Chapter 19 | Arc I

(Ashborn's POV)

A few days after I formed my incomplete Black Heart, I started to change Relictomb. Everything in Relictombs, every creation that is made there, every floor that it created was commanded by the crystal.

Since there is nobody to take care of Relictombs now, I will just close it. Since it's my territory from now on I won't let outsiders be in it. Ascenders in Relictombs will be kicked out, and nobody will be able to enter again.

Beru and my shadows absorbed more of my mana and started to increase their limits. Their mana-pool got bigger, combat capabilities also improved.

The most improved one was of course Beru. If he was in my previous army, I would rank him as Marshall. It would be great if he wasn't short-tempered when it comes to fighting.

"My liege, what is our next destination?" Beru snapped me out of my thoughts.

"We will continue clearing Relictombs for now, but before that, I want to see what will Alacryans do about closed Relictomb." I told Beru who nodded.

From what crystal told me. Asuras can't enter Relictombs, and reason why Vritras...

'What a lame name, Vritras...' Even I, who doesn't care about names found this strange.

And the reason why Vritras, those who occupied this continent are sending Ascenders in Relictombs is that they want to get knowledge of Ancient Mages through them.

'Calling themselves deities and gods when they can't even enter Relictombs built by some magus.' I found this pathetical when they can't justify titles that they gave themselves.

"My liege, maybe we should slaughter all of them?"

"If I wanted to kill Alacryans, I would be already doing this." I answered I didn't want to start explaining my ideals, so I just closed the topic.

"Then, my liege should we go to Relictomb?" Beru asked.

"Not yet, we will check something first. Let's visit some towns and ask about Relictombs, how did those Vritras react at closed Relictomb." I said and Hawky came out from the shadow.

I jumped on him and he started flying towards the nearest town. My soldiers already learned about Alacrya, they know dominions as if they were home.

When we were flying above Alacryan land, My Alacryan servant suggested visiting some bar with a lot of people. We could get information without fights.

"I would look like a kid in their eyes." I look like a teen and a teen entering a bar with a lot of old people certainly would be strange.

"My liege, we can just kill one of them and they will certainly learn their place." Suggested Beru, needless to say, this was a 100% working idea, and I would definitely choose it, only if I did want blood.

"I already said it, I shall not kill anybody who doesn't deserve to die."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

I landed near one of the towns of Vechor. Dominion of Vechor, located on the western side of the continent.

"I remember now, I don't have any money on me." This was a problem, I don't even know how does currency looks like here.

"My liege, we can take them from lowly creatures." Beru meant to steal from people.

"I just need to see and I will create them from mana."

"My liege, you don't have to waste your energy on creating such a trivial thing." Apparently, Beru didn't want me to create money.

"Our finances are low, not just low but non-existent. We need money for information gathering." Technically I need money only to enter some pub.

"But my lieg-" Beru wanted to protest, but I cut him off.

"Leave it at that, I decided already." I was annoyed so replied with a rough voice.

I walked through the streets of this town, there weren't many people walking in the streets. The reason for this might be the population of this town or they have something to do.

"Find crowded places, hide in their shadows, and gather information." My servants complied and they came out from my shadow except for Beru and Alacryan servant.

Meanwhile, I went to the place with the most mana-signature. Mana was so low that I barely even detected it, but it was still higher than in other places.

People didn't mind me, so I just continued my way towards my destination.

When I arrived I surprisingly saw the pub. I decided to enter, and when I opened the door everyone turned to me but soon averted their gazes.

They weren't surprised at my appearance, it seems it is normal for kids to enter this pub.

I walked towards the stand, there stood a man, probably host. Clearly, the man was trying to avert his gaze from me. I narrowed my eyes at him.

I approached the stand and just sat on a nearby seat.

"Welcome to my pub, I'm the host of this fertility. what can I do for you dear customer?" Man said nervously still not daring to look into my eyes.

I could feel mana in this man, he was or is a mage and is also a sensor. I didn't answer him and stared at the man in front of me. He felt uncomfortable and was avoiding meeting my eyes.

"Y-You aren't n-normal are you?" The man muttered with a low voice only for me to hear.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This amount of mana, it's so dark... w-what are you?" The man's hands were shaking when he said this.

'He can feel that?' It was impressive for humans to feel the nature of my mana.

"In your eyes, I'm not human." I can't blame him. I may be in the human body, but no one in this has my amount of mana.

"Let's talk somewhere more quiet place." I said and stood up.

The host showed me way somewhere, his whole body was shaking. This earned the attention of people in the pub, but they had other things to do so didn't mind.

"This place is quieter, nobody is listening." I said while trying to sense if someone was near us.

We were in the alleyway behind the pub.

"You piqued my interest when you said 'It's so dark' about my mana. Can you tell me more?" I asked.

The man got even more frightened at this and couldn't utter a word.

"Forget it, I will ask something and then I will leave." I said and looked at the man who was continuously nodding.

