Hiruka"s heart filled with feelings hatred and resentment. If the opportunity came, she would not hesitate to kill the monstrous person before her.
She watched as the blood red marks covering her body slowly receded like flowing water. However, she failed to notice that they were not disappearing, but gathering at the back of her neck. The image of a strange beast which looked like a cross between a snake and a wolf slowly took shape.
The moment this mark finished forming, a sudden change swept through Hiruka"s body. The decaying energies within her blood and flesh completely disappeared as waves of strength radiated from the back of her neck throughout her whole body.
It was at this moment that Hiruka finally perceived the presence of this mark on the back of her neck. It was a new source of strength beyond her arcane gates.
She trembled violently as she slowly brought her hand to the back of her neck, her eyes full of poison as she glared at the monstrous Belo and asked, "Just what did you do to me?"
This warm energy currently confined to her neck was enough to improve her physical strength by several times like some kind of sacred treasure.
Blood continued to flow from the hole in Belo"s neck. However, as it trickled along the mangled flesh, it coagulated and formed rapidly expanding polyps of flesh. It was a sight which sent s.h.i.+vers through the crowd.
"It is the reward you have obtained by becoming my retainer." Belo spoke in a whisper which only Hiruka could hear as he explained, "Anyone who completes the ceremony and becomes a retainer of a beastman receives b.e.s.t.i.a.l blood in return. This blood bestows upon you a portion of my bloodline abilities. For example, it gives you greater strength, greater recovery abilities, and resistance to all toxins and pathogens. It is a blessing of strength and health. But it comes with a price. A mission to protect me. Your life is now bound with mine. If I die, this blessing will disseminate back into your blood and immediately kill you. Our paths are no longer separate."
During the missions and trainings, Belo was an obnoxiously impetuous youth, but at this moment, his behaviour emulated that of an esteemed elder or king as he completed the ceremony.
"Remember your mission, and hopefully we will be able to bask in glory rather than live in shame during our limited lifespans." As if this statement concluded the ceremony, the solemn look on Belo"s face disappeared and became replaced with his normal impetuous expression.
The hatred within Hiruka"s eyes slowly receded, only for them to become filled with sadness and helplessness.
Naturally, she was not willing to become his retainer. But as her hand touched the back of her neck once more, she realized she did not have a choice in the matter. Her fate was no longer her own as questions slowly emerged in her mind.
Just what kind of person was he?
Would she really obtain glory following him?
……
"What kind of monster is this guy?"
"Hiruka lost just like that?"
"What are you waiting for, monster!"
Unaware of what was occurring, jeering shouts and curses began to erupt from every corner of the stands.
"It seems like there is no hope at all," Roy Wayne sighed beside the stage as he shook his head in disappointment.
The members of the Burning Corps beside him looked at him in confusion as one asked, "What do you mean, no hope at all?"
"I was originally considering trying to form a bond between us and see if I could pull him into our Burning Corps since this fellow seems like he might be capable of defeating an arcane team by himself one day." Roy Wayne stared at Belo, "But this guy… he might not even have us in his eyes."
……
"Huh… so full…"
Satisfied, Ayrin had fallen sound asleep whilst holding his bulging belly which seemed to be on the verge of bursting. Every so often, he words of contentment would slip forth from his mouth.
Professor Kennedy and the teacher and two apprentices all looked on in a daze as they constantly mumbled, "He"s a giant food monster… he must be a giant food monster…"
In this single sitting, Ayrin had managed to completely eat his way through h.e.l.l"s Kitchen and half of Frozen Abyss Kitchen.
"I have never seen this child look as content as he is now. He always wanted to eat but held back to use it as a source of stimulus during this training. Truly someone who is willing to give up anything for his dream," Liszt said as he looked at Ayrin, seemingly on the verge of tears.
Liszt felt extreme admiration for the senior who had bestowed Ayrin with his bloodline. To think that they had found a genius like Ayrin in a little place like Cororin Town.
"Before you guys take your rest, put him in warehouse number three. Take out all the important things and put in as many unneeded things as you can."
Professor Kennedy"s face turned increasingly solemn as he gave instructions to the teacher and apprentices whose bodies seemed to be on the verge of giving out.
Based on his knowledge, a bloodline like this was innately blessed to be a destroyer of G.o.ds. Having given away so many precious materials at once, surely this fellow would not let him down and display a portion of that strength?
Ayrin continued to sleep soundly.
