The Snitch

Sui Ming flung open the carriage curtain.

“…Uh, hello there, Young Master Sui Ming.”

Sitting at the driver’s seat was a rugged, broad-shouldered man awkwardly waving a horsewhip with a bootlicking smile plastered across his face.

Sui Ming didn’t need to think—this guy was Black One, the same brute he’d had trouble with before.

And the culprit who arranged this?

That damn crow, obviously.

Said crow casually turned its head away, whistling innocently like it had nothing to do with any of this.

“Hehe… I look forward to working with you, Young Master Sui Ming,” Black One chuckled awkwardly.

“…Looks like you’ve been roped into this mess too, brother.”

Sui Ming sighed helplessly.

After a peaceful stretch of travel, the crow suddenly stood up and poked its head outside.

“Let’s stop here for a bit. We’ll set out again after some rest.”

Black One had no idea what weird stunt this bird was planning, but given the pressure it exuded… he obeyed without question.

He, once a member of the infamous [Nightmare Soul] feared across Tanggrelia, now reduced to this?

But whenever he recalled the crushing, nightmarish aura that crow released, his instincts screamed:

Disobey, and you’ll die a horrible death.

And thus, another victim was born.

“Alright! Little Crow’s Classroom is in session again!

Everyone, please pay your 10,000 Fal tuition fee~”

“You want a punch in the beak—?”

“Haha, just kidding~”

“After these few days, you probably have a general idea of what a ‘Soul Invocation’ is, right?”

“It’s… a manifestation of the soul?” Sui Ming guessed.

“Correct, but that’s only part of it.”

“Soul Invocation, at its core, is your soul’s position in the river of fate.

Put simply—it’s how much weight you hold in the tapestry of destiny.”

“Imagine this world as a winding river, and we’re all little boats on it.

Some boats are grand luxury yachts, others are busted rowboats barely floating.”

“…And what does that have to do with me?”

“Don’t rush. Hear me out.”

The crow continued patiently.

“Your current state?

You’re like a smuggled ship illegally modified—

Everyone wants to tear you apart.”

“…Can I get off this ship now?”

Ignoring his sarcasm, the crow smiled.

“But you’re special.

You see, smuggled ships often have dual identities—

Polished and pristine on the outside, dirty and illegal on the inside.”

“Can’t you feel it?

That second power inside you, balancing the abyss?”

Sui Ming froze.

He closed his eyes and examined his body carefully.

Two energies—one golden, one black—coexisted within him, locked in a delicate, uncanny equilibrium.

“Wait…

Could this be a twin soul?”

“To avoid you getting mobbed to death, better not use the Abyss side for now,” the crow warned.

Sui Ming focused on the golden orb of light within him.

As he willed it to move, a golden aura began to emerge.

Warm, golden energy flowed through the grass and trees—like spring itself had returned to the land.

The light shimmered and, as if called by something, drifted toward him—

No, toward his dagger.

“Wait, wait.

This isn’t an attack type, is it?

It looks way too peaceful…”

That was Sui Ming’s first thought.

It didn’t feel like a power meant for killing.

“Look at that tree over there.

Try it out with your dagger,”

the crow said, already anticipating his doubts.

Sui Ming unsheathed White Cry, letting the blade draw a perfect arc through the air.

With a gentle swing—

A faint golden ripple tore through the air like a seam,

and a razor-sharp golden blade shot out.

Boom!

The tree across from him was cleanly bisected.

A tree that had stood tall for over a decade was felled not by nature,

but by the idle whim of a cursed crow.

“…That’s it? Seriously?”

Sui Ming looked underwhelmed.

“What do you mean? That was awesome!”

“Look again.”

As he replayed the strike in his mind, Sui Ming recalled something odd.

Due to his earlier meditation, his aim had been slightly off—

But the slash had landed perfectly on the tree anyway.

A terrifying realization dawned on him.

“…Auto-aim?!”

“Exactly!

That’s one of your abilities.”

“Whatever you will—becomes reality!”

[Miracle – That Which Is Willed]

“So? Pretty generous of me, huh?”

The crow beamed smugly.

“…Not bad.”

Sui Ming played it cool.

But inside?

“Holy crap! Auto-aim hack?!

If I get my hands on a gun later…

I’m gonna go nuts!”

He was so busy fantasizing about the bright, OP future ahead

that he didn’t notice the increasingly fanatical gleam in the crow’s eyes.

That unnerving, almost deranged glint made Black One break into a cold sweat beside them.

“As I thought…”

“ROAR!!!”

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the forest.

“Go on, Sui Ming!

Attack it with your light blades!”

“I’m not your damn Pokémon!”

“Oh, c’mon, admit it—

You’re dying to test out that new power, right?

Auto-aim light blades? Come on, that’s cool as hell.”

Sui Ming hesitated… but his hands had been itching for action these past few days.

“Fine.

I’ll be right back.”

“Thaaaat’s my good boy~”

The crow’s voice was infuriatingly smug.

“You little—!”

Deep within the forest,

a massive creature rested silently, unaware of its imminent doom.

It had sleek, violet fur and glinting scales that shimmered in the sunlight.

Like a tower of muscle and majesty, it stood sentinel in the glade.

Its sharp gaze scanned the area like a king surveying his domain.

[Gold Rank – Tier 1] — Purple-Bronze Tiger

A rare beast even among the [Gold] class.

Once fully grown, it could rival even [True Manifestation]-level monsters.

This one, however, was still in its juvenile stage.

The tiger’s ears twitched.

A subtle, almost imperceptible sense of danger had entered its domain.

Even this apex predator, used to ruling the woods, felt a chill crawl down its spine.

But then… the feeling vanished.

Just as it was about to relax—

Whish!

A sharp screech ripped through the air.

The beast twisted midair in a nimble roll and landed on all fours.

Its vicious eyes locked onto the empty grove ahead.

No mana.

No scent.

Nothing in its senses—just blankness.

Then more golden blades tore through the air—

An invisible force humiliating the forest king, over and over.

How could it not rage?

Sure enough—

a deafening roar erupted, loud enough to make the ears bleed.

In the tiger’s mouth, energy began to gather—violent and massive.