The days passed as Sokram remained absorbed in studying and making an inventory of his inheritance.

  He gave the girls some of the artifacts, armor sets, and weapons.

  Then, he delegated the responsibility of the armory distribution for their forces to Brunhild and Margiory.

  He also added the coins to their coffer after advising Riella to have them reminted. After all, if thousands of coins with the engraved sigil of Drokmin’s empire began to surface, it would attract unwanted attention.

  Sokram also practiced the Shadow Walking Art from the Nightblade and the Black Lotus War Art, day and night, even when the others slept.

  Leona would be with him most of these times, still reeling from the fact that the inheritance Kasine and Kamus dreamed about for so long was already in their hands.

  He wanted Kamus and Kasine to be there as well, and Leona contacted them. But they would take a while to return to Eversnow’s territory with their family.

  A couple of weeks later, he received an official notification that he had yet to present himself to the Extermination Hall and fulfill his quota of extermination missions.

  On that same day, Sokram dressed in the new set of armor. The chest piece and bracers were forged from the scales of a black dragon.

  The black scales were fused with ebanium and mithril, alloyed into metal plates that interlocked seamlessly like dragon skin. At the edge of each plate, a golden runic line could easily be confused with its seam.

  The trousers were made of basilisk skin. The belt and the throwing dagger supports had been readapted for his needles. Both followed the same pattern of black and golden seams.

  And lastly, the hooded black cape and the mask that covered the lower half of his face were made of Arachne’s steel silk.

  All of which complemented his Void Gloves.

  The set was missing only the boots, which he replaced with the leather boots enchanted with Shadow Cloak that he got from the Night-elf skeleton.

  The armor settled against him with the quiet weight of inherited responsibility and Oath, not heavy, but undeniable.

  Clad in the shadow of Drokmin’s legacy, Sokram descended to the dining hall, where most of his family, including his Master, awaited him.

  The dark-scaled armor seeped into the artificial light, drawing the immediate attention of his family.

  “Hm, now you look even more like someone named the Dark Lightning Killer,” Astrid commented, seeing Sokram dressed like that, but she wasn’t trying to be humorous.

  Instead, there was a sense of respect in her tone for the warrior Sokram turned out to be.

  “You like it? Then let me show you something cool,” With a thought, Sokram triggered the boots' enchantment and disappeared from everyone’s sight, swallowed instantly by the ambient shadows.

  One moment, Sokram stood there; the next, a sheet of shadows rose in the air, and his shape dissolved into nothingness.

  It wasn't invisibility; it was as if the shadows in the room reached out and claimed him into a realm only shadows could reach.

  Brunhild's breath hitched. Margiory’s fingers tightened on her cup. Even Hannah’s gaze sharpened not to lose sight of him.

  “Oh, a shadow cloak spell, it's from the boots, right?” Miralyn asked, having seen the spell before.

  "Yes, it is." Their heads snapped in different directions as his voice moved unexpectedly. "Can you tell where I am?"

  “Wow, that is amazing! Perfect for infiltration.” Brunhild’s awe wasn’t exclusive to her.

  They were all impressed.

  Even at the level of Perfect Existence, without straining their sensory range, they wouldn’t know where he was.

  But then Sokram asked Hannah, “Nana, can you see through it?”

  Fine lines creased the corners of Hannah’s eyes as she leaned forward, refusing to blink.

  “I can, but I have to strain my eyes, and if the room were dark, I wouldn’t be able to,” Hannah admitted, proud of him as she saw him practicing and how fast he was progressing, too.

  “Great, then no one less powerful than a Perfect Existence will be able to spot me without special means.” Then he turned to Lucy, “What about my scent?”

  Lucy sniffed the air, her nose twitching.

  “I can feel it in the air from the spot you disappeared from. But like when you teleport, I can’t tell where you disappeared to,” she answered, looking around and trying to find him.

  Then Sokram appeared already in the hallway down the corridor, “Alright, then I guess I mastered Shadow Merge.”

  “You mean the Shadow Walking Art from the Night Elves of the east?” Miralyn raised a brow before continuing, “You know the Nightblade Clan had been at odds with the Empire for centuries, right?”

