No witness

Elias's gaze sharpened as he noticed movement in the shadows. Someone had seen him use his black goo, and now they were trying to escape.

The alley was dim, the light barely touching the ground where Elias sat, surrounded by the remains of his grim work. He quickly reached into his clothes and gripped a small, sharp knife, his eyes never leaving the shadowy figure. Slowly, Elias began to move toward them, his steps smooth and silent.

The figure tensed, sensing his approach. It was clear they were preparing to run, but Elias was faster. When he was close enough, he acted swiftly. With a precise motion, he threw the knife. It cut through the air, spinning before it embedded itself in the figure's shoulder.

A sharp gasp echoed through the narrow alley, followed by a low, pained whimper. The figure stumbled out of the darkness, revealing a boy even younger than Elias. His face was smeared with dirt, and his clothes were torn and ragged. Blood seeped from the wound, staining his shirt. His eyes, wide with fear and shock, met Elias's cold, calculating gaze.

Elias closed the distance between them, watching the boy clutch his shoulder, his small body trembling. The boy was weak, clearly no threat. But he had perhaps seen Elias using the black goo, and that was a problem Elias knew he had to solve.

"Why did you follow me?" Elias asked, his voice calm, as he leaned in closer, his eyes piercing into the boy's.

The boy flinched, his eyes darting around the alley, desperate for a way out. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." he stammered, his words trailing off.

"Who sent you?" Elias asked, his tone colder now.

The boy swallowed hard, his gaze flicking between the knife in his shoulder and Elias's face. "N-no one. I was just... I was just curious, that's all. I'm sorry, please don't hurt me."

Elias narrowed his eyes, thinking quickly. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small awakening stone. "Were you interested in this?" he asked.

The boy's eyes widened in recognition, and he nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, I was. I'm so sorry, I won't do it again, I promise. Please, just let me go."

Elias's thoughts clicked into place. The boy had likely seen him with the awakening stone when he was trading and thought about stealing it. Maybe he had seen it as his only chance to change his fate and become a cultivator.

"If you wanted one, why didn't you ask me? I would have given you one," Elias said, his voice softening slightly.

The boy's face lit up with hope. "R-Really? You would have given one to me?" he asked, his eyes full of relief.

"Of course," Elias said, nodding. "Everyone deserves a chance to change their destiny."

The boy smiled, his tense body relaxing despite the pain in his shoulder. "Thank you, thank you so much," he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"No problem," Elias replied, reaching out to pull the knife from the boy's shoulder.

The boy winced, biting his lip to hold back a cry. Blood flowed freely from the wound, soaking his clothes. Elias wiped the blood from the blade and asked, "So, what's your name?"

The boy hesitated, his brow furrowing. "I… I don't have a name," he finally whispered.

"Then that means you don't have parents or relatives since you're so young and nameless. Am I right?" Elias asked.

"Yes, I'm an orphan—" the boy began, but before he could finish, Elias's hand flashed forward. He drove the knife straight into the boy's heart.

The boy gasped, his eyes wide with shock and pain. He stared at Elias, his mouth opening and closing without a sound.

"So, nobody would care if you died, then. I am lucky." Elias said coldly, his voice flat and emotionless.

The boy collapsed, his body going limp and lifeless on the ground as blood formed. Elias looked down at him, feeling nothing. In this harsh world, witnesses were a liability, and Elias could not afford to take risks.

"... My first kill in this world. The feeling of my blade in his flesh... Of the warm blood on my skin... The despair in his eyes... I think I can get used to it." Elias muttered to himself. Yet, he did not actually dwell much on it.

Even if his first victim was younger than himself, that wasn't really his problem, nor did Elias feel any guilt whatsoever. At most, it was the kid's bad luck for seeing things he wasn't supposed to.

He had killed the boy because he had probably seen the black goo. Even if he didn't, Elias couldn't be sure. That was reason enough. Even a slight chance was too much.

He didn't want anyone to know his secret.

Elias knelt down and pulled the knife from the boy's chest, carefully cleaning the blade. Once he was satisfied, he tucked the knife back into his clothes and quickly gathered the remains of his materials, placing them into his bag.

After a few minutes, he was done. Roughly throwing the body into a nearby hole, he left for another alley without a second glance. As he walked, he slowly disappeared into the bustling crowd of the market.

As he searched for another suitable place to continue his work, Elias thought about the boy. He felt no remorse for what he had done. Instead, he was making a mental note.

"Next time, I'll have to double check I'm not being followed. I truly did not expect that someone would be interested in me. That was my mistake. I am lucky this guy was only an orphan, not a clan member. Otherwise, it would have been investigated." he thought to himself.

Obviously, even if there were investigation manifestations, it would at least need to be rank 3 for them to be able to find the culprit. It would mean that an elder would need to personally step in for this nameless orphan, which is pretty much unthinkable.

He continued walking through the market, his gaze sweeping over the people around him. They were all oblivious to the violence that had just occurred, their faces filled with excitement and joy.

The market was filled with people from all walks of life, and they were all focused on their own lives. Sometimes, people would watch Elias' now dirty clothes, but they quickly lost interest, their attention drawn to the countless stalls and shops that lined the streets.

Elias was careful, making sure not to draw any unnecessary attention. He was not worried about the guards or the city patrol, as they had no reason to suspect him.

Once he finally found a suitable location, Elias took out the materials and began the process of destroying them using his black goo.

By the time he was finished, it was already late afternoon. The sun was beginning to set, and the streets were growing quieter.

-------------------------------------

[Rank: 1]

- [Lifespan: 82.49 years]

-------------------------------------

[MANIFESTATIONS]

- [Rank 1 Manifestation slot]: [Free]

- [Additional rank 1 Manifestation slot price: 50 years]

-------------------------------------

- [Rank up cost: 100 years]

-------------------------------------

Elias sighed, satisfied with his work. He had managed to acquire a total of about 140 days of lifespan. It was a good amount, and he was satisfied with his progress.

He got up and stretched his limbs, his joints popping and cracking. Looking at his wounded arm, he saw it had started healing as expected. Thanks to his rune, his physique was already way stronger than the average human.

'I should get some food,' he thought, rubbing his stomach. He was tired and hungry. He left the alley and headed toward the center of the city, where his mother was waiting for him.

As he approached the city center, the sound of distant chatter and the faint hum of evening activity grew louder. The bustling heart of the city was still alive with the last remnants of daily business, though the streets were growing quieter as night fell. Elias finally reached the square where his mother was waiting, her figure standing out against the backdrop of closing shops and dimming storefronts.

When she saw him, her face softened into a sad expression. Her eyes, reflecting the fading sunlight, revealed a mixture of worry and resignation. She took a deep breath and said, "Let's go home. We need to talk."