Synopsis (Chapter 4 - Shadows of the phatom)
After the chaos at the museum, Paul is left drained from using his stigma—but there's no time to rest. A dark truth emerges: Lizy Dawn, sister of the fierce Lila, has been bitten by a Phantom and is on the verge of becoming a Specter vessel. With no one willing to act, Paul decides to take matters into his own hands—even if it means becoming her executioner. Meanwhile, new alliances stir, secrets deepen, and a legendary monster's weakness may be the key to Paul's next move.
Chapter 4.
After the chaos at the museum, Paul is left drained from using his stigma—but there's no time to rest. A dark truth emerges: Lizy Dawn, sister of the fierce Lila, has been bitten by a Phantom and is on the verge of becoming a Specter vessel. With no one willing to act, Paul decides to take matters into his own hands—even if it means becoming her executioner. Meanwhile, new alliances stir, secrets deepen, and a legendary monster's weakness may be the key to Paul's next move.
Chapter 4: Shadows of the Specter
As Paul's shot pierced through the Phantom, it let out a guttural scream. The distraction gave Saul the perfect opening to activate his sword's God Ability, delivering the final blow. The monster disintegrated into black ash.
Saul rushed to check on Lila, who had collapsed to the ground. "Lila, are you okay?" he asked, but she didn't respond. Before he could try again, Paul walked over, brushing dust off his coat.
"Just leave her," Paul muttered, eyes cold. "Her sister will come save her."
Both Saul and Lila glared at him.
---
Outside the museum, Guild Master Rose Andrey helped civilians evacuate. A guild member ran up to her.
"Ma'am, the Phantoms have been neutralized."
"By who?"
"Three Diamond cadets. Saul Mayne was among them."
She immediately entered the museum, spotting Paul exiting.
"Are the others okay?" she asked.
"They're inside," Paul replied briefly before sitting on a bench, visibly drained.
He muttered, "I knew I shouldn't have interfered… but I couldn't just watch them die. What a headache."
Mr. Leon approached. "Nice work. Go rest, Paul."
As Paul stood, Saul stopped him. "Why did you mention Lila's sister?"
"Isn't her sister supposed to come rescue her? What did I say wrong?"
Saul frowned. "You don't know what happened, do you? Never mind… we'll talk later."
---
Lila Dawn
Military School Rank: 4th
Currently enrolled at Diamond Academy
Father: Chae Dawn
Sister: Lizy Dawn
---
In a quiet hospital room, Lila sat beside her unconscious sister. Her father entered.
"We should go for your check-up."
"No need. Let's just go home."
Paul, meanwhile, was shutting down his laptop when a breaking news headline caught his eye:
> "Lizy Dawn hospitalized after clash with a Phantom. Bite marks discovered."
His face turned grim. "A Specter bite mark… She's turning into a vessel."
---
Specter Vessel Explanation: Specters are high-level Phantoms capable of converting humans into vessels known as Bloom Specters. These beings are stronger, faster, and nearly untraceable.
---
Paul exhaled sharply. "There's only one option—Lizy Dawn has to die. But who would dare touch her? Her father's one of the richest people in the world. No one will act, and her transformation will be hidden. If I contact the leader, she'll drag me back to HQ…"
He clenched his fists. "Then I'll do it myself. I'll kill Lizy Dawn before she awakens."
---
Back at Diamond Academy, in the training area…
Jake begged the instructor. "Please change my partner! I'm getting destroyed by Rachel. It's 16-2!"
Paul sat nearby when Lila approached him with a scowl. "Gunman, let's spar."
"Nope."
"Scared? You insult my family and now you're chickening out?"
Paul shrugged. "I use real bullets. I'm not going to spar and risk injuring someone."
"Coward."
An instructor shouted, "Cadet Paul is not allowed to spar due to his weapon's lethality. Don't ask again."
As Lila stormed off, Paul whispered, "I don't need to apologize… I have to kill her sister."
---
Elsewhere, Drake Bowman—the President of the Monster Research Club—gathered cadets.
"Thanks for joining today. Our mission is to study and find weaknesses in monsters."
Paul narrowed his eyes, sensing something off about Drake.
Drake continued. "This here is the Tyrant—a monster born during the Mana Explosion. Tough as steel and lives in rocky regions."
Note: 40 years ago, the Mana Explosion caused gates, monsters, and towers to appear on Earth.
Drake looked around. "Any known weaknesses?"
Mira replied, "No. It's extremely rare to even see one, let alone survive."
"Correct. Anyone with theories, come to tonight's social gathering."
As she turned to leave, Paul approached.
"Hey, Mira! You going to the gathering?"
"I might. I need the info."
"To give to your guide, right?"
Starlight Guide Explanation: Founded by Mira's family after the Mana Explosion. One of the most influential guides in Belester.
Paul smirked. "Trying to solidify your family's influence?"
"So what if I am?"
"Then I'll tell you the Tyrant's weak spot: a black mark on its leg. But I want something in return."
Mira raised a brow. "What?"
"Buy me the Iron Maw gun. You know I can't afford it as a cadet."
"Do you have proof of this weak point?"
"Nope."
Frustrated, she stormed off.
Paul watched her go. "If she gets it for me, I gain a powerful ally. If not… oh well."
---
Later, Mira called her guide's secretary.
"Jin, tell the Tyrant strike team to aim at the black mark on its leg."
End of Chapter 4
Stigma: The Sharpshooter of Diamond has reached over 1.5k views and 244 unique readers on Webnovel — and we're just getting started!
Your support means the world to me. your votes, comments, and encouragement help bring this story to life.
Don't forget to leave your thoughts or drop a vote — it helps more than you know!