The sword spun forward, faster than the drone. It had no time to maneuver away. How far was he into a leveled zone? How high was the latency at this distance? Milliseconds? Far too long for the drone to receive new orders.

  Right before the sword touched the drone, a spectral hand materialized and knocked away his soulsword.

  Ryan landed on the ground, only slightly disappointed. Sure he’d missed out on the drone and everything, but he’d just confirmed something even more valuable.

  The Witch Tyrant’s illusions didn’t just project aura, smell, sounds and sight, they had actual physical force as well. He’d bet anything that taste was included.

  Gamielle laughed as the Witch glared at him. At this point he was getting used to it.

  “What’s your Legend called? [Very Real Illusions]? [Illusions to Reality]? How is that fair?”

  The Witch Tyrant raised her brows, then shook her head.

  “You have deduced more of my Legend than all of my enemies put together. Do you believe that's something you should be flaunting?”

  Ryan put his hands up, the picture of innocence.

  “Hey, you told me to take every opportunity to get stronger. Look, I even leveled a skill!”

  He ignored the fact that leveling like this meant that gaining successive levels from her would be harder. Not unless he made her a true enemy anyway.

  “[Instant Dodge] level six, isn’t that pretty impressive for like three days in The Realm?”

  The Witch Tyrant ignored him and went back to sipping a new cup of tea–like he hadn’t just tried to steal then destroy her enchanted drone. She was deep into her drink and looking blankly ahead. A classic look of splitting your mind into multiple parts. He wondered how many threads she had in her split mind skill. How many things was she overlooking right now? Was there more ways to take her by surprise and level from it?

  ...It probably wasn't the best idea. He looked at the item the drone had just dropped off.

  A near weightless mask lay in his hand, it had no slits but was just carved to contour to his face. It looked like something he would suffocate in if he wore it.

  He [Inspected] it, and almost dropped the mask as he read the first line.

  It became less interesting the more he read. The Quasi-Legend and Artifact tag was the real crazy part. Artifact meant that it could be used by anyone, at any realm at its peak capacity. Quasi-Legend, that was the highest level of equipment anyone could craft.

  That meant it could work at force, even in leveled zones.

  He just read the description, double checked that it wasn’t a fake screen by mentally turning the System screen off and on.

  Either way… holy shit.

  Crafters could change the description as long as it wasn’t false. He was almost certain he knew who had helped create this.

  Crafting classes weren’t just rare, they were significantly harder to advance compared to combat classes. While item rarity wasn’t as strict as skill rarity, nobody could craft a Quasi-Legendary item. Nobody would craft something like this then put themselves in the item description as a simple [Blacksmith].

  Nobody could or would do either of those things but the Dwarven Tyrant.

  “You got the Dwarven Tyrant to make this? In one day?”

  The Witch wrinkled her nose slightly, her eyes still focused elsewhere.

  “It was more expensive than I would have liked. But we did promise you a reward to hide your identity if you performed.”

  “How much did it cost, exactly?”

  “It wasn’t in realmcoins-” then the Witch frowned, and focused her attention, the distant look gone. “You aren’t intending to sell this are you?”

  “, of course not.”

  She tilted her head, like she was surprised that a poor realm two [Rogue] would want to sell a item.

  The Witch Tyrant dismissed her own concern.

  “If you wish to continue as you are, then feel free. I will not provide another mask again.”

  It was probably a problem that he was still contemplating on the pros and cons to selling the artifact. He shook his head, Ryan had no idea how to access secret auctions, and even if he did, he had no idea how to guarantee his own anonymity.

  He put on the mask. There was no shimmer of lights or magical runes, there wasn’t even a hum of magical static around it. Even as the mask touched his face he felt nothing different.

  One moment Ryan was looking at a marbled interior, the next, the mask wasn’t there. He was just looking in front. Ryan tried touching his own face.

  “Whoa it feels like I’m not wearing anything at all.”

  His voice had changed too. Slightly higher pitch and closer to the voice in the ‘Dawn of Artigan’ video.

  The Witch Tyrant nodded simply.

  “It is a Legendary item.”

  “Could I see what I look like?”

  The Witch snapped her fingers and a mirror image appeared. Not a mirror but the exact same figure with the same pose as him. A silver haired elf was looking back at him, it kind of had his own features except a more angular chin and slightly softer cheeks. The eyes were a little bit more angular and the nose was perfectly proportional and slightly pointed.

