Chapter 575: The Mark of Cain (II)
"Even its lower version is ridiculously powerful!" Vlad couldn’t help but smile as he went through the information provided by the A.I. Chip, his excitement growing even stronger as he analyzed the synergy effects of the Runic Set.
With Life Devour continuously restoring stamina and Enhanced Strength & Stamina ensuring unrelenting combat capability, Vlad could conceivably remain on the battlefield for hours—perhaps even days. Not to mention, the combination of lingering wounds and vitality siphoning would tilt every battle further in his favor: his adversaries would weaken with each exchange, while he would only grow stronger.
Yet, as he continued reviewing the materials required to forge the Runic Set, his smile froze. The good news was that the Golden Sky Fortress had these materials accessible through the Logistic Military Center. The bad news was the cost. Even after exchanging three Voroe Sage corpses for military credits, he barely had sufficient wealth to procure a single one of the five runes necessary for the set.
"Ahhhh, so this is what it feels like to be poor," Vlad muttered wryly. In Terra, he had access to all the world’s wealth, but in the Land of the Three Calamities, everything was different. No matter his talents, Vlad would have to grind for every coin. Worse still, he couldn’t even be certain he would succeed on his first engraving attempt, meaning that multiple batches of these precious materials might be required.
"Whatever—one step at a time," he murmured. His tone was neither defeated nor discouraged. Instead, his eyes shone with a quiet determination. The A.I. Chip had implanted the data on the Mark of Cain into his mind, but mastery demanded more than memorization. He needed genuine comprehension.
Without further delay, Vlad settled onto the residence floor, crossing his legs and allowing his mind to drift into meditation. For nearly five hours, he remained in that motionless state, searching for the faint threads of insight that would help him perfect his technique. When he finally opened his eyes, he felt a sense of renewed clarity.
His next step was a short trip to the Logistic Military Center. Vlad purchased the necessary materials, depleting nearly all the military credits he had earned so far.
Returning to his residence with the goods, Vlad momentarily allowed himself a small sigh of relief. He might have emptied his account, but at least he now had the key components for the first rune.
"Time to shed the old," he said decisively.
Channeling his energy, he activated the Inferno Comet Runic Set etched into his body. Flames of vibrant red energy danced across his skin, signifying the power he had relied on for so long. Yet, if he wanted to inscribe something stronger, he needed to forget the old. Carefully, methodically, he began to unravel the old runic lines.
Within moments, the blazing patterns adorning his arms and torso shattered, crumbling into motes of radiant ash. His body felt oddly bare without them.