Chapter 97 Authority



Tap... Tap...

Seeing the heavy body of the wolf fall to the ground, I let out a sigh of relief and lowered my Katana to my hips.

The crimson blood on the blade's edge was gradually getting cleaned up by the downpour, but it failed to gain any reaction from me.

"It doesn't have a core..."

I mumbled under my nose, using my Katana to open up the monster's chest only to see that there was no white sphere within.

Throwing a last glance at the corpse of the wolf, I left the vicinity with steady yet hurried steps.

I wouldn't want to encounter any more monsters in such weather.

Tap... Tap...

Walking through the forest, I tried to ignore the cold rain seeping through my clothes and the shivers that ran down my spine.

Whether it was the cold or the recent encounter with the monster, I was very sensitive to any sight or sound around me and kept my guard high, analyzing every movement and rustle in the bushes.

It was honestly exhausting to maintain such a level of vigilance, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to stay alive in this unpredictable mountain range.

"..."

Scanning the surroundings I took another step forward, using my Katana to cut the thick vegetation in front of me and clearing the path for easier movement.

Swish... Swish...

Such a method continued for around an hour, during which the sun slowly set and nightfall approached the horizon.

The visibility of the surroundings decreased and it became more challenging to navigate through this treacherous land without slipping.

"I should've brought a flashlight..."

Cursing under my breath, I took another step which led me upward the mountain's slope.

I've already lost the trail and it was impossible to find it back in the dark. The only small light source I could rely on was the faint glow of the moon, but it was enough to keep me moving forward.

One good thing though was that the rain hid my footsteps, making it practically impossible for any other creature to track me in the darkness.

Swish...

As I cut another plant that was in my way, I noticed a faint glimmer in the distance. The moon peeking through the clouds illuminated the waterfall I'd seen while riding the train.

The cascading water was like a massive curtain of glittering jewels, casting a shimmering light on trees and rocks around it.

"It's beautiful..."

Even I, who had visited this place a couple of times, had never seen the waterfall in the dark.

For some reason, the bright blue color of the water reminded me of Rose's hair...

"..."

Slowly approaching the waterfall, I noticed a lake forming below it, its surface disturbed by the constant rain.

Despite the beauty of the scene, I knew I couldn't stop and admire it for too long.

I slowly made my way around the lake, avoiding all the slippery rocks and roots that could cause me to fall into the water.

Whoosh...

The sound of rushing water echoed around me, making it hard to hear anything else.

Finally, as I stood just below the waterfall, I took a deep breath and prepared to climb up behind it, hoping that my grip and footing would hold in the wet conditions.

"Ready... Set... Go!"

I pushed myself forward, diving through the curtain of water and emerging on the other side.

There was a small gap between the rock and the waterfall, just big enough for me to stand behind it.

"Cold..."

I shivered, feeling the chill of the water hitting my skin as I stood there. Water droplets from the waterfall splashed onto my face and clothes, making them wet.

Nonetheless, I smirked, knowing that a simple cold was nothing compared to what I'd endured in the past.

Huff...

Placing my hand on the wet rock wall, I began to climb, one step at a time, slowly but surely making my way up to the top of the waterfall.

As I reached one-third of my distance though, my foot slipped on a wet patch of moss, causing me to lose my grip on the rock.

Swish...

I panicked, instinctively grabbing onto the nearest root to prevent myself from falling. Unfortunately, the root was old and brittle, easily snapping off in my hand.

"Fuck!"

All I could do was curse as I felt myself losing balance and falling backward.

Splash...

The cold water enveloped me, causing me to gasp for air as I surfaced and kicked my way back up to the surface of the lake.

"Gotta be more careful..."

I sneered, quickly swimming toward the shore and pulling myself out of the water. My clothes were heavy and cold, clinging to my skin as I made my way back toward the waterfall.

"Time for round two..."

I muttered to myself, passing through the curtain of water once more and resuming my climb on the wet rock wall.

Huff...

This time, I was more cautious, taking my time to feel for secure handholds and footholds before making any upward movements.

It is said we learn from mistakes and I surely learned mine. I didn't want to be plunged into the cold water again, so I made sure to be extra careful.

Splash... Splash...

Ascending higher and higher, I could feel my muscles beginning to ache from the physical exertion. It wasn't the pain that I focused on, though.

"One more..."

Placing my hand on a final rock ledge, I pulled myself over the rock edge, panting heavily and smiling wildly in triumph.

The faint moonlight that passed through the water curtain entered the cave, illuminating everything within it with an ethereal glow.

"..."

My eyes instantly locked onto the weird rock formation in the center of the cave.

The stone seemed to be pulsating with a faint blue light, almost as if it were alive.

Slowly approaching it, I touched its surface, feeling the smoothness of the stone under my fingerprints.

"Found it..."

With a small smile at the corner of my lips, I placed my palm into the center of the rock foundation, making my mana surge and seep into the structure.

Creak...

An ancient rumble echoed through the cave as the rock formation began to heat up beneath my hand, and a low hum resonated throughout the space.

Psssss...

I could feel my skin being burnt by the heat emanating from the stone as it started to glow brighter and brighter, the blue light intensifying.

However, despite the pain, I just stood there with a calm smile, knowing that it'd be worth it in the end.

Swish...

Finally, a blinding light erupted from the stone, enveloping everything within the cave in a brilliant burst of energy.

The heat and pressure seemed to warp and distort around me as if time itself was being altered by the energy, but in a moment, it was gone.

Crack...

The stone structure where I had placed my hand, suddenly shattered into a million pieces, falling to the ground like a shower of sparkling diamonds.

Thud...

As the last piece hit the ground, a deep silence filled the cave, even the waterfall seemed to stop for a moment.

"Let's see..."

I muttered to myself, lifting my hand and examining my palm closely.

There was a small, grey symbol etched into the center of my palm, glowing with a soft blue light.

The symbol seemed a lot like an ancient rune, straight out of the history books.

Looking at its intricate design, I tried to recall its meaning, but my knowledge of ancient runes was limited.

All I knew was that it was an 'Authority' that'd be able to summon a sword.

Authorities are very similar to Skills and Artifacts, as they are items that allow the user to unlock certain abilities or powers. All the Authorities are unique and some are more powerful than others, but all of them require a certain level of mastery to use effectively.

For example, the 'Vanara Longsword' I've just unlocked with this Authority may be able to allow me to learn a new swordsmanship technique that differs from my Weapon Style.

They sound like cheat codes, but in reality, unlocking and mastering an Authority requires hard work, dedication, and a great deal of training.

Even the protagonists didn't have an easy time mastering their authority.

"It's basically impossible..."

I recalled one time, I dedicated most of the playthrough time to mastering the authority, but still failed to do it completely.

Although it was just a test run, it showed me how hard it is to train these things.

At this point, I might be closer to defeating the Demon Race than fully mastering the Authority.

"Well... It's still useful."

However, no matter how hard it is, I searched for 'Vanara Longsword' not for its power or powerful skills, but simply because it was a great sword in the early game.

Authority or not, the Vanara Longsword was the perfect weapon to accompany me at least for now.

Stretching my back, I stood up and threw my Katana into the inventory, whilst extending my right hand forward.

With a deep breath, I focused on the ancient rune etched into my palm and channeled my Mana through it.

"Come forth, Vanara!"