Draconic Ascension - System Apocalypse Isekai LitRPG

Michael focused. His fingers drew symbols in the air. In a few seconds, “something” covered his figure. It couldn’t quite be described as physical matter, but it wasn’t mere energy either. It was a variation of mana; a different application that he hadn’t yet encountered. His figure and face became blurry. His outline shimmered. It was as if he were melting into the background, the stone walls and glowing mushrooms becoming more prominent. From behind him, Tairy’s voice echoed.

“It’s different from the Invisibility spell at the Third Circle, but Shroud is your current best bet. So long as you don’t make too many large movements or move too fast and stick to the shadows you should go unnoticed.”

Michael dismissed Shroud. It wasn’t perfect, but it was what he sorely needed. Thankfully, he had learned it extremely quickly, his experience with other Second Circle spells giving him a hand.

“Thank you, Tairy.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s what I’m meant to do. Now, if I understand the situation correctly, you’ll have to reach the leaders of Redglow’s organization without being seen. Why?”

“They have threatened to kill a Villager for every Flag that I take. I’m pretty sure they would be willing to do the same if I’m sighted within Redglow’s Territory.”

Tairy frowned.

“Fucking animals. You will need to use Shroud well.”

“The man responsible is a Mage called Lohann. He’s the head of the organization’s right-hand man.”

“Are you going to kill him?”

Michael’s reply was clear.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Suddenly, Michael went silent. Tairy lifted an eyebrow.

“What?”

“…I had the opportunity to kill the leader when I first met him. My hesitation is what led to this.”

The dark elf shook his head.

“It’s not your fault. It’s theirs for doing all of this in the first place. Don’t try to shoulder the burden of their wrongs just because you did not kill him first. You weren’t ready, and that’s fine. Now, you can go after them for the sins they have committed. Besides, I’m sure you had a good reason.”

Michael sighed.

“…I think I’ll need to kill a lot more people. The core of their organization remains strong, and it’s likely full of twisted individuals.”

“That’s a choice only you can make, but know that you’ll always have a safe haven in this house and Village.”

Michael smiled. He felt warm.

“I know. Now, I have to go.”

“Go, then. Rip off the heads of those bastards.”

With a smile, Michael cast Shroud. His figure grew indistinct. He slowly walked out of the courtyard and into the dirt roads. He quickly experimented with just how fast he could move while keeping the spell up. Once he crossed that limit, the spell fell apart.

The very limit seems to be a light jog.

There was no way to properly run with the spell up, but he had already foreseen that. In fact, this speed was beyond his expectations. Maybe it was because of his high Intelligence, as well as his experience with using spells while moving. The constant practicing had paid off, and this would only improve in the future.

The next thing that absolutely had to be tested was the spell’s effective range, or more precisely, just how close he could get to someone without being detected. Thankfully, the results were promising. While he never fooled the eyes of any of the NPCs, other humans only seemed to notice his presence when they were within four meters of his position. It meant that so long as he properly avoided any scouts and patrolling units, he should be able to slip into Redglow’s Territory without issue.

The real problem lies in what comes after. There will be no way to avoid getting too close to people, especially if I invade their base.

At that time, he would have to move quickly. To ensure that little to no innocents were killed, he would have to reach Lohann as fast as possible if he were discovered. Hopefully, it would only happen once he got close to their base. He furrowed his brow. It was highly likely that Derek and Lohann’s base was inside Redglow Village; if that was the case, there would be no way for him to kill them, as the Village NPCs forbid fighting within the Village.

No, wait.

Derek’s organization was large. Given that Lohann seemed to be the only one capable of using Whisper, it was possible that they possessed various bases outside Redglow, where they could be ambushed.

However, there’s no reason for Derek or Lohann to leave the Village.

He was stumped. He needed a way to draw Derek out, but he couldn’t capture any Flags or show up in their Territory. Michael cursed under his breath. He had almost missed this simple fact. Not only did he need to know where the other bases were, but he also needed a method to make Derek leave the Village. He recalled the mana signature of the man who had surrendered earlier that day but hesitated.

If the man were a spy, he could give him false information or lure him into a trap. He might have no way to contact Lohann or Derek, but they could reach out to him periodically through Whisper.

Damn it.

What should he do?

Michael quickly cast another Whisper. He needed to ask Rose for information. She picked up.

“Michael? What’s up?

Michael spoke in a serious tone.

“Listen, did any of the people who switched Villages tell you where exactly Derek’s base is? And do you know if Derek leaves Redglow often? I need a method to reach him.”

“Right. I had considered that he would just turtle up inside Redglow, so I looked into it. Apparently, he only leaves the Village for extremely short periods of time, though I don’t know his destination or why. Do you want me to investigate it more?”

