Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

What does it mean to blend into the shadows? Or, what is a shadow? These questions have puzzled scientists and alchemists for centuries. The answers they found were enlightening.

When there is no light, there is darkness. Darkness is the complete absence of light, a natural state that exists without illumination. Shadows, on the other hand, are born from the interaction between light and objects, creating a space where light cannot reach.

A shadow is a part of the world where light is obstructed, a transient and ever-changing entity shaped by its surroundings.

I pondered these concepts as I prepared to practice the [Veil of Shadows] while also checking out the [Shadowborne]' s description.

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Trait: Shadowborne

Description: The innate trait bestowed by the Mistwraith grants the ability to harness and manipulate shadows with great proficiency. It enhances the user's control over darkness, enabling them to bend and shape shadows to their will.

Stage 1:

Shadow Veil: The user gains the power to blend seamlessly with shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dimly lit environments. This grants them enhanced stealth and the ability to move undetected.

While looking at this one before, I had never thought of it as complicated since the description was completely clear and understandable.

But then I thought of one another thing.

'Bending and shaping shadows to my own will.'

Looking at this one, it was evident that there was a lot more to the Trait than just the stealth itself. I also knew about this as the more one progresses in the [Trait], the more they would develop shadow-related skills.

But, there was one thing that I overlooked after obtaining it from MistWraith. Normally, in the game, the player would get [Shadowborne] after killing the MistWraith as the normal boss of the second-year arc. But, the special properties of the trait would be a lot different.

For instance, while I got the [Shadow Leap] when I advanced to the second stage, the Player would get a different skill in the game. The skill that Ethan would get would be the ability to mend the shadows and enhance the spear by adding magic damage to the weapon. That was what he would get. Normally, that would not be a bad thing as it was an ability that fit Ethan. However, there were many different abilities like this, and even Ethan himself had such skills in his arsenal. That is why many players did not use that ability too much, as while shadows looked cool, they did not provide much for the gameplay.

However, for me, it was different, as I had gotten it once with an easter egg by getting it a lot earlier than how it was supposed to be gotten. Though, I was not able to complete that run and advance the trait.

But still, I understood that something about MistWraith had been altered at that time. If you would get a different and possibly better trait if you had killed the MistWraith earlier than it was supposed to be and would get a better trait, that meant something about the demon would fundamentally change.

'For instance, if the core of the Demon had been stolen and another artificial core had been added.' The MistWraith had already been in a weakened state for a long time, and it would not be that hard to hunt him. I was even able to hunt him down after learning about his weaknesses, though it required some sacrifices. If someone else were to study the demons and ancient ones, they could easily capture it and experiment on it.

'There is a high chance that this is the case.'

For instance, insiders in the academy would be able to make such a thing happen. And maybe that was the reason why MistWraith was attacking the academy.

In the end, one thing was clear.

'There is more to this trait than I initially assumed. I especially understand this right now after practicing the stealth arts for the past four days.'

Shadows are formed in the presence of light. For a shadow to exist, light must be present, and something must block that light. This interplay creates a space where light cannot reach—a shadow, an entity that is transient and ever-changing, shaped by its surroundings.

But shadows can only be seen by eyes. They can't be heard, smelled, or touched. They are purely a visual phenomenon. However, a person blending into the shadows still exists physically—they produce sounds and smells and radiate heat. While they may be unseen, they can still be detected through other senses.

As I pondered this, I realized that blending into the shadows required more than just becoming invisible. It involved eliminating all other traces of my presence. I needed to silence my movements, mask my scent, and control my body temperature. It was about becoming undetectable by any means, not just sight.

What is the meaning of light to the eyes?

Light is the medium through which we perceive the world. It allows us to see shapes, colors, and movements. When light is blocked, it creates shadows, which are visual indicators of something's presence and shape.

Without light, we are blind to our surroundings. So, if shadows are created by blocking light, then blending into the shadows means manipulating that light and its absence.

