"Is there something wrong with this blood?" Lucas asked curiously as he took it. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Huh? This is the same as the blood I bought?"
A look of surprise and joy crossed his face. If he could find a steady source like this, he wouldn't have to risk going to the Dungeon to buy more.
"Could this be that Allen's blood?" Lucas asked in shock.
Simon nodded. "Didn't you notice how familiar this blood's power feels?"
"So, is he one of you Elves?" Lucas asked, intrigued. The blood was full of life energy, so Elves was the first thing that came to his mind.
"No, he's human. But legends say one other person mastered powerful life magic," Simon said, his expression turning serious as he seemed lost in memory.
"Heavenly King?" Lucas gasped, then immediately shook his head. "No way. Heavenly King fell over ten years ago. How could it be some kid like that?"
"If he's a descendant of Heavenly King?" Simon asked calmly.
"...Hmph." Lucas looked at the two vials of blood in his hands but still refused to believe it. "Simon, just because this blood has life energy doesn't mean he's Heavenly King's heir. That's too rash. Besides, doesn't your Elves blood also contain life energy?"
"My blood helps the young miss?" Simon countered.
"That still doesn't prove the kid's identity. And he is The Heaven-Cursed," Lucas still refused to believe it.
The Heaven-Cursed have short lives. Their class awakenings seem random, but they are actually inherited through bloodlines. You have to remember: Heavenly King lived for over five hundred years. If he hadn't been betrayed by a conspiracy, how could he have fallen?
Seeing Lucas's doubt, Simon pointed to the two vials of blood on the table. "Legends say The Heaven-Cursed die young. But what if he possesses such a powerful bloodline?"
"...Hmph." Lucas couldn't find a reason to argue for a moment.
Everyone knows The Heaven-Cursed burn their lifespan, but if his bloodline holds powerful life energy, could it cancel out the curse's toll?
Simon continued, "Heavenly King fell eighteen years ago. At the time, his wife was severely injured. The Church of Light saw the chance and, along with several major powers on the continent, finally killed him. You have to know his wife was a King Tier expert too. How would she get injured without a reason? It was very likely due to giving birth, which caused her power to drain."
It all made perfect sense.
But Lucas still had his doubts. "Simon, are you sure? Can we really identify that kid based on this blood?"
"I'm sure!" Simon nodded. "Heavenly King once used his bloodline to save the Life Tree. The power in the blood is identical. When you first brought back this type of blood six months ago, I felt a familiarity, but I just couldn't place it."
"No way! We can't let his identity be exposed. I have to take him away."
Worried about Allen's safety, Simon stood up to leave.
"Wait," Lucas called out, annoyed. "Where are you taking him? Back to the Elves? You are currently wanted by the Elves. Going back now would be walking right into a trap."
Simon got angry. "What do you want me to do? Go back to Vampire? I'd probably die even faster. Heavenly King and his wife did huge favors for both Elves and Vampires. We absolutely cannot let their descendants be in danger."
"I never said I wouldn't help," Lucas snapped. "The Church of Light only knows he is The Heaven-Cursed. They don't know his real identity. Blackspire is under my command. Staying here is the safest place."
Simon calmed down. The world was huge, yet they had nowhere to hide. Indeed, Blackspire was the safest option.
Then he thought of something. "The Dungeon is clearly eyeing Allen. That Butcher works for Kyle. If Kyle found out about this, what will we do?"
"Hmph, just a hypocrite, nothing more. Don't worry, I'll handle this," Lucas said, his face cold. He wasn't some soft-hearted saint. After hiding for so long, it was time to show his true strength.
"What about the Church of Light?" Simon frowned, asking.
He didn't think Kyle was a threat, but the Church of Light was different. They were the largest power on the Eldran Continent, spreading across every major town. Their status even rose above City Lords and kings, making them the true rulers of the continent in secret.
"The Church of Light can't be touched yet. Just tell Allen to avoid them," Lucas warned.
"Alright. After the new player assessment, I'd like to bring that guy over to the City Lord's Mansion," Simon suggested.
Lucas shrugged. "No problem. But don't tell him about his heritage yet. We don't want to pressure him too much."
Simon nodded. "Don't worry, I have it under control."
