Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 91
>Chapter Title: Shroud of Darkness
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Chapter 91
>91.
>Shroud of Darkness.
>It was a skill that literally enveloped the body or weapon in mana infused with an attribute—a rare close-range skill for dark-attribute mages.
>Flame Shroud, Earth Shroud, Wind Shroud, and so on...
>It was a fairly well-known skill with various versions.
>‘Among Hero-grade skills, it’s pretty much the only close-range one.’
>As befitting a Hero-grade skill, it boasted top-tier performance among the few close-range options available exclusively to mages—truly their signature move.
>However, despite its pedigree, the Shroud skills didn’t have the best reputation.
“The performance is great, the cooldown isn’t bad considering the duration... Everything about it is good. It’s all good, but...”
“...do we really need to use this?”
The issue lay in the nature of the mage class.
As the epitome of ranged DPS, mages excelled in firepower.
That’s why party members typically protected the mage, while the mage unleashed damage safely from the rear.
There was no reason for such a mage to ever worry about close combat.
“If you had plenty of skill slots, maybe, but when they’re already so limited?”
“Honestly, if a mage lets an enemy get that close, it’s already over. Wouldn’t it be better to slot a skill for escaping instead? Why waste it on something for melee?”
“That’s only for PvP, anyway.”
While arena fighters or PK enthusiasts might gear toward close-range skills, that was limited to PvP—player versus player.
Most mage users focused on PvE—player versus environment—so there was no reason to adopt ‘Shroud.’
Mages shone brightest at range.
‘But I’m different.’
Do-hyun, however, wasn’t a mage.
He was the sole all-master in God Ose, armed with close-range skills from every class. For him, ‘Shroud’ was premium seasoning to elevate his melee prowess even further.
A skill that would serve as the MSG in kimchi jjigae.
‘No one will ever use this skill more effectively than me.’
This wasn’t a hunch—it was certainty.
Though a mage skill, it never reached full potential in a mage’s hands.
That’s why forum debates always featured the question: ‘What if another class got it?’
It wasn’t his ideal pick, but for an all-master like him, it was something to welcome with open arms.
‘It’s good, but...’
Still, Do-hyun’s expression was a touch ambiguous.
It was a solid skill—one that meshed well with his current combat style and could enhance his existing arsenal.
Everything about it checked out...
‘But I was hoping for something flashier.’
The letdown was how far it deviated from his expectations.
He’d secretly envisioned dazzling, beautiful magic for his first true spell, but this felt anything but magical.
‘What’s the difference from a regular buff?’
It was essentially like a knight turning into a dark knight.
He couldn’t hide his disappointment, but true to form as someone who prioritized performance, Do-hyun shook it off quickly.
There would be plenty more chances to acquire skills.
Flashy magic could come later.
‘Let’s test it out for now.’
Do-hyun decided to experiment with the skill before completing the quest and exited the Rocky Forest Mountains.
A thick fog rolled in, soon revealing a pack of orcs.
Snort-!
Spotting him almost instantly, the orcs charged with their signature grunts.
Gripping Cheonbyeon, Do-hyun faced them.
[Cheonbyeon transforms into ‘Bastard’s Practice Sword.’]
The Cheonbyeon, now in the form of Bastard’s Practice Sword, transformed once more.
Like black ink spreading, its sleek silver sheen darkened into an inky blackness.
The surging darkness spilling from it looked endlessly ominous.
[Shroud of Darkness used on Cheonbyeon.]
>[40-second cooldown applied to target ‘Cheonbyeon.’]
>[Mana consumed every 1 second.]
That was the effect of Shroud of Darkness.
A menacing visual worthy of a Hero-grade skill—and it wasn’t just for show.
[Cheonbyeon is shrouded in darkness, imbued with its properties.]
>[Darkness is silent and pierces to the essence.]
‘Hm...’
Do-hyun swung Cheonbyeon through the air a few times, confirming the description.
No sound of cutting wind. He could feel the blade slicing empty space, yet silence reigned.
“No sound makes it feel weird.”
It was like playing with audio muted.
No—something even more supernatural.
He couldn’t put it into words exactly, but in a world filled with noise, being the only one silenced created a profound disconnect.
-Whoa, what’s that, Master? So cool!
-Rizariza!
The effect must have looked impressive, as Zihard and Eliza’s eyes sparkled.
The rippling black aura likely fueled their curiosity.
-Awesome!
-Ririza!
Each swing and movement sent darkness rippling, drawing bigger reactions from them.
And crucially, not a single sound accompanied it.
‘Assassins would lose their minds over this.’
In the dead of night, the effect would barely show.
Pair this stealth with actual Stealth, and failed ambushes would be a thing of the past.
--!
Snort...?
