Chapter 71: Third Fragment of Ataroth Mask
Amon had no plans of going anywhere today.
After he was done with breakfast, while Kayla and Mira were doing the dishes, he decided to sign in after some contemplation.
He was curious about what today’s sign-in would bring.
Although saving the Fate Points would be beneficial for the soul technique, he decided to wait until the next day.
’System, sign in.’
[Ding! Congratulations on signing in. You have received the third fragment of the Ataroth Mask.]
[Congratulations on signing in. You have received a second World Key Fragment.]
Glancing at the two rewards, Amon was a little taken aback.
He had received another fragment of the Ataroth Mask.
And surprisingly, beneath it was a vague description of the object.
The screen expanded before Amon’s eyes, displaying the information.
[Ataroth Mask: A hidden fragment of divinity that grants the user an omniscient view of everything. It is akin to a god looking down upon the world. Before the complete Mask of Ataroth, all secrets are laid bare.]
[Ataroth Mask (3/7)]
[Current Functions]
[The user’s past, present, and future cannot be peered into by existences below or at the Supreme Monarch Rank.]
[Subject all humans below the user’s rank to become chess pieces, moving at the whim of their God, controlling all their thoughts, actions, and emotions, making them akin to puppets.]
The message from the system ended there, but Amon’s shock hadn’t subsided in the slightest.
There were only two functions, but he could already feel how dreadful they were.
The first one couldn’t be considered much in terms of direct power. However, the prospect of no longer having others peer into his past, present, and future unknowingly made Amon feel a sense of relief.
What Amon didn’t know was that in the kitchen, just as Mira was about to place a plate inside the cupboard, her hands suddenly trembled and her pupils constricted.
’How is this possible? How does he cease to exist in the future so suddenly?’
The plate slipped from her grasp.
Crash!
It shattered against the floor.
"Mira, what’s wrong?"
Kayla immediately noticed the disturbance and hurried over, checking to make sure the little girl hadn’t been hurt by the broken pieces.
"If you’re too tired, you can go and rest. I’ll handle the dishes on my own."
Kayla sighed in relief after confirming Mira was unharmed and spoke in a lighthearted tone.
Mira nodded dazedly.
"A-alright, Auntie."
Her voice sounded distant as she hurried out of the kitchen.
She had to check on Amon.
For a moment, the thought that his existence had somehow been erased occurred to her.
That was the only plausible explanation for why she could no longer sense his future, past, or present.
However, the moment she reached the sitting room and saw him casually staring into empty space, she was once again startled.
"U-Uncle Amon."
She called out softly.
"Are you alright?"
Seeing the worried expression on her face, Amon was slightly taken aback.
’Did she notice something strange?’
Although he was somewhat startled, he finally understood just how effective the mask was.
"I’m alright," he replied with a warm smile.
Mira finally let out a sigh of relief.
The tension in her shoulders eased slightly.
She walked over and sat beside him, her eyes never leaving his face.
Although she could see Amon, she couldn’t sense him.
It was as though he had stopped existing altogether.
The moment she turned her face away, she wouldn’t even be able to pinpoint his location anymore.
A chill unconsciously ran down her spine.
For the first time since obtaining her ability, she felt a faint sense of uncertainty.
The countless futures she relied upon suddenly seemed a little less reliable.
If there truly came a day when she could no longer see Amon at all, what would happen then?
’Has his strength truly become so terrifying?’
Mira recalled that Amon had only been D-Rank when she first encountered him.
Now, barely a week or two later, he was already S-Rank.
His growth speed was utterly terrifying.
However, she couldn’t sense the same pressure her sister, an SSS-Rank Hunter, exuded.
So, in essence, Amon hadn’t increased in level.
Besides, he had been around the entire time, making it impossible for him to have suddenly killed some overwhelmingly powerful creature and gained enough EXP to advance again.
’In essence, this is likely due to his secret...’
Mira quickly arrived at a conclusion.
Just as Amon had mysteriously made her capable of sensing him across countless timelines, she guessed he likely possessed a treasure capable of concealing his existence.
’What sort of treasure could it be? God-Rank? Or something even higher?’
Countless questions echoed through her mind as she sat beside him.
Meanwhile, after sparing the little girl a glance and seeing that she was lost in thought, Amon returned his attention to the screen floating before him.
The screen hovered effortlessly, revealing the second description.
Making someone his chess piece...
Amon stared at the description for several seconds.
Even he had to admit the ability was terrifying.
To control another person’s thoughts, actions, and emotions entirely...
It was the sort of power that could turn a saint into a devil with a single decision.
Yet despite the unease that briefly surfaced in his heart, curiosity quickly followed.
Just how far could such control extend?
What were its limits?
Having no one to test it on for now, he merely glanced at the second World Key Fragment he had obtained.
He didn’t know why the system seemed intent on leading him toward the World Key and the Ataroth Mask.
He was curious about who Ataroth was.
Could it be a person?
And if it was, then just how powerful had they been for their mask to remain so overpowered despite being incomplete?
Amon had many suspicions, but in the end, he decided to let things unfold naturally.
’Whatever the system’s goal is, I’ll see it through to the end.’
The resolve in his heart quietly solidified.
Just then, a loud knock echoed through the house.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Amon furrowed his brows and turned toward the door, immediately becoming alert.
He and his wife hardly had any friends.
He wasn’t expecting visitors.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he rose to his feet.
Beside him, Mira adjusted herself and stared toward the entrance with wide, curious eyes.
Although she could peer across various timelines, her ability was currently limited to a drastic extent.
At that moment, Amon’s Danger Sense stirred.
A vague sense of danger emanated from the person standing behind the door.
Whoever had come did not carry good intentions.
Stepping forward, Amon reached the entrance.
The door swung open with a light push.
The moment he saw the person standing outside, he froze.
A frown formed on his face as he looked at the young man whose appearance bore a striking resemblance to his own.
"It’s been a while, brother."
The young man smiled calmly as his gaze swept across the interior of the house.
...
Author’s note: What are your thoughts on the Chapter so far? Or the novel in general? I’m still quite a relatively new author, so it’ll be really lovely to hear your feedback concerning the novel so far. Please state your complaints below.
