Artifacts could save you from a deadly attack or help you win a seemingly impossible battle. But there were limits to how you could use Artifacts.

Not only could many Artifacts only be used once, but even the reusable ones that replaced weapons or armor were always difficult to obtain or too expensive, even for an experienced Origin.

Without the Echo or Merissa's help, Kreyn would hardly have been able to find the Artifacts to go up against Ardur. Additionally, each Artifact was a powerful blow to an Origin's condition, basically reducing his stamina and shortening the time he could fight.

But, the most dangerous Artifacts were not those that cost a fortune or those that required enormous reserves of energy to use, but those that imposed conditions on the user.

When Kreyn first picked up the dagger with a wavy blade from Merissa, he saw something that gave him hope for victory:

[Dagger of the Desperate Ghost

Type: Weapon/Tool

Enchantment: Last Favor

A dagger with a wavy blade that reflects the suffering and cruelty that the ghost imprisoned in this eerie but dangerous weapon once went through. The future owner can use the dagger as a weapon to protect themselves and kill their enemies, or as a tool through a spell.]

[Last Favor:

Plunge the blade into your heart to provoke the ghost's last will. The ghost will temporarily grant you all of its power, but the price will be cruel—one life. After the spell ends, the dagger will be destroyed as the ghost is freed, leaving this world along with another life. Whose life it will be does not matter.]

Unlike all the other Artifacts Kreyn had seen before, this one was more complex, powerful, and dangerous.

It was not a weapon like the sword Judith received from the Echo, which she could use in every battle. It was a trump card after which the user faced either victory or death.

All or nothing.

How could Kreyn pass up the chance to possess something like that?

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

A burst of power erupted from Kreyn as the silhouette of a ghost rose above him. It spun like a whirlwind until it headed for Kreyn's heart, which was pierced by a dagger.

The dagger shattered into fragments that pierced his flesh, leaving a mark on his chest, and his wound healed with the next surge of power.

As long as the Last Favor was in effect, Kreyn would possess great power, but in the end, he would lose not only a rare artifact, but also a life, perhaps his own, or perhaps...

Step.

Kreyn stepped forward as he drew one leg back and leaned his torso forward. He stretched out his hand and beckoned Ardur with his palm.

"Come here, I'll show you what a simple prisoner is capable of."

Ardur narrowed his eyes.

In his life, he had fought many opponents, including those who were not afraid to use their fists against a sword, but...

'Something's wrong, his level of strength has increased, there's no doubt about that, but his gaze... It hasn't changed. He didn't need that strength to gain confidence, he used the artifact just to get on the same level as me.'

"What kind of stance is that?" Ardur frowned. "I don't know anyone who would fight that way."

Kreyn shrugged.

"When you're sitting in a boring, peaceful cage, you have a lot of time to improve."

They were talking about different cages, but the outcome was the same: Kreyn was ready to fight, and Ardur didn't know what his opponent was capable of.

"Tsk, you think that by temporarily raising your level, you've become my equal? Don't be a fool!"

A sharp gleam flashed across Kreyn's eyes.

"Yeah? When was the last time you fought someone of your level? There isn't a single Origin in this region who is your equal. Even the sharpest sword will become a rusty piece of metal if you don't use it for its intended purpose, right?"

Ardur shook his head.

"You don't know what you're asking... After what you've done, I'll have to rebuild everything from scratch. That's not how I wanted to spend my old age, but that's life, and you have to act according to the situation."

"In that, I can agree with you."

Tremble.

A shiver ran through Ardur's frame as he became a dark ghost that in the next moment appeared in front of Kreyn. Ardur's shadows surrounded him, and the dark sword was ready to end his life.

But what Ardur saw next made his old, almost petrified heart beat again as it had in the battles of his youth.

Instead of blocking or dodging, Kreyn fearlessly stepped forward as his fist plunged straight into Ardur's solar plexus.

"GHA!" Ardur gasped in pain, but that was only the beginning.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Kreyn kicked him in the knee with all his might, then his palm slammed into Ardur's throat as he clenched his fist to deliver the next strike.

"That's..." Ardur's hoarse voice rang out. "Not enough!"

Before Kreyn could react, Ardur's fist slammed into his face.

Blood gushed from Kreyn's nose as his eyes went blank for a moment. He was faster, his attacks were like a spear, while Ardur's were like a steel hammer, slow but deadly.

The light returned to Kreyn's eyes as his pupils reflected the dark sword moving towards him.

Spark!

With a bright flash, it appeared in his hand as the two dark swords collided. Even their swords reflected their different fighting styles, one wide and heavy, the other longer and faster.

Sparks flew before Kreyn's wide-open eyes as he reacted at the last moment before his death.

"So, you're finally afraid?" Ardur's deep voice rang out as he raised his left hand. "Your catalyst, your eyes, and even your devilish temper. I never thought I'd say this to someone like you, but... Fate is cruel."

The blade of darkness appeared in Ardur's hand as he gripped the hilt tightly.

"I have five children, and every one of them turned out to be fucking trash. Tsk, fate should have given me someone with your will, but that's not something we can influence, right?"

Kreyn's eyes narrowed as the dark blade came down on him.

"Yeah, you're right about that. People always want more than they have, that's the only way we survive."

With a cold stare, Kreyn let his guard down as Ardur's sword pierced deep into his shoulder, but it wasn't Kreyn who should have been afraid.

The tip of his sword poked into Ardur's chest as a bright purple light appeared in the hollow, running along the faint lines on the blade.

"And unlike you, Ardur, I want nothing more than to tear you to pieces!"

Ardur's face froze as a crushing energy blast slammed into him with full force.

The impact threw Ardur aside as shadows flew away with him.

Under the light of the blue moon, Kreyn rose from the ground, looking at Ardur's torn wound and the wisps of smoke rising upward.

Still, Ardur was alive.

'Fucking monster...'

Twitch.

Ardur's fingertips twitched as his eyes opened, staring at the same moon.

"Shut that light off, I really didn't want to do that..."

"Agh? What are you talking about?"

In response, Ardur slowly rose as his gaze deepened.

"By sacrificing everything, you temporarily equaled me in strength, but Kreyn, you don't have the same histories as I, and you definitely don't have this..."

Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

Ardur's aura trembled as words rang out that were more like an order to his very power.

"Darkness - Devour."

In a heartbeat, the light disappeared as shadows covered everything, enveloping Ardur and Kreyn in a dark sphere, gloomy and strong enough to keep even a creature of Vaarh's level from entering.

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