An orc’s eyes wavered as a sharp pain stabbed its left chest. Confusion filled its gaze.
What was this? Not even the sound of being pierced?
That seemed to be its final thought as its eyes dimmed and faded.
[Orc defeated.]
>[Swordsmanship proficiency increased.]
>[Swordsmanship proficiency reached LV13.]
Snort!?
The charging orcs halted at their comrade’s sudden death.
Instinct. A death without a scream felt alien.
Sensing an inexplicable chill, the orc scanned its surroundings.
As a monster descended from warriors, its senses were keen.
But even that primal vigilance detected nothing.
In the thick fog, only its comrade’s empty corpse was visible—no sights, no sounds.
In that instant.
Stab-.
Snort...?
Its throat and windpipe pierced in a flash.
Choking on blood, the orc breathed its last.
Dead without ever knowing why.
Swoosh.
Do-hyun emerged from behind, the architect of that hollow demise.
His sword and body alike were dyed pitch-black, rippling faintly with dark energy—like an incarnation of darkness itself.
[Shroud of Darkness used on self.]
>[40-second cooldown applied to player ‘Kaiser.’]
>[Mana consumed every 1 second.]
The influence of Shroud of Darkness.
With even his clothes shrouded, no rustle sounded no matter how they billowed.
He’d planned to apply it to his shoes too, but thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.
[‘Stealth Leather Boots from Special Forge’ option activates.]
>[No footstep sounds when walking.]
The new boots pulled their weight perfectly.
The fog that once amplified the orcs’ reckless charges now turned their aggression against them—a dagger at their throats.
“Whoa...”
Do-hyun, wielding that dagger masterfully, was in awe.
He couldn’t help it.
“This is insane. Peak assassination right here.”
Even to him, it was flawless—the gold standard of stealth kills.
Exaggerating a bit, it could go straight into a textbook.
Any assassin’s manual should be based on this!
‘I’m starting to feel more like an assassin than a swordsman, but whatever.’
With Hero-grade skills all assassin-specialized, plus constant low-level Stealth and silent boots.
At this point, calling himself an assassin wouldn’t be wrong.
The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he dismissed it.
Who cared? As long as it was cool and strong.
-M-Master! Me too! I wanna try it!
-Rizariza!
The pair couldn’t tear their eyes away from the cool factor, clamoring excitedly.
“How would you even use this? It’s my skill... Huh?”
He chuckled and waved them off—then froze as a memory flashed.
‘Hold on.’
Shroud skills, more useful to melee classes than mages, had faded from memory for most.
Until one mage showcased a clever twist.
‘Wasn’t there a guy who used it on his Guardian?’
Flame Shroud on his Salamander Guardian.
Shrouds couldn’t target others—how did it work on a Guardian?
Simple:
-Guardians are deemed the user’s property, not others.
Thus, Guardians were neither self nor other.
A brilliant exploit of the skill system.
It let him create a Salamander spewing fiercer flames, sparking a brief trend of Shrouds for Guardian buffs.
‘It died out quick, though.’
Sadly, it never became meta.
Great idea, but Guardians rarely pulled weight in late game.
Even buffed, they barely equaled one player.
Wasting a precious slot for marginal Guardian gains was too costly.
Eventually, it became a rare joker card for summoner mages.
‘Which means...’
Do-hyun’s gaze shifted to Zihard.
That was from Delmrock, but God Ose shared the same skill system.
Would it work here too?
“Hey, summon some undead quick.”
-Huh? Why?
“You wanna try this too, right?”
-For real? Got it, Master! Summoning now.
Zihard, previously nonchalant, sprang into frantic action.
His eagerness was palpable, lest Do-hyun change his mind.
He must have been dying for Shroud of Darkness.
‘Yeah, it’s a perfect match.’
Not just visually— for Zihard, who wielded black mana, it was tailor-made.
That said, it was odd on reflection.
‘He doesn’t seem dark-attribute, so why’s his mana black?’
Mana inherently carried an attribute.
And its color matched: red for fire, blue for water, light for holy power, black for dark...
That was the game’s lore.
Yet Zihard defied it—no attribute traits, just pure black mana.
‘Something to do with his clan, probably.’
Most likely suspect.
Like an onion, peeling revealed endless quirks—the longer they spent together, the more his true nature intrigued.
[Guardian ‘Zihard Black’ summons undead.]
>[Forest Red Goblin Undead x2, Forest Blue Goblin Undead x1, Orc Undead x1 summoned.]
-Master! Done!
Lost in thought, Do-hyun nodded at Zihard, who beamed like a kid awaiting Christmas gifts.
“Using it.”
-Yeah!
Would it apply or not?
A touch of tension later, Do-hyun activated Shroud of Darkness.