"Sigh, Lilia's slap was in vain," Lucas sighed, still a bit upset.
"Who knows if that kid inherited Heavenly King's skills, but his personality is exactly the same," Simon muttered, thinking about nearly getting beaten up. He hadn't meant any harm, yet Allen had hammered him relentlessly, all while Simon had to protect him.
Lucas chuckled. "Simon, I rarely see you get bullied like that."
"Enough. Give me this blood now. I'll make Bloodline Pills for the miss tomorrow morning," Simon said, glaring at him before getting to work.
...
Slum District.
Allen returned to his dwelling, checked the area to ensure everything was safe, and took out the secret manual: Secrets of the Heaven-Cursed.
He flipped through it curiously. The very first line caught his eye.
"Rumors say The Heaven-Cursed are punished by heaven, but I believe they are the ones punishing heaven instead..."
"Punishing heaven? That's huge!" Allen was shocked, but his blood boiled with excitement.
He calmed himself down and kept reading.
"The Heaven-Cursed can learn any class skill or cultivation method. There are no limits on skills, but they can only master up to nine cultivation methods."
Nine cultivation methods?
Allen was surprised. He knew The Heaven-Cursed could learn any class skill, but he didn't know the limit on cultivation methods.
Ordinary people could only learn one. If they wanted to learn a new one, they had to forget the old one.
"Right, I already mastered Art of Immortality and Martial Sect Cultivation Method at the same time. But Martial Sect Cultivation Method is only a High-Tier Mortal Grade, so it's still too weak," Allen thought, continuing to read.
This manual recorded The Heaven-Cursed details very thoroughly.
For example, it stated that The Heaven-Cursed could blend elemental skills into physical attacks.
It also said the most powerful attack for The Heaven-Cursed was lightning magic...
The four best cultivation methods for The Heaven-Cursed were: Diamond Body, Celestial Star Mantra, Aurelian Heart Art, and Windwalk.
"These are the top four cultivation methods on the continent. I doubt they suit only The Heaven-Cursed," Allen thought with a sigh. He quickly flipped to the last page of the manual.
It was filled with many secrets about The Heaven-Cursed, but not a single word about how to cultivate them.
"This manual is a bit useless. What good is knowing facts about The Heaven-Cursed to me? Why can't you give me some real ways to grow stronger?" Allen thought, recalling that mysterious man.
That man probably had no bad intentions after all; otherwise, he wouldn't have given him the manual.
"Maybe he has other motives," Allen murmured to himself. He believed the mysterious man would find him again, and then he would get all the answers.
By now, the sky was just getting light. Allen hadn't slept at all last night.
He stretched his body, feeling energetic and ready. After a quick tidy-up, he headed for the academy.
The streets were already busy with people as the morning light faded in.
Everyone was talking about yesterday's class awakening.
Big events were rare in Blackspire. With two SSS-rank Battle Class awakenings happening in one day, it had become the hottest topic of conversation.
However, when it came to Allen, people mostly felt regretful.
Everyone knew The Heaven-Cursed had short lives. This class line had been cut off for centuries, so its sudden return caused quite a stir.
Allen didn't care. He walked down the street openly, and no one knew he was the short-lived The Heaven-Cursed.
Upon arriving at the academy, he went straight to Old Dean Flynn's office.
Lilia was already there. Today she wore black combat gear, her red hair tied high in a ponytail. She carried a spear taller than herself, making her look even more fragile, yet strangely beautiful.
Thinking about what happened yesterday afternoon, Lilia felt both shy and angry. She shot a fierce glare at Allen.
"Alright, Allen is here too. Follow me," Flynn said without waiting for Allen to speak. He stood up and walked toward the training ground.
A teleportation array had appeared there at some point, leading to the academy's Newbie Secret Realm.
Flynn warned, "You two are the hope of this academy. You must seize this opportunity. Strive to reach Stage 1, Level 10 by the end of the new student assessment, and break through to Stage 2 during the academy tournament."
Lilia gave a cold, expressionless stare and said nothing.
Allen quickly spoke up, "Rest assured, Headmaster, I won't let you down."
"Hmph, good. I believe you," Flynn said with a kind smile, nodding in approval.
So hypocritical!
Lilia cursed silently in her heart, feeling even more annoyed with Allen now.