Chapter 17. A Seed Of Discord.

-----

QUEST: APEX PREDATOR COMPLETED!!!

[Analyzing Performance for reward....]

<Performance Analysis completed>

Reward:

+2 Exp pills

-----

A system notification flashed before Alastor's eyes the moment he stepped inside his room.

"Two experience pills!" he exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face.

'I wonder how many levels those will get me.'

He had used one before, earning a whopping 3,500 experience points. The anticipation of gaining even more with these two pills was exhilarating.

"System, use the two experience pills," he commanded.

-----

[Host used two Exp pills. Host has received 7000 Exp points.]

[Congratulations, host, on leveling up! Current level is 7]

-----

A wave of disappointment washed over him. Only one level? He had hoped for more.

"Status," he muttered, eager to see the improvements to his stats.

-----

[Status]

_Name: Alastor Havensworth

_Title: (Locked)

_Level: 7

_Exp: 1,450/32,000

_HP: 278/300

_Energy: 207/350

〔Attributes〕

>Agility: 20

>Strength: 21

>Defence: 11

>Stealth: 10

>Perception: 6

>Assassination: Null

〔Stats point- 8〕

-----

Still, his strength had increased considerably overnight. That was something to be happy about.

"What to do now?" Alastor pondered.

"Should I head out and search for an Abyssal seed?"

The exhaustion from his hunt had completely vanished, thanks to a few minutes of blood refinement. This technique, essential for ability users, not only enhanced their powers but also provided sustenance. As a one-star ability user, Alastor could function for days without food or sleep as long as he practiced blood refinement daily.

Of course this wasn't a permanent solution – the body still craved rest and nourishment – but it allowed ability users to push their limits in dire situations.

A sudden vibration startled him from his thoughts. Turning towards his bedstand, he saw his rarely used, beat-up phone lit up.

"Who could be calling at this hour?" he mumbled, surprised to see any activity on the device.

Reaching over, he grabbed the phone, his eyes widening as they landed on the caller ID.

"Hey, jerk, why are you waking me up at the crack of dawn?" Alastor answered with a playful tone, recognizing his friend's name. "Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Marcus's voice boomed through the phone, equally jovial. "How about breakfast in bed as an apology from this terrible friend of yours?"

"Get lost!" Alastor retorted, both of them bursting into laughter that echoed through the room.

Once the laughter subsided, Alastor finally asked;

"So, what's up?"

"Just reminding you about the seed exploration in two hours," Marcus replied casually.

"Seed exploration?" Alastor frowned, completely drawing a blank. He couldn't recall ever discussing such a thing with Marcus.

"Don't tell me you haven't checked your messages," Marcus sighed, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Messages?" Alastor's heart skipped a beat. He hastily unlocked his phone, only to be bombarded with unread messages and missed calls from both Marcus and Arthur.

"I should have known when you didn't return my calls," Marcus muttered from the other end, the sound of a hand meeting his face following his words.

Embarrassment flooded Alastor as he scratched the back of his head. Phones and technology, in general, weren't his forte. He hadn't even owned one until his friends' constant badgering convinced him otherwise. While he tried to check it at least once a day, the past few days had been so hectic that it completely slipped his mind.

"Sorry, man," Alastor apologized, still feeling a blush creep up his neck. "Things have been crazy busy lately."

"Don't sweat it, buddy," Marcus replied with a tired sigh.

"So, you'll make it?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Absolutely. Where and when should I be ready?" Alastor confirmed.

"Just get ready; we'll swing by to pick you up in an hour," Marcus assured him.

"You got it. I'll start getting ready now," Alastor responded, already getting up to go.

"Cool...oh, and one last thing," Marcus added playfully, "they put those ringing and flashing lights on phones for a reason, you know. You might want to try using it before it becomes an ancient artifact."

"Get outta here," Alastor shot back, both of them erupting into laughter once more before the call disconnected.

