Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

The Queen of Angels, Solaris Clamorious, floated calmly in the sky with the Monster’s severed arm still in her hand. The entire arm had been torn off cleanly from the shoulder, while the Monster itself remained only a few meters away, silently staring at her with its hollow white eyes. For the first time since it had appeared above Solara, something within it seemed to have changed...it had finally found an Individual worthy of its attention.

The Monster, however, was not the only one observing its opponent with interest. Solaris slowly raised the severed arm before her eyes, and as she did, everyone watching from below noticed something unusual, there was no blood dripping from the torn shoulder, nor was there any flesh or bone visible within the arm itself. That alone was not impossible to believe, as the Monster’s body had never resembled normal flesh to begin with, but the complete absence of anything inside the severed arm still felt strangely unnatural.

Solaris quietly examined it for another brief moment before tossing the arm upward. The instant it left her hand, the severed limb dissolved into countless tiny particles of light, disappearing into the air without leaving behind even the slightest trace.

’No blood, no flesh...and it erased the space before my face to launch that punch. This Monster carries something other than Spirit...Interesting.’

While the entire city remained focused on the confrontation above the Palace, several kilometres away at the eastern side of Solara stood a massive building whose height towered over every other structure surrounding it. Upon its highest rooftop, a lone figure stood with his gaze fixed on the battle taking place in the distance.

Anyone familiar with him would immediately recognize the man.

It was none other than Dravenson Rosaria.

His eyes remained narrowed as he silently watched the exchange from afar. Even from this distance, he could distinguish that the Monster carried something mixed within its Spirit, something that did not belong there. After watching the severed arm disappear into particles, a faint smile appeared on his face before he spoke to the empty rooftop.

”What an interesting Monster...first its appearance, and now...that strange energy. Let’s see why Her Majesty still hasn’t Killed it yet.”

Just as he spoke, a figure blurred out from the wind behind him and landed silently on the massive rooftop before bowing respectfully. It was none other than Kaelion, the personal knight of their household, Without delaying, he spoke, ”Patriarch, I investigated the massacre that took place on the forest route a few miles away from Solara, and I found something that might intrigue you.”

Only then did Dravenson turn around before replying, ”Oh? Something capable of intriguing me when that monster itself already has my attention? Let me see what you’ve found.”

Kaelion stood up and took something out from the ring on his index finger. It looked like nothing more than a small piece of tree bark, something an ordinary person would have ignored without another glance. But the instant Dravenson saw it, his expression changed. His eyes widened slightly as he appeared before Kaelion almost instantly and took the bark from his hand.

Holding the small bark carefully, Dravenson activated his Unique Ability and examined it once more. The unfamiliar energy hidden within it was exactly the same as the one he had seen inside Atlas’s hand that day. Now he was seeing that identical energy again within this bark. It was too different from Spirit Energy, too distinct to mistake for anything else.

Then another thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, His head snapped toward the monster floating above the palace.

His eyes locked onto it as he carefully observed the strange energy surrounding its body. After comparing it with the bark several times, the connections slowly began forming inside his mind. The bark...the strange energy inside Atlas...the massacre...and now this monster.

A moment later, disbelief appeared across his face.

”No way... Don’t tell me...”

He immediately turned back toward Kaelion and asked in a hurried voice, ”Kaelion, you remember that Human Seraphiel invited to our household? The one who came while I was present?”

Kaelion looked at the unusually serious expression on Dravenson’s face. Without wasting even a second, he answered, ”Yes, Patriarch. I have seen him several times, both when you were present and when you weren’t. But...may I ask what reminded you of him?”

Dravenson remained silent for a brief moment before explaining everything he had pieced together. Starting from the strange energy he had sensed inside Atlas’s hand, then the unusual bark Kaelion had brought back from the massacre site, and finally the identical energy surrounding the monster floating above the palace, he connected every clue one after another.

By the time the explanation ended, Kaelion stood frozen.

