Chapter 123 The Serpent Guild



Thud...

Closing my apartment door behind me, I sighed in relief. I momentarily closed my eyes rubbing my templates, trying to ease my growing headache.

After Rose and I killed the Volcanic Giant, I was expecting that we would immediately return to the Academy and rest, however...

The Elven Princess was set on having a picnic before calling it a day!

Ugh...

I could feel my brain melting, recalling as I tried to avoid the spoon airplanes that Rose insisted on flying toward my mouth.

That could've easily been misinterpreted if seen by a passerby...

"..."

Taking a seat behind an ancient wooden table, located in the middle of my apartment, I sent some Mana into my Spatial Ring, willing for a certain item to be retrieved.

Whoosh...

A jet-black mask appeared in my hands, seemingly absorbing all the light in the room.

Although it was made out of obsidian, it was too smooth, too dark even...

"The Darkling Mask..."

I muttered to myself tracing the intricate patterns etched to its surface.

In Leclentia The Darkling Mask was an artifact that could completely mask the owner's identity.

It could hide one's face, change the color of the hair, alter the voice and even change the scent emitted by the wearer.

The Darkling Mask was basically all in one disguise Artifact that had only one weakness...

It couldn't change the wearer's Mana Signature.

So for example, since Rose was exposed to my Mana and even felt it firsthand in the Ice Dungeon if I were to wear the Darkling Mask, she would still be able to sense my presence and identify me despite my altered appearance.

All she would need to do was use 'Mana Perception' in a certain proximity and she would be able to detect my true identity.

"..."

Observing the mask, I carefully lifted it up to my face, feeling its cold surface pressing against my skin.

Click...

As soon as I sent a little bit of Mana into the Darkling Mask, the artifact came alive, covering my face and transforming it into a blank, featureless surface.

My facial features disappeared, leaving a smooth and expressionless façade.

Although I had no eyes, however, I could still perceive the world around me perfectly, as if nothing had changed.

"..."

However, I couldn't just walk around the city without any face, it'd be even more attention-drawing than walking with my regular appearance.

Walking toward the bathroom and looking at the mirror hung on the wall, I took a deep breath before sending another pulse of Mana into the artifact.

Click...

Instantly, the change took place as my appearance morphed into that of a completely different person.

My eyes became brown, my hair also changed its color to a shade of chestnut brown, and my facial structure shifted slightly to match the new persona.

One second I was Aiden and another, Kai, one of the protagonists!

Although my height and body shape remained the same, my face was completely transformed, allowing me to blend seamlessly into the identity of Kai.

"Cool..."

Touching my newly altered face, I spoke, feeling the smooth skin beneath my fingertips.

Even my voice was no different!

Click...

I sent a little bit of Mana into the Darkling mask once again, willing to change my facial appearance once again.

This time, my facial features shifted into that of a young woman with flowing azure hair and bright blue eyes.

My ears elongated into pointy tips, my face became more delicate, and my lips took on a rosy hue.

I was now, Rose.

"..."

Looking at the mirror, I carefully scanned every part of my face, trying to find some errors, however, it was perfect. The beauty of Rose was perfectly captured in my transformed appearance.

"I feel like I'm cross-dressing..."

Grumbling under my breath, I quickly sent another pulse of Mana into the mask, making it a neutral, nondescript face once again.

Although the Artifact's ability to change one's identity was powerful, the mask had its limits...

I could only transform my face into a person I've seen before.

"Let's try it..."

Looking outside, I noticed that the sun was already setting. It was a perfect time to test if I could leave the Academy Campus without being detected.

Click...

This time I willed my hair to be short and blonde, my eyes a piercing green. Although it might sound attention-grabbing it wasn't as much in a world where magical abilities were the norm.

I stepped out of the bathroom, my new identity carefully crafted.

Thud...

Closing the apartment door, I glanced around the hallway, making sure no one noticed my sudden exit.

After not seeing a soul in the corridors, I quickly locked my door and strolled downstairs without any hesitation.

My feet led me through the campus, straight to the main gate, where I smoothly passed through without attracting any attention.

It was as if I had become invisible, a mere passerby in the bustling world outside of the Academy.

However, now that I have made sure that the Artifact can fool the people placed around the Academy grounds by the Elven Royal Family it was time to do something productive.

Tap... Tap...

With steady steps, I strolled into the city, blending into scarce crowds of people that were still up by the late hour.

As I walked, I noticed a deserted alleyway where I previously entered the Dark Auction and met 'Nothing', however, today was not the day to revisit that dangerous underworld.

As I continued walking further, the skyscrapers grew in size, becoming more imposing and grand.

It was the start of the Guild Zone, where the city's most influential and powerful organizations had their headquarters.

"..."

Looking at the buildings with massive Logos emblazoned on them, I couldn't help but feel a surge of amazement.

I wonder how much such a building would cost...

Observing many business people hurriedly walking past me in their expensive suits, I couldn't help but release some of my Mana into the air, activating my Mana perception to grasp their approximate strength.

"..."

However, the result was as expected. The Average rank of the person in this crowded area was C Rank.

Some of them felt my Mana and gave me side glances, but they quickly averted their eyes, unwilling to engage with someone they perceived as less significant.

Well, that was understandable since I was only an F+ Rank Awakener.

Although it was good for my age, my current appearance was that of a man in his late twenties, which meant my talent was not that great.

"Perfect disguise..."

I muttered under my breath, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to spread across my face.

The Darkling Mask sure was useful...

After hiding my grin, I looked around the street, my green eyes scanning the skyscrapers towering even above the clouds.

"..."

My gaze fell upon a building that was like a wooden hut amidst the glamorous skyscrapers.

It was a structure made entirely out of rusty steel, except for a few windows that were covered with tinted glass.

It honestly looked more like a fortress than an office building.

Tap... Tap...

Approaching the fortress-like building, I lifted my head to see the nameplate engraved on the entrance.

[ ? ? ]

I carefully pushed open the heavy metal doors, hearing the echo of my footsteps as I stepped into the dimly lit lobby.

Blink... Blink...

It took a few seconds for my eyes to get used to the gloomy atmosphere, but once they did, I could see the shadows dancing on the walls.

The receptionist behind the counter looked up from her desk as I approached, her eyes momentarily widening in surprise before she quickly regained her composure.

"Can I help you?"

She asked, her voice filled with a hint of skepticism. Her tone suggested that she doubted I came here with any meaningful purpose but rather stumbled upon this place accidentally.

Well, I couldn't blame her, because if I was normal there was no way I would choose to enter this facility or even look in its direction when surrounded by such prestigious guilds.

"Indeed, I'm here to join your guild."

I spoke in a bold yet emotionless tone, which made the receptionist pause for a moment before she gathered her bearings.

My appearance seemed kind of friendly, but I wasn't planning to make any friends.

Before even stepping into the building I decided that all the relationships within this guild would be strictly professional.

There was no need to be friendly or forge any personal connections.

I did everything solely for my own gain and if that meant that I had to join the ranks of the Serpent Guild, so be it.

"What is your skill set?"

The receptionist, finally, spoke tapping the desk with a pen as she quickly wrote something down without making eye contact.

"I'm a Magic Swordsman..."

My voice echoed in the silence of a lobby for a second and the receptionist's eyebrows raised slightly, betraying a flicker of interest.

While it might seem that a Magic Swordsman is a person with the ability to use both magic and swordsmanship, in reality, it was a rare combination that only a few possessed.

A Perfect sync between mana control and swordsmanship.