Chapter 15: Princess Vera

As Ares untied the princess and freed her from captivity, a sense of relief washed over him.

"Ding! [Congratulations on rescuing the princess of Val'Shara Empire and completing the quest. All rewards will be distributed at the end."]

The system notification acknowledged their heroic deed and marked the successful completion of a crucial quest.

"Ding! [Chain quest: Escort the princess back to the capital of the empire.

[Quest Rank: S+]"]

"Quest rewards: Choose a treasure from the empire's treasury and a skill from the empire's collection."

"Failure: Face Emperor's wrath and be hunted by both the Dark Faction and the empire's soldiers."

The quest held great importance, denoted by its S+ rank. They were entrusted with the responsibility of escorting the princess safely back to the capital, a task that carried immense risks and potential consequences. The rewards offered them the opportunity to select a valuable treasure from the empire's treasury and acquire a coveted skill from the empire's collection. However, failure would result in Emperor Rath's wrath and make them targets of both the Dark Faction and the empire's soldiers.

Ares couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine as he contemplated the possible repercussions of failure. Nevertheless, he knew they had no choice but to embark on this perilous journey. Together, they set their course towards the city of Frozen Citadel, where they would begin their escort mission and face the challenges that awaited them.

As Ares and Frost continued their journey, they took a moment to assess their respective abilities and equipment. Ares examined his interface to evaluate his current status as a swordsman:

Name: Sword Sovereign

Level: 18

Class: Swordsman

Health: 3300

Mana: 5900

Attack: 2610

Defense: 2694

Attributes:

Strength: 89

Agility: 68

Intelligence: 57

Vitality: 64

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 7

Free Attribute: 20

Skill Points: 23

Skills:

Passive: Sword Mastery

Active: Heavenly Slash, Slash, Parry, Cross Cut, Blazing Fury Slash

Abilities:

Innate: Sword Heart

Gained: Sword Aura

Affinities: Supreme Thunder Affinity

Intents: Sword Intent

Martial Soul: Azure Thunder Dragon

Physique: ?????? Unawakened (10% Awakened)

Equipment: Lightning Sword, Infinitude Dragon Armor, Boots of Elusive Shadows

Ares realized that while he possessed formidable attributes and a powerful martial soul, he lacked a comprehensive skill rotation to fully utilize his swordsmanship. He resolved to acquire new sword skills to enhance his combat prowess.

Meanwhile, Frost also examined her own character sheet:

Name: Frost Stormbringer

Level: 17

Class: Mage

Health: 2300

Mana: 5000

Attack: 1420

Defense: 1697

Attributes:

Strength: 45.5

Agility: 43

Intelligence: 46

Vitality: 44

Wisdom: 9

Charisma: 9

Free Attribute: 85

Skill Points: 34

Skills:

Passive: Triple Casting

Active: Fireball, Ice Spike, Fire Barrage, Inferno Storm

Divine: Absolute Zero (grayed out)

Abilities:

Innate: Eternal Frost Fire (Epic Rank)

Gained: [Not specified]

Affinities: Fire, Ice

Intents: [Not specified]

Martial Soul: Twin Vermillion Birds (Legendary Rank)

Physique: Fire Mana Body

Bloodline: Ancient Three-Legged Golden Crow

Equipment:

Silver: Great Magician's Staff (Growth Type)

Gold: Sorceress Armor, Gemstone Skirt, Elemental Gloves

Frost observed her attributes, skills, and equipment. She possessed a high affinity for fire and ice, with the ability to triple cast spells. Her martial soul, the Twin Vermillion Birds, provided her with immense power. However, she noticed that her Divine skill, Absolute Zero, was currently inaccessible. She contemplated ways to further develop her abilities and unlock the potential of her bloodline.

With their assessments complete, Ares and Frost continued their journey, knowing that they needed to further refine their skills and acquire new ones to overcome the challenges that awaited them. as they were travelling Ares began to contemplate taking the trials shown on his mythology interface, hoping to unlock a special class. He had no idea what these trials would entail, but he was determined to complete them before his first class awakening at level 50. However, a nagging thought urged him to finish them even earlier, before reaching level 25, because at level 25 he would have to choose an occupation and he wanted the occupations to be supportive for his main class.

As they journeyed together, Ares and Frost engaged in casual small talk, suddenly they were interrupted by the Awakened princess. It looked like she had awakened quite a while ago and was eavesdropping on their conversations. Princess Vera, felt relieved that the two of them weren't associated with the black-masked kidnappers, adopted an arrogant demeanor to hide her vulnerability.

Princess Vera, feigning indifference, huffed, "Hmph! You two rescued this princess, so this princess shall owe you a favor and reward you once we reach the grand ValShara castle."

Frost, with a mischievous grin, chimed in, "Ah, I see you've finally awakened, Your Highness. We were starting to wonder if something happened to you."

Ares, pretending to be hurt, added, "Yes, Your Highness, you remember me, right? The dashing hero who battled through hordes of enemies to rescue you?"

Princess Vera blushed and nodded, recalling the embarrassing display of her tears and wailing. She coughed lightly to regain composure and swiftly changed the subject. "Ahem... so, where are we heading?"

Ares, replied with a touch of grandeur, "To the mighty Frozen Citadel, where legends are forged and ice cream is probably served."

Princess Vera's memory was jogged. "Oh, right! I snuck out to meet my friend Elsa, but somehow ended up being kidnapped. I hope she's alright."

Along their journey, they encountered various monsters, which Ares and Frost dispatched with ease, leaving Princess Vera in awe of their skills. Being from the renowned Val'Shara Empire, famous for its swordsmanship, she recognized Ares' unique talent. She hailed from the illustrious royal family of the Val'Shara Empire, renowned for its mastery of the sword. Val'Shara stood tall as the realm of formidable swordsmen, boasting a storied history led by a legendary emperor who had attained the pinnacle of king rank sword intent. The empire had earned its fame for its exquisite sword arts and the fine craftsmanship of its blades. Val'Shara's very name echoed the resounding strength and valor of the sword in the ancient language, an homage to its founding emperor and his iconic weapon, the Sword of Val'Shara.

Having grown up among the esteemed swordsmen of Val'Shara, Princess Vera possessed a discerning eye that recognized true genius and unparalleled swordsmanship. She couldn't help but acknowledge Ares' exceptional talent, but she couldn't resist a teasing remark.

"Hmph! It seems you're keen on flaunting your pitiful sword skills. I can tell you have an inherent talent for the blade, but you're squandering it all away. No techniques, no artistry! If I weren't injured, I would have shown you the splendor of my swordsmanship and opened your peasant eyes to true greatness."

Ares, feeling a mix of frustration and agreement, retorted, "Well, if you're so amazing, why did those kidnappers manage to snatch you away?"

The princess's face reddened, and she shot back, "What do you know? I was ambushed!

Am... bushed?...???

Wait, no..... I mean...., I don't know how it happened. One moment, I was having lunch with Elsa, and the next, I woke up tied inside a carriage. It's all very strange."

Ares and Frost exchanged skeptical glances, suspecting that there was more to the story.