Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character
Chapter 190 - 190: Sneaking Out

"You're not going to bed?" Rey asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched Asher hurriedly get ready to leave the room.

"I've got somewhere to be," Asher replied, his tone curt as he adjusted his cloak. He didn't even glance back.

"Alright then, I'm coming with you," Rey declared, hopping off his bed and reaching for his boots.

Asher paused mid-step, turning to face Rey with a mix of mild irritation and reluctant amusement. He studied him for a moment before sighing. "You really shouldn't tag along for this one."

Rey raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Nope. If my roommate is sneaking out this late at night, it's my duty to come along, just in case." He yanked on his boots with a smirk, standing tall and ready.

Asher shook his head, muttering under his breath. "I'm more likely to get into trouble with you around…" He finally met Rey's determined gaze and relented with a shrug. "Fine, but if you're going to be stubborn, you might as well know, Jett's coming too."

The moment the name left Asher's lips, Rey froze. He blinked once, twice, then let out an exaggerated sigh before plopping back onto his bed.

"Jett's coming, huh?" Rey muttered, his voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Have fun with that."

Asher tilted his head, smirking. "What, you're not coming anymore?"

"Yeahhh… I think I'll pass," Rey said, kicking off his boots and pulling his blanket over himself. "I still need some no-Jett time."

"Coward," Asher teased as he turned to leave.

"Whatever you say," Rey replied, tossing his shirt onto the floor. "Just make sure to get back early, dumbass, and lock the door!"

Asher chuckled softly, pulling the door shut behind him. "Goodnight."

He stepped out of the room and sighed, only to pause when he saw Jett casually leaning against the wall opposite the door.

"You really are eager to get into trouble, aren't you?" Asher muttered, narrowing his eyes at Jett.

Jett smirked, pushing off the wall to fall in step beside him. "Well then, I have you to protect me, don't I?" His voice dripped with sarcasm as he matched Asher's pace.

"Sure…" Asher replied dryly, barely concealing his annoyance. "Let's just get this over with."

The pair walked stealthily through the dimly lit corridors, their eyes darting to check their surroundings. As they moved further from the dorms, Jett's energy seemed to rise.

"Alright, operation 'show up uninvited to Ross's room' is…"

"Keep it down!" Asher hissed, spinning on his heel to glare at Jett. His patience was wearing thin. "And what the hell is that even supposed to mean?"

Jett shrugged innocently. "Isn't that what mercenaries say on TV back in our world?"

Asher pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to suppress the growing urge to throttle him. "No, you idiot. That's what TV secret agents say… and not even the real ones, the made-up ones in movies." His voice was a harsh whisper, laced with irritation, "Speaking of which, how do you think I know about your past occupation?"

Jett's grin widened as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "I didn't say anything specific, but I guess it's good to know, thanks for confirming my suspicions. I had a hunch when I heard you got sent to an assassination family."

Asher's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. "I swear, I really hope I'm the one who gets to kill you someday."

Jett chuckled, undeterred by the hostility. "Oh, come on, Asher. You'd miss me if I were gone."

Asher groaned, turning away to continue down the hall. "The sooner we finish this, the better."

The two moved like shadows through the estate, weaving around the many layers of surveillance that guarded the dormitories. Every few steps, Asher would gesture for Jett to stop, his eyes scanning for patrols. He effortlessly led the way, always one step ahead of detection, his movements precise and calculated.

When a group of patrolling guards passed dangerously close, Asher ducked behind a corner, pulling Jett with him. "Stay close," he whispered sharply. Jett, unusually quiet, followed Asher's lead, though his impatience was growing.

The deeper they went, the fewer people there were, but the intensity of the security heightened.

"How much longer?" Jett finally broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

Asher sighed, his frustration mounting. 'Suck it up, Asher. You decided to do this with him, so no turning back,' he thought bitterly before responding, "Not too long. Just stay quiet. Unless you have a stealth skill, then this could be much faster."

Jett glanced at him, his expression torn between confusion and amusement.

"I said unless you have a…" Asher started, but Jett cut him off.

"I do have a stealth skill. A good one at that."

Asher froze mid-step, slowly shaking his head, disbelief etched into his face. "You what...?" His voice trailed off before he groaned. "Oh, of course. I forgot we were talking about you." He dragged a hand down his face, his exasperation palpable. "I swear I feel dumber every time I do something with you."

