Everyone slowly gathered in the main dining hall.

  A magical fire crackled warmly in the stone hearth, casting flickering shadows across the walls. The long table was overflowing with food and desserts.

  Harrietta had truly outdone herself.

  She sat proudly at the head of the table and waved her hands. “Go on, eat! There’s plenty for everyone,” she urged with a wide grin.

  Lisa and Eira were the first to dig in, both dressed in fresh clothes Scry had somehow conjured from his inner world.

  Lisa wore a navy-blue dress with a large white ribbon tied at the waist, while Eira had been given a deep blue, rogue-style leather armor that fit her surprisingly well.

  “Mmm! This is so tasty!” Lisa exclaimed, her mouth full of meat pie.

  ? Eira, meanwhile, was quietly devouring spirit fruit cookies, savoring every bite. She hadn’t tasted real food in decades.

  Seeing the two girls enjoying themselves, the rest of the group began eating and chatting more freely. Laughter and conversation filled the hall.

  Kran sat near Eira, sneaking shy glances at her between bites.

  Harrietta, meanwhile, had a mission. She plopped down beside Kai and Scry, eyes gleaming.

  “Say, tiger,” she began, trying to sound casual, “could you hook me up with a fire spirit? I’ve been trying to catch one, but the damn thing always escapes.”

  Kai chuckled.

  “You can’t force a spirit to bond with you,” he said. “They choose their partners.”

  Scry nodded, chewing thoughtfully. “Some people just aren’t compatible with spirits. It’s rare, but it happens.”

  Harrietta scowled. “Listen here, you smug little bastard. Give me some advice I can actually use.”

  Kai burst out laughing.

  “Fine, fine, you crazy old flame,” Scry said, pulling out a scroll. “Take this. Write your name into the magic circle using your heartblood. If there’s a spirit compatible with you, it’ll appear. That’s a big if. If it does, it’ll test you. Pass, and you’ll earn a contract.”

  Harrietta’s eyes lit up. “There we go, you sneaky tiger. Why were you hiding this? Thanks, though, I appreciate it.” She laughed heartily.

  Across the table, Hansen watched her with a soft smile.

  Kran, still flustered, finally worked up the courage to speak.

  “Eira… what do you like to do in your free time?” he asked, barely getting the words out.

  Eira paused mid-bite and looked at him.

  “I don’t know,” she said flatly. “I spent decades hunting and killing beasts… and other races.”

  Kran paled. Stupid. So stupid. Idiot! He cursed himself silently.

  The twins beside him burst into laughter, tears streaming down their faces.

  Eira ignored them and kept eating, savoring the sweet and savory flavors.

  Kai watched the group and smiled quietly.

  Then suddenly Bjorn stood up and knelt beside him.

  “Master, we’d like to ask… would you train us to become stronger?” he said earnestly.

  Kai sighed. “I’d truly like to… but I can’t teach you. My path isn’t like yours.”

  Bjorn frowned. “Can’t we learn your path?”

  Kai shook his head. “Not if you want to live. Let’s just say… my path is closer to beasts than it is to other races.”

  Eira glanced at him, intrigued. He smells… familiar. Not like a human. What is he? She couldn’t place it, but something about him resonated with her instincts.

  Bjorn looked defeated.

  Kai softened. “Look, I can at least give you weapons and armor. I reclaimed a lot from the facility. Take whatever you need.”

  Bjorn bowed deeply. “Thank you, Master.”

  The other former prisoners stood and bowed as well.

  And so, the group ate, laughed, and talked for hours, finally relaxing, finally recovering from the horrors they had endured.

  ***

  Afterward, Kai gathered everything he had recovered from the facility and dropped it all into one of the spare rooms.

  Weapons, armor, accessories, everything was laid out for the others to choose from freely.

  He didn’t need any of it. It didn’t feel right to keep gear that had belonged to the fallen.

  Bjorn and the other former prisoners stood in awe. For the first time since their capture, they felt like they had gained something meaningful.

  Many of the items were rare and powerful, far better than anything they’d wielded before.

  Even the twins and Kran managed to find a pair of short swords that suited their level and fighting style.

  After all, these were ownerless items. Better to use them than let them rot in storage.

  Among the pile, one weapon stood out, a unique golden axe with a long, arg-metal handle and a massive double-sided head forged from enhanced mana steel.

  It pulsed faintly with a mass-shifting enchantment. When activated, the axe would grow in size and weight mid-swing, turning each strike into a devastating blow.

  Bjorn claimed it without hesitation.

  Kai had no use for such a weapon, and Bjorn’s eyes gleamed with gratitude.

  This axe would make him stronger, much stronger.

  Kai left the group to enjoy their newfound gear and quietly made his way to the armory.

  It was time to choose a new sword.

  This would be his fourth, unfortunately.

  His first had shattered during the battle with the centipede.

  The second was lost in the fight against Lupus.

  And now, the third, his black arg sword, was broken beyond repair.

  Both the silver sword and the arg-blade floated in his inner world, slowly being mended alongside his spirit weapon. But deep down, Kai knew they were beyond salvation.

  He needed something new. Something worthy of the battles to come.

  ***

  Inside the armory, Kai walked slowly, admiring the rows of weapons and armor. This place truly was a paradise for a warrior.

  But he wasn’t browsing for beauty or variety; he was searching for something specific. A sword that could survive his power. If possible, a Unique weapon.

  Unique weapons, like the axe Bjorn had claimed, were forged from rare materials and often carried enhancements or embedded skills. Even without a weapon spirit, their craftsmanship and potential made them stand out.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Kai moved between the cases until one blade caught his eye.

  Floating inside a reinforced glass case was a deep blue sword with a black handle.

  Its shape resembled a Roman gladius from Earth, but it was longer, thicker, and clearly heavier.

