Chapter 20: Creativity and The Masked Reaper
A week had passed since the system upgrade. Leo dressed up, glancing at Aisha as he made his way to the door.
"I'll be back soon," he said with a smile before stepping outside.
Instead of using his speed, he decided to walk towards the town. The morning was quiet, the path flanked by stretches of lush, green scenery. The peaceful surroundings gave him a rare moment to enjoy the serenity.
As he strolled through the deserted landscape, a sudden, sharp sensation pricked at his senses. Ever since his instincts had been enhanced by the system, he could detect nearby threats with uncanny precision. He paused, scanning the area, and soon spotted it — a small, slug-like creature camouflaged against the muddy terrain.
**A Mud Lurker,** Leo thought, activating **Appraisal**, one of the skills granted by his newly unlocked **World Knowledge** ability. A translucent screen appeared before his eyes, displaying detailed information about the creature.
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**Species**: Mud Lurker
**Details**: Mud Lurkers latch onto their prey with sticky mucus, slowing them down. Mostly a nuisance and easy to squish, they can be dangerous in large numbers, especially in wet or marshy environments.
---
Leo smirked, impressed. **Not bad,** he mused. With Appraisal, he could now see the strength, defense, agility, and skills of anything he targeted.
**Let's test this aura skill next,** he thought. He activated his **Aura** ability, and watched as the Mud Lurker's stats increased tenfold. Despite this boost, it still posed no real threat. Leo decided to push his aura outward, intending to intimidate the creature. Instantly, its stats dropped back to normal, and the Mud Lurker turned, attempting to flee.
Curious, Leo increased the pressure of his aura. Without warning, the creature collapsed, lifeless.
"What just happened?" Leo muttered, frowning.
The system's neutral voice echoed in his mind:
*The Mud Lurker died from fear. When the aura ability is used at full pressure on a much weaker being, it induces a fatal level of fear.*
Leo nodded slowly, feeling a mix of awe and caution. **This new power... I'll have to be careful with it,** he thought.
---
As he continued his walk, Leo finally made it to the town gates. There, he spotted a familiar group — the C-rank adventurers he had encountered during the battle with the Shadow Goblin. Relief washed over him; he was glad they had made it out alive. He hurried over to greet them.
At the gate, the C-rank adventurers were deep in conversation when one of them, a tall man with a scar over his eye, squinted into the distance.
"Hey, isn't that...?" the scarred adventurer started, his voice trailing off.
The others turned to look, confused. "What are you talking about?" one of them asked.
"Remember that guy we met in the forest last week, during the fight with the Shadow Goblin? He's heading towards us," the scarred adventurer said, sounding uncertain.
One of his teammates scoffed, shaking his head. "You can't be serious. When the Goblin went into rage mode, we all fled to warn the town. He didn't make it out of the forest with us, remember? And after we gathered the A-rank adventurers, we searched the area. We saw signs of a massive battle but no trace of him or the Goblin."
The group exchanged puzzled glances as Leo approached, a friendly smile on his face, unaware of the disbelief they were grappling with.
Leo approached the group of adventurers with a friendly wave. "Hi, nice to see you guys again," he said.
One of the women in the party, a young adventurer with short brown hair, looked at him wide-eyed. "If you're a ghost, please don't hurt us," she muttered, half-joking but clearly nervous.
The leader of the group, a scarred woman wielding dual blades, smacked the back of her head lightly. "He's not a ghost, you idiot. Can't you see he's real?" she scolded, rolling her eyes.
Leo chuckled. "I promise I'm not a ghost."
Relieved and curious, the adventurers invited Leo to dinner. They wanted to hear what had happened during his encounter with the Shadow Goblin. Leo agreed, and they headed to the tavern inside the Adventurer's Guild, ordering food and drinks as they settled in.
As they dug into their meals, one of the adventurers, a burly man with a greatsword, spoke up first. "After Daniel, our archer, was injured by the Shadow Goblin, we thought you were right behind us. But when we got out of the forest, you were gone. We rushed back to town to gather A-rank adventurers for backup. But by the time we returned to the scene, there was nothing left except signs of a huge battle. What happened out there?"
The group leaned in, their eyes fixed on Leo, waiting for his explanation. He could tell they were genuinely curious and maybe a bit worried. Leo felt a moment of panic. He couldn't tell them the truth — that a drop of blood from their wounded archer had entered his mouth, awakening a hidden vampire bloodline within him, and that he had been locked in a brutal battle with the enraged Shadow Goblin afterward.
