The Very Greedy Iver

In this day and age, the existing equipment of this kind has basically been monopolized.

To reliably obtain this kind of priority-boosting equipment, you have to dig up graves. In a game, it's like gacha-style treasure hunting.

This is the "Special Channel" mentioned earlier.

From "Mrs. Mina's Fortune Teller Shop," you can obtain random "clues" through a daily fortune telling session. These clues are graded, making it a classic treasure map model.

In the game, this means that once you arrive at a location, you can use it to dig up a BOSS. After defeating the BOSS, the entire team will receive a piece of equipment, which is bound and cannot be traded.

This boss is very difficult to defeat; you usually need to call for help in the world chat. Even if you don't get the loot, you can pay players who got high-level clues to form a team to share the drops.

A purple clue means that everyone will get at least one light purple item, while items of this priority are only likely to drop from purple to Deep Purple. Purple items are generally the core pieces of a set, while Deep Purple are powerful individual pieces.

The word "at least" means that there is a high probability that what is dug up will be light purple.

These items originated from ancient families with top-tier experts. Most of them were bestowed by celestial beings, apostles, or gods. In those ancient times, without a convenient system of inherited "professions," the transmission of Extraordinary Ability was easily severed. After the fall of ancient kingdoms, these items were likely buried along with them.

Iver had been very keen to go on an archaeological expedition with his mentor, specifically to dig up this kind of thing.

Hopefully, there will be similar clues or something similar in this world's "Mrs. Mina's Fortune Teller Shop"...

Tomorrow is Saturday— Iver have time to browse the "shopping mall" over the weekend.

This [Sneaker in the Shadows] is also a rare piece of equipment that has been passed down since ancient times. Iver knows it's ancient because it can be dug up, meaning players have a chance to possess it. Those obtained in modern times, however, cannot be dug up.

For example, two of the Grand Arbiter's pieces of equipment, as well as the Queen's scepter and crown, come from the blessing of the Silver Crowned Dragon.

That Assassin Miss's status might be even higher than Iver imagined. The title "Sneaker in the Shadows" is usually bestowed upon Assassin Master reach the Fifth Level by Hawkeye's leader.

It might not be the best way to put it, but this Assassin Miss is clearly not worthy yet. She did reach level 39 at a very young age, but that doesn't guarantee she'll advance. After three or four consecutive failures, advancement will be virtually impossible. The chances of advancement will only increase with age, experience, and mastery of her mystical arts.

So either Hawkeye's leader has a high opinion of her talent, or she is very favored.

But she shouldn't be related to the leader by blood... Iver knows his daughter. His daughter is in her thirties, and his grandson is only a few years old; it doesn't make sense. Besides, if that were the case, Hawkeye Organization wouldn't have sent Assassin Miss on such a dangerous mission.

However, she has a rather childish temper and doesn't know how to be patient. She's clearly the spoiled type, not the cold-blooded, ruthless assassin who has undergone brutal training. She's more like a proud young lady.

Given that she was not well-suited to the Path of Adaptation, the fact that she was able to reach the peak of the Fourth Level at such a young age suggests that she likely entered the Path of Adaptation at a very young age and was guided by an elder who shared the same path.

That's why she stubbornly leveled up "Shadow Affinity" to level three. This Path Trait is practically useless before reaching level three; you're lucky if you level it up once during the first advancement at level two, and you might not even level it up this time. Without someone teaching her, how could she possibly level it up three times in a row?

Moreover, she is essentially powerless in combat until she has maxed out her skills three times and mastered Shadow Stealth.

As an assassin who is practically a expendable resource, isn't the cost to Hawkeye Organization for training her a bit too high? — Unless she doesn't need to go on missions when she's at a low level.

It is precisely because she lacks experience in competing with others at a low level and ultimately failing in her assassination attempts, relying mainly on level and equipment suppression, that she acts so impulsively.

Therefore, she is most likely connected to the previous generation of Assassin Master. And that master probably didn't approve of her joining Hawkeye Organization.

That makes sense... So that Assassin Miss, despite having such a high level, was only carrying out a bunch of easy missions in Avalon.

Sister, you're a relative.

... But this also means that this equipment might be a bit too risky. Although her superiors haven't received her signal, if she doesn't contact him, he must know that the Assassin Miss is dead. And she's likely been captured, or even exposed.

In that case, he would definitely move his position and escape. And news of her death in Avalon would also reach the Hawkeye Organization.

Unless Iver can find her superior in advance and silence him, the Assassin Master may have to come in person.

But the Assassin Miss is a relative, and her lack of experience allows her to be exposed directly—could her superiors also be exposed?

Iver didn't expect it.

Even so, he had no intention of giving up the benefits he had gained.

He's always been greedy. Even if he can't use something good himself, Iver could give it away, sell it, or even hand it over to get other benefits. But he would never back down quietly!

"... Anyway, whatever I get my hands on is mine!"

Gently touching the black lumbar support he had just taken off, Iver made up his mind.

No matter how strong Assassin Master is, he is not as troublesome as the Stibium Kingdom and the "Rosy Cross" Society; Iver's future enemy is the Fallen Angel, so who does Assassin Master of only the Fifth Level count?

Give me a year to develop, and I can reach the Fifth Level in both paths! Besides, Meg is still alive.

If Fifth Level powerhouse were to enter the country, those important figures would definitely start monitoring them immediately.

"Speaking of which," Iver suddenly thought of something and immediately relaxed, "the Assassin Master ... does he also use Shadow Stealth?"

He asked, "Shadow Fiend... if Fifth Level assassin uses Shadow Stealth, can you deal with him?"

"If he willingly enters the master's shadow, I can easily kill him without him being able to resist. But if he doesn't come in, I can only fight him by using your body... However, only if you master the third stage of Shadow Affinity can I fully enter your body without causing you irreversible damage."

Shadow Demon said tactfully.

Otherwise, Iver's body would be crushed.

The "Shadow Affinity" Path Trait allows those who Path of Adaptation to learn shadow attacks or Shadow Stealth; while for Iver, who Path of Transcendence, it simply means he can conjure a shadow orb. However, as Iver's Shadow Affinity level increases, the power of the Shadow Demon he can contain also grows.

At level three, Iver could barely contain the Shadow Fiend within his own body. That way, the Shadow Fiend wouldn't need to hide in Iver's shadow anymore, but could enter his body. And no one else would realize there was something in Iver's shadow.

Only when "Shadow Affinity" reaches level 5 can Iver merge with the Shadow Fiend and truly unleash the Shadow Fiend's full power.

It's even more powerful than the Shadow Fiend himself!

Greater Demon like Shadow Fiend, Balrog, and Mirror Demon are all incorporeal. Because they lack physical form, they are subject to certain limitations—for example, Shadow Fiends are terrified of midday sunlight and are severely injured by spells with the "sunlight" affix. However, if a Shadow Fiend is piloting Iver mech, it has nothing to fear, as the Iver, acting as its outer shell, can easily shield it from the very magical attacks it fears most.

However, if Iver were to Shadow Affinity five times in a row, it would mean he couldn't select any other traits. He would have to choose a composite affix like "Vessel of Burning and Radiance." Therefore, Iver's current plan is to select three levels first, then choose container-related traits—and then, once the level cap is unlocked at level 50, he can go back and max out Shadow Affinity.

"Then," Iver pressed, "If I had level three Shadow Affinity, could you fight against him?"

"No problem."

Shadow Fiend replied briefly, "Their understanding of shadows is still very poor; they can't even Quantum Leap between discontinuous shadows. I can sense him as soon as he enters a shadow near me."

That's good.

Iver was relieved.

In other words, when I Path of Transcendence and reach the Third Level at the fastest, that Assassin Master will no longer be a match for me.

So he became somewhat impatient.

—When are you coming over to deliver some more equipment? Lily is still missing two pieces of this set.

Speaking of which, could you bring some skill books with you when you came? Grimoire are hard to come by...

Iver's current achievements are probably enough to exchange for another Grimoire.

He hoped that this time he could choose for himself—if so, he would choose a Grimoire suitable for Lily's Path of Adaptation.

"... You speak much more fluently than before."

Iver was relieved and teased softly.

It speaks much more fluently than before. Before, it would often stumble when trying to say such a long string of words.

Moreover, its current soft and sweet voice is indeed much better than before—the voice it used to produce was far too cool, like a gloomy Empress or a female demon with a hoarse voice.

Now I look much younger.

Just then, the shadows behind Iver suddenly gathered together.

Black tentacles made of pure shadow rose from the ground, flowing into Iver's trouser legs and out of his collar.

The scattered black smoke gathered together and formed the upper body of a beautiful girl.

She was light and weightless, almost translucent. Her shoulder-length curly hair and pupils were an ethereal, pure black, and she was completely naked down to her collarbone.

She wrapped her arms around Iver's head, her upper body emerging from his collar and cuffs. But Iver felt no softness or warmth, only a cold, slippery touch like snake scales. He couldn't help but shiver.

"Master... how is my new look?"

Shadow Fiend looked at Iver with great anticipation.

Iver looked at her with some surprise, then understood: this must be the new image that Shadow Fiend created using that Assassin Miss as a template. Using only black and white was a bit of a stretch for it—it looked almost like a 3D version of a funeral portrait.

He reached out and stroked the Shadow Demon's cheeks and head, and her hair.

The Shadow Fiend's skin felt like shower gel dripping onto Jade Stone in winter. Her hair, on the other hand, felt like a cold spiderweb, or something almost tangible, like gas.

"Very beautiful."

He sincerely praised, "The voice is very nice too. But the voice is fine—but please change the appearance back. I still prefer cats and dogs."

Isn't it beautiful?

The Shadow Demon was somewhat puzzled, but it obediently melted and dripped, transforming into a black hound.

Iver squatted down and affectionately stroked the dog's head, laughing, "It's very pretty, I like it very much too."

"It's okay to act like that occasionally. But I'm here to feed you, and you should have the willingness and awareness to be a pet. If you're going to do that kind of thing in a human form, then forget it."

"—Whether it's making one's own kind into a pet or eating one's own flesh and blood, it will distort my mind. Our pure, interdependent, and mutually scrutinizing cooperative relationship will gradually deteriorate."

As Iver explained earnestly, the black, agile hound melted away and turned into a black cat as he rubbed it.

Its eyes and fur are pure black, making it look like a ball. If placed in a corner, it would most likely be completely invisible and impossible to find.

"Look how cute it is!" Iver exclaimed.

"... And besides, Shadow Fiend. Even now, you haven't told me your real name, have you? You don't think I've forgotten about it, do you? Or do you think... I'd believe your name is 'Shadow Fiend'?"

Looking at the silent Shadow Fiend, Iver's lips curled up. "When you decide to tell me your real name and stop calling me master—when we become true, equal, and trustworthy companions—then you can become like this."

"... Will that time ever come?"

Shadow Demon couldn't help but retort, "Humans can only advance to the fifth or Sixth Level at most, right?"

"Yes," Iver said calmly, stroking the black cat. "We just need to kill the Fallen Angel."

Upon hearing this, the Shadow Demon hummed and shattered into a puddle of black mud.

It clearly hadn't anticipated that Iver's ambitions would be so great—

Such a sweet sense of transcendence made it unable to resist becoming excited and unable to maintain its mimicry.

Iver clapped his hands and stood up. Looking at the churning shadows at his feet, he spoke slowly and softly, "Even so, your loyalty still deserves a reward."

"There are still ten days until the next advancement. Once we successfully advance next weekend, I'll treat you to a big meal as a reward for your adorable thoughts right now... my lamb."

"... I look forward to that day, my master."

Shadow Fiend's voice trembled with excitement.

Update of 7,900 words, update complete!

Same old routine, I'll correct the typos after I get up!