I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 75: Training with a Demon

Vale stood in the centre of a pitch-black basement, his chest rising and falling rapidly, gasping for air. A field of corpses stretched across the ground, blood still blooming from the lifeless bodies of monsters the student had just slain.

It had been two months since he first met Aamon—the Demon who resided in the cavern where the ice dragon had left him.

Those two months had been a blur of unrelenting training. Days and nights melded into one long stretch of sweat, pain, and progress. Before he realized it, sixty days had passed under the demon’s brutal tutelage.

"Too slow," Aamon’s voice echoed behind him.

Vale didn’t turn. He already knew what came next.

"It was just an Awakened monster," the demon continued, his tone sharp. "You should’ve dealt with it faster."

Aamon gestured at the mangled corpse beneath Vale’s boot. Blood pooled around the creature’s limbs, steam rising in wisps where the warm blood met the icy floor.

"It took less than a couple of seconds," Vale thought, jaw tightening. But he held his tongue. He’d learned that arguing with the demon brought nothing but more pain.

Not that the training hadn’t been worth it. In fact, it had paid off more than he could’ve imagined.

He had broken through—he reached the next threshold in no time.

*****

Name: [ Vale ]

Core: [ Dormant ]

Core Rank: [ C, 23/1000 ]

Artifacts: [ Ordinary Katana, Titan’s Ring, Flask of Salvation, Ironhide Armour, Hellfire, Frostbite, Cursed Crown, Mirroring Shard ]

Relics: [ Four-Eyed Raven ]

Abilities: [ Spirit Bond, Frostpiercer ]

Spirit Bond Mastery Rank: [ D ]

Spirits: [ 1/2 ]

Unique Ability: [ Ravenous Flame ]

*****

Vale was now officially a C-Rank.

And he could feel the difference.

His mana had become something vast—far beyond what it was. Using his abilities felt like drawing a single drop from an endless ocean. Power coursed through him, thrumming beneath his skin, coiled and ready to be used.

But it wasn’t just his core that had advanced.

His Spirit Bond mastery had also improved. With every monster the spectral knight struck down, the bond deepened, eventually evolving to D-Rank. Alongside it, his capacity to house spirits had grown—he could now bond with more than one spirit.

Yet despite this new potential, he hadn’t formed any new bonds.

Aamon had advised him against it.

"Don’t waste your Spirit Bond on something mundane," the demon had said. "Greater opportunities lie ahead."

Vale didn’t fully understand what the Demon meant, but he listened. So far, his guidance had been nothing short of transformative.

Perhaps, the student even hoped that Aamon had a spirit in mind.

But there was no time to revel in any of this much longer.

A sudden roar shattered the stillness, and from the shadows, a beast lunged—a massive wolf-like creature with white fur soaked and matted, fangs bared, and eyes gleaming red.

Vale didn’t flinch.

With a flick of his hand, he activated his Frostpiercer ability. Two crystalline spears of ice shot through the air, piercing the creature mid-leap and freezing it in place. A heartbeat later, a dark silhouette materialised from the shadows behind the wolf. The dark knight—his summon—brought its blade down in a clean, merciless streak of black.

The wolf’s head hit the ground with a heavy thud.

[ You have slain an A-Rank, Awakened Monster, Dire Wolf ]

Aamon sighed behind him, disappointment clear on his face.

"Your ice ability is still far too weak. You shouldn’t have needed your summon to finish it."

Vale gave a subtle nod.

He agreed, even if he didn’t like admitting it. Frostpiercer could conjure several spears at once, but their raw power still lagged far behind what an Ice Banshee he fought could wield. Against B-Ranks and above, the damage just wasn’t enough.

He dismissed his weapon and walked toward the demon with calm, measured steps, the rhythm of movement honed by repetition and fatigue.

Together, they left the basement. As always, Aamon continued his critique, each word as sharp as a blade. Vale listened closely. Despite his pride, he couldn’t deny the truth. The demon knew more about combat than any human he had ever encountered.

Then again, he was a divine being.

Weeks passed.

The training grew more brutal and more dangerous with each day—yet Vale survived. He improved and adapted to each battle.

Until one morning, something changed.

"Where are we going?" Vale asked, eyebrows furrowed. It was the first time in weeks they weren’t descending into the basement.

Aamon’s response was cryptic.

"Your next opponent is far too large to fit in the basement. Come. You should preserve your energy for now."

"Preserve my energy?" Vale frowned. The demon’s training had always pushed him to the brink, but this... this felt different. The demon had never offered warnings before.

Something felt off.

But Vale didn’t need to wonder for too long.

They reached the great chamber—the one where Vale had first arrived at.

There, perched atop a large stone platform, was the ice dragon—the one he accidentally arrived on.

Its massive wings were folded like mountains at rest, its eyes closed, but the creature was not asleep. It awaited, ready to strike.

"You want me to fight your dragon?!" Vale’s voice cracked with disbelief.

Aamon’s expression didn’t shift.

"Of course. It is the strongest monster in this cave. Your final challenge. Defeat it, and you’ll be ready to leave for the castle."

Vale’s eyes darted between the demon and the sleeping giant of scale and frost. Panic bubbled at the edges of his mind. Doubt clawed its way in.

But Aamon wasn’t done. His voice cut through Vale’s racing mind.

"I hear the castle’s in chaos. A civil war, perhaps. It would be a shame if you arrived too late to help your friends."

With that, he turned and began walking away without saying another word.

Vale instinctively took a step after him—but then, a sudden wave of wind hit the student’s back.

The cave trembled as wings slammed open with thunderous force. Wind exploded outward in a tidal wave, shoving Vale back a few paces, his feet skidding across the icy ground.

The dragon had taken to the air. Its eyes were now open—locked onto him.

There was no time for doubt.

Vale summoned his weapon, the tilt of Hellfire materialised in his hand.

Without delay, he dashed forward.