{Name: Raven Dmitry
Class: Classless
Level: 69
Exp: 2500/15100
Attribute points: 20}
'Okay, time to divvy up the attribute points.'
Attributes:
Aether: 28 → 32
Universal Magic: 28 → 32
…
Raven was clearly not slacking off for the last couple of days, but levelling up had indeed slowed down significantly.
Above all, there were no more first-clear bonuses, and D-ranked gates were quite rare, to say the least. He had only found one other after clearing almost ten dungeons in the last two days, and he was currently in it, fighting the boss monster.
This should've been a trickier fight than the last D-ranked gate due to the boss being a giant snake, which moved quite fast and sprayed venom through its fangs.
However, Raven ended up finding it much easier due to being over double the level now.
One of the main benefits he had gained from clearing dungeons over the last couple of days was improved control over his magic. Using this, he was able to make rock spikes erupt from basically every surface of the cave-like terrain in the dungeon, impaling the snake and making it easy for him to roast it alive.
[You have slain the Dungeon Boss: Baby Basilisk (level: 40)]
[Dungeon cleared]
[…]
"Anyway, I think it's about time I paid that bastard Ivanov a visit."
After finally deciding that it was the right time to finish his revenge, he prepared to set off. It was quite far from where he currently was, even if he could probably run a couple of hundred miles in fifteen minutes or so.
'Still over 6000 miles… could take me almost 10 hours if I run constantly without stopping.'
'I could take a plane or a train, but that could be kind of risky.'
The biggest issue was that Raven currently had no way of identifying himself. He couldn't just get an ID from the nearest council or his old home; that would easily alert the higher-ups.
His whole family was supposed to have been purged from the face of the earth. Someone who harboured that kind of hatred…
'If they knew I was alive, I'd definitely be watched almost 24/7.'
'I could try that.'
So, the only other option was to use the identification of one of those deceased mafia members, which was quite easy since he could adjust his appearance to match any of their passports.
After going back, Raven scoured the place for any passports or IDs he could use.
After ten minutes or so, he came up with five different passports and chose the one that looked closest to him, assuming it would take less mana if the change in appearance was minor.
'Of course, I still need to figure out how this transfiguration magic works.'
Raven had already realised that when he upgraded his All-attribute magic to Universal magic, the number of attributes and abilities he could use had increased dramatically.
'So if I just activate my aether and imagine the face I want to transform into, it should work… in theory.'
With a thought, he made the change. Curious, he walked to the bathroom mirror to check his reflection. Brown hair now replaced his striking silver, and he looked slightly more muscular than before.
'Uhhh, it could use some work, but I think it's probably already good enough.'
He still lacked the fine control to replicate every small detail perfectly, but it was close enough to pass for the same person in the passport.
"Handsome or not, all they needed to see was another face. Nothing more," he grinned, remembering that he had consumed the golden apple, which had elevated his body to the peak of human standards in health and appearance.
Even dulled by disguise, the mirror still reflected something inhuman.
One thing was clear: his transfiguration magic was draining his Aether slowly. It wasn't unmanageable, but it still depleted faster than he could recover, meaning he would eventually run out in a couple of days if he didn't drop the disguise.
'I don't plan for this to be a long trip, but I should take some necessities such as water and maybe a sandwich to eat.'
Finally, it was time to set off. If he ran at full speed, he could arrive in Moscow before nightfall. He took more rural routes to avoid attention when moving at superhuman speeds.
"Just you wait, Ivanov. I'm going to have so much fun tearing you apart," he muttered with a twisted smile. "Just thinking about the pain I could inflict on you is getting my blood boiling."
"Three years I've waited. Soon I'll collect the debt."
…
Raven left Vladivostok before dawn, the sky still deep blue and the streets silent except for the crunch of frost under his boots.
He didn't look back.
The less connection he had to this place, the better. Once the warehouses and shipping yards faded behind him, he pushed his pace.
'Let's see just how fast I can go.'
"Booom!!!"
That sudden shock caused Raven to pause and look back. "There's no way that was a sonic boom, right?"
'Okay, I didn't think that would be such a problem, but it seems I'll have to keep my speed just below my maximum to stop that from happening.'
That sort of noise was akin to announcing himself for tens of miles in each direction.
He almost laughed. His speed wasn't just unnatural. It broke the world around him.
To him, it wasn't freedom. It was inevitable. Every step carried him closer to Ivanov's death.
The cold air sliced into his lungs like shards of glass. Except, his body ran like a machine now, breath steady, muscles working in perfect rhythm. He kept to the shadows of low hills and tree lines, the crunch of snow the only sound he allowed to exist.
Every so often, he'd catch a flicker of light in the distance, a lone farmhouse, the warm orange of a village window, and angle away without hesitation. No one could see him. Not yet.
Near Khabarovsk, the Amur River shimmered under the pale morning sun, its frozen surface reflecting light like cracked glass. He didn't slow. The river faded behind him, replaced by endless pine forest and open stretches of wind-bitten plain
By midday, the distant sprawl of Novosibirsk appeared far to the south, just a hazy smear against the horizon. He circled wide around it, sticking to the empty countryside. Cities meant eyes, cameras, questions, and he wasn't ready for any of those.
This was around the time Raven decided to take a quick break. Although just a few minutes, it was enough to freshen his legs. The sandwich was enough to replenish most of his energy, allowing him to continue on his journey quite promptly.
The Urals came next, jagged teeth of stone breaking through the horizon. The climb, however, barely slowed him; his legs carried him up and over as if the mountain paths were nothing more than another stretch of road.
Hours blurred together until the air grew heavier, tinged with the faint scent of smoke and exhaust.
In the far distance, lights began to appear on the horizon, scattered at first, until soon, the outline of buildings emerged into the glow of a city that never truly slept.
Moscow.
Raven slowed, letting his heartbeat settle. His breathing stayed calm, his steps deliberate. Power thrummed quietly under his skin, but now wasn't the time to show it. He blended into the slow trickle of people on the road, head down, eyes sharp.
The real work was about to begin.