I waited until the soft sounds of breathing from the adjacent chambers told me Kira and Morrigan were truly asleep. The converted dungeon was quiet except for the distant drip of water somewhere in the depths and the faint hum of the magical crystals providing steady light.
Moving carefully to avoid making noise, I settled into the far corner of my sleeping area and pulled out the receipt. Even in the dim light, the blue glow was clearly visible—to me, at least. To anyone else, I'd just be holding empty air.
Twenty-four hundred points. The largest reward I'd ever received, and it had come from leading my companions to victory rather than watching them die.
"Open Shop," I whispered, barely breathing the words.
The translucent menu materialized, but this time there were multiple tabs at the top: Standard, Guardian, and a new one labeled Boss Hunter. Before I could explore them, though, a notification appeared:
GUARDIAN LEVEL 2 ACHIEVED!
Guardian Points Earned: 2,500/2,500
Advanced Options Unlocked
The Guardian tab pulsed with golden light, indicating something had changed. I selected it first:
GUARDIAN SHOP - LEVEL 2Available Points: 2,400
BASIC TIER:
Protective Ward (Ally) - 400 points Emergency Beacon (Party-wide) - 300 points Life Sense (Enhanced) - 600 points
ADVANCED TIER:
Guardian's Presence (Inspire allies, reduce fear effects) - 800 points Sanctuary Field (Create safe zone for 10 minutes) - 1,000 points Bond of Protection (Share damage taken by allies) - 1,200 points Pack Leader's Authority (Coordinate team attacks with supernatural precision) - 1,500 points
The advanced tier options were impressive. Pack Leader's Authority especially caught my attention. If we were going up against professional assassins, supernatural coordination could mean the difference between success and disaster.
I switched to the Boss Hunter tab, curious about what defeating the Spider Queen had unlocked:
BOSS HUNTER SHOP
Available Points: 2,400
Achievement: Monster Slayer Active- 25% damage bonus against creatures larger than human-size
ITEMS:
Apex Predator Sense - 600 points(Detect the strongest threat in any area) Trophy Weapon Enhancement - 1,000 points(Upgrade existing weapon with boss monster properties) Hunter's Instinct - 800 points(Enhanced tracking and weak point detection) Alpha's Challenge - 1,500 points(Force hostile creatures to focus attacks on you instead of allies)
The Monster Slayer achievement was already providing a passive bonus, useful if we encountered anything larger than human opponents. The Trophy Weapon Enhancement could improve my Kobold Fang Dagger significantly.
Finally, I checked the Standard shop:
STANDARD SHOP
Available Points: 2,400
WEAPONS:
Shadowstrike Blade - 1,000 points(Attacks from stealth deal massive damage) Assassin's Tools - 600 points(Complete set of professional infiltration gear)
ARMOR:
Shadowweave Cloak - 1,200 points(Near-invisibility when stationary) Reinforced Battle Gear - 800 points(Superior protection, enhanced mobility)
SKILLS:
Advanced Trap Detection - 800 points(Spot and disarm professional-grade traps) Urban Stealth - 600 points(Move unseen through city environments) Silent Takedown - 800 points(Eliminate enemies without sound or struggle)
I studied the options carefully, thinking about tomorrow's mission. We'd need to infiltrate an assassin stronghold, capture one alive for interrogation, and escape without the rest of their organization knowing what happened.
The Urban Stealth and Assassin's Tools combination would give us the technical capabilities we needed. But Pack Leader's Authority could be the key to keeping everyone alive during the confrontation itself.
After several minutes of consideration, I made my choices:
Items to purchase:
Pack Leader's Authority - 1,500 points Urban Stealth - 600 points Assassin's Tools - 600 points
Total: 2,700 points
Insufficient points. Please adjust selection.
I frowned at the message. I'd miscalculated—Pack Leader's Authority alone used most of my points. I needed to reconsider my priorities.
Items to purchase:
Urban Stealth - 600 points Silent Takedown - 800 points Guardian's Presence - 800 points
Total: 2,200 points
Purchase confirmed:Remaining points: 200
The knowledge integration was more intense than anything I'd experienced before. Guardian's Presence wasn't just a skill, it fundamentally changed how I perceived team morale and coordination. I could sense the sleeping forms of Kira and Morrigan in the adjacent chambers, understanding their emotional states, their confidence levels, their readiness for combat.
Urban Stealth taught me to read city environments like a predator. Which rooftops were safe for movement, how to avoid guard patrols, where the blind spots were in typical building security. Knowledge that would be essential for infiltrating the Velvet Knives' operation.
Silent Takedown was different. It was muscle memory and technique. How to approach someone without being detected, where to apply pressure to render them unconscious quickly and quietly, how to restrain someone without killing them. Perfect for capturing an assassin alive
Tomorrow, I'd need to gradually reveal these capabilities without raising too many questions about their source.
The receipt dissolved into motes of light that faded quickly, leaving no trace of the transaction. I settled back into my sleeping area, though sleep felt unlikely after everything that had just happened.
Outside this converted dungeon, professional killers were hunting us. But for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt like we had the tools to hunt them back.
Tomorrow night, the Velvet Knives would discover that Jin Harker was no longer just a survivor.
He'd become something much more dangerous.
—-
Several Hours Later
I woke to the sound of Morrigan moving around the main chamber, lighting additional crystals and preparing what smelled like a simple breakfast from her stored supplies.
"Good morning," she called softly when she noticed I was awake. "I trust you slept well despite the circumstances?"
"Well enough," I replied, stretching and checking my gear. The new abilities felt like they'd always been part of me, integrated seamlessly into my knowledge and instincts.
Kira emerged from her sleeping area, looking more rested than I'd expected given yesterday's adventures. "Any word from the surface? Changes in the situation?"
"Nothing concerning," Morrigan replied, setting out portions of bread and preserved meat. "My monitoring enchantments haven't detected any search activity near the Sanctum. It means The Velvet Knives are still operating under the assumption that you're hiding somewhere in the city."
"Good," I said, accepting my share of the meal. "That gives us the element of surprise for tonight's operation."
"About that," Morrigan said, spreading her maps across the table once again. "I've been thinking about our approach, and I believe we should consider a more systematic infiltration rather than a simple ambush."
I leaned forward, "What did you have in mind?"
"The warehouse they're using has three potential entry points, but only one that allows for silent approach and quick extraction." She pointed to a service entrance on the building's north side. "If we can get inside undetected, we can position ourselves to isolate their patrol team when they return from their search."
"Assuming they follow their usual pattern," Kira added.
"They will," Morrigan said with confidence. "Professional killers are creatures of habit. It's what makes them predictable."
I studied the approach route, guard positions, sight lines, and potential complications. The plan could work, but it would require precise timing and coordination.
"What about restraints?" Kira asked practically. "We'll need to secure whoever we capture for interrogation."
"I have suitable materials," Morrigan replied, tapping one of her storage chests. "Rope, gags, even some alchemical sedatives if needed."
As we finalized the details of our plan, I felt the weight of the new abilities settling into my consciousness. Guardian's Presence was already providing subtle insights into how Kira and Morrigan were feeling, their confidence levels, their readiness for the dangerous work ahead.
"One thing," I said as we finished our planning. "When we make contact with the target, let me handle the initial takedown. I think I can manage it without raising an alarm."
"You sure about that?" Kira asked skeptically. "These aren't street thugs."
"I'm sure," I replied, with more confidence than I would have felt yesterday. "Just trust me and be ready to move fast once I've secured them."