When he said 'origin eye' his right eye turned
golden with a faint sting. He can feel his right
eye becoming a little warm.
The world slowed until every sound warped and stretched thin.
The old man was saying " little brat that.. is...your.....n.a..tu...ra....l....." his voice become slowed and high pitched voice. old man's face start to distort like he is made out of mist.
'what is going on' leo was little dazed.
Everything around him distorted like mist. Only vial and himself remained. He was genuinely dazed. He focused his burning eye into the vial. It's seems to him they were floating.
As focused on vial he sees faint thread. Only in perfect focus did he see them—threads, fine as hair.
'These thread seems to connect somewhere' leo was little surprised.
Five, maybe six they all going in different direction, fragile as breath. If not for him being in strange situation. Finding an eccentric old man. Being forcefully stay, he most likely wouldn't even see that. He focused on a thread that was most corporeal, clearly going direction of royal capital north east.
His right eye burned furiously.
Pain erupted behind his eye, sharp and all-consuming. It wasn't just burning anymore—the burn was only in the pupil. The real pain came from deeper within, spreading outward like invisible hands crushing his eye from every side.
His breath hitched. Every heartbeat sent a pulse of agony through his skull.
"Sto—stop…"The word barely left his lips before his knees gave up.
Everything around him taken golden hue and disappeared. Space around him become golden. It was like he had teleported to the golden realm. Everything around him was a golden. As everything around him materialized his pain subsided.
He stood huffing. He was trembling. Blood start to come out with tear. Completely soaked in his own Sweat.
He lifted his gaze. The horizon was veiled in golden mist, endless and shifting, but somehow he instict that — this place isn't truly vast. Beneath him was little pool of golden water it was too shallow it was almost like he is standing on somewhere where someone spilled golden water. It was too shallow.
Leo was not sure what's going on but one thing he was sure that it's definitely done by his mysterious eye skill 'origin eye'. It wasn't system given skill but his own physical thing.
Then the golden water trembled.
Concentric waves spread outward from a single point ahead of him. The mist stirred, twisting into motion, spun faster, forming a hollow spiral above the trembling water.
From within that vortex, a shape began to take form. The mist settled, revealing the silhouette of a man, as water beneath him dried up, as he started to feel weary.
The waves beneath him stilled. The mist dispersed in quiet shimmers—and then Leo saw him clearly.
Not corporeal, but neither illusion. It was a being woven from mist and water. He was in sitting position. In front of him was the table. It can't be made sure that if it was made of metal or wood but it definitely has cool engraving.
Old man's garment looks like someone belonging to high class noble.
He is sitting in front of the table brewing something. Inside apparatus there was chemical reaction happening. Everything was made of golden mist and water. Then, with a faint click, a side valve rotated open, and from it flowed a glowing liquid — smooth, luminous, and alive with color.
Then, with calm precision, he raised a small vial unlike any Leo had seen — its surface engraved with runes that shifted like reflections in water.
He filled three vial. Vial sealed with a soft chime, a faint mist curling from its neck. The glow within it pulsed once — then steadied into a deep, translucent gold.
The bottom back of the apparatus was another valve it wasn't that eye catching. Old man opened that valve and there was another liquid coming out of it. Old brewer took another vial to fill with it.
After seeing that vial leo was a little shocked because even though it was made of golden liquid and mist. Its outline definitely matches same vial as that old schemer.
Leo's eyes froze on the vial. Though it gleamed with golden liquid and mist, the shape was unmistakable same.
"Wait… isn't it..." he murmured, disbelief tightening his voice. "it's the valve from where impurities were taken."
That was what he was thinking than suddenly the world around him started to shatter. Fine cracks start to appear like scars on glass. The mist, dried water pool, even old man shattered. The remaining was himself and the vial that the old man just filled. The golden hue around the vial started to disappear and its form became corporeal.
In the next breath everything around him collapsed into nothing. His golden eye became normal but stinging little.
He was once again standing in front of mysterious strong old man. Voice same as slowed high pitched brawl. But it slowly became normal. Space around him started to become steady.
"…tu… ra… l… fortuitous… encounter,"the old man's voice finally cleared, finishing his sentence as if nothing had happened — his tone smug, almost bragging about the excellence of his goods.
As space around Leo became normal as huge sansation of weakness took over him. He was wet from his own sweat in an instant. Blood coming out of his eye. He cannot let his eye remain open any more. The price of peering into the Origin of things was something his weak body could barely endure.
[Ding]
[All stats +5]
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Intelligence:15
Stamina: 14
Mana:5/25
[Skill Compatibility Increased]
Intelligence +2
Physique +5
Perception +2
[New stats unlocked]
[Appraisal skill upgraded]
[Appraisal: E rank]
Different kinds of messages start to appear. His body suddenly tensed. Strange heat surged through his muscles. Like invisible current running through his veins.
