Chapter 122: Upgrade
After resting for a few hours, Raven took the corpse of a 'Twin-Headed Black Serpent' and activated the 'Bloodline Devouring Ability.'
…
[Bloodline Devourer System is activated!}
[Rank-2 Twin-Headed Black Serpent's Bloodline has been found!]
[Analyzing the purity of the bloodline....]
[Calculating...]
[The corpse has 85% purity of Rank-2 Twin-Headed Black Serpent's Bloodline Essence!]
[It is possible to absorb some of the Twin-Headed Black Serpent's Bloodline Essence and its abilities.]
[Would you like to use 'Bloodline Devouring Ability'? Yes/No.]
...
"Yes!"
[Bloodline Devouring Ability is on commence!]
[Host already possesses Twin Shadow Viper's 'Shadow Swift' Bloodline Spell!]
[System has decided to extract the corresponding Bloodline Spell from the 'Twin-Headed Black Serpent.']
[Twin-Headed Black Serpent's 'Shadow Teleport' Bloodline Spell has been selected!]
...
[Host also absorbed part of the Twin-Headed Black Serpent's bloodline Essence!]
[Host's vitality has been increased by 6.0]
[Host's strength has been increased by 5.0]
[Host's agility has been increased by 4.0]
[Host's Body is going through a mutation!]
[1 day and 50 minutes until the mutation is complete!]
...
Another mutation took place for a day.
By this time, Raven had gotten accustomed to this tearing body pain.
...
[Mutation Completed!]
[Host has obtained 'Shadow Teleport' Bloodline Spell!]
[Host's body status has been updated successfully!]
…
'Shadow Teleport, huh? As long as there is a shadow, I can teleport anywhere within a 50 to 100-meter radius. But it has a cooldown of 30 minutes due to my low comprehension. Once I comprehend the spell, I can cast it anytime I want. On the other hand, I can use the 'shadow swift' spell continuously as long as I have enough elemental energy.' Raven stored the corpse away and took a small rest before taking out the next corpse.
This time, he took the Rank-2 Poison Serpent Corpse and activated the 'Bloodline Devouring Ability.'
…
[Bloodline Devourer System is activated!}
[Rank-2 Poison Serpent's Bloodline has been found!]
[Analyzing the purity of the bloodline....]
[Calculating...]
[The corpse has 95% purity of Rank-2 Poison Serpent's Bloodline Essence!]
[It is possible to absorb some of the Poison Serpent's Bloodline Essence and its abilities.]
[Would you like to use 'Bloodline Devouring Ability'? Yes/No.]
...
"Yes!"
[Bloodline Devouring Ability is on commence!]
[Host already possesses Dreadvenom Tri-Cobra's 'Poison Touch' Bloodline Spell!]
[System has decided to extract the corresponding Bloodline Spell from the 'Poison Serpent.']
[Poison Serpent's 'Poison Mist' Bloodline Spell has been selected!]
...
[Host also absorbed part of the Poison Serpent's bloodline Essence!]
[Host's vitality has been increased by 5.0]
[Host's strength has been increased by 4.0]
[Host's agility has been increased by 6.0]
[Host's Body is going through a mutation!]
[21 hours and 40 minutes until the mutation is complete!]
...
Raven patiently waited until the mutation was complete.
...
[Mutation Completed!]
[Host has obtained 'Poison Mist' Bloodline Spell!]
[Host's body status has been updated successfully!]
…
'I can release a deadly colorless poison by activating this spell and covering the poison up to 10 meters radius. Not only that, but the poison in my blood has increased in concentration. Unless it's a poison released by Rank-3 creatures or above, I'll not die by any poison easily.' Raven didn't rest this time as he felt his mental strength was still in a good state and decided to devour the next bloodline.
This time, he picked up the body of Vampire Billy Morgan and placed it on the floor.
Then, he placed his hands on the chest region and activated the bloodline-devouring ability.
…
[Bloodline Devourer System is activated!}
[Rank-2 Vampire Baronet's Bloodline has been found!]
