The gates of Oakhaven loomed large, constructed from iron-reinforced timber that bore the scars of both age and ancient skirmishes. Mounted above the entrance was the crest of the Kingdom of Valerius: a hawk in mid-flight clutching a glowing crystal in its talons. The emblem shimmered faintly beneath the amber-tinted sky, infused with dorma
Kage Noir slowed his steps as he passed beneath the gatehouse shadow.
The city greeted him with layered chaos. The smell of roasted meat mingled with sweat, damp stone, and forge smoke. Wagon wheels rattled across uneven cobblestone roads. Vendors shouted prices in half a dozen languages. Beneath it all pulsed a strange, almost electric vibration — ambient mana saturating the air like invisible mist.
So this is Elyria's heartbeat, Kage thought.
A faint chime echoed inside his mind.
---
[ First City Entered: Oakhaven ]
[ Settlement Classification: Tier One – Frontier Town ]
[ Deploying Starter Package... ]
---
A sudden weight settled across his shoulders.
Kage blinked and looked down. A charcoal-grey cloak had materialized over his tunic, its fabric smooth, light as silk yet cool to the touch. The surface subtly absorbed light rather than reflecting it, making the edges difficult to focus on.
---
**[ Item Acquired: Basic "Whisper" Cloak ]**
**Effect One – Sound Dampening:** Reduces movement noise by 40%.
**Effect Two – Mana Shroud:** Grants minor resistance to basic detection spells and mana sensing.
**Description:** An essential tool for a fledgling spymaster. It doesn't make you invisible — it makes you forgettable.
---
Kage lifted the hood.
The city's roar softened instantly, like someone had turned down the world's volume. He took a careful step. His boots barely whispered against the stone.
A slow smile formed.
"Forgettable," he murmured. "That's exactly what I need."
If strength ruled Elyria openly, subtlety would rule it quietly.
---
The Hierarchy of the Streets,
Oakhaven wasn't just divided by walls and roads — it was divided by power.
The upper slopes of the city housed the High Ward, where mana-wards shimmered over noble estates and disciplined patrols of awakened knights moved with rigid authority. C-Rank warriors and B-Rank elites dominated those streets.
Kage stayed far from there.
He descended into the lower districts known as "the Roots" — a tangled maze of narrow alleys, leaning buildings, and crowded stalls. Here lived laborers, porters, scavengers, and the Rank F civilians who survived day to day without meaningful mana reserves.
This was where information leaked.
This was where desperation bred opportunity.
He settled onto a weathered bench beside a grimy ale stall and simply watched the crowd move.
A faint pressure bloomed behind his eyes.
---
[ Skill Activated: Truth-Seeker's Eye – Level 1 ]
---
Translucent tags flickered into existence above passing figures.
Human Blacksmith – Level 8 (Rank F)
→ Crushed by debt. Owes protection fees to the local gang known as the "Cobras."
Half-Elf Scavenger – Level 14 (Rank E)
→ Recently acquired a discarded mana shard. Nervous about being discovered.
City Watchman – Level 21 (Rank D)
→ Bored. Considering abandoning post early for gambling.
Kage inhaled slowly.
The city peeled itself open like a living map. People were no longer just faces in a crowd — they were nodes in a network of fear, greed, ambition, and secrets.
The blacksmith's debt meant leverage.
The scavenger's shard meant risk — and opportunity.
The watchman's boredom meant loose discipline.
Oakhaven wasn't peaceful.
It was merely unobserved.
---
"You gonna keep staring at dust, or you actually looking for something? The voice was young, sharp, and confident.
Kage didn't turn immediately.
From the corner of his vision, a boy leaned against a cracked stone pillar. Dirt smudged his cheeks, clothes patched a dozen times over. Yet his eyes were alert — calculating, observant, and restless.
A tag appeared automatically.
Pip – Street Urchin (Rank F)
→ Knows most alley routes, rooftop paths, and hidden shortcuts in the Roots.
Perfect.
Kage kept his posture relaxed, gaze still focused on the street.
"I'm not looking for something," he replied quietly. "I'm listening for it."
Pip squinted at him. The Whisper Cloak blurred Kage's presence just enough that the boy couldn't easily judge his age, strength, or intent.
"Listening costs," Pip said cautiously.
Kage reached into his pouch and produced a single silver coin — far more than a street kid normally handled. He placed it loosely against the table's edge.
"I want to know about the Cobras," Kage said calmly. "Who they are. Where they operate. And why they're squeezing the blacksmith two streets over."
Pip's breath hitched.
His hand darted forward.
Kage's fingers snapped shut over the coin instantly, pinning it to the wood.
The boy froze.
Kage finally turned, his eyes steady and unreadable beneath the hood.
"The truth isn't free," he said evenly. "But loyalty pays very well."
A heartbeat passed.
Pip swallowed hard, eyes flicking between Kage's hidden face and the trapped silver coin.
Interest slowly replaced fear.
---
[ System Notification: Recruitment in Progress… ]
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Somewhere in the tangled veins of Oakhaven's alleys, the first eye of Kage Noir's intelligence network had just opened.