Malachi's confident smile remained as he held out the Fragments of Aetherium Crystal for all to see. The inn's atmosphere shifted from one of amusement to one of intrigue and curiosity as patrons whispered and pointed at the valuable crystals. Some even wondered why this kid was brave enough to bring those crystals all alone.Monkey Monk's expression changed from one of dismissive arrogance to one of apprehension. He knew the worth of those crystals, and the stakes had just been raised far higher than he had anticipated. Malachi took a step closer to the table where Monkey Monk presided. "Can I play now?”Monkey Monk hesitated, glancing around at the expectant faces of the inn's patrons. He couldn't afford to back down now; his reputation as a fearless gambler was at stake. "Very well," he said with forced confidence. "But only if you're willing to match my bet with those crystals." Malachi nodded, his eyes never leaving Monkey Monk's. He placed the Fragments of Aetherium Crystal o

After Killing Thomassin, Malachi exited the carriage and saw corpses lying around with most of the carriages already shattered and broken.The two pleasure women that entertained Thomassin were also among the corpses.Colborn stood there, among the corpses, waiting for his next order. “Did you let anyone escape?” Malachi asked.Colborn grunted and shook his head.“Good.” Malachi raised his hand, and easily, souls came out of the corpses and flew around in the air. Most of them tried to run away, but a mysterious force manipulated their trajectory.[You have obtained 75 soul points]“Since you did a good job, I will reward you with 20 soul points.”Twenty pitiful souls were then pulled away. Colborn opened his mouth and the souls went in, wailing in desperation for freedom.After gulping the souls, Colborn underwent a small change in his form. The amount of souls weren’t enough to transform him to something else, but his strength did increase.Malachi was satisfied with his first unde

A cloaked figure at the end of the hall, obscured in darkness, acknowledged Malachi's presence. The figure, presumably one of the higher-ups in the syndicate, gestured for him to approach.Malachi walked with an air of confidence, his every step echoing in the cavernous space. Seraphina trailed gracefully beside him, her ethereal form adding an eerie ambiance to the surroundings.The cloaked figure spoke in a low, raspy voice. "Malachi, you have returned. Report your mission outcome."Malachi didn't waste words. He recounted the encounter with Thomassin and that he was confirmed dead.Right after that, Malachi went straight to the Shadowcraft Academy. There was actually no reason for Malachi to come here again, since he was basically a formal member now, although that was not official yet.But, the workshop here cost much cheaper than other places, and it was a very safe place for Malachi to do his experimentation. Entering the academy, Malachi navigated through dimly lit corridors

Varian felt a slight fear, and his hair stood on end for a moment when he saw Malachi's abyssal gaze. He quickly shook the thought away, attributing it to mere illusion or his own overactive imagination. After all, a young boy like him couldn't possibly possess any power that could unsettle a seasoned warrior like Varian. Ignoring the brief unease, Varian turned away and joined the rest of the team. The group gathered in a huddle as Quest Master provided details about the mission. "Miriella and her team decided to infiltrate the church upon hearing rumors about a powerful artifact hidden within," Quest Master revealed. "In her last communication, she mentioned uncovering crucial information but was subsequently ambushed. Our intelligence now suggests that the church in Peiros is a front for this item. Your mission remains to infiltrate the church, rescue Miriella, and retrieve any valuable information she might have obtained." “Using the church as a place to keep an item,” Lysand

After completing the mission, Aldred returned to the academy. Seraphina floated next to him and asked some annoying questions as always. “So what are you going to do now?”“Do you have any other questions than that?”“I need to know what you plan to do in order to help you.”“You ask that numerous times and you did nothing to help.” Malachi continued. “You know what’s going to help? Keep your mouth shut.”Seraphina’s expression turned sour before she glanced at Colborn who simply shrugged at her.Malachi entered the Mission Hall. There, the Quest Master greeted him.“Malachi! Congratulations! You survived!”“Why do you act so surprised?”Quest Master laughed heartily. “Well, 90% people would have died when they try a mission with your level of risk.”“And yet you tell me to do it?”“Hahaha! Don’t look at me like that. I know you have the capabilities to finish this mission. And mind you, I told four high-level Syndicate members to accompany you.”Malachi grunted. “Enough. I did the