As his blood slowly dripped from his finger onto the Black Jade Stone, his supposed Blood Weapon, the stone itself seemed to have swallowed up the blood. The original Black Jade slowly began to glow a dark crimson red. As more and more blood continued to be swallowed by the Black Jade, the crimson red continued to glow brighter and brighter. When the ninth drop of blood was swallowed, the stone shot out in ray of crimson red straight towards Crux's forehead. Before he could react, the stone seemed to have vanished straight into his head.
As seconds turned into minutes with nothing happening, Crux was just about to drop blood onto the Truth Mask when he felt his entire being shake. He felt as if tiny needles were poking all over his body. Yet, he instinctively knew his physical body wasn't affected in the slightest. This was a matter of the soul. In his pain, Crux began to recall how that bit of consciousness in the ring told him how the Blood Weapon would form within the soul. That the weapon would take shape according to the wishes of his soul. However, he heard nothing about this pain. Sweat began to permeate from every pore on his body, as his consciousness was hanging on by a thread.
For some reason, Crux felt as though he had to stay conscious through this pain. Or else something would happen. So, he not so silently endured the pain. Loud groans escaping his mouth, his nails began to scratch off the skin of his palm.
Blood dripping from his nails, Crux was about to finally lose consciousness when a resounding boom came from within his head. Following which, the original pain of needles piercing him was washed away with warmth of spring. He felt as though he had been a starving man given the food of royalty.
Coming back to his senses, Crux closed his eyes and focused into his sea of consciousness. Within, he found the Black Jade Stone glowing with that crimson light, contorting into an undiscernable shape. Unconsciously, he felt a sort of longing for the stone. He felt a connection between himself and the Blood Weapon to be. As though they were one and the same. He instinctively knew he would be able to see it soon.
...
Removing himself from his sea of consciousness, Crux looked over to the mask feeling a bit apprehensive. That pain was unbearable. After a few seconds of pondering, he hesitantly dropped a piece of blood onto the mask. Following which, like the Bloodsworn Ring, the mask began to liquify. Instead of going in the wound like the ring, the liquid shot straight to his mouth and nose. He tried to dodge to the side, however the liquid seemed to have a mind of its own as it followed along and went straight into his mouth and nose. However, instead of feeling like he was drowning in the liquid, he felt like he was just breathing in air.
Calming himself down, Crux watched as the liquified mask was inhaled straight into his mouth and nose.
After all of it was absorbed, Crux was about to head back to the river when he remembered the scene he caused back then. There was no way the city patrol isn't trying to figure out what happened. So, looking up at the sky and seeing the moon still out, Crux decided to head to sleep and experiement tomorrow. Falling down onto his rocky bed, Crux began to drift off into his own dreamland.
...
Crux woke up with a start as he heard the sound of his door creak open. Begrudgingly opening his eyes, he was greeted by a pouting Chelsey, and a man who seemed to be drowning in dirt. He stood at around 6'0" tall, his muscles toned but uneven, a scruffy beard that seemed to be a dirt magnet, and long curly brown hair that seemed to not have been washed in months. As Crux looked closer, he noticed that the man seemed to be extremely irked. His eyebrow twitching as he watched Crux lazely get out of bed.
Crux watched as the man began to crack his knuckles and slowly walk towards Crux. His eyebrow unceasingly twitching, the man used his big, callused hand to grab onto Crux's skull, and drag him out of bed.
As Crux was about to resist, he decided against it to see what happened. With a strange smile on his face, Crux watched as he was dragged unhindered from his bed.
Not expecting Crux to give up resisting, the man's expression was odd. Shrugging his shoulders, he dragged Crux out of bed while still holding his skull. Giving a nod to the still pouting Chelsey, he dragged Crux out of the door like a corpse.
After dragging Crux a good hundred feet without saying a word, he was about to speak when he heard the sound of someone yawning. As he turned around to see Crux being dragged along looking extremely comfortable, he without hesitation immediately let go of Crux's skull. Having expected that outcome, Crux began to laugh as he stopped his head from banging on the ground with his arm, and bounced back up to his feet with a light somersault.
Tears streaming down his eyes from laughing, Crux went over and gave a giant bearhug to the confused and astonished man.
"Jack! How has the extra work been? Hahah-"
Crux's laughter was cut short by a fist in his stomach. To the bewilderment of Jack, Crux just blew out a mouth of hot air as he continued laughing.
Giving his rapt attention to his fist, Jack gave an annoyed look to Crux as he through out a hook to the side of Crux's abdomen. With a light thump, he watched, dumbfounded, as Crux just stumbled to the side a step, and looked him in the eye with a smile.
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"Crux... what the hell-"
"Three punches for three days, one more Jack! Ahahaha!"
As he started to laugh again, said laughter abruptly stopped as he saw an uppercut going straight for his chin. Alarmed, he realized his taunting might be a bit much. With a bend of his arm, a slapping sound sounded out as Jack's fist landed, caught inside of Crux's palm.
Jack, staring at Crux, flabbergasted, was about to speak before Crux cut him off.
"Oi, Jack, we said no face! A punch a day for missed work, BUT no face! That was a bit close don't ya think? Hehe."
