Chương 33: A Sword of Shadows

Ch 33 - A Sword of Shadows Zeph reached for the long wooden case and slowly opened it. The moment the lid came off, he froze for a second. Inside rested a sword in a black obsidian scabbard. The designs shimmered faintly whenever the light struck them, giving the scabbard an elegant yet intimidating presence. Its hilt was wrapped in dark leather, with a matte black crossguard and a polished obsidian pommel that completed its sleek appearance.

"It looks incredible," Madou said.

"Even the scabbard itself is built to be durable. You can even use it to parry attacks if necessary. It's also specially crafted to work perfectly with the blade inside." Zeph swallowed as he stared at it. Even without drawing the blade, he could already feel the sword's extraordinary presence.

"A Tier 3 Sword," Madou continued.

"That old man really managed to forge a Tier 3 sword from the Epic-grade Tier 2 monster core we brought him." Zeph carefully lifted the sword. It had a bit of weight to it, but it felt balanced and comfortable in his hand. It was nowhere near as heavy as the oversized swords he could summon through his Sigil. He wrapped his fingers around the solid hilt before slowly pulling it free. Shing. A crisp metallic sound echoed through the room as the blade emerged from the obsidian scabbard.

The blade itself looked exceptionally solid, carrying the same deep black color as the scabbard. Its polished surface reflected his face like a dark mirror despite its pitch-black appearance. Once the blade was fully drawn, Zeph raised it in front of him, carefully examining every inch of its flawless craftsmanship.

"The color is incredibly dark," Lena said.

"That sword will make it much harder for your enemies to follow your attacks in darkness, which fits your specialty perfectly."

"Yeah. It's perfect for someone who hides in the shadows and quietly takes people out," Madou said with a grin.

"It matches your cowardly fighting style."

"I'll stab my enemies right in front of their faces with this sword," Zeph said back. Madou burst into laughter at Zeph's response. Zeph nodded before activating his Dimensional Storage Ring and storing the sword inside. [Tier 3 Rare Shadow Storage Ring has successfully stored: One-Handed Sword.]"It doesn't have a name?" he asked.

"That's normal," Madou replied.

"Crafted swords are different from the weapons we obtain from Rifts. Most forged weapons don't have names. Only after the sword is bonded with an Elemental Spirit and awakened into a Relic does it gain a true name. Until then, it's identified only by its official classification. Even so, its value is easy to verify. It's officially licensed as a Tier 3 weapon, and its power fully matches that rank." Zeph took a step back before pulling the sword out of his Dimensional Storage Ring once more.

He gave it a few practice swings, followed by a quick thrust, then flowed into several parries and defensive movements, getting a feel for how the weapon handled in his hands.

"This sword feels incredibly solid," he said.

"And... surprisingly, it feels lighter than I expected. It's definitely heavier than Lena's sword, but the balance makes it much easier to control." Madou nodded.

"That's probably because of the elemental attribute infused into it. It carries the Shadow attribute."

"Shadow attribute?" Zeph asked.

"Isn't that supposed to be an advanced form of the Dark attribute?"

"Exactly," Madou replied. Lena nodded as well.

"Every Awakener who successfully breaks through to Rank 2 Guardian begins refining mana particles into their purified form, commonly known as elemental mana. That's also when more elemental attributes become available in our Status Panel." Zeph nodded thoughtfully before summoning his own status panel.

[Name: Zephion] [Level: 16 Apprentice] [Divinity: The One Who Rejects Death] [Authority: Undying Core] [Sigils: Epic - Night Cavalry] Once an Awakener reached Rank 2, a new section called Elemental Affinity would appear on their Status Panel. It determined which elemental attributes resonated naturally with them. An Awakener's Elemental Affinity influenced far more than just their combat style.

It shaped the abilities they could learn in the future, determined which equipment they could fully utilize, affected their strengths and weaknesses against different monsters, and influenced countless other aspects of their growth.

"What elemental attributes did you two unlock?" Zeph asked.

"My attribute is Fire," Madou answered before letting out a quiet sigh.

"Honestly... I have mixed feelings about it. As a frontline fighter, Earth would've suited me better. And with my undead Sigil, Dark would've had amazing synergy too. But Fire... Well, I'll have to figure out how to make the most of it." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Zeph slowly nodded, understanding the situation Madou was in.

"What about you, Lena?" The girl gave a small nod.

"My attribute is Light," she said with a smile.

"Surprisingly, it's very effective against Dark-type enemies. It also offers a nice balance between healing and offensive abilities. It's considered a fairly rare attribute, just like Dark." Zeph frowned slightly as he listened.

"Monster..." he muttered under his breath. He decided there was no point dwelling on elemental mana for now. He would learn more about it once he got closer to reaching Rank 2 Guardian. And if he successfully enrolled in the Hunter Academy, the subject would almost certainly be covered in much greater detail there. He could wait until then.

"If I end up unlocking the Dark attribute," Zeph said, "I think it'd fit everything I have. My Core, my Sigil... even this sword." After finishing his inspection of the new weapon, Zeph also tried on the complete battle outfit they had received. Eventually, they would receive official battle gear after being accepted into the Hunter Academy. However, getting in was far from easy.

