Identity (3) - Secrets

The item Stigma received was a horn that looked like it was made of old bronze, it appeared as though it had aged for over twenty years, so no one noticed what was its actual value. The shape was curved and at least a meter in length, with its width over sixty centimeters, and when Stigma picked it up it weighed more than it looked.

Even with Stigma's enhanced strength, holding it was like a grasping a deformed bowling ball and he had to use both hands to properly lift it.

The attendant was told that item belonged to a small time merchant and he claimed that it was bought from a Cultivator thirty years ago, believing it was a horn of a rare Heavenly Beast, but the item was appraised as nothing but a piece of bronze molded from scrap metal.

Unfortunately, it was bought over its actual price range and beyond his fortune, leading the merchant into a large debt for quite some time.

Although it had no value, to regain his losses the merchant claim to have tried to melt it down or cut it in pieces to make some jewelry, from his description the item could not be damaged nor heated easily.

With not much choice he tried to sell it as is to any willing buyers, but none would believed him because he is from a starting business at the time and thought it was pig iron[1] due to repeated heating.

After thirty years of trying, his business and reputation started to recover, but every time he tried to bring the horn a disaster always fell upon him.

Since his son would soon inherited the business, there was not much choice and they joined the market to sell everything and make a start for the son's experience. The horn was mistakenly taken by the son as an old relic and was brought along without the father's knowledge.

After the storm hit their stall, they took the opportunity to join in the event profit and donated their lowest value items as the prize, the horn was also appraised as bronze by the Tops experts and eventually added to the black box challenge as an old relic prize.

Based on how the three examined and reacted from seeing the item, they all told Stigma the item was giving of a faint aura, supposedly an item for Cultivators to cultivate but over time the energy inside must have dissipated.

Hearing the story out only made Stigma sigh, he wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. Sure the item was excluding a powerful aura in his eyes, but it sounded like it was made as a consolation prize if there are other product with greater value.

So they announced that the object was a miss or had zero value to even lower cultivators, since it wouldn't help with their cultivation. His skill told him that the item had a spirit containing it, but it was to weak for anyone to notice, intuition also told him that this item may become important.

Either they can't see the aura due to their level or the bronze exterior was preventing them from seeing the energy completely. With noon reaching, the event ended and everyone dispersed and returned to their residence.

The remaining food was stored inside their space rings, and left as well with the attendant staying behind to clean up the remaining mess which was the platings and utensils stacked in one corner for her convenience.

They couldn't collect the money in the middle of the event due to the 'winners' demanding all their prizes to be appraised and be compensated if they were conned, so they had to wait it out. They could get the money tomorrow until the matter was resolved, but the leader wanted her money now and left to 'convince' them.

With a evil look on her face, Hans reluctantly volunteered to follow her to minimize the damage, they had the tickets and the numbers but just to be safe they were going to kidn -'find' the attendant for a witness testimony.

Stigma's group separated and Veil was with him, eventually they would meet up and return after they collect the leader's compensation, which may take awhile. Dusk silently followed behind, where Hilda thought the event was boring and none of the prizes were worth anything other than what Stigma obtained, Kirin continued to hide inside Stigma's robes while biting on a piece of bone with all the meat removed.

As they left, Stigma wondered why no one recognized them among the crowd despite causing a scene on the event and became the center of attention, the sister said the masks they were wearing are enchanted with illusion properties. So anyone from a distance would see a different look and the terrain would help with the illusion, like distorted image from light flashing from a mirror or the area was to dark.

Unless they were close enough within five meters, no one could not recognize them, what Stigma was seeing was close to their actual appearance.

"There was only a handful were made but there might be a chance to find one in the black market, a place were illegal goods or stolen treasure are bought and sold, and where the underworld has a large influence and connections."

Stigma was short even from a distance, so he didn't need one at the moment. While the mask Veil prepared was when they were going to leave the market, her motto was: 'Think three steps ahead before moving' and 'Never venture a tunnel without a red string'[2].

"I could get you one, but it would take some time, there aren't many made due to the makers keeping their secrets methods down to their graves."

"Don't worry, I'll manage.....by the way, are there any formulas that relaxes the muscle."

