body heat matches the forest. He even spots a snake slithering by his feet.
Quick work. But there's a hitch — since mana varies across the environment, he's gotta keep tweaking his blend as he moves around.
But hey, with his skills, no biggie.
Next up, fine-tuning his mana sense. Even though it looks like he's just sending out tiny ripples, it's still too obvious. So, he dials it down until it's just a whisper, enough to spot obstacles and critters nearby.
Time to name these tricks. First up, [Environment Mimicry], and then [Mana Sense - Subtle Ver]. Nice.
With that sorted, he hits the road. Damn, [Hidden Strength]'s even better than he thought. It muffles his footsteps, the rustle of his clothes, even the clinks in his bag. Everything that relates to his presence disappear. It's like he's a ghost.
Sorry, folks, this is one of those overpowered tales. OP stuff's as common as dirt here. Apologies to any imaginary readers, he keeps on moving.
Four hours later, he stumbles upon a group camping out. Since it's close to where Ikokha's fam's holed up, he figures this is his crew. After eyeballing them, he confirms it.
He approaches the watchman. "Hey, are you the backup for Baron Ikokha?"
Dude nearly jumps out of his skin, sword at the ready. What's his deal? Rude bunch!
Alden Blackwood POV
He's leading the squad rounded up by Baron Ikokha for this mission, which is no walk in the park because there could be apprentice wizards among the enemy ranks.
He's been put in charge because he's a level 6 magic knight, a rank where he can hold his own against those apprentice wizards. You see, once magic knights hit level 4, they start learning to project their aura outside their bodies.
That's why they can start to contend against apprentice wizards. A level 6 magic knight like him can even take on a top-notch level 3 apprentice wizard.
Right now, he and his crew are out in the wild, camping near where the Baron's family convoy is hiding out.
He and one of his teammates are on lookout duty when suddenly he hears a voice to his right.
"Hey there, are you the backup brought in by Baron Ikokha?"
As soon as he hears the voice, he springs into action, ready to throw down if need be. He's taken aback. Could it be an assassin? Only someone with higher mastery and level than him could slip past his senses.
But when he lays eyes on the speaker, his surprise deepens. Normally, even with an assassin, you can sense their presence once you see them. But this guy? Without using his vision, he can't feel a thing.
It's like he's looking at a mirage.
The other guy keeps talking. "Sorry for spooking you, but I'm a wizard backup sent by Baron Ikokha. He said he passed my info along to you." He pulls out a badge and flashes it.
He's itching to draw his sword and inspect the badge. It's got a faintly glowing emblem of the lightning magic tower. Hmm... the badge seems legit, almost like a rare artifact.
That emblem definitely belongs to the lightning magic tower. And the crackling lightning mana swirling around the badge confirms it's the real deal.
But is this guy really an apprentice wizard? Most wizards from the lightning magic tower have a booming presence. This guy? He's more like an assassin, a pretty formidable one at that.
"...Welcome aboard. Yeah, the Baron filled me in on your details."
Zack POV
Man, this dude's nerves are shot. I swear, every little move I make and he's on edge. But as soon as I whip out my badge, he chills and loosens his grip on the sword.
Weird vibes, man. Whatever.
So, we start chatting as we walk. Turns out, he's Alden, leader of the backup crew. Figures, the guy's got more mana than me. Not as much as those big shot wizard profs in the tower though. Those guys are like walking bombs!
And the way his mana's all steady around him? Yeah, he's no joke in a fight.
He points me to a spot to pitch my tent at camp. Once I'm set up and ready to crash, it hits me — I forgot to increase my presence as a level 2 Apprentice Wizard, and you know, as a regular human being.
Wait a sec, is that why Alden freaked earlier? Eh, whatever. Time for some shut-eye.
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Name: Zack
Age: 10/100
Occupation: Apprentice wizard
Mana: 20/20 (75/75)
Overt Talent: [Low Mana Manipulation Correction], [Low Mana Sensory Correction]
Hidden Talent: [Limitless Mana Well], [Advanced Mana Manipulation Correction], [Advanced Mana Sensory Correction], [Advanced Intelligence Correction]
Hidden Boss Abilities: [Hidden Strength]
HBP: 0
HB Progress Bar: 10/100%
Expand Hidden Boss abilities Store? yes/no
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