What does it an to blend into the shadows? Or, what is a shadow? These questions have puzzled scientists and alchemists for centuries. The answers they found were enlightening.
When there is no light, there is darkness. Darkness is the complete absence of light, a natural state that exists without illumination. Shadows, on the other hand, are born from the interaction between light and objects, creating a space where light cannot reach.
A shadow is a part of the world where light is obstructed, a transient and ever-changing entity shaped by its surroundings.
I pondered these concepts as I prepared to practice the [Veil of Shadows] while also checking out the [Shadowborne]' s description.
------------------------------------
Trait: Shadowborne
Description: The innate trait bestowed by the Mistwraith grants the ability to harness and manipulate shadows with great proficiency. It enhances the user's control over darkness, enabling them to bend and shape shadows to their will.
Stage 1:
Shadow Veil: The user gains the power to blend seamlessly with shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dimly lit environnts. This grants them enhanced stealth and the ability to move undetected.
-------------------------------------
While looking at this one before, I had never thought of it as complicated since the description was completely clear and understandable.
But then I thought of one another thing.
'Bending and shaping shadows to my own will.'
Looking at this one, it was evident that there was a lot more to the Trait than just the stealth itself. I also knew about this as the more one progresses in the [Trait], the more they would develop shadow-related skills.
But, there was one thing that I overlooked after obtaining it from MistWraith. Normally, in the ga, the player would get [Shadowborne] after killing the MistWraith as the normal boss of the second-year arc. But, the special properties of the trait would be a lot different.
For instance, while I got the [Shadow Leap] when I advanced to the second stage, the Player would get a different skill in the ga. The skill that Ethan would get would be the ability to nd the shadows and enhance the spear by adding magic damage to the weapon. That was what he would get. Normally, that would not be a bad thing as it was an ability that fit Ethan. However, there were many different abilities like this, and even Ethan himself had such skills in his arsenal. That is why many players did not use that ability too much, as while shadows looked cool, they did not provide much for the gaplay.
However, for , it was different, as I had gotten it once with an easter egg by getting it a lot earlier than how it was supposed to be gotten. Though, I was not able to complete that run and advance the trait.
But still, I understood that sothing about MistWraith had been altered at that ti. If you would get a different and possibly better trait if you had killed the MistWraith earlier than it was supposed to be and would get a better trait, that ant sothing about the demon would fundantally change.
'For instance, if the core of the Demon had been stolen and another artificial core had been added.' The MistWraith had already been in a weakened state for a long ti, and it would not be that hard to hunt him. I was even able to hunt him down after learning about his weaknesses, though it required so sacrifices. If soone else were to study the demons and ancient ones, they could easily capture it and experint on it.
'There is a high chance that this is the case.'
For instance, insiders in the academy would be able to make such a thing happen. And maybe that was the reason why MistWraith was attacking the academy.
In the end, one thing was clear.
'There is more to this trait than I initially assud. I especially understand this right now after practicing the stealth arts for the past four days.'
Shadows are ford in the presence of light. For a shadow to exist, light must be present, and sothing must block that light. This interplay creates a space where light cannot reach—a shadow, an entity that is transient and ever-changing, shaped by its surroundings.
But shadows can only be seen by eyes. They can't be heard, slled, or touched. They are purely a visual phenonon. However, a person blending into the shadows still exists physically—they produce sounds and slls and radiate heat. While they may be unseen, they can still be detected through other senses.
As I pondered this, I realized that blending into the shadows required more than just becoming invisible. It involved eliminating all other traces of my presence. I needed to silence my movents, mask my scent, and control my body temperature. It was about becoming undetectable by any ans, not just sight.
What is the aning of light to the eyes?
Light is the dium through which we perceive the world. It allows us to see shapes, colors, and movents. When light is blocked, it creates shadows, which are visual indicators of sothing's presence and shape.
Without light, we are blind to our surroundings. So, if shadows are created by blocking light, then blending into the shadows ans manipulating that light and its absence.
To truly master the [Veil of Shadows] or [Shadow Veil], I needed to understand the interaction between light and my presence.
