BXBX NOVEL Chapter 108
Chapter 108
“Phew!”
Blata swam through the pile of blood mana stones.
Below him, Kane was carving the blood mana stone. The red crystal shone brilliantly, radiating an intense aura of blood energy.
[80% of the crafting is complete.]
[The blood energy has thickened.]
“Kane, how much longer?”
“Almost done.”
Kane focused on carving the blood mana stone. The difficulty was on a completely different level compared to crafting regular non elemental mana stones, so much so that sweat naturally dripped down his forehead.
He even thought fighting might be easier than this.
“I’ve already absorbed all the blood energy~”
Blata swirled around Kane, trying to distract him. But Kane wasn’t someone with ordinary focus. Despite Blata's interference, he continued carving the blood mana stone.
[Crafting is complete.]
In Kane’s hand was a small jewel, shimmering beautifully, its power mesmerizing to the eye.
[Jewel of Karashi (Blood)]
Category: Accessory
Rating: ★★★★☆
Description: A jewel painstakingly crafted by Kane in the Cave of Species.
Options: All elemental resistances +280%, critical hit rate +330%
*In case of emergency - Blood Veil (S+)
“It was worth focusing on the carving.”
The options on the blood mana stone-crafted jewel were remarkable. Compared to regular mana stones, it was four times more effective, and about twice as efficient as other elemental mana stones. Blood was truly an exquisite element.
“How many have you made in the last three days?”
“Around five?”
“That’s not many.”
“The difficulty of crafting is on a different level than normal mana stones.”
“So that’s why your control over the blood energy has become more refined?”
“Is that so?”
Kane hadn’t noticed at all, as he had been entirely focused on crafting the jewel. Blata’s words made him aware of the internal mana.
“An unexpected result?”
“Right? It feels like the core is much more filled with blood energy than I expected.”
As Blata pointed out, it wasn’t just more refined; the blood energy had become denser, like a finer net, preventing mana from leaking out unnecessarily. The holes had shrunk, which was why the blood energy seemed thicker. Blata looked at Kane with a sense of wonder.
Although his eyes were always cute, at that moment, they were deep with thought.
‘Even though he’s inherited the blood mana of the Blood Knight, can he really achieve this? Blood energy is the power of the Lord of Hell. Even a Blood Knight can’t usually wield more than 80% of it.’
Only the most exceptional could wield 80% of the power.
Yet here was Kane, already emanating more than 80% of that energy. This wasn't something achievable just by refining blood mana stones. It was a level of blood energy density that only someone who inherited the blood of the Lord of Hell could mimic, not a mere Blood Knight.
‘I really can't figure him out,’ Blata thought, his gaze fixed on Kane, who noticed and spoke up.
“Is there something on my face?”
“No, you’re just... different.”
“You’re the strange one.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not!” Blata squealed.
Just then, a message chimed, signaling the arrival of a quest.
Main Quest - [Stop the 2nd Mutant Monster Wave!]
Rank: S-
Description: The mutant monster is being forcibly displaced from its nest by someone. Filled with fear, the mutant monsters are losing their sanity and are about to break out of their hidden territory and the demon forest. Stop it.
Success Reward: Increased Favorability in Rehinar, Increased Favorability with Charlotte von Fresia
Failure Penalty: Hell Difficulty, Fall of the Rehinar Family
If they couldn’t stop the rampage of the 2nd wave, it would be game over.
‘So the quest is finally hinting that someone is deliberately provoking the mutant monsters,’ Kane thought.
This was similar to what happened during the time he was Ray Hatzfeld. At first, he dismissed the mutant monster's rampage as a plot by Hatzfeld. But as the rampage quests kept coming, the descriptions started pointing more and more towards a third party.
Later, he realized that the "third party" referred to the Sun Clan: The Meyer Family, but by then, it was too late to avoid the consequences. This time, however, things were different. He had already died once, and unlike when he was Ray, there would be no mistakes now.
“It’s time to bring the Meyer Family into the open.”
