Chapter 40 First Hurdle

Most people thought that Obelisk Academy was a safe haven for the students, but that was only applicable when someone was against monsters and beasts who possessed 'Chaos Aura' within their bodies as the Obelisk Academy possessed artifacts in their arsenals that would exactly pinpoint the location of an unknown intruder in real-time and would gradually weaken them due to various status debuffs, but when the intruder is a human or a race that does not have 'Chaos' within their bodies, that would be a completely different story.

Russell Moon remembered that even since he reincarnated into this world, he hadn't killed a single person nor seen a person get killed in front of him, but knowing what kind of world this was; where power decides the fate of an individual, he knew he had to resolve himself as this is only the beginning…

With his enhanced vision due to the passive effect of one of his skills, 'Eye of Night (EX) which increased his vision by 5 times during the day, while 10 times at night, but it was amplified by one of his titles called 'Resident of Chaos' which doubles the effect, plus with the perception stat he has, he sensed the incoming shadows from afar, with the distance of at least 500 meters, slowly approaching his dorm as there are still people walking on Public Grounds…

'Cautious huh, donning a disguise? They probably won't kill me... but torture me as a warning… like cutting a limb then heal me again, repeating the cycle… well, the reason why they wouldn't kill me is probably because of Sir Lyncoster's Authority, they'd be found out quickly without a doubt.'

[You have equipped the artifact, 'Mask of Night']

Russell recalled the details of the artifact as he checked himself in the mirror without changing his appearance.

…

[Mask of Night]

One of the treasures hidden in the Chaos Realm that symbolizes the power of night. It was made from unknown materials.

Rank: Myth

Classification: Artifact

Enchantment:

Shadow Disguise

The user is able to change his/her face and voice along with his/her whole physique. It is the perfect item for disguise as it can only be seen through with the use of Skill or Artifact with the rank of SSS+ or Myth and above respectively.

Shadow Encroachment

Allows the user to move into shadows, and move faster

The Agility increased by 100, and 300 when night time if the user moves through shadows

Night Vision

The user will see better through the dark,

Two-in-One

The user has the choice to just wear the mask as it is, or use it as a master disguise.

Intrinsic Effect:

Upon wearing, Agility increased by 50

Charm increased or decreased depends on the face of disguise the user will copy

…

'This mask design is unique…'

He saw the Mask of Night as he wears it, its color was dirty white, with an X symbol that was tilted by 45 degrees in the forehead part.

Due to the Enchantment called Shadow Encroachment of the artifact, his Agility increased by 100, and another 50 with its Intrinsic Effects.

Intrinsic Effects were achieved depending on what material the artifacts, weapons, and armor were made of.

'200 meters', he thought as he activated the Night Vision enchantment of the Mask'

He looked outside the window and inspected the Status Windows of the incoming intruders with the Skill: Gaze of the Abyss.

'Two D-ranks, One C-rank, probably came from a shadow guild…'

One of the ugly settings he created in the novel was that important figures whether main characters or villains inside the Academy have the capacity to bring goons into their shadows, being allowed by the Obelisk Academy with the reason as they're important figures in the 'Player' industry, and so on.

'In Reinhardt's case, he's the son of one of the main ingredients' distributors for weapons and armor production in the Obelisk Organization…'

'I'm glad they're only D-ranks and C-rank… I only broke the Stats difference from A-ranks and above… haha,' he couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh inwardly.

[You have blended into the shadow due to Enchantment: Shadow Encroachment]

With the enchantment, Russell Moon's room seemed like an empty shell, left for a long period of time as if no one was there in the first place…

[You have used the Skill: Absolute Concealment]

[You have become invisible]

[Your invisibility will be canceled the moment you attack]

'Invisibility and enchantment that let me blend in the shadow… what a fitting combination for something like 'nothingness'

Russell keeps distracting himself as this would be the first time he would encounter such a hurdle…

…

Three men with hooded jackets came in from the window of a dormitory Room 393, and one of them, who seemed like the leader signaled the other two to search for any relevant information that would be of use against their target.

"Where is he? Rad, check the bathroom…"

The leader of the goons asked, not feeling that something was amiss with the atmosphere, and without any words, the assassin name Rad went to the dorm's bathroom only to see that no one was there…

"Boss, no one's here..." said Rad, double-checking the surroundings with his back facing the leader he called 'Boss'.

"Boss Reinhardt said we should send him a warning… hey, you, Trash the pla-"

The boss of the intruders didn't manage to finish his words as he was about to order the other goon who's looking for possible relevant information as he saw a headless body still standing while the blood was still gushing out from the neck, and an ominous Scythe holding by a man behind the headless body wearing a simple dirty white mask with its only peculiarity was the X titled by 45 degrees on its forehead.

"Dan!"

One of the goons who checked the bathroom shouted the name of the man whose head flew with a swing of the Scythe, he withdrew his pair of daggers and suddenly jumped on their target without asking for anything, and the one called 'Boss' also did the same, but as they approached, the target melted in the shadows.

'Is he also a thief?' The Boss thought as he and Rad also blends in the shadow, but before Rad could do so, his feet were cut off… not by the Scythe that beheaded Dan, but a pair of teeth like a shark that described one of the features of the dark blue slime, emanating a dark blue aura.