He had no clue of what was happening to him whatsoever as he was moved.
After who knew how long, or perhaps how short, he began to experience strange dreams.
Numerous ma.s.sive silver particles began to explode right before his eyes.
The scene changed and he appeared on top of a battlefield several times larger than Fallen Shadow Valley. A figure wrought devastation before him.
The scene changed yet again as a silver light abruptly rose before him like a ma.s.sive monster rising from the earth.
Seemingly standing within this light was the same figure as before. It seemed to be shouting, "Wake up… come back…"
In his dream, an indescribable sensation inexplicably surged through Ayrin"s body.
It was as if he was filled with an endless energy and had no ways of releasing it. He became overwhelmed with the urge to move.
In the real world, Ayrin"s body began to twitch.
"It"s beginning?"
"The legends were not wrong… his body has become full of energy and is moving even while he is asleep."
Professor Kennedy and Liszt stood within the large warehouse which had been filled with all kinds of useless things and watched as Ayrin begin to move unconsciously.
Even if he hadn"t begun moving, the feeling released by his body made it evident that his body was filled with energy. Every particle in his body was losing control.
At this moment, Kennedy let out a sigh of relief as Ayrin began to hit things.
A faint silver light had begun radiating around his body.
This light gave off a strong sensation of power.
"Bang!"
Ayrin"s hand slammed into a pile of debris beside him.
Immediately afterwards, Ayrin pushed the pile far away.
His arms and legs continued to move chaotically and slam into the floor.
At first, Ayrin"s strikes merely raised a couple clouds of dust. But before long, they began to cause the building to release horrifying sounds. Although Ayrin"s movements remained nothing out of the ordinary, the force behind them was quickly growing stronger.
Thankfully, this warehouse, which was the strongest one within Professor Kennedy"s laboratory, was built completely with thick stones.
However, it still trembled continuously as dull thuds rang out within.
"It"s actually this kind of bloodline!"
"This bloodline has finally reappeared atop Doraster after the end of the Era of the War with Dragons!"
Professor Kennedy seemed to have finally arrived at his conclusion as a look of pure joy emerged atop his face and within his eyes.
It was a bloodline which had brought about the end of the Era of the War with Dragons and forever changed the fate of Doraster!
In the legend, a guardian had been tasked with finding an inheritor of the bloodline. However, rumors within the Evil Dragon Followers said that the guardian had been killed by the Evil Dragon King, exterminating it. After all, bloodline inheritances could not be stored within objects.
But it had appeared here before them! As long as this bloodline was not lost, then even if the remaining Evil Dragon Followers succeeded in resurrecting the Evil Dragon King, they would still be able to fight!
"Professor Kennedy, we might have given him too much at one time. His body has suddenly absorbed so much… and he has been suppressing it for so long as well. It"s like his body is shouting in joy…" Liszt whispered.
"Professor Kennedy, is this warehouse st.u.r.dy enough?" Liszt rubbed his chin as he turned and look Kennedy in the eye.
Kennedy"s expression changed.
"I"ll go and get some people to move some things out for now!" Kennedy replied as he immediately ran out of the warehouse.
Violent tremors began to pa.s.s through the ground with the warehouse at the center.
"An earthquake?"
"What is going on?"
Several River Bend students walking atop a nearby road exclaimed as they felt the ground tremble beneath them. Two girls in particular were particularly surprised as ripples appeared in the drinks within their cups.
"Did the strange Professor Kennedy capture a beast alive and store it within his laboratory?"
Before long, more and more students began to gather outside of Professor Kennedy"s laboratory.
"Crack!"
An ear-splitting sound incited a mult.i.tude of exclamations.
The River Bend students who had gathered around looked on in shock as several huge cracks appeared towards the top of the castle-like laboratory.
Several seconds later, the roof completely collapsed.
As the roof collapsed, the silver light glowing around Ayrin slowly disappeared and he finally woke up from his dreams.
"It was not st.u.r.dy enough. It seems like I will need to put forth some effort, or this place will completely topple…" Liszt muttered as he pinched his nose.
"Whoos.h.!.+"
A powerful domain energy filled the warehouse, seemingly crystallizing it.
Meanwhile, Ayrin was still at a loss after waking up.
However, his body was filled with an uncontrollable urge to move. He just wanted to go around and smash things until it finally went away.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
It did not look as if Ayrin had moved, yet the several piles of debris around him abruptly shot backwards.