Chapter 39 – Third History Alteration

“Where have you lost your mind!”

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

The moment he possessed Hyu’s body, Lee Hanseong, who had suddenly been struck on the crown of his head, clutched his head.

An old man with a stern expression was looking down at him with a severe face.

Though he didn’t know what the current situation was, he bowed his head and apologized first.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sigh, at this rate, when will you ever finish learning all my teachings?”

The old man who sighed seemed to be Hyu’s Master.

Since Hyu was a petty thief, his Master was probably a thief too, right?

“Alright, I’ll ask again. Which of the two seems fake to you?”

The old man pointed to two identical porcelain pieces and posed a question about distinguishing which was genuine.

Even if the original Hyu wouldn’t know, his body now was engraved with the Appraisal Skill.

[You have appraised <White Porcelain (Genuine)>.]

[You have appraised <White Porcelain (Fake)>.]

“The left one is genuine.”

“This time, don’t just say you don’t know… Huh? Did you just say left?”

“Yes.”

The old man, who seemed genuinely surprised that he got the answer right, widened his eyes.

He then chuckled heartily and patted Hyu’s shoulder.

“Good, it seems your eyes have finally opened.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Elder Sir… I mean, Master.”

“Well then, can you distinguish these as well?”

After that, the old man repeatedly brought out treasures, both genuine and fake, and posed questions to distinguish them. Lee Hanseong, aided by the Appraisal Skill, correctly answered every single one.

“It seems I no longer need to teach you appraisal techniques. Next, let’s see your stealth walk skills.”

“Yes.”

Swoosh.

As if demonstrating first, the old man melted into the darkness.

Even the connection points of Synergy were not visible now that the other party had concealed themselves.

‘This isn’t ordinary stealth walk.’

It wasn’t a display possible with a General Skill.

At least a Rare Skill, perhaps even a Unique Skill-level stealth maneuver.

I thought he was just an ordinary thief, but perhaps Hyu’s Master was a bigger figure than expected.

Swoosh.

For now, he followed the old man’s lead, activated stealth walk, and hid his figure in the darkness.

“You’ve managed to roughly mimic it. Well then, I’ll give you the final lesson.”

A voice tinged with a somewhat bitter emotion.

He looked in the direction the voice came from, but couldn’t sense the other’s presence at all.

“Final lesson?”

“The essence of a true thief lies in theft. Watch closely as this Master cracks the vault of the wealthiest man in Lanfel.”

Lanfel was the name of the city they were in.

In other words, Hyu’s Master intended to steal the treasure of the city’s wealthiest man.

“Master?”

He called out to the old man, but there was no reply.

It seemed he had already left.

Since he knew where the other had gone, he recalled Hyu’s memories and headed towards the wealthy man’s mansion.

* * *

The mansion of Lanfel’s wealthiest man had formidable security to protect its owner’s assets.

From various guard dogs and sentries to magical alarm devices and traps.

It was security that would leave most thieves with nothing but bones, but…

Swoosh— Swoosh—

The old man, who had scaled the mansion’s wall, easily bypassed all the traps and infiltrated deep inside the mansion in an instant.

Since Hyu’s body had reached 4-Star (★☆☆☆), and because Lee Hanseong could see connection points through Synergy, he could grasp how exceptional the old man’s skills were.

‘This is unbelievable. He’s selectively applying interactions with the external world?’

The old man was showing his figure only to his disciple Hyu, while simultaneously evading the perception of all other living beings, even magical detection.

Moreover, the ability he displayed when finally entering the mansion was similar to the Wind Penetration contained in Jin Yuseong’s Boots of Wind.

An ability to ignore interaction with walls and move directly beyond them!

Swoosh.

A moment later, the old man, having presumably looted the vault and carrying a hefty backpack, leisurely exited the mansion.

“Did you watch carefully?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Then, that’s enough.”

The old man handed the stolen backpack to Lee Hanseong and then vanished from sight again.

“Live well. Use the loot I gave you somewhere else, not here.”

“Are you leaving…?”

“A thief who stays in one place only gets their tail caught.”

With those words, Hyu’s Master disappeared without a trace.

Lee Hanseong, maintaining stealth walk, returned to Hyu’s dwelling with the loot.

In the original history, after this, Hyu stubbornly focused on building a vault to hide the loot his Master left behind.

Since the loot was stolen by his Master, he intended to return it to his Master whenever he came back, rather than using it himself.

It was Hyu’s pride as a thief that the money he used should be stolen by himself.

But ironically, Hyu had no talent for theft.

His Master’s final lesson was instead applied to hiding objects, leading to the completion of a secret vault that no one could ever find.

There was a reason why Hyu’s First Awakening Skill was Subspace.

“But now, there’s no need to limit it to just a vault.”

