Chapter 71: Creating Long Distance Warp Points, Class Level Up, New Perk.
They weren’t easy to make.
First, I’d have to scout quiet, isolated locations across multiple countries.
Then I’d need to draw [Absorption Runes: Null Drift] to supply passive mana, [Connector Runes] to form stable links, and [Disguise Runes] to keep the whole array hidden.
It would take a lot of time.
"That’s what I get for choosing the Underworld as my market," I muttered, shaking my head.
"It’s fine, Lord of Shadows! You can do it!" Yuna cheered me on from the side.
I started creating Warp Points immediately after.
First one was in Walensee Bunkers in Switzerland.
Then Mösern Forest Shelter in Austria.
After that, Obir Cave Outpost on the Austria-Slovenia border.
Kočevski Rog Forest in Slovenia.
Črni Kal Quarry Ruins.
Risnjak National Park in Croatia.
Velebit Ghost Path, also in Croatia.
Biogradska Gora’s Forgotten Watchtower in Montenegro.
Šar Mountains Hermit Cave in North Macedonia.
And finally, Xirochori Ruins near Thessaloniki, Greece.
Each place had to be scouted personally, checked for human traffic, mana flow, and compatibility with my long-distance Warp Points.
Unless the location was compatible, it would consume too much mana.
I had to keep that in mind since these were not simple Warp Points.
It took three days to complete everything.
’I had to keep returning home every morning before my parents woke up.’
’If I didn’t have to hide my movements, I could’ve finished in half the time.’
Still, it wasn’t all bad.
Class: Runesmith
Grade: Journeyman Runesmith → Formulation Runesmith
+1 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +1 Spirit
New Perk Gained: [Linked Glyphs]
Effect: You can connect two runes via a mental tether. Triggering one can activate the other.
"Finally, this will make everything a lot easier," I said, eyes lighting up.
Until now, traveling between Warp Points meant manually moving through each one.
There were eleven stops between Thessaloniki and home.
But now, with [Linked Glyphs], I could chain them together.
I could link multiple points to a central hub, and then choose where to jump next.
I spent two more hours weaving the mental threads between runes, making sure they didn’t interfere with one another.
Each warp array could now trigger another across the country with only a single thought.
Once I was done, I activated the entire network for the first time.
The mana batteries began to draw ambient energy, slowly filling the glyph reserves.
"Good. Now I can return home instantly instead of having to go through all eleven stops."
It was my first Super Long Distance Warp Point.
"Today’s the last day to pick up the mission, huh?" I checked the time.
I might be cutting it close, but I wasn’t worried.
The good missions—fast and easy ones—would be gone.
But the harder ones? The ones everyone avoided?
They’d still be there.
Which meant a better chance at grabbing something rare, and a stronger Cursed Spirit.
As for the chances of no mission remaining, that was nearly impossible.
"I can sell parts of the rare Cursed Spirits, or keep them for alchemy."
The thought brought a faint smile to my face.
Right now, I was still sitting in my room.
The house was quiet.
My parents had gone to sleep early. That gave me time to prepare without rushing.
First, I took out the mask I had made using alchemy.
It was plain white.
I had shaped it using rune-based reinforcement so it wouldn’t break easily.
Last time, just this was enough.
But now, I decided to upgrade the mask by adding utility runes on the inner side.
The first I had carved on it, [Sight Rune: Clearview], I improved it.
The rune now gave the mask a night vision.
Next was [Breath Rune: Flowthru].
It was a basic ventilation rune that would circulate air within the mask.
I didn’t want to be suffocating after a few minutes.
This had been a problem last time in Cursed Spirit’s domain.
It was also the reason why I was knocked out so quickly, because I had been fighting while short on breath.
Then I added [Purifier Rune: Aethercleanse].
It filtered out airborne poisons, pollutants, and even microscopic mana particles that could carry curses or diseases.
It wasn’t strong enough to handle concentrated toxins, but it would handle smog and low-grade gas attacks without issue.
"Hm... since I’ve already added these, I might as well go a bit further."
I carved a [Light Rune: Antiglare], which reduced the impact of sudden flashes.
It was useful against flashbangs.
After that, I added a few more:
[Sound Dampen Rune: Muffleveil], to cut off loud noise bursts and make it harder for others to hear me breathing.
[Heat Buffer Rune: Thermoguard], to regulate internal temperature.
[Link Rune: Whisperbind], allowing me to link the mask to my rune array for remote activation or quick detachment.
[Emergency Detox Rune: Bloodcleanse], which would activate if I got hit by certain fast-acting neurotoxins.
Once I was done, I tested it on my face.
The mask fit snugly, and it was quite comfortable.
I couldn’t even feel it after a few seconds.
The runes activated without issue, and I could breathe and see like normal.
It used only a bit of mana to keep all of it active.
The filtration rune gave the air a slightly cool pleasant feeling.
Next, I focused on clothing.
Using alchemy, I crafted a stylish black jacket, matching pants, a gray shirt, and soft-soled shoes with reinforced toes.
Everything was woven with a thin layer of mana-sensitive fabric, giving them some protection against basic physical and elemental attacks.
They wouldn’t stop a bullet or anything high-grade, but it was better than regular clothes.
I also made alchemically treated bandages,
They were light, stretchable, and resistant to tearing.
Then, I activated my Shadow Assimilation skill.
The shadow merged with me.
My ’body’ elongated, growing to just under six feet.
My skin turned translucent and shadow-wispy, and my features blurred just enough to look unnatural.
In this form, I looked like a semi-humanoid monster—less human, more silhouette.
That’s why I needed the mask.
Without it, I’d scare off everyone on sight.
I pulled on the clothes and fastened the bandages carefully.
I wrapped them around my neck, wrists, and ankles to ensure that no skin was visible.
The bandages were thin enough to be hidden under the clothes, but they’d hold up if I ended up in a fight.
Everything looked normal, even stylish, at a glance.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
’Except for the mask, it could pass as normal streetwear. The bandages aren’t visible either. They won’t show up unless I move too fast.’
"Umu, you look good, Lord of Shadow." Yuna said, nodding to herself.
I stared at my reflection for another second, then nodded.
Next, I drank the Blood Veil Elixir — Type A.
Type A changed my blood to match the identity to Alan Peritus, the disguise I used to verify my Underworld account.
Finally, I turned to the Warp Point in the corner of my room and activated it.
The runes flared softly, then dimmed as I stepped forward.
I appeared just outside Thessaloniki, Greece.
’I’ll visit Carlotta today too if I get time, and check up on how much she has progressed.’
The night air smelled different here.
It was salty, with hints of diesel and overripe citrus.
I moved through the empty side streets and alleyways, staying in the shadows until I reached the address I’d been given:
The Minotaur’s Mug, 24 Plaka Street, Thessaloniki 54624.
It was an old-fashioned pub squeezed between two newer buildings.
The wooden sign above the door was slightly faded, showing a cartoonish minotaur drinking from a massive mug.
The windows were shuttered from the inside, and faint music played from within.
It was some kind of jazz.
I pushed open the pub’s door.