Time passed quietly, and even after Fredrick finished cleaning his horse’s saddle, he found other tasks to occupy himself while Sollivan continued reading.
The hours dragged on slowly for Fredrick, but for Sollivan, time flew by. After several hours, as the sun began to set, Sollivan lifted his head and exhaled. He stood up slowly, stretching his stiff body, and patted his numb backside.
"Ah, damn! I forgot I have feeling in this area, unlike my old body. I never thought not feeling my backside was a privilege. This explains the saying, ’There’s good in every hardship.’"
He looked at the small book in his hand and sighed in amazement.
’Huff, this is a lot. The power system in this world is completely different from mine. For these people, blood determines their future.
If I understand correctly, their blood is divided into three grades: deep crimson, normal crimson, and light crimson.’
He turned his head and glanced around, finding the area empty, but he didn’t care about Fredrick’s presence and continued thinking.
’The lighter the blood, the stronger it is. To begin training, they must go through three initial stages: Enhancement, Awakening, and Transformation.
In the Enhancement stage, they rigorously train their bodies and consume large amounts of meat to strengthen their muscles and physique. This is similar to the body-strengthening phase in my world, though it’s a secondary stage here, its importance remains.
If the body isn’t strong enough, they could die from the reaction caused by the Awakening stage, where they awaken the power of their blood.
According to the book, some tribes call this stage the ’Threshold,’ as it’s the gateway to truly developing their power. This reminds me of the early stage of opening meridians in my previous world.’
His thoughts paused for a moment, and he opened the book to a specific page.
’The basics are clear, but I don’t fully understand the Transformation stage. According to what’s written here, blood possesses a unique power passed down from their ancestors.
Through this power, they can transform and strengthen their bodies beyond normal limits. However, this process isn’t smooth, and the purity of their blood determines how far they can progress.’
An enlightened expression appeared on his face, and he snapped his fingers in understanding. ’This explains a lot. However, this book doesn’t mention much about Primordial Blood.’
He quickly flipped through the pages toward the end until he reached a specific page. Suspiciously, he brought the book closer to his face and read a particular line: "Primordial Blood."
’An extremely rare and powerful blood, divided into several classifications, each with unique abilities. The known information about Primordial Blood is very limited due to its rarity and the secrecy of the clans that possess it.
However, it’s known that it’s graded like normal blood, but even so, they can’t be compared due to the immense power of Primordial Blood.’
Even after reading the same page twice, the impact it had on him remained the same. He let out a long sigh and closed the book with a puzzled expression.
’At least I have a privilege here that makes my value clear. But at the same time, my blood remains a double-edged sword. If I don’t handle it well, I might attract some greedy villains.’
His body shivered for a moment as he recalled some of the demonic techniques he had read about.
He quickly cleared his mind and pushed away the disturbing images. He raised his hand and scratched his chin.
’Thinking about it, this explains why all the warriors’ bodies are muscular, tough, and radiate an aura of strength.
Once their blood is awakened, their internal organs are upgraded, starting with the muscles, then the brain and organs, and finally the bones.
According to what’s written, if a warrior can transform and upgrade every part of their body, they gain a Blood Trait. A trait? It sounds like some kind of ability. But unfortunately, nothing is mentioned about it.’ He lowered his hand and narrowed his eyes.
’There’s no comparison. In my previous world, training focused on cultivating external energy and integrating it into the body to transform it into a core of concentrated energy capable of controlling the laws of nature.
But in this world, their concept of power revolves around the body and raw strength. For them, the goal isn’t to control the laws but to destroy them with bare hands. This is savage and suits their race.’
Clang!
Suddenly, a faint sound came from the door, making him lift his head and look at Fredrick, who pushed the curtain aside and glanced at him with slight annoyance. "Are you done?"
Sollivan stood up straight and spoke politely. "Yes, thank you for taking the time to teach me."
Although Fredrick hadn’t taught him anything directly and had only given him a book to read, it was still a good opportunity for Sollivan to learn new information.
