In his view, being reincarnated and reborn in this world wasn't a blessing.
At least, not in his view.
What was more important to him was understanding the cause and effect of reincarnation and the purpose of his existence in this life.
Two years ago, when he turned eighteen, Vincent awakened his Sequence 3 powers and became a Sentinel Master.
In the Sun District, a poor region that relied on hunting for its livelihood, power awakenings were rare. Only three people in the entire district had successfully awakened their powers.
One of them was Vincent.
Vincent possessed the highest Mana Core, at 99, and he was the only one to jump ranks upon awakening.
After that, he began studying the Earth Realm's power system, which also applied to the Daemon race.
Power titles are divided into five levels: Master, Saint, Ultimate, Extreme, and the highest, Descendant.
The power ranking is determined by the density and quality of the mana within the Mana Core, ranging from Sequences 1 to 10. Sequences 9 and 10 are subdivided into Early, Middle, and Late Stages, respectively.
Blue Crystals are crucial for mana fusion and advancing the power ranking. For Sentinels and Daemons alike, these crystals are virtually irreplaceable.
But for him, the situation was different.
His reincarnation hadn't decreased his original strength. Rather, his strength simply adapted to his existence in the Earth Realm.
His method of advancing his Sequence was different from that of the natives of this world.
As long as a crystal contained a mana aura, he could absorb it at will, bypassing the common obstacle of a Sequence bottleneck experienced by humans and the Daemon race.
He wasn't bound by the rules and systems of this world.
Vincent could have used the Black Crystal Heart of the Demon Beast to refine mana and increase his Sequence.
But he chose not to.
For now, he preferred to collect and store it first.
The Earth Realm is a modern, technologically advanced world. However, this progress is uneven. Some districts are left behind, mired in poverty and limited resources.
The Sun District is one of them.
Vincent pressed the silver bracelet on his wrist. In an instant, a transparent holographic panel appeared before his eyes and floated in the air. A thin, bluish light reflected off his pale blue irises.
His gaze slowly took in every bit of information the system displayed.
================================
[HEAVEN SKY TOWER — AURORA STATE AUTHORITY]
◆ PERSONAL HUNTING LOG — GATE LV 1
Demonic Monsters Eliminated:
Lv 1 — 4 Units
Lv 2 — 3 Units
Lv 3 — 1 Unit
Total Eliminations: 8
Confirmed Drops:
Black Crystal Stone Heart — 8
Black Spine Core — 5
Converted Material Values:
Crystal Heart — 100 CP
Bone Core — 69 CP
System Evaluation:
Elimination Ratio — Stable
Attack Efficiency — High
[CONTRIBUTION POINTS PANEL]
Current Balance: 479 CP
Operational Gains:
Elimination — 180
Finishing Blow — 70
Team Stability — 40
Bonus Ratio — 20
Evaluation Status:
Contribution — Sufficient
Priority — Low
==============================
Vincent stared at the data expressionlessly.
The system assessed his hunting as both stable and efficient. He had even defeated a Level 3 Demonic Beast, a result that would have been satisfactory for a Sentinel of the same Sequence.
However, it still wasn't enough for him.
Vincent's contribution to the hunt didn't meet his expectations.
Vincent swiped the holographic screen in front of him and opened the Contribution Points Panel.
The amount was substantial for the Sun District. Converted into the continent's currency of gold, silver, and bronze coins, it would be more than enough to support him and his two younger siblings for some time.
But he held back.
He hadn't absorbed all the Black Crystal Hearts he had obtained. Some had to be exchanged for money to cover their daily expenses. Most importantly, his youngest brother, Antares, desperately needed the Blue Crystal Stone.
Vincent turned off the holographic panel.
There were still two days before the Heaven Sky Tower Gate closed. Each hunt mission had a time limit depending on its difficulty. This mission was only a D-Rank Mission with a maximum duration of two days.
This meant he still had time.
He walked toward the riverbank, where Johan was filling his water bottle. The sound of the flowing river was calm, a stark contrast to Vincent's already made decision.
"I want to go on a personal hunt," he said bluntly.
Johan paused for a moment, then looked at him. "Isn't that too risky? You decided to hunt alone."
As team captain, his priority was the safety of his members.
But before he could continue, two other voices interrupted.
"Are you trying to act arrogant again?" Antonio quipped sharply.
"Your bloodline is clearly visible," Claudia added, crossing her arms over her chest. "A thirst for power and arrogance."
Vincent glanced at them. His face was emotionless.
"I have no need to respond to your chirping," he said flatly.
He could sense the tension threatening to escalate into a fight. But Johan exhaled softly, trying to mediate.
"I know the Blue Crystal Stone is important," Johan finally said. "Even this afternoon, we haven't found any. If you want to hunt alone, you must return before midnight."
Claudia interrupted immediately, her voice rising. "Johan, why did you agree so readily? That's not fair. If that's the case, then we want to hunt alone too."
Johan was silent for a moment before finally nodding. "All right. This river will be the rendezvous point. If you want to hunt alone, go ahead. But be careful. If anything happens, send a distress signal immediately."
After giving these instructions, Vincent and several other team members dispersed.
He headed west, entering an increasingly dense forest. The trees grew taller and taller, their intertwining canopies almost completely blocking out the sunlight. Only faint shadows remained, along with the oppressive, humid air.
His steps were light and almost soundless.
His keen sense of hearing picked up the rustle of footsteps that didn't come from an ordinary animal.
Vincent moved quickly, hiding just enough behind the dense undergrowth to disguise his presence. He held his breath, suppressing his mana as much as possible.
Five figures emerged from behind the trees.
They weren't human.
Three of them had horns protruding from their heads. Their auras were thick and distinct.
Daemon race.
Judging by the mana fluctuations he sensed, they were all Sequence 3 Daemon Masters. Meanwhile, one of them—the one with the most stable and heavy aura—was a Sequence 4 Daemon Saint.
If a clash broke out, the situation would be troublesome.
Furthermore, Daemons who chose to live in human territory were often labeled blood traitors by their own race.
Vincent wasn't sure if they recognized him. Most likely, they only knew the name of the first Demon King, Aldous, who was currently ruling the Earth Realm.
The records of what happened in the Sun Realm had most likely been lost along with Aldous's decision to destroy that world.