Bloodstar System: Infinite Evolution Through Beast Slaughter

Chapter 26: The Blade Presentation

Tavian ran off happily to process the Gale Fiend Wolf’s corpse.

As a seasoned wilderness hunter, he could skin and strip tendons with his eyes closed.

Joren leaned against a broken concrete wall, breathing in the rust scented air in great gulps.

Then a shadow fell over him.

Joren lifted his head.

Kaia stood before him.

With the light behind her, he could not see her expression clearly. He could only make out her tall, straight figure and the ponytail moving in the wind.

"Catch."

Her cool voice fell.

Joren raised his hand by instinct and caught it.

Heavy.

Cold enough to bite.

It was a combat blade in its sheath.

The whole thing was black. Intricate dark patterns covered the scabbard, and faint gold letters could be seen on it.

Antares.

"What is this?"

Joren looked at Kaia in confusion.

Kaia did not explain. She only gave him a faint glance, then turned and walked aside to wipe the blood from her hands.

Alar leaned over, staring at the blade in Joren’s hand with envy all over his face.

"That is the captain’s spare combat blade. Black Gold series, specially made by Military Factory Three. On the black market, one of these can trade for an apartment in the city center."

Joren’s hand trembled. He almost failed to hold it steady.

"What does this mean?"

He slid the blade back into its sheath, his expression guarded.

"It is called the Blade Presentation."

Alar put away his grin and pointed at the blade in Joren’s hand, then at the Antares emblem on Kaia’s back.

"In Antares Command, only captain level officers are qualified to offer a blade."

"If you accept the blade, it means Antares Command has opened its doors to you."

"The captain has her eye on you. She wants to bring you in."

Joren lowered his head and looked at the black gold combat blade in his hand.

Bring him in?

Join Antares Command?

He had wanted to enlist before. His age had been the only problem.

Antares Command...

That was a special operations force under the border military. It was said that only the best among Awakened Warriors could enter. Every member was the kind of killer who had crawled out from piles of corpses.

"So? Too excited to speak?"

Alar grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth.

Joren stayed silent for a few seconds.

Then he lifted his head. His eyes were clear, without the wild joy Alar had expected.

"What are the benefits?"

"Huh?"

Alar dug at his ear, thinking he had heard wrong.

"I said, what are the benefits of joining Antares Command?"

Joren repeated it. His tone was calm, as if he were bargaining at a market.

"I am a very practical person. I do not talk ideals. Only benefits."

Jazz walked over.

For once, there was a trace of expression on that poker face of his. It looked almost like a smile, though not quite.

"You want benefits?"

"Fine. I will tell you."

Jazz pointed at the Gale Fiend Wolf’s corpse on the ground.

"A Rank Three Voidbeast like this is only low level prey on Antares Command’s hunting list."

"What we face are Beast Tides, high level Voidbeasts, and even... those nameless horrors no one wants to describe."

"As long as you have military merit, Antares Command’s Resource Vault is open to you."

Jazz paused. His gaze sharpened like a blade, stabbing straight into Joren’s eyes.

"And there is the thing you lack most right now."

"A high level body tempering method to break through Mortal and advance to Rank One Warrior."

"[Solar Crucible Method]."

Joren’s pupils tightened.

His heart gave two disobedient beats.

This was exactly where he was stuck.

In this world, martial cultivation was extremely strict. Mortal was only the foundation, a stage for tempering physical strength.

To truly become an Awakened Warrior, one had to cultivate a higher level body tempering method and refine the skin, bones, and organs.

But high level body tempering methods were strictly controlled by the government and the major corporations. For ordinary people, there were only a few ways to get one.

Enter a martial university.

Join the military and earn merit.

Or pay a sky high price on the black market.

Joren had been stuck at Mortal Perfection for a long time.

Without a guiding method, he would never break through that final thin barrier.

[Solar Crucible Method]...

Joren drew in a deep breath.

Alar cut in from the side.

"Once you officially join, those things are standard issue."

"And Antares Command is famous for good treatment."

"Fixed monthly cultivation subsidies, the best medical pods if you get injured, large compensation if you die in battle..."

"Stop."

Jazz cut off Alar’s sales pitch.

He walked up to Joren and looked down at the young man.

"Kid, do not only listen to the good parts."

Jazz’s voice turned low and rough, carrying a hint of intimidation.

"All of that is bought with your life."

"Wherever it is most dangerous, we go."

"Wherever there are the most Voidbeasts, we charge in."

"Every day, you walk along the edge of life and death."

"You kill while eating. You kill while sleeping. Even when you take a piss, you need to watch for mutant rats crawling out of the sewer."

"Your life will be left with nothing but blood, slaughter, and endless battle."

Jazz bent down, his oppressive eyes fixed hard on Joren.

He wanted to see fear on the boy’s face.

Or retreat.

Or hesitation.

He had seen too many hot blooded young people like this.

They heard special operations force and started howling with excitement.

Then once they reached the battlefield and saw intestines spilling all over the ground, they wet themselves on the spot.

But Joren’s face did not show the fear Jazz expected.

Instead, Joren licked his cracked lips.

His throat moved.

"You mean... there are Voidbeasts to kill every day?"

"And I do not have to search all over the wilderness for them myself?"

"The organization will send us straight into piles of monsters?"

Jazz froze for a moment.

Still, he nodded.

"That is right. When a Beast Tide erupts, you will not even get to rest. You will kill until your hands go numb, kill until you vomit..."

"Perfect!"

Joren slapped his thigh and almost jumped up.

He grabbed Jazz’s thick arm, his eyes burning with a frightening heat.

"There is such a good thing?"

"Why did you not say that earlier?"

"I am joining."

"Do we sign a contract now? Or press a fingerprint?"

"Also... are there any missions today?"

Jazz: "..."

Alar: "..."

Kaia, who was wiping her blade, had her hand slip and almost cut herself.

Everyone froze.

Joren had no attention to spare for their expressions.

He gripped the black gold combat blade tightly and looked at Jazz with eyes full of gratitude.

"Jazz."

"In the future, for this kind of... difficult mission, please make sure to send me first."

"I like killing Voidbeasts."

"If I go a day without killing, my whole body feels wrong."