"? Whatever do you need that for?"

"I might need them for future training, muscle strains are what worries me when I overexert myself."

"...Your a Cultivator though, circulating your aura will be more effective....Hmm, I suppose you're still in the lower Tier and strengthening your core is the right mindset. I could teach you how to make some, but that will take some time, one of those books are about medicine formulas, so there is no need to worry the basic. But practice is needed to....."

As they got closer to their tent, Veils mumbling continued on and stopped when she finally thought of a solution. Despite how she looked or how she was described by her brother Han, Veil had a motherly nature that appears when the leader was acting out.

In the end, Veil choose to buy some from a stale selling medicine pouches, she even bought some for fevers, sleep deprivation and other herb for some reason. He had no idea how wealthy she was and wanted to pay her back, but she bought them for Stigma's sake so there was no need.

As they reached the tent, Stigma realized that none of the closer residence or the guards heard all the noises from last night. They would have complained about the noises coming from the tent if they were making a mess or fighting like yesterday, Stigma's yell was loud enough to cause his own eardrums to hurt after a while.

"Oh that, I made a sound proof barrier, unless someone destroys the set formation or I stop it no one would notice it."

"Barriers sound really convenient from a broad sense, you could use that for assassination purposes."

"Well my responsibility lies in information gathering and trapping, I may not be physically strong as my brother or nimble like our leader, but I make up with my intelligence and tactical wits. So remember not to be a battle idiot every time and think three steps ahead, but be merciless as possible. Okay."

"...Okay."

Stigma was about to enter the tent when Veil told him to settle in first, she had to check in the formation for maintenance and wouldn't take long. After giving Stigma the medicine bags, she told him the barrier is still active so there was no need to worry and he can relax and wait until she returned.

"Now then, what should I do with this?" After waving goodbye, Stigma entered the villa tent with an excited expression, the first thing he did was pull out the bronze horn he had won. With difficulty, he brought it towards a table and started examining it.

From every angle the horn looked normal but the contents inside is what made him excited, Stigma had a choice to use his skill and devour the energy or save it for other purposes, when he asked Hilda she only told him that parts of a Heavenly Beast are used to make weapons like her or used for Cultivation and the decision was up to him on how to use it.

She was aware there was a spirit inside, but it maybe too weak for it had a conscience. Hilda was able to think and be aware of her surroundings after bathing in the Zen energy for quite some time. The horn may have belonged to a Heavenly Beast that had a strong willpower and inserted its life force inside the horn, but as the others said the horn lost most of its conscience from being separated from the main body.

Though he liked a second opinion, there was no real help from asking a submissive person, he only had one choice left but to ask 'the imp'.

Since he was alone, he brought out Kirin who was now jumping around the table from its freedom and nuzzled its head over Stigma's outstretched hand. Dusk was still standing guard and was resuming its transformation training, Hilda was placed by the table next to Stigma who got a chair and brought out his winnings.

A total of seven bags filled with random elemental stones were in one corner and twenty old books were in the another pile, he did win a shield and some quality weapons but Stigma didn't brought it out and placed the bag filled with glass jars of powdered medicine or ointment.

The medicine was valuable to anyone, but he only needed one thing inside. He then grabbed the bags that were the size of watermelons and spilled the contents.

Within each bag was a full of random elemental stone that were the sizes of coffee beans, yet Stigma didn't bother in checking each one as it would take too long and immediately used his skill: 'Soul Eater' to absorb them all in the spur of the moment.

Unlike absorbing souls of the dead, elemental energy was formed like smokes of different colors. After a few moments in the air, all the colored smoke flew towards his hands and disappeared, the feeling Stigma experienced was bizarre but he didn't care as he waited for all the stones to lose light one after another.

Kirin was watching the process and tried to bite the smoke and barked at it in confusion After a few minutes all the stones had lost their light and became black stone.

*Bing!*

[You have absorbed elemental energy:

Fire Energy: 330%

Earth Energy: 125%

Water Energy: 320%

Wind Energy: 120%

Light Energy: 80%

Metal Energy: 10%]

"Hmm, I suppose I can't ask for all the elements, but I really wanted the lightning element though."

