After obtaining the skill scroll, Bastion went to the quiet room provided by the Adventurer's Guild and immediately used it.
The scroll burst into flames the moment he activated it. In mere seconds, it was completely incinerated, leaving no trace behind—not even ash.
As Bastion closed his eyes, he felt a faint dark glow flash before him.
An Iron-level skill… So last time was just luck, huh?
He sighed, disappointment beginning to creep in.
But suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, then thudded forcefully as if something had jolted it awake.
The dark glow vanished and was replaced by a radiant white light that filled his vision.
Another diamond-level skill!
It was real. Another diamond-level skill!
Bastion's heart pounded furiously, practically bursting with excitement. Without hesitation, he opened his status screen to inspect the new addition.
---
[Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Phantom Shift.]
[Phantom Shift (Unupgradable): A diamond-level skill that consumes a large amount of MP. Allows the user to swap positions with one of their summons, instantly breaking all crowd control effects on both targets.]
---
Bastion's eyes lit up as he read the description.
This was a quintessential Beast Summoner survival skill.
Beast Summoners, known for their fragility, were often targeted by monsters. With this skill, they could swap places with their summons at a critical moment, significantly reducing the risk of death.
He had read about Phantom Shift before, but it was only ever mentioned as a Silver-level skill. The basic version could only exchange positions between the Summoner and their summon, without breaking control effects.
But the Diamond-level Phantom Shift he had acquired went far beyond that. Not only did it nullify debuffs, but it also allowed him to swap positions between two summons. This could open up countless tactical possibilities in future battles.
---
Suppressing his excitement, Bastion left the guild and set off toward The Bamboo Sea Mountains, following his original plan.
The mountain trail was eerily quiet. Likely due to the recent demon wolf uprising, there were no monsters roaming the area.
Not even a single corpse was left behind.
"Looks like the news has spread," Bastion muttered to himself. "No one's risking hunting in the wild for now."
Just as he was about to relax, his footsteps faltered. He hesitated for only a moment before resuming his calm pace, pretending nothing was amiss.
Moments earlier, he had sensed a faint ripple of danger coming from Pyra, his Fire Fox companion.
It was as if something—or someone—was watching them.
But the threat didn't feel as intense as the demon wolf incident, so Bastion opted to observe and let the situation play out.
---
Several hundred meters away, two men crouched behind the trees, their eyes fixed on Bastion.
The thinner of the two scrutinized the Fire Fox on Bastion's shoulder, frowning in doubt.
"Yannick, are you sure this kid just scored a big payout?"
"He's only Level 8. Not even in the double digits."
The plump man, Yannick, sneered, his greasy face gleaming with disdain.
"What? You don't trust me now? When have I ever been wrong in the past two years?"
He leaned in closer, his voice dripping with greed.
"I've been keeping an eye on him. He not only cashed out a fat reward but also sold a bunch of materials. And—get this—he bought a skill scroll!"
"What?! A skill scroll?" The thin man, Aaron, raised his voice in shock.
"Shh! Keep it down!" Yannick hissed, glaring at him. "This is a golden opportunity! The kid's a fat lamb just waiting for us to fleece. And he's not even high-level."
Aaron frowned, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"But what if he already used the skill scroll? We'd be wasting our time."
"Use your brain, would you?" Yannick scoffed. "You think a Level 8 Fire Fox Summoner could have taken out so many demon wolves on his own? He's obviously got high-level teammates nearby, probably still hunting. The scroll's likely meant for one of them."
Yannick's greedy smile widened.
"We just need to intercept him on his way back. Everything he has will be ours."
Aaron nodded, realization dawning on him.
"What about your brother, Kyle?"
"Why bring him in?" Yannick snorted. "If Kyle shows up, he'll demand at least sixty percent of the cut. Why split it when we can go fifty-fifty between us?"
He turned to Aaron, his expression mocking.
"What's the matter? You're a Level 10 Assassin. Can't handle an 8th-level Beast Summoner?"
"With your stealth and Silencing Slash, you could kill him before he even realizes you're there."
Aaron's confidence returned, and he smirked.
"You're right."
The two men watched as Bastion approached a dense thicket of trees, their expressions sharpening.
"He's almost at the gathering point for the Spider's Lair. Too many witnesses there." Yannick's eyes glinted maliciously. "We strike now."
"Understood."
---
Aaron activated Stealth, his body shimmering before vanishing completely.
Meanwhile, Yannick readied his bronze bow, positioning himself for a long-range ambush.
---
Pyra, walking slightly ahead of Bastion, suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her fur bristled, her body tense.
"They're here," Bastion muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned his surroundings.
He couldn't see anything unusual, but Pyra's sharp senses were rarely wrong. Her nose twitched, and her fiery eyes fixed on an empty patch of ground.
Bastion gave a subtle nod. Pyra understood immediately, darting toward the seemingly vacant spot.
---
Aaron had been creeping forward when he noticed Pyra heading straight for him.
"What the—? How can it see me?"
He was momentarily taken aback but quickly dismissed his concern.
My stealth isn't perfect. The fox must've picked up on my scent or noise. No matter—it's still just an animal.
As Pyra lunged, Aaron sidestepped nimbly, avoiding her claws. Taking advantage of her overextension, he slipped past her and charged at Bastion.
Drawing his dagger, he aimed a precise strike at Bastion's throat.
Silencing Slash activated.
---
The skill struck true. Bastion's body froze briefly, indicating that he was under the effects of silence.
Aaron grinned, his adrenaline surging as he prepared to deliver the killing blow. But then he noticed something odd.
Bastion wasn't panicking.
Instead, the boy's expression remained calm, even amused.
---
Before Aaron could process what was happening, Bastion smirked.
"Phantom Shift!"
A sudden flash of light enveloped Bastion and Pyra. When it faded, Pyra stood where Bastion had been, her blazing tail raised high.
Aaron's grin vanished as his dagger struck Pyra instead.
---
To his horror, Pyra barely flinched. Her health bar dipped only slightly, a sliver of red at the edge.
Aaron's heart sank.
What the hell kind of Fire Fox is this?!
Pyra's eyes glowed with fiery intensity. Her tail ignited into a blazing inferno as she retaliated with Flame Tail, smashing Aaron into the ground.
---
Not far away, Yannick stared in disbelief.
"Impossible… He was taken out in one hit?!"
He fumbled to notch another arrow, but it was too late.
Pyra turned her attention to him, her predatory gaze locking onto his position.
A split second later, she was upon him.