THE DIMENSIONAL MERCHANT

Chapter 51 - 50: A Merchant’s Way of Surviving

Chapter 51: Chapter 50: A Merchant’s Way of SurvivingThen—a roar.

It wasn’t a sound so much as a force, a guttural, inhuman noise that rolled through the trees and slammed into them like a shockwave.

From the edge of the shadows, it emerged.

A shape that had once resembled a wolf—if wolves were starved, stretched, and twisted by nightmares. Its spine jutted out like jagged ridges of obsidian, each vertebra stark beneath patches of thin, mangy fur the color of rot. Muscle wrapped around its emaciated frame like cables strung too tight. Its face—

A skull. A literal, sun-bleached canine skull. No flesh. No lips. Just grinning, predatory bone. Its eyes burned—two green flames flickering in empty sockets.

Its limbs were wrong. Too long, too thin. Its paws ended not in claws but in crescent-shaped scythes of bone and iron, each one glinting wickedly in the firelight.

Darien’s jaw tightened as his hand found the hilt of his sword. "Damn. This one had to show up."

He drew his blade in one fluid motion. "Wraith-class predator."

The Red Band drew their weapons immediately.

Kael instinctively moved closer to Seris—who stepped in front of him without hesitation.

"Stay behind me," she said, her voice low but firm.

Kael tried to process what he was seeing. "Is this... a ghost?"

Kael thought that this mission would go smoothly. But now this monster had appeared. Kael had only seen monsters like this in movies. But seeing it in reality was a different feeling.

Mira had pulled two daggers from her belt. Garrick shifted into a wide stance, mace gripped like a battering ram.

Even Liora, usually half-asleep and two steps behind reality, was already kneeling. She slid a small bolt into a strange, compact crossbow.

"No, not a ghost," she murmured. "It’s a wraith. An undead predator. A real one."

Kael blinked. "But why don’t you use magic? You’re a mage."

"That thing eats magic," Liora replied flatly. "It doesn’t just absorb spells—it feeds on them. The more mana you use, the stronger it gets."

Darien confirmed it. "And they can sense magic like sharks smell blood. Don’t cast unless you want it charging you."

Kael swallowed. He didn’t have magic. The System was something else—it didn’t emit mana the way spells did. At least, he hoped not.

"Does it have any weaknesses?"

"Yes," Liora said. "A few."

"As they are creatures of darkness, light is a weakness of theirs, and pure sunlight can completely vanish them. Also, their past. If the Wraith is someone who died a very painful death, then reminding them of their true name or recalling past memories can weaken or release them. And loud noises. Screeching, sudden bursts. Their hearing’s sharp. Also... silver."

The Skarn Wraith didn’t attack—not yet. It moved in a slow, deliberate circle, just outside the reach of the fire’s light. It was silent despite the claws tearing into the ground.

"It’s

Darien lunged in next, his blade glowing faintly—not magic, but heated from friction. He drove it into the creature’s side.

Mira finished it.

She leapt from a tree branch, tail flicking in the wind, daggers drawn. In mid-air, she twisted, slashing both blades across the Wraith’s exposed spine.

"Say goodnight, bone-breath—nyaaa!"

The skull flew.

The body crumpled.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Liora finally spoke. "That was loud."

Kael turned off the flashlight.

Darien stared at him, panting. "What... in the hells was that light and sound?"

Kael held up the devices. "A flashlight. And a High-Hound air horn."

Darien blinked. "Flashlight... I’ve heard of those. Didn’t think they were combat-grade. But this horn—damn near made me deaf."

Kael smiled, a bit sheepishly. "It’s a prototype. My design. I’ll be selling them soon through my store."

Darien sheathed his sword. "Then I’m placing an order. You just turned a death sentence into a tactic."

Garrick clapped him on the back. "You’re more useful than you look, merchant. You just saved lives."

Kael gave a weary nod. "That’s... good to hear."

Mira sauntered over, tail swaying like she was already done with the fight.

"Let’s gather what we can, nya~ Wraith bones fetch a high price. And this skull?" Her eyes gleamed. "Some noble will meowgically overpay to hang that on a wall."