Kirin wants a meeting with Blood

"It's really you, old man!? What are you doing here?"

Nius, who landed on the ground and moved toward Robert, just smiled and only saying calmly.

"Nothing much, I just decided to take a walk away from the mining camp and visit my little grandson that seems to forget about me. So, where is he right now?"

Robert still looked around the royal guards, still holding his skepticism, but hearing Nius' words, he lowered his guard and placed his longsword back on its sheath.

"He isn't home. Me and Aerius are the only ones here to look over this place."

"Aerius? Ahh, yes that little guy. Why didn't he show up?" asked Nius when noticing that he couldn't see Aerius around Robert.

By the time he said that Nius heard the winds intensifying around him along with the cry of an eagle and lion.

"[Sky Domination]"

Hearing this and looking toward the sky, he could see the black figure of a little gryphon seeming to descend toward the royal guards like he was a projectile unleashed upon them.

"Ohh, the little guy can fly now?"

"Yes, but he is limited to just a few minutes and also will be in pain after this." commented Robert when seeing Aerius make his strongest attack toward the royal guards.

Nius, hearing that fact, shook his head, and with a strong step on the ground, he began ascending toward the skies and intercepting Aerius, who with his sharp golden eyes just cried out surprised.

"You!? You are the old man. Move from my way, I can't stop my attack once I begin descending from the skies."

"Heh, no worries little guy. This old man is capable enough to stop you." said Nius as he kept stepping hard on the sky and maintaining his elevated altitude.

Soon when Aerius was meters away from him, Nius just did some more steps to reach around his body, and with a grabbing motion, he stopped his descent and held him in his arm.

"Old man, how did you do that?" asked Aerius while looking at Nius' old face and flowing white hair.

"Heh, what can't this old man do? When you reach my age and trained like there's no day for tomorrow you will evolve and break the human limitations and start even walking in the skies. However, compared to you little guy, who has the ability to fly freely as you wish at a rate that even I can't do, that's something you should be proud of."

Aerius just kept silent, and as Nius descended to the ground, he added with a thankful tone.

"Old man, thanks for stopping me. Those three guys on the ground would really be hurt if I was to strike them with my sharp beak. Ahem, also my body would hurt for one week straight."

Nius just laughed at Aerius and ruffled his eagle head.

"Don't look down on those soldiers of mine. If they get serious you would regret offending them."

"Could it be? They are just like Vlad?"

Nius just smiled at this question proposed by Aerius, and when he got back on the ground, he asked Robert who was looking at Nius like nothing significant happened.

"Kid, you seem to view my Sky Walk as if nothing big. Do you look down on me?"

Robert still maintained his calm even when Nius asked that, in a joking manner, and remembered something that Vlad said some months ago when he saw him fly in the sky using his blood powers.

*** "Little Robert, I think there's a way for you to step on the skies, but this requires you an increased speed and power. I can step on the sky using only my feet, but this is only when I'm using my [Enhancement] powers.

This means that if I can do you, you can also do it because my blood powers increase my muscle capabilities when wanted. Do you understand it, little Robert? You just have to train yourself until you break the constraints bounding your body." ***

Moving back from his mind, Robert just said to Nius in a confident tone.

"It's impressive you can do it old man, but in the future, I will also achieve that. I just have to train myself even more."

Nius laughed out loud and looked at Gif, Vem, and Ramoth, saying to them with a satisfied tone.

"Do you see that little brats? This little boy will be in the future someone great if he keeps having this mentality."

As he said that, he turned back to Robert who felt a bit awkward about his comment, and told him in a serious tone.

"However, kid, it's good to have that type of mentality, but you also have to relax once in a while, because you will just get consumed and drowned by the idea that you should become stronger. When that happens you will feel stagnating. So you should still enjoy your young life, Robert."

Robert nodded his head and only commented calmly.

"I know old man, you are not the first one to tell me that."

"Well, I will not bother you too much since you seem to know what you want for your future. Now, let me ask you. When will that kid come back from his adventures?"

"Big brother Vlad? He should be back by tomorrow."

"I see. Gif, Vem, Ramoth go back with little Robert and relax a bit before talking about important stuff. I will be with Opheltius until then."

Saying that Nius dropped Aerius on the ground, and with an incredible speed, he was back at Opheltius' window.

Opheltius just smiled when seeing this little brother of his move around and behave as he wished.

"Let's get back to our talk brother Tius. I've settled down those little brats, there shouldn't be any problems for a while."

Meanwhile, as Robert and the other royal guards walked back to Vlad's wooden house, the hours began to flow forward and around Valent City water territory, a ship that had three sails, along with a crimson turbine attached on its backside that propelled the ship forward.

