Born in Blood



Liam seriously considered the details of the tournament, asking more questions to Sam as the two approached the building.

The Regional Tournament consisted of the ruling families from each major city. 

Liam could already sense it was a pissing contest – the rulers had immeasurable wealth, he didn't think Rank 4 techniques were too difficult for them to obtain.

'I should definitely find a way to participate,' he planned. 'If all goes well… maybe I can use that opportunity to escape.'

Liam and Samuel entered the large rectangular building – which resembled more of an unfurnished base. 

Powerful guards looked to be accepting missions from a giant holographic map placed on a circular table – their physiques and faces looked battle hardened.

Samuel walked towards the holographic map – which displayed the vast Ucladd region in crystal-clear detail. Even the surrounding cities were visible, which formed a ring around the land.

"You still have your guild token right?" Samuel asked.

Liam nodded, taking out his token and handing it to him.

Samuel took the token and brought it to the stone table, sticking it onto a small compartment.

"There you go. You're ready to accept any mission. I wish you luck, young lad."

There was one more thing that Samuel gave Liam before leaving – a Rank 2 Jade, which could be used at much longer distances, and connect with more than one contact. 

It was already connected with the head guard's.

Liam thanked him as he left before browsing through the missions he could choose – he needed to get a feel of how the missions worked on this side.

'Oh, I can work as an escort too,' Liam thought, staring at the mission description.

'Escort the Reilos family caravan to Erivol. Protection against bandits and magical beasts.'

'140 Merit Points.'

It was a mission that spanned across one week, but the merits were enticing enough. Liam could use the free time to cultivate and train anyways.

'I'll settle for it. I need to know more about the politics of this region.'

He applied his token to the hologram, and a blue dot with the letter 'L' appeared next to the mission, along with the word 'ACCEPTED'.

'The caravan will set out in one or two hours. I can train my martial arts until then,' Liam thought, leaving the base and heading towards his room.

Four figures blocked his path – two kids older than him, one girl and boy, with robed guards standing behind them.

'Ah. I can see why Samuel looked strange when I spoke respectfully.'

Arrogant expressions on their faces tipped Liam off. These two were probably his half-siblings – birthed from the main family branch, no less.

The smug looking girl had a pet magical beast that perched on her shoulder, a domesticated Rank 1 Light Monkey that looked expensive – meanwhile, the boy looked visibly irked at Liam's sight.

Both looked weak in Liam's vision, though they were Rank 1 Magi already – but the guards behind them were strong.

"So you're the bastard child grandfather decided to take in," the girl insulted with a scoff. "A stray dog always comes for more, don't they, brother?"

"A peasant should know their place," the boy clicked his tongue with a condescending look. "Maybe his concubine mother helped 'convince' him, hahaha!"

Liam stilled any growing instinct to unsheath his blades and split the kids in two, but he knew he couldn't – he didn't allow any emotion or bloodlust to appear on his face.

Not getting any reaction, the girl grinned deviously. 

The nails on her right hand grew to rocky, razor-sharp spikes. Taking aim at Liam's chest, the spikes shot out like bullets and pierced through his robe and skin.

Blood tainted a patch of his clothes, but Liam's expression was still devoid of any emotion… even pain. 

Without batting an eyelid, he pulled out the spikes – which didn't get too far in – and flicked them away. The wound instantly started to heal.

The girl frowned, then smiled again.

"Sunny…" she said to her pet monkey, as if it could understand. "...Piss on his head."

The Light Monkey's chipper sounded like a laugh – it leaped over from the girl's shoulder and onto Liam's head, where it let loose warm urine on his hair.

The half-siblings laughed in unison, while their guards behind them started to shake their heads.

"...Perhaps that's enough, master Elsa, master Ian. You'll be late for your training session," one of the guards advised.

With a harrumph, the girl – Elsa – recalled Sunny, and the group left after a few more insults.

Liam made his way back to the mansion and entered his room, the air instantly turning frigid with cold pressure. 

'Inbred weaklings! I could've split them down the middle if that was a real fight,' he scowled, taking a warm bath and cleaning his robe. 'I'll have my chance. Don't lose sight of the real goal.'

Liam unsheathed his blades and instantly began to practice, his katana and wakizashi emitting faint black smoke with each swing. 

Purgatory Night didn't have any projectile-based forms, but instead focused on increasing the blades' lethality and kill potential.

Soon, Liam would be able to use the first form.

///

Two hours later, when the sun was at its zenith, it was finally time to begin his mission. 

Of course, he made sure his mother was safe and sound – catching up with her fellow maid-friends.

Then, Liam shot towards the east border of Ucladd, where a giant wall stretched across and curved around the city – there were various gates that allowed caravans and carriages, controlled by guards.

He neared a specific gate, a group of red-themed carriages parked at the entrance.

An overweight man donning a red robe stood at the front of the ensemble – his short goatee and long vermillion hair didn't compliment his bulging stomach in the least.

Liam approached, and the man noticed him.

"Can I help you?" asked Robert, a member of the Reilos family, and the mission organizer.

"I'm the envoy sent by the Royce family," replied Liam. "I'll be your escort for this mission."

A silence stilled the air, a gust of wind brushing past them.

"WHAT?"