Chapter 58 - Killing order
Finally, Vlad finished the last plate and turned to look at Robert and Aerius.
Robert was struggling at his 3rd portion. He asked him if he could continue to eat, where he was met by Robert's tired face, a bit sweating from all the food. He later leaned back on the chair and patted his stomach, saying to Vlad.
"If you can continue eating, go ahead. I feel that if I put more food into my body, I will explode."
"Haha, silly boy. You should eat everything while there are occasions like those." chuckled Vlad, looking at his changed body and sensing his beating heart.
Then as he said that, Aerius, who had his face in his food bawl, raised his face quickly, full of pieces of food stuck in his eagle beak, he said to Vlad.
"Not so fast you jerk. We share the food, brother to brother. If Robert doesn't want to eat his third portion, this doesn't mean you take everything. I also have rights."
Looking at Aerius's face as he said that with his cheeks full of food. He laughed out loud, making the other people in the old chef's restaurant look at him before not long turning back to their food plates.
"Haha, sure little guy. We'll share, brother to brother. I take 60% you take 40%."
"Hmmm, wait, that's not fair. I want equal shares." said Aerius as he compared the proportions in his small head.
Vlad only clicked his tongue and shared the remaining food evenly with Aerius, while looking at his grinning face as he looked at Vlad with some sadistic satisfaction when he was the one to share the food.
"Satisfied?" Where Aerius responded with a big grin to Vlad's simple question.
"Very satisfied."
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Like this, it didn't take long for Vlad and Aerius to finish Roberts plates. As the two finished the meal, they took a short break leaning on the chair. In contrast, Aerius leaned on the table as if he was a dead rat.
Leaning on the chair, Vlad observed the clean interior of the restaurant as he was relaxing a bit after a filling meal and looking around the dining place.
Later after the break, he got up all of a sudden, patting Nemesis, and looking at Robert and Aerius, who was still lying on the table. He walked towards the kitchen and met an old man with a long white mustache and short white hair, seated on a chair looking at the food placed to cook.
"Sir, here's the money for the meal. Your cooking is truly great, the craftsman really wasn't kidding that this place holds the best chef in the kingdom. I already told the kid that served us, but I will come here more often to take my meals. So take care of me, senior."
Hearing a young voice going towards his old ears, the old man looked at the one talking, noticing the handsome young man with dark-green eyes and a white skin complexion. He smiled back, taking the money, saying to him.
"You're always welcome to dine here. As long as I have power in my body, I will keep on cooking for others, people just like you who are struggling with hunger."
"Glad to hear that, old man, I can only hope you're staying healthy. If you excuse me, I'll take my leave." ended Vlad while leaving the restaurant with Robert following him and Aerius, who was grabbed by his body by Vlad.
Now that both were outside, Vlad turned to Robert and asked him.
"What now? Should we search for a place to stay or build a house outside this district close to the water source? I really wouldn't mind that since it's the best place for training in silence."
"I also think that it will be better if we stay outside. We got some money to buy food for ourselves, probably for a year if you also sell the gold found by Aerius, so it wouldn't be bad actually to build a house outside the district. Better a quiet environment than a chaotic one, I'm quite sick of this kind of environment, and I didn't even live inside the mining camp for seven days." said Robert while scratching his head.
Vlad laughed out loud and hit Robert's shoulder. "You would get used with time, but sure. Let's go prepare to build the house. Here also take this lazy bugger, he's been annoying me wanting to jump on my shoulder and head."
"Screw you, I'm not even that heavy. Come Robert, let me stay on your shoulder."
Robert only sighed and let Aerius jump on his shoulder after Vlad dropped him on the ground.
"Much better being on high ground."
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After solving their monetary trouble and even food source, they walked out of the district without bothering themselves with other "attractions" this place could offer them. They reached the water stream quite fast, only taking themselves 10 to 15 minutes. It was also close to the district when taking into account the time it took them to reach it.
Brimming with energy Vlad rushed towards the forest and started slashing trees from their base in clean cuts. Feeling the sword sharpness after being polished, he said, satisfied while looking at Nemesis.
"That's what I'm talking about. Suppose I had you back in the mine fight. I wouldn't have gotten done in that sorry state."
It also didn't take long for Vlad to gather the logs around the water stream, to all Robert's surprised expression. Vlad told Robert to prepare the frame of the house while he prepared the logs to be placed. Like this, the two started building up their log house while Aerius was there for moral support, standing on the gathered logs.
