Finding The Blood Path!

There was once a boy with black hair who lived like any other youth. He did whatever he wanted while trying to survive every day. Yet his freedom was restricted by his own failures. Finally reaching the end of his schooling years, his true story began.

Sneaking into the country of a dictator, he hid in boats and planes, even deciding to dig a tunnel to escape his pursuers. He found himself trudging through a hell even his own dreams could never imagine.

Finally passing through the barrier he lived peacefully for two years under the identity of a man he saw murdered in cold blood and was helpless to do anything. Perhaps if he was the main character in a wuxia novel, this event would have started his path to greatness.

Yet the boy lived out those two years normally, acting out his days as if he was a youth who was missing his peaceful days. These two years couldn't blind him from his mission, for he had a goal that he foolishly declared as a child forcing down a mad path.

Finally, an event occurred at the end of those two years, the a.d.u.l.t with a youthful thought process walked into a glamorous building with guards everywhere. The world's peace was at its breaking point, and the dictator had gone too far.

Yet that war never did occur, and the dictator got to live out his days peacefully strangely bringing out something nobody could have imagined. The boy made another foolish declaration and brought about a story that would make anyone confused on whether to laugh or cry.

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Eve was sitting at the dinner table with a dinner plate in front of him. A day had passed since the end of school, and he hadn't contacted Mara to apologize yet.

I think I was a bit excessive towards her….. Why did I get so mad?

Eve's mother was in the kitchen, preparing lunch for her son before leaving to go to work.

"Hey Eve, are you eating your breakfast? Don't forget to prepare for school tomorrow!"

Eve's mother calls out from the kitchen in the midst of placing in lunch in the fridge.

"Yes, I'm eating right now!" Eve called out with a sweet voice back to her, as he continued to eat.

The relationship between Eve and his mother is hard to explain, with only one thing absolutely clear. If we were to compare the trust in their relationship to the trust a girlfriend has for their playboy boyfriend, the girlfriend would be more trusting than Eve's mother.

"I'm leaving now! Make sure you leave the alarm and the camera on."

Eve's mother cries as she leaves the house, slamming the door behind her.

Years ago, my mom would spend 30 minutes every day with me before going to work, just having a pleasant time. Yet now I stay in my room till the last moment, hoping my mom can leave quickly and my mother no longer attempts to greet me.

Perhaps it has something to do with tiredness, or maybe….

The damn papers that come every 4 months declaring me to be less qualified than others!

Eve's mom had left allowing Eve's true face to be revealed, one full of anger.

Having finished his meal, Eve stood up from the dinner table and went upstairs back to his room, sitting on his bed.

My dad had left a long time ago saying he was joining some sort of secret group that he couldn't tell us.

Yet how could my mom continue believing this after 4 years? I don't know what to think of it after all my memories of him faded away with only images of his face in my mind remains.

Perhaps this was another kick at our relationship and left me here today hoping I don't have to see my mother in the morning.

Eve sighed, before stretching his right arm to pull off a notepad from his desk. The notepad had many pages, with a few lines of writing on the front.

Then…. Since I don't believe I have forgotten anything I have to do, let's begin my plan.

Eve looked at his desk again pulling out a small rectangular pad and pushed on the screen. The screen flashed on and the boy clicked a green button with an image akin to a banana with the two ends as solid boxes.

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At another location, we meet the young boy named Eric Schecovsi sitting cross-legged on a hard stone. The stone's shape was like a miniature mountain, with a downward curving top and a flat base. It was a meter high, and the base was 50 centimeters on both sides.

Eric Schecovsi held a plate in both of his hands, with his eyes closed and his black hair soaked with sweat. He had no shirt, other than the layer of sweat covering his skin. He had something akin to swim shorts on, that didn't absorb any of the sweat running across its surface.

His dark skin tone contrasted with grassy areas near him, and the blurry walls that blocked anyone from seeing the boy training. Strangely, the flames that burned beside the mountain-like rock did not heat up the grass that was exposed to it, only heating up Eric's body.

For a few moments, the boy looked as peaceful as a Buddha, sitting above the flames with a still body.

Suddenly the boy opened his eyes, exposing a light that destroyed the scenic picture, instead of giving it a mysterious look. The light disappeared, and the boy smiled, in such a way that any man or woman would fall for him.

He put the plate in his left hand on top of the plate in his other hand, using his left hand to tap the rock. At that moment the flames flickered out, and a floating metallic tray appeared to his right.

Eric placed the two plates on the tray, as he pushed himself off the rock and landed on two feet. He turned around to click a button on the rock, causing a glowing screen with half of a woman's head and torso on it. She wore an office suit and had her brown hair in a bun with a smile on her face.

"Hey Sarah, did Sensei say anything about today's activities?"

