chapter 53 shadow step

Kaelith's Final Hunt – Searching for Treasure

The auction house was a storm of noise. Shouts rang out as players haggled over rare items, system notifications chimed with each successful bid, and somewhere in the back, an enraged player was cursing after being outbid at the last second.

Kaelith barely paid attention.

Leaning against a thick wooden pillar, he tapped his fingers rhythmically against the auction interface, his sharp gaze scanning the listings with the patience of a seasoned hunter.

✔ Weapons? The usual overpriced junk—swords boasting "legendary craftsmanship" but barely better than iron scraps. Trash.

✔ Armor? Overhyped and underwhelming. Not worth wasting gold on.

✔ Alchemy ingredients? A solid investment, but not urgent right now.

His fingers hovered for a moment before scrolling down. He was just about to close the interface when something caught his eye.

A skill book.

The Rare Skill – Shadow Step

A single listing stood out like a hidden gem among garbage.

> [Shadow Step – Rare]

Allows the user to teleport up to 5 meters in any direction.

Can pass through obstacles if the space beyond is visible.

Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Kaelith's eyebrow twitched.

The price? 5 gold.

> "Wait… what?"

For a second, he wondered if he was seeing things. Shadow Step. A mobility skill. And it was only 5 gold?

His fingers tapped the interface, double-checking the details. Everything looked correct.

This wasn't some illusion magic gimmick or a situational escape move—it was a powerful repositioning tool, allowing a player to phase through barriers and dodge attacks with precision.

And no one had snatched it up yet.

Idiots.

Most players probably ignored it because it wasn't listed under "Warrior" or "Archer." They saw "Shadow" and assumed it was an assassin-exclusive move, or worse—an illusion skill that had no place in early combat.

Kaelith smirked. He knew better. Shadow Step wasn't just for assassins. It was for anyone smart enough to use it properly.

Without hesitation, he clicked BUY.

> [You have obtained: Shadow Step]

The moment the transaction went through, a burst of laughter erupted from nearby.

The Fool's Laughter – Mocking the Wrong Man

"HAHA! Did you see that? Some idiot just bought an illusion skill for 5 gold!"

Kaelith's eyes flicked toward the group of players gathered around a table, cackling like hyenas. One of them—a warrior in cheap iron armor—smacked his knee, barely holding in his laughter.

"What a moron! Illusion skills are trash in the early game!"

"Seriously, who spends 5 gold on that garbage?" another scoffed.

Kaelith didn't flinch. Didn't even blink.

He simply leaned against the wooden counter of the auction house, casually watching them with the kind of patience a predator had when observing prey.

> "You're laughing now, huh?"

A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. These idiots had no idea what he had just secured.

> "Let's see who the real idiot is when I teleport behind you in battle."

He let the fools enjoy their laughter. They wouldn't be laughing for long.

With 16 gold still in his bag, Kaelith wasn't done yet.

One Last Look – The Final Treasure Hunt

Before leaving, he decided to check the auction house one last time.

> "There might still be something useful."

✔ Skill books? Nothing else rare.

✔ Weapons? Too expensive for their value.

✔ Materials? A few promising options, but nothing urgent.

Then, something unusual popped up.

The Suspiciously Cheap Listing

> [Wind Stride Boots – Uncommon]

+4 Agility

+5% Movement Speed

Lightweight for reduced stamina drain.

Price: 3 Gold

Kaelith narrowed his eyes.

That was cheap.

For an archer, speed was everything. Faster movement meant easier dodging, better positioning, and quicker escapes. A 5% movement speed boost didn't seem like much on paper, but when combined with Shadow Step…

Kaelith's grin widened.

> "Not bad."

Without hesitation, he clicked BUY.

> [You have obtained: Wind Stride Boots]

A Damn Good Haul

Gold Remaining: 13

Kaelith crossed his arms, his mind already running through the possibilities.

With Shadow Step and Wind Stride Boots, he'd be a ghost on the battlefield. Impossible to pin down. Unpredictable. Slippery. The kind of opponent that made enemies panic.

A damn good haul indeed.

With a final glance at the still-laughing fools, Kaelith turned on his heel and walked out of the auction house.

They'd see soon enough.