“Please do that. I owe you one.”

“No problem. Contact me in an hour.”

The connection was cut off. Michael looked up at the ceiling, fighting his desire to rest. This hour should be used to experiment with Shroud.

I can rest when it’s all over.

Once Derek and Lohann were taken down he would allow himself to relax, and only then. For now, he needed to keep moving. His gaze was lowered as he looked at the roads and people around him. As a whisper left his lips, his mana covered his figure. Now, he needed to know how much mana was spent to keep the spell up for a long time.

Over the next hour, Michael kept trying out different things while under the Shroud spell. Most importantly, his maximum speed and effective range were both improved slightly. His familiarity with the spell also increased, allowing him to test out different applications, as he had with all Skills and spells so far. He tried extending the Shroud to other things, with middling success. So long as he held something close, it would be covered up, but he couldn’t make the Shroud envelop large objects.

Faster than he expected, the hour passed by in spite of his anxiety. He reached out to Rose once more. She responded quickly.

“Hi, I managed to obtain some information, but honestly, it’s not much. Apparently, whenever Derek leaves the Village, he goes to a cave around one kilometer west of Redglow Village. It’s within Redglow Territory and filled to the brim with his goons. There’s no way to infiltrate it. Only one entrance. However, he hasn’t done so over the past few days. I think he’s just hiding within the Village.”

Michael let out a sigh. As expected.

In order to draw him out, I need to know why he goes out at all.

“Did nobody tell you why he leaves the Village?”

“Nobody I talked to in this one hour. I’m gonna keep looking into it.”

“Alright. I’ll do the same. And Lohann? Did you find out anything?”

“Not really. He’s pretty elusive. The assumption is that he stays in the same base as Derek, but nobody knows if he’s got a secret spot to himself. Since he can use Whisper, he can send out orders at a distance. I’m sorry, but that’s all I’ve got.”

Michael frowned. The way he saw it, Lohann was a much more dangerous individual than Derek. Both were willing to kill to achieve their goals, but Lohann was different; he was willing to kill innocents just to affect his enemy. It wasn’t a matter of doing whatever it took to reach a goal. It was the behavior of a psychopath. The man saw people’s lives as less than blades of grass; he could stomp on both at will. His threat to kill a Villager for every Flag Michael took had been clear evidence of this. The young man didn’t doubt for a second that the Mage would really do it.

Between finding Lohann and finding Derek, he would much rather find the Mage first.

He must know that I’m planning to attack their base. Is he also hiding in Redglow?

Dragging himself out of his thoughts, Michael spoke.

“That’s fine. Thanks. I’ll check on you periodically just in case someone finds out something about Lohann.”

He dismissed the spell and rubbed his chin in thought, then looked at Tairy.

“Can I sit on the stone dais while I think about this? It helps me keep a clear mind.”

The old man nodded.

“Think properly about what you’re going to do.”

“Of course.”

The moment Michael sat down, the world changed. The enchantment clearly still worked. He felt the mana in the air more distinctly, while his thoughts interconnected much more easily. With this boost, he stopped and closed his eyes.

How do I go about this?

First, he should piece together any information he could find regarding Derek’s movements. A thought crossed his mind.

Even if I don’t know why he regularly leaves the Village, I know he has to hunt and complete quests.

A man like Derek wouldn’t allow his authority to be undermined by being weaker than his followers. It meant that he needed to constantly strive to Level up, and there was no way to do so inside the Village. A sharp glint shone in Michael’s eyes. This was it. It was how he would reach Derek.

He started Whispering to the converted warriors and asking for information. He needed to know how often Derek hunted and, most importantly, to have an idea of when he would do so in the following days.

Time passed as Michael talked to the people who used to be part of Derek’s organization. During his conversations, he learned an important point.

Derek’s teams continue to constantly hunt and Level up.

If he wanted to keep his position and authority, Derek wouldn’t be able to keep hiding within Redglow Village for long. Michael narrowed his eyes. He stood up and looked at Tairy.

“Thanks, old man. I gotta go.”

The old dark elf nodded.

“Good luck.”

Michael started on his way. He remembered a spot where he would be able to watch Redglow’s entrance. After he reached it, it would be a waiting game.

I should eat and drink while I have the chance.

His Dragonheart and Constitution stat seemed to decrease his need for water and food, but it wasn’t as if he could go on days without either and remain fine. Since he didn’t know for how long he would need to keep watching Redglow, he should stop by the dining hall before setting out. On his way towards it, he kept trying to contact James. Just like before, none of the “calls” went through. His level of worry increased gradually.

