Death... and me

It was the attendant of the Bloodline Trial Office who warned about Roan and Frandin. When the two of them went there, they didn't ask to obtain the bloodline trial but about the security measures to go there. Not to mention that Frandin didn't try to take the Soul Power test either. It was quite unusual for someone to ask about these things without even being sure if they had the necessary Soul Power. Of course, Roan and Frandin's appearances were different at that time, so the attendant in the Bloodline Trial Office wasn't sure if it was them or not. Still, that was the best clue they found since Rean's group had disappeared from the city as well.

The City Lord pondered over this issue. At the very least, the cultivation of the Zasfin matched Frandin's. Another point was that the attendant didn't feel like Roan cared about his or even his owner's presence. He kept a stern expression and looked directly at her without averting his eyes during the entire time. For a world where humans were slaves, that was not a behavior a human should show, especially in the Bloodline Trial Office.

"The Rank Four Bloodline Trial. Could it be that the real owner of those humans wants to take the Rank Four test? But that doesn't make sense. Those humans had very high cultivation, far surpassing any Zasfin at their age. An owner who could breed humans of that level should have a very high status. There was no need for them to ask for this kind of information regarding the Bloodline Trials since they should know about it already. In fact, someone like that should have a Rank Four or higher ranked Bloodline Mark already."

The more he thought about it, the weirder it felt.

Out of nowhere, the door of his room opened as Falin entered it. He immediately noticed Falin's arm... or what remained of it wrapped in some bandages. Falin had a terrible expression on his face.

"Big brother! I heard you stopped others from pursuing that human outside the barrier. How could you let them go after what they did to me? You need to avenge my grievances! Send everyone who can cope with the storm outside and find them!"

Jamil narrowed his eyes in response. Right after, his Nascent Soul Realm aura spread forward.

"Since when do I receive orders from you?"

Falin felt a chill on his back and immediately calmed down. His brother was one of the strongest experts in Kastran City. He wasn't someone Falin could treat as he pleased. After all, even his status in the city and the resources for his cultivation were because of his brother.

"So-Sorry, big brother. I misspoke."

Jamil's aura disappeared as he nodded.

"That's more like it. First of all, it was your own fault that you lost your arm. A blond female human appeared right in the middle of the city with its owner. Without a strong background, who would be idiotic enough to do such a thing? Not only that, you just so happened to be close by at that time. How could you not see all the alarming clues right in front of your face?"

Of course, Falin thought about that possibility. However, he simply assumed that he would be fine as long as he had the city lord's backing. It had been like that ever since Jamil became the city lord, so he got used to it. Well... Roan's group appeared close to Falin by coincidence, though...

"But... are we going to let them leave just like that?"

Jamil sighed before shaking his head.

"I have a clue about where they're going. It seemed like these guys who cut off your arm went to the Bloodline Trial Office to ask about the Rank Four Bloodline Trial."

Falin was taken aback by that.

"You mean the Gorea Country's Bloodline Trial? That's the closest Rank Four Bloodline Trial, isn't it? However, why would they go there?"

Jamil shook his head.

"I don't know. To be honest, I'm not even sure if it's actually them or not. I just think there's a good chance of that being the case."

Falin nodded.

"I understand. However, what can we do in that place? It is a Bloodline Trial, so only the imperial forces are allowed there. We won't be able to enter without a motive."

Jamil faintly smiled before saying.

"I was already planning to go and try the Rank Four Bloodline Trial to start with. That being said, I can bring you and a few others with me."

Falin was surprised to hear that.

"Big brother, does that mean your Soul Power..."

Jamil nodded.

"Yes. My bloodline purity and nobility rank only allow me to take a Rank Three Bloodline Trial. However, you know I wasn't satisfied with that, so I trained day and night nonstop. Eventually, my Soul Power Points reached the threshold necessary to gain access to the Rank Four Bloodline Trial without needing to care about any of that."

