A soft smile cornered Vale's face. He felt exhilarated by this new discovery. For the first time since he had landed in the Demon Realm, he felt hopeful, perhaps even motivated.
Being able to rank up his core without the need to face the trials gave him extraordinary potential for growth. It meant that he could have a Dormant core of C-Rank or even higher, pushing his mana essence reserves to completely different limits. With that, his combat stamina, mana expenditure, and control over mana would be otherworldly.
Satisfied with all this new information, Vale had only one more thing he wanted to do—summon his new weapon. As his mind focused on the artifact, he felt a tingling sensation in his abdomen, and almost in an instant, light particles twirled around his right hand. Less than a second later, something appeared in his grip—the Ordinary Katana.
The blade of the sword shimmered all around the dark cave as it glistened under the torch's light, a beautiful hamon decorating its edge. The handle, guard, and blade collar were all black, providing a striking contrast to the steel extending outward.
Vale was fascinated by the quality of the sword. Although, as the second prince, he had access to many top-quality weapons, this one was on par with the finest swords he had ever seen. He could not imagine what a weapon from an S-Rank Awakened monster would look like.
"No wonder artifacts are so expensive..." he thought.
Placing the bright torch on the ground, Vale began performing a variety of attacks, trying to adjust to the weapon and its weight. He had wielded a sword since a very young age and was well-versed in most weapons, so it didn't take long before the sounds of his sharp swings cut through the air around him with ease.
Vale spent the next few minutes practicing. Drops of sweat ran down his pale face, but he paid it no mind. If there was anything he enjoyed in life, it was sword practice. It has been his passion—or rather his obsession since a very young age, and the only thing keeping him sane under the constant pressure of the royal family.
After executing several more swings, Vale felt satisfied with the weapon. Already having adjusted to his new artifact, he decided it was time to keep moving. He had to find the Tree of Life and consume its fruit.
Vale strode forward, deeper into the cave, this time however, he had both a source of light, and a weapon to accompany him. He felt more at ease, not relaxed, as no one could ever truly relax in the Demon Realm, but he found his situation to be not as dire as it once were.
Still, considering where he was, he moved cautiously, his steps were almost soundless, paying attention to everything around him, hence why Vale was quick to notice something ahead of him.
The torchlight flickered, casting shifting shadows as two crevices appeared in the wall before him. As he stepped closer, the openings grew larger, revealing two tunnels.
The left tunnel sloped upward, while the right one descended deeper into the cave's depths.
For Vale, the choice was obvious. He had to find the Tree of Life—lingering in the cave any longer would only waste his precious time. Without any hesitation, he walked toward the left tunnel, hoping it would lead him to the surface.
If it wasn't for the slope, Vale would not be able to tell which tunnel he was in, everything in the cave seemed identical. He had never been to cave and so navigating in one was not his strong suit. But luckily, there were only two paths, with one clearly going up.
Exhaustion started to creep in, Vale's leg had long started to feel heavy, his breath slightly hitched and his stomach begged for food. Despite being in the Demon Realm a person had to eat and drink to survive.
Suddenly, Vale heard squeaks coming from distance, a couple of them, his senses tensed, tightening the grip on his weapon he slowed his steps, but didn't stop. He couldn't stop.
The chirping sounds get louder as he continued to walk and before he knew it, two shadowy figures flew toward him. Pair of dark wings spread almost across the whole width of the tunnel, their fangs spooked out of their mouths, aiming toward him.
Vale dropped the torch, gripping his sword with both hands as he swung. The first flying creature veered off at the last second, narrowly avoiding the blade.
Before he could recover, the second monster lunged, its jagged fangs snapping toward his face. Vale twisted his body, intercepting the attack with a well-timed block. The impact rattled his arms, but he used the momentum to shove the creature into the cave wall with a sickening crunch.
Rolling forward, he tried to create distance, but the monsters were relentless. The moment he got to his feet, they were on him again. Claws and fangs clashed against steel, the sound of metal striking bone echoing through the cavern. Their attacks were heavy—each blow carried the strength of at least a full-grown man.
But Vale had sparred with stronger opponents numerous times before. His body knew how to handle raw power.
Seizing an opening, he countered with a swift thrust, his sword piercing through one of the creature's chest. The bat let out a shriek before falling limp.
[ You have slain an E-Rank, Dormant Monster, Flying Bat. ]
The familiar voice rang in his head, but he ignored it. His focus remained on the battle.
Now with only one opponent left, the tide of the fight shifted. Vale pressed forward, his strikes growing both faster and sharper. The floor of the cave became slick with green blood as his blade found its mark again and again.
With a final, lightning-fast vertical slash, his sword carved through one of the creature's wings. The flying bat let out a piercing screech as it spiralled to the ground, writhing in agony.
Vale watched it struggle for a brief moment before stepping forward, and with a single thrust to the monster's skull, he ended it's struggle.
[ You have slain an E-Rank, Dormant Monster, Flying Bat. ]