On the top of the captain's cabin, Sofiya and Vlad stood there, holding hands and looking at the sunrise.

"This view is always so satisfying to watch, don't you agree, dear?" asked the white-haired beauty when the sun began rising and illuminating the dark sea.

"Indeed, I've rarely had the chance to watch the sunrise while on the sea." replied Vlad while looking at the sun, slowly making his way toward the sky.

Their ship kept moving toward the Sagletius, but as they approached Valent City waters, two marine vessels began approaching him while flying off some flag signals that meant for them to slow down.

Vlad's eyes turned sharp and canceled the blood turbine, making the blood move back to its progenitor, which was his body.

-- "Master, why don't you sink those ships? It's easy for you. Just kill those dogs." --

'No need to spill innocent blood. Those low-ranked marine people are innocent. I've found from Peter who is tasked with the Casino and the gambling den of Valent that those marines are good people. They treat the citizens of Kaysang decently enough to keep them safe from the civil war.'

--" Hmph, you know that I don't care about that."--

'Sure, sure. You care only about chaos and those other stupid things.'

--"You said that master, but deep down you enjoy creating chaos, this is why I'm right now with you."--

'Don't try to put words in my mouth. Now keep quiet, because I have to see what those marine want from me this time.'

--"Just kill them if they want to capture you."--

As Vlad stopped talking with the dark entity in his mind, the marine ships began approaching him, and soon he saw the familiar face of a marine who stopped him when he came back from his mantis hunt.

"Hmm, how was he called again?" said Vlad while scratching his head when he saw those two marine ships.

"You know them, dear?" asked Sofiya when seeing Vlad react in the way he did when seeing those marine ships.

"The one of the left ships who has blond hair and slightly built body is Captain Vebros, the brunette one I heard from Peter he is called Poros.*

Sofiya nodded her head and also looked sharply at those two marine ships.

"Will there be any problem for us since you are the infamous Blood. Should I prepare my rifle and rapier?"

"No need, love, just act normal since my persona is heavily shielded by my mask and also that poster was drawn when I had my hair long."

In just some minutes, the two ships with ship's sails designed with a blue seagull sign and a written "MARINE" on the upper sails and from the deck where he could see the marines being armed and seeming ready to fight.

"Hello, sir, lady. We're marines from the 15th branch stationed in Kaysang. I'm Captain Vebros belonging to that branch. Do you mind if we ask you some questions?" asked a man of average build wearing a white coat with the word "justice" on it and with the golden stripes that had a blue circle.

"There's no problem sir. We already know each other, go on ask away.." said Vlad collected and with an easy-going expression when looking at the marine guys on the ship, numbering approximately 100 guys from what he could see when staring at the ship.

"Ahh, it's you, the merchant from that time. I still remember you helping us with some good information with regard to some criminals. Those pirates were exactly the ones belonging to Dethel Blokted. We also found the dead body of that bastard."

"I'm glad to be of help, Captain Vebros. Now how can I be of help?" asked Vlad with a smile on his face, which made Sofiya feel a bit weird when seeing this side of Vlad.

"Well, I'll just ask you if you know, no need to stress yourself. You might know about the Scourge of Kaysang, Blood, the criminal with the highest bounty in the entire kingdom. How should I put it, my superiors started asking me to look for him."

When Vlad heard what this marine captain said, his face maintained a slight smile as he asked the man in the distance.

"Captain Vebros, are you implying this superior of yours wants to meet this criminal?"

The marine officer could only do a half-laugh and respond to Vlad with something surprising.

"Sir Vlad, to be honest with you, we marine know some information that the marine headquarters don't want to release. This so-called criminal, in fact, is in control of half of the Sagletius and his influence spreads wide in half the kingdom. Why I say he's a so-called criminal, is because he never killed innocent people."

"I know this Captain Vebros since I'm a merchant of Sagletius, the Sol District."

"This is even better, sir Vlad. To not waste your time and your lady, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Favors? Heh, why not? Go on and ask what request you have for me." replied Vlad while chuckling a bit when looking at those two marine ships."

"Ahem, sir I don't know if you have connections with the influential people of Sol, but my superior, Commodore Kirin would want to spread out the information that he wants to meet sir Blood. I don't know what sir Kirin wants to discuss with Blood, but it shouldn't be something to endanger his life."

"I should be able to do this. Don't worry. Now for my favor."

"Don't ask something too hard for me, I'm not a merchant like you that has a lot of money. I'm even paid a cheap salary for my rank."

"Haha, don't worry. I want you to show me around Valent, can you do this?"

The marine officer turned his head toward the opposite vessel to the other marine captain, Poros, and saw him nod his head as if signaling that it was fine. He then turned his head at Vlad and Sofiya and responded with an awkward tone.

