The will of the veil (2)

Elijah sat on the edge of his bed, his breath still ragged from the events of the day. He opened his status, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and nervousness. The familiar screen appeared before his eyes:

Name: Elijah 

Status: Awakened 

Physical Condition: Crippled 

Realm: 1st realm of the Apprentice stage 

Ability: Avatar (Level 1) 

Soulshards: Jackle's Stealth (Basic) 

Soul Level: 3.47% 

Strength: 13 

Agility: 10 

Endurance: 11 

His eyes lingered on the new addition: the Soulshards field. A smirk tugged at his lips as the realization hit him. He'd only been in this world for two days, and already he had a Soulshard, something he thought would take much longer to acquire. The information he'd gathered from the guide had left him with the impression that obtaining a Soulshard, especially so early on, was nearly impossible. Yet here he was, holding a treasure that was valued at a staggering 10,000 Union Credits.

"This is awesome!" he muttered to himself, his gaze shifting to the second Black Jackle core he still held in his bag.

He quickly grabbed it, and once more, the familiar sensation washed over him as the Avatar absorbed the core:

[Black Jackle core absorbed. 0.2 Soul Energy gained. Basic Soulshard, Jackle's Stealth, earned.]

Elijah's eyes widened in amazement. The same thing had happened again. This wasn't luck, it was something far more profound. He stared at his core, noticing two faint afterimages of Black Jackles hovering around it, as if guarding his core.

"It wasn't luck, it was because of the avatar!" The realization sent a thrill through him. The excitement was overwhelming, and without hesitation, Elijah activated the Black Jackle's Soulshard. Instantly, he felt a shift in his perception. His body melded subtly with his surroundings, his breathing nearly imperceptible, and his footsteps as he moved around the room were as silent as a ghost's whisper.

Satisfied with his new abilities, Elijah made his way to the Wanderer Union's base. Though he was eager to experiment further, he knew he had something else he had to do. Of course, He wasn't going to announce his newfound power, Instead, he had a more practical goal in mind.

"Hello, how can I help you?" The woman who had first greeted him when he arrived in this world smiled warmly.

"Hello, nice to see you again. I wish to make an account in the Union's market, please," Elijah responded. The Union Market was a powerful tool for Bellatores, a digital marketplace supported by the Wanderer Union and governments worldwide where anything could be bought, sold, or exchanged.

The woman processed his request, taking the initial payment of 3,000 Union Credits for the subscription. She finished the subscription for Elijah, then downloaded the app on his watch before linking it to it. Elijah thanked her, his thoughts racing as he hurried back to his inn.

Back in his room, Elijah opened the Union Market on his watch and chose to remain anonymous, selecting a nickname that fit his growing confidence. "Shadow Avatar."

---

An hour later, a new Soulshard appeared on the market, listed by an anonymous user named 'Shadow Avatar.' The Jackle's Stealth Soulshard was priced at 10,000 Union Credits, like the other basic-level Soulshards. Elijah smiled to himself, the weight of the day finally catching up with him as he slumped onto his bed, exhaustion washing over him.

---

In a dimly lit room, the air was thick with tension. The glow from a monitor illuminated two figures, their faces obscured by shadow.

"Since when do Black Jackles drop Soulshards?" one of them asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"How would I know? Maybe someone got super lucky and somehow got it. And it's not a useless one either—this should be perfect for our mission," the second figure replied, his tone cold and calculating.

A pause hung in the air, heavy with unspoken intentions.

"Alright then, let's buy it."

"Yes, sir."

The first figure leaned back, a sense of foreboding settling in the room. "Now, you don't have any excuses to make if you fail. You must kill that brat."

The second figure nodded, a cruel smile hidden beneath his hood. "Don't worry, sir. Even if he became a Bellator, he's still a weak rookie. And since he's no longer on Earth, killing is an option now."

"Good," the first figure replied, his voice dripping with malice.