Chapter 28: Giving An Oath
Unsure how to respond, Leonard remained silent, his gaze fixed on the drifting prison.
"Most of my powers are long gone." The man admitted in a somber tone.
"Pushed to the brink, I could only survive in the form of a soul weapon. Living inside a prison of my own making. Over the years I can only wonder what has become of my daughter. Has she managed to escape, or is she still suffering while I am trapped here, unable to offer aid?"
His eyes dropped to Leonard.
"Perhaps, by honing your foundations, you might stand a chance to help her... Boy, I shall allow you to wield me only if you formally declare under oath that you will seek a way to find and aid my daughter."
Leonard’s eyes narrowed. From what he understood, by bonding to his soul, the spirit would be able to sense his true emotions.
If he uttered a lie with the intention to deceive, it could very well cost him his life. By now, the man had made his overwhelming power clear.
"Both of us stand to gain. I accept." Leonard declared.
"There is sincerity in your lack of hesitation." The spirit nodded in acknowledgment.
"Boy, I can sense the makings of a true lion’s heart within you, one that will be forged in due time with the right lessons. From now on, you may refer to me as Ragnar."
The mention of lessons intrigued Leonard. He hadn’t expected the soul weapon could be used for anything other than cutting.
"Lesson one." Ragnar immediately began and pointed at Leonard’s chest.
"The crimson pendant you wear around your neck must be safeguarded as though your life depends on it... because it does."
Only now did Leonard notice that the pendant had followed him into this space. He had thought that, like his silver axe, all external tools would be forbidden here.
"Lesson two." Ragnar didn’t let him wonder, patting him on the back.
"You must train your composure until you are able to remain unwavering even in the most stressful situations."
"How can I do that?" Leonard raised an eyebrow.
"Like this." Ragnar replied, calmly pushing him off the edge.
"Huh?!" The strong currents of wind generated by the fall slammed into Leonard’s body.
Unlike the descent he had endured in the Haunted Catacombs, this time he was not surrounded by pure darkness. He was actively able to see the ground rushing toward him, where jagged mountain stones waited below, ready to end his life prematurely.
"That crazy—"
Leonard wasn’t able to finish the sentence. When he fell on the ground, he found himself back in the treasury, his hand firmly holding the handle of the axe.
[You have gained a soul weapon, Titanic Oath!]
[Titanic Oath]
[Rank: Primordial (bound to its owner’s Bloodline)]
[A sacred axe infused with frost that contains the spirit of the fearsome warrior Ragnar, who seeks to rescue his imprisoned daughter. Grants 2 Strength for every level. Current bonus: +10 Strength. May be recalled from any distance for the cost of 10 mana.]
Rendered motionless, Leonard stared at the weapon in astonishment.
Merely wielding the axe increased his current strength by 50%, from 20 to 30 points! Not to mention that, just by leveling up, the strength boost was going to increase and grow alongside him.
If that wasn’t enough, the axe’s head began to give off a frosty mist on its own. Titanic Oath was naturally infused with the ice element, without him having to use mana to maintain the effect.
’What would happen if I used Lightning Strike, combining the two elements together?’ He wondered.
Possessing a soul weapon was truly a game changer, especially since the weapon’s rank was tied to his Primordial Bloodline.
"I sense that a connection has been formed." Owen’s voice echoed from behind.
Getting his bearings under control, Leonard turned his expression neutral, offering a subtle nod.
Returning the nod, Owen pointed to a training dummy resting in the middle of the treasury.
"My descendant, show me the full extent of the weapon’s abilities."
Owen wanted to see what the soul weapon that had rejected so many until now was capable of doing.
Trying to conceal or downplay Titanic Oath’s abilities was not going to bode well for Leonard’s future, since he had only obtained the weapon due to his grandfather.
Shifting his gaze to the training dummy, his arm’s muscles hidden beneath the attire bulged with effort, filling out his clothes as he hurled the axe with the full extent of his might.
Although he was familiar with striking, due to the number of trees he had cut down in his life, this was the first time he had ever used his axe as a projectile.
Lacking the necessary experience, Titanic Oath struck the dummy awkwardly, yet still managed to leave a small dent.
"This dummy is enchanted with a protection rune. Leaving a dent is more than satisfactory." For the first time, Owen acknowledged Leonard.
[Recall activated!]
Spending 10 mana, Leonard reached out with an open palm. Titanic Oath rippled and shot forward right into his grasp, leaving a chilly trail in its wake.
’Cool.’ He thought with a faint smile.
"Even if you are inherently limited by your Bloodline, perhaps we shouldn’t write you off completely. If you join the awakener’s academy and play your cards right, you may even become part of the Dungeon Response Unit." Owen exclaimed.
The Dungeon Response Unit was one of the most prestigious occupations for awakeners.
It involved suppressing dungeon breakouts, saving civilians and sealing the most threatening dungeons. In rare cases, they also entered the Void, a Gradeless dungeon that established a permanent connection to the different planets.
The requirements to join were high, and so were the responsibilities. Yet once part of the unit, an awakener’s status was instantly elevated to that of an elite, granting them access to the Upper Sector of Eternia city.
"I am honored." Leonard replied.
"You have taken your pick of the treasure." Owen gestured toward the exit.
"From this day forward, your siblings would treat you as a rival in pursuit of the throne. Know your place and keep your head low. If you don’t act out of line, you may emerge whole in the end." The man gave parting advice.
Once out of the treasury, Leonard stored Titanic Oath in his Dimensional Storage.
"I better do the same with the pendant." He gazed at the memento from his mother, Ragnar’s lesson ringing in his ears.
He used the skill.
[Dimensional Storage can’t store living beings.]
"What?!"
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