Sins of the Reborn Vanguard

A Thief in the Night

"Four in the morning," Leon whispered, pulling himself tighter into the shadow of the armory wall. "That’s when he leaves. System, how much time do we have left?"

"[Answering. Exactly seven minutes until Commander Kael initiates his perimeter patrol,]" the mechanical voice chimed in his mind. "[Host physical parameters are currently stabilized. Goblin Reflexes passive stealth enhancement is active.]"

"Good. My chest doesn't burn anymore, but my hands are still freezing," Leon muttered, rubbing his palms together. "Stealing from a Tier 4 Master Warrior... if I get caught, there won’t be a trial. Kael will execute me on the spot."

"[Survival is the priority. To alter the timeline and defeat the Hero Ares, acquiring the Purified Stone of Light is a non-negotiable step,]" the system responded coldly.

"I know, I know. You don't have to remind me," Leon grumbled under his breath. He watched the heavy wooden door of the commander's office. "Just keep scanning for any sudden movements. I can't afford a single mistake."

A soft rustle from the nearby barracks made Leon freeze. He pressed his back flat against the stone, holding his breath.

"Hey, who's out there?" a groggy voice called out from the dark doorway of the barracks. It was Jax, rubbing his eyes and holding a wooden bucket. "Leon? Is that you? Man, what are you doing wandering around in the dark?"

"Jax, keep your voice down!" Leon hissed, stepping slightly into the dim torchlight so his friend could see him. "I'm just getting some fresh air. My head is still spinning from that fight on the wall."

"Seriously? It's freezing out here," Jax muttered, shivering as a cold gust of wind swept through the courtyard. "And you don't have your jacket on. You're going to catch a fever, hero."

"I'm fine. The cold actually helps clear my mind," Leon lied smoothly, keeping his body positioned to block Jax's view of Kael's office. "What are you doing up anyway?"

"The latrine bucket was full, and Thomas complained about the smell," Jax sighed, holding up the wooden bucket with a grimace. "Since you saved our necks today, I got stuck with chore duty. Don't stay out too long, alright? Captain Vargas will lose his mind if you're too sick to train tomorrow."

"I won't. I'll head back in a minute," Leon said, waving him off. "Go wash that bucket."

"Yeah, yeah. See you inside," Jax mumbled, dragging his feet toward the well.

Leon let out a long, silent breath as Jax vanished around the corner. "That was too close. System, is Kael moving yet?"

"[Affirmative. Auditory sensors detect heavy footsteps approaching the office door. The target is exiting,]" the system alerted.

The heavy door creaked open. Commander Kael stepped out, adjusting his polished silver gauntlets. He looked toward the two guards standing at attention.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Kael ordered, his deep voice carrying easily across the quiet courtyard. "The miasma is thick tonight. I don't want any slackers on the east wall."

"Yes, Commander!" the guards replied in unison.

"I will return in thirty minutes. Do not let anyone near my study," Kael added, turning on his heel and walking toward the outer watchtowers.

"The key is still on his belt," Leon whispered, watching the golden key swing with Kael's heavy strides. "But Jax said the stone is in the safe. If Kael took the key with him, how am I supposed to open it?"

"[Analysis of Kael's residual habits indicates a 78% probability that the Purified Stone of Light is currently placed on his desk for nocturnal energy discharge,]" the system explained. "[He frequently leaves it exposed to absorb the natural moonlight when the miasma rises.]"

"So the safe might be empty, and the stone is just sitting there?" Leon asked, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. "Let's pray your logic is right. What about the window?"

"[The window on the rear ledge of the inner keep is unmonitored. Moving to the climb point now is recommended. Use the trellis on the left wall.]"

"On it," Leon muttered, darting across the open yard.

His movements felt different. With the goblin reflexes active, his feet barely made a sound on the gravel. He reached the wooden trellis, grabbed the rough frame, and pulled himself up with effortless grace.

"Wow. I used to struggle to lift my own weight in this rookie body," Leon whispered as he climbed onto the stone window ledge. "This system really isn't a joke."

"[Praise is irrelevant. Focus on the task. The window is latched from the inside.]"

"Let me try something," Leon said, pulling a thin wire from his leather pouch. He slipped it through the gap in the wooden frame. Click. "Ha. Some things don't change. Kael never did upgrade these old locks."

He slid the window open, slipping into the dark office like a ghost. The room was cool, smelling of old parchment and expensive leather.

"System, where is it?" Leon whispered, scanning the shadows.

"[Energy signature detected on the central mahogany desk. Scanning... Target confirmed: Purified Stone of Light.]"

There it was. Resting on a velvet cushion in the center of the desk was a crystal sphere, glowing with a soft, warm amber light that seemed to push away the darkness of the room.

"It's beautiful," Leon breathed, walking over and reaching out his hand. "This is it. My ticket to breaking the limit."

Before his fingers could touch the warm glass, a heavy sound echoed from the hallway outside.

Clank. Clank.

"Wait... those are heavy boots," Leon gasped, freezing in place. "No, no, no. Kael just left! It hasn't even been five minutes!"

