The sunlight outside the cathedral was bright and brilliant.
Walking down the main street, Ansu held Vera's hand as they chatted and laughed about the recent commendation ceremony on their way home.
Since there wasn't much to do today and it was a rare outing with Vera, Ansu didn't take public transportation, choosing instead to wander back on foot.
"Brother... what kind of profession is this 'paladin' you mentioned?"
Vera blinked in confusion. "You want me to take this transcendent path, but can I really do it?"
"Of course. Vera is so smart, what profession couldn't you handle?" Ansu patted his sister's soft head. "It will be a bit difficult at first, but I believe you can overcome it."
Vera nodded dutifully. She wouldn't give up this chance to become stronger.
Since this was the path her brother had personally chosen for her, she would persevere no matter how hard or exhausting it became!
As they walked, Ansu began to explain the 'paladin' profession to her.
In 《Song of Evernight》, the paladin was a combat profession within the holy light system, somewhat similar to a battle priest.
Compared to the demon hunter, a profession that did dirty work in the shadows, the paladin was far more prestigious; even within the church, which was full of experts, it was considered an elite and rare profession.
The reason Ansu planned this route for Vera was not only because of her talent but also because the paladin's strength was exceptionally high and its versatility was great, making it a top-tier profession in the game.
They could deal damage, heal, and tank. If they encountered any heretical evil, they could just cleave through it with a single 【Divine Smite】.
If one strike didn't kill it, then they would just use two!
As Ansu spoke, Vera became more and more excited, her deep blue eyes practically sparkling with excitement.
"Wow! What a cool profession!"
"If anyone dares to bully me or you, Brother, I'll cut them down in one blow!" Vera puffed out her small chest as if she had already become a paladin. "Brother! I'll be the one to protect you from now on!"
Ansu was amused by her display. "Since when do I need you to protect me...?"
"Why not? Aren't you currently being exploited by that female boss of yours?" Vera huffed. "Once I get strong, if she dares to bully you again, I'll show her what's what!"
She had long since taken a dislike to that woman named Celia!
Her brother got incredibly nervous whenever he saw her, yet he had to force himself to be enthusiastic. Since she was his superior, no matter how indignant Vera felt, she couldn't say anything...
Sooner or later, she would rescue her brother from his misery and help him shake off that wicked woman!
You're overthinking it... Ansu thought silently.
Even if the paladin was strong, it still couldn't compare to the 【World Ending Witch】; after all, Celia was a heaven-defying existence who would tread the path to godhood again in the plot...
As they chatted, they turned into a quiet alleyway that was relatively secluded but close to the Black Harbor District.
Suddenly, Vera frowned slightly. She stopped and looked behind her suspiciously.
"What's wrong?" Seeing his sister's expression, Ansu turned to look as well.
The shops on this street were quite desolate, and there were very few people around.
"Brother..." Vera looked up and whispered suspiciously, "I feel like someone is following us..."
"Following us?" Ansu was startled and scanned the surroundings again.
But he still couldn't see anything. The few pedestrians on the street didn't seem to have anything wrong with them.
"Yes." Vera held her brother's hand and continued walking forward. "The streets near the city center were crowded, so I didn't notice anything. But as soon as we turned into here, I suddenly got chills running down my spine. It feels like... someone is hiding somewhere, secretly watching us..."
"Is that so?" Ansu continued to stroll with Vera, but he had already become alert.
Although his sister hadn't yet stepped onto a transcendent path, Ansu trusted her intuition.
After all, she was meant to be a demon hunter with top-tier counter-reconnaissance skills. Even if she hadn't taken the path from her previous life, her talent still existed; there was no shame in being surpassed by his sister in this regard.
Thus, the siblings intentionally maintained a steady walking speed while secretly watching for anything unusual on the street.
However, they had almost reached the Black Harbor District, and they still had nothing to show for it.
"Strange... if someone is really following us, where are they hiding?" Vera began to doubt her own intuition.
"Brother, could I just be oversensitive...?"
"Probably not." Ansu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Vera didn't know enough about the transcendent world to realize that some professions specialized in tracking and stealth.
Being followed gave Ansu a feeling like thorns in his back because he couldn't figure out who the other party was for now. Was it someone from the Echoes of Truth... or from the church?
Thus...
Ansu instinctively glanced at his system interface.
System, activate!
【Simulations available for the following times】
【10 minutes later (May 3, 10:36), consumes 10 points】
【10 hours later (May 3, 20:26), consumes 50 points】
【100 hours later (May 7, 14:26), consumes 100 points】
【Begin simulation?】
Ansu decisively chose the first option. There was no need to waste points on finding a stalker.
【Future: 10 minutes later】
【Beginning simulation...】
As the countdown of ornate script slowly disappeared, the scene before Ansu's eyes shifted slightly.
He was still holding Vera's hand on the way home, but the surroundings had become much more chaotic and crowded, a characteristic 'view' of the Black Harbor District.
"It's almost noon. Go to Uncle George's and buy a few loaves of bread." Ansu let go of her hand and looked toward an old bakery not far away that smelled of wheat. "I'm going to step away for a moment. I'll be right back."
"Oh... okay." Vera nodded. "Do I need to buy any other ingredients? We don't have much food left at home."
When she turned back, Ansu's figure had already darted into a narrow little alley.
"Brother?" Vera tilted her head in confusion.
...
After slipping into the dark and narrow alley, Ansu observed for a moment before his figure immediately vanished into the shadows.
【Shadow Stealth Lv2】
Although things had been peaceful lately, Ansu hadn't been idle at all. He had raised both shadow magic spells to level two.
【Shadows completely envelop your body, merging you with the darkness and entering a hidden state.】
【Lv2 Effect: In favorable terrain, it is extremely difficult for enemies to detect you; the first attack grants a high critical hit effect.】
Now merged with the darkness, Ansu hid behind a pile of clutter in the alley and waited silently.
About five minutes passed.
The sound of light footsteps suddenly approached.
Ansu noticed two agile figures quietly appearing at both ends of the intersection.
The two stalkers were a man and a woman. They merely exchanged a look before searching their respective areas with unspoken coordination, scouring the small alleys in no time.
It seemed they were after him...
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