Full-Time Psychic Martial Artist

"Should we turn him into a servant?" Nelly asked telepathically, hiding in Lorne's shadow.

Lorne looked at the orc's information and found he was a level 7 wanderer, so he decisively said to Nelly:

"The level is too high; the risk of conversion failure is too great. Kill him, and I'll keep watch for you."

"Okay." Nelly responded and began to charge up [Shadow Lurk].

[Shadow Follower] When upgraded to the mentor level, you can launch attacks from within the shadows. When attacking, you only need to expose part of your body; you don't need to completely dispel the shadow.

This method of charging up power can effectively prevent the assassination target from noticing.

After about 14 seconds, Neri finished charging up.

Her upper body emerged in shadow like the Grim Reaper from the underworld beside the sleeping orc's head, and two daggers swiftly and accurately pierced the orc's eyes.

The shadow particles wrapped around the dagger were instantly injected into the orc's skull. The level 9 wandering orc's body twitched only once before it was completely dead.

Lorne, who was keeping watch outside the tent, observed the entire process through his [psychic perception], gaining a more intuitive understanding of shadow energy.

In the system description, shadow damage is caused by the void eroding matter or energy.

But in psychic perception, this erosion is more like devouring or annihilation. 4

It was as if each shadow particle was a black hole, forcibly sucking in all the matter and energy particles that came near.

However, each shadow particle can only absorb a small amount of mass-energy; once it has absorbed enough, it will annihilate itself.

This annihilation does not release any energy; it only causes some spatial fluctuations, just like when you use your storage space.

So here's the question.

If even the incredibly powerful Shadow damage benefits from resistances and damage reduction, then what kind of logic is it for Psionic Power to ignore all resistances and damage reductions and deal true damage?

Since the perception of spiritual energy is like a black box, Lorne can only ask the system for answers.

The system's answer is: [Psionic energy and chaos share the same origin; they are the foundation upon which all things exist, directly affecting the origin of the world.]

Lorne is numb.

Everyone else plays by the rules, and you just flip the table, huh?

"Do you want the corpse?"

Nelly's soft, sweet voice echoed in his mind, pulling Lorne's thoughts back to the present moment.

"Yes, you need to cover my disadvantage."

"Okay." Nelly became invisible again and arrived at the tent entrance.

Lorne bent down and crawled into the tent, switching to his original body and using his psionic tentacles to touch the corpse of a level 7 orc wanderer.

The orc's blurred red and white eye sockets grew new flesh at a visible speed, restoring them to their original state.

[You have successfully crafted a Level 7 Orc Wanderer (corpse) into a substitute body.]

Lorne did not immediately switch bodies. Instead, he first used [Cleanse] to clean up the bloodstains left by the assassination before changing into a new substitute body.

～～～～～～～

Alternate Life-Substitute Body (Orc)

Level 7 Wanderer: Level 7 Thief

Strength: [14] (+2)

Agility: [20+10] (+10)

Constitution: [12] (+1)

Intelligence: [13] (+1)

Perception: [10] (0)

Charm: [8] (-1)

……

Psychic Power: [28] (+9)

……

Occupational Traits: Deceptive Blessing, Roaming Ambush, Roaming Skill, Roaming Swiftness.

Sub-class traits: Thief specialization, Quick-Handed Ambush, Quick-Handed Attack, Quick-Handed Opportunity, Shadowless Quick-Handed Attack.

～～～～～～～

[Quick Attack] (Thief Level 3)

When you are using a melee portable weapon or fighting unarmed, you can perform a [Quick Hand Attack] with a standard move.

This attack was treated as a normal attack.

When an attack check is successful, you can steal a specified item from the target in addition to dealing damage, or plant an item you own on the target.

The stolen items must be items that you can see or whose specific location you know in advance.

The items used to plant evidence must have sufficient space to carry the stolen goods.

The target will make a perception saving throw. (Saving difficulty = 10 + Dexterity level.)

The exemption will fail without anyone noticing.

