Chapter 46 - Breakout & First blood (VOL 1 END - P1)
Suddenly Robert woke up and roared in a fury, clenching his fist even harder than bones started hearing grinding.
"I WILL KILL THEM ALL. THEY DARE TO DO THAT TO MY FAMILY!? HOW DARE THEM? I'LL KILL THAT MONSTER WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS. ARGHHHH, I'LL WASH YOUR ENTIRE KINGDOM IN BLOOD YOU ACCURSED BASTARD!
Then the atmosphere around Robert changed a bit. His eyes turned redder while blood started flowing from his lips and nose. Vlad felt something very familiar to him, killing intent.
Vlad knowing that Robert was influenced by his curse, was nevertheless surprised to see Robert's actually holding such great killing intent. How did the young kid manage to awaken this side of his? What could the kid have a nightmare about? His initial thought was.
'How can this kid have such a killing intent. Not even the guards that got influenced by my dark energy reacted in such manner, most of them had nightmares in their sleep, never did I experience them getting sent directly in a sleep like state.'
'Don't tell me the kid got some visions of his family getting killed or his mother and sister getting raped? Argh, this cursed power of mine, nor does it listen to me or do I have control over it.'
'I'll need to find out later when the boy calms down what was going on with his mind. But first, let's calm this kid, so he doesn't hurt himself or his minds is affected by that nightmare to much. It's enough having one Impaler Prince walking on this earth, there's no need for more cursed beings walking the earth.'
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Walking slowly to Robert, he immobilized the boy in a quick series of moves and said gently to him.
"Calm down, kid. Everything that happened was just in your mind. Breath slowly and calm yourself. Yes, like this, don't let yourself be consumed by madness. Time can solve anything. You'll have to tell me another time what your vision was all about. For now, just pass them aside. We got another problem to solve."
"Sigh, man, don't scare us like this. I thought you got possessed by some ghost or something," said Inorra, a bit worried when looking at Robert, who was now taking deep breaths to calm himself. When Vlad heard that, he snorted coldly at Inorra's remark but switched his attention to Robert.
He only heard Robert's horse tone.
"No problem, I calmed a bit. Thanks, Vlad. I'll do as much as possible. I'll even kill some guards if they try to stop us."
"Good. Now I can proceed with another problem. There are two paths to follow once we're out of the mining camp. One leads to a port city, holding a branch base of operation for the marines called Valent City. That's the right place for you, Inorra, Kipset. I feel that you're more inclined to go for that job, to kill and capture pirates.
Even now, I remember that conversation we had four years ago or the one we had recently. So I'll say it as friendly as possible. If you feel that it is your calling to stop pirates from creating other series of poor orphans who would be left parentless and without a future, just try your best there.
As for me, I'll take Robert with me and go towards this kingdom's capital, Sagletius", said Vlad while frowning when remembering that fat guy who acted arrogantly before him.
"Sure, Vlad, you're quite right that I want to become a marine. Since my village got raided by pirates, and I was sold into slavery. I have this desire for revenge that haunts me for so many years. It's really helpful that you already know about where this marine base is. We can't ask you anything more.
I know that everything you did so far was to help us in these moments, to prepare us for these exact times. But I understood this quite late, for that I want to apologize because whenever you were training, Inor and I were just simply staring at you dumbly. Like all you did was useless." said Kipset while apologizing to Vlad for not living up to his standards.
"No need for that. Just take the weapons and get used to its feeling. Everything starts at midnight."
Then Vlad looked at Inorra and Kipset and told them. "Prepare all the food we got in the storage, bag them in clothes, and you Inorra will have to carry them. Don't you dare to forget about the supply bag, or I'll have you skinned and cooked on the fire."
Feeling the seriousness of the moment, Inorra also got serious and said, "I understand, I'll keep my eyes on the supplies."
Aerius also looked at Inorra as if to mock him and said to Vlad from his shoulder.
"I'll also keep an eye on that annoying brat to not lose the supplies."
"Good, now that we solved this problem, you Kipset will be responsible for the lookout. Until we reach the exit, you will look around for guards. Got it, Kipset? You only need to look for the guards, and if things go wrong, prepare to fight. I really hope that doesn't happen. While you Robert will follow close by to Kipset and Inorra, if a fight breaks out, you'll need to do as I taught you in our training."
Robert only nodded his head, understanding perfectly the situation he was in right now. He turned quiet since those visions of his, profoundly affected by everything that happened in there. He got the glass weapon and held it by the cloth handle, silently staring at the glass, sharp edge.
"You can take a small break until midnight. Relax your bodies a little. I don't want my soldiers to be tense before the fight." mentioned Vlad to the boys. Also, at the same time, remembering a part of his past, when he happened to be surrounded by tens of thousands of soldiers and had to give them a fiery speech to all of them.
