"Master! Master! Wake up! Do you hear me?"
The first rays of dawn filtered through the canopy of trees above, casting an eerie glow on the forest floor.
Gabriel's eyes fluttered open, his head pounding with confusion. He found himself lying on the soft grass, the memory of the cave and the exploding orb still fresh in his mind.
"Master, wake up!" a familiar voice urged, shaking him gently.
It was Lowell, his expression filled with concern. "What happened, Master? Are you hurt?"
Gabriel groaned and sat up, rubbing his temples. "I'm fine. I am not hurt."
Lowell's voice, filled with worry, pulsated onto his brain. "Master, what happened? Where were you? I have been looking for you for days."
"I'm... I'm not sure. The last thing I remember is the orb exploding, and then everything went black." Gabriel furrowed his brows.
As his vision cleared, Gabriel noticed a small creature nestled beside him, its soft scales shimmering in the morning light.
It was a baby dragon, its eyes closed in peaceful slumber.
Lowell's eyes widened as he saw the dragon. "Is that... a baby dragon!? Master, what is happening?"
Gabriel shook his head, equally puzzled. "I have no idea. But there's something else."
He lifted his left hand, revealing a faint, dark mark etched into his skin.
The mark pulsed with a sinister energy, and Gabriel felt an unfamiliar power coursing through him.
"I think I was imprinted with some ability—" Gabriel said, his voice tinged with awe. "It's a powerful ability, but I don't fully understand it yet."
Lowell studied the mark with a mix of curiosity and caution. "We'll need to figure out what it does. But there's something else you should see."
Gabriel glanced down and saw a new sword strapped to his waist.
He didn't remember taking it, yet there it was—a sleek blade, its surface gleaming with a stunning mix of silver, white, and gold.
Intricate runes were carved along its length, adding to its otherworldly appearance. The sword hummed with an ethereal energy, resonating with the mark on his hand.
"Where did this come from?" Gabriel asked, bewildered.
Lowell shrugged, equally mystified. Gabriel was about to get up when he remembered a certain responsibility placed upon him.
"Lowell, hold him."
Lowell was surprised as he saw his master pick up the dragon without fear and hand it to him.
"Wha—Wh—What!? Master? This is very dangerous!"
Gabriel looked at the beautiful sleeping dragon in Lowell's arms. 'What was dangerous?'
Nothing about it looked dangerous to him. Though it might have been because he had faced a fully grown one before.
Gabriel took out the sword on his waist.
"Shing!"
The blade was so sharp it seemed as if telling the wind's whispers.
Its thin blade was crafted out of the most refined material, forged with expertise beyond mortal hands.
The blade gleamed with its stunning mix of silver, white, and gold, resonating with an ethereal energy. With a deep breath, Gabriel drew the sword.
The runes along the blade glowed brightly, and he felt a surge of power coursing through him.
He approached the core, its surface pulsating with a dark, menacing energy.
Gabriel raised the sword and swung with all his might, but the core's energy resisted the blade, sending a shockwave through his body. He staggered back, feeling a powerful force pushing against him.
Gabriel gritted his teeth and focused on the sword's abilities.
The runes glowed brighter, and he felt the sword's power intertwine with his own. He swung again, this time with more precision and strength.
The core fought back, its dark energy lashing out at Gabriel. He felt searing pain as the energy struck him, but he refused to back down. He channeled every ounce of his strength and the sword's power into his next strike.
With a final, desperate effort, Gabriel brought the blade down upon the core.
The impact was explosive, the core shattering into fragments of stone that flew in all directions.
A blinding light filled the area, and Gabriel felt a powerful force pulling him and his companions upwards.
When the light faded, Gabriel found himself standing back in the garden, the towering stone structure nowhere in sight.
He was exhausted, his body aching from the battle, but he had succeeded.
Gabriel looked at the sword, its essence still resonating with his mana.
'Dancing Cloud'
Rank: S
Ability: ????
Gabriel stared at the sword.
He had never seen such a strange weapon before. Lowell, still holding the baby dragon, looked astonished.
"You did it, Master. We're finally out!"
Gabriel's gaze flickered toward the floating notebook, its pages shifting. A new message had been written.
"Mission Complete."
Gabriel exhaled, his grip tightening around the sword. This was only the beginning.