Stealth and the Parasite Trap
Bang!
The window where I stood flew wide open. Zakai poked his head out and scanned the surroundings.
"Wh-what happened?"
"Hm……."
Zakai furrowed his brow.
'I definitely felt a faint presence.'
But there was no one outside the window. It was an open area with a clear view—anybody there would've had a hard time hiding.
'Guess I was just on edge.'
Zakai clicked his tongue inwardly. He figured the pressure of not screwing up this job had his nerves frayed.
"Nah, must've been my imagination."
"Ah…… okay."
With that, the window slid shut with a click.
A short while later, the air shimmered faintly in a spot a little ways from the house.
"Phew—."
I let out the breath I'd been holding. That was close—I almost got spotted.
'If it weren't for the Stealth skill, I definitely would've.'
The Stealth skill I'd gained after dealing with those ghost ants last time. It had just finished digesting recently, turning into a stroke of pure luck.
'Still too taxing to hold for long, though.'
I checked the Stealth skill again.
Stealth (A)
Blend with surrounding objects to erase your presence.
—Must hold your breath to maintain stealth state.
—Ether consumption: 0.98% per second.
—Increases proficiency to reduce ether cost and enhance concealment.
Just reading "Blend with surrounding objects to erase your presence" showed how ridiculously overpowered Stealth was.
A moment ago, I was close enough to Zakai that our noses could've touched if we'd collided. I looked right into his eyes, but he didn't spot me.
The world inside Stealth was utterly mesmerizing—the first time I'd experienced it. As long as I stayed in that realm, it felt like no one could ever detect me.
'Sahan of the ghost ant tribe didn't earn his rep as the continent's Angel of Death for nothing.'
Sahan. A super-elite assassin from the ghost ant tribe who'd reached Complete Body. Rumor had it he wielded an SS-rank Stealth skill, and he'd even assassinated someone at Ultimate Body stage thanks to it.
Word was, when Sahan raised his scythe, even the lords of the four great tribes trembled in fear.
'Of course, that's a massive exaggeration.'
Sahan was originally the four great lords' hunting dog. A dog doesn't bite its master. Plus, those lords were on another level entirely, even among Ultimate Bodies. No way a mere Complete Body like Sahan could've taken them down, no matter how cheat-like his skill was.
The one Ultimate Body he did assassinate wasn't in peak condition—that's the only reason it worked.
'Still, the fact that he succeeded at all proves Stealth's value is immeasurable.'
I vowed to hone this skill further, pushing it past Sahan to SSS-rank. Even outside pure assassination or ambushes, freely using Stealth mid-battle would multiply my combat power several times over.
'Though with the current ether drain, it's impractical in a fight…….'
0.98% per second. It wasn't fixed, though. As my body adapted in real-time—growing slightly inside and out with time and proficiency—the drain had already dropped from an initial 1% by 0.02%.
Proficiency ticked up a bit too, and my total ether reserves grew, easing the relative cost. Bottom line: the more time passed, the steeper the drop in consumption.
'And holding my breath will get easier too.'
Stealth burned ether and demanded I hold my breath. The oxygen in my lungs evaporated way faster than normal during it.
It sounded finicky, but time would fix that too. I knew better than anyone how insanely broken it'd become once I hit Sahan's level.
'Just thinking about how he got the drop on me still gives me chills.'
The bastard had come for me on orders from the four great lords. Smart enough to know a head-on fight was hopeless, he dragged it out into a war of attrition—probing my sensory range, dancing on its edge to wear down my nerves.
I eventually took him down, but if luck hadn't been on my side…… who knows.
'Anyway, Stealth really came through this time.'
I'd eavesdropped on Zakai without getting caught, uncovering his scheme. Calling Kind out alone made his intentions crystal clear.
'High chance he's planning to infect Kind with a cicada parasite. Even if not, nothing good.'
I racked my brain as I headed back to the training grounds, agonizing over my next move.
* * *
"That's training for today."
"Thanks for your hard work!"
"Thank you!"
The day's session wrapped up.
"Kind, ready to head out?"
"Y-yeah."
As planned, Bishier approached Kind right away. He stood and followed her.
She led him straight to that house from earlier.
"You've looked like a constipated locust since lunch. What's up?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just nervous—never eaten alone with a girl before."
"Hahaha, what's there to be nervous about? You're so cute, Kind."
"Uh, me?"
"Yeah, you're cute."
Kind's face flushed at Bishier's words. She burst out laughing again.