Jett shrugged nonchalantly, a hand behind his head. "Well, you're stuck with me now."

Ignoring him, Asher peered out from their hiding spot. His sharp eyes locked onto a tall building at the far end of the estate.

"There," he said, pointing to the structure. "That's his room. He owns the entire top floor. I trust you can get there on your own?"

Jett smirked confidently. "What do you take me for? Of course I can."

Without responding, Asher vanished. In a split second, he reappeared on the roof of the building he had just pointed to, as if he had simply melted into the shadows and emerged where he wanted to be. His movements were so seamless, so fast, that Jett blinked in disbelief.

Jett stared at the empty space where Asher had stood. "Show-off."

Jett exhaled slowly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he activated his stealth skill. [Hidden] A thin veil of darkness covered him before swallowing his presence entirely.

His body blurred into the surroundings like a mirage, and in mere moments, he was gone, his steps now weightless, his breath nonexistent to the world around him.

Moving like a ghost, Jett slipped past the patrolling guards unnoticed. They strolled past him, unaware of the invisible intruder weaving between their ranks. A single misstep could expose him, but Jett moved with the confidence of someone who had danced with danger before.

As he reached the building, Jett pressed against the cold stone wall and studied the path ahead. He timed his approach carefully, waiting for the right moment before dashing into the shadows. With a swift leap, he gripped the side of the structure, his fingers finding purchase against the decorative carvings.

Hand over hand, Jett climbed with practiced ease, his stealth skill suppressing the sound of his ascent. He reached the balcony with a final, effortless pull, only to crash into a small table.

His foot knocked over an ornate vase. The vase tipped over the edge, shattering upon impact with the stone floor below.

.

'Crap' Jett's eyes widened.

As if summoned by the noise, a flock of crows resting nearby suddenly took flight in a frenzy of wings and startled cries. Their panicked cawing echoed into the night, drawing far more attention than Jett had ever intended.

"Shhh…! Hey! Easy, easy!" Jett hissed, waving slightly as he tried to calm the agitated birds. He waved his hands frantically, but it only seemed to make things worse. One particularly bold crow flapped in his face before darting off, leaving Jett sputtering in frustration.

Inside the room, Asher stood by the window, watching the chaotic scene unfold. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. 'This idiot…' His shoulders slumped as he shook his head, half in exasperation, half in sheer disbelief.

It took a moment, but finally, the crows settled. With a relieved sigh, Jett straightened up, dusted himself off, and adjusted his posture. "That could've gone better…" he muttered to himself.

Little did he know, his clumsy entrance hadn't gone unnoticed.

*****

Ross sat at his desk, flipping through a stack of papers with an air of disinterest. The light cast flickering shadows across his refined features as he skimmed through the documents, his fingers tapping idly against the polished wood.

Seated before him, the same girl who had delivered Jett a letter letter earlier stood at attention, her hands clasped neatly behind her back. "…And that's all that happened today, sir."

Ross sighed, setting the papers down. "Really? Still a shame that he rejected my proposal." He leaned back slightly, his eyes dark with mild disappointment. "Such a waste of potential."

The girl nodded. "If I may, I see little merit in pursuing him further. Some within our ranks already oppose the idea, and frankly, I don't see what he brings to the table."

She shifted her stance slightly before continuing. "Instead, I would suggest focusing our resources on recruiting the others. You may already know this, but within Verena, those thirteen students have been labeled with the honorary title of Divine Lords due to an old prophecy. And from what I've seen, they seem to live up to it. Gaining their allegiance would be far more profitable in the long run."

Across the room, another student: this time a boy, let out a scoff. "Who doesn't know about that prophecy?" He leaned against the bookshelf, arms crossed in skepticism. "I don't see anything special in them anyway."

The girl was about to retort when…

CRASH!!!

The sudden noise from the balcony sent the entire room into alert. The distinct sound of shattering ceramic and a flurry of panicked bird cries filled the air.

Instantly, Ross narrowed his eyes. His fingers tensed against the edge of his desk. "What was that?"

The girl wasted no time. She turned sharply and strode toward the glass door leading to the balcony. The boy followed closely behind, already on edge.

As she reached for the handle and pulled it open, a cold breeze swept into the room.

And then…

She saw it.

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Really sorry i've not dropped an update for a while now. Things havent been working out here but i haven't forgotten you guys