As the brilliant light finally faded, the transformation was complete. The child lay there, no longer glowing but now looking like a normal newborn. Her hair was striking—half of it a deep black, reminiscent of Esdeath, while the other half gleamed with a radiant silver-
reminiscent of kaelith.
Though the child had black hair, there wasn't a single trace of humanity in her being. She was a pure dragon through and through—a silver dragon at that. The black hair was merely a symbolic mark of her bond with Esdeath.
Slowly, the baby opened her eyes, revealing deep, glowing silver irises that seemed to shimmer like starlight. Unlike Esdeath's eerie crimson gaze, the child's eyes held an otherworldly beauty, innocent yet powerful, a mesmerizing contrast to her smooth, pale white skin that radiated both cuteness and a divine elegance.
Hidden within the soft tufts of her hair were tiny dragon horns, barely noticeable and small enough to blend with her locks. Despite her draconic nature, the child looked peaceful, fragile even, as if the world itself would need to tread carefully around her.
Esdeath knelt down and carefully scooped the child into her arms. The moment their skin touched, the baby instinctively recognized her as her mother. A soft, contented sigh escaped her tiny lips, and she snuggled closer into Esdeath's chest, her eyelids fluttering shut. The child drifted into a serene sleep, as if she knew she was finally safe in Esdeath's embrace.
"Let's go. Most of the resources here are already destroyed. We'll take everything that's left," Esdeath ordered, her voice steady as she turned toward the ruined castle.
The structure ahead loomed in the distance, a haunting reminder of the battle that had unfolded. The upper section of the castle was completely destroyed, leaving jagged edges and crumbling walls, while the middle and lower portions still stood, albeit damaged. The entire structure appeared as though a colossal blade had sliced through it horizontally, leaving a clean yet devastating cut.
And, in truth, that was precisely what had happened. It had been Michael's killer move, who had cleaved the castle in two with his sword, a single swing cutting through stone as effortlessly as slicing through butter. His power as an awakened was undeniable, a testament to his raw talent and potential.
Though he had awakened only a few months ago, Michael's strength had already been comparable to Ethan's in his previous life. He was a prodigy, someone destined to ascend to greatness. If fate had been kinder, Michael could have risen to become the third S-rank awakened of Anastasia Kingdom.
Upon entering the castle, Esdeath and Maruti found that the interior was surprisingly well-preserved. Unlike the crumbled exterior, the rooms and hallways inside remained intact, their sturdy walls showcasing intricate carvings and regal designs. The upper levels' damage allowed daylight to spill through, casting natural patterns of light and shadow across the stone floors, adding an odd serenity to the ruined fortress.
Esdeath headed upstairs without hesitation, carrying the sleeping child securely in her arms. Maruti followed quietly, her footsteps echoing behind Esdeath's purposeful strides. They stopped at a nearby bedroom on the second floor. The room was modest compared to the grandeur of the rest of the castle, with a simple canopy bed that looked untouched by the chaos outside.
Esdeath gently laid the newborn on the bed, smoothing the sheets over her tiny body. The child stirred slightly, but as soon as Esdeath's hand brushed against her soft cheek, she settled back into a peaceful slumber.
The two continued to the third floor. The collapsed roof above left the halls open to the sky, and with it came a quiet brightness that lit the way ahead. Instead of stars twinkling in the night, the vast expanse of blue spread overhead, the gentle daylight contrasting with the cold and somber air inside the castle.
Esdeath's strides quickened as they neared their destination, the treasure room. Finally, they stood before the room's entrance, marked by a massive, partially broken metal gate.
The gate wasn't an ordinary door but a Rank B essence stone known as "Determined Metal Door", its enchantments once making it nearly impossible to breach without Trynne's direct permission or advanced space-path techniques. Now, with Trynne dead, the traps and spells woven into the door had faded, leaving it vulnerable.
The thick gate was warped and bent, its imposing structure reduced to nothing more than an obstacle to step around. Esdeath and Maruti slipped through the wide gap with ease.
The moment they stepped inside, their surroundings shifted from somber ruin to dazzling splendor. The treasure room was massive, with the daylight streaming in and illuminating the treasures within.
Essence stones, ranging from Rank E to Rank B, were scattered across the room in countless numbers. Their ethereal glows painted the walls with soft hues of blue, green, and red, their sheer quantity staggering.
In one corner, crates and barrels brimmed with refining materials like Lightning Jaguar Flesh, Etheral Fox, Emerald teeth shark etc. Weapons of every kind adorned racks along the walls—blades, spears, axes, and bows—all radiating an aura of latent power. Intricately crafted armor sets stood like sentinels, their polished surfaces gleaming in the open space.