He felt quite similar to his old self while talking to those kids at this time, but the stakes this time were smaller than in his first life.
This small fight of his and the other kids will be the decider of who has the right to continue moving forward towards a better future. The outcomes of 5 souls or maybe more are all in Vlad's hand and his decisions going forward.
Vlad also took a small break, going to his bed, sitting with crossed legs, while Aerius also took a meditating posture on Vlad's head. He started thinking of all sorts of outcomes that could possibly happen if he fought with Belpel. As he thought of different outcomes, he always stopped thinking when the idea that he would again have to use that cursed power to deal with Belpel.
Taking some longs breaths, Vlad pushed aside the bad influences in his mind. He started visualizing different methods to fight against the guards and Belpel in his head, using only his Blood Powers and swordplay.
He discovered in his 5th day since getting the devil fruit that if he focused his blood powers on his brain, he could enhance his visualizing capabilities more to let him rewatch certain moments he experienced. Still, Vlad also had a limit to this ability.
So far, his limit was only six tries. If he passed more than that, his mind would be clouded, and feel a splitting headache that would keep going for an entire day.
The recheck in his mind the basic blood powers that he could use. So far, the abilities that he could utilize were not many, only a handful such as [Blood Manipulation], [Blood Summoning], [Blood Enhancement].
Those basic abilities of his devil fruit were the backbone of this power. From here, as he progressed in mastery and knowledge, he could create different abilities using those basic abilities. For example, Vlad's Blood Reinforcement on his wooden branch that looked close to a Blood Sword was a combined ability of Manipulation and Summoning. Or the power enhancement of his body being a consequence of the [Blood Enhancement] ability.
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While the boys were going to take a nap in a specific building close to the gate leading outside. A middle-aged man with black hair and a tall nose seated on a couch discussed some matters concerning those who left home to celebrate the free day with a tall guard about 1,89 meters tall. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, with a clear skin tone. He was quite handsome compared to Belpel.
"Sir Belpel, don't you feel weird that most of the guards from our faction are already leaving starting today to their homes to celebrate the founding day tomorrow, while most of Gif's guards are all here? "Asked the blonde guy with a concerned expression while staring at Belpel.
"Is fine Anastas, who would dare to break out with me in charge of the gates? As for Gif, let him be, he thinks of himself as someone important to keep all his men here. Sigh, so many idiots tried all these years to escape, but none of them escaped alive. For ten years, I've been guarding here, and since I've been put in charge of this gate by Mayer, none who tried to escape got away alive." a bit annoyed by the handsome Anastasius coming to bother him with his baseless worries.
"If that's what you say, sir, so be it. I will be here if you require anything for those who are still on guard."
"Sure, sure. If you require any help, just call me guys." waved Belpel to the blonde guard, still annoyed by his question and worries, but mostly by his handsome face.
Anastasius finally left the room, and Belpel, after some minutes, said. "What's with that guy? He always keeps bothering me with all of his stupid ideas. So many years passed since the last rebellion that those pathetic slaves learned their lessons. That idiot always worries over nothing.
Is it not like that weird kid will try something funny on this occasion? Right, Mayer told me something that he wants to execute that kid after he finishes a business deal and makes time to come here. Maybe I should prepare the kid for that event if he really plans to escape. But if he really does plan to do this, why didn't he gather people to start a rebellion?
This isn't like him at all, or he doesn't think of escaping this year? Well, whatever, he's still far from beating me and my Dragon Skin ability. Even if he got to grow with two more years, it doesn't change much, from what I've experienced in the Grand Line. That fight between those great pirates, with certainty, I can relax knowing that I will live here swimming in money and relaxing.
Only that guy Gif can hold some candles to me since coming to Kaysang. South Blue is so-so, but at least that Mayer guy pays well, truly well."
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As Belpel was relaxing over his couch, time passed, the sunset silently let place for the darkness to envelop the camp's field. The guards were doing their usual patrolling routine, especially at the gate zone. Together with the mine opening, the gate was the most important asset of the Loftso Mining Company. The only reason why even if the guards these days were less in number, they didn't neglect these specific zones.
Hours passed, and midnight came to the camp. Like most days, the chaotic zone was still active, almost that it was a beast that always got to awaken around this time. Four young men walked at a normal pace in the chaotic zone together with a black cat-like creature that was standing on Robert's shoulder. They seemed to go toward the camp's north without even changing directions, knowing well that the direction they were taking was where the gate was situated.
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They were passing many people, from slaves to miners to even prostitutes. At one point, when Vlad and the company got close to exit the chaotic zone, two adults stopped in front of them.
