Glitched Goddess: My Skills are maxed out

The air in the town felt heavy. Lysera and Irielle stood at the edge of the bustling marketplace, their sharp gazes scanning the people moving quickly through the streets.

Something was wrong.

It wasn't just ordinary activity — there was intent behind these movements, an undercurrent of urgency threading through the crowd.

Individuals cloaked in dark hoods slipped between alleys, darting past shopfronts with practiced efficiency. They weren't wandering aimlessly; they were searching.

Lysera narrowed her eyes.

"Do you see that? They're tracking something… or someone."

She whispered, tilting her head toward a group vanishing around the corner.

Irielle's jaw tightened.

"Kana."

She said flatly, her grip on her weapon tightening.

It wasn't a guess. It was instinct.

The two exchanged a look, silent agreement passing between them, and immediately took off after the shadows.

They trailed the cloaked figures through winding streets, keeping a safe distance, careful not to draw attention.

The further they followed, the quieter the surroundings became, until finally, they arrived at a narrow alleyway — only to be met with a dead end.

Irielle slammed her fist against the cold stone wall, a sharp crack echoing through the silence.

"Damn it!"

She hissed, frustration bubbling in her chest.

Her hand instinctively went to the pendant hanging around her neck — Kana's pendant, the one she had entrusted to her.

The moment her fingers brushed against it, faint light seeped from its core.

Then, without warning, magic pulsed through the air.

A delicate projection unfolded from the pendant, displaying a glowing map suspended before Irielle's eyes.

Two shimmering dots marked distinct locations. Her breath caught when she recognized one of them.

"…Lysera,"

She whispered. And if one was Lysera… then the other—

Kana.

Finally, after endless searching, they had a lead.

But as the realization set in, Irielle hesitated, uncertainty clouding her expression. Something about this felt too easy. Too deliberate.

Lysera stepped forward, her voice calm but firm.

"Irielle."

Irielle blinked and turned toward her.

"We don't have time to hesitate. Kana's out there. If we wait any longer, someone else will get to her first."

Lysera said, her hand resting lightly on Irielle's shoulder.

Irielle clenched her jaw, inhaled deeply, and nodded.

"…Right. Let's move."

With the pendant's projection guiding them, the two disappeared into the streets once more.

Meanwhile, deep within Seraphine's hideout, Kana sat cross-legged on the floor, idly running her fingers over the smooth surface of her pendant.

The quiet hum of the room was interrupted when the faintest warmth spread through the charm, and suddenly, it began to glow.

Her head snapped up in surprise.

Seraphine, who had been tidying up nearby, froze at the sight.

"What is it?"

She asked sharply, moving closer.

Kana shook her head, her brows furrowed.

"I… I don't know. But it feels like something's happening. Something's coming."

She admitted honestly.

Seraphine's expression shifted subtly, the corners of her lips pressing into a thin line. Before she could respond, the shrill tone of her phone cut through the tension.

She glanced at the screen before answering.

"Seraphine."

A frantic voice spilled through the receiver — Dorian's.

"My lady, you need to get out of there. Now. The auction house has deployed their shadows. They've tracked your location — they're coming for both you and the pendant!"

He said, breathless and urgent.

Seraphine's pupils narrowed.

For a brief moment, silence reigned. Then her voice, cool and commanding, slipped through her lips.

"…How long do we have?"

"Minutes, at best. I'll try to intercept, but you need to move."

Dorian replied.

Seraphine ended the call without another word, slipping the device into her pocket before turning sharply toward Kana.

"Kana, we need to leave. Now."

She said, her tone firm but steady.

Kana looked up, startled by the sudden shift in her demeanor.

"What? Why? What's happening?"

"The auction house. They've decided they don't want to wait any longer. If they reach us, neither of us will have a choice."

Seraphine replied, already gathering essentials with quick, efficient movements.

Kana hesitated, her fingers clutching her pendant tightly. For a moment, doubt clouded her mind, but then she caught the seriousness in Seraphine's gaze and silently nodded.

Seraphine allowed herself a fleeting sigh of relief before stepping closer, reaching out as if to guide Kana — then stopping just short of touching her.

She still remembered Kana's refusal, the harsh words she'd spoken not long ago.

Even now, despite everything, Kana kept her distance.

A bitter ache stirred in Seraphine's chest, but she forced it down, prioritizing action over emotion.

"Stay close to me. Don't fall behind."

She instructed softly.

Kana swallowed hard and got to her feet, following Seraphine as she moved toward a concealed passage hidden behind a false wall.

As they stepped into the narrow tunnel, shadows stretched long and thin under the dim light. Kana glanced back one last time, feeling a strange heaviness settle in her chest.

Seraphine noticed but said nothing, her mind already racing ahead.

She knew the auction master. He wouldn't tolerate failure — not from her, not from anyone. If he had unleashed his hunters, there would be no negotiations, no room for mercy.

She had promised him the pendant. She had promised to bring it back.

But now… she wasn't so sure she wanted to keep that promise.

And that was dangerous.

Because the man waiting on the other side wasn't someone who forgave betrayal.

The ground beneath the city seemed to tremble as faint echoes of footsteps reverberated through the tunnels.

Seraphine tightened her grip on Kana's wrist, pulling her forward without slowing.

Outside, the cloaked figures moved like hunting hounds through the streets, their steps silent but purposeful, the weight of killing intent thick in the air.

And not far behind them, Lysera and Irielle followed the trail, their eyes locked on the map's shifting glow.

Both groups were converging on the same point.

Kana's location.

Time was running out.

Above them, shadows closed in from every direction, and somewhere behind, Lysera and Irielle moved faster — unaware how close danger had crept.