[Analyzing the purity of the bloodline....]
[Calculating...]
[The corpse has 53% purity of Rank-2 Vampire Baronet's Bloodline Essence!]
[It is possible to absorb some of the Vampire Baronet's Bloodline Essence and its abilities.]
[Would you like to use 'Bloodline Devouring Ability'? Yes/No.]
...
"Yes!"
[Bloodline Devouring Ability is on commence!]
[Host already possesses Blood Imp's 'Blood Control' Bloodline Spell!]
[System has decided to extract the corresponding Bloodline Spell from the 'Vampire Baronet.']
[Vampire Baronet's 'Blood Bond' Bloodline Spell has been selected!]
...
[Host also absorbed part of the Vampire Baronet's bloodline Essence!]
[Host's vitality has been increased by 3.0]
[Host's strength has been increased by 5.0]
[Host's agility has been increased by 5.0]
[Host's Body is going through a mutation!]
[1 day, 1 hour, and 20 minutes until the mutation is complete!]
...
Raven quietly lay on the floor and waited until the mutation was complete.
...
[Mutation Completed!]
[Host has obtained 'Blood Bond' Bloodline Spell!]
[Host's body status has been updated successfully!]
…
'Blood Bond… It imposes a one-sided master-servant blood link, ensuring absolute obedience from the bonded individual. Once I cast this spell, I can make a blood pact and gain complete control over them. However, the drawback is that the servant's strength must be below mine. And my control over the 'Blood Control' spell is also enchanted. I can easily manipulate a person's blood flow and even stop them if they are within 5 meters of radius.' Raven felt this spell looked more like a forbidden one.
[Humph, it's just a spell. Lawful or chaotic, all magic spells were created to harm others.]
'True. And this spell is necessary to prevent any betrayals.' Raven nodded thoughtfully and went to take a rest.
After that, he finally took Rank-2 Night Goblin's corpse and activated the 'Bloodline Devouring Ability.'
…
[Bloodline Devourer System is activated!]
[Rank-2 Night Goblin's Bloodline has been found!]
[Analyzing the purity of the bloodline....]
[Calculating...]
[The corpse has 43% purity of Rank-2 Night Goblin's Bloodline Essence!]
[It is possible to absorb some of the Night Goblin's Bloodline Essence and its abilities.]
[Would you like to use 'Bloodline Devouring Ability'? Yes/No.]
...
"Yes!"
[Bloodline Devouring Ability is on commence!]
[Host already possesses Night Goblin's 'Past Self' Bloodline Spell!]
[System has decided to extract the corresponding Bloodline Spell from the 'Night Goblin.']
[Night Goblin's 'Elapsed Illusion' Bloodline Spell has been selected!]
...
[Host also absorbed part of the Night Goblin's bloodline Essence!]
[Host's vitality has been increased by 4.0]
[Host's strength has been increased by 5.0]
[Host's agility has been increased by 6.0]
[Host's Body is going through a mutation!]
[22 hours and 15 minutes until the mutation is complete!]
...
'I don't feel much pain now,' Raven reflected as he waited until the whole mutation process was completed.
...
[Mutation Completed!]
[Host has obtained 'Elapsed Illusion' Bloodline Spell!]
[Host's body status has been updated successfully!]
…
'Elapsed Illusion… A spell allows the user to create an illusion of the past by touching a person or an object. The only limitation is that the user can only peek up to 30 days in the past and show it as an illusion.' Raven wanted to try all seven spells, but decided to do it later.
He returned to his room to freshen up, rested for a few hours, and returned to the warehouse.
This time, he entered the memory library's second floor and took a black-covered book.
Like spirit techniques, elemental circlet techniques also had rank. The higher the rank, the easier it was to absorb the elemental energy from the atmosphere.
For example, the Arcanum Circlets of Destiny technique was originally a Legendary rank. But the one he took on the first floor was an inferior version.
'Even this one is an inferior version, but it is slightly better than the other.' He muttered.