  The skin was flawless.

  He tried to touch his pointy ears. To his surprise, he could actually feel it, he pressed hard and felt the feedback.

  The mask really was perfect. He really shouldn’t have expected anything different. Ryan tilted his head and his mirror copy followed.

  The image was really, really handsome. It was to the point where it felt like it was in uncanny valley territory.

  Most elven Realmers didn’t look anything like this. The elven identity looked like someone really insecure had gone crazy with the body customization when you picked a different race.

  Ryan looked at the Witch Tyrant, he looked at her up and down, to the horror of Gamielle once again. You didn’t really think about it because being in her presence was so overwhelming, but it was pretty clear that the Witch had also gone ham with the customization options when she’d chosen to be an elf.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  He turned his attention back to the mirror image, then turned back to her.

  “It’s kinda gone out of fashion to pick really unrealistic elves these days. I mean, no offense to you, you’re the original but this,” Ryan waved at his own face, “is considered incredibly tacky.”

  The Witch Tyrant raised her head and just bore into his eyes. For a brief second Ryan thought he’d gone a little too far.

  “You are becoming far too impertinent. If you wish to change the identity, it will be… a hundred thousand realmcoins. Now I have business to get back to. Farewell.”

  Then she disappeared, taking the table, tea and the map of The Realm with her.

  Had she just run away?

  No, that couldn’t have been it, he shook his head and went back to his new Legendary artifact. He couldn’t feel the mask at all, it was just his face. He started tracing his jawline until he felt something give. Ryan pulled from his chin with intent and the mask simply slid off. He was back to staring at the inside of a white mask again.

  Then he put it back on, then off, then on, then off. Ryan kept doing this while grinning and changing facial expressions at Gamielle.

  Then he started humming.

  His voice modulated like it was in front of a spinning fan. He kept doing it until Gamielle finally lost her patience.

  “You’re being a Manager’s damned child.”

  Ryan spoke while shifting his mask back and forth. His voice modulating with each word.

  “No, I’m figuring out how my new quasi Artifact works. It’s adventuring 101.”

  Gamielle made a face of disgust and crossed her arms. Ryan just shrugged and started walking deeper into the forest. He’d find a safe little cave somewhere, all in all, the trip to The Realm hadn’t been that long. He’d be able to get back and explain himself to the others before they even realized he’d left Earth.

  “Invisibility will run out in ten seconds.” Gamielle whispered, then disappeared.

  He narrowed his eyes.

  –

  “We found him quicker than I thought we would.”

  Kate, their elven [Warrior] said, a little louder than Zhenyu would have preferred.

  “Shh.”

  That came from the only other one with sense in the team, their [Mage]. Kate just turned.

  “What? It’s not like he has any sensory skills. A fear skill, [Instant Dodge], [Double Stab] and potentially an invisibility right? Four skills, fuck I’m jealous.”

  “Go solo a six scale Trial then.” Their [Rogue] said.

  “Guys shut up.”

  Zhenyu had to get them mentally prepped, they were being far too casual. He looked through his spyglass.

  “The fear skill’s hitting me from here. It’s definitely a passive. Intel says it hits harder the closer we get.”

  “Intel also said for us not to engage without automatics.” Kate commented, shaking her head, “What a fucking lunatic, picking a passive fear skill.”

  “Still better than the bullipede right?” Jack asked.

  “Is the fear skill going to be a problem?”

  “No, it’s pretty weak from this distance, and it only works when I’m looking at him.”

  “Doesn’t sound too bad, looks like an easy bag.”

  “Jack,

  “What?”

  “Please don’t jinx the team.”

  Their [Mage] turned to him, “what do you think?”

  Zhenyu took a moment to think.

  “We can take him, if we can’t take care of a single [Rogue] when we know his skills, then we’d have no chance against the bullipede. Tell chief Ami we don’t need the drones. A monster might knock it out of the sky and the noise might alert him. I don’t want to deal with whatever invisibility bullshit he has.”

  They could all agree with that.

  They got closer, he was their leader, the [Warrior] artillery, primed and ready with a javelin. It was a specialized build that many had called stupid in the past. That was until people realized just how far a [Warrior] could throw.

  They could be ranged kings with little to no penalties to achievements.

  Zhenyu balanced with one leg on a thick branch while looking through a spyglass. He knew he looked stupid but that was just the cost of the build.

