Chapter 557: Soul Hunters
Vlad did not doubt that following Damian’s plan would indeed grant him all sorts of wealth and treasures, and his cultivation level might even rise significantly in the process.
However, the Depravita of Wrath had journeyed to a Doomsday World to enhance his power by facing dangers that would repeatedly push him to break through his limits, thereby increasing both his potential and his overall might. Even if he managed to reach the final Level of the Sage Tier by staying in the fortress, he would end up as merely average at best.
That might be enough to rule a small plane, but it would hardly be sufficient to stand among Legends or to expand his influence in any meaningful way. After all, a flower born and raised inside a greenhouse could never compare to one that had defied all odds and thrived in the chaos of a battlefield.
With sharp eyes, Vlad looked at the old man and spoke in a calm but firm voice. "I came to the Land of the Three Calamities to improve my power and talent, not to be confined in a classroom."
Damian’s eyes narrowed at those words. Though he was not easily ruffled, he clearly intended to argue further, trying to present the plan from another angle. But Vlad was not finished.
"Besides," Vlad continued, his voice calm and unyielding, "I’m confident that if my perception grows, and if I deepen my understanding of the Vorometallicae and The Darkness, I will eventually be able to create a runic formation that anyone can use."
This statement was like a razor-sharp blade slicing through all of Damian’s possible objections. In effect, Vlad was declaring that by venturing out into the battlefield—by facing genuine threats—he could further hone his skills. Eventually, he could develop a runic formation that would be widely accessible to anyone with sufficient skill. Such a promise rendered any argument to keep him locked inside the fortress considerably weaker.
Damian could not help but frown as he regarded the young man. On the one hand, it was difficult to deny the value of Vlad’s plan. On the other hand, the number of individuals who died each day in a Doomsday World was staggering. There was a significant chance that Vlad would lose his life long before he perfected that new runic formation. Even so, before Damian could press his concerns, Marshal Maximo’s voice echoed through the chamber.
"Then there is nothing else to say. If you believe you can develop such a runic formation by pushing yourself beyond your limits on the battlefield, that is precisely what you should do."
His voice carried a commanding authority, one that allowed no room for challenge or dissent. Damian’s eyes tightened momentarily, but he knew that while the Marshal weighed his advice carefully, once he decided on a course of action, that decision was final. Seeing there was no point in further debate, the old man fell silent.