God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World! Chapter 505 505: Caught

Gabriel gave his armor a final adjustment before masking his aura as thoroughly as possible. He slowed his breaths, stabilized his heartbeat, and suppressed his presence until it mimicked that of a standard guard possessing solid power.

Advancing in deliberate, measured steps, Gabriel let his silver armor catch the gentle wall lamp glow, yet nothing else about him drew notice.

Deeper in, the surroundings turned ever more unadorned.

This simplicity struck Gabriel first. No gold, gems, paintings, or opulent displays crammed these halls. Walls stayed bare. Floors shone spotless. Lamps hung humbly, spaced widely apart.

Such austerity felt odd for a king's quarters. Gabriel anticipated splendor, or at least grandeur fitting a kingdom's lord.

"It seems he's not the luxurious type," he muttered while traversing another barren hallway stretch, soon halting before a door. Its plainness was striking; without the heavy pressure here, none would guess a VIP dwelled beyond.

No elaborate engravings. No thick golden edging. No lavish trinkets. It resembled a door from some average noble's chamber, merely sturdier and denser. Most crucially, it stood ajar just a crack.

Gabriel halted.

Cautiously extending his senses, he detected no signs of life within. No pulse. No respiration. No stirring aura. This hinted the master was absent or elsewhere in the fortress.

Two seconds of stillness passed before he acted.

Gabriel eased a hand onto the door, swinging it open silently. The interior unfolded before him, true shock flickering across his face for the first time that night.

The chamber sprawled enormously.

Yet its sparseness verged on the absurd.

Bare, unpainted walls dominated. No costly artworks dangled. Just a humble bed—far tinier than royal standards—a side drawer, a lone simple chair, and one window admitting scant moonlight.

Chilly night breeze wafted through the window, lightly shifting the flimsy curtain. In the ghostly illumination, it evoked a rigorous soldier's billet more than a monarch's sanctum.

Gabriel entered, latching the door quietly behind.

His eyes scanned the space anew.

"As a king, you should at least try to look rich," he pondered.

Even Broken Dawn's humblest captains enjoyed plusher quarters. The idea flashed momentarily, irrelevant—his mission held no room for critiquing royal tastes.

His aim was a crucial prize.

Seriousness sharpened Gabriel's features. Senses unfurled once more, seeking not souls, but the Soul Key.

High Perception stats let one pinpoint previously handled items. The sensation defied words, but familiarity etched a subtle trace. With one key already in hand, Gabriel latched onto that echo now.

Quietude deepened further.

Window chill brushed his skin. Dim outer lamplight seeped under the door. Breaths held even as senses probed bed, chair, walls, floor, drawer—every corner meticulously.

Time barely passed.

A known sensation pinged his awareness.

Gabriel's stare snapped to the bedside drawer.

"There you are," he whispered.

Straight to it he went, yanking the top compartment. Vacant. The middle held only neatly stacked plain garments.

Bottom drawer opened next.

Nestled alone in silence lay one of the three Soul Keys.

Identical to the one extracted from Henry. Its unmistakable aura left no room for doubt.

His hand flashed out, grabbing it instantly and stowing into inventory. Swift, seamless—over in a heartbeat.

Key gone, Gabriel spun to exit. For an instant, the effortless flow felt suspicious, like a red carpet rolled out unopposed.

'This is too easy…' the notion arose softly, fingers clenching as subtle dread stirred.

Something nagged at Gabriel, pinpoint elusive. No matter—with key claimed, loitering served no purpose. Retreat beckoned.

His glance flicked to the window. Hallways backtracked foolishly; window promised direct flight.

Resolved, he started to pivot.

But prior to motion—

That's when it registered.

An elongated shadow sprawled over the floor.

Moonlight from the window threw it, and it wasn't his.

Gabriel locked rigid on the spot. Eyes flared wide; after ages, his pulse hammered loud enough for his own ears. The supposedly vacant room constricted claustrophobically.

A figure lurked behind.

Worse, a scalp-numbing insight hit Gabriel.

Not even his Undead Heart could enforce calm here.

…

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