Blood returned to the living room still thinking on how to explain everything.
"We could have waited after sunrise, but it appears this is an urgent matter. We have to start discussing now." said Salza with concern.
You should have waited then. Blood frowned as he stood before his parents.
There seemed to be a deep silence that went on for some time before it was cut off.
"Why don't you start by explaining all that's happened. Nothing has made sense since you left home yesterday." Salza broke the silence. He appeared to be impatient.
The higher authorities had been pestering him regarding the phenomenon. He had only gotten little information which he did report, but it wasn't enough. If he didn't yield results, they might consider sending another division leader as 'support'.
He knew he wouldn't be able to take full control of the situation if another division's personnel were sent here.
Weren't his merits and dignity at stake?
Blood exhaled, as he began recounting how it had played out, leaving 'nothing' out.
___
The silence after Blood's recounting was heavy. Salza and Maria Marble sat still, digesting every word. The day had already been hectic, but hearing their son's full account made it feel even more overwhelming.
Confusion clouded their thoughts, yet with each description, they realized how far they had been from their son's struggles. Where had they been when this befell him?
The line that struck deepest was when Blood said, "it felt like he was being pierced by hundreds of needles." For a child in the third stage of the Iron Realm, it was unimaginable.
They could see it in his eyes, his tone, his trembling hands. Blood wasn't exaggerating, nor was he fabricating. Every detail was true. Their son had endured something extraordinary, something that seemed impossible for someone of his cultivation stage.
They had seen his refined shoulders and the way his physique had been thoroughly reconstructed. Blood had gone from page to page, explaining everything in detail. It had been a long narration.
His shaky voice eventually came to an end, after he had related all he could think of. The strange messages weren't omitted—everything was said and revealed.
"Son, you've gone through a lot. We should've let you rest more." Salza stood up from his seat and embraced his son.
Everything was packed in his mind as he thought, could I have endured all that at the same age and stage? He doubted.
Maria sighed as she thought it through. With all that had followed, it wouldn't have been easy to stand still. No wonder he had been running around the building all this while…
He had not been ready.
Maria's embrace softened the moment, pushing Salza aside with motherly comfort that Blood found far more soothing. Salza escaped with a grunt and scowled.
Blood smiled faintly. Was it this easy? His mind eased, if only for a moment.
Salza regained his composure and moved toward the sofa and sat down. His tone shifted as he asked, "Concerning this book thingy you mentioned earlier… do you have control over it?"
Due to the way Blood had explained, the 'book thingy' was no trivial matter—it might have been the very cause of the forest and beyond being clouded. Its presence was most likely tied to the strange phenomenon that unsettled even the higher authorities.
Besides, the city itself had begun to feel the ripple effects. Guests of unknown origin had been arriving since the incident. The city lord had even considered closing the gates, but such a move would only draw more attention.
Maria released her son the moment Salza asked about the book, her face showed seriousness and worry. She guided Blood to the sofa where Salza sat and placed him in the middle.
"Yeah… to some extents." Blood answered, forcing the words out. He hadn't yet explored the strange panel—the Blood Book, as it called itself. What more could he say?
"To what extent?" Salza pressed. "I want to be sure you aren't being ridden." His words earned him a slap on the chest from Maria.
"Hee, darling! What's that for?" Salza moaned softly, rubbing his chest, but Maria's glare silenced him.
Lowering her gaze to meet Blood's, Maria asked gently, "Have you explored the red panel you described? If you haven't, it's best we do it together, just to be safe."
Salza snorted, feigning pain. "How is that much different from what I said before?"
Maria raised her hands in mock triumph, laughing. "It's good as it is. At least you know they aren't the same."
Blood chuckled softly, his lips curling into a smile.
Fine, you've lightened the mood, he thought. The heaviness in his chest easing just a little.
Blood finally started to explain what he could see on the interface…
"There are four functions in total," he said, his eyes fixed on the interface. "Three of them seem to be reacting, while the last one is silent. It isn't glowing. The one glowing the most is the Notification function. I think it means it's displaying the information under Notification." He then recounted the first message but deliberately left the rest out.
Reading them all would take too long—and besides, he wasn't about to confess to steali… testing abilities, right?
Ivory was particularly dotted on, and Blood knew he'd remain in the family's backroom for several days to recover.
Salza grew impatient and blurted out, "Since we can't see it ourselves, why don't you go directly to the next one." His words earned him a dangerous glare from the side.
Salza "..?.."
Was he being too impatient? That was really unlike him.
"The first on the panel is the Status function." Blood said as he willed his thought and the Status function opened. What he saw instantly took him by surprise since he hadn't explored the other functions except the former.
He read the new words on the glittering panel…
[Host: Blood Marble]
[Race: Human]
[Bloodline: Superposition (mutated)]
[Cultivation Realm: Iron Realm Stage 6]
[Techniques: Blood Formation Manual—Blood Balancing Art]
[Skills: —]
[Title: —]
[Talent Grade: ???]
[Revamp Energy Level: 100 of 200%]
[Accumulated Exp: 600]
[Level 1 Achieved]
Blood reported to his parents as he had seen and moved on to the next tab.
The Quest Hall function…
[All Quest will appear here]
That was all that was written which left him bewildered. He related to his parents though…
"So, this was it?" Salza was at a loss. Was this truly what had caused the huge phenomenon? That was very unlikely!
What Blood had explained was, in truth, little more than a menu—a menu for checking one's measure. Most of what was listed there could be checked outside by any individual, save for a few exceptions.
Salza shook his head; he was a little disappointed. He had hoped for hints, something substantial to report back to the higher authorities, something to ease the pressure on his shoulders. But this wasn't it. His eyes darted to Maria, and her expression had been no more pleasing. She too hadn't expected so little after all her son had endured.
Did he suffer so much pain just for this? The thought gnawed at them both.
Salza exhaled and tapped his son gently on the shoulder. "You should catch some sleep; it's just a few hours before sunrise." he muttered before leaving the room.
Maria narrowed her eyes. She shared her beloved's doubts. Perhaps her son had only picked up minor benefits. Their soldiers were still combing the forest ground—no leaf was to be left unturned.
She went and kissed Blood on the cheek and left, leaving him with words of comfort, "Go and have some sleep. If there is anything major with the thingy, just let us know. We will always have your back."
Blood was mystified by the change in rhythm. His eyes stayed on the glowing panel, before he sighed. He wasn't impressed anymore, but neither was he disappointed. If not for witnessing the action it had taken earlier in the case of the Bond, he might have dismissed it altogether.
The realization suddenly struck him—he could use the Blood Book as a beast contract from now on. It had an advanced method anyway, and had it been utilized during the wolf's bond, perhaps the beast wouldn't have broken free so easily.
He supposed there might come occasions where other sub-features, like the Dark Bond, would reveal themselves. He forced himself up. Dwelling too much on the unknown would only weigh him down further.
With this in mind, Blood left for the Sickhouse. He would sleep close to his little sister, Ivory. His heart would feel more at peace staying by her side.