Alastor hopped into a quick, cold shower, threw on some clothes, and headed straight for Uncle Tris' food stand for a hearty breakfast.

As if on cue, a sleek hover car pulled up beside him just as he finished his meal. The window slid down, revealing Arthur in the passenger seat.

"Hey, man," Alastor greeted, a smile already forming on his face.

"Hello, Alastor," Arthur returned the greeting, although something felt off about his usually cheerful demeanor.

"Morning, Uncle Tris!" Alastor waved at the older man behind the counter.

"Hey there, kiddo! How are you doing?" Uncle Tris replied warmly. They exchanged pleasantries, and Uncle Tris took a moment to congratulate Arthur on his successful bloodline awakening.

After bidding farewell to Uncle Tris and Annie, Alastor hopped into the back of the hover car. He noticed Marcus seated in the driver's seat, which was unusual. Marcus always claimed sitting in the back made him feel like a third wheel. The atmosphere within the car was thick with tension, something Alastor couldn't ignore.

"Hey, glad you could finally join us," Marcus greeted him with an awkward chuckle.

Alastor immediately recognized this as a silent plea for help. Marcus and Arthur had obviously had a falling-out, and knowing them, Marcus was most likely at fault.

'Time to play mediator,' Alastor thought to himself.

"Okay, what's going on with you two?" Alastor asked, attempting to lighten the mood. "It's only been a few days, and you're already at each other's throats?"

"Why don't you ask Mr. Irresponsible over there what he did?" Arthur snapped, his words laced with frustration, as if he had been waiting for this opportunity.

Alastor turned to Marcus with a questioning look, silently prompting him to explain.

Marcus offered a sheepish grin before revealing the source of the conflict. Apparently, he and Arthur had been saving up to license an Abyssal seed, with Marcus in charge of the funds. However, when Arthur asked for the money a day ago, Marcus confessed to having spent it on something else. This meant Arthur was now forced to join his stepsister's team for an Abyssal seed raid, something he desperately wanted to avoid.

"Hey, I told you I just needed a few more days to gather the money!" Marcus defended himself, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"I don't have a few days, you idiot!" Arthur cursed, his voice rising in anger. "Now my control-freak father is forcing me to join that witch's team!"

For Arthur, who was typically kind and gentle, using such harsh language was rare. He only ever resorted to curses when it came to his family.

And who could blame him? Arthur's family history was a tragic tale. His mother had died during childbirth, and his father, a heartless man, had quickly remarried. It turned out he had been having an affair with his new wife, Arthur's stepmother, and they already had a daughter together, a year older than Arthur.

Arthur's mother, according to him, had struggled to conceive. It took them ten years of marriage before she finally became pregnant. Those ten years had been agonizing for her, filled with constant belittling and hurtful comments from her husband, chipping away at her mental and physical health. By the time Arthur was born, she was weak and frail, and ultimately, childbirth proved too much for her.

Arthur had always harbored a deep resentment towards his father for this. He blamed him entirely for his mother's death. The fact that his father had shown no remorse and had quickly married the woman he had been cheating with only solidified Arthur's anger and bitterness.

Over the years, Arthur had tried to distance himself from his uncaring father, his abusive stepmother, and his equally cruel step-siblings – an older stepsister and two younger stepbrothers. His father, however, was a controlling man and refused to let Arthur go.

The two younger sons cared little for the family business and only seemed interested in squandering their father's wealth. This made Arthur, the responsible one, the prime candidate for inheriting the family business. Arthur, of course, wanted nothing to do with it, much to his father's fury. This further fueled his father's need to control every aspect of Arthur's life, which only served to intensify the hatred from his stepfamily, who resented him for being the heir apparent.

So, the prospect of raiding an Abyssal seed with his stepsister filled Arthur with dread. He knew she would make the experience a living hell for him. Alastor understood Arthur's anger. It was completely justified given the circumstances.