Chapter 9: Secrets in Shadows

Karma sat on the edge of his bed, the cool morning air drifting through the cracked window of the **Stardust Inn**. The room was still, quiet except for the soft breathing of his companions. **Shiro** lay curled up at the foot of the bed, while **Kuro**, now fully relaxed, rested against Karma's leg.

He rubbed his eyes, still trying to shake off the grogginess. But what had kept him awake the night before wasn't exhaustion—it was what he had seen when he used his **Monster Appraise** skill on Kuro.

Karma's mind flashed back to the words that had appeared before him:

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**Monster Appraise: Kuro, Grey Fox Cub**

- **Skill 1: Shadow Sneak**

- Description: Allows the user to disappear into any shadow and reappear within a 100-meter radius.

- **Passive Skill: High Endurance**

- Description: Increases physical and magical endurance, allowing for sustained activity without fatigue.

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Karma had stared at those descriptions in awe, particularly at the skill **Shadow Sneak**. The ability to move unseen from shadow to shadow could give him a significant tactical advantage, allowing him to ambush enemies or escape dangerous situations with ease. And **High Endurance**—while it wasn't flashy—was just as valuable.

He had learned firsthand that the biggest limitation to synchronization was the toll it took on his body. Normally, he could only maintain synchronization with Shiro for about three minutes before collapsing from physical exhaustion. But **High Endurance** could help extend that time significantly.

"The cub hasn't reached adulthood yet," Karma muttered to himself, recalling the other bit of information the appraisal had revealed. He couldn't synchronize with Kuro until the fox matured, but even without full synchronization, he could still benefit from its abilities.

A new thought struck him—if he could use his **Skill Share** spell to borrow Kuro's endurance while synchronizing with Shiro, it might extend his synchronization time. **Eight minutes, maybe even more**. But using two spells simultaneously would be a challenge. Karma had never tried casting more than one high-level spell at a time, and he had no idea how much strain it would put on his mana reserves or physical body.

"I'll need to train for this," he murmured, running a hand through his hair. "I'm going to need a lot of practice."

His mind buzzed with ideas, plans for how to improve his abilities, but after a while, the fatigue from thinking so hard settled in. He lay back on the bed, and within moments, he dozed off, Kuro and Shiro still nestled beside him.

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**The Next Day: A Meeting with the Past**

Karma awoke the next morning feeling refreshed, though the weight of the previous night's thoughts still lingered in his mind. By noon, he left the inn, eager to get started on his training, but as soon as he entered the **Adventurer's Guild**, he was greeted by **Maria**, her expression more serious than usual.

"Karma," she called out, waving him over. "We need to talk. Come with me."

Karma raised an eyebrow but followed her without hesitation. She led him to a small, private meeting room tucked away at the back of the guild. As he sat down, he noticed the tension in her face. Something was clearly bothering her.

Once they were both seated, Maria sighed and leaned forward, her hands resting on the table between them.

"There's something I wanted to ask you," she began, her voice softer than usual. "Yesterday, when you took on the ogre quest… you looked different. I saw a side of you I've never seen before. There was a fury in your eyes, a rage I didn't understand. I wanted to ask you then, but you were still recovering."

Karma's heart sank. He had hoped to keep his past buried, but Maria's question brought it all rushing back.

She looked at him, her eyes searching. "What happened with the ogres, Karma? Why did it make you so… vengeful?"

For a moment, Karma was silent. His fists clenched on his lap as memories of that night resurfaced. He had tried so hard to push it down, to forget about it, but he knew Maria deserved an answer. She had been kind to him since he first joined the guild, and she had trusted him. He owed her the truth.

Taking a deep breath, Karma began.

"I was twelve years old," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "My hometown… it was destroyed by ogres."

Maria's expression softened as she listened, her eyes widening slightly. She didn't interrupt, allowing Karma the space to tell his story.

"There were nearly a hundred of them," Karma continued, his hands trembling slightly as the memories grew more vivid. "They came at night, out of nowhere. I still remember the smell of the smoke, the heat of the flames, the screams…" His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, trying to suppress the tears that threatened to come.

"I watched them burn everything," Karma said, his voice now tight with pain. "They tore through our homes, our fields, and our people like we were nothing. My parents… my friends… everyone was slaughtered."

