I Died and Received an SSS-Rank Unique Ability-Chapter 79: Ready

The next morning was nothing short of hectic. Vale was shaken awake by Klein—there was no time to rest. A mandatory meeting had been called, one that would go over their next course of action. Unlike before, it wasn’t just a select few gathered in the command tent. This time, every single survivor was expected to attend.

They assembled outside the Castle’s main entrance, the site still haunted by yesterday’s bloodshed. Just hours ago, screams, steel, and death had echoed through this place. Now, only silence remained.

The bodies had been cleared, the scattered limbs and broken armour removed—but the aftermath still clung to the stone. The stench of death hung in the air, sharp and sour, while streaks of blood painted the frozen ground like a grotesque mural etched by battle.

Rows of unfamiliar faces dotted the crowd, each bearing a different emotion—grief, exhaustion, bitterness, fragile hope. Some looked to the future, others clung to the past. Vale avoided their gazes, keeping his eyes low and his thoughts focused. He had no time for sympathy or shared sorrow.

His mind was set on the goal ahead.

Ayla and Ezra had taken the lead, stepping forward to address the crowd. Ezra, the seasoned warrior who had long served within these Castle walls, carried the weight of familiarity and experience.

While Ayla, though new to the Castle, had become something just as powerful for the people, a flicker of hope. Despite her short stay at the Castle, she had earned the respect and trust of many, even those who fought on the opposite side.

Just before reaching the meeting location, the group had agreed on one thing—Vale would stay out of the discussion unless absolutely necessary. Too many of the survivors had once stood beside Aemond. They didn’t know much about Vale, but they knew one thing—he killed their last leader without a hint of mercy. Involving him risked tension or conflict, which the group wished to avoid.

Keeping him in the shadows was the best option for now.

The discussion dragged on.

Far longer than Vale would have liked. They circled the same points again and again, words spinning in endless loops. It felt like trying to rebuild a shattered wall with sand. From his quiet place in the background, Vale let his mind wander endlessly.

A memory surfaced—faint but vividly clear. He was just a boy, barely tall enough to see over the Castle railings, watching his father, the King, address a gathering crowd. The confidence in his voice, the fire in his words... It had felt like magic. It was hard not to admire the presence his father carried with him.

Then, his thoughts darkened.

His father was gone. Assassinated on the same night as him. The faces of the traitors were still unknown. Years had passed, and still, he had no names or justice. And now, trapped in the Demon Realm, revenge seemed farther away than ever.

But he hadn’t forgotten.

"Time will come," he told himself. One day, it will all be repaid.

Before he could sink deeper into the shadows of his thoughts, a voice snapped him back to the present.

"You okay, Vale?" Klein’s voice was low, flickering with concern. He had noticed the darkness clouding Vale’s expression.

"Yeah," Vale muttered, blinking as he snapped back to the present. He glanced around and saw people beginning to scatter, and the meeting seemed to be over. "Is it over?" he asked, to confirm as he continued watching the people leave.

"It just ended," Klein said. "Dain left a moment ago—said he wants to squeeze in as much training as he can before we leave."

Vale nodded. That sounded like Dain—driven and relentless till the very last moment.

His gaze drifted to Ayla, who was now walking toward them, her expression unreadable. He studied her for a couple more seconds, then he looked back at Klein.

"We should join him," Vale said, his voice steady, a newfound resolve burning in his eyes.

The group spent the rest of the day training, sparring, eating, and planning. It quickly became their routine for the remainder of the week. Days blurred into one another, each a relentless cycle of gruelling exercises and sparring sessions that pushed them to the brink of collapse.

Vale steadily grew more adept at using the Four-Eyed Raven, learning to split his focus across multiple opponents without faltering. His movements became sharper, his instincts more refined. Meanwhile, the others improved their coordination, learning to work together more efficiently against a stronger foe—him. The sparring had quickly become less one-sided as the group learned to adapt to most of his abilities.

Of course, he still had to hold back to some extent, using something like Ravenous Flame would be too devastating in a simple sparring.

What little time remained outside of training and meals was devoted entirely to strategy. Vale knew the mountain where the Centurion awaited. Its vivid description lingered in his mind like a silent threat. The path there would be treacherous—there were no easy paths when it came to Snowveil Mountains, and the place they were going to was meant to be outlandishly hard.

Together, they reviewed the information Ezra had gathered from the remaining Dormant soldiers. Unfortunately, none possessed abilities directly countering ice or cold. However, among them were two healers and one with a strength-enhancing ability. Those three were chosen among the rest.

Their final group would be twenty-four in total, seventeen of whom were Awakened.

On paper, the numbers were promising—almost too promising. But Vale wasn’t naive enough to be comforted by statistics. He remembered the Demon’s words, the flicker in its expression. The challenge ahead of them was something that would make all their past battles seem like mere preludes—that much, he was certain of.

The group’s final trial, the one that could lead them back to the world of the living, was drawing closer with every breath.

Before long, the day of departure arrived.

Everyone had gathered outside the Castle gates.

The outskirts of the Castle, usually filled with noise and chatter, had fallen into a heavy silence. Not even the wind dared to disturb the quiet. There was a shared weight in the air—a silent understanding of the danger that lay ahead.

Vale quickly made his way to the front of the crowd, where Ayla, Dain, and Klein stood. Without a word, he greeted them with a firm nod, the kind that spoke volumes in moments like this.

He took a moment to look around.

The gathered soldiers’ faces reflected a tapestry of emotions. Some were full of burning resolve, eyes locked forward, and fists clenched with purpose.

Others looked uncertain, hesitant shadows flickering behind their expressions.

But despite their differences in spirit, one thing unified them all—they were ready, united by a single goal, to fix the Tree of Life and escape this damn place.

Vale turned his gaze back to his companions.

"Everything ready?" he asked, his voice low but steady.

"Yes," Ayla replied, tightening the last knot on her makeshift bag. "We can leave right away."

And with that, the group left the Castle and marched toward the devastating challenge ahead.