The concept of a vault, when transformed into a subspace by receiving the Constellation’s Blessing, limited the subspace’s use to inanimate objects only.

However, his current subspace had become a Creature-Exclusive Subspace due to Law Revision.

“If we create a shelter instead of a vault, we could store both living beings and inanimate objects in the subspace, right? Isn’t that so?”

He asked while looking at Mirinae’s projection swimming among the loot, which consisted mostly of gold coins.

Her cat ears perked up, and she belatedly provided a clue for historical alteration.

[Due to the intervention of the Nameless Constellation, some clues for historical alteration are partially revealed.]

[First Clue: Isolated Space.]

[Second Clue: Synergy’s Connection Points.]

[Third Clue: Spatial Grafting.]

The first clue likely referred to the shelter he had in mind.

Thus, Lee Hanseong immediately set about constructing the shelter.

Since the foundation for the shelter was already prepared at Hyu’s dwelling, construction wasn’t difficult.

Moreover, Hyu even had <Interface Perception> and <Black shadow envoy>.

Zzzzing—

Using <Interface Perception>, he scanned the boundary layer connected to the secret space where the vault was originally intended to be installed, detecting what lay beyond that interface.

He gradually expanded the space by avoiding areas connected to other buildings or structures.

Swishswishswishswishswishswishswishswishswish!

With the physically capable Black shadow envoys running rampant, expanding the space wasn’t too difficult.

Each time straight lines crisscrossed, drawing a grid pattern, the earthen walls collapsed.

The excavated soil was continuously dumped into the interface connected to imaginary space and cleared away, so it didn’t take long for a vast underground cavity to form beneath the dwelling.

“Whew.”

After completing a space of the desired size, he took a brief moment to catch his breath.

But this alone couldn’t be considered a perfectly isolated space.

A small vault might be one thing, but a shelter of this size would inevitably be discovered someday.

Still, it wasn’t without a solution.

‘Being able to perceive the interface means being able to interfere with it.’

Wobble wobble—

Summoning a multitude of Black shadow envoys, he overlaid the shelter’s interface with a curtain woven from them.

Then, using Synergy, he connected and twisted the connection points between the Black shadow envoy curtains overlaid on each wall surface.

‘Connecting interface to interface, grafting space!’

Whoooosh!

[Conditions met. General Skill <???> blooms into <Interface Design>.]

The boundary layers surrounding the shelter’s space connected, creating a distorted space where any attempt to intrude from the outside would lead not inside, but to the outside of the opposite wall.

A structure where interactions between the inside and outside of the space are almost ignored.

This was similar to dungeon space as well.

‘And the creation of a dungeon is sufficient to become an achievement.’

As expected, an achievement completion message soon followed.

[Achievement, ‘Reverse World Construction’ attained.]

[First Awakening Skill 《Subspace》 evolves into 《Reverse World》.]

[Second Awakening Skill 《Spatial Connection》 blooms.]

[Hyoo Guild’s Two-star promotion is completed.]

[To complete Three-star promotion, continue historical alteration.]

[Remaining achievements are consumed. Current number of remaining achievements held: 2 > 1]

The remaining achievements, which were 6 before the historical alteration was triggered, were now down to just one.

This was because 4 were consumed for the joint historical alteration.

But it wasn’t a waste at all to have used achievements in advance.

“Reverse World and Spatial Connection.”

Just as subspace entrances can be opened anywhere, the entrance to the Reverse World can connect to any space.

It was only natural that Spatial Connection emerged as a Second Awakening Skill.

Moreover.

“Now I can finally check on situations elsewhere with some peace of mind.”

Thanks to inheriting the histories of other Spirits through the joint historical alteration, it was now possible to check on the situations of other Spirits from here.

Vroom.

Among the connection points linked to Lee Hanseong since the moment of possession in history, three light points shone particularly brightly.

They were the connection points with the three other Spirits intertwined through the joint historical alteration.

Swish—

Inside the shelter isolated from the outside, touching the light points with his fingertips unfolded their situations before his eyes.

Whoosh.

The sight of Sister Hanna healing someone injured with 《Healing》.

The sight of Jester Rough, after healing a child afflicted with an incurable disease using 《Causal disturbance》, wandering.

The sight of Swordsman Duren Spirit, secluded in deep mountains and remote valleys, training only in <Thrust>, not <Slash>.

And it wasn’t just that.

“It’s not just about being able to see.”

Instinctively, he felt that if he unfolded 《Spatial Connection》, he could connect with them.

Hyu’s 3-Star completion was surely related to that as well.

Sure enough.

[Due to the intervention of the Nameless Constellation, some clues for historical alteration are partially revealed.]

[First Clue: Spatial Connection.]

[Second Clue: Puppetry art.]

[Third Clue: Covert Intervention.]

