It allowed him to instantly memorize everything within his line of sight—and to identify objects or individuals connected to him. Its limitation was clear: it could only reveal what he could see.
That was why he had climbed so high.
"This is New York," Shaun Cole murmured.
"The year is 1900."
"Looks like I arrived too early."
He stood, spread his arms, and leapt forward.
Below the building lay a shallow pool, barely a meter deep.
Splash.
With a dull sound, Shaun Cole plunged into the water, then calmly stepped out.
Despite the height of the fall, the people nearby seemed to notice nothing at all.
This was one of Shaun Cole's fundamental Assassin techniques—the art of concealing one's presence. When mastered to its peak, even standing openly beside another person, one could remain unseen.
After nearly a thousand years in the game world, Shaun Cole had long since perfected it.
Now that he knew where—and when—he was, the next step was clear.
He would return home.
To the homeland he had been separated from for nearly a millennium.
Deep within the Himalayas of Tibet, an ancient palace lay hidden from the world.
"I sense a powerful energy… from another world."
A white-haired man spoke with his eyes closed, addressing the bald woman beside him.
"Gu Yi. Go and investigate."
"Yes, Ka-Lu."
She nodded and turned away.
Night fell.
New York Harbor.
Shaun Cole arrived at the docks.
"Excuse me," he said, stopping an Asian woman wearing a Western-style hat and short hair.
"Which ship is headed for Huaxia?"
She looked up at him.
He wore a white hood, its peak forming a sharp triangular silhouette. His robes were white, trimmed with a red-lined collar. Metal pauldrons extended from his right shoulder across his chest, mirrored on the left. Ornate bracers encased his wrists, and a metal belt formed a strange sigil over his abdomen.
His boots were made of an unknown material, their pointed tips sharp as blades—
one misstep could easily be fatal.
Half his body was draped in a red-and-white cloak.
"Ma'am?"
Startled, she replied hurriedly, "The third ship ahead," pointing toward a passenger vessel not far away.
"Thank you."
Shaun Cole nodded and walked off.
The woman hesitated, then quietly followed him.
Soon, Shaun Cole reached the boarding gate and continued forward at an unhurried pace. The ticket inspectors on both sides behaved as though he did not exist, allowing him to pass freely.
Behind him, the woman's eyes widened in shock.
"Miss, your ticket, please."
"Oh—yes. Here." She handed it over, then hesitated.
"But… the gentleman in front of me—why didn't he show a ticket? You just let him board."
"The gentleman in front of you?"
The inspector looked up, confused, and returned her ticket.
"Miss, no one boarded before you. You're our first passenger."
"Ah… I see. Thank you."
Already aboard the ship, Shaun Cole's ears twitched slightly.
Beneath his hood, a faint smile appeared.