Approaching the trunk, I began to climb the Tree of Souls. The first stretch was difficult because there were only a few cracks here and there, and I had to be careful since the fall would kill me. I wouldn't use the Echo because I didn't know if the tree could control its small intelligence, so I didn't want to take the risk.
After passing the first stretch, things went fairly quickly.
I kept climbing, ceasing to pay attention to the mental terror attacks, which were nothing more than annoying and nothing else.
After an hour and a half, I reached the treetop where the branches intertwined with each other, forming a crimson labyrinth.
After climbing high enough, I began to move away from the tree trunk, advancing along thin branches that could barely support my weight. Minutes passed, which turned into hours.
"What if I just burn this whole tree down?" I asked aloud. I could feel the tree trembling with fear at the idea of being destroyed.
I looked at the sunlight, seeing it was around midday. If I didn't find anything within 2 hours, I would destroy the tree using the Echo and travel to the dark city.
Looking around again, I continued walking until, after some time, I found it.
Using the Midnight Shard, I cut and sliced through the intertwined branches until I saw a large nest made by some kind of gigantic bird.
The nest was elaborately crafted, like an obsessed artisan.
The nest's entrance was as large as that of a heavy-duty truck. It was undoubtedly what I had been searching for during the last four hours.
Summoning the Infinite Spring, I took several sips before discarding the Memory.
Entering the nest, I ignored everything else and focused solely on the large black egg, which, despite the passage of time, still had basic life within it.
Looking at the Midnight Shard, I smiled and then brandished the weapon.
With a swift and strong movement, I cut through the egg's hard shell, causing its disgusting black contents to spill onto the ground.
[You have killed a Great Devil: Brood of the Vile Thief Bird]
[Your core grows stronger]
[You have received a Memory.]
"Excellent. I got what I wanted." Whistling a tune, I turned around and left the large nest.
Returning the way I came, I summoned the Echo. I observed the enormous raven. Now that it wasn't trying to kill me, I could appreciate its body better.
It was a mix between a vulture and an eagle. Its feathers were as black as night, and its eyes were equally black. Its body was made of a very resistant type of metal; even tapping it lightly produced a faint echo inside. Its feathers were sharp as blades, as were its claws and beak.
As for its size, it was at least 4 meters tall. It was a miracle full of scorn that I had managed to kill it and obtain my first Echo.
Summoning the runes, I read them.
---
Echo: Black Steel Raven
Echo Type:Devil
Echo Core:Awakened
Attributes:[Magnetism] [Lightning Rod] [Dark Cloak] [Minor Steel Body]
Echo Abilities:[Mantle of the Storm]
Description of Magnetism: [Born in the skies. The black steel body uses its senses to detect more electromagnetic signals and uses them for flight.]
Description of Lightning Rod: [The raven's steel body attracts lightning to itself to enhance its abilities and power.]
Description of Dark Cloak: [As a creature born of the night, its instinct is that of a silent hunter. While surrounded by darkness and shadows, its power increases.]
Description of Minor Steel Body: [Feeding on hard metals. Its body integrated the properties of steel, granting it unparalleled resilience.]
Description of the Ability Mantle of the Storm: [Electricity can be used both inside and outside its body.]
---
"This puts a smile on my face," I said with a huge grin. This Echo was absolutely incredible and useful. I patted the raven's legs several times, feeling the incredibly hard body beneath.
"Well, partner, from now on your name will be Raven," I stated. The Echo, upon hearing its name, made a proud gesture.
I looked at the runes, noting that its name had indeed disappeared and was changed to the new name I had given it.
"Curious."
Looking at Raven, I climbed onto its back.
"Alright, let's fly..." I didn't finish speaking when Raven spread its wings and with a flap, we shot up into the sky at great speed, rising above the Tree of Souls, far from its mental influence.
I felt my soul snap back into my body from Raven's sudden takeoff. The raven looked at me with a gaze that seemed apologetic.
"Next time, take off a bit slower, okay?" I asked.
The raven let out a chirp in affirmation.
Sitting on its back, I observed my surroundings, looking towards the enormous and massive crater from which the dark sea emerged at night, and beyond that was the dark city.
"Go in that direction until you see a statue," I ordered.
Raven began to fly westward at a constant speed across the sky. The Cursed Heralds didn't even dare to approach due to the terror Raven inspired in them.
The flight was silent, even relaxing. From time to time, Raven flapped its wings to maintain altitude, feeling that Magnetism and Steel Body functioned like a magnet keeping it in the sky naturally without consuming its stamina.
