Kai was hoping that he could learn another ending fragment before he tackled today.

But he decided to heed Noxian’s words.

No need to rush getting another fragment when the risk outweighs the benefit.

...

[Status]

Name: Kai #####

Rank: Grade 2 Awakened

Bloodline: First Son of the Primordial Night

Primordial Lock: 1 (31%)

Legacy Skill: Deep Slumber

Legacy Imprint(s): Nigh-Phantom, Dark Discharge

Ending: Perfect Slash, Stone

Path: -

Ending Fragment: -

Useable Exp: 436.7

Quest: Night Elevation

...

[Physical Stats]

Strength: 30 (+25)

Speed: 31 (+50)

Dexterity: 45

Constitution: 39

Mana: 99 (+15)

...

Kai couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment with everything that had been going on after the Blood Rite ended, but he suspected it had happened during the Blood Rite when he’d absorbed the Awakened Monsters in the pit.

A percentage had appeared on the Primordial Lock section.

It came as a surprise when he noticed it earlier, and now curiosity gnawed at his mind.

What did it mean?

He assumed he would gain another Primordial Lock if the percentage reached one hundred.

And though he was different from other Supernals, he was still doubtful that this was the case. No Supernals have ever developed additional Divine Locks. Kai could believe that he might be a special case, but he didn’t want to get ahead of himself.

In order to know for sure, he would need to reach one hundred percent first.

Coincidentally, his new quest encouraged him to elevate his Primordial Lock and trigger a phenomenon called Night Elevation. He didn’t know what it was, but it sounded sacred and dangerous at the same time.

Either way, other than mining the required mana ores, he was also aiming for this.

Aiming to devour as many Awakened Monsters or Star Beasts as possible until he completed the quest. There are plenty of those creatures in Fire Swamp. He reckoned he could achieve it as long as things went somewhat smoothly.

As long as he doesn’t encounter the Ichor Legion.

Or, the creatures aren’t too strong for him to deal with.

He doubted it, though, since he now has the Blood-phantom Scimitar in his hand.

A weapon crafted by a Supernal of Athena, and is empowered by King Orestes’ blood.

Both his strength and speed stats doubled while wielding this scimitar.

As soon as they landed on the Fire Swamp, the ground swallowed their boots.

It wasn’t a soft welcome, nor a dry one. Mud, thick and strangely warm, sucking at their soles with an audible gasp as though the swamp had been waiting to drink them in. Kai felt it seep over the edge and had to resist the urge to pull his foot free quickly.

Beside him, Matilda made no sound, but she did summon her golden shield.

On edge knowing what lies in this vast, dangerous swamp.

Both of them have a leather strap crossing their torsos, which holds their pickaxes.

"Running would be a hassle," Kai muttered and unwrapped his scimitar, pocketing the cloth before readying the scimitar firmly in his hand. His eyes darted around sharply. "I don’t think we can even fight with how slippery the ground is without these boots."

Just earlier, inside the equipment storage, they saw pairs of special boots.

On the outsoles, there are small leather beads that rose almost to a pointy shape.

Kai and Matilda decided to wear them, knowing that they were going through a swamp.

Considering the name of this place is the Fire Swamp, they expected blistering heat, flames, and perhaps rivers of lava. But the air was cool here, not the refreshing cool of morning, but the kind that crept into the bones and settled there insidiously.

Perhaps it was because they were still on the fringe of the cultivated cloud.

Everything is wet—the ground breathed moisture, the air felt sodden, and water beaded on the leaves around them—and dripped from gnarled branches in slow rhythm. Even the faint light that filtered through the canopy seemed damp, diffused into a grey haze.

Knowing where the Ichor Legion came in from, they landed on the opposite side.

It should be the best course of action.

But Kai and Matilda hadn’t taken into account a factor.

"Is it me... Or this side feels more dangerous?" Matilda asked, keeping her eyes open.

Kai shook his head, "I feel it, too."

Since the academy wanted them to adapt to this dangerous, cultivated cloud, they assigned layers or levels to the Fire Swamp. The side where Ichor Legion landed should only be filled with Awakened Monsters, helping them to get the hang of things.

And as they dwelled deeper, it would only be harder and harder for them.

More Awakened Monsters would appear, and eventually, the Star Beasts.

Since the two of them arrived on opposite sides, they might encounter a Star Beast instantly.

Kai snapped his head to the side.

A grating now, low and gnarly—bone on bone or perhaps the grinding of fangs.

A rattle resounded, as dry sticks dragged across stones.

Both of them could hear varying sounds made by the beasts that lived in the Fire Swamp

Even though they hadn’t even ventured deep into the swamp, they could hear them all. Noises that shot a chill down their spines. Sounds that did not overlap. Almost like a conversation in a language neither of them understands.