So, he decided not to hold back on his praise. ’Since I might be here for a long time, there’s no harm in improving my relationship with them.’ He looked at Fredrick’s frowning face and sighed. ’This won’t be easy.’
"So, do you have any questions about the basics? Do you need further guidance?" Fredrick asked impatiently and indifferently.
Sollivan slightly bowed his head and placed his left hand on his chest. "Thank you for your generosity. I do have a few questions that are bothering me."
Fredrick gestured for him to ask in a cold manner, but his stern expression hid a hint of curiosity.
"Can people awaken their blood directly without enhancing their bodies? Also, how is blood awakened? It wasn’t mentioned in the book you gave me."
"Yes, they can. If their bodies are naturally strong and their blood is pure enough. As for awakening blood, it happens naturally. At some point, a Kornavar realizes they can awaken their blood. This usually happens around the age of 15, but it’s not fixed. Also, meditation and certain external elements can help awaken blood, but these aren’t our methods," Fredrick answered indifferently, not hiding anything from him.
Sollivan nodded in understanding and said, "I see."
Fredrick turned his head and looked at the horizon, which was beginning to darken. "Let’s go, it’s getting late." He took a step outside, then stopped and turned to stare into his eyes.
"As for you, it’s too late. You’re a hybrid with a weak body, and even if your blood is Primordial, it’s not pure enough. Don’t think too much about it because the results will be bad."
Sollivan averted his gaze because he couldn’t stare into Fredrick’s eyes for too long, and he replied curtly, "I understand. Let’s go."
Both of them left the horse stables under the last light of the large orange sun.
After a few minutes of walking through the wide alleys filled with smells and large torches that lit up the area, keeping the night’s darkness at bay, they arrived at the leader’s palace.
Fredrick stopped at the gate, and without any farewell, he left, leaving Sollivan standing there, surrounded by guards who stared at him with sharp, dagger-like eyes.
Without waiting long, Sollivan saw the unattractive warrior Mina with her coarse, braided hair coming to escort him.
She gestured to him, and obediently, he followed her. After entering the giant tent and passing through some wide corridors, they reached a small door. Mina opened the door and pointed sternly. "Go in."
Sollivan didn’t respond and entered directly. As soon as he turned around, he saw the door close behind him. Clearly, he heard the sound of the key locking the door.
"I’m detained again." He turned slowly and examined the room, which was lit by a small glowing stone.
He stared at his bed made of beast wool and hides and nodded in satisfaction. Then he looked at his shadow and said, "We’re alone again." In response to his words, the shadow emerged from his form and stared at him with its emerald-red eyes.
Their eyes met, and suddenly, an idea struck Sollivan. He asked curiously, "It’s strange that I’ve been calling you ’Shadow’ after your kind." He paused for a moment and pointed at it.
"From now on, I’ll call you Noctis. It’s a good name, isn’t it?" In response to his words, the shadow seemed to nod in agreement. Through the link they shared, Sollivan felt a slight sense of happiness emanating from Noctis. "It seems you like it."
Sollivan chuckled softly and then said in a calm tone, "Guard the door." Following his orders, Noctis quickly walked over and stood by the door like a loyal guard.
Yawn!
Sollivan looked at it with satisfaction and yawned tiredly, his eyes slightly teary, before slowly heading to his bed.
But before lying down, he adjusted his bed a little to make it more comfortable. Then, he lay on his back and stared at the brown ceiling of the tent. "This light is annoying." He raised his hand and blocked the light from his eyes. Then he commanded sternly.
"Turn off."
Strangely, the light from the glowing stone dimmed significantly, and the room became slightly dark, with only a faint light in the center. ’This is good. The technique used to create these glowing stones is similar to my world.’
To avoid quickly depleting the glowing stones, they’re equipped with a simple formation that activates with a keyword or a specific gesture. The formation’s function is very simple: it turns the stone on or off, making it practical and very useful.
Sollivan stared at the faint light emanating from the stone. ’It’s been a good day, unlike usual.’ Memories of the day returned to his mind, and he began reviewing them tiredly. After a few minutes, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
...
