Chapter 165: The Blessing Hidden in Blood
The Blessing Hidden in Blood
One whole gang filled the building.
The moment Victor entered, the atmosphere shifted.
Men who ruled alleys, extorted merchants, spilled blood without blinking—stood straighter.
Watched.
Waited.
The hideout of the Ox King was not some crude den of brigands as Clara once imagined.
It was a war chamber.
A wide central room lit by hanging oil lamps. Smoke curled upward in lazy coils. Maps, weapons, and ledgers lay scattered over side tables. Hardened men lined the walls in silence.
And at the center—
a great dark chair carved from old timber sat like a throne.
Victor walked to it without hesitation and sat.
Not arrogantly.
Naturally.
As though he had always belonged there.
One leg crossed over the other.
Golden eyes calm.
Sharp features touched by faint amusement.
Like a monarch entertaining a petition.
Videl stood beside him to his right, blue sapphire eyes bright with quiet devotion.
Lane stood to his left, possessive and elegant, her black dress whispering against her legs.
Clara remained a step behind, still processing how easily Victor had turned an underworld fortress into a reception hall.
And before him stood Eon and Brinda.
Subordinates before a sovereign.
That image lodged deep into Clara’s thoughts.
She hated how much it impressed her.
...
Eon stared at Victor with growing impatience.
His massive fingers tapped against his arm.
He looked like a storm forced to stand still.
Finally he grunted,
"What do you want? Tell me quickly. I have more work to do."
Victor leaned back, smile deepening.
Dangerously.
"Is that the way you should be talking to me? I tolerate you much and don’t forget, you are still working under me... or are you about to start a mutiny?"
His tone was almost playful.
Which somehow made it worse.
Eon saw that smile.
And shivered.
Actually shivered.
Clara noticed.
The Ox King.
The giant feared by criminals and nobles alike.
Shivered.
Eon bit his lower lip until blood surfaced.
Then stiffly,
"Sorry sir, I meant what is it you need of me, sir?"
Victor waved lazily.
"No need to be that polite. Just don’t talk to me like you’re growling and we’ll be alright."
Inside, Eon screamed.
What the hell does this bastard want from me?!
Brinda nearly laughed aloud seeing his suffering.
Lane hid a smile.
Even Videl’s lips twitched.
Only Clara stared in disbelief.
Victor had reduced a king of the underworld into a scolded child.
Eon forced himself calm.
"Alright then... so what is it you want?"
Victor nodded approvingly.
"Well that’s better. A bit stiff but overall alright."
He folded his hands.
Then his eyes sharpened.
"Okay then, I have some exciting news to tell you... and it’s regarding your mana pool."
Everything changed.
The moment those words left Victor’s mouth, Eon’s half-irritated, half-I-don’t-give-a-fuck look transformed into raw hunger.
Passion.
Hope so violent it looked painful.
It was finally happening.
The moment he had waited for.
The chance to stop being branded manaless trash.
To erase humiliation burned into childhood.
Even if now few dared insult him—
old wounds remembered.
His voice almost shook.
"What... are you finally going to help me make my mana pool larger?"
Victor tilted his head.
"Hm, actually it is impossible to make your mana pool larger."
Silence.
Then explosion.
"WHAT!?"
Eon lurched forward.
"I thought you told me that you could do it! The whole reason I’m even following your command is because you told me you’re going to make my mana pool larger!"
His voice thundered through the chamber.
"If you ain’t going to do that, then I might as well fight you here and now! Shit I’ll tear that little head of yours from your body!"
The gang lining the walls froze.
No one breathed.
Clara’s heart jumped.
Had he gone mad?
Even Brinda muttered,
"He really wishes to die today..."
Yet Victor did not move.
Did not rise.
Did not even blink.
Only his smile disappeared.
And something colder entered the room.
"Before you do anything stupid like suicide..."
Victor’s voice dropped.
"...how about you listen to me first."
Then it came.
Invisible.
Silent.
Killing intent.
Focused wholly on Eon.
No one else felt its full weight.
But everyone saw what it did.
The giant froze.
Entirely.
Like prey locked beneath a dragon’s gaze.
Sweat formed.
His hands trembled.
He could not move.
Could not swallow.
Could barely breathe.
And Clara suddenly understood why Victor had called attacking him suicide.
Not metaphor.
Fact.
Victor let the silence stretch.
Then continued as though discussing weather.
"So I understand why you’re so angry... but don’t you think it’s foolish to throw your life away because of a little anger?"
He leaned slightly forward.
"Well anyway, the reason I won’t be able to increase your mana pool... is because you do not possess a curse."
Pause.
"Instead... you have a blessing."
Eon blinked.
"A blessing?"
Now confusion overpowered fury.
Inside his mind—
Did this bastard call my inability to expand my mana pool a blessing? This fucking state that gave me so much hardship was a blessing? Is this guy on drugs or something?
Victor practically read his thoughts.
He smirked.
"Let me explain."
The room leaned in.
Even criminals at the walls unconsciously listened.
"Your ability doesn’t allow you to expand your mana pool..."
Victor’s tone grew almost scholarly.
"...instead your ability burns mana and turns it into strength."
Eon frowned.
Victor continued.
"Still, that isn’t the true blessing given to you by this ability."
His golden eyes seemed to shine in lampfire.
"No... the true blessing of this ability..."
He let the words fall one by one.
"...is that it is proof..."
"...that you are part of the royal family."
The room died.
No movement.
No breath.
No sound.
Then madness.
When Victor said this, aside from Videl everybody looked at him dumbly.
Even ever-stoic Lane showed a rare look of confusion.
Brinda’s lips parted.
Clara looked as though struck by lightning.
Eon simply stared.
Blank.
And then—
as if rehearsed—
they all shouted in sync.
"WHAT?!"