Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Eren let his mind wander off to an uncharted territory.

'Hmm? Messing with the Mesh, huh? Breaking the system. Breaking it in such a way that it becomes exploitable.

It seems there's a connection between seemingly random things. Being from Anfang, I'm sure the Sansara Sage would not be too keen on running after imaginary wealth as well. He would not be interested in serving some god as well.

He was a researcher at heart. A true son of the Land of the Faithless. He was well prepared when he left Anfang behind. But what did he do after leaving Anfang? And what did he achieve?

The Sansara World. The way the Mesh functions. The breaking of Sansara. The research related to bringing artificial creations to life. Maya.

What was the Sansara Sage trying to achieve by creating that legacy? Should I create a Sansara World of my own based on his legacy?'

Eren asked himself as he wilfully digressed. Even though he was sitting in a pool of warm and crimson red pool of his victims' blood, the stray thoughts in his head made him forget about his surroundings.

Eren was sure that he would be able to claim a new Skill for himself without spending Menaka's Runes if he were to devour a Skill owner. It meant he needed to devour someone like him who owned or co-owned a Skill and was selling it in the Menaka's Market. However, so far he had found no such Skill owner.

He also understood that staying anonymous while selling one's Skill was a crucial factor in Labh Salem. Otherwise, people would target him to get a Skill from him. The people of Labh Salem had a number of ways and Skills to extract a Skill and related information about it from a Skill owner.

More than the Skill effect itself, owning a Skill in the Mesh was a big thing. It could allow one to generate a steady flow of passive income. There were ways with which the Mesh could be tricked into considering someone a new owner of a particular Skill. Of course, after eradicating the original owner. Thankfully, Eren had been warned of the dangers of exploring the Mesh virtually from the beginning. As such, he had protected his identity while putting his Skill up for grabs in the Menaka's Market.

[ Incoming communication request. Proceed to accept? ]

Eren was lost in his thoughts when he received a communication request out of the blue. He picked it up right away after realizing who it was.

"Husband."

Kirin's miniature spectral form appeared above Eren's open right palm.

Despite her rosy skin tinged with a distinct red hue, she didn't quite look like an ordinary human. Her face was stunning, featuring a cute nose and golden eyes inherited from her father, yet devoid of any cruelty.

Her lips, as red as cherries, held a delicate charm. While her ears had an elf-like quality, they weren't overly stretched. Adorned in a waist-length ponytail with long golden bangs cascading over her forehead, her hairstyle accentuated her beautiful eyes.

Surprisingly, the young Oni possessed a curvaceous figure that defied expectations given her cute visage. Her ample bosom, slim waist, and shapely posterior could easily induce an inferiority complex in other females.

Standing over six feet tall, Kirin was considered a giant monstress, yet compared to her dead father, she seemed relatively young and small.

Kirin's outfit in a seemingly new world was notably distinct from what she wore in Anfang. She donned an ensemble befitting a skilled rogue.

Her attire, a blend of black and blue hues, featured a form-fitting tunic with intricate leather stitching. Unlike her warrior outfit in Anfang, this attire embraced a subtler allure, shrouded in mystery.

A hooded cloak, dyed in deep midnight tones, cascaded down her shoulders, concealing a portion of her golden locks. The fabric whispered as she moved, a sound barely audible amidst the echoes of the magical forest that surrounded her.

Leather pants, tailored for agility, clung to her lithe form, allowing unrestricted movement. Strapped thigh-high boots, adorned with silver buckles, completed the ensemble, leaving imprints of a silent hunter traversing the enchanted lands.

Around her waist, a belt housed concealed pockets, holding tools of her trade – lock picks, vials of potions, and a small pouch of enchanted dust. The subtle gleam of a dagger's hilt protruded from its sheath, nestled against her lower back.

It seemed she was also out there, busy doing something but had managed to find some time to contact her husband.

Kirin finally managed to communicate with Eren using Menaka's Blessing. She seemed happy and relieved to know that Eren had finally landed in Labh Salem.

"Wife," Eren had learned to match up with Kirin's vibes. "You sure were not easy to contact, you know. And where are you?"

Eren asked with a smile on his face. He wiped the residual blood off of his face by rubbing it against his arms in order to look as decent as he could in front of his wife. The half-elf-half-oni woman wasn't surprised by Eren's appearance and greeted him normally.

"Not easy to contact? Hmph. You are one to talk. Do you know how many times I tried to reach you through this Blessing thing? And hmm? Oh… it seems you have already started working," she added as she looked at Eren with seemingly cold yet subtly doting expressions.

Her vision was filled with blood and gore that was around Eren. but somehow her eyes could only see Eren and his face. She looked at him as if she was trying to inspect him, reprimand him, and kiss him at the same time.

Eren had learned to ignore Kirin's snarky remarks. He stood nothing to gain from arguing. He also knew that she was not too happy about her current predicament after being separated from him due to unforeseen circumstances in the Immortal Planes.

Kirin was a quiet woman. As such, her emotions and their various shades were also expressed in a quiet manner.

AN: VEH has reached a new milestone with 1700 chapters! Big thanks to all the readers and a special shoutout to the top contributors. Cheers! :)