Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons - Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Mask Of A Thousand Faces
“A… mask?” she repeated.

Arthur met her gaze without blinking. “Not just any mask. Something that can conceal my identity.”

A beat of silence passed between them.

The saleswoman studied him—her professional demeanor cracking, just slightly. It wasn’t uncertainty. It was an assessment.

Arthur could tell.

She was reevaluating him.

And that only confirmed what he already suspected—masks weren’t common purchases.

Then, after that brief moment, she offered a small, knowing smile.

“…Follow me.”

Arthur followed without hesitation.

Stopping in front of a glass case, she turned around to him and gestured toward it.

“This… is what you’re looking for.”

Arthur’s gaze flickered to the case.

Inside, a single mask rested on a velvet stand.

It was matte black, with faint silver engravings curling along the edges like wisps of smoke. It had no distinct features, no openings for the mouth, only two narrow slits for the eyes. The surface was smooth, unreadable—completely expressionless.

But the most unsettling thing?

Even though the mask was completely still…

It felt like it was watching him.

Arthur’s fingers itched to reach for the mask.

His voice was calm. “What rank is this mask?”

The saleswoman folded her hands neatly before her, tilting her head slightly. “Very Rare grade.”

Arthur’s eyes didn’t leave the mask.

“It may only be Very Rare in classification,” she continued, “but its usefulness is comparable to some Epic-grade artefacts.”

That piqued Arthur’s interest even more.

“Can you take it out?”

“Sure,” She smiled, before pressing her palm against the lock on the display case.

A faint blue light pulsed beneath her handprint, then—click.

The enchantments faded.

Carefully, she lifted the mask, setting it gently on the polished countertop.

Arthur’s sharp gaze traced every detail of its form.

“This,” she said, her voice softer, as if introducing something sacred, “is called the Thousand Faces Mask.”

Arthur let out a slow breath. The name alone carried weight.

The woman ran a delicate finger along the edge of the mask. “It is perfect for hiding one’s identity. Say, for example, you don’t want people to recognize you—”

Arthur raised an eyebrow, amused.

Her lips curved upward knowingly.

“The Thousand Faces Mask allows you to shift your face into one hundred different disguises at will.”

Arthur’s fingers tightened slightly against the counter.

That was insane.

A hundred disguises? That meant freedom. He could walk into places without fear of recognition. His identity as Fateless? His growing reputation? All meaningless in the face of this artifact.

But the woman wasn’t done.

“It also has a unique skill—Face Store.”

Arthur’s mind sharpened. “Face Store?”

She nodded.

“This skill allows you to copy a person’s face with perfect accuracy. Once you do, their face will be stored within the mask’s collection, allowing you to switch into it anytime.”

Arthur leaned forward slightly, his heartbeat picking up pace.

“What’s the limit?”

“Five stored faces.”

Five was more than enough.

“And once I store a face?”

The woman’s eyes gleamed. “It’s permanent.”

Arthur exhaled, slowly.

This was even better than he expected.

With this mask, he wouldn’t just hide his identity—he could become anyone he wanted.

A completely new person in the city.

A nameless face in a crowd.

He could disappear at will.

Arthur didn’t hesitate. “I want it.”

The woman’s expression didn’t change. “500 gold coins.”

Arthur barely blinked.

His wealth was absurd—[Coins:] Gold: 88,613 | Silver: 65 | Bronze: 92.

Spending 500 gold coins was nothing to him.

But to any other player?

They would lose their minds.

A single gold coin was worth $10,000 in real-world currency.

500 gold coins meant he was spending $5,000,000… on a single item.

But to Arthur?

It was worth every damn coin.

Without a word, he reached into his inventory, pulling out another backpack.

There weren’t many people in the city who could casually drop more than 600 gold coins in one spree.

“Everything is in order.”

She packed the mask into a protective case, ensuring it was secure before sliding it toward him.

Then, reaching beneath the counter, she retrieved a small grey card.

“This,” she said, handing it to him, “is a VIP Membership Card.”

Arthur glanced at it.

“You will receive a 10% discount on all future purchases in the store. You will also gain early access to auction listings.”

Arthur took the card, slipping it into his inventory. “Not bad.”

The woman watched him with thinly veiled curiosity. She wanted to show him that she valued him as a customer, and she wanted their business to keep going. She clearly wanted to form a connection with him.

After all people who would splurge without hesitation are few, and Arthur?

She had never seen him before.

A newcomer who had just spent over 600 gold coins in a single visit.

Who was he?

She wanted to ask. But she didn’t.

Arthur had no interest in lingering. He slipped the mask into his inventory and turned.

But before leaving, something crossed his mind.

Potions.

He turned back. “I need Rare-grade potions. HP and Mana regeneration.”

The woman nodded, moving swiftly.

She retrieved two small glass vials, each glowing faintly—one a deep crimson red, the other a soft azure blue.

“These are some of the best regeneration potions we offer.”

Arthur picked them up, inspecting them.

[Mana Potion] (Rare)

Description: Restores Mana Points to maximum value. Increases mana regeneration by 10% for 12 hours.

[Health Potion] (Rare)

Description: Restores health points to maximum value. Increases health regeneration by 10% for 12 hours.

“These will be useful,” Arthur muttered.

The price? Three gold coins each.

Arthur reached for his inventory, already pulling out six gold coins to pay for the two rare-grade potions.

But just as he was about to hand them over, the woman across the counter shook her head.

He stopped, his gaze flickering up to meet hers.

With a soft, knowing smile, she placed a delicate hand over his, gently pushing the coins back toward him.

“It’s on the house,” she said smoothly. “Consider it a gift… from a new friend.”

Arthur didn’t move for a moment.