  “I know, Mom. But this isn’t their technique. I’m creating my own based on their teachings. I call it Shadow Wing Art.” Sokram grinned cocky.

  “So that’s why you have been dragging me to practice with you all those nights?” Leona asked after swallowing a piece of ram.

  “Yes, you told me you once fought one of the Nightblade’s warriors. Yet, you didn’t recognize any of the techniques I used.” Sokram disappeared again, and Hannah, Miralyn, and Leona realized that it was true; the way he merged with the shadows was different, more natural.

  “I faced some Nightblade elves in the past, even the famed Shadow One around eight hundred years ago, and she was already the Master of their clan.” Hannah mused as she strained her eyes to follow Sokram’s shape through the shadows.

  “If I had to compare… while she plunged into the shadow as a rock splashing into quiet waters, your technique makes you like a river merging into the sea. It’s perfect.” Hannah finished nodding approvingly, but her mind was reeling.

  “Shadow Walking was a millennia-old art, and he had cracked and reforged it in mere weeks. Sokram’s potential never ceased to amaze her.

  Sokram reemerged from the shadows, standing beside Hannah.

  “Good, because with the Black Lotus, the Killing Blade, and the Shadow Wing, our clan will have the strongest war art. All I have to do is convince Master Kamus and Nana Kasine to join our clan.” Sokram shot Leona a knowing grin.

  Leona nodded tiredly, knowing it would be a hard bargain. “I’ll do my best to sway them. Mom will be easier to convince than Master.”

  “Well, let the future take care of itself.” Sokram nodded, knowing she was right, and swiftly changed the subject, asking, “What did you think of the new pieces of the armory?”

  Margiory chuckled, “What is there to think? Hannah said it herself, not even Dracony has that many artifacts of the Perfect and Superior levels.”

  Riella, sitting beside her, nodded, “The coins are already being reminted, and we already commissioned Ronna and Freydis to modernize the armor pieces. But the weapons….”

  But Sokram raised a hand for her to stop, saying, “No need to worry. At least, not about anyone on the North Continent.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “I think the only ones who might still remember what the weaponry of the Draggonia Empire looked like would be the Elders from the Central Continent Empire and the Council of Magi.” He concluded, winking at Miralyn.

  Miralyn smiled subtly at him and nodded.

  Sokram nodded back and concluded, “Alright, since you guys have everything taken care of, I can rest at ease.”

  He began walking toward the exit of the dining hall.

  Then he stopped by the doors and looked back at them with a smirk, “I’ll be right back, behave while I’m away,” and disappeared into the shadows again.

  “Hmph!” Hilda scoffed before adding, “He didn’t even kiss me before lea.. Ah!” Sokram appeared, hugging her from behind and kissing her cheek.

  “You know I wouldn’t leave without my good luck kiss, right?” Sokram spoke, turning Hilda toward him and kissing her gently on the lips for a couple of seconds, gaining him a few giggles, and then moved to the next girl.

  He only left after kissing all of them.

  Yet, now one saw him leave his estate.

  To test his new technique, he went to the Extermination Hall fully merged into the shadows.

  Without alerting anyone to his presence, Sokram entered the Extermination Hall, which, much like the Hunter’s Hall, roared with the chaotic symphony of soldiers, guild members, and solo exterminators rushing around.

  The air was thick and warm, heavy with ink, blood, and impatience. But also the bustling sound of voices overlapping, the rustle of maps, and the heavy scent of unwashed bodies, and gore... this time wasn't just monsters'.

  Sokram went straight to the commission board, where anyone employed by the Hall could pick the missions they wanted to take.

  He deactivated his cloaking, attracting some frightened gazes in his direction.

  A few soldiers near the board jumped in fright, turning to face him in jerking motions as Sokram materialized from thin air. Conversations died instantly, replaced by wary whispers and hands drifting instinctively toward weapon hilts, until the first one recognized him.

  The Dracnakrid’s young head. The Dark Lightning Killer. The Young Killing Blade.

  His titles began rippling in whispers until almost every head turned to give him at least a once-over.

