The valley was boxed in by sheer cliffs. Near one wall stood a colossal golden tree, heavy with translucent, juice-drenched fruit that made even the unthirsty crave a bite.
Beyond the tree loomed a cave. Inside, a haggard old man with matted gray hair, clad in tattered rags, was chained to a blood-red boulder by four massive obsidian links. Lucas recognized him instantly—Kardas, one of the Underworld's Four Demon Lords, a truth he'd uncovered after years of research in his past life.
After losing the Great God-Demon War, the immortal Kardas had been imprisoned here by the gods. The golden tree was his essence made flesh; anyone who fed him its fruit to restore his strength would earn a growth-type artifact: the Demon's Heart, which could evolve into a God-Tier relic.
Lucas approached. "Old man, why are you trapped here? Can I help?"
The man said nothing, only staring longingly at the tree.
"You want those fruits? I'll get them for you." Lucas plucked every golden fruit from the branches and returned. "Here—eat."
The old man dropped his stoicism, inhaling all the fruit in one greedy gulp. Sated, he locked eyes with Lucas. "Young adventurer, who are you? How did you find this place?"
Lucas scratched his head awkwardly. "Just a wanderer. Fell off the cliff—lucky the branches broke my fall."
Kardas raised an eyebrow. "Fortune favors the bold. Your arrival is no accident—it's the gods' twisted will. You've restored my strength; take this as repayment." A glowing crimson heart materialized before Lucas, and he grasped it gently.
Demon's Heart (Level 0)
+1 Stamina | +1 Strength | +1 Agility | +10 Intelligence | +1 Vitality
+1% Magical Crit | +1% Spell Cast Speed | +1% Spell Hit Chance
Requires: Level 0
Lucas's fists tightened with excitement. This artifact had made him legendary in his past life—though he'd never cracked its upgrade secret, leaving it at Level 0 until he hit a power wall. When he'd finally unlocked its potential, he'd learned its true might: stats doubled per level, new passives unlocked, and at Legendary Tier, it let him channel Kardas's power—30 minutes of cooldown-free high-tier spells, mastery of three Fire Forbidden Arts, and a 30% chance of 10x crits. It had let him conquer raids and build an empire—too late to save his family, but not this time.
Equipping the heart, his stats surged:
Name: Lucas | Class: Mage | Level: 0
Stamina: 4 | Strength: 2 | Intelligence: 20 | Spirit: 10 | Agility: 4 | Vitality: 5
HP: 80 | Mana: 200 | Physical Dmg: 1-2 | Spell Dmg: 20 | Defense: 4
Physical Crit: 0% | Magical Crit: 1.1% | Spell Cast Speed: +1% | Spell Hit: +1% | Mana Regen: 1 per 5 sec
In-game, 1 Intelligence = 1 Spell Dmg + 10 Mana. The heart had doubled his core Mage stats—an early-game advantage no other player could match.
"Thank you for this gift. May I know your name? Is there more I can do?" Lucas asked respectfully.
Kardas chuckled, glancing at Lucas's level. "You're too weak to aid me now—return at Level 200. As for my name… that time has not yet come."
System Notification: Quest Unlocked – Old Man's Request (Legendary). Accept?
Lucas grinned—a Legendary Quest was a jackpot, even if it was out of reach. "I accept. I'll return at Level 200 to free you."
Kardas waved a hand, and dizziness washed over Lucas. When it faded, he was back on the cliff edge. "Great, a 30-minute hike back," he muttered, annoyed by the lack of a free teleport.