Blood looked at the floating trident as lines of information entered his vision.
[Soul Transcending Trident]
[Description: A primordial weapon, unique and bound to the Host and any future successors—if such ever exist. A weapon custom‑built for the Host's diverse array of secret skills and techniques, capable of growing alongside him without barrier or impediment. Its edges are unimaginably sharp, its hardness unmatched, serving as a danger to all who opposed it.]
[Grade: Mid‑level Grade-1]
[Skills: 1
1. Inferior: Dull Step]
[Description: Slows the Host's movement to an extreme degree upon activation.]
Ballock suddenly tapped Blood hard on the shoulder who appeared to be lost in thought, jolting him awake.
"What are you doing? Why hit me so hard?" Blood reproached, wincing at the persistent pain.
"I've been calling you, but you didn't respond. You seemed lost in a daze." Ballock said blankly. His eyes shimmered as he added, "What's with that trident? How did it suddenly appear before you—or was it you who summoned it?"
His assumption left Blood utterly stunned. That weapon had made the world's energy stirred.
A weapon capable of stirring the world's energy could not be simple, and Ballock had seen it materialize right before his friend's face. How could he not be intrigued?
However, Blood's response left him puzzled.
"I don't know. This domain is really strange. A weapon of this magnitude could be revealed without struggle. Ballock, we've stumbled upon a gold mine. Yes! We've made it!" Blood exclaimed in jubilation, his eyes shining with ecstasy as he nearly leapt about in excitement.
Inwardly, however, he wanted to punch the Blood Book for setting him up in such a way. How could it unveil such a shocking weapon at that very moment his friend was standing beside him?
Blood could only deny the weapon, for he was unwilling to explain the mystery of its origin.
"Wow, is that so? Then let's look around—perhaps we'll find something similar, or even greater. But this one is up for the taking, and I'll give it a try." Ballock said, his eyes flashing as he stepped toward the trident.
Its aura had begun to stabilize after the subsiding of the raging energy. Just an arm's length from the treasure, he paused and glanced back. "Wish me luck."
As soon as the words left his lips, he reached out with hope and caution, touching the trident in its calm state. That was the only way for the treasure to acknowledge him, binding itself to him as its sole master.
Blood's heart clenched at the sight, but he didn't interfere. He wanted to believe the description. It had said that the weapon was unique to him alone, and he prayed with all his heart that the claim was true.
The trident was surely a heaven‑defying weapon, and he knew he couldn't afford to lose it.
The trident repulsed at Ballock's touch, shaking violently as though wanting to break free from the intruding grip. This struggle lasted for some time, and when the trident couldn't rid itself of the hand, its energy instantly erupted, unleashing a violent beam that moved outward in all directions.
The beam carried a strange, otherworldly energy. Its violent eruption sent a surge of beam energy toward Ballock, who was the closest to the weapon.
Ballock instinctively released the weapon and tried to evade the sudden strike, but its speed was merciless—far beyond what he could dodge. Just as it was about to make contact, a sudden pull on his legs sent him crashing face‑first to the ground.
Blood was left mystified; his gaze was locked on the Soul Transcending Trident as he tried to absorb the revelation of its self‑protective power.
That attack would have annihilated Ballock had it struck, since the energy imbued within had already surpassed the Iron Realm. It had crossed into the Bronze Realm, which was a level far beyond Ballock's strength.
Luck alone had spared him as Blood had dragged him down at the final instant.
The weapon had just released multiple energy attacks capable of combating Bronze Realm experts. Blood quickly rechecked the trident's information, sensing something was amiss—this was far beyond the reach of a grade-1 weapon.
[Soul Transcending Trident]
[Description: …]
[Grade: Peak‑level Grade-1]
[Skills: 2
1. Inferior: Dull Step
2. Superior: Pulsating Beam]
Blood could see that a new skill had been added. It most likely stemmed from the earlier surge of energy, raising the weapon's grade to the peak level.
Blood quickly rose to his feet with determination evident in his eyes. He had to test it himself. He was nearly eighty percent certain that he would succeed, since the Blood Book had ensured it.
Extending his hand, he grabbed the trident.
Although fear still remained in his heart that the weapon might resist and unleash its blazing beam once more, he forced the thought aside and went on.
The moment his fingers closed around the Soul Transcending Trident, blood‑like veins erupted from its surface, wrapping tightly around his hand.
His grip suddenly tightened on the weapon, hardening of its own accord without his will, as the veins slithered up his arm and pierced into his neck.
The pain was immediate—brutal.
Soon after, the veins spread across his face, burrowing into every pore, until his body convulsed under the torment.
An earth‑shaking shriek tore through the open space, echoing with a coldness that froze the air.
The agony was excruciating—pain that seemed beyond his endurance.
___
In a lofty courtyard, exotic incense cascaded through the air, its fragrance soothing the heart and settling the mind into calm. The potent fragrance drifted beyond the courtyard walls, permeating the surrounding space like a tranquil tide.
"Young miss, your father has ordered your return to the Heart Land. It appears some children are stirring trouble." said an extremely tall lady who stood behind a breathtaking figure. Her light‑blue hair shimmered faintly, and her dark‑blue eyes held a quiet authority.
She was the head of the servants who attended the young miss.
"Leave me. I wish to be alone." The alluring voice of a young lady carried softly, before she turned and walked toward the door that opened into the garden of the vast yet simple courtyard.
She was the daughter of the most prominent and respected figure in the entire zone, a man who was praised as the greatest and strongest the zone had ever known.
Though some disagreed. They questioned whether he was truly the strongest, since there were several hidden experts who lived in solitude, caring little for the affairs of the zone. Their lives revolved only around cultivation and the pursuit of strength.
Such debates never ceased though, and it was through this constant uncertainty that the current zone commander had risen—emerging from nowhere to defeat the previously recognized leader.
There was always someone watching. The position of zone commander carried immense benefits, and from time-to-time challengers would emerge.
Kate had wandered through empires, cities, and villages since childhood, and was always accompanied by a single loyal servant wherever she chose to settle. She had crossed several regions, and now she resided in a city nearly ten days' journey from Sand‑Scale.
From here, she planned to travel further, seeking knowledge and sharpening her battle prowess. She had abandoned the academy at the age of twelve, choosing instead the path of an explorer within the Hunter Union. Beyond that, she was also a Settler warrior.
Her decision had not been born of recklessness. The academy's walls felt too narrow, its teachings and rules too rigid, however, the Hunter Union offered freedom, challenge, and the vast unknown, which she embraced without hesitation.
Kate sat quietly upon a stone bench. She picked up a stick lying nearby and began to trace slow markings on the ground. It was a habit she often indulged in when deep in thought.
Few children her age could truly challenge her, fewer still could force her to fight with all her strength.
As her thoughts drifted, she remembered the boy she had met a month before, the one with long, curly red hair. His face usually surfaced in her mind again and again after that day, until the memory became almost natural.
Perhaps it was because of the look he had given her before he left. The boy had been so weak that she struggled to believe he was the son of a great man.
A faint smile immediately touched her oval face at the thought. However, in the very next moment, something far more astonishing occurred…