Ashahell again!
As Daneel heard this name again, he felt as if this man was like a wraith that was everywhere.
He had already caused great trouble for Daneel once by giving that mosquito to Axelor. Now, he had given some sort of technique to this sect leader?
Daneel didn't understand at all. It was one thing if he was an evil character who wanted to end Angaria for his own selfish reasons.
However, according to the Watcher, he was the head of the High Council of the Big 4. As someone sitting in such a position, how was it possible for him to do all these things and still not be found out?
Daneel had many questions like these in his head, but first, he had to save this sect leader.
Blood was oozing out of all of his pores constantly, almost as if he was leaking like a balloon. If Daneel didn't do something, he would be dead soon, and there would be no chance to find out more about this foe.
So, unlocking the prison using the system, Daneel entered and laid a hand on the sect leader.
Due to the blood, the sect leader was sticky and wet, but Daneel ignored the gross feeling and concentrated on the system's response.
[Target is undergoing a violent reaction due to sudden catalysis of absorbed Energy. Target has absorbed a high amount of human blood, which has also made him unstable. Similarities found in target's technique with host's Blood Absorption technique.]
"All that is fine, but how do I save him?"
[All excess blood must be drained, and fresh, Energy-rich blood must be transfused, preferably from someone of similar level. Chances of survival increase if level is similar.
Probability of survival if blood of Warrior level individual is transfused: 60%.
Probability of survival if blood of Human level individual is transfused: 20%]
What? He had to give this man his own blood to keep him alive?
Daneel hesitated only for a moment, before commanding Kellor and the soldiers watching to leave.
Soon, he was going to infiltrate the Big 4 to foil Ashahell's plan. It was best to know more about him before he did so.
So, after he found himself alone, Daneel cut his arm using a wind blade and ordered the system to carry out the blood transfusion.
The man had already been leaking blood for quite some time before Daneel arrived, so he didn't have to wait long until the process started.
Sitting and seeing his blood going into the body of the man who had almost killed him, Daneel smiled wistfully before asking the system to show his status again.
This time, he noticed the anomalies.
Condensation level and amplification? What were those?
And…how the hell was he already halfway to the second level of a Warrior already?
The answer was a pleasant surprise to Daneel, and it made him feel very glad that he had taken that gamble before.
[Condensation Level: This denotes the degree to which Energy has condensed in host's body and mageroot. After host's breakthrough, system compared host's Energy to other Warriors. In this process, it was found out that the degree varies, and this degree also allows for an amplification in training speed. Further data is needed to find the reasons behind different condensation levels. There is a probability that the condensation level might be tied to the degree of 'need'. Training method also plays a key role.]
So, fighting on the line between life and death had paid off, after all.
Daneel didn't care much for the rest of the details, except noting the fact that higher condensation level meant faster training.
But, he did get a query.
"What is the highest condensation level and amplification that has been detected?", he asked, as the system had said that it had compared his to others'/
[It must be noted that only Warriors were scanned.
Highest Condensation Level: Exceptional(2 levels above ideal)
Amplification: .5x
Target: The individual known as 'Sister Xuan'
The training method of this target has brought about this level of condensation and amplification.]
Hearing this, Daneel's jaw dropped.
The top disciples from the Big 4 were able to train twice as fast as regular Warriors?
Now, Daneel understood part of the reason why the Big 4 maintained their position.
Not only did their disciples have top-notch techniques and resources, but they could also train faster!
He had to get these techniques, one way or another.
As Daneel resolved this in his mind, he heard the sect leader groan.
As the man slowly fluttered his eyes and opened them, he saw a very strange sight.
The one whom he had to sworn to kill, the one who was the reason why the Withering Leaf Sect members had been killed and drained of their blood, was sitting beside him and giving him his blood.
This situation seemed so odd and ironic that the sect leader could only laugh.
During their fight, he had come face to face with the fact that he was the one who had killed all of his fellow sect members. So, in a way, the other persona was no longer present, as its existence had been due to the fact that he hadn't been able to accept that fact.
Now that he did, pain and guilt racked him, but more than anything, there was disappointment and regret that he had failed.
Seeing him looking at him, his arch enemy turned around and…waved.
This made the sect leader want to rip his skin open, so that he wouldn't have to accept this blood.
However, suddenly, he found that he couldn't move his body, which made him snarl with frustration.
The fire for revenge was still there, but right now, he was infuriated at that man from the Big 4 who had given him that technique.
"Ya, ya, I know you don't want to be saved by me. Let's cut to the chase, as I have no time to waste. You are imprisoned here. Without my command, you cannot die, and you cannot leave. Just ask the Knight from the Church who's next door to you. The guy has happily settled in for the long haul! Of course, he's confident that the Church will come to get him. You, though, have no such luxury. So, I'll make it easy for you. Either swear an oath to listen to my orders, no matter what they are, or rot away here, waiting for a death that might never come. After all, I might find some way to control you in the future when I become a Champion. Anyway, first, if you don't want your happy stay to be marred by torture, tell me everything you know about Ashahell. I have some beef to pick with him, and I would love to know more so that he doesn't catch me off guard, like you almost did."
Hearing his options clearly laid out for him, the sect leader knew they were the only ones he had.
He had heard about these prisons that were there in all the major forces in the Central Continent.
They were some of the only remnants from the old ages which still worked fine. If a Warrior entered, they would almost never be able to leave.
Besides, even if he did somehow manage to escape, he didn't know when it would happen.
As a leader of a large sect, he knew how to prioritize. Also, he did blame Ashahell for the deaths of his sect members, too.
So, he might as well try to make it so that he could have his revenge on him while waiting for a chance to kill his main foe.
Hence, he chose to speak.
"You can forget about the oath. One day, I will have a chance, so I'll just wait for that, or I'll die in the process. I deserve to, anyway, for letting down my sect, but taking you with me would be best. About Ashahell, though, I will speak, because he is second on the list of people I must take revenge on."
Daneel felt glad that the man was speaking, so he sat and let the blood be transferred while listening.
"I met him while I was looking to buy Champion-level trinkets using the wealth of the sect so that I could trap you inside the valley. The seller was a black market dealer from the Big 4, and he asked me why I needed it. I told him the reason, as I felt that the Big 4 might offer help to me, as you are, after all, poised to possibly build something greater than a Kingdom, which is a known taboo. To my surprise, after he heard that you were my target, he told me about a discrete location in the forest west of the Black Raven Kingdom, and asked me to wait there. It was there that Ashahell came to meet me and give me this technique. I could tell that it was just his clone, as he was using trinkets to teleport instead of casting the spell himself. He only wished me good luck, and left, but I could tell that something was wrong. Yet, the technique was authentic. It required me to ingest the blood of beasts to train faster to break through to become an Eminent Warrior. It did say that human blood was best, but I had no intention of using that option. But…why did I? Why did I kill my sect and drink their blood? Something…changed after I started to use the technique. Like…I wasn't myself. Why did I do it?"
Towards the end, the sect leader was mumbling to himself, making Daneel sigh.
Clearly, this was just another pawn being used by this Ashahell to target him and spread chaos. But why? Why was he so interested in him?
Daneel had too many questions, and too few answers.
The only way to resolve them was to go to the damn Big 4 and find out for himself.
Just as he was about to get up and leave this man to his rambling, a communication trinket on Daneel vibrated.
Taking it out, he was surprised to see that it was the one he had given to Percy, that snivelly son of the Mad Doctor.
Curious as to why he was contacting him at this moment, Daneel answered, and raised his eyebrows as he heard the message.
"Master! I have important news about my father's plan to deal with my senior disciple! This time, cutting off his treasured part won't work!"