However, it was mostly Vlad that did the hard lifting job, while Robert was there to help Vlad with the log orders, and in just a single day, they managed to build the wooden cabin close to the water stream.
The zone they decided to build the wooden house gave it a peaceful feeling to the log cabin. The sound of the water stream, together with the forest smell, gave Vlad a peaceful smile as if he was finally safe after four years of hardship. He truly tasted for himself the quiet area.
"Robert, Aerius, go bring some moss to cover the open space between the logs. Yet you too little guy, covering this house with moss it's also something you can do. Just follow Robert, he knows where to find them and how to fill the open spaces. I'll go take a break and relax at the water stream. If you have any problems, you can find me there."
"No problem, take care." Said Robert, while picking Aerius from the ground, before taking to go towards the forest to bring some moss to help with the cabin insulation.
"Hey Robert, this place is really nice. I even have a high spot where I can watch the sky and try to fly." said Aerius, who was standing on Robert's shoulder.
"Glad to hear that and good luck. If we improve more we can be of some help to Vlad, as we are right now, it's clearly we're a burden to him."
"Nah, you're overthinking. Vlad it's more simple then what you think. He is probably having fun watching us and teaching us all short of weird stuff."
"Haha, maybe you're right buddy. Now let's get down to business, we have to cover the new house with moss so it doesn't get cold inside. Even if we got a fireplace inside, it would be wasted warmth if we don't cover the empty stops."
"I see, I'll try to gather as much as I can." replied Aerius back while focusing his golden eyes a bit.
"Ohh, this is the spot." With that said, Robert began
Vlad nodded his head when seeing Robert and Aerius leave. After that, he began heading towards the water stream.
Taking off his worn-out shoes and raising his trousers to his knee, similarly taking the dirt-stained silk shirt, he entered with his feet in the chill water stream and took a seat on the dry ground. As Vlad relaxed, watching the water flowing, he began to train in his powers slowly. Staring with the Blood Power, he began doing [Blood Summoning], covering different places of his hands and upper body with fresh blood.
Then, after summoning his blood, he began doing some exercises centered on [Blood Manipulation], where he started forming mini-figures of animals, weapons, armour pieces, even going as far as making small-sized buildings
The size of the blood he gathered was decent but still couldn't compare with the amount he used against Belpel, with [Star of Collapse] final attack. The amount required for that attack to even have 40-50% of the form he imagined in his mind was still a long way to go. Even Dark could barely manage to bring the attack towards 30% of the blood.
The perfect form of the attack was still something that Vlad dreamed about.
After finishing his blood training, he switched the energies towards the darker spectrum. Focusing on his palms, a mist-like energy gathered around the right palm. With each second passing, he could feel as his hand started cooling down, yet for him, that feeling was refreshing, similarly to when taking an ice bath.
The dark energy settled on his left hand, creating something similar to Belpel's or Nius's Armament. Yet, he knew that it only resembled their abilities. The effects of the dark energy were more focused on single points and supporting his power. One thing that he began mastering at a decent rate was the method of inducing people in different states when using this energy.
Like this, some hours went by for Vlad, who was chilling in the water stream. There, one could see Vlad's left hand being covered in dark mist-like energy and his right arm being surrounded by this element as if he had a slim gauntlet on his hand.
Seeing that night was slowly taking over the sky, he raised and, with a satisfied expression, walked toward the log cabin that Robert and Aerius were still working to cover with moss.
"Hoh, not bad, you guys. You remembered my advice well enough. That's good enough for today let's get inside and start the fireplace.
Also, little scholar, you have to teach me a bit about my reading skills and writing skills. Hehe, what's with that face? The night only began. We still got plenty of time before going to sleep."
"Lazy guy, you also did well, for something so simple. Good job, it doesn't feel that your meal was for nothing." chuckled Vlad while patting Robert's back and staring at Aerius, who laid next to the wall of the house. After that, he went to prepare some smaller pieces of wood for the fire.
Robert could only sigh and comply with Vlad. Taking some earth from the ground and a cut piece of wood, he entered inside the newly built wooden house. Aerius also made his way inside, then followed by Vlad, who had many pieces of wood for the fireplace.
Then when lighting the fireplace, the almost dark room suddenly got lit, making Robert and Aerius nod their heads, especially Aerius, who got closer to the fireplace, as if it was a lazy cat who found his perfect spot to sit.
