Episode 13: The Watcher Behind the Screen
The breeze was calm in the forest, and the leaves whispered softly overhead as Rhea leaned against the tree trunk, sipping on some fresh herbal tea. Her little cabin had turned into a hidden fortress now, completely masked by her Abyss energy and illusion barriers.
To the outside world, she didn't exist.
> [Daily Orders Completed: 17]
[Balance: 230,000 Crystals]
[Current Reputation: "The Phantom Seller" (??? Hidden Rank)]
Everything was going perfectly.
She had even started crafting stronger items. Rare potions, anti-detection artifacts, weapons that could slice through magical shields. Her reputation on the Grand Market was rising, but no one could trace her store, no matter how much they tried.
Because of her unique skill, multidimensional shop, no one could even locate her realm.
"Good luck trying to find me," she murmured, a small smile playing on her lips.
Around her, her little army of monsters, now fully loyal to her, moved silently in their small, adorable forms. A wolf pup with shadowy fur, a flying squirrel-dragon, a mini-leviathan swimming in a magic bubble—all guarding their master with absolute devotion.
Life was simple.
Life was good.
Until—
The panel blinked violently.
> [Warning! Attempted Surveillance Detected!]
[Abyss Field Skill: Successfully Blocked Scan.]
[Unknown Watcher Level: S+]
[Threat Level: Moderate.]
Rhea froze, the tea slipping from her hands and spilling onto the grass.
Her heart pounded wildly.
Not out of fear—but excitement.
Someone high-level had noticed her existence.
She immediately initiated Lockdown Protocol.
The house vanished under an invisibility spell. Abyss monsters slipped into the shadows. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Rhea summoned her panel and activated an emergency defense array she had prepared days ago, just in case something like this happened.
> [Abyss Veil Activated: All traces hidden.]
[Summoning Mini Golems: Active.]
[Trap Zone Set: 3km Radius.]
For a few minutes, there was nothing but silence.
Rhea exhaled slowly, her body still tense.
"Someone really tried to find me...but failed."
She chuckled darkly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"They underestimated the wrong girl."
---
Far away, in a heavily guarded high-tech facility, a man stared at his cracked magic detection panel with a look of disbelief.
"What the hell was that?" he muttered.
The scanner, designed to track even divine-class merchants, had completely collapsed after trying to scan Rhea's Abyss Field.
He tapped the table in frustration.
"Whoever you are...you just made me very interested."
---
Meanwhile, Rhea sat back down, her heartbeat calming.
She wasn't afraid. No.
She was excited.
If people stronger than her started noticing her...
It meant one thing—
It was time to become even stronger.
She pulled out a new scroll she bought earlier from a strange traveler through the market—something called "Path of the Abyss Queen."
> [Do you want to unlock the Abyss Evolution Skill Tree?]
A grin spread across her face.
"Bring it on."
And she tapped ACCEPT.
---
Next: Episode 14 – "Path of the Abyss Queen Begins"