Chapter 8 — The Copper Coin
The guild's noise faded behind him as Chris stepped onto the darkening streets of Rendercity.
Evening had settled over the city. Lanterns flickered to life along the main road, casting pools of warm light against the growing shadows. Shops were closing, merchants packing their wares, and the flow of people shifted from workers to those seeking food and entertainment.
Chris's stomach growled loudly.
Right. Food. That's a priority.
He still had Gareth's coin pouch. The merchant had been generous—more than generous. Chris made a mental note to repay him someday.
But first, he needed a place to sleep.
He wandered the streets, passing taverns that looked too expensive and inns that looked too... questionable. Finally, he spotted a modest building tucked between a bakery and a closed tailor shop.
A wooden sign hung above the door, creaking gently in the breeze.
THE COPPER COIN
The name made Chris smile. Fitting, considering his new rank.
He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
---
The interior was simple but clean.
A common room dominated the first floor—wooden tables, mismatched chairs, a stone fireplace crackling in the corner. A few patrons sat scattered about, eating quietly or nursing mugs of ale. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air.
Chris's stomach growled again. Louder this time.
Behind the bar stood a stout woman with graying hair and a no-nonsense expression. She looked up as Chris approached.
"Room or food?"
"Both," Chris said.
"Five copper for the room. Three copper for a meal and drink."
Chris counted out eight copper coins from Gareth's pouch and slid them across the counter.
The woman scooped them up, inspecting each one briefly before nodding.
"Room's upstairs, second door on the left. Food'll be out shortly. Sit anywhere."
"Thanks."
Chris found a table in the corner, his back to the wall. Old habits from reading too many fantasy novels—always watch the entrances.
Or maybe it was just paranoia.
Either way, it felt right.
---
The food arrived quickly.
A plate of roasted meat—some kind of poultry—with boiled vegetables and a thick slice of bread. A mug of ale accompanied it, dark and foamy.
Chris didn't hesitate. He tore into the meal like a man who hadn't eaten in days.
Because he hadn't.
Not properly, anyway. Not since... before.
Before the truck. Before the god. Before everything.
He slowed down, chewing thoughtfully.
Has it really only been a day?
It felt like a lifetime. This morning—or was it yesterday?—he'd been an ordinary office worker. Boring. Forgettable. Trapped in a cycle of spreadsheets and fluorescent lights.
Now he was in another world. With shadow powers. And a sarcastic system. And a creepy god watching him for entertainment.
Oh, and necromancy. Can't forget the illegal death magic.
Chris took a long drink of ale.
What a day.
He thought about everything that had happened. The goblin fight. The shadow servant. The guild registration. The spar with Vance.
And Iris.
The elf mage who'd seen right through his lies without even trying.
"You're a terrible liar. But that's okay—everyone has secrets."
Her words echoed in his mind.
What was her story? A D-rank adventurer, experienced and skilled, taking interest in a random F-rank rookie? It didn't add up.
Unless she saw something in him. Something that made her curious.
That thought was both flattering and terrifying.
I need to be more careful around her.
But he couldn't deny it—having an experienced guide for his first quest was valuable. And her healing magic could save his life if things went wrong.
Tomorrow would be interesting.
---
After finishing his meal, Chris headed upstairs.
The room was small but adequate. A single bed with a straw mattress, a wooden chair, a small table with a candle, and a window overlooking the street below.
He closed the door, locking it with the simple latch.
Finally. Privacy.
Chris sat on the bed, letting out a long breath. His body ached from the day's exertions—the goblin fight, the spar with Vance, the hours of walking and riding.
He should sleep.
But something felt... off.
Not wrong. Just different.
He couldn't place it at first. A strange sensation, like a low hum at the edge of his awareness. It had started when the sun went down and had been growing stronger ever since.
Chris looked toward the window. The night sky stretched beyond, dotted with unfamiliar stars. The moon—larger than Earth's, with a faint purple tint—hung low on the horizon.
And the shadows...
They were everywhere. Pooling in corners. Stretching across the floor. Dancing with the flickering candlelight.
They felt... alive.
No. That wasn't right.
They felt close. Responsive. Like they were waiting for him.
"System," Chris said quietly. "What's happening? The shadows feel different."
A pause. Then the familiar voice responded.
"An astute observation, Master. I was wondering when you would notice."
"Notice what?"
"You are a Shadow Young Lord. Your power is intrinsically tied to darkness. And darkness, as you may have observed, is far more abundant at night."
