「Ten days later.」
Deep beneath Monte Castle, in a secret chamber.
On a platform in the center of the chamber, a black True Flame burned quietly.
At the heart of the flame, the Dark Gold Flying Sword that had slain the Shadow Hunter floated, emitting a continuous, low hum.
The sword's glow was dim, its former sharpness gone.
On the simple, ancient blade, many of the revealed Dao Patterns were damaged.
The most shocking damage was located just above the middle of the blade. The Thunder Punishment Dao Pattern, originally inscribed with Thunder Marrow refined from Thunder Steel, was now covered in a web of cracks.
This was the price.
Ten days ago in the corridors of Taymer Palace, that devastating strike, as magnificent as it appeared, had in fact pushed this Flying Sword—whose fundamental Artifact Quality barely held at 2.0—to the brink of degradation.