The elemental circlet technique he engraved before was an Uncommon one, and he needed five minutes to fill out the elemental Circle for a Rank-1 spell model.
'But this rare one can only take 1 minute for Rank-1 and 10 minutes for Rank-2 to recharge.' Raven opened the book and started reading the elemental circle array for each element.
Once done, he entered the mind space and created the elemental circle arrays before assimilating the spell models.
He took more than a day for each Circle.
After ten days, he created seven elemental circlets representing the elements of life, darkness, ice, blood, lightning, poison, and time.
September 9th, Year 1428, Rune Era.
'I badly need to take a bath.' Raven muttered as he walked out of the warehouse.
Although twenty days had passed, Raven felt like he had been in the warehouse for over a year.
'I should check my status.' Just as he muttered, a blue screen popped up in front of his eyes.
…
[Name: Raven Sillalus Jorvot,
Age: 23
Nationality: Zenith Empire
Title: 66th Prince of Zenith Empire, Rebel Prince.
Level: 16
Class: Radiant Warlock (7th Circle)
Life Pathway: Adept Alchemist, Adept Rune Wizard
Health: Normal
Lifespan: 300+ years
Attributes:
Strength: 62.0
Agility: 63.0
Vitality: 66.0
Luck: 0
Spirit: 199.9
Bloodline Spells:
Rank-1:
Iron Resilience, Poison Touch (Poison Immunity), Fortuitous Finder, Blood Control, Face Morph, Mind Eye, Cold Breath, Past Self, Eye of Destruction, Shadow Shift, Memory Seal.
Rank-2:
Rapid Regeneration, Eye of Annihilation, Ice Breath, Shadow Teleport, Poison Mist, Blood Bond, Elapsed Illusion.
Additional Skills: Intermediate Spearmanship (2.8%), Ruler's Dominance (Beginner).
Affinities:
Life: Intermediate, Blood: Intermediate, Poison: Intermediate, Lightning: Intermediate, Darkness: High, Time: Intermediate, Ice: Genius, Spear: Low, Luck: Low.]
…
'My physical attributes are doubled than before, and I've entered the realm of Advanced Radiant Walker.' Raven felt his whole body was brimming with energy.
If he could use Adept Rank Strength and Agility potions, he could reach peak Radiant Walker level!
'And my spell 'Eye of Destruction' can even kill an opponent one rank above. Along with the 'Starflare-3R' weapon, I'm now capable of even facing an Expert Rank Walker.' A confident smile appeared on his face.
'Ha, I should freshen up first.' Muttering inwardly, he returned to the mansion and soon met Emanuel at the main hall.
"My Lord!" He hurriedly ran towards him and greeted him.
Raven nodded at him and saw Stephanie walking towards him from the kitchen.
"Good morning, My Lord!" She said with a bow and asked.
"Did you finish your closed-door training?"
"Yes. I heard you've still been teaching Rebecca about cooking and other things, " Raven said as he started walking down the staircase.
"Yes, My Lord. Although she still has a long way to go, she is eligible enough to be your personal attendant now." Stephanie answered solemnly.
"That's good." Raven turned his attention towards Emanuel and spoke.
"Come upstairs after 30 minutes." Saying so, Raven climbed up on the split staircase.
After reaching his room, he entered the bathroom and took a long bath.
Then, he left the bathroom, changed his clothes into casual ones, and lay on the bed.
"Solis." He muttered.
Suddenly, an illusionary white owl with pure star-like eyes emerged from the amulet he was wearing, flapped its wings to float in the air, and sat on the nearby table.
"What can I do for you, Master?" Solis spoke in a feminine tone, causing Raven's lips to twitch.
"How many years of the time elemental energy are needed to cast the 'Time Stop' spell?" He asked with a frown.
"I have only gathered one-tenth of the elemental energy, Master. Although time elemental energy will gather faster now, it would still take around 4 years. But if I use the Rank-2 Time Elemental Crystal from the Night Goblin, I can recharge the spell around 50%." Solis responded solemnly.