Chris frowned. "So... I'm stronger at night?"
"Correct."
A screen flickered into existence before him.
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ NIGHT PHASE ACTIVATED ║
╠═══════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ║
║ Shadow abilities enhanced during ║
║ nighttime hours. ║
║ ║
║ Current Buffs: ║
║ - MP Regeneration: +50% ║
║ - Shadow Control Range: +5 meters ║
║ - Shadow Sense Range: +10 meters ║
║ - Blink Cooldown: -10 seconds ║
║ - Shadow Servants: +20% strength ║
║ ║
║ Note: Effects fade at sunrise. ║
║ ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝
Chris stared at the screen, his mind racing.
Stronger at night. Significantly stronger.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"You did not ask, Master. Additionally, you were occupied with not dying. I prioritized relevant information."
Fair point. Annoying, but fair.
Chris stood, moving to the center of the room. He extinguished the candle, plunging the space into darkness.
Immediately, he felt it.
The shadows responded to his presence, curling toward him like eager pets. His Shadow Sense expanded, reaching beyond the walls of his room, detecting the innkeeper downstairs, the patrons in the common room, even a cat prowling the alley outside.
"Master, your Shadow Sense range has increased from 15 meters to 25 meters due to the night phase buff."
Twenty-five meters. More than enough to detect threats before they reached him.
Chris raised his hand, focusing on the shadows pooling at his feet.
Shadow Control.
The darkness obeyed instantly—faster than before, smoother. It rose like smoke, coiling around his fingers, dancing between his knuckles. He shaped it into a tendril, then a sphere, then a crude blade.
During the day, this had taken effort. Concentration.
Now it felt natural. Effortless.
"The increased shadow density at night reduces the MP cost of your abilities and improves response time," the System explained. "You are, quite literally, in your element."
Chris let the shadows dissipate, a slow smile spreading across his face.
Night is my domain.
The implications were massive. During the day, he had to be careful—conserve MP, hide his abilities, rely on his sword. But at night...
At night, he could train. Grow. Become stronger.
And no one would ever know.
"System, if I train my skills at night, will they improve faster?"
"Skill growth is determined by usage and experience, Master. The night phase does not directly accelerate growth, but it does allow for more extensive practice without depleting your MP reserves. Additionally, the enhanced responsiveness of shadows may help you develop finer control more quickly."
In other words—yes.
Chris spent the next hour practicing.
He manipulated shadows into various shapes—weapons, shields, tendrils. He tested the limits of his control, pushing the darkness farther and farther from his body. He extended his Shadow Sense, mapping the entire inn and the streets beyond.
He even practiced Blink, teleporting short distances across the room, stepping into one shadow and emerging from another.
The reduced cooldown made a noticeable difference. During the day, he had to wait thirty seconds between blinks. Now it was only twenty.
Still a limitation. But less of one.
By the time exhaustion finally caught up with him, Chris felt more confident in his abilities than ever before.
I'll train every night. Push my limits. And during the day, I'll hide behind my sword and play the role of a normal adventurer.
A perfect cover.
He sat on the bed, mind still buzzing with possibilities.
And yet...
His thoughts drifted back to Iris.
The silver-haired elf with the knowing smile. The way she'd watched his spar with Vance. The casual way she'd offered to guide him.
"You're interesting. I want to see what you can really do."
What did she see? What made her curious?
Chris didn't like being seen. Being noticed meant being remembered. And being remembered meant being investigated.
But he couldn't deny the usefulness of having her around. A D-rank mage with healing abilities? That was an asset he couldn't afford to reject.
And besides...
She was hiding something too.
He'd seen it in her eyes. That flicker of something deeper beneath the cheerful surface. A weight she carried but didn't show.
Everyone has secrets.
Maybe that's why she was drawn to him. She recognized a fellow pretender.
Or maybe he was overthinking it.
Chris lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow, he'd do his first quest. Collect some flowers. Simple. Safe.
With an experienced guide who could see through his lies.
What could possibly go wrong?
He closed his eyes, letting exhaustion pull him under.
The shadows curled around him like a blanket—comfortable, familiar, protective.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, Chris slept peacefully.
---
Outside the window, the purple-tinted moon climbed higher into the sky.
And somewhere, in a realm beyond mortal comprehension, a white figure sat on a throne of void.
Its frozen smile stretched wide.
"Interesting indeed."
[End of Chapter 8]