Knock!
"Ugh..."
Sollivan’s eyes fluttered open, and he struggled to open his tired eyes. "Ugh..." He licked his dry lips and regained some clarity.
Knock!
The loud knocking suddenly brought him back to full awareness, but he didn’t rush to get up.
"Light."
The glowing stone lit up, illuminating the room, but his vision was slightly disturbed, making him squint as he got out of bed. He pushed the blanket aside and sat up.
Yawn!
He stretched his body tiredly, making him lean back into his bed lazily. "Tsk, I want more sleep."
"What a nuisance!" As he grumbled silently, a wave of thoughts entered his mind, making his tired face regain its sternness. Quickly, he got out of bed, scanned the room with his eyes, and glanced at the shadow Noctis for a moment.
’It’s you.’ He felt a little surprised by the shadow’s ability to communicate with him in this way, but the knocking on the door distracted his focus. Annoyed, he commanded, "Hide!"
Then he began to straighten his clothes and messy hair.
Clang!
Suddenly, he lifted his head and stared at his room’s door. Without waiting long, he saw the door swing open as Mina pushed it aside and glared at him sternly. "What took you so long? Get out!"
"Yes, ma’am." Sollivan walked hurriedly and left his room under Mina’s annoyed gaze. Politely, he greeted her.
"Good morning."
But he received no response. Nevertheless, he maintained his friendly expression and waited silently until Mina closed his room’s door before she gestured for him to walk.
He walked slowly and followed her through some corridors until they reached a familiar room. Without waiting for Mina’s signal, he knocked politely on the door and then opened it and entered.
He was greeted by a slightly spacious room with a large table and several chairs where a few people were seated. He glanced at the familiar faces: Blear, Fredrick, Princess Beatrice, and the other warrior who accompanied her.
But his gaze lingered on the fierce faces for only a moment before shifting to the table filled with food and dishes full of roasted and grilled meats. Involuntarily, his mouth began to water. He walked quickly forward and bowed casually, greeting them.
"Greetings to the lords."
Then he sat on the chair opposite Beatrice and, without any permission, reached for the largest dish, where a piece of soft and delicious jelly-like meat was placed. But just as he was about to grab the dish, he heard Beatrice’s cold voice.
"Stop."
Everyone’s eyes narrowed, and they looked at him with different expressions before Fredrick laughed loudly.
"I don’t know if you’re brave enough to ignore all of us or if your craving for meat has made you blind to the point of asking for death."
Blear shook his head in disgust. "Your impudence knows no bounds."
But despite that, he showed a slight smile when he looked at Sollivan, frozen in place.
Sollivan didn’t retract his hand and remained frozen in his strange position. His eyes widened in horror, and he quickly looked at Beatrice, whose face was cold and indifferent.
’What did you do to me? Why can’t I move?’ He wanted to move, but he felt a tightness in his chest, as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart and could crush it at any moment.
Memories flashed through his mind at a frantic pace as he tried to make sense of his situation, and suddenly, he remembered the incident at the well and the strange chain that had entered his body.
After several seconds of being stuck in his terrifying state, he heard Beatrice utter the words of pardon.
"Be polite and eat what we offer you." At that moment, the strange feeling wrapped around his heart disappeared, but the terror he felt didn’t lessen at all. He quickly pulled his hand back and sat up straight, involuntarily unable to even lift his head and meet the eyes of the people around him.
Blear’s smile widened at the sight of Sollivan’s dreadful appearance, and he mocked.
"It seems you’ve finally understood your place." But he received no response from Sollivan, making his mocking smile fade slightly.
’Damn, I forgot about this, or rather, I didn’t pay attention to it. When I was branded with the well’s seal, several things happened that made me ignore the chain.
But I didn’t feel anything strange when the sealing ritual ended, and I thought it was just a tracking or anchoring mark that prevented me from straying too far from the tribe.’
He lamented silently and cursed his strange impulsiveness. After a few minutes, he regained his composure and stole a quick glance at Beatrice, who was eating her food indifferently.