Looking back, I observed the Tree of Souls fading into the distance. In a week, I would return to kill it with the temple's torch.
The journey proceeded without incident over the massive crater. The sun was just beginning to set, so we had plenty of time.
---
When the sun had about two hours of light left, we finally arrived at the statue of the dark city. It was the statue of the priestess. After having Raven land, I got off, taking out scavenger meat. I hadn't brought anything to cook it with, so I just ate it raw.
Raven watched the scavenger meat with anticipation.
Grabbing a strip, I tossed it into the air, and the Echo swallowed it in one bite. I said nothing and continued feeding the Echo, although it didn't really need to eat.
Taking sips from the Infinite Spring, I stood up. I observed the imposing walls of the dark city, the place where the First Lord and his powerful Cohort were.
"I suppose I'll become one of their members," I murmured that thought as I climbed onto Raven's back. It took off, this time more slowly, flying over the city walls.
After crossing the walls, I let out an impressed whistle. The city was truly enormous, easily covering about 500 or 600 square kilometers, which was truly outrageous.
The dark city was circular, enclosed by the huge circular ring that formed the white stone wall.
The city was in ruins and full of nightmare creatures. My gaze settled on the castle in the city center, the only place monsters didn't approach.
Raven, somehow sensing my intention, flew directly to the shining castle.
Landing at the grand entrance, I looked around. There were no signs of people, and the castle doors were closed.
"Wasn't the First Lord supposed to have taken control of the castle by now?" I murmured thoughtfully. "Unless... no... Could it be possible?"
I paced back and forth. Raven watched with interest, observing as I walked back and forth, muttering unintelligible things.
"Tsk," letting out an annoyed grunt, I looked at the sky as it began to darken.
"I can't do anything for now. Tomorrow I'll have to kill whatever is in the throne room to get the Fragment of Dawn."
Sitting on the steps, I observed everything with a bored look. There were no monsters near the castle wall; the stones somehow kept them away from this place, and nothing would come out from inside while the doors were closed.
Raven stayed behind, vigilant for any threat.
"Hey, Raven," I called, making my Echo look at me. "Go hunt some nightmare creatures for me," I requested.
The Echo got excited upon hearing it. Spreading its wings, it shot into the night sky, heading to the ruined city to begin its massacre.
As long as it didn't run into a Corrupt Devil or a Tyrant, it would be fine.
A few minutes passed when the spell's voice reached my head.
[You have killed an Awakened Devil: Corrosive Centipede]
[Your core grows stronger.]
The spell's voice continued whispering throughout the rest of the night, reporting each death Raven caused.
At some point, I fell asleep.
When I woke up the next morning, I checked my Shining Fragments.
"What the hell!"
Shining Fragments [720/1000]
I remember I left them at "520" the previous day, and now there were 200 new fragments. This was undoubtedly astounding.
I dismissed Raven, who returned to my soul sea to recover from the damage it had received.
It was a shame I couldn't retrieve the soul fragments; with them, I could directly become a monster.
"Well, here goes nothing. I really have to enter my soul sea." Saying that sent a chill down my spine. The idea of entering my soul sea pained me; it was an uncomfortable and painful place.
Closing my eyes, I concentrated on feeling my inner self. I felt a pull, and a moment later, I was inside my soul sea. Immediately, I felt as if I were being burned alive.
I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I observed my body: I didn't have my human body and was instead just a humanoid wrapped in incredibly bright golden flames.
Looking up at the sky, I observed the bright golden sun radiating intense heat, representing my soul core.
Around it were multiple balls of fire slowly rotating, and a larger one that held my Memories and Echo.
In general, my soul sea was a flaming hell. The reason I disliked entering this place was the heat and the sensation of being burned alive.
Taking several steps, I raised my hand, causing the largest fire sphere to descend. Inside it was Raven, being healed from the damage it received in its fights.
Placing my hand on the sphere, I felt the pain but ignored it.
I observed a set of Runes that suddenly appeared.
[Transform Echo into a Shining Fragment]
'A shining fragment?'
'Is this the cheat version of my divine aspect?'
Sunny could turn his Echos into shadows. Mordret possessed his reflections, and Nephis, well... she was a walking bomb capable of exploding her cores in devastating blasts.
So the idea of forming a personal army wasn't so bad.
"Yes," I responded slowly.
Upon confirming, I felt an infernal wind emerge from nowhere. The fire sphere rose into the sky; infernal flames rose, forming a whirlwind of fire around the sphere.
I felt something strange. Two tendrils of fire rose: one came from the fire sphere containing the Echo, and the other came from somewhere I couldn't see.