And then there was the wealth: mountains of gold and silver coins stacked carelessly across the room, their radiant luster almost blinding. Bars of precious metals and gemstones were piled high, a fortune beyond comprehension.
Maruti blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight. "Did we just unlock a cheat code?" she muttered, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.
Esdeath, standing in the midst of the treasure, couldn't help but let a small smile curl at her lips. "Nice... Very nice," she said, her voice calm yet chillingly resolute. "We need resources to grow stronger and protect ourselves. If we don't, the higher-ups or our enemies will rob us blind. What we don't need, we can sell at a high price and buy more essence stones."
She was absolutely right. If kingdom found out about this treasure, it wouldn't end well. Of course, they'd take everything and hand Esdeath a measly 5 to 10 percent as a so-called reward. That might work for someone like Ethan, but Esdeath? She wasn't someone to accept scraps from the table.
But keeping this hoard came with a cost. If they started using "Rank B essence stones", they would attract attention—dangerous attention. The academy would notice, the kingdom might catch wind of it, and assassins could come crawling out of the shadows. Rank B essence stones were in such high demand that even a few appearing on the market would sell in seconds. To flaunt such power openly was to paint a massive target on their backs.
Either hand over to kingdom or be assassinated.
"Even though we have Rank B essence stones here, we can't use them recklessly," Esdeath warned, her crimson eyes narrowing as she calculated their next moves. "They should be our trump cards, hidden until the right moment."
Maruti wandered further into the room, her eyes scanning the glowing essence stones scattered everywhere. "Isn't that common sense? Of course, I know that," she replied with a hint of sarcasm. She paused, her hand resting on her hip as her sharp gaze darted around the room. "From the sheer aura they're giving off, I can already tell—there are several Rank B stones, dozens of Rank C, and the rest are Rank D and E."
Esdeath nodded, her expression calm but thoughtful. "Hmm… It's better to check what kind of essence stones suit us the most. We'll decide accordingly," she said casually, her tone betraying the weight of the decision they had to make.
Maruti nodded back in agreement. There was no point in denying the logic.
"It's a shame that this is only the second treasure room, made partially by Trynne," Esdeath muttered, "The first one, the main treasure room on the top floor, was completely destroyed… along with all its essence stones. If it had survived, we might've had a chance to get a Rank A essence stone."
She let out a sigh, but she had no regret.
The first treasure room had been meticulously designed to preserve Trynne's personal collection—essence stones tied exclusively to her blood path abilities. They would've been useless to Esdeath anyway. This second room, however, held a much darker story. It was a chaotic assortment of spoils, collected from humans, demons, and beasts that Trynne had killed for sport. Some were even tributes taken from lesser kings under her rule.
Essence stones, despite their immense power, were fragile by nature. A simple hammer could shatter them, let alone the catastrophic battle that had unfolded here. Thousands of stones had likely been reduced to dust during Michael's devastating assault.
Esdeath and Maruti got to work, combing through the room and assessing their options. The treasure room's roof had been blown away, allowing natural light to pour in, illuminating the glittering hoard of resources. The sheer quantity was staggering, yet not all of it was worth keeping. After about two hours of careful sorting, they focused on quality over quantity.
In the end, they had gathered eight Rank B essence stones, a dozen Rank C stones, and a sizeable number of Rank D stones. Rank E stones were pushed aside into the far corner; they were practically useless to anyone aiming to grow stronger.
Esdeath picked up a bundle of refining materials, inspecting them with a critical eye. They were decent—about Rank C in quality—but still disappointing. These materials could help refine lower-grade stones, but they weren't planning on crafting new essence stones anytime soon. Right now, their priority was immediate growth. They wouldn't even sleep tonight if it meant absorbing as many stones as they could.
But one decision loomed larger than the rest. The essence stones wouldn't be split into two shares but three.
No doubt the third will belong to the new companion.
They were no longer a duo but a trio, and this new addition would need her share of resources to grow strong enough to protect herself and more importantly protect them.
Among the treasures, two essence stones caught Esdeath's eye immediately. They gleamed with a strange aura, standing out from the rest like jewels among pebbles.
The first was the "Soulpiercer Essence Stone". It's shape was, jet-black surface heart as though alive with its own rhythm.
The second was the "Forcebreaker Essence Stone", a translucent shard with stormy patterns swirling inside, glowing faintly with an almost predatory energy.
Esdeath's crimson eyes fixated on them with unshakable resolve. These weren't just stones; they were keys to something far greater.
These two stones were crucial for a rare S-rank killer move, strong enough to heavily damage Rank S Awakened or even demon lords. For Esdeath, they were non-negotiable.
Esdeath would take them whether Maruti agreed with it or not.