Death Notice Book 8: Chapter 100: Freedom

After finalizing the agreement with Beruses, Qin Lun felt a weight lift off his mind.

Recently, he had acquired a few straightforward sword and sabre skill scrolls from the Auction House. Positioned between Reflex Training Scrolls and proper Skill Scrolls, they contained only concise movements like thrusts, chops, and sweeps. They didn’t even have their rank recognized by Star Void.

However, Qin Lun specifically wanted these scrolls for their standardised postures. What he lacked now weren’t advanced skills, but the fundamental motions for single-handed cold weapons. After using these scrolls alongside rigorous training from the Rakshasi Woman, Frostwind Chaser finally acknowledged his mastery of single-handed cold weapons. He could use its signature skill at last.

In the following days, he had more time on his hands. Especially after Beruses delivered a vial of Demon’s Blood, Qin Lun holed up in the Villa, venturing out very little. Of course, he wasn’t completely idle. He spent his time carefully studying the materials on Nen Ability he’d brought back from the Hunter World.

To be precise, it was Joey who was learning and absorbing the Nen Ability knowledge. In Qin Lun’s hands, the Blood of Dissection only possessed its most basic corrosive disruptive power. But in Joey’s control, this skill embodying most of the Nen principles became one of his main combat abilities.

The Demon’s Blood Beruses delivered came contained in a Rune Bottle. It was the Heart Core essence blood from an Ice Flame Demon. Demon essence blood differed from ordinary demon blood. For demons with physical flesh, the essence blood came from their heart. For elemental demons, like this one, it originated from the Heart Core, amounting to only a few dozen ounces.

This Ice Flame Demon was an elemental entity, similar to a Flame Demon but opposite in nature. Flame Demons were born from the lava of volcanoes, while Ice Flame Demons originated from the depths of glacial rivers in polar regions, near absolute zero.

The demon essence blood inside the glass bottle resembled a small, deep blue flame. Without the barrier provided by the Rune Bottle, this single vial of Ice Flame essence blood could have transformed the entire villa into an iceberg.

Qin Lun was quite satisfied with the deep blue ice flame. The Demon Bloodline associated with it was very pure. Though it couldn’t compare to a Great Demon’s blood, among High Rank demons, it was truly top-tier.

This mission proceeded with some tension but no real danger. Perhaps because the Hunchbacked Servant had severed his servant contract with Qin Lun, and Didi had just become a Probationary Apostle, the Quest World they entered was inherently less perilous than the last one.

Frank possessed a steady personality. Because he was shepherding the two youngsters, the group mostly stuck to cautious, conventional tactics. Relying on the thorough preparations Qin Lun had provided, they ultimately earned a bronze mission evaluation. Didi even acquired a purple armguard within that world.

After Didi returned, he radiated excitement. He would often, in private moments, cradle his new armguard, chuckling foolishly, earning him countless eye-rolls from Little Sif. Qin Lun felt this annoyance stemmed mainly from jealousy, of course; the Little Mute and Frank hadn’t acquired any gear during their first trial mission.

“Master, Master! The Order Front headquarters sent you a message! Something about a Material Coordination Department!” Didi rushed in, holding the Projector high. A purple gleam flashed from the bracer on his wrist.

Qin Lun gave the small Goblin an impassive glance. He sharply flicked his finger, landing a hard dunt right on Didi’s forehead. “What’s with holding it so high? The message doesn’t even project! It’s been five days since you got back, and you’re still showing off that purple armguard. Careful now, Little Mute might sabotage your potion later during preparations!”

“Hehe!” Caught trying to show off, the little guy left the Projector on the table, cheeks flushed with mingled pride and embarrassment, before bouncing out of the room.

“The Order Front’s Material Coordination Department?” Qin Lun scanned the Projector with a puzzled frown before a realization dawned. “Master Francis! Is my Weapon Case finally ready?!”

Seeing the message clearly on the Projector lifted Qin Lun’s spirits instantly. That “Material Coordination Department” was likely just a cover name the Order Front used externally.

Without any further delay, Qin Lun grabbed an outer coat and left. The old Gnome had originally promised delivery in roughly half a month. Just a week prior, he had requested Burial of Light and Darkness, Frostwind Chaser, and the Claw Chain for final adjustments.