"But remember, even if you slip word about me... I will kill you." Man-made weird sound after I said this, I simply ignored it and started questioning.

"Then answer this. Was there any news about Relictombs in this town?"

"S-sir, there wasn't any news related Relictombs. But I heard the rumor." The man said and I got interested in what this rumor was.

"There was some Ascender here in my pub, He said that someone not only Ascended through Relictomb but also closed it. nobody believed him, but it might be useful for you."

"Were there any actions from Vritras?" I asked.

"How can you call them like that... No there weren't." The man mumbles the first part.

"You can go." I told him and he quickly entered his pub.

'If he says something kill him. for now, also keep him safe, I'll come back to him.' I left my shadow with him, in case if he will say too much.

"In the end, I didn't even need to create money..." I sighed and just jumped on the roof of the nearest building.

"My liege, what are your commands now?" Asked Beru, guess he can't wait to have battle after acquiring new power.

"We will clear nearest Relictomb. I will make another layer of my Black Heart and increase my mana reserves. After that, I suppose that Vritras will do something, so we will have to only wait." I told Beru who got happy after hearing that we will go to Relictomb.

"So is someone near Relictomb?" I asked my shadow army and one of the soldiers soon answered my call.

[Shadow Exchange]

I changed position with servant near Relictomb. I looked around and noticed that weren't any people.

Mana-signatures around were rather big so this was strange.

I walked towards the entrance of Relictomb, when the entrance was already in my sight I saw some person in front of it.

He had a big mana-pool, but I couldn't say that he was exactly human. Why? because it had a horn.

I continued my walk as if nothing happened. The barrier of Relictomb this time let me go through it, I suspect the reason for this is Fragments presence in me.

"You there!" Shouted person with two obsidian horns. The person had a hood on him, but I could clearly see his face.

I turned to that person who looked at me angrily.

"Where do you think you are going, kid?" He asked me, calling me kid irritated me.

I didn't answer the question, I just observed this person. Two horns on his head, besides his whole body is covered in bandages.

"Answer me, kid I'm talking to you!" He shouted being angry at my ignorance.

"Is there something matter?" I asked.

"It's forbidden to enter Relictombs from now on. Go away."

"And if I don't go?"

"You'll face consequences, you lesser think that you are almighty? Have you even awakened your mark huh? But, yes you have mana." I guess he couldn't sense all my mana.

"Why is Relictomb closed?" I was interested maybe this was Vritra's doing?

"Relictomb in Etrill was closed by an unknown person. Lord said to guard every other Relictomb and not let everyone go inside. I said already too much, fuck off and go away already."

'My liege, let me kill this coward for you.' Beru and my whole army got angry at this person.

"Vritras are already doing things huh..." It seems that they also blocked information from normal Alacryans.

"How dare you talk like that about great Vritras! Do you even know who you saying this to?!" Obviously, I didn't know who that person was.

'My king, this person is one of the retainers. He is Vritra blooded.' My Alacryan servant informed me.

"Hm, I'm clearly not against having you in my army..." I mumbled, but retainer clearly heard it the next second he moved his hand forwards.

He tried to do something in my shadow, but then widened his eyes when nothing happened.

"W-What did you do?" He asked me with disbelief on his face.

"You just tried to use something in my shadows? this is the greatest insult that I can receive from someone like you..."

[Ruler's Authority]

I used this to halt the retainer in his place and pull him towards me. he couldn't stand on his two legs because the force was too big and he had to kneel and use his hand to support.

[Ruler's Authority]

I used Ruler's Authority on my second hand and punched retainer directly in his face.

Retainer flew somewhere and raised dust on his journey. I don't know if he survived after such an impact.

'He is still alive.' I could feel his mana that was getting bigger.

"You are not normal lesser are you?" I heard the voice of the retainer who soon came out from the dust.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Why should I tell you?" He asked me and some shadows manifested on his body like armor, his bandages were now torn off.

"You surely don't want to be unnamed in my army right?" He may think that this is a joke, but I was quite serious about this.

"I'm Retainer Uto, remember this before you die." Said Uto and floated on the ground.

"Where do you think you are going?"

[Ruler's Authority]

I once again used Ruler's Authority to bring him down. He once again slammed on the ground, but this time he could stand. His shadow armor helped him.

"Retainer Uto!" I heard another voice in the air.

Another figure showed up.

"Cylrit!" Uto shouted.

"What is the situation?" He asked and approached Uto who was not far away from me after I released Ruler's Authority.

"This lesser, he is dangerous."

'My king, this is the retainer that tasked me to get a dragon, Sylvie.' Alacryan servant told me.

"What do you think can we take him on? he has an immense amount of mana." Newly appeared retainer asked Uto.

"There are two of us and he is alone. I doubt he is strong as Scythes, there is no need to worry." Uto said.

"Alone you say?" I asked and they soon widened their eyes.

"Come forth"

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