Genshin Impact: Lord of Mysteries

The next morning, I woke up inside our team's tent. Yesterday's heist had taken its toll—everyone, including me, had overslept.

"No… no more, Natalia…" Jason mumbled in his sleep.

I sighed. Young ones these days have no sense of decency. Then again, how old was I, really? I died at eighteen. Add another twelve years to that, and technically, I was thirty.

Shaking off the thought, I glanced to the side and saw Clara still sound asleep. Ignoring both of them, I stepped outside and headed toward the public restroom to freshen up.

Dawn had barely broken, and only a handful of residents were awake, all rushing to secure their place in line. After quickly washing up, I returned to the tent and found Clara already up and ready to go. Jason, on the other hand, was still muttering in his sleep.

Not wanting to hear another word of his nonsense, I picked up a spare metal rod from last night's loot and brought it down onto his backside with a sharp thwack.

"Attack! Attack! We're under attack!" Jason bolted upright, eyes darting around in panic.

"There are no enemies, you idiot," I said, smacking the rod against his back once more. "Go wash up."

With another yelp of pain, Jason scrambled out of the tent, leaving me alone.

"Finally," I muttered under my breath. "Time to check my progress."

I sat cross-legged, entering a meditative state to gauge how much of my potion had been digested.

To be honest, I never expected to inherit the powers of the Lord of Mysteries of all things. But reality isn't something I could control… yet.

When I first arrived in this world, I thought I'd live a carefree life—gaining a Vision, surrounding myself with beauties, and basking in luxury. But reality had other plans.

Born a Treasure Hoarder, I got to know that even if I obtained a Vision, I would never be granted entry into the city. On the contrary, it would only put a higher bounty on my head.

After ten years of struggling, I had resigned myself to my fate.

But even that wasn't allowed.

On my tenth birthday, a voice echoed in my mind, bestowing upon me a single potion—imbued with the powers of the Fool, Error, and Door pathways.

Being named Amon, I had considered this possibility before, but I dismissed it as wishful thinking.

Still, who was I to reject power when it was handed to me? I drank the potion without hesitation—and that moment marked the true beginning of my life.

From that day until now, I have never regretted my decision. And I hope I never will.

After five minutes of introspection, I estimated that my potion had been digested by roughly 50%.

For someone living among the Hoarders—where information is scarce and faith is weaker than greed—this was remarkable progress.

Most of this progress came from Madurar's path. Seers or the Apprentice pathway weren't needed—except in a Labyrinth.

And who in their right mind would take a twelve-year-old into a Labyrinth?

Knock, knock.

"Amon, are you there?"

A familiar voice pulled me from meditation. "Come in, Roman."

The curtain-like doors slid open, revealing a slim figure dressed in blue. His azure hair gleamed under the dim light, and his glasses only enhanced the sharp shine in his deep brown eyes.

"I'm here to take my share," he declared.

Yesterday's heist had been a success, thanks to several factors—one of which was Roman, the Hideout's sole alchemist. The mines we used were his idea, and his price was an artifact. Unlike with Syrus, I couldn't afford to be stingy. If I annoyed Roman, I might as well bid farewell to the mines altogether.

"Take a seat," I gestured toward the chair. "So, what artifact do you want?"

"I'll check the loot first," Roman replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Fine by me." I stood up and moved toward the stash.

As he casually looked around the tent, he asked, "Have you picked yours yet?"

"I have my eye on one item," I said, unlocking the safe. I glanced at him before reaching in.

"And what might that be?" He stepped closer, peering at the collection.

"This." I pulled out a pocket watch, its surface worn but still gleaming under the dim light.

Roman's eyes widened in recognition. "The Fortuneteller's Pocket Watch?" he exclaimed. It wasn't just an artifact; among collectors like him, it was a legend. Not because of its ability, but because of the mystery surrounding it.

According to rumors, this pocket watch concealed a great secret—a map leading to the ruins of a long-lost fortune teller. Yet despite countless treasure hunters chasing the legend, no one had ever uncovered the truth.