"Don't ask for the impossible Master, the lightning element is powerful at the same time rare so no one would make it. You have to take the core of a Heavenly Beast with the Lightning element, but that is not common around here."

Hilda was aware that Stigma was capable in absorbing foreign elements despite his current level of strength, from her knowledge absorbing elemental energy that are stored in object such as the stones would result in harming oneself like getting burns from the fire stones, without proper supervision.

From her observations, the technique her master was using allows sealed energy to be drawn to him without difficulty, but it has to be within a certain range. How powerful the technique was still beyond her, so she can only assume for the better.

Hilda had experienced first hand how effective the skill was, it felt like her life force was being drawn into Stigma's body. Luckily it wasn't directed at her or Hilda would only struggle to keep her aware fine, if not her reserves would be taken and she would go into hibernation from her Zen energy from being taken which she could not allow.

With all the stones absorbed, Stigma excitedly grabbed the horn and repeated the procedure. However he could not understand why, but with his skill being active and after just one touch, he felt like he was being hit by a truck and forced him to let go of the horn and fell down on his chair.

"What the hell?!!?!?!"

Struggling to get up, Stigma looked at the horn with great confusion, Hilda and Kirin were concerned but they had no idea what was happening and called out their master who was now staring blankly at the object on the table.

Eventually he sat back down and patted Kirin to calm down its barking, while absent mindedly responding to Hilda to not worry, but his eyes had not left the horn for even a moment.

The energy inside the horn was abundant and rich, unlike the energy he was absorbing which was similar to being bathed in warm water, the energy inside the horn was like being hit by a tidal wave.

With curiosity he checked his status to see if he was affected in anyway and was shocked to find out what had happened to him.

[Name: Stigma Falsus

Age: 10

Rank: Unique (I)(Early stage)

1000 / 10000

Strength: 150

Agility: 170

Vitality: 250

Zen Reserves: 1700 / 1700

Skills: Essence Reader(V) 0%, Poltergeist (III) (1) 60%, Soul Eater (V) 0%, Taboo(III) 45%, Demon's Soul 5%

*

Current Souls Absorbed: Soul of Impurity (I), Wolf Soul (II), Snake Soul (I), Stag Soul (I), Bear Soul (I), Eagle Soul (I), Bull Soul (I), Boar Soul (I), Monkey Soul (I), Cheetah Soul (I), Rabbit Soul (I), Rat Soul (I), Goat Soul (I), Bat Soul (I)

*

"What...the...fu.."

After just one touch, his reserves just jumped from zero to a thousand, he thought the burst of energy would harm him. But he hadn't expect his Zen reserves to spike in one go, if he repeated nine more times then he can make a breakthrough right now.

'....Looks like I have to ask that 'imp' for some suggestions, though he might not help me give a direct answer, it's better than being kept in the dark without an idea....'

The memories he gained from the demon had to little information and only had the knowledge on souls, he tried to verify if the lingering spirit inside the horn was absorbed but it looked like he had to try again.

"Haa, looks like I have to endure..." After eight more attempts, his entire hand started to go numb, the energy wasn't painful in a sense but Stigma felt like sick after a while.

His reserves were reaching their limit, yet the horn still held more power inside. If he didn't knew any better, the exterior was entirely made of Zen energy to keep the spirit inside from fading away. Time passed and Stigma was still on the chair but Kirin sat on the table with a yawning expression, Hilda was telling to stop and call it a day.

Veil, Han and the leader weren't back so Stigma had one more try before he would throw in the towel and go to sleep.

He was about to try again when he remembered something and gave the plan a shot, like time he tried pulling some energy from Felix, he focused his energy and try to pull out the spirit inside.

Unlike pulling the energy from the surface, Stigma had to insert his energy carefully and concentrate in forming a link or he might miss his chance and the spirit might escape and disappear. The horn had rich energy so he had to tread carefully or he link would be severed.

With each time Stigma lost his connection, the more he repeated to insert his energy. Stigma's rate of improvement was progressing smoothly, at the same time the goal was coming near, with the spirit within a few feet he only made one more attempt to capture it completely.