Maria's breath hitched, her eyes glistening with sympathy. "Karma, I… I'm so sorry."

Karma forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "It's nothing, really. That's why I was so angry when I saw those ogres four days ago. It brought everything back. I've been trying to forget it, to move on, but… I can't."

Maria's heart ached for him. She hadn't known the depth of his pain, the weight he carried every day. She wanted to say something—anything—to comfort him, but what could she say that would ease such a deep wound?

As she searched for the right words, Karma continued, his tone shifting as a new thought entered his mind.

"Maria," he said, his voice taking on a curious edge, "the ogres I fought four days ago… their eyes were blue. But the ones that attacked my village… their eyes were **bloodshot red**."

Maria blinked, confused. "Red eyes?"

Karma nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "I've been thinking about it ever since I woke up. There's something different about those two groups of ogres. Are there two different species or types of ogres? I've never seen or heard of ogres with red eyes before."

Maria leaned back in her chair, her eyes suddenly wide with shock. The air in the room seemed to shift as the weight of Karma's words settled over them.

"Karma," she said slowly, her voice trembling slightly, "what do you mean their eyes were red? Ogres don't have red eyes. They're usually blue or green, sometimes yellow in rare cases, but never red."

Karma's heart pounded as he met her gaze. "I'm sure of it. The ogres that destroyed my village… every single one of them had blood-red eyes. I can still see them in my nightmares."

Maria's face paled, and she instinctively pushed her chair back, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts as her mind raced.

"Karma… if what you're saying is true… then the attack on your village wasn't random." She swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "It was **planned**."

Karma's blood ran cold at her words. "What do you mean?"

Maria stood up, pacing the small room as she tried to piece together the fragments of information. "Normal ogres—the ones we usually deal with—are wild, scattered. They don't organize, they don't plan attacks like that. But if these ogres had red eyes… that means they weren't normal."

Karma felt his stomach drop. He had always believed that the attack on his village was a random act of violence, an unfortunate accident of fate. But what Maria was suggesting…

"It means," Maria continued, her voice low and grave, "that someone—**or something**—orchestrated the attack. And whoever did it… they specifically targeted your village."

Karma stared at her in shock, his mind reeling from the revelation. Could it be true? Could the destruction of his home have been planned?

"But why?" he whispered, his voice shaking. "Why would someone target us?"

Maria turned to him, her expression serious. "That's what we need to find out."

Karma felt his heart race as the weight of her words pressed down on him. His entire life had been shaped by that night, by the senseless violence that took everything from him. But now, there was a darker truth lurking beneath the surface—a truth he hadn't been ready to face.

The attack on his village wasn't an accident. It was something far more sinister.

Karma clenched his fists, his knuckles white with tension. "If this was planned… then whoever did it is still out there. And they're going to pay."

Maria nodded, though her eyes were filled with concern. "We'll figure this out, Karma. But you need to be careful. This might be bigger than both of us."

Karma stood, his body tense with determination. He had come to the guild today for answers, but now he had even more questions.

And he wasn't going to stop until he found the truth.

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**To be continued…**

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**Author's Notes:**

Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed **Chapter 9: Secrets in Shadows**! This chapter was a big moment for Karma, as we finally learn more about his tragic backstory and the event that set

him on the path of vengeance. But with Maria's revelation, things just got a lot more complicated!

- **Kuro's Abilities:** We now know that Kuro's **Shadow Sneak** and **High Endurance** are going to play a big role in Karma's future battles. The potential to extend his synchronization time by borrowing Kuro's endurance opens up some exciting possibilities. I can't wait to see how Karma manages to handle multiple spells at once in future training!

- **Karma's Past and the Red-Eyed Ogres:** The attack on Karma's village was a defining moment for his character, but now we know it wasn't just a random event. Something or someone planned the destruction of his hometown, and the mysterious **red-eyed ogres** are at the center of it. What does this mean for Karma's journey? We're definitely diving into deeper, darker territory here!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments! What do you think of the reveal about the ogres? Any theories on who—or what—might be behind the attack on Karma's village? I'm excited to hear what you think!

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next chapter!