The spirit looked like an ice woman, her eyes hollow and frozen. She wore a long blue robe that swayed in the air as she approached Nikolai. The field began freezing as soon as she appeared.

“Ah, Ra, Nee.” The spirit kept singing as she floated toward Nikolai. All of a sudden, the spirit screamed. “Sin!” Her eyes glowed blue as five ice shards appeared above Nikolai.

With one swift motion, Nikolai fired five enchanted bullets. The ice shards flew his way, but they couldn’t reach him. With a powerful stomp on the ground, Nikolai retreated.

He turned and began firing the enchanted bullets while infusing them with mana. The enchantment amplified the mana in the shot, and it whistled as it cut across the air.

“Fa, La, Cee, Rin!”

They reached the spirit before it could fly away, but the monster wouldn’t sit idle. It began singing and an ice forcefield pulsed from its body, diverging the direction of Nikolai’s bullets, making them hit the trees.

“Such a troublesome opponent,” Nikolai breathed in and leaned forward. “But it’s my turn now.” The spirit was resting after its earlier skill. It was the perfect chance to strike, but someone beat Nikolai into it.

A figure descended from the sky like lightning, appearing right in front of the spirit. The newcomer carried a great sword in one arm, showing extraordinary strength and stats. Coupled with the black and white robes the figure wore, Nikolai recognized their identity immediately.

“Drake!” Nikolai shouted with rage as he aimed his gun at the newcomer. Without hesitation, he fired countless bullets at the masked figure, making sure that he won’t be able to dodge.

A particular group called Kill Stealers had an underground organization that traded information about possible ‘steals.’ These were some of the most hated people by society. They caused adventurers endless frustration by killing monsters and stealing loots. Drake was one of them.

Drake, who turned to block the bullets with his greatsword, was one of the most notorious Kill Stealers in Rohan. Nikolai had countless encounters with him where he got his kill stolen by the unknown thief.

The bullets bounced off the sword’s giant blade while leaving cracks and chips on its surface. After all, they were enchanted bullets that Nikolai chose over thousands of regular ammunition.

“Hm?” Drake let out a breath as the eyes behind the mask squinted at Nikolai. However, the man was as professional as he was in the past. He turned back to the spirit to steal the kill.

“As if I’d let you.” Nikolai used Limit-Break and disappeared from his spot, appearing behind the man directly. As if expecting it, Drake slashed with his great sword toward Nikolai.

Nikolai used his free hand and struck the sword’s surface, using it to jump into the air and send an ax kick at the masked person.

Drake’s eyes widened as they saw the kick descending on his face, and he only managed to block it using his free hand. The fact that he could wield the greatsword with one hand saved him.

The Kill Stealer’s feet left a trail in the field as he slid several meters away. Nikolai was still midair when he fired several bullets at the spirit, trying to kill it.

The spirit screamed in agony as the bullets lodged in its chest, disturbing the ethereal form it had. The field froze in an instant as the ghostly woman began singing again.

“Ah!”

As soon as it said the first syllable, Nikolai was running far away from the spirit. Drake lunged himself forward to finish off the spirit, which was on death’s doorstep. However, Nikolai kept running away.

“Ra!”

The spirit kept singing as the ice began gathering above it. Drake was already a short distance away from it, ready to kill and steal the loot.

“Nee!”

Countless ice shards formed above the swordsman, making him halt his movements. There were tens of shards ready to strike him, and they descended with the spirit’s last syllable.

“Sin!”

The ice shards descended on the swordsman, and he struck his sword in the ground and crouched behind it for protection. The ice shards came down like rain, cruel and unceasing.

A whistle resounded in the air as the spirit’s singing stopped. Nikolai’s bullet found its target and destroyed the Soul Gatherer on the spirit’s neck.

The ice shards stopped attacking Drake as Nikolai walked up to the spirit, which was dissipating. The Soul Gatherer fell to the ground as another crystal dropped from the monster. The crystal was transparent and had a symbol inscribed on top.

“A Skill.” Nikolai picked it up along with the Soul Gatherer as the souls trapped by the spirit were running away. He held it in hand, and the system panel appeared.

[Quest Completed. You have obtained 50 Fate Points.]

[Val’s servant acknowledges your deeds and rewards you with a soul fragment.]

[Larigo’s Soul Fragment: This fragment resonates with one of Val’s statues and guides you to it.]

Nikolai grinned as the notifications arrived. As he held the crystal in hand, information about this crystal appeared in his mind. It was a Common-Skill called Ice Shards.

‘Even though I can evolve skills, I can’t settle for this one. The potential it has will always be minuscule compared to the rarer skills. Not to mention,’ Nikolai pocketed the skill to sell it later. ‘I have my eyes on the Legendary Skills.’

Those skills, even at the novice level, were world-changing. They were the manifestation of power, and anyone who obtains one would rise against the odds. Everyone could only learn one skill per rank, so Nikolai needed to choose wisely.

The ice shards that were impaled to the ground began breaking as Drake stood up and swung his sword. Several parts of his body were frozen stiff, but he was still alive.

“How did you know?” A gruff voice, covered by an illusionary enchantment of the mask, asked Nikolai. “The fact my attack was a feint and that the spirit was going to attack.”

“Really? You’re looking for constructive criticism on how to steal my kill better?” Nikolai looked at the man as if he was an idiot. “You’re lucky that I’m leaving you alive.”

“Leave me alive?” Drake’s voice was amused. “It’s not like you have a choice.” He said as his body began dissipating into the darkness. “We’ll meet again, Young Gunman.”

These were the last words Drake said before disappearing without a trace. Nikolai cursed the skill this guy had with frustration. It was a Grand Skill that allowed him to avoid capture for a long time.

‘In my past life, did Drake obtain Val’s Selection?’ Nikolai wondered to himself. The reason that Drake didn’t attack him was simple, the man’s policy was like this: never kill those you can steal in the future.