As Eric walks forward, he seemingly talks to the screen like a crazy person.

Surprisingly, the woman in the screen responded: "No, he's still in his office, but he said he wanted to come to see him."

I have always thought that all these fancy devices have no purpose in training, yet Sensei proved me wrong once again. Although thinking of Sarah as an AI is so difficult… It feels like I'm talking to a real woman although she is a bit cold. Well, I guess that's what makes Sarah an AI.

Although my family and I have always used any technology that makes our lives more convenient, we have never touched an AI or any of this training technology. Perhaps it has something to do with my father's stingy nature.

Eric walked towards a rectangular frame on one of the walls, passing through the blurry scene into a hallway of a totally different style compared to the outside scenery. Men and woman with straight backs walked by Eric with a few looking with stunned expressions at him.

"As William Magbert looks upon you with favor, it's natural for the intelligent to look at you with surprised expression but isn't it kind of funny?" Sarah laughs within in the screen, causing her body to shiver.

It always feels weird how you try to act human… Is it really that funny?

"I guess it's natural, although it always makes me feel disconcerted to see their adoring looks..." Eric shivers a little as he passes by the other disciples who were walking through the halls.

As a part of the Bell training camp, I empty my wallet every month and Bell allows me to undergo training with masters, and to use their training devices.

Although my income barely sustains the monthly fee, this training camp is actually one of the cheapest camps that exist specifically intended for those who haven't awakened abilities.

Passing by templates of doors and fellow campers, Eric finally reached his teacher's door. Keeping the electronic screen with the female AI in front of him, Eric entered the room.

Suddenly his expression became bizarre, as a strange laughing noise came from inside the room.

Is Sensei laughing? I haven't seen him laugh besides the time when we first met….

William Magbert was holding something up to his ear and was looking off towards his window with a gleeful expression on his face. His office desk stood in the middle of the room with a chair facing towards, clearly meant for one on one meetings.

William was the perfect representation of a strict martial arts teacher, with his powerful physique and a large stature. He wore a yellow robe with a multitude of strange symbols on it, and it almost seemed glued to his body

At any other time, his wrinkly face and scrunched up eyebrows would terrify any disciple, yet at this time he only looked like a satisfied old man.

"Master? Did you ask me to come to see you?" Eric asked as he stood there quite dumbfounded.

Strangely enough even the woman on the screen had a shocked expression, perhaps in an attempt to copy Eric.

William Magbert put the object to his side for a moment before looking at Eric.

"Oh yes, I wanted to ask you if you are alright. I appreciate your enthusiasm but you actually trained throughout the night using one of the simulation rooms. You know training can't replace rest, and your physical condition could get worse before the international tournament."

The tournament William was referring to, is a martial arts competition meant for the organizations who train those without abilities all over the world. It's centered in Europia, a place someone would consider a central hub of the world.

"Yes, I will be fine Sensei. I just need to rest tomorrow night and I will be perfectly ready for the tournament."

Eric adores his master, as William could be considered a previous world blood champion. Although this was in the days when blood abilities had only been first introduced and he was at an advantage due to his previous professional martial arts training.

"Alright then, how about you show me the 32 Arts of Herit and let me observe your progress."

If someone was a light novel reader and saw William at this moment, they would think of him as some sort old profound expert giving tips to the younger generation because of the pose William was standing in.

"Really?!" Suddenly the AI screams from the screen before Eric can respond, taking his limelight.

Eric and the Old Master gave dissatisfied looks at Sarah, before causing the AI to look away seemingly embarrassed.

Are you sure you're an AI and not an actual person behind that screen Sarah?

Eric clearly had a disgruntled look on his face, before calming down and solemnly stating "Sure!"

Eve looked away from his master, with his left side facing towards the desk, and his other side facing the door. He took up a stance with his right foot in front and left foot behind and placed his right arm in front of his c.h.e.s.t.

The boy gave off a look like a serious knight as he closed his eyes intending to concentrate his mind as a mysterious energy seemed to pump into his body. At this moment the elderly master pulled the object back to his ear and started talking again.

"Oh, sorry about that, I had to talk to my disciple for a moment. So, you were requesting more information on my theory of bloody experience and bodybuilding?

William Magbert seemed to have an excited look as if he got some sort of scientific award for his theory.

"Is he really watching?" The female AI questions with an abnormal expression on her face, copying the question within Eric's mind.

Eric twitched for a moment, before entering his solemn state once more.

I am so tired.

Eric began moving. He began the 32 Arts of Herit. Again and Again. Who is Eric? His eyes couldn't help one identify him, for they could shiver in pain.

The boy had a flow to his body, as if he was dancing, although the bursts of force into air said otherwise. His movements were confusing, which would make the average person confused as to how it was a martial arts technique.

