Swish**
William's figure appeared inside the Domain of Infinite.
The surroundings became familiar instantly.
The ground beneath his feet felt solid, exactly as it had been the last time he stood here.
The air was still, carrying the same heavy silence that always filled this spot.
In front of him stood the mountain that he had cleaved in two earlier while practicing his sword technique.
The split had run horizontally straight through the massive structure, dividing it cleanly from left to right.
But the realm had healed that scar, and the mountain stood solid again. Will's hands shook as an urge to take out his sword and cut the mountain rose on his heart rose, but then he sighed and moved on.
Sovereign sword intent surged through his body as he burst into flight.
The ground disappeared beneath him as he crossed the distance in seconds.
The familiar grassy plains came into view, stretching outward toward the center of the domain.
At the heart of it stood the familiar hut where bland rations were waiting for him.
He slowed as he approached and landed near it without making any sound. As he looked around, taking in the rich air, which was infused with all three energies he cultivated.
The domain of infinite was specifically designed for cultivation so that the master, William, could control the scenery, weather, and types of energy in the environment.
He had no idea how all this worked, but he did not care, at least for now.
[It's about time you take the 100X returns from your bonds.]
William gave a short nod; his expression remained neutral.
"Okay, let's start with Katherine. I'm sure she must have received at least a few treasures from the Vampire Empress. in all this time."
Only after saying it did the realization settle properly.
He had never bothered to claim the 100x rewards before the trial.
At that time, it hadn't felt important.
His strength had already crossed a level where first rank in the academy trials felt inevitable.
Everything had gone according to expectation during the early stages. Even the battles with high-ranked monsters themselves had not truly pushed him.
What he hadn't accounted for was the Amon cult's attack.
That had not been part of his calculations.
The attack happened too early and on a massive scale.
It wasn't regret that he was feeling. It was irritation at not being in control over the plot anymore. The oversight on his part had been careless, and carelessness had consequences.
A familiar sound rang near his ears.
[ding... Individual Katherine has received:]
William straightened slightly as the notifications continued.
[– Blood Fang twin mythril daggers (Diamond Rank)]
[– Training: 1st and 2nd stages of the Heaven Rank spell Crimson Dominion Art]
[– Vial of a Royal Dragon's Blood Essence]
Immediately another screen appeared.
[ding... Calculating 100X rewards...]
[ding... Congratulations, Host, for receiving :]
[– Red Oath twin adamantite daggers (Mythic Rank)]
[– 100X training experience of 1st and 2nd stages of Crimson Dominion Art]
[– Vial of True Dragon's Blood Essence]
The rewards manifested in front of him.
William did not react immediately.
His gaze moved first to the daggers called Red Oath.
They floated quietly in the air in front of him; their surfaces were dark and solid, and their blades were as long as his elbows, only a few inches away from being short swords.
The metal was adamantine.
Adamantite carried a different presence compared to mythril.
Where mythril was sharp and responsive, adamantite felt stable, heavy, and enduring. The metal did not merely conduct mana; it also rearranged its structural properties according to the will of the user.
"Daggers are useful," he muttered.
Adamantite weapons also repaired themselves over time. They handled elemental infusion better than most metals ever could.
Damage that would permanently ruin other weapons barely left a mark on this material. In prolonged combat, that difference mattered more than raw sharpness.
Will needed to spend more time with the daggers to know their functions completely, but right now he kept them inside the inventory and looked forward to the next rewards.
Next, his attention shifted to the Crimson Dominion Art.
This spell was not new to him; he had read about it in the novel.
The spell revolved around blood control and blood conjuring, making it powerful but unstable without proper understanding.
That understanding required blood affinity.
William's brows furrowed slightly.
"System," he said, "tell me how to comprehend blood affinity."
The response came calmly.
Host, since it is blood affinity, you need to surround yourself with blood. Sitting in a blood pool or interacting with a large quantity of blood will help.]
His jaw tightened.
"Can it be my own blood?"
[No.]
Your own blood is part of your identity. To comprehend blood affinity, you must understand that blood exists independently of race, origin, or ownership. Blood is blood. Not yours.]
William listened carefully.
It is not the being that produces blood. It is the blood that produces the being.]
A short silence followed.
"...Wow," William said flatly. "That's philosophical as hell."
The next question came naturally.
"Does every affinity need this much understanding? Then why did I comprehend nether affinity or shadow affinity so easily?"
The system answered without hesitation.
[In the case of the shadow element, Tamasya's talent assisted you. The element accepted you prematurely, and your talent, Lawless Adaptation, refined it further, making it absolute rank.]
That explanation was expected.
As for the nether element, it is the element of decay. When you entered the Prison of Gods, you were constantly immersed in it.
Memories surfaced.
Decay tearing at his flesh. Healing. Decay again. Over and over.
You were decaying continuously. You healed yourself repeatedly. You killed Nether dwellers while undergoing that cycle.
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The system continued.
When you used Stellar Fire against it, the element recognized that consuming you was not a good idea. Accepting you was the better option.
William exhaled slowly.
"So elements have consciousness?"
[Yes and no.]
The response paused slightly.
[Your current level of experience is insufficient to fully understand this. What matters is this.]
[To comprehend an affinity, you must form an extreme connection with it.]
The explanation shifted.
[It is similar to courting women.]
William grimaced.
"...Seriously?"
[Everyone has a different personality. Some respond to gentleness. Some respond to dominance. Some require patience. Others demand risk.]
[The elements are the same.]
The analogy continued, since it had already been introduced.
[Shadow accepted you because it felt familiarity through Tamasya's talent. Nether accepted you because you survived it repeatedly and refused to break.]
[Blood will not accept you just because you want it.]
William rubbed his forehead.
"So I have to figure out what blood wants."
[Correct.]
"Great," he muttered. "Another headache."
The conversation ended there.
His gaze shifted to the final item.
The vial of true dragon's blood essence hovered quietly in front of him.
This part required no system explanation.
In the original story, the Vampire Queen had aimed to awaken Katherine's latent ancient vampire bloodline.
That process required feeding her vast amounts of blood essence.
Powerful blood taken from strong beings across different races.
Dragon blood had been one of the most important components.
William stared at the vial; it was the blood of a true dragon.
True dragons from legends.