"Igor, are you alright?" Roxanne asked softly, her lips trembling with both worry and restrained fury.
In response, Igaris stood up slowly, brushing dust off his clothes, and cracked a faint smile.
"I'm fine, Mother. See."
Surprisingly, the bruises from the slap had vanished, as if they'd never existed. It seemed even minor wounds were no match for his evolving body.
But the cold glint in his eyes betrayed the calm on his face.
He had memorized the faces of every man in that group.
For this slap—one day he would return it tenfold.
Roxanne, feeling reassured by his smile, nodded quietly and turned to resume her daily work, though a part of her remained cautious.
Left alone, Igaris and Isadora stood gazing at each other under the pale morning light.
"Brother... why?" Isadora asked, her voice clear and serious, devoid of her usual childishness. "Why didn't you fight back?"
Igaris didn't respond right away.
He simply stared at her small, trembling frame, at the emotion brimming in her round eyes.
And then, for a moment, she seemed to blur into the image of his elder brother Izroth. A towering figure who once stood firm in front of him, saying: "Don't ever give up, Igaris. Stand up and fight."
She reminded him of that same strength. But in reverse.
"I understand now," she said suddenly, her voice quiet. "You didn't fight back… because of us, right?"
She looked up at him with maturity far beyond her years. Though just seven or eight years old, hardship had already carved its mark into her spirit.
Gone was the delicate, pampered girl from across the ocean.
In her place stood a budding warrior, awakened by pain, and shaped by survival.
Igaris smiled as he replied,
"Look at you, acting all mature all of a sudden. Go play outside. I have to head out for hunting."
With that, he turned and went back inside the hut.
Isadora huffed and snorted. "Hmph…Stinky brother."
And just like that, she returned to her usual playful self and skipped outside.
"Dora, wash your face!"
Just then Roxanne's stern voice echoed from the cooking area.
Isadora froze mid-step, then stuck out her tongue playfully before puffing out her chest and marching outside like a soldier obeying orders.
Inside the hut, Igaris sat down cross-legged and summoned the items once more, inspecting them carefully.
The blade and maps were essential tools—but they lacked something.
A name.
With a spark of intuition, Igaris whispered,
"I name you 'Doom,' and you shall be called 'Astreya.'"
As soon as the words left his lips, platinum energy surged from within him, enveloping both the blade and the maps in radiant light.
Ding!
[You have named Old Iron Blade as "Doom."]
[You have received "Basic Blademastery" as a return.]
[You have named Tattered Maps as "Astreya."]
[You have received "Six Directional Sense" as a return.]
[Basic Blademastery]: Grants comprehended mastery over the fundamentals of using short blades.
[Six Directional Sense]: Enhances spatial awareness, allowing recognition of directions even in disorienting conditions.
—
Before his eyes, both the blade and maps underwent a visible transformation.
The blade, now known as Doom, appeared sturdier, with a darker gleam along its edge and a sharper tip, as though thirsting for battle.
The tattered maps, now called Astreya, glowed briefly before merging into a single, more coherent chart. The combined map offered a clear view of the terrain around his region. The paths, elevations, and hidden routes were all now discernible.
Naming them had not only improved their quality but also granted him two valuable abilities in return.
Satisfied, Igaris summoned his status screen:
[Name: Igaris Vance (Igor Calamity) ]
[Power Rank: Warrior - 2 ]
[ Innate Ability: Infinite Acquisition ]
[Abilities]:
– Undead Recovery
– Basic Blademastery
– Six Directional Sense
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Igaris's lips.
Everything was slowly beginning to shift in his favor.
He now had power comparable to a 2nd Stage Warrior.
Though he didn't know exactly what that meant, he could feel he was still weaker than Dred, who was an Elite Rank.
After sorting everything out, Igaris began preparing for today's hunt.
And this time, he would go alone.
His destination was the Ruined Citadel.
He felt something or someone was waiting for him there.
He would go and subdue every Undead Knights under his Acquisition, to create the Unstoppable Army—one unique and loyal only to him.
After a breakfast of the previous night's meat, Igaris stepped out of the hut and began journeying for another day of survival and hunt.
His mother and little sister waved goodbye, watching his departing figure with worry and concern.
But in Roxanne's eyes, something strange flickered.
She could see the shadow of a knight behind him.
"You have finally awakened, my son. Now I can finally leave in peace.
"Stay safe, and grow stronger. We will miss you."
Isadora, who stood beside her, looked puzzled by her mother's muttering.
"What are you saying, Mommy? Where will we go?"
Roxanne looked at her daughter's face and smiled.
"We're going back home, sweetie."
"Home?" Isadora murmured, stunned.
"Yes, home. Don't you want to go back?" Roxanne asked gently.
Isadora's small brows furrowed.
"I do… but what about brother? Isn't he coming with us, Mommy?" she asked, worried.
Roxanne shook her head and replied softly, "No, sweetie. He has his own path to follow."
Buzz!
Suddenly, a low buzzing sound echoed from the sky as a streak of white light descended straight like a falling star.
From above, a shiny white figure descended, floating gently with quiet energy thrusters.
That's right—it was a Mecha.
A massive 10-meter-tall Mecha with the appearance of a female warrior with dual Swords.
Isadora's mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Mother! Isn't that Dorothy? How did she get here?"
Roxanne grinned. "How, you ask? Because I summoned her of course. Now come inside. We're leaving this place."
Still, Isadora didn't move.
"But Mommy… I don't want to leave Big Brother alone. Please, let me stay with him, okay?"
"Aww… I understand, sweetie."
Thud!
Roxanne suddenly knocked Isadora unconscious with a light chop to the spine.
"Sorry, sweetie. But we can't become a burden to him. He has to walk his path alone…"
With Isadora slung over her shoulder, she climbed the stairs and entered the heart of the Mecha.
"Ready to depart, Roxy?"
"Yes," Roxanne said coldly. "Let's go back. My son will make those bastards pay."