Calculating now, the deadline had already slipped by a week. In a few more days, the entire allotted month-long rest period would be over.

…

“Master Francis, is it finished?” Stepping into the Order Front’s highly protected, independent forging room, Qin Lun finally confronted the visibly exhausted Gnome, his appearance unkempt.

The old Gnome was frowning deeply in thought, his expression unusually grave, triggering a sudden drop in Qin Lun’s anticipation.

Crafting equipment always carried a risk of failure. Even though Qin Lun hadn’t stipulated any quality demands for the Weapon Case, the materials used were all high-grade. Logically, the finished product should achieve at least a purple grade, if not higher. But even for a master Blacksmith like Francis, failures occurred when forging Sub-Legendary or purple gear.

Truthfully, Qin Lun wasn’t unprepared for this possibility. He could accept the Weapon Case failing outright. What he absolutely couldn’t afford to lose was the other project – the World Tree Longbow fused with the Dryad seed.

“Qin Lun, apologies! Actually… I’m not sure if what I crafted was a success!” Old Francis seemed to shake off his distraction upon seeing Qin Lun. After a moment of thought, he gestured. “Follow me. See it for yourself first.”

What Qin Lun saw was a pure black rectangular prism, metallic but not quite metal, wooden but not quite wood. An inset handle sat on its top surface. It looked remarkably like a doctor’s carry-on Medical Kit or a locksmith’s small toolbox.

“This is my Weapon Case? And it holds both Frostwind Chaser and Burial of Light and Darkness?” Qin Lun frowned slightly.

The prism was barely over a foot long, its thickness and height only about two palms wide. Burial of Light and Darkness and the Claw Chain might fit inside, albeit snugly. But there was simply no conceivable way Frostwind Chaser or the World Tree Longbow could fit, even folded; the internal volume just wasn’t sufficient.

“According to my design, this should be the final product!” Old Francis tugged at his white beard, nodding emphatically. “I suspect what concerns you. Rest assured, all the Apostle gear you provided me can be stored within. It’s just that…”

A gleam flickered in Qin Lun’s eyes. He didn’t attempt to touch the Weapon Case, merely waited quietly for Francis’s explanation.

“Just that… after completing this piece… I found I couldn’t open it,” Francis finally admitted, his tone strained and somewhat exasperated.

“Ha! That’s quite typical for non-owners unable to activate Apostle artifacts,” Qin Lun breathed a sigh of relief, a smile returning as he reached for the Weapon Case. “This forging room uses Magical Arrays to sever the link between equipment and owner during work, but ownership remains unchanged.”

“No, Qin Lun, you misunderstand my meaning…” Old Francis managed a weary chuckle. As a master who regularly crafted gear for Apostles, he knew that fundamental rule all too well.

In fact, given the remarkably precious materials involved—including two Sub-Legendary items—Francis had poured immense focus into this Weapon Case project. He saw it as his next big challenge after Burial of Light and Darkness, pouring meticulous attention into both its design and the minutiae of its forging.

The old Gnome had incorporated spring-loaded mechanisms inside the Weapon Case. Even non-owners, provided they knew the internal mechanisms, should be able to open it. This function was primarily designed to allow Apostles to switch weapons much faster during combat, conserving precious time.

However, upon completing the artifact, Old Francis discovered, to his profound dismay, that he couldn’t get the Weapon Case to open. The spring mechanisms seemed utterly unresponsive. Completely baffled, he’d had no choice but to summon Qin Lun himself.

“That way won’t work…” Old Francis sighed, seeing Qin Lun reach for the sunken handle on the top. He moved to explain the internal mechanism, intending to demonstrate the correct method.

But his words died in his throat as his eyes widened in disbelief. The moment Qin Lun’s hand neared the Weapon Case, the newly forged Apostle artifact reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. A thin, ephemeral green shield shimmered into existence across its surface, firmly blocking Qin Lun’s palm.

Simultaneously, a ghostly imprint – the visage of a weathered, aged Human man – manifested on the otherwise plain prism. Slowly, eyes reminiscent of polished emeralds opened wide. While not completely stunned like the old Gnome behind him, Qin Lun paused, withdrawing his hand in surprise before fully touching the shield.

