Shen passed a towering structure draped in vines on his way to the cave. At first glance, it looked like a holy temple, but Shen already knew it was a fake. Still, the craftsmanship stunned him. Statues, wall carvings, and even faded murals gave it the air of a place long revered.
As his eyes roamed the ruins, his ears caught a sound.
"Hey, you sure someone knows about this temple?" a deep male voice asked.
"Of course. Now quit whining," a woman replied.
[Use Stealth Mode? Yes/No?]
Shen hissed through his teeth. "No time for this—Yes." His presence dimmed, his energy masked. He scaled a tree and crouched among the branches, straining to hear.
"I have a reliable source," the woman said. "He saw Victor and the kid talking to a Water Kingdom noble. If that gets out, our economy could collapse."
Shen narrowed his eyes. Two figures emerged from the trees.
The man was broad-shouldered, with a hard, handsome face framed by neatly trimmed black hair. The woman beside him wore a featureless white mask. Her sleeveless blue-white dress showed toned arms, and her white cloak rippled like a banner behind her.
[Threat Analysis? Yes/No?]
"Yes," Shen whispered.
[???: Middle Apprentice Class.]
[???: Higher Mortal Class.]
His stomach dropped. Stronger than me. Stay quiet.
They stopped in front of the temple. The masked woman muttered a spell. The stonework shimmered, then dissolved like smoke.
Beneath it lay a pit.
Bodies.
Some little more than bone, others fresh enough their faces were still recognizable. Dozens. Hundreds. The stench hit Shen like a hammer. His throat convulsed as he fought not to vomit.
This has been going on for years… they're not humans. They're demons.
"There, untouched. Now put the barrier back," the man ordered.
She complied, and the illusion returned—holy temple restored. Then they turned to leave.
Shen held his breath.
"Why the lightning bolt earlier?" the woman asked.
"I felt someone watching," the man muttered, scanning the trees.
How did he—
"You're paranoid," she sighed. "I saw nothing."
"Cast a locator spell anyway," he growled.
Shen's heart stopped. The woman's hands traced glowing runes, and a blue pulse washed across the forest.
This is it. I'm dead. Sorry, Shu…
The light faded. "Nothing."
The man clicked his tongue. "Better safe than sorry."
At last, they vanished into the forest. Shen waited thirty minutes before moving. When he did, sweat poured down his back.
"That was too close… since when did the system have stealth?"
[Stealth skill acquired when host body upgraded to Middle Mortal Class.]
A menu appeared:
[Enemy Detection] On/Off
[Energy Meter] On/Off
[Health Updates] On/Off
[Threat Analysis] On/Off
[Trainer Mode] On/Off
[Voice Activation] On/Off
[Custom Mode] On/Off
[Stealth Mode] On/Off
So I've had these tools the whole time… hidden until I level up? This system is either genius—or the biggest pain in my ass.
But the memory of the pit burned behind his eyes. "They won't get away with this."
He turned his back on the temple and continued toward the cave.
---
The Cave
The entrance loomed ahead—fifteen feet high, twenty wide. No birds sang. No beasts lingered. Even the air seemed to avoid the place.
Then a roar thundered from within.
Shen ducked behind a bush. A shape emerged.
A bear. Wreathed in flames.
[Cinder Bear: Higher Mortal Class.]
Shen's pulse spiked. Too strong… wait till it leaves.
The beast padded calmly into the woods. Once it disappeared, Shen smirked. "If I can handle a middle mortal or two in here, maybe when that thing comes back, I'll be ready for it too."
He slipped inside. Darkness swallowed him, but his eyes adjusted faster than ever before.
"Guess the upgrades weren't lying."
The tunnel stretched on and on until it widened into a massive chamber. Stalactites dripped from the ceiling. A black lake shimmered in the center.
And around it…
Bears.
Dozens of them, flames flickering faintly under their fur. Entire families.
Shen's orb lit the space—and his gut twisted as he spotted two cubs nestled beside their mother. Small. Harmless. Just like—
The glow around them flared.
Her eyes snapped open.
"Oh, shi—"
[Attack Imminent.]
Fire exploded across the cavern. Shen dove, but the blast licked his leg. Agony surged up his body. Flesh bubbled. His scream echoed off stone.
He slammed into the ground, gasping, the smell of his own burnt skin clawing at his throat.
This… this is what real power feels like…