Chapter 8: Umbra kinesis: Wraith

[Ability] 

Before his eyes was the ability tree from earlier, his gaze fixated on the first greyed-out icon at the bottom of the tree. 

[Wraith Lv.1 ] 

[The User can teleport to an area within the User's line of sight. The user must not be in direct sunlight in order to teleport.] 

Below the description, the cost of the skill was listed. 

[Cost: 5 skill points to unlock.]

Previously, Dawn couldn't unlock it due to a lack of the necessary skill points and because he hadn't yet awakened. But now, thanks to the skill points he had received as a reward from his awakening quest, he finally had the means to do so.

'Unlock.'

At his command, the grey icon flashed luminously before transforming into a vibrant dark blue icon, shaped like a water droplet.

[Wraith Lv. 1 has been unlocked.]

Despite the system notification, Dawn didn't feel any change in his body. While he had an idea on how to invoke the newly unlocked ability, he decided to refrain for now.

The problem was determining what skill to reveal to the old man. He was wary of catching his attention. Compared to the other abilities displayed, Umbra Kinesis was better than the average.

Moreover, he didn't want to show his strongest card just yet.

An option was to present one of his skills as an ability. For instance, with Disguise, depending on its effectiveness, he could claim to possess the power to shape-shift part of his body.

But there was merit in hiding the fact that he could do so. If ever he needed to move covertly, it would be advantageous if they were unaware that he could disguise himself.

Alternatively, there was [Inspect.]. He could assert that his ability allowed him to gauge one's strength.

However, both choices posed risks. They were underwhelming, and there was a possibility that the old man could see through the deception. They had made it clear that they hated lies… Dawn was not willing to stake his life by hiding his true potential.

Especially considering if he were to maintain the act, he would need to avoid using his Umbra Kinesis ability entirely. Uncertain of what awaited them beyond this point, restricting his strongest card could prove to be a significant disadvantage. 

That left only one viable option…

"How long are you going to keep me waiting? Don't tell me you also don't know how to use your ability?" The old man glared at Dawn, irritation evident in his tone.

"N-No, not at all," Dawn stammered in response. "I'll start now."

Summoning his resolve, Dawn focused on the newly unlocked skill.

[Umbrakinesis: Wraith.]

[Energy: 70% -> 65%]

As he thought of activating it, his body responded instantly. Like diving into liquid, he shot into the shadow at his feet, disappearing from view.

Surprised, they all darted their eyes around, seeking him, including the old man who squinted in suspicion. Suddenly, a voice called out from behind the old man.

"Um… did I pass?"

Xylon's eyes widened as he turned to find Dawn right behind him, scratching the back of his head with a nervous smile.

"…How did you get here?" He asked.

Pointing to the shadow beneath their feet, Dawn explained, "Through the shadows… I emerged from it. That's my ability..."

Upon hearing this, the old man stroked his grey beard thoughtfully, a trace of amusement flickering across his face. 

"I see… Yes, you pass. Join the other group," he directed.

Dawn nodded in response and proceeded without uttering another word. As he moved to join the group of the awakened, the old man watched him with a grin spreading across his features.

'He was right behind me, and I didn't notice... A mere awakened?' He mused, intrigued.

Feeling the old man's intense gaze on him, Dawn felt a shiver run down his spine as he walked away, doing his best to ignore the unsettling feeling. 

'That was close… I thought he was going to kill me for sneaking up on him… damn this ability. It wasn't even my intention to teleport there, It just happened on its own since I kept glancing in his direction because I was scared.'

Dawn's frightened expression grew into a nervous smile as he carried on walking.

'That being said, it did reveal something... In that split second, when I emerged from the shadows, he hadn't noticed me... Killing him might just be possible...' Dawn realized, his thoughts taking a chillingly severe turn.

Upon reaching the group, Dawn chose a spot a few feet away from the others. Their probing looks caused a prickle of unease, and he preferred to keep a distance.

Once he was settled, he turned his gaze to the opposite end of the room where the old man was now assessing the next person's ability.

'At least he's not focused on me anymore,' Dawn heaved a sigh of relief.

He then looked down at the shadow beneath his feet, recalling the sensation of using his ability and how it had enabled him to instantly emerge from the shadows behind the old man.

'...This ability is perfect for someone like me.'

Then his sights fell on his energy bar. It had only decreased by five percent after utilizing his ability. Its consumption was surprisingly low.

'Even with this body's weak stamina, it doesn't strain me to use it. I'm curious about its range and limitations, but exploring that will have to wait.' Dawn thought.

His attention then shifted to the others who were showcasing their abilities. He took this opportunity to evaluate their capabilities firsthand. In this scenario, gathering as much information as he could was vital.

While observing, he repeatedly used [Inspect] on every individual, improving his mastery of the skill. Unlike his earlier encounter with Rek, these younger targets seemed oblivious to his use of the skill.

[Michael] 

[Race: Human.] 

[Core Rank: Awakened.] 

[HP: 24%] 

[Energy: 63%] 

[Ability: Water Control]

Through his repeated use of [Inspect], Dawn discerned two important facts. First, if he inspected a person whose ability he had observed, the ability's name would show up in their profile.

However, if he hadn't seen the person's ability in action, like with those already part of the awakened group...

[Luke] 

[Race: Human.] 

[Core Rank: Awakened.] 

[HP: 87%] 

[Energy: 96%] 

[Ability: ???]

...the ability section only presented question marks. That was a minor limitation of the skill. Perhaps this constraint would change as the skill leveled up? Dawn wasn't certain.

His second observation was that it seemed relatively safe to inspect those of similar strength to him, as they didn't appear to notice. However, more powerful individuals, like Xylon, were likely to sense it. So despite his curiosity, Dawn refrained from using [Inspect] on him.

His best strategy, it seemed, was to be cautious and use it only on the others in the same situation as him who were around him. Just as he reached this conclusion, something startling occurred.

He had just used [Inspect] on the silver-haired girl sitting alone when a red screen abruptly popped up-

[The target's power is too high to measure.]

Instantly, the girl sharply turned her head towards him, their eyes meeting. Dawn's head quickly jerked in the opposite direction, moving so quickly it was almost a blur.

'...Are you kidding me?' he thought, panic welling up. 'Didn't the old man say she was at the awakening stage as well?'

Throwing a quick sidelong glance her way, he found her gaze still locked on him. She had definitely noticed him, but she didn't seem to be planning on attacking - not that she could do much in their current situation.

With this realization, Dawn redirected his attention back to those still demonstrating their abilities. 

There were only a few individuals left to display their abilities. He chose to focus on them, doing his best to disregard her persistent gaze.

'How much longer is she going to keep watching me?' Dawn wondered, letting out a barely audible sigh.