The old man who was oblivious to Corey's thoughts had an expression of satisfaction as he looked at Corey's dazed and stunned expression.
Just as he was reveling in his satisfaction, Corey spoke.
"Uhm… Sorry but I think it would be weird calling you The Wandering Paragon.
I feel it would be disrespectful for a man of your stature to be called directly like that by someone as insignificant as me.
I feel calling you old man would be the best or I can call you something else, something more respectful.
You've gone through my memories so you should know that calling a man old man is not been disrespectful, it's a sign of respect."
Corey who had just finished speaking looked at the old man who now had a thoughtful expression on his face.
'No matter what, I'll never call you The Wandering Paragon.
What kind of cringe title is that? How do people even call you that?'
Corey thought while keeping a straight and serious expression, not allowing any of his thoughts to show on his face.
Even if he had to bootlick the crazy old man, he would do it!
He definitely did not want to call him by that cringe title.
Meanwhile the old man who was in deep thoughts finally spoke.
"When I think about it, it's true that you're extremely insignificant and not worthy to even call me by my title, so I will allow you to call me old man."
The old man said and Corey smiled internally, but his smile became slightly stiff when he heard the old man's next words.
"But, it's only when we're alone you can call me old man. In public, you call me Sir Wandering Paragon."
'Well it's not like we'll see each other again after I leave this place.'
Corey thought but still nodded his head, showing that he understood the words of the old man.
The old man smiled then stroked his long beard a few times with a serious expression before he spoke.
"Like I said before, when I went through your memories I saw a few disturbing things. The most important been the golden drop of blood that the merchant told you about."
The old man paused and a complex emotion flashed through his eyes, his hands clenched around the armrest of his rocking wooden chair.
"What's so important about the golden drop of blood. Is it an important treasure or what?"
Corey asked and a smirk of slight ridicule appeared on the old man's face.
"Yes, it's a treasure but only the ignorant, greedy and desperate ones would see it as a treasure. The wise and knowledgeable ones would definitely not see it as a treasure."
The old man paused, then looked to the side, a reminiscent expression appeared on his face.
"I can't tell you much since you would not understand and there would be consequences if I do, but there are two things I can tell you."
"First, never, ever, absorb the golden drop of blood if you see it. If you do, you will regret it.
Second, if the Universal System ever tells you it wants to give you a reward and the reward would change your brand color from orange or whatever color to golden, never accept the reward. No matter how powerful, how useful, how tempting the reward is."
The old man spoke with intense seriousness in his tone. Corey who thought that the old man could never be serious was stunned and curious on the reason behind the old man's seriousness.
"What is that golden drop of blood that you keep on telling me to be wary of. Is it that dangerous or important?" Corey asked.
"The golden drop of blood is not dangerous and it's also dangerous. To some people, the consequences after absorbing or using the golden drop of blood doesn't matter while to some, it matters.
As for what the golden drop of blood is, it's most likely the blood essence of the ancestor and Progenitor of a race called The Supreme Race, they call him The All-Father."
Corey's eyes widened the moment he heard the name, 'All-Father', he remembered the first time the system appeared where it said, 'Glory To The All-Father' and also after it gave him his gift and it said, 'Universal System Welcomes The All-Father'.
It was a name Corey had been curious about ever since the apocalypse started but knowing there was no way for him to get answers, he didn't bother searching for the answers.
He also didn't bother asking the merchant about it since he guessed or should he say, knew, that if the merchant had information concerning the All-Father, he would definitely not be able to afford it.
"So…. Is the All-Father a bad person? What of the Supreme Race? Are they also evil?" Corey questioned and the old man smiled.
"I can't answer that question for your own good unless you want to die after knowing the answers?" The old man asked with a small smile.
"Nope. Don't worry. Keep the answers to yourself, I still love my life thank you very much." Corey replied and took a sip of his tea but after taking it, he frowned.
The tea was cold. He looked at it for a few seconds before he shrugged and drank everything in one gulp.
'Can't waste good tea.' Corey thought
The old man raised an eyebrow seeing Corey's actions but didn't bother commenting on it.
He stroked his beard and looked sideways, a thoughtful and conflicting expression appeared on his face before he sighed softly after a few seconds passed.
"Brat." He called out Corey without looking at him.
"Hmm?" Corey replied.
"Although I can't tell you the answers to your questions and more because I'm not strong enough to protect you, there is someone who can…" The old man paused for a second before he asked with a solemn expression
"Do you want power?
Do you want power that most could only dream of obtaining?'
Do you want power that defies a lot of things?"
The man asked and Corey heart skipped a beat.
Does he want power?
Wasn't that what he had been looking for ever since he realized there was a tier 2 creature at the academy gates?
