Chapter 26

Klaus awoke, greeted by the symphony of a melodious cascade of notifications.

*DING*

[You have Achieved a Great Feat!]

[You have successfully created an Arcane Core]

[All Stats Increased by 8]

*DING*

[You have Successfully Opened the Third Eye Of the Ten Eyes Mantra]

[All Stats Increased by 3]

A grin stretched across Klaus's face, his muscles tightening as the surge in stats took hold. It felt as though his body had shed its earthly weight, and for a moment, he entertained the idea of soaring into the skies.

{So, it truly was arcane energy} Greed's voice, draped in mystery, cut through the triumphant silence.

"Arcane energy?" Klaus questioned, his eyes once again dancing over the notifications with newfound curiosity, realizing that the message notification said that he had created an Arcane core and not a mana core. 

"What in the world is this Arcane Core?" Klaus questioned, his initial confusion now turning into genuine curiosity. Closing his eyes, he tried to get a better look at the new core he had created. What he saw was unexpected.

His newly created core was pitch black, the size of a marble.

"Why is it black?" he asked, his tone filled with confusion. To his knowledge, mana cores were classified from weakest to strongest as red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, golden, gray, and white. He had never heard or read about a mana core being black.

"Greed, do you know what it is?" Klaus asked the eccentric sword, hoping that Greed knew something about it.

{Of course, I know}, Greed replied with an eccentric tone.

"So, what is an arcane core?" Klaus pressed.

{What a stupid question; just as its name implies, it's a core that can store Arcane energy}.

"Then what is Arcane energy?"

{...} Greed's silence hung in the air, avarice dripping from his voice as he finally spoke,

{What are you willing to offer for that information?}

"What do you mean?" Klaus's annoyance and a hint of anger laced his words. While Greed remained tight-lipped, the notification system chimed in.

*DING*

[Are you Accepting Transferring 10 stats Points to one fragment of Greed?]

"Are you insane? Ten stats points just for that information?" Klaus said, his tone filled with anger.

{I'm not forcing you! If you truly desire this information, this is the cost you'll bear}.

A moment of contemplation followed. Klaus grappled with curiosity, wondering whether his newfound core would be a boon or a bane. Ultimately, he chose calmness.

"Decline," Klaus nonchalantly dismissed the tempting offer, directing the stored energy from his core into his awaiting hand. The inky blackness swirled and coiled around his fingers, a tangible manifestation of raw power. Intrigued, he balled his hand into a fist and brought it crashing down upon the ground with unrestrained vigor.

The ensuing spectacle left Klaus wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

The ground fractured beneath the impact, as though a mythical giant had struck it with a celestial hammer. An intricate network of cracks propagated, weaving a chaotic tapestry that sprawled over nearly a quarter of the once pristine training ground.

"At the very least, power is not in short supply," Klaus mused, a satisfied smirk dancing on his lips. Redirecting the surging energy, he funneled it into the eccentric sword. Greed responded with a sinister luminescence, casting an eerie glow in the surroundings.

Klaus, now wielding a blade charged with arcane might, swung it through the air, unleashing a crescent-shaped tempest that rent the earth beneath. The destructive energy cleaved through everything in its path, including the placid waters of the nearby lake, torn asunder until the arcane force finally dissipated.

'Damn! That's a level of strength I hadn't anticipated,' Klaus marveled, genuinely impressed by the overwhelming might at his command.

"So, it's beyond mana," he conceded, recognizing the superiority of this energy.

' {His mastery over Arcane energy is truly remarkable; I guess Gluttony's choice of him as an Apostle wasn't arbitrary} ', Greed mused, a silent acknowledgment of Klaus's newfound ascendancy.

Klaus, reveling in the awe-inspiring spectacle of arcane power, found himself unable to contain a sinister yet triumphant smile.

{Let me at least give you a piece of advice: don't use Arcane energy recklessly until you have a full understanding of its power. Only employ it when facing individuals you genuinely intend to eliminate. If you wield this power during casual sparring, there's a risk of causing unintended harm.} Greed advised, his tone steeped in an unsettling tranquility.

"Is it truly that formidable?" Klaus inquired, his curiosity now tinged with a hint of caution.

{Your current Arcane energy output mirrors that of an individual possessing a green mana core}

Greed revealed, underscoring the formidable nature of Klaus's newfound capabilities.