Later that day, deep within the Sun City Dungeon, Kairo moved like a streak of lightning.
On the sixth floor, shadows twisted and shifted restlessly. The moment a pair of gleaming eyes appeared within the blackness—SWOOSH—!
Kairo blurred forward with [Sonic], three shadow wolves died before their claws even left the ground, bodies dissolving into wisps of dark smoke.
As he slowed, his chest barely heaving, he flexed his fingers around his sword's grip.
My strength… It's completely different now.
Not just from the skills, his entire body felt lighter, more responsive. His attributes had transformed him into something beyond what he'd been even days ago.
More wolves burst from the darkness, materializing from shadows. One lunged, jaws wide, fangs dripping.
Kairo's blade carved upward, the wolf's body tore open in midair, dissolving into black mist before it hit the stone floor.
Another came from behind, fangs aimed at his throat.
Kairo twisted, his body responding before conscious thought formed. He slid beneath the creature with a clean step. As he rose, flame spiraled across his weapon like a living serpent.
[Infernal Edge] ignited along the steel, orange and red fire dancing hungrily.
Kairo slashed, the blade passed through shadow-flesh like parchment, leaving burning wounds that refused to heal.
The wolf shrieked and collapsed.
His perception sharpened with each exchange. He could feel the dungeon's rhythm now, the pulse of mana flowing through his veins, and even his heartbeat matched the tempo of combat.
More wolves crawled forth from crackling shadows, eyes glowing like dying embers, six, eight, ten.
They circled, patient predators.
Kairo raised his left hand, and space itself tore open above him. A wound in reality, black as the void between stars, edges crackling with black energy.
[Oblivion Burst].
A column of destructive force shot downward, screaming through the air.
It struck a shadow wolf dead center, the creature didn't explode; Instead, the energy pierced clean through its body, boring a perfect hole from spine to sternum. The wolf collapsed, smoke rising from the wound.
And then—
The Kairo who had unleashed the attack suddenly collapsed, his body dissolving into flickering shadows before fading away completely.
...
Back on the fifth floor, the real Kairo opened his eyes.
He stood perfectly still, processing what he'd just experienced.
I controlled the clone from [Mirror Step] exactly like my own body.
It hadn't felt like commanding a puppet. It felt like being in two places at once, his consciousness split but whole. The clone moved with his thoughts, fought with his instincts.
And it can use any of my skills.
The mana drain had been immediate when the clone cast [Oblivion Burst]. Forty points, pulled directly from him despite the distance.
"This… is powerful."
Too powerful, maybe. The tactical possibilities spun through his mind. Distraction, flanking, and simultaneous attacks from impossible angles.
He clenched his fist, feeling the residual heat from [Infernal Edge] still warming his palm.
I'm getting stronger.
...
Hours later, after grinding through dozens more shadow wolves and collecting their cores, Kairo ascended from the dungeon's depths.
The evening air hit him like a cool cloth against fevered skin. He walked through Sun City's streets, hood drawn, ignoring the whispers that followed.
The guild hall glowed warm against the darkening sky.
Serin spotted him the moment he entered. She waved him over immediately, "Eric and Kaya were looking for you earlier."
"I was in the dungeon," Kairo answered simply, approaching her desk.
She nodded, "They seemed worried, said they'd check back tomorrow."
Kairo said nothing, just inclined his head slightly before turning away.
He sold his loot and left without another word.
Then he headed back to his room at the inn.
...
At midnight, in a narrow alley where moonlight barely reached the ground, a dark silhouette clung to the walls like a living shadow.
Its attention fixed on three drunk men staggering and laughing across the street, voices carrying through the quiet night.
These three were Gary's party members. The ones who'd stood by while their leader choked Kairo against the stone.
The shadow watched and waited.
Eventually, the men split apart, each stumbling toward different districts.
One man, alone, muttered curses to himself as he staggered down a side path. His steps were uneven, breath reeking of cheap ale.
The shadow followed.
The man stopped suddenly, swaying. He turned back, squinting into the darkness, "…Anyone there?"
Silence answered.
Wind whistled between buildings.
The man snorted, turning forward again—
A figure wearing a black mask stood directly in front of him.
SLASH—!
A clean slash ripped through the man's thigh, parting leather and flesh. He screamed, collapsing onto filthy cobblestones.
"You… who—who are you!?" Blood pooled beneath him, spreading dark and thick.
The masked figure spoke with a coldness that felt inhuman, "What do you know about the summoning scrolls?"
"I—I don't know anything—AHHH!"
Another slash tore across his other thigh, deeper this time.
"I know the Heaven Clan is dealing with summoning scrolls," the masked figure whispered, "You will answer, or you will die."
"H-how do you know that!?" the drunk man gasped, eyes wide with terror and pain. "Even inside the clan, only a few know—"
SLASH—!
The blade opened his shoulder.
"Where are the scrolls purchased?"
Silence.
SLASH—!
"Where are they delivered?"
The man sobbed, choking on his own blood.
"Who handles them?"
"I don't know! I swear! They only send us for deliveries, I don't know who buys them!" Tears mixed with blood on his face. "Please—"
"Where did you deliver?"
"They… they only tell us a place to drop it! I—I don't know who picks it up! We just leave it and go! That's all I know, I swear on my life—"
The masked figure straightened.
Moonlight caught the edge of the blade, still dripping.
The man sobbed in fear, hands raised uselessly. "Please… please, I told you everything—"
SLASH—!
A single, perfect strike across the throat. The head tilted at an unnatural angle, nearly severed.
But the masked figure didn't stop.
Slash after slash, stab after stab. The blade rose and fell, long after life had fled the body. Blood painted the alley walls in dark arcs.
Finally, when nothing remained but ruined meat, the figure straightened.
Wiped the blade clean on the corpse's cloak and vanished into the shadows.
...
The next morning, a loud knock shook Kairo's door.
Kairo groaned, rolling over. He rubbed his eyes, stumbled to the door, and opened it.
Eric stood there, pale and sweating despite the cool morning air. His usual composure had cracked.
"What happened?" Kairo asked, voice still rough with sleep.
Eric glanced down the hallway, then back, "…Did you do it?" The words came out barely above a whisper.
Kairo froze, hand still on the doorframe. "What are you talking about?"
Eric swallowed hard, throat bobbing. "Someone murdered a Heaven Clan member last night, brutally. They found the body in an alley near the market district."
Kairo's expression didn't change, "I don't know anything about it."
Eric looked at him for a long moment, finally, Eric exhaled shakily and nodded.
Later, they walked together through Sun City's morning streets.
The usual bustle felt different. People clustered in groups, voices low and urgent.
The guild hall buzzed like a disturbed hive when they entered.
Everyone was whispering.
"Did you hear? A Heaven Clan member was murdered!"
"Inside the city walls!"
"Slashed into… pieces, they're saying…"
"No witnesses at all!"
"What kind of monster would—"
Eric and Kairo approached Serin's desk, weaving through the crowded hall.
She looked shaken, "Have you heard? A man was killed horribly inside the city last night."
Eric leaned against her desk, "Yeah, we heard. Did they get any evidence of who did this?"
Serin shook her head slowly, "No eyewitnesses. The knights are still inquiring, questioning everyone in that district. They hope they'll capture whoever it is soon." She paused, wrapping her arms around herself. "It's… it's terrible. I've never heard of something like this happening in Sun City."
Eric exhaled, he glanced sideways at Kairo, who stood silently beside him, face hidden beneath his cloak's shadow.
"Who could've done something like that…?" Eric whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
Kairo said nothing.