(TLN: Changed Izonwi and Samjonwi to “Two” and “Three”, weird translation but that’s the best I can do. I thought they were different people, Blood Witch is Three so she is 8 Star.)
“Secluded training?”
The Blood Witch’s eyes widened as she repeated my words.
“Do you even know what ‘secluded training’ entails before saying that?”
“Of course…”
My answer was cut off.
The Blood Witch interrupted before I could finish.
“You must have heard stories about it. Sure, it sounds impressive. Devoting yourself entirely to training while severing all ties to the outside world. But, child…”
Her face was filled with concern, as if she were lecturing a reckless kid about to make a terrible mistake.
I should have grown used to her attitude by now, but it still wasn’t easy.
She continued.
“Even eating becos a struggle. Every day, you’d have to survive on nothing but hard rations and jerky. And more importantly…”
“More importantly?”
“More importantly, I wouldn’t be able to see you anymore. Not after I finally have you.”
“…”
A chill ran down my spine.
The Blood Witch’s obsession with was undoubtedly terrifying.
Her expression had turned sorrowful.
Just monts ago, she had been happy, and now she was sad.
I couldn’t even begin to guess how many emotions she was cycling through at once.
Maybe she was just being honest with her feelings.
For soone as powerful as the Blood Witch, it was certainly an unusual trait.
‘How do I calm her down?’
Her expression was resolute.
She had no intention of allowing to go into secluded training.
I had to persuade her.
‘…This is absurd.’
The whole situation was ridiculeous.
The sa woman who had kidnapped and fixated on was now the one I had to convince.
After a brief mont of thought, I spoke.
“So.”
“Hmm?”
“So, you’re saying you beca this strong through secluded training yourself?”
“…”
The Blood Witch fell silent.
But I didn’t miss the way her lips twitched slightly.
I had deliberately phrased my question that way.
A subtle complint was hidden within it.
Not only that—I had implied I wanted to follow in her footsteps.
The key word was ‘you too’.
“Hmm…? Well, that’s true.”
Her voice went up about half a tone.
She tried to keep a straight face, but the corners of her lips quivered.
“Well, I have waited quite so ti for you. If it’s just secluded training, I suppose I can wait a little longer. Since you yourself want to follow my path.” ꭆᴀƝɵ𝐛È𐌔
A sly grin spread across her face.
She was emotionally volatile, but that also made her easy to manipulate.
“I want to start as soon as possible. I need to focus on this fully.”
“Alright. Let’s go. I’ll take you there.”
Without hesitation, she began changing her clothes.
— Click.
She even put on the sa high heels she had worn the first ti we t.
‘…Aren’t those uncomfortable?’
The thought crossed my mind for a mont, but I dismissed it.
This was the Blood Witch.
Soone of her caliber was far beyond being inconvenienced by sothing as trivial as footwear.
The small whip in her hand was a testant to that.
Her only weapon.
I had seen it before.
Though, I had never actually seen how she used it.
“Why? Want to take a hit and find out?”
Flick.
She flicked the whip playfully, almost like a tail.
“I was just wondering why you’re bringing a weapon. I heard your group’s headquarters has never been discovered before.”
“That’s right. You, Ian, are probably the only outsider who’s ever been here. But since you’ve joined, you’re one of us now.”
“…Then isn’t it safe enough already?”
“Heh. You’ll understand soon.”
Creak.
The Blood Witch opened the door and stepped outside.
I followed after her.
Her residence was spacious.
Beyond several annexes and a garden, a well-maintained street stretched ahead.
At the very end of this road stood the main palace, where the Bloodstone Cult’s leader resided.
However, the Blood Witch led in the opposite direction.
“There’s a cave nearby.”
“…A cave?”
“Yes. It’s perfect for secluded training.”
I looked around.
A towering cliff peak was visible above the surrounding buildings.
Tap, Tap.
We walked along to the sharp sound of her heels clicking against the stone.
Eventually, we stopped in front of a bridge.
Beyond it stood a sheer cliff face, and embedded within it was a massive cave.
“That’s where you’ll be training.”
“Do we need permission or anything?”
There were soldiers guarding the bridge.
When I asked, the Blood Witch laughed.
“You’re in the Bloodstone Cult’s domain. Do you really think we have such rules?”
Hmm.
She had a point.
The Blood Witch strode toward the bridge without hesitation.
The soldiers hesitantly stepped forward to block her path.
“Move aside.”
“But, Lady Three, that man is clearly—”
“If you all want to get hit, be my guest. I just can’t promise you’ll survive after.”
“That’s…”
“Shouldn’t you get out of the way while I’m still being polite?”
“…”
The two soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
They may have looked like ordinary guards, but they were cultists nonetheless.
Just as they hesitantly started to clear the way—
“Stop.”
A heavy voice rang out, accompanied by an unrestrained, violent aura.
