The Trader with No Shadow
The forest deepened, the sunlight dimming beneath twisting branches. Ruko's boots pressed into the soft moss, his cloak whispering against the bark. The strange pulse he'd felt earlier had vanished, but the feeling of being watched hadn't.
> [System Notice: Energy Distortion – Neutralized.]
[Stability: 1.20%.]
"Guess I scared it off and can't get the feeling," he muttered, smirking.
But then came a sound—light footsteps, steady, deliberate. Not from a beast. From someone trying not to be heard.
Ruko's fingers twitched. He didn't reach for his weapon. Instead, he kept walking, listening to the rhythm of the steps. Whoever followed him wasn't hostile. Just… observing.
> [Yew]: Multiple heat signatures detected.
[Count: 1 human. Intent: Unknown.]
"Human, huh?" Ruko whispered. "Guess I'll play along."
He stopped near a clearing, where old ruins slept under the overgrowth. Moss-covered stones curved like the remains of an ancient gate. He turned slightly, pretending to look at the sky.
That's when the voice came.
"Not many wanderers go this far into the Emerald Trail."
Ruko turned—and saw him.
A tall man in a dark brown coat stood a few paces away, leaning on a wooden staff. His smile was calm, but his eyes carried a strange, sharp stillness—like he was measuring something unseen.
"I like quiet places," Ruko replied. "The less people around, the fewer I have to listen to."
The man chuckled softly. "Can't argue with that. Name's Varo. Traveling trader, collector of odd things… and people, sometimes."
Ruko narrowed his eyes slightly. "People? Didn't i saw you earlier awhile ago."
"It's just your imagination like a stories," Varo corrected, grin widening. "Everyone's got one. Yours feels… heavy."
Ruko didn't answer. He didn't like people poking around his past—especially strangers.
> [Yew]: His energy pattern… unusual.
[No Shadow Signature detected.]
Ruko's gaze flicked to the ground. The sunlight broke through the canopy—his own shadow stretched cleanly behind him. But Varo's feet… had none.
A faint breeze passed. The smell of ozone lingered.
"Traveler, huh?" Ruko said. "Then why's the sun afraid to touch you?"
Varo only smiled. "Sharp eyes. Most wouldn't notice that."
Ruko shifted his stance slightly, his right hand hovering near his belt. "Most wouldn't show up behind me, either."
For a second, their gazes locked—two hunters testing the other's strength in silence. Then, Varo raised a hand and waved it casually.
"No need for tension, kid. I'm not your enemy."
"Maybe not," Ruko replied, smirk curling again, "but I don't do 'maybe.'"
Before Varo could respond, a loud growl broke through the trees. Three corrupted wolves emerged from the brush, their fur pitch-black and glowing faintly red. Their eyes shimmered like molten glass.
> [World Reaction Effect: 500% – Active.]
"Guess they followed your smell," Ruko said.
"Or yours," Varo countered, amused.
Ruko's smirk widened. "Then let's see which of us they eat first."
He dashed forward. His footwork blurred as his body dissolved into motion—like liquid shadow. The first wolf lunged; he ducked low, hands glowing faint crimson.
> [Skill: True Copy – Activated.]
He mimicked the wolf's movement, reversing its leap mid-air and slamming it into a tree with the same ferocity it attacked him with. Bone cracked; the wolf went limp.
The second wolf circled to flank him. Ruko's eyes flickered silver.
> "Rewrite: Acceleration x2."
The world slowed. He vanished from sight and reappeared above it, driving his heel into its skull. Dust exploded.
The third wolf turned, but before Ruko could move—Varo did.
A flick of the wrist. A small orb rolled from his sleeve and hit the ground. It burst into black smoke, slicing through the wolf's body like liquid blades. The creature screamed, dissolving into dust.
Ruko landed, watching the smoke fade.
"…A trader with weapons like that?"
Varo smirked. "Dangerous roads need dangerous tools."
Ruko crossed his arms. "Those 'tools' aren't normal. That smoke had mana resonance—like it's alive."
"You've got a good sense for energy," Varo replied, tone light but gaze sharp. "You're not a normal adventurer, are you?"
Ruko didn't flinch. "Normal's boring."
"Fair," Varo said, walking closer. "But tell me something—how does a young adventurer with unstable aura, bloodline traces, and a killing instinct sharper than most knights end up wandering alone?"
Ruko tilted his head slightly, smirk still there but eyes colder. "You talk too much for a trader."
Varo shrugged. "Curiosity's part of my job."
> [Yew]: Warning. Unknown energy synchronization attempt detected.
[Origin: Varo.]
Ruko's expression didn't change, but his mind sharpened instantly. He could feel it—a soft thread of energy, probing at his aura like invisible fingers trying to read his essence.
He raised his hand. "If you're trying to scan me again, I'll break that stick and shove it down your throat."
Varo laughed, low and genuine. "You remind me of someone. Reckless, sharp, and very… very interesting."
"Good," Ruko said. "Stay interested from a distance."
Varo's smile didn't fade, but his tone softened. "You'll learn soon, Ruko. This world isn't kind to those who walk alone. Especially to those carrying things not meant for this plane."
Ruko's eyes narrowed. "And what would you know about what I carry?"
"Enough to tell," Varo said, turning to leave, "that whatever hunts you won't stop. And whatever you're hiding… will burn brighter than you think."
He started walking toward the mist, his footsteps silent.
"Wait," Ruko called out.
Varo stopped but didn't turn around.
"If you're really just a trader," Ruko said, "then why don't you have a shadow?"
Varo chuckled. "Because, Ruko… shadows follow those who fear the light. I've already outgrown both."
With that, he vanished—like mist caught by wind.
Ruko stood there, frowning slightly.
> [Yew]: Analysis complete. Subject 'Varo' – unregistered entity. Energy tier: Unknown.
[Recommendation: Avoid direct confrontation until further data acquired.]
Ruko smirked. "Avoid? You're no fun, Yew. He looks like a walking mystery."
> [Yew]: Exactly. And mysteries kill the curious first.
"Yeah," Ruko said, walking forward again, hands in his pockets. "Guess that's why I'm still alive."
The wind brushed past, carrying the faint echo of laughter that wasn't his.
> [System Notice: Stability – 1.30%. Shadowline Resonance increasing.]
Ruko's grin returned, faint but sure. Whatever that trader was, he wasn't from this world—and that meant the game had just gotten a lot more interesting.