The entrance selection was considered even more difficult than clearing a Tier 1 Rift, with an extremely high failure rate among first-time participants. That was exactly why they needed to prepare as thoroughly as possible. Standing side by side, Zeph, Madou, and Lena admired their new battle outfits. Each set consisted of a blue inner suit reinforced with fitted armor protecting key areas of the body.

The uniforms looked practical without sacrificing mobility, and the matching designs made the three of them look like a proper team.

"We're ready for the Selection Test!" Madou shouted.

"Let's conquer it together!" Lena cheered with a bright laugh.

"Yeah." Zeph smiled and nodded. If the three of them could go through the Selection Test together, things would be much easier. Their abilities complemented one another surprisingly well, even though they all specialized in close-range combat. Madou excelled as the team's defender, drawing the monsters' attention and keeping the pressure off everyone else. Zeph was the finisher, delivering devastating attacks whenever an opening appeared.

Meanwhile, Lena provided support, healing the team whenever they had a chance to regroup. Wait… Neither he nor Madou actually needed healing. At least, that was true unless they ended up suffering something severe like the curse they had encountered inside the Rift before. Everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place. Until... Just a day before the Selection Test, the official announcement was released. Participants would be divided into groups based on their rank.

That meant Zeph would be separated from Madou and Lena.

"You survived inside a Tier 2 Rift by yourself," Madou said casually after hearing the news.

"I'm sure this will be easy for you. Besides, there will be official supervisors watching over the entire test. They won't let things get dangerous enough for anyone to lose their life. It's basically one of the safest trials you'll ever take." Lena nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure you'll meet the right people to work with. Most of the challenges in this trial aren't meant to be completed alone anyway."

"Exactly," Madou added with a grin.

"And if you don't, just push your way through and clear everything yourself." Zeph simply nodded at their advice. Whether he went through the Selection Test with Madou and Lena or not, his goal had already been decided. Getting into the Hunter Academy was one of the safest and most reliable ways to grow stronger. It would give him access to better resources, more opportunities, and the connections he would likely need in the future. The day of the Selection Test finally arrived.

Zeph walked alongside Lena and Madou as they entered the academy's main entrance plaza. The place was already crowded with participants. The age range alone was enough to catch his attention. Some looked no older than ten, while others appeared to be in their early twenties. A few even seemed to be approaching thirty. It wasn't surprising. Reaching Rank 2 Guardian wasn't something everyone could accomplish at a young age.

Since the Hunter Academy held its entrance selection every year and imposed no age limit, many people kept returning to try again after failing previous attempts. Even so, the reality remained the same. Those who were already past their twenties generally had much slimmer chances than younger participants with greater potential. Madou patted Zeph on the shoulder when they reached the point where the participants had to separate according to their assigned groups.

"Good luck. Don't disappoint me," Madou said with a grin.

"Take care, Zeph," Lena said, waving at him.

"You two as well. This should be easy for both of you." In truth, Rank 2 Guardians already had an extremely high chance of being accepted. Their selection was less about whether they qualified and more about evaluating their overall ability, combat performance, and specialties. Outstanding candidates would likely receive additional attention and better opportunities once they entered the academy. For Rank 1 Apprentices like Zeph, however, the situation was completely different.

They had to compete fiercely for a limited number of seats. Only one hundred participants would be accepted each year. Out of... Zeph looked around as countless participants continued walking toward the same massive academy building. There had to be well over a thousand people here. He swallowed quietly. Zeph continued walking toward the academy's grand assembly hall, where every participant was instructed to gather before the Selection Test began. As soon as he stepped inside, a wave of noise greeted him.

The spacious hall was filled with the chatter of hundreds of participants. Conversations overlapped from every direction, mixed with laughter as groups of participants relaxed around large round tables scattered throughout the room. Although the Selection Test evaluated each participant individually, cooperation was not prohibited. In fact, participants were encouraged to demonstrate teamwork whenever the trial allowed it. Building connections before the test had practically become an unspoken tradition.

That was why most of the round tables were already occupied by groups who clearly knew one another. Some participants even wore expensive-looking armor and carried high-quality weapons that stood out immediately. Their equipment alone revealed the support of wealthy or influential families. With resources like that backing them, simply passing the Selection Test was likely just a formality. Zeph walked past one of those groups when a few of them glanced in his direction. He paid them no attention.

As he passed by, someone suddenly stretched out a leg to trip him. Reacting on instinct, Zeph drove his own foot straight into it instead. The boy let out a yelp as his balance disappeared, stumbling backward before crashing into the friends behind him.

"God damn it! Watch where you're going!" the boy shouted angrily. The group consisted of seven people. Most looked to be in their mid-to-late teens, while a couple appeared to be in their early twenties. Zeph could have avoided the leg entirely. Instead, he chose not to. If someone wanted to start trouble over something so petty, he had no intention of backing down. He wasn't the type to pick fights, but he certainly wasn't the type to run from them either.

Zeph ignored him and continued walking without even looking back. Apparently, that only made the spoiled young master even angrier. The boy quickly got back on his feet, pointed at Zeph, and shouted across the hall.

"You bastard! Stop right there and apologize! You kicked me on purpose!" Zeph kept walking as if he hadn't heard a single word. He couldn't care less. Just how far was this idiot willing to go over something he had started himself? Until, in the very next moment. Someone was charging straight at him! A faint smirk appeared on Zeph's face as he activated his Dimensional Storage Ring.