Behind him. A man with a pole weapon stared at John in a daze.
"Are you okay, young man? You look tired." The man approached John with a smile on his face. The man frowned as he found out that John didn't even raise his head, his eyes looked listless.
~Tap.
"Ah!" John exclaimed as he hurriedly retreated backwards. The man knitted his eyebrows as he said. "Do you really hate being tapped on the shoulders that much?"
John didn't reply. The man pursed his lips as he continued. "Where did you come from? Why are you here in a restricted area? This area is forbidden to unauthorized persons!" The man solemnly said, he once again approached John and guided him outside.
"Now, go! Don't disturb my job to investigate here anymore!" The man threw John to the ground as he coldly snorted. After seeing John's ragged clothing. The man felt disdain and he immediately threw all ideas of keeping him company. 'It turned out the he was just a travelling peasant.'
John dusted himself and stood up. He asked the man who stood beside the now ruined castle. "May I know what direction is the Whalls Kingdom in?"
The man's eyebrows raised. "The Whalls Kingdom? Do you want to go to the Whalls Kingdom?"
"Yes, sir. I want to go to the Whalls Kingdom. " John's tone was gentle as he slowly said.
"What kingdom again?" The man asked.
"The Whalls Kingdom."
"What kingdom?"
"The Whalls Kingdom."
"Fuck off!" The man raised his leg as he violently kicked John. The latter tumbled to the ground and groaned in pain.
"You say that you wanna go to the Whalls Kingdom, then fuck off! Fuck off before your hopes are crumbled!" The man cursed.
"Why?" John kept his gentle tone, but deep within his chest was a surging desire to slaughter. John gulped a mouthful of saliva as he suppressed the killing intent welling in his mind.
"Because the gate entry costs two gold coins! How can a peasant like you dream to enter the Whalls Kingdom?!" The man's face bulged with green veins as he controlled his urge to slap this peasant kid to death.
"Two gold coins? Oh, gold coins? I have it here." John removed his backpack and placed his hand inside. Ringing sounds could be heard that sounded like metal clashing against metal as John moved his hand around the bag before a shining golden coins emerged amidst the man's shocked expression.
"G-g-Gold Coins?! And that plenty?!" Seeing the handful of overflowing gold coins on John's palm. The man's eyes shone with greed. But just as he pounced towards John to keep the gold coins to himself. He suddenly felt a bone chilling icy gaze coming from John that froze the entirety of his soul.
He became immobile. Inside this world that felt like an endless icy cavern. The man felt that he was thoroughly naked before this boy. His secrets incapable of being kept.
"Ah..." The man stuttered, his body involuntarily trembled.
"Sir, can you accompany me to the Whalls Kingdom?" John sighed as he threw three gold coins from his palm. Though he still doesn't know about the worth of gold coins in this era. The expression from the man alone made it clear that it was quite valuable.
After that small encounter. John found his way inside a carriage guarded by several knights from the Whalls Kingdom. It turns out that they were ordered to scout the area for any bandit remnants that would pose a threat to national security. And luckily, this day was the day that they will return to the kingdom with their report.
John seated himself in a corner inside the carriage. The breeze blew towards his face as he stared outside. The sun emanated a crimson red light and slowly drowned in the horizon. John closed his eyes as he meditated.
When John acquired the [Hemomancer's Art] He didn't have any time to digest all the information. Now that he finally found peace. John decided to sort all the information contained in the art.
It turns out that the [Hemomancer's Art] was an art created by a pinnacle ranked expert who specialized in soul attacks. The expert's name wasn't disclosed, the only information about him was he created this art for the sake of conquering the world. John gave a small indifferent smile.
Conquering the world? How could that be easy? He inwardly thought.
The [Hemomancer's Art] wasn't divided by any realms since it was a free domain art that relies on the imagination of the user. But there were disclosed warnings and tips.
First, one musn't fill the blood pool with the blood of several kinds of organisms. Which means, if the blood pool contained the blood of the wolf. One can only fill it with the blood of the wolf. If you tried to push the blood of a human inside. The blood pool would churn and explode.
Second, one must remove all the impurities within the blood to use it with full capabilities.
Fantastically, it was said that while you have the blood of a certain bloodline inside your blood pool. You will temporarily inherit the ability of the organism. For example, if your blood pool contained the blood of a dragon. Then you will inherit the bloodline skills of the dragon. But using the bloodline skills will expend the blood inside your blood pool.
John's eyes gleamed with this information. Though the first was a huge disadvantage, the second was too huge of a benefit, If somehow John acquired the blood of a dragon. He could extract the hidden bloodline skills within and temporarily use it for himself. But there was also a disadvantage to this. Because if he run out of blood. He wouldn't be able to use the bloodline skills anymore. And the borrowed bloodline skills would also disappear.
Sighing, John calmed his focused mind. He still didn't know much about this world. Though he felt excited by the fact that magic exists and cultivators were around, John knew that this kind of a world was a world full of danger and treacherous paths. John didn't want to fall easily.
Setting himself up in a meditative state, John dived towards his energy sea. There, floating over the crystal clear waters was a crimson red orb of blood about the size of a basketball. Inside the blood pool was a churning purple blood. Upon seeing this, John murmured. 'Gawas, tanan mga gwapo nga nag puyo sa lapu lapu... Aeternus.'
His words echoed around the energy sea and the churning purple blood seethed and emanated a golden glow. This golden glow momentarily shone, illuminating the world of his energy sea. But this did not last long before the golden glow formed a vortex and dissipated like a puff of smoke.