"Sir, I will tell you in advance, I'm a boring person and the locations I know might only be summaries to the Casino, a tavern, the market, and the marine base."

"That's fine too. I'll go ahead of you if there's no problem."

The marine captain nodded his head and also ordered his men, who were cheering after finding that they had a break.

Vlad began moving his ship only using the steering well and the winds of the sea, and while doing so, he used his blood powers to grab the den-den mushi from Sofiya's coat pocket.

When the snail felt the cold sensation of the blood along with the iron smell, it got its head back in its shell.

"Little guy, you better cooperate otherwise I will just throw you on the sea and let you drown."

After some seconds, the snail got its head out of the shell and looked scared at Vlad's head.

Forming a number using the shell numbers, the snail suddenly entered a trance state as if it was connected to a radio wave and beginning to release the annoying sounds of *Puru* *Puru*

*Gotcha*

With the call being responded to, Vlad heard the voice of a familiar person.

"This is Peter talking. My lord, what do you wish for?"

"I'll be visiting Valent city in just a few minutes. Have you seen any weird movements on Kirin's side, since we took over the casino and the gambling den?"

"No, since we struck the deal that we shall give him 20% profits of the casino earnings, he cooperated and even had his men patrol around the casino, to offer protection. But, Lord, do you need me to assist you around the city?"

"If you want to come, it wouldn't be that bad."

"Understood, my lord. You will see me waiting for you at the harbor."

*Gotcha*

Ending the call, Vlad stared at Sofiya and said with a grin on his face while looking toward the shadow of Valent city.

"This is a chain of events I haven't thought about. Haha, I really want to know what this Kirin guy wants to talk about with me. Wasn't he Lacillet's man? What do you think about this, Sofi?"

"Hmm, this Kirin guy either wants to ally with you and try to alleviate the problem with the bounty or he plans a trap for you."

"Indeed, this could be a trap, but from what Peter and this marine officer, this guy seems genuine about meeting me."

The couple stood shoulder to shoulder next to the steering wheel and watched Valent city as it was getting closer and closer to their view.

The city architecture began revealing itself to the two. It was an orderly city that had a bustling atmosphere similar to the Sol District.

The city's buildings were all constructed having in mind an orderly manner that gave the town a nice feeling.

As Vlad was approaching, he saw a larger building that was still in balance with the other buildings that had the World Government Flag and the Marine Flag, along with the harbor that had stationed 10 other marine ships and others belonging to the merchants or other people.

"This city doesn't look that bad from a distance."

Commented Sofiya seeing the buildings that cut most of her view on the city, along with the Marine base and the harbor. She still continued.

"Still, Sol looks better, having in mind that we are still expanding."

"You are right, I will have to see for myself what this city has. Once I finish off the nobles, I will see who should govern this region."

Following that, after they had to sail for 15 minutes to get to Valent Harbor, after anchoring the ship and stepping on the wooden platform, they didn't feel any different from the atmosphere of Sol.

The men would sometimes stare at Sofiya and admire her body, but they would rather quickly spit and continue their journey when they noticing Vlad holding her hand.

The two just amused at those sad people tragedy and kept staring around the harbor and taking in the bustling atmosphere.

"This really doesn't feel bad. Dear, do you have money in your pockets for some shopping?"

"No, my love. But Peter for sure has."

"Haha, you are so cheap, to use your own subordinates money to take your girlfriend on shopping."

"Depending on the situation, just as this, I don't mind or care. It's not like I will not pay them back for this extravagance. Let me ask you, do you still want to go shopping in here?"

"Obviously. Okay, I will not make fun of you as long I manage to find something nice here."

Getting out from the wooden platform in only some minutes, the couple soon heard the marine captain who arrived saying to them.

"Well, sir Vlad. Let me show you around Valent."

However, as he ended saying that, he heard a familiar voice coming toward him and Vlad.

"Lord, sorry for the waiting. I had some dumbfucks complain about being cheated at the casino."

...............................

A/N: I don't know how good this chapter got because last night I had the shittiest night ever.

I got vaccinated, and the side effects were quite hardcore. Fever and Chills that probably even shook my soul, damn I even thought that I might go caput when the shooks were at the pinnacle, but I survived.

Managed to write something today since I felt a bit better now, but probably the quality is a bit lower, or it might be just my feeling.

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The following chapters will be a setup for the last part of this Volume. Nius shows his badass side, easily doing a Sky Walk and piking a projectile like gryphon.

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Now we go to Valent and see what the Kirin wants from Vlad. Or did he set up a trap for him?

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Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed the story. It's support coming from you and also a reward for me, for delivering quality content.

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