Vincent worked quickly, collecting the items dropped by the enemies while Caelius and the others rested to recover their origin energy. After securing the loot, Vincent directed his five remaining umbral rats to stay hidden in the shadows, tasked with keeping an eye on the area and warning him of any approaching threats. Confident in their vigilance, he pulled out several origin crystals, though he knew he would only need one to fully replenish his origin core.
Once his energy was fully restored, Vincent began reviewing the spoils of their battle, neatly sorted before him:
12,000 Origin Crystals
Tier 2 Common-Grade Daggers
Experience tales at empire
Executor Mask
White Orb
Green Orb
Blue Orb
His first focus was the Executor Mask, which was mostly intact but bore minor damage.
Name: Executor Mask
Grade: Uncommon
Details: A mask used by low-ranking members of the Executor organization.
Effects: Slightly reduces the wearer's presence.
Next, Vincent examined the Silver-Iron Dagger, which immediately disappointed him.
Name: Silver-Iron Dagger
Power: Tier 2
Grade: Common
Details: Forged from Tier 2 Silver-Horned Beast antlers.
"This is nothing but trash," he thought with a grimace, placing it aside. It wasn't even an armament, though a fleeting curiosity struck him: would upgrading it transform it into one? He shelved the idea for later exploration.
Turning to the White Orb, he observed as it emitted a soft glow, eventually morphing into a small white book.
Name: Daggers Technique
Grade: Common
Effects: Slightly increases damage dealt with daggers.
The book presented him with an option to learn the technique, but Vincent decided against it for now.
"I already have enough armament and sword skills," he reasoned, storing the item in his ring for future consideration.
Next, he reached for the Green Orb, which transformed into a pair of leather boots as it activated.
Name: Fierce Crow Boots
Grade: Uncommon
Effects: Slightly boosts mobility.
Skill:
Light Steps: Temporarily increases movement speed by 5% for three minutes and reduces fall impact for three seconds.
Consumption: 50 Origin Energy.
"Finally, something to replace my worn-out boots," Vincent mused. He wasted no time donning the Fierce Crow Boots, pleased with the upgrade.
The final item, the Blue Orb, immediately drew his attention. It radiated a faint azure glow before solidifying into a skill book.
"A skill book?" Vincent's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Name: Stealth
Grade: Rare
Effects: Grants the ability to turn invisible, muffling footsteps and boosting movement speed to avoid detection.
Consumption: 10 Origin Energy per 60 seconds.
"Stealth… exactly what I needed!" Vincent's heart raced. He had long envied the innate stealth abilities of monsters and especially Ghoul's natural talent.
Without hesitation, he chose to learn the skill.
"With this, my arsenal grows even stronger," he thought, his excitement palpable.
Now, Vincent shifted his focus to his accumulated experience points. Many of his items and skills required exorbitant resources to upgrade. For instance, the Tier 2 cultivation manual he received from Sophie Iris demanded over a million experience points, while his primal skills necessitated primal energy. Similarly, several of his epic-grade skills also required over a million experience points to enhance further.
The new items he had acquired seemed more feasible to upgrade, particularly the Daggers Technique and the recently learned Stealth Skill. Among his equipment, potential candidates for enhancement included his Morphic Mask, Silver-Iron Dagger, and Fierce Crow Boots. However, Vincent quickly ruled out the Executor Mask, as his current Morphic Mask was clearly superior.
"I'll prioritize upgrading my skills first," Vincent decided.
He selected the Stealth Skill, initiating its enhancement.
You have successfully upgraded Stealth!
Name: Phantom Veil
Grade: Epic
Effects: Upgraded from Stealth, this skill renders the user completely invisible, bypassing even enhanced detection abilities. It significantly increases movement speed, nullifies sound, and grants Shadow Blink, allowing teleportation up to 15 meters while remaining invisible.
Consumption: 15 Origin Energy per 60 seconds.
"An epic-grade skill… perfect!" Vincent thought, feeling a surge of satisfaction.
With 500,000 experience points remaining, Vincent turned his attention to his Morphic Mask, which was still at uncommon grade. He activated the upgrade process, watching as the emerald mask glowed brightly, shifting into a vivid azure hue. The mask now bore an elegant, ever-changing design that seemed alive.
Name: Shifting Visage
Grade: Rare
Effect: Allows the wearer to perfectly mimic the appearance, voice, and minor mannerisms of any humanoid they have observed. The transformation is convincing enough to deceive mid-tier Origin Warriors and evade basic detection techniques, though it is less effective against high-tier opponents or advanced methods.
While the upgrade wasn't revolutionary, Vincent appreciated the improved functionality. With just 200,000 experience points left, he resolved to replenish his reserves.
"I'll need to hunt more," he muttered, determination hardening his resolve.
Quietly, so as not to disturb his companions still recovering their energy, Vincent approached the door to what he suspected was the boss's chamber. Activating his Heaven Eyes, his purple irises glimmered with azure light, allowing him to pierce through the door and glimpse the room beyond.
The throne room was vast, bathed in crimson light. Inside, Vincent immediately recognized a familiar figure—Grarik—flanked by four Thrygians. They were encircled by a horde of black-armored ratmen wielding various weapons: swords, spears, cudgels, and shields. Despite the tense standoff, neither side made a move to attack.
As Vincent's awareness extended deeper into the room, a sudden wave of oppressive energy washed over him. An icy chill ran down his spine, and beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
At the far end of the chamber, seated upon a massive crimson throne, was a shadowy figure. Its presence exuded overwhelming power, and for a fleeting moment, its icy gaze shifted toward Vincent.
The sheer pressure of its attention caused his breath to hitch. His heart raced as he fought to steady himself.
"What... what was that?" Vincent's thoughts spiraled in confusion. The creature's aura radiated a level of danger far beyond anything he had encountered before—even the Half-Primalized Blackrat Man paled in comparison to this mysterious entity.