âWho the hell left this door open?â
The officerâs irritated voice echoed softly as he stepped into the restricted section, his eyes sweeping the dim corridor.
âDo they want to get skinned alive? The boss hates negligence.â
He didnât notice the shadow above him.
Rey clung to the ceiling beam like a spider, his body pressed flat, every muscle screaming as his clothes tightened and lifted him upward.
His heart pounded.
Please donât look up. Please donâtâ
Aiden moved first.
A door farther inside creaked open on its own.
The officer frowned.
âWhat now?â
Muttering curses, he turned and walked toward the sound.
The moment his back turned, Rey released his grip.
He dropped silently, rolled once, and slipped through the door the officer had just entered from.
Click.
The door shut behind him.
Only then did Rey breathe.
The space beyond was nothing like the training center.
No polished floors.
No bright lights.
This was a hidden zone.
To one side stood a tall concrete wall bordering the main road, high enough that even most martial warriors would struggle to climb it unnoticed.
On the other side stretched a massive metal gate, scarred by years of heavy use. Thick tire marks dug into the ground told the story clearly.
This place wasnât for people.
It was for disposal.
Rey approached the large dumpsters stacked against the wall. They were tall enough that he had to climb halfway up just to peer inside.
What he saw made his stomach tighten.
Broken wooden weapons.
Cracked dummies.
Splintered training equipment.
Dozens. No, hundreds.
Every piece here represented penalties paid. Money drained. Complaints swallowed.
âSo this is where they dump the evidence,â Rey muttered.
As he was about to ask Aiden what to do, his vision flickered.
[Host has partially grasped a skill concept.]
[Knowledge insufficient. Data incomplete.]
[Error⊠ErrorâŠ]
[Ability <Godly Adaptation> compensating.]
[New Skill Acquired: Stealth (F-)]
Rey froze.
ââŠWhat?â
His mind stalled for a second.
âI justâ got a skill? Like that?â
Aiden chuckled. âCheck it yourself. Dreams donât have status windows.â
Rey didnât hesitate.
__
Skill: Stealth (F-)
(Active / Passive) {0%}
Description:
A basic concealment technique that reduces presence by blending the user into their surroundings. Lowers visibility, muffles sound, and weakens perception-based detection. Sudden actions may break concealment. |
MP:
5MP/Min
__
Rey stared.
ââŠI didnât even choose a class.â
âAnd yet,â Aiden said calmly, âyou adapted.â
Rey grinned, then quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.
âOkay, okay. Quiet.â
He looked back at the dumpsters.
âWhat now?â
Aidenâs tone turned amused. âThose things look useless to you?â
âThese broken sticks?â
âWith Zero,â Aiden replied, ânothing stays broken.â
Reyâs eyes lit up.
âOh. Right.â
He paused.
Then frowned.
ââŠWait. Why am I only thinking of grabbing a few?â
Aiden sighed. âYou really are slow sometimes.â
Rey coughed.
He opened his inventory.
One by one, the broken dummies and shattered weapons vanished into it.
Dumpster after dumpster.
Every piece.
âOkay,â Rey said finally. âNow we leave.â
He turned toward the wall.
âNot that way,â Aiden stopped him. âIf you entered from the front but never exited, theyâll notice.â
Rey clicked his tongue.
âThen letâs test my new toy.â
[Stealth Activated]
His outline blurred.
Not invisible.
But⊠lighter. Thinner.
The world seemed to slide past him instead of noticing him.
Rey opened the door cautiously.
No one nearby.
He moved.
People passed by him without slowing. Without reacting. Even when someone brushed past his shoulder, there was no response.
They saw him.
But they didnât
register
him.
Near the main hall, Rey ducked into a corner, swapped his hoodie, adjusted his appearance, then walked out casually.
At the entrance, he deactivated the skill and exited like any other trainee.
Unnoticed.
Unquestioned.
Behind him, a small camera quietly rotated.
Recording everything.
And somewhere deeper in the building, a monitor lit up.
Rey didnât know it yet.
But tonight, he hadnât just stolen trash.
He had stepped into someone elseâs territory.
And worseâ
Home was waiting.