"Pest-class Star Beasts aren’t intelligent, right?"

"Probably not. At least... I hope not."

Kai’s fingers found the hilt of his scimitar and hastened them there. He began to advance with Matilda, following right behind him. But she quickly grabbed his shoulder—and pulled, "I’m the one with the shield here, you should stand behind me."

"Right," Kai exchanged places with Matilda.

"Oh, and also," Matilda turned towards him again. "Promise me something."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me that you’d hold yourself back even if we encountered Ichor Legion."

"And what if they attacked us first?"

"Then we run. Ignore them, and focus on what we came here to do."

Frankly, Kai didn’t understand why Matilda cared so much about their safety. If it came down to it, they should simply fight back. But then he remembered the blood on his hands, and with a quiet nod, he let the argument go.

"I’ll try my hardest."

"Okay, that’s good enough for me."

Slowly, the duo advanced forward.

Since Mattilda was leading the way, shield at the ready, Kai held the meter, scanning for dense clusters of mana ore. Along the Fire Swamp’s edges, the needle stayed dead and still. But the moment they were a few hundred yards deeper, it finally stirred.

As Professor Hera said, the mana ore concentration here is higher.

It didn’t take long for them to detect mana ores.

Kai steadied himself atop a thick, ancient root and looked ahead. He extended the meter, and the needle went haywire, detecting mana ores not too far away. He tucked the device away— and dropped his gaze to the murky water below.

Just looking at the murky water alone made Kai recall the crocodiles on Ixos.

That big reptile could be a few inches below the water surface and still remain unseen.

His leg hair stood up at the thought of dipping into this murky water.

"I can’t see anything. I don’t know how deep this water is."

"There’s no other way around this."

Before Kai could even say anything, Matilda dropped her gear and leapt into the water.

Splash—!

"Are you crazy?!" Kai whispered a scream, looking around, trying to see any movements from the surrounding water, expecting a crowd of monsters to swarm Matilda. But there are no movements. "Huh, there’s nothing in the water."

Matilda broke the surface and combed her wet hair back.

She looked down and saw that the water stopped at her waist.

"It’s only waist-deep."

"You’re damn lucky nothing ate you right now."

Kai saw Matilda’s lips curled into a smirk. A knowing smirk.

"Wait, you knew there was nothing in the water?"

"My Legacy Skill made me an expert in using all weapons, and it also gave me a better sense for danger."

"You should’ve told me."

"Don’t come in with me," Matilda stopped him when he was about to also get into the water. "Keep an eye on the area. Though the water here in this area is safe, it’s not always going to be like this."

She was right.

Every water body in Fire Swamp is connected, so it’s not totally safe.

Someone has to keep a lookout.

Matilda went to the center, feeling the subsoil with her feet, searching for anything hard.

It didn’t take long before she found one.

She stomped on it a couple of times, making sure it wasn’t a log or something else, and when she felt the faint pulse of mana breezing against her legs, she squatted down—plunging both hands into the water.

A strained grunt escaped her as she heaved against the rock’s weight.

And when it was dislodged, she brought it up and showed it to Kai.

It was a boulder with at least seven mana ores poking out.

Judging from the mana that it was emanating, there should be many more inside it. All they needed to do was crack it open. Matilda slowly carried it back to the thick root, while Kai kept his eyes vigilant.

Once she pushed the boulder up, Kai held it while she got out of the water.

He tried lifting the boulder and was surprised by the weight.

"Holy... How heavy is this thing?"

"Pretty heavy. A short ton, maybe?"

Matilda dried herself with a quick pulse of mana and moved to help him haul the boulder to drier ground. Kai refused outright. He hefted it alone—every muscle screaming, each step a battle against the weight that threatened to buckle his knees.

He dropped it hard when on the mud, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"You know I’m physically stronger than you, right?" Matilda asked as she drew her pickaxe.

"You already got into the water," Kai panted heavily and cast her a heavy gaze. "It wouldn’t feel right for me if you do it all."

It took a full three minutes of hammering the pickaxes over and over again at the same spot until the boulder cracked open. Kai’s last strike lodged the pickaxe deep, and when he twisted it, the boulder crumbled.

Mana ores rolled onto their feet.

Both their eyes widened at the sparkling sight.

"One, two... fifteen... forty-one, forty-two," Kai’s eyes sparkled. "We got forty-two from one boulder."

"That’s far more than I expected." Matilda’s gaze swept over the swamp’s dark surface. She was calculating inside. "Ten of these underwater, and we’d already be past four hundred. Ten hours, give or take, and your quota’s met."

She faced Kai, a smirk curling her lips. "See? Three thousand mana ores. No problem at all."

"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves," Kai flicked his hand and shoved the haul into the bag.