Both tendrils, upon meeting, fused together, causing Raven to change.
I waited and waited for a few seconds, restless. The pain still coursed through my entire body, but I resisted it; I wanted to see the final result.
Fire enveloped Raven. Its feathers, once black as night, changed slightly, taking on a lighter hue. Its black eyes were replaced by two eyes of an intense yellow color that seemed to pierce the very soul.
Its body ignited with intense flames of black that were less intense than my soul's flames but still emitted considerable heat. Something I noticed was that it seemed more alive in some strange way, and more intelligent as well.
[You have created a Shining Fragment: Raven]
'Good, let's see the changes that occurred,' I thought, summoning Raven's runes.
---
Shining Fragments: [Raven]
Shining Fragment:Raven
Shining Rank:Awakened
Class:Devil.
Attributes:[Magnetism] [Lightning Rod] [Minor Steel Body] [Spark of Divinity] [Cloak of the Dark Flame]
Shining Fragment Abilities:[Mantle of the Storm] [Cloak of Black Fire]
---
'Some of its abilities changed, and it gained new abilities,' I thought, reading the runes.
Description of Magnetism: [Born in the skies. The black steel body uses its senses to detect more electromagnetic signals and uses them for flight.]
Description of Lightning Rod: [The raven's steel body attracts lightning to itself to enhance its abilities and power.]
Description of Cloak of the Dark Flame: [Born from the fires of darkness. This creature can summon black flames that increase its power. Its flames are capable of harming both the body and soul of its enemies.]
Description of Minor Steel Body: [Feeding on hard metals. Its body integrated the properties of steel, granting it unparalleled resilience.]
Description of Spark of Divinity: [Its soul was lightly touched by divinity.]
Description of the Ability Mantle of the Storm: [Electricity can be used both inside and outside its body.]
Description of the Cloak of Black Fire: [Born from the soul fire that purifies corruption. Raven acquired a flame capable of burning corruption.]
---
My eyes widened like saucers as I read the descriptions of Raven's new abilities. They were terrifying. Not only did they increase its offensive and defensive power, but they could also, in essence, be direct soul attacks, ignoring defenses. Against corrupt nightmare creatures, Raven would be like a large-scale exterminator.
I kept reading the runes.
Description of the Shining Fragment: [The Black Steel Raven was once a vile being whose purpose was hunting. Upon encountering a stronger enemy, it was defeated by its tenacity and unbreakable will. Under that will, it was transformed into a shining fragment.]
Another line appeared.
[Shining Fragments: 0/400]
"Well, aren't you a greedy one, Raven?" I expressed, looking at Raven, who didn't respond.
Letting out a sigh, I took the opportunity to study the new Memories I had obtained.
Summoning the runes, I looked at the Memories I currently had.
There were 4 new Memories.
Memories: [Shroud of the Sun Priest] [Blue Sword] [Leviathan's Sword] [Infinite Spring] [Midnight Shard] [Gravedigger's Shovel] [Spider's Lance] [Drunkard's Canteen] [Necklace of the Right Path]
---
Memory: [Infinite Spring]
Memory Rank:Latent.
Type:Tool.
Description:[A love-struck devil once imprisoned a powerful river inside this fragile glass bottle. It was a gift for a desert spirit.]
---
Memory: [Gravedigger's Shovel]
Memory Rank:Awakened.
Type:Tool.
Description:[Due to so many deaths occurring, a gravedigger took his shovel and began digging, forming many resting graves for the deceased.]
---
Memory: [Spider's Lance]
Memory Rank:Awakened.
Description:[A long-legged spider loved stabbing its enemies to death with its limbs.]
---
Memory: [Drunkard's Canteen]
Memory Rank:Awakened.
Description:[A drunkard who loved to drink took his canteen and modified it to store all kinds of brews for drinking.]
---
Memory: [Necklace of the Right Path]
Memory Rank:Ascended.
Description:[A navigator obsessed with treasures made an offering to the goddess of storms. The goddess, upon receiving the offering, blessed the navigator's necklace to lead him to what he desires to find.]
---
I read the description of the last Memory. If it really did what it said, the journey to the Underworld wouldn't be as impossible as I initially thought.
Stopping my inspection of the runes, I left my soul sea.
When my vision focused, I looked at the horizon. The wind still occasionally whipped against my Shroud of the Sun Priest, causing it to flutter.
Getting to my feet, I did some stretches and looked at the castle doors.
It was time to kill a Fallen and obtain a new Memory.