He moved his right arm forward, arching his back and made a slow rotation with his two arms moving in opposite directions at the same time.

"Ah, so you also experienced the blood vision like me? Is that why you think that my theory is true? Do you know why you had the vision?" William shot off a series of questions into his phone, causing Eric to pause for a moment.

Eric turned back towards his master asking, "Master are you sure I should demonstrate my techniques here? You seem a little busy…"

The disciple clearly didn't want to irritate his Master, as he ignored how his Master ruined his concentration.

"Oh, Eric continue demonstrating your moves, I just got a bit excited."

What.

The indifferent attitude of his Master left Eric quite dumbfounded.

Why does it seem like I'm the person who asked you here to criticize me? Didn't you request me to demonstrate my moves?

Again, Eric got into the mood, latching onto a few of his memories in order to concentrate.

I am from an average family, who can live however they want to do as long as they stay within their restrictions. Yet I wanted to dream. A life that couldn't be mine and shouldn't be mine but I still wanted it.

Eric started moving faster than before, causing more force to launch out of his limbs into the air through the series of maneuvers. If you were to focus on his movements, strangely you could even see a red tinge to his body.

"Oh yes, the red scene you saw is meant to be an improvement to your ability, although it weakens your body in the process." Again, William Magbert interrupts Eric although in a quieter voice.

This time Eric merely shivers, before continuing the techniques as sweat started dripping down his clothes like he had been standing in a rainy day.

Sarah looked on from the screen, watching Eric's pain with a bitter smile on her face. She clearly wasn't in a good mood, noticing how Eric seemed to be trying so hard to impress his master, while the latter just kept talking with whatever genius scientist was on the other side.

I wanted to awaken my ability, so I went to a training camp at the age of 5. It was only a basic one but it was all I could do because my parents didn't have any intention of financing my training, perhaps due to my disappointing results every year since I was a baby.

Again, Eric started to move even faster with more ferocious movements than before, yet the slight shine on his eyelids denied any ferocious aura he could have.

"So, you don't have an ability… Yet since you physically exerted yourself to death, and an acc.u.mulation of experiences led to you seeing that bloody vision…. You think it could be evidence to support my theory?!" Again, Eric's master yelled, this time knocking Eric out of his trance, causing him to fall to the ground.

The old man gave an awkward laugh before saying "That's the last time I swear."

Eric didn't respond as he didn't want to annoy his master and just wanted to finish his training routine.

"Who are you even talking to? Some sort of genius like person from across the world? The MC of a light novel? A former president of the Apepa Continent? Your mother?!" The AI rebuked him, screaming out the thoughts of any observer in this situation.

The old master shamelessly smiled, before continuing to talk on the phone.

Eric was tired. He had no right to sleep, for he had no time to rest. To even train at this camp he has to work all day at different part-time jobs, in a bid to get stronger.

10 years ago, a few words decided his fate. On that day he sat with his mother and father and watched a T.V. program of an incredible martial arts fight.

Eve started to train again, this time with a moody aura akin to the cloudy grey sky. He threw his fist forward as if he was harnessing his emotions. The tinge of red surrounding his body became even more vivid as if it was becoming corporeal from its almost non-existent state. It grew into a bloody fog as if was screaming the same words as Eric said 10 years ago.

"I want to awaken an-"

Suddenly a loud buzzing noise ran throughout the office, causing the aura to dissipate and Eric to stop in place.

A cry of pain came from Eric as if his body was inside a car that crashed into a wall. Although such occurrences are rare in these modern times.

"He was about to awaken his ability! Who the hell came at this time?!" The female AI screamed, clearly frustrated for Eric's sake.

"It doesn't matter Sarah…. It's not like I was actually awakening-"

"No! I saw that aura, Master why did you-" The glowing screen turned to wear Eric's master was standing yet saw only the pleasant breeze that came from the window.

"That was the door calling alarm Sarah, although I'm not sure why Master carelessly left it on…"

Or why he ran so quickly after hearing it….

"Let's go see whoever's so impressive they can make your Master act so excitedly!" The glowing screen started moving towards, while Sarah had a pouty expression on her face.

"Ah-" Eric was about to call her back but choked on his words. Perhaps it had to with his frustration of being interrupted in the midst of his training. Or maybe he had some secret feeling of annoyance due to getting hopeful about his awakening.

Eric followed the glowing screen that floated into the hallways and navigated through the crowds of disciples walking by, as he tried to keep up with Sarah.

Passing by a few conference and training rooms, Eric reached the front of the training palace and saw his master with a strange fawning expression.

Sarah and Eric stood there surprised to see who the person was on the other side of the call.

"A 16-year-old boy…. Who hasn't awakened an ability?"