“Ah, I see now!” After a brief moment of intense thought, understanding visibly washed over Qin Lun. He turned toward Old Francis with a returning smile. “Master Francis, it appears you succeeded brilliantly. This… situation… isn’t your fault. Allow me to handle it from here.”

“Oh?!” Old Francis nodded hesitantly, comprehension dawning but still fuzzy. He wisely silenced his mounting questions, focusing intently on Qin Lun and the Weapon Case, awaiting the young man’s next move.

Qin Lun shifted his gaze fully back to the Weapon Case. Any trace of a smile vanished, replaced by piercing intensity. A flicker of chilling coldness ignited deep within his pupils. “Ayala? You’ve awakened?”

“Young man, I regret meeting you in this fragmented form,” The ancient face hovering over the Weapon Case remained composed. Distinct Elven script etched itself brilliantly within the light shield encircling the case.

“Mafa passed you to me stating it was your expressed dying wish,” Qin Lun stated flatly, his voice devoid of discernible reaction. “Are you implying regret for that arrangement now?”

“…” The aged spirit’s features contorted slightly, manifesting profound, awkward hesitation. A heavy sigh resonated silently within the confines of the room. “I never foresaw such rapid awakening. When the Moonlit Elf entrusted my metamorphosed seed to you, she couldn’t have conceived the plan… fusing me directly onto the physical matrix of the World Tree Longbow!”

The core reason behind Ayala’s failed attempt to ascend to Legendary rank was insufficient life force. However, during Francis’s process of assimilation into the Weapon Case framework, the World Tree Longbow, stripped of its former Spirit yet holding residual life essence inherent to the World Tree material, inadvertently replenished Ayala’s critically drained core reserves. This unexpected influx was the catalyst forcing her consciousness earlier from dormancy.

But Ayala required substantially more than a single, spiritually inert World Tree Longbow to fully revitalize. Stirring between states of half-consciousness and liminal awareness, the Dryad’s primal self-preservation instincts took over. She instinctively began absorbing the additional, potent materials Francis placed within the Weapon Case during its final assembling stages—including other intact gear.

A portion of this assimilation stemmed naturally from the intense forging process itself, merging her essence deep within the Weapon Case’s structure. Yet her rampant biological imperative primarily drove the voracious consumption of life-sustaining energies locked within surrounding materials, extending even to ingest vital traces of legacies belonging to other incorporated weapons. Among these were vital power sources: Frost Gem cores, Elemental Burst Beads, the Deep Blue Claw Chain itself… and ultimately, Frostwind Chaser, the Sub-Legendary treasure directly equivalent to her latent potential.

The Artifact Spirit dwelling within Frostwind Chaser, an Ice Sprite still attaining Legendary status, stood marginally weaker than Ayala herself. Ayala’s innate Wood affinity inherently held dominance over the Sprite’s Water essence. Consequently, Frostwind Chaser suffered integration; its Artifact Spirit critically weakened, effectively becoming an auxiliary component within the Weapon Case. Only Burial of Light and Darkness, intrinsically elevated to a full Legendary tier, successfully resisted Ayala’s consuming claim. Its superior grade conferred immunity.

Under ordinary circumstances, Ayala, woven into an Apostle artifact, would possess no capacity to resist her designated bearer’s commands. Yet fate unfolded differently. The Weapon Case remained fundamentally unfinished – incomplete regarding its most critical feature: the Apostle Soul binding. Raw materials lack the indelible Apostle Soul imprints intrinsic to formed Apostle artifacts. This transitional void provided Ayala critical leverage.

Revived awareness fundamentally altered everything. Ayala refused bondage. Her failed Legendary ascension epoch should have marked her natural conclusion. Yet absorbing such diverse and potent spirit-infused artifacts unexpectedly propelled her past her former limitations. Though forever bound physically to this artifact casing, Ayala achieved what she previously failed to attain: evolving into a genuine Legendary Artifact Spirit!

A hopeful path emerged: if returned to the Elven Race, among their mightiest Mages or wise Grand Druids, existed plausible methods potentially disentangling her newly born Artifact Spirit essence and transferring it harmoniously into the living matrix of an ancient World Tree. Freedom remained attainable!

