The energy expended from casting Nightfall's Embrace took its toll on Vale.
As the darkness dissipated, he felt drained, and his Imp form faded away.
In the blink of an eye, Vale returned to his real form.
He looked at his hands and feet and couldn't help but smile at what he just did.
'That was satisfying…' Vale thought to himself as he looked at the surroundings. He took a moment to catch his breath and recover from the exertion.
Vale knew that pushing himself further without rest would only hinder his progress, so he found a good spot in the chamber and sat down. He allowed himself a moment of respite.
'It's a pity that I can't increase the Imp's Spell Mastery with Energy Points… They will become stronger if I can do that…'
He reflected on his accomplishments, the mastery of the Imp's Spells, and the power he now possessed.
After about an hour of rest, his energy was renewed as he prepared himself for the challenges that awaited him on the next floor of the Dark Soul Tower.
According to the Headmaster, the third floor, or the Hall of Shadows, would have plenty of corpses… He was, of course, looking forward to this floor the most.
He saw the daunting entrance door of the Third Floor and pushed it open without hesitation.
As he moved forward, Vale couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
What welcomed him was a dimly lit hallway stretching out before him. The air seemed heavy with an eerie presence, and shadows danced along the walls. It was a sight that both intrigued and excited Vale, fueling his determination to explore further.
Soon, Vale's Magic Zone adjusted as it was finally able to cross the surrounding area.
"There's no one?" Vale muttered as he carefully scanned the surroundings with his Magic Zone…
Of course, it was impossible that no one was here. It means that they must be hiding, or he must walk further to find them.
As he ventured further into the Hall of Shadows, he was finally met with what was supposed to be a harrowing sight.
There were hundreds of zombies which had suddenly appeared in front of him! The air was thick with their presence, and a sense of darkness hung heavy in the atmosphere.
'No… Something's different. They're not Zombies!
He immediately activated his Divine Sense to scan them and realized that there were Evil Shadows, manipulating these once-human corpses, puppeteering them to do their bidding.
They have studied these beings in their Intermediate Spirit Law Class.
According to their professors, Evil Shadows were Beings that were closely similar to Evil Spirits. However, instead of possessing these corpses and transforming them into Evil Creatures, Evil Shadows only control the corpses to do their bidding.
'I can't damage these corpses, or the quality of Extractions will be affected…' Vale thought as he considered which Spell he should use in his arsenal…
It didn't take him that long to decide which Spell he should use.
After taking a deep breath, Vale unleashed his wide-range Spell Dispersion.
He wasn't sure how effective this would be, but it was better than using his Ghost Hands that could crush these corpses.
To his surprise, the Spell Dispersion proved incredibly effective. As the Spell Dispersion took effect, the connection between the Evil Shadows and the human corpses they entered was severed!
One by one, the corpses that were previously emitting a strange aura started collapsing on the ground.
'This Spell Dispersion is a lot more useful than I thought.'
He couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment at the success of his Spell.
He had expected a challenging battle, but the effectiveness of Spell Dispersion had caught him off guard. It was a testament to his growing mastery of Spells.
With the Evil Shadows separated from the human corpses, Vale found himself facing a crucial decision. He had to choose a spell that would not only destroy the Evil Shadows but would not damage the bodies on the ground.
Furthermore, he had to act quickly so they wouldn't be able to return to the bodies and control them once again.
"Ahh… Why would I need to use another spell?" Vale immediately changed his mind as he brought out his Stormbringer Sword!
With a swift and fluid motion, Vale unleashed his Shadowblade Dance technique!
His movements were a mesmerizing display of skill and agility as he weaved through the crowd of Evill Shadows, his Stormbringer Sword slashing through the air with deadly precision.
It had only been a few days when he practiced the sword technique, but he also had the experience of the Death Knight he extracted.
Each strike of his sword sent ripples of lightning energy through the Evil Shadows, disrupting their movements and attempts to regain control of the bodies.
With every swing, Vale severed an Evil Shadow or two!
The hall echoed with the clash of steel and the fading groans of the defeated Evil Shadows.
This prompted all the other Evil Shadows to stop their attempt to control the bodies… They instead focused on Vale and used their shadow tendrils to bind him.
Vale continued to dance amidst the chaos, his Shadowblade technique becoming a symphony of power and grace.
With each swing of his sword, he struck down the remaining Evil Shadows… He even tried Extracting some of them, but to his dismay, the system notification didn't appear.
It was unfortunate, but he knew that not everything could be Extracted, so he wasn't too disappointed.
As the last of the Evil Shadows were vanquished, Vale stood amidst the silent aftermath.
The once-controlled corpses now lay motionless, their souls finally at rest… or that was what he thought at the very least.
The chamber was filled with an eerie stillness, and a sense of accomplishment washed over Vale.
"Whew… You did well, Stormbringer…" Vale muttered as the sword sparked with some electricity before calming down.
After returning the sword to his body, Vale took a moment to catch his breath and appreciate the beauty of the laid-down corpses.
"Cough… Cough…" Vale immediately shook his head as he erased this random thought.