Eternal Thief

Ace’s pupils instantly contracted as his entire body became rigid.

”...”

For several breaths, he couldn’t say anything because he recognized that symbol, which wasn’t some mysterious mark left behind by an unknown existence. It was the Devilish Wise Owl, his Thief Symbol.

Ace stared at it through his Primordial Law Sense, and an unprecedented realization slowly emerged within his mind. The Devilish Wise Owl had remained there the entire time, even when the Sacred Moons manifested, and the Supreme Abyssal Ordeal descended.

Yet when the entire Undead Cradle was enveloped by the authority of the Abyss, it had remained, and now that the Ordeal was retreating, the thief symbol had become visible once more.

Ace’s heart began beating faster when something absurd flashed in his mind.

’Wait...’ His eyes narrowed as the cryptic system notification suddenly resurfaced inside his mind, ’A Supreme Will has descended beyond the ordained sequence. The ancient covenant does not permit intersecting destinies. The Mark above has already been acknowledged. When the Silent Watcher opens its eyes...those who still remember shall yield their path. Await the inevitable!’

Ace’s breathing became heavier as his eyes locked onto the Devilish Wise Owl. ’The Mark above...could it be...?!’

A possibility that was so absurd that he almost didn’t dare believe it slowly formed inside his mind, ’Could the system’s cryptic notification...have been referring to his Thief Symbol?’

Ace immediately communicated with the System, ”System!”

No response came, but he didn’t care and questioned agitatedly, ”Was the ’Mark’ you were talking about...the Thief Symbol?!”

Silence reigned, and Ace’s eyes sharpened. ”Is that why the Abyssal Ordeal retreated?”

Still nothing.

”Was the ’path given’ by that so-called ancient covenant related to some secret of Heaven’s Stealer?”

Still nothing, and Ace’s expression twitched, ”Answer me!”

The System remained completely silent, and Ace’s face darkened, ”Damn it!”

Yet despite his irritation, something else slowly filled his eyes with astonishment because there was another detail he couldn’t ignore.

Eva had told him before that she had never encountered an Abyssal Ordeal inside the Abyss of Wandering Souls, and not even her Thief Acolytes who had entered this place had ever witnessed such a phenomenon.

At the time, Ace hadn’t thought too much about it, but now he couldn’t help but connect the two things.

’Could the reason be...because of this cryptic notification as well?Moreover, now that I think about it, the disruption in the Abyssal Ordeal started right after the system’s notification!’

His gaze slowly returned to the Devilish Wise Owl, and the symbol remained completely motionless. It wasn’t releasing an overwhelming aura or displaying any terrifying might. It didn’t even seem alive. Yet somehow, its existence alone made Ace feel that something fundamental had changed.

’If the Abyssal Ordeal really had retreated after it had seen the thief symbol...’ Ace’s heart raced as countless possibilities flashed through his mind. ’Maybe the Heaven’s Stealer possessed an unknown connection to the Abyss itself. Maybe the ancient covenant was something created by a Heaven’s Stealer before me, and maybe the ”Silent Watcher” was another thief name of that Heaven’s Stealer. Maybe the thief symbol has some other function that I’m still unaware of. Or perhaps, the Abyss simply wasn’t permitted to interfere with the path of the Heaven’s Stealer...’

Ace couldn’t determine which possibility was correct as he didn’t have enough information, but one thing was becoming increasingly clear: the System was hiding even larger secrets than he had ever imagined.

Ace slowly clenched his fists as he berated, ”Just make things clear sometime, will you, damn system?!”

But still no answer came as the Devilish Wise Owl remained silently engraved above the retreating Sacred Moons like a majestic, ancient, and untouchable entity.

Right at that moment, suddenly, the System’s emotionless voice finally sounded.

=====

[Growth-Type Spirit Fire Evolution has been completed!]

[Demonic Black Spirit Fire has successfully evolved!]

[Spirit Fire Grade has advanced from Ascension Grade-1 to Ascension Spirit Grade-7!]

[The Demonic Black Spirit Fire has undergone a fundamental transformation!]

[New innate characteristic detected: Spirituality!]

[The evolved Spirit Fire has developed a faint autonomous spiritual consciousness.]

[The Spirit Fire’s innate fire laws have undergone profound mutation.]

[The Host’s comprehension of Fire Laws has been greatly enhanced.]

[The Demonic Black Spirit Fire has assimilated the essence of the Crimson Netherflame Revenant.]

[New characteristic detected: Crimson Netherflame!]

--

-Spirit Fire (Growth Type): Demonic Black Spirit Fire

-Grade: Ascension Spirit Grade-7 (Can grow by absorbing Law State Spirit Fires)

-Affinity(s): Dark/Demonic/Nether

-Characteristic(s): Spirituality/Crimson Netherflame

=====

”...”

Ace froze as he had almost forgotten about the ongoing evolution because of the sudden anomaly of the Abyssal Ordeal.

He slowly turned his attention toward the black cocoon.

The next instant...

’BOOOOOOOOOOM!!’

The cocoon exploded, but not outward; instead, the countless black flames suddenly collapsed inward as every strand of fire returned toward the center,

The next moment, new flames condensed, compressed, and finally, a single figure of fire slowly emerged.

It was still pitch-black, but unlike before, the darkness was no longer empty. Within the black flames were countless tiny crimson strands, resembling rivers of blood flowing through an endless night.

The flames constantly changed shape as sometimes they resembled wings, sometimes claws, sometimes an enormous black serpent, and sometimes a pair of indistinct eyes seemed to open within the fire.

Ace’s expression changed as he could feel the Spirit Fire was different; in fact, it was completely different. Previously, the Demonic Black Spirit Fire had been like an extraordinarily powerful weapon, with terrifying instincts to devour and burn so it could evolve.

But there had always been a distinct feeling that something was missing. Now, that missing quality had appeared.

’Spirituality!’ Ace was mystified.

The black flame quietly floated before Ace, but it didn’t attack him, nor did it obey him mechanically either. Instead, it simply hovered there as if watching and observing Ace.

Ace also stared at it, and for some reason, he felt as though the flame was also staring back, and a vague intent brushed against his consciousness, but it contained no words or clear emotion, only an instinctive desire.

Ace was astounded when he comprehended that desire, for it was a faint sense of hunger and something else which even Ace couldn’t understand, as it almost felt like curiosity.

It would be a lie to say that Ace wasn’t curious since he had never seen or heard about such a Spirit Fire, but since it had evolved after devouring the Crimson Netherflame Revenant, which was a ”Flame Spirit” according to the system, it should be the reason behind its unique characteristics.

’I should ask the system about the difference between Flame Spirits and Spirit Fire and about their relation, once I’m out of here...’ Ace’s eyes narrowed as he made a mental note.

He tried to communicate with the Spirit Fire, ”Can you understand me?”

The flame flickered once, but Ace’s expression became strange as he couldn’t tell whether it had understood him. But somehow, he felt that it had.

Ace slowly extended his hand, and the black flame approached his palm without resistance.

But the moment it touched him...

’BOOOOOOM!!’

An unimaginable scorching power erupted through his body, instantly changing Ace’s expression!