Those wasted guys started yelling some things not understandable to Vlad. Looking right and left to see if there was someone else lurking in the shadows, he took a glass dagger well hidden in his arms. He walked to the two yelling men with a friendly stroll while his eyes turned a bit cold.
When they saw Vlad approach them, they started making a commotion for no reason. When Vlad reached the two, he could smell that they reeked of alcohol and other toxic substances snuggled by the guards inside the camp bought at a cheap price by the inhabitants of this zone.
When seeing this tall young man moving towards them, the two adults made their reactions even more violent. They reached to fight Vlad but what they failed to notice was that as they moved to hit him, he already drew out his glass dagger, slashing at their throats in a quick movement. After some dying men sounded, silence engulfed the alley.
"Take care of those bodies, Kipset." said Vlad in a cold, emotionless voice. Like what he just did was something normal. The rest of them kept their head down when seeing how blood gushed from their cut. Seeing how cold-blooded Vlad was when taking a life, Robert was just looking at Vlad, not knowing for sure what to think at the moment, feeling a bit affected by that nightmare.
Nevertheless, one thing was sure. The boy also had his hand gripped hard on the glass dagger, prepared to strike if someone approached him with bad intentions.
Kipset didn't comment on Vlad's orders and did as told. Taking the adults' dead bodies that still gushed some blood from their throat, dragging them to a hidden spot on the alley, he later came back to find Vlad looking coldly at the Northside of the camp.
After seeing Kipset back, Vlad continued strolling towards the gates. Minutes passed, and the group got to distance itself from their shack and chaotic zone. They could see a large building and the gates from a distance. But they didn't approach it so fast. Instead, Vlad took the chance to look for the guards from a distance. It was dark outside, but when Vlad used his blood powers on his eyes, he could see a bit better in the dark than when he was in his normal state.
There was a large pathway to the large building in front of the gate. Around the large building, there were other brick buildings, probably the accommodation of the guards. Before one could go on the large pathway leading directly to the heart of the gate zone, one like Vlad could take the path of a secondary alleyway connected to the large alley.
Looking right and left from where he was, he could notice the stone buildings, and when looking right, he could see a small passage leading forward and later changing direction. Looking forward from where he was, he could see a prominent pathway that later changed direction to only right. Vlad could hear the sounds of feet and voices of men that were at a safe distance when looking at his position.
He waited patiently to feel the guards distancing themselves from him. When they switched direction, Vlad also turned into actions, signaling his little soldiers to follow him. Taking on the small alley, they passed slowly into the darkness. House by house, they took on the cover of the night. Everything went well until Vlad suddenly heard coming his way a pair of guards.
The guards were seeming to chat cheerfully with each other about something concerning them not being able to take a leave to go to their families. Sensing that the situation worsened, Vlad took cover beside a building, signaling the young men to take cover and not make any sound.
Slowly the guards, not even guessing what was waiting for them at the end of the alley, just chatted without bothering looking right or left to check if there was something wrong. They were too used to this job that they forgot about the dangers lurking in the darkness.
Vlad let those guards move forward a bit until he could attack them from behind. He switched fast to look at Robert and Aerius, making a hand gesture to give his dagger to him. With two daggers in hand, he used « Enhancement » on his body, and with subtle steps, he started nearing the guards without even alarming them that something was approaching their backs.
With each gentle step, he got closer and closer to the guards, who couldn't sense a thing. Finally, as the guards took a different path to the left, he tensed his grip on his daggers tightly and struck them, slashing with full force at their back.
They cried out in pain for a brief moment, but they were pushed by Vlad, making the two drop on the ground simultaneously. With both having their faces on the mud, he started suffocating both while pressing with his feet their heads deeper on the ground until they stopped moving. The two guards struggled initially, even when wounded by Vlad's backstab. However, they slowly were drowned by the lack of air, getting asphyxiated.
"Sigh, promised the old man to leave some people for himself. Well, better safe than sorry."
After killing the two, Vlad signalled his group to move along and gave Kip a signal to hide the bodies. He only took the guards' swords and his daggers back.
The swords were in excellent condition, while his imitation of a dagger was just for some kills. That was the reason they even broke so fast from the smallest tension on its edges. But now that he had gained swords, everything seemed to go as smoothly as possible.
Staring at the sword, he yet again admired the quality of the metalwork. While gripping the sword's handle, the rest of the kids saw the sword blade getting covered in blood coming from Vlad's palm.
Focusing his attention briefly on the « Summoning » and « Manipulation » he stopped when covering the entire blade in his blood. He did this in such a balanced manner that the iron blade could still be seen.
Then in some seconds, as he looked seriously on the blade covered in blood, the liquid red suddenly solidified, encasing the blade in a crimson edge lustre.
