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[Congratulations! You have obtained: 9× Shadow Stalkers, 1× Shadow Reaper]
[Shadow Stalker]
An elite humunculus assassin–recon unit, capable of hiding and moving within shadows.
Skills:
— Assassination (Divine)
— Recon (Divine)
— Shadow Stalking (Divine)
— Mind Link (Divine)
Physique:
— Humunculus Physique (Shadowcat)
—*—
[Shadow Stalking]
Allows the user to sink into shadows and move within and through them.
[Mind Link]
Allows humunculi of the same origin to connect their minds, enabling instant mental communication.
[Humunculus Physique – Shadowcat]
Humunculi are humanoid alchemical creations that do not sleep, rest, or eat, sustained by energy cores embedded in their chests. Their physical capabilities vary by variation.
The Shadowcat variation grants superhuman strength comparable—though slightly inferior—to the Tiger King Physique, alongside superhuman speed and agility beyond the Tiger King Physique.
—*—
[Shadow Reaper]
An enhanced version of the Shadow Stalker, possessing superior physical abilities and a wider skill set.
Skills:
— Assassination (Divine)
— Recon (Divine)
— Shadow Stalking (Divine)
— Mind Link II (Divine)
— Death Blade (Divine)
Physique:
— Humunculus Physique (Giant Shadowcat)
—*—
[Mind Link II]
An enhanced, long-distance version of Mind Link.
[Death Blade]
A lethal technique involving the tempering of weapons with specific poison mixtures and blood.
Once completed, even the slightest wound is enough to kill a full-grown man.
[Humunculus Physique – Giant Shadowcat]
This variation combines the physical traits of a Shadowcat and a Black Bear, surpassing both in strength, speed, and agility.
—*—
"…Damn."
Qin Feng couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
This was practically a perfect squad of shadow guards—exactly the kind anyone would dream of possessing.
They could be sitting within your shadow, listening to every word you spoke… or waiting silently for the order to take your life—without you ever realizing it.
Terrifying.
He immediately summoned them.
The ten figures materialized before him and dropped to one knee in perfect unison.
The Shadow Stalkers looked exactly as he'd imagined: dark-colored light armor, hooded cloaks, a longsword strapped to their backs, shortswords at their waists, throwing knives concealed across their bodies. Yet the most unsettling detail was their hoods.
They wore no masks.
And yet—no matter the angle, no matter how closely one looked—their faces could not be seen.
The Shadow Reaper stood apart. His armor and weapons were of noticeably higher quality, his presence heavier, more oppressive. Qin Feng's gaze lingered on the twin blades at his sides as the description of Death Blade surfaced in his mind.
A chill ran down his spine.
Definitely don't want those touching me.
At his command, they vanished.
Before his very eyes, their forms dissolved like liquid shadow, merging seamlessly into the darkness of the room. Their presence disappeared completely—as if they had never existed.
Qin Feng activated True Sight and scanned the area.
At first—nothing.
Only after careful observation, after deliberately searching for inconsistencies within the shadows, did he finally detect faint anomalies.
'Amazing. Even True Sight could be deceived by their concealment!'
If he hadn't known they were there and actively searched for them, he would never have noticed them.
This… is already terrifying.
Qin Feng grinned.
"This is perfect. Very perfect."
He opened the system shop and searched for them.
— Shadow Stalker (100 SP)
— Shadow Reaper (1,000 SP)
This brought an even wider grin to his face.
They were even cheaper than he'd expected.
Each Shadow Stalker possessed a physique on par with the Tiger King Physique and possessed multiple Divine-grade skills. Just the Assassination skill alone covered close combat, blade mastery, and ranged weapons, and then actual assassination techniques.
A hundred SP for such a unit?
Absurdly good.
His gaze shifted to his balance.
[SP: 18,340]
The fortress was in dire condition—undermanned, facing imminent invasion, and riddled with traitors. As commander, it was his duty to stabilize the situation, strengthen their forces, and lead them to victory.
But he also had another responsibility.
His family.
His mother's health had been deteriorating for years, struck with a powerful alchemical poison from enemy spies at a young age.
A cure was never found.
Thus, his mother was forced to rely on elixirs brewed by imperial alchemists to suppress the symptoms.
Month after month.
Year after year.
Yet the poison never faded—it continued to erode her body, bit by bit.
To make matters worse, after his father's death, the royal alchemists ceased brewing the elixirs altogether. Left with no choice, his mother was forced to turn to wandering alchemists—most of them merely proficient—whose inferior concoctions barely held the poison at bay.
Her condition worsened.
As at the time Qin Feng left home, she could barely remain out of bed for eight hours a day. The rest was spent enduring cycles of extreme cold and burning heat.
Yet even so, she continued managing the household—and ensuring the army never lacked provisions.
Qin Feng clenched his fists.
"My duty isn't only to the empire," he murmured. "It's to my family as well."
He made his decision.
Ten thousand SP would be spent on his family.
The rest would be reserved—until after the generals' meeting, when he fully understood the fortress's condition.
With resolve settled, Qin Feng returned his focus to the system shop.
He searched for elixirs capable of curing poison.
Neutralizers.
Immunity-granting elixirs.
Restorative compounds that healed, strengthened, and then rendered one immune.
Some were affordable.
Others… astronomically priced.
Then—
He saw it.
An elixir that fit his needs perfectly.
The—
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Author's Note
Hope you're enjoying the story so far.
Please leave a comment, drop Power Stones, and add it to your collection.
Thank you.