Getting on some hurried built tables and chairs, Robert began teaching Vlad the complete alphabet. In no time, the atmosphere turned peaceful. In the cover of the darkness, like it was a place inside a fairy-tale, by the water stream, a wooden house seemed to be release light from the improvised windows. Vlad and Robert started discussing how the characters work and how to combine those characters in order to build different words.
Robert would take Vlad slowly and teach him how to write all short of words, which got received well by Vlad.
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While talking about being well-received, inside the Common District in a spacious house, a fat man was raging without a break. He seemed to be filled with anger and panic for some reason and began circling his office, yelling to his staff.
"Since when did my guards got killed? Why I only find out today, you incompetent morons. Also, are you saying that someone escaped from my mine, and it was exactly that piece of shit that humiliated me so often? Damn him, how the heck I'm supposed to find him and kill him now, I was preparing to kill him for good in the following week, yet you're telling me now that someone crazy enough to try and kill me is out on the run?
How could he even kill Belpel!? That guy was no joke. His high salary was also justified compared to Gif's and the other two, Vem, Ramoth. To hell with it, how am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that little monster wandering freely on the kingdom lands?"
A servant suggested something to Mayer. "Master, you should calm down and just send some assassins to find that kid, so they get rid of him. Those guys are quite good at finding people in the entire South Blue. Sure, you might spend some money, but if it requires for your safety, I think it is much better."
"Argh, my money. You know that I hate spending my money like that, but fine. You have my approval on this thing. Contact the assassin guild and send a mission for those creepy guys. As long as they manage to kill that kid, they will get 35.000.000 ๐ from me. My life is far more important than some millions I can get in some weeks."
"As you wish master."
The servant complied with Mayer and rushed out, most likely to send a contract to the assassin guild.
It didn't take long for the servant letter to arrive at the assassin guild. Inside a dilapidated building, a middle-aged person that looked about 37-38 years old, with shoulder-length black hair and a goatee, with black eyes and with a tall frame of 1,84 meters.
In front of him was a middle-aged person who looked to be about 31-33 years old, that was about 1,80 meters, and had blonde hair and sharp features. His eyes were indifferent when staring at the one seated behind the desk who began reading the letter and stopped at the sum of money, before not long saying sarcastically.
"Well, well. That fat retard isn't messing around. It seems that he fears the boy quite a lot to sent an assassination order, to pay 35.000.000 ๐ for a 14 years old kid. It's that kid a freak or something for that Mayer to go so far? I'll gladly take the mission. Wincester put the mission on the hall. It's open for taking. Anyone who manages to kill the boy in the picture will get 60% of the sum of money. While the guild will take the rest for facilitating the guys for their activity."
"Sigh, are you sure Oliver? Don't we have other problems on our head, such as the old king that escaped from his cage? Heh, but a small hunt, I'll gladly go look for this boy around Sangletius. If I hit the jackpot, it will be easy money."
"Damn it with your easy money. I've been assigned to this accursed place for 14 years and master still hasn't ordered me to come back to the headquarters. I've missed the promotion for diamond and master grade for such a long time. Tell me Wincester, your grandfather is an elder of the organization, why does it take so long to complete this damned mission. Couldn't we just kill that old man and instead turn this place upside down to find that key the master is looking?"
"Oliver, you know how those annoying old men are. The mission is still going until we get our hands on the key, but a certain someone had to fucking mess up the mission and kill the Crown Prince of this kingdom, just because he thought he got our support from Du Feng or Joker. It would be so damn easy, if instead of killing him, he handed him to us, so we could use him as a bargaining chip to make the old guy give us the so called key."
The late 30s person called Oliver only looked coldly at the one called Wincester. "My patience is running out Wincester, I'll keep waiting 3 more years, if nothing happens in this time, I'll storm my way back to Grand Line and New World and go back to the Central Headquarters."
"Captain have patience, you doing this will only displease the elders and grand master." said the one called Wincester with a cold face.
'Damn them all, I feel they are doing this intentionally, but master said that I should take this mission as a training one. Yet I feel I stagnated for such a long time. I can't never get my revenge on those high pigs on top of the world going at this rate.'
"Sure, you can take your leave.ย Solve first the problem with that pesky old man. The problem of that fat retard is secondary. If we ever want we can simply get this entire kingdom revenue and treasury in a fell swoop, but I'm not here for that."
With that said, the one called Wincester nodded his head and left the office. After walking down for more time, until he felt he got out from Oliver's Observation range, he sneered, saying to himself.
"You'll keep rotting here, until your entire crazy ideas die out. Worse we'll just get you killed dear captain."