The entire continent needed to know about the dangerous force that was the Meyer Family. They would try to push Hatzfeld into a corner to hide their true identity. When that happened, Kane would take care of Hatzfeld.
“Revenge is within reach,” Kane muttered, a dark smile forming on his lips.
* * *
The Round Table of the Grand Temple.
The priests, each wearing animal masks, had gathered for the first time in a long while.
“Let’s begin the meeting.”
Today, there were five instead of six. The priest who wore the bird mask was absent.
“Is there still no sign of the Blood Star?”
“I’ve combed through the Empire’s reports, but found nothing,” said the fox mask, who was leading the meeting.
The priest wearing the dragon mask spoke with irritation in his voice.
“Then where has it disappeared to?”
“Did you search thoroughly?”
“Are you doubting me?”
“I’m doubting everyone.”
The fox mask glared at the four others in turn.
“There’s nothing on our side. Unless it’s something toxic.”
“Same here.”
“I’m doing my job properly, so stop with the accusations.”
With everyone denying any involvement, the fox mask tilted his head in confusion.
“Then where could the Blood Knight and the elixir Blood Star possibly be?”
“If it’s not in the Empire’s treasury, then it might not have appeared in the world yet.”
“That’s a fair point.”
“There have been many times when the Blood Star didn’t appear, even when other elemental stars did.”
“Could it be that the fate of the Blood Knight was never to be born in this era?”
In response to these voices, the fox mask replied firmly.
“The prophecy clearly stated that Kane Rehinar has the fate of a Blood Knight. It’s nonsense to say the Blood Star doesn’t exist when that guy is still alive!”
The others fell silent, their lighthearted banter replaced by the gravity of the situation. The Blood Star was a matter of great importance to them.
“Kane Rehinar was the first to access the Empire’s treasury. Could he have taken it then?”
“Are you serious?”
The fox mask turned to the scorpion mask, who flinched under the scrutiny.
“…I misspoke. My apologies.”
“Don’t be too harsh. It’s not like he spoke without reason.”
“Kane did enter the Empire’s Treasury before our Envoy, after all.”
Everyone sided with the scorpion mask. With the Blood Star having vanished without a trace, Kane Rehinar was the only one left to suspect.
“Think carefully. For a mere human, a species considered less than insects, to consume the Blood Star… That arrogant ‘First Lord’ must be right beside him. Can you even imagine that monster, who cannot be controlled by anyone other than the Lord of Hell ‘Morning Star’, being near a human?”
“It’s just frustrating.”
“We won’t be able to face the Patriarch if we can’t find the Blood Star…”
“Damn it! Everything seems to be going wrong.”
Nothing related to Rehinar was going smoothly.
The death of the Seventh Seat.
The expulsion of the Sun Clan’s spies.
The disappearance of the Blood Star.
The stubborn survival of the Guardian Lord and the Emperor of the Fresia Empire.
Not a single thing had gone according to plan.
“It feels like everything falls apart when it involves Kane Rehinar.”
“I think so too.”
“There’s something suspicious about that guy.”
They found themselves focusing on Kane, desperately needing someone to blame.
They felt a sense of relief, as if their mistakes were somewhat alleviated.
“Let’s keep searching for the Blood Star and proceed with this plan carefully.”
“We’ll provoke the demon forest in two days, right?”
“Don’t mess this up. The Patriarch is already displeased due to the destruction of the oblivion candidate’s site.”
They all nodded in agreement.
The Oblivion candidate sites were villages where the Oblivion knights’ candidates were located. They were extracting the Elixir of Oblivion from these places. Not only had the existence of one of these villages been exposed, but the oblivion knight candidate had also vanished, which understandably infuriated the Sun Clan’s Patriarch.
After all, it was the Patriarch’s job to use these candidates to plunge the continent into chaos.
“Damn, if only Ray Hatzfeld had acted according to our plans, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Don’t even mention that name.”
“That’s why the heavy-handed First Seat of judgment had to take matters into his own hands.”