She believed introducing him to Zakai would benefit them both. So she missed the complicated expression lurking behind his shy smile.
"Here we are."
Bishier grinned in front of the house. She pulled the stiff-looking Kind inside.
"Come on in."
Zakai waited in the room, a spread of food laid out. But the vibe was 180 degrees from the lunch scene he'd scoped earlier.
"Whoa, the atmosphere……."
"Totally different, right?"
It sure was. Morning had been plain and sparse, but…….
Bishier's eyes swept the room. The few windows were blocked by blackout curtains. Dim red candles flickered everywhere.
A sinister, decadent air hung heavy.
"Have a seat first."
"Ah…… sure."
They sat at Zakai's urging.
"Nice to meet you—we haven't crossed paths before, right? I'm Zakai from the Overlord Club."
"Overlord Club……!"
Kind's eyes widened as he muttered under his breath.
"You didn't tell him this meetup was with me?"
Zakai clocked Bishier's slip from Kind's reaction.
"Oh, uh…… I wanted it to be a surprise……."
"Ahh, gotcha."
Zakai chuckled and nodded at Bishier's excuse.
But Kind's shock stemmed from something else.
'Just like Aleck said.'
He flashed back to lunch.
"Kind."
"Ah! Aleck! Lunch hit the spot?"
After eating alone with Bishier—and scoring a dinner date—Kind's grin hadn't faded.
Seeing Aleck, he beamed involuntarily.
"Got something to tell you privately."
"Something?"
Afternoon training loomed, so Kind followed Aleck aside, puzzled.
"You're meeting someone with Bishier tonight, right?"
"……How'd you know?"
Aleck tsked at Kind's reaction, then whispered.
"You trust me, right? Listen up—tonight……."
"……!"
Aleck's words were tough for Kind to swallow.
'Dinner's a dangerous setup?'
Zakai, Overlord Club mid-level exec. The guy Bishier was introducing him to.
Kind trusted Aleck, so he knew it wasn't bullshit. His mind had been a whirlwind on the way here.
But seeing Zakai confirmed it—he shuddered.
"Not much spread, but let's eat and talk."
Kind snapped out of it at Zakai's voice.
"……."
His eyes drifted to the table: mealworm salad, silk pupae fritters, white butterfly wing stew, grasshopper hind leg roast. Main course: tiger spider steak smack in the center.
Mouthwatering stuff. But Kind's hand stayed put.
'If they offer food, refuse. Especially a black bead—never eat it.'
Aleck's warning echoed.
Kind touched neither food nor water.
"Not to your taste?"
"Kind, why aren't you eating? Try it—it's good."
Zakai and Bishier pressed him.
"Not hungry right now."
"You okay? You look pale……."
Bishier fretted as Kind's face stiffened further.
"Kinda rude…… but whatever."
Zakai smirked cryptically. Both Kind and Bishier flinched—it felt sleazy.
"Feeling off anywhere?"
"Come to think of it, I've had a slight headache since……."
Bishier clutched her forehead. A throbbing pain pulsed, her vision spinning.
"Ah……."
She let out a soft groan. Her eyes lost focus, head slumping forward as if she'd nodded off.
"Ugh……."
Kind fared no better. He shook his head, slapped his cheeks to stay alert—but sleep crashed over him. Eyes wide in futile resistance, his head lolled.
"Good thing I prepped the Mongryeon grass, or I'd be screwed."
Mongryeon grass. An herb used in hallucinogens. Its smoke dulled the mind; enough exposure knocked you out.
He'd laced the food with a short-acting sedative as backup. But anticipating Kind might skip eating, he'd lit Mongryeon grass too—and it paid off.
Pricey herb, but worth the insurance.
"Impressive mental resistance to Mongryeon grass—I'd rate it high. But even shield tribe couldn't last."
Zakai grinned, approaching Kind. Theo had folded to it defenselessly. If durable shield ants couldn't…… no way a broad mantis like Kind could.
He was mildly surprised at Kind's resistance, but that was it.
"Now then……."
Zakai pulled a fist-sized black orb from his pocket. A soft, jelly-like sphere with finger-thick black threads clumped inside.
This was the artificial cicada parasite, laced with a special curse from the four great lords.
The parasite inside dangled limp, dormant. Once in a host, it'd awaken, burrow into the nerves, and take over.
"Won't hurt a bit."
Zakai tilted Kind's head back, prying open his mouth. As he moved to shove the orb in—
"Gah—!"
A brutal impact slammed his nape. Zakai's vision went black.