Falin was happy to hear that. After all, he was part of Jamil's family. That meant he would also be able to get a Rank Four Bloodline Mark as long as his brother passes the Trial. Of course, he didn't forget about Roan, Calina, and Frandin.

"I will go with you! Also, I guess we can get the Bloodline Trial's guards to help us. After all, humans are not allowed to come near the trial grounds. That will give us a good excuse to find them."

Jamil shook his head.

"It won't be easy since they have some ability that can hide from Spiritual Sense. Only Soul Power Scanning can perceive them. That being said, we have to do it differently. Don't worry, I have a better idea."

Somewhere far away from Kastran City, Rean and the others just used Roan's position to come out of the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm. They then took the boulder of the cave entrance out and entered it. Frandin, once again, didn't even know how Rean's group found them.

'They must have some kind of communication treasure to be able to find each other this easily.'

Rean ignored Frandin as he looked at Roan.

"You started quite a big commotion back in the city, no?"

Roan didn't seem to care, saying.

"It served as a good opportunity to test your White Star."

Rean's eyes lit up when he heard that.

"How was it?"

Roan nodded, satisfied.

"Better than I expected. I cut through an Earth Middle-Level Sword like it was made of butter, cutting the guy in half right after. I would have killed two in a single strike if that Late Stage Core and Soul Fusion Realm guy didn't intervene. I had to leave after that because a Nascent Soul Realm guy was coming in my direction, though."

Rean laughed out loud in response.

"Hahaha! That's great! My Elemental Gathering and Refinement methods are really far above anyone else. From what you're telling me, I believe you can cut through an Earth High-Level Sword as long as its owner is at your level. Even an Earth Peak-Level Sword would have a hard time battling against my White Star."

Roan agreed with Rean. It's just that he wasn't as hyped as him.

"I did clash once against a spear that I believe was an Earth High-Level Spiritual Weapon. Its owner filled it with a lot of Spiritual Energy and Element, not to mention Soul Power. Still, your White Star was able to leave a dent on its shaft in that single strike."

"That was the Late Stage Core and Soul Fusion Realm guy, right?"

Roan nodded.

"Yes."

Rean expected as much.

"With his cultivation being so much higher than yours, it was to be expected that he could protect his weapon. Well, you used the Crescent Moon on the previous guy, so it had lost some of its power after you got rid of the first enemy. Otherwise, that spear would have suffered a lot more from your strike."

Roan didn't doubt that.

"In any case, I guess I can at least compliment you about this sword. It's very good."

Everyone knew how hard it was to be praised by Roan.

"Oh! That's rare. Well, I accept your full submission to my blacksmith skills."

"Submission your ass!"

Rean didn't mind Roan's words at all.

However, Agis, Qia, and Malaka were more interested in something completely different.

"Forget about the sword. Roan, we want to hear more about the 'My Calina' situation."

Calina didn't say anything, but she was expecting that as well.

Roan narrowed his eyes as if he had heard something foreign.

"What are you talking about?"

Roan's face was as cold as ever. It was as if he had heard such a thing for the first time in his life.

Agis couldn't help but exclaim.

"Shameless! Are you still denying it? Calina told us everything, so spit it out!"

Malaka then pulled Calina to her side.

"Right! Look how red she is. Calina can't even talk right now. It's obvious that she wasn't lying."

After that, Rean appeared in front of Frandin, who was trying to stay as hidden as possible. He truly didn't want anything to do with it. Simply put, Roan was too scary...

"Frandin, you did hear that as well, right?"

Frandin looked away before repeating Roan's words.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Qia then kicked his butt.

"Don't know your ass! You aren't convincing at all!"

Roan began to lose his patience, though.

"Enough! Stop wasting time with this bullshit."

After hearing that, Calina's eyes were filled to the brim with tears as she looked at Roan, asking.

"Were my feelings for you... bullshit?"

Roan's words got stuck in his throat. For the first time, he couldn't answer.