If the exemption is successful, the theft or framing will be discovered.

• [Mentor Correction]: (Thief Level 4)

When using this ability, you can choose [Attack Power +2, Damage Dealt -5].

• [Master Correction]: (Thief Level 7)

When using this ability, you can also choose [Attack Power +5, Damage -10].

~~~

[Seize the opportunity to act quickly] (Thief Level 5)

When you can launch an [Opportunistic Attack], you can choose to use a [Quick Attack] instead, and the attack power will increase by 2 points.

• [Master Correction]: (Thief Level 7)

[Quick Strike] increases attack power by 3 points.

~~~

【Shadowless Quick Hands】(Thief Level 6)

You can use [Swift Action] to perform [Quick Hand Attack].

• [Master Correction]: (Thief Level 7)

When a target exercises a perception exemption, it loses an advantage or falls into a disadvantage.

~~~

Wait, the last few traits of the Thief subclass not only enhance the class's unique characteristics, but also strengthen its ability to fight head-on.

Wow, once you upgrade "Shadowless Quick Hands" to Master level, you can use "Quick Hands Attack" with "Swift Actions" and you can choose "+5-10". You can also pickpocket or frame someone.

666, you're a devilishly fast-handed muscle man, right?

It seems my previous assessment of the wanderers in this world was arbitrary.

Although their direct combat strength is still somewhat inferior to that of barbarians and warriors, they are definitely much stronger than the wanderers from D&D.

If I didn't have important business to attend to right now, I'd love to find an orc and experience how satisfying a rogue's quick hands are.

Ugh, my hands are so itchy, I need to grow them faster!

……

While Lorne was having a mental breakdown, Nelly had already successfully infiltrated the siege weapon manufacturing area.

Once inside, although there weren't as many sentry posts as on the outer perimeter, there were still quite a few orc professionals patrolling.

There are many sheds here, with wooden frames and grass roofs that can barely keep out the rain, but the shadows they create are key to Neri's stealth.

Nelly carefully chose her stealth route, using the shadows of the workshops as relay stations. Each time she moved to a new workshop, she would hide in the shadows and remain motionless for a few seconds until the invisibility duration refreshed before making her next move.

Fortunately, orcs generally have low perception, and apart from the patrolling orcs, the other orcs were all busy with their work, so she easily sneaked into the workshop where the mechanic was located.

The shed is huge, with several enormous ancient trees, their branches and leaves pruned, serving as beams and pillars; it covers an area the size of two basketball courts.

All the parts produced in other workshops will be sent here, where the mechanics will personally inspect and supervise the assembly.

Nelly crept among a pile of wooden crates, peering through the gaps to stealthily search for her assassination target.

Just then, the curses of orcs came from deep within the shed.

The Goddess of Darkness had taught Neri the Beastman language, so she easily understood the curse.

"Bat droppings! Bat droppings! All of them are substandard! Have dung beetles eaten your brains? You can't even do something this simple!"

Clearly, this enraged orc was the target he was meant to assassinate.

Nelly looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, quietly approached her target.

The conversation continued, with another orc saying gruffly, "The trees here are too hard; they're difficult to cut or saw. This is all we can do unless you give us some better tools, like the one you have."

"Fools! These are magical tools that only mechanics can use. If I give them to you, do you even know how to use them?" The mechanic orc's tone was contemptuous, but more so it was helpless and annoyed.

Another orc said in a nonchalant tone, "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. This is our current level. If you're not satisfied, you can build your own."

"Bat droppings! Bat droppings! Bat droppings!" The mechanic was once again driven to impotent rage, smashing things loudly.

The two bodyguards exchanged a knowing glance, turned around, and smirked gloatingly at the mechanic with their backs to him.

This guy, relying on being the only Mechanist, bosses them around all day and constantly mocks and ridicules them. So their greatest pleasure now is watching him get humiliated and rage in his impotent state.

The two guards had their backs to the mechanics and their eyes were fixed on the entrance to the workshop. They were completely unaware that Nelly had already sneaked up behind them.