To truly master the [Veil of Shadows] or [Shadow Veil], I needed to understand the interaction between light and my presence.

I had to manipulate the ambient light, bending it to create an illusion of emptiness where I stood. This went beyond simple stealth; it was about becoming a part of the shadows themselves.

At the same time, I needed to understand what light and shadows are for other senses. For instance, what is the light for ears?

It would be sound waves. The waves that travel through the air alert others to my presence.

And what about the smell? The particles that linger in the air, carrying my scent. And touch? The heat my body radiates is detectable to anyone nearby. All these aspects of my presence needed to be addressed to achieve true invisibility.

As I came to these realizations, it struck me that the [Shadowborne] trait was not only about shadows. It was about 'shadowing oneself from the world.' It was about becoming undetectable in every sense. To master this trait, I needed to become a void, an absence in the perception of others.

"Shadowing Oneself."

It was like an enlightenment, something that I did not think I would be achieving at such a random moment. But there it was.

And then, just to compliment me, I sensed a change in myself. A change in the trait that had been engraved to me.

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Your understanding of [Shadowborne] has increased.

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A panel appeared right before my eyes. It was rare for the status window to interact with any type of Awakened, but at the same time, things like these tended to still happen sometimes.

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Stage 1:

Shadow Veil: The user gains the power to blend seamlessly with shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dimly lit environments. This grants them enhanced stealth and the ability to move undetected.

Additionally, the user can mask their scent and sound and regulate their body temperature to blend with the surroundings, enhancing their overall stealth capabilities.

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I could feel the changes within me, a subtle shift in my abilities with shadows. My senses heightened, and I felt more attuned to the ambient darkness around me.

The Shadow Veil technique now included masking my scent and sound and regulating my body temperature, making me even more undetectable.

The status window also included a new note:

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You have peeked into the ultimate realm of the trait.

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The message was cryptic but clear.

'Peeking the ultimate realm of the trait.' Each trait has an ability once they have reached the end of it. That is something every trait has, but at the same time, rarely can a person achieve such a thing if the said trait is a unique one.

Since [Traits] are enigmas for the Awakened, most of them need to carve their own paths unless they receive these [Traits] from their bloodlines. That is also another reason why the named families are this strong.

They already know the conditions for achieving the higher ranks of the traits that their heirs possess. Therefore, it is a lot easier to nurture them and takes a lot less time and resources. That is the advantage of having a common trait, though it still has its disadvantages, of course.

I thought about what I did to speculate about what the ultimate realm of the [Shadowborne] trait could be. Realizing that shadows are not only about the absence of light but are also a metaphor, I began to understand that they actually symbolize something more profound.

The phrase "Shadowing Oneself" echoed in my mind, and I understood that the ultimate realm of the trait was about this very concept.

'Shadows are the parts of the world that go unseen. They represent the unseen and the unnoticed, the hidden aspects that exist beyond the perception of light. To master shadows is to master the art of being unnoticed in every aspect.'

This realization was profound. The ultimate realm of the [Shadowborne] trait was about complete and utter invisibility, not just to sight but to all senses. It was about becoming a true shadow in every sense of the word—silent, scentless, intangible, and unseen.

I began to think about how this applied to my recent training.

'Every technique I've learned so far has been about reducing my presence in one way or another. From silencing my movements to masking my scent and regulating my body temperature, it's all been about becoming less detectable. If the ultimate realm of [Shadowborne] is about shadowing oneself from the world, then it means achieving a state where I am completely undetectable by any means.'

That meant, upon reaching the ultimate stage, I would become undetectable by no means, regardless of anything.

It seemed I still had a long way to go.

The idea of becoming a true shadow, a ghost in the world, was interesting and daunting at the same time.

But for the time being, rather than setting my expectations high, I need to focus on what was present before me.

'Since I have yet to know the number of stages that I need to advance to reach the ultimate realm, First, I need to reach the next stage, and I still have yet to find any clue about what it is.'

And that was not the case for only [Shadowborne].

[Lunar Enigma] was also the same.

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