Because Stigma relentlessly practice with the water and oil bottle training, his control had improved to some degree, however he had to expand his reserves until he can completely capture the spirits. His plan was simple, from the demon's knowledge, energy or souls trapped inside a seal would be difficult to capture if energy were to try and grasp it.

Since the horn was storing large reserves of Zen, Stigma only needed to refill his reserves by just touching it and circulate the energy. Hilda was quietly watching from the sidelines, while Kirin was admiring the lights emitting from Stigma body when he was near the horn.

With carefully imaging, Stigma had completely formed a net without any holes and pull the trapped soul towards his hand. After an hour, his efforts were pulled of an he fully capture the spirit and slowly pulled it out before absorbed it, if he used 'Soul Eater' inside the horn the overwhelming energy would be too much for level of strength.

If just a touch was enough to fill a thousand in his reserves, Stigma might feel immediate migraines from absorbing too much in one go. With one small pull, his prize was before him.

"Finally! The spirit is out! Gotta absorb it soon or it would slip away. Soul Eater!"

*Bing!*

[You have absorbed a new soul, processing....

Ancient Predator Spider: 10%]

"What the, haaa, can't help it. It is a lingering spirit from a long time ago, so I can't complain and just accept it."

He looked away for a moment and closed his eyes, but a question still remained inside his head: 'What other secrets does this horn hold and who was the one that harmed it.'

But there was one thing he was trying to wrap his mind on, a name that kept on bringing him headaches from just saying or remembering, like it was a taboo word.

'Who is Jaculus? And why those that name drive and make me go .....pull that man to hell.'

He turned to Hilda and asked is he had encountered or any knowledge about the Heavenly Beast spirit inside the horn.

Regrettably, Hilda had no idea what a Ancient Predator Spider when Stigma asked her and she had slain a variety of Heavenly Beast from era's ago, she pointed out it may as was be new variant evolution of a species when was she buried or a beast that was in hiding and never left it's territory.

"My apologize Master, I could not be as much help with discovering the treasure you found. Heavenly Beast tend to evolve and branch their families while growing stronger as time past, so it's hard to keep track on their evolution route or mistake it as a new Heavenly Beast that has yet been discovered."

"Don't worry, I trust you for a reason so I sought you out first not for knowledge but your opinion as well. I am going to cultivate so I'll leave Dusk in your command, if the three return, do not harm them, alright."

"By your Will!"

Bark! Bark! Bark! When he turned his head to the table, Kirin was sticking its tongue out and climbed up to Stigma's chest and licked his face. It's instincts noticed that Stigma's was exhausted and needed some form of comfort, so it did the natural thing in showing affection by licking his face or nuzzling its nose and fur to his neck and chest..

"Ha ha ha, I get it! I get it! Your fur is tickles Kirin, I know, I love you too!" He had to pull out Kirin and patted his head then ruffled its fur, if he didn't discipline Kirn, it might carry a strange habit if he left it alone.

"Hmmmmm, Master what about me!"

"Of course I also love you too Hilda, if you had a human form then I wouldn't mind hugging or patting your head."

"...So you mean what you say, I understand! I will try my best!"

Stigma had no idea what she was talking about, but he felt that Hilda was going to try something behind his back, all in all it was better to have a goal to better oneself than procrastinate and stagnate then degrade in time.

He made space on the table by hiding all the black stones in three bags in total, he might use them in the future so he stored them and grabbed the medicine bag and began his preparation. Stigma rummaged the contents for a while and found what he needed, sleeping pills.

For him to used the cultivation method: "Way of the Caged Soul: Demons's Release", he needed to be in a death like state, namely a form where he can separate his soul without killing him.

The knowledge the demons gave him only needed Stigma to stay completely still like a vegetable, he could try to have his heart stop like what the demon recommended to be instant, but that would lead to people believe he was suicidal which he will avoid in public areas.

'Let's see sleeping should work, it would take some time but its safe. Lets see, Prescription: one pill is enough, taking more than three will lead to side effect: slight fever, minor color blindness, lose sense of smell, never waking up. What the hell!!!! What are you selling you shitty merchant!'

Stigma sighed from the instructions, but he needed the 'imp's' help so he can't help it. After storing everything inside his space ring, he went to the bathroom and washed up along with Kirin.

