Kapitel 6: Veil of Darkness
Zhou Fan clutched his injured hand, the pain throbbing in rhythm with his footsteps as he made his way home. The rain poured down relentlessly, soaking his clothes and chilling him to the bone. His mind, however, was far from the discomfort of the rain. Instead, it was consumed by a persistent headache and a jumble of fragmented memories about a story that seemed both familiar and elusive.
"Damn those two beings," he muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting. "Why did they have to mess with my head?"
He tried to recall more details, but each attempt only intensified the headache. The rainwater mixed with the blood from his wound, creating a diluted red trail down his arm. Zhou Fan's frustration grew as the memories continued to elude him. Finally, he gave up on trying to remember.
"Forget it," he sighed. "I'll deal with this later."
As he turned the corner onto his street, the rainwater streamed along the edges of the pavement, creating small rivers. Zhou Fan's eyes caught sight of a rock being submerged in one of the streams. He paused, watching as the water enveloped the rock, concealing it from view. A thought struck him, and he wondered if there was a way to conceal his own powers using the same principle.
"Predation," he murmured, considering the possibilities. If he could somehow use his Predation ability to swallow his star cluster without harming it, he might be able to hide his true strength from others. It was a risky idea, and he knew it would require careful control and precision.
Reaching his home, Zhou Fan stumbled through the door and headed straight to the bathroom. He set his bag down and headed to the bathroom to tend to his injured arm. The bite wound from the Cyclops Rat was deep, and blood had soaked through his sleeve.
He rummaged through the medicine cabinet, pulling out bandages, antiseptic, and some painkillers. As he cleaned the wound, he winced, the antiseptic stinging as it made contact with the torn flesh. He wrapped the bandage around his arm, securing it tightly to stop the bleeding.
"That should do for now," he said, flexing his fingers to ensure the bandage wasn't too tight. He made a mental note to visit the school's medical wing the next day for a proper check-up.
Zhou Fan sat down at his desk, his mind still racing with thoughts of the battle and his newfound abilities. He knew that to survive and thrive in this world, he needed to keep his true power hidden. If someone discovered the extent of his abilities, they would undoubtedly try to undermine or eliminate him.
He closed his eyes, focusing on his star cluster. The seven stars glowed brightly within his spiritual world, their energy pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "Predation," he whispered again, visualizing the dark tendrils of his power wrapping around the stars.
The first attempt was a failure. As soon as the tendrils touched the stars, they recoiled, unable to maintain their grip. Zhou Fan gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain in his head and trying again. Each failure was met with frustration, but he refused to give up.
"Why isn't it working?" he groaned, rubbing his temples. The answer eluded him, but he was certain he was close.
He took a break, pacing around his room as he mulled over the problem. The predation was swallowing the stars, but something was missing. It was like the stars resisted being hidden because they needed something essential to survive.
"Mana," he realized suddenly. "The stars need a constant supply of mana."
Returning to his meditative stance, Zhou Fan focused on channeling his mana into the stars while using the dark power of predation to swallow them. It was a delicate balance, requiring precise control to ensure the stars remained nourished even as they were hidden.
Hours passed, and the rain outside continued to pour, the rhythmic sound a backdrop to his concentrated efforts. Finally, after countless attempts, he felt the tendrils of Predation latch onto the stars without harming them. The stars dimmed, their light obscured but not extinguished.
『Congratulations! You have earned a new Skill: 』
『Skill Acquired: Shadow Veil』
『Type: Passive/Active』
『Description: This skill allows the user to conceal their star cluster and magical aura, making it difficult for others to detect their true power. When activated, the user's presence blends seamlessly with the environment, creating an illusion of normalcy.』
『Ability:
Passive: Automatically reduces the visibility of the star cluster and magical aura to others.
Active: Can be manually activated to enhance concealment, making yourself invisible in a dark environment.』
Zhou Fan opened his eyes, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. He had done it. He had managed to conceal his star cluster using Predation. The process had been difficult and exhausting, but it was a necessary step in his journey.
He focused on his status screen, eager to see the new skill in detail:
『STATUS』
『Name: Zhou Fan』
『Class: None』
『Mana: 230』
『Affinity: Fire』
『Blessings: 1. Gift of Growth 2. Gift of Insight』
『Traits: 1. Predation』
『Skills: 1. Photographic Memory (Passive) 2. Night Vision (Passive) 3. Shadow Viel (Passive/Active)』
『Magic: Fire- Lvl 1』
『Inventory: [Empty]』
『Notifications: 0』
Exhausted from his efforts, Zhou Fan made his way to his bed. He lay down, his mind still buzzing with the possibilities that his new technique opened up. The tunnels beneath the abandoned house held secrets, and he was determined to uncover them. But he knew he needed to gain more power before venturing back.
