Chapter 9: Reverse Scale
The inn was quiet as Jin pushed open the door to their room. The scent of old wood and jasmine oil lingered in the air.
Lana looked up from her seat by the window, her eyes softening the moment she saw him. He was covered in dust, dried blood streaked faintly along his sleeve—but there was something else. A stillness. A gravity to his expression that hadn't been there before.
"You're back…" she whispered, rising to her feet.
"I'm fine, Mother," Jin said gently, stepping forward and pulling her into a quiet embrace. "We ran into a beast den... but it's over. I helped them finish the job."
He didn't speak of the Wolf King, the Tyrant Body, or the terrifying silence he had earned from the team he saved.
Not yet.
"I'll tell you more... over dinner."
They moved down to the main hall—a modest, fire-lit space where families dined beneath paper lanterns and the air smelled of lotus beef stew.
They found a quiet corner. Ordered simply.
But just as the bowls were set on the table, the peace shattered.
The doors swung open with exaggerated flair. A group of overdressed, cocky young men strutted in, flanked by servants and personal guards. Loud laughter. Flashy silk robes. Too much cologne. They reeked of money and arrogance.
One in a garish violet robe pointed at Jin and Lana's table.
"You! Peasants. You've taken our spot. Move."
Jin didn't reply. He just looked at them once—eyes calm and blank.
Lana placed a gentle hand over his clenched fist.
"We'll finish quickly and leave," she said, her tone respectful.
But they hadn't come to talk.
A lackey sneered, then with a flick of his wrist, swept the steaming bowls off the table. Porcelain shattered. Stew splattered onto the floor.
Jin's fingers twitched.
Across the hall, the coachman and a few commoners looked away, pretending not to see.
"We are sons of Council Elders," the violet-robed one said proudly, smirking. "If you knew what was good for you, you'd show some respect."
The air around Jin began to distort—subtle, but dangerous.
Lana tightened her grip.
"Let's go, Mother," Jin said at last. His voice was low. Controlled. "We'll eat somewhere else."
They stood and turned.
"Stop," snapped the violet-robed youth. He reached out and grabbed Lana's wrist with a lecherous grin. "She's not going anywhere. You should be honored to serve us tonight. Especially this pretty one. Such... soft skin."
He shouldn't have touched her.
That was Jin's reverse scale.
There was a blur.
A flash of bronze light.
And then—screams.
The boy slammed into the ground, bones shattering with a brutal crack. Teeth scattered like rice grains. Two of his followers were hurled through tables, wood splintering under their weight.
Silence.
Every person in the inn froze.
Jin stood motionless, his face blank. His aura was sharp and monstrous—like a blade wrapped in silence.
He took Lana's hand gently.
They walked out without a word.
Outside, under the soft glow of lanterns and a silver moon, Lana said nothing. She kept glancing at Jin.
Concern. Confusion. Curiosity. All mixed in her eyes.
He noticed, of course.
"I'll explain everything," Jin said, his voice quiet. "Let's sit first."
As they passed a shop window, Lana paused. Behind the glass, on black velvet, sat a pair of jade bracelets—simple, elegant, softly glowing under the warm light.
"They're beautiful," she murmured.
"I'll buy them for you," Jin said immediately.
"You've done enough," she replied. "Save your money—"
"I want to."
They went back and forth for a moment. In the end, Jin handed over three gold coins, and the shopkeeper boxed one of the bracelets with care.
Lana slid it on.
It fit perfectly.
She smiled, and for a moment, peace returned.
Then—
[System Alert: Danger Detected]
[Source: 4 Hostiles Identified – Assassins Nearby]
[Target: Host and Lana]
[Threat Level: High]
Jin stopped walking.
"Mother," he said softly, "wait here."
"What is it?"
"Just saw someone I know. Won't be long."
He stepped into the alley beside the shop.
His tone was calm. His blood was boiling.
[System: Would Host like to browse Shop – Stealth Equipment Available]
"Show me."
[Item: Silver Cloak – Level 1]
Effect: Invisibility for 30 minutes
Cost: 1 Essence Loan (deducted upon next breakthrough)
"Load it."
The cloak shimmered into existence, then vanished.
Jin inhaled.
The world sharpened. His senses expanded.
One on the rooftop. One hiding near the cart. Another inside the tea shop across the street. And the last...
Too close to Lana.
"Let's begin."
He struck like a phantom.
One by one, necks broke. Blades silenced. Shadows bled into shadows.
None of the assassins ever saw him coming. None of them left a trace.
By the time the cloak's time limit expired, Jin had returned to the front of the shop.
Lana was still admiring earrings inside, unaware of anything.
"Back already?" she asked, not even turning.
"You know how women forget the world when they're shopping," Jin teased.
"Watch your tongue, young man," she replied with a smile, tapping her bracelet.
They walked home beneath a soft, moonlit sky.
Far away, in a cold chamber beneath the palace...
Captain Roger stood before a shelf of soul tablets, glowing faintly like candlelight.
Suddenly—four of them flickered... then turned to ash.
Roger staggered.
"No... no—!"
Blood spurted from his lips as he fell to his knees.
"Those were my best men…"
The boy had survived.
Worse, he had grown stronger.
[System Notification: Assassins Eliminated – Elite Threat Neutralized]
[EXP Gained: 200]
[Level Up Achieved → Level 5]
[Blood Demon Bloodline – Awakening Initiated: 1%]
[New Skill Unlocked: Fury]
→ For 1 minute, double your current combat power. Cooldown: 24 hours.
[New Equipment Unlocked: Silver Cloak – Level 1]
[Equipment Tab Unlocked]
[Attribute Points Gained: +10]
[Updated Status]
Name: Jin
Level: 5
EXP: 0 / 800
Magic Power: 50
Stamina: 15
Speed: 2
Strength: 5
Vitality: 3
Agility: 3
Dexterity: 0
Attribute Points Available: 10
Cultivation: Body Refinement Stage 5
Bloodlines:
• Ancient Azure Dragon – Unawakened
• Blood Demon – Awakening (1%)
Cultivation Method: Paragon Heaven Manual
Technique: Tyrant Body – Bronze Form (22% Mastery)
New Skill: Fury (Cooldown: 24 hours)
Equipment: Silver Cloak (Level 1)
Fragments: Wind Element ×6, Beast Talent ×2
Inventory: Blood Wolf King Core (E-rank), Misc. dungeon spoils
Jin walked beside his mother in silence.
The glow of lanterns flickered in his eyes. The city was calm on the surface.
But in the dark corners of the kingdom...
whispers had already begun.
And the world…
would never be the same again.