"This blade… it was just like the one I had wielded back on Earth."
Zilon stared at the blade with a dark expression on his face.
But the more he looked at it the more he became at easy.
His brows relaxed, while the blade indeed looked like the one on earth, there were slight difference.
For example the blade itself seems to be slightly curved, the handle when he held the it did not seem familiar,and there was this air that this sword brought.....that gave him the chills.
Overall it looked the same but still quite different.
" I can think of a thousand ways to make use of this curve "
"Well even there stats are almost the same.....I mean my blade also had poison coated on it too" Zilon sighed.
He shrugged and continued inspecting the sword, rereading the system stats for the fifth or sixth time.
He wasn't going to allow somethings that were out of his control back then to hinder him now.
"Besides the whole point of me becoming stronger revolves on that fact too.....I don't want to be anyone's plaything "
He had lived a lot of lives back on earth, a life of solitude, a life of hunger, a life of pain and torture, he had also lived a life of regrets and betrayals, it took him a while to actually come to live a life wealth and a little of peace.
Of course that was all ruined now....
" Back to the stats, honestly this dagger is way OP, I don't really know how much this stats affect but the skills are more than enough to please me " Zilon chuckled noticing that the sword had durability.
"I may need to test what affects that"
Still there was a slight feeling on his chest as he read those stats although he couldn't really quite place his finger on what that is.
" nah forget it "
"Hmm, I can't seem to be able to use it now?" He said as he re read the requirements.
[.....
.
.
Venomblood Fangblade (Level 5): A sword forged by an Archsmith of the Forgotten Iron Circle, using the condensed essence of 100 Nyzorth Serpents — creatures feared for their deadly venom and regenerative might. Its blade glistens with embedded scales, alchemized with cursed silver.
The sword has passed its enchantment trials flawlessly, granting it high durability and mystical resonance. Under moonlight, it hums with predatory hunger.
{Requires level 5 to be able to use
Status: (locked)}
.
.
.
]
Zilon felt slightly disheartened with this requirements.
"Forget it I should be happy with this results"
He decided to disregard everything until he was able to make use of it.
He may not be able to use it now but he will eventually,all he needed was to level up.
Zilon sheaths the black blade back,and drops it besides him by his right.
he glanced at the remaining two stones, one green the other rainbow.
He picked the green one, knowing that the other one will be the one which gives him a random boost in a skill of his.
"Oh please, give me something useful and usable at my current state "
Zilon crushed the stone once more and was instantly blinded by the light .
The feeling that he experienced moments ago also resurfaced.
Zilon faced twitched as the overwhelming feeling of the energy entered his body, subsequently sending him the sense of pleasure all over.
But just like the first, this one also did not last longer than 3 seconds before everything disappeared.
Zilon quickly opened his eyes and stared down ,below his bed.
There just in between his legs was a ball with small wings.
"Huh?...." Zilon couldn't help but scratch his head as he looked around,even looking behind him to see where his reward go.
Upon not finding anything his mind immediately came to the conclusion that this ball shaped iron with wings behind it seems to be his reward.
Looking at it closer it looked more like a metallic sphere about the size of a clenched fist, with delicate mechanical wings folded tightly to the sides. The sphere has faint rune etchings glowing in soft blue or silver, pulsing slowly like a heartbeat.
There was a small blue stone in the front of the sphere but it seems to be dim as no light shone from it.
"But what am I to do with it? " Zilon thought and stretched his hands bending down as he tried to pick it up.
The moment his hands touched it, he was immediately assaulted with the information regarding the item.
[ You have acquired a new item–
[Acquired Item] — Artificial Spirit (Lv.1): An artifact crafted by a master rune-smith who sought to replicate the nature of spirits. After decades of research,he finally created something. Though intended as an imitation, the spirit within awakened, becoming something beyond artificial.
Durability: 5000 / 5000
Current Status: Dormant (Activate by will)
---
Skills
1. Soul Read (Lv.1)
→ Grants basic insight into the details of a person, creature, or object.
2. Veil stalker
→ Sends the spirit to scout ahead. While in this mode, it conceals its presence, making it nearly undetectable.
3. Ether sync
→ Establishes a connection between the spirit and its master, allowing the master to perceive through the spirit's senses.
---
Drawbacks
Limited Activity: Can only remain active for 5 hours before requiring 8 hours of rest to reactivate.
Durability Break: If durability reaches 0, the spirit will enter forced hibernation for 24 hours to recover, if too much damage have been done then it will need to be rebuilt.
Locked Potential: Reaching Level 8 unlocks a new skill.
]
"Unbelievable!" Zilon exclaimed.
Zilon couldn't help but read this over and over again.
He was surprised not because this thing was as impressive as the [Venomblood Fangblade ], but because of what it implies to him.
"this is a gem among gems" Zilon thought inwardly.
To him it was something very very useful as it saves him alot of headaches in battle and in the wilderness.
While the first skill wasn't practically useful but he had a feeling it will be way powerful in the future, the other skills {veil stalker} used to basically spy on people,and also assess your situation in a surrounding,and {Ether sync} which can be used to get real time updates on a situation , were all skills that will come in very handy.
"But of course the drawbacks are the issues" Zilon thought as he finally picked up the ball and sat back down.
The drawback which only allowed him to use it constantly for 5hours , and it will shutdown for the next 8 hours and also it's durability.
And the other drawback which was not as troublesome as the first one was still a pain, but the solution was quite obvious, all he had to do was to not allow it to get caught up in battles and be careful of ambush.
Basides that , from what he could think of the durability stat was basically the resistance of an item, what he wasn't sure of was what reduces this durability and what may increase it or maintain it.
