The forest was alive with danger. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a branch, every shadow hinted at death. Daniel moved cautiously, yet confidently, Scarlune in his right hand, Vorrath in his left. The Second Blade pulsed with heat, whispering promises of raw destructive power, while the First Blade hummed with familiar hunger. Together, they were an extension of him—yet still demanding mastery.
His body ached from yesterday's battle. The wounds on his side, though partially healed by the surge of the Devil-Demon Fire Fruit, still throbbed like a reminder: strength alone would not protect him from death. Only skill, control, and cunning could.
Daniel paused at a moss-covered stone, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes and let Scarlune's warmth radiate into him. It was a strange sensation—pain and pleasure intermingled. The fire called to his inner strength, whispering, Feed me, bend me, wield me without losing yourself.
He opened his eyes. A low growl echoed through the trees.
From the shadows emerged a Greater Horned Fiend, larger than anything Daniel had faced. Its fur was blackened and scorched, eyes glowing molten orange. Its claws were massive, and its teeth glinted like obsidian blades. Smoke curled from its nostrils.
Daniel's heart raced. This is no ordinary monster… this is a test.
He adjusted his grip. Vorrath's edge caught the faint moonlight, black-red lightning dancing along the steel. Scarlune radiated heat, light shimmering across its molten edge.
The creature charged.
Daniel sidestepped, swinging Vorrath, cutting through the air with a hiss. Sparks met claws, and the beast recoiled, snarling. Scarlune blazed with fiery arcs as he swung again, slicing through the fiend's shoulder. Steam hissed where flame met corrupted flesh.
The fight escalated quickly. Daniel ducked, rolled, and slashed, barely avoiding the fiend's clawed attacks. The First Blade hungered; the Second Blade screamed for destruction. He had to balance them, or both swords might consume him.
THE EMBER FRUIT HUNT
After hours of grueling combat, the beast lay defeated, but Daniel barely stood. Sweat and blood coated his skin. He leaned against a tree, catching his breath. The forest was quiet again—too quiet.
A faint glow caught his eye—a smaller tree, charred black, with faint red embers pulsing along its branches. Hanging at its center was a cluster of Devil-Demon Fire Fruits, smaller than the last, but no less potent.
Daniel's pulse quickened. These fruits were more than nourishment—they were keys to the next blade levels, the next stages of mastery.
He approached slowly, knowing that powerful monsters often guarded such resources. He scanned the trees, the shadows, the underbrush. The forest whispered warnings.
A sudden screech—from above!
A winged fiend descended, talons extended, eyes burning with fury. Daniel dropped to one knee, swinging Scarlune. Fire lanced across the clearing, striking the creature mid-air. It shrieked, twisting violently before crashing to the ground.
Breathing hard, Daniel reached the tree. He plucked a fruit carefully, inhaling its molten scent. The fruit pulsed as if alive. He set it before him, raising both blades.
He knew what had to be done.
CONSUMPTION AND VISION
Daniel consumed the Devil-Demon Fire Fruit slowly, letting the heat wash over him. Flames erupted inside his chest, coursing through every vein, every fiber of muscle. Pain mixed with exhilaration.
Vorrath vibrated. Scarlune pulsed. The Book of Ten Swords shimmered, opening a page he had not seen before. Words glowed:
"Embrace the fire within. Let wrath become clarity. Only then shall the next level awaken."
Daniel's vision blurred. He fell to his knees, gripping both blades as his mind filled with visions:
His family's faces, broken and bloodied, urging him to survive.
Mimi's emerald eyes, soft smile, handkerchief pressed to his chest.
Monsters, stronger, darker, and more twisted than any he had fought.
Pain and desire mingled, driving him to rise again.
I will not die here. I will not fail. I will see her again.
Scarlune flared, enveloping him in a cocoon of flame. The heat reshaped his muscles, reformed his bones, sharpened his reflexes. His senses heightened—he could feel the faintest tremor in the ground, the whisper of the wind, the approach of predators.
When he opened his eyes, he was stronger, faster, and sharper. The fruit had advanced his cultivation. Scarlune hummed, now with deeper resonance. The First Blade and the Second Blade vibrated in harmony.
TESTING SCARLUNE
Daniel stood and surveyed the clearing. The forest had changed—the air thick with embers and scent of smoke. He lifted Scarlune, testing the weight, the balance, the deadly flame contained within.
With a sudden roar, he struck a nearby tree, cutting it cleanly through. The heat of Scarlune scorched the ground in a small radius. The forest seemed to respond—leaves shimmered, fireflies ignited, shadows recoiled.
He smiled, exhilarated. This power… it's incredible.
Then, instinctively, he lunged into combat simulation—cutting through imaginary foes, striking and spinning, letting both blades flow. Scarlune flared with each strike, the heat intensifying with each motion. He laughed, a low, satisfied sound.
The forest echoed with the clash of imaginary metal and the hiss of flames. Daniel's training had evolved into art. His mastery of Scarlune would soon match Vorrath—but first, he needed more resources, more trials, and more courage.
MOMENTS OF MEMORY
As the heat subsided, Daniel sat against a tree. He drew the handkerchief Mimi had given him from his pocket. The scent was faint but unmistakable. He held it to his face.
I will see her again… he whispered. No matter the monsters, the blades, or the darkness… I will find you.
His resolve strengthened. The Book of Ten Swords hovered before him, pages rustling. The next blade awaited. He could feel it—the pull of destiny, the echo of inheritance, the whispers of legendary swords yet to awaken.
Daniel tightened his grip on Vorrath and Scarlune.
"The path is long," he muttered, "and the monsters grow stronger. But I will not falter."
A DARK HINT
From the shadows, something watched. Eyes glowing red. Teeth glinting. It waited, patient, intelligent. A new enemy, stronger than any he had faced, would soon cross his path.
Daniel did not see it yet. But the forest knew. And the forest would remember.
For now, he had won the Ember Trial. But the fire within him had only begun to burn.