Chapter 160

Words : 1337 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Night had fallen deep within the forest. Clayton sprinted through the shadows, urgency in every step, with seven skeletons following closely behind. His face was tight with worry, as if a heavy weight pressed against his thoughts. As he ran, he occasionally glanced at his skin, where strange symbols pulsed faintly, glowing and flickering like some unnatural heartbeat. Each time they flashed, a sense of helplessness crept over him. He couldn’t stop replaying the memory—the vision he had seen after using Scroll 48 on that archer. Those symbols were Stigmas—magical marks capable of broadcasting a person’s location to a designated tracker, functioning like a magical GPS. These one-time enchantments were triggered automatically upon the death of their original bearer, latching onto the killer as a beacon. Typically, Stigmas were engraved by their owners using intricate magical rituals and costly ingredients. Each bore a unique tracking spell tailored to the intentions of its creator. Now, with a dozen different Stigmas glowing on his body, Clayton felt his scalp itch—an involuntary response to mounting stress. It became painfully clear: the high-ranking nobles he had killed likely bore special life markers that notified their families upon death. Once the signal flared, tracking spells would activate to find the killer. The Stigmas functioned less like maps and more like proximity alarms. The closer the spellcaster came to the target, the stronger the magical signal. Worse yet, it worked both ways—the one bearing the mark could also sense the caster’s approach through an intensifying glow. Fortunately, their range was limited. Had it been otherwise, Clayton would have been captured long ago. Realization struck—those glowing marks he’d once seen on the serpent monster were probably Stigmas too, placed after it slaughtered some wealthy noble’s children. The conclusion was clear: from now on, Clayton had to be far more careful when dealing with noble heirs. One slip, and he’d be waist-deep in trouble. Resolved, he fled the area, running blindly through the dark woods. One thing guided him—whenever the glow of the Stigmas brightened, he immediately changed direction. Whether his plan would work remained uncertain. But for now, he had managed to avoid disaster. Still, Clayton took no comfort in that. His body was wearing down after prolonged running and constant alertness. He began to contemplate how to end this chase tonight and finally rest. He already had a solid plan—he just needed the right opportunity to act on it. Suddenly, a fireball blazed toward him from the darkness. Clayton, already on edge, dodged instantly. Boom! A section of the forest exploded into flame, trees shattered by the impact of a fireball the size of a basin. Clayton turned toward the source and spotted two three-star mage apprentices standing at a distance, watching him. He didn’t react with panic. Instead, he calmly scanned the area. Once certain they were alone, he felt a slight wave of relief. "Bounty hunters, are you?" he asked coolly. "Hehehe, that’s right!" one of them grinned. "So, what do you say? Ready to give up?" "Yeah, surrender now," the other chimed in. "Cooperate, and this’ll be way easier for everyone. No need to waste mana on a fight." They both smiled smugly, clearly excited by the thought of capturing Clayton and pocketing the bounty. Clayton sneered. Surrender to two three-star apprentices? What a joke. Without hesitation, he cut them down. He had dealt with mages of their level before, and with his skeletal minions at his side, it was effortless. After looting their gear, Clayton disappeared back into the woods. Moments later, a group of well-dressed individuals arrived at the scene. Examining the battle’s aftermath, one of them cursed under his breath. "Damn it... how is this guy always one step ahead?!" ... Meanwhile, Clayton kept moving, desperate to find a safe place to rest. But no matter how far he ran, more bounty hunters appeared—growing in number with each passing hour. Though none were particularly challenging, Clayton could sense the mounting danger. If this went on, it would only be a matter of time before his luck ran out. He quickened his pace, determined to find shelter. At first, nothing seemed unusual. But then, he noticed something strange—he kept ending up in the same spot, no matter which direction he chose. It didn’t take long for Clayton to realize he was trapped in a magical loop. Acting quickly, he activated the Vibration Harmony Chant, a technique designed to disrupt both mana and spiritual energy within his body. His senses snapped back to clarity. He found himself lying on the ground, with a compound-eyed creature perched on his face. Clayton instantly recognized it—a Silent Night Ink Butterfly. He was deep within the territory of the Starlight Tuberose. On full alert, he fired his water pistol at the butterfly and ordered his skeletons to engage any others nearby. Once the area was secure, he took in his surroundings: a vast field of glowing tuberose flowers stretching out before him. Only two types of dangerous creatures seemed to live here, which brought him a rare sense of calm. Clayton got to work harvesting materials from the local fauna and flora. With the help of his skeletons, he set up a small tent. Then came the real work—constructing an invisibility array. Though he was skilled at forming them, building a full-scale version required deep concentration. An hour passed, and finally, it was done. He inserted several magic crystals into the array and activated it. A gentle glow radiated from the dome-like formation—and everything inside vanished from sight. Clayton was stunned. Even after imagining it countless times, seeing it with his own eyes left him breathless. He tested it multiple times, stepping in and out to confirm it worked flawlessly. Finally, he had a truly safe place to rest. With the Starlight Tuberose surrounding him and the invisibility array cloaking his presence, he had double protection. While his skeletons stood guard, Clayton finally allowed himself to rest. ... Elsewhere in the Starlight Tuberose region, a group of people battled against swarms of black butterflies, desperately trying to avoid the illusion-inducing pollen from the glowing flowers. They were the same well-dressed group that had discovered the bodies of the bounty hunters—guards tasked with protecting noble children from the city. Now that those nobles’ heirs were dead and their life markers extinguished, these guards had only one path to redemption: capture the killer. What they thought would be a simple mission turned into a nightmare. The deeper they pursued, the more obstacles they encountered. Everlight, the group’s leader, was growing increasingly frustrated. "You’re sure the signal was around here? Don’t tell me you misread it!" "Yes, sir! We tracked it carefully—he’s definitely in this area!" Everlight scowled. He knew their target was acting alone. By all logic, someone solo shouldn’t have been able to enter a place this dangerous. Still, his men seemed confident. He clenched his teeth and pressed on, resisting the illusions and mental exhaustion from the butterflies. Eventually, they cleared the immediate threats. Donning special cloths to block the pollen, they began combing the terrain inch by inch. Hours passed. The sky paled—dawn was approaching. But they had found nothing. Exhausted and irritated, Everlight barked again. "What do you mean we’ve been circling the same spot?! This is the hundredth time!" One of his subordinates hesitated, then finally spoke. "Boss... I’m sure he’s close. But it feels like we’re stuck in some kind of illusion. It’s possible he’s right here—but we just can’t see him." "What are you saying? Speak clearly!" "I mean... he might be using some sort of invisibility array. Unless we know the exact location, we’ll never find him." Everlight paused, stunned. It sounded absurd—but in the world of magic, it was entirely plausible. One of the noble kids they once guarded had used something similar. "Invisibility array..." Everlight muttered, eyes widening. "That bastard must’ve used it after killing the noble’s son!" Suddenly, everything made sense. Now, Everlight knew exactly what he needed to do next.

Chapter 160

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