NOVGO.NET Chapter 304: Clearing Agnes’ Doubts!
Chapter 304: Clearing Agnes’ Doubts!
Chapter 304
Oliver sucked in a deep breath as the reality of this new ability sank deeper into his mind.
If he mastered it to a certain degree, he could even steal the victim’s very identity—borrowing their face, their voice, even their mannerisms—for an hour or more. It wasn’t just an illusion; it was the perfect disguise, the kind of weapon that could make a man’s life collapse piece by piece without him ever knowing who to blame.
He could quite literally make the victim’s world a living hell. Their food would rot at their touch, water would sour, skin would itch, even their own shadow would rebel against them. To an outsider, it would look like fate itself had turned hostile.
But…
The cost wasn’t small.
If the debt wasn’t repaid, the land itself would take from the caster’s bloodline—miscarriages, madness, or a slow sickness that skipped through cousins and children like a curse without end.
Blood, family, heritage… nothing was sacred. Whatever could be consumed, would be consumed. That was what made this art so terrifying to even consider.
And then there was the line of morality. The faint boundary Oliver had forced himself to keep until now—this power pressed against it like a blade at his throat. So much at his disposal, so much temptation to do whatever he pleased.
And in that thought lingered the true danger. Temptation. A voice that wasn’t his own, subtle yet sharp, prodding him: “Use it. Try it once. You’ll see how easy it is.”
“This is insane…” Oliver muttered, clutching his head. His fingers brushed against his clammy skin, the cold sweat dripping like a warning.
What exactly was Sera learning, he wondered? It hadn’t been that long since she began training, and already her progress was terrifying.
She really was a perfect candidate.
“Very interesting…”
Oliver tapped his lips, his gaze drifting up to the blackened sky. He was running through countless scenarios in his mind, weighing the risks against the thrill.
“I can’t wait to test it.” The words slipped from his lips, not loud, but laced with hunger. His body itched with the urge, like an addict desperate for his first taste.
“Now then, where are we?”
He finally looked around and realized where his body had fallen. A narrow, shadowed alley, the air thick with rot and sourness. The stench was so strong he had to wrinkle his nose; it was as if he’d collapsed in the middle of a garbage pit.
“Teacher!”
Agnes’s voice cut through the haze. She rushed into view, her face pale with genuine worry. Her eyes trembled as she looked at him.
“What happened to you!? Why did you suddenly faint!?”
Oliver forced a faint smile. Despite her age, she was already so reliable, so diligent. She had no reason to care for him as much as she did, yet her concern was written plainly across her face.
“Agnes…” He reached out and patted her head lightly. “I apologize for worrying you.”
Fainting in front of his own student—if anyone else had seen, it would have been humiliating.
But he felt Agnes was more mature than that.
“No, you don’t need to apologize to me!” she shook her head firmly.
“But… what exactly happened to you?”
“Well…” He made eye contact with her, taken aback by the strong will contained within her eyes, she seemed desperate to understand.
Oliver hesitated. He couldn’t tell her the truth. Not about the abyss, not about the cursed knowledge he was toying with. But Agnes wasn’t someone he could brush aside with vague words. She was too sharp, too observant. If he gave her nothing, she would dig until she found it.
He needed to give her something.
And he knew what he should do.
“It’s something important to me,” Oliver finally said, his voice calm but strong. “This has always happened to me since I was a child. You can think of it as… a kind of evolution.”
“Evolution?” Agnes tilted her head, confusion flashing across her eyes.
“Yes. Something that helps me progress, but it’s unpredictable. It can happen at any time, without warning. But it isn’t life-threatening.” Oliver’s tone softened. “Even I don’t fully understand it myself. That’s the best I can tell you for now. But you don’t need to worry.”
It was a half-truth. Enough to be believable, enough to protect her from the heavier side of reality. He had to guard his secrets, but he also had to guard the fragile trust between them.
Agnes lowered her gaze for a moment, lips pressed tight. Then she nodded. “I understand.”
Oliver exhaled in relief. For a child, she carried herself with remarkable composure. Maybe too much. He wondered, not for the first time, if Agnes would one day surpass even his expectations.
“Good. Then let’s get out of this dump.”
He glanced down the alleyway, a narrow path stretching deeper into darkness. Behind them lay the broader city, filled with noise and chaos. With his abyss energy cloaking them, he wasn’t too worried about being discovered.
’I need information first…’
This city was far larger than he initially thought. If he couldn’t find a way back to human lands soon, the consequences would be severe.
And then there was the cat. Fat, lazy, cunning. He wondered if she had figured out his disappearance yet. By now, she must have. Maybe even mobilized others to search for him.
But worrying about her was pointless. He needed to survive here first.
He reached into his mindspace and retrieved two cloaks, handing one to Agnes. “Here. Put this on.”
After adjusting his own, he layered abyss energy over both their bodies, cloaking their presence. This time, he didn’t erase them completely; if he did, gathering information would be impossible.
The trick was balance—enough concealment to avoid suspicion, but not so much that he seemed like a ghost. Demons were sensitive. They could smell human blood, feel human espera. One mistake, and they would be torn apart in seconds.
Once certain, Oliver stepped out of the alley.
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