“Two.”
The Blood Witch turned to the side, frowning.
“Blood Witch.”
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t sully my title with that filthy mouth of yours.”
Ever since I first t the cult leader, I had noticed it—
The animosity between the Blood Witch and Two was unmistakable.
Two growled.
“Did you get the leader’s approval to cross this bridge?”
“And did you get permission to guard this place?”
Neither of them was holding back.
Their words were all-out attacks.
“This area is restricted to the senior mbers of the cult.”
“This child is also the cult leader’s guest.”
“You were the one who didn’t want to let him slip away from you.”
“So? I am part of the Bloodstone Cult, and everything that belongs to the cult belongs to the cult leader as well.”
“Absurd. That’s not how you usually think.”
“You sure like to run your mouth today, Izon. Why don’t you just draw that clunky sword of yours? Listening to you is making my ears bleed.”
It seed like the Blood Witch had the upper hand in this verbal battle.
Two’s brow furrowed.
“You’ve certainly grown arrogant for soone who only ranked tenth.”
Shing.
He drew the sword strapped to his back.
‘…Is that even a sword?’
It looked more like a thick pillar than a blade.
It was oddly similar to my Lunar staff.
Well, if he insisted on calling it a sword, who was I to argue?
But its size wasn’t the only issue.
The surface of the blade was covered in bulging, red veins.
‘…A demon sword.’
I took a step back, getting ready to enjoy the spectacle.
A duel between Two and Three, two of the Bloodstone Cult’s top warriors.
This wasn’t sothing I wanted to miss.
“After today, I’ll be the new Two.”
“Ridiculous. Co at .”
Crack!
The mont the Blood Witch’s whip struck the ground with a fierce energy—
A breeze swept past us.
A voice rode the wind.
— Two.
It was the cult leader’s voice.
I glanced around.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Two responded, speaking into the air.
“Yes, my lord.”
— Let them pass.
“Understood.”
— It is comndable that he wishes to enter secluded training. Take care of him.
“…Yes, my lord.”
That was all.
Two stepped aside, standing at the edge of the bridge.
“You.”
He spoke as he glared at .
“Be careful not to fall out of the cult leader’s favor.”
His words carried an unmistakable killing intent.
All I could do was nod.
Beneath the bridge stretched a deadly precipice.
Which ant one thing—
This Bloodstone Cult stronghold was built at an incredible height.
The swaying bridge.
Crossing it, we finally arrived in front of a massive cave.
◆
“…Nothing.”
The search party, made up of Dessert Research Club mbers, had been combing the area for hours.
They had followed Ian’s trail to this point—
And then it simply vanished.
“His scent suddenly disappears here, ow. It’s gone, ow. Ian’s scent…”
Danya sniffled, on the verge of tears.
A trail that had been abruptly cut off.
No matter how much they searched, there wasn’t even the smallest trace.
All around them, only a normal forest stretched out.
Elena muttered absentmindedly.
It was a ridiculous idea.
But no one could deny it outright.
“Honestly, that would be easier to believe than him sinking into the ground.”
Lina murmured.
◆
Though my focus was on acquiring skill books, there was sothing else I had to consider.
‘I need to plan my escape as well.’
The chances of rescue from the outside were slim.
Especially considering how well-hidden the Bloodstone Cult’s headquarters was.
The sheer cliffs surrounding this place were proof of that.
They had built their stronghold high above the ground.
‘They put in quite the effort.’
If they had surrounded the area with a barrier, it made sense why no one could find it.
In the end, I had two options.
Either I escaped on my own—
Or…
Destroy the cult and Its leader.
With that thought in mind, I crossed the suspended bridge and arrived at the cave.
“Let’s go in. The inside is pretty complex.”
I followed the Blood Witch past the entrance.
And at that mont—
“…!”
A shiver ran down my spine.
The hairs on my body stood on end.
An instinctive reaction.
It felt as if I had experienced this before.
A déjà vu.
This sensation—
It was strangely familiar.
My mind started racing.
A cave.
Richard.
Yes, Richard’s dantian had a similar structure.
Back then, I had t my Master inside that space.
Why was I suddenly rembering that mont?
My Master.
At the ti, she was missing—
A disappearance so complete that no one could find her.
And for good reason.
She had been residing inside Richard’s dantian.
‘…No way.’
A realization hit .
Could this be the reason no one had ever been able to find the Bloodstone Cult’s headquarters?
My Master had been inside Richard’s dantian.
Then perhaps… this place…
“What’s wrong?”
The Blood Witch glanced at , puzzled.
“Nothing.”
I shook my head.
It wasn’t sothing I needed to voice aloud.
But—
‘Maybe there’s a way.’
A possibility had surfaced in my mind.
The location of this place—
A plausible explanation for why it had remained hidden for so long.
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