Infinite Skill Devourer
Chapter 41: Yokai Taiji Begins

Chapter 41: Yokai Taiji Begins

The notifications brought Ryuen a sense of relief, from the task upgrade down to his class advancement.

The class upgrade, however, wasn’t much of a deal. It didn’t specify which type of D-class he belonged to. Moreover, he had yet to learn his rank.

Based on his observations, he was likely a novice since he had little to no understanding of the current situation.

On the other hand, he might be considered a rookie if his knowledge gained from reading and observation counted for anything.

Still, being class D made him feel weak. Despite his reputation as an assassin, he was barely an average fighter.

He needed to get stronger.

The best option was to complete everything he needed to do in the city and leave before anyone became familiar with him.

Leaving Kaori would be difficult, but she was old enough to manage on her own.

He could always contact her if necessary. Other than that, he had no reason to stay.

Even so, the city held promise.

From what he’d overheard while people walked by his ward and chatted in the hallways, the city was the most popular due to frequent dungeon and gate appearances.

Each time this happened, the city went on lockdown until the Vanguard and its sister organization resolved the situation.

The Vanguard’s sister organization remained unnamed, along with its members.

This was understandable, considering it was newly established, and its members included criminals, banished individuals, and forbidden skill users.

They were small in number.

The Vanguard, on the other hand, had far more members and was divided into teams—one of which Kaori belonged to.

Daiki was a solo fighter, an S-class, tasked with overseeing the duties of active teams.

Other S-class fighters belonged to teams and preferred being on the frontlines rather than sitting back until a life-threatening event arose.

Ryuen exhaled, cutting his thoughts short. He had learned a lot recently—the four to eight regions, for instance, and how Mirath was part of the southern cities.

His mind drifted to the three humans who had gone missing or possibly died, with their disappearances seemingly covered up.

He could still hear the queen’s voice in his head whenever he felt himself letting his guard down.

Her words and the pain of betrayal echoed in his memory. Ryuen chuckled softly, running his fingers through his messy hair.

Despite everything, he couldn’t forget the queen’s cryptic message about a city. He still had no idea which city she meant.

Choosing to ignore that for now, he refocused on her first instruction: finding Hiroto.

"Hiroto might actually know what to tell me," Ryuen told himself as he made his way to the bathroom to bathe.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a bath in a proper home—not a grand palace, but a modest place like his old apartment.

Despite its loneliness, he appreciated Kaori’s room being nearby.

It reminded him he had a family, giving him hope that she’d return even if he wasn’t around.

The bathroom had a simple design: black tiles, a shower overhead within a cubicle.

It was a place where he used to wash away blood after missions and reflect on his life.

Afterward, he would throw on a sweatshirt and trousers, pick up one of the novels Kaori had bought for him, and read.

Ryuen chuckled softly. Nostalgia was a beautiful feeling. It allowed him to see the bright side of things.

Despite his horrible childhood, he couldn’t deny that he had found moments of happiness.

And that happiness kept him going—and smiling.

______

After an hour of a slow, hot bath, Ryuen stepped out of his room, greeted by the delicious aroma of food wafting through the air.

He slipped into a black button-up shirt, rolling up the sleeves.

He paired it with black pants and combat boots.

He paused to glance at the mirror to check his appearance—for no one else but himself.

Picking up the comb and brush Kaori had set out for him, he styled his hair neatly—or what passed for neat by his standards.

He tied it into a messy ponytail, which, despite feeling tight to him, still looked disheveled.

But in a good way.

Staring at himself in the mirror, he realized it had been years since he’d done so.

Why?

Every time he saw his face, he was reminded of his father—and the things they’d done, if added, it would make him feel like a devil.

"I look exactly like him," he chuckled, wondering how he’d look if he had the same scar as his father.

Three lines across his face, with stitches that made it seem more like a tattoo than a scar.

He smiled at the memory, then straightened himself.

The things he would do to relive those moments...

He shook his head and turned turned to leave the room.

On his way to the kitchen, he noticed that one of the doors was open—and it wasn’t Kaori’s room.

Out of curiosity, he confidently sauntered inside, hoping to find something interesting.

Instead, he found an alarming amount of white bandages scattered on the floor.

The air was filled with the scent of a feminine perfume, oddly satisfying yet unfamiliar.

Floating inches away from the wall was a large holographic collection of weapons—swords, daggers, and even a scythe.

"An inventory?" he mumbled, turning fully to face the wall, intrigued by the extensive collection.

He was certain none of it belonged to Kaori or Daiki.

"Whoever owns these must be really strong," he muttered, tilting his head to read the inscriptions above the weapons.

The characters appeared to be more Korean than Japanese—perhaps a mix.

None of it concerned him, though.

Bored almost immediately, he left the room the same way he had entered.

As soon as he exited, the sheets on the bed shifted, revealing a few strands of black hair spilling over the side.

The figure beneath the blanket scoffed and pulled a pillow over her head.

"Stupid sleep-disturbing humans," she muttered and went back to sleep.

Ryuen, oblivious to the presence on the bed, had already moved on.

He made his way to the kitchen, where he saw everything he had prepared neatly dished out—and plated better than he would have managed himself.

There were small servings of rice and salads, all thanks to Kaori, and her impressive artistic mind.

His gaze shifted to Daiki, who looked like he was preparing to head out.

Daiki wore a white full-body coat zipped all the way up to his collar, with a white turtleneck underneath.

Ryuen chuckled softly and moved closer, he sat beside Daiki, where his food had been placed.

Then he smiled at Kaori.

"Thanks."

"Keep that to yourself and get going. You eat too much."

She immediately dismissed his gratitude and continued eating, her focus on the book in her hands.

One thing he hated was being distracted, and he did just that, probably the reason she dismissed his gratitude.

Ryuen simply smiled and lowered his gaze to his food.

He was already dreading how he would feel after eating, but if the system recommended it, he had to comply.

However...

[New Task Available]

Ryuen’s spoon froze halfway to his lips. "Task? What task?"

[Number Available: 1]

[Type: Yokai Taiji, Time Range]

[Task will begin after the host has completed the daily diet task.]

Ryuen nearly choked, frozen in shock.

"A Yokai Taiji after eating? Are you kidding me?!"