The Shepherds Are Dense

Chapter 100: Spell Card — Shadow Cloak

Aiwas didn’t expect Yulia’s intense reaction to his return after a week at university. Clinging to him, she demanded stories of school life, justified by her concern: two assassination attempts in one week proved its danger. Speechless, Aiwas sat by her bed, recounting his week until Yulia, with her childlike sleep schedule, yawned. Despite her sharp mind and love for occult studies—favoring astrology, alchemy, and preservation over Aiwas’s demonology—she tired easily outside of reading. Moriarty Manor’s library, rich in Equilibrium, Wisdom, and Authority texts but lacking Beauty, Transcendence, and Twilight, reflected their adoptive father’s Equilibrium path, though he never showed his alchemy skills.Yulia’s phantom-hosting condition barred her from school, yet she envied Aiwas’s opportunity. Feeling for her superior intellect, he once skipped university to study with her at home. Now, sharing his experiences, Yulia fought sleep, but Aiwas, using a lullaby learned from Isabel (lacking Beauty path power), gently coaxed her to rest. Checking her condition, he confirmed Edward’s seal held, and the Paradox Flame Butterfly card Yulia nurtured was gaining sentience, set to awaken next week. Aiwas delayed sealing it until after his Transcendence advancement, as its Dedication-path fire nature suited his priest facade, unlike the illicit Shadow Demon, avoiding leaks during his ritual.

Next week, Aiwas planned to confront the Red Nobility Society, suspected of the demon attack and Sherlock’s bombing. Upgrading his Demon Scholar to level 9 (9 dark mana points), with skills , , , and , he paused Demonology to focus on Demon Contract growth via Shadow Demon use. Preparing a new “Moon” tarot card with four mana points, he slept to recover mana for crafting.

Rising after seven hours at 5:30 a.m., Aiwas resumed crafting, embedding a rusty nail into the card—his third, now routine. Using the Shadow Demon’s power, he aimed for (10+ dark mana), as opposed to (20+ mana, pure damage) or (30+ mana, creating a shadow-filled arena boosting the demon’s speed, mimicry, and stats). Shadow Cellar, ideal for the demon, required level 19, while Shadow Impact was redundant in Avalon due to visibility and ritual alternatives. Shadow Cloak suited PvP best.

As a priest, Aiwas directly invoked the Eternal Self, chanting to the Love path’s pillar god, ensuring success without waiting. A breeze stirred, pulling the Shadow Demon’s power like stretched cotton candy. The demon, awake unlike during ’s creation, panicked, unable to maintain forms as its essence was siphoned. Recognizing the ritual tied to the Fallen Celestial, it realized Aiwas’s deep knowledge and serious intent to challenge the Celestial, stirring both excitement and fear for his safety. A fifth of its power drained, the card completed, floating to Aiwas:

[Spell: Shadow Cloak (Moon)]

[Requirement: Dark 1]

[Instant, Non-Contact, Immediate Effect]

[Effect: Repels nearby targets, removes seals, freezes, burns, binds, or petrification, granting full invisibility for one minute (+30%). If invisibility breaks, applies a blinding curse to hostile viewers.]

(Chapter End)

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