CHAPTER 96: LET’S BEGIN... WITH THE CREATION OF THE PERFECT WEAPON

Upon entering the vault, the first thing Kael saw was the sign that read "Level 1." Since he had seen it before, he quickly ignored it, as the things on this level did not catch his attention.

In addition, the space he had in the ring with the space rune was limited, so he couldn’t carry many things. However, he didn’t mind, as he had in mind what he wanted.

So he went straight down to "Level 2," where the light became denser, milky white, with iridescent reflections floating in the air.

And he saw this level again, which was like a living archive: diagrams of magic circles drawn in pearlescent ink, alchemy books with polished bone covers.

The architecture was symmetrical, perfect. White shelves floated, slowly rotating in the air, guarded by spheres of light that acted as guardians.

Kael glanced around the room before beginning to move decisively. His footsteps were silent but precise. He picked up several manuals, aura cultures, and a pair of weapons that had caught his eye during his first visit. He didn’t stop to examine them closely; he already knew what he was looking for.

Once he had gathered everything he needed, he wasted no more time on that level. His figure disappeared down the stairs, heading for the top floor of the vault.

Two minutes later, he reached the third level.

A thick, whitish fog covered the room, dense as if the air had been contaminated by centuries of stagnant energy. Unlike the previous floors, this level was rustic, almost primitive. The walls were made of rough stone, without inscriptions or decorations, and the floor creaked under every step.

As he advanced, the fog began to dissipate little by little, revealing holes distributed along the walls. Inside them were the Zu: each with their name, description, and rank carved on metal plates.

Kael walked steadily, inspecting them with calculating eyes. He took what he needed and stored them directly in his space rune ring. He couldn’t afford to waste too much time there. He also picked up some rare materials as he moved, selecting them with the same methodical coldness.

He descended the last flight of stone steps until the deepest level of the library appeared before him. In the center of the room, the Zu that the old man had mentioned on his first visit awaited him.

Time passed quickly as Kael took everything he needed and put it away. This time, he took many Zu, as his knowledge of them had expanded with his study.

After taking everything he needed, he stood in front of the Bloody Sage of the Seventh Heaven Zu.

With its rough, silvery trunk, it twisted into almost human shapes. Two eyes rested on its bark: large, bright, and liquid green, like wells of ancient sap. They blinked slowly.

Beneath them, a toothless mouth curved into a serene smile, its wooden lips parted. The pale, almost translucent leaves tinkled like crystals, casting dancing shadows on the ground.

Zu’s eyes stared intently at him. Kael also looked at him for a brief moment.

At that moment, a notification window appeared.

Ding.

[Do you want to refine the ’Bloody Sage of the Seventh Heaven Zu’?]

[Yes/No]

Kael narrowed his eyes for a moment, and several thoughts crossed his mind.

So, after five seconds, he accepted, pressing "Yes."

Ding.

[Starting refinement]

...

The sky was covered with thick black clouds, and rain fell furiously, as if the world were trying to wash away or perhaps cover up the massacre unfolding on Kiran Mountain.

Outside the Medici mansion, the bamboo forest stood like an army of green spears, its stems trembling under the weight of the wind and rain.

"I finally found you."

Alessia took a step back. Pure instinct.

"Jasper... what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Jasper interrupted her with a hollow laugh. "How funny. I never expected this opportunity to come so quickly. Maybe it was meant to be."

Alessia moved to one side, looking for a way out, but Jasper also took a step, cutting her off. His face didn’t show overwhelming rage, but something worse: madness.

"Jasper, you’re hurt. You’re not well. We can talk..." She tried to calm him down, even though she knew her words were useless. It wasn’t just his body that was broken.

"Don’t tell me I’m not okay. I’m more awake than ever."

And then he threw himself on top of her.

Alessia tried to run, but her reflexes weren’t fast enough. Jasper grabbed her arm tightly, digging his fingers in until he almost dislocated her shoulder. She struggled, screamed, and scratched him, but her body wasn’t strong enough. Jasper threw her against a bamboo tree, causing her to lose her balance and fall to her knees.

"I didn’t come to kill you," he said, leaning over her as she trembled with pain and fear. "I came to give you back a piece of the hell you gave me."

Alessia looked at him, her face pale and her eyes wide. At that moment, she understood that the arrogant, lustful boy no longer existed. In his place was a broken man, consumed by hatred, crushed by his shame and thirst for blood.

But Jasper didn’t follow. He stood there, breathing heavily, his fist clenched and trembling. Then, without saying another word, he pulled a rope from his belt and tied Alessia’s hands with tight knots.

"I won’t kill you yet," he whispered in her ear. "There’s someone I want to test you with. It would be a great gift for my dear younger brother."

And with that, he dragged her through the bamboo, taking her to a place he had prepared.

...

Five minutes passed, with the constant sound of rain hammering their ears. Then they came to an old, rotten wooden shed, from which there was a strong, metallic smell of dried blood.

Jasper entered, dragging Alessia behind him. Once inside, in the center of the room, there was an anvil.

It was the size of a sacrificial table and made of an ancient metal, darker than iron and denser than lead. Its surface was stained with dried layers of blood, hardened tissue, and embedded bone fragments. Around the edges, precisely engraved runes glowed faintly with a red glow.

Alessia looked at it and felt a brutal chill run down her spine. The coldness of the metal seemed to seep into her skin from a distance. Death was there. She knew it. She could feel it breathing on the back of her neck, slow and patient.

Jasper, with a crazed expression and eyes burning with an unhealthy glow, lifted her and threw her roughly onto the anvil. He then tied her down with hardened leather straps to immobilize her, making sure she couldn’t escape or even wriggle.

He walked over to a nearby table, where he had already laid out several materials.

Once everything was in place, he turned to Alessia with a maniacal smile that didn’t reach his empty eyes.

"Let’s begin... with the creation of the perfect weapon."