"I'll go to those tunnels once I'm stronger," he thought, closing his eyes. The events of the day had taken their toll, and sleep came quickly, his body and mind finally finding some respite.
As he drifted off, Zhou Fan's thoughts turned to the future. The battles ahead would be challenging, but with his powers and newfound concealment technique, he felt more prepared than ever. The darkness within him was growing, and he was ready to embrace it fully.
The rain continued to fall outside, the sound a soothing lullaby as Zhou Fan slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and opportunities, and he would face them head-on, determined to rise above and claim his place in this world.
-------------------------------
Zhou Fan woke up to the sound of his alarm blaring through the small apartment. He groaned, rolling over and slapping the snooze button. Another day of school awaited him, a necessary but tiresome routine that he had to endure. With a sigh, he sat up, stretching out his sore muscles and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The events of the previous night lingered in his mind, the thrill of concealing his power and the possibilities it opened up.
"School… what a pain," he muttered, getting dressed and grabbing his bag. He glanced at his bandaged arm, a reminder of the fight with the Cyclops Rat, and made a mental note to visit the school's medical wing later.
As Zhou Fan walked into the bustling school courtyard, he was greeted by the familiar faces of his classmates. Among them were his so-called friends—individuals he tolerated to blend in and maintain a semblance of normalcy. There was Chen Li, a tall and cheerful boy with a penchant for cracking jokes, and Liu Mei, a girl with a kind heart and an unending curiosity about everything.
"Hey, Zhou Fan! Over here!" Chen Li called out, waving enthusiastically. Zhou Fan forced a smile and walked over, joining the group.
"Morning, Zhou Fan," Liu Mei said with a warm smile. "How's your arm? I heard you had a little accident yesterday."
"It's fine," Zhou Fan replied curtly, not wanting to delve into the details. "Just a scratch."
"You should be more careful," Liu Mei chided gently. "We need you in one piece for the next practical exam."
Zhou Fan nodded absently, his mind already drifting to more important matters. He had little interest in the mundane schoolwork that took up most of his time. His true focus was on mastering his powers and uncovering the secrets of this world.
As they walked to their first class, Zhou Fan couldn't help but feel the weight of the facade he had to maintain. Acting normally was exhausting, and the constant need to keep his true abilities hidden was a burden. But he knew it was necessary, at least for now.
The morning classes dragged on, each lesson more tedious than the last. Zhou Fan found it hard to concentrate, his mind wandering to thoughts of his next training session and the tunnels he planned to explore. The teachers droned on about magical theory and historical events, topics that felt irrelevant to his real goals.
"Why do we even need to know this?" Zhou Fan muttered under his breath as the teacher explained the intricacies of magical runes. "It's all just a waste of time."
Chen Li, sitting next to him, nudged his arm. "Come on, Zhou Fan, cheer up. It's not all bad. Besides, we need to pass these exams if we want to advance."
Zhou Fan forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Liu Mei turned around in her seat, whispering, "You know, I've heard there's a big test coming up. We should all study together. It might make it less painful."
"Sure, why not," Zhou Fan replied, hiding his annoyance. The last thing he wanted was to waste more time on trivial schoolwork, but he knew he had to keep up appearances.
The bell finally rang, signaling the end of the morning classes. Zhou Fan breathed a sigh of relief, eager for the lunch break and some time to himself. He grabbed his bag and headed for the door, but was stopped by Liu Mei.
"Hey, Zhou Fan, wait up!" she called, hurrying to catch up. "Chen Li and I were thinking of grabbing lunch together. Want to join us?"
"Yeah, come on, it'll be fun," Chen Li added, slinging an arm around Zhou Fan's shoulders.
"Sure," Zhou Fan said, hiding his reluctance. He couldn't afford to alienate his classmates just yet.
The cafeteria was crowded, filled with the chatter and laughter of students. Zhou Fan followed Chen Li and Liu Mei to a table near the window. As they ate, Zhou Fan listened to their conversation, nodding and laughing at the appropriate moments but feeling detached from it all.
"You've been really quiet lately, Zhou Fan," Liu Mei said, looking at him with concern. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, just a lot on my mind," Zhou Fan replied, forcing a smile. "You know how it is."
"Well, if you ever need to talk, we're here for you," Chen Li said, clapping him on the back. "We're friends, after all."
"Thanks," Zhou Fan said, feeling a pang of guilt. Despite his dislike for the mundane school life, he knew that Chen Li and Liu Mei genuinely cared about him. They were good people, and he hated deceiving them.
As lunch ended, Zhou Fan made his way to the medical wing to have his arm checked. The nurse fussed over him, cleaning the wound and changing the bandages. As she worked, Zhou Fan's mind drifted back to the tunnels beneath the abandoned house. There were secrets down there, he was sure of it, and he needed to be ready to uncover them.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein