The Times Have Changed

For the first time, Mo Shuying actually looked forward to the appearance of monsters.

The daily quests refreshed—still slaying monsters and daily training. Just as he accepted the quest, a strange aura appeared somewhere in this space. Sensing it, Mo Shuying paused, because this new presence didn't seem to be a monster at all.

At the entrance to Fuyuki Bridge within the Singularity, a black-robed man stared around in shock. Feeling the Geomantic Power drifting even through the air, Charles realized he had apparently stumbled into some extraordinary place.

Charles was a mage affiliated with the Mage's Association. Because the Geomantic Power in Fuyuki City had been fluctuating severely over the past few days, the Clock Tower had sensed it and dispatched several mages to investigate what was going on.

Charles was one of them. There were five in total, originally splitting up to investigate separately. But an hour ago, their captain notified them of a major discovery and called for a meeting.

Suspecting nothing, Charles drove to the rendezvous point. But just now, as he passed Fuyuki Bridge, he was ambushed!

He hadn't seen the attacker's face. All he knew was that it was a powerful figure wielding a red spear! One thrust had pierced his shoulder blade. If he hadn't activated his Mystic Eye ability in time, he might have been killed.

Mystic Eyes—eyes with special abilities—were not rare in this world and came in various forms.

Mystic Eyes could be innate or acquired. Charles's Mystic Eyes were awakened at birth, a powerful type with Spatial Flash ability.

However, Charles didn't have much magical power, and his body wasn't strong enough. Normally, he couldn't sustain the use of his Mystic Eyes. Forced use would cause a rapid decline in his eyesight over a short period, requiring a long time to recover.

But at a life-or-death moment, losing some eyesight was better than dying. So Charles decisively used his Spatial Flash ability, diving straight from the real world into this Singularity!

Whether Charles was lucky or unlucky was hard to say. Lucky, because with one flash into the Singularity, the killer outside would have a hard time finding him again.

Unlucky, because Mo Shuying had arrived!

"A human."

Mo Shuying rode up on his bike and saw Charles half-lying at the entrance to the bridge.

Because his vision had deteriorated so severely, Charles was now effectively blind. In this state, he didn't dare move recklessly. He just sat there, fumbling to bandage his wound, ears pricked, constantly monitoring his surroundings.

However, due to Presence Concealment, Charles didn't sense Mo Shuying's arrival. Even when Mo Shuying stood right in front of him, Charles remained unaware.

Mo Shuying looked at Charles and noticed that his eyes seemed unfocused—he couldn't see.

After a moment's thought, Mo Shuying pulled a Molotov Cocktail from the small bag behind him and deactivated Presence Concealment.

"Who are you."

Mo Shuying asked in as cold a tone as possible. Charles, already on edge, was startled by the sudden voice.

"Ah!! Who! Who is it!!"

Charles scrambled to his feet, crossing his fists. A pale blue light shield instantly materialized in front of him, his posture that of someone facing a grave threat.

"I ask, you answer. Otherwise, die!"

Mo Shuying's voice remained icy. He pulled out his Entrenching Tool and pressed it firmly against the light shield.

"You, you, you! Don't! Don't kill me! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Charles could feel his shield being touched by something sharp—probably a weapon. Knowing his assailant was armed, he didn't dare disobey.

"Who are you, where are you from, why are you here, how did you get in?"

"My name is Charles. I'm a mage from the Clock Tower, rank Count. I came to investigate the Geomantic disturbances. Just now, I was ambushed on the bridge by someone else. I... I used a Spatial Flash ability and ended up here by accident."

Charles didn't mention that he possessed Mystic Eyes. After all, there existed a profession known as the Mystic Eye Hunter in the outside world. He couldn't be sure that if the other party knew he had Mystic Eyes, they wouldn't be tempted by greed.

"Clock Tower? Mage? Spatial Flash?"

Mo Shuying frowned. He hadn't expected that only a few days after his own appearance, he'd already attracted the Clock Tower's attention.

The Clock Tower—one of the most renowned organizations in the Type-Moon world, a gathering place for countless mages. It absorbed mages from all over the world, serving as the highest academy of magecraft and the central hub of the Mage's Association.

If he were targeted by such an organization, there would be no escape. He couldn't run to the ends of the earth and get away.

"So you came in by accident?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Please understand, sir! I meant no offense!"

"..."

Mo Shuying looked at this panicked mage, hesitating. Hesitating whether to kill this guy.

This man was from the Clock Tower. If he let him leave, the chance of his own exposure would become very high. This person's rank was Count, only the second tier of mages in the Clock Tower—not particularly strong. But if a fourth-tier, fifth-tier, or even sixth-tier powerful mage came, Mo Shuying might not even have a chance to resist.

For his own safety, this man couldn't be kept alive.

"Sorry."

Mo Shuying sighed softly and said quietly.

Hearing this, Charles's expression shifted dramatically! From pitiful to terrified, then to instant ferocity!

"You all want me dead! Damn it! You all want me dead!!"

Charles suddenly let out a hysterical scream. His clenched fists snapped open! On each palm was a strange eye pattern!

"Eye of Weakness! Eye of Paralysis!"

Charles specialized in the Curse Department. If given time, he could even curse a target to death. But now, time was clearly insufficient. He could only unleash the curse power imprinted in his hands!

"Buzz!"

A green light and a gray light burst from Charles's palms, enveloping the area in front of him. Mo Shuying couldn't dodge in time and was caught in the glow. He immediately felt a powerful sense of weakness and paralysis. His fingers went numb, and he couldn't even hold the Entrenching Tool.

"Die!!"

Charles felt his curse take hold and didn't hesitate for a second. He reached up, pulled a Cursed Dagger from his waist, and lunged straight at Mo Shuying!

"Hmph! Blue Scale Carapace! Madman's Pride! "

Mo Shuying, momentarily paralyzed and unable to move, directly summoned Madman's Pride and layered himself with a Blue Scale defense.

"Clang!"

The sharp cursed blade struck hard against Mo Shuying's chest, but was blocked by the Blue Scale Carapace and Madman's Pride, unable to penetrate even a fraction.

At that moment, enduring the numbness spreading through his body, Mo Shuying drew his Revolver and aimed it at Charles's chest.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Five consecutive shots all hit their mark. Charles staggered backward, reached up to touch the five bloody holes in his chest, coughed up a mouthful of old blood, and then collapsed to the ground.