Chapter 196 - Just Three Items

As the plateau faded into the distance, the night seemed to deepen, swallowing the path behind them in shadows. Albrecht walked in silence, his boots crunching over the rocky ground. With every step, the weight of the vial of shadow beast blood pressed against his chest—a reminder of the dark magic he was now entangled with. It would be enough for the enchantment he sought, but it was only the first of three items required. The Moon's Blessing and a fragment of starstone still awaited, each posing their own dangers and trials. He glanced toward the rugged peaks ahead, their jagged silhouettes cutting against the sky. They loomed like silent sentinels, guarding the secrets of the Eighth Outerlayer.