"Hmmm… What is this?"
I wondered, feeling the strong presence of someone nearby.
"About two stars? I'm not sure if it's a friend or a foe, but considering the scent of blood on his hands, it's very likely that he's an enemy. It's a good thing I've honed the art of suppressing my magic until it's nearly depleted—otherwise, they would surely have sensed it."
A confrontation now wouldn't be advantageous. After all, I still lack experience when it comes to fighting. Although I have some theories, I haven't practiced them enough.
"So, should I run?"
"Run?"
"Is that what you thought I'd do?"
I snorted, feeling dissatisfied with my imaginary audience.
"If I lack experience, isn't this the perfect opportunity to gain some? How could I possibly resist such a rare, exquisite chance?"
Beside the riverside, hidden behind a tree, I spotted a man around twenty-six years old, clad in a black robe bearing a guild emblem on his back.
"I don't recognize him—probably from some random guild," I thought. But when I'm unsure of my own strength, I never underestimate anyone; I won't commit such a rookie mistake.
Our distance is approximately 35 meters. I began slowly closing the gap, blending into the environment like a chameleon.
"I've always wondered what that would feel like."
I whispered to myself, the thrill of the moment coursing through my body and awakening my inner demon.
"If I were to become a killer, that would be my signature move."
With a quiet, almost predatory grin, I stood behind him. He was completely unaware of my existence. My fingers traced the curve of his skull, grasping it with calculated precision, while my other hand slipped under his chin to guide the motion with firm tenderness. In one swift, synchronized movement, I pulled and pushed with seamless grace, the action accompanied by a satisfying, almost musical crack. It happened almost in the blink of an eye.
Crackle!
"Oh, that's quite satisfying."
I said, watching his face contort in a wild 180-degree twist. His eyes widened as if he had witnessed unspeakable horror. I didn't like that expression, so I twisted his head again, as if I were adjusting a faucet.
"Well, time for looting..." I murmured, my voice barely more than a soft whisper, as I stood over the fallen corpse. I had just extinguished a life, yet it didn't feel like a big deal—I merely eliminated a bug, after all.
I stripped him of anything valuable, collecting his possessions with precise efficiency—so much so that if a thief were around, they might ask me for guidance. Coins, trinkets, and weapons—whatever could prove useful. I recalled that storing non-living items incurs no consumption, so everything slipped seamlessly into the boundless space at my side, swallowed whole by the void.
I temporarily used his robe to cover myself, of course removing the unsightly guild emblem and cutting away parts to avoid unnecessary trouble.
[Red Blossom Village]
"Sure, it's hard not to be stared at..." I muttered, diverting my gaze from the onlookers. Everyone had paused in their activities, casually watching as I walked by in my black cloak and bare feet.
"Is it their first time seeing a beggar?"
My eyes darted around in search of a clothing shop, and I was relieved to find one immediately. There were several attractive options, but I decided to purchase five similar sets. I didn't have any specific requirements, but if I'm going to be well-known, I must choose an outfit that exudes a mysterious vibe.
I first set my eyes on a long-sleeved black V-neck T-shirt. Then there were black trousers, a black belt, black socks, boots, black underwear, and finally, black gloves. Everything was set—I purchased an all-black ensemble. But I needed one element to stand out, so I also bought a plain white scarf.
"This should do it."
I nodded at myself, crossing my arms in satisfaction.
"They say the dress makes the man, so I must choose the perfect outfit. While some might insist that a cool look requires a cape, I'm not interested in that—I prefer a scarf."
On my way to the clerk, I could still feel people staring at me.
"What do these guys want? Do they think I can't afford this? Too bad—I robbed a rich guy who had over half a million J."
I sneered silently, though I never met their gaze; I could sense exactly what they were thinking.
"How much is this?" I asked her. She gave me a sidelong glance before replying.
"Uhm... That would be 32,000 J."
She said, her eyes darting between me and my clothes.
I let out a weary sigh and waved my hand. A small rift appeared beside us, and cashier began to fly out one after another. Instead of scattering, the money neatly aligned itself on the counter—a sight that clearly shocked her.