He handled himself as sudden thought or realisation occurred to him that old man was continuing exactly from where he left.
'He's… continuing from where he left off.'
Leo's eyes darted around. — everything around him continuing where he just left before using origin eye.
"Are you okay? You are sweating bucket. If you really don't want to buy, then fine I will not force you." Old man spoke in front. After realising something strange about Leo. Old man was little surprised after all he was able see that sudden increase of mana and power in his muscles.
"Don't tell me," Leo whispered, voice trembling. 'Everything that just happened… didn't affect.....? Did 'Origin eye' just stop time for me?'
For a split second, the old man saw Leo's eye start to bleed. Weakness seemed to take over him, yet the next moment the old man felt a sudden surge of power coming from the boy's body. Weakness vanished completely.
The old man had witnessed many strange and eccentric things over the years. Yet this still surprised him. His eyes narrowed slightly as a hint of interest appeared in his gaze toward Leo.
Just as he was about to pry deeper into Leo's secrets, a sudden wave of commotion erupted from the far end of the black market.
Shouts echoed through the narrow streets, followed by the heavy rhythm of galloping hooves.
The crowd instinctively parted.
A group of soldiers burst into the market, riding tall warhorses. They wore bright crimson-and-gold armor engraved with the crest of the City Lord's Mansion. Unlike the ragged mercenaries and shady traders of the black market, their equipment gleamed under the lantern light, polished to perfection.
Each soldier carried a long steel spear with a leaf-shaped blade that glinted sharply
These were the City Lord's enforcers—the iron hand of the mansion.
Leo's gaze shifted toward the front of the formation.
At their head rode a man who was clearly the leader.
His helmet rested at his side, revealing a sharp, stern face. A thin scar ran from the corner of his brow to his cheek, giving him a hardened, battle-worn look. His dark hair was tied neatly behind his head, and his cold eyes scanned the market like a hawk surveying prey.
This was Captain Darius Halvek, commander of one of the City Lord's enforcement squads.
He slowly raised one hand.
The soldiers behind him immediately halted, their horses stamping impatiently against the stone street.
"Relax."
His voice carried easily through the tense street.
"We are not here to shut down your little market tonight."
A ripple of relieved murmurs spread through the crowd, though many still looked uneasy.
"We're only looking for someone."
Captain Darius Halvek let his sharp gaze sweep across the restless crowd before speaking again.
"A very dangerous man."
"Recently, he wreaked havoc inside the Royal Academy of the Royal Capital before fleeing the city."
A ripple of unease spread through the gathered merchants and adventurers.
"Five days ago, we received confidential information that the fugitive escaped into the Western Province."
Leo's eyes tensed.
Darius' eyes slowly moved across the stalls, studying every face.
"And just moments ago, we obtained another lead suggesting that he may be hiding somewhere within this black market."
The captain leaned slightly forward on his horse, his expression turning cold.
"So listen carefully."
"As long as none of you move, resist, or attempt anything… amusing—"
His spear lowered slightly, its sharp tip glinting under the lantern light.
"—we will have no reason to treat any of you as accomplices."
Captain Darius Halvek lowered his hand slightly.
At once, several soldiers dismounted from their horses.
At once, several soldiers dismounted from their horses.
Each of them moved with practiced precision, their spears held firmly while their sharp eyes scanned every face in the crowd.
A faint blue glow flickered before their eyes.
Small translucent panels appeared one after another as they activated their system interface, silently reviewing the information displayed.
One by one, they looked at the people present.
Faces, and
Mana signatures.
So what is mana signatures. Mana signatures are shaped by experience. Over time, an awakener's mana begins to mirror their emotions, desires, and convictions—revealing the true nature of their heart. Rage sharpens it, cruelty corrupts it, and discipline refines it. By studying a mana signature carefully, one can often glimpse the true heart of its owner. That's why not everyone, but certainly different person possess different mana signatures.
Their gazes lingered for a brief moment before shifting to the next person.
The leader was also inspecting the crowd from atop his horse. Slowly but steadily, he guided the horse toward the spot where Leo was standing.
"Boy… is this your shop?"
Leo blinked in confusion. "What?"
Instinctively, he turned to look behind him.
There was no one there.
There were still things spread across a cloth on the ground. But the old man vanished completely nowhere to be seen.
Several soldiers were now staring at him. The pressure alone made his throat feel dry.
Leo swallowed and forced himself to speak.
"Y-yes… it's my shop."
Darius narrowed his eyes slightly.
Just as the commander Darius was about to say something....
--BOOOOM--
A deafening explosion tore through air its happened in the deep street of the backside of black market.The ground trembled violently beneath their feet as a shockwave rippled through the street.
It's echoed in black market like thunder.
The soldiers immediately tensed, hands moving to their weapons.