He reached his destination, ate the best meal his villager rank allowed him to, and hurriedly left the Village. Michael started running. At that moment, he remembered one of the most important Skills that he had but hadn’t had the chance to use in battle or even test it.

Lightspeed.

This was a good opportunity to try out the Skill and see its effects on his body. The Skill description said that it placed a “heavy burden” even on a Dragon’s body, so he should test it outside of battle, without risking injury and death.

He lowered his center of gravity. There was no need to chant or make specific movements. He merely wished for the Heritage Skill to be activated. He blinked. At that moment, it was as if the entire world had changed. The particles of dust floating in the stale air seemed to be moving in slow motion. His Dragonheart galloped within his chest, sending power flooding every corner of his body. It was as if he had been struck by lightning.

He could feel his entire body getting to its most optimal state. The correct muscles tensed powerfully. All sound was drowned out, except for the sound of his own breathing. At that very moment, he made a decision.

Twenty points into Constitution.

It was the stat that increased the Skill’s power. He felt an immediate difference, although it wasn’t a very large one. Blood roared within him. A type of mana that looked like pure light flowed alongside it. This mysterious energy flooded him in an instant. He tensed up his legs.

And shot forward.

The first thing he realized was that he was moving much faster than he anticipated. In nothing but an instant, he had already created distance between himself and Village, and he was still accelerating. The second thing he noticed was that in spite of his speed, he wasn’t at all disoriented. His eyes accurately grasped the terrain and its details. He felt every movement, from the moment his feet touched the ground, to the ripple that spread outward from that point. Which muscles contracted, the way his joints moved. Everything was perceived clearly. There was no confusion.

As such, he did the only thing he should do. He dashed forward with all his might, keeping his destination in mind. It was as if the uneven, rocky ground had become flat. He had no issue speeding up even further. It was difficult to make turns at this speed, but using the walls as support was feasible. At the same time, Michael watched his body closely. He felt the strain in his muscles, the pressure in his bones. It was as if his body were desperately trying to hold itself together and withstand the light-like mana.

After ten seconds of running, he slowed down and ground himself to a halt. Staying still, he heaved. There wasn’t a single part of his body that wasn’t in pain. His heart thumped faster than ever. It was difficult to even contract his muscles. Fortunately, he had stopped before injuring himself.

As expected.

The burden was severe. Using the Skill for ten seconds was already pushing it. Michael made a mental note of this, telling himself that he wouldn’t use Lightspeed for any longer than that. He looked around, identifying where he was.

I moved faster than anticipated.

Despite that, he had been able to control his speed. He had made good progress towards his destination. Stretching his aching body, Michael ran normally and continued on his way, entering Redglow’s Territory. After that, he cast Shroud and moved as quickly as the spell allowed him to. It was a good opportunity to rest for a bit after using Lightspeed.

From now on, he was in enemy land. Every encounter could prove to be fatal, not only for him but for his enemies as well. He would prefer to avoid as many deaths as he could, but that didn’t mean he would roll over if someone tried to kill him.

I should avoid any confrontation.

In the end, this was an infiltration and assassination mission. There was no need to create a path of destruction in his wake. Not only that, but more victims would alert Lohann even faster. He nodded to himself.

I hope you’re safe, James.

Beyond dealing with Derek, he needed to ascertain if his friend was fine. There was a reason why James wasn’t replying to his Whispers, and he needed to find out what it was. While keeping his Shroud up, however, he couldn’t cast Whisper. He would keep trying to contact James after he reached his destination.

With a determined expression, Michael walked ever deeper into Redglow Territory.

Derek should be the only one aware of Lohann’s location.

Since he didn’t know where the Mage was hiding, his only choice was to go after the other man in the hopes of finding out.

Five minutes later, he came across the first patrol group. It happened as he took a turn and climbed on top of a piece of stone, granting him a better view of his surroundings. In the distance, around one hundred meters in front of him, there was a group of six men. They stood around rather lazily, with two of them even sitting down on the ground.

They’re on the way.

Through sheer bad luck, they were right in the middle of the only path that led to his destination. There was no way to avoid them without getting too close and being found out. Michael momentarily considered the possibility of knocking all of them out. It wasn’t a good plan. The moment one of them woke up, he would be on a timer to reach Derek before the man hid inside Redglow for a long time. Even though he only needed to cross one kilometer, the territory would surely be filled with patrols. He couldn’t afford to be discovered now.

There was no way to go around them without significantly altering the terrain. Carving grooves on the stone to walk past them from above couldn’t be done without dismissing his Shroud, which would mean getting spotted immediately. He was stumped. He hadn’t expected to face such a roadblock so early into his journey. He didn’t want to kill them, but knocking them all out would put him on a timer.

What the hell was he supposed to do now?