Wasn't that the main reason he entered such a dangerous dungeon despite his low level?
Wasn't that what he needed so that his younger sister would not be stronger than him forever?
"What type of power is it? Is it dangerous?" Although he wanted and needed power, he wasn't blinded by his desire and need for power.
The old man never told him what exactly the power he wanted to give him was.
If the power would harm him or worse, his family and 'eventual friends', there was no point in attaining this power. He'd rather gain this power himself.
Meanwhile, the old man seeing Corey's cautious nature had a small smile on his face.
"The power is not dangerous in a sense.
As long as you're strong enough, you should be able to handle the consequences of the power I want to give you." The old man said and Corey had furrowed brows.
"What are the consequences?" He asked.
"Well, the power I want to give you would make you have some enemies with the Supreme race been your number one enemy.
Also, the power can sometimes put you in difficult situations, but as long as you're strong enough, you should be able to find a way out."
The man said and Corey's frown deepened, he rested his back and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face for some seconds before he stopped and looked at the old man with a suspicious gaze.
"Tell me why I must accept this power you want to give me and also why are you giving it to me?" Corey asked.
"If you don't want the power, just say so, I'm not forcing you to accept the power." The old man shrugged.
"As for why I'm giving it to you?
It's because of your potential. Your talent is so high that if you make the right decisions and don't die, you would become someone great in life."
"So are you going to take this power?" The old man asked and Corey shrugged.
"Sure why not, as long as it wouldn't harm my family." Corey said.
"Great." The smile on the old man's face widened.
He spread out his right palm and two objects appeared from thin air and hovered over his palm.
Corey looked at the two objects with curiosity.
The first object his eyes were drawn to was a vial which contained a dark reddish grey drop of blood. The blood pulsed a few times like a heartbeat.
The moment Corey's eyes landed on the dark reddish gray drop of blood, he could not peel his eyes away from it.
His body, his soul, his entire being wanted that blood, it wanted to absorb it, to drink it, it was screaming out to him.
If not because Corey knew how powerful the old man was, Corey would have tried to snatch the drop of blood from the old man immediately.
"What's that drop of blood?" Corey asked as he licked his dry lips, reigning in the desire he had towards the drop of blood.
The old man did not reply Corey as he also looked at the drop of blood with a hint of desire and regret.
A few seconds passed before he reigned in his emotions and sighed.
"This is the blood essence of my ancestor, The Progenitor of my race, The Paragon Race. People that know him call him, The Defying Paragon."
The old man said solemnly, a hint of pride, respect, worship, desire and so many other emotions appeared in his expression and tone.
Meanwhile Corey looked at the drop of blood with a confused, curious and thoughtful expression.
'Paragons?'
'Supremes?'
Corey became lost in thought as he looked at the dark reddish grey blood.
A few seconds later, he spoke.
"What are Paragons?"
The old man who was observing Corey stroked his beard a few times hearing the question.
"Once again, I can't tell you everything but I can satisfy your curiosity and explain a few things between Paragons and Supremes.
We Paragons and Supremes are enemies, eternal enemies to be exact.
From what I know, we're both the top two races of the entire multiverse.
Not even the dragons, phoenixes, demons and devils can compare to us.
The reason why we are the top two races is because of our ancestors, The All-Father and my ancestor, The Defying Paragon.
It is said that only those two have reached the peak of power and only those two can fight against each other.
Funny enough, the abilities of us two races are polar opposites.
The Supremes are masters of the elements while we Paragons are, how should I put it, we are opposers of the elements.
Don't think our only ability is been opposers of the elements, we are capable of much more. Just been opposers of the elements is not enough to defeat a Supreme.
This is all I can tell you, if I tell you more, you would most likely die."
The old man said and Corey sat there with a slightly dazed expression. He rubbed the middle of his brows for a few seconds before he spoke up once more.
"I don't understand everything you said but I understand the gist of it."
He paused then looked at the second object which was a metallic box with red symbols on it.
He didn't know what this symbol was but he felt it should be special.
"What of that? What's in it?" He asked.
The old man looked at the box with a little bit of fear in his expression.
"This is something that if possible I won't give you at all, I would much rather use it myself but with my present condition, if I do that, I would just be courting death."
The old man said then stroked the box with a melancholic gaze for a few seconds, then he spoke.
"This box contains something which is exceedingly dangerous. A poison infinity crystal."
----
[A/N: People, People, people what's going on here.
Why is is that the number of power stones I received yesterday was just 21, 21!!!
Click that vote button and vote using power stones and golden tickets
NOW!!!!
We only need 60 more power stones and 8 more golden tickets for a bonus chapter.
So VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!
Gifts are also appreciated by the way, even if it's a cola.
Love Y'all.
Kisses, MUAH!!!