  [Targeted Throw] + [Burst of Might]

  The combination skill, along with the specially crafted javelin, flew almost as fast as a bullet, right to where Artigan’s head was going to be.

  If Artigan hadn’t already jumped out of the way.

  “He dodged!”

  Zhenyu yelled, a spike of fear shooting through his body.

  “What?”

  “He used [Instant Dodge] diagonally, I lost vision. Turtle!”

  –

  The last time Gamielle had warned him his invisibility was going to run out was in a dangerous situation. Then she had disappeared from view, something she normally didn’t do unless there was a threat to his life.

  It was pretty obvious to guess from there that a team might have closed the gap. He had never studied bushcraft after all.

  Then he just smiled and started taking a casual stroll across the forest floor.

  “Are you being stupid on purpose?” Gamielle hissed in his ear. Ryan picked at his ear.

  “Shh, relax. You helping me will lower my achievements right?”

  “I-urgh, damnit mom-”

  Her voice disappeared from his ear. He hummed as he walked through the forest.

  The Leafstalkers forest had an odd, almost aggressive diversity of trees. It was as if the elves that had planted them cared little about what a normal forest looked like and decided to plant whatever tree they wished where they wished. Ryan kept looking around at the trees genuinely interested in how they had been grown.

  He wondered if acting so arrogant also helped with his Epic.

  Then he felt it, a screaming danger at the side of his ear. A tingling at the left side of his head.

  [Dangersense]

  Ryan leapt diagonally upwards, then used [Instant Dodge] to climb up into the branches as he heard a resounding thud beneath him.

  He had expected a sniper or a rifle round. What he hadn’t expected was a massive steel javelin embedded deeply into the tree. Ryan tilted his head, then he grinned.

  As expected of the team that Gamielle had picked him out to fight.

  At first, the plan had been to casually dodge the sniper fire to build his Epic and try to scare them off but now? This was exactly what he needed.

  Something to vent himself on. He had made a promise to Chief Enforcer Ami, hadn’t he?

  He eyed the direction where the javelin had come from. He was high up now, into the branches with far too many more trees in the way covering their view from him. Ryan leapt to another branch. Making sure that the line of sight was still broken.

  A shimmer of light appeared in the distance, a barrier? He moved around until he got a better gauge of the distance. It had to have been half a mile away.

  Ryan dropped down from the tree he was on, now that he knew where the [Mage] was located he could keep the trees in front of him and move closer without getting into vision. He kept creeping closer. Over half the gap was closed in the tense silence. The trees swaying in the wind louder than his movements.

  He called out.

  “I told the Chief Enforcer that I’d kill everyone that came after me. Seems like your team will be the first.”

  “Shut up, we ain’t afraid of you!”

  Ryan laughed, birds scattered from their trees as they heard his voice.

  “That’s an awfully high pitch for someone who’s not scared.”

  “This is just my natural voice, you sexist asshole!”

  “Stop talking to him!” A different voice hissed at her.

  Okay, Ryan had to admit that the sexist comment had thrown him off. He just had no idea how to respond to that one. He just wasn’t used to being a dick, that was totally it.

  The banter also tickled at his mind, they were so similar to the adventurers he’d grown up watching videos of. A dysfunctional team that ended up in silly situations.

  Ryan shook his head.

  “You know, you guys seem fun. I kind of don’t want to kill you guys. Drop your potions and loot and call it quits?”

  “Hah! Now look who’s scared! We ain’t no rookie team like Garbolt!”

  “Stop. Talking. To. Him!”

  They’d given away all of their positions with the yelling. They were , all of them hiding behind a barrier, probably afraid of the guns and invisibility skill he didn’t have.

  He tutted.

  “Have it your way.”

  Ryan moved around his tree and peeked at the team he was up against. He saw one figure through the gap. They were constantly looking around at the canopies instead of the ground. Convenient.

  No modern gear he could see, no guns. He could do it. He had to do it. Beat the world. Beat impossible odds. Become strong enough until he could change the world or something.

  He didn’t know what to think, just that he had to get stronger right?

  Ryan stepped out casually from the trees, he rapidly scanned the entire team for any trace of a gun. They’d all been looking at the canopies and scanning for any sight of movement. They hadn’t expected him to just step out in the open. The [Warrior] artillery fired his javelin and Ryan dodged with a simple twist of his body.

