Raine sank his consciousness into the [Attributes Chapter] to check his newly enlightened specialty.
[Name: Raine]
[Power: 6]
[Agility: 7]
[Physique: 6]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Perception: 6]
[Charm: 5]
[Skills]
[Eagle Vision Lv2 (19/20)]
[Stealth Step Lv2 (12/20)]
[Basic Archery Lv2 (17/20)]
[Basic Swordsmanship Lv2 (6/20)]
[Wind-Seeking Piercing Lv1 (5/10)]
[Specialty]
[Rival’s Perspective]
[Negative Energy Resistance]
Before checking his new specialty, Raine briefly reviewed his recent growth.
His attributes went without saying; compared to when he first started, his Agility, Power, Perception, and Physique had each increased by one point. Every point represented a breakthrough in his strength.
As for his skills, "Eagle Vision" and "Basic Archery" were on the verge of breaking through to Lv3, while "Stealth Step" continued to grow steadily.
His newly mastered, powerful combat technique, "Wind-Seeking Piercing," had expectedly boosted his understanding of swordsmanship after several critical uses, naturally allowing "Basic Swordsmanship" to cross the threshold into Lv2.
His gaze soon fell upon his newly enlightened specialty.
[Negative Energy Resistance]
[Effect: You possess extraordinary resilience against the decaying forces originating from the Negative Energy Plane. When taking any form of Negative Energy damage, you will receive a 30% Negative Energy damage reduction.]
[Note: You once stepped into the hotbed that breeds death, venturing deep into the flower bud of the "Negative Energy Demon Flower."
Within the core of the Black Tide Embers left behind from five hundred years ago, you endured the purest baptism of Negative Energy, ultimately conquering it by the skin of your teeth.
That victory within the flower bud granted you insight into a portion of the nature of death energy. From now on, Negative Energy will appear docile before you.]
"A thirty percent Negative Energy damage reduction?" Raine muttered. He carefully sensed the specific effect of the new specialty, his heart skipping a beat.
If he had possessed this resistance during the corrosion of the black mist just now, he definitely could have held out much longer!
Not only that, but he would also have greater survivability when encountering Necromancy, High Tier Undead, or even certain ruins corrupted by Negative Energy in the future!
This thirty percent damage reduction might not seem like much, but in evenly matched battles, it was often the dividing line between life and death!
Of course, he was well aware that against an opponent with an overwhelming advantage in strength, even the strongest resistance would be futile.
Improving his own strength was the root of it all.
Thinking of this, Raine couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
If facing a single, weak, newly born ember was this difficult, he could only imagine how tragic it had been for Kaelin’s ancestors and the Alliance Army warriors when they faced the true catastrophe that swept the world back then.
"Raine, are you really alright?" Kaelin’s concerned voice reached his ears.
Raine snapped back to reality and found his three teammates looking at him, seemingly surprised by how quickly he had recovered.
He shook the empty Alchemy Potion Bottle in his hand and smiled. "Thanks to this Healing Potion."
The group was hit with sudden realization, yet the admiration in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
Even with the support of a Healing Potion, surviving the core of death and managing to turn the tide was, in itself, an extraordinary display of willpower.
"My friends, there is still one thing we haven’t finished," Raine said, his voice growing heavier as his gaze slowly swept across their surroundings.
At this moment, the thick black mist had completely dissipated, as if it had never existed.
The entire Unyielding Hall had fallen into dead silence. Having lost the Negative Energy support from the Black Tide Embers, all the awakened Undead had reverted back to silent skeletons.
The Human Race warrior skeletons that had been fighting fiercely just moments ago now lay quietly on the ground, intertwined with the bones of their enemies, the Magical Beasts. It was as if everything had returned to the scene right after that tragic battle ended five hundred years ago.
Kaelin immediately understood what Raine meant. Forcing herself to endure her physical weakness, she staggered toward the spot where Garson had stood earlier. Raine, Sodden, and Winnie followed closely behind her.
Upon drawing near, they saw Garson’s riddled skeleton lying quietly on the ground, the War Axe that had accompanied him in battle until his death resting by his hand.
The faint blue flames that had once burned fiercely in his eye sockets were now completely extinguished, leaving behind only emptiness and silence.
"Grandfather!" Kaelin choked back a sob. She threw herself to her knees beside the massive skeleton, calling out to him repeatedly in vain.