The clues revealed by Mirinae also pointed in the direction of Hyu becoming the black curtain, altering the histories of other Spirits without revealing his existence.

“For now, the most urgent is Hanna’s side.”

Although Hanna, having started historical alteration in a half-promoted state, healed the wounded noble without sacrificing her life unlike the original history, she was not yet out of danger.

Because those who injured the noble were still pursuing them.

Lee Hanseong, who could see the situation around Hanna through the light point connected to her, had already discovered the armed enemies gradually closing in.

The enemies soon spotted Hanna as well and aimed arrows at her.

“Danger…!”

Vroom.

Hastily activating Spatial Connection, he shot Black shadow envoys through the passage opened over the light point.

Since the exit of Spatial Connection was secretly opened inside Hanna’s back hair, the extended Black shadow envoys burrowed into her nape without anyone noticing.

Plop. Blink.

And the subsequent rise in Synergy’s Synchronization Rate.

Closing and opening his eyes, the next moment Lee Hanseong was dwelling within Hanna’s body.

A situation of being both Hyu and Hanna.

[Conditions met. Rare Skill <???> blooms into Puppetry art.]

Ignoring the message that appeared before Hyu’s eyes for now, he focused on Hanna’s situation.

Whoosh—

Bending her upper body sharply, she flopped flat on the ground together with the noble who was just trying to get up.

Thwack!

An arrow grazing the spot where Hanna’s head had been just a moment ago.

“They’re already pursuing…!”

The noble, a Bishop Candidate of the Church of Radiance according to Hanna’s memories, frowned upon seeing the flying arrow.

The enemies were disguised as bandits, but in reality, they were assassins sent by another Bishop Candidate.

“Their target is me. So, Sister, please leave this place.”

The boy, as if not wanting to involve an unrelated person, pushed away Hanna, who was possessed by Lee Hanseong.

Lee Hanseong, synchronizing with Hanna’s will, shook his head.

“No. Since I healed you, they won’t leave me alone either. Moreover, I’ve already made a vow to save you.”

Of course, that vow was from the original history’s story, but vows don’t disappear even if history changes.

“Ah…”

The boy, who knew the meaning of a vow, could no longer push Hanna away.

“I’m sorry. For involving you.”

“If you’re truly sorry, then become a Bishop and take good care of the people of the Million Diocese.”

“I understand.”

“Please, don’t look back and go.”

Lee Hanseong pushed the boy who would become a Bishop and dashed out towards the direction the enemies were approaching.

“Look at me!”

While emitting the light of <Bewilderment> from his entire body.

Whoooosh!

Perhaps because the Blessing of the Constellation of Radiance greatly amplified Bewilderment’s taunting power, the assassins disguised as bandits all, without exception, focused solely on Hanna.

Forgetting their target, the boy, completely.

The enemies’ response to this clear anomaly was simple.

“Kill that wench.”

Swishswishswishswish!

Arrows poured down, targeting only Hanna.

With arms stretched far from her body, concentrating Bewilderment’s light in her fists, she ran forward.

She ran recalling the memories of marathon battles, but this was the history of another world, different from Earth.

The enemies’ level was different.

Thudthudthudthud!

Not ordinary arrows drawing a curved trajectory, but straight shots imbued with magical power pierced the back of her hand.

Moreover, the assassins, who shot arrows and immediately closed the distance, mercilessly slashed Hanna’s body.

Slash! Slash!

Fortunately, the attacks were concentrated on the parts emitting Bewilderment’s light, so she could endure with healing.

Of course, healing couldn’t regenerate lost body parts.

If she kept concentrating Bewilderment on her extremities and supplemented the stamina draining away with her blood through healing, she could buy about ten minutes.

That should be enough for the Bishop Candidate to escape safely.

When he checked the light point from Hyu’s perspective, he had seen knights carrying flags bearing the same emblem as the pattern decorating the boy’s clothes approaching from afar.

Slash! Slash!

[Conditions met. General Skill <???> blooms into <Endurance>.]

Around the time the Endurance Skill bloomed from enduring the pain of her wounds.

Finally, in Hyu’s field of vision, he saw the Bishop Candidate joining his knights.

Whether that was the trigger or not, Hanna’s body, which had been tenaciously holding on, collapsed.

Immediately, the gaze of the Constellation of Radiance shone upon the fallen Hanna.

[Achievement, ‘Human Barrier’ attained.]

[The Constellation of Radiance records your achievement and altered history with praise.]

[Second Awakening Skill 《Defense: Protection》 blooms.]

[Hanna’s Two-star promotion is completed.]

[Historical alteration related to Hanna concludes.]

The completion of Two-star promotion naturally signifies the end of the time available for intervention.

Zzzzzzt—

With static noise, the light point connected to Hanna lost its light and faded.