Kaelith's Test – The Shadow Step Experiment

The auction house doors creaked as Kaelith stepped onto the bustling streets of Greenhaven. The setting sun bathed the wooden buildings in hues of orange and gold, casting long shadows over the cobbled roads. Merchants hawked their wares, blacksmiths pounded molten metal, and players dashed about—some forming parties, others gearing up for battle.

But Kaelith ignored all of it.

His fingers twitched with anticipation. He had two new treasures to test.

> [Shadow Step – Rare]

[Wind Stride Boots – Uncommon]

And there was no better place than the Old Watchtower at the edge of town.

---

The Silent Path – A Hunter's Approach

The watchtower ruins lay beyond the market district, just outside the town's protective guards. Most players didn't bother with the area—it had no quests, no merchants, and the enemies inside were too weak to be worth farming.

Perfect.

Kaelith moved like a shadow, his new Wind Stride Boots reducing the weight of each step. He barely made a sound as he weaved through narrow alleys, slipping past groups of rowdy players unnoticed. The +5% movement speed was already kicking in—his steps felt lighter, his movements smoother.

When he reached the outskirts, the town's noise faded, replaced by the whispers of wind through broken stone. The watchtower's wooden structure was half-collapsed, its once-sturdy beams rotted and splintered. Ivy curled around the remains of the stone walls, giving the ruins an eerie, forgotten feel.

Kaelith cracked his knuckles.

> "Let's see what you can do, Shadow Step."

---

First Test – The Blink to High Ground

A rickety wooden platform, barely holding itself together, loomed five meters above him.

Normally, an archer would have to climb.

Kaelith didn't intend to.

He took a step back, focusing on the platform's surface—the perfect vantage point for a sniper. Shadow Step required a direct line of sight beyond obstacles. If this worked, he'd bypass the climb entirely.

> [Shadow Step Activated]

A flicker of dark mist curled around his body. For a split second, the world blurred—then his vision snapped forward.

He reappeared on the platform.

No delay. No distortion. Just instant movement.

Kaelith exhaled slowly.

> "Holy shit."

This wasn't just a teleport—it was a flawless repositioning tool. A rooftop, a ledge, a cliffside—no terrain would stop him.

But he wasn't done testing.

---

Second Test – The Combat Reposition

A rusted training dummy stood near the base of the tower. It wasn't an enemy, but it still reacted to attacks, making it the perfect test target.

Kaelith nocked an arrow, adjusting his grip on his bow.

Then, in one smooth motion, he fired.

> [Focus Shot!]

The arrow glowed faintly, charging power for an extra second before launching with precision. It struck the dummy's center, a perfect critical hit.

Kaelith activated Shadow Step the instant the shot landed.

> [Shadow Step Activated]

His vision blurred—then snapped ten meters to the left, where he already had another arrow drawn.

> [Rapid Shot!]

Two arrows fired in rapid succession, striking the dummy from a completely different angle. If this were a real battle, his opponent would have been scrambling to find him while he kept up the assault.

Kaelith's grin widened.

> "This is unfair."

---

Third Test – Dodging at Close Range

Now, it was time for the real test—reaction dodging.

He stood in front of the dummy, simulating an enemy warrior charging him down. A normal archer would be in trouble at this range.

Kaelith nocked an arrow.

Fired.

The moment the dummy jerked forward from the impact, he activated Shadow Step.

Dark mist curled around him. His vision blurred—then snapped to a nearby rooftop.

The dummy lurched forward, attacking nothing but air.

Kaelith let out a breath. His heart pounded—not from exertion, but from the sheer speed of it.

> "If a melee fighter gets close, I just… disappear."

Dodging wasn't just movement anymore. It was instant escape. A warrior's charge? A rogue's dagger? A mage's spell?

None of it mattered if he wasn't there anymore.

And the 30-second cooldown? That wasn't a weakness. That was a limit he could work around.

Kaelith ran his hand through his hair, exhaling.

> "I need to take this into a real fight."

He turned his gaze toward the distant horizon, where players gathered in groups, preparing for hunts and PvP skirmishes.

His smirk returned.

> "Time to have some fun."

Kaelith wasn't just an archer anymore.

He was a ghost with a bow.