Episode 11: Shadows and Shelter
Deep in the heart of the forest, far from the bustling cities and noisy guilds, Rhea stood quietly beside a half-built wooden house.
It wasn't much—just four walls, a roof made of monster hide, and a door she built herself using materials bought secretly from the Grand Market. But it was hers. Hidden. Safe.
Abyss power flowed silently around her, woven into the very ground she stood on.
Since unlocking the Abyss Control skill, she had summoned three creatures so far. They appeared small and unthreatening to the eye—like a fluffy wolf cub, a squirrel-sized dragon, and a cat with wings—but their power was terrifying in real form.
They chose to stay small for now. Hidden guardians. Her protectors.
> [Abyss Creatures: 3/5]
[Base Protection: Active – Untraceable Zone Enabled]
She had become untouchable.
Guilds tried tracking the source of rare items she sold. Hunters tried tracing mana signatures. Market panels flagged her shop as "Anonymous – Unranked Seller."
But nothing worked.
Rhea chuckled softly as she watched her creatures play outside. The cat-dragon was trying to steal fruit from the squirrel-dragon's stash again.
"I swear, you guys act like kids," she said, smiling.
Inside, her shop panel pinged again.
> [New Orders: Phantom Silk – 3 units | Spirit Gems – 2 units | Nightshade Leaves – 10 bundles]
She had all of them. Her Abyss domain allowed her to explore hidden rifts where rare materials were stored—safe from human eyes.
"Let's get these ready," she whispered and waved her hand.
The items floated into small bubble-like containers. Her system would deliver them directly—no shipping, no questions.
She stretched and leaned back against the tree.
"I never thought... I'd like this life," she muttered.
Once mocked for having a 'useless' skill, she now controlled a shop with no trace, summoned monsters feared even by apex hunters, and could access realms no guild dared to touch.
But even then, she stayed hidden.
Because power... was quiet.
And hers? Her power was something even the system didn't fully reveal yet.
As night settled, a strange wind blew across the trees. Her monsters stood alert.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Something's coming."
But she wasn't afraid.
With her monsters at her side, her shop protected, and her mind calm, Rhea was ready.
Let the world wonder.
She was the girl with the shop skill... the one no one could find.
---
To be continued...