Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

Atlas could be seen walking back towards the gates of the central city of Solara once again, but this time there were two noticeable changes about him. The first could be sensed immediately, it was the aura surrounding him. It had changed once more, much like it had when he first reached S-rank, but unlike that time this change had nothing to do with increasing his Attributes.

The reason was simple, after assimilating every remaining Trait and slightly increasing the Bloodline’s unlock percentage, the aura around Atlas had naturally changed again. Although he had already increased his Attributes inside the Ruin, he had deliberately stopped at 99 instead of crossing the next threshold.

There was a reason behind that decision, every time he crossed an Attribute threshold, the pain that followed became worse than before, and this time his instincts warned him more strongly than ever. They told him that reaching 100 now would be dangerous, so even if it was nothing more than a feeling, Atlas trusted it, His instincts had never been wrong before, and he had no intention of forcing himself only to die while trying to become stronger. It was better to let his body adjust to its current strength before attempting another breakthrough.

The second change was in Atlas himself, his expression specifically, the detached look in his eyes had lessened slightly, and the constant killing intent he unconsciously released had completely disappeared. The hatred buried inside him remained exactly the same, but now it was hidden much deeper than before instead of leaking into his surroundings.

For the first time in a long while, Atlas quietly inhaled the fresh air around him as he walked through the streets. His expression was still calm and cold, yet he felt a small sense of relief he had not experienced in years. The struggle that had followed him ever since his past was still there, but at this moment it no longer weighed on him as heavily as before.

Lost in those thoughts, he continued walking without paying attention to the people around him while recalling the Relic he had obtained from the Cataclysm-rank Ruin after finishing the assimilation process and increasing his Attributes.

’That Relic seems to be of a very high grade, After the Guild examines it...I should keep it for myself.’

The Relic rested inside the same transparent spirit bag that also held the four books. It was small enough to fit comfortably in one hand, but the density of spirit contained within it was unlike anything Atlas had seen before. Just from that alone, he could already tell it was the highest-grade Relic he had obtained so far.

Putting the matter aside for now, Atlas continued walking until he finally arrived in front of the Guild. He came out of his thoughts and slowly lifted his head, only to find someone already standing there as if the person was waiting. The moment his eyes landed on the familiar figure, he spoke without hesitation.

”Lady Seraphiel?... How did you arrive in Solara so early?”

Seraphiel smiled faintly before replying, ”I only arrived in Solara a little while ago, my father dropped me here before leaving to meet Her Majesty, from now on I’ll be staying in this city, so we can continue the information and Relic trading here, I have already been assigned as the Guildmaster of the Branch Guild in the eastern district of Solara.”

She deliberately kept her voice low so only Atlas could hear her, even if a few Explorers with higher Cultivation happened to overhear the conversation, neither of them paid it any mind. Information trading and Relic transactions were insignificant matters to people of that level, and none of them would bother listening to such a conversation in the first place.

But after Realizing that herself, Seraphiel inwardly sighed before speaking in her normal voice again.

”I just came out after speaking with the Guildmaster and happened to see you, Mr. Atlas. But you looked so lost in thought that you didn’t even notice me standing here, That surprised me a little.”

Atlas’s eyes widened slightly, ’Damn it!... I lowered my perception because of that feeling of relief? Tch... I can’t afford to become careless.’

Pushing the thought aside for now, he answered, ”I came to the Guild this morning, entered a Cataclysm-rank Ruin and cleared it, I was just about to report it to the Guild, you may come along if you want.”

His voice remained as indifferent as ever. Hearing that familiar tone made Seraphiel feel the same sharp sting in her chest as before, but she quickly hid it and instead focused on what he had just said.

”Ah... then you really reached S-rank.” She paused before asking, ”But... did you enter the Ruin alone? As far as I know, the Guild shouldn’t permit that.”

Atlas nodded once before answering, ”Yes, the receptionist personally took my request to the Guildmaster, and he approved it with his own signature.”

Seraphiel’s eyes widened.

”What? The Guildmaster himself signed a solo permit?”

’...That’s unheard of, why would he allow something like that?... Could it be...?’

Atlas was about to answer while stepping toward the Guild entrance, but Seraphiel suddenly called out again, stopping him halfway.

”Are you a Special S-rank then?! What’s your Unique Ability?”

This time there was no hesitation in her voice. Atlas immediately recognized the emotion behind her eyes. It was pure curiosity, curiosity to the extreme he had ever seen in someone’s expression.

Hearing the term ’Unique Ability,’ Atlas remembered what Harleks had told him before. He had almost forgotten that every Special S-rank possessed a Unique Ability, but now another thought surfaced.

’Did Harleks mistake my strength increasing after every battle as my Unique Ability?... Or did he assume my Null Pressure itself was one?’

”Mr. Atlas!... Can you hear me?”

Seraphiel’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts, Atlas blinked once before replying calmly, ”Yes. I was just thinking about something.”

Seraphiel let out a small sigh, ”I called your name several times, but you didn’t respond. For a moment I thought someone had placed you under their control... I’m glad that wasn’t the case.”

Atlas frowned slightly.

’Under someone’s control?... Does that mean there’s a Unique Ability capable of controlling other people?... And why is she relieved that it didn’t happen to me?’

Before Atlas could think any further, Seraphiel spoke again.

”I would like to apologize for asking such a question, Mr. Atlas. A person’s Unique Abilityis something that should never be asked about openly, it seems my curiosity got the best of me, and I also ended up wasting your time by stopping you outside the Guild when you had your own business to finish.”

After saying that, she stepped down from the staircase and began walking away. Atlas turned slightly to look at her, and before leaving she spoke once more.

”I would like you to visit the Branch Guild in the eastern district of Solara when you have the time. We can continue our discussion there...there is something important I wish to speak with you about, Mr. Atlas, you agreed to hear me out back at our Household.”

Atlas nodded while he thought He clearly remembered giving her that promise, and he had already decided what he was going to do when they met again. As he watched Seraphiel’s figure disappear into the crowd, he quietly thought to himself,

’Well, I will see what this important matter she is speaking about since Lumivale but that Trading contract has to be severed, it’s better to sever every tie with the Nobles once and for all...’

With that matter settled for now, Atlas entered the Guild without looking around. Even so, his perception still picked up a few familiar presences nearby. Himalton was inside along with the members of the Asfalon Team, but Atlas paid them no attention and walked straight to the reception counter before taking the Relic out of his spirit bag.

”This is the Relic I obtained from the Cataclysm-rank Ruin, I believe this should be enough to prove that I cleared it, right?” The moment those words left his mouth, silence spread across the Guild. Receptionists stopped what they were doing, nearby Explorers instinctively turned toward him, and even Himalton along with every member of the Asfalon Team shifted their attention to the Relic resting in Atlas’s hand.

Before anyone could recover from their surprise or ask a single question, another sound echoed through the Guild.

Tap...

A single footstep came from the entrance, just as everyone turned to that person, all their attention was shifted away from Atlas after his outrageous statement, and the moment everyone looked at the person...they had their eyes wide.

And if one looked at the person carefully, they would recognize that it was none other than... Alberion.

When Atlas took in the features of the elven figure his eyes narrowed, his attention went toward the badge type circular symbol at the right side of Alberion’s chest, he thought as it resembled something he had seen in the past ’An Elven Royal Knight?’