His eyes slowly widened as the realization settled inside his mind. He simply couldn’t believe that an A-rank Human, someone he had considered insignificant from the beginning, could somehow be connected to something of this level. Only now did he understand why the Patriarch had reacted so strongly after examining that piece of bark.

’If not for the Patriarch...I would have remained completely ignorant and Young Lady Seraphiel might have unknowingly placed herself in grave danger.’ Before he could think any further, Dravenson spoke again, pulling him back to reality.

”I want you to search the entire city for him. He came to Solara after leaving our household, so he is most likely staying at one of the Inns. The moment you find him, knock him unconscious and bring him directly to me. If, for some reason, you are unable to do that, activate the Relic I gave you. I will arrive within moments.”

Kaelion bowed deeply before answering without hesitation, ”Do not worry, Patriarch. I will bring him to you.”

With those words, his figure disappeared once again, leaving Dravenson alone on the rooftop.

Dravenson let out a long sigh before looking toward the distant monster once more.

”Hah...my sweet daughter, what exactly have you done?...At least it’s fortunate she wasn’t placed in danger until now.” His worried voice echoed softly across the empty rooftop before his attention returned completely to the battle in the distance, where he saw the Queen finally making the move he had been expecting from the very beginning.

While his focus remained on the battlefield, neither Dravenson nor anyone else noticed the figure standing silently near the staircase leading to the floor below.

Her hands clutched tightly onto the fabric of her gown against her chest, while her complexion had already turned pale.

If one were to look closely, they would instantly recognize her. It was none other than Seraphiel Rosaria, Dravenson’s sole daughter and...the only person who had ever willingly approached Atlas.

At this moment, however, the calm and composed expression that always represented the businesswoman of the Rosaria Household was nowhere to be seen. Instead, her face looked pale and conflicted, carrying an emotion she herself could not understand no matter how much she tried to suppress it.

She had arrived only moments ago, just as Dravenson finished explaining everything to Kaelion. Hidden near the staircase leading to the rooftop, she had heard every single word...especially the order to find Atlas and bring him back. Knowing her father better than anyone else, she understood exactly what those words implied.

If Dravenson personally ordered someone to be brought before him, then that person’s fate was almost always decided already. It was not simply an order to capture someone...it was an order that usually ended with that person’s death.

And just after hearing those final words from only a few meters away, she suddenly felt her heart tighten painfully, as though an invisible hand had clenched around it. She knew that nothing here could harm her, nor did she believe some unknown ability was affecting her.

Deep inside, she vaguely understood where that pain was coming from...yet she refused to accept it completely. It wasn’t because of her father questioning what she had done. No...it was the order regarding Atlas. Those words continued echoing inside her mind, making that unfamiliar pain refuse to disappear as she questioned herself, ’Wh-What is this feeling?...Why...why am I feeling something I don’t even understand?’

Meanwhile, completely unaware that all of this was happening because of him, Atlas remained standing beside the open window of his room inside the Inn. His eyes never left the sky as he continued watching the two figures above the Palace.

From his perspective, it hardly resembled a battle at all. Ever since the Queen had torn off the Monster’s arm, neither side had made another move, leaving only a silent confrontation that somehow felt even heavier than an exchange of attacks.

Just as Atlas expected the next clash to finally begin, the Angelic Queen spoke. Her calm voice spread throughout the entire city without relying on any amplification, reaching every individual who had gathered outside to witness the Monster. ”People of Celestara, whether you are Angels or travelers from another race...I assure you that nothing will happen to this city or yourselves, I will be taking this Monster somewhere far from here before ending this battle, so remain calm, I will only be absent for a short while.”

Before the Monster could even react to those words, Solaris calmly raised her right hand and waved it once. The very next moment, both her figure and the Monster transformed into two streaks of light that shot across the sky before vanishing beyond everyone’s sight, leaving the entire city frozen in stunned silence as even Atlas widened his eyes at what had just happened.