  Kai didn’t mind the weight; his draconic physique could handle it.

  He extended his spirit sense toward the blade. A glowing note appeared above it:

  Noxblade

  Forged by Tenebria in the First Age.

  ?Crafted for the finest of the Chosen.

  ?Handle: Pure Mythril

  ?Blade: Aethersteel

  ?No embedded skills or enhancements.

  However, the blade is designed to grow with its wielder.

  It absorbs and adapts to the user’s mana, storing excess energy within.

  ?Once fully charged, it can release a condensed slash of pure mana or aura.

  Ranked Unique due to its materials and adaptive nature.

  ?No weapon spirit present.

  Kai stared at the blade, captivated.

  It was beautiful. Strong. And the idea of a weapon that grew with him, that evolved alongside his journey, was something his inner geek found incredibly cool.

  He needed a sword he could rely on. One that wouldn’t break.

  He scanned the requirements.

  To unlock this weapon, one must pass any of the Trials of Tenebria, the creator of the blade, or bear her mark in their soul. Additionally, the wielder must pass the Trial of the Heart.

  Kai frowned.

  Trial of Sacra… I passed that. And I got the page. That might count. But what was the Trial of the Heart?

  He had no idea.

  Kai placed his hand on the glass case and channeled his mana into it, activating the first page at the same time.

  The case shimmered, then dissolved into motes of light, leaving the sword floating freely in the air.

  First part done. Kai grinned, satisfied. He reached for the handle, and the world turned black.

  He found himself in a vast, star-filled void.

  It looked like space, yet he stood on something solid.

  He wasn’t sure what the test was, but he knew one thing: He wanted this blade. Badly.

  Suddenly, the stars flickered.

  A titanic face emerged from the darkness, lifeless, carved from marble. Its eyes opened, revealing swirling voids within.

  It spoke a single word: “Surrender.”

  A wave of malicious aura slammed into Kai, driving him face-first into the ground.

  Fear surged through his soul. His heartbeat quickened. Anxiety clawed at his chest.

  Then the voice echoed again: “Give in.”

  The pressure intensified. His bones creaked. Pain flared.

  But worse than the pain was the fear. A memory surfaced:

  The lake.

  ?The serpent.

  ?Its fangs buried deep in his flesh.

  ?Venom flooding his veins.

  Surrender. Give in. The words echoed in his mind.

  He dropped the bone spike. The serpent pushed more venom into his body.

  It was becoming harder to breathe, harder to see.

  It’s over, he thought. I’ll die here. Alone. Weak.

  But then, a roar.

  From deep within, his winged serpent spirit hissed, as if saying: What are you doing, you fool!

  Kai twitched. His mind cleared just enough to understand.

  He began punching the serpent.

  Screaming. “I will never give in! I will live! I will live freely!”

  He struck again and again until the serpent dissolved into motes of light.

  Kai found himself back in the black void.

  He pushed his mana outward, his draconic body, his lightning tree, his Blood Moon.

  “AAAAAAAH!” He roared, rising to one knee… then to his feet. “I WILL NOT!”

  The giant closed its eyes and smiled. The pressure vanished.

  Kai awoke, the Noxblade gripped firmly in his hand. His mind still in chaos, the pain of that memory was still etched deep within him. The fear of what if he had given up there. The fear he thought was long gone.

  I didn't think that memory would still bother me after so long. Then, when I think about it, I never really stopped to think about that moment. It changed my life, yes, but also that could've been the end of it... All this time, just pushing forward left some unhealed scars deep within, it seems.

  He exhaled deeply. He now understood that fear still resided in his heart, but he would conquer it just like he did now.

  He scanned his new sword, gripping the black handle firmly, and he swung it a few times through the air.

  The blade hummed faintly with each motion, absorbing the mana in his muscles and responding with subtle resistance, like it were testing him.

  Heavy, yes, but balanced. It felt like it belonged in his hand.

  Truly a worthy blade. But I barely passed that test… Thanks to my spirit snake.

  He smiled and stored the sword in his inner world, where it now floated beside his Soul Sword and the fragments of his previous weapons.

  Then he noticed something curious: his Soul Sword was absorbing a small silver shard from his old Snake Sword.

  He let it happen, hoping it would accelerate the forging process, and who knows, it might strengthen the skill as well.

  The Soul Sword had finally reached Level 1 a few weeks ago. He could now summon it briefly and merge it with other swords for enhanced strikes.

  He couldn’t wait to see how strong it would become as it absorbed even more of his mana during his travels.

  ***

  As he wandered deeper into the armory, his eyes caught a glimpse of something unusual.

  In a corner display, a suit of armor floated, unlike any he’d seen before.

  It was sleek and angular, forged from a shimmering black alloy that seemed to drink in the light.

  Thin veins of silver ran across the chestplate like lightning frozen in metal.

  The pauldrons were shaped like dragon wings, and the helm bore a crest resembling a serpent’s fang.

  He scanned the note, which said:

  Aegis of Tenebris

  Forged from Dusksoul Ore and Voidglass.

  ?Designed for high-speed combat and mana absorption.

  ?Enhances stealth, reflexes, and aura resistance.

  Requires a soul attuned to shadow and darkness.

  Kai stepped closer, admiring the craftsmanship.

  It was beautiful. Deadly. It was perfect for someone like Umbra.

  I’ll keep this here until she reaches Divine level. A perfect present.

  He, though, didn’t like relying on armor too much.

  His body, forged through trials, mana, and draconic evolution, was already tougher than most enchanted gear.

  Armor could break. Mana could fail. But his body… that was his foundation.

  He smiled faintly and stepped back.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered to the armor, “but not for me.”

  With one last glance, he turned and walked away, leaving the Aegis of Tenebris untouched, silently floating like it had all these ages ago.

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