" Was it the more it was used the more the durability reduces or was it the more it gets hit by something?, I can't say for sure but may need to know soon " he nods.
" Apart from that I can use it now....well I may have to learn how to activate it though,but I am not in a hurry"
Zilon placed it next to him gently as if he was placing a precious egg and stared at the last stone which had multiple colors glowing and untangling each other.
Some merged and created other colors some merged and just dispersed, all inside this stone.
However majestic it looks, Zilon was still nervous, he didn't want to end up with something he couldn't use, really.
Zilon was staring at the stone so hard that if the stone had eyes it would have stared back at him with mocking expression.
" Let's just hope for the best "
And with that Zilon picked it up, being careful not to crush the stone in the process.
There is a reason why he placed it in his palm and crushed it that way, apart from Rivor showing it to him as the process, he used that time to prepare himself mentally.
He took a deep breath, and clenched the stone , crushing it to dust the moment a little pressure was applied.
He felt the dust inside his closed hand, it felt as if he was holding ash or grinded charcoal and it had a significant weight.
"Hmmm...." Zilon waited for some few seconds but nothing happened.
He then decided to open his hand, immediately after doing so the dust rose up above his head raining down on him like slow crystals of ice.
" wahh?....."
Zilon saw his hands glow and it wasn't only his hand but all over his body and around his clothes too glowed with a mixed color of rainbow.
Zilon was now hit with an unnatural sense of calm.
He closed his eyes taking in the moment of calmness that flooded his senses.
From an onlooker's perspective one may think that Zilon was mediating with all the energy that he was radianting and the calm expression on his face.
Suddenly the light slowly turned red and Zilon found himself sweating and his heart was pounding harder.
He felt the strong urge to hold his chest as he felt pain slowly creeping in.
That feeling did not last long as in the next instance everything became calm as the red glow faded and Zilon returned back to normal.
"What....What the hell was that?!"
He opened his eyes and looked at his hands noticing that he was no more glowing.
Zilon looked at the door but the thing he knew was the system panel suddenly appearing in front of him as if to tell him that it's not over yet.
He lowered his slowly with beads of sweat still on his forehead and a low glaze in his eyes.
He began to read through the details.
But, more he read the details his expressions changed dramatically .
From curiosity,to surprise,then shock, from shock to horror and from horror to dumbstroke.
He only felt his mouth opening on its own from the words that was being displayed by the system.
" you have to be joking " Zilon thought with a blank stare.
Though the text can't be lying,he knew that much, The problem stems from the fact that the more he read it skills details the more and more he understood and the more ideas that pop into his head.
" probably not worst but it's honestly wierd, it feels as if there are hidden meanings behind every word...."
" I was surely not expecting it to be that skill, even so I wasn't also expecting such dramatic changes,if you ask me I would say it just evolved " Zilon sighed and stood up.
Heading towards the window he stared at the outside and saw how people were moving about going on with there daily activities.
Although it was far away he could still make out quite some few figures walking around.
merchants haggled, children ran through narrow alleys, and the scent of spiced bread drifted through the air.
" weird....."
He turned around without making any comments or even having an expression.
*Click*
The next instant the sound of the door opening to his room could be heard.
Zilon who just casually turned his head at that exact moment found everything to be to much of a coincidence and had weird expression as he stared at the door which was opening slower than he anticipated.
"Hmmm.....*sigh* of course"
The door gave way and Lyla's gracefull figure entered the room.
Zilon couldn't help but silently admire her , The way she do things was just perfect.
Her calm demeanor, a gracefully figure ,her goddess like face.....
Even her voice sounds good,like a mid night melody or the taste of honey.
It was weird but even her expression which is always indifferent makes her look like an independent goddess,free from the impurities of this world.
Things even as small as walking makes her look elegant and noble.
Zilon came to his senses and realized he had stared for to long and she was staring back at him.
She opened her mouth and was about to speak but Zilon quickly walked towards her making her to retract here earlier thoughts.
He went down when he was about 12 inches away from her bowing his head in a deep bow.
" Thank you.....for everything, from the food to you saving me.... I thank you from the buttom of my heart "
This time Zilon was serious and she could definitely tell.
By now she had the idea maybe that was some kind of custom in his old world to someone if your showing gratitude by bowing there heads, she found it weird but did not speak of this time.
She could tell just from the looks of it that she helped Zilon greatly and infact she was mostly unaware or have forgotten about what she did.
Of course she has no way of knowing that was a very big deal for Zilon, and it was the reason why he was receiving this rewards, rewards that will be beneficial to him even in the long run.
" It's nothing stand straight now will you " She said this time her voice was soft and gentle a stark contrast to her uncaring and nonchalant voice.
Zilon stood up and stared at her for a while but his eyes widened slightly and he was forced to look away.
There was a very slight blush on his cheek , his eyes darted from left to right and he tried his best to surpress the nervousness he felt.
"Hmmm"
Lyla notice this peculiar behavior of his ,she was about to ask him what was wrong but decided against it.
Instead...
" I have just made lunch for us, you didn't wake up early enough for breakfast and it was getting cold so I eat it " She said her face as expressionless as always.
" luch huh? "
" Okay I would be down there in a sec " Zilon said still not looking at her.
A sigh escaped her mouth as she swiftly turned around,walking away , but before she closed the door her words reached his ears.
" Don't keep me waiting...."
And with that the door was closed gently.
Zilon left a sigh of relief and only now did he realize that his body became tense.
" I need to be very careful..."
When he woke up to this world his thought process was a mess so he did not notice much details, all he did was notice the important stuff, but now after staying in the world for awhile his head was becoming more and more clearer hence why he noticed this today.
" That charm of her's... is a very deadly weapon "
--------------------------