Chapter 225 223



Nodding, Val clenched his fists and let loose a rapid flurry of punches, unleashing a dozen of them in less than the blink of an eye. It resulted in a barrage of hellfire-infused fireballs filling the air, creating a blinding storm of incandescent fury.

Run!

Though the Revenants were already incapacitated by the pain from the soul blades, they mustered enough strength to try dodging the incoming fireballs. However, their injuries hampered their movements, and the overwhelming number and speed of the fireballs made evasion impossible.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

One by one, the fireballs found their marks, exploding upon contact and enveloping the Revenants in all-consuming hellfire.

Kiyah!

Their otherworldly screams filled the valley for a brief moment, creating an eerie chorus that was abruptly silenced as they were annihilated, vanishing from existence forever.

A system notification popped up.

[System Notification: Number of Revenants Killed: 4]

[EXP Gained: 800]

"Each one granted me 200 EXP. It's not bad, especially considering how little effort it took to take them down," Val said in a voice that carried a note of satisfaction.

Another system notitication appeared.

Reading it, Val's eyes widenes in excitement.

'There's so much impressive loot? Killing Revenants is really beneficial!' he screamed in his heart. The things he got were just that great, causing him to feel moved.

The notification is as follow:

[Loot Acquired:

Essence of Despair: A dark, viscous substance that can enhance mental resistance when consumed.

Soul Crystal Shard: A crystallized fragment of Revenant soul energy. It can be used as a primary ingredient in life prolonging elixirs.]

Revenant Bone: A spectral bone that can be ground down to powder and applied on body to fortify physical strength.

Shadow Silk: A rare material woven from the essence of Revenants, ideal for crafting lightweight but durable armor.]

While the system's description of the loot listed their benefits, it conveniently omitted the dangers that came with using them—something Val pondered with a discerning eye.

The Essence of Despair, for instance, could indeed imcrease the mental resistance, making it convenient to withstand direct confrontation with the force of corruption, but upon absorbing it, one would be subjected to experiencing the agonizing deaths of countless souls.

This was an horrifying ordeal that could mentally devastate a person, reducing their cognitive function dramatically.

It was terifying to the point...

They might lose the will to live and commit suicide!

Similarly, the Soul Crystal Shard also had its inherent danger.

It was overflowing with the force of corruption.

For an average human, mere contact with the shard would result in immediate, monstrous mutations. They would lose all sense of reason and become mindless killing people that would be put down to minimize the loss of life.

Only individuals with a strong mind and indomitable will—or those so abnormal they lacked the capacity for fear—could wield its powerful benefits safely.

As for the Revenant Bone powder, applying it to the skin would feel like being bitten by thousands of ants simultaneously.

The pain was nearly unbearable, and very few had ever experienced it and lived to tell the tale.

If one could endure it, however, significant strength gains were promised.

The only item free of any associated risk was the Shadow Silk.

'It's a rare material indeed,' Val thought, mulling over the loot he had acquired, wondering how to put it to good use.

'And it's almost too perfect for crafting armor that would suit Eliana's physique,' he concluded.

Val was already well-protected by his artifact armor, the Aegis of Light, but Eliana wasn't as fortunate.

Val was already well-protected by his artifact armor, the Aegis of Light, but Eliana wasn't as fortunate. She didn't have a armor that could save her life in adverse situation.

She was petite, slim, and not as strong physically as a level 1 warrior. Any heavy armor artifact would weigh her down, making it impractical for her to move, let alone fight. Even if she could muster the strength to move in a heavier set, she'd soon be drained of energy.

However, armor made from Shadow Silk would be as light as a feather. Eliana would be able to move freely in it without feeling encumbered. And given where he'd obtained it—from vanquishing Revenants impervious to ordinary physical attacks—the material's defensive capabilities likely wouldn't disappoint.

'It would be perfect for crafting an armor that would suite Eliana's physique.'

So, he made up his mind.

Once back home, he would either consult a skilled wizard to forge an armor from the Shadow Silk or undertake the crafting himself by purchasing the necessary information from the Arcane Library and the necessary equipment from the lower city's Treasure Pavillion.

Then, he would give the finished product to Eliana.

By gifting such an armor to Eliana, not only would he enhance her odds of surviving the hazardous conditions of the northern frontier, but also strengthen their bond.

Unbeknownst to him, his decision to gift the Shadow Silk armor to Eliana marked a subtle but significant shift in his own emotional landscape.

Thinking of giving her a precious armor without asking anything in return was more than just a tactical move; it was an unspoken admission that she had begun to mean something to him.

He was just not ready to believe it.

Or he simply... just didn't care.

After all, he had once confronted himself about his growing feelings for Eliana. She was growing on him, and he couldn't help that. He was a man who was used to navigating the world with calculated detachment, but even after realizing that with her gentleness and naivety, she was moving his heart, back then, he had decided to let his emerging feelings for Eliana grow.

When illusion becomes reality, could it still be called fake?

Only when he genuinely fall in love with Eliana, would he be able to fool everyone, including himself.

And once everyone was fooled, no one would be hurt.

In the grand scheme of things, developing genuine feelings for Eliana were necessary as it would make it possible for him to give her the things that is necessary to keep a relationship healthy and everlasting without feeling disgusted.