John loudly exhaled. The golden glow forming a vortex was the result of a failed bloodline skill extraction. Which means, the organism which the blood belonged to doesn't possess any inherited skills. Resulting in the extraction failure.
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John sighed, his mind remained tranquil. Though the process of bloodline skill extraction failed. That was because, the blood inside his blood pool didn't belong to rare species. It was only a Ferocious Wolf blood. Nothing much.
However, John felt excited, due to his success in activating the bloodline skill extraction in just his first try. Contained within the myriads of information about the expert that created the [Hemomancer's Art] was he took a hundred or so tries before succeeding in extracting a bloodline skill.
John snapped his eyes open and looked towards the window beside him. The sun had already disappeared, replaced in its stead was the dark curtain of the night. The wind gently blew on John's face as his mind became increasingly tranquil.
~Rumble...
"Ah!" John instinctively exclaimed as he clutched his abdomen. The rumbling sound that echoed earlier came from his complaining stomach. Earlier, it was quite strange that he didn't feel any traces of being hungry. But now, he felt extremely hungry that he could eat a horse.
Moving towards the Third Princess' backpack. John fumbled through the princess' belongings. Inside the backpack were perfumes, strange bottles with peculiar substances, a pouch full of gold coins. Finally, after mumbling for about thirty seconds, John found a piece of bread that looked the same as pandesal
John wolfed through the pandesal and gave a small sigh as he found out that the pandesal that he just ate was the last piece of food inside the backpack. Though he had money to buy food. How could this money be use if there wasn't any store around? This caravan that John was in only contained knights. Currently, those knights were scouting outside to prevent any threats.
Leaning his back on the wall. John felt a wave of melancholy as his mind surfaced towards his distant past. No matter how hard he tries to erase all the painful memories from his previous life. John couldn't forget all about his. At that life, his only regret was his Big Sis. He wanted to have more time together with her, but alas. He wasn't able to do it.
Sighing, John wondered in his mind. Why am I placed in this world? Why am I reincarnated here? John's memories skimmed towards the strange man in that strange space. He called himself god, could he really be god? John shook his head. There is no other explanation. If a God didn't summon me, that means the devil summoned me.
John slapped his face awake. Arrgh! Why am I thinking about this? If I am reincarnated, then I am reincarnated! What's wrong about that?!
Lazily stretching his arms up in the air. John felt a wave of lethargy taking over his body before his consciousness slipped towards dreamland.
...
The dark curtains of the night dissipated as the sun emanated its dazzling golden rays of light towards mankind. John's consciousness slowly awakened as he felt the heat of the sun piercing through his closed eyelids. Sliding his body to lean on the wooden wall. John found that the carriage he was in momentarily stopped. He could hear voices around the area.
"Good work, Sidney! Elder Riven is expecting your report." A man smiled as he raised the gates for the caravan to enter.
"Thanks, Roderick! After this I'm gonna treat you to some fine wine." Another man replied with a wink before throwing the pole weapon from his right arm towards the former. If one looked closer, this man was the man that John met at the bandit castle.
"I'll be expecting that!" Roderick replied before retreating to his post while waving his hand towards Sidney. Sidney smiled in response. Moving towards the third carriage, He knocked towards the door and said.
"Hey, young master! Wake up now! We're in the Whalls Kingdom now and we have an important job to do." Sidney respectfully said. Due to the display of wealth, he now respected John like a venerable elder.
With a creaking sound, a figure with ragged clothing came out from the third carriage. His features revealed youthfulness in it and his dark hair fluttered in the wind. His brown eyes reflected a gaze of profound wisdom. All of this combined would make one think that this young man before them wasn't so simple as they think.
But currently, the young man's clothing looked like a thrashed ragged and Sidney couldn't help but feel comfortable upon looking at it.
"Young master, where are you going from now?" Sidney inquired, his voice contained deep respect.
John didn't reply. Instead, he directed his gaze towards a huge staggering pagoda.
"Hmm, the Starlight Pagoda Sect? Is young master a disciple of that place?" Sidney asked, after learning that John had interest about the Starlight Pagoda Sect and may be a disciple of the sect. His gaze became increasingly respectful. His tone even contained deep amiability in it.
Once again, John didn't reply. He only shook his head to the side indicating that Sidney was wrong.
"Then, what's young master's business in the Starlight Pagoda Sect?" Sidney asked, though John denied his claims that he was a disciple of the sect. He still respected him. Maybe, John was a disciple of that sect and was only lying to prevent any information about him leaking.
"You ask too many questions." John coolly said. Sidney at the side momentarily trembled before saying with deep amiability. "Then please forgive my trespasses. For now, young master. Please accept this coat of mine." Sidney moved towards the second carriage before hurrying back.
On his hand was a black cloak that resembled a mantle. 'Ugh... That design looks the same as the cloak that Kirito wore.' John inwardly thought. He thought about not accepting it at first but after looking at this ragged appearance, people may mistake him as a beggar and with a sigh, gracefully accepted it from Sidney's hands.
"I owe you one, Sidney." John didn't say anymore and ran towards the Starlight Pagoda Sect. Sidney didn't even have any time to say anymore fawning words before John ran towards the corner. But deep in his mind, he only thought about. 'How did young master knew my name?'
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Author's Note: It's been so long since I posted a new chapter. But now that the busy time is over, I will now announce that mini hiatus is now over.
Thanks for reading and I hope that you enjoyed today's chapter!