Chapter 108

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]

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.

[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.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]