She reached out and carefully grasped the cold, bony hand, as if trying to transfer her own Life Force to him.
Perhaps it was the call of her bloodline taking effect, or perhaps his remaining will had not yet completely faded. A flickering spark of ghostly blue fire actually managed to light up with great difficulty in Garson’s hollow eye sockets, so faint that it seemed it would go out in the next second.
"Kaelin... my child..."
A consciousness that seemed to come from a distant shore echoed intermittently in their minds. "You succeeded... That’s wonderful..."
"I’m sorry, Grandfather. I’m sorry!" Kaelin wept uncontrollably. A thousand words clogged her chest, but they ultimately turned into nothing but repeated apologies—for disturbing his peaceful rest, and for his final dissipation.
"Silly child... To be able to see you before my eternal slumber... To hear you talk about the Northern Territory of today... I already have no regrets..."
Garson’s voice carried a sense of relief and gratification. He turned the faint flames in his eye sockets toward Raine. "Young man... thank you... for bringing Kaelin here... and thank you all... for not letting her be alone..."
Raine immediately placed a hand over his chest and bowed deeply to this respectable predecessor.
His voice was full of solemnity as he replied, "Mr. Garson, it is we who should thank you and all the warriors. It was you who protected the future of the Human Race five hundred years ago. And it was your fierce battle today that carved out a path of survival for us. The glory of the Fenglang Clan will never fade."
After Raine finished speaking, Sodden struck his chest heavily, producing a muffled THUD. Winnie pulled down her hood and bowed her head deeply. They too expressed their respect in their own ways.
"Our era... ended a long time ago... Now is your era... To see you all so outstanding... Everything we did... was worth it..."
Garson’s voice grew weaker and weaker. His massive bony palm moved with great difficulty and gently rested on the handle of the mottled Giant Axe beside him, as if stroking an old friend.
"Young man..." He looked at Raine with the weight of an entrustment. "This is ’Broken Rock’... the old friend that accompanied me... through a lifetime of battles... It was forged by the best craftsman in the clan... using the finest Icefield Steel... from beneath the permafrost of the Northern Territory..."
He paused, as if reminiscing, or perhaps gathering the last bit of his strength.
"Now... I gift it to you... Take it... Perhaps it can still help you... If the essence of the Icefield Steel contained within this War Axe... can be melted down into Arrowheads... they will surely become... Sharp Teeth that tear through the darkness..."
Along with his feeble words, the enormous War Axe named "Broken Rock" seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, slowly sliding over to Raine’s feet.
Illuminated by the Magic Halo, the mottled marks on the axe’s surface and its chipped blade all spoke of the tragic battles and immortal glory it had once experienced.
Raine froze slightly before solemnly leaning down to pick up the extremely heavy War Axe with both hands.
The metal handle was cold to the touch, yet he could almost still feel the blazing will to fight contained within it.
"Thank you for your gift, Mr. Garson." Raine’s voice was deep and solemn. "I will not fail the glory it carries."
"Good... Good!" Garson’s voice was full of satisfaction. He directed his final thoughts toward Kaelin, wrapping around her warmly.
"Kaelin... my little Kaelin... Don’t be sad for your grandfather... To be able to see you five hundred years later with my own eyes before my rest... to witness you growing up so bravely... This is already the greatest gift that time could give me...
"Remember... the will of the Fenglang... lies in protecting everything you cherish...
"Take the ’Wolf’s Oath’ and your companions... and keep moving forward... Be as strong as the bedrock of the Northern Territory... and as free as the fierce winds of the snowfields...
"The path you are about to walk... will definitely be more glorious than the one we walked... Definitely..."
In this moment, through Kaelin’s tear-blurred eyes, he was no longer a mottled skeleton, but a kindly, warm-eyed old man smiling at her.
After Garson finished speaking, the faint blue spark flickered gently, like a sigh of contentment, before it completely extinguished.
Kaelin stood up silently and stood shoulder to shoulder with Raine, Sodden, and Winnie. The four of them gave their final farewell without a word.
A solemn and respectful atmosphere filled the air. They knew that the Residual Soul of Garson Ice Trace, as well as the warriors of the Fenglang Clan who had just been fighting for them, had finally achieved eternal rest in this very moment.
However, this tranquility only lasted for a short moment. Just as everyone was immersed in the emotions of their farewell, a sudden tremor swept over them without any warning.