"AHHH!!!," he screamed as his feet left his body, as if it wasn't there, while the 'Boss' saw the abnormal slime, blanking his thoughts, not knowing what to do…

'I have to run! I have to report this…'

He thought, prioritizing his survival against the unexpected variable they encountered.

[Activating Skill: Shadow Slide]

Shadow Slide (Lvl. 3)

An exclusive 'Thief' skill that helps the 'Player' to blend and move in the shadow for a short period of time.

Rank: C

Cost: 150 Mana

Effect:

Allows the 'Player' to blend and move in the shadow for 30 minutes

Boss' whole body blended in the shadow, not having a single trace left, but as he was just about to leave the dorm where a mess happened, he heard the target say something, sending fear within his heart, not knowing what will happen.

…

A week before the 'Banquet of Obelisk', in the Chaos Training Grounds.

[You have trained for 120 hours]

[Your Skill: Intermediate Scythemanship has reached level 10]

[You have acquired the Skill: Advanced Scythemanship (D-)]

[Your Skill: Intermediate Swordsmanship has reached level 10]

[You have acquired the Skill: Advanced Swordsmanship (D-)]

[You have met a 'hidden' requirement' as a Mediator of Chaos]

[You could sacrifice the Skill: Advanced Swordsmanship and Skill; Advanced Scythemanship to evolve the Skill: Weapon Mastery]

[Would you like to sacrifice them?]

Russell Moon formed a baffled expression with the unexpected message…

'This is an exclusive condition… related to my profession as the Mediator of Chaos…' he thought for some time before making an answer.

[You have not sacrificed the following skills. The change will not happen]

Russell didn't make a quick decision as he thought that maybe he could be given another chance if his advanced scythe and sword skills reached the 'expert' level…

'I also realized that skills, stat, and titles related to my profession have dark blue hue in the System messages or my Status Windows, thus the Weapon Mastery I acquired from losing my swordsmanship profession isn't a normal skill…'

Russell's concern was his looks if he increases the training time from 1 is to 31 time difference from Earth to Chaos Training Grounds respectively; he'd get suspected by his younger sister if he grew his hair and got a beard all of a sudden that's why he at most spent 5 hours on Earth, 120 hours on the Chaos Training Grounds; training at least once every two Earth days. He changed from the usual 1 is to 3 time difference to 1 is to 24, wanting to be stronger quicker with the growth rate of 7 times including the Chaos Training Grounds benefits.

This includes his catching up to sleep using the benefits of time difference.

"My Goddess, are you awake? I have a question to ask…"

[Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos' says she is awake]

"Great, I wonder if the maximum time difference of the Chaos Training Grounds can be increased?"

[Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos' says to stop asking stupid questions.]

[Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos' goes back to her slumber.]

Russell frowned as he saw the System messages, ruminating why he got such a reply from the Goddess.

'I just want to increase the training time in the future!'

…

Three days before the 'Banquet of Obelisk', in the Chaos Training Grounds.

[You have acquired the Skill: Expert Scythemanship]

[You have acquired the Skill: Expert Swordsmanship]

…

[You have decided to sacrifice the Skill: Expert Scythemanship, and Skill: Expert Swordmanship]

[The following skill will be lost]

[You have met the 'hidden requirement' as a Mediator of Chaos]

[Your Skill: Weapon Mastery has evolved into another skill]

[You have acquired the Skill: Cull and Cut (EX)]

…

Thanks to the growth rate increase with the consumption of 'Seed of Chaos', 'Symbol of Night', and the Chaos Training Ground benefits, he managed to reach the Expert level of scythemanship and swordsmanship in just a few Earth days, though it's like a week in the Chaos Training Grounds, and with the seven times growth rate, he felt like he trained for at least two or more months.

Russell checked the skill he acquired from sacrificing the expert level scythemanship and swordsmanship…

Cull and Cut (Passive)

As a Mediator of Chaos, one of the responsibilities you have is to correct the balance of power in the 'Great Universe'.

Rank: EX

Effects:

- You could wield any weapon of choice, and learn them faster.

- Increased efficiency in learning and wielding any weapons by 300% except for Scythes, and Swords which gives the Mediator of Chaos a 400% learning and wielding efficiency.

Additional Effects:

Cull

- When using a Scythe weapon, your strength increased by five times (capped at 4,999 strength)

- Culling is not limited to the physical realm.

Cut

- When using a Sword weapon, your agility increased by five times (capped at 4,999 agility)

- Cutting is not limited to the physical realm.

…

Seeing the unbelievable description of the Skill: Cull and Cut, Russell couldn't help but doubt his low Luck stat…

'Is my low Luck a scam?'

Though he was grateful for the skill, he noticed something he was unfamiliar with in the description of the skill.

pA n,dan(-)0ve1.c0m 'One of the Responsibilities I have?'

…

Present Day, as the 'Boss' was escaping through the shadow...

"Cull."

Russell Moon's monotonous voice reverberated inside his dormitory as he muttered the additional effect of the Skill: Cull and Cut (EX), he swung the Scythe downward where 'Boss' vanished from, and surprisingly, the Scythe that should touch the floor and break it passed through as if a glitch happened, and as soon as Russell took the Scythe out, a body was attached to it, penetrated by the Scythe from the invader's chest with his eyes open, devoid of life, but with the look of horror.

This night, in Russell Moon's dormitory, the first hurdle was overcome.