I Can Extract Game Items

The trader's stall was a fortress disguised as chaos. Crates were stacked high, and armed guards roamed the perimeter with their eyes scanning the crowd.

The trader himself— a large man with a scowl carved into his face—stood near the entrance, barking orders to his men.

August slipped into the shadows, activating Stealth. He moved like water, weaving through the maze of crates and barrels until he reached the stall's rear. There, amidst a pile of documents, sat the ledger with its cover bound in cracked leather.

As he reached for it, a sudden click echoed beneath his fingers. His eyes darted to the source—a pressure plate concealed beneath the ledger.

"Clever," he muttered, yanking his hand back just as an alarm rang out.

"Someone's in the back!" the trader shouted with a booming voice. "Find them!"

Guards rushed toward the area, drawing their weapons. August cursed under his breath, activating Phantom Splice.

A clone of himself appeared and they split off, dashing in different directions to confuse the guards. In the chaos, August grabbed the ledger and leaped onto a nearby crate, vaulting over the stall's wall.

"Get him!" a guard yelled, but August was already gone, disappearing into the maze of alleys.

...

August returned to the old woman, tossing the ledger onto her table.

"Here. Now talk."

She cackled, clutching the ledger like a prized jewel. "I heard Dakar's in the tunnels beneath Stonebreak Market, preparing a shipment of explosives. But be warned—he's a paranoid one. You'll need more than this to find him."

August frowned. "More?"

"He surrounds himself with lies," she said cryptically. "The truth is buried, but you'll find it if you dig deep enough."

Determined to gather more, August moved through the Shadowmarket, tuning to every whisper.

He heard conflicting stories:

"Dakar's hiding in a mansion in Shadowmoor," one drunk claimed, slamming his mug on a table.

"No, he's gone underground, hasn't been seen in weeks," a cloaked figure insisted.

"He's a ghost," another said. "Only his men ever deal with anyone."

August knew better than to trust surface-level chatter. His instincts told him the truth lay deeper.

---

Due to everything he had heard, he was able to pinpoint someone useful.

A man named Garren was boasting in a tavern about once working with Dakar. August followed him into the night, waiting until the man was alone in a dark alley before making his move.

"Garren," August stepped out from the shadows.

The man jumped while reaching for his dagger but August was faster.

His figure blurred and he appeared right before Garren. Disarming him, he pressed a blade to his throat.

"Talk," August growled. "What do you know about Dakar Marow?"

Garren sneered, struggling against August's grip. "You think you scare me? You're just another fool chasing shadows."

August pressed the blade harder as his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "I don't have time for games. Spill everything you know, or you'll become one with the shadows... permanently."

Garren froze as his bravado crumbled. "Alright, alright! He's a ghost, yeah, but he's smart. Cunning. He doesn't trust anyone, not even his own men."

"Go on," August loosened his grip slightly.

"He tests everyone," Garren's voice trembled as he continued. "Once, a guild tried to double-cross him. He sent them a crate of gold—only it was laced with a curse that killed anyone who touched it. That's the kind of man he is. Always ten steps ahead."

"What about his location?" August pressed. "Is he in Stonebreak?"

Garren hesitated as his eyes darted nervously. "Yes… but not where you think. He's using the old smuggler's route beneath the east tunnels. It's the only place no one dares to go."

Satisfied, August knocked Garren unconscious and left him in the alley.

As he pieced together everything he'd learned, August realized the west tunnels made the most sense. The other rumors were distractions—deliberate lies planted by Dakar to throw people off his trail.

Activating Stealth, August slipped into the western tunnels. The air grew colder as he descended.

The further he went, the more faint voices he heard.

Peering from the shadows, he spotted Dakar at last, standing amidst crates of explosives and barking orders to his men.

"Double-check everything," Dakar said, his sharp voice echoing through the cavern. "We move in one hour."

August smirked. "Found you."

---

[ System Notification: Stage 2 Complete ]

[ Objective Achieved: Dakar Marow Located. Proceeding to Final Stage. ]

As the world shimmered, transporting him to the next trial, August couldn't help but feel a hint of pride. This wasn't just about speed or stealth—it was about outsmarting a master of deception. And he'd done it.

...

...

The battlefield near the monolith was a chaotic nightmare. The once barren land between the canyon and the outskirts of Tagharium was now a blood-soaked wasteland, littered with fallen knights, crumbled constructs, and the dissipating remains of shadowy beings.

The monolith itself stood ominously at the center. Its runes glowed brighter with each pulse, like every death was feeding its insatiable appetite.

The acrid smell of burning flesh and the metallic tang of blood, mingled with the eerie, almost musical sound emanating from the monolith. The shadowy beings that had caused so much destruction were relentless, their jerky, unnatural movements unsettling even to the most hardened players. Yet, things had taken a far darker turn with the appearance of an undead army pouring in from the south.

The ground trembled as the dried-up-looking soldiers marched. Among them were hulking undead abominations wielding massive weapons. Each fallen knight was added to their ranks.

Lilo fired arrow after arrow as she leaped between the crumbled remains of a wagon for cover. Her playful demeanor had shifted into one of grim determination, though she couldn't resist shouting over the chaos.

"Boris, stop swinging that thing like you're chopping wood! Aim for the head!" she called, nocking another arrow and letting it fly.

Boris, covered in blood and dirt, let out a booming laugh as his massive axe cleaved through a skeletal warrior. "If I aim, I'll miss! Besides, this is more fun!"

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Author's Note: I apologize for the recent lack of chapters. I didn't realize that another tier of privilege had been activated and I was required to put ten chapters in it. I have been busy with real life situations these past few days that's why it took so long.

To make up for the inconvenience, I'll do a mass release of ten chapters next week Thursday. I apologize once again and thank you all for the continued support. Happy New Year.