Taking a deep breath, he decided on a different story. "Okay, let me explain," Leo began, carefully choosing his words. "As you were carrying Daniel out of the forest, I managed to hold off the Shadow Goblin for a bit. I was struggling, barely holding on when, suddenly, a masked man appeared. He looked at me and said, 'Is it a mere Shadow Goblin that you're struggling with so much?' Right then, I knew he was incredibly powerful. He wore a mask and called himself the Reaper."
The group exchanged surprised glances, leaning in even closer. Leo continued, "He defeated the Goblin with ease and then took me back to my house before disappearing. I barely had time to thank him."
Leo watched their expressions, trying to gauge if they believed his story. They seemed taken aback, but not skeptical. The leader of the group nodded slowly, her brow furrowed in thought. "A master of that caliber was there? No wonder such a large area of the forest was destroyed. If it weren't for the Chanter Forest's ability to heal itself so quickly, I would have gone back to see the aftermath."
Another adventurer, a man with a longbow slung over his shoulder, looked puzzled. "You said his name was the Reaper? I've never heard of him before."
Leo nodded. "Yes, that's what he called himself."
The adventurers murmured among themselves, theorizing about the mysterious masked master. Finally, they turned back to Leo, their expressions shifting from curiosity to concern.
"Are you okay?" the scarred woman asked. "You must have been in pretty bad shape after all that."
Leo smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine now. Thanks for asking."
With the conversation winding down, Leo stood up. "I should get going. I need to visit the blacksmith before heading home."
"Take care of yourself, Leo," the leader said, giving him a respectful nod.
"You too," he replied, waving as he left the tavern and made his way towards the blacksmith's shop, relieved that they had bought his story.
Leo made his way to the blacksmith's shop, the familiar clang of metal echoing as he stepped inside.
"Ah, it's you! Did you bring any equipment for repairs?" the blacksmith asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
Leo shook his head. "No, not today. I just arrived in town and had a question for you."
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow, setting aside his tools. "A question? Alright, ask away."
In truth, Leo was feeling a bit uncertain. During his time drinking with the C-rank adventurers at the tavern, he had caught glimpses of the Adventurer's Guild and its bustling activity. It seemed like an interesting place, and he was curious about it. However, joining the guild felt like a big step, and he needed more information before making his decision. He figured the blacksmith, who had a long history of working with adventurers, would have some valuable insight.
Just as he was about to ask, a familiar notification popped up in his mind.
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**System Notification:**
*Daily Quest Activated:*
1. 100 push-ups
2. 100 sit-ups
3. 100 squats
*Reward: A Bronze Treasure Box*
*Side Quest Activated:*
*Objective: Meet Aizen to discuss more odd jobs.*
*Reward: A Mask that can conceal your identity.*
---
Leo blinked, momentarily distracted by the system's update. **A mask to conceal my identity?** he thought, puzzled. Given his abilities, he could already alter his facial features easily enough. But then a new idea crossed his mind. **What if I created a new persona? The Reaper...** He smirked, amused by the thought. It could be a way to cultivate a mysterious identity, one that could prove useful in the future.
The blacksmith, noticing Leo's momentary distraction, cleared his throat. "Hey, you alright there? You seemed to drift off for a second."
Leo snapped back to the conversation, giving a slight nod. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was just thinking. I wanted to ask — do you think joining the Adventurer's Guild is a good idea?"
The blacksmith chuckled, crossing his arms. "The Adventurer's Guild, huh? It's a solid choice. Pays well for monster kills and bounties. And if you're looking to make a name for yourself, it's the place to be. I've seen a lot of rookies walk in here with nothing but a rusty sword and a dream. Some make it big, others... not so much. But if you've got the skills, it's worth a shot."
Leo considered the advice. The blacksmith's words made sense. Joining the guild could give him the chance to grow stronger, earn money, and gather more information — all things he needed to do. With his decision made, he gave a nod of thanks.
"Alright, I'll check it out. Thanks for the advice," Leo said, turning to leave.
"Good luck!" the blacksmith called after him. "If you ever need weapons or repairs, you know where to find me!"
With that, Leo set off towards Aizen's mansion, ready to complete his side quest and further explore the opportunities that lay ahead.
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone