The Noble Lady of Lust

Chapter 234: Assimilation of Shadows

..

.

I was going through the dark corridors with several concealment reduction spells on me. And not only that: I tried the skill I got from Vey and suddenly I started to feel weird, mainly in my feet.

I looked down and felt as if the ground had suddenly turned into quicksand. I tried, with my will, to avoid it, and the moment I willed it, the floor stopped sucking me in and became firm again.

Since it was a dark corridor, I moved my hand with the intention of touching the shadow of the wall, and this time, with my will, I definitely wanted it to enter. It was as if the wall did not exist: my hand went through it, or rather, my hand assimilated with the shadow, becoming a shadow.

I didn’t feel anything different. I felt that I still had my hand, and when I took it out, it was as if nothing had happened. The same thing happened with my shirt sleeve.

”Humm, this is interesting. Let’s see, now let’s get serious.”

With the skill active, I willed my entire body to be absorbed by the shadow on my feet, and immediately my vision changed. In a second I felt the ground suck me in even before I could react.

My vision changed to black and white, with black being dominant and white outlining the shapes of objects.

’I think I’m getting it.’

With that said, I wanted to move forward, and immediately I moved. I felt my speed was slower this way. Somehow it reminds me of what Alice, tells me she feels when she uses her skill.

’Humm... Hey, Number Two, look through our memories if there are any arts we can use for this.’

’Hey, stop giving me the things you don’t want to do. I don’t want to do them either.’

’Tsk, shut up and obey. Number One and I are busier.’

’You know well that I have my own thing to do too I just recently found a little free time. Besides, I think I’m going to go crazy with this unsatisfied body.’

’yes , yes , whatever. I’ve heard that. It’s too bad for you, but go on, do manual labor or whatever. Later that’ll just be a memory of a bad experience for me.’

’I know, but feeling it in real time is annoying. Fuck, you’re lucky. I can see why there are always situations where a dissatisfied clone reveals himself.’

’Stop talking nonsense. When we’re done, we’ll just undo that Doppelgänger and nothing will have happened ’

’haaa~, my mind is satisfied, but my body is not. This is definitely weird... well, I’ll look to see if there’s any ’art’ that helps in moving among the shadows, among all the memories in the memory palace.’

If i think about it learning a fourth art centered on movement is not a bad idea, now it only remains to see if there is something between all of them in the placion of my memory.

is something that was created when my alternate self gave me the diary, and the first waves of information were imprinted in my mind, and created something like a memory palace in my head, but more advanced.

That is the reason why I do not lose my memory even though I have so much information in my head, without forgetting any detail.

Obviously, taking into account that people’s brains, the more metamorphosis they have, the better it is. It is for that reason that I think it is giving me information little by little.

If I had put everything in from the beginning, my brain would have exploded. Whether or not I had a memory palace, so convenient.

Obviously, it’s not a skill or a spell; it must be something like a technique. It’s like when I use the art of lust to disable my enemies. It doesn’t use runes or anything, just with the knowledge you can do things that magic and skills do.

..

The more I moved around, the more I got the hang of it and it seemed like a skill that could be actively used during a fight.

I moved through the dark corridors and, as I thought, at this hour there was little movement. Just a few maids doing their own thing and night work.

It didn’t seem like a good time to gather information, not to mention that I don’t hear anything when I’m assimilated with the shadow.

Since I couldn’t find anything important or interesting, I decided to take a little risk. Remembering the way Verna led me before, where I think my target is. I quickly arrived.

’I can’t use the eyes of lust.’

I tried to see if there was some kind of barrier or some kind of detection, but found that I couldn’t activate my eyes. It wasn’t the first time skills interfered with each other. It’s good to know these limits as soon as possible.

Quickly, I just stuck my head out so my eyes could see properly, and this time, luckily, they did activate. Apparently, the problem was that they could not overlap when they were assimilated.

As long as the eyes were out of shadow, I was fine.

There was no barrier or anything in front of the door, so I assimilated again. I stepped under the shadow of the door. There was nothing different, just the continuation of a hallway.

Still, I remained alert without missing any details.

I kept moving, dodging the areas illuminated by the red moon, which, unlike the dull gray sun, I like better than the gray moon I usually see.

Eventually, I began to sense various presences and started to see the guards. In the black and white world, I noticed that now, in the hallway, the first door I encountered was protected by two guards.

Through my senses, I felt them emit an aura of nine metamorphoses. Somehow, it reassured me. While they were powerful, I would be in serious trouble if they were already in soul conversion.

Not only that: further on I felt more guards of approximately six to seven shapeshifters walking and watching both the corridor and the outside, through the window and since we were on the second floor I could see that they were all over the first floor.

I found it curious that I had not felt anything so far and suddenly the security suddenly increased all of a sudden. Then I remembered what Verna said.

Curious as it may seem, it made sense to me. If the city lord knew Akihara’s power, this side was more impenetrable than the other, even if he had no guards.

Akihara would definitely sense an intruder , and would be neutralized in seconds by Vey. As I thought, here the stranger is Akihara. Definitely not someone who should be here.

’Well, it could be dangerous.’

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Strength: [229 + 184 + 39] = 452

Mana: [231 + 187 + 183] = 601

Agility: [223 + 174 + 50] = 447

Defense: [160 + 89 + 32] = 281

Vitality: [245 + 178 + 49] = 472

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’Vox Umbrarum’.

”Noctis Silentium”

”Tenebris Absconditus”

”Lux Devorata”

”Tenebris Mentis”

”Obscura Essentia”

I quickly called for a resonance with the twins and fortified myself. Now, with my new ability and my affinity to darkness, I formed more complex and potent spells of concealment of all kinds.

I approached carefully so that I could retreat in the worst case scenario. I was assimilated into the shadow of the wall and made my way to the ceiling.

I crawled and finally arrived in front of the door protected by the most powerful guards. None of them seemed to be able to detect me, although they were alert. Again, I began to stick my head out to survey the area with my eyes.

I ignored the guards and made my way to the door. I looked, and as I thought, there were several protective barriers, both defensive and detection.

I was now almost certain that my target was there, because most of the stop barriers were for demons rather than humans, meaning that whoever was inside was more likely to be sought by demons.

I took my time and analyzed the barriers by the time I get back, I needed to know how to disable it quickly.

’well, tomorrow I’ll ask Ana and get the final confirmation... shit.’

Swoosh!...., bang!!

Just as I finished and thought my plan of action was viable, I felt a shiver and instinctively stepped into the shadow quickly.

I moved from where I was and immediately realized that, by a few centimeters, a metal arrow was sticking where my head used to be.

I did not hesitate at all and did not stop moving, I quickly went back the way I came.

I didn’t see the subject’s appearance, but I definitely detected an aura of at least tenmetamorphoses, and the arrow carried a corresponding force. It would have gone through my head if I had reacted a split second later.

Apparently, I still had to rethink the plan; there was someone dangerous among the guards, someone powerful even among his own rank. I still needed more information.

*****

POV: Third Person

*****

”C-captain Eryk, what happened?”

One of the guards standing watch was the first to ask after noticing the source of the sudden arrow, which was now embedded in the ceiling.

It was their captain, who was the city lord’s knight leader and the strongest person in the city... or at least he should be if it wasn’t for the presence of Akihara and Veyrith.

”Nothing, I just thought I felt a rat on the roof.”

”Captain , isn’t it too much of a stretch to kill a rat with one of your arrows?”

”No, I didn’t kill it. Either it was my imagination... or it’s a very sneaky rat.”

”But captain, what kind of rat could get away from you? Wouldn’t it be a powerful beast? We should...”

”Hey, you idiot! The captain is speaking figuratively. What he meant was that he sensed an intruder. Fuck, I can’t believe someone as dumb as you is my equal.”

”Oh, that’s what he meant! Besides, I’m not your equal, I’m stronger than you.”

”Damn it! Equal, with your brains you won’t get any further than this. I’ll soon surpass you.”

”Give it a try. Always good for a good fight.”

”Now, both of you, quiet! You may wake our guest. Get on with your work; I’ll investigate some more and see if it was my imagination.”

Said the captain as he walked to the other side of the corridor. Although it was not absolutely forbidden, no normal guard should go beyond that point.

But as the captain of the City lord’s personal guard he was free to do so as long as Lady Akihara allowed it, besides he was just going to take a quick look.

He was sure he had sensed something, but it disappeared so quickly that it left him wondering if it had just been his imagination. He activated his blessing and looked around.

As he thought, he found nothing, until the end of the corridor. He pondered for a while and, instead of investigating at his leisure, he decided to ask Lady for her opinion and permission, since he had to deal delicately with any business he had with her.

After not noticing anything strange, he returned and made sure that everything was in order, although Captain Eryk did not shake off until the end the feeling that what he felt before was not his imagination.

*****