Hate me, Miss Witch!

A cacophony erupted. A moment ago, the gamblers thought the dealer was about to default and were sighing in sympathy for the mysterious guest. But in the next moment, they witnessed the King, who had sat on the throne of the City of Eternal Night for decades, have his head burst open, becoming a headless corpse right before their eyes.

Shiayar looked at the headless corpse that had slumped to the ground, his expression still calm.

Just moments ago, he had sensed a faint, almost imperceptible consciousness from the Spirit Realm prying at him. From that prying consciousness, Shiayar detected a familiar corrupting aura. It's likely related to the Abyss, he deduced, perhaps it's Viscount Lori's trump card.

So, deciding to test this, Shiayar equipped the 'Blasphemer' title and, as an afterthought, activated the Crimson 'Blood of Filth' and 'Dark Descendant' Skills.

The next moment, Shiayar perceived that the gaze from the Spirit Realm, which had been prying at him, swiftly retracted like a startled deer, carrying with it an indescribable panic and a vague sense of respect.

It seems the defiling aura that blasphemed the Deities caused that Abyssal life form to misunderstand, Shiayar mused. It mistook me for a nascent Evil God born from the depths of the Abyss, or perhaps a Son of an Evil God disguised as a human.

Following that, Viscount Lori's face changed dramatically, and he fired the suicidal shot at himself, which also saved Shiayar some trouble.

"He had mastered a certain ability to temporarily enhance his own luck through a deal... but still, he lost," by the gambling table, the white-robed spectator, who resembled a clergyman, 'Ranger' Soros, observed Shiayar and spoke in a chanting tone.

Though he should have been splattered with Viscount Lori's blood and gore from where he stood, Soros's white robe remained pristine. The instant the bodily matter was about to touch him, a gentle white light silently rose, blocking all defilement.

Soros looked at Shiayar, his gaze still peaceful. "It wasn't an Illusion Technique—" he stated. "What you used just now was an ability like his, one that could directly interfere with fate. Moreover, the extent to which you interfered with fate was far deeper and more direct than Lori simply increasing his own luck."

Shiayar stood up indifferently, turned, and left the gambling table. "Maybe, who knows," he said.

In his mind, lines of azure characters slowly emerged.

[Your temporary Rank-transcending Skill Experience Card: 'Izanagi' has now expired.]

'Izanagi'… Shiayar thought. That was the ability Silver had adapted to in advance using this Experience Card. An ability that turns any disadvantageous events occurring within a period of time into illusions, while selecting only beneficial factors to manifest as reality. Although theoretically still classified within the scope of Illusion Techniques or eye techniques, I understand that 'Izanagi' has, in fact, ventured into the realm of time manipulation. It's a true skill that can change fate.

In the moment just before I spun the revolver's cylinder, I activated 'Izanagi.' I rewrote the overwhelmingly likely timelines of me being shot into nothingness and preserved only the rare possibility of Lori getting shot, then manifested it into reality.

Of course, such an outrageous skill—one might even describe it as akin to save-scumming or using a Save-Load trick in time or fate manipulation—naturally comes with significant restrictions. If used as originally intended, the cost would be permanent blindness in one eye after use. In other words, a normal person could only use 'Izanagi' twice in their lifetime, as they only have two eyes. After I magically modified it for Silver, as proficiency improves, the cost of deploying the skill shouldn't be as severe as permanent blindness, but the side effects would still be far from minor.

Fortunately, it was a temporary experience card, which directly waived the side effects. Otherwise, I wouldn't have used such a skill—one that could serve as a trump card—against a minor figure like Viscount Lori.

Shiayar passed Soros without stopping.

He wasn't surprised that the other had roughly guessed his ability. After all, he's a 6-Ring and holds the grand title of 'Spectator.' It would be too mediocre if he couldn't discern anything. But that's all he saw; guessing the general scope of a fate-interfering ability is the most he could manage. As for the specific details, he can take his time guessing.

"You are interesting," the calm voice of the middle-aged clergyman rose from behind Shiayar. "In my life as a 'Spectator,' you are one of the very few exceptions I have seen. Perhaps we will meet again one day. And that day may not be too far off."

"Enough with the riddles," Shiayar casually waved his hand, already descending from the highest level of the City of Eternal Night, dismissing Soros's words. "I already have enough riddle-mongers around me; I don't need another one like you."

He had encountered many such charlatans in recent days. They spouted enigmatic riddles without revealing the truth, allowing the listener to speculate until something in reality could confirm the mystique of the riddle-teller. So, I maintain my usual approach to such riddles: let them say what they want. I'll just act as if nothing happened. Anyway, I definitely won't bother with such meaningless speculation and mental exertion.