  But he didn’t mind the scene he caused, focusing only on the paper sheets pinned on the board, ‘Goblin nest near the road to Glactos, no, too easy… Imps nest on the Bladepeak mountain range? No, no profit hunting imps… Where are those missions Lucille posted for me?’

  Sokram continued reading one by one until he saw something.

  Three missions close to each other, coincidentally, in the same vicinity.

  ‘Hah, so here it is, those Arachne are already causing problems, hm? Good, I have something to fetch from that cave. A bandit stronghold to the east of the cave? Possible hostages in place? Hopefully she's there...’

  Then, reading through the last leaf, a subtle grin formed on his face, ‘Hmm, and here is what Lucille found for me: Suspicion of necromantic activities south of that stronghold, both very close to the border with Whiteland? Nice, maybe I can finally get a clue about their plans.’

  Picking the three sheets of paper, Sokram approached one of the stands, and a familiar voice reached his ears, “Oh, if it isn’t the mighty Dark Lightning Killer, hm?”

  Sokram's gaze met Damis, who leaned over the counter, twirling a quill between his fingers with practiced boredom. His tail flicked restlessly behind him, betraying his desire to be anywhere but behind a desk.

  “Private Damis! It’s been a while, how have you been?” Sokram was surprised to see the feline-kin again after so long.

  “I got promoted, it seems someone put in a good word for Lieutenant Karini about me, and I’m now Corporal Damis, sir,” Damis said, knocking his chest in a mock military salutation and winking knowingly at Sokram.

  “Congrats, you deserve it. But doesn’t that mean you’re now a supervisor here or something like that?” Sokram asked, seeing an opportunity.

  “Yes, I’m usually in my office, but one of the privates had an urgent matter to attend to, so I’m covering for him. Besides, being locked in an office is too boring.” But the bragging smirk on his face made clear Damis wasn’t actually complaining.

  “Great, then can you register my paperwork and approve me taking these three missions? I know they are all four and five-star, but you know I can handle it, right?” Sokram placed the commissions on the stand, showing Damis his most charismatic salesman's smile.

  “Sigh… Only because I know you can handle it, but if one of the women in your house comes after me when Lieutenant Karini finds this out, I’ll tell them you blackmailed me,” Damis said, reaching for a stamp.

  “The same drill as always, hm? Thanks, man! I’ll make sure to convince Auntie to give you another promotion. Someone as capable as you deserves it,” Sokram flashed him a thankful smile.

  Damis quickly stamped the papers, then signed and gave them back to Sokram one by one, explaining, “Don’t forget you should bring at least one monster part as proof of hunt for the Arachnes.”

  “Proof of extermination for the bandit’s stronghold is the head of the bandit leader. According to our informants, his name is Octavius. A famed big brute, but also an Aura Master, so be careful.”

  Then, handing him the last sheet, he scowled slightly, “As for the necromancers, it's an infiltration and information gathering mission. Bring back as much info as you can, but don’t take unnecessary risks.”

  “Come on, Damis, you know me. I’m nothing if not prudent,” Sokram chuckled, and stored the papers.

  He waved Damis goodbye as he disappeared under the cover of the shadows again.

  But as soon as Sokram disappeared, a Mage took out a communication crystal, “Boss, I saw him, I’m tracking his mana signature as we speak, he seems to be heading toward the east gates. I guess he won’t use that bird this time.”

  “Good, I’ll have a team ready for you outside the city. Don’t lose track of him this time,” Came a voice from the crystal in response.

  “Yes, sir,” said the mage as he rushed to follow Sokram through the city streets.

  Sokram decided not to take Periklis this time for two reasons: one, it was mating season, and Periklis’ mates were hatching some eggs. It was common for both male and female Pekos to take turns heating them under their feathers.

  The second reason was that the Arachnes love eating anything smaller, and he didn’t want to put Periklis in jeopardy.

  After leaving the city, Sokram walked for half a kilometer before stopping and looking back.

  He summoned Draggonia, attaching its sheath to his belt, and spoke, “You have been following me for a while now. I guess this is far enough from the city so we won’t get interrupted, don’t you think?”

  “Haha, your senses are sharp, So~kram,” Ayame’s sweet voice resounded as she jumped down from a tree, “But you know I’m not the only one following you, right?”