With everything prepared, Stigma reviewed what he needed to do: One circulate Zen energy. Two stay completely still as the Zen energy forms around the soul. Three die.

'What the fuck are these instruction you bastard imp!!!!!'

While he grumbled and swallowed the pill with water and layed in bed and circulated his energy, Stigma wasn't aware what was happening to him, but the feeling of lightheadedness overcame him but he subconsciously circulated his Zen until lost conscious.

What felt like moment only made the surrounding changed for him, Stigma felt like he was being pulled but it was only for a moment, slowly when he opened his eyes he saw a familiar black and red room with curtains that reached the ceiling.

Stigma was about to walk up the stair case, when he heard someone laughing from a distance and the sound of rash footsteps was rushing towards him. Stigma didn't need to guess who was coming for him, just the laugh alone was enough for him to realized, the black 'imp' is coming.

"Ha ha ha, Sir I have awaited for your arrival!"

With one powerful stomp, the Imp made a somersault and landed on one knee to great Stigma, nothing had changed from him but it's grin was wider than usual and he could only guess what the smile meant.

***

While Stigma was inside the tent fiddling with the horn eventually falling asleep, outside the tent a ripple could be seen.

The tent was surrounded with multiple trap formation and the one set nearby was meant to capture intruders alive. Unless the formation was tampered from the outside or the one captured was strong enough, no one can leave freely except for the one who made it, namely Veil.

Inside the formation was Veil with a black atmosphere surrounding her, on her left hand was holding a bloodied dagger with jagged edges and on her right hand was a piece of meat with blood dripping from the edges.

A row of knives were one the grass, but those they were all covered in blood along with a several fingers on the ground. Cleary someone had been tortured slowly, starting from the fingers and making its way up to the arm until the edge had met.

In front of her was a body of a man who was still breathing with no limbs, by his side was several bodies who were in a similar state. If one looked closer at their faces, traces of fear can be seen along with the loss of color due to blood loss, it was clear what these victims experienced was considered a nightmare to be explanied.

"P.p.please.....I have told you everything that I now...I meant no harm, I apologize for offending you...please spare me!!!! T-t-take these men I have offered everything in my posession! I hold no more secrets!!!!"

"Lies!!! This man is our captain! He is the one who was ordered us to follow! We have nothing else to hide, no secret!"

"I have no more secrets, take that man's life!!!!"

The rest of them were saying the same contents, but with Veil smiling at them, she looked more like a devil holding their lives like a thread than a merciful saint.

She was showing her usual smile but with streaks of blood covering her face, the contrast of the scene of a beautiful woman smiling at the a bloody bodies in front of her would make anyone feel - unsettled.

"My,my,my, did you ever consider the consequences in trying to hide something from me, you tried to attack not only me but my little friend who I consider my little brother. Hiding your presence and making your way with these knives, that are obviously meant to intimidate us to give up all our possession, if you count the money we earned then you were trying to make a ransom...Did you expect me to believe you have learned enough from my little.....'teasing'."

In the end the screams of these men reverted throughout the space, yet Veil continued her display of pure smile as these men saw the face of a devil woman.

After another three hours Veil exited the space and exercise her neck but her smile never changed, she had already changed her clothes and used a large water stone to wash off the blood. She continued to display her smile then hid the knife in her space ring, making anyone believe that nothing happened, but she knew all too well what happened three hours ago was, pure - bliss to her.

'Haaa, pure bliss!!!'

Veil wasn't the combatant type or more accurately, wasn't the type who enjoys the front lines for one reason - pure boredom. Unlike her leader who enjoys the thrill of a battle, Veil experiences an increase of blood pressure, when she is torturing/teasing people, making her senses and her mind to accept information faster than normal.

Making her read a person just by a glance, like cold reading. Out of the three, she had the most talent in the cultivation, but chose to support her hyperactive best friend who saved her and prevent her from making rash decisions.

She was about to enter the tent when she realized someone was walking towards her direction, she only smiled and waited for the person to come near.

[1] Pig Iron - crude iron, it's very brittle and has limited uses. Basically it's worthless.

[2] Both means 'be prepared' or 'made sure there is a plan'