Dareth and Arvian's footste echoed softly against the stone walls as they moved through the tunnel in silence. Upon arriving at the opposite end, Arvian's eyes grew wide with wonder at what he saw. The land was bathed in a gentle glow as the silvery, placid moon slowly rose into the gloomy sky.
Down the mountainside, a straight soil road led to a sizable village in the distance. Warm light filled the village as lamps lit the tiny homes, their radiance a stunning contrast to the darkness of the night.
Dareth stopped and turned to face Arvian, who was briefly engrossed in the breathtaking scenery. Without a word, he pulled out two unique white masks, smooth and expressionless except for the eye holes and subtle breathing vents at the mouth.
"Wear this," Dareth said calmly, handing one of the masks to Arvian.
Arvian took it hesitantly, glancing at the mask and then at Dareth. "Why the mask?" he asked, still transfixed by the lit village ahead.
"To conceal our identities," Dareth replied, his voice low. "This isn't a friendly visit. The villagers must not know who we are, or why we're here."
Arvian nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. With a fresh wave of apprehension and anxiety, he slowly lifted the mask to his face and fastened it firmly.
The cool night air brushed against their masked faces as they both walked silently down the descending road. With neither of them speakisombre their minds focused on the task at hand, the atmosphere was tense.
Arvian felt a slight pang of fear gnawing at his chest. How could he possibly compete with a village chief who was even more powerful than Dareth? He was painfully aware of his weakness.
He opened the system store in an attempt to divert his attention and perhaps find some hope. The familiar screen appeared before his eyes. He began scrolling through the list of items, his heart racing slightly as he searched for something—anything—that could be useful.
Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of an item that immediately caught his attention.
[Novel Store]
Item: 「Celestial Chain」A chain imbued with the form and potential of the "Celestial Reaper" ability. While the full range of powers residing in the chain remains locked without owning the Celestial Reaper ability, a single, powerful command is accessible to the user:
Void-Step Command:
It can be used to attack from unexpected angles, bind enemies, or retrieve distant objects. It lets the user partially or codramatically blew their long cloaksand make it reappear from any location of their choosing, following their intent.
Cost: Requires significheartbeat or mana to execute.
Price: [500 Pts]
'This might at least make the fight equal,' Arvian thought, momentarily forgetting that he hadn't awakened mana, unlike everyone else in this world.
He lacked the very basic mana that every person world has, but deep down, he knew he could awaken it eventually.
Ignoring the doubts dancing in his mind, he purchased the item from the system store without further hesitation.
He felt a tiny sense of relief when it immediately showed up in his inventory. It was enough to calm his nerves for the moment.
Dareth, on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts. His face was unreadable, but Arvian could sense an inner turmoil. Perhaps Dareth was planning how to execute his mission, or maybe he was wrestling with his own emotions.
Dareth wasn't a heartless man—he was a broken one. His wife, the one who loved him unconditionally, and his innocent child, who was his world, haunted his thoughts constantly.
Revenge consumed him, not because he wanted to, but because it was the only way he could feel close to them again, the only way to make the world pay for his unbearable loss, the only way to make them alive again,
As they neared the outskirts of the village, Dareth made a sudden left turn, avoiding the main road to keep from being noticed by the villagers. Arvian silently followed, his heart pounding with anticipation and unease.
After approaching a large house on the village's edge, they both carefully climbed onto its long, rough wooden roof. As they steadied themselves, their hands felt the soft scrape of the old wood.
From this position, they could see the dark village below, the faint sounds of laughter and conversation in the distance, a sharp contrast to the somber task at hand.
Dareth crouched low, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. "This is the best place to start," he murmured quietly.
Arvian nodded, then reached into his inventory and took out the Soul Render blade, which had a crimson hilt and smooth surface that glowed dimly and menacingly.
He had purposefully opted for the blade instead of the chain for now. The chain was a trump card, one he planned to save for the village chief.
Dareth, catching sight of the blade, raised an eyebrow. "Where were you hiding that?" he asked suspiciously.
"In my pants," Arvian replied, trying to sound casual, though his tone lacked conviction.
Dareth's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't care.
Abruptly, their cloak was moved by a swaying wind that blew past them.
A crow's sharp caw echoed in the silence of the night as it abruptly flew high above the village.
From the crow's perspective, Arvian and Dareth appeared as dark shadows standing atop the roof. Their masked appearances took on an almost otherworldly quality as the wind blew their long cloaks in a dramatic manner.
The crow circled, its beady eyes fixed on them as if sensing the violence that loomed ahead.
Arvian's heart beat quickened as he suddenly realized what he was about to do. His heartbeat quickened, pounding like a drum in his ears.
'This is it... There's no turning back now,' he thought, gripping the hilt of the Soul Render blade tightly. Though his mind was racing and his palms were wet, he knew deep down that he had to live—and more importantly, that he had to save Dareth's life.
But as he was regaining his composure, the tense silence was broken by a sharp voice.
"Hey! Who's up there?!"
They had been noticed by a man below, who pointed with wide, startled eyes toward the roof. His yell broke the silence of the night and reverberated throughout the village.