"[Alert! Commander Kael is returning. Distance: Fifteen meters. Estimated arrival: Eight seconds,]" the system's voice suddenly spiked with artificial urgency.

"Why is he back?! What went wrong?!" Leon panicked, his heart hammering against his ribs.

"[Hypothesis: He realized he forgot his tactical map or detected a disturbance. Hide immediately, host!]"

"Where?! There's nowhere to go!" Leon looked around wildly. The room was mostly bare, save for the desk, a bookcase, and a massive, heavy tapestry depicting the founding of the kingdom hanging near the corner.

"The tapestry! Move!" Leon hissed, diving behind the thick, dusty velvet just as the brass doorknob began to rattle.

The heavy iron key turned in the lock with an agonizingly loud clank. The door swung open, and Kael's towering figure stepped into the room.

"Stupid of me," Kael muttered to himself, his voice sounding incredibly loud in the confined space. "Leaving the southern deployment plans on the side table..."

Leon pressed his back against the cold stone wall behind the tapestry. "System... he's going to hear my chest. My heart is beating like a drum!"

"[Warning: Host heart rate has reached 155 BPM. Commander Kael's sensory perception is extremely high. Probability of detection: 94%.]"

"Do something! You're a system, aren't you?!" Leon pleaded in a desperate, silent scream. "If he finds me, we both die!"

"[Activating Passive Trait: 'Goblin Reflexes - Shadow Meld'. Warning: This process will rapidly lower your body temperature and suppress your circulatory system. You will experience acute cold. Endure it.]"

"Just... do it!" Leon gasped mentally.

Suddenly, a wave of biting, icy numbness washed over his entire body. It felt as if his blood had instantly turned to liquid nitrogen. His racing heart forced itself down, dropping to a slow, sluggish thud. One beat. Two beats. His breathing stopped entirely, his lungs freezing in place.

Outside the tapestry, Kael's heavy footsteps paused.

"What is this?" Kael murmured, his voice sounding incredibly close. "Why did the temperature in here just drop?"

Leon could hear the rustle of Kael's heavy wool cape. The commander was standing mere inches away from the tapestry. Leon's eyes widened in the dark, his body completely paralyzed by the system's freezing override. He could smell the metallic scent of Kael's polished armor.

"Is there a draft coming from the window?" Kael muttered, walking past the tapestry toward the ledge.

Step. Step.

Leon's frozen mind screamed. "Please, just close the window and leave. Don't look behind the curtain."

"The latch is loose," Kael grumbled, his hand slamming the wooden frame shut. "Those lazy guards must have left it unlocked. I'll have to discipline them tomorrow."

He turned back toward the desk. The sound of rustling paper filled the silence of the room.

"Ah, here they are. The deployment plans," Kael said, his boots clicking on the floorboards as he walked back toward the door. "Still, this cold... it feels unnatural. Almost like a shadow spell."

Leon's vision began to blur at the edges. His brain was screaming for oxygen, but his frozen chest refused to move. "System... how much... longer?"

"[Hold. Commander Kael is still within the detection radius. Thirty seconds of absolute stillness required to ensure safety.]"

Kael paused at the doorway, looking back into the dark room. "Perhaps I should take the Stone of Light with me. The miasma outside is getting thicker by the minute."

"No... don't touch it..." Leon thought, a cold sweat freezing on his brow.

"No, leaving it here is safer," Kael reasoned out loud, shaking his head. "If I fall in battle, the camp will need the barrier to hold. Protect the keep."

With those final words, Kael stepped out of the office. The heavy door swung shut, and the lock clicked back into place with a definitive thunk.

The moment the lock turned, the icy grip on Leon's chest shattered.

"Hah! Cough... cough!" Leon collapsed to his knees behind the tapestry, drawing in desperate, ragged gasps of air. His limbs trembled violently as his blood began to flow again, burning like liquid fire through his veins.

"[Circulatory suppression deactivated. Heart rate returning to normal. Danger cleared,]" the system announced.

"You... you almost killed me..." Leon panted, rubbing his shivering arms. "That felt like dying all over again."

"[The process saved your life. Commander Kael was three seconds away from pulling back the tapestry. Now, secure the relic. We must leave before his patrol ends.]"

"Right. No more stalling," Leon said, pushing himself up with shaking legs.

He stepped out from behind the velvet hanging and walked to the desk. The amber sphere glowed warmly, casting a soft light on his determined face. Leon reached out and gripped the Purified Stone of Light. It felt incredibly warm, contrasting sharply with his freezing skin.

"It's so light... and the energy inside is massive," Leon whispered, tucking the glowing stone securely inside his loose linen tunic.

"[Limit Break Quest: 'Commit the Sin of Theft' completed successfully,]" the system chimed, a faint red glow flashing in Leon's eyes. "[Soul container expansion protocol is ready to initiate. Find a secure location immediately.]"

"Let's get back to the barracks before anyone notices I'm gone," Leon said, sliding the window open once more. He looked out into the dark, moonless night. "The countdown to my revenge has officially begun."