  “Woman, I was talking to them, you should have remained hidden, and caught them by surprise…” Sokram said, pointing to a group of trees, exactly where the mage’s group was hiding.

  “Ah, sorry, I thought you finally wanted to play with big sister. But don’t worry, I’ll compensate you.” Ayame raised her hand, and from the trees came a series of wet thuds, followed by sickening splashes of blood and gore hitting the snow.

  The snow steamed where blood struck it.

  Then silence. No battle cry, no clash of steel.

  Just the quiet, efficient sounds of life being terminated.

  “And here was I hoping for a warmup,” Sokram sighed in mock disappointment, “But thanks, I guess.”

  “Hehe, you battle junkie,” Ayame teased as she walked, swinging her hips in a sexy walk toward him.

  Once she reached him, she strapped her arms around his neck, kissed him right below the ear, and said, “My mistress… I mean, Great Elder Lucille says she misses you, but you only have eyes for her daughter.” Her tail brushed his wrist, soft and insistent.

  “I’m trying to keep my coming of age as close to naturally happening as possible. It’s already hard with Lucy around me all the time. My will is not that ironclad that I would be able to resist Lucille, Sayuri, you, and the others, too.” Sokram confessed without embarrassment.

  Then, he added, caressing her tail, making her shiver under his touch, “A dragon can only do so much, don’t you think?”

  “Hehe, why insist on following the hardest path, Daddy? When can we all make your life easier, hm? Let us lessen your burdens, please?” Ayame’s seductive tone tickled his ears and caressed his ego.

  The sweet, minty scent of her breath, the warmth of her body contrasting with the cold wind of the north, was so inviting that his breath caught, his hands reflexively ached to reach her, but just briefly, before discipline slammed back into place.

  He took a deep breath, mustering all his remaining willpower, and gently pushed Ayame from him.

  “You and your girls, together with Lucille, will pay for all this teasing one day, this much I promise you,” Sokram spoke, showing her a grin that sent shivers down her spine.

  “I, no, we can barely wait for such a day, Daddy! Haha,” Ayame answered with honest excitement as her now two tails swayed in a very sensual dance.

  The sounds of battle subsided, and Ayame’s girls appeared from behind the trees carrying a few bodies and an unconscious mage.

  “We’ll extract the information for you, but I think you know who sent them, right?” Ayame's words and teasing expression didn’t match the terrors awaiting that mage during the interrogation.

  “Yes, the Steelhearts, I’ll deal with them when the war comes. But before that, we need to figure out how they keep sending people from the other side of the border,” Sokram spoke about it as if it were just another task on his list.

  “You could order us to do it, you know that most of us would do anything for you, and infiltrating Whiteland is very easy for most of us now,” Ayame offered, even though she knew the answer.

  “Can’t have you ruining my fun every time, besides, some of my plans still involve them,” Sokram answered, uninterested in ending this quickly.

  “It was nice seeing you. Tell Lucille I’ll swing by when I’m back.” Sokram began walking away.

  Then he stopped and turned around to ask, “Are you sure she is there? Luke delivered the message with Lucille’s confirmation, but she did not tell me who the spy you interrogated was.”

  Ayame stood there, her gaze full of longing, and her tails lazily swaying behind her.

  “It was all five. Your instincts were on point again. If you keep accumulating favors with us like this, your coming-of-age party will end up lasting a whole week.” Ayame waved him goodbye, “Have fun on your missions, Da~ddy!”

  Sokram nodded and began walking again, but only for a few hundred meters.

  Making sure he wasn’t being followed, he took a needle from his belt, launched it to the sky toward the general direction of the Arachnes' nest.

  The needle cut through the gelid air with a sharp whistle.

  Sokram focused his senses on the needle, and before it left his sensory range, he vanished from where he was.

  In the next instant, Sokram was around 800 meters ahead and 100 meters above the ground.

  Even before he began gliding, he launched the needle once more.

  He became a rhythm of motion.

  Throw. Vanish. Appear. Throw.

  Sokram carved a path through the fabric of spacetime in the sky, pushing his mana regeneration to its breaking point.

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