As Raven returned to his room, pondering the strange encounter, he suddenly received a system notification.
[System Notification: As part of an annual evolution, the system will randomly upgrade one of your abilities by 1 to 3 ranks. This will occur once a year.]
Raven's eyes widened at the unexpected message. "Randomly evolve one of my abilities?" he muttered, his mind racing with possibilities. A sudden upgrade could drastically shift his strength, depending on which ability it affected. The potential for growth was enormous.
Before he could dwell on it further, another notification appeared.
[System Notification: This year's random evolution has begun.]
Raven felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere around him, as if the system itself was calculating in real-time. He sat on his bed, his heart pounding in anticipation.
[System Notification: Choosing random skill...]
He clenched his fists, watching the screen intently. There was a long pause, the tension building as the system cycled through his various abilities. Which one would it be?
[System Notification: Choosing random evolution rank between 1 to 3...]
His breath hitched. The difference between a single rank and three ranks could be immense. His mind raced with possibilities—if Wind Manipulation or Regeneration were to evolve, the effects could be life-changing.
He waited, the seconds feeling like an eternity. Finally, the system chimed again.
[System Notification: Stealth has been selected.]
Raven blinked in surprise. Stealth? He hadn't been expecting that one. But before he could react further, the screen flashed again.
[System Notification: Stealth has been evolved by 3 ranks. New rank: SS.]
Raven's eyes widened in disbelief. "SS rank...?" he whispered. The implications of this were massive. His Stealth ability had just jumped from B-rank to SS-rank in one leap. With this evolution, his ability to disappear from sight and avoid detection would be on a whole new level, far beyond what even the most skilled users of Stealth could achieve.
A grin spread across his face. This was exactly the kind of power-up he needed.
Raven stepped out into the cool night air, the city beyond the manor sprawling before him like a vast, glittering web of streets and alleys. The moon hung high, casting a silver glow over the rooftops and streets. This was his chance to test the newfound power of his Stealth ability, now enhanced to an astonishing SS-rank.
With a deep breath, he activated Stealth. Instantly, the world around him shifted. It wasn't just that he had become invisible—no, this was something far greater. The air itself seemed to bend around him, warping the space and sound in his immediate vicinity. He felt as though he had melted into the night, his presence not just hidden but erased.
He glanced down at his hands, marveling at how even to his own eyes, they seemed to fade away into nothingness. No reflection in the faint light, no sound of footsteps, not even the usual faint rustling of clothing. This was beyond anything he'd experienced before.
A grin spread across his face. "Let's see how far I can push this."
He made his way down the winding streets, slipping past guards posted near the manor gates with ease. They stood alert, scanning the area for any intruders, but not a single one of them sensed his presence as he moved past them like a shadow.
Raven's confidence grew as he ventured further into the city. The streets were bustling with late-night activity—shops still open, vendors selling food and wares, and the occasional group of people chatting outside taverns. But even in the crowded spaces, no one paid him any mind. He was invisible, not just in sight but in presence.
As he moved deeper into the heart of the city, he noticed a group of men gathered around a table in an open courtyard, playing a game of cards. Their laughter echoed in the night, and gold coins clinked as they exchanged bets. Raven crouched low and approached them, eager to test the limits of his new Stealth ability.
He crept closer, mere feet from the men, and not a single one of them reacted. Even as he leaned over the table, inspecting their cards and coins, they remained oblivious. He could hear every detail of their conversation, the shuffling of cards, the clinking of glasses. The sensation of being this close, undetected, filled him with excitement.
"They can't sense me at all," he realized, his heart racing. This was a new level of power—far beyond what his previous Stealth rank had allowed. He was like a phantom, able to move freely in and out of even the most watchful eyes.
Satisfied with his test, Raven withdrew silently, moving through the crowded marketplace with ease. His mind raced with the possibilities. With SS-rank Stealth, he could gather information, infiltrate even the most secure places, and move unseen through the world.
As he passed by a bustling tavern, he decided to push his luck. A group of city guards stood outside, chatting idly. Raven, now feeling bold, walked directly through the group, weaving between them. He held his breath, waiting for any sign that they might detect him—a shift in the wind, a flicker of movement—but nothing happened. He was like a ghost, completely undetected.
"This is incredible," he whispered to himself, moving swiftly away from the guards and slipping into a side alley.
The city at night was both peaceful and dangerous, a labyrinth of twisting streets and hidden corners. But now, with his newfound power, Raven felt completely at ease. He had become the master of this world of shadows.
As he ventured further into the alleyways, testing his ability against different groups of people, a strange feeling began to settle in the back of his mind. The dark mana he had sensed around Althea earlier returned to his thoughts. Whatever she was dealing with, it wasn't just some minor sickness. Something deeper was at play, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it was tied to something dangerous.
"I'll have to look into that later," he thought. But for now, he had a different focus.
Raven stopped in the middle of a narrow alley and deactivated Stealth. His form slowly returned to the world, as if stepping out of the shadows. He could feel the shift—the way the air no longer bent around him, the faint sounds of his own movements returning.
He clenched his fists, satisfaction washing over him. This was a power unlike anything he had experienced before, and it would give him an edge not just in training but in the challenges that lay ahead.
The academy was fast approaching, and with his Stealth now at SS-rank, he would be entering it with a significant advantage.
But for now, he still had time to prepare. Time to refine his skills, explore the extent of his powers, and—most importantly—uncover the secrets that lay hidden beneath the surface of the city.
As Raven began making his way back toward the mansion, a sudden idea struck him. He stopped mid-step, glancing in the direction of the nearby forest that lay on the outskirts of the city.
"If I can remain this hidden," he thought, a grin forming on his face, "I should be able to hunt monsters without being detected."
The prospect of testing his abilities in combat while remaining undetected excited him. Monsters would be the perfect test subjects—dangerous enough to push him to his limits, but with his Stealth, he would have the upper hand.