I had to manipulate the ambient light, bending it to create an illusion of emptiness where I stood. This went beyond simple stealth; it was about becoming a part of the shadows themselves.
At the sa ti, I needed to understand what light and shadows are for other senses. For instance, what is the light for ears?
It would be sound waves. The waves that travel through the air alert others to my presence.
And what about the sll? The particles that linger in the air, carrying my scent. And touch? The heat my body radiates is detectable to anyone nearby. All these aspects of my presence needed to be addressed to achieve true invisibility.
As I ca to these realizations, it struck that the [Shadowborne] trait was not only about shadows. It was about 'shadowing oneself from the world.' It was about becoming undetectable in every sense. To master this trait, I needed to beco a void, an absence in the perception of others.
"Shadowing Oneself."
It was like an enlightennt, sothing that I did not think I would be achieving at such a random mont. But there it was.
And then, just to complint , I sensed a change in myself. A change in the trait that had been engraved to .
---------------------
Your understanding of [Shadowborne] has increased.
--------------------
A panel appeared right before my eyes. It was rare for the status window to interact with any type of Awakened, but at the sa ti, things like these tended to still happen sotis.
--------------------
Stage 1:
Shadow Veil: The user gains the power to blend seamlessly with shadows, becoming nearly invisible in dimly lit environnts. This grants them enhanced stealth and the ability to move undetected.
Additionally, the user can mask their scent and sound and regulate their body temperature to blend with the surroundings, enhancing their overall stealth capabilities.
-------------------------------------
I could feel the changes within , a subtle shift in my abilities with shadows. My senses heightened, and I felt more attuned to the ambient darkness around .
The Shadow Veil technique now included masking my scent and sound and regulating my body temperature, making even more undetectable.
The status window also included a new note:
--------------------
You have peeked into the ultimate realm of the trait.
--------------------
The ssage was cryptic but clear.
'Peeking the ultimate realm of the trait.' Each trait has an ability once they have reached the end of it. That is sothing every trait has, but at the sa ti, rarely can a person achieve such a thing if the said trait is a unique one.
Since [Traits] are enigmas for the Awakened, most of them need to carve their own paths unless they receive these [Traits] from their bloodlines. That is also another reason why the nad families are this strong.
They already know the conditions for achieving the higher ranks of the traits that their heirs possess. Therefore, it is a lot easier to nurture them and takes a lot less ti and resources. That is the advantage of having a common trait, though it still has its disadvantages, of course.
I thought about what I did to speculate about what the ultimate realm of the [Shadowborne] trait could be. Realizing that shadows are not only about the absence of light but are also a taphor, I began to understand that they actually symbolize sothing more profound.
The phrase "Shadowing Oneself" echoed in my mind, and I understood that the ultimate realm of the trait was about this very concept.
'Shadows are the parts of the world that go unseen. They represent the unseen and the unnoticed, the hidden aspects that exist beyond the perception of light. To master shadows is to master the art of being unnoticed in every aspect.'
This realization was profound. The ultimate realm of the [Shadowborne] trait was about complete and utter invisibility, not just to sight but to all senses. It was about becoming a true shadow in every sense of the word—silent, scentless, intangible, and unseen.
I began to think about how this applied to my recent training.
'Every technique I've learned so far has been about reducing my presence in one way or another. From silencing my movents to masking my scent and regulating my body temperature, it's all been about becoming less detectable. If the ultimate realm of [Shadowborne] is about shadowing oneself from the world, then it ans achieving a state where I am completely undetectable by any ans.'
That ant, upon reaching the ultimate stage, I would beco undetectable by no ans, regardless of anything.
It seed I still had a long way to go.
The idea of becoming a true shadow, a ghost in the world, was interesting and daunting at the sa ti.
But for the ti being, rather than setting my expectations high, I need to focus on what was present before .
'Since I have yet to know the number of stages that I need to advance to reach the ultimate realm, First, I need to reach the next stage, and I still have yet to find any clue about what it is.'
And that was not the case for only [Shadowborne].
[Lunar Enigma] was also the sa.
Reviews
All reviews (0)