Croix had invested almost all her Path traits into "Shadow Affinity" during her advancement.
The first level of Shadow Affinity only made her less noticeable when she was in the shadows, or helped reduce her presence when her face was obscured by darkness.
Starting from the second level, Shadow Affinity began to interfere with reality.
After Croix enhanced her Shadow Affinity to the second level, she could infuse her daggers and arrows with the power of shadows, because the strength of shadows had already penetrated the mystical skill of "Assassination."
By the third level, the power of shadows had infiltrated her profession's ability of "Stealth."
Now she could completely vanish into the shadows.
Since few people would choose the Shadow Affinity trait, which was utterly useless in the early stages, the ability to adapt to the Path, and the threshold of needing third-level Shadow Affinity to barely learn it, was undoubtedly a rare skill. At least, most people in Avalon wouldn't know this secret.
Even within "Hawkeye," there weren't many who possessed this skill.
This difference in understanding was undoubtedly fatal.
But after all, she wasn't the legendary "Shadow Demon" and couldn't melt into the shadows at will. To maintain her state of shadow, she had to keep focused and continuously expend physical and mental energy.
If the shadow she was hiding in were destroyed, she would be harmed. People who walked too quickly, changing the shadows at their feet too rapidly, would drain her strength and tire her out. If the person happened to walk under a light, shrinking the shadow to a tiny size, her attempt at stealth might fail.
However, all these disadvantages didn't diminish the strength of this skill.
With extraordinary equipment that helped reduce her presence, she could make it so that others wouldn't notice the shadow at all. Up to this point, she had used this skill to silently kill many people. She had even used it to sneak into a congressman's bedroom, under layers of protection, murdered him, and then hid within the shadows, waiting for the guards to check before leaving along with their shadows.
After using this skill numerous times, Croix had gained some insights.
Hiding in larger and more stable shadows required less physical and mental energy.
Therefore, Croix had found a perfect hiding spot.
—That was right under the wheelchair Aiwass sat in.
As the wheelchair moved forward, its shadow size basically did not change. Hence, she could keep hiding there almost effortlessly. Even if Chief Inspector Edward or Detective Sherlock arrived later, they wouldn't consider the possibility that the "murderer was hiding right under Aiwass."
It was what was referred to as "hiding in plain sight."
After Aiwass went to bed at night, she could crawl out quietly from the shadow beneath the wheelchair and kill Aiwass.
This was to prevent any unforeseen circumstances and minimize variables.
She really couldn't understand how Aiwass had guessed her actions.
At most, Aiwass could have suspected the Minister of Commerce's involvement with the Noble Red Society, but The Association members and the secretaries were on the same side, with no need or possibility to kill him; even if Aiwass recognized "Hawk Feather" and was aware of the existence of the "Hawkeye" organization, he shouldn't have thought in that direction—no one was supposed to know their real purpose and mission, everything was hidden in the shadows.
Yet, Aiwass could even point out the possibility that "the other party might have put the documents inside a book." It was as if he had witnessed it all with his own eyes.
Unfathomable. Incomprehensible.
Could it be that he was a natural Prophet who could foresee the future?
But Croix was open-minded and didn't trouble herself over things she couldn't comprehend. Usually, she wouldn't think about things that were too confusing.
—Since she couldn't figure it out, she would just get rid of the unstable factor, Aiwass, tonight.
I'll just borrow your shadow for a while, then strike in the dead of night.
No one would know it was her doing. Even if they did, it wouldn't help.
Thinking this, Croix morphed into a creeping shadow and slithered into the shadow of an Inspector who was about to go downstairs. And as he passed by Aiwass, she crawled along his shadow to the underside of Aiwass's wheelchair.
Croix suddenly felt an immense, incredibly intense fear.
This fear and aversion to dangerous entities were warnings from her Path of Adaptation's strength. Whenever she unwittingly delved into danger, the strength of the Path of Adaptation would transform into a sense of "fear" to try and save her.
...But what could it be?
Croix's common sense told her that she absolutely should not go out now. Otherwise, appearing suddenly beside Aiwass would make her the target of everyone's attention, and it would be difficult for her to escape from the encirclement of the Sky Cavalry outside.
But that sense of fear grew stronger, causing her brain to go numb and her body to shake uncontrollably.
If someone were watching the shadow cast by Aiwass's wheelchair at this moment, they would see that the shadow was shaking slightly, as if sitting in front of a fireplace.
And at that time, Aiwass seemed to fall into thought, his right hand pinching his chin, focusing intently ahead.
Then, under Croix's scrutiny, he nodded thoughtfully as if in realization.
—And then, he looked down at his own shadow.
A pair of deep blue pupils, calm as a lake, profound as an abyss.