Sigh.
He exhaled internally, and this time, with full politeness, he picked up a fork and a small knife and began eating the meat like a noble from the upper class. Everyone’s eyes fell on him for a moment before they continued eating. After finishing the meal, an elderly maid came and took the dishes. Then, Beatrice looked at Sollivan and said.
"Sollivan."
Sollivan lifted his head and looked at her face respectfully this time and replied. "Yes."
"Starting today, you’ll undergo a strict training and education regimen. The goal is simple: to adapt you to living in our tribe and also to stimulate your blood and strengthen your body so you can undergo the Awakening and Transformation. Perhaps Warrior Fredrick has already told you this, but you’ve passed the usual age for Awakening, and your body is also very weak due to your mixed blood."
Fredrick nodded and confirmed: "Yes, I told him this last night."
After a moment of hesitation, Sollivan finally asked.
"Your Highness, then what will we do? Will the training you’re talking about be enough to awaken my blood?"
The princess paused for a moment and narrowed her eyes before answering uncertainly.
"Training alone isn’t enough. Even if we intensely stimulate your blood and bring out its potential, we’ll have to go against tradition and provide assistance materials. But since you’re an outsider, you won’t face any opposition." Her tone changed, and a strange look appeared on her face.
"I don’t recommend raising your expectations, as your ability to awaken your blood still depends on you and your luck."
After absorbing all her words and thinking about the hidden meanings within them, Sollivan nodded respectfully and replied. "I understand."
Their meeting lasted a short while before Beatrice and Blear left, leaving only Sollivan and Fredrick. They looked at each other, and with a strange smile, Fredrick said.
"Prepare yourself mentally and physically for training, because we’re starting now."
...
[Two hours later]
In a wide, empty yard behind the leader’s palace, Sollivan stood in a squatting position with a stern face and clenched teeth.
The veins on his face and body bulged like worms crawling beneath his skin. Meanwhile, sweat dripped from every pore of his body, unwilling to stop. He opened his mouth and took a long breath, followed by an exhausted exhale, then cursed silently in his heart.
’Does he want to kill me? At first, I thought the training would be something reasonable, but he didn’t just stretch and pull my muscles to the point where they almost tore, he also made me hold a squatting position for three hours before continuing the training. How far does he want to go?’
He lifted his head and stared blankly at the clear, beautiful sky.
’In the past, not to mention the hellish stretching exercises, I would’ve handled this training well and wouldn’t be this exhausted.
The years of injury made me lose my edge and become a bit lax.’ A determined look appeared in his eyes, then he lowered his head and stared at Fredrick, who was sitting in a shaded spot, resting indifferently.
But Sollivan didn’t show any annoyance, and on the contrary, his desire to train increased as he remembered his past self. He followed his ancestors’ breathing techniques and regulated his chaotic breathing. At that moment, he felt the pressure from the intense exhaustion lessen slightly. ’This is certain, calming breathing techniques are still useful.’ He organized his thoughts, closed his eyes, and tried to enter a meditative state to forget the fatigue.
Although his body had reached its limit, suppressing his random thoughts allowed him to continue training for longer.
After another thirty minutes, meditation and breathing techniques were no longer helpful. His face swelled and turned blue from exhaustion.
Even his breathing became almost cut off and difficult.
’I’ve reached my limit.’ While drenched in sweat, he suddenly felt a strange heat emanating from inside his body, spreading through his entire being, starting from his heart.
"Huff, huff, what is this? Huff..." He tried to think logically, but his exhaustion blinded him. In the end, he involuntarily fell to the ground, lying on his back as he breathed heavily.
The heat he felt in his body, or rather his blood, lasted for a few moments before disappearing completely.
Empty, a familiar figure appeared in his sight. "Have you reached your limit this quickly? You’ve barely made it to two hours. How weak you are!"
"Huff, I need a break," Sollivan exhaled with difficulty, his words dry.
Fredrick shook his head. "Fine, you have an hour’s rest, and then we’ll continue the training."