The foul stench of the sewer system assaulted the senses, but to Nihil, it was the smell of freedom. He moved swiftly through the moss-covered tunnels, the dirty water lapping at his ankles. The sounds of dripping water and the squeaks of rats formed a background melody. His goal was to get as far away as possible from The Whispering Flagon.
Suddenly, from the darkness ahead, several pairs of small red eyes appeared. A group of Sewer Scrabbers—giant rats the size of dogs, known for their ferocity—blocked his path, their yellow teeth gleaming in the dim light.
Nihil stopped. His Capacity was still low after his escape. [Capacity: 5/15]. Physical combat was out of the question, and using Void Grasp on all of them would drain the last of his energy.
He remembered his new skill.
As the Scrabbers prepared to charge, Nihil lifted his head. His hood slipped slightly, revealing his crimson eyes glowing in the darkness. He didn't attack. He simply stared sharply at the leader of the pack.
[Activating Skill: Suppressive Gaze (Rank F)]
The Scrabber leader froze. Its animal instincts screamed. It didn't sense magic, but it felt something far worse: the gaze of an apex predator, an emptiness that sought to consume it. It let out a terrified squeal, turned, and fled, followed by its entire group.
Nihil breathed a sigh of relief as his Capacity dropped by one point. The skill was effective even on non-magical creatures. He continued walking, searching for a place to rest.
Far above the skies of Solara Magna, an elegant and silent airship descended from behind the clouds. Its design was unlike the grand ships of the Imperium or the bulky merchant vessels. "The Wanderer" was sleeker, constructed from charcoal-colored metal and blue crystals, a masterpiece of the Dimensional Guild.
On the observation deck, Elara Moonveil gazed at the city spread out below. The night wind played with her silver ponytail.
"Any word from our contacts in the Undercroft?" she asked her assistant.
"Yes, Mistress Elara," the assistant replied, reading from a crystal tablet. "There's a very strong new rumor. About a mysterious cloaked figure called 'Nihil.' They say he can erase curses with a single touch. He just humiliated a local Umbra Venari cell at an inn."
A smile of excitement appeared on Elara's face. "Nihil. Nothingness. He's even named himself. Quick," she murmured. The data was accurate. The anomaly was active and interacting. "Set a course for our hidden base near the Foundry Sector. I want to begin observation immediately. Avoid all contact with House Nocturne or Imperial patrols."
Her hunt was not to capture or kill. It was for knowledge. And she felt she was on the brink of the greatest discovery in history.
Nihil finally found a suitable place. An old, dry, and dead-end maintenance tunnel. Safe, hidden, and quiet. As he leaned against the wall to recover his Capacity, a faint sound caught his attention.
TANG... TANG... TANG...
It wasn't the sound of a living creature. It was the sound of a hammer striking metal, rhythmic and steady, coming from deeper within the tunnel network.
Curiosity overcame his exhaustion. Carefully, he rose and began moving toward the source of the sound. Beneath the living city, there was another life he hadn't anticipated.
Nihil walked for several minutes, following the sound of the hammering that grew clearer. The sewer tunnel opened into a larger natural cave. In the center of the cave, an impossible sight unfolded: a fully operational blacksmith's forge.
Flames from a large furnace danced, illuminating a burly figure at work. The figure was a Dwarf, his dense muscles visible beneath a soot-covered leather apron. His long beard was intricately braided, adorned with metal rings.
Suddenly, the Dwarf stopped. Without turning, he growled, "Whoever's hiding in the shadows, come out now or this hammer will be the last thing you see." His voice was heavy and echoed throughout the cave.
Nihil decided honesty was the best approach. He stepped out of the darkness, his hood still covering his face.
The Dwarf, Thorek "Ironhide," turned and narrowed his eyes. "You're not a sewer rat, and you're not part of any gang. What do you want in my forge?"
"I'm lost," Nihil said succinctly. "I need a place to rest until morning. I can pay you."
Thorek laughed heartily. "I don't need coins from a kid like you. This place is safe precisely because no one knows it's here. You're a problem."
Heze's mind worked quickly. He glanced at the pile of metals in the corner of the forge. Most were ordinary iron ingots, but one looked off. Its color was dull and it emitted a foul magical aura. A failed project.
"You're working with cursed metal," Nihil said, pointing at the ingot. "And you failed to cleanse it."
Thorek stopped laughing. His eyes widened in surprise. "How do you—"
"I can erase that stain," Nihil interrupted. "Not just clean it. Erase it, down to its core. Let me rest in the corner until morning. In return, that metal will be pure again."
Thorek stared at Nihil with suspicion, then at the failed ingot, the source of his frustration for the past week. As a craftsman, the offer was too tempting to refuse. "Prove it," he growled.
Nihil walked over to the cursed ingot. He placed his palm on it. Void Grasp. The dark aura flickered, then was sucked into his hand and vanished. The once-dull ingot now shone with perfect purity.
Thorek took the ingot, his eyes wide with disbelief. He weighed it, tapped it, even licked it slightly. Pure. Truly pure.
He looked at Nihil with a newfound respect. "Alright, ghost boy," he growled, this time with a hint of respect. "You can stay. But don't touch anything. And if you bring trouble to my forge, I swear I'll use you as an anvil."
Nihil simply nodded and walked to a dark corner, finally able to rest in the warmth of the furnace. He checked his system. [Capacity: 1/15]. He was completely drained.
As his eyes were about to close, a new notification from the Transmigration System appeared, the first in a long time.
[Warning: A new faction with unknown technology and energy levels has entered your operational area. Threat Level: Unknown. Remain vigilant.]
Nihil frowned. A new faction? He didn't know that above, in the night sky of Solara Magna, a silent airship had just landed, carrying a scientist who would change the entire game.