[Translator Note: They are called either executioners or Seats. Their official title is “Seats of Judgement’. I think the one teaching Dirk is the First Seat/Executioner, it did say in chapter 78 where they were first introduced, that bird mask was the strongest. It’s all my speculation tho, maybe the one teaching Dirk is just one of this guy’s pawns. Who knows.]
“I wonder how much he wants to kill him.”
“If it weren’t for his destiny, he would have been dead by now.”
“It’s exhausting pretending to be patient. If I were him, I’d have killed him under the guise of a mistake, without a second thought.”
All eyes turned to the fox mask.
The fox mask belonged to the ‘Fifth Executioner’, the Fifth Seat of Death. Despite the number indicating five, he was the one who had held his position the longest among them.
---
Back in Rehinar, the first thing Kane did was meet with Gillip.
Bang!
The door to the temporary headquarters of the Black Crow exchange was slammed open.
At Kane’s sudden entrance…
“B-B-Brother!”
Panic spread throughout the Black Crow’s headquarters.
Gillip, who had been counting money in his room, hurried downstairs, startled. He quickly bowed to Kane at a 90-degree angle.
“You’ve arrived, sir! Hehe.”
His hands rubbed together like a fly’s, making him look incredibly servile. However, no one in the Black Crow Exchange thought Gillip was pathetic. The man standing before Gillip was a demon in human disguise.
Thud.
Kane placed five red gemstones on the table.
“I’m giving you these. But in return, I need the entire Black Crow to move.”
“To mobilize everyone would require quite a hefty price, even for a request from the Young Master.”
“Your perspective might change once you see these gemstones.”
“I know the gemstones you create are valuable, but still—”
“These are qualitatively different from any you’ve seen before. I’ll start counting, and with each number, one gemstone will disappear. One.”
“W-Wait a minute!”
Kane counted again.
“Two.”
“Y-You're too fast, sir! Maybe you could start counting again once I've had a chance to inspect the gems?”
As Kane prepared to speak again, Gillip hastily examined the red gemstones. The moment his eyes landed on them, he was stunned.
'W-What is this?'
It felt as though he had been struck by a harpoon. But it wasn't fear or terror that gripped him. Instead, it was an overwhelming sense of exhilaration—almost ecstasy.
‘This... this is unlike any gemstone I've ever seen! Even the most expensive jewels from Tian.Co can't compare to this!’
The red gemstones had immediately captivated Gillip. Just then, Kane's voice cut through his thoughts.
“Three.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
Gillip threw up his hands and rushed to cover Kane's mouth.
“I'll mobilize the entire Black Crow Exchange for you!”
“Think it over carefully. There's no need to rush such a decision,” Kane said, as if advising caution.
But Gillip knew this was the devil's whisper. Kane was simply trying to give away fewer gemstones. There was no way he would let that happen.
“I've made a grave mistake. Please forgive my ignorance of your intentions, Young Duke.”
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Can’t you give me all these gems?” Gillip clung to Kane's legs, abandoning any semblance of dignity as the leader of the Black Crow Exchange. He was desperate to get his hands on all five red gemstones.
“I really want these gems.”
It wasn't about selling the gemstones. Kane was offering them in exchange for a favor, meaning there would be no 30% commission. He could keep 100% of the proceeds from selling these five gemstones. With all five, he could easily cover the Black Crow’s operating expenses for the next five years.
“Hmm.”
“Please! Young Master, Oh Great Duke!”
Moved by Gillip’s desperate plea, Kane finally relented.
“I suppose I'm getting the short end of the stick here, but since you want them so badly, take them all. But make sure the job is done right.”
“Thank you, Young Master. People may call you a mad dog, but I never once thought of you as a crazy son of a b—”
“Are you mocking me?”
“Me? Never, sir! I would never think of you as a crazy son of a—”
“Want me to put a hole in that mouth of yours?”
Gillip quickly changed the subject.
“Ahem! So, what is it you need us to do?”
His expression became serious. He was certain that whatever Kane was asking for was extremely dangerous. After all, giving away five red gemstones without any conditions could only mean that the task at hand might threaten the very existence of the Black Crow.
“Spread the rumor that I possess the Blood Star.”