"Well, who the hell told you to have replaced your body with rubber! What the hell man? You took those punches like a fucking champ! That's some bull-"
"Humph. Jack, I told you to stop with the cussing!" interrupted a puff cheeked Chelsey.
"Ah shit, I mean, oops, sorry Chelsey.."
Looking at Jack's innocent smile, Crux couldn't help but shake his head and once more fall into a fit of laughter. Following which was Jack, followed by a light chuckle from Chelsey.
As the other two continued to laugh, Crux came back to his senses and looked at the two with warmth. These especially Jack. He is closer than a blood brother to Crux. The two have been together for ten years now. As for Chelsey, for the past year, she has only been close with him and Jack among the slaves, along with a few of her fellow maids. After looking at Chelsey and Jack with a warm gaze, and noticing Jack's look of infatuation at Chelsey, Crux ruefully smiled. Ever since Chelsey was taken in as a maid a year ago, Jack had seemed to fallen deeper and deeper into his one sided love. With her fear of touch, as well as being a few years older, Jack hadn't been able to show that deep affection. Meanwhile, being the closest in age to Chelsey, she unconsciously got closer to himself instead. This was a big source of headache for Crux as of late.
Shaking off his thoughts, Crux was about to speak when Jack turned to him.
"Crux... you missed three days. The warden is pissed. I tried to cover for you, but he wasn't having it. When he heard you were sick, he only lightly let loose his anger. But... yesterday... when Chelsey said you were better, I reported it and said to go easy... but you didn't show up either..."
Only now did Crux remember Chelsey checked on him yesterday. He was indeed perfectly fine. It's also only natural for her to tell Jack, and for Jack to report it. Crux can't help but feel shivers down his back at the thought of punishment. Normally, it would just be a light punishment for being sick. Extra chores and the like. However, three days, along with ignoring duties yesterday despite being fine... Crux can't help but be concerned. Looking over and seeing the worried gaze on Chelsey's face, Crux just gave her a laugh and a wink. After she began to giggle, he turned to see Jack's slight change in expression. Sighing, he gave Jack a 'don't overthink things' look.
Clapping his hands together, Crux gave a big smile and said, "well, let's go see what the warden has for me."
...
Having walked a mile away from the slave and maid's quarters, Crux and Jack found themselves at a two story building. It was built out of fine willow logs, stacked high with a balcony on the second floor hanging out. Beautiful flowers decorated the pathway to the front door. However, to Crux, such luxury only annoys him. Living in his run down shed for the past ten years has left him feeling sour. Having gained a bit of strength recently, Crux has begun to feel a newfound arrogance engraved into himself. An unconscious arrogance that stems from confidence. He might not know how powerful he is at the moment having only cleared his meridians, but he knows in the future, he will only grow stronger. However, he knows he can't be outwardly arrogant until he becomes much, much stronger.
Taking a deep breath, Crux walked up to the door and gave it a few knocks.
After a few minutes went by, Crux was about to knock again before the door swung open. An old man who looked to be in his sixties, yet packed full of bulging muscles. Standing at 6'6", with a shiny bald head and a long grey beard, was the warden, Rover. When he opened the door, he seemed incredibly drowsy. But, when his eyes landed on Crux, his eyes immediately revealed disdain and anger as his palm went flying towards Crux's face.
Seeing a slap about to land on his face, Crux backpedaled out of the way with the palm that then began gliding past his nose. A cool breeze enveloped Crux's face as the slap passed. Crux looked straight into the astonished eyes of the warden. Following his astonishment, the old man sent a punch straight towards Crux's face with a grunt. Not expecting the warden to be so viscious, Crux, with no time to dodge, crossed his arms infront of his to block.
Seeing Crux attempt to block, the old man's gaze slightly wavered, but he then sneered and followed through with more power to his punch.
With a loud bang, the fist landed as Crux was shot backwards ten feet before he found his feet sliding through the dirt. After balancing himself, Crux uncrossed his now stiffened arms and looked at the old man with narrowed eyes.
In the back of Crux's mind, Crux felt like the old man didn't give it his all in the slightest, which worried Crux. Despite not giving it his all, when Crux blocked, he could still feel his bones nearly snapping from the pressure of that punch, giving him a lingering fear. However, despite that fear, Crux felt another emotion, excitement.
Looking at the still standing Crux, Rover was completely astonished. The strength of that punch had the ability to incapacitate a newly advanced Lesser Knight. Yet, Crux, someone he had known for the past five years since he became a warden, who just recently would be slaughtered by the weakest of foot soldiers, just took it head on. He was actually afraid when he instinctively powered up his punch. He was extremely worried Crux would turn into mush. Yet, he seemed fine. 'Did this slave boy eat some treasure at the river when he fell unconscious or something? How could he be so strong now?' he thought to himself. Never would he have imagined something like a Divine Demonic Technique to have fallen into Crux's hands. After all, that would be absurd. Looking into Crux's eyes, the man shivered for a moment. His mind seemingly afraid of the eyes before him. However, he immediately shut down that thought. 'I'm a peak Low Knight, this kid can't possibly hurt me' he thought to himself. Giving Crux a once over, the man pushed back all thoughts,
"Brat, you skipped out on three days of work. Normally, I would have just given you extra chores... but, not today. Head to the sewers. Clean the Baron's Manor's sewage. I want it spotless by the end of the day." said Rover with a cheeky grin.