"You did what!" Maria was alarmed, her eyes widening, her calm composure broke for the first time.
Maria's voice trembled with urgency as she said, "How would you know if you've just heard of the zone for the first time? And how did you meet her—and where?" The questions came one after another.
She was really at a loss. This was no small matter.
A zone encompassed countless empires, cities, and lands in the thousands. For a single man to stand above all, establishing himself as the sole ruler and dominating the land for years—how powerful must he be? What realm had he reached? How many corpses had he trampled beneath his feet to claim such authority?
Even more impressively, his daughter was already at the Silver Realm, the same as her husband. To have trained to such a level at only eighteen was beyond genius—it was monstrous talent. Ordinary prodigy couldn't describe her.
Besides, a Zone Commander's wrath could erase their entire city, and the Settlers Army wouldn't even blink. A single unit of his force could wash Sand-Scale clean without resistance. They were not to be trifled with.
You disrespected who!?
"Mum, calm down. You've got this all wrong. It was like this…" Blood said in an assuring tone, trying to ease her panic.
He quickly recounted his adventure from yesterday—the unexpected meeting with the commander's daughter.
The lesson's entirety was changed from its cause.
Time passed…
Blood finished his narration.
"Why did you leave out this topic from what you said before? Don't you realize how sensitive it is?" Maria wasn't pleased.
She was thankful It was just a minute encounter.
Still, why hadn't Galock reported this?
He had been the one to bring them back. Matters concerning a zone weren't to be trifled with. Maria decided she would leave that for later.
Blood took a deep breath and replied, "I probably just missed it. The whole incident was precarious after all. I'm telling you now because I just remembered when you mentioned the zone."
He continued, "Mum, don't you think it isn't right by not allowing me to go to the forest. Didn't you usually say, 'pain only makes you stronger. You have to stay strong and fight back, harder and harder… pain is only pain for the weak-minded.'
"So, do you think I'm weak, to be kept and protected like a chick? Why should I run and hide from this?"
Maria's eyes narrowed at her son's deep words. She didn't see that coming.
Blood suddenly remembered his father's expression back at the dining; when he said that he was happy to study under his mother.
His father must have been laughing at him.
"Running away doesn't always mean you're weak, my boy," Maria said gently, her tone calm enough to soothe even the most restless heart. "Regardless of what people say, you do your thing. You best know the reasons you take any action. But at this stage, and with how things are, it's best you stay home. You're only in the sixth stage after all. The enemy are much larger and stronger." Her eyes lay onto Blood's, with a deep look.
She then leaned forward, "There might be Bloodsuckers at the fourth realm. Even your father would be forced to retreat, not to mention your insignificant realm. If there are other things you missed, you better start talking." she urged.
Individuals at lower cultivation realms were often used as traps and lures for Bloodsuckers. The incident had already drawn out many powerhouses, and rashness could mean death.
Blood sighed.
"I'm good and just fine. I can now walk perfectly without hindrance. Even at such a puny stage I can do by myself." He went on and said,
"Mother, what you meant is that I should always run away when the enemy is stronger. But I didn't hear dad do the same when the clan was oppressed, suppressed, and reduced. Every family took flight except ours. What would Mother call that then?" His persistence was sharp.
Maria froze, puzzled by her son's words. She had only been trying to quell his mood, not stir old wounds.
Her frown deepened, her voice became stern. "Who told you about running away? Haven't we concluded that the clan's affairs shouldn't be brought forth ever again? You shouldn't have brought this up in front of me." Maria now appeared to be angry.
Blood's words struck like a blade. She hadn't expected her son to bring up the family's buried past, even though his point carried some weight. Still, he had gotten it wrong. The Marble family was never to run away from any situation—perilous or not. Retreat wasn't their way.
But the affairs of the clan had been sealed, never to be spoken of again.
Maria's shout jolted Blood awake, his eyes clearing as he met her furious gaze. Her beauty remained untouched by anger, but her expression was sharp and commanding. He was conscious of what had just happened, yet he didn't know how the conversation had escalated to this point.
"Mother, forgive me for my insolence. I don't dare to offend you."
Blood drew closer and embraced his mother which appeared to soften her anger, her breathing eased.
He was still just a kid; she couldn't blame him.
"I've told the guards to secure every exit and corner you've established. You will only leave the manor when you've reached the ninth stage. Without that, forget about leaving," Maria declared, her tone resolute.
She added, "Unless you're in that stage, you shouldn't be found outside the manor's walls. Transgressing will be seen as defiance and will only extend the decree." With that, she rose to leave.
But just as she reached the door, her son's weak voice stopped her. "There's nothing left unsaid. You should let me explore, Mother." he said aloud, but no response came.
Since entering the Main Manor yesterday, he had felt a strange tingling, a ringing call that eroded his mind. He had brushed it off, but now it was undeniable. It was as if something was summoning him, and if he didn't answer, he would lose his sanity.
Yesterday had been a gift. But today, the calling bore down, refusing to wait.
___
Blood opened the main door and found Ballock pacing, his face clouded with unease.
"Hey, what's with you?" Blood called.
Ballock stopped, his voice heavy. "Maste… Blood, I've been having troubling feelings since I woke up yesterday." His expression unsettling. He had thought it would clear by morning, but it hadn't.
"Tell me more," Blood urged, his own mood already dark.
Ballock's words tumbled out in a rush. "It looks like something is controlling my body. I realized I was already at the fourth stage when I awoke yesterday. Just this morning, I found myself at the fifth stage. My strength keeps growing as I speak. And sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind." His voice rose, almost shouting.
"I don't know how I'm here at all. My legs… they took me here until I forced myself to pace back and forth. This couldn't be anything good. It might be related to what happened yesterday. That occurrence wasn't normal in any sense. My skin even seems... to heal itself. Just this morning I got injured and… and…" Ballock faltered, his words breaking as confusion overwhelmed him.
Ballock felt like he wasn't the owner of his body anymore. How could his legs move without his will, and his strength rising beyond reason.
Ballock's words left Blood unsettled, but what truly spooked him was the realization that Ballock's experience mirrored his own unease.
Blood's thoughts spiraled. Could it be coincidence we met here? Or did my legs also walk on their own? The idea chilled him. He wiped his hands over his head, scanning left and right, as if expecting something to leap out of the shadows.
It seemed they had stepped into something far beyond ordinary. Something troublesome.
Really troublesome.