"Are you sure about this?" Roman asked, a grin creeping onto his face. "You could just hand it over to me, and I'll supply you with mines for a whole year."

"No thanks," I sighed, already expecting him to pull something like this. Roman had a soft spot for odd artifacts—if he saw one, he wouldn't let go.

"Do you actually believe those rumors?" he asked, eyes filled with curiosity.

"Not a chance," I replied, slipping the artifact into my pocket.

"Then why choose this watch?" His voice carried a note of genuine confusion.

Truth be told, the Fortuneteller's Pocket Watch wasn't particularly useful. It granted Foresight, a skill that let the wielder catch glimpses of the immediate future. But there was a catch—the effect was completely random. You couldn't activate it at will, and most of the time, the visions were more of a distraction than an advantage.

"You forgot—I'm originally a Seer," I answered with a smirk.

"As if I'd believe that," he scoffed, his tone suddenly serious. "Listen, Amon. I'm your childhood friend, so I'll tell you this straight—drop the Seer nonsense. You're a great Treasure Hoarder, and that's all you should focus on."

I didn't reply. I couldn't be angry, nor did I want to argue. I knew Roman's words weren't meant to hurt me—he just wanted to protect me from disappointment. From the same disappointment that had once broken him.

But that's a story for another time.

"Boss, we're back," Jason's voice cut through the moment as he stepped into the tent. Calara followed a second later.

"Alright, folks, time to split the loot," I said, rubbing my hands together. "Syrus already took two out of the ten artifacts. Nothing too rare—just one- and two-star items, but enchanted."

Roman adjusted his glasses again. "That leaves eight. I'll take two for myself."

"I've already chosen one, so I have one more left," Amon added.

Clara and Jason exchanged glances before turning their attention to the artifacts. To tell the truth, the supporters of the group rarely got to see these artifacts, let alone use them. But I was generous—I knew this heist was just the beginning, and I needed a strong team to help me navigate the challenges ahead.

Jason was the first to move. In this short time as a treasure hoarder, if anyone genuinely respected my seer ability, it was Jason. I didn't know much about him; both he and Clara had been introduced by Mr. Smith. But after working together on these heists, we had started to gain mutual respect and understanding.

Jason was more of a physical fighter. Though he didn't have a Vision, his raw strength made him stand out among other hoarders. Clara, on the other hand, was the intelligent type. Her skill with a bow was commendable, but her ongoing feud with Syrus blocked her path to joining the Archery Unit.

After carefully examining the artifacts, Jason chose a pair of gloves and shoes—each increasing his strength and speed by ten percent, respectively. Clara, in turn, selected a crossbow and a ring, boosting her dexterity by twenty-five percent.

Once their selections were complete, I handed Roman the Alchemist's Robe and Steel Rim Glasses, while I took the Mana Ring for myself. With these additions, our overall strength had improved significantly.

"I'll be leaving now," Roman said, excusing himself from the base.

"Take care—and get my order done by evening," I called after him.

Once Roman's figure disappeared from view, I shut the tent and turned to Clara.

"Look into potential heists. Make sure they're on the same level as this one," I said in a serious tone.

"Yes, lead," she replied.

"Jason!" I called out. He was too busy admiring his new gear to pay attention.

"Yes, boss," he said mildly, snapping out of his trance.

"You're joining the search team today," I informed him.

"Search team?" he asked, clearly confused. Our group usually didn't take part in operations like this, but I was bound by rules to keep the reason a secret.

"Yes, search team," I confirmed. "There's a man you need to track down. Syrus will give you the details."

"Why the sudden interest?" Clara asked, her sharp eyes studying me. "Is this about Mr. Smith from yesterday?"

As expected, she had figured out more than I would have liked. But this was a troublesome secret I couldn't share.

"I can't tell you," I admitted, then turned to Jason. "Listen, if things get dangerous, to hell with the mission. You must return."

Jason didn't say anything—just gave me a nod. But that single nod was enough to reassure me about the future.