  He unhooked Avale’s shield from his back and positioned it to cover his torso.

  Then he started sprinting. At them.

  The moonlight glimmered off the silver shield as most of Ryan’s bulk hid behind it.

  “He’s charging!”

  They were scared. Ryan could hear the fear in their voice, it sounded like winning. Ryan zig zagged between the trees, sometimes dashing, sometimes leaping, always making sure to look around in case there was another [Rogue] hiding somewhere.

  He ducked as a javelin smashed into his shield–blowing him backwards. He dove behind the cover of a tree as a crossbow bolt whizzed past his legs.

  Ryan shouted out from his hiding spot.

  “Two javelins left, better make them count!”

  He was having fun, no need to care about the end of the Trial System, no need to tread carefully around a Witch Tyrant. Just a simple life and death scenario.

  One he was going to win.

  “Crazy fucking bastard!” Was the response thrown back at him.

  He decided that this team was the one that needed to work on their banter, not him.

  Ryan took the time to think.

  They were all huddled behind the [Mage] barrier, refusing to leave. That made sense, they probably thought he had two guns and a stealth skill. What didn’t make sense was why they thought they could beat him. He had been watching the area for any signs of an ambush, it was such a stupid idea…

  It took a moment but he understood. They had no idea he had [Dangersense]. Ryan started laughing.

  “Fuck’s funny asshole?” the female [Warrior] yelled.

  “I thought I was facing a team with guns, modern tactical gear or maybe even multiple teams. But that’s not it is it? This is just your backup plan. You’re all alone.”

  “You’re the one that’s alone you crazy bastard.”

  “No, I mean you’re just one team. And I’m the team killer.”

  Could they feel it? Could Gamielle feel it? The sounds of the forest stilled as all the animals around them fled from his building Epic.

  The sudden rampage of little forest critters around them startled the other team.

  “Only bringing one team against me?”

  “It means you’re all fucked.”

  Ryan stepped out again, his illusioned elven silver hair caught the moonlight. His Epic faintly tinting the air around him. It was different from the Witch Tyrant’s projected aura of rot. It was more like Barry’s. Blood, war and death.

  The team opposite him shuddered in fear, the artillery [Warrior] loosed a desperate javelin and Ryan just dodged contemptuously, he put his shield up to stop the crossbow bolt from the other [Warrior]. And that was when he activated the active.

  [Unrelenting Aura of Intimidation]

  He charged them without a care. Ryan had seen through their plan and they didn’t understand why he wasn’t using his guns. As he charged he saw through them. They didn’t see a singular [Rogue].

  They saw an unrelenting unstoppable force coming for their lives.

  He kept his head above his shield and bore witness to all of their mistakes. The male [Warrior] was scrambling at his last javelin. The female [Warrior] fumbling with her crossbow, the [Rogue] had her knives out, trembling. The [Mage] just had his eyes and mouth wide open, horrified by his Epic.

  The Javelin missed, a crossbow bolt was dropped onto the ground and Ryan was right on top of their barrier.

  [Instant Dodge]

  He used the skill in midair, a level six [Instant Dodge] with momentum already stacked on top. Avale’s silver shield crashed into the blue barrier, causing an ear shattering crack.

  The soulsword swung

  Then he stabbed his soulsword into the cracks–and pulled with all his might. The [Minor Sharpness] enchantment cut the wound in the barrier, and the omnidirectional barrier of a realm two [Mage]--

  Shattered.

  They were in a three in front, [Mage] in back formation. Two [Warriors] in the side, [Rogue] in the middle.

  Avale’s shield was raised to block whatever first strike came from the artillery [Warrior]. His soulsword was thrown at the female [Warrior] as she yelped to dodge.

  That meant that he was just about to land on top of the [Rogue] frozen in fear.

  A strike from the artillery [Warrior] never came. Instead, the warrior threw a black object between the opposite [Rogue]'s feet. Ryan looked down.

  It was a flashbang grenade.

  “Scramble!”

  https://discord.gg/eZcFqyNu4e

  https://www.patreon.com/Purveilor is now 5 chapters ahead! Should be 7 by the end of today. Edits are becoming significantly easier the more we go. Because man, the first couple chapters basically needed complete rewrites with how bad the prose was.

  [BEGONE CLIFF] wielders: Roer121 (x1)