"Here, that's a total of 32,000 J."
I said, then carried the items toward the dressing room. But before I could take a step forward, she asked me a question.
"Uhm... Excuse me, sir... Are you a wizard?" she asked.
"Isn't that obvious?" I wanted to retort but held myself back.
"If using magic makes you a wizard, then I guess I'm one."
With that, I left the place.
*
"Now that's what you call proper clothes."
I remarked as I looked at myself in the mirror.
Come to think of it, I've never really looked at myself properly before. During the past ten thousand years, I've been honing my swordsmanship and mastering my magic control, rarely taking the time to examine my appearance. I didn't even know what I looked like—I assumed I resembled my previous life.
"Hmmmm..."
This time, I focused on my face. Light blue eyes, slightly curly brown hair—what I saw left me speechless.
"Whoa, what's up with this face? Isn't it the same as before reincarnation?"
In the end, there were no significant changes—I retained my appearance.
"This isn't good..."
I need to purchase a mask, I thought, rushing back.
"This is big trouble... I'm facing a predicament: if my face becomes well-known, won't that ruin the mysterious vibe?"
As I pondered how to solve my current problem, a voice from behind pulled me back to reality.
"Excuse me, sir..."
"...?"
I casually turned around to see if someone was speaking to me. Then I caught a glimpse of a middle-aged man. He had black hair tied in a ponytail, a Balbo beard, and round black sunglasses. Although the sunglasses were slightly transparent, I could clearly see his emerald eyes gleaming beneath. The way he was dressed clearly indicated that he held high status in this village, and his demeanor showed that he was a respectable person. I didn't want to be rude to someone who treated me with such respect.
"Oh, hello. Do you need something from me, elder?"
I bowed my head slightly, offering a small greeting, and he returned the gesture.
As our eyes met, he asked,
"Sir, are you the person wearing a black robe earlier?"
His eyes were full of worry and curiosity. Although I'm not particularly adept at reading people, I could tell he was being genuine.
"Yes, is there some kind of problem?"
I replied, aware that my reputation would be in shambles before I could even forge my tale—repeating the mistakes of my previous life was not an option.
"Sir, are you willing to take a commission?" he asked.
"What kind of commission?" I inquired.
He looked down at the ground with a sad expression, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth before speaking.
"It's been two months, and the number of missing people keeps increasing. We suspect there are dark guilds involved, and we already issued a commission, but no one has come yet. The number of missing children increases every week."
He said with disappointment. Then, he turned his gaze to me with a look of determination.
"Then, just a few minutes ago, I received a report about you wearing a black robe. You aren't from around here, so we speculated that you are either a survivor victim or..."
He cut his words in hesitation.
Since he wasn't willing to continue, I decided to do it myself. "One of the dark guilds?"
He simply gave me a firm nod and offered an apology. "I'm sorry if that offended you. After all, that's the characteristic that witnesses describe during abductions."
His voice trembled as he recalled the events—the screams of residents, the terror of that day.
I already had some speculation about it, so I interrupted him. "I see... Since you think that way, instead of waiting for the so-called mage, you decided to commission me instead? Despite the risk?" I asked.
He didn't deny it and admitted it openly. "Yes, sir, only if you are willing. I'll pay any price you ask."
Then, he fell to his knees before me, pleading earnestly. "Please, for the sake of the residents."
I neither agreed nor disagreed; instead, I pondered for a moment. "There's an abduction. It's probably related to the Tower of Heaven or Dark Guild experiments. Assuming it's the former, it would be difficult to locate them, but if it's the latter, I could solve it easily."
I activated my magic perception to see if I could get any reaction, and to my surprise, I found a lot.
I couldn't help but smile inwardly. "My precious experience points..."
I shifted my gaze to the old man.
"I understand everything, elder."
I said. Then, I slightly raised my hand and gently pointed my finger upward.
"...?"
"Just one... Give me one hour, and I will exterminate them."