Ayala immediately sought to magically communicate location details to Moonlit Elf contacts. Unfortunately, her current location thwarted transmission: the innermost sanctum of Order Front Headquarters, reserved solely for confidential Apostle equipment crafting. Layer upon layer of sophisticated Magical Arrays blocked both incoming and outgoing communications, specifically concealing artifacts undergoing refinement. Even highly favoured master crafters like Francis couldn’t bypass these strictures; protocol dictated all messages route via authorized personnel explicitly directed to the specific Apostle linked to any project—Qin Lun alone.

Trapped within impossibility, Ayala gathered her newly honed reserves and isolated the internal space of the Weapon Case. Her strategy: extract her freedom through direct negotiation. She would leverage the immense value of the assimilated Apostle artifacts resting inside as bargaining tokens with Qin Lun. This was the root cause baffling Francis—access physically barred by Ayala’s concentrated defensive barrier sealing the case.

“You intend to barter my own equipment back to me… in exchange for your freedom?” An exceptionally gentle smile touched Qin Lun’s lips, strangely replacing any residual hints of the earlier chilling hostility.

“Young man, I recognize this act instigates disappointment and likely breaches trust,” Ayala blinked slowly, her projected voice composed and deliberate. “Nonetheless, sentient awareness imposes responsibility. As reawakening manifests within me, I must inevitably strive towards self-determination. Know that the Elven Race holds ample means ensuring equitable compensation…”

“Ah,” Qin Lun interrupted, his smile evolving into something genuinely disquieting; confidence bordering on glee radiated outward. “You consumed them thoroughly, Ayala. Presumably, every embedded skill structure and accrued data form part of your new consciousness now? Crucially, precisely what form can this promised ‘Elven compensation’ possibly take? Do you truly envision any entity among that conflicted species willingly gifting another fully matured Legendary Artifact Spirit? The concept borders upon fantasy.””

The moment his concluding word faded, Qin Lun’s right hand—already subtly hazed with an unnerving crimson glow—lashed towards the Weapon Case with terrifying swiftness.

Upon contact, the crimson power searing around his palm met the green shield protecting the box. Instantly, a peculiar pale smoke hissed violently upward. The shield visibly boiled and liquefied where touched, dissolving at frighteningly palpable speed beneath corrosive onslaught.

“Foolish youth! Risk obliteration?” Ayala’s ancient manifestation contorted, eyes widening as tension crackled through her projected form. Her voice dropped into a primal growl laden with menacing promise. “Do not underestimate volume! Within this construct reside multitudes exceeding my singular Spirit! Multiple Legendary relics endure within!”

“Do what you must!” Qin Lun responded with chilling fatalism, a detached sneer twisting his features. “Clear recall accompanies your final legacy: the condition under which you bequeathed your seed remained explicit. Such an exchange demanded specific reputation. Thus, matters of consequence bear equal weight. The failure remains yours, Ayala. Should you choose annihilation? Let Frostwind Chaser and Burial accompany you towards oblivion! Consider double Legendary sacrifice worthwhile tribute befitting the demise of one Legendary Dryad!”” He deliberately paused, allowing ominous implication to settle heavily. “Though believe this implicitly: Any toll exacted through your destructive whim tonight will burden the Moonlit Elf treasury directly. Compensation accrues rapidly through compounded interest. Soon or inevitably delayed? I will collect. But rest assured… Subsequent terms of recompense demanded… they evolve… exponentially.”

“No!” Ayala’s projected features visibly fractured under sudden panic; millennia of accumulated wisdom unexpectedly challenged by this unnervingly unpausing bargaining stance. Doubtlessly, Qin Lun’s reputation preceded him—an Apostle utterly unbounded by conventional respect or reverence for established power structures. Fighting instinct warred against logic before collapsing into weary resignation. Her projected image softened, the anger dissipating like archaic smoke into phantom despair. “Thus… true freedom eludes me still? Locked beyond reach?”

The crimson energy on Qin Lun’s hand had already melted a jagged opening within the shield barriers. His grasp seized the prismatic Weapon Case firmly over its top ridge. Simultaneously, all trace of amusement vanished from his expression. Intense cold fury instantly solidified across his features. His voice scraped low and imperative, threading undertones of barely checked brutality onto directed accusation:

“Loss graciously exceeds mere freedom constraints, Spirit Ayala. Offering retribution becomes your immediate imperative.”