'I still need more than 2 years then.' But Raven's main goal wasn't the 'Time Stop' spell but the Regressor's Sight.
'Ha, only if I get a Rank-6 Crystal or a bunch of low-rank time elemental stones, I can cast that spell right away and peek into ten years of my future.' Unfortunately, time-elemental stones were impossible to find in the regular potion shops.
'I should check the auction houses from time to time.'
[Don't worry, lad. You aren't really in a desperate situation to use such a spell. Now that you have enough strength to protect yourself, the next step should be improving your status.]
'Reclaiming the Azmar town? I'm planning to do that.' Raven said.
[I'm talking about social status. Currently, your household is considered the lowest-ranked Knight Household. Even if you reclaim and rebuild the town, no citizens will move there due to the fear of being killed by monsters or disappearing overnight. To convince citizens that you are trustworthy and have the power to protect them, you need to become popular and gain their trust.]
'How am I supposed to do that? Won't I become popular as long as I reclaim the town?' Raven showed a confused look.
[Naïve thought. To become popular among the masses, you need the support of the local press, informants, and mainly the nobles. And it's not an easy thing to become popular, lad. Unless you achieve something unimaginable, no one will recognize you.]
'Like reclaiming the Azmar Town?' Raven asked.
[No. That ruined town is yours to begin with. To others, it will look like you are returning to the empty town and starting to rebuild it with your remaining money. That's not considered an achievement. Achievement should be more like doing something impossible and winning over the people's hearts.]
'Winning over the heart of the people? I think I understand what you are trying to say now.' A look of understanding appeared on Raven's face.
[For now, you should host a grand banquet and announce the reclamation of Azmar Town.]
'Banquet?' He frowned.
'It's a waste of money, though.' Raven muttered inwardly.
[Don't say it like that. You have no allies right now. In other nobles' eyes, you are nothing more than a beggar. Even if you manage to reclaim the Azmar town, it won't be easy to rebuild it without the support of the neighboring nobles.]
'I have enough money.' Raven refuted.
You've got money but don't have connections with influential figures. And rebuilding a town isn't as easy a feat as you think. You need to construct a road from the nearby town for transportation, then strengthen the town wall to protect the citizens from monsters and wild animals, rebuild all the houses, and even clear the surrounding lands for cultivation. For that, support from businessmen, merchants, and nobles is a must. To attract such people, conducting a banquet is essential.]
'True.' Raven nodded.
[Before hosting a banquet, you need to upgrade your house. If you host a banquet here, they would not even enter the mansion and leave immediately.]
'What's so bad about this mansion? It's looking good, though.' Raven looked at his mansion and felt it was spacious and beautiful, too.
[That's because you never lived as a noble in your life. To you, this mansion and all other mansions look the same because you have lived as a commoner from childhood. Even now, you are wearing the dress of a commoner. But there is a big gap between you and the other Knight Households. That's why many looked down on you when you attended the spade council meetings and banquets.]
'I noticed it too. I thought everyone avoided me because of the past incident.'
[That's not the only reason. To the nobles, you look more like a poor boy with no money. Let me give you an example. What will you do if a man with ragged clothes and torn shoes enters your mansion, mingles with your servants, and even serves you food with his dirty hands? Or what if he invites you to your home? And his home is a simple hut in a slum street with trash everywhere.]
Raven's face froze.
'I won't allow him to enter. Or, I will tell him to clean himself and change his clothes to good ones. And I try to avoid going to his house.' He spoke truthfully.
[That's exactly how the nobles see commoners. Although you wear nice clothes, it's nowhere near the dresses of other nobles. Everything they wear is top-quality, so it's easy for them to find out how classy a person is.] Zera said in his mind.
'You mean I looked like a beggar in their eyes?' His brows furrowed.
[Yes. That's why you need to rearrange everything. And invite one or two big shots to the banquet. That's the only way to attract people to your house. Or else, not a single person might come.]