Chapter 43: The Holy Hammer and the Unformed World

My Holy Sword, oh, my Holy Sword, I’m coming for you!

Bai Yu churned her short legs, relentlessly racing towards the uppermost floor of the imperial palace.

She knew she had to quicken her pace; after all, despite everything, her concern for Cecelia’s safety remained paramount.

After all, while she remained unsure of the true power of this world’s demon tribe, she was certain there were no ridiculously overpowered individuals among them.

Otherwise, the empire’s meager forces would likely crumble in mere minutes.

Yet, observing that no Shadow Beast had managed to breach the undefended imperial city, she surmised that Cecelia was likely not in dire straits.

Even if overwhelmed, Cecelia would undoubtedly be able to offer temporary resistance, thereby securing precious time for rescue.

Having traversed the palace, Bai Yu finally reached its uppermost level, a towering structure where the staircase leading to the upper floors was firmly secured by a massive, locked door.

Nearby, an elderly woman sat nestled in a rocking chair, her eyes narrowed as if lost in slumber.

Bai Yu had no intention of disturbing her sleep, for in this world, people were akin to NPCs, uttering such robotic phrases that she wished she could skip every single interaction.

Approaching the grand door, Bai Yu observed it was sealed with numerous chains, much like a prison entrance.

She tugged with all her might, but the door remained stubbornly shut.

Nevertheless, the commotion directly roused the sleeping old woman beside her.

“Who’s making such a racket?”

Rubbing her deeply wrinkled face, she finally noticed Bai Yu.

“Princess, what exactly are you doing?”

The old woman gazed at Bai Yu with an expression of utter helplessness, wondering why a princess of her age was still running around like a mere child.

‘Had she truly only grown in years, with neither her height nor her mental faculties showing any increase?’

Yet, such thoughts were impossible for her to voice aloud; she merely grumbled inwardly.

“To retrieve the Holy Sword, of course! Now, quickly open the door!”

Bai Yu exclaimed, her voice tinged with impatience, wondering why there were so many unnecessary obstacles along her path.

“Your Highness, you cannot possibly draw that sword. You are a princess, and that blade can only be wielded by a true hero who—”

“Skip, skip!”

Bai Yu was so incensed that veins throbbed visibly on her forehead. ‘Could these NPCs not repeat such useless information?’ she fumed, ‘If not for her advanced age, I would have delivered a swift punch.’

“Ah, if that is truly the case, then this old woman shall—”

Just as the old woman reached for her keys, Bai Yu snatched them away in a flash, unlocked the door at lightning speed, and burst inside.

Inside the tower, a narrow, winding stone staircase ascended into the dim depths.

Bai Yu ascended step by step, her footsteps echoing through the empty tower.

“Is this truly the resting place of the Holy Sword? It certainly doesn’t feel like it possesses that sort of aura.”

Bai Yu grumbled to herself, yet she never once paused her ascent.

After a while of climbing, the space before Bai Yu finally opened up dramatically.

She had reached the tower’s summit, a small, open-air platform. At its center stood a stone pedestal, from which a sword protruded.

“Is this the Holy Sword?”

Bai Yu drew closer to the sword, its intricate patterns now clearly visible.

The sword itself possessed an ancient, unadorned elegance, its hilt adorned with a massive blue gem that seemed to hold swirling starlight within its depths.

Its blade shimmered with a faint silver luminescence, utterly devoid of any rust or blemish despite the passage of countless ages, resting silently in its place.

“It certainly looks impressive, but I wonder how practical it is to wield.”

Bai Yu sighed with resignation, knowing that her Blade of the Faceless Moon technique placed an extreme strain on a weapon’s durability and properties, often rendering them disposable after a single use.

She could only hope this so-called Holy Sword would prove resilient enough to endure.

Bai Yu stepped up to the Holy Sword, gripped its hilt, and gave a gentle tug.

The Holy Sword remained utterly unyielding.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

A surge of anger coursed through Bai Yu. ‘Could it be that she wasn’t considered a true hero?’

‘What a blind, unseeing thing!’

Bai Yu silently cursed the Holy Sword countless times, all while pulling with increasing force.

“I refuse to believe it!”

Bai Yu braced her small foot, clad in a leather shoe, against the side of the stone pedestal, and then pulled with every ounce of strength in her body.

[Kin of the Night] activated!

As it was daytime, Bai Yu’s physical attributes were amplified by only fivefold at this moment.

Instantly, a series of ominous cracking sounds emanated from the stone pedestal.

“Come out, you!”

Finally, after Bai Yu exerted every last shred of her strength, her grip suddenly gave way, sending her tumbling to the ground with a thump.

“I… succeeded?”

Bai Yu excitedly gazed at the sword in her hand, only to immediately realize something was amiss.

In Bai Yu’s grasp, the Holy Sword’s tip remained embedded within the stone pedestal; she had, in fact, yanked the entire pedestal free.

The Holy Sword now resembled a strangely shaped hammer.

“This is…”

Bai Yu was left somewhat speechless, unsure whether she had truly drawn the sword or not.

She observed the pedestal, still firmly attached to the Holy Sword, noting its blocky, hammer-like shape.

“Can I just destroy this part?”

Bai Yu forcefully slammed it against the ground, but despite numerous attempts, not a single mark appeared on the stone.

“Fine, I’ll just leave it. A hammer is a perfectly viable weapon, after all.”

Bai Yu decided to abandon the issue; time was of the essence, and she needed to quickly venture into the wilds to hunt for Shadow Beasts.

She glanced at the “Holy Hammer” in her grasp, finding its appearance strikingly similar to a “leftover construction” feature from a game she once played.

With the “Holy Sword” now in hand, Bai Yu’s confidence swelled considerably. She strode through the grand gates of the imperial palace and headed directly for the wilderness closest to the royal city.

According to Moweila, this area was home to first-tier Shadow Beasts, making it perfectly suited for a novice like her to gain experience.

“Oh, Moweila, by the way, do you happen to know what tier the strongest entity in this dream world currently is?”

Bai Yu directed the question to Moweila, though she wasn’t entirely certain Moweila would know, given that she had no direct connection to this particular secret realm.

[Though this is an unformed world, the Shadow Beasts it attracts are genuinely real entities from the outside. While my initial connection with you was severed, based on my predictions, there are at least Tier 5 beings present.]

“Is that so? Well, that truly complicates things.”

Bai Yu nodded gravely. Without the cheat-like enhancement of a fiftyfold amplification she’d experienced previously, facing opponents far superior in strength was an almost insurmountable challenge.

Even for the Tier 4 Cecelia, bridging such a significant tier disparity would prove exceedingly difficult.

Moreover, the number of these top-tier combatants remained unknown, while their own side boasted only Cecelia as a high-ranking Arcanist.

As for the remaining created soldiers, Bai Yu held no illusions about their combat capabilities.

The robotic NPCs within the palace offered clear evidence of their mediocrity.

Therefore, the only viable strategy now was to control the Shadow Beasts, transforming enemies into allies.

Sensing the spiritual energy around her, which in this world was referred to as magic power, Bai Yu detected a wolf-shaped Shadow Beast not far away.

This marked her first encounter with a Shadow Beast, a creature that appeared much like a projection of a real-world animal. They were as dark and indistinct as shadows themselves, almost entirely black.