If there was one major thing he learned from the modern world map, it was the importance of allies in all situations.

As far as he was concerned, if humans had properly combined their efforts to fight back against the beast scourge, then not only would there be a single nation but there would be far more survivors.

"Of course, it’s human nature to be selfish and to be thirsty for whatever advantages can put you over others." He lamented.

Yet no matter how much he judged them, he was no better.

Even if the early humans had collaborated to prevent total planetary collapse, eventually, the expanding battle campaigns would cause a break.

He could easily imagine a group of a thousand Awakened led by an Ascended to clear out a forest full of beasts.

They would clear it but not return home.

Even in the slums it was a pretty common tactic used by gang members to start up their gangs and it’s not like the military would be able to stop them in time.

They probably could but not without losing assets of untold value.

For some reason, Dale could sense that was why none of the nations had tried to explore other continents.

They were trying to gain an edge over the other countries, not to help establish a new one.

Dale turned to the map of the Utra nation.

Grilon City, one of the nation’s largest cities — and where Dale had gotten his ability skill — was close to the capital of their state. Talon City.

Talon City was not-so-subtly named as a jab at an eagle and was where the higher brass of society chose to converge.

’What is their obsession with that damn bird?’ Ever since his encounter with the shadow bird, his opinions of birds — particularly Eagles — were less than optimal.

Dale kissed his teeth and folded the map back up. He returned it to the shelf and quickly left the library.

Admittedly, he almost got lost a couple of times while trying to leave.

He walked down the halls of the boot camp until he came across the landing room — the place he had first seen when he landed.

It almost felt like a lifetime ago. A lot had happened within the few months he spent here.

’Oh well, time goes on.’

And it did.

Days streaked by until they became weeks and weeks became two months.

During that time, Dale had spoken to Austin about what Trevor said and just like him, the redhead still decided to stay with Sarah.

Soon, Sarah returned and they spent a few days talking and hanging around with nothing serious on their minds.

Now, however, Dale was in the weapons hall having been summoned by Lord Byron.

The old man stroked his greying beard slowly as he scanned him with a faint curiosity.

Dale shifted slightly on his feet. He usually didn’t mind being watched but he still vividly remembered the centipede.

The man who was watching him was the same person who had culled the beast.

That simple fact was enough to fill him with unease even if he knew that the man had no bad intentions.

Lord Byron waved his hand and a pair of sabers materialized in them. These were different from Decay and Blight.

Their bodies were the usual silver of metal, but with a faint orange hue that intensified closer to the edge.

Just like his old sabers, these were for those who had a back-handed grip over their blades. People like Dale.

"These sabers are vastly different from Decay and Blight which you so gratefully lost in battle." The man tossed the blades to Dale, and he leaned forward to catch them, avoiding gripping the blades with his fingers.

Dale caught the sabers by their handles and barely avoided glaring at the old man.

Naturally, he knew that the blades wouldn’t have been damaged if they had hit the floor but still... it was principle.

’Crazy old man. I mean who tosses a blade at a student?! Maybe the fight against the centipede has affected him.’ He kissed his teeth.

Dale looked away from the man and turned to the sabers, letting the AIDE whisper into his ears.

[Borrow the World’s lightning]

[Weapon’s Rank: quasi-Ascended]

[Weapon Skills]

[Lightning Fiend]

[Lightning Rod]

[Lightning Fiend: Hone the thunder within the blade and run with lightning]

[Lightning Rod: Shoot a bolt of lightning from the blades]

Dale couldn’t stop himself from grinning from ear to ear.

It was just perfect. ’Another quasi-Ascended weapon?!’ He was sure that even finding one was luck.

The military must have deemed it fit to give him a new weapon similar in rank to the one he had lost.

This was truly valuable compensation. He still expected to be more.

’Maybe I should hope for the renegade recruit to try again. Who knows, this time I might get a fully Ascended Weapon.’

Lord Byron cleared his throat. "I am sure you are enthusiastic about your new weapons and what they can achieve. The military and I saw it fit to give you a weapon that can allow you a degree of flexibility in battle."

Dale nodded. He noticed the recurrent pattern in the weapon’s skills.

One allowed him to move with unnatural speed while the other was for long-distance attacks.

’They must have actively gone out of their way to find a weapon with a similar baseline of skills so the difference won’t be too jarring.’

He was sure that there were more weapons with healing and augmentation skills but since they hadn’t provided any for him, it either meant that those were fully Ascended weapons or they weren’t sabers.

Even getting lightning-based sabers was a blessing.

Without hesitation, he activated [Lightening Fiend].

The sabers crackled with orange lightning that passed through his skin.

He ignored the dull ache and took a step forward. Immediately, the world around him turned to a blur as he dashed to the other side of the room in less than a second.